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Eastgroup Properties Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 22 April 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 8 raised, 1 lowered, 3 new, 3 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • FFO per share up 8.5%: FFO excluding the involuntary conversion and business interruption gain was $2.30 per diluted share, against $2.12 a year earlier. Reported FFO was $2.34, up 8.8%. Source
  • Diluted EPS of $1.77: Net income per diluted share was $1.77, against $1.14 a year earlier. The Fresno sale gain added $0.46 per diluted share; there were no property sales in the first quarter of 2025. Source
  • Property net operating income up 11%: PNOI was $140,020,000 ($2.61 per diluted share), up 11.0%. Same property operations added $8,783,000, newly developed and value-add properties $2,703,000, and acquisitions $2,658,000. Source
  • Same PNOI up 7.5% straight-line: Same PNOI, excluding lease termination income, rose 7.5% on a straight-line basis and 9.2% on a cash basis. The same property pool contains 58,315,000 square feet. Source
  • Rental rates up 36.8%: Leases signed in the quarter, covering 3.3% of total square footage, increased an average of 36.8% on a straight-line basis. Source
  • About $120 million of equity raised: The continuous equity program raised about $120 million at a weighted average price of $194.25. Forward sale agreements for 252,136 shares, with approximate gross proceeds of $49,459,000, were also entered. Source

“I’m pleased with how we began the year in terms of FFO per share exceeding our expectations, as well as the development leases we signed.”

Marshall Loeb, CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
EPS SourceFull year 2026$5.66 to $5.86Raised from $4.93 to $5.13
FFO per share SourceFull year 2026$9.46 to $9.66Raised from $9.40 to $9.60
FFO per share, excluding gain on involuntary conversion and business interruption claims SourceFull year 2026$9.42 to $9.62Raised from $9.40 to $9.60
FFO per share SourceSecond quarter 2026$2.30 to $2.38New
EPS SourceSecond quarter 2026$1.24 to $1.32New
Same PNOI growth, cash basis SourceFull year 20265.7% to 6.7%Raised from 5.6% to 6.6%
Average month-end occupancy, operating portfolio SourceFull year 202695.0% to 96.0%Kept
Average month-end occupancy, operating portfolio SourceApril to June 202694.6% to 95.6%New
Average month-end occupancy, same property pool SourceFull year 202695.9% to 96.9%Raised from 95.8% to 96.8%
Development starts, square feet SourceFull year 20261.8 millionRaised from 1.7 million
Projected total investment in development starts SourceFull year 2026$265 millionRaised from $250 million
Operating property acquisitions SourceFull year 2026$160 millionKept
Operating property dispositions SourceFull year 2026$75 millionRaised from $70 million
Gross capital proceeds SourceFull year 2026$300 millionKept
General and administrative expense SourceFull year 2026$26.3 millionLowered from $27.0 million

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year 2026 EPS and FFO per share ranges raised from the initial ranges. Source
  • Guidance raised: Same PNOI cash-basis growth, same-pool occupancy, development starts, projected investment and dispositions ranges raised. Source
  • Guidance lowered: General and administrative expense estimate lowered to $26.3 million from $27.0 million. Source
  • New guidance: Second-quarter 2026 EPS and FFO per share ranges given for the first time. Source
  • Guidance kept: Operating property acquisitions estimate of $160 million and gross capital proceeds estimate of $300 million kept. Source
  • New: Jim Traynor hired as Executive Vice President, Central Region, effective April 27, 2026. Reid Dunbar, now President, was the prior head of that region. Source
  • New: Moody's upgraded the issuer rating to Baa1 in February 2026. Source

Results and per-share growth

  • FFO per share up 8.5%: FFO excluding the involuntary conversion and business interruption gain was $2.30 per diluted share, against $2.12 a year earlier. Reported FFO was $2.34, up 8.8%. Source
  • Diluted EPS of $1.77: Net income per diluted share was $1.77, against $1.14 a year earlier. The Fresno sale gain added $0.46 per diluted share; there were no property sales in the first quarter of 2025. Source
  • Property net operating income up 11%: PNOI was $140,020,000 ($2.61 per diluted share), up 11.0%. Same property operations added $8,783,000, newly developed and value-add properties $2,703,000, and acquisitions $2,658,000. Source

Same-property results and leasing

  • Same PNOI up 7.5% straight-line: Same PNOI, excluding lease termination income, rose 7.5% on a straight-line basis and 9.2% on a cash basis. The same property pool contains 58,315,000 square feet. Source
  • Rental rates up 36.8%: Leases signed in the quarter, covering 3.3% of total square footage, increased an average of 36.8% on a straight-line basis. Source
  • Occupancy above prior-year level: Average occupancy of the operating portfolio was 96.1%, against 95.8% a year earlier. At March 31 the portfolio was 96.5% leased and 95.9% occupied; the prior release showed 97.0% leased at year-end. Source

“Our solid first quarter results reflect the strength and focus of our teams in the field, who continued to execute at a high level amid ongoing global uncertainty.”

Reid Dunbar, President

Acquisitions and dispositions

  • Jacksonville acquisition closed: Legend Point Logistics Crossing 2 & 3, two buildings totaling 177,000 square feet, was bought for $38,130,000 and is 100% leased to five tenants. Source
  • Fresno asset sold, market exited: Shaw Commerce Center, six buildings totaling 398,000 square feet, sold for $37,000,000. The sale marks the company's exit from Fresno; the $24,885,000 gain is excluded from FFO. Source
  • Beach Commerce Center sold after quarter-end: Beach Commerce Center, a 46,000 square foot building in Jacksonville, sold for approximately $7,000,000 after March 31, 2026. Source

Development pipeline

  • Four projects started at $84 million: Four projects totaling 586,000 square feet, with projected total costs of $84,100,000, began construction, including a 100% pre-leased expansion in Tucson. After quarter-end, Skyway 3 in Charlotte began construction. Source
  • Two projects moved to operating portfolio: Denton 35 Exchange 1 & 2 and Skyway 1 & 2, totaling 562,000 square feet with $69,302,000 cumulative cost, moved to the operating portfolio. Projected stabilized yield is 7.3%. Source
  • Pipeline of 19 projects, 30% leased: At March 31, 2026, the development and value-add program had 19 projects totaling 3,497,000 square feet in 13 markets, with $186,807,000 still to invest. Source
  • Development leases signed in 2026: Eleven leases on active development and first-generation space, about 813,000 square feet, were signed from January 1 through April 21, 2026. Source

“With limited supply and anticipated growing demand, we are excited about our pathway.”

Marshall Loeb, CEO

Capital raising and balance sheet

  • About $120 million of equity raised: The continuous equity program raised about $120 million at a weighted average price of $194.25. Forward sale agreements for 252,136 shares, with approximate gross proceeds of $49,459,000, were also entered. Source
  • Leverage ratios reported: Debt-to-EBITDAre was 3.0x and interest and fixed charge coverage was 14.8x for the quarter. Debt was $1,608,956,000 at March 31, 2026. Source
  • Moody's rating raised to Baa1: Moody's raised the issuer rating to Baa1 in February 2026, as the company announced earlier. Source

Dividend and shareholder returns

  • Quarterly dividend held at $1.55: The $1.55 per share dividend was paid April 15, 2026, the 185th consecutive quarterly cash distribution. The annualized $6.20 equals a 3.1% yield on the April 21 close of $201.79. Source
  • Long record of dividend increases: The company has increased or maintained its dividend for 33 consecutive years and increased it in 30 of those years, including each of the last 14 years. Source

Costs and interest expense

  • Depreciation up $0.03 per share: Depreciation and amortization was $55,497,000, or $1.04 per diluted share, against $52,520,000 ($1.01) a year earlier, an increase of $0.03. Source
  • Interest expense up $0.02 per share: Interest expense was $9,079,000, or $0.17 per diluted share, net of $5,923,000 capitalized interest. The prior-year figure was $8,025,000, or $0.15 per share. Source
  • General and administrative costs slightly lower: G&A expense was $7,616,000, down from $7,954,000 a year earlier, after capitalized development costs of $2,339,000. Source

Leadership and regional team

  • Central Region head hired: Jim Traynor, previously Managing Director and Partner at Foundry Commercial, will run the Texas, Louisiana and Tennessee markets as head of the Central Region. Source
  • Leadership transitions progressing: Management said the executive leadership transitions announced earlier are progressing smoothly. The 2026 promotions took effect January 1 according to the prior release. Source

Coming up, as management said on 22 April 2026

  • Beach sale gain to be recorded in Q2: A gain of approximately $5,200,000 from the Beach Commerce Center sale will be recorded in the second quarter of 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
FFO per diluted share Source$2.34; $2.30 excluding gain on involuntary conversion and business interruption claims
Average occupancy, operating portfolio Source96.1%
Same PNOI growth Source7.5% straight-line; 9.2% cash basis
Rental rate change, new and renewal leases Source36.8% (straight-line)
Acquisitions Source$38 million; 177,000 sq ft
Dispositions Source$37 million; 398,000 sq ft
Debt-to-total market capitalization Source14.0%
Debt-to-EBITDAre Source3.0x
Interest and fixed charge coverage Source14.8x

Risks management discussed

  • External: President Reid Dunbar cited ongoing global uncertainty as the setting in which field teams executed in the quarter. Source
  • Operational: Management estimated April to June 2026 average month-end occupancy at 94.6% to 95.6%, below the 96.1% first-quarter average. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Closed in February 2026, earlier than the first-half 2026 timing given in the prior release.
  • Met: Closed in February 2026 at $37,000,000, with the gain recorded in the first quarter as the prior release anticipated.
  • Ahead: Management said FFO per share for the first quarter exceeded its expectations. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.