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Dream Office REIT Reports Q2 2025 Results

This press release contains forward-looking information that is based upon assumptions and is subject to risks and uncertainties as indicated in the cautionary note contained within this press release. All dollar amounts in our tables are presented in thousands of Canadian dollars, except for rental rates and per unit amounts, unless otherwise stated. TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DREAM OFFICE REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST (D.UN-TSX) (“Dream Office REIT”, the “Trust” or “we”) today announced its financial results for the three months ended June 30, 2025. Management will host a conference call to discuss the financial results on Friday, August 8, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). OPERATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS AND UPDATE (unaudited)     As at   June 30,     March 31,     June 30,     2025     2025     2024 Total properties(1)                 Number of active properties   24     24     25 Number of properties under development   2     2     2 Gross leasable area (in millions of square feet)   4.8     4.8     5.1 Investment properties value $ 2,152,546   $ 2,171,584   $ 2,318,974 Total portfolio(2)                 Occupancy rate – including committed (period-end)   81.9%     81.2%     84.3% Occupancy rate – in-place (period-end)   77.9%     78.4%     79.2% Average in-place and committed net rent per square foot (period-end) $ 27.72   $ 27.39   $ 26.33 Weighted average lease term (years)   5.9     5.8     5.2 Occupancy rate – including committed – Toronto (period-end)   85.3%     84.2%     87.7% Occupancy rate – in-place – Toronto (period-end)   79.2%     80.0%     83.0% See footnotes at end.     Three months ended     June 30,     June 30,     2025     2024 Operating results           Funds from operations (“FFO”)(3) $ 12,223   $ 14,858 Comparative properties net operating income (“NOI”)(4)   25,528     25,381 Net rental income   24,798     27,301 Net loss   (41,787)     (21,941) Per unit amounts           Diluted FFO per unit(5)(6) $ 0.62   $ 0.76 Distribution rate per Unit(6)   0.25     0.25 See footnotes at end. “In the second quarter of 2025, Dream Office REIT continued its leasing momentum by securing an additional 189,000 of leases and improving the Trust’s committed occupancy by approximately 70 bps relative to the first quarter,” said Michael Cooper, Chief Executive Officer of Dream Office REIT. “We are seeing a growing confidence in the office market, with improved leasing activity and businesses re-investing in their workspace and increasing their office utilization. Our team is committed to providing exceptional service across our renovated portfolio to support their return to the office.” In the midst of significant macro-economic and geopolitical uncertainties and ongoing challenges in the Canadian office real estate sector, the Trust remains committed to reducing risk and delivering stable operational and financial performance until the market reaches a higher equilibrium. In recent months, we have observed encouraging signs of potential stabilization in the downtown Toronto office market, where the Trust owns 83% of its Active properties, by fair value. The market vacancy rate has remained relatively steady at 18.5%(7), showing consistent stability over the past six quarters. Additionally, the new office construction pipeline in downtown Toronto has reached a 20-year low, with just 1.9 million square feet currently under construction(7). Notably, Q2 2025 marked the first full year with no new office construction starts(7). Another positive indicator of market health is the continued decline in sublease space, which has fallen sharply to 16.3%(7) of total vacant space downtown, down from pandemic peaks exceeding 40%(7). This significant reduction reflects growing tenant confidence and a decrease in corporate space optimization efforts. The drop in sublease availability also aligns with the coordinated return-to-office mandates announced by several major Canadian financial institutions starting in fall 2025, aimed at fostering increased in-person collaboration and strengthening company culture. We believe our portfolio is strategically located, difficult to replace and uniquely positioned for long-term outperformance. Over the past seven years, we have invested capital in our best buildings in downtown Toronto, and the renovations are now substantially complete. This has resulted in a uniquely competitive portfolio that is well-positioned to attract high-quality tenants. From the beginning of the year to today’s date, the Trust has already secured 507,000 square feet of leasing across 26 properties, compared to 356,000 square feet of leasing across 28 properties at the same point in 2024 and 294,000 square feet of leasing across 28 properties at the same point in 2023. Relative to Q1 2025, our in-place and committed occupancy rate increased from 81.2% to 81.9% while our in-place occupancy decreased from 78.4% to 77.9%. The quarter-over-quarter increase of 0.7% in total portfolio in-place and committed occupancy was driven by a 1.1% increase in Toronto downtown and a 0.3% increase in Other markets due to incremental leasing during the quarter in excess of negative in-place absorption in both regions. The quarter-over-quarter decrease of 0.5% in total portfolio in-place occupancy was attributable to 22,000 square feet of negative absorption in Toronto downtown and 4,000 square feet of negative absorption in Other markets. The main driver of the net decrease in in-place occupancy in Toronto downtown was the downsizing and moving of certain tenants at 30 Adelaide Street East and Adelaide Place in order to facilitate five large new long-term lease deals. The Trust has 188,000 square feet of vacancy committed for future occupancy. In Toronto downtown, 70,000 square feet, or 2.4% of the region’s total gross leasable area, is scheduled to commence in 2025 at net rents 1.7% higher than prior net rents on the same space with a weighted average lease term of 7.6 years. In 2026, 85,000 square feet in Toronto downtown, or 2.9% of the region’s total gross leasable area, is scheduled to commence at net rents 4.9% higher than previous net rents on the same space with a weighted average lease term of 13.7 years while in 2027, 19,000 square feet in Toronto downtown is scheduled to commence at net rents 32.1% higher than previous net rents on the same space with a weighted average lease term of 10.0 years. In the Other markets region, 11,000 square feet, or 0.6% of the region’s total gross leasable area, is scheduled to commence in 2025 at 8.0% lower than prior net rents on the same space with a weighted average lease term of 4.2 years while in 2027, 3,000 square feet in Other markets is scheduled to commence at net rents 15.4% lower than previous net rents on the same space with a weighted average lease term of 11.3 years. The Trust currently has a spread of 4% between in-place and in-place and committed occupancy. The main driver of this spread is the current environment's extended timelines between the signing of a lease with a new tenant and the date that tenant takes possession of the space, which leads to a delay in the commencement of rent and lower current period net operating income. The Trust aims to minimize this downtime now and into the future by aggressively pursuing renewals with existing tenants and signing long-term leases with tenants with strong covenants. The Trust anticipates that, over time, this spread will narrow, leading to higher future net operating income. During Q2 2025, the Trust executed leases totalling approximately 189,000 square feet across its portfolio. In Toronto downtown, the Trust executed 133,000 square feet of leases at a weighted average initial net rent of $33.60 per square foot, or 6.3% higher than the weighted average prior net rent per square foot on the same space, with a weighted average lease term of 7.6 years. In the Other markets region, comprising the Trust’s properties located in Calgary, Saskatoon, Regina, Mississauga, Scarborough and the United States (“U.S.”), the Trust executed leases totalling 56,000 square feet at a weighted average initial net rent of $18.24 per square foot, or 17.2% lower than the weighted average prior net rent per square foot on the same space, with a weighted average lease term of 9.6 years. Subsequent to June 30, 2025, the Trust executed a further 39,000 square feet of leases in Toronto downtown at a weighted average initial net rent of $38.74 per square foot, with a weighted average lease term of 4.6 years and 27,000 square feet of leases in Other markets with a weighted average initial net rent of $18.75 per square foot, with a weighted average lease term of 6.3 years. Since the beginning of the year to today’s date, the Trust has executed leases totalling approximately 507,000 square feet across our portfolio. In Toronto downtown, the Trust has executed 417,000 square feet of leases at a weighted average initial net rent of $32.06 per square foot, or 3.3% higher than the weighted average prior net rent per square foot on the same space, with a weighted average lease term of 7.8 years. In the Other markets region, the Trust has executed leases totalling 90,000 square feet at a weighted average initial net rent per square foot of $18.46, or 10.3% lower than the weighted average prior net rent per square foot on the same space, with a weighted average lease term of 8.8 years. REDEVELOPMENT PROJECTS UPDATE As at June 30, 2025, the Trust has two properties under development: 606-4th Building & Barclay Parkade in Calgary and 67 Richmond Street West in Toronto downtown. The development project at 606-4th Building & Barclay Parkade will convert the existing 126,000 square foot office building into a brand new 166-unit, purpose-built rental residential apartment building. Concurrently, the Trust is working to relocate the office tenants within 606-4th Building to the adjacent 444-7th Building. With apartment market vacancy at 4.6%(8) and office vacancy at 30.7%(7) in Calgary, this pivot in strategy will derisk the asset, increase net operating income and improve value. In addition, this strategy will allow the Trust to improve the occupancy at 444-7th while creating a new residential rental building in downtown Calgary, thereby reducing the operational and financial risk of both buildings. As a result of moving tenants from 606-4th Building to 444-7th, the in-place and committed occupancy in the latter building has increased to 88.6% with a weighted average lease term of 5.9 years. In relation to the project, the Trust has entered into an agreement for a grant of up to $11 million from the City of Calgary for the residential conversion as part of their Calgary Downtown Development Strategy Incentive Program. On March 7, 2025, the Trust secured a non-revolving development facility of up to $64.3 million at an interest rate to be set at the time of the first drawdown but not to exceed the 10-year Government of Canada bond rate plus 0.40%. The Trust is currently in advanced discussions with a joint venture partner to sell 50% of the Trust's interest in the project so that the Trust can further reduce its construction and balance sheet risk. The development project at 67 Richmond Street West comprises full modernizations of the property, including technical systems, interior lighting and elevators, along with enhanced common areas and larger floorplates. To date, we have spent $14.8 million on the project at 67 Richmond Street West, $6.3 million of which has been funded by the CIB Facility. As a result of the redevelopment, the Trust attracted Daphne restaurant, which has been awarded Best Upscale Restaurant by Hospitality Design, for the entire ground floor retail space for a term of ten years. In Q4 2024, the scope of the project at 67 Richmond Street West was expanded to include building out model suites for the remainder of the vacant space at the property to meet the current market demand for move-in ready space and reduce lease-up time. In 2024, the Trust implemented a model suite program to invest capital in nine identified suites, representing 56,000 square feet across four buildings within its portfolio to create move-in ready spaces, which has led to increased lease-up velocity in the completed suites. In increasing the scope at 67 Richmond Street West, the Trust plans to replicate this same strategy and anticipates that it will attract high-quality tenants to this building. With the expansion in project scope, 67 Richmond Street West is expected to be completed at the end of Q3 2025 and the Trust has already commenced discussions with prospective tenants. FINANCING AND LIQUIDITY UPDATE   KEY FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE METRICS       As at (unaudited)   June 30,   December 31,     2025   2024 Financing         Weighted average face rate of interest on debt (period-end)(9)   4.95%   4.75% Interest coverage ratio (times)(10)   1.7   1.8 Net total debt-to-normalized adjusted EBITDAFV ratio (years)(11)   11.5   12.1 Level of debt (net total debt-to-net total assets)(12)   51.8%   52.9% Average term to maturity on debt (years)   3.7   3.4 Liquidity         Cash and cash equivalents (in millions) $ 18.9 $ 18.3 Cash and undrawn revolving credit facilities (in millions)(13)   93.2   56.5 Total liquidity (in millions)(14)   170.7   138.0 Capital (period-end)         Total number of REIT A and LP B units (in millions)(6)(15)   19.0   19.0 Net asset value (“NAV”) per unit(6)(16) $ 54.56 $ 59.47 See footnotes at end. As at June 30, 2025, the Trust had $2.3 billion of total assets, including $2.2 billion of investment properties and $1.2 billion of total debt. During the quarter, the Trust refinanced its last remaining 2025 debt maturity, a $30 million mortgage secured by a property in Toronto, Ontario. The refinanced mortgage totals $28 million and matures on April 1, 2028 bearing a floating interest rate based on daily CORRA. On April 21, 2025, the Trust entered into a fixed-for-variable interest rate swap to fix the interest rate on the mortgage at 5.26%. The Trust’s remaining 2026 debt maturities total $165.5 million across six mortgages. The Trust anticipates that it will be able to successfully address all of its 2026 debt expiries at or before maturity. On June 5, 2025, the Trust completed the last draw on the non-revolving term loan facility originally entered in connection with a lease negotiated with a commercial banking tenant and restricted for use towards meeting the tenant’s construction allowance requirements. On execution of the last draw, the loan converted to an amortizing term facility under the terms of the agreement and will mature on July 31, 2029. As at June 30, 2025, the Trust had approximately $170.7 million of total liquidity(14), comprising cash and undrawn revolving credit facilities(13) of $93.2 million and additional liquidity related to undrawn amounts on our CIB Facility of $77.4 million, which provides low-cost, fixed-rate financing solely for the purpose of commercial property retrofits to achieve certain energy efficiency savings and greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emission reductions. Cash and undrawn revolving credit facilities(13) of $93.2 million comprises $18.9 million of cash and undrawn revolving credit facilities totalling $74.3 million. During Q2 2025, the Trust drew $1.0 million against the CIB Facility. In total, we have drawn $35.4 million against the CIB Facility since 2022. These draws represent 80% of the costs to date for capital retrofits at certain properties in Toronto downtown for projects to reduce the operational carbon emissions in these buildings. Of the $35.4 million drawn on the CIB Facility, $8.8 million was used to fund the full building retrofit of 366 Bay Street to secure a full building lease for a term of 15 years and $6.3 million was used to fund the development project at 67 Richmond Street West. During the quarter, the Trust sold 3,993,083 Dream Industrial REIT units, for net proceeds of $40.4 million, or $10.13 per unit, after transaction costs and fees. The proceeds from the sale were used to pay down the Trust’s corporate credit facility with the intent to improve liquidity and reduce the Trust’s leverage. On April 3, 2025, the Trust sold a vendor take-back (“VTB”) mortgage receivable originating from a property sale in 2018 to a purchaser for $15 million before transaction costs. The proceeds of the sale were used to repay the corporate credit facility. SUMMARY OF KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS Net loss for the quarter: For the three months ended June 30, 2025, the Trust generated a net loss of $41.8 million. Included in net loss for the three months ended June 30, 2025 are negative fair value adjustments to investment properties totalling $32.4 million across the portfolio, interest expense on debt of $15.5 million and a net loss from our investment in Dream Industrial REIT of $23.6 million due to the effect of unit sales over the quarter, partially offset by positive fair value adjustments to financial instruments totalling $8.8 million primarily due to fair value gains on rate swap contracts and net rental income totalling $24.8 million. Diluted FFO per unit(5)(6) for the quarter: For the three months ended June 30, 2025, diluted FFO per unit decreased by $0.14 per unit to $0.62 per unit relative to $0.76 per unit in Q2 2024, driven by lower net rental income due to the sale of 438 University Avenue in Q1 2025 (-$0.11), reduced FFO from Dream Industrial REIT due to the sale of units in Q1 and Q2 (-$0.06), lower straight-line rent due to free rent periods rolling off (-$0.03) and reduced lease termination fees and other income (-$0.02), partially offset by lower interest expense (+$0.03), higher income from the completed development at 366 Bay Street in Toronto (+$0.02), higher income from properties under development (+$0.01), higher comparative properties NOI (+$0.01) and a bad debt recovery in the current quarter (+$0.01). Net rental income for the quarter: For the three months ended June 30, 2025, net rental income decreased by 9.2%, or $2.5 million, over the prior year comparative quarter, primarily due to lower income from sold properties relating to the sale of 438 University Avenue in Q1 2025. Comparative properties NOI(4) for the quarter: For the three months ended June 30, 2025, comparative properties NOI increased slightly by 0.6%, or $0.1 million, over the prior year comparative quarter as higher in-place rents in Toronto downtown from rent step-ups, as well as higher weighted average occupancy and lower non-recoverable expenses in Other markets were offset by reduced occupancy from the lease expiry at 74 Victoria Street in Toronto downtown. For the three months ended June 30, 2025, comparative properties NOI in Toronto downtown increased slightly by 0.5%, or $0.1 million, over the prior year comparative quarter, as higher in-place rents from rent step-ups, higher rates on lease expansions and higher parking income were offset by lower weighted average occupancy in the region driven by the 206,000 square foot lease expiry at 74 Victoria Street in Q4 2024. In-place occupancy: Total portfolio in-place occupancy on a quarter-over-quarter basis decreased by 0.5% relative to Q1 2025. In Toronto downtown, in-place occupancy decreased by 0.8% relative to Q1 2025 as 74,000 square feet of expiries were partially offset by 30,000 square feet of renewals and 22,000 square feet of new lease commencements. In the Other markets region, in-place occupancy decreased by 0.2% relative to Q1 2025 as 26,000 square feet of expiries were partially offset by 16,000 square feet of renewals and 6,000 square feet of new lease commencements. The main driver of the net decrease in in-place occupancy in Toronto downtown was the downsizing and moving of certain tenants at 30 Adelaide Street East and Adelaide Place in order to facilitate five large new long-term lease deals. Total portfolio in-place occupancy on a year-over-year basis decreased from 79.2% in Q2 2024 to 77.9% this quarter, as a decline in in-place occupancy in Toronto downtown of 3.8% year-over-year was partially offset by an increase in in-place occupancy in Other markets of 2.9% year-over-year. The decrease in in-place occupancy in Toronto downtown was primarily driven by the lease expiry at 74 Victoria Street in Q4 2024 (-4.6%) and the sale of 438 University Avenue in Q1 2025 (-1.1%), partially offset by positive absorption in the remainder of the region totalling 68,000 square feet (+1.7%) and the effect of the reclassification of the fully occupied 366 Bay Street to active properties in Q3 2024 (+0.2%). The increase in in-place occupancy in Other markets was primarily driven by positive in-place absorption in the region of 141,000 square feet (+3.3%) net of the negative impact of the reclassification of 606-4th Building & Barclay Parkade to properties under development in Q4 2024 (-0.4%). Lease commencements for the quarter: For the three months ended June 30, 2025, excluding temporary leasing, 52,000 square feet of leases commenced in Toronto downtown at net rents of $36.59 per square foot, or 4.2% higher compared to the previous rent on the same space with a weighted average lease term of 6.2 years. In the Other markets region, excluding temporary leasing, 22,000 square feet of leases commenced at $21.12 per square foot, or 6.2% higher than the previous rent on the same space with a weighted average lease term of 11.3 years. NAV per unit(6)(16): As at June 30, 2025, our NAV per unit decreased to $54.56 compared to $59.47 at December 31, 2024. The decrease in NAV per unit relative to December 31, 2024 was driven by fair value losses on investment properties primarily due to changes in assumptions and maintenance capital and leasing cost write-offs in both regions, impairment recognized on a VTB mortgage receivable during Q1, the sale of 5,893,083 Dream Industrial REIT units below carrying value during Q1 and Q2, as well as fair value losses on interest rate swap contracts, partially offset by cash flow retention (FFO net of distributions). As at June 30, 2025, equity per the condensed consolidated financial statements was $1.0 billion. Fair value adjustments to investment properties for the quarter: For the three months ended June 30, 2025, the Trust recorded a fair value loss totalling $32.4 million, comprising fair value losses of $12.0 million in Toronto downtown, $16.9 million in Other markets and $3.6 million in our properties under development. Fair value losses in Toronto downtown were primarily driven by a write-down at one property valued by a qualified external valuation professional, expansions in cap rates and write-offs of maintenance capital spend, partially offset by increases in in-place market rents at certain properties. Fair value losses in the Other markets region were primarily driven by a write-down at one property resulting from a change in valuation assumptions. Fair value losses in our properties under development were primarily driven by revised leasing timelines. Fair value adjustments to financial instruments: For the three months ended June 30, 2025, the Trust recorded fair value gains of $8.8 million. Fair value gains in the current quarter consisted of $4.2 million of gains from remeasurements on rate swap contracts, as well as $4.0 million and $0.7 million in gains from the remeasurement of the carrying value of subsidiary redeemable units and DTUs, respectively, as a result of a decrease in the Trust's unit price relative to March 31, 2025. CONFERENCE CALL Management will host a conference call to discuss the financial results on Friday, August 8, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). To access the conference call, please dial 1-833-752-4470 in Canada or 647-849-3272 elsewhere. To access the conference call via webcast, please go to Dream Office REIT’s website at www.dreamofficereit.ca Contacts Michael J. CooperChairman and Chief Executive Officer (416) 365-5145 mcooper@dream.ca Jay JiangChief Financial Officer (416) 365-6638 jjiang@dream.ca Read full story here The post Dream Office REIT Reports Q2 2025 Results appeared first on REIT REPORT.