SmartStop Self Storage REIT, Inc. Reports First Quarter 2024 Results

SmartStop Self Storage REIT, Inc. (“SmartStop” or “the Company”), a self-managed and fully-integrated self storage company, announced its overall results for the three months ended March 31, 2024.

“On the heels of the strongest 36-month period in the history of the self storage industry and in conjunction with slowing economic growth, our sector’s occupancy, same-store NOI growth and overall results have continued to normalize,” said H. Michael Schwartz, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of SmartStop. “However, demand for the self storage sector is dynamic with drivers that function in a multitude of economic environments, and the self storage customer remains strong across the U.S. and Canada. Improving customer demand and moderating move out trends give us confidence as we enter our peak rental season from a position of strength, with same-store occupancy at 92.4% at the end of March. We are confident in the ability of the SmartStop platform and team to deliver strong results for our stockholders in 2024 and beyond.”

Three Months Ended March 31, 2024 Financial Highlights:

• Net loss attributable to common stockholders was approximately $4.6 million. This represents a decrease in the Company’s earnings of approximately $3.3 million when compared to the same period in 2023. Net loss per Class A and Class T shares (basic and diluted) was $0.05, an increase in net loss per share of $0.03 as compared to the same period in 2023.
• Total self storage-related revenues were approximately $52.7 million, a decrease of approximately $0.8 million when compared to the same period in 2023.
• FFO, as adjusted (attributable to common stockholders and Operating Partnership (“OP”) unit holders), was approximately $11.1 million, a decrease of approximately $4.5 million when compared to the same period in 2023.
• FFO, as adjusted per share and OP unit outstanding – diluted was $0.10, a decrease of $0.04 when compared to the same period in 2023.
• Same-store revenues and net operating income (“NOI”) decreased by 1.7% and 4.1%, respectively, compared to the same period in 2023, while same-store expenses increased by 3.5% compared to the same period in 2023.
• Same-store average physical occupancy decreased by 0.4% to 92.5% compared to the same period in 2023.
• Same-store annualized rent per occupied square foot was approximately $19.49, a decrease of approximately $0.18 when compared to the same period in 2023.

External Growth

During the quarter, the Company opened an 87,700 square foot, 900 unit storage facility in the Town of Whitby in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario. The facility was developed in partnership with SmartCentres (TSX: SRU.UN). This is SmartStop’s 32^nd owned or managed operating location in the Greater Toronto Area and 34^th in Canada.

Subsequent to quarter end, the Company announced the acquisition of a self storage property in Colorado Springs, Colorado, its second property in the Colorado Springs market. The property comprises 480 storage units and approximately 100 RV parking spaces, as well as additional land available for expansion.

Capital Market Activities

In February, the Company entered into an amended and restated multi-currency revolving credit facility (the “2024 Credit Facility”) of up to $650 million with a syndicate of banks led by KeyBank National Association, Bank of Montreal, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., M&T Bank, Truist Bank and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. The 2024 Credit Facility replaced the Company’s Credit Facility that it entered into in March of 2021, and the Company immediately drew down an aggregate amount of $576 million, which was used primarily to pay off the amounts outstanding under the Credit Facility. The 2024 Credit Facility has an accordion feature permitting expansion of the 2024 Credit Facility up to a total capacity of $1.5 billion, subject to certain conditions. The 2024 Credit Facility has a three-year term with a maturity date of February 22, 2027 and a one-year extension option. Borrowings under the 2024 Credit Facility may be in either U.S. dollars or Canadian dollars at SmartStop’s election. Initial advances under the 2024 Credit Facility bear interest at a pricing grid consistent with the previous revolving credit facility. The 2024 Credit Facility is secured by a pledge of equity interests in certain of SmartStop’s property owning subsidiaries. SmartStop can elect to release the pledges upon the achievement of certain financial conditions, making the 2024 Credit Facility fully unsecured and resulting in a reduction in the applicable credit spread, among other changes.

In March, the Company entered into a term loan (the "2027 NBC Loan") with National Bank of Canada (“NBC”) as administrative agent, and certain other lenders. The 2027 NBC Loan has aggregate borrowings of $75 million CAD and is secured by five Canadian properties, four of which were previously included in the borrowing base of the 2024 Credit Facility. The net proceeds from the 2027 NBC Loan were used to pay down the 2024 Credit Facility by approximately $55.1 million USD. The 2027 NBC Loan has a maturity date of March 7, 2027, and carries a floating interest rate that has been fixed using an interest rate swap to a rate of 6.42%.

Managed REIT Platform Update

SmartStop, through an indirect subsidiary, serves as the sponsor of Strategic Storage Growth Trust III, Inc. (“SSGT III”) and Strategic Storage Trust VI, Inc. (“SST VI” and together with SSGT III, the “Managed REITs”). SmartStop receives asset management fees, property management fees, acquisition fees, and other fees and also receives substantially all of the tenant protection program revenue earned by the Managed REITs, which had a combined portfolio of 31 operating properties and approximately 24,500 units and 2.7 million rentable square feet at quarter end. Assets under management for the Managed REITs was $730.2 million at quarter end. SmartStop also manages one additional property, not owned by the Managed REITs.

Additionally, SmartStop has made investments in the Managed REITs in the form of mezzanine loans, notes, subordinated limited partnership interests, and preferred limited partnership interests in the operating partnerships of the respective Managed REITs.

Declared Distributions

On March 28, 2024, our board of directors declared a distribution rate for the month of April 2024 of approximately $0.0492 per share on the outstanding shares of common stock payable to Class A and Class T stockholders of record of such shares as shown on our books at the close of business on April 30, 2024. Such distributions payable to each stockholder of record will be paid the following month.

On April 19, 2024, our board of directors declared a distribution rate for the month of May 2024 of approximately $0.0508 per share on the outstanding shares of common stock payable to Class A and Class T stockholders of record of such shares as shown on our books at the close of business on May 31, 2024. Such distributions payable to each stockholder of record will be paid the following month.

SmartStop's same-store revenue decreased by approximately $0.8 million, or approximately 1.7%, for the three months ended March 31, 2024 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2023 due to lower annualized rent per occupied square foot of approximately 0.9%, as well as an approximately 0.4% decrease in average occupancy. The increase in property operating expenses is primarily attributable to compensation related expenses, property insurance, and repairs and maintenance.

The following table presents a reconciliation of net income as presented on SmartStop’s consolidated statements of operations to net operating income, as stated above, for the periods indicated:

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING NOI, FFO, and FFO, as adjusted

Net Operating Income (“NOI”)

NOI is a non-GAAP measure that SmartStop defines as net income (loss), computed in accordance with GAAP, generated from properties, excluding tenant protection plan revenue, before corporate general and administrative expenses, asset management fees, interest expense, depreciation, amortization, acquisition expenses and other non-property related expenses. SmartStop believes that NOI is useful for investors as it provides a measure of the operating performance of its operating assets because NOI excludes certain items that are not associated with the ongoing operation of the properties. Additionally, SmartStop believes that NOI is a widely accepted measure of comparative operating performance in the real estate community. However, SmartStop’s use of the term NOI may not be comparable to that of other real estate companies as they may have different methodologies for computing this amount.

Funds from Operations (“FFO”) and FFO, as Adjusted

Funds from Operations

Funds from operations ("FFO"), is a non-GAAP financial metric promulgated by NAREIT that SmartStop believes is an appropriate supplemental measure to reflect operating performance. SmartStop defines FFO consistent with the standards established by the white paper on FFO approved by the board of governors of NAREIT, or the White Paper. The White Paper defines FFO as net income (loss) computed in accordance with GAAP, excluding gains or losses from sales of property and real estate related asset impairment write downs, plus depreciation and amortization and after adjustments for unconsolidated partnerships and joint ventures. Additionally, gains and losses from change in control are excluded from the determination of FFO. Adjustments for unconsolidated partnerships and joint ventures are calculated to reflect FFO on the same basis. SmartStop’s FFO calculation complies with NAREIT’s policy described above.

FFO, as Adjusted

SmartStop uses FFO, as adjusted, as an additional non-GAAP financial measure to evaluate their operating performance. FFO, as adjusted, provides investors with supplemental performance information that is consistent with the performance models and analysis used by management. In addition, FFO, as adjusted, is a measure used among SmartStop’s peer group, which includes publicly traded REITs. Further, SmartStop believes FFO, as adjusted, is useful in comparing the sustainability of their operating performance with the sustainability of the operating performance of other real estate companies.

In determining FFO, as adjusted, SmartStop makes further adjustments to the NAREIT computation of FFO to exclude the effects of non-real estate related asset impairments and intangible amortization, acquisition related costs, other write-offs incurred in connection with acquisitions, contingent earnout expenses, accretion of fair value of debt adjustments, amortization of debt issuance costs, gains or losses from extinguishment of debt, adjustments of deferred tax assets and liabilities, realized and unrealized gains/losses on foreign exchange transactions, gains/losses on foreign exchange and interest rate derivatives not designated for hedge accounting, and other select non-recurring income or expense items which SmartStop believes are not indicative of their overall long-term operating performance. SmartStop excludes these items from GAAP net income (loss) to arrive at FFO, as adjusted, as they are not the primary drivers in their decision-making process and excluding these items provides investors a view of their continuing operating portfolio performance over time, which in any respective period may experience fluctuations in such acquisition, merger or other similar activities that are not of a long-term operating performance nature. FFO, as adjusted, also reflects adjustments for unconsolidated partnerships and jointly owned investments. SmartStop uses FFO, as adjusted, as one measure of their operating performance when they formulate corporate goals and evaluate the effectiveness of their strategies.

Presentation of FFO and FFO, as adjusted, is intended to provide useful information to investors as they compare the operating performance of different REITs. However, not all REITs calculate FFO and FFO, as adjusted, the same way, so comparisons with other REITs may not be meaningful. Furthermore, FFO and FFO, as adjusted, are not necessarily indicative of cash flow available to fund cash needs and should not be considered as an alternative to net income (loss) as an indication of our performance, as an alternative to cash flows from operations as an indication of SmartStop’s liquidity or indicative of funds available to fund their cash needs including their ability to make distributions to their stockholders. FFO and FFO, as adjusted, should be reviewed in conjunction with other measurements as an indication of our performance.

Neither the SEC, NAREIT, nor any other regulatory body has passed judgment on the acceptability of the adjustments that SmartStop uses to calculate FFO or FFO, as adjusted. In the future, the SEC, NAREIT or another regulatory body may decide to standardize the allowable adjustments across the publicly registered, non-traded REIT industry and SmartStop would have to adjust its calculation and characterization of FFO or FFO, as adjusted.

This press release, our Form 10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 2024, a financial supplement, and additional information about SmartStop are available on our website, investors.smartstopselfstorage.com.

About SmartStop Self Storage REIT, Inc. (“SmartStop”):

SmartStop Self Storage REIT, Inc. (“SmartStop”) is a self-managed REIT with a fully integrated operations team of approximately 500 self-storage professionals focused on growing the SmartStop® Self Storage brand. SmartStop, through its indirect subsidiary SmartStop REIT Advisors, LLC, also sponsors other self-storage programs. As of May 14, 2024, SmartStop has an owned or managed portfolio of 196 operating properties in 22 states and Canada, comprising approximately 138,000 units and 15.6 million rentable square feet. SmartStop and its affiliates own or manage 34 operating self-storage properties in Canada, which total approximately 29,800 units and 3.1 million rentable square feet.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain of the matters discussed in this earnings release, other than historical facts, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements can generally be identified by our use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “believe,” “continue,” or other similar words. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements and any such forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by reference to the following cautionary statements. There are several factors which could cause actual plans and results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, the following: (i) disruptions in the economy, including debt and banking markets and foreign currency changes; (ii) significant transaction costs, including financing costs, and unknown liabilities; (iii) whether we will be successful in the pursuit of our business plan; (iv) whether we will succeed in our investment objectives; (v) changes in the political and economic climate, economic conditions and fiscal imbalances in the United States, and other major developments, including wars, natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics, military actions, and terrorist attacks; (vi) changes in tax and other laws and regulations; (vii) difficulties in our ability to attract and retain qualified personnel and management; or (viii) the effect of competition at our self storage properties or from other storage alternatives, which could cause rents and occupancy rates to decline.

Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. In addition, the forward-looking statements represent SmartStop’s views as of the date on which such statements were made. SmartStop anticipates that subsequent events and developments may cause its views to change. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing SmartStop’s views as of any date subsequent to the date hereof.

Additional factors that may affect the business or financial results of SmartStop are described in the risk factors included in SmartStop’s filings with the SEC, including SmartStop’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, which factors are incorporated herein by reference, all of which are filed with the SEC and available at www.sec.gov. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof and are based on current expectations and involve a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking statements. SmartStop expressly disclaims a duty to provide updates to forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or other occurrences.

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