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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 July 31, 2015

or

☐	TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from ____________ to ____________

Commission File Number 001-35624

 

INVESTORS REAL ESTATE TRUST

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

1400 31^st Avenue SW, Suite 60

Post Office Box 1988

Minot, ND 58702-1988

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

 

(701) 837-4738

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

N/A

(Former name, former address, and former fiscal year, if changed since last report.)

 

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 the filing requirements for at least the past 90 days.

 

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted 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 and post such files).

 

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer”, “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 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).

 

 

The number of common shares of beneficial interest outstanding as of September 2, 2015, was 125,548,702.

 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

PART I

ITEM 1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - FIRST QUARTER - FISCAL 2016

INVESTORS REAL ESTATE TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (unaudited)

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

INVESTORS REAL ESTATE TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (unaudited)

for the three months ended July 31, 2015 and 2014

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

INVESTORS REAL ESTATE TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY (unaudited)

for the three months ended July 31, 2015 and 2014

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

INVESTORS REAL ESTATE TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (unaudited)

for the three months ended July 31, 2015 and 2014

 

 

(continued)

 

INVESTORS REAL ESTATE TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (unaudited, continued)

for the three months ended July 31, 2015 and 2014

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

INVESTORS REAL ESTATE TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited)

for the three months ended July 31, 2015 and 2014

 

NOTE 1 • ORGANIZATION

 

Investors Real Estate Trust (“IRET” or the “Company”) is a self-advised real estate investment trust engaged in acquiring, owning and leasing multi-family and commercial real estate. IRET has elected to be taxed as a Real Estate Investment Trust (“REIT”) under Sections 856-860 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. As a REIT, we are subject to a number of organizational and operational requirements, including a requirement to distribute 90% of ordinary taxable income to shareholders, and, generally, are not subject to federal income tax on net income, except for taxes on undistributed REIT taxable income and taxes on the income generated by our taxable REIT subsidiary (“TRS”). Our TRS is subject to corporate federal and state income tax on its taxable income at regular statutory rates. We have considered estimated future taxable income and have determined that there were no material income tax provisions or material net deferred income tax items for our TRS for the three months ended July 31, 2015 and 2014. IRET’s multi-family residential properties and commercial properties are located mainly in the states of North Dakota and Minnesota, but also in the states of Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming. As of July 31, 2015, IRET held for investment 100 multi-family residential properties with 12,027 apartment units and 81 commercial properties, consisting of healthcare, industrial and other, totaling 4.4 million net rentable square feet. IRET held for sale 67 commercial properties as of July 31, 2015. IRET conducts a majority of its business activities through its consolidated operating partnership, IRET Properties, a North Dakota Limited Partnership (the “Operating Partnership”), as well as through a number of other consolidated subsidiary entities.

 

All references to IRET or the Company refer to Investors Real Estate Trust and its consolidated subsidiaries.

 

NOTE 2 • BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

 

BASIS OF PRESENTATION

 

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of IRET and all subsidiaries in which it maintains a controlling interest. All intercompany balances and transactions are eliminated in consolidation. The Company’s fiscal year ends April 30th.

 

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of IRET and its interest in the Operating Partnership. The Company’s interest in the Operating Partnership was 90.0% of the common units of the Operating Partnership as of July 31, 2015 and 89.9% as of April 30, 2015. The limited partners in the Operating Partnership have a redemption option that they may exercise. Upon exercise of the redemption option by the limited partners, IRET has the choice of redeeming the limited partners’ interests (“Units”) for IRET common shares of beneficial interest, on a one-for-one basis, or making a cash payment to the unitholder. The redemption generally may be exercised by the limited partners at any time after the first anniversary of the date of the acquisition of the Units (provided, however, that in general not more than two redemptions by a limited partner may occur during each calendar year, and each limited partner may not exercise the redemption for less than 1,000 Units, or, if such limited partner holds less than 1,000 Units, for all of the Units held by such limited partner). The Operating Partnership and some limited partners have contractually agreed to a holding period of greater than one year and/or a greater number of redemptions during a calendar year.

 

The condensed consolidated financial statements also reflect the ownership by the Operating Partnership of certain joint venture entities in which the Operating Partnership has a general partner or controlling interest. These entities are consolidated into IRET’s other operations, with noncontrolling interests reflecting the noncontrolling partners’ share of ownership and income and expenses.

 

UNAUDITED INTERIM FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

The interim condensed consolidated financial statements of IRET have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America for interim financial information and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Accordingly, certain disclosures accompanying annual financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) are omitted. The year-end balance sheet data was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by U.S. GAAP. In the opinion of management, all adjustments, consisting solely of normal recurring adjustments, necessary for the fair presentation of the Company’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods have been included.

 

The current period’s results of operations are not necessarily indicative of results which ultimately may be achieved for the year. The interim condensed consolidated financial statements and notes thereto should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2015, as filed with the SEC on June 29, 2015.

 

RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

 

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. The standard will eliminate the transaction- and industry-specific revenue recognition guidance under current U.S. GAAP and replace it with a principle based approach for determining revenue recognition. ASU 2014-09 does not apply to lease contracts accounted for under ASC 840, Leases. The FASB recently delayed the effective date of the standard by one year. It is now effective for interim and annual reporting periods in fiscal years that begin after December 15, 2017. The Company does not expect adoption of this update to have a material impact on the Company’s operating results or financial position.

 

In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-02, Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis. ASU 2015-02 affects reporting entities that are required to evaluate whether they should consolidate certain legal entities. Specifically, the amendments: (i) modify the evaluation of whether limited partnerships and similar legal entities are variable interest entities or voting interest entities, (ii) eliminate the presumption that a general partner should consolidate a limited partnership, (iii) affect the consolidated analysis of reporting entities that are involved with variable interest entities, and (iv) provide a scope exception for certain entities.  The ASU is effective for interim and annual reporting periods in fiscal years that begin after December 15, 2015. The Company does not expect adoption of this update to have a material impact on the Company’s operating results or financial position.

 

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs. ASU 2015-03 requires that debt issuance costs be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of the debt liability to which they relate, consistent with debt discounts, as opposed to being presented as assets. The ASU is effective for interim and annual reporting periods in fiscal years that begin after December 15, 2015. The Company does not expect adoption of this update to have a material impact on the Company’s operating results or financial position.

 

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-05, Customer’s Accounting for Fees Paid in a Cloud Computing Arrangement. Under ASU 2015-05, if a cloud computing arrangement includes a software license, then the customer should account for the software license element of the arrangement consistent with the acquisition of other software licenses. If a cloud computing arrangement does not include a software license, the customer should account for the arrangement as a service contract. The ASU is effective for interim and annual reporting periods in fiscal years that begin after December 15, 2015. The Company does not expect adoption of this update to have a material impact on the Company’s operating results or financial position.

 

IMPAIRMENT OF LONG-LIVED ASSETS

 

The Company periodically evaluates its long-lived assets, including its investments in real estate, for impairment indicators. The impairment evaluation is performed on assets by property such that assets for a property form an asset group. The judgments regarding the existence of impairment indicators are based on factors such as operational performance, market conditions, expected holding period of each asset group and legal and environmental concerns. If indicators exist, the Company compares the expected future undiscounted cash flows for the long-lived asset group against the carrying amount of that asset group. If the sum of the estimated undiscounted cash flows is less than the carrying amount of the asset group, an impairment loss is recorded for the difference between the estimated fair value and the carrying amount of the asset group. If our anticipated holding period for properties, the estimated fair value of properties or other factors change based on market conditions or otherwise, our evaluation of impairment charges may be different and such differences could be material to our consolidated financial statements. The evaluation of anticipated cash flows is subjective and is based, in part, on assumptions regarding future occupancy, rental rates and capital requirements that could differ materially from actual results. Plans to hold properties over longer periods decrease the likelihood of recording impairment losses.

 

During the three months ended July 31, 2015, the Company incurred a loss of approximately $1.7 million due to impairment of one office property and one parcel of land. The Company recognized impairment of approximately $440,000 on an office property in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, which was written-down to estimated fair value during the first quarter of fiscal year 2016 based on receipt of a market offer to purchase and the Company’s intent to dispose of the property.  The Company recognized impairment of $1.3 million on a parcel of land in Grand Chute, Wisconsin based on its sale listing price and the Company’s intent to dispose of the property. The impairment loss of the Eden Prairie, Minnesota property for the first quarter of fiscal year 2016 is reported in discontinued operations.  See Note 7 for additional information. During the three months ended July 31, 2014, the Company incurred a loss of $2.3 million due to impairment of two commercial properties. The Company recognized impairments of approximately $2.1 million on a retail property in Kalispell, Montana and approximately $183,000 on an office property in Golden Valley, Minnesota. These properties were written-down to estimated fair value during the first quarter of fiscal year 2015 based on receipt of individual market offers to purchase and the Company’s intent to dispose of the properties.

 

HELD FOR SALE

 

The Company classifies properties as held for sale when they meet the U.S. GAAP criteria, which include: (a) management commits to and initiates a plan to sell the asset (disposal group), (b) the sale is probable and expected to be completed within one year under terms that are usual and customary for sales of such assets (disposal groups), and (c) actions required to complete the plan indicate that it is unlikely that significant changes to the plan will be made or that the plan will be withdrawn. Real estate held for sale is stated at the lower of its carrying amount or estimated fair value less disposal costs. Depreciation is not recorded on assets classified as held for sale. Liabilities classified as held for sale consist of liabilities to be included in the transaction and liabilities directly associated with assets that will be transferred in the transaction. At July 31, 2015, the Company had 48 office properties, 17 retail properties and two healthcare properties classified as held for sale with assets of $453.2 million and liabilities of $308.8 million. At April 30, 2015, the Company had 49 office properties, 17 retail properties and two healthcare properties classified as held for sale with assets of $463.1 million and liabilities of $321.4 million.

 

COMPENSATING BALANCES AND OTHER INVESTMENTS; HOLDBACKS

 

The Company maintains compensating balances, not restricted as to withdrawal, with several financial institutions in connection with financing received from those institutions and/or to ensure future credit availability. At July 31, 2015, the Company’s compensating balances totaled $14.2 million and consisted of the following: First International Bank, Watford City, North Dakota, deposit of $6.0 million; Private Bank, Minneapolis, Minnesota, deposit of $2.0 million; Associated Bank, Green Bay, Wisconsin, deposit of $3.6 million; American National Bank, Omaha, Nebraska, deposit of $400,000; Dacotah Bank, Minot, North Dakota, deposit of $350,000; United Community Bank, Minot, North Dakota, deposit of $275,000; Peoples State Bank of Velva, North Dakota, deposit of $225,000, Commerce Bank, a Minnesota Banking Corporation, deposit of $100,000,and Bremer Bank, Saint Paul, Minnesota, deposit of $1.3 million. The deposits at United Community Bank and a portion of the deposit at Dacotah Bank are held as certificates of deposit and comprise the approximately $329,000 in other investments on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. The certificates of deposit have remaining terms of less than one year and the Company intends to hold them to maturity.

 

The Company has a number of mortgage loans under which the lender retains a portion of the loan proceeds or requires a deposit for the payment of construction costs or tenant improvements. The decrease of $1.4 million in holdbacks for improvements reflected in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the three months ended July 31, 2015 is due primarily to the release of loan proceeds to the Company upon completion of construction and tenant improvement projects, while the increase of approximately $292,000 represents additional amounts retained by lenders for new projects.

 

IDENTIFIED INTANGIBLE ASSETS AND LIABILITIES AND GOODWILL

 

Upon acquisition of real estate, the Company records the intangible assets and liabilities acquired (for example, if the leases in place for the real estate property acquired carry rents above the market rent, the difference is classified as an intangible asset) at their estimated fair value separate and apart from goodwill. The Company amortizes identified intangible assets and liabilities that are determined to have finite lives based on the period over which the assets and liabilities are expected to affect, directly or indirectly, the future cash flows of the real estate property acquired (generally the life of the lease). In the three months ended July 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively, the Company added approximately $0 and $265,000 of new intangible assets and no new intangible liabilities. The weighted average lives of the intangible assets acquired in the three months ended July 31, 2015 and 2014 are 0 years and 0.5 years, respectively. Amortization of intangibles related to above or below-market leases is recorded in real estate rentals in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations. Amortization of other intangibles is recorded in depreciation/amortization related to real estate investments in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations. Intangible assets subject to amortization are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying amount may not be recoverable. An impairment loss is recognized if the carrying amount of an intangible asset is not recoverable and its carrying amount exceeds its estimated fair value.

 

The Company’s identified intangible assets and intangible liabilities at July 31, 2015 and April 30, 2015 were as follows:

 

 

The amortization of acquired below-market leases and acquired above-market leases reduced rental income by approximately $6,000 for the three months ended July 31, 2015 and 2014. The estimated annual amortization of acquired below-market leases, net of acquired above-market leases, for each of the five succeeding fiscal years is as follows:

 

 

Amortization of all other identified intangible assets (a component of depreciation and amortization expense) was $1.0 million and $1.2 million for the three months ended July 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The estimated annual amortization of all other identified intangible assets for each of the five succeeding fiscal years is as follows:

 

 

The excess of the cost of an acquired business over the net of the amounts assigned to assets acquired (including identified intangible assets) and liabilities assumed is recorded as goodwill.  The Company’s goodwill has an indeterminate life and is not amortized, but is tested for impairment on an annual basis, or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate that the asset might be impaired. The book value of goodwill as of July 31, 2015 and April 30, 2015 was $1.7 million. Approximately $193,000 of goodwill is included in assets held for sale at July 31, 2015 and April 30, 2015. The annual review at April 30, 2015 indicated no impairment to goodwill and there was no indication of impairment at July 31, 2015.  During the three months ended July 31, 2014, the Company recognized approximately $852,000 of goodwill from the acquisition of the Homestead Garden residential property.

 

USE OF ESTIMATES

 

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

 

RECLASSIFICATIONS

 

Certain previously reported amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current financial statement presentation.  On the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets, the Company reclassified assets and liabilities held for sale to assets held for sale and liabilities held for sale, respectively, for 48 office properties, 17 retail properties and 2 healthcare properties. On the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations, the Company reclassified advisory and trustee services to administrative expenses.

 

The Company reports, in discontinued operations, the results of operations and the related gains or losses of properties that have either been disposed of or classified as held for sale and for which the disposition represents a strategic shift that has or will have a major effect on the Company’s operations and financial results. As the result of discontinued operations, retroactive reclassifications that change prior period numbers have been made. See Note 7 for additional information. During the first quarter of fiscal year 2016, the Company classified as discontinued operations 48 office properties, 17 retail properties and 1 healthcare property.

 

PROCEEDS FROM FINANCING LIABILITY

 

During the first quarter of fiscal year 2014, the Company sold a non-core assisted living property in exchange for $7.9 million in cash and a $29.0 million contract for deed. The buyer leased the property back to the Company, and also granted an option to the Company to repurchase the property at a specified price at or prior to July 31, 2018. IRET accounted for the transaction as a financing due to the Company’s continuing involvement with the property and recorded the $7.9 million in sales proceeds within other liabilities on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.  The balance of the liability as of July 31, 2015 is $7.9 million.

 

VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITY

 

On November 27, 2012, the Company entered into a joint venture operating agreement with a real estate development company to construct an apartment project in Minot, North Dakota as IRET – Minot Apartments, LLC, with approximately 69% of the project financed with third-party debt and approximately 7% financed with debt from IRET to the joint venture entity. The two-phase project was substantially completed in the third quarter of fiscal year 2015. As of July 31, 2015, IRET is the approximately 52.9% owner of the joint venture and has management and leasing responsibilities; the real estate development company owns approximately 47.1% of the joint venture and was responsible for the development and construction of the property. The Company has determined that the joint venture is a variable interest entity (“VIE”), primarily based on the fact that the equity investment at risk is not sufficient to permit the entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support. The Company has also determined that IRET is the primary beneficiary of the VIE due to the fact that IRET is providing more than 50% of the equity contributions, the subordinated debt and a guarantee on the third party debt and has the power to direct the most significant activities that impact the entity’s economic performance.

 

NOTE 3 • EARNINGS PER SHARE

 

Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing net income available to common shareholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. The Company has no outstanding options, warrants, convertible stock or other contractual obligations requiring issuance of additional shares that would result in dilution of earnings. Units can be exchanged for shares on a one-for-one basis after a minimum holding period of one year. The following table presents a reconciliation of the numerator and denominator used to calculate basic and diluted earnings per share reported in the condensed consolidated financial statements for the three months ended July 31, 2015 and 2014:

 

 

NOTE 4 • EQUITY

 

During the second quarter of fiscal year 2014, the Company and its Operating Partnership entered into an ATM sales agreement with Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated as sales agent, pursuant to which the Company may from time to time sell the Company’s common shares of beneficial interest having an aggregate offering price of up to $75 million. The shares would be issued pursuant to the Company’s currently-effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3ASR. The Company to date has issued no shares under the ATM program.

 

During the first quarter of fiscal year 2016, the Company issued approximately 220,000 common shares, net of withholding, with a total grant-date value of approximately $1.6 million, under the Company’s 2008 Incentive Award Plan, for executive officer and trustee share-based compensation for fiscal year 2015 performance. Of these shares, approximately 108,000 are restricted, and will vest on the one-year anniversary of the grant date (i.e., on April 30, 2016), provided the recipient is still employed with the Company, and subject to the terms and conditions of the Company’s long-term incentive plan (“LTIP”).   During the first quarter of fiscal year 2015, the Company issued approximately 204,000 common shares, with a total grant-date value of approximately $1.9 million, under the Company’s 2008 Incentive Award Plan, for executive officer and trustee share-based compensation for fiscal year 2014 performance.

 

The Company has a Distribution Reinvestment and Share Purchase Plan (“DRIP”). The DRIP provides common shareholders of the Company and Unitholders of the Operating Partnership an opportunity to invest their cash distributions in common shares of the Company, and purchase additional shares through voluntary cash contributions. The maximum monthly voluntary cash contribution permitted without prior Company approval is currently $10,000. The Company can issue waivers to DRIP participants to provide for investments in excess of the $10,000 maximum monthly investment. There were no waivers issued during the three months ended July 31, 2015. During the three months ended July 31, 2014, the Company issued approximately 926,000 shares at an average price of $8.64 per share pursuant to such waivers, for total net proceeds to the Company of $8.0 million.

 

During the three months ended July 31, 2015 and 2014, approximately 766,000 and 2.4 million common shares with a total value included in equity of $5.2 million and $20.9 million, and an average price per share after applicable discounts of $6.84 and $8.64, respectively, were issued under the DRIP plan.

 

During the three months ended July 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively, approximately 78,000 Units and 3.1 million Units were converted to common shares, with a total value of approximately $576,000 and $18.3 million included in equity.

 

NOTE 5 • SEGMENT REPORTING

 

IRET reports its results in three reportable segments: multi-family residential, healthcare (including senior housing) and industrial properties. The Company’s reportable segments are aggregations of similar properties.  The Company also has office and retail segments which fall below the quantitative thresholds for reporting as reportable segments.  The office and retail segments met the quantitative threshold for determining reportable segments prior to the first quarter of fiscal year 2016, at which time the Company classified the majority of the properties in those segments as held for sale and discontinued operations.

 

IRET measures the performance of its segments based on net operating income (“NOI”), which the Company defines as total real estate revenues and gain on involuntary conversion less real estate expenses (which consist of utilities, maintenance, real estate taxes, insurance, property management expenses and other property expenses). IRET believes that NOI is an important supplemental measure of operating performance for a REIT’s operating real estate because it provides a measure of core operations that is unaffected by depreciation, amortization, financing and general and administrative expense. NOI does not represent cash generated by operating activities in accordance with GAAP and should not be considered an alternative to net income, net income available for common shareholders or cash flow from operating activities as a measure of financial performance.

 

The revenues and NOI for these reportable segments are summarized as follows for the three month periods ended July 31, 2015 and 2014, along with reconciliations to the condensed consolidated financial statements. Segment assets are also reconciled to total assets as reported in the condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

 

 

(1)

NOI from segments below the quantitative thresholds is attributable to the Company’s office and retail segments. Both of these segments met the quantitative threshold for determining reportable segments prior to the first quarter of fiscal year 2016, at which time the Company classified the majority of the properties in these segments as held for sale and discontinued operations.

 

Segment Assets and Accumulated Depreciation

 

Segment assets are summarized as follows as of July 31, 2015, and April 30, 2015, along with reconciliations to the condensed consolidated financial statements:

 

(1)

Property owned from segments below the quantitative thresholds is attributable to the Company’s office and retail segments. Both of these segments met the quantitative threshold for determining reportable segments prior to the first quarter of fiscal year 2016, at which time the Company classified the majority of the properties in these segments as held for sale and discontinued operations.

 

NOTE 6 • COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

 

Litigation.  The Company is not a party to any legal proceedings which are expected to have a material effect on the Company’s liquidity, financial position, cash flows or results of operations. The Company is subject to a variety of legal actions for personal injury or property damage arising in the ordinary course of its business, most of which are covered by liability insurance. Various claims of resident discrimination are also periodically brought, most of which also are covered by insurance. While the resolution of these matters cannot be predicted with certainty, management believes that the final outcome of such legal proceedings and claims will not have a material effect on the Company’s liquidity, financial position, cash flows or results of operations.

 

Insurance.  IRET carries insurance coverage on its properties in amounts and types that the Company believes are customarily obtained by owners of similar properties and are sufficient to achieve IRET’s risk management objectives.

 

Purchase Options.  The Company has granted options to purchase certain IRET properties to tenants in these properties, under lease agreements. In general, the options grant the tenant the right to purchase the property at the greater of such property’s appraised value or an annual compounded increase of a specified percentage of the initial cost of the property to IRET. As of July 31, 2015, the total property cost of the 15 properties subject to purchase options was $114.9 million, and the total gross rental revenue from these properties was $2.5 million for the three months ended July 31, 2015.  The tenant in the Company’s Nebraska Orthopaedic Hospital property has exercised its option to purchase the property. The Company and its tenant are currently engaged in an arbitration proceeding pursuant to the lease agreement to determine the purchase price. The Company currently can give no assurance if or when such sale of the property pursuant to the purchase option will be completed.

 

Environmental Matters.  Under various federal, state and local laws, ordinances and regulations, a current or previous owner or operator of real estate may be liable for the costs of removal of, or remediation of, certain hazardous or toxic substances in, on, around or under the property. While IRET currently has no knowledge of any material violation of environmental laws, ordinances or regulations at any of its properties, there can be no assurance that areas of contamination will not be identified at any of the Company’s properties, or that changes in environmental laws, regulations or cleanup requirements would not result in material costs to the Company.

 

Restrictions on Taxable Dispositions.  Approximately 93 of IRET’s properties, consisting of 4.2 million square feet of the Company’s combined commercial segments’ properties and 5,022 apartment units, are subject to restrictions on taxable dispositions under agreements entered into with some of the sellers or contributors of the properties. The real estate investment amount of these properties (net of accumulated depreciation) was $741.9 million at July 31, 2015. The restrictions on taxable dispositions are effective for varying periods. The terms of these agreements generally prevent the Company from selling the properties in taxable transactions. The Company does not believe that the agreements materially affect the conduct of the Company’s business or decisions whether to dispose of restricted properties during the restriction period because the Company generally holds these and the Company's other properties for investment purposes, rather than for sale. Historically, however, where IRET has deemed it to be in the shareholders’ best interests to dispose of restricted properties, it has done so through transactions structured as tax-deferred transactions under Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code. Of the 93 restricted properties, 17 are classified as discontinued operations at July 31, 2015, with at least $37.3 million of estimated sale proceeds expected to be exchanged under Section 1031.

 

Redemption Value of Units.  The Units of the Operating Partnership are redeemable at the option of the holder for cash, or, at the Company’s option, for the Company’s common shares on a one-for-one basis, after a minimum one-year holding period.  All Units receive the same cash distributions as those paid on common shares.  Units are redeemable for an amount of cash per Unit equal to the average of the daily market price of an IRET common share for the ten consecutive trading days immediately preceding the date of valuation of the Unit.  As of July 31, 2015 and 2014, the aggregate redemption value of the then-outstanding Units of the Operating Partnership owned by limited partners was approximately $100.3 million and $154.4 million, respectively.

 

Joint Venture Buy/Sell Options.  Several of IRET's joint venture agreements contain buy/sell options in which each party under certain circumstances has the option to acquire the interest of the other party, but do not generally require that the Company buy its partners’ interests. However, from time to time, the Company has entered into joint venture agreements which contain options compelling the Company to acquire the interest of the other parties. The Company currently has one such joint venture, the Company’s Southgate apartment project in Minot, North Dakota, in which the Company’s joint venture partner can, for the four-year period from February 6, 2016 through February 5, 2020, compel the Company to acquire the partner’s interest, for a price to be determined in accordance with the provisions of the joint venture agreement.  The joint venture partner’s interest is reflected as a redeemable noncontrolling interest on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.

 

Tenant Improvements. In entering into leases with tenants, IRET may commit itself to fund improvements or build-outs of the rented space to suit tenant requirements. These tenant improvements are typically funded at the beginning of the lease term, and IRET is accordingly exposed to some risk of loss if a tenant defaults prior to the expiration of the lease term, and the rental income that was expected to cover the cost of the tenant improvements is not received. As of July 31, 2015, the Company is committed to fund $7.8 million in tenant improvements, within approximately the next 12 months. Of this total, approximately $5.2 million is related to properties classified as held for sale.

 

Development, Expansion and Renovation Projects.  As of July 31, 2015, the Company had several development, expansion and renovation projects underway or placed in service during the quarter, the costs for which have been capitalized, as follows:

 

(1)	Anticipated total cost includes estimated tenant improvement costs that have not been incurred as of July 31, 2015.

(2)	The Company is currently an approximately 70.0% partner in the joint venture entity constructing this project. The anticipated total cost amount given is the total cost to the joint venture entity.

(3)

The project will be constructed in three phases by a joint venture entity in which the Company has an approximately 52.6% interest. The anticipated total cost amount given in the table above is the total cost to the joint venture entity. The anticipated total cost includes approximately 21,772 square feet of retail space.

(4)	This project will be constructed in two phases with approximately 202 units and an anticipated total cost of $31.5 million.

These development projects are subject to various contingencies, and no assurances can be given that they will be completed within the time frames or on the terms currently expected.

 

Construction interest capitalized for the three month periods ended July 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively, was $2.3 million and $1.0 million for development projects completed and in progress.

 

Pending Acquisitions. The Company currently has signed purchase agreements for the acquisition of the following properties. These pending acquisitions are subject to various closing conditions and contingencies, and no assurances can be given that the transactions will be completed on the terms currently proposed, or at all:

 

·

a 74-unit multi-family residential property in Grand Forks, North Dakota, for a purchase price of $9.3 million, of which approximately $8.9 million is to be paid in cash with the remainder in Units of the Operating Partnership valued at approximately $400,000; and

 

·

a 276-unit multi-family residential property in Rochester, Minnesota, for a purchase price of $56.0 million, to be paid in cash.

 

Pending Dispositions. The Company currently has signed sales agreements for the disposition of the following properties. These pending dispositions are subject to various closing conditions and contingencies, and no assurances can be given that the transactions will be completed on the terms currently proposed, or at all:

 

·

a portfolio of 17 retail properties in Minnesota, Nebraska and North Dakota for a sales price of $80.6 million; and

 

·

an office property in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, for a sales price of $2.9 million.

 

NOTE 7 • DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS

 

The Company reports in discontinued operations the results of operations and any gain or loss on sale of a property or group of properties that has either been disposed of or is classified as held for sale and for which the disposition represents a strategic shift that has or will have a major effect on the Company’s operations and financial results. During the first quarter of fiscal year 2016, the Company determined that its strategic plan to exit the office and retail segments met the criteria for discontinued operations. Accordingly, 48 office properties, 17 retail properties and 1 healthcare property which were classified as held for sale at July 31, 2015 were also classified as discontinued operations. The Company expects to dispose of the bulk of these properties in portfolio sales in the remainder of fiscal year 2016. In connection with the 9 properties encumbered by a $122.6 million CMBS loan, the Company is currently discussing a deed in lieu agreement with the lender, but the Company can give no assurance that such resolution will be entered into or that another mutually acceptable resolution will be reached.

 

The following information shows the effect on net income from the properties classified as discontinued operations for the three months ended July 31, 2015 and 2014:

 

 

(1)	Includes $1.5 million  and $0, respectively, of default interest related to a $122.6 million non-recourse loan by a Company subsidiary, for which we received a default notice from the special servicer on April 14, 2015 due to nonpayment on April 6, 2015.

The following information reconciles the carrying amounts of major classes of assets and liabilities of the discontinued operations to assets and liabilities held for sale that are presented separately on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets:

 

 

NOTE 8 • ACQUISITIONS, DEVELOPMENTS PLACED IN SERVICE AND DISPOSITIONS

 

PROPERTY ACQUISITIONS

 

The Company added no new real estate properties to its portfolio through property acquisitions during the three months ended July 31, 2015, compared to $26.6 million in the three months ended July 31, 2014. The Company expensed approximately $75,000 of transaction costs related to the acquisitions in the three months ended July 31, 2014. The Company’s acquisitions during the three months ended January 31, 2014 are detailed below.

 

Three Months Ended July 31, 2014

 

 

(1)	Consists of assumed debt (Homestead Garden I: $9.9 million, Silver Springs: $2.3 million) and value of land contributed by the joint venture partner (71 France: $1.4 million).

(2)	At acquisition, the Company adjusted the assumed debt to fair value and recognized approximately $852,000 of goodwill.

(3)	Land was contributed to a joint venture in which the Company has an approximately 52.6% interest. The joint venture is consolidated in IRET’s financial statements.

 

There were no acquisitions in the three months ended July 31, 2015.  Acquisitions in the three months ended July 31, 2014 are immaterial to our real estate portfolio both individually and in the aggregate, and consequently no proforma information is presented. The results of operations from acquired properties are included in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations as of their acquisition date. The revenue and net income of our acquisitions in the three months ended July 31, 2014, respectively, (excluding development projects placed in service) are detailed below.

 

 

DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS PLACED IN SERVICE

 

The Operating Partnership placed $105.8 million and $10.3 million of development projects in service during the three months ended July 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively, as detailed below.

 

Three Months Ended July 31, 2015

 

 

(1)	Costs paid in prior fiscal years totaled $12.3 million. Additional costs paid in fiscal year 2016 totaled $2.3 million, for a total project cost at July 31, 2015 of $14.6 million.

(2)

Costs paid in prior fiscal years totaled $57.7 million. Additional costs paid in fiscal year 2016 totaled $4.6 million, for a total project cost at July 31, 2015 of $62.3 million. The project is owned by a joint venture entity in which the Company has an approximately 70.0% interest. The joint venture is consolidated in IRET’s financial statements.

(3)	Costs paid in prior fiscal years totaled $20.8 million. Additional costs paid in fiscal year 2016 totaled $8.0 million, for a total project cost at July 31, 2015 of $28.8 million.

 

Three Months Ended July 31, 2014

 

 

(1)	Costs paid in prior fiscal years totaled $8.1 million. Additional costs paid in fiscal year 2015 totaled $2.2 million for a total project cost at July 31, 2014 of $10.3 million.

 

PROPERTY DISPOSITIONS

 

During the first quarter of fiscal year 2016, the Company sold one office property for a total sales price of $7.0 million. During the first quarter of fiscal year 2015, the Company sold one office property and one industrial property for a total sales price of $6.7 million. The Company also demolished a building at a retail property in Weston, Wisconsin. The following table details the Company’s dispositions during the three months ended July 31, 2015 and 2014:

 

Three Months Ended July 31, 2015

 

 

Three Months Ended July 31, 2014

 

NOTE 9 • MORTGAGES PAYABLE AND LINE OF CREDIT

 

Most of the properties owned by the Company serve as collateral for separate mortgage loans on single properties or groups of properties. The majority of these mortgages payable are non-recourse to the Company, other than for standard carve-out obligations such as fraud, waste, failure to insure, environmental conditions and failure to pay real estate taxes. Interest rates on mortgages payable range from 2.69% to 8.25%, and the mortgages have varying maturity dates from the current fiscal year through July 1, 2036. As of July 31, 2015, the management of the Company believes there are no defaults or material compliance issues in regard to any mortgages payable other than one $122.6 million non-recourse loan by a Company subsidiary, for which we received a default notice from the special servicer on April 14, 2015 due to nonpayment on April 6, 2015. This loan is related to assets held for sale. The aggregate estimated fair value of the assets securing this loan is less than the outstanding loan balance of $122.6 million. This loan matures in October 2016 and has an interest rate of 5.93%. The Company is currently discussing a deed in lieu agreement with the lender, but the Company can give no assurance that such resolution will be entered into or that another mutually acceptable resolution will be reached.

 

Of the mortgages payable, the balances of fixed rate mortgages totalled $619.2 million at July 31, 2015 and $629.8 million at April 30, 2015. The balances of variable rate mortgages totalled $50.6 million and $38.3 million as of July 31, 2015 and April 30, 2015, respectively. The Company does not utilize derivative financial instruments to mitigate its exposure to changes in market interest rates. Most of the fixed rate mortgages have substantial pre-payment penalties. As of July 31, 2015, the weighted average rate of interest on the Company’s mortgage debt was 4.89%, compared to 4.95% on April 30, 2015. The aggregate amount of required future principal payments on mortgages payable as of July 31, 2015, excluding $293.0 million in outstanding mortgage indebtedness related to assets held for sale, is as follows:

 

 

In addition to the individual first mortgage loans comprising the Company’s $669.7 million of mortgage indebtedness, the Company also has a revolving, multi-bank line of credit with First International Bank and Trust, Watford City, North Dakota, as lead bank, which had, as of July 31, 2015, lending commitments of $100.0 million. This facility is not included in the Company’s mortgage indebtedness total. As of July 31, 2015, the line of credit was secured by mortgages on 16 properties. Under the terms of the line of credit, properties may be added and removed from the collateral pool with the agreement of the lenders. Participants in this credit facility as of July 31, 2015 included, in addition to First International Bank, the following financial institutions: The Bank of North Dakota; First Western Bank and Trust; Dacotah Bank; Highland Bank; American State Bank & Trust Company; Town & Country Credit Union, WoodTrust Bank, and United Community Bank. As of July 31, 2015, the line of credit had an interest rate of 4.75% and a minimum outstanding principal balance requirement of $17.5 million, and as of July 31, 2015 and April 30, 2015, the Company had borrowed $83.5 million and $60.5 million, respectively. The facility includes covenants and restrictions requiring the Company to achieve on a fiscal and calendar quarter basis a debt service coverage ratio on borrowing base collateral of 1.25x in the aggregate and 1.00x on individual assets in the collateral pool, and the Company is also required to maintain minimum depository account(s) totaling $6.0 million with First International, of which $1.5 million is to be held in a non-interest bearing account. As of July 31, 2015, the Company believes it was in compliance with the facility covenants.

 

NOTE 10 • FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

 

ASC 820, Fair Value Measurement and Disclosures defines and establishes a framework for measuring fair value.  The objective of fair value is to determine the price that would be received upon the sale of an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date (the exit price). ASC 820 establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes observable and unobservable inputs used to measure fair value into three levels, as follows:

 

Level 1:  Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets

 

Level 2:  Significant other observable inputs

 

Level 3:  Significant unobservable inputs

 

Fair value estimates may be different than the amounts that may ultimately be realized upon sale or disposition of the assets and liabilities.

 

Fair Value Measurements on a Recurring Basis

 

The Company had no assets or liabilities recorded at fair value on a recurring basis at July 31, 2015 and April 30, 2015.

 

Fair Value Measurements on a Nonrecurring Basis

 

Non-financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis at July 31, 2015 consisted of real estate investments and real estate held for sale that were written-down to estimated fair value during the three months ended July 31, 2015. Non-financial assets measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis at April 30, 2015 consisted of real estate held for sale that was written-down to estimated fair value during fiscal year 2015. See Note 2 for additional information on impairment losses recognized during fiscal years 2016 and 2015. The aggregate fair value of these assets by their levels in the fair value hierarchy are as follows:

 

 

Financial Assets and Liabilities Not Measured at Fair Value

 

The following methods and assumptions were used to estimate the fair value of each class of financial assets and liabilities. The fair values of the Company’s financial instruments approximate their carrying amount in the consolidated financial statements except for debt.

 

Cash and Cash Equivalents. The carrying amount approximates fair value because of the short maturity.

 

Other Investments. The carrying amount, or cost plus accrued interest, of the certificates of deposit approximates fair value.

 

Other Debt. For variable rate loans that re-price frequently, fair values are based on carrying values. The fair value of fixed rate loans is estimated based on the discounted cash flows of the loans using relevant treasury interest rates plus credit spreads (Level 2).

 

Lines of Credit.  The carrying amount approximates fair value because the variable rate debt re-prices frequently.

 

Mortgages Payable. For variable rate loans that re-price frequently, fair values are based on carrying values. The fair value of fixed rate loans is estimated based on the discounted cash flows of the loans using relevant treasury interest rates plus credit spreads (Level 2).

 

The estimated fair values of the Company’s financial instruments as of July 31, 2015 and April 30, 2015, are as follows: