EPR Properties (NYSE:EPR) Q3 2023 Earnings Call Transcript

Gregory Silvers: Well, again, there’s always risk that we can’t anticipate. I think what we’ve said all along is the first half of next year is fairly big. I mean, again, a lot of things are complete. So we’ll start to see. What’s going to occur is when the strike gets resolved, which we know it will be resolved at some point there’s going to be a mad rush of, okay, completing anything that needs to be completed 24 versus starting new projects. So how that breaks out. I mean, remember, again, even 2 months ago, Mitch, the estimate was probably closer to the high 9s. So that $9 billion kind of has some of that built in just kind of anticipating. I mean there’s really not — the only major release, Greg, that I’m aware of that’s moved right now is MI-8 so we don’t have a whole lot of things.

And remember, Dune moved in to that period of time from this year. So again, right now, not a lot of significant movement. It’s — like I said, it’s probably got a 10% factor in there from a high 9s to low 9s. But we’ll still have to see.

Mitch Germain: Appreciate that. Thank you.

Operator: One moment for our next question. Our next question will come from the line of Todd Thomas from KeyBanc Capital Markets. Your line is open.

Todd Thomas: Hi, thanks, good morning. I appreciate the update on the additional dispositions and the details around the theater portfolio. Can you just comment on the pace of dispositions relative to your initial estimate that was provided with the legal resolution and your ability to mitigate the dilution from carrying those assets or generate the recovery rent that you previously outlined?

Gregory Zimmerman: Yes, Todd, I think we said last quarter, the history we’ve had since COVID is selling 5 or 6 per year. And we feel pretty comfortable about that pace continuing. As I mentioned, we have signed PSAs or LOIs for 6 of the remaining 10 so we — and we’re seeing good traction on all of them. So — and that’s from a standing start in July because we weren’t able to market any of these before we announced the Regal deal.

Gregory Silvers: The other thing I would add, Todd, is what we’re achieving is consistent with the forecast that we gave at the time of the Regal. So I don’t think we’re changing from that expectation. Hopefully, it appears that, again, as Greg and his team has gotten into this, that they’ve achieved probably — it’s — how long does it take to close them, but the interest has probably been faster than we had initially anticipated, which helps us, as you point out, not only with getting capital in, but eliminating some of those carrying costs and allowing us to deploy that capital and making it productive faster.

Todd Thomas: Okay. That’s helpful. And then your comments about investing free cash flow and continuing to put capital out the door. As you look ahead, I’m assuming the committed pipeline pricing has been established on those investments, you’re locked in, in that sort of 8% to 8.5% range. But are you seeing investment yields improve at all more recently such that you’d expect to be north of that 8% to 8.5% range going forward? Just curious if you’re seeing any adjustment in pricing as you continue to have conversations about new investments here?

Gregory Silvers: I think it’s a — again, I wouldn’t say necessarily — there’s always been kind of price awareness, but there’s also issues of risk reward, meaning maybe we’re we would have been 75% of a deal, and we’re now 60% of a deal, but we’re still at 8.5%. So again, it’s — all of those things come into play. I think what we’d say is we’re comfortably in the 8s that we’re very comfortable with the property types that we’re seeing with the quality of those types with the quality of our operators and building a resilient portfolio. But Greg do…?