Gladstone Land Corp (LAND) Q4 2024 Earnings Call Highlights: Navigating Challenges with ...

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Fri, Feb 21, 2025, 12:07 AM 4 min read

Total Assets: Approximately $1.3 billion in land and water assets.
Adjusted FFO (Funds From Operations): $3.4 million for Q4 2024, down from $5.4 million in Q4 2023.
Adjusted FFO per Share: $0.09 for Q4 2024, compared to $0.15 in Q4 2023.
Annual Adjusted FFO: $16.7 million for 2024, down from $20.3 million in 2023.
Annual Dividends Declared per Share: $0.56 in 2024, up from $0.55 in 2023.
Net Asset Value per Share: $14.91 as of December 31, 2024, down from $15.57 as of September 30, 2024.
Participation Rents: $4.8 million in Q4 2024, up from $3.3 million in Q4 2023.
Fixed-Base Cash Rents: Decreased by $4.9 million quarterly and $9.7 million annually.
Property Sales: Sold 11 blueberry farms in Michigan and 5 farms in Florida, with a 40% premium on the Florida farms.
Debt Repayment: Paid off $23.5 million of loans during the quarter.
Liquidity: Access to over $195 million of capital, including $50 million in cash.
Dividend Yield: 4.9% based on a stock price of $11.52.

Warning! GuruFocus has detected 5 Warning Signs with LAND.

Release Date: February 20, 2025

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.

Positive Points

Gladstone Land Corp (NASDAQ:LAND) owns a substantial portfolio of farmland, totaling about 103,000 acres across 150 farms, valued at approximately $1.3 billion.
The company has diversified its assets across 15 states and 29 growing regions, with a focus on fruits, vegetables, and nuts.
Recent farmland sales in Florida and the Midwest resulted in significant gains, including a 40% premium on Florida farms.
Gladstone Land Corp (NASDAQ:LAND) has adjusted lease structures to increase participation rent, potentially leading to higher future revenues.
The company maintains a strong liquidity position with over $195 million in available capital and a majority of borrowings at fixed rates, protecting against interest rate fluctuations.

Negative Points

The company faces high costs of capital, limiting new investment opportunities and acquisition activities.
Recent changes in lease structures and tenant issues have led to a decrease in fixed-base cash rents and net operating income.
Certain farms have been sold or are vacant, resulting in lost revenues and increased costs.
The company has experienced a decrease in net asset value per share, from $15.57 to $14.91, due to revaluations of certain farms.
Gladstone Land Corp (NASDAQ:LAND) has decided to stop publishing net asset value calculations quarterly due to high costs and reliability issues with external appraisals.

Q & A Highlights

Q: Can you clarify the comments on the participation and fixed base rents amendment? Is the $3 million to $3.5 million lower fixed base rent compared to what was reported in 4Q? A: No, it's more about the average base rent for the year in 2024 versus 2025. It's not a comparison between Q4 and the future; rather, it's an annual average comparison.

Q: Regarding the sale of the Florida farm, what was the use of the remaining proceeds after paying off some debt? A: The remaining proceeds are part of the $50 million cash on hand on the balance sheet, held for other uses at this point.

Q: What are your expectations around interest patronage in the first quarter? A: We expect a similar percentage back from farm credit borrowing, but since we've paid off about 10% of those loans over the past year, the patronage might be about 10% less.

Q: Can you provide more details on the lease expirations this year, particularly the split between permanent and row crop leases? A: In the next six months, most expiring leases are row crop farms, which are a small percentage. In the second half of the year, 60% to 70% of expiring leases are on permanent crop farms, some with lease incentives and high upside on crop share.

Q: Given the current trading price of preferred stock, do you anticipate continuing to buy back preferred shares? A: Yes, it's an easy way for us to make money, and we plan to continue buying back preferred shares.

Q: Is the property operating expense in 4Q a good run rate for the remainder of the year, or are there factors that could cause it to change? A: We hope it comes down a bit due to the sale of Michigan Blueberry properties, which contributed to the increase. Some legal costs will remain, but overall, expenses should decrease.

Q: What percentage of the California portfolio is on the crop share, high upside lease structure, and what's the outlook for these assets? A: Currently, five farms are on this hybrid structure, making up about 15% of the California portfolio's fair value. We expect to keep the rest in the traditional lease structure.

Q: With the NAV decision, will NAVs be provided regularly, or is the intention to stop providing them due to cost? A: The cost and reliability of external valuations have become burdensome, so we may stop providing NAVs regularly. We will reassess and possibly provide internal estimates in the future.

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.

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