PR Newswire | Apr 29, 2021 04:06PM EDT

04/29 15:05 CDT

Digital Realty Reports First Quarter 2021 Results AUSTIN, Texas, April 29, 2021

AUSTIN, Texas, April 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Digital Realty (NYSE: DLR), a leading global provider of cloud- and carrier-neutral data center, colocation and interconnection solutions, announced today financial results for the first quarter of 2021. All per-share results are presented on a fully-diluted share and unit basis.

Highlights

* Reported net income available to common stockholders of $1.32 per share in 1Q21, compared to net income available to common stockholders of $0.90 in 1Q20 * Reported FFO per share of $1.49 in 1Q21, compared to $0.91 in 1Q20 * Reported core FFO per share of $1.67 in 1Q21, compared to $1.53 in 1Q20 * Signed total bookings during 1Q21 expected to generate $117 million of annualized GAAP rental revenue, including a $13 million contribution from interconnection * Raised core FFO per share outlook from $6.40-$6.50 to $6.50-$6.55

Financial Results

Digital Realty reported revenues for the first quarter of 2021 of $1.1 billion, a 3% increase from the previous quarter and a 32% increase from the same quarter last year.

The company delivered first quarter of 2021 net income of $395 million, and net income available to common stockholders of $372 million, or $1.32 per diluted share, compared to $0.16 per diluted share in the previous quarter and $0.90 per diluted share in the same quarter last year.

Digital Realty generated first quarter of 2021 Adjusted EBITDA of $615 million, a 6% increase from the previous quarter and a 28% increase over the same quarter last year.

The company reported first quarter of 2021 funds from operations of $432 million, or $1.49 per share, compared to $1.45 per share in the previous quarter and $0.91 per share in the same quarter last year.

Excluding certain items that do not represent core expenses or revenue streams, Digital Realty delivered first quarter of 2021 core FFO per share of $1.67, a 3% increase from $1.61 per share in the previous quarter, and a 9% increase from $1.53 per share in the same quarter last year.

Leasing Activity

In the first quarter, Digital Realty signed total bookings expected to generate $117 million of annualized GAAP rental revenue, including a $13 million contribution from interconnection.

"Digital Realty delivered solid financial results during the first quarter, driven by continued acceleration in digital adoption," said Digital Realty Chief Executive Officer A. William Stein. "Our first-quarter bookings were very well balanced across products and regions, reflecting the strength of our full-service global platform. We are investing to support customer growth and to continue to enhance the value of our comprehensive product offerings, and we remain well positioned to continue to deliver sustainable growth for all stakeholders."

The weighted-average lag between leases signed during the first quarter of 2021 and the contractual commencement date was eight months.

In addition to new leases signed, Digital Realty also signed renewal leases representing $193 million of annualized GAAP rental revenue during the quarter. Rental rates on renewal leases signed during the first quarter of 2021 rolled down 2.1% on a cash basis and up 3.2% on a GAAP basis.

New leases signed during the first quarter of 2021 are summarized by region as follows:



Annualized GAAP

Base Rent GAAP Base Rent GAAP Base Rent

The Americas (in thousands) Square Feetper Square FootMegawattsper Kilowatt

0-1 MW $10,802 55,535 $195 4.9 $182

> 1 MW 27,130 284,454 95 22.0 103

Other ^(1) 1,562 50,770 31 - -

Total $39,494 390,759 $101 27.0 $117



EMEA ^(2)

0-1 MW $13,491 50,867 $265 4.0 $284

> 1 MW 13,382 98,785 135 9.7 115

Other ^(1) 77 129 594 - -

Total $26,949 149,782 $180 13.7 $164



Asia Pacific ^ (2)

0-1 MW $8,312 14,843 $560 2.1 $323

> 1 MW 28,948 79,670 363 14.8 164

Other ^(1) 28 3,240 9 - -

Total $37,287 97,753 $381 16.9 $184



All Regions ^(2)

0-1 MW $32,605 121,245 $269 11.0 $246

> 1 MW 69,459 462,908 150 46.5 125

Other ^(1) 1,666 54,139 31 - -

Total $103,731 638,293 $163 57.5 $148



Interconnection $13,323 N/A N/A N/A N/A



Grand Total $117,054 638,293 $163 57.5 $148

Note: Totals may not foot due to rounding differences.

(1) Other includes Powered Base Building shell capacity as well as storage and office space within fully improved data center facilities.

(2) Based on quarterly average exchange rates during the three months ended March 31, 2021.

Investment Activity

During the first quarter of 2021, Digital Realty closed on the sale of a portfolio of 11 data centers in Europe for a total of approximately $680 million. The portfolio is expected to generate 2021 cash net operating income of approximately $45 million, representing a cap rate of approximately 6.7%.

Separately, during the first quarter, Digital Realty also sold a 6.4-acre land parcel in Ashburn, VA for $12 million and a 30,400-square foot vacant building in Waltham, MA for approximately $2 million.

In addition, Digital Realty acquired a 66,400-square foot building and an adjacent 4.7-acre land parcel in Brussels, Belgium that will support the development of 13.6 megawatts of IT capacity for (euro)13 million, or approximately $15 million.

Subsequent to quarter-end, Digital Realty acquired the freehold interest in 1.76 acres of land and a 76,000-square foot building housing its "CPH1" data center in Copenhagen, Denmark for DKK53 million, or approximately $8 million.

Balance Sheet

Digital Realty had approximately $13.3 billion of total debt outstanding as of March 31, 2021, comprised of $13.1 billion of unsecured debt and approximately $0.2 billion of secured debt. At the end of the first quarter of 2021, net debt-to-Adjusted EBITDA was 5.6x, debt plus-preferred-to-total enterprise value was 25.9% and fixed charge coverage was 5.8x.

Digital Realty completed the following financing transactions during the first quarter of 2021.

* In early January, Digital Realty issued (euro)1.0 billion, or approximately $1.2 billion, of 0.625% green Euro bonds due 2031. * In mid-January, Digital Realty repaid the entire $537 million outstanding balance on its unsecured term loan. * In early February, Digital Realty redeemed all $350 million of its outstanding 2.75% notes due 2023. * Subsequent to quarter-end, Digital Realty announced the redemption of all 8.05 million shares of its 6.625% Series C Preferred Stock with a total liquidation value of $201 million.

COVID-19

Throughout the COVID-19 global pandemic, Digital Realty's data centers around the world have remained fully operational in accordance with business continuity and pandemic response plans, prioritizing the health and safety of employees, customers and partners while ensuring service levels are maintained. Digital Realty data centers have been deemed essential operations, allowing for critical personnel to remain in place and continue to provide services and support for customers. Construction activity has been somewhat delayed in a few markets due to government restrictions in certain locations and/or limited availability of labor. In some instances, these delays have impacted scheduled delivery dates. We are monitoring the situation closely and remain in frequent communication with customers, contractors and suppliers. We have proactively managed our supply chain, and we believe we have secured the vast majority of the equipment needed to complete our 2021 development activities. We believe we have ample liquidity to fund our business needs, given the $221 million of cash on the balance sheet and $2.2 billion of availability under our global revolving credit facilities as of March 31, 2021. While we have not experienced any significant business disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic to date, we cannot predict what impact the COVID-19 pandemic may have on our future financial condition, results of operations or cash flows due to numerous uncertainties.

2021 Outlook

Digital Realty raised its 2021 core FFO per share outlook from $6.40-$6.50 to $6.50-$6.55. The assumptions underlying the outlook are summarized in the following table.



As of As of

Top-Line and Cost February 11, 2021 April 29, 2021 Structure

Total revenue $4.250 - $4.350 billion$4.300 - $4.400 billion

Net non-cash rent ($10) - ($15) million ($20) - ($25) million adjustments (1)

Adjusted EBITDA $2.300 - $2.350 billion$2.330 - $2.380 billion

G&A $365 - $375 million $380 - $390 million



Internal Growth

Rental rates on renewal leases

Cash basis Slightly negative Slightly negative

GAAP basis Slightly positive Slightly positive

Year-end portfolio 84.0% - 85.0% 84.0% - 85.0% occupancy

"Same-capital" cash NOI (2.5%) - (3.5%) (2.5%) - (3.5%) growth (2)



Foreign Exchange Rates

U.S. Dollar / Pound $1.25 - $1.30 $1.30 - $1.38 Sterling

U.S. Dollar / Euro $1.15 - $1.20 $1.15 - $1.20



External Growth

Dispositions

Dollar volume $0.6 - $1.0 billion $0.7 - $1.0 billion

Cap rate 0.0% - 12.0% 0.0% - 12.0%

Development

CapEx (3) $2.0 - $2.3 billion $2.0 - $2.3 billion

Average stabilized yields 9.0% - 15.0% 9.0% - 15.0%

Enhancements and other $5 - $10 million $5 - $10 million non-recurring CapEx (4)

Recurring CapEx + capitalized leasing costs $220 - $230 million $220 - $230 million (5)



Balance Sheet

Long-term debt issuance

Dollar amount $1.0 - $1.5 billion $1.0 - $1.5 billion

Pricing 1.00% 1.00%

Timing Early-to-mid 2021 Early-to-mid 2021



Net income per diluted $1.40 - $1.45 $2.00 - $2.05 share

Real estate depreciation $4.90 - $4.90 $4.25 - $4.25 and (gain) / loss on sale

Funds From Operations / $6.30 - $6.35 $6.25 - $6.30 share (NAREIT-Defined)

Non-core expenses and $0.10 - $0.15 $0.25 - $0.25 revenue streams

Core Funds From Operations$6.40 - $6.50 $6.50 - $6.55 / share

Net non-cash rent adjustments represent the sum of straight-line rental(1) revenue and straight-line rent expense, as well as the amortization of above- and below-market leases (i.e., ASC 805 adjustments).

The "same-capital" pool includes properties owned as of December 31, 2019 with less than 5% of total rentable square feet under development. It also(2) excludes properties that were undergoing, or were expected to undergo, development activities in 2020-2021, properties classified as held for sale, and properties sold or contributed to joint ventures for all periods presented.

(3) Includes land acquisitions.

Other non-recurring CapEx represents costs incurred to enhance the capacity(4) or marketability of operating properties, such as network fiber initiatives and software development costs.

Recurring CapEx represents non-incremental improvements required to(5) maintain current revenues, including second-generation tenant improvements and leasing commissions.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This press release contains non-GAAP financial measures, including FFO, core FFO and Adjusted EBITDA. A reconciliation from U.S. GAAP net income available to common stockholders to FFO, a reconciliation from FFO to core FFO, and definitions of FFO and core FFO are included as an attachment to this document. A reconciliation from U.S. GAAP net income available to common stockholders to Adjusted EBITDA, a definition of Adjusted EBITDA and definitions of net debt-to-Adjusted EBITDA, debt-plus-preferred-to-total enterprise value, cash NOI, and fixed charge coverage ratio are included as an attachment to this document.

Investor Conference Call

Prior to Digital Realty's investor conference call at 5:30 p.m. EDT / 2:30 p.m. PDT on April 29, 2021, a presentation will be posted to the Investors section of the company's website at https://investor.digitalrealty.com/. The presentation is designed to accompany the discussion of the company's First Quarter 2021 financial results and operating performance. The conference call will feature Chief Executive Officer A. William Stein and Chief Financial Officer Andrew P. Power.

To participate in the live call, investors are invited to dial (888) 317-6003 (for domestic callers) or (412) 317-6061 (for international callers) and reference the conference ID# 6064617 at least five minutes prior to start time. A live webcast of the call will be available via the Investors section of Digital Realty's website at https://investor.digitalrealty.com/.

Telephone and webcast replays will be available after the call until May 29, 2021. The telephone replay can be accessed by dialing (877) 344-7529 (for domestic callers) or (412) 317-0088 (for international callers) and providing the conference ID# 10153437. The webcast replay can be accessed on Digital Realty's website.

About Digital Realty

Digital Realty supports the world's leading enterprises and service providers by delivering the full spectrum of data center, colocation and interconnection solutions. PlatformDIGITAL(r), the company's global data center platform, provides customers a trusted foundation and proven Pervasive Datacenter Architecture (PDx(tm)) solution methodology for scaling digital business and efficiently managing data gravity challenges. Digital Realty's global data center footprint gives customers access to the connected communities that matter to them with 290 facilities in 47 metros across 24 countries on six continents. To learn more about Digital Realty, please visit digitalrealty.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Contact Information

Andrew P. PowerChief Financial OfficerDigital Realty(415) 738-6500

John J. Stewart / Jim HusebyInvestor RelationsDigital Realty(415) 738-6500

Consolidated Quarterly Statements of Operations Unaudited and Dollars in Thousands, Except Per Share Data





Three Months Ended

31-Mar-21 31-Dec-20 30-Sep-20 30-Jun-20 31-Mar-20

Rental revenues $754,544 $754,422 $726,441 $698,041 $579,774

Tenant reimbursements -184,973 154,937 155,111 141,576 113,520 Utilities

Tenant reimbursements -59,328 62,084 53,654 62,630 56,943 Other

Interconnection 89,061 86,424 85,725 85,428 69,835 & other

Fee income 2,426 4,722 3,687 4,353 2,452

Other 59 20 50 967 813

Total Operating $1,090,391 $1,062,609 $1,024,668 $992,995 $823,337 Revenues



Utilities $176,046 $169,282 $177,925 $160,173 $129,526

Rental property 185,733 205,177 180,755 172,474 136,182 operating

Property taxes 49,005 42,442 39,732 45,071 42,123

Insurance 3,498 3,410 2,926 3,370 3,547

Depreciation & 369,733 359,915 365,842 349,165 291,457 amortization

General & 97,568 101,582 90,431 90,649 62,266 administration

Severance, equity acceleration, 2,427 606 920 3,642 1,272 and legal expenses

Transaction and integration 14,120 19,290 14,953 15,618 56,801 expenses

Impairment of investments in - - 6,482 - - real estate

Other expenses (257) 641 297 22 114

Total Operating $897,873 $902,345 $880,263 $840,184 $723,288 Expenses



Operating Income$192,518 $160,264 $144,405 $152,811 $100,049



Equity in (loss) earnings of (23,031) 31,055 (2,056) (7,632) (78,996) unconsolidated joint ventures

Gain on sale / 333,921 1,684 10,410 - 304,801 deconsolidation

Interest and other (expense) (7,186) (2,747) 4,348 22,163 (3,542) income, net

Interest (75,653) (77,848) (89,499) (79,874) (85,800) (expense)

Income tax (7,547) (3,322) (16,053) (11,490) (7,182) (expense)

Loss from early extinguishment (18,347) (49,576) (53,007) - (632) of debt

Net Income / $394,675 $59,510 ($1,452) $75,978 $228,698 (Loss)



Net (income) loss attributable to (8,756) (1,818) 1,316 (1,147) (4,684) noncontrolling interests

Net Income / (Loss) Attributable to $385,919 $57,692 ($136) $74,831 $224,014 Digital Realty Trust, Inc.



Preferred stock dividends, including (13,514) (13,514) (20,712) (21,155) (21,155) undeclared dividends

Issuance costs associated with - - (16,520) - - redeemed preferred stock

Net Income / (Loss) Available$372,405 $44,178 ($37,368) $53,676 $202,859 to Common Stockholders



Weighted-average shares 281,094,798280,117,213270,214,413267,569,823222,163,324outstanding - basic

Weighted-average shares 281,928,182281,122,368270,214,413270,744,408224,474,295outstanding - diluted

Weighted-average fully diluted 289,210,666288,903,143281,523,515278,719,109232,753,630shares and units



Net income / (loss) per share$1.32 $0.16 ($0.14) $0.20 $0.91 - basic

Net income / (loss) per share$1.32 $0.16 ($0.14) $0.20 $0.90 - diluted

Funds From Operations and Core Funds From Operations Unaudited and in Thousands, Except Per Share Data





Three Months Ended

Reconciliation of Net Income to Funds From Operations (FFO) 31-Mar-2131-Dec-2030-Sep-2030-Jun-2031-Mar-20



Net (Loss) / Income Available to Common Stockholders $372,405 $44,178 ($37,368)$53,676 $202,859

Adjustments:

Non-controlling interest in operating partnership 9,800 1,300 (1,000) 1,400 7,800

Real estate related depreciation & amortization (1) 364,697 354,366 358,619 342,334 286,517

Unconsolidated JV real estate related depreciation & amortization19,378 21,471 19,213 17,123 19,923

(Gain) on real estate transactions (333,921)(1,684) (10,410) - (304,801)

Impairment of investments in real estate - - 6,482 - -

Funds From Operations - diluted $432,359 $419,631 $335,536 $414,533 $212,298



Weighted-average shares and units outstanding - basic 288,377 287,898 278,079 275,545 230,443

Weighted-average shares and units outstanding - diluted (2) 289,211 288,903 281,524 278,719 232,754



Funds From Operations per share - basic $1.50 $1.46 $1.21 $1.50 $0.92



Funds From Operations per share - diluted (2) $1.49 $1.45 $1.19 $1.49 $0.91







Three Months Ended

Reconciliation of FFO to Core FFO 31-Mar-2131-Dec-2030-Sep-2030-Jun-2031-Mar-20



Funds From Operations - diluted $432,359 $419,631 $335,536 $414,533 $212,298

Termination fees and other non-core revenues (3) (59) (25) (5,713) (21,908) (2,425)

Transaction and integration expenses 14,120 19,290 14,953 15,618 56,801

Loss from early extinguishment of debt 18,347 49,576 53,007 - 632

Issuance costs associated with redeemed preferred stock - - 16,520 - -

Severance, equity acceleration, and legal expenses (4) 2,427 606 920 3,642 1,272

(Gain) / Loss on FX revaluation 34,072 (27,190) 10,312 17,526 81,288

Other non-core expense adjustments (19,240) 3,353 6,697 22 5,509

Core Funds From Operations - diluted $482,026 $465,241 $432,232 $429,433 $355,375



Weighted-average shares and units outstanding - diluted (2) 289,211 288,903 281,524 278,719 232,754



Core Funds From Operations per share - diluted (2) $1.67 $1.61 $1.54 $1.54 $1.53









(1) Real Estate Related Depreciation & Amortization Three Months Ended

31-Mar-2131-Dec-2030-Sep-2030-Jun-2031-Mar-20



Depreciation & amortization per income statement $369,733 $359,915 $365,842 $349,165 $291,457

Non-real estate depreciation (5,036) (5,549) (7,223) (6,831) (4,940)

Real Estate Related Depreciation & Amortization $364,697 $354,366 $358,619 $342,334 $286,517

For all periods presented, we have excluded the effect of dilutive series C, series G, series I, series J, series K and series L preferred stock, as applicable, that may be converted into common stock upon the occurrence of specified change in control transactions as described in the articles supplementary governing the series C, series G, series I, series J, series(2) K and series L preferred stock, as applicable, which we consider highly improbable. See above for calculations of diluted FFO and the share count detail section that follows the reconciliation of core FFO to AFFO for calculations of weighted average common stock and units outstanding. For definitions and discussion of FFO and core FFO, see the definitions section.

(3) Includes lease termination fees and certain other adjustments that are not core to our business.

(4) Relates to severance and other charges related to the departure of company executives and integration-related severance.

Adjusted Funds From Operations (AFFO) Unaudited and in Thousands, Except Per Share Data





Three Months Ended

Reconciliation of 31-Mar-2131-Dec-2030-Sep-2030-Jun-2031-Mar-20Core FFO to AFFO



Core FFO available to common $482,026 $465,241 $432,232 $429,433 $355,375 stockholders and unitholders

Adjustments:

Non-real estate 5,036 5,549 7,223 6,831 4,940 depreciation

Amortization of deferred financing 3,538 3,709 3,655 3,661 4,260 costs

Amortization of debt discount/ 1,134 1,033 987 1,011 943 premium

Non-cash stock-based 16,097 16,315 15,969 15,060 12,153 compensation expense

Straight-line (18,492) (14,402) (10,017) (10,928) (15,404) rental revenue

Straight-line 6,709 3,629 3,934 7,373 1,460 rental expense

Above- and below-market rent 2,137 3,239 2,360 3,794 3,294 amortization

Deferred tax (4,509) (4,226) 6,421 (150) (792) (expense) benefit

Leasing compensation & 11,042 10,506 6,052 1,739 2,793 internal lease commissions

Recurring capital (39,522) (83,571) (53,683) (38,796) (34,677) expenditures (1)



AFFO available to common stockholders$465,196 $407,022 $415,133 $419,028 $334,345 and unitholders (2)



Weighted-average shares and units 288,377 287,898 278,079 275,545 230,443 outstanding - basic

Weighted-average shares and units 289,211 288,903 281,524 278,719 232,754 outstanding - diluted (3)



AFFO per share - $1.61 $1.41 $1.47 $1.50 $1.44 diluted (3)



Dividends per share and common $1.16 $1.12 $1.12 $1.12 $1.12 unit



Diluted AFFO Payout72.1% 79.5% 76.0% 74.5% 78.0% Ratio







Three Months Ended

Share Count Detail 31-Mar-2131-Dec-2030-Sep-2030-Jun-2031-Mar-20



Weighted Average Common Stock and 288,377 287,898 278,079 275,545 230,443 Units Outstanding

Add: Effect of 834 1,005 3,445 3,174 2,311 dilutive securities

Weighted Avg. Common Stock and 289,211 288,903 281,524 278,719 232,754 Units Outstanding - diluted

Recurring capital expenditures represent non-incremental building improvements required to maintain current revenues, including second-generation tenant improvements and external leasing commissions.(1) Recurring capital expenditures do not include acquisition costs contemplated when underwriting the purchase of a building, costs which are incurred to bring a building up to Digital Realty's operating standards, or internal leasing commissions.

For a definition and discussion of AFFO, see the definitions section. For a(2) reconciliation of net income available to common stockholders to FFO and core FFO, see above.

For all periods presented, we have excluded the effect of dilutive series C, series G, series I, series J, series K and series L preferred stock, as applicable, that may be converted into common stock upon the occurrence of specified change in control transactions as described in the articles(3) supplementary governing the series C, series G, series I, series J, series K and series L preferred stock, as applicable, which we consider highly improbable. See above for calculations of diluted FFO available to common stockholders and unitholders and for calculations of weighted average common stock and units outstanding.

Consolidated Balance Sheets Unaudited and in Thousands, Except Share and Per Share Data





31-Mar-21 31-Dec-20 30-Sep-20 30-Jun-20 31-Mar-20

Assets

Investments in real estate:

Real estate $22,762,279$23,142,988$22,125,486$20,843,273$20,477,290

Construction in progress2,904,642 2,768,326 2,328,654 2,514,324 2,204,869

Land held for future 192,896 226,862 198,536 175,209 137,447 development

Investments in real $25,859,817$26,138,175$24,652,676$23,532,806$22,819,606estate

Accumulated depreciation(5,649,019)(5,555,221)(5,250,140)(4,945,534)(4,694,713)and amortization

Net Investments in $20,210,798$20,582,954$19,402,536$18,587,272$18,124,893Properties

Investment in unconsolidated joint 970,703 1,148,158 1,059,978 1,033,235 1,064,009 ventures

Net Investments in Real $21,181,501$21,731,112$20,462,514$19,620,507$19,188,902Estate



Cash and cash $221,140 $108,501 $971,305 $505,174 $246,480 equivalents

Accounts and other 657,096 603,111 585,506 542,750 527,699 receivables (1)

Deferred rent 524,200 528,180 510,627 496,684 484,179

Customer relationship value, deferred leasing 3,057,245 3,122,904 3,106,414 3,128,140 3,500,588 costs & other intangibles, net

Goodwill 8,125,706 8,330,996 8,012,256 7,791,522 7,466,046

Assets associated with real estate held for - - - 10,981 - sale

Operating lease 1,495,869 1,386,959 1,363,285 1,375,427 1,364,621 right-of-use assets (2)

Other assets 279,734 264,528 423,426 391,451 334,785

Total Assets $35,542,491$36,076,291$35,435,333$33,862,636$33,113,300



Liabilities and Equity

Global unsecured revolving credit $451,007 $531,905 $124,082 $64,492 $603,101 facilities

Unsecured term loans - 536,580 512,642 799,550 771,425

Unsecured senior notes, 12,566,198 11,997,010 11,999,170 11,268,753 10,637,006 net of discount

Secured debt and other, 239,634 239,222 238,866 238,826 239,800 net of premiums

Operating lease 1,581,759 1,468,712 1,444,060 1,451,152 1,431,292 liabilities (2)

Accounts payable and other accrued 1,305,921 1,420,162 1,610,814 1,303,337 1,192,774 liabilities

Deferred tax 650,543 698,308 711,474 664,802 684,752 liabilities, net

Accrued dividends and - 324,386 571 - - distributions

Security deposits and 362,008 371,659 353,902 348,253 336,583 prepaid rent

Liabilities associated with assets held for - - - 238 - sale

Total Liabilities $17,157,070$17,587,944$16,995,581$16,139,403$15,896,733



Redeemable non-controlling 40,097 42,011 41,265 40,584 40,027 interests - operating partnership



Equity

Preferred Stock: $0.01 par value per share, 110,000,000 shares authorized:

Series C Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual $219,250 $219,250 $219,250 $219,250 $219,250 Preferred Stock ^(3)

Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred - - - 241,468 241,468 Stock ^(4)

Series I Cumulative Redeemable Preferred - - - 242,012 242,012 Stock ^(5)

Series J Cumulative Redeemable Preferred 193,540 193,540 193,540 193,540 193,540 Stock ^(6)

Series K Cumulative Redeemable Preferred 203,264 203,264 203,264 203,264 203,264 Stock ^(7)

Series L Cumulative Redeemable Preferred 334,886 334,886 334,886 334,886 334,886 Stock ^(8)

Common Stock: $0.01 par value per share, 2,795 2,788 2,784 2,670 2,622 392,000,000 shares authorized ^(9)

Additional paid-in 20,700,282 20,626,897 20,566,645 19,292,311 18,606,766 capital

Dividends in excess of (3,952,497)(3,997,938)(3,726,901)(3,386,525)(3,139,350)earnings

Accumulated other comprehensive income (77,783) 135,010 (123,623) (358,349) (444,222) (loss), net

Total Stockholders' $17,623,737$17,717,697$17,669,845$16,984,527$16,460,236Equity



Noncontrolling Interests

Noncontrolling interest $571,292 $608,980 $620,676 $633,831 $656,266 in operating partnership

Noncontrolling interest in consolidated joint 150,295 119,659 107,966 64,291 60,038 ventures



Total Noncontrolling $721,587 $728,639 $728,642 $698,122 $716,304 Interests



Total Equity $18,345,324$18,446,336$18,398,487$17,682,649$17,176,540



Total Liabilities and $35,542,491$36,076,291$35,435,333$33,862,636$33,113,300Equity

(1) Net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $23,975 and $18,825 as of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively.

Adoption of the new lease accounting standard required that we adjust the consolidated balance sheet to include the recognition of additional(2) right-of-use assets and lease liabilities for operating leases. See our quarterly report on Form 10-Q filed on May 10, 2019 for additional information.

Series C Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock, 6.625%, $201,250 and $201,250 liquidation preference, respectively ($25.00 per share),(3) 8,050,000 and 8,050,000 shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively. Subsequent to quarter end, we announced the redemption of the Series C preferred stock, which will occur on May 17, 2021.

Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, 5.875%, $0 (redeemed October 15, 2020, reclassified to accounts payable as of September 30, 2020(4) for accounting purposes) and $250,000 liquidation preference, respectively ($25.00 per share), 0 and 10,000,000 shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively.

Series I Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, 6.350%, $0 and $250,000(5) liquidation preference, respectively ($25.00 per share), 0 and 10,000,000 shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively.

Series J Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, 5.250%, $200,000 and(6) $200,000 liquidation preference, respectively ($25.00 per share), 8,000,000 and 8,000,000 shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively.

Series K Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, 5.850%, $210,000 and(7) $210,000 liquidation preference, respectively ($25.00 per share), 8,400,000 and 8,400,000 shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively.

Series L Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, 5.200%, $345,000 and(8) $345,000 liquidation preference, respectively ($25.00 per share), 13,800,000 and 13,800,000 shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively.

(9) Common Stock: 281,372,310 and 208,900,758 shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively.

Reconciliation of Earnings Before Interest,Taxes, Depreciation & Amortization andFinancial RatiosUnaudited and Dollars in Thousands

Three Months Ended

Reconciliation ofEarnings BeforeInterest, Taxes, 31-Mar-21 31-Dec-20 30-Sep-20 30-Jun-20 31-Mar-20Depreciation &Amortization (EBITDA)^(1)

Net Income / (Loss)Available to Common $372,405 $44,178 ($37,368) $53,676 $202,859Stockholders

Interest 75,653 77,848 89,499 79,874 85,800

Loss from earlyextinguishment of 18,347 49,576 53,007 - 632debt

Income tax expense 7,547 3,322 16,053 11,490 7,182(benefit)

Depreciation & 369,733 359,915 365,842 349,165 291,457amortization

EBITDA $843,685 $534,839 $487,033 $494,205 $587,930

Unconsolidated JVreal estate related 19,378 21,471 19,213 17,123 19,923depreciation &amortization

Unconsolidated JVinterest expense and 8,786 12,143 9,002 9,203 9,944tax expense

Severance, equityacceleration, and 2,427 606 920 3,642 1,272legal expenses

Transaction and 14,120 19,290 14,953 15,618 56,801integration expenses

(Gain) on sale / (333,921) (1,684) (10,410) - (304,801)deconsolidation

Impairment ofinvestments in real - - 6,482 - -estate

Other non-core 38,574 (23,842) 4,945 (3,404) 85,185adjustments, net

Non-controlling 8,756 1,818 (1,316) 1,147 4,684interests

Preferred stockdividends, including 13,514 13,514 20,712 21,155 21,155undeclared dividends

Issuance costsassociated with - - 16,520 - -redeemed preferredstock

Adjusted EBITDA $615,319 $578,156 $568,054 $558,690 $482,093

(1) For definitions and discussion of EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA, see thedefinitions section.

Three Months Ended

Financial Ratios 31-Mar-21 31-Dec-20 30-Sep-20 30-Jun-20 31-Mar-20

Total GAAP interest $75,653 $77,848 $89,499 $79,874 $85,800expense

Capitalized interest 11,434 11,836 12,379 13,133 10,480

Change in accruedinterest and other 44,620 (37,182) 19,718 (38,478) 24,321non-cash amounts

Cash Interest Expense $131,707 $52,502 $121,596 $54,529 $120,601^(2)

Scheduled debt - - - 57 125principal payments

Preferred dividends 13,514 13,514 20,712 21,155 21,155

Total Fixed Charges ^ $100,601 $103,198 $122,590 $114,219 $117,560(3)

Coverage

Interest coverage 6.6x 5.8x 5.2x 5.6x 4.6xratio ^(4)

Cash interest 4.5x 9.3x 4.4x 9.1x 3.7xcoverage ratio ^(5)

Fixed charge coverage 5.8x 5.1x 4.4x 4.6x 3.8xratio ^(6)

Cash fixed charge 4.1x 7.7x 3.8x 6.8x 3.2xcoverage ratio ^(7)

Leverage

Debt to totalenterprise value ^(8) 24.1% 24.4% 22.8% 23.3% 23.8%(9)

Debt plus preferredstock to total 25.9% 26.2% 25.0% 26.0% 26.6%enterprise value ^(10)

Pre-tax income tointerest expense ^ 6.2x 1.8x 1.0x 2.0x 3.7x(11)

Net Debt to Adjusted 5.6x 6.0x 5.5x 5.6x 6.6xEBITDA ^(12)

Cash interest expense is interest expense less amortization of debt(2) discount and deferred financing fees and includes interest that we capitalized. We consider cash interest expense to be a useful measure of interest as it excludes non-cash based interest expense.

(3) Fixed charges consist of GAAP interest expense, capitalized interest, scheduled debt principal payments and preferred dividends.

Adjusted EBITDA divided by GAAP interest expense plus capitalized interest(4) (including our pro rata share of unconsolidated joint venture interest expense).

(5) Adjusted EBITDA divided by cash interest expense (including our pro rata share of unconsolidated joint venture interest expense).

(6) Adjusted EBITDA divided by fixed charges (including our pro rata share of unconsolidated joint venture fixed charges).

Adjusted EBITDA divided by the sum of cash interest expense, scheduled(7) debt principal payments and preferred dividends (including our pro rata share of unconsolidated joint venture cash fixed charges).

(8) Mortgage debt and other loans divided by market value of common equity plus debt plus preferred stock.

(9) Total enterprise value defined as market value of common equity plus debt plus preferred stock.

(10) Same as (8), except numerator includes preferred stock.

(11) Calculated as net income plus interest expense divided by GAAP interest expense.

Calculated as total debt at balance sheet carrying value, plus capital lease obligations, plus Digital Realty's pro rata share of unconsolidated(12) of joint venture debt, less cash and cash equivalents (including Digital Realty's pro rata share of unconsolidated joint venture cash) divided by the product of Adjusted EBITDA (including Digital Realty's pro rata share of unconsolidated joint venture EBITDA), multiplied by four.

Management Statements on Non-GAAP Measures Unaudited

Definitions

Funds From Operations (FFO):We calculate funds from operations, or FFO, in accordance with the standards established by the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts, or Nareit, in the Nareit Funds From Operations White Paper - 2018 Restatement. FFO represents net income (loss) (computed in accordance with GAAP), excluding gains (or losses) from real estate transactions, impairment of investment in real estate, real estate related depreciation and amortization (excluding amortization of deferred financing costs), unconsolidated JV real estate related depreciation & amortization, non-controlling interests in operating partnership and after adjustments for unconsolidated partnerships and joint ventures. Management uses FFO as a supplemental performance measure because, in excluding real estate related depreciation and amortization and gains and losses from property dispositions and after adjustments for unconsolidated partnerships and joint ventures, it provides a performance measure that, when compared year over year, captures trends in occupancy rates, rental rates and operating costs. We also believe that, as a widely recognized measure of the performance of REITs, FFO will be used by investors as a basis to compare our operating performance with that of other REITs. However, because FFO excludes depreciation and amortization and captures neither the changes in the value of our data centers that result from use or market conditions, nor the level of capital expenditures and capitalized leasing commissions necessary to maintain the operating performance of our data centers, all of which have real economic effect and could materially impact our financial condition and results from operations, the utility of FFO as a measure of our performance is limited. Other REITs may not calculate FFO in accordance with the NAREIT definition and, accordingly, our FFO may not be comparable to other REITs' FFO. FFO should be considered only as a supplement to net income computed in accordance with GAAP as a measure of our performance.

Core Funds from Operations (Core FFO):We present core funds from operations, or core FFO, as a supplemental operating measure because, in excluding certain items that do not reflect core revenue or expense streams, it provides a performance measure that, when compared year over year, captures trends in our core business operating performance. We calculate core FFO by adding to or subtracting from FFO (i) termination fees and other non-core revenues, (ii) transaction and integration expenses, (iii) loss from early extinguishment of debt, (iv) issuance costs associated with redeemed preferred stock, (v) severance, equity acceleration, and legal expenses, (vi) gain/loss on FX revaluation, and (vii) other non-core expense adjustments. Because certain of these adjustments have a real economic impact on our financial condition and results from operations, the utility of core FFO as a measure of our performance is limited. Other REITs may calculate core FFO differently than we do and accordingly, our core FFO may not be comparable to other REITs' core FFO. Core FFO should be considered only as a supplement to net income computed in accordance with GAAP as a measure of our performance.

Adjusted Funds from Operations (AFFO):We present adjusted funds from operations, or AFFO, as a supplemental operating measure because, when compared year over year, it assesses our ability to fund dividend and distribution requirements from our operating activities. We also believe that, as a widely recognized measure of the operations of REITs, AFFO will be used by investors as a basis to assess our ability to fund dividend payments in comparison to other REITs, including on a per share and unit basis. We calculate AFFO by adding to or subtracting from core FFO (i) non-real estate depreciation, (ii) amortization of deferred financing costs, (iii) amortization of debt discount/premium, (iv) non-cash stock-based compensation expense, (v) straight-line rental revenue, (vi) straight-line rental expense, (vii) above- and below-market rent amortization, (viii) deferred tax (expense) benefit, (ix) leasing compensation and internal lease commissions, and (x) recurring capital expenditures. Other REITs may calculate AFFO differently than we do and accordingly, our AFFO may not be comparable to other REITs' AFFO. AFFO should be considered only as a supplement to net income computed in accordance with GAAP as a measure of our performance.

EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA:We believe that earnings before interest, loss from early extinguishment of debt, income taxes, and depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA, and Adjusted EBITDA (as defined below), are useful supplemental performance measures because they allow investors to view our performance without the impact of non-cash depreciation and amortization or the cost of debt and, with respect to Adjusted EBITDA, unconsolidated joint venture real estate related depreciation & amortization, unconsolidated joint venture interest expense and tax, severance, equity acceleration, and legal expenses, transaction and integration expenses, gain on sale / deconsolidation, other non-core adjustments, net, non-controlling interests, preferred stock dividends, including undeclared dividends, and issuance costs associated with redeemed preferred stock. Adjusted EBITDA is EBITDA excluding unconsolidated joint venture real estate related depreciation & amortization, unconsolidated joint venture interest expense and tax, severance, equity acceleration, and legal expenses, transaction and integration expenses, gain on sale / deconsolidation, impairment of investments in real estate, other non-core adjustments, net, non-controlling interests, preferred stock dividends, including undeclared dividends, and issuance costs associated with redeemed preferred stock. In addition, we believe EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are frequently used by securities analysts, investors and other interested parties in the evaluation of REITs. Because EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are calculated before recurring cash charges including interest expense and income taxes, exclude capitalized costs, such as leasing commissions, and are not adjusted for capital expenditures or other recurring cash requirements of our business, their utility as a measure of our performance is limited. Other REITs may calculate EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA differently than we do and, accordingly, our EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to other REITs' EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA. Accordingly, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA should be considered only as supplements to net income computed in accordance with GAAP as a measure of our financial performance.

Net Operating Income (NOI) and Cash NOI:Net operating income, or NOI, represents rental revenue, tenant reimbursement revenue and interconnection revenue less utilities expense, rental property operating expenses, property taxes and insurance expenses (as reflected in the statement of operations). NOI is commonly used by stockholders, company management and industry analysts as a measurement of operating performance of the company's rental portfolio. Cash NOI is NOI less straight-line rents and above- and below-market rent amortization. Cash NOI is commonly used by stockholders, company management and industry analysts as a measure of property operating performance on a cash basis. However, because NOI and cash NOI exclude depreciation and amortization and capture neither the changes in the value of our data centers that result from use or market conditions, nor the level of capital expenditures and capitalized leasing commissions necessary to maintain the operating performance of our data centers, all of which have real economic effect and could materially impact our results from operations, the utility of NOI and cash NOI as measures of our performance is limited. Other REITs may calculate NOI and cash NOI differently than we do and, accordingly, our NOI and cash NOI may not be comparable to other REITs' NOI and cash NOI. NOI and cash NOI should be considered only as supplements to net income computed in accordance with GAAP as measures of our performance.

Additional Definitions

Net debt-to-Adjusted EBITDA ratio is calculated using total debt at balance sheet carrying value, plus capital lease obligations, plus our share of JV debt, less unrestricted cash and cash equivalents (including JV share of cash) divided by the product of Adjusted EBITDA (inclusive of our share of JV EBITDA) multiplied by four.

Debt-plus-preferred-to-total enterprise value is mortgage debt and other loans plus preferred stock divided by mortgage debt and other loans plus the liquidation value of preferred stock and the market value of outstanding Digital Realty Trust, Inc. common stock and Digital Realty Trust, L.P. units, assuming the redemption of Digital Realty Trust, L.P. units for shares of Digital Realty Trust, Inc. common stock.

Fixed charge coverage ratio is Adjusted EBITDA divided by the sum of GAAP interest expense, capitalized interest, scheduled debt principal payments and preferred dividends. For the quarter ended March 31, 2021, GAAP interest expense was $76 million, capitalized interest was $11 million and scheduled debt principal payments and preferred dividends was $14 million.



Reconciliation of Net Operating Income (NOI)Three Months Ended

(in thousands) 31-Mar-2131-Dec-2031-Mar-20



Operating income $192,518$160,264$100,049



Fee income (2,426) (4,722) (2,452)

Other income (59) (20) (813)

Depreciation and amortization 369,733 359,915 291,457

General and administrative 97,568 101,582 62,266

Severance, equity acceleration, and legal 2,427 606 1,272 expenses

Transaction expenses 14,120 19,290 56,801

Other expenses (257) 641 114



Net Operating Income $673,624$637,556$508,694





Cash Net Operating Income (Cash NOI)



Net Operating Income $673,624$637,556$508,694



Straight-line rental revenue (18,607)(15,451)(13,392)

Straight-line rental expense 6,583 3,499 1,496

Above- and below-market rent amortization 2,137 3,239 3,294



Cash Net Operating Income $663,737$628,843$500,092

This document contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, which are based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially. Such forward-looking statements include statements relating to: our expected investment and expansion activity, COVID-19, our liquidity, our joint ventures, supply and demand for data center and colocation space, our acquisition and disposition activity, pricing and net effective leasing economics, market dynamics and data center fundamentals, our strategic priorities, rent from leases that have been signed but have not yet commenced and other contracted rent to be received in future periods, rental rates on future leases, lag between signing and commencement, cap rates and yields, investment activity, the company's FFO, core FFO and net income, 2021 outlook and underlying assumptions, information related to trends, our strategy and plans, leasing expectations, weighted average lease terms, the exercise of lease extensions, lease expirations, debt maturities, annualized rent at expiration of leases, the effect new leases and increases in rental rates will have on our rental revenue, our credit ratings, construction and development activity and plans, projected construction costs, estimated yields on investment, expected occupancy, expected square footage and IT load capacity upon completion of development projects, 2021 backlog NOI, NAV components, and other forward-looking financial data. Such statements are based on management's beliefs and assumptions made based on information currently available to management. Such statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions and are not guarantees of future performance and may be affected by known and unknown risks, trends, uncertainties and factors that are beyond our control. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those anticipated, estimated or projected. Some of the risks and uncertainties that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements include, among others, the following:

* reduced demand for data centers or decreases in information technology spending; * increased competition or available supply of data center space; * decreased rental rates, increased operating costs or increased vacancy rates; * the suitability of our data centers and data center infrastructure, delays or disruptions in connectivity or availability of power, or failures or breaches of our physical and information security infrastructure or services; * our dependence upon significant customers, bankruptcy or insolvency of a major customer or a significant number of smaller customers, or defaults on or non-renewal of leases by customers; * our ability to attract and retain customers; * breaches of our obligations or restrictions under our contracts with our customers; * our inability to successfully develop and lease new properties and development space, and delays or unexpected costs in development of properties; * the impact of current global and local economic, credit and market conditions; * our inability to retain data center space that we lease or sublease from third parties; * information security and data privacy breaches; * difficulty managing an international business and acquiring or operating properties in foreign jurisdictions and unfamiliar metropolitan areas; * our failure to realize the intended benefits from, or disruptions to our plans and operations or unknown or contingent liabilities related to, our recent acquisitions; * our failure to successfully integrate and operate acquired or developed properties or businesses; * difficulties in identifying properties to acquire and completing acquisitions; * risks related to joint venture investments, including as a result of our lack of control of such investments; * risks associated with using debt to fund our business activities, including re-financing and interest rate risks, our failure to repay debt when due, adverse changes in our credit ratings or our breach of covenants or other terms contained in our loan facilities and agreements; * our failure to obtain necessary debt and equity financing, and our dependence on external sources of capital; * financial market fluctuations and changes in foreign currency exchange rates; * adverse economic or real estate developments in our industry or the industry sectors that we sell to, including risks relating to decreasing real estate valuations and impairment charges and goodwill and other intangible asset impairment charges; * our inability to manage our growth effectively; * losses in excess of our insurance coverage; * our inability to attract and retain talent; * impact on our operations and on the operations of our customers, suppliers and business partners during a pandemic, such as COVID-19; * environmental liabilities, risks related to natural disasters and our inability to achieve our sustainability goals; * our inability to comply with rules and regulations applicable to our company; * Digital Realty Trust, Inc.'s failure to maintain its status as a REIT for federal income tax purposes; * Digital Realty Trust, L.P.'s failure to qualify as a partnership for federal income tax purposes; * restrictions on our ability to engage in certain business activities; * changes in local, state, federal and international laws and regulations, including related to taxation, real estate and zoning laws, and increases in real property tax rates; and * the impact of any financial, accounting, legal or regulatory issues or litigation that may affect us.

The risks included here are not exhaustive, and additional factors could adversely affect our business and financial performance. Several additional material risks are discussed in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Those risks continue to be relevant to our performance and financial condition. Moreover, we operate in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risk factors emerge from time to time and it is not possible for management to predict all such risk factors, nor can it assess the impact of all such risk factors on the business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. We expressly disclaim any responsibility to update forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Digital Realty, Digital Realty Trust, the Digital Realty logo, Turn-Key Flex and Powered Base Building are registered trademarks and service marks of Digital Realty Trust, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries.

View original content: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/digital-realty-reports-first-quarter-2021-results-301280680.html

SOURCE Digital Realty