Brookfield Properties Reports Strong 2006 Growth.All dollar references are in U.S. dollars unless noted otherwise NEW YORK New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of -- Brookfield Properties Brookfield Properties Corporation TSX: BPO NYSE: BPO is a Toronto-based North American commercial real estate company. Brookfield Asset Management owns 50% of its outstanding common shares. Corporation (BPO BPO Business Process Outsourcing BPO Benevolent & Protective Order (of Elks of the USA) BPO Benzoyl Peroxide BPO Business Process Optimization BPO Broker Price Opinions BPO Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra : NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange , TSX TSX Toronto Stock Exchange (TSE before April, 2002) TSX Transfer from Stack Pointer to Index TSX True Space Extension ) today announced net income of $135 million or $0.56 per diluted share and funds from operations Funds From Operations (FFO) Used by real estate and other investment trusts to define the cash flow from trust operations; earnings with depreciation and amortization added back. ("FFO FFO See: Funds from operations ") of $443 million or $1.87 per diluted share for the year ended December 31, 2006. After leasing 6.2 million square feet during 2006, Brookfield Properties' portfolio-wide occupancy rate Noun 1. occupancy rate - the percentage of all rental units (as in hotels) are occupied or rented at a given time pct, per centum, percent, percentage - a proportion in relation to a whole (which is usually the amount per hundred) finished the year at 95.1%. [TABLE OMITTED] Net income for the year ended December 31, 2006 was $135 million or $0.56 per diluted share compared to $164 million or $0.69 per diluted share in 2005. The 2006 results included a one-time non-cash adjustment for a change in the Canadian corporate tax rate of approximately C$18 million or $0.07 per diluted share, as well as a significant increase in depreciation and amortization with the acquisition of the Trizec portfolio. Funds from operations for the year ended December 31, 2006 increased 9% to $443 million or $1.87 per diluted share compared to $405 million or $1.72 per diluted share in 2005. The comparable 2005 amount represents the $1.85 of funds from operations recorded last year less $30 million or $0.13 per share of special fees received. Net income for the three months ended December 31, 2006 totaled $21 million or $0.08 per diluted share compared to $47 million or $0.20 per diluted share during the same period in 2005. For the three months ended December 31, 2006, funds from operations totaled $125 million or $0.52 per diluted share up from $108 million or $0.46 per diluted share during the same period in 2005. The comparable 2005 amount represents the $0.59 of funds from operations recorded last year less $30 million or $0.13 per share of special fees received. Commercial property net operating income Operating Income The profit realized from a business' own operations. Notes: This would not include income from things such as investments in other firms. Also referred to as operating profit or recurring profit. for the year was $840 million compared to $674 million in 2005 and $313 million for the fourth quarter of 2006, up from $190 million during the same period in 2005. This increase was due to the contribution from the O&Y and Trizec portfolio acquisitions, which were completed in the fourth quarters of 2005 and 2006, respectively. Residential development operations contributed $144 million of net operating income in 2006, a significant increase over the $106 million contributed in 2005. This operation's net operating income has continued to increase since the beginning of 2005 as the company's Alberta operations benefited from the continued expansion of activity in the oil and gas industry in that province. STOCK SPLIT On February 7, 2007, the Board of Directors approved a three-for-two stock split. The stock split will be in the form of a stock dividend. Shareholders will receive one Brookfield Properties common share for each two common shares held. Fractional shares will be paid in cash at the prevailing market price. The stock dividend will be payable on March 30, 2007 to shareholders of record at the close of business on March 15, 2007. Brookfield Properties is undertaking the stock split to ensure its shares remain accessible to individual shareholders, and to further enhance the liquidity of the company's shares. The dividend will have no unfavorable tax consequences in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. or in Canada, and will not dilute shareholders' equity Shareholders' Equity A firms' total assets minus its total liabilities. Equivalently, it is share capital plus retained earnings minus treasury shares. Shareholders' equity is the amount by which a company is financed through common and preferred shares. . SIGNIFICANT EVENTS OF THE FOURTH QUARTER Completed the acquisition of Trizec, adding approximately 29 million square feet of premiere office properties and infrastructure to the company's portfolio, expanding the company's presence in New York and Washington, D.C., and adding the new markets of Houston and Los Angeles. These markets are consistent with Brookfield Properties' strategy to invest in cities with strong financial services, government and energy sector tenants. Brookfield Properties provided 45% of the equity for the approximate $7.5 billion acquisition, which was acquired in Brookfield Properties' U.S. Office Fund and with a joint venture partner. Raised $1.25 billion of equity in a secondary offering of common shares. The proceeds from this offering were used to repay outstanding indebtedness taken on to finance the company's $857 million equity investment in its U.S. Office Fund, created to invest in the acquisition of Trizec, and the repayment of lines of credit to ensure the company is in a position to acquire further assets should opportunities of interest become available. Acquired a 100% interest in the Herald block in downtown Calgary for C$45 million. One of Calgary's premier downtown development sites, the property is nearly 66,000 square feet in area with development density for approximately 1.1 million square feet of office space. The Herald site is at the center of Calgary's downtown core and is within one block of each of Brookfield Properties' core office assets, Fifth Avenue Place, Petro-Canada Centre and Bankers Hall. The site currently contains four small buildings totaling 130,000 square feet of rentable area as well as underground parking and a small surface parking lot with excellent access to public transportation via the adjacent LRT LRT Light-Rail Transit LRT Likelihood Ratio Test LRT Light Rapid Transit LRT Lower Respiratory Tract LRT Lehrstuhl für Raumfahrttechnik LRT Long Range Transportation LRT Light Railway Transit LRT London Regional Transport LRT Loving Relationships Training line. Broke ground on the 77 K Street development in Washington, D.C. The building will be an 11-story, state-of-the-art, Class A office property featuring dramatic views of the U.S. Capitol. The building is adjacent to Union Station, Washington's main commuter hub, and the District's busiest Metro station. The total project cost is estimated to be $125 million or $390 per square foot. The project is structured as a 50-50 joint venture between Brookfield Properties and ING Clarion with Brookfield Properties acting as general partner and development manager. Upon completion, which is expected in 2008, the building will be managed by Brookfield Properties. Signed 3.1 million square feet of leases including an early renewal with the Public Works (Federal Government of Canada The Government of Canada is the federal government of Canada. The powers and structure of the federal government are set out in the Constitution of Canada. In modern Canadian use, the term "government" (or "federal government") refers broadly to the cabinet of the day and ) for 926,000 square feet at Place de Ville Place de Ville is a complex of office towers in downtown Ottawa. It currently consists of three buildings, Place de Ville A, B, and C, two large hotels, and a parking garage. The buildings are linked by an underground shopping complex. I and II in Ottawa and a new lease with EnCana Oil & Gas for 453,000 square feet at Republic Plaza, Denver Republic Plaza is the tallest building in Denver, Colorado at 218m (717 ft). It was built in 1984, and the majority of its 56 floors are used as office space. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and built of reinforced concrete clad in Sardinian granite, Republic Plaza . Fully pre-leased Bankers Court development. Subsequent to the year-end, Compton Petroleum Corporation, an Alberta-based public oil and gas company, leased an additional 22,000 square feet at Bankers Court development project for a ten-year term, bringing office occupancy in Bankers Court to 100%. Compton will occupy a total of 152,000 square feet on floors 3 through 9, and Fraser Milner Casgrain Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP (FMC) is one of Canada’s leading business & litigation law firms. With more than 520 lawyers (175 litigators) it is the fifth largest law firm in Canada as well as the largest law firm in Western Canada. , a national Canadian law firm, will occupy 101,000 square feet on floors 10 through 15 when the building opens in 2008. OUTLOOK "Coming off a solid fourth quarter of office leasing and a strong performance from our residential division, we remain excited about the future," stated Ric Clark, President & CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of Brookfield Properties Corporation. "Brookfield Properties will continue to be an active participant in the next exciting phase of the real estate cycle given our strong balance sheet, proven acquisitions strategy and over 17 million square foot office development pipeline." Net Operating Income and FFO This press release and accompanying financial information make reference to net operating income and funds from operations ("FFO") on a total and per share basis. Net operating income is defined as income from property operations after operating expenses Operating expenses The amount paid for asset maintenance or the cost of doing business, excluding depreciation. Earnings are distributed after operating expenses are deducted. have been deducted, but prior to deducting financing, administrative and income tax expenses. Brookfield Properties defines FFO as net income prior to extraordinary items, one-time transaction costs Transaction Costs Costs incurred when buying or selling securities. These include brokers' commissions and spreads (the difference between the price the dealer paid for a security and the price they can sell it). , non-cash items and depreciation and amortization. The company uses net operating income and FFO to assess its operating results. Net operating income is important in assessing operating performance and FFO is a relevant measure to analyze real estate, as commercial properties generally appreciate rather than depreciate depreciate v. in accounting, to reduce the value of an asset each year theoretically on the basis that the assets (such as equipment, vehicles or structures) will eventually become obsolete, worn out and of little value. (See: depreciation) . The company provides the components of net operating income and a full reconciliation from net income to FFO with the financial statements accompanying this press release. The company reconciles FFO to net income as opposed to cash flow from operating activities as it believes net income is the most comparable measure. Net operating income and FFO are both non-GAAP measures which do not have any standard meaning prescribed by GAAP GAAP See: Generally Accepted Accounting Principles GAAP See generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). and therefore may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. Forward-Looking Statements This press release, particularly the "Outlook" section, contains forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Although Brookfield Properties believes that the anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements and information are based upon reasonable assumptions and expectations, the reader should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company to differ materially from anticipated future results, performance or achievement expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and information. Accordingly, the company cannot give any assurance that its expectations will in fact occur and cautions that actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements and information include general economic conditions; local real estate conditions, including the development of properties in close proximity to the company's properties; timely leasing of newly-developed properties and re-leasing of occupied square footage upon expiration; dependence on tenants' financial condition; the uncertainties of real estate development and acquisition activity; the ability to effectively integrate acquisitions; including the acquisition of Trizec Properties, Inc. and Trizec Canada Inc.; interest rates; availability of equity and debt financing Debt Financing When a firm raises money for working capital or capital expenditures by selling bonds, bills, or notes to individual and/or institutional investors. In return for lending the money, the individuals or institutions become creditors and receive a promise to repay ; the impact of newly-adopted accounting principles on the company's accounting policies and on period-to-period comparisons of financial results; and other risks and factors described from time to time in the documents filed by the company with the securities regulators in Canada and the United States The United States and Canada share a unique legal relationship. U.S. law looks northward with a mixture of optimism and cooperation, viewing Canada as an integral part of U.S. economic and environmental policy. , including in the Annual Information Form under the heading "Business of Brookfield Properties - Company and Real Estate Industry Risks," in the company's annual report under the heading "Management's Discussion and Analysis Management's discussion and analysis (MD&A) A report from management to shareholders that accompanies the firm's financial statements in the annual report. It explains the period's financial results and enables management to discuss topics that may not be apparent in the financial ," as well as the risks described in the company's final prospectus Final Prospectus A legal document stating the price of a newly issued security, the delivery date, and other facts that are important for investors. Notes: The final prospectus must be given to every investor who purchases a new issue of registered securities. dated December 14, 2006, filed with Canadian securities regulators and forming a part of a registration statement on Form F-10 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the heading "Risk Factors." The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Dividend Declaration The Board of Directors of Brookfield Properties declared a quarterly common share dividend of $0.19 per share payable on March 30, 2007 to shareholders of record at the close of business on March 1, 2007. Shareholders resident in the United States will receive payment in U.S. dollars and shareholders resident in Canada will receive their dividends in Canadian dollars at the exchange rate on the record date, unless they elect otherwise. The quarterly dividends payable Dividends payable The declared dividend dollar amount that a company is obligated to pay. for the Class AAA AAA: see American Automobile Association. (Triple A) A common single-cell battery used in a myriad of electronic devices of all variety. Like its double A (AA) cousin, it provides 1.5 volts of DC power. When used in series, the voltage is multiplied. Series F, G, H, I, J and K preferred shares Preferred shares Preferred shares give investors a fixed dividend from the company's earnings and entitle them to be paid before common shareholders. See: Preferred stock. were also declared payable on March 30, 2007 to shareholders of record at the close of business on March 15, 2007. Conference Call Brookfield Properties' 2006 year-end investor conference call can be accessed by teleconference on Friday, February 9, 2007 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern time at 866-578-5747; pass code 92450931. The call will be archived through March 11, 2007 by dialing 888-286-8010, pass code 46391385. The conference call is also being Webcast at www.brookfieldproperties.com. Supplemental Information Investors, analysts and other interested parties can access Brookfield Properties' Supplemental Information Package at www.brookfieldproperties.com under the Investor Relations/Financial Reports section. This additional financial information should be read in conjunction with this press release. Brookfield Properties Profile One of North America's largest commercial real estate companies, the corporation owns, develops and manages premier office properties. The office properties portfolio is comprised of interests in 116 properties totaling 76 million square feet in the downtown cores of New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Houston, Toronto, Calgary and Ottawa. Landmark assets include the World Financial Center in Manhattan, BCE BCE abbr. 1. Bachelor of Chemical Engineering 2. Bachelor of Civil Engineering BCE Abbreviation for before the Common Era. Place in Toronto, Bank of America Plaza There are several buildings in the United States called Bank of America Plaza:
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