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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
__________________________

FORM 10-Q

Quarterly Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2020

                    
Commission File Number: 1-07094

egplogonewa01a02a01a02a01a24.jpg

EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

Maryland
 
13-2711135
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
 
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
 
 
 
 
400 W Parkway Place
 
 
Suite 100
 
 
Ridgeland,
Mississippi
 
39157
(Address of principal executive offices)
 
(Zip code)

Registrant’s telephone number: (601) 354-3555

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class
Trading symbol(s)
Name of each exchange on which registered
Common stock, $0.0001 par value per share
EGP
New York Stock Exchange

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 No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).    Yes   No





-1-



Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company.  See definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.   
Large Accelerated Filer
 
Accelerated Filer
 
 
Non-accelerated Filer
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Smaller Reporting Company
 
Emerging Growth Company
 
 
 
                   
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the Registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).
Yes No

The number of shares of common stock, $0.0001 par value, outstanding as of May 1, 2020 was 39,054,533.

-2-



EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

FORM 10-Q

TABLE OF CONTENTS
FOR THE QUARTER ENDED MARCH 31, 2020 


 
 
Page
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 



-3-



PART I.  FINANCIAL INFORMATION.


EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE AND PER SHARE DATA)
(UNAUDITED)

 
March 31,
2020
 
December 31,
2019
ASSETS
 
 
 
Real estate properties
$
2,910,117

 
2,844,567

Development and value-add properties
438,185

 
419,999

 
3,348,302

 
3,264,566

Less accumulated depreciation
(893,631
)
 
(871,139
)
 
2,454,671

 
2,393,427

Unconsolidated investment
7,613

 
7,805

Cash
671

 
224

Other assets
141,807

 
144,622

TOTAL ASSETS
$
2,604,762

 
2,546,078

 
 
 
 
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
LIABILITIES
 

 
 

Unsecured bank credit facilities
$
81,774

 
111,394

Unsecured debt
1,037,703

 
938,115

Secured debt
130,926

 
133,093

Accounts payable and accrued expenses
91,215

 
92,024

Other liabilities
70,781

 
69,123

Total Liabilities
1,412,399

 
1,343,749

 
 
 
 
EQUITY
 

 
 

Stockholders’ Equity:
 

 
 

Common shares; $0.0001 par value; 70,000,000 shares authorized; 39,054,533 shares issued and outstanding at March 31, 2020 and 38,925,953 at December 31, 2019
4

 
4

Excess shares; $0.0001 par value; 30,000,000 shares authorized; no shares issued

 

Additional paid-in capital
1,525,981

 
1,514,055

Distributions in excess of earnings
(322,371
)
 
(316,302
)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)
(12,983
)
 
2,807

Total Stockholders’ Equity
1,190,631

 
1,200,564

Noncontrolling interest in joint ventures
1,732

 
1,765

Total Equity
1,192,363

 
1,202,329

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
$
2,604,762

 
2,546,078

 
See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (unaudited).



-4-



EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
(IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE DATA)
(UNAUDITED)
 
Three Months Ended
 
March 31,
 
2020
 
2019
REVENUES
 
 
 
Income from real estate operations
$
88,577

 
78,637

Other revenue
51

 
161

 
88,628

 
78,798

EXPENSES
 
 
 
Expenses from real estate operations
25,829

 
22,302

Depreciation and amortization
27,892

 
23,746

General and administrative
3,281

 
3,844

Indirect leasing costs
108

 
93

 
57,110

 
49,985

OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE)
 
 
 
Interest expense
(8,457
)
 
(8,846
)
Gain on sales of real estate investments

 
2,325

Other
237

 
242

NET INCOME
23,298

 
22,534

Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest in joint ventures
(1
)
 
(5
)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC. COMMON STOCKHOLDERS
23,297

 
22,529

Other comprehensive loss - cash flow hedges
(15,790
)
 
(2,313
)
TOTAL COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
$
7,507

 
20,216

BASIC PER COMMON SHARE DATA FOR NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC. COMMON STOCKHOLDERS
 
 
 
Net income attributable to common stockholders
$
0.60

 
0.62

Weighted average shares outstanding
38,882

 
36,465

DILUTED PER COMMON SHARE DATA FOR NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC. COMMON STOCKHOLDERS
 
 
 
Net income attributable to common stockholders
$
0.60

 
0.62

Weighted average shares outstanding
38,961

 
36,526


See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (unaudited).

-5-



EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY
(IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE AND PER SHARE DATA)
(UNAUDITED)

For the three months ended March 31, 2020:
 
Common Stock
 
Additional
Paid-In Capital
 
Distributions in Excess of Earnings
 
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
 
Noncontrolling Interest in Joint Ventures
 
Total
BALANCE, DECEMBER 31, 2019
4

 
1,514,055

 
(316,302
)
 
2,807

 
1,765

 
1,202,329

Net income

 

 
23,297

 

 
1

 
23,298

Net unrealized change in fair value of cash flow hedges

 

 

 
(15,790
)
 

 
(15,790
)
Common dividends declared – $0.75 per share

 

 
(29,366
)
 

 

 
(29,366
)
Stock-based compensation, net of forfeitures

 
1,781

 

 

 

 
1,781

Issuance of 105,837 shares of common stock, common stock offering, net of expenses

 
14,734

 

 

 

 
14,734

Withheld 33,963 shares of common stock to satisfy tax withholding obligations in connection with the vesting of restricted stock

 
(4,589
)
 

 

 

 
(4,589
)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest

 

 

 

 
(34
)
 
(34
)
BALANCE, MARCH 31, 2020
4

 
1,525,981

 
(322,371
)
 
(12,983
)
 
1,732

 
1,192,363




For the three months ended March 31, 2019:
 
Common Stock
 
Additional
Paid-In Capital
 
Distributions in Excess of Earnings
 
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
 
Noncontrolling Interest in Joint Ventures
 
Total
BALANCE, DECEMBER 31, 2018
4

 
1,222,547

 
(326,193
)
 
6,701

 
1,644

 
904,703

Net income

 

 
22,529

 

 
5

 
22,534

Net unrealized change in fair value of cash flow hedges

 

 

 
(2,313
)
 

 
(2,313
)
Common dividends declared – $0.72 per share

 

 
(26,520
)
 

 

 
(26,520
)
Stock-based compensation, net of forfeitures

 
1,447

 

 

 

 
1,447

Issuance of 232,205 shares of common stock, common stock offering, net of expenses

 
24,400

 

 

 

 
24,400

Issuance of 571 shares of common stock, dividend reinvestment plan

 
54

 

 

 

 
54

Withheld 28,955 shares of common stock to satisfy tax withholding obligations in connection with the vesting of restricted stock

 
(2,788
)
 

 

 

 
(2,788
)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest

 

 

 

 
(43
)
 
(43
)
BALANCE, MARCH 31, 2019
4

 
1,245,660

 
(330,184
)
 
4,388

 
1,606

 
921,474


See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (unaudited).

-6-



EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(IN THOUSANDS)
(UNAUDITED)
 
Three Months Ended March 31,
 
2020
 
2019
OPERATING ACTIVITIES
 
 
 
Net income                                                                                                       
$
23,298

 
22,534

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

 
 

Depreciation and amortization                                                                                                       
27,892

 
23,746

Stock-based compensation expense                                                                                                       
1,226

 
1,065

Net gain on sales of real estate investments and non-operating real estate

 
(2,325
)
Gain on casualties and involuntary conversion on real estate assets

 
(100
)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
 

 
 

Accrued income and other assets                                                                                                       
1,090

 
2,153

Accounts payable, accrued expenses and prepaid rent                                                                                                       
(2,572
)
 
(5,919
)
Other                                                                                                       
505

 
328

NET CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES                                                                                                       
51,439

 
41,482

INVESTING ACTIVITIES
 

 
 

Development and value-add properties                                                                                                       
(69,687
)
 
(42,846
)
Purchases of real estate                                                                                                       
(6,231
)
 

Real estate improvements                                                                                                       
(9,396
)
 
(5,610
)
Net proceeds from sales of real estate investments and non-operating real estate                                                                                                       

 
3,679

Repayments on mortgage loans receivable                                                                                                       
7

 
3

Changes in accrued development costs                                                                                                       
1,437

 
701

Changes in other assets and other liabilities                                                                                                       
(14,754
)
 
(4,857
)
NET CASH USED IN INVESTING ACTIVITIES                                                                                                       
(98,624
)
 
(48,930
)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
 

 
 

Proceeds from unsecured bank credit facilities                                                                                          
221,777

 
144,635

Repayments on unsecured bank credit facilities                                                                                                      
(251,524
)
 
(207,497
)
Proceeds from unsecured debt
100,000

 
80,000

Repayments on secured debt
(2,220
)
 
(2,916
)
Debt issuance costs                                                                                                       
(564
)
 
(153
)
Distributions paid to stockholders (not including dividends accrued)                                                                                                     
(29,947
)
 
(26,787
)
Proceeds from common stock offerings                                                                                                       
14,734

 
24,400

Proceeds from dividend reinvestment plan                                                                                                       

 
54

Other                                                                                                       
(4,624
)
 
(2,831
)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES
47,632

 
8,905

INCREASE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
447

 
1,457

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF PERIOD
224

 
374

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF PERIOD
$
671

 
1,831

SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW INFORMATION
 

 
 

    Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized of $2,561 and $2,036
       for 2020 and 2019, respectively                                                                                                       
$
8,181

 
6,646

    Cash paid for operating lease liabilities                                                                                              
361

 
281

NON-CASH OPERATING ACTIVITY
 
 
 
    Operating lease liabilities arising from obtaining right of use assets                                                                                             
$
495

 
12,417


See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (unaudited).

-7-

EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)



(1)
BASIS OF PRESENTATION
 
The accompanying unaudited financial statements of EastGroup Properties, Inc. (“EastGroup” or “the Company”) have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X.  Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements.  In management’s opinion, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included.  The financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements contained in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 and the notes thereto.

(2)
PRINCIPLES OF CONSOLIDATION
 
The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of EastGroup, its wholly owned subsidiaries and its investment in any joint ventures in which the Company has a controlling interest.

As of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, EastGroup held a controlling interest in the following joint venture arrangements: (i) an 80% controlling interest in University Business Center 120; (ii) a 95% controlling interest in the Miramar land; and (iii) a 99% controlling interest in the Otay Mesa land.

The Company records 100% of the assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses of the buildings and land held in joint ventures with the noncontrolling interests provided for in accordance with the joint venture agreements. 

The equity method of accounting is used for the Company’s 50% undivided tenant-in-common interest in Industry Distribution Center II.  All significant intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated in consolidation.

(3)
USE OF ESTIMATES
 
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses during the reporting period and to disclose material contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements.  Actual results could differ from those estimates.

(4)
LEASE REVENUE
 
The Company’s primary revenue is rental income from business distribution space. The table below presents the components of Income from real estate operations for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019:
 
Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
2020
 
2019
 
(In thousands)
Lease income — operating leases
$
65,963

 
58,892

Variable lease income (1)
22,614

 
19,745

Income from real estate operations
$
88,577

 
78,637


(1)
Primarily includes tenant reimbursements for real estate taxes, insurance and common area maintenance.

(5)
REAL ESTATE PROPERTIES
 
EastGroup has one reportable segment – industrial properties.  These properties are primarily located in major Sunbelt regions of the United States. The Company’s properties have similar economic characteristics and as a result, have been aggregated into one reportable segment.

The Company reviews long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable.  Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset to future undiscounted net cash flows (including estimated future expenditures necessary to substantially complete the asset) expected to be generated by the asset.  If the carrying amount of an asset exceeds its estimated future cash flows, an impairment charge is recognized for the amount by which the carrying amount of the asset exceeds the fair value of the asset.  During the three month periods ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company did not identify any impairment charges which should be recorded.


-8-

EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

Depreciation of buildings and other improvements is computed using the straight-line method over estimated useful lives of generally 40 years for buildings and 3 to 15 years for improvements.  Building improvements are capitalized, while maintenance and repair expenses are charged to expense as incurred.  Significant renovations and improvements that improve or extend the useful life of the assets are capitalized.  Depreciation expense was $23,089,000 and $19,747,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019.

The Company’s Real estate properties and Development and value-add properties at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 were as follows:
 
March 31,
2020
 
December 31,
2019
 
(In thousands)
Real estate properties:
 
 
 
   Land                                                                  
$
458,270

 
452,698

   Buildings and building improvements                                          
1,952,894

 
1,907,963

   Tenant and other improvements                                                                  
487,189

 
471,909

   Right of use assets — Ground leases (operating) (1)
11,764

 
11,997

Development and value-add properties (2)                                                                 
438,185

 
419,999

 
3,348,302

 
3,264,566

   Less accumulated depreciation                                                                  
(893,631
)
 
(871,139
)
 
$
2,454,671

 
2,393,427



(1)
See below for information regarding the Company’s right of use assets for ground leases.
(2)
Value-add properties are defined as properties that are either acquired but not stabilized or can be converted to a higher and better use.  Acquired properties meeting either of the following two conditions are considered value-add properties:  (1) Less than 75% occupied as of the acquisition date (or will be less than 75% occupied within one year of acquisition date based on near term lease roll), or (2) 20% or greater of the acquisition cost will be spent to redevelop the property. 

Ground Leases
On January 1, 2019, EastGroup adopted the principles of Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 842, Leases, and its related Accounting Standards Updates (“ASUs”). In connection with the adoption, the Company recorded right of use assets for its ground leases, which are classified as operating leases, using the effective date transition option; under this option, prior years are not restated. As of January 1, 2019, the Company recorded right of use assets for its ground leases of $10,226,000. In April 2019, the Company acquired Logistics Center 6 & 7 in Dallas, which is located on land under a ground lease. The Company recorded a right of use asset of $2,679,000 in connection with this acquisition. As of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the unamortized balance of the Company’s right of use assets for its ground leases was $11,764,000 and $11,997,000, respectively. The right of use assets for ground leases are included in Real estate properties on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

As of March 31, 2020, the Company operated two properties in Florida, three properties in Texas and one property in Arizona that are subject to ground leases.  These leases have terms of 40 to 50 years, expiration dates of August 2031 to October 2058, and renewal options of 15 to 35 years, except for the one lease in Arizona which is automatically and perpetually renewed annually. The Company has included renewal options in the lease terms for calculating the ground lease assets and liabilities as the Company is reasonably certain it will exercise these options. Total ground lease expenditures for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 were $261,000 and $198,000, respectively. Payments are subject to increases at 3 to 10 year intervals based upon the agreed or appraised fair market value of the leased premises on the adjustment date or the Consumer Price Index percentage increase since the base rent date. These future changes in payments will be considered variable payments and will not impact the assessment of the asset or liability unless there is a significant event that triggers reassessment, such as amendment with a change in the terms of the lease. The weighted-average remaining lease term as of March 31, 2020, for the ground leases is 43 years. The following schedule indicates approximate future minimum ground lease payments for these properties by year as of March 31, 2020:








-9-

EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

Future Minimum Ground Lease Payments
Years Ending December 31,
 
(In thousands)
2020 - Remainder of year
 
$
727

2021
 
970

2022
 
970

2023
 
975

2024
 
999

Thereafter                                                  
 
38,916

   Total minimum payments                                                  
 
43,557

Imputed interest (1)
 
(31,723
)
   Total ground leases                                                  
 
$
11,834


(1)
As the Company’s leases do not provide an implicit rate, in order to calculate the present value of the remaining ground lease payments, the Company used its incremental borrowing rate, adjusted for a number of factors, including the long-term nature of the ground leases, the Company’s estimated borrowing costs, and the estimated fair value of the underlying land, to determine the imputed interest for its ground leases. The Company elected to use the portfolio approach as all of its ground leases in place as of January 1, 2019, have similar characteristics and determined 7.3% as the appropriate rate as of January 1, 2019, for all leases in place at that time. For the ground lease acquired during April 2019, the Company used its incremental borrowing rate, adjusted for the factors discussed above, which was determined to be 8.0%.


(6)
DEVELOPMENT AND VALUE-ADD PROPERTIES
 
For properties under development and value-add properties acquired in the development stage, costs associated with development (i.e., land, construction costs, interest expense, property taxes and other costs associated with development) are aggregated into the total capitalized costs of the property.  Included in these costs are management’s estimates for the portions of internal costs (primarily personnel costs) deemed related to such development activities. The internal costs are allocated to specific development projects based on development activity. As the property becomes occupied, depreciation commences on the occupied portion of the building, and costs are capitalized only for the portion of the building that remains vacant. The Company transfers properties from the development and value-add program to Real estate properties as follows: (i) for development properties, at the earlier of 90% occupancy or one year after completion of the shell construction, and (ii) for value-add properties, at the earlier of 90% occupancy or one year after acquisition. Upon the earlier of 90% occupancy or one year after completion of the shell construction, capitalization of development costs, including interest expense, property taxes and internal personnel costs, ceases and depreciation commences on the entire property (excluding the land).


-10-

EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

(7)
REAL ESTATE PROPERTY ACQUISITIONS AND ACQUIRED INTANGIBLES
 
Upon acquisition of real estate properties, EastGroup applies the principles of FASB ASC 805, Business Combinations. The FASB Codification provides a framework for determining whether transactions should be accounted for as acquisitions (or disposals) of assets or businesses. Under the guidance, companies are required to utilize an initial screening test to determine whether substantially all of the fair value of the gross assets acquired (or disposed of) is concentrated in a single identifiable asset or a group of similar identifiable assets; if so, the set is not a business. EastGroup determined that its real estate property acquisitions in 2019 and the first three months of 2020 are considered to be acquisitions of groups of similar identifiable assets; therefore, the acquisitions are not considered to be acquisitions of a business. As a result, the Company capitalized acquisition costs related to its 2019 and 2020 acquisitions.

The FASB Codification also provides guidance on how to properly determine the allocation of the purchase price among the individual components of both the tangible and intangible assets based on their respective fair values.  Goodwill for business combinations is recorded when the purchase price exceeds the fair value of the assets and liabilities acquired.  Factors considered by management in allocating the cost of the properties acquired include an estimate of carrying costs during the expected lease-up periods considering current market conditions and costs to execute similar leases.  The allocation to tangible assets (land, building and improvements) is based upon management’s determination of the value of the property as if it were vacant using discounted cash flow models. The Company determines whether any financing assumed is above or below market based upon comparison to similar financing terms for similar properties.  The cost of the properties acquired may be adjusted based on indebtedness assumed from the seller that is determined to be above or below market rates.  

The purchase price is also allocated among the following categories of intangible assets:  the above or below market component of in-place leases, the value of in-place leases, and the value of customer relationships.  The value allocable to the above or below market component of an acquired in-place lease is determined based upon the present value (using a discount rate reflecting the risks associated with the acquired leases) of the difference between (i) the contractual amounts to be paid pursuant to the lease over its remaining term, and (ii) management’s estimate of the amounts that would be paid using current market rents over the remaining term of the lease.  The amounts allocated to above and below market leases are included in Other assets and Other liabilities, respectively, on the Consolidated Balance Sheets and are amortized to rental income over the remaining terms of the respective leases. The total amount of intangible assets is further allocated to in-place lease values and customer relationship values based upon management’s assessment of their respective values.  These intangible assets are included in Other assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets and are amortized over the remaining term of the existing lease, or the anticipated life of the customer relationship, as applicable.

Amortization expense for in-place lease intangibles was $1,334,000 and $991,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Amortization of above and below market leases increased rental income by $374,000 and $192,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

During the three months ended March 31, 2020, the Company acquired one operating property, Wells Point One in Austin. The total cost for the property acquired by the Company was $6,231,000, of which $5,811,000 was allocated to Real estate properties. EastGroup allocated $907,000 of the total purchase price to land using third party land valuations for the Austin market. The market values are considered to be Level 3 inputs as defined by ASC 820, Fair Value Measurement (see Note 17 for additional information on ASC 820). Intangibles associated with the purchase of real estate were allocated as follows: $438,000 to in-place lease intangibles and $2,000 to above market leases (both included in Other assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets) and $20,000 to below market leases (included in Other liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets). These costs are amortized over the remaining lives of the associated leases in place at the time of acquisition.

During the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company acquired the following operating properties: Airways Business Center in Denver; 385 Business Park in Greenville; Grand Oaks 75 Business Center 1 in Tampa; and Siempre Viva Distribution Center 2 and Rocky Point Distribution Center 1 in San Diego. The Company also acquired the following value-add properties: Logistics Center 6 & 7 and Arlington Tech Centre 1 & 2 in Dallas; Grand Oaks 75 Business Center 2 in Tampa; Interstate Commons Distribution Center 2 in Phoenix; Southwest Commerce Center in Las Vegas; and Rocky Point Distribution Center 2 in Dan Diego. At the time of acquisition, these value-add properties were classified in the lease-up or under construction phase. The total cost for the properties acquired by the Company was $205,841,000, of which $105,301,000 was allocated to Real estate properties and $92,268,000 was allocated to Development and value-add properties. EastGroup allocated $46,778,000 of the total purchase price to land using third party land valuations for the Denver, Greenville, Tampa, Dallas, Phoenix, Las Vegas and San Diego markets. Logistics Center 6 & 7 is located on land under a ground lease; therefore, no value was allocated to land for this transaction. Intangibles associated with the purchase of real estate were allocated as follows: $10,020,000 to in-place lease intangibles, $344,000 to above market leases and $2,092,000 to below market leases.


-11-

EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

Also during 2019, EastGroup acquired 6.5 acres of operating land in San Diego for $13,386,000. In connection with the acquisition, the Company allocated value to land and below market leases. EastGroup recorded land of $13,979,000 based on third party land valuations for the San Diego market. This land, which is included in Real estate properties on the Consolidated Balance Sheets, is currently leased to a tenant that operates a parking lot on the site. The Company recorded $593,000 to below market leases in connection with this land acquisition.

During 2019, EastGroup also acquired 41.6 acres of operating land in San Diego for $15,282,000. This land, which is included in Real estate properties on the Consolidated Balance Sheets, is currently leased (on a month-to-month basis) to various tenants operating outdoor storage on the site.

Also during 2019, EastGroup acquired a small parcel of land (0.5 acres) adjacent to its Yosemite Distribution Center in Milpitas
(San Francisco), California, for $472,000. This land is included in Real estate properties on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

The Company periodically reviews the recoverability of goodwill (at least annually) and the recoverability of other intangibles (on a quarterly basis) for possible impairment.  No impairment of goodwill or other intangibles existed during the three-month periods ended March 31, 2020 and 2019.

(8)
REAL ESTATE SOLD AND HELD FOR SALE/DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS
 
The Company considers a real estate property to be held for sale when it meets the criteria established under ASC 360, Property, Plant and Equipment, including when it is probable that the property will be sold within a year.  Real estate properties held for sale are reported at the lower of the carrying amount or fair value less estimated costs to sell and are not depreciated while they are held for sale. The Company did not classify any properties as held for sale as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019.

In accordance with FASB ASU 2014-08, Presentation of Financial Statements (Topic 205) and Property, Plant, and Equipment (Topic 360), Reporting Discontinued Operations and Disclosures of Disposals of Components of an Entity, the Company would report a disposal of a component of an entity or a group of components of an entity in discontinued operations if the disposal represents a strategic shift that has (or will have) a major effect on an entity’s operations and financial results when the component or group of components meets the criteria to be classified as held for sale or when the component or group of components is disposed of by sale or other than by sale. In addition, the Company would provide additional disclosures about both discontinued operations and the disposal of an individually significant component of an entity that does not qualify for discontinued operations presentation in the financial statements. EastGroup performs an analysis of properties sold to determine whether the sales qualify for discontinued operations presentation.

The Company does not consider its sales in 2019 to be disposals of a component of an entity or a group of components of an entity representing a strategic shift that has (or will have) a major effect on the entity’s operations and financial results.

The Company had no sales during the three months ended March 31, 2020.

During the year 2019, EastGroup sold five operating properties: World Houston 5 in Houston; Altamonte Commerce Center in Orlando; Southpointe Distribution Center in Tuscon; and three of its four University Business Center buildings in Santa Barbara. The properties contain a combined 617,000 square feet and were sold for $68.5 million. EastGroup recognized gains on the sales of $41.1 million. The Company also sold (through eminent domain procedures) a small pacel of land (0.2 acres) in San Diego for $185,000 and recognized a gain of $83,000.

Of the above-mentioned 2019 transactions, World Houston 5 was sold during the three months ended March 31, 2019; a gain on the sale of $2,325,000 was recognized by the Company during the first quarter of 2019.

The results of operations and gains on sales for the properties sold during the periods presented are reported in continuing operations on the Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income. The gains on sales of operating properties are included in Gain on sales of real estate investments, and the gains on sales of land are included in Other.


-12-

EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

(9)
OTHER ASSETS
 
A summary of the Company’s Other assets follows:
 
March 31,
2020
 
December 31,
2019
 
(In thousands)
Leasing costs (principally commissions)
                                                                                 
$
92,507

 
89,191

Accumulated amortization of leasing costs                                                       
(36,013
)
 
(34,963
)
Leasing costs (principally commissions), net of accumulated amortization
56,494

 
54,228

 
 
 
 
Acquired in-place lease intangibles                                                                                  
28,571

 
28,834

Accumulated amortization of acquired in-place lease intangibles
(12,552
)
 
(11,918
)
Acquired in-place lease intangibles, net of accumulated amortization
16,019

 
16,916

 
 
 
 
Acquired above market lease intangibles                                                                                  
1,723

 
1,721

Accumulated amortization of acquired above market lease intangibles
(1,062
)
 
(1,007
)
Acquired above market lease intangibles, net of accumulated amortization
661

 
714

 
 
 
 
Straight-line rents receivable
41,280

 
40,369

Accounts receivable
4,393

 
5,581

Mortgage loans receivable                                                                                  
1,672

 
1,679

Interest rate swap assets

 
3,485

Right of use assets — Office leases (operating)

2,499

 
2,115

Goodwill                                                                                  
990

 
990

Prepaid expenses and other assets                                                                                  
17,799

 
18,545

Total Other assets
$
141,807

 
144,622




(10)
DEBT

The Company’s debt is detailed below. EastGroup presents debt issuance costs as reductions of Unsecured bank credit facilities, Unsecured debt and Secured debt on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.
 
March 31,
2020
 
December 31,
2019
 
(In thousands)
Unsecured bank credit facilities - variable rate, carrying amount
$
82,963

 
112,710

Unamortized debt issuance costs
(1,189
)
 
(1,316
)
Unsecured bank credit facilities
81,774

 
111,394

 
 
 
 
Unsecured debt - fixed rate, carrying amount (1)
1,040,000

 
940,000

Unamortized debt issuance costs
(2,297
)
 
(1,885
)
Unsecured debt
1,037,703

 
938,115

 
 
 
 
Secured debt - fixed rate, carrying amount (1)
131,197

 
133,422

Unamortized debt issuance costs
(271
)
 
(329
)
Secured debt
130,926

 
133,093

 
 
 
 
Total debt
$
1,250,403

 
1,182,602



(1)
These loans have a fixed interest rate or an effectively fixed interest rate due to interest rate swaps.




-13-

EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

The Company has a $350 million unsecured bank credit facility with a group of nine banks; the facility has a maturity date of July 30, 2022. The credit facility contains options for two six-month extensions (at the Company’s election) and a $150 million accordion (with agreement by all parties). The interest rate on each tranche is usually reset on a monthly basis and as of March 31, 2020, was LIBOR plus 100 basis points with an annual facility fee of 20 basis points. The margin and facility fee are subject to changes in the Company’s credit ratings. As of March 31, 2020, the Company had $70,000,000 of variable rate borrowings on this unsecured  bank credit facility with a weighted average interest rate of 1.941%. The Company has a standby letter of credit of $674,000 pledged on this facility.

The Company also has a $45 million unsecured bank credit facility with a maturity date of July 30, 2022, or such later date as designated by the bank; the Company also has two six-month extensions available if the extension options in the $350 million facility are exercised. The interest rate is reset on a daily basis and as of March 31, 2020, was LIBOR plus 100 basis points with an annual facility fee of 20 basis points. The margin and facility fee are subject to changes in the Company’s credit ratings. As of March 31, 2020, the interest rate was 1.993% on a balance of $12,963,000.

In March 2020, the Company closed a $100 million senior unsecured term loan with a seven-year term and interest only payments. It bears interest at the annual rate of LIBOR plus an applicable margin (1.45% as of March 31, 2020) based on the Company’s senior unsecured long-term debt rating. The Company also entered into an interest rate swap agreement to convert the loan’s LIBOR rate component to a fixed interest rate for the entire term of the loan providing a total effective fixed interest rate of 2.39%.

Scheduled principal payments on long-term debt, including Unsecured debt and Secured debt (not including Unsecured bank credit facilities), as of March 31, 2020, are as follows: 
Years Ending December 31,
 
(In thousands)
2020 - Remainder of year
 
$
111,822

2021
 
129,562

2022
 
107,770

2023
 
115,119

2024
 
120,122

2025 and beyond
 
586,802

       Total
 
$
1,171,197



-14-

EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)


(11)
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE AND ACCRUED EXPENSES
 
A summary of the Company’s Accounts payable and accrued expenses follows:
 
March 31,
2020
 
December 31,
2019
 
(In thousands)
Property taxes payable                                                                                  
$
13,963

 
2,696

Development costs payable                                                                                  
13,203

 
11,766

Real estate improvements and capitalized leasing costs payable
4,944

 
4,636

Interest payable                                                                                  
6,315

 
6,370

Dividends payable                                                        
30,133

 
30,714

Book overdraft (1)
17,868

 
25,771

Other payables and accrued expenses                                                                                  
4,789

 
10,071

 Total Accounts payable and accrued expenses
$
91,215

 
92,024



(1)
Represents checks written before the end of the period which have not cleared the bank; therefore, the bank has not yet advanced cash to the Company. When the checks clear the bank, they will be funded through the Company’s working cash line of credit.

(12)
OTHER LIABILITIES
 
A summary of the Company’s Other liabilities follows:
 
March 31,
2020
 
December 31,
2019
 
(In thousands)
Security deposits                                                                                  
$
20,705

 
20,351

Prepaid rent and other deferred income                                                     
13,152

 
13,855

Operating lease liabilities — Ground leases
11,834

 
12,048

Operating lease liabilities — Office leases
2,528

 
2,141

 
 
 
 
Acquired below-market lease intangibles
8,637

 
8,616

     Accumulated amortization of below-market lease intangibles
(4,923
)
 
(4,494
)
Acquired below-market lease intangibles, net of accumulated amortization
3,714

 
4,122

 
 
 
 
Interest rate swap liabilities
12,983

 
678

Prepaid tenant improvement reimbursements
215

 
56

Other liabilities                                                                                  
5,650

 
15,872

 Total Other liabilities
$
70,781

 
69,123







-15-

EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

(13)
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
 
Total Comprehensive Income is comprised of net income plus all other changes in equity from non-owner sources and is presented on the Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income. The components of Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) are presented in the Company’s Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity and are summarized below. See Note 14 for information regarding the Company’s interest rate swaps.
 
Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
2020
 
2019
 
(In thousands)
ACCUMULATED OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS):
 
Balance at beginning of period
$
2,807

 
6,701

    Change in fair value of interest rate swaps - cash flow hedges
(15,790
)
 
(2,313
)
Balance at end of period
$
(12,983
)
 
4,388



(14)
DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS AND HEDGING ACTIVITIES
 
The Company is exposed to certain risks arising from both its business operations and economic conditions. The Company principally manages its exposures to a wide variety of business and operational risks through management of its core business activities. The Company manages economic risk, including interest rate, liquidity and credit risk primarily by managing the amount, sources and duration of its debt funding and, to a limited extent, the use of derivative instruments.

Specifically, the Company has entered into derivative instruments to manage exposures that arise from business activities that result in the payment of future known and uncertain cash amounts, the value of which are determined by interest rates. The Company’s derivative instruments, described below, are used to manage differences in the amount, timing and duration of the Company’s known or expected cash payments principally related to certain of the Company’s borrowings.

The Company’s objective in using interest rate derivatives is to change variable interest rates to fixed interest rates by using interest rate swaps. Interest rate swaps designated as cash flow hedges involve the receipt of variable-rate amounts from a counterparty in exchange for the Company making fixed-rate payments over the life of the agreements without exchange of the underlying notional amount. 

As of March 31, 2020, the Company had seven interest rate swaps outstanding, all of which are used to hedge the variable cash flows associated with unsecured loans. All of the Company’s interest rate swaps convert the related loans’ LIBOR rate components to effectively fixed interest rates, and the Company has concluded that each of the hedging relationships is highly effective.

The changes in the fair value of derivatives designated and qualifying as cash flow hedges is recorded in Other comprehensive income (loss) and is subsequently reclassified into earnings through interest expense as interest payments are made in the period that the hedged forecasted transaction affects earnings.

Amounts reported in Other comprehensive income (loss) related to derivatives will be reclassified to Interest expense as interest payments are made or received on the Company’s variable-rate debt. The Company estimates that an additional $4,469,000 will be reclassified from Other comprehensive income (loss) as an increase to Interest expense over the next twelve months.

The Company’s valuation methodology for over-the-counter (“OTC”) derivatives is to discount cash flows based on Overnight Index Swap (“OIS”) rates.  Uncollateralized or partially-collateralized trades are discounted at OIS rates, but include appropriate economic adjustments for funding costs (i.e., a LIBOR-OIS basis adjustment to approximate uncollateralized cost of funds) and credit risk.  The Company calculates its derivative valuations using mid-market prices.

In July 2017, the Financial Conduct Authority (the authority that regulates LIBOR) announced it intends to stop compelling banks to submit rates for the calculation of LIBOR after 2021. The Alternative Reference Rates Committee (“ARRC”) has proposed that the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) is the rate that represents best practice as the alternative to USD-LIBOR for use in derivatives and other financial contracts that are currently indexed to USD-LIBOR. ARRC has proposed a paced market transition plan to SOFR from USD-LIBOR and organizations are currently working on industry wide and company specific transition plans as it relates to derivatives and cash markets exposed to USD-LIBOR. The Company has material contracts that are indexed to USD-LIBOR and is monitoring this activity and evaluating the related risks.


-16-

EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting. ASU 2020-04 contains practical expedients for reference rate reform related activities that impact debt, leases, derivatives and other contracts. The guidance in ASU 2020-04 is optional and may be elected over time as reference rate reform activities occur. During the three months ended March 31, 2020, the Company elected to apply the hedge accounting expedients related to probability and the assessments of effectiveness for future LIBOR-indexed cash flows to assume that the index upon which future hedged transactions will be based matches the index on the corresponding derivatives. Application of these expedients preserves the presentation of derivatives consistent with past presentation. The Company continues to evaluate the impact of the guidance and may apply other elections as applicable as additional changes in the market occur.

As of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the Company had the following outstanding interest rate derivatives that are designated as cash flow hedges of interest rate risk:
Interest Rate Derivative
 
Notional Amount as of March 31, 2020
 
Notional Amount as of December 31, 2019
 
 
(In thousands)
Interest Rate Swap
 
$75,000
 
$75,000
Interest Rate Swap
 
$65,000
 
$65,000
Interest Rate Swap
 
$60,000
 
$60,000
Interest Rate Swap
 
$40,000
 
$40,000
Interest Rate Swap
 
$15,000
 
$15,000
Interest Rate Swap
 
$100,000
 
$100,000
Interest Rate Swap
 
$100,000
 
$


The table below presents the fair value of the Company’s derivative financial instruments as well as their classification on the Consolidated Balance Sheets as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019. See Note 17 for additional information on the fair value of the Company’s interest rate swaps.
 
Derivatives
As of March 31, 2020
 
Derivatives
As of December 31, 2019
 
Balance Sheet Location
 
Fair Value
 
Balance Sheet Location
 
Fair Value
 
(In thousands)
Derivatives designated as cash flow hedges:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    Interest rate swap assets
Other assets
 
$

 
Other assets
 
$
3,485

    Interest rate swap liabilities
Other liabilities
 
12,983

 
Other liabilities
 
678



The table below presents the effect of the Company’s derivative financial instruments on the Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019:
 
Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
2020
 
2019
 
(In thousands)
DERIVATIVES IN CASH FLOW HEDGING RELATIONSHIPS
 
 
 
Interest Rate Swaps:
 
 
 
  Amount of income (loss) recognized in Other comprehensive income (loss) on derivatives                                                                                                     
$
(15,703
)
 
(1,644
)
  Amount of (income) loss reclassified from Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) into Interest expense                                                                                               
(87
)
 
(669
)


See Note 13 for additional information on the Company’s Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) resulting from its interest rate swaps.

Derivative financial agreements expose the Company to credit risk in the event of non-performance by the counterparties under the terms of the interest rate hedge agreements. The Company believes it minimizes the credit risk by transacting with financial institutions the Company regards as credit-worthy.

The Company has an agreement with its derivative counterparties containing a provision stating that the Company could be declared in default on its derivative obligations if the Company defaults on any of its indebtedness, including default where repayment of

-17-

EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

the indebtedness has not been accelerated by the lender. As of March 31, 2020, the fair value of derivatives in a net liability position related to these agreements was $12,983,000.

(15)
EARNINGS PER SHARE
 
The Company applies ASC 260, Earnings Per Share, which requires companies to present basic and diluted earnings per share (“EPS”).  Basic EPS represents the amount of earnings for the period attributable to each share of common stock outstanding during the reporting period.  The Company’s basic EPS is calculated by dividing Net Income Attributable to EastGroup Properties, Inc. Common Stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding. The weighted average number of common shares outstanding does not include any potentially dilutive securities or any unvested restricted shares of common stock. These unvested restricted shares, although classified as issued and outstanding, are considered forfeitable until the restrictions lapse and will not be included in the basic EPS calculation until the shares are vested.

Diluted EPS represents the amount of earnings for the period attributable to each share of common stock outstanding during the reporting period and to each share that would have been outstanding assuming the issuance of common shares for all dilutive potential common shares outstanding during the reporting period.  The Company calculates diluted EPS by dividing Net Income Attributable to EastGroup Properties, Inc. Common Stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding plus the dilutive effect of unvested restricted stock.  The dilutive effect of unvested restricted stock is determined using the treasury stock method.

Reconciliation of the numerators and denominators in the basic and diluted EPS computations is as follows:
 
Three Months Ended
 
March 31,
 
2020
 
2019
 
(In thousands)
BASIC EPS COMPUTATION FOR NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC. COMMON STOCKHOLDERS
 
 
 
  Numerator – net income attributable to common stockholders                                                                                                     
$
23,297

 
22,529

  Denominator – weighted average shares outstanding                                                                                                     
38,882

 
36,465

DILUTED EPS COMPUTATION FOR NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC. COMMON STOCKHOLDERS
 
 
 
  Numerator – net income attributable to common stockholders                                                                                                     
$
23,297

 
22,529

Denominator:
 
 
 
    Weighted average shares outstanding                                                                                                     
38,882

 
36,465

    Unvested restricted stock                                                                                                     
79

 
61

      Total Shares                                                                                                     
38,961

 
36,526



(16)
STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION
 
EastGroup applies the provisions of ASC 718, Compensation - Stock Compensation, to account for its stock-based compensation plans. ASC 718 requires that the compensation cost relating to share-based payment transactions be recognized in the financial statements and that the cost be measured on the fair value of the equity or liability instruments issued.

Stock-based compensation cost for employees was $1,779,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2020, of which $555,000 was capitalized as part of the Company’s development costs. For the three months ended March 31, 2019, stock-based compensation cost for employees was $1,444,000, of which $381,000 was capitalized as part of the Company’s development costs.

Stock-based compensation expense for directors was $2,000 for both of the three month periods ended March 31, 2020 and 2019.

In the second quarter of 2017, the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Committee”) approved a long-term equity compensation plan for certain of its executive officers that included three components based on total shareholder return and one component based only on continued service as of the vesting dates.

The three long-term equity compensation plan components based on total shareholder return were subject to bright-line tests that compared the Company’s total shareholder return to the Nareit Equity Index and to the member companies of the Nareit industrial index. The first plan measured the bright-line tests over the one-year period ended December 31, 2017; these shares were awarded

-18-

EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

during the first quarter of 2018. The second plan measured the bright-line tests over the two-year period ended December 31, 2018; these shares were awarded during the first quarter of 2019.

The third plan measured the bright-line tests over the three-year period ended December 31, 2019. During the first quarter of 2020, the Committee measured the Company’s performance for the three-year period against bright-line tests established by the Committee on the grant date of May 10, 2017.  The number of shares determined on the measurement date was 18,917.  These shares vested 75% on February 13, 2020, the date the earned shares were determined, and will vest 25% on January 1, 2021. On the grant date of May 10, 2017, the Company began recognizing expense for this plan based on the grant date fair value of the awards which was determined using a simulation pricing model developed to specifically accommodate the unique features of the award.

The component of the long-term equity compensation plan based only on continued service as of the vesting dates was awarded on May 10, 2017. On that date, 5,406 shares were granted to certain executive officers subject only to continued service as of the vesting dates. These shares, which have a grant date fair value of $78.18 per share, vested 25% in the first quarter of each of 2018, 2019 and 2020 and will vest 25% on January 1, 2021. The shares are being expensed on a straight-line basis over the remaining service period.

In the second quarter of 2018, the Committee approved a long-term equity compensation plan for the Company’s executive officers that included one component based on total shareholder return and one component based only on continued service as of the vesting dates.

The component of the long-term equity compensation plan based on total shareholder return is subject to bright-line tests that will compare the Company’s total shareholder return to the Nareit Equity Index and to the member companies of the Nareit industrial index. The plan will measure the bright-line tests over the three-year period ending December 31, 2020. During the first quarter of 2021, the Committee will measure the Company’s performance for the three-year period against bright-line tests established by the Committee on the grant date of June 1, 2018.  The number of shares to be earned on the measurement date could range from zero to 27,596.  These shares would vest 75% on the date the earned shares are determined in the first quarter of 2021 and 25% on January 1, 2022. On the grant date of June 1, 2018, the Company began recognizing expense for this plan based on the grant date fair value of the awards which was determined using a simulation pricing model developed to specifically accommodate the unique features of the award.

The component of the long-term equity compensation plan based only on continued service as of the vesting dates was awarded on June 1, 2018. On that date, 7,884 shares were granted to the Company’s executive officers subject only to continued service as of the vesting dates. These shares, which have a grant date fair value of $95.19, vested 25% in the first quarter of 2019 and 25% on January 1, 2020, and will vest 25% on January 1 in years 2021 and 2022. The shares are being expensed on a straight-line basis over the remaining service period.

In the first quarter of 2019, the Committee approved an equity compensation plan (the “2019 Annual Grant”) for the Company’s executive officers based upon certain annual performance measures for 2019; the 2019 Annual Grant was comprised of three components.

The first component of the 2019 Annual Grant was based upon the following Company performance measures for 2019: (i) same property net operating income change, (ii) debt-to EBITDAre ratio, and (iii) fixed charge coverage. On February 13, 2020, the Committee measured the Company’s performance for 2019 against bright-line tests established by the Committee on the grant date of March 7, 2019 and determined that 9,162 shares were earned. These shares, which have a grant date fair value of $105.97, vested 20% on the date shares were determined and will vest 20% per year on each January 1 in years 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. On the grant date of March 7, 2019, the Company began recognizing expense for its estimate of the shares that could be earned pursuant to these awards; the expense was adjusted to actual upon the determination of the awards. The shares are being expensed using the graded vesting attribution method which recognizes each separate vesting portion of the award as a separate award on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period.

The second component of the 2019 Annual Grant was based upon the Company’s funds from operations (“FFO”) per share for 2019. On February 13, 2020, the Committee measured the Company’s performance for 2019 against bright-line tests established by the Committee on the grant date of August 28, 2019 and determined that 15,990 shares were earned. These shares, which have a grant date fair value of $122.61, vested 20% on the date shares were determined and will vest 20% per year on each January 1 in years 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. On the grant date of August 28, 2019, the Company began recognizing expense for its estimate of the shares that could be earned pursuant to these awards; the expense was adjusted to actual upon the determination of the awards. The shares are being expensed using the graded vesting attribution method which recognizes each separate vesting portion of the award as a separate award on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period.

-19-

EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)


The third component of the 2019 Annual Grant was based upon the achievement of individual goals for each of the officers included in the plan. On February 13, 2020, the Committee evaluated the performance of the officers and, in its discretion, awarded 5,860 shares with a grant date fair value of $141.63. These shares vested 20% on the date shares were determined and will vest 20% per year on each January 1 in years 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. The Company began recognizing the expense for the shares awarded on the grant date of February 13, 2020, and the shares will be expensed on a straight-line basis over the remaining service period. 

Also in the first quarter of 2019, the Committee approved a long-term equity compensation plan for the Company’s executive officers that includes one component based on total shareholder return and one component based only on continued service as of the vesting dates.

The component of the long-term equity compensation plan based on total shareholder return is subject to bright-line tests that will compare the Company’s total shareholder return to the Nareit Equity Index and to the member companies of the Nareit industrial index. The plan will measure the bright-line tests over the three-year period ending December 31, 2021. During the first quarter of 2022, the Committee will measure the Company’s performance for the three-year period against bright-line tests established by the Committee on the grant date of March 7, 2019.  The aggregate number of shares to be earned on the measurement date could range from zero to 34,812.  These shares would vest 75% on the date the earned shares are determined in the first quarter of 2022 and 25% on January 1, 2023. On the grant date of March 7, 2019, the Company began recognizing expense for this plan based on the grant date fair value of the awards which was determined using a simulation pricing model developed to specifically accommodate the unique features of the award.

The component of the long-term equity compensation plan based only on continued service as of the vesting dates was awarded on March 7, 2019. On that date, an aggregate of 9,947 shares were granted to the Company’s executive officers subject only to continued service as of the vesting dates. These shares, which have a grant date fair value of $105.97, vested 25% in the first quarter of 2020 and will vest 25% on each January 1 in years 2021, 2022 and 2023. The shares are being expensed on a straight-line basis over the remaining service period.

In the first quarter of 2020, the Committee approved an equity compensation plan (the “2020 Annual Grant”) for the Company’s executive officers based upon certain annual performance measures for 2020; the plan is comprised of two components.

The first component of the 2020 Annual Grant is based upon the following Company performance measures for 2020: (i) FFO per share, (ii) same property net operating income change, (iii) debt-to EBITDAre ratio, and (iv) fixed charge coverage. During the first quarter of 2021, the Committee will measure the Company’s performance for 2020 against bright-line tests established by the Committee on the grant date of March 6, 2020. The number of shares that may be earned for the achievement of the annual performance measures could range from zero to 19,282. These shares, which have a grant date fair value of $131.36, would vest 34% on the date shares are determined and 33% per year on each January 1 in years 2022 and 2023. On the grant date of March 6, 2020, the Company began recognizing expense for its estimate of the shares that may be earned pursuant to these awards; the shares are being expensed using the graded vesting attribution method which recognizes each separate vesting portion of the award as a separate award on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period.

The second component of the 2020 Annual Grant is based upon the achievement of individual goals for each of the officers included in the plan. Any shares issued pursuant to the individual goals in this compensation plan will be determined by the Committee in its discretion and issued in the first quarter of 2021. The number of shares to be issued on the grant date for the achievement of individual goals could range from zero to 4,812. These shares would vest 34% on the date shares are determined and awarded and 33% per year on each January 1 in years 2022 and 2023. The Company will begin recognizing the expense for any shares awarded on the grant date in the first quarter of 2021, and the shares will be expensed on a straight-line basis over the remaining service period. 

Also in the first quarter of 2020, the Committee approved a long-term equity compensation plan for the Company’s executive officers that includes one component based on total shareholder return and one component based only on continued service as of the vesting dates.

The component of the long-term equity compensation plan based on total shareholder return is subject to bright-line tests that will compare the Company’s total shareholder return to the Nareit Equity Index and to the member companies of the Nareit industrial index. The plan will measure the bright-line tests over the three-year period ending December 31, 2022. During the first quarter of 2023, the Committee will measure the Company’s performance for the three-year period against bright-line tests established by the Committee on the grant date of March 6, 2020.  The aggregate number of shares to be earned on the measurement date could range from zero to 25,261.  These shares would vest 75% on the date the earned shares are determined in the first quarter of 2023 and 25% on January 1, 2024. On the grant date of March 6, 2020, the Company began recognizing expense for this plan

-20-

EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

based on the grant date fair value of the awards which was determined using a simulation pricing model developed to specifically accommodate the unique features of the award.

The component of the long-term equity compensation plan based only on continued service as of the vesting dates was awarded on March 6, 2020. On that date, an aggregate of 7,217 shares were granted to the Company’s executive officers subject only to continued service as of the vesting dates. These shares, which have a grant date fair value of $131.36, will vest 25% in the first quarter of 2021 and 25% on January 1 in years 2022, 2023 and 2024. The shares are being expensed on a straight-line basis over the remaining service period.

During the fourth quarter of 2019, the Committee adopted the Equity Award Retirement Policy (the "retirement policy") which allows for accelerated vesting of unvested shares for retirement-eligible employees (defined as employees who meet certain age
and years of service requirements). In order to qualify for accelerated vesting upon retirement, the eligible employees must provide
required notification under the retirement policy and must retire from the Company. The Company has adjusted its stock-based compensation expense to accelerate the recognition of expense for retirement-eligible employees.

Following is a summary of the total restricted shares granted, forfeited and delivered (vested) to participants with the related weighted average grant date fair value share prices.  Of the shares that vested in the three months ended March 31, 2020, the Company withheld 33,963 shares to satisfy the tax obligations for those participants who elected this option as permitted under the applicable equity plan.  As of the vesting dates, the aggregate fair value of shares that vested during the three months ended March 31, 2020, was $10,864,000.
 
Three Months Ended
Award Activity:
March 31, 2020
 
 
 
Shares
 
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
Unvested at beginning of period
131,024

 
$
82.79

Granted (1) (2)
57,146

 
100.31

Forfeited 
(440
)
 
112.14

Vested 
(80,459
)
 
72.23

Unvested at end of period 
107,271

 
$
99.93



(1) Includes shares granted in prior years for which performance conditions have been satisfied and the number of shares have been
determined.
(2) Does not include the restricted shares that may be earned if the performance goals established in 2018 and 2019 for long-term
performance and in 2020 for annual and long-term performance are achieved. Depending on the actual level of achievement of the
goals at the end of the open performance periods, the number of shares earned could range from zero to 111,763.

(17)
FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS
 
ASC 820, Fair Value Measurement, defines fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date.  ASC 820 also provides guidance for using fair value to measure financial assets and liabilities.  The Codification requires disclosure of the level within the fair value hierarchy in which the fair value measurements fall, including measurements using quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1), quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets or quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active (Level 2), and significant valuation assumptions that are not readily observable in the market (Level 3).













-21-

EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

The following table presents the carrying amounts and estimated fair values of the Company’s financial instruments in accordance with ASC 820 at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019.
 
March 31, 2020
 
December 31, 2019
 
Carrying Amount (1)
 
Fair Value
 
Carrying Amount (1)
 
Fair Value
 
(In thousands)
Financial Assets:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cash and cash equivalents
$
671

 
671

 
224

 
224

   Mortgage loans receivable                                 
1,672

 
1,684

 
1,679

 
1,703

   Interest rate swap assets                             

 

 
3,485

 
3,485

Financial Liabilities:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 Unsecured bank credit facilities - variable rate (2)
82,963

 
82,222

 
112,710

 
113,174

Unsecured debt (2)
1,040,000

 
1,015,963

 
940,000

 
959,177

Secured debt (2)
131,197

 
133,081

 
133,422

 
136,107

   Interest rate swap liabilities                                     
12,983

 
12,983

 
678

 
678

(1) Carrying amounts shown in the table are included on the Consolidated Balance Sheets under the indicated captions, except as explained in the notes below.
(2) Carrying amounts and fair values shown in the table exclude debt issuance costs (see Note 10 for additional information).

The following methods and assumptions were used to estimate the fair value of each class of financial instruments:

Cash and cash equivalents:  The carrying amounts approximate fair value due to the short maturity of those instruments.
Mortgage loans receivable (included in Other assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets):  The fair value is estimated by discounting the future cash flows using the current rates at which similar loans would be made to borrowers with similar credit ratings and for the same remaining maturities (Level 2 input).
Interest rate swap assets (included in Other assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets): The instruments are recorded at fair value based on models using inputs, such as interest rate yield curves, LIBOR swap curves and OIS curves, observable for substantially the full term of the contract (Level 2 input). See Note 14 for additional information on the Company’s interest rate swaps.
Unsecured bank credit facilities: The fair value of the Company’s unsecured bank credit facilities is estimated by discounting expected cash flows at current market rates (Level 2 input), excluding the effects of debt issuance costs.
Unsecured debt:  The fair value of the Company’s unsecured debt is estimated by discounting expected cash flows at the rates currently offered to the Company for debt of the same remaining maturities, as advised by the Company’s bankers (Level 2 input), excluding the effects of debt issuance costs.
Secured debt: The fair value of the Company’s secured debt is estimated by discounting expected cash flows at the rates currently offered to the Company for debt of the same remaining maturities, as advised by the Company’s bankers (Level 2 input), excluding the effects of debt issuance costs.
Interest rate swap liabilities (included in Other liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets): The instruments are recorded at fair value based on models using inputs, such as interest rate yield curves, LIBOR swap curves and OIS curves, observable for substantially the full term of the contract (Level 2 input). See Note 14 for additional information on the Company’s interest rate swaps.

(18)
RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES
 
The state of the overall economy can significantly impact the Company’s operational performance and thus impact its financial position.  Should EastGroup experience a significant decline in operational performance due to the current coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic, as discussed below, or other general economic conditions, it may affect the Company’s ability to make distributions to its shareholders, service debt, or meet other financial obligations.

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization characterized COVID-19 as a pandemic. The United States, which is where EastGroup’s properties are located, is currently experiencing widespread infection, and there is uncertainty regarding how long the pandemic will impact the United States and the rest of the world. Unprecedented, extraordinary actions have been taken by federal, state and local governmental authorities to combat the spread of COVID-19, including issuance of “stay-at-home” directives and similar mandates for many individuals to substantially restrict daily activities and for many businesses to curtail or cease normal operations. These measures, while intended to protect human life, have led to reduced economic activity and a surge in unemployment throughout the United States, including the markets where the Company’s properties are located. As a result, there could be a sustained period of economic slowdown, the severity of which is uncertain. Such economic slowdown, among other

-22-

EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has, and may continue to, adversely impact EastGroup’s financial condition and results of operations and the financial condition and results of operations of the Company’s tenants.

EastGroup’s ability to lease its properties and collect rental revenues and expense reimbursements is dependent upon national, regional and local economic conditions. The potential inability to renew leases, lease vacant space or re-lease space as leases expire on favorable terms, or at all, could cause a decline in the Company’s receipt of rental payments. The Company has been in communication with a portion of its customer base regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Company has received rent relief requests from a number of its customers. EastGroup may or may not grant the requested relief to these customers. Granting rent relief could adversely affect the Company’s financial conditions, results of operations and cash flows.
Some of the Company’s customers are experiencing a deterioration in their financial position, results of operations and cash flows; as a result, they may not be able to pay their rent and expense reimbursements, which could adversely affect EastGroup’s financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Federal, state and local government restrictions associated with the mitigation efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 could prevent EastGroup’s customers from accessing their leased space and operating their businesses; such restrictions could also impact the Company’s ability to operate its business, which may cause the business and operating results to decline or impact the Company’s ability to comply with regulatory obligations leading to reputational harm and regulatory issues or fines. Such restrictions could also inhibit the Company’s ability to lease vacant space in its operating portfolio and its development and value-add program. In addition, government restrictions could prevent construction of tenant improvements and development projects, which could delay construction completion and lease commencement dates. In each case, EastGroup may experience an adverse impact on its financial condition and results of operations.
The economic uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic is causing disruption and instability in the financial markets and may impact EastGroup’s ability to raise capital from debt and equity markets on favorable terms or at all.
The health and well-being of EastGroup’s customers, employees, directors and other stakeholders is of great importance to the Company. The Company is striving to accommodate flexible working arrangements for its employees to ensure the health and safety of its team, while employees are continuing to perform job duties and provide services to the Company’s customers and other stakeholders. There are risks associated with remote working arrangements, including, but not limited to, risks related to cyber-security. EastGroup is monitoring and adhering to federal, state and local government guidelines regarding its work arrangements with the goal of preventing the spread of COVID-19 to the Company’s workforce, customers and communities. There are risks and uncertainties related to the health of the Company’s employees and directors; any potential deterioration of the health of key personnel could impact EastGroup’s business operations.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the current economic, financial and capital markets environment present material risks and uncertainties for the Company. However, the rapid development and fluidity of the situation precludes any prediction as to the ultimate impact COVID-19 will have on EastGroup’s business, financial condition, results of operation and cash flows, which will depend largely on future developments directly or indirectly relating to the duration and scope of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.

(19)
LEGAL MATTERS

The Company is not presently involved in any material litigation nor, to its knowledge, is any material litigation threatened against the Company or its properties, other than routine litigation arising in the ordinary course of business.

As previously reported in the Company’s annual reports on Form 10-K for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, and the Company’s quarterly reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, June 30, and September 30, 2019, the Company had been involved in pending litigation related to an action against the Company and certain of its officers in connection with the Company’s November 2016 purchase of a land parcel, alleging breach of contract and other claims in law and in equity. The Company asserted numerous affirmative defenses. In an effort to resolve the litigation, EastGroup made an initial settlement offer for $497,000, which was reserved in the Company’s financial statements as of December 31, 2018 and March 31, 2019. During the three months ended June 30, 2019, the parties came to a mediated resolution of the matter; losses related to the matter are included in Other on the Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income. As of June 30, 2019, the matter was resolved. Even though the matter was settled, the case was dismissed, and releases exchanged among all parties, the Plaintiff filed an appeal of the order in the Florida Court of Appeal compelling him to comply with the settlement. The Court has since dismissed the appeal. All monies due under the settlement have been paid to the Plaintiff’s lawyers and were accounted for as stated above.
 
   

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EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

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RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS
EastGroup has evaluated all ASUs recently released by the FASB through the date the financial statements were issued and determined that the following ASUs apply to the Company.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments — Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, and subsequently issued ASUs 2018-19, 2019-04, 2019-05, 2019-10, 2019-11, 2020-02 and 2020-03. The ASUs amend guidance on reporting credit losses for assets held at amortized cost basis and available for sale debt securities. For assets held at amortized cost, Topic 326 eliminates the probable initial recognition threshold in current GAAP and, instead, requires an entity to reflect its current estimate of all expected credit losses. For available for sale debt securities (EastGroup does not currently hold any and does not intend to hold any in the future), credit losses should be measured in a similar manner to current GAAP; however, Topic 326 requires that credit losses be presented as an allowance rather than a write-down. The ASUs affect entities holding financial assets and are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company adopted ASU 2016-13 and ASU 2018-19 on January 1, 2020, and the adoption did not have a material impact on its financial condition, results of operations or disclosures.
In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework - Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement. The ASU is intended to improve the effectiveness of fair value measurement disclosures. ASU 2018-13 is effective for all entities for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company adopted ASU 2018-13 on January 1, 2020, and the adoption did not have a material impact on its financial condition, results of operations or disclosures.
In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting. ASU 2020-04 contains practical expedients for reference rate reform related activities that impact debt, leases, derivatives and other contracts. The guidance in ASU 2020-04 is optional and may be elected over time as reference rate reform activities occur. During the three months ended March 31, 2020, the Company elected to apply the hedge accounting expedients related to probability and the assessments of effectiveness for future LIBOR-indexed cash flows to assume that the index upon which future hedged transactions will be based matches the index on the corresponding derivatives. Application of these expedients preserves the presentation of derivatives consistent with past presentation. The Company continues to evaluate the impact of the guidance and may apply other elections as applicable as additional changes in the market occur.


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ITEM 2.
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS.

The following discussion and analysis of results of operations and financial condition should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto appearing elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q includes “forward-looking statements” (within the meaning of the federal securities laws, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) that reflect EastGroup’s expectations and projections about the Company’s future results, performance, prospects and opportunities. The Company has attempted to identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words such as “may,” “will,” “seek,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “targets,” “intends,” “should,” “estimates,” “could,” “continue,” “assume,” “projects,” “plans” or similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to the Company and are subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These factors include, among other things, those discussed below. The Company intends for all such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act, as applicable by law. The Company does not undertake publicly to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of changes in underlying assumptions or new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required to satisfy the Company’s obligations under federal securities law.

The following are some, but not all, of the risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from those presented in the Company’s forward-looking statements (the Company refers to itself as “we,” “us” or “our” in the following):

international, national, regional and local economic conditions;
the duration and extent of the impact of the coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic on our business and the businesses of our tenants (including their ability to timely make rent payments) and the economy generally;
the duration of any “shelter-in-place” or “stay-at-home” orders or other formal recommendations for social distancing which may affect our operations or the operations of our tenants, and the speed and extent to which revenues of our tenants recover following the lifting of any such orders or recommendations;
the general level of interest rates and ability to raise equity capital on attractive terms;
financing risks, including the risks that our cash flows from operations may be insufficient to meet required payments of principal and interest and we may be unable to refinance our existing debt upon maturity or obtain new financing on attractive terms or at all;
the competitive environment in which the Company operates;
fluctuations of occupancy or rental rates;
potential defaults (including bankruptcies or insolvency) on or non-renewal of leases by tenants, or the Company’s ability to lease space at current or anticipated rents, particularly in light of the significant uncertainty as to when and the conditions under which current or potential tenants will be able to operate physical locations in the future;
potential changes in the law or governmental regulations and interpretations of those laws and regulations, including changes in real estate laws or real estate investment trust (“REIT”) or corporate income tax laws, and potential increases in real property tax rates;
our ability to maintain our qualification as a REIT;
acquisition and development risks, including failure of such acquisitions and development projects to perform in accordance with projections;
natural disasters such as fires, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes and earthquakes;
pandemics, epidemics or other public health emergencies, such as the recent outbreak of COVID-19;
the terms of governmental regulations that affect us and interpretations of those regulations, including the costs of compliance with those regulations, changes in real estate and zoning laws and increases in real property tax rates;
credit risk in the event of non-performance by the counterparties to the interest rate swaps;
lack of or insufficient amounts of insurance;
litigation, including costs associated with prosecuting or defending claims and any adverse outcomes;
our ability to retain key personnel;
the consequences of future terrorist attacks or civil unrest; and
environmental liabilities, including costs, fines or penalties that may be incurred due to necessary remediation of contamination of properties presently owned or previously owned by us.

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All forward-looking statements should be read in light of the risks identified in Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors within the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, and as updated in Part II, Item 1A herein. In addition, the Company’s current and continuing qualification as a real estate investment trust, or REIT, involves the application of highly technical and complex provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, and depends on the Company’s ability to meet the various requirements imposed by the Code through actual operating results, distribution levels and diversity of stock ownership.


OVERVIEW
EastGroup’s goal is to maximize shareholder value by being a leading provider in its markets of functional, flexible and quality business distribution space for location-sensitive customers (primarily in the 15,000 to 70,000 square foot range).  The Company develops, acquires and operates distribution facilities, the majority of which are clustered around major transportation features in supply constrained submarkets in major Sunbelt regions.  The Company’s core markets are in the states of Florida, Texas, Arizona, California and North Carolina.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization characterized COVID-19 as a pandemic. Global, national and local economies are being impacted by the pandemic and the mitigation efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19.

During the three months ended March 31, 2020, COVID-19 did not have a material adverse impact on the Company’s revenues as monthly rent payments generally were due by early March, prior to the beginning of the more significant economic impacts in the United States.

As of May 1, 2020, April rent collections stand at approximately 94% of rent charges, which is slightly lower than typical collections in pre-COVID-19 months, but the Company has not experienced a significant decline in rent collections thus far. We have received rent relief requests, in the form of payment deferral requests or requests to waive certain rent charges, from approximately 26% of our customers. These requests are being handled on a case-by-case basis and the Company’s responses are largely dependent on our understanding of the financial strength of the customer, the operational and earnings impacts being experienced by the customer, and the customer’s ability or inability to obtain capital through debt or equity issuances, government assistance programs or by other means. Many of our customers have qualified for government assistance programs related to COVID-19; such programs are helping to support their cash flows and enabling them to meet their rent obligations to date. As of May 1, 2020, rent concessions and rent payment deferrals granted by us have not been material; however, we are actively monitoring the evolving situation, and we anticipate the impacts to be greater in future months.

We believe EastGroup’s financial condition and balance sheet remain strong. As of March 31, 2020, the outstanding balance on our $395 million unsecured revolving credit facilities was $83 million, providing $312 million of available capacity. We have not drawn amounts on our unsecured revolving credit facilities, except for general corporate purposes in the ordinary course of business. The Company is in compliance with its debt covenants and anticipates remaining in compliance during the foreseeable future.

As of May 1, 2020, the Company’s lease expirations for the remainder of 2020 represent approximately 7.8% of our total operating portfolio square footage. The Company anticipates a decline in occupancy during the remainder of 2020. Although we continue to execute leases with customers, leasing prospects for the operating portfolio and development and value-add properties have slowed. Our ability or inability to continue leasing space will impact our occupancy for the remainder of the year.

The Company has been continuing construction on already-active development and value-add projects. During the second quarter, we do not anticipate starting construction on any new speculative development projects. We will continue to monitor the economic conditions of our markets and governmental restrictions on construction activity to determine whether to begin construction on future development projects.

We expect COVID-19 to negatively impact EastGroup’s overall financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. The magnitude of such impacts will depend largely on the severity and duration of the economic downturn and its affect on our customers, and cannot be predicted at this time.


EastGroup believes its current operating cash flow and unsecured bank credit facilities provide the capacity to fund the operations of the Company, and the Company also believes it can issue common and/or preferred equity and obtain debt financing. During the three months ended March 31, 2020, EastGroup issued 105,837 shares of common stock through its continuous common equity

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program, providing net proceeds to the Company of $14.7 million. Also during the three months ended March 31, 2020, the Company closed a $100 million senior unsecured term loan. EastGroup’s financing and equity issuances are further described in Liquidity and Capital Resources below.

The Company’s primary revenue is rental income.  During the three months ended March 31, 2020, EastGroup executed new and renewal leases on 2,469,000 square feet (5.9% of EastGroup’s total square footage of 41,818,000). For new and renewal leases signed during first three months of 2020, average rental rates increased by 24.6% as compared to the former leases on the same spaces.

Property Net Operating Income ("PNOI") Excluding Income from Lease Terminations from same properties (defined as operating properties owned during the entire current and prior year reporting periods – January 1, 2019 through March 31, 2020), increased
1.7% for 2020 compared to 2019.

EastGroup’s portfolio was 97.3% leased as of March 31, 2020, compared to 97.7% at March 31, 2019.  Leases scheduled to expire for the remainder of 2020 were 8.8% of the portfolio on a square foot basis at March 31, 2020, and this percentage was reduced to 7.8% as of May 1, 2020.

The Company generates new sources of leasing revenue through its development and acquisition programs. The Company mitigates risks associated with development through a Board-approved maximum level of land held for development and by adjusting development start dates according to leasing activity.   

During the three months ended March 31, 2020, EastGroup acquired 128.2 acres of development land in Dallas and Orlando for $22.3 million. During the same period, the Company began construction of two development projects containing 274,000 square feet in Miami and Fort Myers.  EastGroup also transferred five development projects and value-add acquisitions (498,000 square feet) in Dallas, Austin and Charlotte from its development and value-add program to real estate properties, with costs of $51.1 million at the date of transfer.  As of March 31, 2020, EastGroup’s development and value-add program consisted of 25 projects (3,864,000 square feet) located in 13 cities.  The projected total investment for the development and value-add projects, which were collectively 35% leased as of May 1, 2020, is $403 million, of which $76 million remained to be invested as of March 31, 2020.

During the three months ended March 31, 2020, EastGroup acquired a 50,000 square foot operating property in Austin for $6.2 million.

The Company typically initially funds its development and acquisition programs through its $395 million unsecured bank credit facilities (as discussed in Liquidity and Capital Resources).  As market conditions permit, EastGroup issues equity and/or employs fixed-rate debt, including variable-rate debt that has been swapped to an effectively fixed rate through the use of interest rate swaps, to replace short-term bank borrowings. In June 2019, Moody’s Investors Service affirmed EastGroup’s issuer rating of Baa2 with a stable outlook. A security rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities and may be subject to revision or withdrawal at any time by the assigning rating agency. Each rating should be evaluated independently of any other rating. For future debt issuances, the Company intends to issue primarily unsecured fixed-rate debt, including variable-rate debt that has been swapped to an effectively fixed rate through the use of interest rate swaps. The Company may also access the public debt market in the future as a means to raise capital.

EastGroup has one reportable segment – industrial properties.  These properties, primarily located in major Sunbelt regions of the United States, have similar economic characteristics and, as a result, have been aggregated into one reportable segment.  

The Company’s chief decision makers use two primary measures of operating results in making decisions:  (1) funds from operations attributable to common stockholders (“FFO”), and (2) property net operating income (“PNOI”).

FFO is computed in accordance with standards established by the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts, Inc. (“Nareit”). In December 2018, Nareit issued the “Nareit Funds from Operations White Paper - 2018 Restatement” (the “2018 White Paper”), which reaffirmed, and in some cases refined, Nareit's prior determinations concerning FFO. The guidance in the 2018 White Paper allows preparers an option as it pertains to whether gains or losses on sale, or impairment charges, on real estate assets incidental to a REIT's business are excluded from the calculation of FFO. EastGroup made the election to exclude activity related to such assets that are incidental to our business.

FFO is calculated as net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders computed in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"), excluding gains and losses from sales of real estate property (including other assets incidental to the Company’s business) and impairment losses, adjusted for real estate related depreciation and amortization, and after

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adjustments for unconsolidated partnerships and joint ventures. FFO is not considered as an alternative to net income (determined in accordance with GAAP) as an indication of the Company’s financial performance, nor is it a measure of the Company’s liquidity or indicative of funds available to provide for the Company’s cash needs, including its ability to make distributions.  The Company’s key drivers affecting FFO are changes in PNOI (as discussed below), interest rates, the amount of leverage the Company employs and general and administrative expenses.  

PNOI is defined as Income from real estate operations less Expenses from real estate operations (including market-based internal management fee expense) plus the Company’s share of income and property operating expenses from its less-than-wholly-owned real estate investments.

EastGroup sometimes refers to PNOI from Same Properties as “Same PNOI”; the Company also presents Same PNOI Excluding Income from Lease Terminations. Same Properties is defined as operating properties owned during the entire current period and prior year reporting period. Properties developed or acquired are excluded until held in the operating portfolio for both the current and prior year reporting periods. Properties sold during the current or prior year reporting periods are also excluded. For the three months ended March 31, 2020, Same Properties includes properties which were included in the operating portfolio for the entire period from January 1, 2019 through March 31, 2020. The Company presents Same PNOI and Same PNOI Excluding Income from Lease Terminations as a property-level supplemental measure of performance used to evaluate the performance of the Company’s investments in real estate assets and its operating results on a same property basis. The Company believes it is useful to evaluate Same PNOI Excluding Income from Lease Terminations on both a straight-line and cash basis. The straight-line basis is calculated by averaging the customers’ rent payments over the lives of the leases; GAAP requires the recognition of rental income on the straight-line basis. The cash basis excludes adjustments for straight-line rent and amortization of market rent intangibles for acquired leases; the cash basis is an indicator of the rents charged to customers by the Company during the periods presented and is useful in analyzing the embedded rent growth in the Company’s portfolio.

FFO and PNOI are supplemental industry reporting measurements used to evaluate the performance of the Company’s investments in real estate assets and its operating results. The Company believes that the exclusion of depreciation and amortization in the industry’s calculations of PNOI and FFO provides supplemental indicators of the properties’ performance since real estate values have historically risen or fallen with market conditions.  PNOI and FFO as calculated by the Company may not be comparable to similarly titled but differently calculated measures for other real estate investment trusts (“REITs”).  Investors should be aware that items excluded from or added back to FFO are significant components in understanding and assessing the Company’s financial performance.

PNOI was calculated as follows for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019.
 
Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
2020
 
2019
 
(In thousands)
Income from real estate operations
$
88,577

 
78,637

Expenses from real estate operations
(25,829
)
 
(22,302
)
Noncontrolling interest in PNOI of consolidated joint ventures
(43
)
 
(52
)
PNOI from 50% owned unconsolidated investment
243

 
244

PROPERTY NET OPERATING INCOME (“PNOI”)
$
62,948

 
56,527


Income from real estate operations is comprised of rental income, expense reimbursement pass-through income and other real estate income including lease termination fees.  Expenses from real estate operations is comprised of property taxes, insurance, utilities, repair and maintenance expenses, management fees and other operating costs.  Generally, the Company’s most significant operating expenses are property taxes and insurance.  Tenant leases may be net leases in which the total operating expenses are recoverable, modified gross leases in which some of the operating expenses are recoverable, or gross leases in which no expenses are recoverable (gross leases represent only a small portion of the Company’s total leases).  Increases in property operating expenses are fully recoverable under net leases and recoverable to a high degree under modified gross leases.  Modified gross leases often include base year amounts, and expense increases over these amounts are recoverable.  The Company’s exposure to property operating expenses is primarily due to vacancies and leases for occupied space that limit the amount of expenses that can be recovered.





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The following table presents reconciliations of Net Income to PNOI, Same PNOI and Same PNOI Excluding Income from Lease Terminations for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019.
 
Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
2020
 
2019
 
(In thousands)
NET INCOME
$
23,298

 
22,534

Gain on sales of real estate investments

 
(2,325
)
Interest income
(29
)
 
(33
)
Other revenue
(51
)
 
(161
)
Indirect leasing costs
108

 
93

Depreciation and amortization
27,892

 
23,746

Company’s share of depreciation from unconsolidated investment
35

 
35

Interest expense 
8,457

 
8,846

General and administrative expense 
3,281

 
3,844

Noncontrolling interest in PNOI of consolidated joint ventures
(43
)
 
(52
)
PROPERTY NET OPERATING INCOME (“PNOI”)
62,948

 
56,527

PNOI from 2019 and 2020 Acquisitions
(2,036
)
 

PNOI from 2019 and 2020 Development and Value-Add Properties
(4,644
)
 
(280
)
PNOI from 2019 Operating Property Dispositions

 
(1,188
)
Other PNOI
88

 
46

SAME PNOI
56,356

 
55,105

Net lease termination fee income from same properties
(444
)
 
(140
)
SAME PNOI EXCLUDING INCOME FROM LEASE TERMINATIONS
$
55,912

 
54,965



The following table presents reconciliations of Net Income Attributable to EastGroup Properties, Inc. Common Stockholders to FFO Attributable to Common Stockholders for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019.
 
Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
2020
 
2019
 
(In thousands, except per share data)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO EASTGROUP PROPERTIES,  INC. COMMON STOCKHOLDERS
$
23,297

 
22,529

Depreciation and amortization
27,892

 
23,746

Company’s share of depreciation from unconsolidated investment 
35

 
35

Depreciation and amortization from noncontrolling interest
(42
)
 
(47
)
Gain on sales of real estate investments

 
(2,325
)
FUNDS FROM OPERATIONS (“FFO”) ATTRIBUTABLE TO COMMON STOCKHOLDERS
$
51,182

 
43,938

Net income attributable to common stockholders per diluted share
$
0.60

 
0.62

Funds from operations (“FFO”) attributable to common stockholders per diluted share
$
1.31

 
1.20

Diluted shares for earnings per share and funds from operations
38,961

 
36,526














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The Company analyzes the following performance trends in evaluating the revenues and expenses of the Company:

The change in FFO per share represents the increase or decrease in FFO per share from the current period compared to the same period in the prior year.  FFO for the three months ended March 31, 2020 was $1.31 per share compared to $1.20 per share for the same period of 2019, an increase of 9.2%.

For the three months ended March 31, 2020, PNOI increased by $6,421,000, or 11.4%, compared to the same period in 2019. PNOI increased $4,364,000 from newly developed and value-add properties, $2,036,000 from 2019 and 2020 acquisitions and $1,251,000 from same property operations; PNOI decreased $1,188,000 from operating properties sold in 2019.
    
The change in Same PNOI change represents the PNOI increase or decrease for the same operating properties owned during the entire current and prior year reporting periods (January 1, 2019 through March 31, 2020). Same PNOI, excluding income from lease terminations, increased 1.7% for the three months ended March 31, 2020, as compared to the same period in 2019.

Same property average occupancy represents the average month-end percentage of leased square footage for which the lease term has commenced as compared to the total leasable square footage for the same operating properties owned during the entire current and prior year reporting periods (January 1, 2019 through March 31, 2020). Same property average occupancy was 97.0% for the three months ended March 31, 2020, compared to 96.8% for the same period of 2019.

Occupancy is the percentage of leased square footage for which the lease term has commenced as compared to the total leasable square footage as of the close of the reporting period.  Occupancy at March 31, 2020, was 96.7%.  Quarter-end occupancy ranged from 96.5% to 97.4% over the previous four quarters ended March 31, 2019 to December 31, 2019.

Rental rate change represents the rental rate increase or decrease on new and renewal leases compared to the prior leases on the same space.  Rental rate increases on new and renewal leases (5.9% of total square footage) averaged 24.6% for the three months ended March 31, 2020.

Lease termination fee income is included in Income from real estate operations. Lease termination fee income for the three months ended March 31, 2020 was $444,000 compared to $140,000 for the same period of 2019.

The Company recorded reserves for uncollectible rent of $495,000 and $129,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The Company’s accounting policy for recording reserves for uncollectible rent involves evaluating accounts receivable on a tenant-by-tenant basis for potential uncollectible rent. The Company followed its normal process for recording reserves for uncollectible rent during the three months ended March 31, 2020; the Company deemed certain tenant balances as uncollectible either due to the ongoing uncertainty related to the COVID-19 pandemic or other factors specific to the circumstances for individual tenants. The Company intends to continue evaluating tenant accounts receivable in the same manner in future periods; the extent of future reserves for uncollectible rent will be largely dependent on the fluid economic situation related to COVID-19, among other factors.


CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES
The Company’s management considers the following accounting policies and estimates to be critical to the reported operations of the Company.

Real Estate Properties
The Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Codification provides guidance on how to properly determine the allocation of the purchase price among the individual components of both the tangible and intangible assets based on their respective fair values.  Goodwill for business combinations is recorded when the purchase price exceeds the fair value of the assets and liabilities acquired.  Factors considered by management in allocating the cost of the properties acquired include an estimate of carrying costs during the expected lease-up periods considering current market conditions and costs to execute similar leases.  The allocation to tangible assets (land, building and improvements) is based upon management’s determination of the value of the property as if it were vacant using discounted cash flow models. The Company determines whether any financing assumed is above or below market based upon comparison to similar financing terms for similar properties.  The cost of the properties acquired may be adjusted based on indebtedness assumed from the seller that is determined to be above or below market rates.  

The purchase price is also allocated among the following categories of intangible assets:  the above or below market component of in-place leases, the value of in-place leases and the value of customer relationships.  The value allocable to the above or below

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market component of an acquired in-place lease is determined based upon the present value (using a discount rate reflecting the risks associated with the acquired leases) of the difference between (i) the contractual amounts to be paid pursuant to the lease over its remaining term, and (ii) management’s estimate of the amounts that would be paid using current market rents over the remaining term of the lease.  The amounts allocated to above and below market leases are included in Other assets and Other liabilities, respectively, on the Consolidated Balance Sheets and are amortized to rental income over the remaining terms of the respective leases. The total amount of intangible assets is further allocated to in-place lease values and customer relationship values based upon management’s assessment of their respective values.  These intangible assets are included in Other assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets and are amortized over the remaining term of the existing lease, or the anticipated life of the customer relationship, as applicable.

For properties under development and value-add properties acquired in the development stage, costs associated with development (i.e., land, construction costs, interest expense, property taxes and other costs associated with development) are aggregated into the total capitalized costs of the property.  Included in these costs are management’s estimates for the portions of internal costs (primarily personnel costs) deemed related to such development activities. The internal costs are allocated to specific development properties based on development activity.

FINANCIAL CONDITION
EastGroup’s Total Assets were $2,604,762,000 at March 31, 2020, an increase of $58,684,000 from December 31, 2019.  Total Liabilities increased $68,650,000 to $1,412,399,000, and Total Equity decreased $9,966,000 to $1,192,363,000 during the same period.  The following paragraphs explain these changes in detail.

Assets
Real Estate Properties
Real estate properties increased $65,550,000 during the three months ended March 31, 2020, primarily due to: (i) the transfer of five properties from Development and value-add properties to Real estate properties (as detailed under Development and Value-Add Properties below); (ii) capital improvements at the Company’s properties; and (iii) an operating property acquisition.

During the three months ended March 31, 2020, the Company made capital improvements of $6,935,000 on existing and acquired properties (included in the Real Estate Improvements table under Results of Operations).  Also, the Company incurred costs of $413,000 on development and value-add properties subsequent to transfer to Real estate properties; the Company records these expenditures as development and value-add costs on the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.

During the three months ended March 31, 2020, the Company acquired one operating property, Wells Point One in Austin. The total cost for the property acquired by the Company was $6,231,000, of which $5,811,000 was allocated to Real estate properties. EastGroup allocated $907,000 of the total purchase price to land using third party land valuations for the Austin market. The market values are considered to be Level 3 inputs as defined by ASC 820, Fair Value Measurement (see Note 17 in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information on ASC 820). Intangibles associated with the purchase of real estate were allocated as follows: $438,000 to in-place lease intangibles and $2,000 to above market leases (both included in Other assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets) and $20,000 to below market leases (included in Other liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets).

Development and Value-Add Properties
EastGroup’s investment in Development and value-add properties at March 31, 2020 consisted of projects in lease-up and under construction of $327,078,000 and prospective development (primarily land) of $111,107,000.  The Company’s total investment in Development and value-add properties at March 31, 2020 was $438,185,000 compared to $419,999,000 at December 31, 2019.  Total capital invested for development during the first three months of 2020 was $69,687,000, which consisted of costs of $68,900,000 and $374,000 as detailed in the Development and Value-Add Properties Activity table below and costs of $413,000 on properties subsequent to transfer to Real estate properties. The capitalized costs incurred on development and value-add properties subsequent to transfer to Real estate properties include capital improvements at the properties and do not include other capitalized costs associated with development (i.e., interest expense, property taxes and internal personnel costs).

The Company capitalized internal development costs of $1,844,000 and $1,571,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

During the three months ended March 31, 2020, the Company acquired 128.2 acres of development land in Dallas and Orlando for $22,253,000. Costs associated with these acquisitions are included in the Development and Value-Add Properties Activity table.

These increases were offset by the transfer of five development and value-add properties to Real estate properties with a total investment of $51,088,000 as of the date of transfer.

-31-



 
 
 
Costs Incurred
 
 
 
Anticipated Building Conversion Date
DEVELOPMENT AND
VALUE-ADD PROPERTIES ACTIVITY
 
 
Costs Transferred in 2020 (1)
 
For the Three Months Ended
3/31/2020
 
Cumulative as of 3/31/2020
 
 
Projected Total Costs
 
 
 
 
(In thousands)
 
 
LEASE-UP
Building Size (Square feet)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Horizon VIII & IX, Orlando, FL
216,000

 
$

 
708

 
17,309

 
19,100

 
04/20
Ten West Crossing 8, Houston, TX
132,000

 

 
67

 
9,831

 
10,900

 
04/20
Tri-County Crossing 1 & 2, San Antonio, TX
203,000

 

 
189

 
15,575

 
16,300

 
04/20
CreekView 121 5 & 6, Dallas, TX
139,000

 

 
2,050

 
15,201

 
16,200

 
06/20
Gateway 5, Miami, FL
187,000

 

 
697

 
23,802

 
25,500

 
07/20
Parc North 6, Dallas, TX
96,000

 

 
899

 
9,189

 
11,100

 
07/20
Arlington Tech Centre 1 & 2, Dallas, TX (2)
151,000

 

 
435

 
13,712

 
15,100

 
08/20
Steele Creek IX, Charlotte, NC
125,000

 

 
480

 
9,600

 
11,100

 
08/20
Grand Oaks 75 2, Tampa, FL (2)
150,000

 

 
406

 
13,521

 
13,600

 
09/20
Southwest Commerce Center, Las Vegas, NV (2)
196,000

 

 
901

 
27,514

 
30,100

 
10/20
SunCoast 6, Ft. Myers, FL
81,000

 

 
168

 
8,102

 
9,200

 
10/20
Rocky Point 2, San Diego, CA (2)
109,000

 

 
250

 
19,525

 
20,600

 
12/20
Gilbert Crossroads A & B, Phoenix, AZ
140,000

 

 
1,286

 
15,236

 
16,900

 
01/21
Total Lease-Up
1,925,000

 

 
8,536

 
198,117

 
215,700

 
 
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 
SunCoast 8, Ft. Myers, FL
77,000

 

 
3,550

 
8,034

 
9,000

 
05/20
Hurricane Shoals 3, Atlanta, GA
101,000

 

 
1,283

 
7,912

 
8,800

 
04/21
Gateway 4, Miami, FL
197,000

 
14,895

 
3,978

 
18,873

 
23,800

 
05/21
Interstate Commons 2, Phoenix, AZ (2)
142,000

 

 
1,354

 
11,236

 
11,800

 
05/21
Tri-County Crossing 3 & 4, San Antonio, TX
203,000

 

 
2,804

 
11,502

 
14,700

 
05/21
World Houston 44, Houston, TX
134,000

 

 
2,275

 
7,065

 
9,100

 
05/21
CreekView 121 7 & 8, Dallas, TX
137,000

 

 
3,448

 
10,247

 
16,300

 
07/21
Northwest Crossing 1-3, Houston, TX
278,000

 

 
5,112

 
16,647

 
25,700

 
07/21
Ridgeview 1 & 2, San Antonio, TX
226,000

 

 
3,911

 
10,442

 
18,500

 
07/21
Settlers Crossing 3 & 4, Austin, TX
173,000

 

 
3,750

 
11,839

 
18,400

 
07/21
LakePort 1-3, Dallas, TX
194,000

 

 
2,920

 
10,982

 
22,500

 
10/21
SunCoast 7, Ft. Myers, FL
77,000

 
3,232

 
950

 
4,182

 
8,400

 
10/21
Total Under Construction
1,939,000

 
18,127

 
35,335

 
128,961

 
187,000

 
 
PROSPECTIVE DEVELOPMENT (PRIMARILY LAND)
Estimated Building Size (Square feet)
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 
Phoenix, AZ
178,000

 

 
454

 
4,827

 
 
 
 
Ft. Myers, FL
252,000

 
(3,232
)
 

 
4,271

 
 
 
 
Miami, FL
266,000

 
(14,895
)
 
269

 
19,559

 
 
 
 
Orlando, FL
1,488,000

 

 
21,214

 
22,289

 
 
 
 
Tampa, FL
349,000

 

 
79

 
5,880

 
 
 
 
Jackson, MS
28,000

 

 

 
706

 
 
 
 
Charlotte, NC
475,000

 

 
84

 
7,411

 
 
 
 
Dallas, TX
1,074,000

 

 
2,499

 
22,087

 
 
 
 
Houston, TX
1,223,000

 

 
206

 
19,654

 
 
 
 
San Antonio, TX
373,000

 

 
224

 
4,423

 
 
 
 
Total Prospective Development
5,706,000

 
(18,127
)
 
25,029

 
111,107

 


 
 
 
9,570,000

 
$

 
68,900

 
438,185

 


 
 
DEVELOPMENT AND VALUE-ADD PROPERTIES TRANSFERRED TO REAL ESTATE PROPERTIES DURING 2020
Building Size (Square feet)
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
Building Conversion Date
Logistics Center 6 & 7, Dallas, TX (2)
142,000

 
$

 
19

 
15,754

 
 
 
1/20
Settlers Crossing 1, Austin, TX
77,000

 

 

 
9,259

 
 
 
1/20
Settlers Crossing 2, Austin, TX
83,000

 

 

 
8,475

 
 
 
1/20
Parc North 5, Dallas, TX
100,000

 

 
20

 
8,709

 
 
 
2/20
Airport Commerce Center 3, Charlotte, NC
96,000

 

 
335

 
8,891

 
 
 
3/20
Total Transferred to Real Estate Properties
498,000

 
$

 
374

 
51,088

 
(3)
 
 

Footnotes for this table are on the following page.

-32-



(1) Represents costs transferred from Prospective Development (primarily land) to Under Construction during the period. Negative amounts represent land inventory costs transferred to Under Construction.
(2) Represents value-add properties acquired by EastGroup.
(3) Represents cumulative costs at the date of transfer.

Accumulated Depreciation
Accumulated depreciation on real estate, development and value-add properties increased $22,492,000 during the three months ended March 31, 2020, primarily due to depreciation expense.

Other Assets
Other assets decreased $2,815,000 during the three months ended March 31, 2020.  A summary of Other assets follows:
 
March 31,
2020
 
December 31,
2019
 
(In thousands)
Leasing costs (principally commissions)
                                                                                 
$
92,507

 
89,191

Accumulated amortization of leasing costs                                                       
(36,013
)
 
(34,963
)
Leasing costs (principally commissions), net of accumulated amortization
56,494

 
54,228

 
 
 
 
Acquired in-place lease intangibles                                                                                  
28,571

 
28,834

Accumulated amortization of acquired in-place lease intangibles
(12,552
)
 
(11,918
)
Acquired in-place lease intangibles, net of accumulated amortization
16,019

 
16,916

 
 
 
 
Acquired above market lease intangibles                                                                                  
1,723

 
1,721

Accumulated amortization of acquired above market lease intangibles
(1,062
)
 
(1,007
)
Acquired above market lease intangibles, net of accumulated amortization
661

 
714

 
 
 
 
Straight-line rents receivable
41,280

 
40,369

Accounts receivable
4,393

 
5,581

Mortgage loans receivable                                                                                  
1,672

 
1,679

Interest rate swap assets

 
3,485

Right of use assets — Office leases (operating)
2,499

 
2,115

Goodwill                                                                                  
990

 
990

Prepaid expenses and other assets                                                                                  
17,799

 
18,545

Total Other assets
$
141,807

 
144,622



Liabilities
Unsecured bank credit facilities decreased $29,620,000 during the three months ended March 31, 2020, mainly due to repayments of $251,524,000 and new debt issuance costs incurred during the period, partially offset by borrowings of $221,777,000 and the amortization of debt issuance costs during the period. The Company’s credit facilities are described in greater detail under Liquidity and Capital Resources.

Unsecured debt increased $99,588,000 during the three months ended March 31, 2020, primarily due to the closing of a $100 million of senior unsecured term loan in March and the amortization of debt issuance costs, partially offset by new debt issuance costs incurred during the period. The borrowings and repayments on Unsecured debt are described in greater detail under Liquidity and Capital Resources.

Secured debt decreased $2,167,000 during the three months ended March 31, 2020.  The decrease resulted from regularly scheduled principal payments of $2,220,000 and amortization of premiums on Secured debt, offset by the amortization of debt issuance costs during the period.

Accounts payable and accrued expenses decreased $809,000 during the three months ended March 31, 2020.  A summary of the Company’s Accounts payable and accrued expenses follows:

-33-



 
March 31,
2020
 
December 31,
2019
 
(In thousands)
Property taxes payable                                                                                  
$
13,963

 
2,696

Development costs payable                                                                                  
13,203

 
11,766

Real estate improvements and capitalized leasing costs payable
4,944

 
4,636

Interest payable                                                                                  
6,315

 
6,370

Dividends payable                                                        
30,133

 
30,714

Book overdraft (1)
17,868

 
25,771

Other payables and accrued expenses                                                                                  
4,789

 
10,071

 Total Accounts payable and accrued expenses
$
91,215

 
92,024


(1)
Represents checks written before the end of the period which have not cleared the bank; therefore, the bank has not yet advanced cash to the Company. When the checks clear the bank, they will be funded through the Company’s working cash line of credit.

Other liabilities increased $1,658,000 during the three months ended March 31, 2020.  A summary of the Company’s Other liabilities follows:
 
March 31,
2020
 
December 31,
2019
 
(In thousands)
Security deposits                                                                                  
$
20,705

 
20,351

Prepaid rent and other deferred income                                                     
13,152

 
13,855

Operating lease liabilities — Ground leases
11,834

 
12,048

Operating lease liabilities — Office leases
2,528

 
2,141

 
 
 
 
Acquired below-market lease intangibles
8,637

 
8,616

     Accumulated amortization of below-market lease intangibles
(4,923
)
 
(4,494
)
Acquired below-market lease intangibles, net of accumulated amortization
3,714

 
4,122

 
 
 
 
Interest rate swap liabilities
12,983

 
678

Prepaid tenant improvement reimbursements
215

 
56

Other liabilities                                                                                  
5,650

 
15,872

 Total Other liabilities
$
70,781

 
69,123




Equity
Additional paid-in capital increased $11,926,000 during the three months ended March 31, 2020, primarily due to the issuance of common stock under the Company’s continuous common equity program (as discussed in Liquidity and Capital Resources) and activity related to stock-based compensation (as discussed in Note 16 in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements). During the three months ended March 31, 2020, EastGroup issued 105,837 shares of common stock under its continuous common equity program with net proceeds to the Company of $14,734,000.

For the three months ended March 31, 2020, Distributions in excess of earnings increased $6,069,000 as a result of dividends on common stock of $29,366,000 exceeding Net Income Attributable to EastGroup Properties, Inc. Common Stockholders of $23,297,000.

Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) decreased $15,790,000 during the three months ended March 31, 2020. The decrease resulted from the change in fair value of the Company’s interest rate swaps (cash flow hedges) which are further discussed in Note 14 in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

-34-



RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Net Income Attributable to EastGroup Properties, Inc. Common Stockholders for the three months ended March 31, 2020 was $23,297,000 ($0.60 per basic and diluted share) compared to $22,529,000 ($0.62 per basic and diluted share) for the same period in 2019. The following paragraphs explain the change:

PNOI increased by $6,421,000 ($0.16 per diluted share), or 11.4%, for the three months ended March 31, 2020, as compared to the same period of 2019. PNOI increased $4,364,000 from newly developed and value-add properties, $2,036,000 from 2019 and 2020 acquisitions and $1,251,000 from same property operations; PNOI decreased $1,188,000 from operating properties sold in 2019. Lease termination fee income was $444,000 and $140,000 for the three month periods ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The Company recorded reserves for uncollectible rent of $495,000 and $129,000 during the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Straight-lining of rent increased Income from real estate operations by $1,290,000 and $798,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.
    
There were no sales during the three months ended March 31, 2020; EastGroup recognized gains on sales of real estate investments and non-operating real estate of $2,325,000 ($0.06 per diluted share) during the same period of 2019.

Depreciation and amortization expense increased by $4,146,000 ($0.11 per diluted share) during the three months ended March 31, 2020 as compared to the same period of 2019.
  
EastGroup signed 38 leases with free rent concessions on 1,149,000 square feet during the three months ended March 31, 2020, with total free rent concessions of $1,580,000 over the lives of the leases. During the same period of 2019, the Company signed 40 leases with free rent concessions on 1,288,000 square feet with total free rent concessions of $1,630,000 over the lives of the leases.

The Company’s percentage of leased square footage was 97.3% at March 31, 2020, compared to 97.7% at March 31, 2019.  Occupancy at March 31, 2020 was 96.7% compared to 96.9% at March 31, 2019.

Same property average occupancy represents the average month-end percentage of leased square footage for which the lease term has commenced as compared to the total leasable square footage for the same operating properties owned during the entire current and prior year reporting periods (January 1, 2019 through March 31, 2020). Same property average occupancy for the three months ended March 31, 2020, was 97.0% compared to 96.8% for the same period of 2019.

The same property average rental rate calculated in accordance with GAAP represents the average annual rental rates of leases in place for the same operating properties owned during the entire current and prior year reporting periods (January 1, 2019 through March 31, 2020). The same property average rental rate was $6.06 per square foot for the three months ended March 31, 2020, compared to $5.90 per square foot for the same period of 2019.

Interest expense decreased $389,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2020, compared to the same period in 2019. The following table presents the components of Interest expense for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019:

-35-



 
Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
2020
 
2019
 
Increase
(Decrease)
 
(In thousands)
VARIABLE RATE INTEREST EXPENSE
 

 
 

 
 

Unsecured bank credit facilities interest - variable rate
(excluding amortization of facility fees and debt issuance costs)                                                                                                                                                   
$
954

 
1,864

 
(910
)
Amortization of facility fees - unsecured bank credit facilities                                                                  
196

 
195

 
1

Amortization of debt issuance costs - unsecured bank credit facilities                                                                  
140

 
139

 
1

   Total variable rate interest expense                                                                  
1,290

 
2,198

 
(908
)
FIXED RATE INTEREST EXPENSE
 

 
 

 
 

Unsecured debt interest (1)
(excluding amortization of debt issuance costs)
8,074

 
6,057

 
2,017

Secured debt interest
(excluding amortization of debt issuance costs)
1,458

 
2,424

 
(966
)
Amortization of debt issuance costs - unsecured debt 
138

 
136

 
2

Amortization of debt issuance costs - secured debt                                                                  
58

 
67

 
(9
)
   Total fixed rate interest expense                                                                  
9,728

 
8,684

 
1,044

Total interest                                                                  
11,018

 
10,882

 
136

Less capitalized interest                                                                  
(2,561
)
 
(2,036
)
 
(525
)
TOTAL INTEREST EXPENSE 
$
8,457

 
8,846

 
(389
)
    
(1)
Includes interest on the Company’s unsecured debt with fixed interest rates per the debt agreements or effectively fixed interest rates due to interest rate swaps, as discussed in Note 14 in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
 
The Company’s variable rate interest expense decreased by $908,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2020, as compared to the same period in 2019 primarily due to decreases in the Company’s weighed average variable interest rates and average borrowings on its unsecured bank credit facilities as shown in the following table:
 
Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
2020
 
2019
 
Increase
(Decrease)
 
(In thousands, except rates of interest)
Average borrowings on unsecured bank credit facilities - variable rate
$
148,319

 
216,296

 
(67,977
)
Weighted average variable interest rates 
(excluding amortization of facility fees and debt issuance costs) 
2.59
%
 
3.50
%
 
 


The Company’s fixed rate interest expense increased by $1,044,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2020, as compared to the same periods in 2019 as a result of the unsecured debt and secured debt activity described below.

Interest expense from fixed rate unsecured debt increased by $2,017,000 during the three months ended March 31, 2020, as compared to the same period of 2019. The increases resulted from the Company’s unsecured debt activity described below.












-36-



The details of the unsecured debt obtained in 2019 and 2020 are shown in the following table:
NEW UNSECURED DEBT IN 2019 AND 2020
 
Effective Interest Rate
 
Date Obtained
 
Maturity Date
 
Amount
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(In thousands)
$80 Million Senior Unsecured Notes
 
4.27%
 
03/28/2019
 
03/28/2029
 
$
80,000

$35 Million Senior Unsecured Notes
 
3.54%
 
08/15/2019
 
08/15/2031
 
35,000

$75 Million Senior Unsecured Notes
 
3.47%
 
08/19/2019
 
08/19/2029
 
75,000

$100 Million Senior Unsecured Term Loan (1)
 
2.75%
 
10/10/2019
 
10/10/2026
 
100,000

$100 Million Senior Unsecured Term Loan (2)
 
2.39%
 
03/25/2020
 
03/25/2027
 
100,000

   Weighted Average/Total Amount for 2019 and 2020
 
3.18%
 
 
 
 
 
$
390,000


(1) The interest rate on this unsecured term loan is comprised of LIBOR plus 150 basis points subject to a pricing grid for changes in the Company’s coverage ratings. The Company entered into an interest rate swap to convert the loan’s LIBOR rate to a fixed interest rate, providing the Company a weighted average effective interest rate on the term loan of 2.75% as of March 31, 2020. See Note 14 in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information on the interest rate swaps.

(2) The interest rate on this unsecured term loan is comprised of LIBOR plus 145 basis points subject to a pricing grid for changes in the Company’s coverage ratings. The Company entered into an interest rate swap to convert the loan’s LIBOR rate to a fixed interest rate, providing the Company a weighted average effective interest rate on the term loan of 2.39% as of March 31, 2020. See Note 14 in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information on the interest rate swaps.

The increase in interest expense from the new unsecured debt was partially offset by the repayment of the following unsecured loan during 2019:
UNSECURED DEBT REPAID IN 2019
 
Interest Rate
 
Date Repaid
 
Payoff Amount
 
 
 
 
 
 
(In thousands)
$75 Million Senior Unsecured Term Loan
 
2.85%
 
07/31/2019
 
$
75,000


The increase in interest expense from unsecured debt was offset by a decrease in secured debt interest expense. Interest expense from secured debt decreased by $966,000 during the three month periods ended March 31, 2020, as compared to the same period in 2019 as a result of regularly scheduled principal payments and the payoffs described in the table below. Regularly scheduled principal payments on secured debt were $2,220,000 during the three months ended March 31, 2020. During the year ended December 31, 2019, regularly scheduled principal payments on secured debt were $9,821,000. EastGroup did not repay any secured debt during the three months ended March 31, 2020. The details of the secured debt repaid in 2019 are shown in the following table:
SECURED DEBT REPAID IN 2019
 
Interest Rate
 
Date Repaid
 
Payoff Amount
 
 
 
 
 
 
(In thousands)
Dominguez, Industry I & III, Kingsview, Shaw, Walnut and Washington
 
7.50%
 
04/05/2019
 
$
45,725

Blue Heron II
 
5.39%
 
12/16/2019
 
47

Weighted Average/Total Amount for 2019
 
7.50%
 
 
 
$
45,772


EastGroup did not obtain any new secured debt during 2019 or the first three months of 2020.

Interest costs during the period of construction of real estate properties are capitalized and offset against interest expense.  Capitalized interest increased $525,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2020, as compared to the same period of 2019, due to increases in development spending.

Depreciation and amortization expense increased $4,146,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2020, as compared to the same period in 2019, primarily due to the operating properties acquired by the Company in 2019 and 2020 and the properties transferred from Development and value-add properties in 2019 and 2020, partially offset by operating properties sold in 2019.  

Gain on sales of real estate investments, which includes gains on the sales of operating properties, decreased $2,325,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2020, as compared to the same period in 2019. The Company did not sell any properties during the first quarter of 2020. During the first quarter of 2019, EastGroup sold World Houston 5 in Houston. The 51,000 square foot property was sold for $3,808,000; EastGroup recognized a gain on the sale of $2,325,000 during the first quarter of 2019.



-37-



Real Estate Improvements
Real estate improvements for EastGroup’s operating properties for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 were as follows:
 
 
 
Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
Estimated Useful Life
 
2020
 
2019
 
 
 
(In thousands)
Upgrade on Acquisitions                                            
40 yrs
 
$
24

 
297

Tenant Improvements:
 
 
 

 
 
New Tenants                                            
Lease Life
 
3,044

 
2,917

Renewal Tenants                                            
Lease Life
 
1,329

 
500

Other:
 
 
 

 
 

Building Improvements                                            
5-40 yrs
 
1,218

 
849

Roofs                                            
5-15 yrs
 
937

 
1,596

Parking Lots                                            
3-5 yrs
 
36

 
8

Other                                            
5 yrs
 
347

 
284

Total Real Estate Improvements (1)
 
 
$
6,935

 
6,451


(1)
Reconciliation of Total Real Estate Improvements to Real estate improvements on the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows:
 
 
Three Months Ended March 31,
 
2020
 
2019
 
(In thousands)
Total Real Estate Improvements
 
$
6,935

 
6,451

Change in Real Estate Property Payables
 
337

 
(1,690
)
Change in Construction in Progress
 
2,124

 
849

Real Estate Improvements on the
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
 
$
9,396

 
5,610



Capitalized Leasing Costs
The Company’s leasing costs (principally commissions) are capitalized and included in Other assets. The costs are amortized over the terms of the associated leases, and the amortization is included in Depreciation and amortization expense.  Capitalized leasing costs for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 were as follows:
 
 
 
Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
Estimated Useful Life
 
2020
 
2019
 
 
 
(In thousands)
Development and Value-Add
Lease Life
 
$
1,763

 
1,572

New Tenants
Lease Life
 
1,027

 
1,630

Renewal Tenants
Lease Life
 
2,933

 
667

Total Capitalized Leasing Costs
 
 
$
5,723

 
3,869

Amortization of Leasing Costs
 
 
$
3,469

 
3,008


Real Estate Sold and Held for Sale/Discontinued Operations
The Company considers a real estate property to be held for sale when it meets the criteria established under Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 360, Property, Plant and Equipment, including when it is probable that the property will be sold within a year.  Real estate properties held for sale are reported at the lower of the carrying amount or fair value less estimated costs to sell and are not depreciated while they are held for sale. 

The Company did not classify any properties as held for sale as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019.


-38-



In accordance with FASB Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-08, Presentation of Financial Statements (Topic 205) and Property, Plant, and Equipment (Topic 360), Reporting Discontinued Operations and Disclosures of Disposals of Components of an Entity, the Company would report a disposal of a component of an entity or a group of components of an entity in discontinued operations if the disposal represents a strategic shift that has (or will have) a major effect on an entity’s operations and financial results when the component or group of components meets the criteria to be classified as held for sale or when the component or group of components is disposed of by sale or other than by sale. In addition, the Company would provide additional disclosures about both discontinued operations and the disposal of an individually significant component of an entity that does not qualify for discontinued operations presentation in the financial statements. EastGroup performs an analysis of properties sold to determine whether the sales qualify for discontinued operations presentation.

The Company does not consider its sales in 2019 to be disposals of a component of an entity or a group of components of an entity representing a strategic shift that has (or will have) a major effect on the entity’s operations and financial results.

There were no sales during the three months ended March 31, 2020. During the three months ended March 31, 2019, EastGroup sold World Houston 5 in Houston. The 51,000 square foot property was sold for $3,808,000; EastGroup recognized a gain on the sale of $2,325,000 during the first quarter of 2019.

Gains on the sale of operating properties are included in Gain on sales of real estate investments. See Note 8 in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for more information related to discontinued operations and gains and losses on sales of real estate investments.  

RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS
EastGroup has evaluated all ASUs recently released by the FASB through the date the financial statements were issued and determined that the following ASUs apply to the Company.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments — Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, and subsequently issued ASUs 2018-19, 2019-04, 2019-05, 2019-10, 2019-11, 2020-02 and 2020-03. The ASUs amend guidance on reporting credit losses for assets held at amortized cost basis and available for sale debt securities. For assets held at amortized cost, Topic 326 eliminates the probable initial recognition threshold in current GAAP and, instead, requires an entity to reflect its current estimate of all expected credit losses. For available for sale debt securities (EastGroup does not currently hold any and does not intend to hold any in the future), credit losses should be measured in a similar manner to current GAAP; however, Topic 326 requires that credit losses be presented as an allowance rather than a write-down. The ASUs affect entities holding financial assets and are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company adopted ASU 2016-13 and ASU 2018-19 on January 1, 2020, and the adoption did not have a material impact on its financial condition, results of operations or disclosures.
In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework - Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement. The ASU is intended to improve the effectiveness of fair value measurement disclosures. ASU 2018-13 is effective for all entities for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company adopted ASU 2018-13 on January 1, 2020, and the adoption did not have a material impact on its financial condition, results of operations or disclosures.
In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting. ASU 2020-04 contains practical expedients for reference rate reform related activities that impact debt, leases, derivatives and other contracts. The guidance in ASU 2020-04 is optional and may be elected over time as reference rate reform activities occur. During the three months ended March 31, 2020, the Company elected to apply the hedge accounting expedients related to probability and the assessments of effectiveness for future LIBOR-indexed cash flows to assume that the index upon which future hedged transactions will be based matches the index on the corresponding derivatives. Application of these expedients preserves the presentation of derivatives consistent with past presentation. The Company continues to evaluate the impact of the guidance and may apply other elections as applicable as additional changes in the market occur.

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
Net cash provided by operating activities was $51,439,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2020.  The primary other sources of cash were borrowings on unsecured bank credit facilities and unsecured debt and proceeds from common stock offerings.  The Company distributed $29,947,000 in common stock dividends during the three months ended March 31, 2020.  Other primary uses of cash were for repayments on unsecured bank credit facilities, the construction and development of properties, purchases of real estate and capital improvements at various properties.


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Total debt at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 is detailed below.  The Company’s unsecured bank credit facilities and unsecured debt instruments have certain restrictive covenants, such as maintaining debt service coverage and leverage ratios and maintaining insurance coverage, and the Company was in compliance with all of its debt covenants at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019.
 
March 31,
2020
 
December 31,
2019
 
(In thousands)
Unsecured bank credit facilities - variable rate, carrying amount
$
82,963

 
112,710

Unamortized debt issuance costs
(1,189
)
 
(1,316
)
Unsecured bank credit facilities
81,774

 
111,394

 
 
 
 
Unsecured debt - fixed rate, carrying amount (1)
1,040,000

 
940,000

Unamortized debt issuance costs
(2,297
)
 
(1,885
)
Unsecured debt
1,037,703

 
938,115

 
 
 
 
Secured debt - fixed rate, carrying amount (1)
131,197

 
133,422

Unamortized debt issuance costs
(271
)
 
(329
)
Secured debt
130,926

 
133,093

 
 
 
 
Total debt
$
1,250,403

 
1,182,602


(1)
These loans have a fixed interest rate or an effectively fixed interest rate due to interest rate swaps.

The Company has a $350 million unsecured bank credit facility with a group of nine banks; the facility has a maturity date of July 30, 2022. The credit facility contains options for two six-month extensions (at the Company’s election) and a $150 million accordion (with agreement by all parties). The interest rate on each tranche is usually reset on a monthly basis and as of March 31, 2020, was LIBOR plus 100 basis points with an annual facility fee of 20 basis points. The margin and facility fee are subject to changes in the Company’s credit ratings. As of March 31, 2020, the Company had $70,000,000 of variable rate borrowings on this unsecured  bank credit facility with a weighted average interest rate of 1.941%. The Company has a standby letter of credit of $674,000 pledged on this facility.

The Company also has a $45 million unsecured bank credit facility with a maturity date of July 30, 2022, or such later date as designated by the bank; the Company also has two six-month extensions available if the extension options in the $350 million facility are exercised. The interest rate is reset on a daily basis and as of March 31, 2020, was LIBOR plus 100 basis points with an annual facility fee of 20 basis points. The margin and facility fee are subject to changes in the Company’s credit ratings. As of March 31, 2020, the interest rate was 1.993% on a balance of $12,963,000.

As market conditions permit, EastGroup issues equity and/or employs fixed-rate debt, including variable-rate debt that has been swapped to an effectively fixed rate through the use of interest rate swaps, to replace the short-term bank borrowings.  The Company believes its current operating cash flow and unsecured bank credit facilities provide the capacity to fund the operations of the Company.  The Company also believes it can obtain debt financing and issue common and/or preferred equity. For future debt issuances, the Company intends to issue primarily unsecured fixed-rate debt, including variable-rate debt that has been swapped to an effectively fixed rate through the use of interest rate swaps. The Company may also access the public debt market in the future as a means to raise capital.

In March 2020, the Company closed a $100 million senior unsecured term loan with a seven-year term and interest only payments. It bears interest at the annual rate of LIBOR plus an applicable margin (1.45% as of March 31, 2020 and May 1, 2020) based on the Company’s senior unsecured long-term debt rating. The Company also entered into an interest rate swap agreement to convert the loan’s LIBOR rate component to a fixed interest rate for the entire term of the loan providing a total effective fixed interest rate of 2.39%.

In July 2017, the Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) that regulates LIBOR announced it intends to stop compelling banks to submit rates for the calculation of LIBOR after 2021. As a result, the Federal Reserve Board and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York organized the Alternative Reference Rates Committee ("ARRC") which identified the Secured Overnight Financing Rate ("SOFR") as its preferred alternative to USD-LIBOR in derivatives and other financial contracts. The Company is not able to predict when LIBOR will cease to be available or when there will be sufficient liquidity in the SOFR markets. Any changes adopted by FCA or other governing bodies in the method used for determining LIBOR may result in a sudden or prolonged increase

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or decrease in reported LIBOR. If that were to occur, interest payments could change. In addition, uncertainty about the extent and manner of future changes may result in interest rates and/or payments that are higher or lower than if LIBOR were to remain available in its current form.

The Company’s unsecured bank credit facilities, senior unsecured term loans and interest rate swap contracts are indexed to LIBOR.  The Company is continuously monitoring and evaluating the related risks, which include interest on loans and amounts received and paid on derivative instruments. These risks arise in connection with transitioning contracts to a new alternative rate, including any resulting value transfer that may occur. The value of loans or derivative instruments tied to LIBOR could also be impacted if LIBOR is limited or discontinued as interest rates may be adversely affected.  While we expect LIBOR to be available in substantially its current form until the end of 2021, it is possible that LIBOR will become unavailable prior to that point. This could result, for example, if sufficient banks decline to make submissions to the LIBOR administrator.  In that case, the risks associated with the transition to an alternative reference rate will be accelerated and magnified.

Each of the Company’s contracts, which are indexed to LIBOR, include provisions for a replacement rate which will be substantially equivalent to the all-in LIBOR-based interest rate in effect prior to its replacement.  Therefore, the Company believes the transition will not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.   

On December 20, 2019, EastGroup entered into sales agreements with each of BNY Mellon Capital Markets, LLC; BofA Securities, Inc.; BTIG, LLC; Jefferies LLC; Raymond James & Associates, Inc.; Regions Securities LLC; and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC in connection with the establishment of a new continuous common equity offering program pursuant to which the Company may sell shares of its common stock with an aggregate gross sales price of up to $750,000,000 from time to time. The Company has sold an aggregate of 105,837 shares of common stock with gross proceeds of $15,000,000 under the sales agency financing agreements, and as of May 4, 2020, EastGroup may offer and sell additional shares of its common stock with an aggregate gross sales price of up to $735,000,000 through the sales agents.

During the three months ended March 31, 2020, EastGroup issued and sold 105,837 shares of common stock under its continuous equity program at an average price of $141.73 per share with gross proceeds to the Company of $15,000,000. The Company incurred offering-related costs of $266,000 during the three months, resulting in net proceeds to the Company of $14,734,000.

The Company anticipates that its current cash balance, operating cash flows, borrowings under its unsecured bank credit facilities, proceeds from new debt and/or proceeds from the issuance of equity instruments will be adequate for (i) operating and administrative expenses, (ii) normal repair and maintenance expenses at its properties, (iii) debt service obligations, (iv) maintaining compliance with its debt covenants, (v) distributions to stockholders, (vi) capital improvements, (vii) purchases of properties, (viii) development, and (ix) any other normal business activities of the Company, both in the short-term and long-term, including after taking into account the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Contractual Obligations
EastGroup’s fixed, non-cancelable obligations as of December 31, 2019, did not materially change during the three months ended March 31, 2020, except for the changes in Unsecured bank credit facilities, Unsecured debt and Secured debt discussed above.

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INFLATION AND OTHER ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS
Most of the Company’s leases include scheduled rent increases.  Additionally, most of the Company’s leases require the tenants to pay their pro rata share of operating expenses, including real estate taxes, insurance and common area maintenance, thereby reducing the Company’s exposure to increases in operating expenses resulting from inflation or other factors.  In the event inflation or other factors cause increases in the Company’s general and administrative expenses or the level of interest rates, such increased costs would not be passed through to tenants and could adversely affect the Company’s results of operations.

EastGroup’s financial results are affected by general economic conditions in the markets in which the Company’s properties are located.  The state of the economy, or other adverse changes in general or local economic conditions resulting from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic or general economic conditions, could result in the inability of some of the Company’s existing tenants to make lease payments and may therefore increase the reserves for uncollectible rent.  It may also impact the Company’s ability to (i) renew leases or re-lease space as leases expire, or (ii) lease development space.  In addition, an economic downturn or recession, including but not limited to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, could also lead to an increase in overall vacancy rates or a decline in rents the Company can charge to re-lease properties upon expiration of current leases.  In all of these cases, EastGroup’s cash flows would be adversely affected.

ITEM 3.
QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK.

The Company is exposed to interest rate changes primarily as a result of its unsecured bank credit facilities and long-term debt maturities.  This debt is used to maintain liquidity and fund capital expenditures and expansion of the Company’s real estate investment portfolio and operations.  The Company’s objective for interest rate risk management is to limit the impact of interest rate changes on earnings and cash flows and to lower its overall borrowing costs.  The Company has two variable rate unsecured bank credit facilities as discussed under Liquidity and Capital Resources. As market conditions permit, EastGroup issues equity and/or employs fixed-rate debt, including variable-rate debt that has been swapped to an effectively fixed rate through the use of interest rate swaps, to replace the short-term bank borrowings.  The Company’s interest rate swaps are discussed in Note 14 in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.  The table below presents the principal payments due and weighted average interest rates, which include the impact of interest rate swaps, for both the fixed-rate and variable-rate debt as of March 31, 2020.
 
April – December 2020
 
2021
 
2022
 
2023
 
2024
 
Thereafter
 
Total
 
Fair Value
Unsecured bank credit facilities - variable rate (in thousands)
$

 

 
82,963

(1)

 

 

 
82,963

 
82,222

(2)
   Weighted average interest rate

 

 
1.95
%
(3)

 

 

 
1.95
%
 
 
 
Unsecured debt - fixed rate
        (in thousands)
$
105,000

 
40,000

 
75,000

 
115,000

 
120,000

 
585,000

 
1,040,000

 
1,015,963

(4)
   Weighted average interest rate
3.55
%
 
2.34
%
 
3.03
%
 
2.96
%
 
3.47
%
 
3.42
%
 
3.32
%
 
 
 
Secured debt - fixed rate
       (in thousands)
$
6,822

 
89,562

 
32,770

 
119

 
122

 
1,802

 
131,197

 
133,081

(4)
   Weighted average interest rate
4.42
%
 
4.55
%
 
4.09
%
 
3.85
%
 
3.85
%
 
3.85
%
 
4.42
%
 
 
 

(1)
The variable-rate unsecured bank credit facilities mature in July 2022 and as of March 31, 2020, have balances of $70,000,000 on the $350 million unsecured bank credit facility and $12,963,000 on the $45 million unsecured bank credit facility.
(2)
The fair value of the Company’s variable rate debt is estimated by discounting expected cash flows at current market rates, excluding the effects of debt issuance costs.
(3)
Represents the weighted average interest rate for the Company’s variable rate unsecured bank credit facilities as of March 31, 2020.
(4)
The fair value of the Company’s fixed-rate debt, including variable-rate debt that has been swapped to an effectively fixed rate through the use of interest rate swaps, is estimated by discounting expected cash flows at the rates currently offered to the Company for debt of the same remaining maturities, as advised by the Company’s bankers, excluding the effects of debt issuance costs.

As the table above incorporates only those exposures that existed as of March 31, 2020, it does not consider those exposures or positions that could arise after that date.  If the weighted average interest rate on the variable rate unsecured bank credit facilities, as shown above, changes by 10% or approximately 20 basis points, interest expense and cash flows would increase or decrease by approximately $162,000 annually. This does not include variable-rate debt that has been effectively fixed through the use of interest rate swaps.


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ITEM 4.
CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES.

(i)      Disclosure Controls and Procedures.

The Company carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of the Company’s management, including the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures pursuant to Exchange Act Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15.  Based upon that evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that, as of March 31, 2020, the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective in timely alerting them to material information relating to the Company (including its consolidated subsidiaries) required to be included in the Company’s periodic SEC filings.

(ii)      Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting.

There was no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting during the Company’s first fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2020, that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

PART II.  OTHER INFORMATION.

ITEM 1.  LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.

The Company is not presently involved in any material litigation nor, to its knowledge, is any material litigation threatened against the Company or its properties, other than routine litigation arising in the ordinary course of business or which is expected to be covered by the Company’s liability insurance. The Company cannot predict the outcome of any litigation with certainty, and some lawsuits, claims or proceedings may be disposed of unfavorably to the Company, which could materially affect its financial condition or results of operations.

ITEM 1A.
RISK FACTORS.

The following risk factor supplements the risk factors described under “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, and should be read in conjunction with the other risk factors presented in the Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Pandemics, such as COVID-19, and mitigation efforts to control the spread of such disease have impacted and are expected to continue to impact our business, and our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows could be adversely affected by factors relating to such pandemics.

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization characterized COVID-19 as a pandemic. The United States, which is where EastGroup’s properties are located, is currently experiencing widespread infection, and there is uncertainty regarding how long the pandemic will impact the United States and the rest of the world. Unprecedented, extraordinary actions have been taken by federal, state and local governmental authorities to combat the spread of COVID-19, including issuance of “stay-at-home” directives and similar mandates for many individuals to substantially restrict daily activities and for many businesses to curtail or cease normal operations. These measures, while intended to protect human life, have led to reduced economic activity and a surge in unemployment throughout the United States, including the markets where our properties are located. As a result, there could be a sustained period of economic slowdown, the severity of which is uncertain. Such economic slowdown, among other disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has, and may continue to, adversely impact our financial condition and results of operations and the financial condition and results of operations of our tenants.

Our ability to lease our properties and collect rental revenues and expense reimbursements is dependent upon national, regional and local economic conditions. The potential inability to renew leases, lease vacant space or re-lease space as leases expire on favorable terms, or at all, could cause a decline in our receipt of rental payments. We have been in communication with a portion of our customer base regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, and we have received rent relief requests from a number of our customers. We may or may not grant the requested relief to these customers. Granting rent relief could adversely affect our financial conditions, results of operations and cash flows.
Some of our customers are experiencing a deterioration in their financial position, results of operations and cash flows; as a result, they may not be able to pay their rent and expense reimbursements, which could adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

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Federal, state and local government restrictions associated with the mitigation efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 could prevent our customers from accessing their leased space and operating their businesses; such restrictions could also impact our ability to operate our business, which may cause the business and operating results to decline or impact our ability to comply with regulatory obligations leading to reputational harm and regulatory issues or fines. Such restrictions could also inhibit our ability to lease vacant space in our operating portfolio and our development and value-add program. In addition, government restrictions could prevent construction of tenant improvements and development projects, which could delay construction completion and lease commencement dates. In each case, we may experience an adverse impact on our financial condition and results of operations.
The economic uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic is causing disruption and instability in the financial markets and may impact our ability to raise capital from debt and equity markets on favorable terms or at all.
The health and well-being of our customers, employees, directors and other stakeholders is of great importance to us. We are striving to accommodate flexible working arrangements to ensure the health and safety of our team, while continuing to perform our job duties and provide services to our customers and other stakeholders. There are risks associated with remote working arrangements, including, but not limited to, risks related to cyber-security. We are monitoring and adhering to federal, state and local government guidelines regarding our work arrangements with the goal of preventing the spread of COVID-19 to our workforce, our customers and our communities. There are risks and uncertainties related to the health of our employees and directors; any potential deterioration of the health of key personnel could impact our business operations.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the current economic, financial and capital markets environment present material risks and uncertainties for us. However, the rapid development and fluidity of the situation precludes any prediction as to the ultimate impact COVID-19 will have on our business, financial condition, results of operation and cash flows, which will depend largely on future developments directly or indirectly relating to the duration and scope of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. To the extent the COVID-19 pandemic adversely affects our business, financial condition, results of operation and cash flows, it may also have the effect of heightening many of the other risks described in the “Risk Factors” section of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019.
 

ITEM 2. UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS.

Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers
Period
 
Total Number
of Shares Purchased
 
Average Price Paid Per Share
 
Total Number of Shares Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced Plans or Programs
 
Maximum Number of Shares That May Yet Be Purchased Under the Plans or Programs
01/01/20 thru 01/31/20
 
23,876
 (1)
 
$
132.37

 

 

02/01/20 thru 02/29/20
 
10,087
 (1)
 
141.63

 

 

03/01/20 thru 03/31/20
 

 

 

 

Total
 
33,963

 
$
135.12

 

 
 


(1)
As permitted under the Company’s equity compensation plans, these shares were withheld by the Company to satisfy the tax withholding obligations for those employees who elected this option in connection with the vesting of shares of restricted stock.


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ITEM 6.
EXHIBITS.

Exhibits
 
The following exhibits are included in or incorporated by reference into, this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2020:
Exhibit Number
Description
Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certifications (pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002) of Marshall A. Loeb, Chief Executive Officer (filed herewith).
Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certifications (pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002) of Brent W. Wood, Chief Financial Officer (filed herewith).
Section 1350 Certifications (pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002) of Marshall A. Loeb, Chief Executive Officer (furnished herewith).
Section 1350 Certifications (pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002) of Brent W. Wood, Chief Financial Officer (furnished herewith).
101.1.SCH
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document (filed herewith).
101.2.CAL
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document (filed herewith).
101.3.DEF
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document (filed herewith).
101.4.LAB
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document (filed herewith).
101.5.PRE
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document (filed herewith).
104
Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as inline XBRL with applicable taxonomy extension information contained in Exhibits 101.*) (filed herewith).

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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.

Date:  May 4, 2020

 
EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC.
 
 
 
/s/ BRUCE CORKERN 
 
Bruce Corkern
 
Senior Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer and Secretary
 
 
 
/s/ BRENT W. WOOD
 
Brent W. Wood
 
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

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