NORTH MIAMI BEACH, FL-Most, but not all of the financial indicators for locally based Equity One rose in 2005. That was the gist of the firm's earnings call yesterday. Full-year FFO rose 9.8% to $124.8 million, compared with $113.7 million the previous year. Full-year income from continuing operations increased as well, 16.2%, to $80.7 million, versus $69.5 million for 2004. However, fourth-quarter 2005 income from continuing operations was $17.8 million, down $1.4 million from the same quarter a year ago.
Net income for the full year was also down. It totaled $92.7 million in 2005 compared with $97.8 million in 2004, and, for fourth-quarter 2005, it was $17.8 million versus $28.3 million in the same quarter the previous year. During the call, the declines were attributed to a disparity in gains on sales of real estate. During 2005, the company realized a gain of just $11.5 million from real estate sales, while it recorded a gain of $22.2 million the year before. There were no gains from the sale of real estate in fourth quarter 2005, while gains of $8.2 million were obtained during fourth quarter 2004.
Rental rates at the company's 181 retail properties are rising. It negotiated 344 lease renewals for an aggregate of 735,729 sf during 2005 at an overall increase of 4.2% for an average of $15.16 per sf. During the year the company executed 345 new leases for an aggregate 1.4 million sf at an average rental rate of $10.18 per sf. As of Dec. 31, 2005, occupancy in the core shopping-center portfolio was 93.4%.
Citing "high occupancy levels and significant rent gains," chairman and CEO Chaim Katzman said 2005, "set the stage for higher gains from development and investment activities and for sustained earnings growth." He said the company was continuing to consider alternatives for its Texas portfolio, "including a possible sale or joint venture." Six development parcels are in the pipeline, including 155 acres in Tampa, 33 acres in Huntsville, AL and 11.2 acres in Canton, GA.
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