New York, January 28, 2021 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") assigned a first-time Baa2
issuer rating to Extra Space Storage LP ("Extra Space"). The rating
outlook is stable.
The stable outlook reflects Extra Space's good scale and proven
profitability. It also incorporates our expectation that the REIT
will continue to reduce secured debt levels in addition to continued improvement
in operational performance.
The following rating was assigned:
Extra Space Storage, LP
-Issuer Rating, Assigned Baa2
Outlook Action:
-Outlook, Stable
RATINGS RATIONALE
The Baa2 issuer rating reflects Extra Space's competitive positioning
as one of the leading owners and operators of self-storage properties
in the United States. The rating also considers the REIT's
strong fixed charge coverage (4.8x at 3Q20), experienced
management team that maintains a prudent financial policty with a long
track record of operational excellence and demonstrated profitability
through real estate cycles. These credit strengths are offset by
Extra Space's historical reliance on mortgage financing resulting
in higher secured debt levels, modest unencumbered asset base and
high effective leverage for the rating category. Additionally,
the company's market access to public unsecured debt is also less
established relative to similarly rated peers.
At $10.2 billion in gross assets, Extra Space does
benefit from economies of scale representing a large competitive advantage
over smaller operators. The REIT also benefits from a highly diversified
portfolio of over 1,900 stores across many primary and secondary
markets. There are modest geographic concentrations, but
no market represents more than 15% of total NOI. Extra Space
also continues to perform favorably on key operating metrics while maintaining
a good capital position. Over the last five years, the REIT
had posted healthy same-store NOI growth averaging approximately
5%. Although same-store NOI was down -2.1%
for the 9 months ending September 30, 2020 as a result of COVID-related
challenges, the self-storage industry has proven to be resilient
with a strong recovery to date. Extra Space's occupancy for
the fourth quarter ended December 31 was 94.8% compared
to 92.4% the same period a year ago. Moreover,
we expect Extra Space's revenue growth to recover in 2021,
yet this is contingent on a stable economic environment and the REIT's
ability to push rents across its portfolio amid new supply in certain
markets.
Although Extra Space's secured debt levels are at the upper-end
of the rating category at 21.6% of gross assets for the
nine months ended September 30, we expect this ratio to decline
in a meaningful way by year-end 2022 as the REIT continues to move
towards an unsecured capital structure. Leverage on a net debt
to EBITDA basis is conservative at 6.1x for 3Q20. The REIT's
effective leverage (total debt plus preferred as a percentage of gross
assets) was 54% for the same period but on a market asset value
basis, leverage is on par with rated peers in our view, mitigating
this concern somewhat.
Lastly, the REIT's liquidity position is good supported by
$75 million in cash and cash equivalents and its three unsecured
revolving credit facilities with a total capacity of $1.2
billion, which generally have maturities between June 2022 and January
2024 assuming the company exercises its extension options. Extra
Space also has access to an ATM program of which it had approximately
$299 million available for issuance (as of September 30,
2020). Currently, the REIT has $350 million of unsecured
debt and $361 million of secured debt maturing in 2021 as well
as $588 million of secured debt maturing in 2022.
FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OR DOWNGRADE OF THE RATINGS
Upward ratings movement would require maintenance of net debt to EBITDA
below 5.0x (including Moody's adjustments), reducing
secured debt levels below 5% of gross assets and maintaining a
fixed charge coverage ratio of 5.5x. Geographic diversification
with no market representing more than 20% of total NOI is also
required.
Downward rating pressure would result from material weakness in operating
results or liquidity position, net debt to EBITDA above 7.0x
(including Moody's standard adjustments), secured debt levels
approaching 20% of gross assets, and or fixed charge coverage
below 3.5x.
Extra Space Storage, Inc. [NYSE: EXR], headquartered
in Salt Lake City, Utah is a real estate investment trust (REIT)
that owns, operates, manages and acquires self-storage
assets. As of September 30, 2020, the REIT owns 935
properties, manages 718 stores and has 253 properties in joint ventures.
The principal methodology used in these ratings was REITs and Other Commercial
Real Estate Firms published in September 2018 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1095505.
Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com
for a copy of this methodology.
REGULATORY DISCLOSURES
For further specification of Moody's key rating assumptions and
sensitivity analysis, see the sections Methodology Assumptions and
Sensitivity to Assumptions in the disclosure form. Moody's
Rating Symbols and Definitions can be found at: https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_79004.
For ratings issued on a program, series, category/class of
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announced and described above.
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Alice Chung
Vice President - Senior Analyst
Corporate Finance Group
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
250 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10007
U.S.A.
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Philip Kibel
Associate Managing Director
Corporate Finance Group
JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376
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