CBL & ASSOCIATES PROPERTIES INC
For the period ended Dec 31, 2024. Filed Mar 3, 2025.
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FY2024 · Filed Mar 3, 2025
Contents
Developments and Redevelopments
Developments Completed at December 31, 2024
(Dollars in thousands)
| CBL's Share of | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Property | Location | CBLOwnershipInterest | TotalProjectSquare Feet | TotalCost (1) | Cost toDate (2) | 2024Cost | OpeningDate | InitialUnleveragedYield |
| Redevelopments: | ||||||||
| Hamilton Place - Crunch Fitness | Chattanooga, TN | 100% | 36,640 | $2,648 | $2,434 | $579 | Q4 '24 | 23.3% |
(1)
Total Cost is presented net of reimbursements to be received.
(2)
Cost to Date does not reflect reimbursements until they are received.
Properties under Development at December 31, 2024
(Dollars in thousands)
| CBL's Share of | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Property | Location | CBLOwnershipInterest | TotalProjectSquare Feet | TotalCost (1) | Cost toDate (2) | 2024Cost | Expected OpeningDate | InitialUnleveragedYield |
| Outparcel Development: | ||||||||
| Mayfaire Town Center - hotel development | Wilmington, NC | 49% | 83,021 | $15,435 | $10,347 | $7,151 | Summer '25 | 11.0% |
(1)
Total Cost is presented net of reimbursements to be received.
(2)
Cost to Date does not reflect reimbursements until they are received.
We are continually pursuing new redevelopment opportunities and have projects in various stages of pre-development. Except for the projects presented above, we did not have any other material capital commitments as of December 31, 2024.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
Our consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with GAAP. In preparing our financial statements, we are required to make assumptions and estimates about future events, and apply judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues, expenses and the related disclosures. We base our assumptions, estimates and judgments on historical experience, current trends and other factors that management believes to be relevant at the time our consolidated financial statements are prepared. On a regular basis, we review the accounting policies, assumptions, estimates and judgments to ensure that our financial statements are presented fairly and in accordance with GAAP. However, because future events and their effects cannot be determined with certainty, actual results could differ from our assumptions and estimates, and such differences could be material.
An accounting policy is deemed to be critical if it requires an accounting estimate to be made based on assumptions about matters that are highly uncertain at the time the estimate is made and if different estimates that are reasonably likely to occur could materially impact the financial statements. Management believes that the following critical accounting policies discussed in this section reflect its more significant estimates and assumptions used in preparation of the consolidated financial statements. We have reviewed these critical accounting estimates and related disclosures with the audit committee of our board of directors. See Note 2 of the consolidated financial statements, included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for a discussion of our significant accounting policies.
Purchase Price Allocations for Acquired Assets
We evaluate all real estate acquisitions to determine if the transactions qualify as an acquisition of assets or of a business. For acquisitions that are accounted for as an acquisition of an asset, we record the acquired tangible and intangible assets and assumed liabilities based on each asset's and liability's relative fair value at the acquisition date to the total purchase price plus capitalized acquisition costs. Fair value is based on estimated cash flow projections that utilize available market information and discount and/or capitalization rates as appropriate. Estimates of future cash flows are based on a number of factors including historical operating results, known and anticipated trends, and market and economic conditions. The acquired assets and assumed liabilities for an acquired operating property generally include, but are not limited to: land, buildings, and identified tangible and intangible assets and liabilities associated with in-place leases, including tenant improvements, leasing costs, value of above-market and below-market leases, and value of acquired in-place leases.
The fair value of the above-market or below-market component of an acquired lease is based upon the present value (calculated using a market discount rate) of the difference between the contractual rents to be paid pursuant to the lease over its remaining term and management’s estimate of the rents that would be paid using fair market rental rates and rent escalations at the date of acquisition over the remaining term of the lease. An identifiable intangible asset or liability is recorded if there is an above-market or below-market lease at an acquired property. The amounts recorded for above-market leases are included in other assets on the balance sheets, and the amounts for below-market leases are included in other liabilities on the balance sheets. These amounts are amortized on a straight-line basis as an adjustment to rental income over the remaining term of the applicable leases.
The fair value of acquired in-place leases is derived based on our assessment of lost revenue and costs incurred for the period required to lease the “assumed vacant” property to the occupancy level when purchased. This fair value is based on a variety of considerations including, but not necessarily limited to: (i) the value associated with avoiding the cost of originating the acquired in-place leases; (ii) the value associated with lost revenue related to tenant reimbursable operating costs estimated to be incurred during the assumed lease-up period; and (iii) the value associated with lost rental revenue from existing leases during the assumed lease-up period. Factors considered in performing these analyses include an estimate of the carrying costs during the expected lease-up periods, such as real estate taxes, insurance, and other operating expenses, current market conditions, and costs to execute similar leases, such as leasing commissions, legal, and other related expenses. These amounts are amortized as an increase to depreciation and amortization expense over the remaining term of the applicable leases.
Revenue Recognition and Accounts Receivable
Receivables include amounts billed and currently due from tenants pursuant to lease agreements and receivables attributable to straight-line rents associated with those lease agreements. Individual leases where the collection of rents is in dispute are assessed for collectability based on management’s best estimate of collection considering the anticipated outcome of the dispute. Individual leases that are not in dispute are assessed for collectability and upon the determination that the collection of rents over the remaining lease term is not probable, accounts receivable are reduced as an adjustment to rental revenues. Revenue from leases where collection is deemed to be less than probable is recorded on a cash basis until collectability is determined to be probable. Further, management assesses whether operating lease receivables, at a portfolio level, are appropriately valued based upon an analysis of balances outstanding, historical collection levels and current economic trends. An allowance for the uncollectable portion of the portfolio is recorded as an adjustment to rental revenues.
We review current economic considerations each reporting period, including the effects of tenant bankruptcies. Additionally, our assessment also takes into consideration the type of tenant and current discussions with the tenants regarding matters such as billing disputes, lease negotiations and executed deferrals or abatements, as well as recent rent payment and credit history. Evaluating and estimating uncollectable lease payments and related receivables requires a significant amount of judgment by management and is based on the best information available to management at the time of evaluation.
Carrying Value of Long-Lived Assets
We monitor events or changes in circumstances that could indicate the carrying value of a long-lived asset may not be recoverable. We use significant judgement in assessing events or circumstances which might indicate impairment, including but not limited to, changes in our intent to hold a long-lived asset over its previously estimated useful life. Changes in our intent to hold a long-lived asset have a significant impact on the estimated undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use and eventual disposition of a long-lived asset and whether a potential impairment loss shall be measured. When indicators of potential impairment are present that suggest that the carrying amounts of a long-lived asset may not be recoverable, we assess the recoverability of the asset by determining whether the asset’s carrying value will be recovered through the estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected from our use and its eventual disposition. In the event that such undiscounted future cash flows do not exceed the carrying value, we adjust the carrying value of the long-lived asset to its estimated fair value and recognize an impairment loss. The estimated fair value is calculated based on the following information, in order of preference, depending upon availability: (Level 1) recently quoted market prices, (Level 2) market prices for comparable properties, or (Level 3) the present value of future cash flows, including estimated salvage value. Certain of our long-lived assets may be carried at more than an amount that could be realized in a current disposition transaction. We estimate future operating cash flows, the terminal capitalization rate and the discount rate, among other factors. As these assumptions are subject to economic and market uncertainties, they are difficult to predict and are subject to future events that may alter the assumptions used or management’s estimates of future possible outcomes. Therefore, the future cash flows estimated in our impairment analyses may not be achieved.
Investments in Unconsolidated Affiliates
On a periodic basis, we assess whether there are any indicators that the fair value of our investments in unconsolidated affiliates may be impaired. An investment is impaired only if our estimate of the fair value of the investment is less than the carrying value of the investment, and such decline in value is deemed to be other than temporary. To the extent impairment has occurred, the loss is measured as the excess of the carrying amount of the investment over the fair value of the investment. Our estimates of fair value for each investment are based on a number of assumptions such as future leasing expectations, operating forecasts, discount rates and capitalization rates, among others. These assumptions are subject to economic and market uncertainties including, but not limited to, demand for space, competition for tenants, changes in market rental rates, and operating costs. As these factors are difficult to predict and are subject to future events that may alter our assumptions, the fair values estimated in the impairment analyses may not be realized.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
See Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements for information on recently issued accounting pronouncements.
Non-GAAP Measures
Funds from Operations
FFO is a widely used non-GAAP measure of the operating performance of real estate companies that supplements net income (loss) determined in accordance with GAAP. The National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (“NAREIT”) defines FFO as net income (loss) (computed in accordance with GAAP) excluding gains or losses on sales of depreciable operating properties and impairment losses of depreciable properties, plus depreciation and amortization, and after adjustments for unconsolidated partnerships and joint ventures and noncontrolling interests. Adjustments for unconsolidated partnerships and joint ventures and noncontrolling interests are calculated on the same basis. We define FFO as defined above by NAREIT. Our method of calculating FFO may be different from methods used by other REITs and, accordingly, may not be comparable to such other REITs.
We believe that FFO provides an additional indicator of the operating performance of our properties without giving effect to real estate depreciation and amortization, which assumes the value of real estate assets declines predictably over time. Since values of real estate assets have historically risen or fallen with market conditions, we believe that FFO enhances investors’ understanding of our operating performance. The use of FFO as an indicator of financial performance is influenced not only by the operations of our properties and interest rates, but also by our capital structure.
We believe FFO allocable to Operating Partnership common unitholders is a useful performance measure since we conduct substantially all our business through our Operating Partnership and, therefore, it reflects the performance of our properties in absolute terms regardless of the ratio of ownership interests of our common shareholders and the noncontrolling interest in our Operating Partnership.
In our reconciliation of net income attributable to common shareholders to FFO allocable to Operating Partnership common unitholders that is presented below, we make an adjustment to add back noncontrolling interest in income of our Operating Partnership in order to arrive at FFO of the Operating Partnership common unitholders.
FFO does not represent cash flows from operations as defined by GAAP, is not necessarily indicative of cash available to fund all cash flow needs and should not be considered as an alternative to net income (loss) for purposes of evaluating our operating performance or to cash flow as a measure of liquidity.
We believe that it is important to identify the impact of certain significant items on our FFO measures for a reader to have a complete understanding of our results of operations. Therefore, we have also presented adjusted FFO measures excluding these significant items from the applicable periods. Please refer to the reconciliation of net income attributable to common shareholders to FFO allocable to Operating Partnership common unitholders below for a description of these adjustments.
The reconciliation of net income attributable to common shareholders to FFO allocable to Operating Partnership common unitholders is as follows (in thousands):
| Year Ended December 31, | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2023 | |
| Net income attributable to common shareholders | $57,764 | $5,433 |
| Noncontrolling interest in income of Operating Partnership | 4 | 2 |
| Earnings allocable to unvested restricted stock | 1,206 | 1,113 |
| Depreciation and amortization expense of: | ||
| Consolidated properties | 140,591 | 190,505 |
| Unconsolidated affiliates | 16,137 | 17,408 |
| Non-real estate assets | (1,187) | (905) |
| Noncontrolling interests' share of depreciation and amortization in other consolidated subsidiaries | (1,916) | (2,442) |
| Loss on impairment, net of taxes | 1,244 | — |
| Gain on depreciable property | (15,651) | — |
| FFO allocable to Operating Partnership common unitholders | 198,192 | 211,114 |
| Debt discount accretion, including our share of unconsolidated affiliates and net of noncontrolling interests' share (1) | 44,929 | 61,788 |
| Adjustment for unconsolidated affiliates with negative investment (2) | (9,974) | (7,242) |
| Litigation settlement (3) | (553) | (2,310) |
| Non-cash default interest expense (4) | 606 | 972 |
| Gain on deconsolidation (5) | — | (47,879) |
| Gain on consolidation (6) | (26,727) | — |
| Loss (gain) on extinguishment of debt (7) | 819 | (3,270) |
| FFO allocable to Operating Partnership common unitholders, as adjusted | $207,292 | $213,173 |
(1)
In conjunction with fresh start accounting upon emergence from bankruptcy, we recognized debt discounts equal to the difference between the outstanding balance of mortgage notes payable and the estimated fair value of such mortgage notes payable. The debt discounts are accreted as additional interest expense over the terms of the respective mortgage notes payable using the effective interest method.
(2)
Represents our share of the earnings (losses) before depreciation and amortization expense of unconsolidated affiliates where we are not recognizing equity in earnings (losses) because our investment in the unconsolidated affiliate is below zero.
(3)
Represents a credit to litigation settlement expense related to claim amounts that were released pursuant to the terms of the settlement agreement related to the settlement of a class action lawsuit.
(4)
The years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 include default interest on loans past their maturity dates.
(5)
For the year ended December 31, 2023, we deconsolidated Alamance Crossing East and WestGate Mall due to a loss of control when the properties were placed into receivership in connection with the foreclosure process.
(6)
For the year ended December 31, 2024, we recognized a $26.7 million gain on consolidation related to the acquisition of our partner's 50% joint venture interests in CoolSprings Galleria, Oak Park Mall and West County Center.
(7)
During the year ended December 31, 2024, we made a partial paydown on the open-air centers and outparcels loan and recognized loss on extinguishment of debt related to a prepayment fee. The year ended December 31, 2023 includes a gain on extinguishment of debt related to the loan secured by The Outlet Shoppes at Laredo.
The decrease in FFO, as adjusted, for the year ended December 31, 2024 was primarily driven by lower minimum rents, tenant reimbursements, percentage rents, increased insurance rates and increased general and administrative expenses. Minimum rents were lower due to tenant closures and tenants that converted to percentage in lieu of rent. Tenant reimbursements were lower due to the accrual of credits to tenants at certain properties related to reduced assessments and refunds received from successful appeals of real estate taxes at certain properties. The decline in percentage rents corresponds to the decline in tenant sales for certain tenants as compared to the prior-year period, as well as an increase in percentage rent breakpoints for certain recently renewed leases. The decrease was partially offset by lower state franchise and real estate taxes related to reduced assessments and refunds received from successful appeals, lower janitorial and security costs, lower net interest expense, the impact of positive overall new and renewal leasing spreads and increased interest income on our U.S. Treasury securities. The sale of the Layton Hills properties also contributed to the decrease in FFO, as adjusted.
ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITAT
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