greeksoup/ stock research

First Industrial Realty Trust Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 22 July 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 4 raised, 5 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Diluted EPS rose to $0.58: Diluted EPS was $0.58 for the quarter against $0.42 a year earlier; six-month EPS was $1.66 against $0.78. Source
  • Diluted FFO per share rose to $0.82: Diluted FFO was $0.82 per share/unit against $0.76 a year earlier. The company says six-month FFO excluding proxy costs was $1.53 per share/unit. Source
  • Cash rental rates rose 39%: On new and renewal leases that commenced in the quarter, cash rental rates increased 39%. Source
  • Net absorption outpaced new deliveries: Management said fundamentals showed signs of improvement, with net absorption outpacing moderating new deliveries and lowering market vacancy. Source
  • Same store cash NOI up 6.7%: Cash same store NOI before termination fees rose 6.7%, on higher rental rates, contractual escalations and lower free rent, partly offset by lower average occupancy. Source
  • New Philadelphia development started: Development of the 613,000 square-foot First Park New Castle Building A in Philadelphia started, with an estimated investment of $77 million, designed for multiple tenants. Source
  • Phoenix land sale closed at $131 million: The 100-acre Phoenix land sale closed after the tenant exercised its purchase option, at $131 million, which the company said is about three times industrial land values. Source

“On the strength of our second quarter leasing wins, we increased the midpoint of our FFO guidance by $0.02 per share.”

Peter E. Baccile, First Industrial's president and chief executive officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net income available to common stockholders and unitholders per share/unit Source2026$2.48 to $2.56Raised from $2.32 to $2.42
NAREIT FFO per share/unit Source2026$3.08 to $3.16Raised from $3.05 to $3.15
FFO before advisory costs related to a contested proxy campaign, per share/unit Source2026$3.12 to $3.20Raised from $3.09 to $3.19
Average quarter-end in service occupancy Source202694.0% to 95.0%Kept
Same store NOI growth, cash basis before termination fees Source20265.25% to 6.25%Raised from 5.0% to 6.0%
General and administrative expense Source2026$42.0 million to $43.0 millionKept
Interest capitalized Source2026$0.08 per shareKept
Gain on sale of real estate, net of allocable income tax, through the guidance date Source2026, through July 22, 2026$0.90 per share/unit
Depreciation and other amortization of real estate, per share/unit Source2026$1.50Kept
Advisory costs related to a contested proxy campaign, per share/unit Source2026$0.04Kept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: FFO guidance was raised: the midpoint of FFO before advisory costs rose $0.02 per share/unit, based on second-quarter leasing. Source
  • Guidance raised: Same store NOI growth guidance on a cash basis before termination fees moved to 5.25% to 6.25%, from 5.0% to 6.0%. Source
  • New: Development started on First Park New Castle Building A in Philadelphia, a 613,000 square-foot facility with an estimated investment of $77 million. Source
  • New: A 58-acre land site in Baltimore was acquired for $39 million for a three-building project. Source
  • Ended: The Phoenix land sale, which the first-quarter release expected to close in the second quarter, closed at $131 million. Source
  • New: Four buildings in Detroit totaling 310,000 square feet were sold for $29 million in total. Source

Earnings and per-share results

  • Diluted EPS rose to $0.58: Diluted EPS was $0.58 for the quarter against $0.42 a year earlier; six-month EPS was $1.66 against $0.78. Source
  • Diluted FFO per share rose to $0.82: Diluted FFO was $0.82 per share/unit against $0.76 a year earlier. The company says six-month FFO excluding proxy costs was $1.53 per share/unit. Source
  • AFFO rose year over year: AFFO was $85,876 thousand for the quarter, compared with $84,160 thousand a year earlier; six-month AFFO was $176,448 thousand. Source
  • Total revenues increased year over year: Total revenues were $194,940 thousand for the quarter against $180,163 thousand a year earlier. Source
  • Gains on property sales: Gain on sale of real estate was $16,591 thousand for the quarter against $1,121 thousand, and $125,623 thousand for six months. Source

Leasing, rents and demand

  • Cash rental rates rose 39%: On new and renewal leases that commenced in the quarter, cash rental rates increased 39%. Source
  • Leases cover 80% of 2026 expirations: Leases signed to date that commence in 2026 show a cash rental rate increase of about 39%, covering 80% of 2026 expirations by square footage. Source
  • Central Pennsylvania facility fully leased: The 708,000 square-foot in-service facility in Central Pennsylvania is 100% leased and commenced in the second quarter. Source
  • Inland Empire building leased: The 155,000 square-foot First Wilson Logistics Center II in the Inland Empire was fully leased and commenced in the quarter. Source
  • Net absorption outpaced new deliveries: Management said fundamentals showed signs of improvement, with net absorption outpacing moderating new deliveries and lowering market vacancy. Source

“Fundamentals exhibited signs of improvement in the second quarter, with net absorption outpacing moderating new deliveries resulting in lower market vacancy,”

Peter E. Baccile, First Industrial's president and chief executive officer

Occupancy and same store NOI

  • In-service occupancy reached 94.9%: In-service occupancy was 94.9% at June 30, 2026, against 94.3% at March 31, 2026 and 94.2% a year earlier. Source
  • Same store cash NOI up 6.7%: Cash same store NOI before termination fees rose 6.7%, on higher rental rates, contractual escalations and lower free rent, partly offset by lower average occupancy. Source
  • Same store NOI before adjustments: Same store NOI before same store adjustments was $136,945 thousand against $130,152 thousand; non-same store NOI was a deduction of $10,016 thousand. Source

Development and acquisitions

  • New Philadelphia development started: Development of the 613,000 square-foot First Park New Castle Building A in Philadelphia started, with an estimated investment of $77 million, designed for multiple tenants. Source
  • Baltimore land site acquired: A 58-acre Baltimore land site was acquired for $39 million for a three-building project developable to 629,000 square feet. Source
  • Dallas value-add building acquired: A newly constructed 161,000 square-foot value-add building in Dallas was acquired for $26 million. Source

Land sales and dispositions

  • Phoenix land sale closed at $131 million: The 100-acre Phoenix land sale closed after the tenant exercised its purchase option, at $131 million, which the company said is about three times industrial land values. Source
  • Four Detroit buildings sold: Four Detroit buildings totaling 310,000 square feet were sold for $29 million in total. Source
  • Guided gain on sale through July 22: Gain on sale of real estate, net of allocable income tax, through July 22 is guided at $0.90 per share/unit, against $0.77 through April 22. Source

Guidance and cost assumptions

  • G&A guided at $42 million to $43 million: General and administrative expense is guided at $42.0 million to $43.0 million, excluding $5.6 million of first-quarter proxy campaign costs. Source
  • Incremental development costs in guidance: Guidance includes incremental 2026 costs for completed and under-construction developments, with $0.08 per share of interest expected to be capitalized. Source
  • Proxy costs added back to FFO: Guided FFO before advisory costs adds back $0.04 per share/unit of contested proxy campaign advisory costs. Source
  • Depreciation guided at $1.50 per share: Depreciation and other amortization of real estate is guided at $1.50 per share/unit, the same at both ends of the range. Source

Balance sheet and distributions

  • Debt edged higher since year-end: Debt was $2,565,182 thousand at June 30, 2026, against $2,553,396 thousand at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Quarterly distributions at $0.50: Distributions were $0.500 per share/unit for the quarter against $0.445 a year earlier; six-month distributions were $1.000 against $0.890. Source
  • Total equity increased: Total equity was $2,869,630 thousand at June 30, 2026, against $2,758,930 thousand at December 31, 2025. Source

Coming up, as management said on 22 July 2026

  • First Park 121 Building F expected to commence: The 176,000 square-foot First Park 121 Building F in Dallas is 100% leased and is expected to commence in the third quarter. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
FFO per share/unit (diluted) Source$0.82 in 2Q26; $0.76 in 2Q25
AFFO Source$85,876 thousand in 2Q26; $84,160 thousand in 2Q25
Occupancy Source94.9% in service at June 30, 2026
Same-store NOI Source+6.7% cash basis before termination fees
Leasing spreads Source39% cash rental rate increase on commenced new and renewal leasing
Acquisitions Source$26 million Dallas building; $39 million Baltimore land site
Dispositions Source$29 million Detroit buildings; $131 million Phoenix land
Leverage SourceDebt $2,565,182 thousand at June 30, 2026

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Contested proxy campaign costs of $5.6 million were recognized in the first quarter and are excluded from the guidance figures. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: The Phoenix land sale closed as anticipated, after the tenant exercised its purchase option in the first quarter. 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.