Jeffrey Hanson
Analyst · Bank of America
Thanks, Alan, and good morning, everyone. Last quarter, I discussed the durability of AHR's competitive advantages and our progress in scaling this company with both ambition and discipline to drive compounding earnings growth for shareholders. This quarter, I'd like to advance that story one step further. First, the headline results for the quarter. Total same-store NOI growth of 13.8%, our 11th consecutive quarter of double-digit growth with both our SHOP and ISHC or Trilogy segments benefiting from increasing operating spreads and significant margin expansion as well. Another increase in full year guidance, which now implies at the midpoint, full year NFFO per diluted share growth of over 30% versus last year. Strong external growth with $2.1 billion in completed investments year-to-date and an awarded pipeline of more than $1 billion, a significant portion of which was secured on relationship, not price. None of that pipeline is reflected in our revised guidance, and all of it is expected to be match funded with proceeds from our unsettled forward sale agreements. And lastly, efficient balance sheet management as we continue to materially deleverage while generating significant growth, which is highlighted by net debt to EBITDA of just 1.9x at quarter end. These figures matter individually, but what matters more is what they say collectively. Our strategy is working, and it's fueling our ability to build on our track record for continued growth. AHR has multiple engines of value creation working simultaneously. organic operating growth, accretive external investment, internally generated development and an increasingly sophisticated operating platform. And we've accelerated growth and upgraded portfolio quality while simultaneously strengthening the balance sheet, which is positioning us with real capacity to keep playing offense going forward. Put simply, this is not just a larger AHR, it's a more capable AHR, one in which our platform's core competencies are increasingly working together as an integrated system to produce consistently strong results that are beginning to compound. The sector tailwind is not the AHR advantage as we often say internally. Our platform and our execution is. The team will run through the operating details in a moment, but the progression you'll hear is important. These results are proof points that our operating model is creating tangible value. We believe high-quality real estate is imperative, but not sufficient to produce the best results. Superior results are achieved by partnering with the strongest operators and enhancing their ability to execute. As an operating REIT, we increasingly think about AHR as a dynamic operating platform. The model combines institutional scale, resources and capital with proven regional operating expertise and then surrounds those operators with resources that can make already strong businesses even better. That's where durable value is created. And it all starts in our communities. The quality of care and outcomes our operating partners deliver every day is the foundation of everything that we do. Strong clinical outcomes earn trust and trust is ultimately what drives occupancy, rate and payer mix. In our business has done well, quality of care and financial performance move together. Turning to external growth. The headline is more opportunity, same standard. Our external growth activity remains significant, but the emphasis must remain where it belongs. Long-term per share value creation is the objective, and that's the driving force behind everything that we've done this year. Importantly, external growth is not simply adding NOI. It's reshaping the quality and risk profile of the enterprise. We're allocating capital towards newer vintage senior housing in affluent, supply-constrained infill markets where operating growth and pricing power is embedded in real estate that's very difficult to replicate, which is a powerful combination. Our $3 billion plus of closed and pipeline investments represent assets that are all accretive to first year NFFO, accretive to NAV per share, enhance overall portfolio quality and are expected to be meaningful contributors to both NFFO per share growth and same-store NOI growth for years to come. Importantly, these $3 billion in investments reflect an average vintage of 2019, representing some of the highest quality senior housing product in some of the best markets in the country. On our August call, I described our approach to today's sector opportunity as measured aggression. We'll continue to move decisively when quality, basis, operator, market and expected returns meet our standard. That combination, speed and execution when opportunity meets preparedness and patience when it does not is what we mean by the measured aggression reference. And given our reputation, our relationships and our track record, much of what we pursue never reaches the broader market. We're taking the same approach to scaling the platform. We've been deliberately investing in conjunction with and ahead of robust growth. Over the last several months, we've strengthened critical leadership capabilities across our finance, investments, strategic asset management and enterprise technology divisions. These hires introduce added depth to an already strong team, and they're the architecture for the company we're scaling AHR into. Gabe will cover these details in a moment. I also want to recognize Brian Peay, who retired on September 30 after a decade of service. He helped guide AHR through a period of remarkable growth and our listing on the New York Stock Exchange, and he leaves us with a strong financial foundation. We're grateful for his leadership and for his support of a smooth transition, and we certainly wish him well in retirement. We're also pleased to welcome Aric Chang, who joined us on October 1. Aric comes to AHR from Public Storage, an S&P 500 operating intensive REIT, where revenue management, data and capital deployment drive results. The same discipline is at the center of AHR's operating business. His experience brings together a rare combination of what the next phase of AHR requires. We welcome Aric, and you'll hear from him later in the call. I'd like to close with a central point. The demographic opportunity in the sector is certainly extraordinary, but it will not determine the winners. Expertise and execution will. We believe AHR is increasingly positioned at the intersection of historically strong sector fundamentals and an integrated operating and capital allocation platform built to convert those fundamentals into superior long-term shareholder value. We remain early in this opportunity, and we're intensely focused on ensuring that the best version of AHR is still ahead of us. With that, I'll turn the call over to Gabe, who will walk you through the operating results and other important details from the quarter.