MAA Mid America Apartment Communities Inc

GERMANTOWN, Tenn., Feb. 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc., or MAA (NYSE: MAA), today announced operating results for the three months ended December 31, 2024.

A reconciliation of Net income available for MAA common shareholders to FFO and Core FFO, and discussion of the components of FFO and Core FFO, can be found later in this release. FFO per Share – diluted and Core FFO per Share – diluted include diluted common shares and units. 

Eric Bolton, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said, "We are encouraged by the performance trends captured in the fourth quarter and the early signs of improvement in pricing trends as the record level of new supply deliveries has now peaked.  Calendar year 2025 will be a transition year for revenue performance as the decline in new supply deliveries will provide for increasingly tighter market conditions and resulting rent growth.  As we reprice leases over the busy spring and summer leasing season, the compounding impact in overall revenue performance will become increasingly evident late this year and into 2026. Same Store Portfolio blended lease pricing, on a sequential basis from the seasonally strong third quarter to the typically slower fourth quarter, improved 140 basis points as compared to the same sequential trend of the prior year.  Capturing this improvement in year-over-year pricing trends, despite the record level of new supply deliveries over the past year, we believe speaks to the continued strong demand for apartment housing across our portfolio.  Further, it puts MAA in a solid position to capture recovery in rental pricing as we head into 2025 with the delivery of new supply poised to meaningfully decline."

Highlights

• During the fourth quarter of 2024, MAA's Same Store Portfolio captured strong Average Physical Occupancy of 95.6%. During the fourth quarter of 2024, MAA's Same Store Portfolio revenue decreased 0.2%, as compared to the same period in the prior year, with Average Effective Rent per Unit down 0.5%, partially offset by a 1.8% increase in other property revenues.
• During the fourth quarter of 2024, MAA's Same Store Portfolio property operating expense increased by 3.4% and MAA's Same Store Portfolio Net Operating Income (NOI) decreased by 2.1%, in each case as compared to the same period in the prior year.
• As of December 31, 2024, resident turnover remained historically low at 42.0% on a trailing twelve month basis with a record low level of move-outs associated with buying single family-homes.
• During the fourth quarter of 2024, MAA acquired a newly built 386-unit multifamily community located in Dallas, Texas.
• During the fourth quarter of 2024, MAA closed on the disposition of a 216-unit multifamily community located in Charlotte, North Carolina and a 272-unit multifamily community located in Richmond, Virginia for combined net proceeds of approximately $85 million, resulting in combined gain on the sale of depreciable real estate assets of approximately $55 million.
• As of December 31, 2024, MAA had seven communities under development, representing 2,312 units once complete, with a projected total cost of $851.5 million and an estimated $374.3 million remaining to be funded. During the fourth quarter of 2024, MAA completed the development of MAA Milepost 35 located in Denver, Colorado and started construction on a 219-unit phase II multifamily expansion at the property. During the fourth quarter of 2024, MAA also completed the development of Novel Val Vista, located in the Phoenix, Arizona market.
• As of December 31, 2024, MAA had four recently completed development communities and four recently acquired communities in lease-up. Two communities are expected to stabilize in the first quarter of 2025, one in the second quarter of 2025, four in the third quarter of 2025 and one in the second quarter of 2026.
• In December 2024, MAA's operating partnership, Mid-America Apartments, L.P. (referred to as MAALP or the Operating Partnership), issued $350.0 million of 10-year unsecured senior notes at a coupon of 4.950% and an issue price of 99.170%.
• MAA's balance sheet remains strong with a Net Debt/Adjusted EBITDAre ratio of 4.0x and $1.0 billion of combined cash and available capacity under MAALP's unsecured revolving credit facility as of December 31, 2024.

Same Store Portfolio Operating Results
To ensure comparable reporting with prior periods, the Same Store Portfolio includes properties that were owned by MAA and stabilized at the beginning of the previous year. Same Store Portfolio results for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2024 as compared to the same periods in the prior year are summarized below:

A reconciliation of Net income available for MAA common shareholders to NOI, including Same Store NOI, and discussion of the components of NOI, can be found later in this release.

Same Store Portfolio operating statistics for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2024 are summarized below:

Same Store Portfolio lease pricing for new leases that were effective during the fourth quarter of 2024 declined 8.0%, while Same Store Portfolio lease pricing for renewing leases that were effective during the fourth quarter of 2024 increased 4.2%, producing a decrease of 2.0% for both new and renewing lease pricing on a blended basis in the fourth quarter of 2024 as compared to the prior lease.

Same Store Portfolio lease pricing for both new and renewing leases effective during the year ended December 31, 2024, on a blended basis, declined 0.5% as compared to the prior lease, driven by a 5.9% decrease for leases to new move-in residents, partially offset by a 4.4% increase for renewing leases. 

Brad Hill, President and Chief Investment Officer, said, "We remain focused on optimizing our portfolio to deliver enhanced performance throughout 2025 and beyond as the demand and supply dynamics continue to improve. In the fourth quarter, our average physical occupancy was 10 basis points better than the same period in 2023 and we finished the year with exposure, which represents all current vacant units plus all notices to vacate over the next 60 days, 60 basis points better than the prior year.  We are encouraged by other positive trends as well.  As of January 31, 2025, our exposure improved by 70 basis points compared to the prior year.  Similarly, through the month of January, we observed better than normal seasonal blended pricing trends, with a few additional markets showing positive lease-over-lease rates.  While the performance from our existing portfolio is gaining momentum, we are increasing our investments in several initiatives that will enhance efficiencies and deliver stronger future earnings growth.  Additionally, as our lease-up properties reach stabilization, we expect a growing earnings contribution from this component of our portfolio as new deliveries decrease within our markets."

Acquisition and Disposition Activity
In October 2024, MAA acquired a 386-unit multifamily community located in Dallas, Texas for approximately $106 million.  In December 2024, MAA acquired a 3-acre land parcel in the Raleigh, North Carolina market for approximately $5 million for future development.

In October 2024, MAA closed on the disposition of a 216-unit multifamily community located in Charlotte, North Carolina for net proceeds of approximately $38 million.  In December 2024, MAA also closed on the disposition of a 272-unit multifamily community located in Richmond, Virginia for net proceeds of approximately $47 million. 

Development and Lease-up Activity
A summary of MAA's development communities under construction as of the end of the fourth quarter of 2024 is set forth below (dollars in thousands):

During the fourth quarter of 2024, MAA funded approximately $64 million of costs for current and planned projects, including predevelopment activities.

During the fourth quarter of 2024,  MAA completed the development of MAA Milepost 35 located in Denver, Colorado and started construction on a 219-unit phase II multifamily expansion at the property. The phase II development is expected to deliver its first units in the second quarter of 2026, to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2026 and to reach stabilization in the fourth quarter of 2027 at a total cost of approximately $78 million. During the fourth quarter of 2024, MAA also completed the development of Novel Val Vista, located in the Phoenix, Arizona market

A summary of the total units, physical occupancy and cost of MAA's lease-up communities as of the end of the fourth quarter of 2024 is set forth below (dollars in thousands):

Property Redevelopment and Repositioning Activity
A summary of MAA's interior redevelopment program as of the end of the fourth quarter of 2024 is set forth below:

As of December 31, 2024, MAA had completed installation of Smart Home technology (unit entry locks, mobile control of lights and thermostat and leak monitoring) in over 96,000 units across its apartment community portfolio providing an increase in Average Effective Rent per Unit of approximately $25 per month since the initiative began during the first quarter of 2019.

During the fourth quarter of 2024, MAA continued its property repositioning program to upgrade and reposition the amenity and common areas at select apartment communities for higher and above market rent growth after projects are completed and units are fully repriced. For the year ended December 31, 2024, MAA spent $4.8 million on this program. 

Capital Expenditures
A summary of MAA's capital expenditures and Funds Available for Distribution (FAD) for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 is set forth below (dollars in millions, except per Share data):

A reconciliation of Net income available for MAA common shareholders to FFO, Core FFO, Core AFFO and FAD, and discussion of the components of FFO, Core FFO, Core AFFO and FAD, can be found later in this release. 

Balance Sheet and Financing Activities
As of December 31, 2024, MAA had $1.0 billion of combined cash and available capacity under MAALP's unsecured revolving credit facility.

Dividends and distributions paid on shares of common stock and noncontrolling interests during the fourth quarter of 2024 were $176.3 million, as compared to $167.8 million for the same period in the prior year.

In December 2024, MAALP publicly issued $350.0 million of unsecured notes due March 2035 with a coupon rate of 4.950% per annum and at an issue price of 99.170%. Interest is payable semi-annually in arrears on March 1 and September 1 of each year, commencing September 1, 2025. The proceeds from the sale of the notes were used to repay borrowings on MAALP's commercial paper program. The notes have an effective interest rate of 5.053%.

Balance sheet highlights as of December 31, 2024 are summarized below (dollars in billions):

A reconciliation of Unsecured notes payable and Secured notes payable to Net Debt and a reconciliation of Net income to Adjusted EBITDAre, along with discussion of the components of Net Debt and Adjusted EBITDAre, can be found later in this release.

Corporate Sustainability
As of December 31, 2024, MAA's corporate initiatives have led to significant progress in key sustainability performance areas. After achieving its original 2018 baseline targets in 2023, MAA re-established its 2028 targets in 2024 to further improve the reduction in energy use intensity (EUI) and reduction in GHG emissions intensity (GEI). Through December 31, 2023, MAA achieved a 29% reduction in EUI and a 36% reduction in GEI from its 2018 baseline, with the aim to reduce EUI and GEI by 35% and 45% by 2028, respectively. Additionally, as of December 31, 2024, MAA completed its initiative to retrofit common area light fixtures in its portfolio to LED lighting to maximize energy efficiency and MAA had 51 green-certified communities, representing over 15% of its portfolio. 

MAA has several community engagement efforts underway and continues to report its progress through its 5^th annual Corporate Sustainability Report, published in October 2024, CDP disclosure, and GRESB assessment, the latter of which MAA has now improved year over year since its first submission in 2020 to a score of 80. MAA believes its initiatives related to solar panel and building automation systems, together with an expansion of its smart irrigation initiative, continue an integrated pathway for sustainability, enhance its resiliency, and create a positive impact for MAA's residents, associates, and investors.

124th Consecutive Quarterly Common Dividend Declared
MAA declared its 124th consecutive quarterly common dividend, which was paid on January 31, 2025 to holders of record on January 15, 2025. The current annual dividend rate is $6.06 per common share. The timing and amount of future dividends will depend on actual cash flows from operations, MAA's financial condition, capital requirements, the annual distribution requirements under the REIT provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and other factors as MAA's Board of Directors deems relevant. MAA's Board of Directors may modify the dividend policy from time to time.

2025 Earnings and Same Store Portfolio Guidance
MAA is providing initial 2025 guidance for Earnings per diluted common share, Core FFO per diluted Share, Core AFFO per diluted Share and Same Store Portfolio performance.  MAA expects to update its 2025 Earnings per diluted common share, Core FFO per diluted Share and Core AFFO per diluted Share guidance on a quarterly basis.

FFO, Core FFO and Core AFFO are non-GAAP financial measures. Acquisition and disposition activity materially affects depreciation and capital gains or losses, which combined, generally represent the majority of the difference between Net income available for common shareholders and FFO. As discussed in the definitions of non-GAAP financial measures found later in this release, MAA's definition of FFO is in accordance with the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts', or NAREIT's, definition, and Core FFO represents FFO as adjusted for items that are not considered part of MAA's core business operations. MAA believes that Core FFO is helpful in understanding operating performance in that Core FFO excludes not only depreciation expense of real estate assets and certain other non-routine items, but it also excludes certain items that by their nature are not comparable over periods and therefore tend to obscure actual operating performance.

The projected difference between Core FFO per diluted Share for the full year of 2024 to the midpoint of MAA's guidance for the full year of 2025 is summarized below:

MAA expects Core FFO for the first quarter of 2025 to be in the range of $2.08 to $2.24 per diluted Share, or $2.16 per diluted Share at the midpoint. The projected difference between Core FFO per diluted Share for the fourth quarter of 2024 to the midpoint of MAA's guidance for the first quarter of 2025 is summarized below:

MAA does not forecast Earnings per diluted common share on a quarterly basis as MAA generally cannot predict the timing of forecasted acquisition and disposition activity within a particular quarter (rather than during the course of the full year). Additional details and guidance items are provided in the Supplemental Data to this release. 

Supplemental Material and Conference Call
Supplemental Data to this release can be found on the "For Investors" page of the MAA website at www.maac.com. MAA will host a conference call to further discuss fourth quarter results on February 6, 2025, at 9:00 AM Central Time. The conference call-in number is (800) 715-9871. You may also join the live webcast of the conference call by accessing the "For Investors" page of the MAA website at www.maac.com. MAA's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) are filed under the registrant names of Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc. and Mid-America Apartments, L.P.

About MAA
MAA, an S&P 500 company, is a real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on delivering full-cycle and superior investment performance for shareholders through the ownership, management, acquisition, development and redevelopment of quality apartment communities primarily in the Southeast, Southwest and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. As of December 31, 2024, MAA had ownership interest in 104,587 apartment units, including communities currently in development, across 16 states and the District of Columbia. For further details, please visit the MAA website at www.maac.com or contact Investor Relations at investor.relations@maac.com, or via mail at MAA, 6815 Poplar Ave., Suite 500, Germantown, TN 38138, Attn: Investor Relations.

Forward-Looking Statements
Sections of this release contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, with respect to our expectations for future periods. Forward-looking statements do not discuss historical fact, but instead include statements related to expectations, projections, intentions or other items related to the future. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding expected operating performance and results, property stabilizations, property acquisition and disposition activity, joint venture activity, development and renovation activity and other capital expenditures, and capital raising and financing activity, as well as lease pricing, revenue and expense growth, occupancy, interest rate and other economic expectations. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "forecasts," "projects," "assumes," "will," "may," "could," "should," "budget," "target," "outlook," "proforma," "opportunity," "guidance" and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, as described below, which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results of operations, financial conditions or plans expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although we believe that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable, any of the assumptions could be inaccurate, and therefore such forward-looking statements included in this release may not prove to be accurate. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking statements included herein, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation by us or any other person that the results or conditions described in such statements or our objectives and plans will be achieved.

The following factors, among others, could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements:

• inability to generate sufficient cash flows due to unfavorable economic and market conditions, changes in supply and/or demand, competition, uninsured losses, changes in tax and housing laws, or other factors;
• exposure to risks inherent in investments in a single industry and sector;
• adverse changes in real estate markets, including, but not limited to, the extent of future demand for multifamily units in our significant markets, barriers of entry into new markets which we may seek to enter in the future, limitations on our ability to increase or collect rental rates, competition, our ability to identify and consummate attractive acquisitions or development projects on favorable terms, our ability to consummate any planned dispositions in a timely manner on acceptable terms, and our ability to reinvest sale proceeds in a manner that generates favorable returns;
• failure of development communities to be completed within budget and on a timely basis, if at all, to lease-up as anticipated or to achieve anticipated results;
• unexpected capital needs;
• material changes in operating costs, including real estate taxes, utilities and insurance costs, due to inflation and other factors;
• inability to obtain appropriate insurance coverage at reasonable rates, or at all, losses due to uninsured risks, deductibles and self-insured retentions, or losses from catastrophes in excess of coverage limits;
• ability to obtain financing at favorable rates, if at all, or refinance existing debt as it matures;
• level and volatility of interest or capitalization rates or capital market conditions;
• the effect of any rating agency actions on the cost and availability of new debt financing;
• the impact of adverse developments affecting the U.S. or global banking industry, including bank failures and liquidity concerns, which could cause continued or worsening economic and market volatility, and regulatory responses thereto;
• significant change in the mortgage financing market or other factors that would cause single-family housing or other alternative housing options, either as an owned or rental product, to become a more significant competitive product;
• ability to continue to satisfy complex rules in order to maintain our status as a REIT for federal income tax purposes, the ability of MAALP to satisfy the rules to maintain its status as a partnership for federal income tax purposes, the ability of our taxable REIT subsidiaries to maintain their status as such for federal income tax purposes, and our ability and the ability of our subsidiaries to operate effectively within the limitations imposed by these rules;
• inability to attract and retain qualified personnel;
• cyber liability or potential liability for breaches of our or our service providers' information technology systems, or business operations disruptions;
• potential liability for environmental contamination;
• changes in the legal requirements we are subject to, or the imposition of new legal requirements, that adversely affect our operations;
• extreme weather and natural disasters;
• disease outbreaks and other public health events and measures that are taken by federal, state, and local governmental authorities in response to such outbreaks and events;
• impact of climate change on our properties or operations;
• legal proceedings or class action lawsuits;
• impact of reputational harm caused by negative press or social media postings of our actions or policies, whether or not warranted;
• compliance costs associated with numerous federal, state and local laws and regulations; and
• other risks identified in this release and in reports we file with the SEC or in other documents that we publicly disseminate.

New factors may also emerge from time to time that could have a material adverse effect on our business. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking statements contained in this release to reflect events, circumstances or changes in expectations after the date of this release.