SmartStop Self Storage REIT, Inc. Reports Second Quarter 2022 Results

SmartStop Self Storage REIT, Inc. (“SmartStop”), a self-managed and fully-integrated self storage company, announced its overall results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2022.

“The second quarter was another strong period of growth, both organically and externally, culminating with the closing of the previously announced SSGT II merger at the beginning of June,” said H. Michael Schwartz, Chairman and CEO of SmartStop. “Prior to the closing of the SSGT II merger, we launched a new private REIT within our Managed REIT Platform, Strategic Storage Growth Trust III. Storage fundamentals remain robust in our busy summer rental season, as we were able to continue to increase rental rates throughout our owned portfolio. Additionally, we transformed the right side of our balance sheet with the closing of SmartStop’s inaugural private placement notes and the receipt of a BBB- investment grade credit rating. With our healthy balance sheet and Managed REIT Platform, we believe that we have ample levers to continue to execute on our overall growth strategies.”

Three Months Ended June 30, 2022 Financial Highlights:

• Net income attributable to common stockholders was approximately $9.1 million. This represents an improvement of approximately $13.0 million when compared to the same period in 2021. Net income per Class A and Class T shares (diluted) was $0.10, an improvement of $0.15 when compared to the same period in 2021.
• Total self storage-related revenues were approximately $48.6 million, an increase of approximately $8.4 million when compared to the same period in 2021.
• FFO, as adjusted (attributable to common stockholders and Operating Partnership (“OP”) unit holders), was approximately $17.4 million, an increase of approximately $8.0 million when compared to the same period in 2021.
• FFO, as adjusted per share and OP unit outstanding – diluted was $0.17, an increase of $0.07 when compared to the same period in 2021.
• Same-store revenues, expenses and NOI increased by 14.1%, 0.6% and 20.3%, respectively compared to the same period in 2021.
• Same-store average physical occupancy decreased by 0.3% to 95.5% compared to the same period in 2021.
• Same-store annualized rent per occupied square foot was approximately $18.47, an increase of approximately 15.3% when compared to the same period in 2021.

Six Months Ended June 30, 2022 Financial Highlights:

• Net income attributable to common stockholders was approximately $8.9 million. This represents an improvement of approximately $26.7 million when compared to the same period in 2021. Net income per Class A and Class T shares (diluted) was $0.10, an improvement of $0.34, when compared to the same period in 2021.
• Total self storage-related revenues were approximately $93.6 million, an increase of approximately $22.4 million when compared to the same period in 2021.
• Same-store revenues, expenses and NOI increased by 16.2%, 2.1% and 22.9%, respectively compared to the same period in 2021.
• Same-store average physical occupancy increased by 0.8% to 95.3%, compared to the same period in 2021.
• Same-store annualized rent per occupied square foot was approximately $18.12, which represented an increase of approximately 15.8% when compared to the same period in 2021.

External Growth

In May, the Company announced the acquisition of two self storage facilities, one in Sacramento, California (the “Sacramento Property”) and one in the Jacksonville, Florida market (the “Jacksonville Property”). The Sacramento Property’s 860 storage units encompass approximately 79,800 square feet and are 100% climate controlled, and the facility also offers over 60 spaces for boat and RV storage. The Jacksonville Property’s facility was constructed in 2017 and features a standalone three-story building. The Jacksonville Property’s 480 units are 100% climate controlled and span across approximately 55,400 square feet.

In June, the Company announced the acquisition of a self storage facility in Aurora, Colorado. The 55,000 square-foot facility was built in 2018 and features one single-story and one three-story building with 540 storage units.

Subsequent to quarter end, the Company completed an expansion project at its Mill Creek, Washington property located in the Seattle metropolitan area. The project added approximately 36,000 rentable square feet to the existing facility.

Strategic Storage Growth Trust II, Inc. Merger

On June 1, 2022, SmartStop and Strategic Storage Growth Trust II, Inc. (“SSGT II”) announced that the companies closed their previously announced merger, in which SSGT II merged into a newly-formed subsidiary of SmartStop (the “Merger”) in a stock-for-stock transaction that valued SSGT II’s real estate portfolio at approximately $260 million.

As a result of the Merger, SmartStop acquired all of the real estate owned by SSGT II, consisting of 10 wholly-owned operating self storage facilities located across seven states, an interest in one operating property held through an unconsolidated joint venture with an unaffiliated third party and two properties in various stages of development that are held through unconsolidated joint ventures with an unaffiliated third party. The total SSGT II operating portfolio, including the operating joint venture property, currently represents approximately 8,500 self storage units and 900,000 net rentable square feet. Additionally, the Company obtained SSGT II’s rights to acquire (a) one parcel of land being developed into a self storage facility in an unconsolidated joint venture with an unaffiliated third party, and (b) a property located in Southern California.

Managed REIT Platform Update

During the quarter, SmartStop closed the previously announced merger with SSGT II, and launched a new private REIT named Strategic Storage Growth Trust III, Inc. (“SSGT III”). As of quarter end, SmartStop serves as the sponsor of SSGT III and Strategic Storage Trust VI, Inc., a publicly-registered non-traded REIT (“SST VI” and together with SSGT III, our “Managed REITs”). We receive advisory fees and property management fees from our Managed REITs, which had a combined portfolio of 11 properties and approximately 7,600 units and 900,000 rentable square feet at quarter end. During the quarter, assets under management for SST VI increased by $66.6 million to approximately $206.0 million.

Capital Markets Activities

In April 2022, SmartStop was assigned an investment grade credit rating from Kroll Bond Rating Agency, Inc. (“KBRA”) of BBB- with a Stable Outlook. In connection with the rating announcement, SmartStop announced that its operating partnership issued $150 million of 4.530% senior notes due April 2032 (the “Notes”). The Notes issuance occurred in two funding tranches, with the first $75 million tranche having occurred on April 19, 2022 and the second $75 million having occurred on May 25, 2022. With proceeds from the Notes, the Company defeased and paid off the SST IV TCF loan and the Midland North Carolina CMBS Loan. SmartStop used the remaining proceeds from the Notes to pay off SSGT II’s existing debt at the close of the Merger.

Declared Distributions

On June 23, 2022, SmartStop’s board of directors declared a distribution rate for the month of July 2022 of approximately $0.00164 per day 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 SmartStop’s books at the close of business on each day of the period commencing on July 1, 2022 and ending July 31, 2022. On July 21, 2022, SmartStop’s board of directors declared a distribution rate for the month of August 2022 of approximately $0.00164 per day 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 each day of the period commencing on August 1, 2022 and ending August 31, 2022. Such distributions payable to each stockholder of record during a month will be paid the following month.

SMARTSTOP SELF STORAGE REIT, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

NON-GAAP MEASURE – COMPUTATION OF FUNDS FROM OPERATIONS, AS ADJUSTED ATTRIBUTABLE TO SHARES AND OP UNITS OUTSTANDING - DILUTED

The following is a reconciliation of FFO and FFO, as adjusted (attributable to common stockholders), to FFO and FFO, as adjusted (attributable to common stockholders and OP Unit holders), for each of the periods presented below:

SMARTSTOP SELF STORAGE REIT, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

COMPUTATION OF SAME-STORE OPERATING RESULTS

(Unaudited)

Same-Store Facility Results - Three Months Ended June 30, 2022 and 2021

The following table sets forth operating data for SmartStop’s same-store facilities (those properties included in the consolidated results of operations since January 1, 2021, excluding three lease-up properties SmartStop owned as of January 1, 2021) for the three months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021. SmartStop considers the following data to be meaningful as this allows for the comparison of results without the effects of acquisition, lease up, or development activity.

SmartStop’s same-store revenue increased by approximately $4.3 million, or approximately 14.1%, for the three months ended June 30, 2022 compared to the three months ended June 30, 2021 due to higher annualized rent per occupied square foot, partially offset by a slight decrease in average occupancy.

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

Same-Store Facility Results - Six Months Ended June 30, 2022 and 2021

The following table sets forth operating data for SmartStop’s same-store facilities (those properties included in the consolidated results of operations since January 1, 2021, excluding three lease-up properties SmartStop owned as of January 1, 2021) for the six months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021. SmartStop considers the following data to be meaningful as this allows for the comparison of results without the effects of acquisition, lease up, or development activity.

SmartStop’s same-store revenue increased by approximately $9.5 million, or approximately 16.2%, for the six months ended June 30, 2022 compared to the six months ended June 30, 2021 primarily due to higher annualized rent per occupied square foot.

The following table presents a reconciliation of net income (loss) 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, gains or losses from extinguishment of debt, adjustments of deferred tax liabilities, realized and unrealized gains/losses on foreign exchange transactions, and gains/losses on foreign exchange and interest rate derivatives not designated for hedge accounting, 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-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, our form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2022, a financial supplement, and additional information about SmartStop are available on our website, investors.smartstopselfstorage.com.

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

SmartStop is a self-managed REIT with a fully integrated operations team of approximately 450 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 August 11th, 2022, SmartStop has an owned or managed portfolio of 174 properties in 22 states and Ontario, Canada, comprising approximately 119,200 units and 13.5 million rentable square feet. SmartStop and its affiliates own or manage 19 operating self storage properties in the Greater Toronto Area, which total approximately 16,200 units and 1.6 million rentable square feet. Additional information regarding SmartStop is available at investors.smartstopselfstorage.com.

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) risks related to disruption of management’s attention from SmartStop’s ongoing business operations due to recent mergers, or other business matters; (ii) significant transaction costs, including financing costs, and unknown liabilities; (iii) failure to realize the expected benefits and synergies of recent mergers in the expected timeframes or at all; (iv) costs or difficulties related to the integration of acquired self storage facilities and operations, including facilities acquired through recent mergers; (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, including the outbreak of novel coronavirus (COVID-19), military actions, and terrorist attacks; (vi) changes in tax and other laws and regulations; or (vii) difficulties in SmartStop’s ability to attract and retain qualified personnel and management.

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, 2021 and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, 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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