Exhibit 99.1

 

SAUL CENTERS, INC.

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

(301) 986-6200

 

Saul Centers, Inc. Reports First Quarter 2005 Earnings

 

May 4, 2005, Bethesda, MD.

 

Saul Centers, Inc. (NYSE: BFS), an equity real estate investment trust, announced its first quarter 2005 operating results. Total revenues for the quarter ended March 31, 2005 increased 15.1% to $30,307,000 compared to $26,341,000 for the 2004 quarter. Operating income before minority interests and preferred stock dividends increased 3.7% to $8,639,000 compared to $8,329,000 for the comparable 2004 quarter. After preferred stock dividends and minority interests, the Company reported net income available to common stockholders of $4,610,000 or $0.28 per share (basic & diluted) for the 2005 quarter, a per share increase of 3.7% compared to net income available to common stockholders of $4,305,000 or $0.27 per share (basic & diluted) for the 2004 quarter.

 

Overall same property revenues for the total portfolio increased 4.3% for the 2005 first quarter compared to the same quarter in 2004 and same property operating income increased 3.1%. The same property comparisons exclude the results of operations of properties not in operation for each of the comparable reporting periods. Property operating income is calculated as total property revenue less property operating expenses, provision for credit losses and real estate taxes. Same center property operating income in the shopping center portfolio increased 2.9% for the 2005 first quarter, compared to the prior year’s quarter, despite the departure of two tenants, whose spaces combined total 152,000 square feet, and the resulting loss of revenues relating to these tenants during the entire 2005 quarter. While these spaces represent approximately 2.0% of the Company’s total gross leaseable area, the combined rent payments were less than 1.0% of the Company’s 2004 annual revenues. The loss of rental revenues from these tenants at Great Eastern Plaza and Southside Plaza was more than overcome by increased rental revenue from redevelopments of portions of Thruway and Southdale and operations at the balance of the Company’s shopping center portfolio. Same property operating income in the office portfolio grew 3.6% for the 2005 quarter, due primarily to the completion of re-tenanting of space at 601 Pennsylvania Avenue, which was being prepared for new occupancy during a portion of early 2004.

 

LOGO

www.SaulCenters.com


As of March 31, 2005, 92.4% of the portfolio was leased, compared to 94.2% a year earlier. On a same property basis, 92.2% of the portfolio was leased, compared to the prior year level of 94.2%. The comparative decrease in the 2005 same property leasing percentage is largely attributable to the early departure of the two tenants at Great Eastern Plaza and Southside Plaza.

 

Funds From Operations (FFO) available to common shareholders (after deducting preferred stock dividends) increased 11.7% to $12,254,000 in the 2005 first quarter compared to $10,967,000 for the same quarter in 2004. The $1,287,000 increase in FFO available to common shareholders in the 2005 quarter resulted from the combination of (1) increased operating income from retail acquisition and development properties and (2) successful leasing efforts in the core portfolio, primarily at Thruway, Southdale and 601 Pennsylvania Avenue. On a diluted per share basis, FFO available to common shareholders increased 7.7% to $0.56 per share in 2005 compared to $0.52 for the 2004 quarter. 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.

 

In March 2005, the Company acquired the 126,000 square foot Albertsons anchored, Palm Springs Center for a purchase price of $17.5 million. This grocery anchored neighborhood shopping center located in Altamonte Springs near Orlando is the Company’s second Florida center. The property is 100% leased and includes tenants complementing Albertsons, such as Office Depot, Mimi’s Café and Toojay’s Deli.

 

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 41 community and neighborhood shopping center and office properties totaling approximately 7.3 million square feet of leaseable 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,
2005


    December 31,
2004


 
     (Unaudited)        

Assets

                

Real estate investments

                

Land

   $ 125,308     $ 119,029  

Buildings

     536,327       521,161  

Construction in progress

     45,548       42,618  
    


 


       707,183       682,808  

Accumulated depreciation

     (185,884 )     (181,420 )
    


 


       521,299       501,388  

Cash and cash equivalents

     11,668       33,561  

Accounts receivable and accrued income, net

     21,270       20,654  

Lease acquisition costs, net

     18,046       17,745  

Prepaid expenses

     1,862       2,421  

Deferred debt costs, net

     6,093       5,011  

Other assets

     4,562       2,616  
    


 


Total assets

   $ 584,800     $ 583,396  
    


 


Liabilities

                

Mortgage notes payable

   $ 450,876     $ 453,646  

Dividends and distributions payable

     10,464       10,424  

Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities

     13,106       12,318  

Deferred income

     7,787       6,044  
    


 


Total liabilities

     482,233       482,432  
    


 


Stockholders’ Equity

                

Preferred stock

     100,000       100,000  

Common stock

     165       164  

Additional paid in capital

     110,313       106,886  

Accumulated deficit

     (107,911 )     (106,086 )
    


 


Total stockholders’ equity

     102,567       100,964  
    


 


Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

   $ 584,800     $ 583,396  
    


 



Saul Centers, Inc.

 

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations

(In thousands, except per share amounts)

 

     Three Months Ended March 31,

 
     2005

    2004

 
     (Unaudited)  

Revenue

                

Base rent

   $ 24,132     $ 21,276  

Expense Recoveries

     4,980       3,894  

Percentage Rent

     504       444  

Other

     691       727  
    


 


Total revenue

     30,307       26,341  
    


 


Operating Expenses

                

Property operating expenses

     3,773       2,892  

Provision for credit losses

     54       69  

Real estate taxes

     2,583       2,391  

Interest expense and deferred debt amortization

     7,409       6,266  

Depreciation and amortization

     5,615       4,638  

General and administrative

     2,234       1,756  
    


 


Total operating expenses

     21,668       18,012  
    


 


Operating Income

     8,639       8,329  

Minority Interests

     (2,029 )     (2,024 )
    


 


Net Income

     6,610       6,305  

Preferred Dividends

     (2,000 )     (2,000 )
    


 


Net Income Available to Common Stockholders

   $ 4,610     $ 4,305  
    


 


Per Share Net Income Available to Common Stockholders :

                

Basic and diluted

   $ 0.28     $ 0.27  
    


 


Weighted average common stock outstanding :

                

Common stock

     16,468       15,947  

Effect of dilutive options

     89       27  
    


 


Diluted weighted average common stock

     16,557       15,974  
    


 



Saul Centers, Inc.

 

Supplemental Information

(In thousands, except per share amounts)

 

     Three Months Ended March 31,

 
     2005

    2004

 
     (Unaudited)  

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

                

Net Income

   $ 6,610     $ 6,305  

Add:     Real property depreciation & amortization

     5,615       4,638  

Add:     Minority Interests

     2,029       2,024  
    


 


FFO

     14,254       12,967  

Less:     Preferred dividends

     (2,000 )     (2,000 )
    


 


FFO available to common shareholders

   $ 12,254     $ 10,967  
    


 


Weighted average shares outstanding :

                

Diluted weighted average common stock

     16,557       15,974  

Convertible limited partnership units

     5,201       5,190  
    


 


Diluted & converted weighted average shares

     21,758       21,164  
    


 


Per Share Amounts:

                

FFO available to common shareholders

   $ 0.56     $ 0.52  
    


 


Reconciliation of Net Income to Same Property Operating Income

                

Net Income

   $ 6,610     $ 6,305  

Add:     Interest expense and deferred debt amortization

     7,409       6,266  

Add:     Depreciation and amortization

     5,615       4,638  

Add:     General and administrative

     2,234       1,756  

Less:     Interest income

     (140 )     (88 )

Add:     Minority Interests

     2,029       2,024  
    


 


Property operating income

     23,757       20,901  

Less:     Acquisitions & developments

     (2,692 )     (479 )
    


 


Total same property operating income

   $ 21,065     $ 20,422  
    


 


Total Shopping Centers

   $ 14,417     $ 14,007  

Total Office Properties

     6,648       6,415  
    


 


Total same property operating income

   $ 21,065     $ 20,422  
    


 



(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.