Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. Reports First Quarter 2022 Results

WYOMISSING, Pa., April 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. (NASDAQ: GLPI) (“GLPI” or the “Company”) today announced financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2022.

Financial Highlights

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⁽¹⁾  Funds from Operations (“FFO”) is net income, excluding (gains) or losses from sales of property and real estate depreciation as defined by NAREIT.

⁽²⁾  Adjusted Funds From Operations (“AFFO”) is FFO, excluding stock based compensation expense, the amortization of debt issuance costs, bond premiums and original issuance discounts, other depreciation, amortization of land rights, accretion on investment in leases, financing receivables, non-cash adjustments to financing lease liabilities, straight-line rent adjustments, gains on sales of operations, net of tax, losses on debt extinguishment, and provision for credit losses, net, reduced by capital maintenance expenditures.

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⁽³⁾  Adjusted EBITDA is net income, excluding interest, income tax expense, depreciation, (gains) or losses from sales of property and gains on sale of operations net of tax, stock based compensation expense, straight-line rent adjustments, amortization of land rights, accretion on investment in leases, financing receivables, non-cash adjustments to financing lease liabilities, losses on debt extinguishment and provision for credit losses, net.

⁽⁴⁾  Metrics are presented assuming full conversion of limited partnership units to common shares and therefore before the income statement impact of non-controlling interests.

Peter Carlino, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of GLPI, commented, “Our solid first quarter financial results reflect our ongoing initiatives to expand the Company’s high-quality, top-performing regional gaming portfolio managed by the industry’s leading operators.

“In this regard, during Q1 we completed the acquisition of the land and real estate assets of Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia and Live! Casino Pittsburgh from The Cordish Companies (“Cordish”), one of the nation’s most capable developers of large-scale experiential real estate projects, casinos, hospitality and entertainment districts. This transaction followed the new lease and partnership agreements completed with Cordish in the 2021 fourth quarter whereby GLPI acquired the land and real estate assets of Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland and created a new partnership with Cordish for future casino developments and potential financing arrangements between GLPI and Cordish in other areas of Cordish’s portfolio of real estate and operating businesses.

“Cordish’s first-class assets lead their respective markets and the quality, excitement and entertainment delivered by their Maryland, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh properties exemplify the power of their Live! brand.   From a financial perspective, our new lease agreements with Cordish have strong rent coverage at an accretive cap rate while further expanding and diversifying our tenant base. We are delighted to add another marquee tenant to GLPI’s roster of blue-chip regional gaming operators and to benefit from the rental cash flows from these agreements.

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“We began the second quarter with the completion of the previously announced acquisition from Bally’s Corporation (“Bally’s”) of the land and real estate assets of their three casinos in Black Hawk, CO as well as Bally’s Quad Cities Casino & Hotel in Rock Island, IL, and added these properties to the existing Bally’s master lease. We are pleased to broaden our relationship with Bally’s and expand our presence in Black Hawk, one of the nation’s fastest growing regional gaming markets.

“We have also positioned GLPI for future growth opportunities with Cordish with our agreement to co-invest in all new gaming developments in which Cordish engages over a 7 year period beginning with the closing date of the PA properties. In addition, we have secured the right of first refusal to fund real property acquisition or development project costs associated with potential transactions in Michigan, Maryland, Virginia and New York through one or more sale-leaseback or similar transactions for a term of seven years with Bally’s and have also completed a right of first refusal arrangement with Casino Queen.

“Looking forward, GLPI is well positioned to drive further growth based on our growing broad portfolio of blue-chip regional gaming assets, close relationships with our tenants, our rights and options to participate in select tenants’ future growth and expansion initiatives, and our ability to structure and finance transactions that we believe will be accretive to rental cash flows. We believe these factors will support our ability to increase our cash dividends and further our goal of enhancing long-term shareholder value.”

Recent Developments

• On April 1, 2022, GLPI completed its previously announced acquisition from Bally’s (NYSE: BALY) of the land and real estate assets of Bally’s three Black Hawk casinos in Black Hawk, Colorado, and Bally’s Quad Cities Casino & Hotel in Rock Island, Illinois, for total consideration of $150 million. These properties were added to the Bally’s Master Lease, with the rent for the Bally’s Master Lease increased by $12.0 million on an annual basis. The rent is subject to contractual escalations based on the Consumer Price Index (“CPI”), with a 1% floor and a 2% ceiling, subject to the CPI meeting a 0.5% threshold.
• Bally’s agreed to acquire both GLPI’s non-land real estate assets and Penn National Gaming, Inc.’s (NASDAQ: PENN) (“Penn”) outstanding equity interests in Tropicana Las Vegas Hotel and Casino, Inc. (the “Tropicana Las Vegas”) for an aggregate cash acquisition price of $150 million. GLPI will retain ownership of the land and concurrently enter into a 50-year ground lease with Bally’s for an initial annual rent of $10.5 million. The ground lease will be supported by a Bally’s corporate guarantee and cross-defaulted with the Bally’s Master Lease. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2022.
• On March 1, 2022, GLPI completed the acquisition of the land and real estate assets of Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia (“Live! Philadelphia”) and Live! Casino Pittsburgh (“Live! Pittsburgh”) from Cordish for total consideration of approximately $689 million (inclusive of transaction costs). The Company funded the acquisition by assuming approximately $423 million in debt (which the Company repaid), and issuing approximately $137 million of operating partnership units (3.0 million total units), with the balance paid from cash on hand, which was in part generated by its December issuance of senior unsecured notes and common stock.
• Simultaneous with the March 1, 2022 closing of the above transaction, the Company entered into a master lease with Cordish (the “Pennsylvania Live! Master Lease”), pursuant to which Cordish will continue its ownership, control and management of the operations of Live! Philadelphia and Live! Pittsburgh. The Pennsylvania Live! Master Lease has an initial annual rent of $50.0 million and an initial term of 39 years, with a maximum term of 60 years, inclusive of tenant renewal options, as well as a fixed annual lease escalation of 1.75% on the entirety of rent commencing on the lease’s second anniversary.
• On December 29, 2021, the Company completed the acquisition of the land and real estate assets of Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland (“Live! Maryland”) from Cordish for total consideration of $1.16 billion (inclusive of transaction costs). Cordish and the Company entered into a lease with Cordish (the “Maryland Live! Lease”), pursuant to which Cordish will continue its ownership, control and management of the operations of Live! Maryland. The Maryland Live! Lease has an initial annual rent of $75 million and an initial term of 39 years, with a maximum term of 60 years, inclusive of tenant renewal options, as well as a fixed annual lease escalation of 1.75% on the entirety of rent commencing on the leases’ second anniversary. The transaction also includes a partnership on future Cordish casino developments, as well as potential financing partnerships between GLPI and Cordish in other areas of Cordish’s portfolio of real estate and operating businesses. GLPI funded the transaction by assuming $363 million in debt, which was repaid, and issuing $205 million of operating partnership units (4.35 million total units), with the balance of the consideration from cash on hand, which in part was generated by GLPI’s December issuance of senior unsecured notes and common stock.

Dividends  

On February 24, 2022, the Company’s Board of Directors declared the first quarter dividend of $0.69 per common share, which was paid on March 25, 2022 to shareholders of record on March 11, 2022.

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The Company also completed a special earnings and profits dividend of $0.24 per share on the Company’s common stock related to its sale of the operations of Hollywood Casino Baton Rouge and Hollywood Casino Perryville. This dividend was paid on January 7, 2022, to shareholders of record on December 27, 2021.

Portfolio Update

GLPI’s primary business consists of acquiring, financing, and owning real estate property to be leased to gaming operators in triple-net lease arrangements. As of March 31, 2022, GLPI’s portfolio consisted of interests in 53 gaming and related facilities, including approximately 35 acres of real estate at Tropicana Las Vegas, the real property associated with 34 gaming and related facilities operated by Penn (excluding the Tropicana Las Vegas), the real property associated with 7 gaming and related facilities operated by Caesars Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: CZR) (“Caesars”), the real property associated with 4 gaming and related facilities operated by Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE: BYD) (“Boyd”), the real property associated with 2 gaming and related facilities operated by Bally’s, the real property associated with 3 gaming and related facilities operated by Cordish and the real property associated with 2 gaming and related facilities operated by Casino Queen. These facilities are geographically diversified across 17 states and contain approximately 28.5 million square feet of improvements.

Conference Call Details

The Company will hold a conference call on April 29, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern Time) to discuss its financial results, current business trends and market conditions.

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To Participate in the Telephone Conference Call:
Dial in at least five minutes prior to start time.
Domestic: 1-877/407-0784
International: 1-201/689-8560

Conference Call Playback:
Domestic: 1-844/512-2921
International: 1-412/317-6671
Passcode: 13729075
The playback can be accessed through Friday, May 6, 2022.

Webcast
The conference call will be available in the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website at www.glpropinc.com. To listen to a live broadcast, go to the site at least 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time in order to register, download and install any necessary software. A replay of the call will also be available for 90 days thereafter on the Company’s website.

GAMING AND LEISURE PROPERTIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Consolidated Statements of Operations
(in thousands, except per share data) (unaudited)

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GAMING AND LEISURE PROPERTIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Current Year Revenue Detail
(in thousands) (unaudited)

Reconciliation of Net income (GAAP) to FFO, FFO to AFFO, and AFFO to Adjusted EBITDA
Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. and Subsidiaries
CONSOLIDATED
(in thousands, except per share and share data) (unaudited)

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⁽¹⁾ Other depreciation includes both real estate and equipment depreciation from the Company’s operations at Hollywood Casino Perryville and Hollywood Casino Baton Rouge which were sold in 2021, as well as equipment depreciation from the REIT subsidiaries.

⁽²⁾ Capital maintenance expenditures are expenditures to replace existing fixed assets with a useful life greater than one year that are obsolete, worn out or no longer cost effective to repair.

⁽³⁾ Current year amount excludes non-cash interest expense gross up related to the ground lease for the Live! Maryland property.

Reconciliation of Cash Net Operating Income
Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. and Subsidiaries
CONSOLIDATED
(in thousands, except per share and share data) (unaudited)

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⁽¹⁾ Cash net operating income is rental and other property income less cash property level expenses.

Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(in thousands, except share and per share data)

Debt Capitalization

The Company had net debt of $6.40 billion consisting of $156.0 million of unrestricted cash and $6.56 billion in total debt at March 31, 2022.  The Company’s debt structure as of March 31, 2022 was as follows:

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⁽¹⁾  The rate on the term loan facility and revolver is LIBOR plus 1.50%.

Rating Agency – Issue Rating

Properties

Lease Information

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Lease Information

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Disclosure Regarding Non-GAAP Financial Measures

FFO, FFO per diluted common share and OP units, AFFO, AFFO per diluted common share and OP units, Adjusted EBITDA and Cash NOI, which are detailed in the reconciliation tables that accompany this release, are used by the Company as performance measures for benchmarking against the Company’s peers and as internal measures of business operating performance, which is used for a bonus metric. These metrics are presented assuming full conversion of limited partnership units to common shares and therefore before the income statement impact of non-controlling interests. The Company believes FFO, FFO per diluted common share and OP units, AFFO, AFFO per diluted common share and OP units, Adjusted EBITDA and Cash NOI provide a meaningful perspective of the underlying operating performance of the Company’s current business.  This is especially true since these measures exclude real estate depreciation and we believe that real estate values fluctuate based on market conditions rather than depreciating in value ratably on a straight-line basis over time. Cash NOI is rental and other property income, less cash property level expenses. Cash NOI excludes depreciation, the amortization of land rights, real estate general and administrative expenses, other non-routine costs and the impact of certain generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) adjustments to rental revenue, such as straight-line rent adjustments and non-cash ground lease income and expense. It is management’s view that Cash NOI is a performance measure used to evaluate the operating performance of the Company’s real estate operations and provides investors relevant and useful information because it reflects only income and operating expense items that are incurred at the property level and presents them on an unleveraged basis.

FFO, FFO per diluted common share and OP units, AFFO, AFFO per diluted common share and OP units, Adjusted EBITDA and Cash NOI are non-GAAP financial measures that are considered supplemental measures for the real estate industry and a supplement to GAAP measures. NAREIT defines FFO as net income (computed in accordance with GAAP), excluding (gains) or losses from dispositions of property and real estate depreciation.  We have defined AFFO as FFO excluding stock based compensation expense, the amortization of debt issuance costs, bond premiums and original issuance discounts, other depreciation, the amortization of land rights, accretion on investment in leases, financing receivables, non-cash adjustments to financing lease liabilities, straight-line rent adjustments, (gains) or losses on sale of operations, net of tax, losses on debt extinguishment, and provision for credit losses, net, reduced by capital maintenance expenditures. We have defined Adjusted EBITDA as net income excluding interest, income tax expense, depreciation, gains or losses from dispositions of property and gains or losses on sales of operations, net of tax, stock based compensation expense, straight-line rent adjustments, the amortization of land rights, accretion on investment in leases, financing receivables, non-cash adjustments to financing lease liabilities, losses on debt extinguishment, and provision for credit losses, net. For financial reporting and debt covenant purposes, the Company includes the amounts of non-cash rents earned in FFO, AFFO, and Adjusted EBITDA. Finally, we have defined Cash NOI as Adjusted EBITDA excluding general and administrative expenses and including stock based compensation expense and (gains) or losses from dispositions of property.

FFO, FFO per diluted common share and OP units, AFFO, AFFO per diluted common share and OP units, Adjusted EBITDA and Cash NOI are not recognized terms under GAAP. These non-GAAP financial measures: (i) do not represent cash flow from operations as defined by GAAP; (ii) should not be considered as an alternative to net income as a measure of operating performance or to cash flows from operating, investing and financing activities; and (iii) are not alternatives to cash flow as a measure of liquidity. In addition, these measures should not be viewed as an indication of our ability to fund all of our cash needs, including to make cash distributions to our shareholders, to fund capital improvements, or to make interest payments on our indebtedness. Investors are also cautioned that FFO, FFO per share, AFFO, AFFO per share, Adjusted EBITDA and Cash NOI, as presented, may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other real estate companies, including REITs, due to the fact that not all real estate companies use the same definitions. Our presentation of these measures does not replace the presentation of our financial results in accordance with GAAP.

About Gaming and Leisure Properties

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GLPI is engaged in the business of acquiring, financing, and owning real estate property to be leased to gaming operators in triple-net lease arrangements, pursuant to which the tenant is responsible for all facility maintenance, insurance required in connection with the leased properties and the business conducted on the leased properties, taxes levied on or with respect to the leased properties and all utilities and other services necessary or appropriate for the leased properties and the business conducted on the leased properties.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including our expectations regarding our ability to increase AFFO and dividends through portfolio expansion and diversification and the potential impact of future transactions, if any. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “expects,” “believes,” “estimates,” “intends,” “may,” “will,” “should” or “anticipates” or the negative or other variation of these or similar words, or by discussions of future events, strategies or risks and uncertainties. Such forward looking statements are inherently subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions about GLPI and its subsidiaries, including risks related to the following: the effect of pandemics, such as COVID-19, on GLPI as a result of the impact such pandemics may have on the business operations of GLPI’s tenants and their continued ability to pay rent in a timely manner or at all; the potential negative impact of recent high levels of inflation (which have been exacerbated by the armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine) on our tenants operations, GLPI’s ability to participate in its tenants’ growth and expansion initiatives, GLPI’s ability to successfully consummate the announced transaction for Tropicana Las Vegas with Bally’s, including the ability of the parties to satisfy the various conditions to closing, including receipt of all required regulatory approvals, or other delays or impediments to completing the proposed transaction; the availability of and the ability to identify suitable and attractive acquisition and development opportunities and the ability to acquire and lease those properties on favorable terms; the ability to receive, or delays in obtaining, the regulatory approvals required to own and/or operate its properties, or other delays or impediments to completing acquisitions or projects; GLPI’s ability to maintain its status as a REIT; our ability to access capital through debt and equity markets in amounts and at rates and costs acceptable to GLPI; the impact of our substantial indebtedness on our future operations; changes in the U.S. tax law and other state, federal or local laws, whether or not specific to REITs or to the gaming or lodging industries; and other factors described in GLPI’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, each as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to GLPI or persons acting on GLPI’s behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements included in this press release. GLPI undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained or incorporated by reference herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events discussed in this press release may not occur as presented or at all.

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