10-Q: Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
Published on November 5, 2007
UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
______________
FORM
10-Q
(Mark
One)
X QUARTERLY
REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
OF
THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF
1934
For
the quarterly period ended September 30, 2007
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 1-11316
OMEGA
HEALTHCARE
INVESTORS,
INC.
(Exact
name of Registrant as specified in its
charter)
|
||
Maryland
|
38-3041398
|
|
(State
of incorporation)
|
(IRS
Employer
Identification
No.)
|
|
9690
Deereco Road, Suite 100, Timonium, MD 21093
|
||
(Address
of principal executive offices)
|
||
(410)
427-1700
|
||
(Telephone
number, including area
code)
|
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 such filing requirements for the past 90
days.
Yes x No o
Indicate
by check mark whether the
registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, or
non-accelerated filer. See definition of “accelerated filer and large
accelerated filer” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check
one:)
Large
accelerated
filer x Accelerated
filer o Non-accelerated
filer o
Indicate
by check mark whether the
registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange
Act).
Yes o No x
Indicate
the number of shares
outstanding of each of the issuer's classes of common stock as of October 19,
2007.
Common
Stock, $.10 par
value 68,004,832
(Class)
(Number of shares)
OMEGA
HEALTHCARE INVESTORS, INC.
FORM
10-Q
September
30, 2007
Page
No.
|
||
PART
I
|
Financial
Information
|
|
Item
1.
|
Financial
Statements:
|
|
September
30, 2007 (unaudited)
and December 31, 2006
|
2
|
|
Three
and nine months ended
September 30, 2007 and 2006
|
3
|
|
Nine
months ended September 30,
2007 and
2006
|
4
|
|
September
30, 2007
(unaudited)
|
5
|
|
Item
2.
|
17
|
|
|
|
|
Item
3.
|
39
|
|
Item
4.
|
40
|
|
PART
II
|
Other
Information
|
|
Item
1.
|
42
|
|
Item
1A.
|
42
|
|
Item
6.
|
42
|
|
PART
I – FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item
1 - Financial Statements
OMEGA
HEALTHCARE INVESTORS, INC.
(in
thousands)
September
30,
|
December
31,
|
|||||||
2007
|
2006
|
|||||||
(Unaudited)
|
||||||||
ASSETS
|
||||||||
Real
estate properties
|
||||||||
Land
and buildings at
cost
|
$ |
1,273,657
|
$ |
1,235,679
|
||||
Less
accumulated
depreciation
|
(212,634 | ) | (187,769 | ) | ||||
Real
estate properties –
net
|
1,061,023
|
1,047,910
|
||||||
Mortgage
notes receivable –
net
|
31,849
|
31,886
|
||||||
1,092,872
|
1,079,796
|
|||||||
Other
investments – net
|
16,464
|
22,078
|
||||||
1,109,336
|
1,101,874
|
|||||||
Assets
held for sale – net
|
3,550
|
4,635
|
||||||
Total
investments –
net
|
1,112,886
|
1,106,509
|
||||||
Cash
and cash equivalents
|
608
|
729
|
||||||
Restricted
cash
|
3,698
|
4,117
|
||||||
Accounts
receivable – net
|
61,768
|
51,194
|
||||||
Other
assets
|
11,933
|
12,821
|
||||||
Total
assets
|
$ |
1,190,893
|
$ |
1,175,370
|
||||
LIABILITIES
AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
|
||||||||
Revolving
line of credit
|
$ |
52,000
|
$ |
150,000
|
||||
Unsecured
borrowings – net
|
484,718
|
484,731
|
||||||
Other
long–term borrowings
|
40,995
|
41,410
|
||||||
Accrued
expenses and other liabilities
|
26,567
|
28,037
|
||||||
Income
tax liabilities
|
3,441
|
5,646
|
||||||
Operating
liabilities for owned properties
|
—
|
92
|
||||||
Total
liabilities
|
607,721
|
709,916
|
||||||
Stockholders’
equity:
|
||||||||
Preferred
stock
|
118,488
|
118,488
|
||||||
Common
stock and additional paid-in-capital
|
825,495
|
700,177
|
||||||
Cumulative
net earnings
|
344,824
|
292,766
|
||||||
Cumulative
dividends paid
|
(662,568 | ) | (602,910 | ) | ||||
Cumulative
dividends – redemption
|
(43,067 | ) | (43,067 | ) | ||||
Total
stockholders’
equity
|
583,172
|
465,454
|
||||||
Total
liabilities and
stockholders’ equity
|
$ |
1,190,893
|
$ |
1,175,370
|
See
notes
to consolidated financial statements.
OMEGA
HEALTHCARE INVESTORS, INC.
Unaudited
(in
thousands, except per share amounts)
Three
Months Ended
|
Nine
Months Ended
|
|||||||||||||||
September
30,
|
September
30,
|
|||||||||||||||
2007
|
2006
|
2007
|
2006
|
|||||||||||||
Revenues
|
||||||||||||||||
Rental
income
|
$ |
37,113
|
$ |
33,016
|
$ |
114,092
|
$ |
92,643
|
||||||||
Mortgage
interest
income
|
999
|
1,054
|
2,896
|
3,392
|
||||||||||||
Other
investment income –
net
|
962
|
994
|
2,336
|
2,878
|
||||||||||||
Miscellaneous
|
150
|
42
|
640
|
483
|
||||||||||||
Total
operating
revenues
|
39,224
|
35,106
|
119,964
|
99,396
|
||||||||||||
Expenses
|
||||||||||||||||
Depreciation
and
amortization
|
9,131
|
8,314
|
26,740
|
23,288
|
||||||||||||
General
and
administrative
|
2,742
|
5,669
|
8,080
|
10,331
|
||||||||||||
Provision
for impairment on real
estate properties
|
1,636
|
-
|
1,636
|
-
|
||||||||||||
Provision
for uncollectible
mortgages, notes and accounts receivable
|
-
|
27
|
-
|
27
|
||||||||||||
Total
operating
expenses
|
13,509
|
14,010
|
36,456
|
33,646
|
||||||||||||
Income
before other income and
expense
|
25,715
|
21,096
|
83,508
|
65,750
|
||||||||||||
Other
income (expense):
|
||||||||||||||||
Interest
and other investment
income
|
36
|
189
|
134
|
371
|
||||||||||||
Interest
|
(10,071 | ) | (11,190 | ) | (31,988 | ) | (30,246 | ) | ||||||||
Interest
–
amortization
of
deferred financing costs
|
(500 | ) | (439 | ) | (1,459 | ) | (1,513 | ) | ||||||||
Interest
–
refinancing
costs
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
(3,485 | ) | |||||||||||
Gain
on sale of equity
securities
|
-
|
2,709
|
-
|
2,709
|
||||||||||||
Change
in fair value of
derivatives
|
-
|
1,764
|
-
|
9,672
|
||||||||||||
Total
other
expense
|
(10,535 | ) | (6,967 | ) | (33,313 | ) | (22,492 | ) | ||||||||
Income
before gain on assets
sold
|
15,180
|
14,129
|
50,195
|
43,258
|
||||||||||||
Gain
on assets sold -
net
|
-
|
1,188
|
-
|
1,188
|
||||||||||||
Income
from continuing operations before income taxes
|
15,180
|
15,317
|
50,195
|
44,446
|
||||||||||||
Provision
for income
taxes
|
132
|
(600 | ) |
132
|
(1,739 | ) | ||||||||||
Income
from continuing
operations
|
15,312
|
14,717
|
50,327
|
42,707
|
||||||||||||
Discontinued
operations
|
37
|
(94 | ) |
1,731
|
(419 | ) | ||||||||||
Net
income
|
15,349
|
14,623
|
52,058
|
42,288
|
||||||||||||
Preferred
stock
dividends
|
(2,480 | ) | (2,480 | ) | (7,442 | ) | (7,442 | ) | ||||||||
Net
income available to
common
|
$ |
12,869
|
$ |
12,143
|
$ |
44,616
|
$ |
34,846
|
||||||||
Income
per common share:
|
||||||||||||||||
Basic:
|
||||||||||||||||
Income
from continuing
operations
|
$ |
0.19
|
$ |
0.21
|
$ |
0.66
|
$ |
0.61
|
||||||||
Net
income
|
$ |
0.19
|
$ |
0.21
|
$ |
0.69
|
$ |
0.60
|
||||||||
Diluted:
|
||||||||||||||||
Income
from continuing
operations
|
$ |
0.19
|
$ |
0.21
|
$ |
0.66
|
$ |
0.60
|
||||||||
Net
income
|
$ |
0.19
|
$ |
0.20
|
$ |
0.69
|
$ |
0.60
|
||||||||
Dividends
declared and paid per common
share
|
$ |
0.28
|
$ |
0.24
|
$ |
0.81
|
$ |
0.71
|
||||||||
Weighted-average
shares outstanding,
basic
|
67,952
|
59,021
|
65,094
|
58,203
|
||||||||||||
Weighted-average
shares outstanding,
diluted
|
67,965
|
59,446
|
65,114
|
58,407
|
||||||||||||
Components
of other comprehensive income:
|
||||||||||||||||
Net
income
|
$ |
15,349
|
$ |
14,623
|
$ |
52,058
|
$ |
42,288
|
||||||||
Unrealized
gain on common stock
investment
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1,580
|
||||||||||||
Reclassification
adjustment for
gain on common stock investment
|
-
|
(1,740 | ) |
-
|
(1,740 | ) | ||||||||||
Unrealized
loss on preferred stock
investment
|
-
|
(172 | ) |
-
|
(763 | ) | ||||||||||
Total
comprehensive
income
|
$ |
15,349
|
$ |
12,711
|
$ |
52,058
|
$ |
41,365
|
See
notes to consolidated financial
statements.
OMEGA
HEALTHCARE INVESTORS, INC.
Unaudited
(in thousands)
Nine
Months Ended
September
30,
|
||||||||
2007
|
2006
|
|||||||
Cash
flows from operating activities
|
||||||||
Net
income
|
$ |
52,058
|
$ |
42,288
|
||||
Adjustment
to reconcile net
income to cash provided by operating activities:
|
||||||||
Depreciation
and amortization
(including amounts in discontinued operations)
|
26,768
|
23,432
|
||||||
Provision
for impairment on
real estate properties (including amounts in discontinued
operations)
|
1,636
|
121
|
||||||
Provision
for uncollectible
mortgages, notes and accounts receivable (including amounts in
discontinued operations)
|
—
|
179
|
||||||
Refinancing
costs
|
—
|
3,485
|
||||||
Amortization
of deferred
financing costs
|
1,459
|
1,513
|
||||||
Gains
on assets sold and equity
securities – net
|
(1,595 | ) | (3,516 | ) | ||||
Restricted
stock amortization
expense
|
880
|
4,224
|
||||||
Change
in fair value of
derivatives
|
—
|
(9,672 | ) | |||||
Income
from accretion of
marketable securities to redemption value
|
(155 | ) | (1,155 | ) | ||||
Other
|
(259 | ) | (35 | ) | ||||
Change
in operating assets and liabilities:
|
||||||||
Accounts
receivable
|
(178 | ) | (20,104 | ) | ||||
Straight-line
rent
|
(11,746 | ) | (4,546 | ) | ||||
Lease
inducement
|
1,349
|
—
|
||||||
Other
assets
|
28
|
1,941
|
||||||
Tax
liabilities
|
(2,206 | ) |
1,739
|
|||||
Other
liabilities
|
(1,065 | ) |
6,929
|
|||||
Net
cash provided by operating activities
|
66,974
|
46,823
|
||||||
Cash
flows from investing activities
|
||||||||
Acquisition
of real estate
|
(39,503 | ) | (178,906 | ) | ||||
Placement
of mortgage loans
|
(345 | ) |
—
|
|||||
Proceeds
from sale of stock
|
—
|
7,573
|
||||||
Proceeds
from sale of real estate investments
|
6,254
|
1,527
|
||||||
Capital
improvements and funding of other investments
|
(5,463 | ) | (5,416 | ) | ||||
Proceeds
from other investments
|
14,829
|
27,092
|
||||||
Investments
in other investments
|
(8,978 | ) | (29,238 | ) | ||||
Collection
of mortgage principal – net
|
559
|
10,588
|
||||||
Net
cash used in investing activities
|
(32,647 | ) | (166,780 | ) | ||||
Cash
flows from financing activities
|
||||||||
Proceeds
from credit facility borrowings
|
99,400
|
234,200
|
||||||
Payments
on credit facility borrowings
|
(197,400 | ) | (134,700 | ) | ||||
Receipts
from other long-term borrowings
|
—
|
39,000
|
||||||
Payments
of other long-term borrowings
|
(415 | ) | (390 | ) | ||||
Prepayment
of re-financing penalty
|
—
|
(755 | ) | |||||
Receipts
from dividend reinvestment plan
|
12,222
|
29,161
|
||||||
Receipts/(payments)
from exercised options and taxes on restricted stock – net
|
(780 | ) |
225
|
|||||
Dividends
paid
|
(59,658 | ) | (49,356 | ) | ||||
Net
proceeds from common stock offering
|
112,878
|
—
|
||||||
Payment
on common stock offering
|
—
|
(178 | ) | |||||
Financing
costs paid
|
(695 | ) | (2,390 | ) | ||||
Other
|
—
|
1,192
|
||||||
Net
cash (used in) provided by financing activities
|
(34,448 | ) |
116,009
|
|||||
Decrease
in cash and cash equivalents
|
(121 | ) | (3,948 | ) | ||||
Cash
and cash equivalents at beginning of period
|
729
|
3,948
|
||||||
Cash
and cash equivalents at end of period
|
$ |
608
|
$ |
—
|
||||
Interest
paid during the period
|
$ |
27,684
|
$ |
21,442
|
See
notes
to consolidated financial statements.
OMEGA
HEALTHCARE INVESTORS, INC.
Unaudited
September
30, 2007
NOTE
1 – BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING
POLICIES
Business
Overview:
We
have one reportable segment
consisting of investments in real estate. Our business is to provide
financing and capital to the long-term healthcare industry with a particular
focus on skilled nursing facilities located in the United States. Our
core portfolio consists of long-term lease and mortgage
agreements. All of our leases are “triple-net” leases, which require
the tenants to pay all property-related expenses. Our mortgage
revenue derives from fixed-rate mortgage loans, which are secured by first
mortgage liens on the underlying real estate and personal property of the
mortgagor. Substantially all depreciation expenses reflected in the
consolidated statements of operations relate to the ownership of our investment
in real estate.
Basis
of Presentation:
The
accompanying unaudited consolidated
financial statements for Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc. (“Omega” or the
“Company”) have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the
Securities and Exchange Commission regarding interim financial information
and
with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation
S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and
footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) in the
United States for complete financial statements. In our opinion, all
adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary
for a
fair presentation have been included. These unaudited consolidated
financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements
and the footnotes thereto included in our latest Annual Report on Form
10-K.
Our
consolidated financial statements
include the accounts of Omega, all direct and indirect wholly owned subsidiaries
and one variable interest entity (“VIE”) for which we are the primary
beneficiary. All inter-company accounts and transactions have been
eliminated in consolidation of the financial statements.
Reclassifications:
Certain
amounts in the prior year have
been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation and to reflect
the
results of discontinued operations. See Note 9 – Discontinued Operations
for a
discussion of discontinued operations. Such reclassifications have no
effect on previously reported earnings or equity.
Accounts
Receivables:
Accounts
receivable includes: contractual receivables, straight-line rent receivables,
lease inducements, net of an estimated provision for losses related to
uncollectible and disputed accounts. Contractual receivables relate
to the amounts currently owed to us under the terms of the lease
agreement. Straight-line receivables relates to the difference
between the rental revenue recognized on a straight-line basis and the amounts
due to us contractually. Lease inducements result from value provided
by us to the lessee at the inception of the lease and will be amortized as
a
reduction of rental revenue over the lease term. On a quarterly
basis, we review the collection of our contractual payments and determine the
appropriateness of our allowance for uncollectible contractual
rents. In the case of a lease recognized on a straight-line basis, we
generally provide an allowance for straight-line accounts receivable when
certain conditions or indicators of adverse collectibility are
present.
A
summary
of our net receivables by type is as follows:
September
30,
2007
|
December
31, 2006
|
|||||||
(in
thousands)
|
||||||||
Contractual
receivables
|
$ |
3,618
|
$ |
4,803
|
||||
Straight-line
receivables
|
33,670
|
27,252
|
||||||
Lease
inducements
|
28,783
|
30,133
|
||||||
Allowance
|
(4,303 | ) | (10,994 | ) | ||||
Accounts
receivable –
net
|
$ |
61,768
|
$ |
51,194
|
We
continuously evaluate the payment
history and financial strength of our operators and have historically
established allowance reserves for straight-line rent adjustments for operators
that do not meet our requirements. We consider factors such as
payment history, the operator’s financial condition as well as current and
future anticipated operating trends when evaluating whether to establish
allowance reserves.
During
the first quarter of 2007, we reversed approximately $5.0 million of allowance
for straight-line rent previously established, as a result of the improvement
in
one of our operator’s financial condition. We record allowances for
straight-line rent receivables as an adjustment to
revenue. Accordingly, the reversal of this allowance increased
revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2007. The change in
estimate resulted in an additional $0.08 per share of income from continuing
operations and net income for the first quarter of 2007 and for the nine months
ended September 30, 2007.
Implementation
of New Accounting Pronouncement:
FIN
48 Evaluation
In
July 2006, the Financial Accounting
Standards Board (“FASB”) issued FASB Interpretation No. 48 (“FIN 48”),
“Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes,” an interpretation of FASB
Statement No. 109, “Accounting for Income Taxes.” FIN 48
clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in an
enterprise’s financial statements in accordance with FASB Statement No. 109, by
defining a criterion that an individual tax position must meet for any part
of
that position to be recognized in an enterprise’s financial
statements. The interpretation requires a review of all tax positions
accounted for in accordance with FASB Statement No. 109 and applies a
more-likely-than-not recognition threshold. A tax position that meets
the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold is initially and subsequently
measured as the largest amount of tax benefit that is greater than 50 percent
likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement with the taxing authority
that
has full knowledge of all relevant information. Subsequent
recognition, derecognition, and measurement is based on management’s judgment
given the facts, circumstances and information available at the reporting
date. We are subject to the provisions of FIN 48 beginning January 1,
2007. We evaluated FIN 48 and determined that the adoption of FIN 48
had no impact on our financial statements.
Recent
Accounting Pronouncement:
FAS
157 Evaluation
In
September 2006, the FASB issued FASB
Statement No. 157, “Fair Value Measurements” (“FAS No.
157”). This standard defines fair value, establishes a methodology
for measuring fair value and expands the required disclosure for fair value
measurements. FAS No. 157 emphasizes that fair value is a
market-based measurement, not an entity-specific measurement, and states that
a
fair value measurement should be determined based on the assumptions that market
participants would use in pricing the asset or liability. This
statement applies under other accounting pronouncements that require or permit
fair value measurements, the FASB having previously concluded in those
pronouncements that fair value is the relevant measurement
attribute. Accordingly, this statement does not require any new fair
value measurements. FAS No. 157 is effective for fiscal years
beginning after November 15, 2007, and we intend to adopt the standard on
January 1, 2008. We are currently evaluating the impact, if any, that
FAS No. 157 will have on our financial statements.
FAS
159 Evaluation
In
February 2007, the FASB issued
Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS”) No. 159, “The Fair
Value Option for Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities” (“SFAS No.
159”). SFAS No. 159 permits entities to choose to measure certain
financial assets and liabilities at fair value, with the change in unrealized
gains and losses on items for which the fair value option has been elected
and
reported in earnings. SFAS No. 159 is effective for fiscal years
beginning after November 15, 2007. We are currently evaluating the
impact, if any, that SFAS No. 159 will have on our financial
statements.
NOTE
2 –PROPERTIES
In
the ordinary course of our business
activities, we periodically evaluate investment opportunities and extend credit
to customers. We also regularly engage in lease and loan extensions
and modifications. Additionally, we actively monitor and manage our investment
portfolio with the objectives of improving credit quality and increasing
investment returns. In connection with portfolio management, we may
engage in various collection and foreclosure activities.
If
we acquire real estate pursuant to a
foreclosure, lease termination or bankruptcy proceeding and do not immediately
re-lease or sell the properties to new operators, the assets will be included
on
the balance sheet as “foreclosed real estate properties,” and the value of such
assets is reported at the lower of cost or estimated fair value.
Leased
Property
Our
leased real estate properties,
represented by 227 long-term care facilities and two rehabilitation hospitals
at
September 30, 2007, are leased under provisions of single leases and master
leases with initial terms typically ranging from 5 to 15 years, plus renewal
options. Substantially all of our leases contain provisions for
specified annual increases over the rents of the prior year and are generally
computed in one of three methods depending on specific provisions of each lease
as follows: (i) a specific annual increase over the prior year’s rent, generally
2.5%; (ii) an increase based on the change in pre-determined formulas from
year
to year (i.e., such as increases in the Consumer Price Index (“CPI”)); or (iii)
specific dollar increases over prior years. Under the terms of the
leases, the lessee is responsible for all maintenance, repairs, taxes and
insurance on the leased properties.
During
the third quarter of 2007, we
completed a transaction with Litchfield Investment Company, LLC and its
affiliates to purchase five (5) skilled nursing facilities (“SNFs”) for a total
investment of $39.5 million. The facilities total 645 beds and are
located in Alabama (1), Georgia (2), Kentucky (1) and Tennessee
(1). We also provided a $2.5 million loan in the form of a
subordinated note as part of the transaction. Simultaneously with the
close of the purchase transaction, the facilities were combined into an Amended
and Restated Master Lease with Home Quality Management (“HQM”). The
Amended and Restated Master Lease was extended until July 31,
2017. The investment allocated to land, building and personal
property is $6.3 million, $32.1 million and $1.1 million,
respectively.
During
the third quarter of 2007, we
continued our restructure of a 5 facility master lease with one of our existing
tenants whereby we and tenant have agreed to sell three (3) facilities and
reduce the overall annual rent on the master lease by $0.4
million. Two (2) of the facilities are under contract to be sold,
pending licensure, for approximately $2.8 million in cash
proceeds. The tenant will continue to pay full rent pursuant to the
master lease until the completion of the sale of the two
facilities. Upon completion, the overall annual rent on the master
lease will be reduced by $0.4 million. We have and will continue to
maintain a personal guarantee from the tenant.
During
the second quarter of 2007, we
purchased the land, building and existing improvements of a former medical
office building in Toledo, Ohio for $1.4 million. The building is
located adjacent to one of our SNFs. We are in the process of
renovating the building into a 40 bed long- term acute care hospital
(“LTACH”).
During
the first quarter of 2007, we
consolidated and extended two master lease agreements with one of our operators,
increasing the lease terms by two and four years, respectively.
Acquisitions
The
five (5) SNFs acquired from
Litchfield during the quarter are included in our results of operations from
the
respective date of acquisition. The following unaudited pro forma
results of operations reflect these transactions as if each had occurred on
January 1 of the year presented. According to management, all
significant adjustments necessary to reflect the effects of the acquisitions
have been made.
Pro
Forma
|
||||||||||||||||
Three
Months Ended
September
30,
|
Nine
Months Ended
September
30,
|
|||||||||||||||
2007
|
2006
|
2007
|
2006
|
|||||||||||||
(in
thousands, except per share amounts)
|
||||||||||||||||
Revenues
|
$ |
39,602
|
$ |
37,849
|
$ |
122,607
|
$ |
113,782
|
||||||||
Net
income
|
$ |
15,361
|
$ |
14,821
|
$ |
52,144
|
$ |
43,560
|
||||||||
Earnings
per share available to common – basic
|
0.19
|
$ |
0.21
|
$ |
0.69
|
$ |
0.62
|
|||||||||
Earnings
per share available to common – diluted
|
$ |
0.19
|
$ |
0.21
|
$ |
0.69
|
$ |
0.62
|
In
the third quarter of 2006, we
completed two transactions: (i) the purchase of Litchfield Investment Company,
LLC and its affiliates (“Litchfield”), which included 30 SNFs and one
independent living center; and (ii) an additional facility located in
Pennsylvania for a combined total investment of $178.9 million. We
have substantially finalized the purchase price allocation of the $178.9
million. The amount allocated to land, building and personal property
is $15.4 million, $154.4 million and $7.5 million, respectively, including
$1.8
million land and building classified as held for sale. We also
allocated $1.6 million to a below-market lease.
Assets
Sold or Held for Sale
Assets
Sold
·
|
On
January 31, 2007, we sold two assisted living facilities (“ALFs”) in
Indiana for approximately $3.6 million resulting in a gain of
approximately $1.7 million.
|
·
|
On
February 1, 2007, we sold a closed SNF in Illinois for approximately
$0.1
million resulting in a loss of $35
thousand.
|
·
|
On
March 30, 2007, we sold a SNF in Arkansas for approximately $0.7 million
resulting in a loss of $15
thousand.
|
·
|
On
May 18, 2007, we sold two SNFs in Texas for their net book values,
generating cash proceeds of approximately $1.8
million.
|
Held
for Sale
During
the three months ended September
30, 2007, a $1.6 million provision for impairment charge was recorded to reduce
the carrying value on one facility to its estimated fair value. At
September 30, 2007, we had four assets classified as held-for-sale with a net
book value of approximately $3.6 million.
Mortgage
Notes Receivable
Mortgage
notes receivable relate to
nine (9) long-term care facilities. The mortgage notes are secured by
first mortgage liens on the borrowers' underlying real estate and personal
property. The mortgage notes receivable relate to facilities located
in four (4) states, operated by five (5) independent healthcare operating
companies. We monitor compliance with mortgages and when necessary
have initiated collection, foreclosure and other proceedings with respect to
certain outstanding loans. As of September 30, 2007, we had no
foreclosed property, and none of our mortgages were in foreclosure
proceedings.
Mortgage
interest income is recognized
as earned over the terms of the related mortgage notes. Allowances
are provided against earned revenues from mortgage interest when collection
of
amounts due becomes questionable or when negotiations for restructurings of
troubled operators lead to lower expectations regarding ultimate
collection. When collection is uncertain, mortgage interest income on
impaired mortgage loans is recognized as received after taking into account
application of security deposits.
NOTE
3 – CONCENTRATION OF RISK
As
of September 30, 2007, our portfolio
of investments consisted of 238 healthcare facilities, located in 27 states
and
operated by 29 third-party operators. Our gross investment in these
facilities, net of impairments and before reserve for uncollectible loans,
totaled approximately $1.3 billion at September 30, 2007, with approximately
98%
of our real estate investments related to long-term care
facilities. This portfolio is made up of 223 long-term healthcare
facilities, two rehabilitation hospitals owned and leased to third parties,
fixed rate mortgages on nine long-term healthcare facilities and four long-term
healthcare facilities that are currently held for sale. At September
30, 2007, we also held miscellaneous investments of approximately $16 million,
consisting primarily of secured loans to third-party operators of our
facilities.
At
September 30, 2007, approximately
29% of our real estate investments were operated by two public companies: Sun
Healthcare Group (“Sun”) (18%) and Advocat Inc. (“Advocat”)
(11%). Our largest private company operators (by investment) were
CommuniCare Health Services, Inc. (“CommuniCare”) (15%), HQM (11%), Haven
Eldercare, LLC (“Haven”) (9%), Guardian LTC Management, Inc. (“Guardian”) (7%),
Nexion Health Inc. (“Nexion”) (6%) and Essex Healthcare Corporation
(6%). No other operator represents more than 4% of our
investments. The three states in which we had our highest
concentration of investments were Ohio (21%), Florida (13%) and Pennsylvania
(8%) at September 30, 2007.
For
the three-month period ended
September 30, 2007, our revenues from operations totaled $39.2 million, of
which
approximately $7.7 million were from Sun (20%), $5.2 million from Advocat (13%)
and $5.1 million from CommuniCare (13%). For the nine-month period
ended September 30, 2007, our revenues from operations totaled $120.0 million,
of which approximately $22.9 million were from Sun (19%), $20.4 million from
Advocat (17%) and $15.4 million from CommuniCare (13%). No other
operator generated more than 9% of our revenues from operations for the three-
and nine- month periods ended September 30, 2007.
Sun and Advocat
are subject to the
reporting requirements of the SEC and are required to file with the SEC annual
reports containing audited financial information and quarterly reports
containing unaudited interim financial information. Sun and Advocat’s
filings with the SEC can be found at the SEC’s website at
www.sec.gov. We are providing this data for information purposes
only, and you are encouraged to obtain Sun and Advocat’s publicly available
filings from the SEC.
NOTE
4 –DIVIDENDS
Common
Dividends
On
October 16, 2007, the Board of
Directors declared a common stock dividend of $0.28 per share, an increase
of
$0.01 per common share compared to the prior quarter. The common
dividend will be paid November 15, 2007 to common stockholders of record on
October 31, 2007.
On
July 17, 2007, the Board of
Directors declared a common stock dividend of $0.27 per share that was paid
August 15, 2007 to common stockholders of record on July 31, 2007.
On
April 18, 2007, the Board of
Directors declared a common stock dividend of $0.27 per share, an increase
of
$0.01 per common share compared to the prior quarter. The common
dividend was paid May 15, 2007 to common stockholders of record on April 30,
2007.
On
January 16, 2007, the Board of
Directors declared a common stock dividend of $0.26 per share, an increase
of
$0.01 per common share compared to the prior quarter. The common
dividend was paid February 15, 2007 to common stockholders of record on January
31, 2007.
Series
D Preferred Dividends
On
October 16, 2007, the Board of
Directors declared the regular quarterly dividends for the 8.375% Series D
Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (“Series D Preferred Stock”) to
stockholders of record on October 31, 2007. The stockholders of
record of the Series D Preferred Stock on October 31, 2007 will be paid
dividends in the amount of $0.52344 per preferred share on November 15,
2007. The liquidation preference for our Series D Preferred Stock is
$25.00 per share. Regular quarterly preferred dividends for the Series D
Preferred Stock represent dividends for the period August 1, 2007 through
October 31, 2007.
On
July 17, 2007, the Board of
Directors declared the regular quarterly dividends of approximately $0.52344
per
preferred share on the Series D preferred stock that were paid August 15, 2007
to preferred stockholders of record on July 31, 2007.
On
April 18, 2007, the Board of
Directors declared regular quarterly dividends of approximately $0.52344 per
preferred share on the Series D Preferred Stock that were paid May 15, 2007
to
preferred stockholders of record on April 30, 2007.
On
January 16, 2007, the Board of
Directors declared regular quarterly dividends of approximately $0.52344 per
preferred share on the Series D preferred stock that were paid February 15,
2007
to preferred stockholders of record on January 31, 2007.
NOTE
5 – TAXES
So
long as we qualify as a REIT and,
among other things, we distribute 90% of our taxable income, we will not be
subject to Federal income taxes on our income, except as described below. We
are
permitted to own up to 100% of a “taxable REIT subsidiary”
(“TRS”). Currently, we have one TRS that is taxable as a corporation
and that pays federal, state and local income tax on its net income at the
applicable corporate rates. The TRS had a net operating loss
carry-forward as of September 30, 2007 of $1.1 million. The loss
carry-forward was fully reserved with a valuation allowance due to uncertainties
regarding realization.
During
the fourth quarter of 2006, we
determined that certain terms of the Advocat Series B non-voting, redeemable
convertible preferred stock could be interpreted as affecting our compliance
with federal income tax rules applicable to REITs regarding related party tenant
income. As such, Advocat, one of our lessees, may be deemed to be a
“related party tenant” under applicable federal income tax rules. In
such event, our rental income from Advocat would not be qualifying income under
the gross income tests that are applicable to REITs. In order to
maintain qualification as a REIT, we annually must satisfy certain tests
regarding the source of our gross income, unless the “savings clause” (which
finds that such failure to satisfy the REIT gross income test is due to
reasonable cause) that is provided for REITs under federal income tax laws
applies. A REIT that qualifies for the savings clause will retain its
REIT status but will pay a tax under section 857(b)(5), plus interest, even
though the gross income test is not otherwise satisfied. While we
believe there were valid arguments that Advocat should not be deemed a “related
party tenant,” the matter was not free from doubt, and we believed it was in our
best interest to request a closing agreement from the IRS resolving any issues
regarding whether the rents received from Advocat were considered related party
tenant income, which affected our ability to satisfy the gross income
test. Accordingly, on December 15, 2006, we submitted a request for a
closing agreement to the IRS in order to resolve the “related party tenant”
issue. Since that time, we have had additional conversations with the
IRS and submitted additional documentation requested by the IRS in support
of
the issuance of a closing agreement with respect to this
matter. While we have not yet entered into a formal closing agreement
with the IRS with respect to the Advocat matter, after its initial review,
the
IRS has not raised any objections to the request. If obtained,
a closing agreement will establish that any failure to satisfy the gross income
tests was due to reasonable cause. In the event that it is determined
that the “savings clause” described above does not apply, we could be treated as
having failed to qualify as a REIT for one or more taxable years.
As
a result of the potential related
party tenant issue described above, we have recorded approximately $5.5 million
in income tax provisions for the tax years 2002-2006. This amount
represents the estimated liability and interest, which remains subject to final
resolution and acceptance of our request for a closing agreement. On
the advice of, and with tax counsel’s assistance, we have amended our
relationship with Advocat such that we do believe there is a related party
tenant issue with respect to rental income received from
Advocat. Accordingly, we do not expect to incur tax expense
associated with related party tenant income in future periods commencing January
1, 2007. We recorded interest and penalty charges associated with tax
matters as income tax expense. We file U.S. federal income tax
returns and state income and franchise tax returns in over 27 state
jurisdictions. With few exceptions, we are no longer subject to U.S.
federal or state income tax examinations by taxing authorities for years prior
to 2003. During the third quarter of 2007, we filed our 2006 tax
return and paid approximately $2.1 million of the $5.5 million tax
liability.
NOTE
6 – STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION
Effective
January 1, 2006, we adopted
FASB Statement No. 123R, Share-Based Payment, using the modified
prospective method. The following is a summary of our stock based
compensation expense for the three- and nine- month periods ended September
30,
2007 and 2006, respectively:
Three
Months Ended September 30,
|
Nine
Months Ended September 30,
|
|||||||||||||||
2007
|
2006
|
2007
|
2006
|
|||||||||||||
(in
thousands)
|
||||||||||||||||
Stock
based compensation cost
|
$ |
545
|
$ |
3,639
|
$ |
880
|
$ |
4,224
|
2007
Stock Awards
In
May 2007, we granted 286,908 shares
of restricted stock and 247,992 performance restricted stock units (“PRSU”) to
five executive officers under the 2004 Plan Stock Incentive Plan (the “2004
Plan”).
Restricted
Stock Award
The
restricted stock award vests one-seventh on December 31, 2007 and two-sevenths
on December 31, 2008, December 31, 2009, and December 31, 2010, respectively,
subject to continued employment on the vesting date (as defined in the
agreements filed with the SEC on May 8, 2007).
Performance
Restricted Stock Units
We
awarded two types of PRSUs (annual
and cliff vesting awards) to the five executives. One half of the
PRSU awards vest annually in equal increments on December 31, 2008, December
31,
2009, and December 31, 2010, respectively. The other half of the PRSU
awards cliff vest on December 31, 2010. Vesting on both types of
awards requires achievement of total shareholder return as defined in the
agreements filed with the SEC on May 8, 2007.
The
following table summarizes our
total unrecognized compensation cost associated with the restricted stock awards
and PRSUs awarded in May 2007 as of September 30, 2007:
Shares/
Units
|
Value
Per Unit/ Share
|
Total
Compensation Cost
|
Weighted
Average Period of Expense Recognition (in months)
|
Unrecognized
Compensation Cost
|
||||||||||||||||
(in
thousands, except per share amounts)
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Restricted
stock
|
286,908
|
$ |
17.06
|
$ |
4,895
|
44
|
$ |
4,362
|
||||||||||||
2008
Annual performance restricted stock units
|
41,332
|
8.78
|
363
|
20
|
272
|
|||||||||||||||
2009
Annual performance restricted stock units
|
41,332
|
8.25
|
341
|
32
|
288
|
|||||||||||||||
2010
Annual performance restricted stock units
|
41,332
|
8.14
|
336
|
44
|
298
|
|||||||||||||||
3
year cliff vest performance restricted stock units
|
123,996
|
6.17
|
765
|
44
|
678
|
|||||||||||||||
Total
|
534,900
|
$ |
6,700
|
$ |
5,898
|
|||||||||||||||
A
Monte-Carlo model was used to
estimate the fair value and derived service periods for PRSUs granted to the
executives. The following are some of the significant assumptions
used in estimating the value of the awards:
Closing
stock price on date of grant
|
$17.06
|
20-day-average
stock price
|
$17.27
|
Risk-free
interest rate at time of grant
|
4.6%
to 5.1%
|
Expected
volatility
|
24.0%
to 29.4%
|
As
of September 30, 2007, we had 35,997
stock options and 15,496 shares of restricted stock outstanding to other
employees and directors. The stock options were fully vested as of
January 1, 2007 and the restricted shares are scheduled to vest over the next
three years.
NOTE
7 – FINANCING ACTIVITIES AND BORROWING ARRANGEMENTS
Bank
Credit Agreements
Pursuant
to Section 2.01 of our Credit
Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2006 (the “Credit Agreement”), we were
permitted under certain circumstances to increase our available borrowing base
under the Credit Agreement from $200 million up to an aggregate of $300
million. Effective February 22, 2007, we exercised our right to
increase the available revolving commitment under Section 2.01 of the Credit
Agreement from $200 million to $255 million and we consented to add 18 of our
properties to the borrowing base assets under the Credit
Agreement. We paid approximately $0.7 million in fees and expenses
associated with increasing the available revolving commitment.
At
September 30, 2007, we had $52.0
million outstanding under our $255 million revolving senior secured credit
facility and $2.1 million was utilized for the issuance of letters of credit,
leaving availability of $200.9 million. The $52.0 million of
outstanding borrowings had a blended interest rate of 6.40% at September 30,
2007.
Our
long-term borrowings require us to
meet certain property level financial covenants and corporate financial
covenants, including prescribed leverage, fixed charge coverage, minimum net
worth, limitations on additional indebtedness and limitations on dividend
payouts. As of September 30, 2007, we were in compliance with all
property level and corporate financial covenants.
Other
Long-Term Borrowings
As
previously reported, during the
three months ended March 31, 2006, Haven Eldercare, LLC (“Haven”), an existing
operator for us, entered into a $39 million first mortgage loan with General
Electric Capital Corporation (“GE Capital”). Haven used the $39
million of proceeds from the GE Loan to partially repay a portion of a $62
million mortgage it has with us. Simultaneously, we subordinated the
payment of its remaining $23 million mortgage note to that of the GE
Loan. In conjunction with the above transactions and the application
of Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 46R,
Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities, (“FIN 46R”), we
consolidated the financial statements and real estate of the Haven entity into
our financial statements. The impact of consolidating the Haven
entity resulted in the following adjustments to our consolidated balance sheet
as of September 30, 2007: (1) an increase in total gross investments of $39.0
million; (2) an increase in accumulated depreciation of $2.7 million; (3) an
increase in accounts receivable of $0.3 million; (4) an increase in
other long-term borrowings of $39.0 million; (5) and a reduction of $2.4 million
in cumulative net earnings primarily due to increased depreciation
expense. Our results of operation reflect the impact of the
consolidation of the Haven entity for the three- and nine- month periods ended
September 30, 2007 and 2006, respectively. The loan has an interest
rate of approximately 7% and is due 2012. The lender of the $39
million does not have recourse to our assets.
Issuance
of Common Stock
On
April 3, 2007, we completed an
underwritten public offering of 7,130,000 shares of Omega common stock at $16.75
per share, less underwriting discounts. The sale included 930,000 shares sold
in
connection with the exercise of an over-allotment option granted to the
underwriters. We received approximately $112.9 million in net
proceeds from the sale of the shares, after deducting underwriting discounts
and
offering expenses. UBS Investment Bank acted as sole book-running
manager for the offering. Banc of America Securities LLC, Deutsche
Bank Securities and Stifel Nicolaus acted as co-managers for the
offering. The net proceeds were used to repay indebtedness under our
Credit Agreement.
NOTE
8 – LITIGATION
We
are
subject to various legal proceedings, claims and other actions arising out
of
the normal course of business. While any legal proceeding or claim has an
element of uncertainty, management believes that the outcome of each lawsuit,
claim or legal proceeding that is pending or threatened, or all of them
combined, will not have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial
position or results of operations.
We
and several of our wholly-owned subsidiaries have been named as defendants
in
professional liability claims related to our former owned and operated
facilities. Other third-party managers responsible for the day-to-day
operations of these facilities have also been named as defendants in these
claims. In these suits, patients of certain previously owned and
operated facilities have alleged significant damages, including punitive damages
against the defendants. The majority of these lawsuits representing
the most significant amount of exposure were settled in 2004. There
currently is one lawsuit pending that is in the discovery stage, and we are
unable to predict the likely outcome of this lawsuit at this time.
NOTE
9 – DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS
Statement
of Financial Accounting
Standards (“SFAS”) No. 144, Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of
Long-Lived Assets, requires the presentation of the net operating results
of facilities sold during 2006 and 2007 or currently classified as held-for-sale
as income from discontinued operations for all periods presented.
The
following table summarizes the
results of operations of facilities sold or held-for-sale during the three
and
nine months ended September 30, 2007 and 2006, respectively.
Three
Months Ended
|
Nine
Months Ended
|
|||||||||||||||
September
30,
|
September
30,
|
|||||||||||||||
2007
|
2006
|
2007
|
2006
|
|||||||||||||
(in
thousands)
|
||||||||||||||||
Revenues
|
||||||||||||||||
Rental
income
|
$ |
45
|
$ |
138
|
$ |
167
|
$ |
413
|
||||||||
Expenses
|
||||||||||||||||
Depreciation
and
amortization
|
7
|
49
|
28
|
144
|
||||||||||||
General
and
administrative
|
—
|
31
|
3
|
34
|
||||||||||||
Provision
for
impairment
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
121
|
||||||||||||
Allowance
for uncollectible
loans
|
—
|
152
|
—
|
152
|
||||||||||||
Subtotal
expenses
|
7
|
232
|
31
|
451
|
||||||||||||
Income
(loss) before gain (loss) on sale of assets
|
38
|
(94 | ) |
136
|
(38 | ) | ||||||||||
(Loss)
gain on assets sold – net
|
(1 | ) |
—
|
1,595
|
(381 | ) | ||||||||||
Discontinued
operations
|
$ |
37
|
$ | (94 | ) | $ |
1,731
|
$ | (419 | ) |
During
the third quarter of 2007, we
classified one held-for-sale facility in California as a discontinued operations
and reported its net operating results as discontinued
operations. The facility’s net book value was approximately $1.1
million at September 30, 2007 and December 31, 2006. The facility
generated approximately $0.2 million in revenues in fiscal year
2006.
During
the second quarter of 2007, we
sold two properties in Texas for their net book values. The
facilities generated no revenue in fiscal year 2006.
During
the first quarter of 2007, we
sold four properties (two in Indiana, one in Arkansas and one in Illinois)
for
approximately $4.4 million and recorded a gain of $1.6 million. The
facilities generated approximately $0.4 million in revenues in fiscal year
2006.
NOTE
10 – EARNINGS PER SHARE
We
calculate basic and diluted earnings
per common share (“EPS”) in accordance with FAS No. 128, Earnings Per
Share. The computation of basic EPS is computed by dividing net
income available to common stockholders by the weighted-average number of shares
of common stock outstanding during the relevant period. Diluted EPS
is computed using the treasury stock method, which is net income divided by
the
total weighted-average number of common outstanding shares plus the effect
of
dilutive common equivalent shares during the respective
period. Dilutive common shares reflect the assumed issuance of
additional common shares pursuant to certain of our share-based compensation
plans, including stock options, restricted stock and performance restricted
stock units.
The
following tables set forth the
computation of basic and diluted earnings per share:
Three
Months Ended September 30,
|
Nine
Months Ended
September
30,
|
|||||||||||||||
2007
|
2006
|
2007
|
2006
|
|||||||||||||
(in
thousands, except per share amounts)
|
||||||||||||||||
Numerator:
|
||||||||||||||||
Income
from continuing
operations
|
$ |
15,312
|
$ |
14,717
|
$ |
50,327
|
$ |
42,707
|
||||||||
Preferred
stock
dividends
|
(2,480 | ) | (2,480 | ) | (7,442 | ) | (7,442 | ) | ||||||||
Numerator
for income available
to common from continuing operations - basic and diluted
|
12,832
|
12,237
|
42,885
|
35,265
|
||||||||||||
Discontinued
operations
|
37
|
(94 | ) |
1,731
|
(419 | ) | ||||||||||
Numerator
for net income
available to common per share - basic and diluted
|
$ |
12,869
|
$ |
12,143
|
$ |
44,616
|
$ |
34,846
|
||||||||
Denominator:
|
||||||||||||||||
Denominator
for basic earnings
per share
|
67,952
|
59,021
|
65,094
|
58,203
|
||||||||||||
Effect
of dilutive
securities:
|
||||||||||||||||
Unvested
restricted stock
|
—
|
404
|
3
|
184
|
||||||||||||
Stock
option incremental
shares
|
13
|
21
|
17
|
20
|
||||||||||||
Denominator
for diluted
earnings per share
|
67,965
|
59,446
|
65,114
|
58,407
|
||||||||||||
Earnings
per share - basic:
|
||||||||||||||||
Income
available to common from
continuing operations
|
$ |
0.19
|
$ |
0.21
|
$ |
0.66
|
$ |
0.61
|
||||||||
Income
(loss) from discontinued
operations
|
—
|
—
|
0.03
|
(0.01 | ) | |||||||||||
Net
income available to
common
|
$ |
0.19
|
$ |
0.21
|
$ |
0.69
|
$ |
0.60
|
||||||||
Earnings
per share - diluted:
|
||||||||||||||||
Income
available to common from
continuing operations
|
$ |
0.19
|
$ |
0.21
|
$ |
0.66
|
$ |
0.60
|
||||||||
Income
(loss) from discontinued
operations
|
—
|
(0.01 | ) |
0.03
|
—
|
|||||||||||
Net
income available to
common
|
$ |
0.19
|
$ |
0.20
|
$ |
0.69
|
$ |
0.60
|
NOTE
11 – SUBSEQUENT EVENT
Reinstatement
of Optional Cash Purchases Under the Plan
On
October 16, 2007, we announced the
reinstatement of the optional cash purchase component of our Dividend
Reinvestment and Common Stock Purchase Plan, effective immediately for
investments beginning November 15, 2007. We reset the per share
purchase discount for both optional cash purchases and dividend reinvestments
under the Plan to 1% for shares purchased from us. All participants at the
date
of the Plan’s suspension on August 1, 2007 will be receiving a letter from us
discussing enrollment status and procedures.
Forward-looking
Statements, Reimbursement Issues and Other Factors Affecting Future
Results
The
following discussion should be read
in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto appearing
elsewhere in this document. This document contains forward-looking
statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including
statements regarding potential financings and potential future changes in
reimbursement. These statements relate to our expectations, beliefs,
intentions, plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events, performance
and
underlying assumptions and other statements other than statements of historical
facts. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by
the use of forward-looking terminology including, but not limited to, terms
such
as “may,” “will,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “believes,” “intends,” “should” or
comparable terms or the negative thereof. These statements are based
on information available on the date of this filing and only speak as to the
date hereof and no obligation to update such forward-looking statements should
be assumed. Our actual results may differ materially from those
reflected in the forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of
a
variety of factors, including, among other things:
(i)
|
those
items discussed under “Risk Factors” in Item 1A to our annual report on
Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
2006;
|
(ii)
|
uncertainties
relating to the business operations of the operators of our assets,
including those relating to reimbursement by third-party payors,
regulatory matters and occupancy
levels;
|
(iii)
|
the
ability of any operators in bankruptcy to reject unexpired lease
obligations, modify the terms of our mortgages and impede our ability
to
collect unpaid rent or interest during the process of a bankruptcy
proceeding and retain security deposits for the debtors’
obligations;
|
(iv)
|
our
ability to sell closed assets on a timely basis and on terms that
allow us
to realize the carrying value of these
assets;
|
(v)
|
our
ability to negotiate appropriate modifications to the terms of our
credit
facility;
|
(vi)
|
our
ability to manage, re-lease or sell any owned and operated
facilities;
|
(vii)
|
the
availability and cost of capital;
|
(viii)
|
competition
in the financing of healthcare
facilities;
|
(ix)
|
regulatory
and other changes in the healthcare
sector;
|
(x)
|
the
effect of economic and market conditions generally and, particularly,
in
the healthcare industry;
|
(xi)
|
changes
in interest rates;
|
(xii)
|
the
amount and yield of any additional
investments;
|
(xiii)
|
changes
in tax laws and regulations affecting real estate investment
trusts;
|
(xiv)
|
our
ability to maintain our status as a real estate investment trust;
and
|
(xv)
|
changes
in the ratings of our debt and preferred
securities.
|
Overview
Our
portfolio of investments at
September 30, 2007, consisted of 238 healthcare facilities, located in 27 states
and operated by 29 third-party operators. Our gross investment in
these facilities totaled approximately $1.3 billion at September 30, 2007,
with
98% of our real estate investments related to long-term healthcare
facilities. This portfolio is made up of 223 long-term healthcare
facilities, two rehabilitation hospitals owned and leased to third parties,
fixed rate mortgages on nine long-term healthcare facilities and four long-term
healthcare facilities that are currently held for sale. At September
30, 2007, we also held other investments of approximately $16 million,
consisting primarily of secured loans to third-party operators of our
facilities.
Medicare
Reimbursement
All
of our properties are used as
healthcare facilities; therefore, we are directly affected by the risk
associated with the healthcare industry. Our lessees and mortgagors,
as well as any facilities that may be owned and operated for our own account
from time to time, derive a substantial portion of their net operating revenues
from third-party payors, including the Medicare and Medicaid
programs. These programs are highly regulated by federal, state and
local laws, rules and regulations and are subject to frequent and substantial
change.
In
1997,
the Balanced Budget Act significantly reduced spending levels for the Medicare
and Medicaid programs, in part because the legislation modified the payment
methodology for skilled nursing facilities (“SNFs”) by shifting payments for
services provided to Medicare beneficiaries from a reasonable cost basis to
a
prospective payment system. Under the prospective payment system,
SNFs are paid on a per diem prospective case-mix adjusted basis for all covered
services. Implementation of the prospective payment system has
affected each long-term care facility to a different degree, depending upon
the
amount of revenue such facility derives from Medicare patients.
Legislation
adopted in 1999 and 2000 provided for a few temporary increases to Medicare
payment rates, but these temporary increases have since
expired. Specifically, in 1999 the Balanced Budget Refinement Act
included a 4% across-the-board increase of the adjusted federal per diem payment
rates for all patient acuity categories (known as “Resource Utilization Groups”
or “RUGs”) that were in effect from April 2000 through September 30,
2002. In 2000, the Benefits Improvement and Protection Act included a
16.7% increase in the nursing component of the case-mix adjusted federal
periodic payment rate, which was implemented in April 2000 and also expired
October 1, 2002. The October 1, 2002 expiration of these temporary
increases has had an adverse impact on the revenues of the operators of SNFs
and
has negatively impacted some operators’ ability to satisfy their monthly lease
or debt payments to us.
The
Balanced Budget Refinement Act and the Benefits Improvement and Protection
Act
also established temporary increases, beginning in April 2001, to Medicare
payment rates to SNFs that were designated to remain in place until the Centers
for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”), implemented refinements to the
existing RUG case-mix classification system to more accurately estimate the
cost
of non-therapy ancillary services. The Balanced Budget Refinement Act
provided for a 20% increase for 15 RUG categories until CMS modified the RUG
case-mix classification system. The Benefits Improvement and
Protection Act modified this payment increase by reducing the 20% increase
for
three of the 15 RUGs to a 6.7% increase and instituting an additional 6.7%
increase for eleven other RUGs.
On
August
4, 2005, CMS published a final rule, effective October 1, 2005, establishing
Medicare payments for SNFs under the prospective payment system for federal
fiscal year 2006 (October 1, 2005 to September 30, 2006). The final
rule modified the RUG case-mix classification system and added nine new
categories to the system, expanding the number of RUGs from 44 to
53. The implementation of the RUG refinements triggered the
expiration of the temporary payment increases of 20% and 6.7% established by
the
Balanced Budget Refinement Act and the Benefits Improvement and Protection
Act,
respectively.
Additionally,
CMS announced updates in the final rule to reimbursement rates for SNFs in
federal fiscal year 2006 based on an increase in the “full market-basket” of
3.1%. In the August 4, 2005 notice, CMS estimated that the increases
in Medicare reimbursements to SNFs arising from the refinements to the
prospective payment system and the market basket update under the final rule
would offset the reductions stemming from the elimination of the temporary
increases during federal fiscal year 2006. CMS estimated that there
would be an overall increase in Medicare payments to SNFs totaling $20 million
in fiscal year 2006 compared to 2005.
On
July
27, 2006, CMS posted a notice updating the payment rates to SNFs for fiscal
year
2007 (October 1, 2006 to September 30, 2007). The market basket
increase factor for 2007 was 3.1 %. CMS estimated that the payment update would
increase aggregate payments to SNFs nationwide by approximately $560 million
in
fiscal year 2007 compared to 2006.
On
August
3, 2007, CMS published its final rule for updating the payment rates used under
the prospective payment system for SNFs for federal fiscal year 2008 (October
1,
2007 to September 30, 2008). The market basket increase for fiscal
year 2008 is 3.3%. Under the final rule, aggregate Medicare payments
for nursing homes would increase by approximately $690 million for fiscal year
2008. In addition, the rule revises and rebases the SNF market
basket, which is used in calculating SNF payment rates.
In
August
2007, the United States House of Representatives passed a bill, the Children’s
Health and Medicare Protection (CHAMP) Act (H.R. 3162), which proposed
significant cuts to the Medicare program. The Act would have limited
the SNF market basket increase for 2008 to the first quarter of fiscal year
2008. After the first quarter, the bill would have decreased the
update to zero. Although the House of Representatives subsequently
dropped these and all other Medicare provisions from the legislation, it remains
possible that such Medicare provisions will be considered by the full Congress
in the future.
A
128%
temporary increase in the per diem amount paid to SNFs for residents who have
AIDS took effect on October 1, 2004. This temporary payment increase
arose from the Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act
of
2003, or the Medicare Modernization Act. Although CMS also noted that
the AIDS add-on was not intended to be permanent, the increase remained in
effect through fiscal year 2007 and the final rule updating payment rates for
SNFs for fiscal year 2008 indicated that the increase will continue to remain
in
effect for fiscal year 2008.
A
significant change enacted under the Medicare Modernization Act is the creation
of a new prescription drug benefit, Medicare Part D, which went into effect
January 1, 2006. The significant expansion of benefits for Medicare
beneficiaries arising under the expanded prescription drug benefit could result
in financial pressures on the Medicare program that might result in future
legislative and regulatory changes with impacts for our operators. As
part of this new program, the prescription drug benefits for patients who are
dually eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid are being transitioned from
Medicaid to Medicare, and many of these patients reside in long-term care
facilities. The Medicare program experienced significant operational
difficulties in transitioning prescription drug coverage for this population
when the benefit went into effect on January 1, 2006. Although it is unclear
whether or how issues involving Medicare Part D might have any direct financial
impacts on our operators, a June 2007 report by the Medicare Payment Advisory
Commission (MedPAC, which is an independent body that advises Congress on
Medicare payment policies) examined how Part D is affecting pharmacy services
for residents of nursing facilities and other stakeholders and considered
alternative approaches for delivering Part D benefits in nursing
facilities. MedPAC did not make recommendations, although the report
indicated that MedPAC will continue monitoring the delivery of Part D benefits
to residents of long-term care facilities.
On
February 8, 2006, the President signed into law a $39.7 billion budget
reconciliation package called the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (“Deficit
Reduction Act”), to lower the federal budget deficit. The Deficit
Reduction Act included estimated net savings of $8.3 billion from the Medicare
program over 5 years.
The
Deficit Reduction Act contained a provision reducing payments to SNFs for
allowable bad debts. Previously, Medicare reimbursed SNFs for 100% of
beneficiary bad debt arising from unpaid deductibles and coinsurance
amounts. In 2003, CMS released a proposed rule seeking to reduce bad
debt reimbursement rates for certain providers, including SNFs, by 30% over
a
three-year period. Subsequently, in early 2006 the Deficit Reduction
Act reduced payments to SNFs for allowable bad debts by 30% effective October
1,
2005 for those individuals not dually eligible for both Medicare and
Medicaid. Bad debt payments for the dually eligible population will
remain at 100%. Consistent with this legislation, CMS finalized its
2003 proposed rule on August 18, 2006, and the regulations became effective
on
October 1, 2006. CMS estimates that implementation of this bad debt
provision will result in a savings to the Medicare program of $490 million
from
FY 2006 to FY 2010. These reductions in Medicare payments for bad
debt could have a material adverse effect on our operators’ financial condition
and operations, which could adversely affect their ability to meet their payment
obligations to us.
The
Deficit Reduction Act also contained a provision governing the therapy caps
that
went into place under Medicare on January 1, 2006. The therapy caps
limit the physical therapy, speech-language therapy and occupation therapy
services that a Medicare beneficiary can receive during a calendar
year. The therapy caps were in effect for calendar year 1999 and then
suspended by Congress for three years. An inflation-adjusted therapy
limit ($1,590 per year) was implemented in September of 2002, but then once
again suspended in December of 2003 by the Medicare Modernization
Act. Under the Medicare Modernization Act, Congress placed a two-year
moratorium on implementation of the caps, which expired at the end of
2005.
The
inflation-adjusted therapy caps are set at $1,780 for calendar year
2007. These caps do not apply to therapy services covered under
Medicare Part A in a SNF, although the caps apply in most other instances
involving patients in SNFs or long-term care facilities who receive therapy
services covered under Medicare Part B. The Deficit Reduction Act
permitted exceptions in 2006 for therapy services to exceed the caps when the
therapy services are deemed medically necessary by the Medicare
program. The Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006, signed into law
on December 20, 2006, extends these exceptions through December 31,
2007. Future and continued implementation of the therapy caps could
have a material adverse effect on our operators’ financial condition and
operations, which could adversely affect their ability to meet their payment
obligations to us.
In
general, we cannot be assured that federal reimbursement will remain at levels
comparable to present levels or that such reimbursement will be sufficient
for
our lessees or mortgagors to cover all operating and fixed costs necessary
to
care for Medicare and Medicaid patients. We also cannot be assured
that there will be any future legislation to increase Medicare payment rates
for
SNFs, and if such payment rates for SNFs are not increased in the future, some
of our lessees and mortgagors may have difficulty meeting their payment
obligations to us.
Medicaid
and Other Third-Party Reimbursement
Each
state has its own Medicaid program
that is funded jointly by the state and federal government. Federal
law governs how each state manages its Medicaid program, but there is wide
latitude for states to customize Medicaid programs to fit the needs and
resources of their citizens. Currently, Medicaid is the single
largest source of financing for long-term care in the United
States. Rising Medicaid costs and decreasing state revenues caused by
recent economic conditions have prompted an increasing number of states to
cut
or consider reductions in Medicaid funding as a means of balancing their
respective state budgets. Existing and future initiatives affecting
Medicaid reimbursement may reduce utilization of (and reimbursement for)
services offered by the operators of our properties.
In
recent
years, many states have announced actual or potential budget
shortfalls. As a result of these budget shortfalls, many states have
announced that they are implementing or considering implementing “freezes” or
cuts in Medicaid reimbursement rates, including rates paid to SNF and long-term
care providers, or reductions in Medicaid enrollee benefits, including long-term
care benefits. We cannot predict the extent to which Medicaid rate
freezes, cuts or benefit reductions ultimately will be adopted, the number
of
states that will adopt them or the impact of such adoption on our
operators. However, extensive Medicaid rate cuts, freezes or benefit
reductions could have a material adverse effect on our operators’ liquidity,
financial condition and operations, which could adversely affect their ability
to make lease or mortgage payments to us.
The
Deficit Reduction Act included $4.7 billion in estimated savings from Medicaid
and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program over five
years. The Deficit Reduction Act gave states the option to increase
Medicaid cost-sharing and reduce Medicaid benefits, accounting for an estimated
$3.2 billion in federal savings over five years. The remainder of the
Medicaid savings under the Deficit Reduction Act comes primarily from changes
to
prescription drug reimbursement ($3.9 billion in savings over five years) and
tightened policies governing asset transfers ($2.4 billion in savings over
five
years).
Asset
transfer policies, which determine Medicaid eligibility based on whether a
Medicaid applicant has transferred assets for less than fair value, became
more
restrictive under the Deficit Reduction Act, which extended the look-back period
to five years, moved the start of the penalty period and made individuals with
more than $500,000 in home equity ineligible for nursing home benefits
(previously, the home was excluded as a countable asset for purposes of Medicaid
eligibility). These changes could have a material adverse effect on
our operators’ financial condition and operations, which could adversely affect
their ability to meet their payment obligations to us.
Private
payors, including managed care payors, increasingly are demanding discounted
fee
structures and the assumption by healthcare providers of all or a portion of
the
financial risk of operating a healthcare facility. Efforts to impose
greater discounts and more stringent cost controls are expected to
continue. Any changes in reimbursement policies that reduce
reimbursement levels could adversely affect the revenues of our lessees and
mortgagors, thereby adversely affecting those lessees’ and mortgagors’ abilities
to make their monthly lease or debt payments to us.
In
May of
2007, CMS awarded 13 states and the District of Columbia grants totaling over
$547 million to build Medicaid long-term care programs that provide alternatives
to nursing home care and keep people at home. Similarly, individual
states have been promoting alternatives to nursing homes to cope with the aging
population through laws and the development and promotion of community-based
systems of care. CMS’ grants and the activities of states evidence a
shift from a focus on institutional care to a system that offers more choices,
including home and community-based services. This trend could have
potential adverse effects on our operators’ financial conditions, which could
affect their ability to meet their payment obligations to us.
Fraud
and Abuse Laws and Regulations
There
are various extremely complex and
largely uninterpreted federal and state laws governing a wide array of
referrals, relationships and arrangements and prohibiting fraud by healthcare
providers, including criminal provisions that prohibit filing false claims
or
making false statements to receive payment or certification under Medicare
and
Medicaid, and failing to refund overpayments or improper
payments. The federal and state governments are devoting increasing
attention and resources to anti-fraud initiatives against healthcare
providers. Penalties for healthcare fraud have been increased and
expanded over recent years, including broader provisions for the exclusion
of
providers from the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The Office of the
Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
(“OIG-HHS”), has described a number of ongoing and new initiatives for 2007 to
study instances of potential overbilling and/or fraud in SNFs and nursing homes
under both Medicare and Medicaid. The OIG-HHS, in cooperation with
other federal and state agencies, also continues to focus on the activities
of
SNFs in certain states in which we have properties.
In
addition, the federal False Claims Act allows a private individual with
knowledge of fraud to bring a claim on behalf of the federal government and
earn
a percentage of the federal government’s recovery. Because of these
monetary incentives, these so-called ‘‘whistleblower’’ suits have become more
frequent. Some states currently have statutes that are analogous to
the federal False Claims Act. The Deficit Reduction Act encourages
additional states to enact such legislation and may encourage increased
enforcement activity by permitting states to retain 10% of any recovery for
that
state’s Medicaid program if the enacted legislation is at least as rigorous as
the federal False Claims Act. The violation of any of these laws or
regulations by an operator may result in the imposition of fines or other
penalties that could jeopardize that operator’s ability to make lease or
mortgage payments to us or to continue operating its facility.
Legislative
and Regulatory Developments
Each
year, legislative and regulatory
proposals are introduced or proposed in Congress and state legislatures as
well
as by federal and state agencies that, if implemented, could result in major
changes in the healthcare system, either nationally or at the state level.
In
addition, regulatory proposals and rules are released on an ongoing basis that
may have major impacts on the healthcare system generally and the industries
in
which our operators do business. Legislative and regulatory
developments can be expected to occur on an ongoing basis at the local, state
and federal levels that have direct or indirect impacts on the policies
governing the reimbursement levels paid to our facilities by public and private
third-party payors, the costs of doing business and the threshold requirements
that must be met for facilities to continue operation or to expand.
The
Medicare Modernization Act, which is one example of such legislation, was
enacted in December 2003. The significant expansion of other benefits for
Medicare beneficiaries under this Act, such as the prescription drug benefit,
could create financial pressures on the Medicare program that might result
in
future legislative and regulatory changes with impacts on our operators.
Although the creation of a prescription drug benefit for Medicare beneficiaries
was expected to generate fiscal relief for state Medicaid programs, the
structure of the benefit and costs associated with its implementation may
mitigate the relief for states that originally was anticipated.
The
Deficit Reduction Act is another example of such legislation. The
provisions in the legislation designed to create cost savings from both Medicare
and Medicaid could diminish reimbursement for our operators under both Medicare
and Medicaid.
CMS
also
launched, in 2002, the Nursing Home Quality Initiative program in 2002, which
requires nursing homes participating in Medicare to provide consumers with
comparative information about the quality of care at the facility. In
the fall of 2007, CMS plans to initiate a new quality campaign, Advancing
Excellence for America’s Nursing Home Residents, to be conducted over the next
two years with the ultimate goal being improvement in quality of life and
efficiency of care delivery. In the event any of our operators do not
maintain the same or superior levels of quality care as their competitors,
patients could choose alternate facilities, which could adversely impact our
operators’ revenues. In addition, the reporting of such information
could lead to reimbursement policies that reward or penalize facilities on
the
basis of the reported quality of care parameters.
In
late
2005, CMS began soliciting public comments regarding a demonstration to examine
pay-for-performance approaches in the nursing home setting that would offer
financial incentives for facilities delivering high quality care. In
June 2006, Abt Associates published recommendations for CMS on how to design
this demonstration project. The two-year demonstration is slated to
begin in October 2007 and will run through September 2009. Other
proposals under consideration include efforts by individual states to control
costs by decreasing state Medicaid reimbursements in the current or future
fiscal years and federal legislation addressing various issues, such as
improving quality of care and reducing medical errors throughout the health
care
industry. We cannot accurately predict whether specific proposals will be
adopted or, if adopted, what effect, if any, these proposals would have on
operators and, thus, our business.
Taxation
The
following is a general summary of
the material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to us and to
the
holders of our securities and our election to be taxed as a real estate
investment trust (“REIT”). It is not tax advice. The
summary is not intended to represent a detailed description of the U.S. federal
income tax consequences applicable to a particular stockholder in view of any
person’s particular circumstances, nor is it intended to represent a detailed
description of the U.S. federal income tax consequences applicable to
stockholders subject to special treatment under the federal income tax laws
such
as insurance companies, tax-exempt organizations, financial institutions,
securities broker-dealers, investors in pass-through entities, expatriates
and
taxpayers subject to alternative minimum taxation.
The
following discussion, to the extent
it constitutes matters of law or legal conclusions (assuming the facts,
representations, and assumptions upon which the discussion is based are
accurate), accurately represents some of the material U.S. federal income tax
considerations relevant to ownership of our securities. The sections
of the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”) relating to the qualification and
operation as a REIT are highly technical and complex. The following
discussion sets forth the material aspects of the Code sections that govern
the
federal income tax treatment of a REIT and its stockholders. The
information in this section is based on the Code; current, temporary, and
proposed Treasury regulations promulgated under the Code; the legislative
history of the Code; current administrative interpretations and practices of
the
Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”); and court decisions, in each case, as of the
date of this report. In addition, the administrative interpretations
and practices of the IRS include its practices and policies as expressed in
private letter rulings, which are not binding on the IRS, except with respect
to
the particular taxpayers who requested and received those rulings.
Taxation
of Omega
General. We
have
elected to be taxed as a REIT, under Sections 856 through 860 of the Code,
beginning with our taxable year ended December 31, 1992. Except with
respect to the Advocat Inc. (“Advocat”) “related party tenant” issue described
elsewhere in this report, we believe that we have been organized and operated
in
such a manner as to qualify for taxation as a REIT under the Code and we intend
to continue to operate in such a manner, but no assurance can be given that
we
have operated or will be able to continue to operate in a manner so as to
qualify or remain qualified as a REIT.
The
sections of the Code that govern
the federal income tax treatment of a REIT are highly technical and
complex. The following sets forth the material aspects of those
sections. This summary is qualified in its entirety by the applicable
Code provisions, rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and
administrative and judicial interpretations thereof.
If
we qualify for taxation as a REIT,
we generally will not be subject to federal corporate income taxes on our net
income that is currently distributed to stockholders. However, we
will be subject to federal income tax as follows: First, we will be taxed at
regular corporate rates on any undistributed REIT taxable income, including
undistributed net capital gains; provided, however, that if we have a net
capital gain, we will be taxed at regular corporate rates on our undistributed
REIT taxable income, computed without regard to net capital gain and the
deduction for capital gains dividends, plus a 35% tax on undistributed net
capital gain, if our tax as thus computed is less than the tax computed in
the
regular manner. Second, under certain circumstances, we may be
subject to the “alternative minimum tax” on our items of tax preference that we
do not distribute or allocate to our stockholders. Third, if we have
(i) net income from the sale or other disposition of “foreclosure property,”
which is held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of
business, or (ii) other nonqualifying income from foreclosure property, we
will
be subject to tax at the highest regular corporate rate on such
income. Fourth, if we have net income from prohibited transactions
(which are, in general, certain sales or other dispositions of property (other
than foreclosure property) held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary
course of business by us, i.e., when we are acting as a dealer), such income
will be subject to a 100% tax. Fifth, if we should fail to satisfy
the 75% gross income test or the 95% gross income test (as discussed below),
but
have nonetheless maintained our qualification as a REIT because certain other
requirements have been met, we will be subject to a 100% tax on an amount equal
to (a) the gross income attributable to the greater of the amount by which
we
fail the 75% or 95% test, multiplied by (b) a fraction intended to reflect
our
profitability. Sixth, if we should fail to distribute by the end of
each year at least the sum of (i) 85% of our REIT ordinary income for such
year,
(ii) 95% of our REIT capital gain net income for such year, and (iii) any
undistributed taxable income from prior periods, we will be subject to a 4%
excise tax on the excess of such required distribution over the amounts actually
distributed. Seventh, we will be subject to a 100% excise tax on
transactions with a taxable REIT subsidiary (“TRS”) that are not conducted on an
arm’s-length basis. Eighth, if we acquire any asset, which is defined
as a “built-in gain asset” from a C corporation that is not a REIT (i.e.,
generally a corporation subject to full corporate-level tax) in a transaction
in
which the basis of the built-in gain asset in our hands is determined by
reference to the basis of the asset (or any other property) in the hands of
the
C corporation, and we recognize gain on the disposition of such asset during
the
10-year period, which is defined as the “recognition period,” beginning on the
date on which such asset was acquired by us, then, to the extent of the built-in
gain (i.e., the excess of (a) the fair market value of such asset on the date
such asset was acquired by us over (b) our adjusted basis in such asset on
such
date), our recognized gain will be subject to tax at the highest regular
corporate rate. The results described above with respect to the
recognition of built-in gain assume that we will not make an election pursuant
to Treasury Regulations Section 1.337(d)-7(c)(5).
Requirements
for
qualification. The Code defines a REIT as a corporation,
trust or association: (1) which is managed by one or more trustees or directors;
(2) the beneficial ownership of which is evidenced by transferable shares,
or by
transferable certificates of beneficial interest; (3) which would be taxable
as
a domestic corporation, but for Sections 856 through 859 of the Code; (4) which
is neither a financial institution nor an insurance company subject to the
provisions of the Code; (5) the beneficial ownership of which is held by 100
or
more persons; (6) during the last half year of each taxable year not more than
50% in value of the outstanding stock of which is owned, actually or
constructively, by five or fewer individuals (as defined in the Code to include
certain entities); and (7) which meets certain other tests, described below,
regarding the nature of its income and assets and the amount of its annual
distributions to stockholders. The Code provides that conditions (1)
to (4), inclusive, must be met during the entire taxable year and that condition
(5) must be met during at least 335 days of a taxable year of twelve months,
or
during a proportionate part of a taxable year of less than twelve
months. For purposes of conditions (5) and (6), pension funds and
certain other tax-exempt entities are treated as individuals, subject to a
“look-through” exception in the case of condition (6).
Income
tests. In
order to maintain our qualification as a REIT, we annually must satisfy two
gross income requirements. First, at least 75% of our gross income
(excluding gross income from prohibited transactions) for each taxable year
must
be derived directly or indirectly from investments relating to real property
or
mortgages on real property (including generally “rents from real property,”
interest on mortgages on real property, and gains on sale of real property
and
real property mortgages, other than property described in Section 1221(a)(1)
of
the Code) and income derived from certain types of temporary
investments. Second, at least 95% of our gross income (excluding
gross income from prohibited transactions) for each taxable year must be derived
from such real property investments, dividends, interest and gain from the
sale
or disposition of stock or securities other than property held for sale to
customers in the ordinary course of business.
Rents
received by us will qualify as
“rents from real property” in satisfying the gross income requirements for a
REIT described above only if several conditions are met. First, the
amount of the rent must not be based in whole or in part on the income or
profits of any person. However, any amount received or accrued
generally will not be excluded from the term “rents from real property” solely
by reason of being based on a fixed percentage or percentages of receipts or
sales. Second, the Code provides that rents received from a tenant
will not qualify as “rents from real property” in satisfying the gross income
tests if we, or an owner (actually or constructively) of 10% or more of the
value of our stock, actually or constructively owns 10% or more of such tenant,
which is defined as a related party tenant. Third, if rent
attributable to personal property, leased in connection with a lease of real
property, is greater than 15% of the total rent received under the lease, then
the portion of rent attributable to such personal property will not qualify
as
“rents from real property.” Finally, for rents received to qualify as “rents
from real property,” we generally must not operate or manage the property or
furnish or render services to the tenants of such property, other than through
an independent contractor from which we derive no revenue. We may,
however, directly perform certain services that are “usually or customarily
rendered” in connection with the rental of space for occupancy only and are not
otherwise considered “rendered to the occupant” of the property. In
addition, we may provide a minimal amount of “non-customary” services to the
tenants of a property, other than through an independent contractor, as long
as
our income from the services does not exceed 1% of our income from the related
property. Furthermore, we may own up to 100% of the stock of a
taxable REIT subsidiary (“TRS”), which may provide customary and non-customary
services to our tenants without tainting our rental income from the related
properties. For our tax years beginning after 2004, rents for
customary services performed by a TRS or that are received from a TRS and are
described in Code Section 512(b)(3) no longer need to meet the 100% excise
tax
safe harbor. Instead, such payments avoid the excise tax if we pay
the TRS at least 150% of its direct cost of furnishing such
services.
The
term “interest” generally does not
include any amount received or accrued (directly or indirectly) if the
determination of such amount depends in whole or in part on the income or
profits of any person. However, an amount received or accrued
generally will not be excluded from the term “interest” solely by reason of
being based on a fixed percentage or percentages of gross receipts or
sales. In addition, an amount that is based on the income or profits
of a debtor will be qualifying interest income as long as the debtor derives
substantially all of its income from the real property securing the debt from
leasing substantially all of its interest in the property, but only to the
extent that the amounts received by the debtor would be qualifying “rents from
real property” if received directly by a REIT.
If
a loan contains a provision that
entitles us to a percentage of the borrower’s gain upon the sale of the real
property securing the loan or a percentage of the appreciation in the property’s
value as of a specific date, income attributable to that loan provision will
be
treated as gain from the sale of the property securing the loan, which generally
is qualifying income for purposes of both gross income tests.
Interest
on debt secured by mortgages
on real property or on interests in real property generally is qualifying income
for purposes of the 75% gross income test. However, if the highest
principal amount of a loan outstanding during a taxable year exceeds the fair
market value of the real property securing the loan as of the date we agreed
to
originate or acquire the loan, a portion of the interest income from such loan
will not be qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test, but
will be qualifying income for purposes of the 95% gross income
test. The portion of the interest income that will not be qualifying
income for purposes of the 75% gross income test will be equal to the portion
of
the principal amount of the loan that is not secured by real
property.
Prohibited
transactions. We will incur a 100% tax on the net income derived
from any sale or other disposition of property, other than foreclosure property,
that we hold primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of a trade
or business. We believe that none of our assets is primarily held for
sale to customers and that a sale of any of our assets would not be in the
ordinary course of our business. Whether a REIT holds an asset
primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business
depends, however, on the facts and circumstances in effect from time to time,
including those related to a particular asset. Nevertheless, we will
attempt to comply with the terms of safe-harbor provisions in the federal income
tax laws prescribing when an asset sale will not be characterized as a
prohibited transaction. We cannot assure you, however, that we can
comply with the safe-harbor provisions or that we will avoid owning property
that may be characterized as property that we hold primarily for sale to
customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business.
Foreclosure
property. We will be subject to tax at the maximum corporate
rate on any income from foreclosure property, other than income that otherwise
would be qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test, less
expenses directly connected with the production of that
income. However, gross income from foreclosure property is treated as
qualifying for purposes of the 75% and 95% gross income
tests. Foreclosure property is any real property, including interests
in real property, and any personal property incident to such real
property:
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•
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that
is acquired by a REIT as the result of the REIT having bid on such
property at foreclosure, or having otherwise reduced such property
to
ownership or possession by agreement or process of law, after there
was a
default or default was imminent on a lease of such property or on
indebtedness that such property
secured;
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for
which the related loan or lease was acquired by the REIT at a time
when
the default was not imminent or anticipated;
and
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for
which the REIT makes a proper election to treat the property as
foreclosure property.
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Property
generally ceases to be
foreclosure property at the end of the third taxable year following the taxable
year in which the REIT acquired the property, or longer if an extension is
granted by the Secretary of the Treasury. This grace period
terminates and foreclosure property ceases to be foreclosure property on the
first day:
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•
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on
which a lease is entered into for the property that, by its terms,
will
give rise to income that does not qualify for purposes of the 75%
gross
income test, or any amount is received or accrued, directly or indirectly,
pursuant to a lease entered into on or after such day that will give
rise
to income that does not qualify for purposes of the 75% gross income
test;
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on
which any construction takes place on the property, other than completion
of a building or any other improvement, where more than 10% of the
construction was completed before default became imminent;
or
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which
is more than 90 days after the day on which the REIT acquired the
property
and the property is used in a trade or business which is conducted
by the
REIT, other than through an independent contractor from whom the
REIT
itself does not derive or receive any
income.
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After
the year 2000, the definition of
foreclosure property was amended to include any “qualified health care
property,” as defined in Code Section 856(e)(6) acquired by us as the result of
the termination or expiration of a lease of such property. We have
operated qualified healthcare facilities acquired in this manner for up to
two
years (or longer if an extension was granted). However, we do not
currently own any property with respect to which we have made foreclosure
property elections. Properties that we had taken back in a
foreclosure or bankruptcy and operated for our own account were treated as
foreclosure properties for income tax purposes, pursuant to Internal Revenue
Code Section 856(e). Gross income from foreclosure properties was
classified as “good income” for purposes of the annual REIT income tests upon
making the election on the tax return. Once made, the income was
classified as “good” for a period of three years, or until the properties were
no longer operated for our own account. In all cases of foreclosure
property, we utilized an independent contractor to conduct day-to-day operations
in order to maintain REIT status. In certain cases we operated these
facilities through a taxable REIT subsidiary. For those properties
operated through the taxable REIT subsidiary, we utilized an eligible
independent contractor to conduct day-to-day operations to maintain REIT
status. As a result of the foregoing, we do not believe that our
participation in the operation of nursing homes increased the risk that we
would
fail to qualify as a REIT. Through our 2005 taxable year, we had not
paid any tax on our foreclosure property because those properties had been
producing losses. We cannot predict whether, in the future, our
income from foreclosure property will be significant and/or whether we could
be
required to pay a significant amount of tax on that income.
Hedging
transactions. From time to time, we enter into hedging
transactions with respect to one or more of our assets or
liabilities. Our hedging activities may include entering into
interest rate swaps, caps and floors, options to purchase these items, and
futures and forward contracts. To the extent that we enter into an
interest rate swap or cap contract, option, futures contract, forward rate
agreement, or any similar financial instrument to hedge our indebtedness
incurred to acquire or carry “real estate assets,” any periodic income or gain
from the disposition of that contract should be qualifying income for purposes
of the 95% gross income test, but not the 75% gross income
test. Accordingly, our income and gain from our interest rate swap
agreements generally is qualifying income for purposes of the 95% gross income
test, but not the 75% gross income test. To the extent that we hedge
with other types of financial instruments, or in other situations, it is not
entirely clear how the income from those transactions will be treated for
purposes of the gross income tests. We have structured and intend to
continue to structure any hedging transactions in a manner that does not
jeopardize our status as a REIT. For tax years beginning after 2004,
we were no longer required to include income from hedging transactions in gross
income (i.e., not included in either the numerator or the denominator) for
purposes of the 95% gross income test.
TRS
income. A TRS
may earn income that would not be qualifying income if earned directly by the
parent REIT. Both the subsidiary and the REIT must jointly elect to
treat the subsidiary as a TRS. A corporation of which a TRS directly
or indirectly owns more than 35% of the voting power or value of the stock
will
automatically be treated as a TRS. Overall, no more than 20% of the
value of a REIT’s assets may consist of securities of one or more
TRSs. However, a TRS does not include a corporation which directly or
indirectly (i) operates or manages a health care (or lodging) facility, or
(ii)
provides to any other person (under a franchise, license, or otherwise) rights
to any brand name under which a health care (or lodging) facility is
operated. A TRS will pay income tax at regular corporate rates on any
income that it earns. In addition, the new rules limit the
deductibility of interest paid or accrued by a TRS to its parent REIT to assure
that the TRS is subject to an appropriate level of corporate
taxation. The rules also impose a 100% excise tax on transactions
between a TRS and its parent REIT or the REIT’s tenants that are not conducted
on an arm’s-length basis. We have made a TRS election with respect to
Bayside Street II, Inc. That entity will pay corporate income tax on
its taxable income and its after-tax net income will be available for
distribution to us.
Failure
to satisfy income
tests. If we fail to satisfy one or both of the 75% or 95% gross
income tests for any taxable year, we may nevertheless qualify as a REIT for
such year if we are entitled to relief under certain provisions of the
Code. These relief provisions will be generally available if our
failure to meet such tests was due to reasonable cause and not due to willful
neglect, we attach a schedule of the sources of our income to our tax return,
and any incorrect information on the schedule was not due to fraud with intent
to evade tax. It is not possible, however, to state whether in all
circumstances we would be entitled to the benefit of these relief
provisions. Even if these relief provisions apply, we would incur a
100% tax on the gross income attributable to the greater of the amounts by
which
we fail the 75% and 95% gross income tests, multiplied by a fraction intended
to
reflect our profitability and we would file a schedule with descriptions of
each
item of gross income that caused the failure.
Related
Party Tenant
Issue. In the fourth quarter of 2006, we were advised by tax
counsel that, due to certain provisions of the Series B preferred stock issued
to us by Advocat in 2000 in connection with a restructuring, Advocat may be
considered to be a “related party tenant” under the rules applicable to REITs
and, in such event, rental income received by us from Advocat would not be
qualifying income for purposes of the REIT gross income tests. The applicable
federal income tax rules provide a “savings clause” for REITs that fail to
satisfy the REIT gross income tests if such a failure is due to reasonable
cause.
While
we believe that there are valid
arguments that Advocat should not be a “related party tenant,” if Advocat were
so treated, we would have failed to satisfy the 95% gross income tests during
certain prior taxable years. Such a failure could have prevented us from
maintaining REIT tax status during such years and from re-electing REIT tax
status for a number of taxable years thereafter. Any such failure to satisfy
the
REIT gross income tests, however, would not result in the loss of REIT status,
if the failure was due to reasonable cause and not to willful neglect, and
we
pay a tax on the non-qualifying income. Accordingly, on the advice of tax
counsel in order to resolve the matter, minimize potential penalties, and obtain
assurances regarding our continued REIT tax status, we submitted to the IRS
a
request for a closing agreement on December 15, 2006, which agreement would
conclude that any failure to satisfy the gross income tests would be due to
reasonable cause and not to willful neglect. Since that time, we have had
ongoing conversations with the IRS and we have submitted additional
documentation in furtherance of the issuance of a closing
agreement. We have been in discussions toward finalization of the
closing agreement, however, we have not as yet entered into a closing agreement
with respect to the related party tenant issue with the IRS. Based on these
discussions, we have no reason to believe that a closing agreement will not
be
entered into with the IRS once administrative review of the closing agreement
by
the appropriate levels at the IRS has been completed. We intend to
continue to proceed with this course of action until a closing agreement with
the IRS is obtained. In the event that it is determined that the “savings
clause” described above does not apply, we could be treated as having failed to
qualify as a REIT for one or more taxable years. If we fail to qualify for
taxation as a REIT for any taxable year, our income will be taxed at regular
corporate rates, and we could be disqualified as a REIT for the following four
taxable years.
As
a result
of the related party tenant issue described above, we have recorded income
tax
provision of $5.5 million for the tax years 2002 through 2006. In the
third quarter of 2007, we filed and paid $2.1 million of the liability relating
to the tax year 2006. The amount accrued represents the estimated
liability and interest, which remains subject to final resolution and therefore
is subject to change. In addition, in October 2006, we restructured our Advocat
relationship and have been advised by tax counsel that we will not receive
any
non-qualifying related party tenant income from Advocat in future fiscal
years.
Accordingly, we do not expect to incur tax expense associated with related
party
tenant income in future periods commencing January 1, 2007, assuming we enter
into a closing agreement with the IRS that recognizes that reasonable cause
existed for any failure to satisfy the REIT gross income tests as explained
above.
Asset
tests. At the
close of each quarter of our taxable year, we must also satisfy the following
tests relating to the nature of our assets. First, at least 75% of
the value of our total assets must be represented by real estate assets
(including (i) our allocable share of real estate assets held by partnerships
in
which we own an interest and (ii) stock or debt instruments held for not more
than one year purchased with the proceeds of a stock offering or long-term
(at
least five years) debt offering of our company), cash, cash items and government
securities. Second, of our investments not included in the 75% asset
class, the value of our interest in any one issuer’s securities may not exceed
5% of the value of our total assets. Third, we may not own more than
10% of the voting power or value of any one issuer’s outstanding
securities. Fourth, no more than 20% of the value of our total assets
may consist of the securities of one or more TRSs. Fifth, no more
than 25% of the value of our total assets may consist of the securities of
TRSs
and other non-TRS taxable subsidiaries and other assets that are not qualifying
assets for purposes of the 75% asset test.
For
purposes of the second and third
asset tests the term “securities” does not include our equity or debt securities
of a qualified REIT subsidiary, a TRS, or an equity interest in any partnership,
since we are deemed to own our proportionate share of each asset of any
partnership of which we are a partner. Furthermore, for purposes of
determining whether we own more than 10% of the value of only one issuer’s
outstanding securities, the term “securities” does not include: (i) any loan to
an individual or an estate; (ii) any Code Section 467 rental agreement; (iii)
any obligation to pay rents from real property; (iv) certain government issued
securities; (v) any security issued by another REIT; and (vi) our debt
securities in any partnership, not otherwise excepted under (i) through (v)
above, (A) to the extent of our interest as a partner in the partnership or
(B)
if 75% of the partnership’s gross income is derived from sources described in
the 75% income test set forth above.
We
may own up to 100% of the stock of
one or more TRSs. However, overall, no more than 20% of the value of
our assets may consist of securities of one or more TRSs, and no more than
25%
of the value of our assets may consist of the securities of TRSs and other
non-TRS taxable subsidiaries (including stock in non-REIT C corporations) and
other assets that are not qualifying assets for purposes of the 75% asset
test. If the outstanding principal balance of a mortgage loan exceeds
the fair market value of the real property securing the loan, a portion of
such
loan likely will not be a qualifying real estate asset for purposes of the
75%
test. The nonqualifying portion of that mortgage loan will be equal
to the portion of the loan amount that exceeds the value of the associated
real
property.
After
initially meeting the asset tests
at the close of any quarter, we will not lose our status as a REIT for failure
to satisfy any of the asset tests at the end of a later quarter solely by reason
of changes in asset values. If the failure to satisfy the asset tests
results from an acquisition of securities or other property during a quarter,
the failure can be cured by disposition of sufficient nonqualifying assets
within 30 days after the close of that quarter.
For
our tax years beginning after 2004,
subject to certain de minimis exceptions, we may avoid REIT
disqualification in the event of certain failures under the asset tests,
provided that (i) we file a schedule with a description of each asset that
caused the failure, (ii) the failure was due to reasonable cause and not willful
neglect, (iii) we dispose of the assets within 6 months after the last day
of
the quarter in which the identification of the failure occurred (or the
requirements of the rules are otherwise met within such period), and (iv) we
pay
a tax on the failure equal to the greater of (A) $50,000 per failure, and (B)
the product of the net income generated by the assets that caused the failure
for the period beginning on the date of the failure and ending on the date
we
dispose of the asset (or otherwise satisfy the requirements) multiplied by
the
highest applicable corporate tax rate.
Annual
distribution
requirements. In order to qualify as a REIT, we are required to
distribute dividends (other than capital gain dividends) to our stockholders
in
an amount at least equal to (A) the sum of (i) 90% of our “REIT taxable income”
(computed without regard to the dividends paid deduction and our net capital
gain) and (ii) 90% of the net income (after tax), if any, from foreclosure
property, minus (B) the sum of certain items of noncash income. Such
distributions must be paid in the taxable year to which they relate, or in
the
following taxable year if declared before we timely file our tax return for
such
year and paid on or before the first regular dividend payment after such
declaration. In addition, such distributions are required to be made
pro rata, with no preference to any share of stock as compared with other shares
of the same class, and with no preference to one class of stock as compared
with
another class except to the extent that such class is entitled to such a
preference. To the extent that we do not distribute all of our net
capital gain, or distribute at least 90%, but less than 100% of our “REIT
taxable income,” as adjusted, we will be subject to tax thereon at regular
ordinary and capital gain corporate tax rates.
Furthermore,
if we fail to distribute
during a calendar year, or by the end of January following the calendar year
in
the case of distributions with declaration and record dates falling in the
last
three months of the calendar year, at least the sum of:
• 85%
of our REIT ordinary income for such year;
• 95%
of our REIT capital gain income for such year; and
• any
undistributed taxable income from prior periods,
we
will
incur a 4% nondeductible excise tax on the excess of such required distribution
over the amounts we actually distribute. We may elect to retain and
pay income tax on the net long-term capital gain we receive in a taxable
year. If we so elect, we will be treated as having distributed any
such retained amount for purposes of the 4% excise tax described
above. We have made, and we intend to continue to make, timely
distributions sufficient to satisfy the annual distribution
requirements. We may also be entitled to pay and deduct deficiency
dividends in later years as a relief measure to correct errors in determining
our taxable income. Although we may be able to avoid income tax on
amounts distributed as deficiency dividends, we will be required to pay interest
to the IRS based upon the amount of any deduction we take for deficiency
dividends.
The
availability to us of, among other
things, depreciation deductions with respect to our owned facilities depends
upon the treatment by us as the owner of such facilities for federal income
tax
purposes, and the classification of the leases with respect to such facilities
as “true leases” rather than financing arrangements for federal income tax
purposes. The questions of whether (1) we are the owner of such
facilities and (ii) the leases are true leases for federal tax purposes, are
essentially factual matters. We believe that we will be treated as
the owner of each of the facilities that we lease, and such leases will be
treated as true leases for federal income tax purposes. However, no
assurances can be given that the IRS will not successfully challenge our status
as the owner of our facilities subject to leases, and the status of such leases
as true leases, asserting that the purchase of the facilities by us and the
leasing of such facilities merely constitute steps in secured financing
transactions in which the lessees are owners of the facilities and we are merely
a secured creditor. In such event, we would not be entitled to claim
depreciation deductions with respect to any of the affected
facilities. As a result, we might fail to meet the 90% distribution
requirement or, if such requirement is met, we might be subject to corporate
income tax or the 4% excise tax.
Other
Failures. We
may avoid disqualification in the event of a failure to meet certain
requirements for REIT qualification, other than the 95% and 75% gross income
tests, the rules with respect to ownership of securities of more than 10% of
a
single issuer, and the new rules provided for failures of the asset tests,
if
the failures are due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect, and if the
REIT pays a penalty of $50,000 for each such failure.
Failure
to Qualify
If
we fail to qualify as a REIT in any
taxable year, and the relief provisions do not apply, we will be subject to
tax
(including any applicable alternative minimum tax) on our taxable income at
regular corporate rates. Distributions to stockholders in any year in
which we fail to qualify will not be deductible and our failure to qualify
as a
REIT would reduce the cash available for distribution by us to our
stockholders. In addition, if we fail to qualify as a REIT, all
distributions to stockholders will be taxable as ordinary income, to the extent
of current and accumulated earnings and profits, and, subject to certain
limitations of the Code, corporate distributees may be eligible for the
dividends received deduction. Unless entitled to relief under
specific statutory provisions, we would also be disqualified from taxation
as a
REIT for the four taxable years following the year during which qualification
was lost. It is not possible to state whether in all circumstances we
would be entitled to such statutory relief. Failure to qualify could
result in our incurring indebtedness or liquidating investments in order to
pay
the resulting taxes.
Other
Tax Matters
We
own and operate a number of
properties through qualified REIT subsidiaries, (“QRSs”). The QRSs
are treated as qualified REIT subsidiaries under the Code. Code
Section 856(i) provides that a corporation which is a qualified REIT subsidiary
shall not be treated as a separate corporation, and all assets, liabilities,
and
items of income, deduction, and credit of a qualified REIT subsidiary shall
be
treated as assets, liabilities and such items (as the case may be) of the
REIT. Thus, in applying the tests for REIT qualification described in
this prospectus under the heading “Taxation of Omega,” the QRSs will be ignored,
and all assets, liabilities and items of income, deduction, and credit of such
QRSs will be treated as our assets, liabilities and items of income, deduction,
and credit.
In
the case of a REIT that is a partner
in a partnership, the REIT is treated as owning its proportionate share of
the
assets of the partnership and as earning its allocable share of the gross income
of the partnership for purposes of the applicable REIT qualification
tests. Thus, our proportionate share of the assets, liabilities, and
items of income of any partnership, joint venture, or limited liability company
that is treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes in which we
own
an interest, directly or indirectly, will be treated as our assets and gross
income for purposes of applying the various REIT qualification
requirements.
Critical
Accounting Policies and Estimates
Our
financial statements are prepared
in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States
of America (“GAAP”) and a summary of our significant accounting policies is
included in Note 2 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies to our annual
report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006. Our
preparation of the financial statements requires us to make estimates and
assumptions about future events that affect the amounts reported in our
financial statements and accompanying footnotes. Future events and
their effects cannot be determined with absolute
certainty. Therefore, the determination of estimates requires the
exercise of judgment. Actual results inevitably will differ from
those estimates, and such difference may be material to the consolidated
financial statements. We have described our most critical accounting
policies in our 2006 annual report on Form 10-K in Item 7, Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations. During the first quarter of 2007, we adopted Financial
Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Interpretation No. 48 (“FIN 48”),
“Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes,” an interpretation of FASB
Statement No. 109 (“FAS No. 109”), “Accounting for Income
Taxes.” The following discussion provides additional information
about the effect on the consolidated financial statements of judgments and
estimates related to our policy regarding uncertainty in income
taxes.
Effective
January 1, 2007, we adopted
the provisions of FIN 48. FIN 48 clarifies the accounting for
uncertainty in income taxes recognized in an enterprise’s financial statements
in accordance with FAS No. 109, by defining a criterion that an individual
tax
position must meet for any part of that position to be recognized in an
enterprise’s financial statements. The interpretation requires a
review of all tax positions accounted for in accordance with FAS No. 109 and
applies a more-likely-than-not recognition threshold. A tax position
that meets the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold is initially and
subsequently measured as the largest amount of tax benefit that is greater
than
50 percent likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement with the taxing
authority that has full knowledge of all relevant
information. Subsequent recognition, derecognition, and measurement
is based on management’s judgment given the facts, circumstances and information
available at the reporting date. We evaluated FIN 48 and determined
that the adoption of FIN 48 had no impact on our financial
statements.
Recent
Accounting Pronouncement:
FAS
157 Evaluation
In
September 2006, the FASB issued FASB
Statement No. 157, “Fair Value Measurements” (“FAS No.
157”). This standard defines fair value, establishes a methodology
for measuring fair value and expands the required disclosure for fair value
measurements. FAS No. 157 emphasizes that fair value is a
market-based measurement, not an entity-specific measurement, and states that
a
fair value measurement should be determined based on the assumptions that market
participants would use in pricing the asset or liability. This
statement applies under other accounting pronouncements that require or permit
fair value measurements, the FASB having previously concluded in those
pronouncements that fair value is the relevant measurement
attribute. Accordingly, this statement does not require any new fair
value measurements. FAS No. 157 is effective for fiscal years
beginning after November 15, 2007, and we intend to adopt the standard on
January 1, 2008. We are currently evaluating the impact, if any, that
FAS No. 157 will have on our financial statements.
FAS
159 Evaluation
In
February 2007, the FASB issued
Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS”) No. 159, “The Fair
Value Option for Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities” (“SFAS No.
159”). SFAS No. 159 permits entities to choose to measure certain
financial assets and liabilities at fair value, with the change in unrealized
gains and losses on items for which the fair value option has been elected
reported in earnings. SFAS No. 159 is effective for fiscal years
beginning after November 15, 2007. We are currently evaluating the
impact, if any, that SFAS No. 159 will have on our financial
statements.
Results
of Operations
The
following is our discussion of the
consolidated results of operations, financial position and liquidity and capital
resources, which should be read in conjunction with our unaudited consolidated
financial statements and accompanying notes.
Three
Months Ended September 30, 2007 and 2006
Operating
Revenues
Our
operating revenues for the three
months ended September 30, 2007 totaled $39.2 million, an increase of $4.1
million, over the same period in 2006. The $4.1 million increase was
primarily the result of additional rental income due to the third quarter 2006
acquisition of 30 SNFs and one independent living center and third quarter
2007
acquisition of 5 SNFs from Litchfield Investment Company, LLC
(“Litchfield”).
Operating
Expenses
Operating
expenses for the three months
ended September 30, 2007 totaled $13.5 million, a decrease of approximately
$0.5
million over the same period in 2006. The decrease was primarily due
to a $3.1 million decrease in restricted stock expense, offset by an increase
in
depreciation expense of $0.8 million and a 2007 provision for impairment of
$1.6
million related to an asset we plan to sell. The decrease in
restricted stock expense primarily relates to the third quarter 2006 vesting
of
performance awards granted to executives in 2004. The increase in
depreciation expenses primarily relates to the third quarter 2006 acquisitions
of 30 SNFs and one independent living center from Litchfield.
Other
Income (Expense)
For
the three months ended September
30, 2007, total other expenses were $10.5 million, as compared to $7.0 million
for the same period in 2006, an increase of $3.5 million. The $3.5
million increase is primarily due to the following:
·
|
Interest
expense, excluding amortization of deferred financing costs and
refinancing related interest expenses, decreased $1.1 million to
$10.1
million for the three months ended September 30, 2007, from $11.2
million
for the same period 2006. The decrease of $1.1 million was
primarily due to lower average outstanding debt for the
period. In the third quarter of 2006 and 2007, we used proceeds
from debt to acquire the aforementioned SNFs from
Litchfield.
|
·
|
For
the three months ended September 30, 2006, we sold our remaining
760,000
shares of Sun Healthcare Group (“Sun”) common stock for approximately $7.6
million, realizing a gain on the sale of these securities of approximately
$2.7 million.
|
·
|
For
the three months ended September 30, 2006, we recorded a $1.8 million
mark-to-market adjustment to reflect the increase in fair value of
our
derivative instrument (i.e., the conversion feature of the redeemable
convertible preferred stock we held in Advocat, a publicly traded
company).
|
Income
from continuing operations
Income
from continuing operations for
the three months ended September 30, 2007 was $15.3 million compared to $14.7
million for the same period in 2006. The increase in income from
continuing operations is the result of the factors described above.
Nine
Months Ended September 30, 2007 and 2006
Operating
Revenues
Our
operating revenues for the nine
months ended September 30, 2007 totaled $120.0 million, an increase of $20.6
million, over the same period in 2006. The $20.6 million increase was
primarily the result of additional rental income due to the third quarter 2006
acquisition of 30 SNFs and one independent living center from Litchfield and
a
change in accounting estimate related to one of our operators. As
more fully disclosed in Note 1 –Basis of Presentation
and
Significant Accounting Policies, during the first quarter of 2007, we determined
that we should reverse approximately $5.0 million of allowance previously
established for straight-line rent, as a result of an improvement in one of
our
operator’s financial condition.
Operating
Expenses
Operating
expenses for the nine months
ended September 30, 2007 totaled $36.5 million, an increase of approximately
$2.8 million over the same period in 2006. The increase was primarily
due to increased depreciation expenses of $3.4 million related to the third
quarter 2006 acquisition of the Litchfield facilities and $1.6 million of
provision for impairment on real estate properties, offset by a reduction of
$3.3 million of restricted stock expense compared to 2006. The
decrease in restricted stock primarily relates to the third quarter 2006 vesting
of performance awards.
Other
Income (Expense)
For
the nine months ended September 30,
2007, our total other expenses were $33.3 million, as compared to $22.5 million
for the same period in 2006, an increase of $10.8 million. The $10.8
million increase is primarily due to the following:
·
|
Interest
expense, excluding amortization of deferred financing costs and
refinancing related interest expenses, increased $1.7 million to
$32.0
million for the nine months ended September 30, 2007, from $30.2
million
for the same period 2006. The increase of $1.7 million was
primarily due to the higher average debt outstanding in 2007 compared
to
2006 as a result of the third quarter 2006 and 2007 acquisition of
the
Litchfield facilities, offset by the use of proceeds from the issuance
of
equity in April 2007 to pay down
debt.
|
·
|
For
the nine months ended September 30, 2006, we recorded a charge of
approximately $2.7 million relating to the write-off of deferred
financing
costs associated with the termination of our old credit facility,
and $0.8
million non-cash charge associated with the redemption of the remaining
20.7% of our $100 million aggregate principal amount of 6.95% unsecured
notes due 2007.
|
·
|
For
the nine months ended September 30, 2006, we sold our remaining 760,000
shares of (“Sun”) common stock for approximately $7.6 million, realizing a
gain on the sale of these securities of approximately $2.7
million.
|
·
|
For
the nine months ended September 30, 2006, we recorded a $9.7 million
mark-to-market adjustment to reflect the increase in fair value of
our
derivative instrument (i.e., the conversion feature of the redeemable
convertible preferred stock we held in
Advocat).
|
Taxes
As
more fully disclosed in Note 5 –
Taxes and in our December 31, 2006 Form 10-K, filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), we identified a related party
tenant issue which could have been interpreted as affecting our compliance
with
federal income tax rules applicable to REITs regarding related party tenant
income. During the fourth quarter of 2006, we restructured our
agreement with the tenant eliminating the related party tenant income
issue. As a result of the related party tenant issue in 2006, we
recorded income tax expense of $1.7 million for the nine months ended September
30, 2006.
So
long as we qualify as a REIT and,
among other things, we distribute 90% of our taxable income, we will not be
subject to Federal income taxes on our income, except as described
below. For tax year 2006, preferred and common dividend payments of
approximately $67 million made throughout 2006 satisfy the 2006 REIT
requirements relating to qualifying income. We are permitted to own
up to 100% of a “taxable REIT subsidiary” (“TRS”). Currently, we have
one TRS that is taxable as a corporation and that pays federal, state and local
income tax on its net income at the applicable corporate rates. The
TRS had a net operating loss carry-forward as of September 30, 2007 of $1.1
million. The loss carry-forward was fully reserved with a valuation
allowance due to uncertainties regarding realization. We recorded
interest and penalty charges associated with tax matters as income tax
expense.
Income
from continuing operations
Income
from continuing operations for
the nine months ended September 30, 2007 was $50.3 million compared to $42.7
million for the same period in 2006. The increase in income from
continuing operations is the result of the factors described above.
Gain/Loss
from Discontinued Operations
For
the nine months ended September 30,
2007, we recorded a gain of $1.7 million compared to a loss of $0.4 million
from
the same period in 2006. The gain was primarily related to the sale
of two assisted living facilities (“ALFs”) in Indiana during the first quarter
of 2007.
Funds
From Operations
Our
funds
from operations available to common stockholders (“FFO”), for the three months
ended September 30, 2007, was $22.0 million, compared to $19.3 million, for
the
same period in 2006.
We
calculate and report FFO in accordance with the definition and interpretive
guidelines issued by the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts
(“NAREIT”), and consequently, FFO is defined as net income available to common
stockholders, adjusted for the effects of asset dispositions and certain
non-cash items, primarily depreciation and amortization. We believe
that FFO is an important supplemental measure of our operating
performance. Because the historical cost accounting convention used
for real estate assets requires depreciation (except on land), such accounting
presentation implies that the value of real estate assets diminishes predictably
over time, while real estate values instead have historically risen or fallen
with market conditions. The term FFO was designed by the real estate
industry to address this issue. FFO herein is not necessarily
comparable to FFO of other real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) that do not
use the same definition or implementation guidelines or interpret the standards
differently from us.
We
use
FFO as one of several criteria to measure operating performance of our
business. We further believe that by excluding the effect of
depreciation, amortization and gains or losses from sales of real estate, all
of
which are based on historical costs and which may be of limited relevance in
evaluating current performance, FFO can facilitate comparisons of operating
performance between periods and between other REITs. We offer this
measure to assist the users of our financial statements in analyzing our
financial performance; however, this is not a measure of financial performance
under GAAP and should not be considered a measure of liquidity, an alternative
to net income or an indicator of any other performance measure determined in
accordance with GAAP. Investors and potential investors in our
securities should not rely on this measure as a substitute for any GAAP measure,
including net income.
The
following table presents our FFO
results reflecting the impact of asset impairment charges (the SEC's
interpretation) for the three- and nine- months ended September 30, 2007 and
2006:
Three
Months Ended
|
Nine
Months Ended
|
|||||||||||||||
September
30,
|
September
30,
|
|||||||||||||||
2007
|
2006
|
2007
|
2006
|
|||||||||||||
(in
thousands)
|
||||||||||||||||
Net
income available to common
|
$ |
12,869
|
$ |
12,143
|
$ |
44,616
|
$ |
34,846
|
||||||||
Add
back loss (deduct gain)
from real estate dispositions
|
1
|
(1,188 | ) | (1,595 | ) | (807 | ) | |||||||||
Sub-total
|
12,870
|
10,955
|
43,021
|
34,039
|
||||||||||||
Elimination
of non-cash items
included in net income:
|
||||||||||||||||
Depreciation
and
amortization
|
9,138
|
8,362
|
26,768
|
23,432
|
||||||||||||
Funds
from operations available to common stockholders
|
$ |
22,008
|
$ |
19,317
|
$ |
69,789
|
$ |
57,471
|
|
Portfolio
Developments, New Investments and Recent
Developments
|
Below
is a brief description, by
third-party operator, of our re-leasing, restructuring or new investment
transactions that occurred during the nine months ended September 30,
2007.
Home
Quality Management, Inc.
On
July 31, 2007, we completed a
transaction with Litchfield Investment Company, LLC and its affiliates to
purchase five (5) SNFs for a total investment of $39.5 million. The
facilities total 645 beds and are located in Alabama (1), Georgia (2), Kentucky
(1) and Tennessee (1). We also provided a $2.5 million loan in the form of
a
subordinated note as part of the transaction. Simultaneously with the
close of the purchase transaction, the facilities were combined into an Amended
and Restated Master Lease with Home Quality Management (“HQM”). The
Amended and Restated Master Lease was extended until July 31,
2017. The investment allocated to land, building and personal
property is $6.3 million, $32.1 million and $1.1 million,
respectively.
Advocat
We
continuously evaluate the payment
history and financial strength of our operators and have historically
established allowance reserves for straight-line rent adjustments for operators
that do not meet our internal revenue requirements. We consider
factors such as payment history, the operator’s financial condition as well as
current and future anticipated operating trends and regulatory impacts on our
operators when evaluating whether to establish allowances.
We
have reviewed Advocat’s financial
statements annually and noted that since 2000 Advocat’s external auditors issued
Advocat a “going concern” opinion. We reviewed Advocat’s 2006 annual
report and noted that Advocat was issued a “clean” opinion by its external
auditors (i.e., the auditors removed the going concern
qualification). We also reviewed Advocat’s financial statements and
noted an improvement in its financial condition. As a result, we
reversed approximately $5.0 million of allowance previously established for
straight line rent in the first quarter of 2007. This change in
estimate resulted in an additional $0.08 per share of income from continuing
operations and net income for the first quarter of 2007 and for the nine months
ended September 30, 2007.
Haven
Eldercare, LLC
In
conjunction with the application of Consolidation of Variable Interest
Entities (“FIN 46R”), we consolidated the financial statements and related
real estate of this Haven entity into our financial statements. The
impact of consolidating the Haven entity resulted in the following adjustments
to our consolidated balance sheet as of September 30, 2007: (1) an increase
in
total gross investments of $39.0 million; (2) an increase in accumulated
depreciation of $2.7 million; (3) an increase in accounts receivable of $0.3
million; (4) an increase in other long-term borrowings of $39.0
million; (5) and a reduction of $2.4 million in cumulative net earnings
primarily due to increased depreciation expense. Our results of
operation reflect the impact of the consolidation of the Haven entity for the
three- and nine- month periods ended September 30, 2007 and 2006,
respectively.
Assets
Sold
·
|
On
January 31, 2007, we sold two assisted living facilities (“ALFs”) in
Indiana for approximately $3.6 million resulting in a gain of
approximately $1.7 million.
|
·
|
On
February 1, 2007, we sold a closed SNF in Illinois for approximately
$0.1
million resulting in a loss of $35
thousand.
|
·
|
On
March 30, 2007, we sold a SNF in Arkansas for approximately $0.7
million
resulting in a loss of $15
thousand.
|
·
|
On
May 18, 2007, we sold two SNFs in Texas for their net book values,
generating cash proceeds of approximately $1.8
million.
|
Held
for Sale
During
the three months ended September 30, 2007, a $1.6 million provision for
impairment charge was recorded to reduce the carrying value on one facility
to
its estimated fair value. At September 30, 2007, we had four
facilities classified as held for sale with a net book value of approximately
$3.6 million.
Liquidity
and Capital Resources
At
September 30, 2007, we had total
assets of $1.2 billion, stockholders’ equity of $583.2 million and debt of
$577.7 million, which represents approximately 49.8% of our total
capitalization.
The
following table shows the amounts due in connection with the contractual
obligations described below as of September 30, 2007.
Payments
due by period
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Total
|
Less
than
1
year
|
1-3
years
|
3-5
years
|
More
than
5
years
|
||||||||||||||||
(In
thousands)
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Long-term
debt (1)
|
$ |
577,995
|
$ |
435
|
$ |
52,960
|
$ |
600
|
$ |
524,000
|
||||||||||
Other
long-term liabilities
|
340
|
240
|
100
|
-
|
-
|
|||||||||||||||
Total
|
$ |
578,335
|
$ |
675
|
$ |
53,060
|
$ |
600
|
$ |
524,000
|
(1)
|
The
$578.0 million includes $310 million aggregate principal amount of
7%
Senior Notes due April 2014, $175 million aggregate principal amount
of 7%
Senior Notes due January 2016, $52.0 million in borrowings under
the $255
million revolving senior secured credit facility that matures in
March
2010 and Haven’s $39 million first mortgage with General Electric Capital
Corporation that expires in October
2012.
|
Financing
Activities and Borrowing Arrangements
Bank
Credit Agreements
At
September 30, 2007, we had $52.0
million outstanding under our $255 million revolving senior secured credit
facility (the “Credit Facility”) and $2.1 million was utilized for the issuance
of letters of credit, leaving availability of $200.9 million. The
$52.0 million of outstanding borrowings had a blended interest rate of 6.40%
at
September 30, 2007.
Pursuant
to Section 2.01 of our Credit
Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2006 (the “Credit Agreement”), that governs our
Credit Facility, we were permitted under certain circumstances to increase
our
available borrowing base under the Credit Agreement from $200 million up to
an
aggregate of $300 million. Effective February 22, 2007, we exercised
our right to increase the available revolving commitment under Section 2.01
of
the Credit Agreement from $200 million to $255 million and we consented to
add
18 of our properties to the borrowing base assets under the Credit
Agreement.
Our
long-term borrowings require us to
meet certain property level financial covenants and corporate financial
covenants, including prescribed leverage, fixed charge coverage, minimum net
worth, limitations on additional indebtedness and limitations on dividend
payouts. As of September 30, 2007, we were in compliance with all
property level and corporate financial covenants.
7.130
Million Common Stock Offering
On
April 3, 2007, we completed an
underwritten public offering of 7,130,000 shares our common stock at $16.75
per
share, less underwriting discounts. The sale included 930,000 shares sold in
connection with the exercise of an over-allotment option granted to the
underwriters. We received approximately $112.9 million in net
proceeds from the sale of the shares, after deducting underwriting discounts
and
offering expenses. UBS Investment Bank acted as sole book-running
manager for the offering. Banc of America Securities LLC, Deutsche
Bank Securities and Stifel Nicolaus acted as co-managers for the
offering. The net proceeds were used to repay indebtedness under our
Credit Facility.
Dividend
Reinvestment and Common Stock Purchase Plan
We
have a Dividend Reinvestment and
Common Stock Purchase Plan (“DRIP”) that allows for the reinvestment of
dividends and the optional purchase of our common stock at a discount to the
market. During the third quarter, we suspended the optional purchase
portion of the plan, but maintained the dividend reinvestment portion of the
plan. On October 16, 2007, we announced that effective November 15,
2007 we would reinstate the optional purchase portion of the plan providing
a 1%
discount to the market. For the three-month period ended September
30, 2007, a total of 283,328 shares were issued for approximately $4.4 million
in net proceeds. For the nine-month period ended September 30, 2007,
a total of 764,853 shares were issued for approximately $12.2 million in net
proceeds.
Dividends
In
order to qualify as a REIT, we are
required to distribute dividends (other than capital gain dividends) to our
stockholders in an amount at least equal to (A) the sum of (i) 90% of our "REIT
taxable income" (computed without regard to the dividends paid deduction and
our
net capital gain), and (ii) 90% of the net income (after tax), if any, from
foreclosure property, minus (B) the sum of certain items of non-cash income.
In
addition, if we dispose of any built-in gain asset during a recognition period,
we will be required to distribute at least 90% of the built-in gain (after
tax),
if any, recognized on the disposition of such asset. Such distributions must
be
paid in the taxable year to which they relate, or in the following taxable
year
if declared before we timely file our tax return for such year and paid on
or
before the first regular dividend payment after such declaration. In addition,
such distributions are required to be made pro rata, with no preference to
any
share of stock as compared with other shares of the same class, and with no
preference to one class of stock as compared with another class except to the
extent that such class is entitled to such a preference. To the extent that
we
do not distribute all of our net capital gain or do distribute at least 90%,
but
less than 100% of our "REIT taxable income," as adjusted, we will be subject
to
tax thereon at regular ordinary and capital gain corporate tax
rates. In addition, our Credit Facility has certain financial
covenants that limit the distribution of dividends paid during a fiscal quarter
to no more than 95% of our aggregate cumulative FFO as defined in the Credit
Agreement, unless a greater distribution is required to maintain REIT
status. The Credit Agreement defines FFO as net income (or loss) plus
depreciation and amortization and shall be adjusted for charges related to:
(i)
restructuring our debt; (ii) redemption of preferred stock; (iii) litigation
charges up to $5.0 million; (iv) non-cash charges for accounts and notes
receivable up to $5.0 million; (v) non-cash compensation related expenses;
(vi)
non-cash impairment charges;
and (vii) tax liabilities
in an amount not to exceed $8.0
million.
Common
Dividends
On
October 16, 2007, the Board of
Directors declared a common stock dividend of $0.28 per share, an increase
of
$0.01 per common share compared to the prior quarter. The common
dividend will be paid November 15, 2007 to common stockholders of record on
October 31, 2007.
On
July 17, 2007, the Board of
Directors declared a common stock dividend of $0.27 per share that was paid
August 15, 2007 to common stockholders of record on July 31, 2007.
On
April 18, 2007, the Board of
Directors declared a common stock dividend of $0.27 per share, an increase
of
$0.01 per common share compared to the prior quarter. The common
dividend was paid May 15, 2007 to common stockholders of record on April 30,
2007.
On
January 16, 2007, the Board of
Directors declared a common stock dividend of $0.26 per share, an increase
of
$0.01 per common share compared to the prior quarter. The common
dividend was paid February 15, 2007 to common stockholders of record on January
31, 2007.
Series
D Preferred Dividends
On
October 16, 2007, the Board of
Directors declared the regular quarterly dividends for the 8.375% Series D
Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (“Series D Preferred Stock”) to
stockholders of record on October 31, 2007. The stockholders of
record of the Series D Preferred Stock on October 31, 2007 will be paid
dividends in the amount of $0.52344 per preferred share on November 15,
2007. The liquidation preference for our Series D Preferred Stock is
$25.00 per share. Regular quarterly preferred dividends for the Series D
Preferred Stock represent dividends for the period August 1, 2007 through
October 31, 2007.
On
July 17, 2007, the Board of
Directors declared the regular quarterly dividends of approximately $0.52344
per
preferred share on the Series D preferred stock that were paid August 15, 2007
to preferred stockholders of record on July 31, 2007.
On
April 18, 2007, the Board of
Directors declared regular quarterly dividends of approximately $0.52344 per
preferred share on the Series D Preferred Stock that were paid May 15, 2007
to
preferred stockholders of record on April 30, 2007.
On
January 16, 2007, the Board of
Directors declared regular quarterly dividends of approximately $0.52344 per
preferred share on the Series D Preferred Stock that were paid February 15,
2007
to preferred stockholders of record on January 31, 2007.
Liquidity
We
believe our liquidity and various
sources of available capital, including cash from operations, our existing
availability under our Credit Facility and expected proceeds from mortgage
payoffs are more than adequate to finance operations, meet recurring debt
service requirements and fund future investments through the next twelve
months.
We
regularly review our liquidity needs, the adequacy of cash flow from operations,
and other expected liquidity sources to meet these needs. We believe
our principal short-term liquidity needs are to fund:
· normal
recurring expenses;
· debt
service payments;
· preferred
stock dividends;
· common
stock dividends; and
· growth
through acquisitions of additional properties.
The
primary source of liquidity is our cash flows from
operations. Operating cash flows have historically been determined
by: (i) the number of facilities we lease or have mortgages on; (ii) rental
and
mortgage rates; (iii) our debt service obligations; and (iv) general and
administrative expenses. The timing, source and amount of cash flows
provided by financing activities and used in investing activities are sensitive
to the capital markets environment, especially to changes in interest
rates. Changes in the capital markets environment may impact the
availability of cost-effective capital and affect our plans for acquisition
and
disposition activity.
Cash
and
cash equivalents totaled $0.6 million as of September 30, 2007, a decrease
of
$0.1 million as compared to the balance at December 31, 2006. The
following is a discussion of changes in cash and cash equivalents due to
operating, investing and financing activities, which are presented in our
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.
Operating
Activities – Net cash flow from
operating activities generated $67.0 million for the nine months ended September
30, 2007, as compared to $46.8 million for the same period in 2006, an increase
of $20.2 million.
Investing
Activities– Net cash flow from investing activities was an outflow of
$32.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2007, as compared to
an
outflow of $166.8 million for the same period in 2006. The decrease
in cash outflow from investing activities of $134.1 million relates primarily
to
the timing of acquisitions in 2006 compared to 2007. For the nine
months ended September 30, 2006, we acquired real estate, primarily 30 SNFs
and
one independent living center from Litchfield for $179.6 million. For
the nine months ended September 30, 2007, we purchased (5) SNFs from Litchfield
for $39.5 million. In 2006, we sold shares of Sun’s common stock for
approximately $7.6 million.
Financing
Activities– Net cash flow from financing activities was an outflow of
$34.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2007 as compared to an
inflow of $116.0 million for the same period in 2006. The $150.0
million change in financing cash flow was a result of a net payment of $98.4
million on our Credit Facility and other borrowings during the nine months
of
2007 compared to a net proceed of $138.1 million for the same period in 2006,
an
increase in dividend payment of $10.3 million as compared to the same period
in
2006, and the reduction in dividend reinvestment proceeds of $16.9 million
compared to the same period in 2006; offset by proceeds of $112.9 million from
a
common stock offering in the second quarter of 2007.
We
are exposed to various market risks,
including the potential loss arising from adverse changes in interest
rates. We do not enter into derivatives or other financial
instruments for trading or speculative purposes, but we seek to mitigate the
effects of fluctuations in interest rates by matching the term of new
investments with new long-term fixed rate borrowing to the extent
possible.
There
were no material changes in our
market risk during the three months ended September 30, 2007. For
additional information, refer to Item 7A as presented in our annual report
on
Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006.
Disclosure
controls and procedures (as
defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the “Exchange Act”)) are controls and other procedures that are designed to
provide reasonable assurance that the information that we are required to
disclose in the reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is
recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified
in the SEC’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and
communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and
Chief
Financial Officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required
disclosure.
In
connection with the preparation of
this Form 10-Q, we evaluated the effectiveness of the design and operation
of
our disclosure controls and procedures as of September 30,
2007. Based on this evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief
Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were
effective at a reasonable assurance level as of September 30,
2007.
Material
Weakness Previously Reported
As
noted under Item 9A in Management’s
Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting in our Form 10-K for
the
year ended December 31, 2006, management determined that a material weakness
in
our internal control over financial reporting existed as of December 31,
2006. Management determined that as of December 31, 2006, we lacked
sufficient internal control processes, procedures and personnel resources
necessary to address accounting for certain complex and/or non-routine
transactions. This material weakness resulted in errors in accounting
for financial instruments, income taxes and straight-line rental revenue
in our
financial statements for the three years ended December 31, 2005 and in our
interim financial statements for the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2006
and
June 30, 2006 that were not prevented or detected on a timely
basis.
Remediation
of Previously Reported Material Weakness in Internal Control
Our
remediation plan, as described in
our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006 included: developing formal
processes, review procedures and documentation standards for the accounting
and
monitoring of non-routine and complex transactions; expanding the personnel
in
our accounting department with the appropriate technical skills; providing
additional training for our accounting personnel; reviewing prior acquisition
and investment agreements and documentation to confirm assets are appropriately
recorded; and implementing procedures to have agreements and documentation
reviewed by our tax counsel and financial advisors.
While
the
planned remediation steps were designed and in place by the end of the six
months ended June 30, 2007, management continued to evaluate the operating
effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures through the end of
the
nine months ended September 30, 2007, when it was concluded that our internal
control over financial reporting was sufficiently mature to support an
assessment that the controls were effective. We implemented
a review process for significant complex and/or non-routine accounting
transactions. We enhanced the formal communication processes between
senior management and financial management with regard to significant
transactions and our business environment. Additionally, in March
2007, we added a Chief Accounting Officer, Michael Ritz, who has over 14
years
of experience in general accounting and financial reporting. Mr.
Ritz’s prior experience includes over five years of service in executive-level
accounting positions with two different publicly-traded
corporations. We provided additional training for our accounting
personnel. We, along with our advisors, reviewed prior acquisition
and investment agreements and documentation and confirmed assets were
appropriately recorded. Finally, we implemented additional procedures
for the review of agreements and documentation by our tax counsel and financial
advisors.
Management
believes we have taken the steps necessary to remediate the material weakness
discussed above and our internal control over financial reporting is effective
at the reasonable assurance level as of September 30, 2007. This
conclusion has not been audited by our independent registered public accounting
firm at this time, primarily because accounting firms generally only report
on
internal control over financial reporting as of the end of a fiscal
year. The report of our independent registered public accounting to
be included in our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007 will address
our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31,
2007. Because of the possibility of changed circumstances between now
and year-end, and because the testing of our internal control over financial
reporting is not yet completed, we cannot assure you that management and our
independent registered public accounting firm will not identify material
weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting and conclude that
our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective at a reasonable
assurance level and that we did not maintain effective internal control over
financial reporting as of year-end.
Changes
in Internal Controls
Other
than noted above in this Item 4, there were no changes in our internal control
over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under
the
Exchange Act) during the period covered by this report identified in connection
with the evaluation of our disclosure controls and procedures described above
that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect,
our internal control over financial reporting.
PART
II – OTHER
INFORMATION
See
Note 8 – Litigation to the
Consolidated Financial Statements in PART I, Item 1 hereto, which is hereby
incorporated by reference in response to this item.
We
filed our Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2006 with the Securities and Exchange Commission
on February 23, 2007, which sets forth our risk factors in Item 1A therein.
We
have not experienced any material changes from the risk factors previously
described therein.
Exhibit
No.
|
Description
|
||
31.1
|
Rule
13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certification of the Chief Executive
Officer.
|
||
31.2
|
Rule
13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certification of the Chief Financial
Officer.
|
||
32.1
|
Section
1350 Certification of the Chief Executive Officer.
|
||
32.2
|
Section
1350 Certification of the Chief Financial
Officer.
|
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant
has
duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto
duly authorized.
OMEGA
HEALTHCARE INVESTORS,
INC.
Registrant
Date: November
5,
2007 By: /S/
C. TAYLOR PICKETT
C.
Taylor Pickett
Chief
Executive Officer
Date: November
5,
2007 By: /S/
ROBERT O. STEPHENSON
Robert O. Stephenson
Chief Financial Officer
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