Exhibit 99.1

 

SAUL CENTERS, INC.

7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 1500, Bethesda, Maryland 20814-6522

(301) 986-6200

 

Saul Centers, Inc. Reports First Quarter Earnings

 

April 22, 2004, Bethesda, MD.

 

Saul Centers, Inc. (NYSE: BFS), an equity real estate investment trust (REIT), announced its first quarter operating results. Total revenues for the quarter ended March 31, 2004 increased 10.4% to $26,341,000 compared to $23,870,000 for the 2003 quarter. Operating income before minority interests and preferred stock dividends increased 27.4% to $8,329,000 compared to $6,539,000 for the comparable 2003 quarter. The Company reported net income available to common stockholders (after deducting preferred stock dividends) of $4,305,000 or $.27 per share for the 2004 quarter, a per share decrease of 6.9% compared to net income available to common stockholders of $4,519,000 or $0.29 per share for the 2003 quarter (basic & diluted).

 

Overall same property operating income for the total portfolio increased 5.0% for the 2004 first quarter compared to the same period in 2003. The same property comparisons exclude the results of operations of development and acquisition properties not in operation for each of the quarterly. Operating income is calculated as total revenue less property operating expenses, provision for credit losses and real estate taxes. Same center operating income in the shopping center portfolio increased 4.9% for the 2004 first quarter. Same property operating income in the office portfolio grew 5.3% for the 2004 quarter.

 

As of March 31, 2004, 94.2% of the portfolio was leased, compared to 93.0% a year earlier. The comparative increase in the 2004 leasing percentage is largely attributable to the leasing of approximately 75,000 square feet of space at 601 Pennsylvania Avenue, which was vacant at the end of the 2003 quarter, following the expiration of a major lease.

 

Funds From Operations (FFO) available to common shareholders (after deducting preferred stock dividends), increased 3.6% to $10,967,000 in the 2004 first quarter compared to $10,581,000 for the same quarter in 2003. While FFO available to common shareholders increased by only $386,000, the 2004 results include payment of $2,000,000 in preferred dividends relating to the November 2003 offering. Property operating income from retail acquisitions and development, reduced interest expense, and successful leasing efforts which contributed to same center operating income growth have exceeded the effect of these preferred dividend payments. On a fully diluted per share basis, FFO available to common shareholders was $0.52 per share for both of

 

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the 2004 and 2003 quarters. FFO, a widely accepted non-GAAP financial measure of operating performance for real estate investment trusts, is defined as net income, plus minority interests, extraordinary items and real estate depreciation and amortization, excluding gains and losses from property sales.

 

Saul Centers is a self-managed, self-administered equity real estate investment trust headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland. Saul Centers currently operates and manages a real estate portfolio of 38 community and neighborhood shopping center and office properties totaling approximately 6.9 million square feet of leasable area. Over 80% of the Company’s cash flow is generated from properties in the metropolitan Washington, DC/Baltimore area.

 

Contact:

 

Scott V. Schneider

   

(301) 986-6220

 

LOGO

www.SaulCenters.com


Saul Centers, Inc.

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

($ in thousands)

     March 31,
2004


    December 31,
2003


 
     (Unaudited)        

Assets

                

Real estate investments

                

Land

   $ 99,411     $ 82,256  

Buildings

     479,843       436,487  

Construction in progress

     38,461       33,372  
    


 


       617,715       552,115  

Accumulated depreciation

     (168,705 )     (164,823 )
    


 


       449,010       387,292  

Cash and cash equivalents

     6,100       45,244  

Accounts receivable and accrued income, net

     15,570       14,642  

Prepaid expenses

     21,031       18,977  

Deferred debt costs, net

     4,498       4,224  

Other assets

     3,350       1,237  
    


 


Total assets

   $ 499,559     $ 471,616  
    


 


Liabilities

                

Notes payable

   $ 379,269     $ 357,248  

Dividends and distributions payable

     10,260       9,454  

Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities

     11,221       7,793  

Deferred income

     4,579       4,478  
    


 


Total liabilities

     405,329       378,973  
    


 


Stockholders’ Equity (Deficit)

                

Preferred stock

     100,000       100,000  

Common stock

     160       159  

Additional paid in capital

     94,986       91,469  

Accumulated deficit

     (100,916 )     (98,985 )
    


 


Total stockholders’ equity (deficit)

     94,230       92,643  
    


 


Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity (deficit)

   $ 499,559     $ 471,616  
    


 



Saul Centers, Inc.

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations

(Unaudited)

(In thousands, except per share amounts)

 

    

Three Months Ended

March 31,


 
     2004

    2003

 

Revenue

                

Base rent

   $ 21,276     $ 19,051  

Expense Recoveries

     3,894       3,805  

Percentage Rent

     444       449  

Other

     727       565  
    


 


Total revenue

     26,341       23,870  
    


 


Operating Expenses

                

Property operating expenses

     2,892       3,029  

Provision for credit losses

     69       36  

Real estate taxes

     2,392       2,131  

Interest expense

     6,049       6,494  

Amortization of deferred debt expense

     216       198  

Depreciation and amortization

     4,638       4,042  

General and administrative

     1,756       1,401  
    


 


Total operating expenses

     18,012       17,331  
    


 


Operating Income

     8,329       6,539  

Minority Interests

     (2,024 )     (2,020 )
    


 


Net Income

     6,305       4,519  

Preferred Dividends

     (2,000 )     —    
    


 


Net Income Available to Common Stockholders

   $ 4,305     $ 4,519  
    


 


Per Share Amounts:

                

Net income available to common stockholders (basic)

   $ 0.27     $ 0.29  
    


 


Net income available to common stockholders (fully diluted)

   $ 0.27     $ 0.29  
    


 


Weighted average common stock outstanding :

                

Common stock

     15,947       15,330  

Effect of dilutive options

     27       9  
    


 


Fully diluted weighted average common stock

     15,974       15,339  
    


 



Saul Centers, Inc.

Supplemental Information

(Unaudited)

(In thousands, except per share amounts)

 

     Three Months Ended
March 31,


     2004

    2003

Reconciliation of Net Income to Funds From Operations (FFO) (1)

              

Net Income

   $ 6,305     $ 4,519

Add:     Real property depreciation & amortization

     4,638       4,042

Add:     Minority Interests

     2,024       2,020
    


 

FFO

     12,967       10,581

Less:     Preferred dividends

     (2,000 )     —  
    


 

FFO available to common shareholders

   $ 10,967     $ 10,581
    


 

Per Share Amounts (basic and fully diluted):

              

FFO available to common shareholders

   $ 0.52     $ 0.52
    


 

Weighted average shares outstanding :

              

Fully diluted weighted average common stock

     15,974       15,339

Convertible limited partnership units

     5,190       5,177
    


 

Fully diluted & converted weighted average shares

     21,164       20,516
    


 

Reconciliation of Net Income to Same Property Operating Income (2)

              

Net Income

   $ 6,305     $ 4,519

Add:     Interest expense

     6,049       6,494

Add:     Amortization of deferred debt expense

     216       198

Add:     Depreciation and amortization

     4,638       4,042

Add:     General and administrative

     1,756       1,401

Add:     Minority Interests

     2,024       2,020
    


 

Property operating income

     20,988       18,674

Less:     Acquisition & developments

     (1,376 )     —  
    


 

Total same property operating income

   $ 19,612     $ 18,674
    


 

Total Shopping Centers

   $ 13,197     $ 12,581

Total Office Properties

     6,415       6,093
    


 

Total same property operating income

   $ 19,612     $ 18,674
    


 


(1) FFO is a widely accepted non-GAAP financial measure of operating performance of real estate investment trusts (“REITs”). FFO is defined by the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts as net income, computed in accordance with GAAP, plus minority interests, extraordinary items and real estate depreciation and amortization, excluding gains or losses from property sales. FFO does not represent cash generated from operating activities in accordance with GAAP and is not necessarily indicative of cash available to fund cash needs, which is disclosed in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows in the Company’s SEC reports for the applicable periods. FFO should not be considered as an alternative to net income, its most directly comparable GAAP measure, as an indicator of the Company’s operating performance, or as an alternative to cash flows as a measure of liquidity. Management considers FFO a supplemental measure of operating performance and along with cash flow from operating activities, financing activities and investing activities, it provides investors with an indication of the ability of the Company to incur and service debt, to make capital expenditures and to fund other cash needs. FFO may not be comparable to similarly titled measures employed by other REITs.
(2) Although same property operating income and property operating income are GAAP financial measures, the Company has elected to present a reconciliation of the measures to net income.