News Details

U-Store-It Trust Announces Second Quarter 2006 Financial Results

August 7, 2006

CLEVELAND, OH -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 08/07/06 -- U-Store-It Trust (the "Company") (NYSE: YSI), today announced operating results for the three months ended June 30, 2006.

The Company reported a net loss of $30 thousand for the quarter ended June 30, 2006, and reported no earnings per share as compared to net income of $2.2 million or $0.06 per share for the second quarter of 2005.

The 383 owned facilities containing 24.2 million net rentable square feet had a physical occupancy at June 30, 2006 of 82.2% and an average physical occupancy for the quarter of 81.2%. This compares to a physical occupancy of the 374 facilities owned at March 31, 2006 of 79.7%.

During the second quarter 2006, the Company identified an immaterial accounting error related to certain tenant receivable transactions. The misstatement relates to the period in which the revenue related to certain tenants had been recognized. The Company evaluated the impact of these errors and concluded that the impact was not material to prior periods. Accordingly, a non-cash adjustment of approximately $1 million to reduce rental revenues was recorded in the second quarter to correct the cumulative impact of these errors. This adjustment will have no impact on future earnings.

During the quarter the Company reviewed its calculation of Funds from Operations ("FFO") and determined that it was more appropriate to exclude depreciation related to certain non-real estate assets from its calculation. Accordingly a non-cash adjustment of approximately $310 thousand was made to reduce its second quarter 2006 FFO. Approximately $148 thousand related to the first quarter of 2006 and $162 thousand related to the second quarter of 2006.

Funds from Operations:

Prior to giving effect to the adjustments described above, FFO attributable to common shareholders for the second quarter of 2006 was $15.4 million or $0.27 per share. This amount is most directly comparable to the Company's previously articulated second quarter FFO forecast of $0.20 to $0.24 per share and compares to $10.6 million or $0.28 per share for the second quarter of 2005. Taking into consideration these adjustments, the Company is reporting FFO of $14.1 million or $0.25 per share for the second quarter of 2006.

Same-store Results:

The 199 same-store facilities contain approximately 12.9 million net rentable square feet, representing approximately 53.2% of the aggregate net rentable square feet of our 383 owned facilities at June 30, 2006. These same-store facilities represent approximately 59.5% of our property net operating income for the quarter ended June 30, 2006.

The tenant receivable adjustment discussed above reduced same-store revenues by approximately $750 thousand during the quarter. Prior to giving effect to this adjustment, same-store revenue grew 4.3%, property operating expenses grew 9.6%, and net operating income grew 1.6% as compared to the same quarter of 2005. After giving effect to this adjustment, same-store revenue grew 1.7% and net operating income declined 2.3% as compared to the second quarter of 2005. Same-store average occupancy decreased to 82.4% for the second quarter of 2006 as compared to 82.6% for the second quarter of last year.

The same-store properties occupancy grew from 81.3% at the end of the first quarter of the year to 83.1% at June 30, 2006 representing positive absorption of approximately 231 thousand square feet. Operating expenses for the second quarter of 2006 increased $77 thousand or 0.07% from the first quarter of 2006 and prior to the tenant receivable adjustment described above, revenues for the second quarter increased 3.5% over the first quarter of 2006.

Chief Executive Officer and President Dean Jernigan commented, "We are pleased with the progress we are making in our efforts to improve the operating results of the Company. We have accomplished all of the immediate objectives I outlined for you when I joined the Company approximately 100 days ago. We have assembled our senior management team and are on track to have our CenterShift software implementation at our facilities to be completed by the end of the third quarter. We are encouraged by the results of our same-store assets since the first quarter of this year. The revenue and occupancy improvements and the expense controls indicate to us that our business plan is gaining traction."

Asset Acquisition Activity

During the second quarter of 2006 the Company completed the acquisition of nine facilities with an aggregate of 785 thousand net rentable square feet, for an aggregate cost of approximately $55.8 million including the assumption of $14.0 million of debt. Subsequent to the end of the quarter we acquired ten facilities with an aggregate of 727 thousand net rentable square feet for an aggregate cost of approximately $48.4 million including the assumption of approximately $9.4 million of debt. At August 7, 2006 we are under contract to acquire eight additional facilities with an aggregate of 558 thousand net rentable square feet for an aggregate cost of approximately $41.0 million. The Company's unsecured credit facility was used to fund the cash portion of the acquisitions and it is anticipated that it will be used to fund the acquisitions under contract, although each of these pending acquisitions is subject to significant contingencies and there can be no assurance that the facilities will be acquired.

Earnings Outlook

The Company expects to incur severance and other costs as the implementation of our business plan will create changes in management structure and process. We anticipate that these costs will range from $2.6 to $2.8 million and will be incurred during the third quarter of 2006.

Prior to recognizing the costs described above associated with the implementation of our business plan, the Company estimates that its fully diluted FFO per share for the three months ended September 30, 2006 will be between $0.24 and $0.26 and that its fully diluted loss per share will be between $(0.04) and $(0.02). Including the impact of the above costs, the Company estimates that its FFO per share will be between $0.19 and $0.22. The Company's estimate is based on the following key assumptions:

 

--  Same Store revenue growth of 4.25% - 5.25% over the third quarter of
    2005
--  The closing of the acquisitions outlined in this release utilizing our
    unsecured credit facility
--  General and Administrative expenses of $4.7-$4.9 million
--  Increases in Libor of 25 basis points during the quarter
    

 

Chief Financial Officer Christopher Marr said, "We remain cautiously optimistic in our financial outlook. We believe that our focus on people, systems and accountability will result in continuous improvement in our financial performance over the next several quarters."

Distributions

On April 24, 2006 the Board of Directors declared a quarterly distribution of $0.29 per share, payable on July 24, 2006 to shareholders of record on July 10, 2006.

Conference Call

Management will host a conference call at 11:00 a.m. EDT on Tuesday August 8, 2006 to discuss financial results for the three months ended June 30, 2006. A live web cast of the conference call will be available online from the investor relations page of the Company's corporate website at www.u-store-it.com. The dial-in numbers are (800) 289-0572 for domestic callers, and (913) 981-5543 for international callers. The reservation number for both is 2439778. After the live webcast, the call will remain available on U-Store-It's website for one month. In addition, a telephonic replay of the call will be available until August 13, 2006. The replay dial-in number is (888) 203-1112 for domestic callers (719) 457-0820 for international callers. The replay reservation number is 2439778. Supplemental operating and financial data as of June 30, 2006 is available on our corporate website under the heading "Investor Relations and Corporate Information."

About U-Store-It Trust

U-Store-It Trust is a self-administered and self-managed real estates investment trust. The Company's self-storage facilities are designed to offer affordable, easily-accessible and secure storage space for residential and commercial customers. According to the Self-Storage Almanac, U-Store-It Trust is one of the top five owners and operators of self-storage facilities in the United States.

Non-GAAP Performance Measurements

FFO is a widely used performance measure for real estate companies and is provided here as a supplemental measure of operating performance. The Company calculates FFO in accordance with the best practices described in the April 2002 National Policy Bulletin of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (the "White Paper"). The White Paper defines FFO as net income (computed in accordance with GAAP), excluding gains (or losses) from sales of property, plus depreciation and amortization, and after adjustments for unconsolidated partnerships and joint ventures.

Management uses FFO as a key performance indicator in evaluating the operations of the Company's facilities. Given the nature of its business as a real estate owner and operator, the Company considers FFO a key measure of its operating performance that is not specifically defined by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States ("GAAP"). The Company believes that FFO is useful to management and investors as a starting point in measuring its operational performance because it excludes various items included in net income that do not relate to or are not indicative of its operating performance such as gains (or losses) from sales of property and depreciation and amortization, which can make periodic and peer analyses of operating performance more difficult. FFO should not be considered as an alternative to net income (determined in accordance with GAAP) as an indicator of the Company's financial performance, is not an alternative to cash flow from operating activities (determined in accordance with GAAP) as a measure of the Company's liquidity, and is not indicative of funds available to fund the Company's cash needs, including its ability to make distributions.

Net operating income, which we refer to as "NOI," is defined as total continuing revenues less continuing property operating expenses. NOI also can be calculated by adding back to net income: interest expense, loan procurement amortization expense, early extinguishment of debt, minority interest, loss on sale of storage facilities, other depreciation and general and administrative expense, and deducting from net income: income from discontinued operations, gains on sale of self-storage facilities, and interest income.

Management uses NOI as a measure of operating performance at each of our facilities, and for all of our facilities in the aggregate. NOI should not be considered as a substitute for operating income, net income, cash flows provided by operating, investing and financing activities, or other income statement or cash flow statement data prepared in accordance with GAAP.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this release that are not historical fact may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from historical results or from any results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including without limitation: national and local economic, business, real estate and other market conditions; the competitive environment in which the Company operates; the execution of the Company's business plan; financing risks; increases in interest rates and operating costs; the Company's ability to maintain its status as a REIT for federal income tax purposes; acquisition and development risks; changes in real estate and zoning laws or regulations; risks related to natural disasters; potential environmental and other liabilities; and other factors affecting the real estate industry generally or the self-storage industry in particular. The Company refers you to the documents filed by the Company from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, specifically the section titled "Business - Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, which discuss these and other risks and factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statements.

 

                    U-STORE-IT TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES
                   CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET
                                (unaudited)


                                                  June 30,    December 31,
(Dollars in thousands, except par value amount)     2006          2005
                                                ------------  ------------

ASSETS
Storage facilities-net                          $  1,504,919  $  1,246,295
Cash and cash equivalents                             13,479       201,098
Restricted cash                                       15,396        14,672
Loan procurement costs - net of amortization           9,298        10,437
Other assets                                           8,087         8,986
                                                ------------  ------------
TOTAL ASSETS                                    $  1,551,179  $  1,481,488
                                                ============  ============
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY

LIABILITIES
  Revolving credit facility                     $     88,000  $          -
  Loans payable                                      685,423       669,282
  Accounts payable and accrued expenses               19,356        18,928
  Distributions payable                               16,658        16,624
  Deferred revenue                                    10,235         8,857
  Security deposits                                      670           685
                                                ------------  ------------
    Total liabilities                                820,342       714,376
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
MINORITY INTERESTS                                    60,759        64,108

SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
  Common shares $.01 par value, 200,000,000
   shares authorized, 57,206,517 and 57,010,162
   shares issued and outstanding at June 30,
   2006 and December 31, 2005, respectively              572           570
  Additional paid in capital                         797,543       795,244
  Accumulated deficit                               (126,181)      (91,253)
  Unearned share grant compensation                   (1,856)       (1,557)
                                                ------------  ------------
    Total shareholders' equity                       670,078       703,004
                                                ------------  ------------
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY      $  1,551,179  $  1,481,488
                                                ============  ============



                    U-STORE-IT TRUST AND SUBSIDIARIES

                  CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
                                (unaudited)


                                    Three Months Ended   Six Months Ended
                                         June 30,            June 30,
                                    ------------------  ------------------
(Dollars and shares in thousands,
 except per share data)               2006      2005      2006      2005
                                    --------  --------  --------  --------

REVENUES:
  Rental income                     $ 48,822  $ 31,480  $ 93,849  $ 59,077
  Other property related income        3,618     2,304     6,719     4,422
                                    --------  --------  --------  --------
    Total revenues                    52,440    33,784   100,568    63,499
OPERATING EXPENSES:
  Property operating expenses         20,954    11,990    39,814    22,775
  Property operating expenses -
   related party                          12        24        32        35
  Depreciation                        15,734     8,744    30,406    16,765
  General and administrative           4,132     3,057     9,521     5,950
  General and administrative -
   related party                         273       172       450       304
                                    --------  --------  --------  --------
    Total operating expenses          41,105    23,987    80,223    45,829
OPERATING INCOME                      11,335     9,797    20,345    17,670
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE)
  Interest:
    Interest expense on loans        (10,977)   (7,142)  (20,977)  (12,949)
    Loan procurement amortization
     expense                            (447)     (385)     (842)     (758)
    Write-off of loan procurement
     cost due to early
     extinguishment of debt                -         -    (1,273)        -
  Interest income                        159        23     1,043        57
  Other                                 (102)        7       (60)      (43)
                                    --------  --------  --------  --------
    Total other expense              (11,367)   (7,497)  (22,109)  (13,693)
INCOME (LOSS) BEFORE MINORITY
 INTERESTS                               (32)    2,300    (1,764)    3,977
MINORITY INTERESTS                         2       (96)      147      (156)
                                    --------  --------  --------  --------
NET INCOME (LOSS)                   $    (30) $  2,204  $ (1,617) $  3,821
                                    ========  ========  ========  ========
Basic earnings (loss) per share     $      -  $   0.06  $  (0.03) $   0.10
Diluted earnings (loss) per share   $      -  $   0.06  $  (0.03) $   0.10

Weighted-average basic shares
 outstanding                          57,325    37,478    57,286    37,478
Weighted-average diluted shares
 outstanding                          57,325    37,520    57,286    37,502
                                    ========  ========  ========  ========

Distributions declared per common
 share                              $   0.29  $   0.28  $   0.58  $   0.56
                                    ========  ========  ========  ========



Same Store Facility Results (199 facilities)

                Three months ended              Six months ended
                     June 30,                        June 30,
(Dollars in   ----------------------          ----------------------
 thousands,
 except for                           Percent                        Percent
 square feet)    2006        2005     Change     2006        2005    Change
              ----------  ----------  ------  ----------  ----------  ----

Rental income $   28,032  $   27,630          $   55,830  $   54,182
Other
 operating
 income            1,293       1,214               2,552       2,541
              ----------  ----------          ----------  ----------
Total
 revenues (a)     29,325      28,844     1.7%     58,382      56,723   2.9%

Property
 operating
 expenses
  Property
   taxes           3,337       3,185     4.8%      6,714       6,376   5.3%
  Personnel
   expense         3,041       2,890     5.2%      6,139       5,959   3.0%

  Advertising        817         663    23.2%      1,416       1,194  18.6%
  Repair and
   maintenance       284         192    47.9%        586         369  58.8%

  Utilities        1,042         968     7.6%      2,326       2,097  10.9%
  Property
   insurance         430         322    33.5%        745         651  14.4%
  Other
   expenses        1,651       1,454    13.5%      3,201       2,887  10.9%
              ----------  ----------          ----------  ----------
Total
 property
 operating
 expenses         10,602       9,674     9.6%     21,127      19,533   8.2%
              ----------  ----------          ----------  ----------

Net Operating
 Income (b)
 (g)          $   18,723  $   19,170  (2.3%)  $   37,255  $   37,190   0.2%
              ==========  ==========          ==========  ==========

Gross margin (a)    63.8%       66.5%               63.8%       65.6%

Period
 average
 occupancy (c)      82.4%       82.6%               81.9%       82.2%

Period end
 occupancy (d)      83.1%       83.6%               83.1%       83.6%

Total net
 rentable
 square feet  12,890,822  12,890,822          12,890,822  12,890,822

Realized
 annual rent
 per occupied
 square foot
 (e)          $    10.56  $    10.38     1.7% $    10.58  $    10.23   3.4%

In place
 annual rent
 per square
 foot (f)     $    12.35  $    11.62     6.3% $    12.27  $    11.57   6.1%


Reconciliation of Same Store Net Operating Income to Operating Income

                Three months ended              Six months ended
                     June 30,                        June 30,
              ----------------------          ----------------------
                 2006        2005                2006        2005
              ----------  ----------          ----------  ----------

Same store
 net
 operating
 income (g)   $   18,723  $   19,170          $   37,255  $   37,190
Non same
 store net
 operating
 income (g)       12,751       2,600              23,467       3,499
Depreciation     (15,734)     (8,744)            (30,406)    (16,765)
General and
 administrative
 expense          (4,405)     (3,229)             (9,971)     (6,254)
              ----------  ----------          ----------  ----------

Operating
 income       $   11,335  $    9,797          $   20,345  $   17,670
              ==========  ==========          ==========  ==========

a - Total revenue reflects the $750 non-cash adjustment in 2006; prior to
    the effect of this adjustment, revenue growth was 4.3% for the quarter
    and 4.2% for the six month period.  Gross margin was 66.4% and 65.1%
    prior to the effect of this adjustment.
b - Net operating income reflects the $750 non-cash adjustment in 2006;
    prior to the effect of this adjustment, NOI growth was 1.7% for the
    quarter and 2.2% for the six-month period, respectively
c - Square foot occupancy represents the weighted average occupancy for the
    period.
d - Represents occupancy at June 30.
e - Realized annual rent per occupied square foot is computed by dividing
    rental income by the weighted average occupied square feet for the
    period. Prior to the effect of the $750 non-cash adjustment, it was
    $10.84 and $10.65 for the quarter and six-mont period, respectively.
f - In place annual rent per occupied square foot represents annualized
    contractual rents per period end occupied square foot.
g - Net operating income (NOI) is a non-GAAP (generally accepted accounting
    principles) financial measure that excludes the impact of depreciation
    and general & administrative expense.  Although depreciation and
    general & administrative expense are operating expenses, we believe
    that NOI is a meaningful measure of operating performance, because we
    utilize NOI in making decisions with respect to capital allocations, in
    determining current property values, and comparing period-to-period and
    market-to-market property operating results.  NOI is not a substitute
    for operating  income as determined in accordance with GAAP in
    evaluating our operating results.



               NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES - COMPUTATION OF
                      FUNDS FROM OPERATIONS ("FFO")

                                (unaudited)


                                    Three Months Ended   Six Months Ended
                                         June 30,            June 30,
                                    ------------------  ------------------
(Dollars and shares in thousands
 except per share data)               2006      2005      2006      2005
                                    --------  --------  --------  --------

Net income (loss)                   $    (30) $  2,204  $ (1,617) $  3,821
Plus:
  Real Estate Depreciation            15,424     8,744    30,096    16,765
  Minority Interest                       (2)       96      (147)      156
                                    --------  --------  --------  --------

FFO - Operating partnership         $ 15,392  $ 11,044  $ 28,332  $ 20,742
FFO - Allocable to minority
 interest                           $ (1,282) $   (490) $ (2,363) $   (838)
                                    --------  --------  --------  --------
FFO - Allocable common shareholders $ 14,110  $ 10,554  $ 25,969  $ 19,904
                                    ========  ========  ========  ========

Weighted-average diluted shares
 outstanding (1)                      57,399    37,520    57,403    37,502

Funds From Operations per share     $   0.25  $   0.28  $   0.45  $   0.53


Reconciliation of Dilutive Income
 per Share to Funds From Operations
 per share:

Dilutive income per share           $      -  $   0.06  $  (0.03) $   0.10
  Adjustments:
    Real Estate Depreciation            0.27      0.24      0.52      0.45
    Funds attributable to minority
     shareholders                      (0.02)    (0.02)    (0.04)    (0.02)
                                    --------  --------  --------  --------
Funds from operations per share     $   0.25  $   0.28  $   0.45  $   0.53
                                    ========  ========  ========  ========

(1) The weighted average number of shares for the period include
    approximately 0.1 million shares related to certain equity awards
    issued that are dilutive for FFO

 

Contact:
U-Store-It Trust
Christopher P. Marr
Chief Financial Officer
(440) 234-0700