COPT Enters into $250 Million Term Loan to Pre-Fund 2016 Debt Maturities

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COLUMBIA, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Corporate Office Properties Trust (“COPT” or the “Company”) (NYSE: OFC) entered into a $250 million term loan agreement (the “Term Loan”) on December 17, 2015. The seven-year Term Loan has a delayed draw feature and a variable interest rate of LIBOR plus 1.40% to 2.35%, depending on the Company’s credit rating. The Company has entered an interest rate hedge to effectively fix LIBOR at 190 basis points starting September 1, 2016 for the term of the loan which, based on the Company’s current credit rating/spread, fixes the interest rate at 3.70%.

Capital One, National Association, PNC Capital Markets LLC and Regions Capital Markets, acted as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners. Capital One acted as Administrative Agent; PNC Bank, National Association and Regions Bank acted as Syndication Agents.

The Company used $100 million of proceeds from the Term Loan to repay $100 million of term loan debt that was scheduled to mature in March 2016, and will draw the remaining funds in July to refinance $150 million of the $162.5 million secured debt that is payable at par on July 1, 2016. That secured debt bears interest at a fixed rate of 7.25%.

Company Information

COPT is an office REIT that focuses primarily on serving the specialized requirements of U.S. Government agencies and defense contractors, most of which are engaged in defense information technology and national security-related activities. As of September 30, 2015, COPT derived 75% of its core portfolio’s annualized revenue from its strategic niche properties and 25% from its regional office properties. The Company generally acquires, develops, manages and leases office and data center properties concentrated in large office parks primarily located near knowledge-based government demand drivers and/or in targeted markets or submarkets in the Greater Washington, DC/Baltimore region. As of September 30, 2015, the Company’s core portfolio consisted of 164 office properties totaling 17.5 million rentable square feet. COPT is an S&P MidCap 400 company.

Forward-Looking Information

This press release may contain “forward-looking” statements, as defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, that are based on the Company’s current expectations, estimates and projections about future events and financial trends affecting the Company. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “estimate,” “plan” or other comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which the Company cannot predict with accuracy and some of which the Company might not even anticipate. Accordingly, the Company can give no assurance that these expectations, estimates and projections will be achieved. Future events and actual results may differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements.

Important factors that may affect these expectations, estimates, and projections include, but are not limited to:

  • general economic and business conditions, which will, among other things, affect office property and data center demand and rents, tenant creditworthiness, interest rates, financing availability and property values;
  • adverse changes in the real estate markets including, among other things, increased competition with other companies;
  • governmental actions and initiatives, including risks associated with the impact of a prolonged government shutdown or budgetary reductions or impasses, such as a reduction in rental revenues, non-renewal of leases, and/or a curtailment of demand for additional space by the Company's strategic customers;
  • the Company’s ability to borrow on favorable terms;
  • risks of real estate acquisition and development activities, including, among other things, risks that development projects may not be completed on schedule, that tenants may not take occupancy or pay rent or that development or operating costs may be greater than anticipated;
  • risks of investing through joint venture structures, including risks that the Company’s joint venture partners may not fulfill their financial obligations as investors or may take actions that are inconsistent with the Company’s objectives;
  • changes in the Company’s plans for properties or views of market economic conditions or failure to obtain development rights, either of which could result in recognition of significant impairment losses;
  • the Company’s ability to satisfy and operate effectively under Federal income tax rules relating to real estate investment trusts and partnerships;
  • the Company's ability to achieve projected results;
  • the dilutive effects of issuing additional common shares; and
  • environmental requirements.

The Company undertakes no obligation to update or supplement any forward-looking statements. For further information, please refer to the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, particularly the section entitled “Risk Factors” in Item 1A of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014.

Corporate Office Properties Trust
IR Contacts:
Stephanie Krewson
VP, Investor Relations
443-285-5453
stephanie.krewson@copt.com
or
Michelle Layne
Investor Relations Manager
443-285-5452
michelle.layne@copt.com

Source: Corporate Office Properties Trust

Released December 17, 2015