ST JOE Co

As used throughout this Annual Report on Form 10-K, the terms “St. Joe,” the “Company,” “we,” “our,” or “us” include The St. Joe Company, its consolidated subsidiaries and consolidated joint ventures unless the context indicates otherwise.

Description

St. Joe was incorporated in the State of Florida in 1936. We are a real estate development, asset management and operating company. As of December 31, 2023, we owned 168,000 acres of land in Northwest Florida, compared to 169,000 acres and 170,000 acres as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. A portion of our land is within The Bay-Walton Sector Plan (“Sector Plan”), that entitles, or gives legal rights, for us to originally develop over 170,000 residential dwelling units, over 22 million square feet of retail, commercial and industrial space and over 3,000 hotel rooms on lands within Florida’s Bay and Walton counties. We also have additional entitlements, or legal rights, to develop acreage outside of the Sector Plan. Approximately 87% of our real estate is located in Florida’s Bay, Gulf, and Walton counties. Approximately 90% of our real estate land holdings are located within fifteen miles of the Gulf of Mexico.

Strategy

St. Joe believes its long-term, owner-oriented capital and management allows us to optimize the value of Northwest Florida real estate by developing residential, hospitality, and commercial projects that meet growing market demands. This strategy is designed to provide opportunities to build recurring revenues and enterprise value for the foreseeable future. We may partner with or explore the sale of discrete assets when we and/or others can better deploy resources.

Capital is invested to achieve risk-adjusted rates of return and support future business initiatives that create value. New projects are planned for stand-alone profitably and to benefit other enterprise activities. Investments, which include investments in joint ventures (“JVs”) and limited partnerships, are funded with cash proceeds from completed projects, existing cash, owned-land, partner capital and financing arrangements. Actual investments may vary from planned capital investments for various reasons. We do not anticipate immediate benefits from investments. We may choose to operate rather than lease assets, lease rather than sell assets, or sell improved rather than unimproved land that may delay revenue and profits. We continue to maintain low fixed expenses, low corporate debt and high liquidity for sustainability in all environments.

We distribute cash in excess of expected operating needs to shareholders through cash dividends and common stock repurchases, as approved by the Board of Directors (the “Board”). A cash dividend of $0.10 per share on our common stock was paid in each of the first and second quarters of 2023 and $0.12 per share on our common stock was paid in each of the third and fourth quarters of 2023. A quarterly cash dividend of $0.10 and $0.08 per share on our common stock was paid in each quarter of 2022 and 2021, respectively. During the year ended December 31, 2023, we did not repurchase shares of our common stock. During the year ended December 31, 2022, we repurchased 576,963 shares of our common stock for an aggregate purchase price of $20.0 million. As of December 31, 2023, we have a total of $80.0 million available for the repurchase of shares pursuant to our Stock Repurchase Program (the “Stock Repurchase Program”). See Item 5.Market for the Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities and Note 15.Stockholders’ Equity included in Item 15 of this Form 10-K.

Reportable Segments

St. Joe operations are reported in three segments: (1) residential, (2) hospitality and (3) commercial. For financial information about our reportable segments, see Item 7.Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, as well as Note 19.Segment Information included in Item 15 of this Form 10-K.

Investments in Joint Ventures and Limited Partnerships

As part of our core business strategy, we have created a meaningful portion of our business through JVs and limited partnerships over the past several years. We enter into these arrangements for the purposes of developing real estate and other business activities, which we believe allows us to complement our growth strategy, leverage industry expertise and diversify our business.

These entities produce meaningful revenue. However, in the case of our unconsolidated JVs, the revenue generated by these entities is not included in our revenue. Instead, investments in JVs in which we are not the primary beneficiary, or a voting interest entity where we do not have a majority voting interest or control, but have significant influence are unconsolidated and accounted for by the equity method. Equity method investments are recorded initially at cost and adjusted subsequently to recognize the investor’s share of earnings, losses and changes in capital of the investee which are included in investment in unconsolidated joint ventures in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets and equity in income (loss) from unconsolidated joint ventures in the accompanying consolidated statements of income. See Note 4.Joint Ventures included in Item 15 of this Form 10-K for additional information.

Additionally, we have determined that as of December 31, 2023, our unconsolidated LMWS, LLC JV (the “Latitude Margaritaville Watersound JV”) has met the conditions of a significant subsidiary under Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X. The Latitude Margaritaville Watersound JV did not meet the significant subsidiary test under Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X as of December 31, 2022 or as of December 31, 2021. The separate financial statements of the Latitude Margaritaville Watersound JV, as required pursuant to Rule 3-09 of Regulation S-X, are filed as Exhibit 99.1 in Item 15 of this Form 10-K.

Seasonality and Market Variability

St. Joe’s operations may be affected by seasonal fluctuations. The revenues and earnings from our business segments may vary significantly from period to period. Homebuilders tend to buy multiple homesites in sporadic transactions. In addition, homesite prices vary significantly by community, which further impacts period over period results. Therefore, there may be reporting periods in which we have no, or significantly less, revenue from residential or commercial real estate sales. We may also choose to operate rather than lease assets, lease rather than sell assets, or sell improved rather than unimproved land that may delay revenue and profits.

Hospitality revenues are typically higher in the second and third quarters, and vary depending on the timing of holidays and school breaks. Commercial real estate sales tend to be non-recurring. Projects depend on uncertain demand. Extraordinary events such as hurricanes or public health emergencies may dramatically change demand and pricing for products and services.

Competition

St. Joe competes with local, regional and national real estate related companies; some of which may have greater financial, marketing, sales and other resources than us. Competition may adversely affect our ability to attract tenants to lease our commercial, multi-family and senior living properties or to attract purchasers of our residential and commercial real estate. In addition to the strong competition we face in our residential and commercial segments, highly competitive companies participate in the hospitality business. Our ability to remain competitive and to attract new and repeat guests, customers and club members depends on our success in distinguishing the quality and value of our products and services from those offered by others. We compete based on location, price and amenities. The principal methods of competition are price and quality. Labor markets in the industries in which we operate are also competitive. We must attract, train and retain a large number of qualified employees while controlling related labor costs. We face significant competition for these employees from the industries in which we operate as well as from other industries. There can be no assurance we will be able to compete successfully against competitors or that competitive pressures will not have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

Regulations

St. Joe operations are subject to federal, state and local government laws and regulations that affect every aspect of our business, including environmental and land use laws relating to, among other things, water, air, solid waste, hazardous substances, zoning, construction permits or entitlements, building codes and the requirements of the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Act and comparable state statutes relating to the health and safety of our employees. Although we believe that we are in material compliance with these requirements, there can be no assurance that we will not incur significant costs, civil and criminal penalties, and liabilities, including those relating to claims for damages to property or natural resources, resulting from our operations. We maintain environmental and safety compliance programs for our facilities and timberlands to monitor compliance with these laws and regulations. Enactment of new laws or regulations, or changes in existing laws or regulations or the interpretation and enforcement of these laws or regulations, might require significant expenditures.

Human Capital Management

At The St. Joe Company, we believe our employees are our greatest asset. We strive to attract, retain and develop the highest quality talent. As of February 19, 2024, we employed 810 full-time employees and 168 part-time and seasonal employees.

Recruitment and Retention

Success depends upon our ability to attract and retain skilled employees. As such, we are committed to recruiting top talent and offer competitive benefits, wages and a rewarding work environment.

We have a demonstrated history of investing in our workforce by offering competitive salaries and wages, which we continuously evaluate based on the business environment and labor market. We have consistently made enhancements in wages in order to attract talent to support our growth strategy and enhance the customer experience. At times, we rely on the J-1 and H-2B visa programs to bring workers to the United States (“U.S.”) to fill seasonal staffing needs of our hospitality operations and ensure that we have the appropriate workforce in place. These programs allow students participating in internship programs to expand their cultural experience outside of their home country through employment opportunities within the hospitality environment.

In addition to competitive wages, we offer our employees and eligible family members a comprehensive and valuable benefits program. Our suite of benefits offered to all full-time employees include group health plans, which include medical, dental, vision, life and disability benefits with Company sharing of premiums for certain coverages. We also offer a 401(k) retirement savings plan with Company match, paid vacation and holidays, jury pay, bereavement leave, an employee referral bonus program, tuition reimbursement program and discounted gym memberships. From time to time we provide team members with health care screenings and vaccinations on our properties. Our employees also enjoy discounts at our Company-owned properties and amenities, as well as other exclusive discounts and special offers which may include access to preferred seating and tickets to top attractions, theme parks, shows, sporting events, movie tickets, hotels and more.

As well as being a tool for improving our human capital management strategies, we evaluate employee engagement and satisfaction annually. We focus on our employees’ opinions and collect data through focus groups. Our executive team reviews feedback from our team and, based on the response, action plans are developed to focus on areas of opportunity throughout the course of the year. We are pleased to report that our most recent annual engagement results were favorable overall and have shown that our employees are proud to work for the Company. The results of focus groups help us to continuously improve our human capital strategies and find ways to foster engagement and growth for our team members.

Diversity and Inclusion

We believe that a diverse and inclusive workplace is key to our success, and that it is our responsibility to advance racial and social equity. We strive to foster a diverse and inclusive environment where each of our team members are valued and respected while working to build a workplace, community and Company that reflects our core values.

As of February 19, 2024, approximately 32% of our workforce identify as racially diverse and approximately 47% of our workforce, including 50% of our executive management team, is comprised of female employees.

Health and Safety

The health and safety of our team members is a top priority. We are committed to providing a safe and injury-free workplace. We continually invest in programs designed to improve physical, mental and social well-being, and provide access to a variety of innovative, flexible and convenient health and wellness programs.

Community Engagement

We are actively engaged in and committed to supporting the communities we serve. Our community engagement efforts seek to bring our core values to life and make a difference in the places where we live and work. We maintain strong connections to these communities, creating positive impact through outreach, recruitment, advocacy, philanthropy, pro bono service, and volunteerism. In addition, our developments positively impact the communities in which they are located, including by creating jobs in the Northwest Florida region and improving the overall quality of life in the area.

Sustainability

We are committed to the development of sustainable and efficient operations and business practices that enhance and protect our people, our communities and our planet. Our goal is to generate shareholder value while aligning our business practices to support the interests of our stakeholders and the communities we serve, including the sustainable development of Northwest Florida. Our process of defining sustainability priorities focuses on the simultaneous improvement of the environmental, social and financial position of the Company, and our strong leadership and governance practices that strive to integrate sustainability into our business strategy and corporate culture.

The acreage we own is located in Northwest Florida and the majority is managed in our forestry operations under our commercial segment. Many of Northwest Florida's state parks, state forests and wildlife refuges were created in part with St. Joe land.

The guiding principles of our sustainable forest management practices include complying with laws and regulations, developing a long-term sustainable timber harvest plan, and understanding the economic and social impacts on the surrounding region. We take a holistic approach to managing our resources – timber, land, water, soil and wildlife – with the goal of sustainability. We are leading by example and protecting the best of Florida by working closely with environmental agencies, community leaders and leading environmental and conservation organizations. Our sustainable forest management practices take many forms, including eradication of invasive plant species, restoring wetlands, thinning forests, replanting trees and conducting prescribed burns. We carry out prescribed burns annually, which helps restore natural ecosystems, improves wildlife habitats and reduces wildfire hazards. Additionally, we are engaged in the operation of two mitigation banks, which pursuant to mitigation plans approved by the applicable state and federal authorities, produce mitigation credits that are marketed and sold to developers of land in the Bay County, Florida and Walton County, Florida areas for the purpose of enabling the developers to obtain certain regulatory permits.

Additional information regarding our sustainability efforts is available in the Stewardship section of our website at https://www.joe.com/stewardship. The content of the Stewardship section of our website is not incorporated by reference into this Form 10-K or in any other report or document filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), unless expressly noted.

Information

St. Joe’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Form 10-K”), Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q (“Form 10-Q”), Current Reports on Form 8-K (“Form 8-K”), and amendments to those reports may be viewed or downloaded electronically, free of charge, from our website at www.joe.com as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. In addition, you may review any materials we file with the SEC on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Our recent press releases are also available to be viewed or downloaded electronically from the Investor Relations section of our website at www.joe.com. St. Joe will provide electronic copies of our SEC filings free of charge upon request. Any information posted on or linked from our website is not incorporated by reference into this Form 10-K.