Forest City (FCE.A) 4Q15 Results: Beats on Earnings, Led by Acquisitions, Increased Occupancies and Rent

Executive Summary

• Real estate investment trust Forest City reported 4Q15 adjusted revenues of $347.1 million, up 8.1% year over year, beating the consensus estimate of $326.8 million. Fourth-quarter comparable net operating income (NOI) increased by 5.9% year over year, led by increases of 7.6% in office, 5.6% in apartments and 4.2% in retail.
• Operating funds from operations (FFO) per diluted share was $0.39, up 8.3% year over year and above the consensus estimate of $0.34. The increase was primarily driven by new property openings and acquisitions of $13.2 million and by decreased interest expense, both corporate and in the mature portfolio, of $9.8 million.
• Reported FFO per diluted share were $0.29, down 70.5% from the year-ago quarter. FFO declined year over year due a one-time gain in 2014 of $139.5 million, or $0.51 per share, on change in control of interests offset by a charge of $10.4 million, or $0.04 per share, related to converting into a real estate investment trust.