OAK BROOK, Ill., Feb. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Retail Properties of America, Inc. (NYSE: RPAI) (the "Company") today reported financial and operating results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2016.

FINANCIAL RESULTS
For the quarter ended December 31, 2016, the Company reported:

• Net income attributable to common shareholders of $15.9 million, or $0.07 per share, compared to $0.6 million, or $0.00 per share, for the same period in 2015;
• Funds from operations (FFO) attributable to common shareholders of $52.9 million, or $0.22 per share, compared to $59.5 million, or $0.25 per share, for the same period in 2015; and
• Operating funds from operations (Operating FFO) attributable to common shareholders of $59.9 million, or $0.25 per share, compared to $62.6 million, or $0.26 per share, for the same period in 2015.

For the year ended December 31, 2016, the Company reported:

• Net income attributable to common shareholders of $157.4 million, or $0.66 per share, compared to $115.6 million, or $0.49 per share, for 2015;
• FFO attributable to common shareholders of $268.0 million, or $1.13 per share, compared to $227.9 million, or $0.96 per share, for 2015; and
• Operating FFO attributable to common shareholders of $257.2 million, or $1.09 per share, compared to $251.3 million, or $1.06 per share, for 2015.

OPERATING RESULTS
For the quarter ended December 31, 2016, the Company's portfolio results were as follows:

• 1.9% increase in same store net operating income (NOI) over the comparable period in 2015;
• Total same store portfolio percent leased, including leases signed but not commenced: 95.7% at December 31, 2016, up 30 basis points from 95.4% at September 30, 2016 and up 10 basis points from 95.6% at December 31, 2015;
• Retail portfolio percent leased, including leases signed but not commenced: 95.0% at December 31, 2016, up 50 basis points from 94.5% at September 30, 2016 and up 10 basis points from 94.9% at December 31, 2015; 
• Retail portfolio annualized base rent (ABR) per occupied square foot of $17.11 at December 31, 2016, up 5.2% from $16.27 ABR per occupied square foot at December 31, 2015;
• 502,000 square feet of retail leasing transactions comprised of 136 new and renewal leases; and
• Positive comparable cash leasing spreads of 27.4% on new leases and 4.5% on renewal leases for a blended spread of 6.8%.

For the year ended December 31, 2016, the Company's portfolio results were as follows:

• 3.5% increase in same store NOI over the comparable period in 2015;
• 3,332,000 square feet of retail leasing transactions comprised of 540 new and renewal leases; and
• Positive comparable cash blended leasing spreads of 7.5%, consisting of 6.6% on renewal leases and 13.8% on new leases. Excluding the impact from eight Rite Aid leases within the Company's single-user retail portfolio that were extended to effectuate the planned 2016 disposition of these assets, all of which were sold during the second and third quarters, comparable cash blended leasing spreads were 7.8%.

"Our tremendous team here at RPAI delivered strong results in 2016," stated Steve Grimes, president and chief executive officer. "With same store NOI growth of 3.5%, nearly $1.0 billion in portfolio transaction volume, a compelling Investor Day, and recently the defeasance of the IW JV portfolio of mortgages payable, 2016 by all measures was an outperformance year and our foundation is healthier than ever going into 2017."

INVESTMENT ACTIVITY
Acquisitions
In 2016, the Company completed $408.3 million of acquisitions, primarily on an unencumbered basis, with a weighted average ABR per occupied square foot of $22.20. These acquisitions included seven high quality, multi-tenant retail assets, the fee interest in an existing multi-tenant retail property and the anchor space improvements, which were previously subject to a ground lease with the Company, at an existing multi-tenant retail property. The acquisitions are located in the Chicago, New York, Dallas and Seattle Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) and the greater Washington, D.C. area, expanding the Company's multi-tenant retail footprint in its target markets by 1.0 million square feet.  These properties possess strong demographic profiles, with weighted average household income of $109,000 and weighted average population of 84,000 within a three-mile radius.

During the quarter, the Company closed on the first phase of the previously announced acquisition of One Loudoun Downtown, located in the Washington, D.C. MSA, for a gross purchase price of $125.0 million.  The Company remains under contract for the remaining phases at One Loudoun Downtown, representing an aggregate gross purchase price of up to $35.5 million. These transactions are expected to close throughout the first three quarters of 2017 as the seller completes construction on stand-alone buildings at the property.

Subsequent to year end, the Company completed the previously announced acquisition of Main Street Promenade, located in the heart of Downtown Naperville, Illinois in the Chicago MSA, for a gross purchase price of $88.0 million. Main Street Promenade is a 182,000 square foot mixed-use project that includes approximately 103,000 square feet of retail and approximately 79,000 square feet of office, as well as an adjacent vacant parcel identified for future redevelopment that is entitled for up to 80,000 square feet of mixed-use space. Downtown Naperville is located just 30 miles from Chicago and is the destination of choice for shopping, dining and relaxation with over 100 national and boutique stores, 40 national and local restaurants and 300 businesses, epitomizing the work, shop, play lifestyle. The property is currently 93.1% occupied and is located within a "super-zip", one of the most affluent and well-educated zip codes in the country, and boasts average household income of $130,000 and population of 215,000 within a five-mile radius.

Dispositions
In 2016, the Company completed $543.0 million of dispositions, which included the sales of 10 non-target multi-tenant retail assets for $386.6 million, 35 single-user retail assets for $151.5 million, one single-user outparcel for $2.6 million and one development property, which was not under active development, for $2.3 million.

During the quarter, the Company completed $149.7 million of dispositions, which included the sales of 14 single-user retail assets for $54.8 million, three non-target multi-tenant retail assets for $92.6 million and one development property, which was not under active development, for $2.3 million.

Subsequent to year end, the Company disposed of a single-user retail asset for $0.5 million. Additionally, the Company is under contract to sell $166.9 million of dispositions, including seven non-target multi-tenant retail assets for $158.9 million and two single-user retail assets for $8.0 million. These transactions are expected to close in the first quarter of 2017, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

SCHAUMBURG TOWERS
On January 19, 2017, the Company announced that the office property formerly known as Zurich Towers has been renamed Schaumburg Towers. Additionally, the Company signed two new leases with Great American Insurance Group and Swiss Re for approximately 78,000 square feet. Schaumburg Towers is an office building with twin 20-story towers totaling approximately 895,000 square feet. The property is located in Schaumburg, Illinois and situated adjacent to Woodfield Mall, a Class A shopping mall easily accessible from two major highways. To date, the Company has re-leased approximately 397,000 square feet of the available 895,000 square feet.

BALANCE SHEET AND CAPITAL MARKETS ACTIVITY
As of December 31, 2016, the Company had approximately $2.0 billion of consolidated indebtedness, which resulted in a net debt to adjusted EBITDA ratio of 5.6x, or a net debt and preferred stock to adjusted EBITDA ratio of 6.0x. Consolidated indebtedness had a weighted average contractual interest rate of 4.44% and a weighted average maturity of 5.3 years.

During 2016, the Company executed on numerous significant capital markets initiatives, including the following:

• In January 2016, closed on a $1.2 billion amended and restated unsecured credit facility, which increased total capacity by $200.0 million, extended the weighted average term by 2.2 years and lowered the weighted average interest rate by 13 basis points;
• In September 2016, entered into an agreement to issue $200.0 million of senior unsecured notes, consisting of $100.0 million of 10-year 4.08% senior unsecured notes (Notes Due 2026) and $100.0 million of 12-year 4.24% senior unsecured notes (Notes Due 2028), resulting in a weighted average fixed interest rate of 4.16%. The issuance of the Notes Due 2026 occurred on September 30, 2016 and the issuance of the Notes Due 2028 occurred on December 28, 2016;
• In November 2016, entered into an agreement for a seven-year $200.0 million senior unsecured term loan (Term Loan Due 2023) with an interest rate of London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) plus a credit spread of between 1.70% and 2.55%, based on the Company's leverage ratio. In January 2017, the Company drew the full balance of the Term Loan Due 2023. In addition, in January 2017, the Company entered into two interest rate swap agreements to effectively fix the interest rate on the Term Loan Due 2023 at 1.2628% plus a credit spread through November 22, 2018;
• Throughout 2016, repaid or extinguished $321.5 million of mortgage debt without prepayment penalties, excluding amortization, with a weighted average interest rate of 5.47%, of which $191.8 million was repaid during the fourth quarter with a weighted average interest rate of 5.14%;
• During the fourth quarter, defeased or incurred prepayment penalties related to the extinguishment of $36.4 million of mortgage debt with a weighted average interest rate of 5.55%; and
• During the fourth quarter, repurchased 591,488 shares of common stock under the Company's stock repurchase program at an average price per share of $14.93 for a total of approximately $8.8 million.

Subsequent to year end, the Company defeased the $379.4 million IW JV cross-collateralized portfolio of mortgages payable that were scheduled to mature in 2019 and had an interest rate of 7.50%. In connection with this transaction, the Company incurred approximately $60.2 million in defeasance costs. The fair value of these mortgages was approximately $45.1 million higher than the outstanding principal balance as of December 31, 2016.

2017 GUIDANCE
The Company expects to generate net income attributable to common shareholders of $1.15 to $1.20 per share in 2017. The Company expects to generate Operating FFO of $1.00 to $1.05 per share in 2017, based, in part, on the following assumptions:

• Generate same store NOI growth of 2.0% to 3.0%;
• Acquire approximately $375 to $475 million of strategic acquisitions in the Company's target markets;
• Dispose of approximately $800 to $900 million of assets, including the sale of Schaumburg Towers; and
• Incur approximately $42 to $44 million of general and administrative expenses.

The following table reconciles the Company's reported 2016 Operating FFO to the Company's 2017 Operating FFO guidance range.

DIVIDEND
On February 13, 2017, the Company declared the first quarter 2017 Series A preferred stock cash dividend of $0.4375 per preferred share, for the period beginning January 1, 2017, which will be paid on March 31, 2017 to preferred shareholders of record on March 20, 2017.

On February 13, 2017, the Company also declared the first quarter 2017 quarterly cash dividend of $0.165625 per share on its outstanding Class A common stock, which will be paid on April 10, 2017 to Class A common shareholders of record on March 27, 2017.

WEBCAST AND SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
The Company's management team will hold a webcast on Wednesday, February 15, 2017 at 11:00 AM (ET), to discuss its quarterly and full year financial results and operating performance, as well as business highlights and outlook. In addition, the Company may discuss business and financial developments and trends and other matters affecting the Company, some of which may not have been previously disclosed. 

A live webcast will be available online on the Company's website at www.rpai.com in the INVEST section. The conference call can be accessed by dialing (877) 705-6003 or (201) 493-6725 for international participants. Please dial in at least ten minutes prior to the start of the call to register.

A replay of the webcast will be available. To listen to the replay, please go to www.rpai.com in the INVEST section of the website and follow the instructions. A replay of the call will be available from 2:00 PM (ET) on February 15, 2017 until midnight (ET) on March 1, 2017. The replay can be accessed by dialing (844) 512-2921 or (412) 317-6671 for international callers and entering pin number 13650424.

The Company has also posted supplemental financial and operating information and other data in the INVEST section of its website.

ABOUT RPAI
Retail Properties of America, Inc. is a REIT that owns and operates high quality, strategically located shopping centers in the United States. As of December 31, 2016, the Company owned 156 retail operating properties representing 25.8 million square feet. The Company is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol RPAI. Additional information about the Company is available at www.rpai.com.

SAFE HARBOR LANGUAGE
The statements and certain other information contained in this press release, which can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believes", "expects", "may", "should", "intends", "plans", "estimates", "continue" or "anticipates" and variations of such words or similar expressions or the negative of such words, constitute "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, and are subject to the safe harbors created thereby. These forward-looking statements reflect the Company's current views about its plans, intentions, expectations, strategies and prospects, which are based on the information currently available to the Company and on assumptions it has made. Although the Company believes that its plans, intentions, expectations, strategies and prospects as reflected in or suggested by those forward-looking statements are reasonable, the Company can give no assurance that such plans, intentions, expectations or strategies will be attained or achieved. Furthermore, these forward-looking statements should be considered as subject to the many risks and uncertainties that exist in the Company's operations and business environment. Such risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. These uncertainties include, but are not limited to, economic, business and financial conditions, and changes in the Company's industry and changes in the real estate markets in particular, rental rates and/or vacancy rates, frequency and magnitude of defaults on, early terminations of or non-renewal of leases by tenants, bankruptcy or insolvency of a major tenant or a significant number of smaller tenants, interest rates or operating costs, real estate valuations, the availability, terms and deployment of capital, general volatility of the capital and credit markets and the market price of the Company's Class A common stock, risks generally associated with real estate acquisitions and dispositions, including the Company's ability to identify and pursue acquisition and disposition opportunities, risks generally associated with redevelopment, including the impact of construction delays and cost overruns, the Company's ability to lease redeveloped space and the Company's ability to identify and pursue redevelopment opportunities, competitive and cost factors, the Company's ability to enter into new leases or renew leases on favorable terms, the Company's ability to create long-term shareholder value, satisfaction of closing conditions to the pending transactions described herein, the Company's failure to successfully execute its non-target disposition program and capital recycling efforts, regulatory changes and other risk factors, including those detailed in the sections of the Company's most recent Forms 10-K and 10-Q filed with the SEC titled "Risk Factors". The Company assumes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
As defined by the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT), an industry trade group, Funds From Operations (FFO) means net income (loss) computed in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), excluding gains (or losses) from sales of depreciable real estate, plus depreciation and amortization and impairment charges on depreciable real estate. The Company has adopted the NAREIT definition in its computation of FFO attributable to common shareholders. The Company believes that, subject to the following limitations, FFO attributable to common shareholders provides a basis for comparing its performance and operations to those of other real estate investment trusts (REITs). The Company believes that FFO attributable to common shareholders, which is a supplemental non-GAAP financial measure, provides an additional and useful means to assess the operating performance of REITs. FFO attributable to common shareholders does not represent an alternative to (i) "Net income" or "Net income attributable to common shareholders" as an indicator of the Company's financial performance, or (ii) "Cash flows from operating activities" in accordance with GAAP as a measure of the Company's capacity to fund cash needs, including the payment of dividends.

The Company also reports Operating FFO attributable to common shareholders, which is defined as FFO attributable to common shareholders excluding the impact of discrete non-operating transactions and other events which the Company does not consider representative of the comparable operating results of its real estate operating portfolio, which is its core business platform. Specific examples of discrete non-operating transactions and other events include, but are not limited to, the financial statement impact of gains or losses associated with the early extinguishment of debt or other liabilities, impairment charges to write down the carrying value of assets other than depreciable real estate, actual or anticipated settlement of litigation involving the Company and executive and realignment separation charges, which are otherwise excluded from the Company's calculation of FFO attributable to common shareholders. The Company believes that Operating FFO attributable to common shareholders, which is a supplemental non-GAAP financial measure, provides an additional and useful means to assess the operating performance of REITs. Operating FFO attributable to common shareholders does not represent an alternative to (i) "Net income" or "Net income attributable to common shareholders" as an indicator of the Company's financial performance, or (ii) "Cash flows from operating activities" in accordance with GAAP as a measure of the Company's capacity to fund cash needs, including the payment of dividends. Comparison of the Company's presentation of Operating FFO attributable to common shareholders to similarly titled measures for other REITs may not necessarily be meaningful due to possible differences in definition and application by such REITs.

The Company also reports Net Operating Income (NOI), which it defines as all revenues other than straight-line rental income, amortization of lease inducements, amortization of acquired above and below market lease intangibles and lease termination fee income, less real estate taxes and all operating expenses other than straight-line ground rent expense and amortization of acquired ground lease intangibles, which are non-cash items. NOI consists of Same Store NOI and NOI from Other Investment Properties. Same Store NOI for the year ended December 31, 2016 represents NOI from the Company's same store portfolio consisting of 140 retail operating properties acquired or placed in service and stabilized prior to January 1, 2015. NOI from Other Investment Properties for the year ended December 31, 2016 represents NOI primarily from properties acquired during 2015 and 2016, the Company's one remaining office property, three properties where the Company has begun redevelopment and/or activities in anticipation of future redevelopment, the properties that were sold or held for sale in 2015 and 2016, the net income from the Company's wholly-owned captive insurance company and the historical ground rent expense related to an existing same store investment property that was subject to a ground lease with a third party prior to the Company's acquisition of the fee interest on April 29, 2016. For the three months ended December 31, 2016, the Company's same store portfolio consists of 147 retail operating properties inclusive of the same store portfolio for the year ended December 31, 2016 and seven additional retail operating properties that were acquired during the nine months ended September 30, 2015. The financial results reported in Other Investment Properties for the three months ended December 31, 2016 are inclusive of the topics described above for the year ended December 31, 2016 excluding the seven investment properties that were acquired during the nine months ended September 30, 2015. The Company believes that NOI, Same Store NOI and NOI from Other Investment Properties, which are supplemental non-GAAP financial measures, provide an additional and useful operating perspective not immediately apparent from "Operating income" or "Net income attributable to common shareholders" in accordance with GAAP. The Company uses these measures to evaluate its performance on a property-by-property basis because they allow management to evaluate the impact that factors such as lease structure, lease rates and tenant base have on the Company's operating results. NOI, Same Store NOI and NOI from Other Investment Properties do not represent alternatives to "Net income" or "Net income attributable to common shareholders" in accordance with GAAP as indicators of the Company's financial performance. Comparison of the Company's presentation of NOI, Same Store NOI and NOI from Other Investment Properties to similarly titled measures for other REITs may not necessarily be meaningful due to possible differences in definition and application by such REITs.

Adjusted EBITDA is a supplemental non-GAAP financial measure and represents net income attributable to common shareholders before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization, as further adjusted to eliminate the impact of certain items that the Company does not consider indicative of its ongoing performance. The Company believes that Adjusted EBITDA is useful because it allows investors and management to evaluate and compare the Company's performance from period to period in a meaningful and consistent manner in addition to standard financial measurements under GAAP. Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered an alternative to "Net income attributable to common shareholders" as an indicator of the Company's financial performance. Comparison of the Company's presentation of Adjusted EBITDA to similarly titled measures for other REITs may not necessarily be meaningful due to possible differences in definition and application by such REITs.

Net Debt to Adjusted EBITDA is a supplemental non-GAAP financial measure and represents (i) the Company's total notional debt, excluding unamortized premium, discount and capitalized loan fees, less cash and cash equivalents divided by (ii) Adjusted EBITDA for the prior three months, annualized. The Company believes that this ratio is useful because it provides investors with information regarding its total notional debt net of cash and cash equivalents, which could be used to repay debt, compared to its performance as measured using Adjusted EBITDA. Comparison of the Company's presentation of Net Debt to Adjusted EBITDA to similarly titled measures for other REITs may not necessarily be meaningful due to possible differences in definition and application by such REITs.

Net Debt and Preferred Stock to Adjusted EBITDA is a supplemental non-GAAP financial measure and represents (i) the Company's total notional debt, excluding unamortized premium, discount and capitalized loan fees, plus preferred stock, less cash and cash equivalents divided by (ii) Adjusted EBITDA for the prior three months, annualized. The Company believes that this ratio is useful because it provides investors with information regarding its total notional debt and preferred stock, net of cash and cash equivalents, which could be used to repay debt, compared to its performance as measured using Adjusted EBITDA. Comparison of the Company's presentation of Net Debt and Preferred Stock to Adjusted EBITDA to similarly titled measures for other REITs may not necessarily be meaningful due to possible differences in definition and application by such REITs.

CONTACT INFORMATION

For Investors:
Michael Fitzmaurice
VP – Capital Markets & Investor Relations
Retail Properties of America, Inc.       
(630) 634-4233

For Media Inquiries:
Kimberly Freely
AVP – Director of Public Relations & Communications
Retail Properties of America, Inc.
(630) 634-4319

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