10-Q 1 d10q.htm SUNSTONE HOTEL INVESTORS, INC. FORM 10-Q Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. Form 10-Q
Table of Contents

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 


FORM 10-Q

 


 

x QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2006

OR

 

¨ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from                      to                     

Commission file number 001-32319

 


Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 


 

Maryland   20-1296886

(State or Other Jurisdiction of

Incorporation or Organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification Number)

903 Calle Amanecer, Suite 100

San Clemente, California

  92673
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (949) 369-4000

 


Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.

Yes  x    No  ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes  x    No  ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer or a non-accelerated filer. See definition of “accelerated filer” and “large accelerated filer” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large accelerated filer  x                Accelerated filer  ¨                Non-accelerated filer   ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).

Yes  ¨    No  x

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date.

57,932,915 shares, of Common Stock, $0.01 par value, as of May 1, 2006

 



Table of Contents

SUNSTONE HOTEL INVESTORS, INC.

QUARTERLY REPORT ON

FORM 10-Q

For the Quarterly Period Ended March 31, 2006

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         Page
  PART I—FINANCIAL INFORMATION   

Item 1

 

Financial Statements:

  
 

Consolidated Balance Sheets as of March 31, 2006 (unaudited) and December 31, 2005

   1
 

Unaudited Consolidated Income Statements for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2006 and 2005

   2
 

Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity as of March 31, 2006 (unaudited) and December 31, 2005

   3
 

Unaudited Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2006 and 2005

   4
 

Notes to Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements

   5

Item 2

 

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

   13

Item 3

 

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk

   21

Item 4

 

Disclosure Controls and Procedures

   22
  PART II—OTHER INFORMATION   

Item 1

 

Legal Proceedings

   23

Item 1A

 

Risk Factors

   23

Item 2

 

Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

   23

Item 3

 

Defaults Upon Senior Securities

   23

Item 4

 

Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders

   23

Item 5

 

Other Information

   23

Item 6

 

Exhibits

   23

SIGNATURES

   25

 

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Table of Contents

PART I—FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

Item 1. Financial Statements

SUNSTONE HOTEL INVESTORS, INC.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(In thousands, except per share data)

 

    

March 31,

2006

   

December 31,

2005

 
     (unaudited)        

ASSETS

    

Current assets:

    

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 19,938     $ 17,538  

Restricted cash

     56,694       54,305  

Accounts receivable, net

     51,197       42,879  

Due from affiliates

     2,024       1,994  

Inventories

     2,841       2,814  

Prepaid expenses

     6,482       4,187  

Current assets of discontinued operations

     —         359  
                

Total current assets

     139,176       124,076  

Investment in hotel properties, net

     2,396,874       2,054,001  

Investment in hotel properties held for sale, net

     —         9,111  

Other real estate, net

     13,295       7,545  

Deferred financing costs, net

     8,482       8,299  

Goodwill

     27,169       27,169  

Other assets, net

     8,755       18,780  

Other assets of discontinued operations, net

     —         208  
                

Total assets

   $ 2,593,751     $ 2,249,189  
                

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

    

Current liabilities:

    

Accounts payable and accrued expenses

   $ 32,046     $ 22,293  

Accrued payroll and employee benefits

     7,742       8,960  

Due to Management Company

     20,084       19,404  

Dividends payable

     21,553       19,831  

Other current liabilities

     33,637       29,414  

Current portion of notes payable

     3,309       4,387  

Current liabilities of discontinued operations

     —         302  
                

Total current liabilities

     118,371       104,591  

Notes payable, less current portion

     1,352,742       1,176,791  

Other liabilities

     8,478       8,782  
                

Total liabilities

     1,479,591       1,290,164  

Commitments and contingencies (Note 12)

    

Preferred stock, Series C Cumulative Convertible Redeemable Preferred Stock, $0.01 par value 4,102,564 shares issued and outstanding at March 31, 2006 and December 31, 2005, liquidation preference of $24.375 per share

     99,146       99,096  

Stockholders’ equity:

    

Preferred stock, $0.01 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized. 8.0% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, 4,850,000 issued and outstanding at March 31, 2006 and December 31, 2005, stated at liquidation preference of $25.00 per share

     121,250       121,250  

Common stock, $0.01 par value, 500,000,000 shares authorized, 57,691,546 shares issued and outstanding at March 31, 2006 and 52,190,649 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2005

     577       522  

Additional paid in capital

     957,208       798,400  

Retained earnings

     30,133       12,308  

Cumulative dividends

     (94,154 )     (72,551 )
                

Total stockholders’ equity

     1,015,014       859,929  
                

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

   $ 2,593,751     $ 2,249,189  
                

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

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SUNSTONE HOTEL INVESTORS, INC.

UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENTS

(In thousands, except per share data)

 

    

Three Months Ended
March 31,

2006

   

Three Months Ended
March 31,

2005

 

REVENUES

    

Room

   $ 136,636     $ 78,309  

Food and beverage

     58,147       25,613  

Other operating

     17,444       10,960  
                

Total revenues

     212,227       114,882  
                

OPERATING EXPENSES

    

Room

     31,090       17,449  

Food and beverage

     40,345       18,173  

Other operating

     10,035       7,133  

Advertising and promotion

     12,706       7,492  

Repairs and maintenance

     9,018       5,115  

Utilities

     8,792       4,967  

Franchise costs

     7,327       5,970  

Property tax, ground lease, and insurance

     11,919       6,305  

Property general and administrative

     25,346       12,269  

Corporate overhead

     5,877       3,507  

Depreciation and amortization

     22,974       13,925  
                

Total operating expenses

     185,429       102,305  
                

Operating income

     26,798       12,577  

Interest and other income

     1,098       306  

Interest expense

     (26,823 )     (12,055 )
                

Income before minority interest and discontinued operations

     1,073       828  

Minority interest

     —         (151 )
                

Income from continuing operations

     1,073       677  

Income from discontinued operations

     16,752       1,120  
                

NET INCOME

     17,825       1,797  

Preferred stock dividends and accretion

     (4,087 )     (388 )
                

INCOME AVAILABLE TO COMMON STOCKHOLDERS

   $ 13,738     $ 1,409  
                

Basic per share amounts:

    

Income (loss) from continuing operations available to common stockholders

   $ (0.05 )   $ 0.01  

Income from discontinued operations

     0.30       0.03  
                

Basic income available to common stockholders per common share

   $ 0.25     $ 0.04  
                

Diluted per share amounts:

    

Income (loss) from continuing operations available to common stockholders

   $ (0.05 )   $ 0.01  

Income from discontinued operations

     0.30       0.03  
                

Diluted income available to common stockholders per common share

   $ 0.25     $ 0.04  
                

Weighted average common shares outstanding:

    

Basic

     55,797       34,519  
                

Diluted

     55,797       34,817  
                

Dividends paid per common share

   $ 0.300     $ 0.285  
                

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

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SUNSTONE HOTEL INVESTORS, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

 

     Preferred Stock    Common Stock   

Additional

Paid in

Capital

  

Retained

Earnings

  

Cumulative

Dividends

    Total  
    

Number of

Shares

   Amount   

Number of

Shares

   Amount           

Balance at December 31, 2005 (audited)

   4,850,000    $ 121,250    52,190,649    $ 522    $ 798,400    $ 12,308    $ (72,551 )   $ 859,929  

Net proceeds from sale of common stock

         5,500,000      55      158,002           158,057  

Vesting of restricted common stock

         897         806           806  

Common dividends declared and payable at $0.30 per share

                       (17,516 )     (17,516 )

Series A preferred dividends declared and payable at $0.50 per share

                       (2,425 )     (2,425 )

Series C preferred dividends declared and payable at $0.393 per share

                       (1,612 )     (1,612 )

Accretion of discount on Series C preferred stock

                       (50 )     (50 )

Net income

                    17,825        17,825  
                                                      

Balance at March 31, 2006 (unaudited)

   4,850,000    $ 121,250    57,691,546    $ 577    $ 957,208    $ 30,133    $ (94,154 )   $ 1,015,014  
                                                      

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

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SUNSTONE HOTEL INVESTORS, INC.

UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(In thousands)

 

    

Three Months Ended

March 31,

2006

   

Three Months Ended

March 31,

2005

 

CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES

    

Net income

   $ 17,825     $ 1,797  

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

    

Bad debt expense (recovery)

     211       (1,054 )

Minority interest

     —         151  

Gain on sale of hotel properties

     (16,653 )     —    

Loss on early extinguishment of debt

     7,376       —    

Depreciation

     22,953       14,333  

Amortization of deferred franchise fees

     21       21  

Amortization of deferred financing costs

     943       1,123  

Amortization of loan premiums

     (304 )     —    

Amortization of deferred stock compensation

     806       531  

Gain on interest rate cap agreements

     (1 )     (1 )

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

    

Restricted cash

     (2,389 )     4,545  

Accounts receivable

     (8,270 )     3,288  

Due from affiliates

     (30 )     26  

Inventories

     (12 )     128  

Prepaid expenses and other assets

     1,029       (2,071 )

Accounts payable and other liabilities

     5,765       (6,430 )

Accrued payroll and employee benefits

     (1,218 )     (2,208 )

Due to Management Company

     575       1,354  

Discontinued operations

     77       706  
                

Net cash provided by operating activities

     28,704       16,239  
                

CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES

    

Proceeds from sale of hotel properties

     25,793       —    

Acquisitions of hotel properties

     (242,253 )     —    

Additions to hotel properties and other real estate

     (33,632 )     (13,705 )
                

Net cash used in investing activities

     (250,092 )     (13,705 )
                

CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES

    

Proceeds from preferred securities offerings

     —         121,250  

Payment of preferred securities offering costs

     —         (3,799 )

Proceeds from common stock offerings

     158,400       —    

Payment of common stock offerings costs

     (343 )     —    

Proceeds from notes payable

     167,542       223  

Payments on notes payable

     (81,045 )     (44,991 )

Payments of deferred financing costs

     (935 )     (269 )

Dividends and distributions paid

     (19,831 )     (11,016 )
                

Net cash provided by financing activities

     223,788       61,398  
                

Net increase in cash and cash equivalents

     2,400       63,932  

Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period

     17,538       5,966  
                

Cash and cash equivalents, end of period

   $ 19,938     $ 69,898  
                

SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION

    

Cash paid for interest

   $ 25,682     $ 10,601  
                

NONCASH FINANCING ACTIVITY

    

Dividends and distributions payable

   $ 21,553     $ 11,412  
                

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

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SUNSTONE HOTEL INVESTORS, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

1. Organization and Description of Business

Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. (the “Company”), through its 100.0% controlling interest in Sunstone Hotel Partnership, LLC (the “Operating Partnership”), of which the Company is the sole managing member, and the subsidiaries of the Operating Partnership, including Sunstone Hotel TRS Lessee, Inc. (the “TRS Lessee”) and its subsidiaries, is currently engaged in owning, acquiring, selling, and renovating hotel properties. The Company operates as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) for federal income tax purposes.

The Company was formed to succeed the businesses of Sunstone Hotel Investors, L.L.C. (“SHI”), WB Hotel Investors, LLC (“WB”), and Sunstone/WB Hotel Investors IV, LLC (“WB IV”) (collectively, the “Sunstone Predecessor Companies” or the “Predecessor”), which were engaged in owning, acquiring, selling, managing, and renovating hotel properties in the United States. The Company was incorporated in Maryland on June 28, 2004, in anticipation of an initial public offering of common stock (the “IPO”), which was consummated on October 26, 2004 concurrently with the consummation of various formation transactions. These transactions were designed to (i) enable the Company to raise the necessary capital to acquire properties from the Predecessor and repay certain mortgage debt relating thereto, (ii) provide a vehicle for future acquisitions, (iii) enable the Company to comply with certain requirements under the federal income tax laws and regulations relating to real estate investment trusts, (iv) facilitate potential financings and (v) preserve certain tax advantages for the Predecessor. From June 28, 2004 through October 26, 2004, the Company did not have any operations.

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements as of March 31, 2006 and December 31, 2005, and for the three months ended March 31, 2006 and March 31, 2005, include the accounts of the Company, the Operating Partnership and the TRS Lessee and their subsidiaries. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated.

The accompanying interim financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and in conformity with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. In our opinion, the interim financial statements presented herein reflect all adjustments, consisting solely of normal and recurring adjustments, which are necessary to fairly present the interim financial statements. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 15, 2006.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could materially differ from those estimates.

Reporting Periods

The results the Company reports in its consolidated statements of operations are based on results reported to the Company by its hotel managers. These hotel managers use different reporting periods. Sunstone Hotel Properties, Inc., a division of Interstate Hotels & Resorts, Inc. (the “Management Company”), the manager of 47 of the Company’s properties as of March 31, 2006, as well as two of the Company’s other managers, Hyatt Corporation and Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, which manage a combined total of four of the Company’s properties as of March 31, 2006, report results on a monthly basis. In contrast, Marriott International, Inc. (“Marriott”), the manager of ten of the Company’s properties as of March 31, 2006, uses a fiscal year ending on the Friday closest to December 31, and reports twelve weeks of operations for each of the first three quarters of the year and sixteen or seventeen weeks of operations for the fourth quarter of the year. The Company has elected to adopt quarterly close periods of March 31, June 30 and September 30, and an annual year end of December 31. As a result, the Company’s results of operations for the Marriott managed hotels include results from January 1 through March 24 for the first quarter, March 25 through June 16 for the second quarter, June 17 through September 8 for the third quarter, and September 9 through December 31 for the fourth quarter.

 

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Accounts Receivable

Accounts receivable primarily represents receivables from hotel guests who occupy hotel rooms and utilize hotel services. Accounts receivable also includes receivables from customers who utilize the Company’s laundry facilities in Salt Lake City, Utah, and Rochester, Minnesota. The Company maintains an allowance for doubtful accounts sufficient to cover potential credit losses. The Company’s accounts receivable at March 31, 2006 and December 31, 2005 includes an allowance for doubtful accounts of $0.7 million and $0.8 million, respectively.

At both March 31, 2006 and December 31, 2005, the Company had approximately $4.6 million in accounts receivable with one customer who is operating under a contract with the United States government. The Company has specifically reserved a portion of this particular receivable in the amount of $0.1 million at both March 31, 2006 and December 31, 2005.

Deferred Financing Costs

Interest expense related to the amortization of deferred financing costs was $0.9 million and $1.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2006 and 2005.

Minority Interest

Prior to November 2005, minority interests of the Company represented the limited partnership interests in the Operating Partnership. The carrying value of the minority interest increased by the minority interests’ share of earnings and decreased by cash distributions and the purchase of limited partnership interests. In November 2005, the membership units held by the minority interest owners were converted to shares of common stock, and were subsequently sold in a public offering eliminating the minority interests of the Company. As such, the Company beneficially owns all of the membership interests in the Operating Partnership.

Earnings Per Share

The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted earnings per common share (in thousands, except per share data):

 

    

Three Months Ended
March 31,

2006

   

Three Months Ended
March 31,

2005

 

Numerator:

    

Net income

   $ 17,825     $ 1,797  

Less preferred dividends and accretion

     (4,087 )     (388 )
                

Numerator for basic and diluted earnings available to common stockholders

   $ 13,738     $ 1,409  
                

Denominator:

    

Weighted average basic common shares outstanding

     55,797       34,519  

Unvested restricted stock awards

     —         298  
                

Weighted average diluted common shares outstanding

     55,797       34,817  
                

Basic earnings available to common stockholders per common share

   $ 0.25     $ 0.04  
                

Diluted earnings available to common stockholders per common share

   $ 0.25     $ 0.04  
                

Shares of the Company’s Series C preferred stock have not been included in the above calculation of earnings per share for the three months ended March 31, 2006 as their effect would have been anti-dilutive. Unvested restricted stock has not been included in the above calculation for the three months ended March 31, 2006 as its effect would have been anti-dilutive to net loss from continuing operations available to common stockholders.

Reclassifications

Certain amounts included in the financial statements for prior periods have been reclassified to conform with the most recent financial statement presentation.

 

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3. Investment in Hotel Properties

Investment in hotel properties consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

    

March 31,

2006

   

December 31,

2005

 
     (Unaudited)        

Land

   $ 366,346     $ 361,222  

Buildings and improvements

     1,989,846       1,681,617  

Fixtures, furniture and equipment

     257,999       236,296  

Franchise fees

     1,399       1,399  

Construction in process

     56,178       25,786  
                
     2,671,768       2,306,320  

Accumulated depreciation and amortization

     (274,894 )     (252,319 )
                
   $ 2,396,874     $ 2,054,001  
                

On January 10, 2006, the Company purchased the 284-room Marriott Del Mar located in San Diego, California for $69.1 million and named Marriott as manager. This hotel’s results of operations from the acquisition date of January 10, 2006 through Marriott’s first quarter ended March 24, 2006, have been included in the Company’s statement of operations. The allocation of the purchase price is preliminary as the Company is in the process of obtaining a purchase price allocation from an independent third party. The Company has included depreciation expense based on this preliminary allocated purchase price.

On March 17, 2006, the Company purchased the 444-room Hilton Times Square located in New York City for $241.3 million and named Sunstone Hotel Properties, Inc., a division of Interstate Hotels & Resorts, Inc., as manager. In addition, concurrently with the acquisition, the Company exercised its option and made an additional $15.0 million payment to convert the property to a franchise. This hotel’s results of operations from the acquisition date of March 17, 2006 through the first quarter ended March 31, 2006 have been included in the Company’s statement of operations. The allocation of the purchase price is preliminary as the Company is in the process of obtaining a purchase price allocation from an independent third party. The Company has included depreciation expense based on this preliminary allocated purchase price.

4. Discontinued Operations

As part of a strategic plan to dispose of non-core hotel assets, the Company sold one hotel during the three months ended March 31, 2006, for net proceeds of $25.5 million and a net gain on sale of $16.4 million, another hotel during the fourth quarter of 2005, and an additional two hotels during the second quarter of 2005. These four hotel properties met the “held for sale” and “discontinued operations” criteria in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS”) No. 144, “Accounting for the Impairment and Disposal of Long-Lived Assets.”

The following sets forth the discontinued operations for the three months ended March 31, 2006 and 2005, related to hotel properties held for sale (in thousands):

 

    

March 31,

2006

   

March 31,

2005

 

Operating revenues

   $ 1,140     $ 5,553  

Operating expenses

     (812 )     (3,674 )

Interest expense

     (229 )     (330 )

Depreciation and amortization expense

     —         (429 )

Gain on sale of hotels

     16,653       —    
                

Income from discontinued operations

   $ 16,752     $ 1,120  
                

The following sets forth the assets and liabilities related to the discontinued operations at March 31, 2006 and December 31, 2005 (in thousands):

 

    

March 31,

2006

  

December 31,

2005

     (Unaudited)     

ASSETS

     

Total current assets

   $ —      $ 359

Hotel properties held for sale, net

     —        9,111

Deferred financing costs, net

     —        190

Other assets, net

     —        18
             

Total assets of discontinued operations

   $ —      $ 9,678
             

LIABILITIES

     

Due to Management Company

   $ —      $ 105

Total current liabilities

     —        197
             

Total liabilities of discontinued operations

   $ —      $ 302
             

 

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5. Other Real Estate

Other real estate consists of the following (in thousands):

 

    

March 31,

2006

   

December 31,

2005

 
     (Unaudited)        

Office building and laundry facilities:

    

Land

   $ 3,824     $ 1,600  

Buildings and improvements

     6,813       4,462  

Fixtures, furniture and equipment

     3,836       3,796  

Construction in process

     1,488       214  
                
     15,961       10,072  

Accumulated depreciation

     (3,156 )     (2,983 )
                
     12,805       7,089  

Land held for future development or sale

     490       456  
                
   $ 13,295     $ 7,545  
                

During the first quarter of 2006, the Company purchased land and an office building adjacent to one of its hotels in Troy, Michigan for $4.4 million.

6. Other Assets

Other assets consist of the following (in thousands):

 

    

March 31,

2006

  

December 31,

2005

Corporate property and equipment, net

   $ 1,730    $ 1,726

Pre-acquisition costs

     416      7,865

Other receivables

     3,718      6,469

Other

     2,891      2,720
             
   $ 8,755    $ 18,780
             

During the first quarter of 2006, the Company received payment in full for its $4.7 million note receivable generated from its 2004 sale of the San Marcos Resort & Conference Center in Chandler, Arizona. This note was previously written down to market value, resulting in a loss of $350,000 recognized during the fourth quarter of 2004. Upon full payment of this note in the first quarter of 2006, this loss was reversed, and a $92,000 payment was made by the Company for the termination of the management agreement at the hotel, resulting in additional net proceeds and gain of $258,000 recognized on the sale by the Company.

7. Derivative Financial Instruments

At March 31, 2006 and December 31, 2005, the Company held interest rate cap agreements to manage its exposure to interest rate risks related to its floating rate debt. The fair values of the derivatives are recorded as interest rate cap agreement assets, and are included in deferred financing costs, net on the consolidated balance sheets as of March 31, 2006 and December 31, 2005. None of the Company’s derivatives held as of March 31, 2006 and December 31, 2005 qualify for effective hedge accounting treatment under SFAS No. 133, “Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities.” Accordingly, changes in the fair value of the Company’s derivatives for the three months ended March 31, 2006 and March 31, 2005 resulted in a net gain of $1,000 during both periods. The changes in fair value have been reflected as a decrease in interest expense for the three months ended March 31, 2006 and 2005.

 

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The following table summarizes the interest rate cap agreements (dollars in thousands):

 

    

March 31,

2006

   

December 31,

2005

     (Unaudited)      

Notional amount of variable rate debt

   $ 6,300     $ 285,354

Fair value of interest rate caps

   $ 4     $ 3

LIBOR rate at which expense is capped

     4.50 %     4.50% -7.19 %

Maturity dates

     May 2006       January 2006 – May 2006

8. Notes Payable

 

Notes payable consist of the following (in thousands):

 

    

March 31,

2006

   

December 31,

2005

 
     (Unaudited)        

Notes payable requiring payments of interest and principal, with fixed rates ranging from 4.98% to 9.88%; maturing at dates ranging from September 2007 through August 2024. The notes are collateralized by first deeds of trust on 39 hotel properties and one laundry facility.

   $ 1,271,051     $ 1,106,178  

Unsecured term loan facility in the amount of $75.0 million requiring monthly payments of interest only subject to an interest rate at the Company’s option, equal to either a fluctuating rate equal to Citibank, N.A.’s base rate or a periodic fixed rate equal to one-, two-, or six-month LIBOR, plus, in each case, a margin of 1.25% for base rate loans and 2.25% for LIBOR loans. The term loan facility matures in October 2008, but was repaid in full in April 2006.

     75,000       75,000  

Secured revolving credit facility in the amount of $150.0 million requiring monthly payments of interest only on the principal amount drawn subject to an interest rate at the Company’s option, equal to either a fluctuating rate equal to Citibank, N.A.’s base rate or a periodic fixed rate equal to one-, two-, three- or six-month LIBOR, plus, in each case, an applicable margin based on the Company’s leverage. The applicable margin is a percentage rate per annum that ranges from 0.5% to 1.0% for base rate loans and 1.5% to 2.0% for LIBOR loans. The revolving credit facility also requires a quarterly fee of 0.5% on the average unused commitment on the facility and a 0.125% fee upon the issuance of each letter of credit. The revolving credit facility is secured by first deeds of trust on seven hotel properties. Total available under the revolving credit facility was $112.7 million at March 31, 2006. The revolving credit facility matures in October 2007 and has a one year extension.

     10,000       —    
                
     1,356,051       1,181,178  

Less: current portion

     (3,309 )     (4,387 )
                
   $ 1,352,742     $ 1,176,791  
                

In January 2006, the Company obtained a $48.0 million fixed rate mortgage loan with a maturity date of January 2016 and a fixed interest rate of 5.69% in connection with the acquisition of the Marriott Del Mar, San Diego, California.

In February 2006, the Company refinanced two of its hotel properties. As such, the Company replaced a $36.9 million mortgage at a fixed interest rate of 8.25% scheduled to mature in 2008, with an eleven-year $75.0 million mortgage at a fixed interest rate of 5.58%. Additionally, the Company replaced a $35.8 million mortgage at a fixed rate of 8.25% scheduled to mature in 2008, with a ten-year $34.0 million mortgage at a fixed rate of 5.66%. In connection with these transactions, the Company recorded a one-time charge of $7.4 million for loss on early extinguishment of debt related to the cost associated with the defeasance of the previous debt.

In March 2006, the Company assumed an $81.0 million fixed rate mortgage loan with a maturity date of December 2010 and an interest rate of 5.92% in connection with the acquisition of the Hilton Times Square.

 

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Total interest incurred and expensed on the notes payable is as follows (in thousands):

 

    

Three Months Ended

March 31,

 
     2006     2005  

Continuing operations:

    

Interest expense

   $ 18,695     $ 10,963  

Deferred financing fees

     753       1,093  

Gain on interest rate cap

     (1 )     (1 )

Loss on early extinguishment of debt

     7,376       —    
                
   $ 26,823     $ 12,055  
                

Discontinued operations:

    

Interest expense

   $ 39     $ 300  

Deferred financing fees

     190       30  
                
   $ 229     $ 330  
                

9. Series C Cumulative Convertible Redeemable Preferred Stock

In July 2005, the Company sold 4,102,564 shares of Series C Cumulative Convertible Redeemable Preferred Stock (“Series C preferred stock”) with a liquidation preference of $24.375 per share, convertible on a one-for-one basis, to Security Capital Preferred Growth, Incorporated, an investment vehicle advised by Security Capital Research & Management Incorporated, for gross proceeds of $99.0 million, or $24.13 per share, which included a 1% discount to the conversion price/liquidation preference. Other costs of the offering totaled $130,000. Net proceeds of $99.0 million were contributed to the Operating Partnership in exchange for preferred units with economic terms substantially identical to the Series C preferred stock. The net proceeds were used to partially finance the Company’s acquisition of six Renaissance hotels. On or after July 8, 2010, the Series C preferred stock will be redeemable at the Company’s option, in whole or in part, at any time or from time to time, for cash at a redemption price of $24.375 per share, plus accrued and unpaid dividends up to and including the redemption date. The holders have the right to require the Company to redeem the Series C preferred stock in the event of any of the following: (1) a change in control of the Company, if certain conditions are not met; (2) a REIT termination event; or (3) a termination of the Company’s listing on either the New York Stock Exchange or NASDAQ. In general, holders of Series C preferred stock vote on an as-converted basis as a single class with holders of the Company’s common tock. If the Company is in violation of certain financial ratios for four consecutive quarters, the holders have the right to elect one director to serve on the Company’s board of directors. In addition, if the Company is in arrears on dividends on the Series C preferred stock for four or more quarters, the holders have the right to elect additional directors to serve on the Company’s board of directors. Subject to a limited exception, holders of Series C preferred stock cannot elect more than an aggregate of two directors. The holders are eligible to receive a participating dividend should the Company’s common dividend increase beyond $1.34 per share per annum. The Series C preferred stock has no maturity date and, except as set forth above, the Company is not required to redeem the Series C preferred stock at any time.

The initial carrying value of the Series C preferred stock was recorded at its sales price less costs to issue on the date of issuance. This carrying value is periodically adjusted so that the carrying value will equal the redemption value on the redemption date, which is the earliest date available for the Company to redeem the Series C preferred stock. The carrying value will also be periodically adjusted for any accrued and unpaid dividends, if any. At March 31, 2006 and December 31, 2005, the Series C preferred stock carrying value consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

     2006    2005
     (Unaudited)     

Initial fair value, sales price of $99.0 million

   $ 99,000    $ 99,000

Redemption value accretion

     146      96
             
   $ 99,146    $ 99,096
             

10. Stockholders’ Equity

Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock

In March 2005, the Company sold 4,850,000 shares of 8.0% Series A and B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock with a liquidation preference of $25.00 per share for gross proceeds of $121.3 million. Underwriting and other costs of the offering totaled $3.8 million. Net proceeds of $117.5 million were contributed to the Operating Partnership in exchange for preferred units with economic terms substantially identical to the Series A and B preferred stock. Subsequent to this offering, the Series B shares were exchanged for an equivalent number of shares of Series A preferred stock. The net proceeds were

 

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used to reduce borrowings under the Company’s credit facility and for acquisitions. On or after March 17, 2010, the Series A preferred stock will be redeemable at the Company’s option, in whole or in part, at any time or from time to time, for cash at a redemption price of $25.00 per share, plus accrued and unpaid dividends up to and including the redemption date. Holders of Series A preferred stock will generally have no voting rights. However, if the Company is in arrears on dividends on the Series A preferred stock for six or more quarterly periods, whether or not consecutive, holders of the Series A preferred stock will be entitled to vote at its next annual meeting and each subsequent annual meeting of stockholders for the election of two additional directors to serve on the Company’s board of directors until all unpaid dividends and the dividend for the then-current period with respect to the Series A preferred stock have been paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof set aside for payment. The Series A preferred stock has no maturity date and the Company is not required to redeem the Series A preferred stock at any time.

Common Stock

On February 2, 2006, the Company completed a follow-on offering of 5,500,000 shares of common stock at a price per share of $28.80 (before underwriting discounts and offering costs), generating gross proceeds of $158.4 million. The proceeds to the Company, net of offering costs, were $158.1 million and were used for acquisitions.

11. Long-Term Incentive Plan

Restricted shares and restricted share units granted pursuant to the Company’s Long-Term Incentive Plan generally vest over periods from three to five years from the date of grant. The value of shares granted has been calculated based on the share price on the date of grant and is being amortized as compensation expense over the vesting periods. For the three months ended March 31, 2006 and 2005, the Company’s expense related to these restricted shares and restricted share units was $807,000 and $531,000, respectively.

12. Commitments and Contingencies

Franchise Agreements

Total franchise costs incurred by the Company during the three months ended March 31, 2006 and 2005 totaled $7.4 million and $6.4 million, respectively. Of the total franchise costs, franchise royalties totaled $3.8 million and $3.4 million, respectively, for the three months ended March 31, 2006 and 2005. The remaining franchise costs include advertising, reservation and priority club assessments. Franchise costs included in discontinued operations totaled $0.1 million and $0.4 million, respectively, for the three months ended March 31, 2006 and 2005.

Renovation and Construction Commitments

At March 31, 2006 and December 31, 2005, the Company had various contracts outstanding with third parties in connection with the renovation of certain of the hotel properties. The remaining commitments under these contracts at March 31, 2006 and December 31, 2005 totaled $33.9 million and $28.2 million, respectively.

Operating Leases

Rent expense incurred pursuant to ground lease agreements for the three months ended March 31, 2006 and 2005 totaled $1.9 million and $0.7 million, respectively and was included in property tax, ground lease and insurance in the accompanying statements of operations.

Rent expense incurred pursuant to the lease on the corporate facility for the three months ended March 31, 2006 and 2005 totaled $116,000 and $96,000 and was included in general and administrative expenses in the accompanying statements of operations.

Other

The Company has provided unsecured environmental indemnities to certain lenders. The Company has performed due diligence on the potential environmental risks including obtaining an independent environmental review from outside environmental consultants. These indemnities obligate the Company to reimburse the guaranteed parties for damages related to environmental matters. There is no term or damage limitation on these indemnities; however, if an environmental matter arises, the Company could have recourse against other previous owners.

At March 31, 2006 and December 31, 2005, the Company had $27.3 million and $27.4 million, respectively, of outstanding irrevocable letters of credit to guarantee the Company’s financial obligations related to the Management Company, workers’ compensation insurance programs and certain notes payable. The beneficiary may draw upon these

 

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letters of credit in the event of a contractual default by the Company relating to each respective obligation. No draws have been made through March 31, 2006.

13. Transactions With Affiliates

Other Reimbursements

From time to time, the Company pays for certain expenses such as payroll, insurance and other costs on behalf of certain affiliates. The affiliates generally reimburse such amounts on a monthly basis. At both March 31, 2006 and December 31, 2005, amounts owed to the Company by its affiliates amounted to $2.0 million and are included in due from affiliates.

Transactions With Others

The Company purchases telecommunications equipment from Gemini Telemanagement Systems, or GTS, a telecommunications equipment provider based in Redwood City, California. The Company’s Chief Executive Officer and President, Robert A. Alter, is a 5.2% stockholder in GTS, and his brother, Richard Alter, is the majority stockholder in GTS. The Company paid GTS $42,000 and $218,000, respectively for the three months ended March 31, 2006 and 2005.

14. Subsequent Events

In April 2006, the Company sold 2.2 million shares of 8.0% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock with a liquidation value of $25.00 per share for gross proceeds of approximately $54.5 million.

In April 2006, the Company repaid in full the $75.0 million unsecured subordinated term loan with the proceeds from the Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock offering and cash on hand from the refinancing discussed below.

In April 2006, the Company refinanced one existing mortgage loan that would have matured in 2008. The Company incurred a prepayment penalty of approximately $3.0 million to defease the prior mortgage. The old loan had a principal balance of $52.9 million, a fixed interest rate of 7.5% and a maturity date of 2008. The new loan is for $135.0 million, has a fixed interest rate of 5.95% and matures in 2021.

 

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Cautionary Statement

This report contains forward-looking statements that have been made pursuant to the provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements relate to future events or our future financial performance. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “forecasts,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential,” or “continue” or the negative of such terms and other comparable terminology. These statements are only predictions. Actual events or results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. In evaluating these statements, you should specifically consider the risks outlined in detail in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 15, 2006, under the caption “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, including but not limited to the following factors:

 

    our level of outstanding debt, including secured and variable rate debt;

 

    financial and other covenants in our debt;

 

    competition for the acquisition of hotels and in the operation of our hotels;

 

    rising operating expenses;

 

    relationships with and requirements of franchisors;

 

    the need for renovations and other capital expenditures for our hotels;

 

    the performance of the Management Company;

 

    the ground or air leases for thirteen of our hotels;

 

    our need to operate as a REIT and comply with other applicable laws and regulations;

 

    changes in business strategy or acquisition or disposition plans;

 

    general economic and business conditions affecting the hotel and travel industry, both nationally and locally;

 

    our ability to complete acquisitions;

 

    the performance of acquired properties after they are acquired;

 

    necessary capital expenditures and the impact of renovations on hotel operations; and

 

    other events beyond our control.

These factors may cause our actual events to differ materially from the expectations expressed or implied by any forward-looking statement. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement.

 

Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Overview

We own primarily luxury, upper upscale and upscale hotels in the United States operated under leading brand names franchised or licensed from others, such as Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, Fairmont, Starwood, and Wyndham.

 

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Operations

REIT structure. For us to qualify as a REIT, our income cannot be derived from our operation of hotels. Therefore, consistent with the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “Code”), Sunstone Hotel Partnership and its subsidiaries have leased our hotel properties to our taxable REIT subsidiary lessee, Sunstone Hotel TRS Lessee, Inc., or the TRS Lessee, which has in turn contracted with “eligible independent contractors” to manage our hotels. Under the Code, an “eligible independent contractor” is an independent contractor who is actively engaged in the trade or business of operating “qualified lodging facilities” for any person unrelated to us and the TRS Lessee. Sunstone Hotel Partnership and the TRS Lessee are consolidated into our financial statements for accounting purposes. Since we control both Sunstone Hotel Partnership and our TRS Lessee, our principal source of funds on a consolidated basis are from the performance of our hotels. The earnings of the TRS Lessee are subject to taxation like other C corporations, which reduce our operating results, funds from operations and the cash otherwise available for distribution to our stockholders.

Factors Affecting Our Results of Operations

Revenues. Substantially all of our revenues are derived from the operation of our hotels. Specifically, our revenues consist of the following:

 

    Room revenue, which is primarily driven by occupancy and average daily rate;

 

    Food and beverage revenue, which is primarily driven by occupancy and banquet/catering bookings; and,

 

    Other operating revenue, which consists of ancillary hotel revenue such as performance guarantees, telephone, transportation, parking, spa, entertainment and other guest services and is primarily driven by occupancy. Additionally, this category includes operating revenue from our two commercial laundry facilities located in Rochester, Minnesota and Salt Lake City, Utah and our electronic purchasing platform, Buy Efficient, L.L.C.;

The following performance indicators are commonly used in the hotel industry:

 

    occupancy;

 

    average daily rate, or ADR; and

 

    revenue per available room, or RevPAR, which is the product of occupancy and ADR, but does not include food and beverage revenue, or other operating revenue.

Operating costs and expenses. Our operating costs and expenses consist of the following:

 

    Room expense, which like room revenue, is primarily driven by occupancy and, therefore, has a significant correlation with room revenue;

 

    Food and beverage expense, which like food and beverage revenue, is primarily driven by occupancy and banquet and catering bookings and, therefore, has a significant correlation with food and beverage revenue;

 

    Other operating expense, which consists of the corresponding expense of other operating revenue, advertising and promotion, repairs and maintenance, utilities, and franchise fees and assessments categories;

 

    Property tax, ground lease and insurance expense, which consists of the expenses associated with property tax, ground lease and insurance payments, each of which are primarily fixed expenses;

 

    Property general and administrative expense, which consists of our property-level general and administrative expenses, such as payroll and related costs, professional fees, and travel expenses, as well as management fees with respect to our hotels;

 

    Corporate overhead expense, which consists of our corporate-level expenses such as payroll and related costs, amortization of deferred stock compensation, professional fees, travel expenses and office rent; and

 

    Depreciation and amortization expense, which consists of depreciation on our hotel buildings, improvements, furniture, fixtures and equipment (since January 1, 2002, we have not amortized our goodwill).

Most categories of variable operating expenses, such as utilities and certain labor costs, such as housekeeping, fluctuate with changes in occupancy. Increases in RevPAR attributable to improvements in occupancy are accompanied by increases in most categories of variable operating costs and expenses. Increases in RevPAR attributable to improvements in ADR typically only result in increases in limited categories of operating costs and expenses, primarily credit card commissions,

 

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franchise fees and franchise assessments. Thus, improvements in ADR have a more significant impact on improving our operating margins than occupancy.

We continually seek to improve our operating leverage, which generally refers to the ability to generate incremental profit based on limited variable costs. Notwithstanding our efforts to reduce variable costs, there are limits to how much we or the Management Company and our other operators can accomplish in that regard without affecting the competitiveness of our hotels and our guests’ experiences at our hotels. Furthermore, we have significant fixed costs, such as depreciation and amortization, insurance, principal and interest payments on our debt, and other expenses associated with owning hotels that do not necessarily decrease when circumstances such as market factors cause a reduction in our hotel revenue. For example, we have experienced increases in wages, employee benefits (especially health insurance), and utility costs, which negatively affected our operating margin. Our historical performance may not be indicative of future results, and our future results may be worse than our historical performance.

Acquisition, Sale and Major Redevelopment Activity

Our results during the periods discussed have been, and our future results will be, affected by our acquisition, sale and redevelopment activity during the applicable period.

Acquisition of hotels. The following table sets forth the hotels that we have acquired or developed since the beginning of 2005 and indicates their room count and acquisition date:

 

Hotel

   Rooms    Acquisition Date  

Hilton Times Square, New York City, New York

   444    March 17, 2006  

Del Mar Marriott, San Diego, California

   284    January 10, 2006  

Hyatt Century Plaza, Los Angeles, California

   728    October 5, 2005  

Fairmont Hotel, Newport Beach, California

   444    July 11, 2005  

Sheraton Hotel, Cerritos, California

   203    June 27, 2005  

Renaissance Orlando Resort at Sea World, Orlando, Florida(1)

   780    June 23, 2005  

Renaissance Harborplace, Baltimore, Maryland

   622    June 23, 2005  

Renaissance Concourse, Atlanta, Georgia

   387    June 23, 2005  

Renaissance Long Beach, Long Beach, California

   373    June 23, 2005  

Renaissance Westchester, White Plains, New York

   357    June 23, 2005  

Renaissance Washington, D.C., Washington, D.C.

   807    June 23, 2005 (2)

(1) Acquired 85% ownership interest.

 

(2) Acquired 25% ownership interest on June 23, 2005, and the remaining 75% interest July 13, 2005.

The aggregate cost for the two hotels acquired during our first quarter of 2006 totaled approximately $325.4 million, or $447,000 per room.

Sale of hotels. The following table sets forth the hotels that we have sold since the beginning of 2005 and indicates their room count and sale date:

 

Hotel

   Rooms    Sale Date

Holiday Inn, Hollywood, California

   160    March 15, 2006

Holiday Inn, Provo, Utah

   78    December 23, 2005

Doubletree, Carson, California

   224    April 14, 2005

Holiday Inn, Mesa, Arizona

   246    April 14, 2005

The aggregate net sale proceeds for the one hotel disposed of during our first quarter of 2006 were $25.5 million, or $160,000 per room. The results of operations of all of the hotels identified above and the gains or losses on dispositions through March 31, 2006 are included in discontinued operations for all periods presented through the time of sale. The proceeds from the sales are included in our cash flows from investing activities for the respective periods.

 

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The following table summarizes our portfolio and room data since the beginning of 2005 through March 31, 2006 adjusted for the hotels acquired and sold during the respective periods.

 

    

January 1,

2005

through

December 31,

2005

   

January 1,

2006

through

March 31,

2006

 

Portfolio Data—Hotels

    

Number of hotels—beginning of period

   54     60  

Add: Acquisitions

   9     2  

Less: Sales

   (3 )   (1 )
            

Number of hotels—end of period

   60     61  

Portfolio Data—Rooms

    

Number of rooms—beginning of period

   13,183     17,333  

Add: Acquisitions

   4,701     728  

Less: Sales

   (548 )   (160 )

Less: Rooms converted to other usage

   (3 )   —    
            

Number of rooms—end of period

   17,333     17,901  

Average rooms per hotel—end of period

   289     293  

Operating Results

Comparison of Three Months Ended March 31, 2006 to Three Months Ended March 31, 2005

The following table presents our unaudited operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2006 and 2005, including the amount and percentage change in the results between the two periods.

 

    

Three Months Ended

March 31,

2006

   

Three Months Ended

March 31,

2005

    $ Change     % Change  
     (dollars in thousands, except statistical data)  

REVENUES

        

Room

   $ 136,636     $ 78,309     $ 58,327     74.5 %

Food and beverage

     58,147       25,613       32,534     127.0 %

Other operating

     17,444       10,960       6,484     59.2 %
                          

Total revenues

     212,227       114,882       97,345     84.7 %
                          

OPERATING EXPENSES

        

Hotel operating

     131,232       72,604       58,628     80.8 %

Property general and administrative

     25,346       12,269       13,077     106.6 %

Corporate overhead

     5,877       3,507       2,370     67.6 %

Depreciation and amortization

     22,974       13,925       9,049     65.0 %
                          

Total operating expenses

     185,429       102,305       83,124     81.3 %
                          

Operating income

     26,798       12,577       14,221     113.1 %

Interest and other income

     1,098       306       792     258.8 %

Interest expense

     (26,823 )     (12,055 )     (14,768 )   (122.5 )%
                          

Income before minority interest and discontinued operations

     1,073       828       245     29.6 %

Minority interest

     —         (151 )     151     (100.0 )%
                          

Income from continuing operations

     1,073       677       396     58.5 %

Income from discontinued operations

     16,752       1,120       15,632     1,395.7 %
                          

NET INCOME

     17,825       1,797       16,028     891.9 %

Preferred stock dividends

     (4,087 )     (388 )     (3,699 )  
                          

INCOME AVAILABLE TO COMMON STOCKHOLDERS

   $ 13,738     $ 1,409     $ 12,329    
                          

Operating Statistics

        

Occupancy(1)

     68.8 %     68.5 %     0.3 %   0.0 %

Average daily rate(1)

   $ 128.62     $ 102.40     $ 26.22     25.6 %

RevPAR(1)

   $ 88.49     $ 70.14     $ 18.35     26.2 %

(1) Excludes hotels held in discontinued operations, which are described under “—Income (loss) from discontinued operations.”

 

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Room revenue. Room revenue increased $58.3 million, or 74.5%, to $136.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2006, from $78.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2005. This increase was primarily due to $50.4 million generated from the eleven hotels we acquired subsequent to March 31, 2005. In addition, organic growth in our existing portfolio base contributed $7.9 million due to increases in both occupancy ($0.2 million) and ADR ($7.7 million).

Food and beverage revenue. Food and beverage revenue increased $32.5 million, or 127.0%, to $58.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2006 from $25.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2005. This increase was primarily driven by $30.7 million contributed by the eleven hotels we acquired subsequent to March 31, 2005, as well as $1.8 million generated from increased restaurant revenue at our existing locations during 2006 as compared with 2005.

Other operating revenue. Other operating revenue increased $6.5 million, or 59.2%, to $17.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2006 from $11.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2005. The eleven hotels we acquired subsequent to March 31, 2005 contributed $6.2 million to other operating revenue during the first quarter of 2006. In addition, organic growth contributed $0.3 million, primarily due to our electronic purchasing platform, Buy Efficient, L.L.C.

Hotel operating expenses. Hotel operating expenses, which are comprised of room, food and beverage, advertising and promotion, repairs and maintenance, utilities, and other hotel operating expenses, increased $58.6 million, or 80.8%, to $131.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2006 from $72.6 million for the same time period in 2005. The eleven hotels we acquired subsequent to March 31, 2005 contributed $55.6 million in hotel operating expense during our first quarter of 2006. In addition, hotel operating expenses in our hotel portfolios as of March 31, 2005 increased $3.0 million during our first quarter of 2006 as compared with the same time period in 2005 primarily as a result of increases in room expense and franchise costs due to increases in occupancy and revenue, and as a result of increases in utility expense due to increases in energy costs.

Property general and administrative expense. Property general and administrative expense increased $13.1 million, or 106.6%, to $25.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2006 from $12.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2005. Of the increase, our newly acquired hotels contributed $11.0 million during the first quarter of 2006. The remaining increase was due to $2.1 million in management and accounting fees payable to the Management Company, and other hotel specific expenses, such as increased credit card commissions, associated with the overall increase in revenue.

Corporate overhead expense. Corporate overhead expense increased to $5.9 million during the first quarter of 2006 as compared with $3.5 million during the same time period in 2005, primarily as a result of increases in payroll and related expenses, including deferred stock compensation expense.

Depreciation and amortization expense. Depreciation and amortization increased $9.1 million to $23.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2006 from $13.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2005, primarily as a result of the eleven hotels acquired since the end of our first quarter of 2005, which contributed $8.7 million. Our hotels owned as of March 31, 2005 contributed an additional $0.4 million due to increased depreciation on capital expenditures related to renovation projects at several of these hotels.

Interest expense. Interest expense increased $14.7 million to $26.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2006 from $12.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2005. This increase was primarily due to greater outstanding loan balances in 2006 as compared with 2005, as we obtained additional loans to finance our acquisitions. As such, we incurred an additional $7.7 million in interest expense during the first quarter of 2006 as compared to the same time period in 2005. In addition, in connection with our refinancing of two hotel properties during the first quarter of 2006, we incurred a one-time charge of $7.4 million for loss on early extinguishment of debt related to the cost associated with the defeasance of the debt being refinanced. The higher interest was partially offset by a decrease in deferred financing fees amortization of $0.3 million in 2006 as compared to 2005.

Our total notes payable, including the current portion, was $1,356.1 million at March 31, 2006 and $667.7 million at March 31, 2005, with a weighted average interest rate per annum of approximately 5.9% at March 31, 2006 and 6.5% at March 31, 2005. At March 31, 2006, 93.7% of the amount outstanding under our notes payable was fixed and 6.3% of the amount outstanding under our notes payable was floating.

Income from discontinued operations. Income from discontinued operations was $16.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2006, and $1.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2005. As described under “—Acquisition, Sale and Major Redevelopment Activity—Sale of Hotels,” two hotels were sold during the second quarter of 2005, one was sold during the fourth quarter of 2005, and one hotel was sold during the first quarter of 2006. Consistent with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 144, “Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets,” we have reclassified the results of operations for these four hotels as discontinued operations.

 

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Liquidity and Capital Resources

Historical. During the periods presented, our historical sources of cash included our operating activities, working capital, long-term notes payable, bank credit facilities, sales of hotel properties, contributions by the Predecessor and proceeds of our public and private offerings of common and preferred stock. Our primary uses for cash were for acquisitions of hotels, capital expenditures for hotels, operating expenses, distributions to the Predecessor, repayment of notes payable and dividends.

Operating activities. Net cash provided by operating activities was $28.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2006 compared to $16.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2005. This increase was primarily due to additional cash generated from our newly acquired properties during the three months ended March 31, 2006, partially offset by an increase in restricted cash made in connection with acquisitions that closed in 2006.

Investing activities. Our cash used in investment activities fluctuates primarily based on acquisitions, sales and renovations of hotels. Net cash used in investing activities was $250.1 million in the three months ended March 31, 2006 compared to $13.7 million in the three months ended March 31, 2005. During the three months ended March 31, 2006, we acquired two hotels for $325.4 million, which includes the assumption of $81.0 million in debt and a $6.5 million deposit paid at the end of 2005, and acquired an office building and land adjacent to one of our hotels for $4.4 million, for a total of $242.3 million. In addition, we paid cash of $33.6 million for renovations to our hotels, and we have received net proceeds of $25.8 million from the sale of one hotel combined with the collection of additional proceeds from a hotel we sold in 2004. During the same time period in 2005, we invested $13.7 million of capital expenditures in our hotels.

Financing activities. Net cash provided by financing activities was $223.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2006 compared to $61.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2005. Net cash provided by financing activities for the three months ended March 31, 2006 consisted primarily of net proceeds from our common stock offerings of $158.1 million and proceeds from notes payable of $167.5 million, partially offset by $73.7 million of principal payments on notes payable and $7.4 million related to the cost associated with the defeasance of debt we refinanced, $19.8 million of dividends and distributions to our shareholders, and $0.9 million in deferred financing costs. Net cash provided by financing activities for the three months ended March 31, 2005 consisted primarily of net proceeds from our preferred securities offerings of $117.5 and proceeds from notes payable of $0.2 million, partially offset by $45.0 million of principal payments on notes payable, $11.0 million of dividends and distributions to our shareholders, and $0.3 million in deferred financing costs.

Future. We expect our primary uses for cash to be for acquisitions of hotels, capital expenditures for hotels, operating expenses, debt service and distributions to holders of our common and preferred stock. We also expect our primary sources of cash will continue to come from the operations of our hotels and our working capital. In addition, we have a $150.0 million secured revolving credit facility.

We believe that our capital structure, including our $150.0 million revolving credit facility and cash flow from operations, will provide us with sufficient liquidity to meet our current operating expenses and other expenses directly associated with our business and properties for the foreseeable future, and in any event for at least the next twelve months. Our $150.0 million revolving credit facility, of which we have drawn down $10.0 million and of which $27.3 million currently backs outstanding irrevocable letters of credit, leaving $112.7 million available at March 31, 2006, is subject to compliance with applicable loan ratios. We have interest rate protection agreements covering all of our variable rate debt, which accounted for 6.3% of our total outstanding indebtedness at March 31, 2006. In January 2006, we obtained a $48.0 million fixed rate mortgage loan with a maturity date of January 2016 and a fixed interest rate of 5.69%. In February 2006, we refinanced two of our hotel properties, replacing a $36.9 million mortgage at a fixed interest rate of 8.25% scheduled to mature in 2008, with an eleven-year $75.0 million mortgage at a fixed interest rate of 5.58%, and replacing a $35.8 million mortgage at a fixed rate of 8.25% scheduled to mature in 2008, with a ten-year $34.0 million mortgage at a fixed rate of 5.66%. In March 2006, we assumed an $81.0 million fixed rate mortgage loan with a maturity date of December 2010 and a fixed interest rate of 5.92%. As of March 31, 2006, 93.7% of our outstanding debt is fixed rate. The majority of our mortgage debt is secured by a single asset rather than a cross-collateralized multi-property pool. We believe this structure is appropriate for the operating characteristics of our business and provides flexibility for assets to be sold subject to the existing debt.

In the future, we may also explore other financing alternatives, including our sale of equity and debt securities. Our ability to incur additional debt depends on a number of factors, including our degree of leverage, the value of our unencumbered assets and borrowing restrictions imposed by existing lenders under our existing notes payable, including our revolving credit facility. Our ability to raise funds through the issuance of equity securities depends on, among other things, general market conditions for hotel companies and REITs and market perceptions about us. We will continue to analyze which source of capital is most advantageous to us at any particular point in time. However, the capital markets may not be available to us when needed on favorable terms or at all.

 

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Contractual Obligations

The following table summarizes our payment obligations and commitments as of March 31, 2006 (in thousands):

 

     Payment due by period

Contractual obligations

   Total   

Less than

1 year

  

1 to 3

years

  

3 to 5

years

  

More than

5 years

     (in thousands)

Notes payable

   $ 1,356,051    $ 3,309    $ 119,441    $ 112,738    $ 1,120,563

Interest obligations on notes payable(1)

     590,512      79,072      153,161      140,014      218,265

Operating lease obligations

     389,283      5,392      11,025      10,612      362,254

Construction commitments

     33,856      33,856      —        —        —  

Employment obligations

     3,469      1,275      1,771      423      —  
                                  

Total

   $ 2,373,171    $ 122,904    $ 285,398    $ 263,787    $ 1,701,082
                                  

 

(1) As of March 31, 2006, 6.3% of our total outstanding indebtedness is variable rate debt. Our interest obligation on this variable rate debt has been calculated using the LIBOR rate as of March 31, 2006.

Capital Expenditures and Reserve Funds

We believe we maintain each of our hotels in good repair and condition and in conformity with applicable franchise agreements, ground leases, laws and regulations. Our capital expenditures primarily relate to the ongoing maintenance of our hotels and are budgeted in the reserve accounts described in the following paragraph. We also incur capital expenditures following the acquisition of hotels for renovation and development. Our capital expenditures for 2006 are expected to be approximately $125.0 million to $140.0 million, of which we paid cash of $33.6 million in the first quarter of 2006. This renovation budget includes $33.9 million of contractual construction commitments and discretionary amounts in excess of our contractual requirements. All of these amounts are expected to be funded out of our cash and reserve accounts. If we acquire, renovate or develop additional hotels in the future, our capital expenditures will increase. Our capital expenditures also fluctuate from year to year, since we are not required to spend the entire amount in the reserve accounts each year.

With respect to our hotels that are operated under franchise agreements with major national hotel brands and for all of our hotels subject to a first mortgage lien, we are obligated to maintain a furniture, fixture and equipment, or FF&E, reserve account for future planned and emergency-related capital expenditures at these hotels. The amount funded into each of these reserve accounts is determined pursuant to the management, franchise and loan agreements for each of the respective hotels, ranging between 4.0% and 5.0% of the respective hotel’s total annual revenue. As of March 31, 2006, $36.2 million was available in restricted cash reserves for future capital expenditures at our hotels. According to the respective loan agreements, the reserve funds are to be held by the respective lenders in a restricted cash account.

Derivative Financial Instruments

We use derivative financial instruments, in the form of interest rate caps, to manage our exposure to the interest rate risks related to the following variable rate debt. Following the repayment of some of our floating rate debt with the proceeds from our initial public offering and our subsequent transactions which eliminated substantially all of our floating rate debt, we own interest rate caps having aggregate notional amounts well in excess of our floating rate debt. The fair value of our interest rate caps at March 31, 2006 was approximately $4,000. As of March 31, 2006, our interest rate caps consisted of the following:

 

As of
March 31, 2006
Notional Amount
  

LIBOR Rate at

which Exposure
is Capped

   

Interest Rate
Cap

Maturity

(in millions)           
$ 6.3    4.50 %   5/22/2006

The net settlements, if any, paid or received under these interest rate cap agreements are accrued consistent with the terms of the agreements and are recognized in interest expense over the term of the related debt. We do not use derivatives for trading or speculative purposes and only enter into contracts with major financial institutions based on their credit rating and other factors. We generally use outside consultants to determine the fair values of our derivative instruments. Such methods generally incorporate market conventions and techniques such as discounted cash flow analysis and option pricing models to determine fair value. We believe these methods of estimating fair value result in general approximation of value, and such value may or may not actually be realized. For the three months ended March 31, 2006, our mark to market adjustments of these contracts resulted in a net gain of $1,000.

 

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Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

At March 31, 2006, we did not have any off-balance sheet arrangements.

Seasonality

The lodging business is seasonal in nature, and we experience some seasonality in our business as indicated in the table below. Revenue for hotels in tourist areas generally is substantially greater during tourist season (i.e., second and third quarter) than other times of the year. Quarterly revenue also may be adversely affected by events beyond our control, such as extreme weather conditions, terrorist attacks or alerts, public health concerns (such as SARS and bird flu), airline strikes, economic factors and other considerations affecting travel. Our revenues by quarter during 2005 and 2006 were as follows (dollars in thousands):

 

    

First

Quarter

  

Second

Quarter

  

Third

Quarter

  

Fourth

Quarter

Revenues

           

2005

   $ 114,882    $ 130,334    $ 179,933    $ 225,919

2006

   $ 212,227         

Inflation

Inflation may affect our expenses, including, without limitation, by increasing such costs as taxes, property and casualty insurance and utilities.

Critical Accounting Policies

Our discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations is based upon our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenue and expenses and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities.

We evaluate our estimates on an ongoing basis. We base our estimates on historical experience, information that is currently available to us and on various other assumptions that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. We believe the following critical accounting policies affect the most significant judgments and estimates used in the preparation of our combined financial statements.

 

    Impairment of long-lived assets. We periodically review each property for possible impairment. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset to future net cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. If such assets are considered to be impaired, the impairment recognized is measured by the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the estimated fair value of the assets. In this analysis of fair value, we use discounted cash flow analysis to estimate the fair value of our properties taking into account each property’s expected cash flow from operations, holding period and proceeds from the disposition of the property. The factors addressed in determining estimated proceeds from disposition include anticipated operating cash flow in the year of disposition, terminal capitalization rate and selling price per room. Our judgment is required in determining the discount rate applied to estimated cash flows, growth rate of the properties, the need for capital expenditures, as well as specific market and economic conditions. Additionally, the classification of these assets as held-for-sale (if applicable) requires the recording of these assets at their estimated fair value less estimated selling costs which can affect the amount of impairment recorded.

 

    Depreciation and amortization expense. Depreciation expense is based on the estimated useful life of our assets. The life of the assets are based on a number of assumptions, including the cost and timing of capital expenditures to maintain and refurbish our hotels, as well as specific market and economic conditions. Hotel properties and other completed real estate investments are depreciated using the straight-line method over estimated useful lives ranging from five to 35 years for buildings and improvements and three to 12 years for furniture, fixtures and equipment. While management believes its estimates are reasonable, a change in the estimated lives could affect depreciation expense and net income or the gain or loss on the sale of any of our hotels. We have not changed the estimated useful lives of any of our assets during the periods discussed.

 

   

Accrual of self-insured obligations. We are self-insured up to certain amounts with respect to employee medical, employee dental, general liability insurance, personal injury claims, workers’ compensation, automobile liability

 

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and other coverages. We establish reserves for our estimates of the loss that we will ultimately incur on reported claims as well as estimates for claims that have been incurred but not yet reported. Our reserves, which are reflected in “Due to Management Company” and other liabilities in our consolidated and combined balance sheets, are based on actuarial valuations and our history of claims. Our actuaries incorporate historical loss experience and judgments about the present and expected levels of costs per claim. Trends in actual experience are an important factor in the determination of these estimates. We believe that our estimated reserves for such claims are adequate, however, actual experience in claim frequency and amount could materially differ from our estimates and adversely affect our results of operations, cash flow, liquidity and financial condition.

New Accounting Standards and Accounting Changes

In December 2004, the FASB issued Statement No. 153 (“FAS 153”), “Exchanges of Nonmonetary Assets – an amendment of APB Opinion No. 29, Accounting for Nonmonetary Transactions” (“APB 29”). FAS 153 is based on the principle that nonmonetary asset exchanges should be recorded and measured at the fair value of the assets exchanged, with certain exceptions. This standard requires exchanges of productive assets to be accounted for at fair value, rather than at carryover basis, unless (i) neither the asset received nor the asset surrendered has a fair value that is determinable within reasonable limits or (ii) the transactions lack commercial substance (as defined). In addition, the FASB decided to retain the guidance in APB 29 for assessing whether the fair value of a nonmonetary asset is determinable within reasonable limits. The new standard is the result of the convergence project between the FASB and the International Accounting Standards Board (“IASB”). We adopted this standard for nonmonetary asset exchanges in 2006. The adoption of FAS 153 did not have an impact on our consolidated financial statements.

On June 1, 2005 the FASB issued SFAS 154, “Accounting Changes and Error Corrections,” which replaces APB 20, “Accounting Changes,” and SFAS 3, “Reporting Accounting Changes in Interim Financial Statements.” SFAS 154 applies to all voluntary changes in accounting principle, and changes the requirements for accounting for and reporting of a change in accounting principle. SFAS 154 requires retrospective application to prior periods’ financial statements of a voluntary change in accounting principle unless it is impracticable. APB 20 previously required that most voluntary changes in accounting principle be recognized by including in net income of the period of the change the cumulative effect of changing to the new accounting principle. SFAS 154 is effective for accounting changes made in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2005. Earlier application is permitted for accounting changes made in fiscal years beginning after June 1, 2005. We adopted this standard for accounting changes in interim financial statements in 2006. The adoption of FAS 154 did not have an impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

On February 16, 2006 the FASB issued SFAS 155, “Accounting for Certain Hybrid Instruments,” which amends SFAS 133, “Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities,” and SFAS 140, “Accounting for Transfers and Servicing of Financial Assets and Extinguishments of Liabilities.” SFAS 155 allows financial instruments that have embedded derivatives to be accounted for as a whole (eliminating the need to bifurcate the derivative from its host) if the holder elects to account for the whole instrument on a fair value basis. SFAS 155 also clarifies and amends certain other provisions of SFAS 133 and SFAS 140. This statement is effective for all financial instruments acquired or issued in fiscal years beginning after September 15, 2006. We do not expect our adoption of this new standard to have a material impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

 

Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

Our future income, cash flows and fair values relevant to financial instruments are dependent upon prevailing market interest rates. Market risk refers to the risk of loss from adverse changes in market prices and interest rates. Some of our outstanding debt has a variable interest rate. As described in “—Derivative Financial Instruments” above, we use some derivative financial instruments, primarily interest rate caps, to manage our exposure to interest rate risks related to our floating rate debt. We do not use derivatives for trading or speculative purposes and only enter into contracts with major financial institutions based on their credit rating and other factors. As of March 31, 2006, our total outstanding debt was approximately $1,356.1 million, of which approximately $85.0 million, or 6.3%, was variable rate debt. If market rates of interest on our variable rate debt decrease by 1.0% or 100 basis points, the decrease in interest expense on our variable rate debt would increase future earnings and cash flows by approximately $850,000 annually. On the other hand, if market rates of interest on our variable debt increase by 1.0% or 100 basis points, the increase in interest expense on our variable debt would decrease future earnings and cash flows by approximately $850,000 annually.

Interest risk amounts were determined by considering the impact of hypothetical interest rates on our financial instruments. These analyses do not consider the effect of a reduced level of overall economic activity. If overall economic activity is significantly reduced, we may take actions to further mitigate our exposure. However, because we cannot determine the specific actions that would be taken and their possible effects, these analyses assume no changes in our financial structure.

 

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Item 4. Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures. Based upon an evaluation of the effectiveness of disclosure controls and procedures, Sunstone Hotels Investors, Inc.’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) have concluded that as of the end of the period covered by this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) or 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) were effective to provide reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed in our Exchange Act reports is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified by the rules and forms of the Securities and Exchange Commission and is accumulated and communicated to management, including the CEO and CFO, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting. During our most recent fiscal quarter, there has not occurred any change in our internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

 

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PART II—OTHER INFORMATION

 

Item 1. Legal Proceedings

There have been no material developments during the three months ended March 31, 2006 to the suit against our predecessor companies which was filed by a hotel guest who became ill and alleged the illness resulted from exposure to a Legionella bacteria during a stay at one of our formerly owned hotels as described in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005 under the heading “Legal Proceedings.”

 

Item 1A. Risk Factors

There have been no material changes from risk factors as previously disclosed in the “Risk Factors” section of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2005, filed with the SEC on February 15, 2006.

 

Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

None.

 

Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities

None.

 

Item 4. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders

None.

 

Item 5. Other Information

None.

 

Item 6. Exhibits

The following Exhibits are filed as a part of this report:

 

Exhibit
Number
  

Description

  3.1    Articles of Amendment and Restatement of Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the registration statement on Form S-11 (File No. 333-117141) filed by the Company).
  3.2    Form of Articles Supplementary for Series A Preferred Stock (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.3 to the registration statement on Form S-11 (File No. 333-123102) filed by the Company).
  3.3    Form of Articles Supplementary for Series B Preferred Stock (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.4 to the registration statement on Form S-11 (File No. 333-123102) filed by the Company).
  3.4    Form of Articles Supplementary for Series C Preferred Stock (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3 to Form 8-K (File No. 001-32319) filed by the Company).
  3.5    Articles Supplementary increasing the authorized number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed by the Company on April 11, 2006).
10.1    Management Agreement Letter Amendment dated as of January 1. 2006.
10.2    Limited Waiver and Amendment dated as of March 3, 3006 to Term Credit Agreement, dated as of October 26, 2004, among Sunstone Hotel Partnership, LLC, Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. the Subsidiary Guarantors named therein, the Initial Lenders named herein, Citicorp North America, Inc., as Administrative Agent and as a Collateral Agent, Calyon New York Branch and Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., as Co-Documentation Agents, and Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, and Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc., as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Book Running Managers.

 

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10.3    Limited Waiver and Amendment dated as of March 3, 2006 to Revolving Credit Agreement, dated as of October 26, 2004, among Sunstone Hotel Partnership, LLC, Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. the Subsidiary Guarantors named herein, the Initial Lenders, Initial Issuing Bank and Swing Line Bank named herein, Citicorp North America, Inc., as Administrative Agent and as a Collateral Agent, Calyon New York Branch and Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., as Co-Documentation Agents, and Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, and Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc., as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Book Running Manager.
10.4    Employment Letter Agreement dated January 10, 2006 between Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. and Andrew W. Gross.
31.1    Certification of CEO Pursuant to Securities Exchange Act Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14 as Adopted Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
31.2    Certification of CFO Pursuant to Securities Exchange Act Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14 as Adopted Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
32.1    Certification of CEO and CFO Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 as Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

 

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

 

    Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc.
Date: May 3, 2006     By:   /s/    JON D. KLINE        
       

Jon D. Kline

(Principal Financial Officer and Duly Authorized Officer)

 

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