Whitestone REIT (WSR) 10-K2022 FY Annual report

Unless the context otherwise requires, all references in this Annual Report on Form 10-K to the “Company,” “we,” “us” or “our” are to Whitestone REIT and its consolidated subsidiaries.

Forward-Looking Statements

The following discussion should be read in conjunction with our audited consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. 

This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including discussion and analysis of our financial condition, anticipated capital expenditures required to complete projects, amounts of anticipated cash distributions to our shareholders in the future and other matters. These forward-looking statements are not historical facts but reflect the intent, belief or current expectations of our management based on its knowledge and understanding of our business and industry. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by the use of terms such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “potential,” “predicts,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates” or the negative of such terms and variations of these words and similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements include these words. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond our control, are difficult to predict and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in the forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements that were true at the time made may ultimately prove to be incorrect or false. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect our management’s view only as of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We undertake no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect changed assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events or changes to future operating results. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statements made in this Annual Report on Form 10-K include:

The forward-looking statements should be read in light of these factors and the factors identified in the “Risk Factors” section of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

PART I    

Item 1.  Business.

General

We are a Maryland REIT engaged in owning and operating commercial properties in culturally diverse markets in major metropolitan areas.  We have elected to be taxed as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).

We are internally managed and, as of December 31, 2022, we wholly-owned a real estate portfolio of 57 properties that meet our Community Centered Property® strategy containing approximately 5.1 million square feet of gross leasable area (“GLA”), located in Texas, Arizona and Illinois.  Our consolidated property portfolio has a gross book value of approximately $1.2 billion and book equity, including noncontrolling interests, of approximately $424 million as of December 31, 2022.

Further, as of December 31, 2022, we, through our equity-method investment in Pillarstone Capital REIT Operating Partnership LP (“Pillarstone” or “Pillarstone OP”), owned a majority interest in eight properties that do not meet our Community Centered Property® strategy containing approximately 0.9 million square feet of GLA (the “Pillarstone Properties”). We own 81.4% of the total outstanding units of Pillarstone OP, which we account for using the equity method. We also managed the day-to-day operations of Pillarstone OP pursuant to a management agreement, which was terminated on August 18, 2022. In this Annual Report on Form 10-K, unless otherwise indicated, we do not include the Pillarstone Properties when we refer to our properties.

Our common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.001 per share, are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) under the ticker symbol “WSR.”  Our offices are located at 2600 South Gessner Road, Suite 500, Houston, Texas 77063.  Our telephone number is (713) 827-9595 and we maintain a website at www.whitestonereit.com. The contents of our website are not incorporated into this filing.

Our Strategy

In October 2006, we adopted a strategic plan to acquire, redevelop, own and operate Community Centered Properties®. We define Community Centered Properties® as visibly located properties in established or developing culturally diverse neighborhoods in our target markets. We market, lease and manage our centers to match tenants with the shared needs of the surrounding neighborhood. Those needs may include specialty retail, grocery, restaurants, medical, educational, financial services, entertainment and experiences. Our goal is for each property to become a Whitestone-branded retail community that serves a neighboring five-mile radius around our property. We employ and develop a diverse group of associates who understand the needs of our multicultural communities and tenants.

Our primary business objective is to increase shareholder value by acquiring, owning and operating Community Centered Properties®. The key elements of our strategy include:

Our Structure

Substantially all of our business is conducted through Whitestone REIT Operating Partnership, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership organized in 1998 (the “Operating Partnership”).  We are the sole general partner of the Operating Partnership.  As of December 31, 2022, we owned a 98.6% interest in the Operating Partnership.

As of December 31, 2022, we wholly-owned a real estate portfolio consisting of 57 properties located in three states.  The aggregate occupancy rate of our portfolio was 94% based on GLA as of December 31, 2022.

We are hands-on owners who directly manage the operations and leasing of our properties.  Substantially all of our revenues consist of base rents received under varying term leases.  For the year ended December 31, 2022, our total revenues were approximately $139.4 million.  

Additionally, we, through our equity-method investment in Pillarstone, owned a majority interest in eight properties located in Dallas and Houston, Texas. The aggregate occupancy rate of the Pillarstone properties was approximately 56% based on GLA as of December 31, 2022.

Our largest property, BLVD Place (“BLVD”), a retail community purchased on May 26, 2017 and located in Houston, Texas, accounted for 11.0% of our total revenues for the year ended December 31, 2022. BLVD also accounted for 16.0% of our consolidated real estate assets, net of accumulated depreciation, as of the year ended December 31, 2022.

Competition

All of our properties are located in areas that include competing properties.  The amount of competition in a particular area could impact our ability to acquire additional real estate, sell current real estate, lease space and the amount of rent we are able to charge.  We may be competing with owners, developers and operators, including, but not limited to, real estate investors, other REITs, insurance companies and pension funds.

Should we decide to dispose of a property, we may compete with third-party sellers of similar types of commercial properties for suitable purchasers, which may result in our receiving lower net proceeds from a sale or in our not being able to dispose of such property at a time of our choosing due to the lack of an acceptable return. In operating and managing our properties, we compete for tenants based upon a number of factors including, but not limited to, location, rental rates, security, flexibility, expertise to design space to meet prospective tenants’ needs and the manner in which the property is operated, maintained and marketed. We may be required to provide rent concessions, incur charges for tenant improvements and other inducements, or we may not be able to timely lease vacant space, all of which could adversely impact our results of operations.

Many of our competitors have greater financial and other resources than us and also may have more operating experience. Generally, there are other neighborhood and community retail centers within relatively close proximity to each of our properties. There is, however, no dominant competitor in the Austin, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Phoenix and San Antonio metropolitan areas. Our retail tenants also face increasing competition from outlet malls, internet retailers, catalog companies, direct mail and telemarketing.

Compliance with Governmental Regulations

Under various federal and state environmental laws and regulations, as an owner or operator of real estate, we may be required to investigate and clean up certain hazardous or toxic substances, asbestos-containing materials, or petroleum product releases at our properties. We may also be held liable to a governmental entity or to third parties for property damage and for investigation and cleanup costs incurred by those parties in connection with any such contamination. In addition, some environmental laws create a lien on a contaminated site in favor of the government for damages and costs the government incurs in connection with contamination on the site. The presence of contamination or the failure to remediate contamination at any of our properties may adversely affect our ability to sell or lease the properties or to borrow using the properties as collateral. We could also be liable under common law to third parties for damages and injuries resulting from environmental contamination coming from our properties.

We will not purchase any property unless we are generally satisfied with the environmental status of the property. We typically obtain a Phase I environmental site assessment for each new acquisition, which includes a visual survey of the building and the property in an attempt to identify areas of potential environmental concerns, visually observing neighboring properties to assess surface conditions or activities that may have an adverse environmental impact on the property, and contacting local governmental agency personnel and performing a regulatory agency file search in an attempt to determine any known environmental concerns in the immediate vicinity of the property. A Phase I environmental site assessment does not include any sampling or testing of soil, groundwater or building materials from the property.

We believe that our properties are in compliance in all material respects with all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations regarding the handling, discharge and emission of hazardous or toxic substances. Because release of chlorinated solvents can occur as a result of dry cleaning operations, we participate in the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Dry Cleaner Remediation Program (“DCRP”) with respect to four of our properties that currently or previously had a dry cleaning facility as a tenant. The DCRP administers the Dry Cleaning Remediation fund to assist with remediation of contamination caused by dry cleaning solvents.

We have not been notified by any governmental authority, and are not otherwise aware of any material noncompliance, liability or claim relating to hazardous or toxic substances in connection with any of our present or former properties. Nevertheless, it is possible that the environmental assessments conducted thus far and currently available to us do not reveal all potential environmental liabilities. It is also possible that subsequent investigations will identify material contamination or other adverse conditions, that adverse environmental conditions have arisen subsequent to the performance of the environmental assessments, or that there are material environmental liabilities of which management is unaware.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), all places of public accommodation are required to meet certain federal requirements related to access and use by disabled persons. Our properties must comply with the ADA to the extent that they are considered “public accommodations” as defined by the ADA. The ADA may require removal of structural barriers to access by persons with disabilities in public areas of our properties where such removal is readily achievable. We believe that our properties are in substantial compliance with the ADA and that we will not be required to make substantial capital expenditures to address the requirements of the ADA. In addition, we will continue to assess our compliance with the ADA and to make alterations to our properties as required.

Human Capital

We believe that our people are the heart of our culture, philosophy and strategy. Our employees are in direct contact with our tenants and the communities we serve. We continually focus on developing associates who are self-disciplined and motivated and display at all times a high degree of character and competence. Employee engagement is critical to our long term success, so employees’ performance are reviewed annually. Key employees are provided with equity incentives to align their interests with those of our shareholders. Every Whitestone associate is encouraged to be an owner. 

As of December 31, 2022, we had 75 full-time employees.

Diversity: We strive to create a culture of inclusivity and think of our shareholders, our tenants, and our communities as one. Every year, we hold diversity and sensitivity training for management and associates to reiterate the importance within our organization and to ensure that all associates practice this approach both internally and externally. We do not tolerate disrespectful or inappropriate behavior, unfair treatment, retaliation or harassment of any kind. In addition, pursuant to our bylaws, we seek to nominate trustees to the Board that represent a diversity of experience, gender, race, ethnicity and age. Though we have no formal policy addressing diversity, any individual who does not satisfy the qualifications above is not eligible for nomination or election as a trustee. This commitment to diversity applies across our Company.

Employee Retention and Training: We conduct individual annual employee reviews that focus on goal setting as well as informal sessions with associates and executive team members. We created the Real Estate Executive Development program for associates that wish to continue their career and expand their knowledge of Whitestone REIT and real estate. Selected associates are chosen on an annual basis to participate in the program. In addition, for associates that wish to continue their education, whether it be receiving a Bachelors, MBA, or specialized certification, we will help to reimburse a portion of the fees for the program in accordance with Company policy. We also conduct a variety of trainings on an annual basis from OSHA and Safety Regulations to Anti-Harassment Training to ensure we are up-to-date on the most recent standards and regulations.

Compensation and Benefits: We are committed to rewarding, supporting, and developing the associates who make it possible to deliver on our strategy. Our compensation package includes market-competitive pay, broad-based stock grants and bonuses, healthcare benefits, pension and retirement savings plans, among others. We also offer our team a variety of options for College Savings and 401(k) programs, including an employer 401(k) match up to 3.5%. There is a financial planner on site on a quarterly basis to help assist associates choose the best savings options.

Health and Safety: The health and safety of our employees and their families is a top priority. We created an internal program that encourages associates to make healthy choices and lead a healthy lifestyle, including a gym reimbursement program.

Materials Available on Our Website

Copies of our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports, proxy statements with respect to meetings of our shareholders, as well as Reports on Forms 3, 4 and 5 regarding our officers, trustees or 10% beneficial owners, filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a), 15(d) or 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), are available free of charge through our website (www.whitestonereit.com) as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file the material with, or furnish it to, the SEC.  We have also made available on our website copies of our Environmental, Social, and Governance ("ESG") Report, Audit Committee Charter, Compensation Committee Charter, Nominating and Governance Committee Charter, Corporate Governance Guidelines, Insider Trading Compliance Policy, and Code of Business Conduct and Ethics Policy.  In the event of any changes to these documents, revised copies will also be made available on our website. We also use our website as a means of disclosing additional information, including for complying with our disclosure obligations under the SEC's Regulation FD (Fair Disclosure). The SEC maintains an internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC as we do. The website address is http://www.sec.gov. Materials on our website are not part of our Annual Report on Form 10-K. The contents of these websites are not incorporated into this filing.

Financial Information

Additional financial information related to the Company is included in Item 8 “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.”

Item 1A.  Risk Factors.

In addition to the other information contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, the following risk factors should be considered carefully in evaluating our business.  Our business, financial condition, results of operations or the trading price of our common shares could be materially adversely affected by any of these risks.  Please note that additional risks not presently known to us or which we currently consider immaterial may also impair our business and operations.

Risks Associated with Real Estate

Real estate property investments are illiquid due to a variety of factors and therefore we may not be able to dispose of properties when appropriate or on favorable terms.

Our strategy includes opportunistically selling properties that do not have the potential to meet our Community Centered Property® strategy. However, real estate property investments generally cannot be disposed of quickly. In addition, the Code imposes certain restrictions on the ability of a REIT to dispose of properties that are not applicable to other types of real estate companies. Therefore, we may not be able to vary our portfolio in response to economic or other conditions promptly or on favorable terms, which could cause us to incur extended losses, reduce our cash flows and adversely affect distributions to shareholders.

We cannot predict whether we will be able to sell any property for the price or on the terms set by us or whether any price or other terms offered by a prospective purchaser would be acceptable to us, nor can we predict the length of time needed to find a willing purchaser and to close the sale of a property. To the extent we are unable to sell any properties for our book value, we may be required to take a non-cash impairment charge or loss on the sale, either of which would reduce our net income.

We may be required to expend resources to correct defects or to make improvements before a property can be sold. We cannot assure that we will have funds available to correct those defects or to make those improvements, which may impede our ability to sell a property. Further, we may agree to transfer restrictions that materially restrict us from selling a property for a period of time or impose other restrictions, such as a limitation on the amount of debt that can be placed or repaid on that property. These transfer restrictions could impede our ability to sell a property even if we deem it necessary or appropriate. These facts and any others that would further contribute to the illiquid character of real estate properties and impede our ability to respond to adverse changes in the performance of our properties may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, our ability to make distributions to our shareholders and the trading price of our common shares.

Our business is dependent upon our tenants successfully operating their businesses, and their failure to do so could have a material adverse effect on our ability to successfully and profitably operate our business.

We depend on our tenants to operate their businesses in a manner that generates revenues sufficient to allow them to meet their obligations to us, including their obligations to pay rent, maintain certain insurance coverage, pay real estate taxes and maintain the properties in a manner so as not to jeopardize their operating licenses or regulatory status. The ability of our tenants to fulfill their obligations under our leases may depend, in part, upon the overall profitability of their operations. A number of our tenants operate service and retail businesses that require in-person interactions with their customers to generate revenues, and the COVID-19 pandemic affected customers’ willingness to frequent some of our tenants’ businesses, which has impacted and may continue to impact their ability to fulfill their obligations to us in the event of a resurgence of COVID-19 or the rise of a variant of the virus. Although the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic appears to be much improved, with most tenant businesses operating at pre-pandemic levels, for certain categories of our tenants, such as dry cleaners and fitness tenants, the negative impact of COVID-19 was more severe and the recovery is still in progress. Cash flow generated by the businesses of certain tenants may not be sufficient for such tenants to meet their obligations to us and in some cases we may need to secure replacement tenants. Our financial position could be weakened and our ability to fulfill our obligations under our indebtedness and make distributions to our shareholders could be limited if a number of our tenants were unable to meet their obligations to us or failed to renew or extend their relationships with us as their lease terms expire, or if we were unable to lease or re-lease our properties on economically favorable terms.

Inflation may adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

Inflation has become a growing concern. Inflationary price increases could have an adverse effect on consumer spending, which could impact our tenants’ sales and, in turn, our tenants’ business operations. This could affect the amount of rent these tenants pay, including if their leases provide for percentage rent or percentage of sales rent, and their ability to pay rent. Also, inflation could cause increases in operating expenses, which could increase occupancy costs for tenants and, to the extent that we are unable to recover operating expenses from tenants, could increase operating expenses for us. In addition, if the rate of inflation exceeds the scheduled rent increases included in our leases, then our net operating income and our profitability would decrease. Continued inflation could also result in further increases in market interest rates, which could not only negatively impact consumer spending and tenant investment decisions but would also increase the borrowing costs associated with our existing or any future variable rate debt, to the extent such rates are not effectively hedged or fixed, or any future debt that we incur.

Disruption in capital markets could adversely impact acquisition activities and pricing of real estate assets.

Volatility or other disruption in capital markets could adversely affect our access to or the cost of debt and equity capital, which could adversely affect our acquisition and other investment activities. Disruptions could include price volatility or decreased demand in equity markets, further increasing interest rates, tightening of underwriting standards by lenders and credit rating agencies and the significant inventory of unsold collateralized mortgage backed securities in the market. As a result, we may not be able to obtain favorable equity and debt financing in the future or at all. This may impair our ability to acquire properties at favorable returns or adversely affect our returns on investments in development and re-development projects, which may adversely affect our results of operations and distributions to shareholders. Turmoil in the capital markets could adversely impact the overall amount of capital available to invest in real estate, which may result in price or value decreases of real estate assets.

All of our properties are subject to property taxes that may increase in the future, which could adversely affect our cash flow.

Our properties are subject to property taxes that may increase as property tax rates change and as the properties are assessed or reassessed by taxing authorities. As the owner of the properties, we are ultimately responsible for payment of the taxes to the government. If property taxes increase, our tenants may be unable to make the required tax payments, ultimately requiring us to pay the taxes. In addition, we will generally be responsible for property taxes related to any vacant space.

Our assets may be subject to impairment charges.

We periodically evaluate our real estate investments and other assets for impairment indicators. The judgment regarding the existence of impairment indicators is based on factors such as market conditions, tenant performance and legal structure. If we determine that a significant impairment has occurred, we would be required to make an adjustment to the net carrying value of the asset, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and funds from operations in the period in which the write-off occurs.

Compliance or failure to comply with laws requiring access to our properties by disabled persons could result in substantial cost.

The ADA and other federal, state and local laws generally require public accommodations be made accessible to disabled persons. Noncompliance with these laws could result in the imposition of fines by the government or the award of damages to private litigants. These laws may require us to modify our existing properties, which could require a significant investment of our cash resources that could otherwise be invested in more productive assets. These laws may also restrict renovations by requiring improved access to such buildings by disabled persons or may require us to add other structural features which increase our construction costs. Legislation or regulations adopted in the future may impose further obligations, restrictions or increased compliance costs on us with respect to improved access by disabled persons. We may incur unanticipated expenses that may be material to our financial condition or results of operations to comply with ADA and other federal, state and local laws, or in connection with lawsuits brought by private litigants.

We face intense competition, which may decrease, or prevent increases of, the occupancy and rental rates of our properties.

We compete with a number of developers, owners and operators of commercial real estate, many of whom own properties similar to ours in the same markets in which our properties are located. If our competitors offer space at rental rates below current market rates, or below the rental rates we currently charge our tenants, we may lose existing or potential tenants and may be pressured to reduce our rental rates below those we currently charge or to offer more substantial rent abatements, tenant improvements, early termination rights or below-market renewal options in order to retain tenants when their leases expire. This competitive environment could have a material adverse effect on our ability to lease our properties or any newly developed or acquired property, as well as on the rents charged.

Our acquisition strategy includes acquiring distressed commercial real estate, and we could face significant competition from other investors, REITs, hedge funds, private equity funds and other private real estate investors with greater financial resources and access to capital. Therefore, we may not be able to compete successfully for investments. In addition, the number of entities and the amount of purchasers competing for suitable investments may increase, all of which could result in competition for accretive acquisition opportunities and adversely affect our business plan and our ability to maintain our current dividend rate. 

Risks Associated with Our Operations

Because a majority of our GLA is in the Houston and Phoenix metropolitan areas, an economic downturn in either area could adversely impact our operations and ability to make distributions to our shareholders.

The majority of our assets and revenues are currently derived from properties located in the Houston and Phoenix metropolitan areas. As of December 31, 2022, 24% and 45% of our GLA was located in Houston and Phoenix, respectively. Our results of operations are directly affected by our ability to attract financially sound commercial tenants. A significant economic downturn in the Houston or Phoenix metropolitan area may adversely impact our ability to locate and retain financially sound tenants, could have an adverse impact on our existing tenants’ revenues, costs and results of operations and may adversely affect their ability to meet their obligations to us. Likewise, we may be required to lower our rental rates to attract desirable tenants in such an environment. Consequently, because of the geographic concentration among our current assets, if either the Houston or Phoenix metropolitan area were to experience an economic downturn, our operations and ability to make distributions to our shareholders could be adversely impacted.

The COVID-19 pandemic has in the past and may continue to materially and adversely impact and disrupt our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Any future outbreak of any COVID-19 variants or any other highly infectious or contagious disease could have a similar impact.

The continued impact of COVID-19, including any resurgences or the rise of any variants of the virus, future pandemics or other health crises may heighten other risks discussed herein, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and market value. A worsening of the COVID-19 pandemic or outbreaks of other highly infectious diseases could materially and adversely affect us, particularly if business conditions, the regulatory environment or the public health situation returns to that experienced during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. These types of health crises may impact our business in the following ways:

Because substantially all of our income is derived from rentals of commercial real property, our business, income, cash flow, results of operations, financial condition, liquidity, prospects and ability to service our debt obligations and our ability to pay dividends and other distributions to our shareholders would be adversely affected if a significant number of tenants are unable to meet their obligations or their revenues decline. The extent to which a resurgence of COVID-19 pandemic, or a future pandemic, impacts our operations and those of our tenants will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted with confidence.

We lease our properties to approximately 1,500 tenants and leases for approximately 10% to 20% of our GLA expire annually. Each year we face the risk of non-renewal of a significant percentage of our leases and the cost of re-leasing a significant amount of our available space, and our failure to meet leasing targets and control the cost of re-leasing our properties could adversely affect our rental revenue, operating expenses and results of operations.

Our Community Centered Property® business model produces shorter term leases to smaller, non-national tenants, and substantially all of our revenues consist of base rents received under these leases. As of December 31, 2022, approximately 30% of the aggregate GLA of our properties is subject to leases that expire prior to December 31, 2024. We are subject to the risk that:

We routinely seek to renew leases with our existing tenants prior to their expiration and typically begin discussions with tenants as early as 18 months prior to the expiration date of the existing lease. While our early renewal program and other leasing and marketing efforts provide early focus on expiring leases, and have generally been effective in producing lease renewals prior to expiration of the leases at rates comparable to or slightly in excess of the current rates, market conditions, including new supply of properties, and macroeconomic conditions in our markets and nationally, including rising interest rates, could adversely impact our renewal rate and/or the rental rates we are able to negotiate. If any of these risks materialize, our rental revenue, operating expenses and results of operations could be adversely affected.

Many of our tenants are small businesses, which may have a higher risk of bankruptcy or insolvency.

Many of our tenants are small businesses that depend primarily on cash flows from their operations to pay their rent and without other resources could be at a higher risk of bankruptcy or insolvency than larger, national tenants. If tenants are unable to comply with the terms of our leases, we may be forced to modify the leases in ways that are unfavorable to us. Alternatively, the failure of a tenant to perform under a lease could require us to declare a default, repossess the space and find a suitable replacement tenant. There is no assurance that we would be able to lease the space on substantially equivalent or better terms than the prior lease, or at all, or successfully reposition the space for other uses. If one or more of our tenants files for bankruptcy relief, the Bankruptcy Code provides that a debtor has the option to assume or reject the unexpired lease within a certain period of time.

Any bankruptcy filing by or relating to one or more of our tenants could bar all efforts by us to collect pre-bankruptcy debts from that tenant or seize its property. A tenant bankruptcy could also delay our efforts to collect past due balances under the lease and could ultimately preclude collection of all or a portion of these sums. It is possible that we may recover substantially less than the full value of any unsecured claims we hold, if any. Furthermore, dealing with a tenant’s bankruptcy or other default may divert management’s attention and cause us to incur substantial legal and other costs. The bankruptcy or insolvency of a number of smaller tenants may have an adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations, our ability to make distributions to our shareholders and the trading price of our common shares.

Uninsured losses relating to real property or excessively expensive premiums for insurance coverage may adversely affect our returns.

We attempt to adequately insure all of our properties to cover casualty losses. However, there are types of losses, generally catastrophic in nature, such as losses due to wars, acts of terrorism, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, pollution or environmental matters, including as a result of climate change, which are uninsurable or not economically insurable, or may be insured subject to limitations, such as large deductibles or co-payments. Our current geographic concentration in the Houston metropolitan area potentially increases the risk of damage to our portfolio due to hurricanes. Insurance risks associated with potential terrorism acts could sharply increase the premiums we pay for coverage against property and casualty claims. In some instances, we may be required to provide other financial support, either through financial assurances or self-insurance, to cover potential losses. We cannot assure you that we will have adequate coverage for these losses. Also, to the extent we must pay unexpectedly large insurance premiums, we could suffer reduced earnings that would result in less cash to be distributed to shareholders.

Discovery of previously undetected environmentally hazardous conditions may adversely affect our operating results.

Under various federal, state and local environmental laws, ordinances and regulations, a current or previous owner or operator of real property may be liable for the cost of removal or remediation of hazardous or toxic substances on, under or in its property. The costs of removal or remediation could be substantial. These laws often impose liability whether or not the owner or operator knew of, or was responsible for, the presence of any hazardous or toxic substances. Environmental laws also may impose restrictions on the manner in which a property may be used or businesses may be operated, and these restrictions may require substantial expenditures. Environmental laws provide for sanctions in the event of noncompliance and may be enforced by governmental agencies or, in certain circumstances, by private parties. Certain environmental laws and common law principles could be used to impose liability for release of and exposure to hazardous substances, including asbestos containing materials into the air. In addition, third parties may seek recovery from owners or operators of real properties for personal injury or property damage associated with exposure to released hazardous substances. The cost of defending against claims of liability, of compliance with environmental regulatory requirements, of remediating any contaminated property, or of paying personal injury claims could materially adversely affect our business, assets or results of operations and, consequently, amounts available for distributions to our shareholders.

Certain of our properties currently include or have in the past included a dry cleaning facility as a tenant. See “Business - Compliance with Governmental Regulations.”

Our success depends in part on our ability to execute our Community Centered Property® strategy.

Our Community Centered Property® strategy requires intensive management of a large number of small spaces and small tenant relationships. Our success depends in part upon our management’s ability to identify potential Community Centered Properties® and find and maintain the appropriate tenants to create such a property. Lack of market acceptance of our Community Centered Property® strategy or our inability to successfully attract and manage a large number of tenant relationships could adversely affect our occupancy rates, operating results and dividend rate.

Our business is significantly influenced by demand for retail space generally, and a decrease in such demand may have a greater adverse effect on our business than if we owned a more diversified real estate portfolio.

Because our portfolio of properties consists primarily of community and neighborhood shopping centers, a decrease in the demand for retail space, due to the economic factors discussed above or otherwise, may have a greater adverse effect on our business and financial condition than if we owned a more diversified real estate portfolio. The market for retail space has been, and could continue to be, adversely affected by weakness in the national, regional and local economies, the adverse financial conditions of some retailing companies, the ongoing consolidation in the retail sector, the excess amount of retail space in a number of markets, health and safety concerns and increasing online consumer purchases.

We face risks relating to cybersecurity attacks, loss of confidential information and other business disruptions.

Our business is at risk from and may be impacted by cybersecurity attacks, including attempts to gain unauthorized access to our confidential data and other electronic security breaches. Such cyber-attacks can range from individual attempts to gain unauthorized access to our information technology systems to more sophisticated security threats. We have experienced cyber-attacks, and while to date none of these incidents have been material to our operations, we expect to continue to face such threats in the future. We employ a number of measures to prevent, detect and mitigate these threats, but especially in light of increasingly sophisticated techniques used in cybersecurity attacks, there is no guarantee such efforts will be successful in preventing future cyber-attacks where we cannot fully anticipate, detect, repel, or implement fully effective preventative measures. In addition, cybersecurity incidents could compromise the confidential information of our tenants, employees and third party vendors that we collect in the ordinary course of our business. Laws and expectations relating to data protection and privacy vary by jurisdiction and continue to evolve, and we believe increased regulation in additional jurisdictions is likely to develop in the future. For example, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) that went into effect on January 1, 2020, as amended to include additional privacy protection for consumers by the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) that went into effect on January 1, 2023, requires covered companies to, among other things, provide new disclosures to California consumers, and afford such consumers new abilities to opt-out of certain sales of personal information. A cyber-attack or our ability or perceived inability to comply with regulations related to cybersecurity and/or data protection and privacy could materially and adversely affect the efficiency of our business operations, which in turn could have a material adverse effect on our reputation, competitiveness and results of operations.

We are subject to risks related to corporate social and environmental responsibility and reputation.

A number of factors influence our reputation and brand value, including how we are perceived by our tenants, business partners, investors, associates, other stakeholders and the communities in which we do business. We face increasing scrutiny related to environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) activities and disclosures and risk damage to our reputation if we fail to act appropriately and responsibly in ESG matters, including, among others, environmental stewardship, supply chain management, climate change, human rights, diversity and inclusion, workplace ethics and conduct, philanthropic activity and support for the communities we serve and in which we operate. Any damage to our reputation could impact the willingness of our business partners and customers to do business with us, or could negatively impact our associate hiring, engagement and retention, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and cash flows.

Loss of our key management could adversely affect performance and the value of our common shares.

We are dependent on the efforts of our key management. Although we believe qualified replacement could be found for any departures of key executives, the loss of their services could adversely affect our performance and the value of our common shares. 

The Pillarstone REIT shareholder rights plan could adversely impact the value of our investment in Pillarstone OP.

On December 26, 2021, the Board of Trustees of Pillarstone REIT adopted a new rights agreement (the “Pillarstone Rights Agreement”), pursuant to which each holder of Pillarstone REIT common stock received one preferred share purchase right (a “Right”) per common share held as of the applicable record date. Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from Pillarstone REIT one one-thousandth (a “Unit”) of a series D preferred share of Pillarstone at a purchase price (“Purchase Price”) of $7.00 per Unit, subject to adjustment. The Rights are exercisable upon the occurrence of certain events as described in the Pillarstone Rights Agreement, including the acquisition by certain holders of 5% or more of the common shares of Pillarstone REIT (an “Acquiring Person”). Upon the acquisition of Pillarstone REIT common shares by an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right (other than an Acquiring Person), will have the right to receive upon exercise a number of Pillarstone REIT common shares having a market value of two times the Purchase Price.

As set forth in the Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement of Pillarstone OP, dated as of December 8, 2016 (the “Pillarstone Partnership Agreement”), we have the contractual right to have our limited partnership interests in Pillarstone redeemed at our discretion. However, upon receipt of a redemption notice, Pillarstone OP has the option to pay the applicable redemption price in cash, based on the market value of Pillarstone REIT common shares, or in Pillarstone REIT common shares.

To the extent we seek to have our partnership units in Pillarstone OP redeemed and Pillarstone OP elects to pay the applicable redemption price in Pillarstone REIT common shares (and such shares represent 5% or more of the outstanding common shares of Pillarstone REIT), the Rights could become exercisable. To the extent the Rights are exercised as a result of our Pillarstone OP units being redeemed for Pillarstone REIT common shares, our ownership interest in Pillarstone REIT would be significantly diluted, which could adversely impact the value of our investment in Pillarstone OP. Because Pillarstone REIT seeks to use the Pillarstone Rights Agreement to prevent Whitestone OP from exercising its contractual Redemption Right, on July 12, 2022, Whitestone OP filed suit against Pillarstone REIT in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware challenging the Pillarstone Rights Agreement due to Pillarstone REIT’s alleged (i) breach of the Pillarstone Partnership Agreement, (ii) breach of its fiduciary duty as general partner of Pillarstone OP to Whitestone OP, and (iii) breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing under the Pillarstone Partnership Agreement. The lawsuit seeks rescission and voiding of the Pillarstone Rights Agreement; a declaration that the Pillarstone Rights Agreement is unenforceable, invalid, and of no force and effect; an order permanently enjoining enforcement of the Pillarstone Rights Agreement; an award of monetary damages; and broad restrictions on Pillarstone REIT’s ability to conduct its business, including buying properties, enforcing the Rights Agreement, incurring expenses, or engaging in transactions.

On September 8, 2022, the Company’s Motion to Preserve the Status Quo was granted by the Court, limiting Pillarstone from engaging in any acts outside the ordinary course of business and otherwise imposing restrictions on Pillarstone to ensure that Whitestone’s right of redemption is not impaired while the underlying dispute is being considered by the Court. While we do not believe the overall impact of the Pillarstone Rights Agreement on the carrying value of our investment in Pillarstone OP is material, we cannot reasonably estimate a range of possible loss at this time.

Risk associated with the Kroger acquisition of Albertsons.

On October 14, 2022, Kroger Co. ("Kroger") announced its intention to acquire Albertsons Companies, Inc. ("Albertsons"). In connection with obtaining the regulatory clearance necessary to close the transaction, Albertsons company is prepared to establish a subsidiary to be spun off to Albertsons' shareholders.  The subsidiary is anticipated by Kroger to comprise 100 to 375 stores.  As of December 31, 2022, Whitestone REIT had 5 grocers owned by Albertsons.  Whitestone REIT has no knowledge as to whether any of the Albertsons' stores currently leasing from Whitestone REIT will be part of Albertsons' subsidiary or if spinoff and the merger will clear the necessary regulatory hurdles in order to close.

Risks Associated with Our Indebtedness and Financing

Current market conditions could adversely affect our ability to refinance existing indebtedness or obtain additional financing for growth on acceptable terms or at all, which could adversely affect our ability to grow, our interest cost and our results of operations.

Turbulence in the United States credit markets have in the past, and may in the future impact liquidity in the debt markets, making financing terms for borrowers less attractive, and may result in the unavailability of various types of debt financing. Reductions in our available borrowing capacity, or inability to refinance our revolving credit facility when required or when business conditions warrant, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, we mortgage many of our properties to secure payment of indebtedness. If we are not successful in refinancing our mortgage debt upon maturity, then the property could be foreclosed upon or transferred to the mortgagee, or we might be forced to dispose of some of our properties upon disadvantageous terms, with a consequent loss of income and asset value. A foreclosure or disadvantageous disposal on one or more of our properties could adversely affect our ability to grow, financial condition, interest cost, results of operations, cash flow and ability to make distributions to our shareholders.

Furthermore, if prevailing interest rates or other factors at the time of refinancing result in higher interest rates upon refinancing, then the interest expense relating to that refinanced indebtedness would increase. Higher interest rates on newly incurred debt may negatively impact us as well. If interest rates continue to increase, our interest costs and overall costs of capital will increase, which could adversely affect our transaction and development activity, financial condition, results of operation, cash flow, our ability to pay principal and interest on our debt and our ability to make distributions to our shareholders.

Our failure to hedge effectively against interest rate changes may adversely affect results of operations.

We currently have mortgages that bear interest at variable rates, and we may incur additional variable rate debt in the future. Accordingly, further increases in interest rates on variable rate debt will continue to increase our interest expense, which could reduce net earnings and cash available for payment of our debt obligations and distributions to our shareholders.

We may seek to manage our exposure to interest rate volatility by using interest rate hedging arrangements, such as interest cap agreements and interest rate swap agreements. These agreements involve risks, such as the risk that counterparties may fail to honor their obligations under these arrangements, that these arrangements may not be effective in reducing our exposure to interest rate changes and that a court could rule that such an agreement is not legally enforceable. In the past, we have used derivative financial instruments to hedge interest rate risks related to our variable rate borrowings. We will not use derivatives for speculative or trading purposes and intend only to enter into contracts with major financial institutions based on their credit rating and other factors, but we may choose to change this practice in the future. As of December 31, 2022, we had fixed rate hedges on $265 million of our variable rate unsecured credit facility. We may enter into additional interest rate swap agreements for our variable rate debt not currently subject to hedges, which totaled $103.5 million as of December 31, 2022. Hedging may reduce the overall returns on our investments. Failure to hedge effectively against interest rate changes may materially and adversely affect our results of operations.

We currently have and may incur additional mortgage indebtedness and other borrowings, which may increase our business risks and may adversely affect our ability to make distributions to our shareholders.

If we determine it to be in our best interests, we may, in some instances, acquire real properties by using either existing financing or borrowing new funds. In addition, we may incur or increase our current mortgage debt to obtain funds to acquire additional properties. We may also borrow funds if necessary to satisfy the REIT distribution requirement described above, or otherwise as may be necessary or advisable to ensure that we maintain our qualification as a REIT for federal income tax purposes.

As of December 31, 2022, we had outstanding indebtedness, net of cash, of $619.8 million, including, through our Operating Partnership, $100.0 million aggregate principal amount of the Notes (as defined below) and $368.5 million drawn on the 2022 Facility (as defined below). As of December 31, 2022, our unused borrowing capacity under our 2022 Facility was $146.4 million. Obligations under the Notes and the 2022 Facility are guaranteed by the Company and certain subsidiary guarantors. Our current debt agreements, including the agreements governing the Notes and the 2022 Facility, contain, and any future debt agreements may contain, a number of restrictive and financial covenants that impose significant operating and financial constraints on us. Such restrictive covenants may significantly limit our ability to:

Such agreements may also require us to satisfy other requirements, including maintaining certain financial ratios and condition tests. Our ability to meet these requirements can be affected by events beyond our control, and we may be unable to meet them. To the extent we fail to meet any such requirements and are in default under our debt obligations, our financial condition may be materially adversely affected. Further, these restrictions may limit our ability to engage in activities that could otherwise benefit us. To the extent that we are unable to engage in activities that support the growth, profitability and competitiveness of our business, our results of operations may be materially adversely affected.

We may also incur mortgage debt on a particular property if we believe the property’s projected cash flow is sufficient to service the mortgage debt. As of December 31, 2022, we had approximately $157.5 million of mortgage debt secured by seven of our properties. If there is a shortfall in cash flow, however, the amount available for distributions to shareholders may be affected. In addition, incurring mortgage debt increases the risk of loss because defaults on such indebtedness may result in loss of property in foreclosure actions initiated by lenders. For tax purposes, a foreclosure of any of our properties would be treated as a sale of the property for a purchase price equal to the outstanding balance of the debt secured by the mortgage. If the outstanding balance of the debt secured by the mortgage exceeds our tax basis in the property, we would recognize taxable income on foreclosure, but would not receive any cash proceeds. We may give lenders full or partial guarantees for mortgage debt incurred by the entities that own our properties. When we give a guaranty on behalf of an entity that owns one of our properties, we will be responsible to the lender for satisfaction of the debt if it is not paid by that entity. If any mortgages contain cross-collateralization or cross-default provisions, there is a risk that more than one property may be affected by a default. If any of our properties are foreclosed upon due to a default, our ability to pay cash distributions to our shareholders may be adversely affected. For more discussion, see “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Liquidity and Capital Resources.”

If we set aside insufficient working capital or are unable to secure funds for future tenant improvements, we may be required to defer necessary property improvements, which could adversely impact the quality of our properties and our results of operations.

When tenants do not renew their leases or otherwise vacate their space, it is possible that, in order to attract replacement tenants, we may be required to expend substantial funds for tenant improvements and refurbishments to the vacated space. If we have insufficient working capital reserves, we will have to obtain financing from other sources. Because most of our leases provide for tenant reimbursement of operating expenses, we have not established a permanent reserve for maintenance and repairs for our properties. However, to the extent that we have insufficient funds for such purposes, we may establish reserves for maintenance and repairs of our properties out of cash flow generated by operating properties or out of non-liquidating net sale proceeds. If these reserves or any reserves otherwise established are insufficient to meet our cash needs, we may have to obtain financing from either affiliated or unaffiliated sources to fund our cash requirements. We cannot assure you that sufficient financing will be available or, if available, will be available on economically feasible terms or on terms acceptable to us. Additional borrowing for working capital purposes will increase our interest expense, and therefore our financial condition and our ability to pay cash distributions to our shareholders may be adversely affected. In addition, we may be required to defer necessary improvements to our properties that may cause our properties to suffer from a greater risk of obsolescence or a decline in value, or a greater risk of decreased cash flow as a result of fewer potential tenants being attracted to our properties. If this happens, we may not be able to maintain projected rental rates for affected properties, and our results of operations may be negatively impacted.

We have in the past and may continue to structure acquisitions of property in exchange for limited partnership units in our Operating Partnership on terms that could limit our liquidity or our flexibility.

We have in the past and may continue to acquire properties by issuing limited partnership units in our Operating Partnership (“OP units”) in exchange for a property owner contributing property to the Operating Partnership. If we enter into such transactions, in order to induce the contributors of such properties to accept OP units, rather than cash, in exchange for their properties, it may be necessary for us to provide them with additional incentives. For instance, our Operating Partnership’s limited partnership agreement provides that any holder of OP units may redeem such units for cash, or, at our option, common shares on a one-for-one basis. We may, however, enter into additional contractual arrangements with contributors of property under which we would agree to redeem a contributor’s OP units for our common shares or cash, at the option of the contributor, at set times. If the contributor required us to redeem OP units for cash pursuant to such a provision, it would limit our liquidity and thus our ability to use cash to make other investments, satisfy other obligations or pay distributions. Moreover, if we were required to redeem OP units for cash at a time when we did not have sufficient cash to fund the redemption, we might be required to sell one or more properties to raise funds to satisfy this obligation. Furthermore, we might agree that if distributions the contributor received as a limited partner in our Operating Partnership did not provide the contributor with a defined return, then upon redemption of the contributor’s OP units, we would pay the contributor an additional amount necessary to achieve that return. Such a provision could further negatively impact our liquidity and flexibility. Finally, in order to allow a contributor of a property to defer taxable gain on the contribution of property to our Operating Partnership, we might agree not to sell a contributed property for a defined period of time or until the contributor redeemed the contributor’s OP units for cash or our common shares. Such an agreement would prevent us from selling those properties, even if market conditions made such a sale favorable to us.

The discontinuation and replacement of LIBOR with an alternative reference rate, may adversely affect our interest expense. 

In September 2022, we, through our Operating Partnership, amended and restated our unsecured credit facility (the “2022 Facility”) to include, among other things, a replacement rate for LIBOR. These changes could result in interest obligations that are slightly more than or do not otherwise correlate exactly over time with the payments that would have been made on such debt if U.S. dollar LIBOR was available in its current form and there can be no assurances as to what other alternative base rates may be and whether SOFR or any other such base rate will be more or less favorable than LIBOR or if there will be any other unforeseen impacts of the discontinuation of LIBOR. The Company is monitoring the developments with respect to the phasing out of LIBOR after 2021 and working with its lenders to ensure the transition away from LIBOR will have minimal impact on its financial condition, but can provide no assurances regarding the impact of the discontinuation of LIBOR on its financial condition.

Risks Associated with Income Tax Laws

If we fail to qualify as a REIT, our operations and distributions to shareholders would be adversely impacted.

We intend to continue to be organized and to operate so as to qualify as a REIT under the Code. A REIT generally is not taxed at the corporate level on income it currently distributes to its shareholders. Qualification as a REIT involves the application of highly technical and complex rules for which there are only limited judicial or administrative interpretations. The determination of various factual matters and circumstances not entirely within our control may affect our ability to continue to qualify as a REIT. In addition, new legislation, new regulations, administrative interpretations or court decisions could significantly change the tax laws, possibly with retroactive effect, with respect to qualification as a REIT or the federal income tax consequences of such qualification.

If we were to fail to qualify as a REIT in any taxable year:

We may need to incur additional borrowings to meet the REIT minimum distribution requirement and to avoid excise tax.

In order to maintain our qualification as a REIT, we are required to distribute to our shareholders at least 90% of our annual real estate investment trust taxable income (excluding any net capital gain and before application of the dividends paid deduction). In addition, we are subject to a 4% nondeductible excise tax on the amount, if any, by which certain distributions paid by us with respect to any calendar year are less than the sum of (i) 85% of our ordinary income for that year, (ii) 95% of our net capital gain for that year and (iii) 100% of our undistributed taxable income from prior years. Although we intend to pay distributions to our shareholders in a manner that allows us to meet the 90% distribution requirement and avoid this 4% excise tax, we cannot assure you that we will always be able to do so.

Our income consists almost solely of our share of our Operating Partnership’s income, and the cash available for distribution by us to our shareholders consists of our share of cash distributions made by our Operating Partnership. Because we are the sole general partner of our Operating Partnership, our board of trustees determines the amount of any distributions made by our Operating Partnership. Our board of trustees may consider a number of factors in authorizing distributions, including:

Differences in timing between the actual receipt of income and actual payment of deductible expenses and the inclusion of income and deduction of expenses when determining our taxable income, as well as the effect of nondeductible capital expenditures and the creation of reserves or required debt amortization payments could require us to borrow funds on a short-term or long-term basis or make taxable distributions to our shareholders of our shares or debt securities to meet the REIT distribution requirement and to avoid the 4% excise tax described above. In these circumstances, we may need to borrow funds to avoid adverse tax consequences even if our management believes that the then prevailing market conditions generally are not favorable for borrowings or that borrowings would not be advisable in the absence of the tax consideration.

If our Operating Partnership were classified as a “publicly traded partnership” taxable as a corporation for federal income tax purposes under the Code, we would cease to qualify as a REIT and would suffer other adverse tax consequences.

We structured our Operating Partnership so that it would be classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. In this regard, the Code generally classifies “publicly traded partnerships” (as defined in Section 7704 of the Code) as associations taxable as corporations (rather than as partnerships), unless substantially all of their taxable income consists of specified types of passive income. In order to minimize the risk that the Code would classify our Operating Partnership as a “publicly traded partnership” for tax purposes, we placed certain restrictions on the transfer and/or redemption of our OP units. If the Internal Revenue Service were to assert successfully that our Operating Partnership is a “publicly traded partnership,” and substantially all of its gross income did not consist of the specified types of passive income, the Code would treat our Operating Partnership as an association taxable as a corporation.

In such event, the character of our assets and items of gross income would change and would prevent us from continuing to qualify as a REIT. In addition, the imposition of a corporate tax on our Operating Partnership would reduce our amount of cash available for payment of distributions by us to our shareholders.

Complying with REIT requirements may cause us to forego otherwise attractive opportunities or liquidate otherwise attractive investments.

To qualify as a REIT for federal income tax purposes, we must continually satisfy tests concerning, among other things, the sources of our income, the nature and diversification of our assets, the amounts we distribute to our shareholders and the ownership of our shares. In order to meet these tests, we may be required to forego investments we might otherwise make. Thus, compliance with the REIT requirements may hinder our performance.

In particular, we must ensure that at the end of each calendar quarter, at least 75% of the value of our assets consists of cash, cash items, government securities and qualified real estate assets. The remainder of our investment in securities (other than government securities and qualified real estate assets) generally cannot include more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any one issuer or more than 10% of the total value of the outstanding securities of any one issuer. In addition, in general, no more than 5% of the value of our assets (other than government securities and qualified real estate assets) can consist of the securities of any one issuer, and no more than 20% of the value of our total assets can be represented by the securities of one or more taxable REIT subsidiaries. If we fail to comply with these requirements at the end of any calendar quarter, we must correct the failure within 30 days after the end of the calendar quarter or qualify for certain statutory relief provisions to avoid losing our REIT qualification and suffering adverse tax consequences. As a result, we may be required to liquidate otherwise attractive investments. These actions could have the effect of reducing our income and amounts available for distribution to our shareholders.

Dividends payable by REITs do not qualify for the reduced tax rates available for some dividends.

For non-corporate taxpayers the maximum tax rate applicable to “qualified dividend income” paid by regular “C” corporations to U.S. shareholders generally is 20%. Dividends payable by REITs, however, generally are not eligible for the reduced rates on qualified dividend income. Instead, our ordinary dividends generally are taxed at the higher tax rates applicable to ordinary income, the current maximum rate of which is 37%. However, for taxable years prior to 2026, individual stockholders are generally allowed to deduct 20% of the aggregate amount of ordinary dividends distributed by us, subject to certain limitations, which would reduce the maximum marginal effective tax rate for individuals on the receipt of such ordinary dividends to 29.6%.

Complying with REIT requirements may limit our ability to hedge effectively and may cause us to incur tax liabilities.

The REIT provisions of the Code substantially limit our ability to hedge our liabilities. Any income from a hedging transaction that we enter into to manage risk of interest rate changes, price changes or currency fluctuations with respect to borrowings made or to be made to acquire or carry real estate assets does not constitute “gross income” for purposes of the 75% or 95% gross income tests. To the extent that we enter into other types of hedging transactions, the income from those transactions is likely to be treated as non-qualifying income for purposes of both of the gross income tests. As a result of these rules, we may need to limit our use of advantageous hedging techniques or implement those hedges through taxable REIT subsidiaries. This could increase the cost of our hedging activities because any taxable REIT subsidiary that we may form would be subject to tax on gains or expose us to greater risks associated with changes in interest rates than we would otherwise want to bear. In addition, losses in taxable REIT subsidiaries will generally not provide any tax benefit, except for being carried forward against future taxable income in the taxable REIT subsidiaries.

Changes to the U.S. federal income tax laws, including the enactment of certain tax reform measures, could have an adverse impact on our business and financial results.

We cannot predict whether, when, or to what extent any new U.S. federal tax laws, regulations, interpretations, or rulings will impact the real estate investment industry or REITs. Prospective investors are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the effect of potential future changes to the federal tax laws on an investment in our shares.

Risks Related to Ownership of our Common Shares 

Increases in market interest rates may result in a decrease in the value of our common shares.

One of the factors that may influence the price of our common shares will be the dividend distribution rate on the common shares (as a percentage of the price of our common shares) relative to market interest rates. If market interest rates continue to rise, prospective purchasers of shares of our common shares may expect a higher distribution rate. Higher interest rates would not, however, result in more funds being available for distribution and, in fact, would likely increase our borrowing costs and might decrease our funds available for distribution. We therefore may not be able, or we may not choose, to provide a higher distribution rate. As a result, prospective purchasers may decide to purchase other securities rather than our common shares, which would reduce the demand for, and result in a decline in the market price of, our common shares.

Maryland takeover statutes may deter others from seeking to acquire us and prevent shareholders from making a profit in such transactions.

The Maryland General Corporation Law (“MGCL”) contains many provisions, such as the business combination statute and the control share acquisition statute, that are designed to prevent, or have the effect of preventing, someone from acquiring control of us. The business combination statute, subject to limitations, prohibits certain business combinations between us and an “interested shareholder” (defined generally as any person who beneficially owns 10% or more of the voting power of our outstanding voting shares or an affiliate or associate of our Company who, at any time within the two-year period prior to the date in question, was the beneficial owner of 10% or more of the voting power of our then outstanding shares) or an affiliate of an interested shareholder for five years after the most recent date on which the person becomes an interested shareholder and thereafter imposes super-majority voting requirements on these combinations. The control share acquisition statute provides that “control shares” of our Company (defined as shares which, when aggregated with other shares controlled by the shareholder (except solely by virtue of a revocable proxy), entitle the shareholder to exercise one of three increasing ranges of voting power in electing trustees) acquired in a “control share acquisition” (defined as the direct or indirect acquisition of ownership or control of issued and outstanding control shares) have no voting rights except to the extent approved by our shareholders by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter, excluding all interested shares.

We are currently subject to the control share acquisition statute, although our board of trustees may amend our Amended and Restated Bylaws, or our bylaws, without shareholder approval, to exempt any acquisition of our shares from the statute. Our board of trustees has adopted a resolution exempting any business combination with any person from the business combination statute. The business combination statute (if our board of trustees revokes the foregoing exemption) and the control share acquisition statute could delay or prevent offers to acquire us and increase the difficulty of consummating any such offers, even if such a transaction would be in our shareholders’ best interest.

The MGCL, the Maryland REIT Law and our organizational documents limit shareholders’ rights to bring claims against our officers and trustees.

The MGCL and the Maryland REIT Law provide that a trustee will not have any liability as a trustee so long as he performs his duties in good faith, in a manner he reasonably believes to be in our best interests, and with the care that an ordinarily prudent person in a like position would use under similar circumstances. In addition, our declaration of trust provides that no trustee or officer will be liable to us or to any shareholder for money damages except to the extent that (a) the trustee or officer actually received an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services, for the amount of the benefit or profit in money, property, or services actually received; or (b) a judgment or the final adjudication adverse to the trustee or officer is entered in a proceeding based on a finding in the proceeding the trustee’s or officer’s action or failure to act was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty and was material to the cause of action adjudicated in the proceeding. Finally, our declaration of trust authorizes our Company to obligate itself, and our bylaws obligate us, to indemnify and advance expenses to our trustees and officers to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law.

The terms of our employment agreements with our executive officers and severance arrangements with other employees and the terms of certain equity awards granted to our employees may deter others from seeking to acquire us or reduce the price of any such acquisition.

We have entered into employment agreements with our executive officers and severance arrangements with other of our employees, and have granted equity awards to a number of our employees. In certain cases, upon a change of control acquisition of us, such agreements and awards would entitle the officer or employee to severance payments and vesting of otherwise unvested awards. The cost of these payments and the impact of the vesting of such awards could deter a third party from seeking to acquire us or could cause the price payable to shareholders in connection with any such acquisition to be lower than it otherwise may have been. These effects could delay or prevent offers to acquire us and increase the difficulty in consummating any such offers, even if such a transaction would be in our shareholders’ best interests.

We may issue preferred shares with a preference in distributions over our common shares, and our ability to issue preferred shares and additional common shares may deter or prevent a sale of our common shares in which you could profit.

Our declaration of trust authorizes our board of trustees to issue up to 400,000,000 common shares and 50,000,000 preferred shares. Our board of trustees may amend our declaration of trust from time to time to increase or decrease the aggregate number of shares or the number of any class or series that we have authority to issue. In addition, our board of trustees may classify or reclassify any unissued common shares or preferred shares and may set the preferences, rights and other terms of the classified or reclassified shares. The terms of preferred shares could include a preference in distributions senior to our common shares. If we authorize and issue preferred shares with a distribution preference senior to our common shares, payment of any distribution preferences of outstanding preferred shares would reduce the amount of funds available for the payment of distributions on our common shares. Further, holders of preferred shares are normally entitled to receive a preference payment in the event we liquidate, dissolve or wind up before any payment is made to our common shareholders, likely reducing the amount our common shareholders would otherwise receive upon such an occurrence. In addition, under certain circumstances, the issuance of preferred shares or a separate class or series of common shares may render more difficult or tend to discourage:

Future offerings of debt, which would be senior to our common shares upon liquidation, and/or preferred equity securities that may be senior to our common shares for purposes of distributions or upon liquidation, may adversely affect the market price of our common shares.

In the future, we may attempt to increase our capital resources by making additional offerings of debt or preferred equity securities, including medium-term notes, trust preferred securities, senior or subordinated notes and preferred shares. Upon liquidation, holders of our debt securities and preferred shares and lenders with respect to other borrowings will receive distributions of our available assets prior to the holders of our common shares. Additional equity offerings may dilute the holdings of our existing shareholders or reduce the market price of our common shares, or both. Holders of our common shares are not entitled to preemptive rights or other protections against dilution. Our preferred shares, if issued, could have a preference on liquidating distributions or a preference on distribution payments that could limit our ability to pay distributions to the holders of our common shares. Because our decision to issue securities in any future offering will depend on market conditions and other factors beyond our control, we cannot predict or estimate the amount, timing or nature of our future offerings. Thus, our common shareholders bear the risk of our future offerings reducing the market price of our common shares and diluting their share holdings in us.

General Risk Factors

Market disruptions may significantly and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

World financial markets have, from time to time, experienced significant disruption. Our results of operations may be sensitive to changes in overall economic conditions that impact tenants of our properties or tenant leasing practices. Adverse economic conditions affecting tenant income, such as employment levels, business conditions, interest rates, tax rates, fuel and energy costs and other matters, could reduce overall tenant leasing or cause tenants to shift their leasing practices. In addition, periods of economic slowdown or recession, further increasing interest rates or declining demand for real estate, or the public perception that any of these events may occur, could result in a general decline in rents or an increased incidence of defaults under existing leases. In addition, financial markets may again experience significant and prolonged disruption, including as a result of unanticipated events, or as a result of recent uncertainty regarding legislative and regulatory shifts relating to, among other things, taxation and trade, and which could adversely affect our tenants and our business in general. For example, a general reduction in consumer spending and the level of tenant leasing could adversely affect our ability to maintain our current tenants and gain new tenants, affecting our growth and profitability. Accordingly, if financial and macroeconomic conditions deteriorate, or if financial markets experience significant disruption, it could have a significant adverse effect on our cash flows, profitability, results of operations and the trading price of our common shares.

The value of investments in our common shares will be directly affected by general economic and regulatory factors we cannot control or predict.

Investments in real estate typically involve a high level of risk as the result of factors we cannot control or predict. One of the risks of investing in real estate is the possibility that our properties will not generate income sufficient to meet operating expenses or will generate income and capital appreciation, if any, at rates lower than those anticipated or available through investments in comparable real estate or other investments. The following factors may affect income from properties and yields from investments in properties and are generally outside of our control:

Some or all of these factors may affect our properties, which could adversely affect our operations and ability to make distributions to shareholders.

We may not be successful in consummating suitable acquisitions or investment opportunities, which may impede our growth and adversely affect the trading price of our common shares.

Our ability to expand through acquisitions is integral to our business strategy and requires us to consummate suitable acquisition or investment opportunities that meet our criteria and are compatible with our growth strategy. We may not be successful in consummating acquisitions or investments in properties that meet our acquisition criteria on satisfactory terms or at all. Failure to consummate acquisitions or investment opportunities, the failure of an acquired property to perform as expected, or the failure to integrate successfully any acquired properties without substantial expense, delay or other operational or financial problems, would slow our growth, which could in turn adversely affect the trading price of our common shares.

Our ability to acquire properties on favorable terms may be constrained by the following significant risks:

If any of these risks are realized, our business, financial condition and results of operations, our ability to make distributions to our shareholders and the trading price of our common shares may be materially and adversely affected.

Our systems may not be adequate to support our growth, and our failure to successfully oversee our portfolio of properties could adversely affect our results of operations.

We make no assurances that we will be able to adapt our portfolio management, administrative, accounting and operational systems, or hire and retain sufficient operational staff, to support our growth. Our failure to successfully oversee our current portfolio of properties or any future acquisitions or developments could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition and our ability to make distributions.

There can be no assurance that we will be able to pay or maintain cash distributions or that distributions will increase over time.

There are many factors that can affect the availability and timing of cash distributions to shareholders. Distributions are based upon our funds from operations, financial condition, cash flows and liquidity, debt service requirements, capital expenditure requirements for our properties and other matters our board of trustees may deem relevant from time to time. If we do not have sufficient cash available for distributions, we may need to fund the shortage out of working capital or borrow to provide funds for such distributions, which would reduce the amount of capital available for real estate investments and increase our future interest costs.

We can give no assurance that we will be able to continue to pay distributions or that distributions will increase over time. In addition, we can give no assurance that rents from our properties will increase, or that future acquisitions of real properties, mortgage loans or our investments in securities will increase our cash available for distributions to shareholders. Our actual results may differ significantly from the assumptions used by our board of trustees in establishing the distribution rate to shareholders. Our inability to make distributions, or to make distributions at expected levels, could result in a decrease in the trading price of our common shares.

Any weaknesses identified in our system of internal controls by us and our independent registered public accounting firm pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 could have an adverse effect on our business.

Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requires that public companies evaluate and report on their systems of internal control over financial reporting. In addition, our independent registered public accounting firm must report on management's evaluation of those controls. We may identify deficiencies in our system of internal controls over financial reporting that may require remediation. Any deficiencies or material weaknesses could result in significant time and expense to remediate, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and ability to make distributions to our shareholders.

Item 1B.  Unresolved Staff Comments.

None.

Item 2.  Properties.

General

As of December 31, 2022, we wholly-owned 57 commercial properties, including 14 properties in Houston, nine properties in Dallas-Fort Worth, three properties in San Antonio, five properties in Austin, 25 properties in the Scottsdale and Phoenix, Arizona metropolitan areas, and one property in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago.

Our tenants consist of national, regional and local businesses. Our properties generally attract a mix of tenants who provide basic staples, convenience items and services tailored to the specific cultures, needs and preferences of the surrounding community. These types of tenants are the core of our strategy of creating Whitestone-branded Community Centered Properties®. We also believe daily sales of basic items are less sensitive to fluctuations in the business cycle than higher priced retail items. Our largest tenant represented only 2.2% of our total revenues for the year ended December 31, 2022.

Substantially all of our revenues consist of base rents received under leases that generally have terms that range from less than one year to 15 years. The following table summarizes certain information relating to our properties as of December 31, 2022:

Our largest property, BLVD Place, a retail community purchased on May 26, 2017 and located in Houston, Texas, accounted for 11.0% of our total revenues for the year ended December 31, 2022. BLVD also accounted for 16.0% of our real estate assets, net of accumulated depreciation, for the year ended December 31, 2022.

As of December 31, 2022, approximately $157.5 million of our total debt of $626.0 million was secured by seven of our properties with a combined net book value of $243.1 million.

Location of Properties

Of our 57 wholly-owned properties, 14 are located in the greater Houston metropolitan statistical area.  These properties represent 24% of our revenue for the year ended December 31, 2022. An additional 25 of our wholly-owned properties are located in the greater Phoenix metropolitan statistical area and represent 41% of our revenue for the year ended December 31, 2022.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Houston and Phoenix ranked fifth and tenth, respectively, in the largest United States metropolitan statistical areas as of December 31, 2021. The following table sets forth information about the unemployment rate in Houston, Phoenix and nationally during the last six months of 2022.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

General Physical and Economic Attributes

The following table sets forth certain information relating to each of our properties owned as of December 31, 2022.

Whitestone REIT and Subsidiaries
Property Details
As of December 31, 2022

Whitestone REIT and Subsidiaries

Property Details

As of December 31, 2022

Significant Tenants 

The following table sets forth information about our 15 largest tenants as of December 31, 2022, based upon consolidated annualized rental revenues at December 31, 2022.

Lease Expirations

The following table lists, on an aggregate basis, all of our consolidated scheduled lease expirations over the next 10 years.

Insurance

We believe that we have property and liability insurance with reputable, commercially rated companies.  We also believe that our insurance policies contain commercially reasonable deductibles and limits, adequate to cover our properties.  We expect to maintain this type of insurance coverage and to obtain similar coverage with respect to any additional properties we acquire in the near future.  Further, we have title insurance relating to our properties in an aggregate amount that we believe to be adequate.

Item 3.  Legal Proceedings.

We are subject to various legal proceedings and claims that arise in the ordinary course of business. These matters are generally covered by insurance. While the resolution of these matters cannot be predicted with certainty, management believes the final outcome of such matters will not have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations, cash flows or liquidity. See Note 16 Commitments and Contingencies to the accompanying consolidated financial statements for more information.

Item 4.  Mine Safety Disclosures.

Not applicable.

PART II

Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Shareholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.

Market Information

Common Shares

Our common shares are traded on the NYSE under the ticker symbol “WSR.” As of March 1, 2023, we had 49,424,019 common shares of beneficial interest outstanding held by a total of 812 shareholders of record.

On March 1, 2023, the closing price of our common shares reported on the NYSE was $9.37 per share.

Our current quarterly distribution target is $0.12 per share, however, our future payment of distributions, if any, will be at the discretion of our board of trustees and will depend upon numerous factors, including our cash flow, financial condition, capital requirements, annual distribution requirements under the REIT provisions of the Code, the terms and conditions of our Note Agreement, and other factors that our board of trustees deems relevant. For more discussion, see "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Liquidity and Capital Resources - Distributions." 

Equity Compensation Plan Information

Please refer to Item 12 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for information concerning securities authorized under our equity incentive plan.

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

Not Applicable.

Performance Graph 

The following graph compares the total shareholder returns of the Company's common shares to the Standard & Poor's 500 Index (“S&P 500 Index”), the Financial Times Stock Exchange (“FTSE”) National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (“NAREIT”) Equity REITs Index (“FTSE NAREIT Equity REITs Index”), and to the FTSE NAREIT Equity Shopping Centers Index from December 31, 2017 to December 31, 2022. The graph assumes that the value of the investment in our common shares and in the S&P 500 Index, the FTSE NAREIT Equity REITs Index and the FTSE NAREIT Equity Shopping Centers Index was $100 at December 31, 2017, and all dividends were reinvested. The closing price of our common shares on December 30, 2017 (on which the graph is based) was $14.41. The past shareholder return shown on the following graph is not necessarily indicative of future performance. The performance graph and related information shall not be deemed “filed” with the SEC, nor shall such information be incorporated by reference into any future filing, except to the extent the Company specifically incorporates it by reference into such filing.

Item 6.  Reserved

Item 7.  Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

You should read the following discussion of our financial condition and results of operations in conjunction with our audited consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.  For more detailed information regarding the basis of presentation for the following information, you should read the notes to our audited consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Overview of Our Company

We are a fully integrated real estate company that owns and operates commercial properties in culturally diverse markets in major metropolitan areas.  Founded in 1998, we are internally managed with a portfolio of commercial properties in Texas, Arizona and Illinois.

In October 2006, we adopted a strategic plan to acquire, redevelop, own and operate Community Centered Properties®.  We define Community Centered Properties® as visibly located properties in established or developing culturally diverse neighborhoods in our target markets.  We market, lease, and manage our centers to match tenants with the shared needs of the surrounding neighborhood.  Those needs may include specialty retail, grocery, restaurants and medical, educational and financial services.  Our goal is for each property to become a Whitestone-branded retail community that serves a neighboring five-mile radius around our property.  We employ and develop a diverse group of associates who understand the needs of our multicultural communities and tenants.

As of December 31, 2022, we wholly-owned 57 commercial properties consisting of:

Consolidated Operating Portfolio

Redevelopment, New Acquisitions Portfolio

As of December 31, 2022, we had an aggregate of 1,477 tenants.  We have a diversified tenant base with our largest tenant comprising only 2.2% of our total revenues for the year ended December 31, 2022.  Lease terms for our properties range from less than one year for smaller tenants to more than 15 years for larger tenants.  Our leases generally include minimum monthly lease payments and tenant reimbursements for taxes, insurance and maintenance.  We completed 321 new and renewal leases during 2022, totaling 932,529square feet and $118.3 million in total lease value.

We employed 75 full-time employees as of December 31, 2022.  As an internally managed REIT, we bear our own expenses of operations, including the salaries, benefits and other compensation of our employees, office expenses, legal, accounting and investor relations expenses and other overhead costs.

Real Estate Partnership

As of December 31, 2022, we, through our investment in Pillarstone OP, owned a majority interest in eight properties that do not meet our Community Centered Property® strategy containing approximately 0.9 million square feet of GLA (the “Pillarstone Properties”). We own 81.4% of the total outstanding units of Pillarstone OP, which we account for using the equity method. We also managed the day-to-day operations of Pillarstone OP pursuant to a management agreement, which was terminated on August 18, 2022.

Market Conditions and COVID-19

COVID-19

The global health crisis caused by COVID-19 and the related responses intended to control its spread may continue to adversely affect business activity, particularly relating to our retail tenants, across the markets in which we operate. In light of the changing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are unable to predict the extent that its impact will have on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Inflation

We anticipate that the majority of our leases will continue to be triple-net leases or otherwise provide that tenants pay for increases in operating expenses and will contain provisions that we believe will mitigate the effect of inflation. In addition, many of our leases are for terms of less than five years, which allows us to adjust rental rates to reflect inflation and other changing market conditions when the leases expire. Consequently, increases due to inflation, as well as ad valorem tax rate increases, generally do not have a significant adverse effect upon our operating results.

Refer to “Item 1A - Risk Factors” in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information.

How We Derive Our Revenue

Substantially all of our revenue is derived from rents received from leases at our properties. We had total revenues of approximately $ 139,421,000 for the year ended December 31, 2022 as compared to $ 125,365,000 for the year ended December 31, 2021, an increase of $ 14,056,000, or 11%.

Known Trends in Our Operations; Outlook for Future Results

Rental Income 

We expect our rental income to increase year-over-year due to the addition of properties and rent increases on renewal leases. The amount of net rental income generated by our properties depends principally on our ability to maintain the occupancy rates of currently leased space and to lease currently available space, newly acquired properties with vacant space, and space available from unscheduled lease terminations. The amount of rental income we generate also depends on our ability to maintain or increase rental rates in our submarkets. Included in our adjustments to rental revenue for the years ending December 31, 2022 and 2021, were bad debt adjustments of $0.6 million and $0.1 million, respectively, and a straight-line rent reserve adjustments of $0.3 million and $0.9 million, respectively, related to credit loss for the conversion of 80 and 59 tenants, respectively, to cash basis revenue as a result of COVID-19 collectability analysis. 

Scheduled Lease Expirations

We tend to lease space to smaller businesses that desire shorter term leases. As of December 31, 2022, approximately 30% of our GLA was subject to leases that expire prior to December 31, 2024.  Over the last three years, we have renewed expiring leases with respect to approximately 70% of our GLA. We routinely seek to renew leases with our existing tenants prior to their expiration and typically begin discussions with tenants as early as 18 months prior to the expiration date of the existing lease. Inasmuch as our early renewal program and other leasing and marketing efforts target these expiring leases, we hope to re-lease most of that space prior to expiration of the leases. In the markets in which we operate, we obtain and analyze market rental rates through review of third-party publications, which provide market and submarket rental rate data and through inquiry of property owners and property management companies as to rental rates being quoted at properties that are located in close proximity to our properties and we believe display similar physical attributes as our nearby properties. We use this data to negotiate leases with new tenants and renew leases with our existing tenants at rates we believe to be competitive in the markets for our individual properties. Due to the short term nature of our leases, and based upon our analysis of market rental rates, we believe that, in the aggregate, our current leases are at market rates. Market conditions, including new supply of properties, and macroeconomic conditions in our markets and nationally affecting tenant income, such as employment levels, business conditions, interest rates, tax rates, fuel and energy costs and other matters, could adversely impact our renewal rate and/or the rental rates we are able to negotiate. We continue to monitor our tenants’ operating performances as well as overall economic trends to evaluate any future negative impact on our renewal rates and rental rates, which could adversely affect our cash flow and ability to make distributions to our shareholders.

Property Acquisitions and Dispositions

We seek to acquire commercial properties in high-growth markets. Our acquisition targets are properties that fit our Community Centered Properties® strategy, primarily in and around Phoenix, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio and Houston.  We may acquire properties in other high growth cities in the future. We have extensive relationships with community banks, attorneys, title companies and others in the real estate industry, which we believe enables us to take advantage of these market opportunities and maintain an active acquisition pipeline. We market, lease and manage our centers to match tenants with the shared needs of the surrounding neighborhood.  Those needs may include specialty retail, grocery and restaurants as well as medical, educational and financial services.  Our goal is for each property to become a Whitestone-branded business center or retail community that serves a neighboring five-mile radius around our property.

Property Acquisitions.

 On December 21, 2022, we acquired Lake Woodlands Crossing, a property that meets our Community Centered Property® strategy, for $22.5 million in cash and net prorations. Lake Woodlands Crossing, a 60,246 square foot property, was 89.3% leased at the time of purchase and is located in The Woodlands, Texas.

On December 2, 2022 we acquired Dana Park Pad, a property that meets our Community Centered Property® strategy, for $4.9 million in cash and net prorations. Dana Park Pad, a 12,000 square foot property, was 100% leased at the time of purchase and is located in the Mesa submarket of Phoenix, Arizona.

Property Dispositions. We seek to continually upgrade our portfolio by opportunistically selling properties that do not have the potential to meet our Community Centered Property® strategy and redeploying the sale proceeds into properties that better fit our strategy. Some of our properties that we own (the “non-core properties”) may not fit our Community Centered Property® strategy, and we may look for opportunities to dispose of these properties as we continue to execute our strategy.

On November 30, 2022, we completed the sale of Pima Norte, located in Carefree, Arizona, for $3.3 million. We recorded a loss on sale of $4.0 million.

On November 21, 2022, we completed the sale of Spoerlein Commons Pad, located in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, for $2.2 million. We recorded a gain on sale of $0.7 million.

On November 16, 2022, we completed the sale of Desert Canyon, located in Scottsdale, Arizona, for $9.3 million. We recorded a gain on sale of $5.1 million. 

On November 14, 2022, we completed the sale of Gilbert Tuscany Village Hard Corner, located in Scottsdale, Arizona, for $2.5 million. We recorded a gain on sale of $0.8 million. 

On November 10, 2022, we completed the sale of South Richey, located in Houston, Texas, for $13.1 million. We recorded a gain on sale of $9.9 million.

On October 31, 2022, we completed the sale of Bissonnet Beltway Plaza, located in Houston, Texas, for $5.4 million. We recorded a gain on sale of $4.4 million.  

We have not included 2022 sold properties in discontinued operations as they did not meet the definition of discontinued operations.

On December 8, 2016, we, through our Operating Partnership, entered into a Contribution Agreement (the “Contribution Agreement”) with Pillarstone and Pillarstone REIT pursuant to which we contributed all of the equity interests in four of our wholly-owned subsidiaries that, at the time, owned 14 non-core properties (the “Pillarstone Properties”) that did not fit our Community Centered Property® strategy, to Pillarstone for aggregate consideration of approximately $84 million, consisting of (1) approximately $18.1 million of Class A units representing limited partnership interests in Pillarstone (“Pillarstone OP Units”) and (2) the assumption of approximately $65.9 million of liabilities (collectively, the “Contribution”).

As of December 31, 2022, we owned approximately 81.4% of the total outstanding Pillarstone OP Units, which we account for under the equity method. See Note 4 Investment in Real Estate Partnership to the accompanying consolidated financial statements for more information on our accounting treatment of our investment in Pillarstone OP.

Leasing Activity 

As of December 31, 2022, we wholly-owned 57 properties with 5,060,899 square feet of GLA, which were approximately 94% occupied. The following is a summary of the Company’s leasing activity for the year ended December 31, 2022:

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Our short-term liquidity requirements consist primarily of distributions to holders of our common shares and OP units, including those required to maintain our REIT status and satisfy our current quarterly distribution target of $0.12 per share and OP unit, recurring expenditures, such as repairs and maintenance of our properties, non-recurring expenditures, such as capital improvements and tenant improvements, debt service requirements, and, potentially, acquisitions of additional properties.

During the year ended December 31, 2022, our cash provided from operating activities was $44.4 million and our total dividends and distributions paid were $23.3 million. Therefore, we had cash flow from operations in excess of distributions of approximately $21.1 million. The 2022 Facility included a $250 million unsecured borrowing capacity under a revolving credit facility. The 2022 Facility also included an accordion feature that allowed the Operating Partnership to increase the borrowing capacity by $200 million, upon the satisfaction of certain conditions. We anticipate that cash flows from operating activities and our borrowing capacity under the 2022 Facility will provide adequate capital for our distributions, working capital requirements, anticipated capital expenditures and scheduled debt payments in the short term. We also believe that cash flows from operating activities and our borrowing capacity will allow us to make all distributions required for us to continue to qualify to be taxed as a REIT for federal income tax purposes.

Our long-term capital requirements consist primarily of maturities under our longer-term debt agreements, development and redevelopment costs, and potential acquisitions. We expect to meet our long-term liquidity requirements with net cash from operations, long-term indebtedness, sales of common shares, issuance of OP units, sales of underperforming and non-core properties and other financing opportunities, including debt financing. We believe we have access to multiple sources of capital to fund our long-term liquidity requirements, including the incurrence of additional debt and the issuance of additional equity. However, our ability to incur additional debt will be dependent on a number of factors, including our degree of leverage, the value of our unencumbered assets and borrowing restrictions that may be imposed by lenders. As of December 31, 2022, subject to any potential future paydowns or increases in the borrowing base, we have $146.4 million remaining availability under the revolving credit facility.

Our ability to access the capital markets will be dependent on a number of factors as well, including general market conditions for REITs and market perceptions about our Company. In light of the dynamics in the capital markets impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic slowdown, our access to capital may be diminished. Despite these potential challenges, we believe we have sufficient access to capital for the foreseeable future, but we can provide no assurance that such capital will be available to us on attractive terms or at all.

On April 30, 2020, the Company entered into a loan in the principal amount of $1,733,510 from U.S. Bank National Association, one of the Company’s existing lenders, pursuant to the Paycheck Protection Program (the “PPP Loan”) of the CARES Act. The PPP Loan was set to mature on May 6, 2022 (the “Maturity Date”), and accrued interest at 1.00% per annum and could be prepaid in whole or in part without penalty. Pursuant to the CARES Act, the Company applied for and was granted forgiveness for all of the PPP Loan. Forgiveness was determined by the U.S. Small Business Administration based on the use of loan proceeds for payroll costs, mortgage interest, rent or utility costs and the maintenance of employee and compensation levels. The Company used all proceeds from the PPP Loan to retain employees and maintain payroll and make mortgage payments, lease payments and utility payments to support business continuity throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Pursuant to the guidance in Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) ASC 405-20, “Liabilities - Extinguishment of Liabilities,” the Company recognized a $1,734,000 gain for the PPP Loan forgiveness during the year ended December 31, 2020 based on the legal release from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

On May 20, 2022, our universal shelf registration statement on Form S-3 was declared effective by the SEC, which registers the issuance and sale by us of up to $500 million in securities from time to time, including common shares, preferred shares, debt securities, depositary shares and subscription rights.

On September 9, 2022, we entered into eleven equity distribution agreements for an at-the-market equity distribution program (the “2022 equity distribution agreements”) providing for the issuance and sale of up to an aggregate of $100 million of the Company’s common shares pursuant to our Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-264881). Actual sales will depend on a variety of factors determined by us from time to time, including (among others) market conditions, the trading price of our common shares, capital needs and our determinations of the appropriate sources of funding for us, and will be made in transactions that will be deemed to be “at-the-market” offerings as defined in Rule 415 under the Securities Act. We have no obligation to sell any of our common shares and can at any time suspend offers under the 2022 equity distribution agreements or terminate the 2022 equity distribution agreements.

We expect that our rental income will increase as we continue to acquire additional properties, subsequently increasing our cash flows generated from operating activities. We intend to finance the continued acquisition of such additional properties through equity issuances and through debt financing.

Our capital structure includes non-recourse secured debt that we assumed or originated on certain properties. We may hedge the future cash flows of certain debt transactions principally through interest rate swaps with major financial institutions.

As discussed in Note 2 to the accompanying consolidated financial statements, pursuant to the term of our $15.1 million 4.99% Note, due January 6, 2024 (see Note 8 to the accompanying consolidated financial statements), which is collateralized by our Anthem Marketplace property, we were required by the lenders thereunder to establish a cash management account controlled by the lenders to collect all amounts generated by our Anthem Marketplace property in order to collateralize such promissory note. Amounts in the cash management account are classified as restricted cash.

Cash and Cash Equivalents 

We had cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash of approximately $6,355,000 at December 31, 2022, as compared to $15,914,000 at December 31, 2021.  The decrease of $9,559,000 was primarily the result of the following:

Sources of Cash

Uses of Cash

We place all cash in short-term, highly liquid investments that we believe provide appropriate safety of principal.

Equity Offerings

On May 20, 2022, our universal shelf registration statement on Form S-3 was declared effective by the SEC, which registers the issuance and sale by us of up to $500 million in securities from time to time, including common shares, preferred shares, debt securities, depositary shares and subscription rights.

On September 9, 2022, we entered into eleven equity distribution agreements for an at-the-market equity distribution program (the “2022 equity distribution agreements”) providing for the issuance and sale of up to an aggregate of $100 million of the Company’s common shares pursuant to our Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-264881). Actual sales will depend on a variety of factors determined by us from time to time, including (among others) market conditions, the trading price of our common shares, capital needs and our determinations of the appropriate sources of funding for us, and were made in transactions that will be deemed to be “at-the-market” offerings as defined in Rule 415 under the Securities Act. We have no obligation to sell any of our common shares and can at any time suspend offers under the 2022 equity distribution agreements or terminate the 2022 equity distribution agreements.

We have used and anticipate using net proceeds from common shares issued pursuant to the 2022 equity distribution agreements for general corporate purposes, which may include acquisitions of additional properties, the repayment of outstanding indebtedness, capital expenditures, the expansion, redevelopment and/or re-tenanting of properties in our portfolio, working capital and other general purposes.

Debt

Debt consisted of the following as of the dates indicated (in thousands):

On April 30, 2020, the Company entered into a loan in the principal amount of $1,733,510 from U.S. Bank National Association, one of the Company’s existing lenders, pursuant to the Paycheck Protection Program (the “PPP Loan”) of the CARES Act. The PPP Loan was set to mature on May 6, 2022 (the “Maturity Date”), and accrued interest at 1.00% per annum and could be prepaid in whole or in part without penalty. Pursuant to the CARES Act, the Company applied for and was granted forgiveness for all of the PPP Loan. Forgiveness was determined by the U.S. Small Business Administration based on the use of loan proceeds for payroll costs, mortgage interest, rent or utility costs and the maintenance of employee and compensation levels. Pursuant to the guidance in FASB ASC 405-20, “Liabilities - Extinguishment of Liabilities,” the Company recognized a $1,734,000 gain for the PPP Loan forgiveness during the year ended December 31, 2020 based on the legal release from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

On March 22, 2019, we, through our Operating Partnership, entered into a Note Purchase and Guarantee Agreement (the “Note Agreement”) together with certain subsidiary guarantors as initial guarantor parties thereto (the “Subsidiary Guarantors”) and The Prudential Insurance Company of America and the various other purchasers named therein (collectively, the “Purchasers”) providing for the issuance and sale of $100 million of senior unsecured notes of the Operating Partnership, of which (i) $50 million are designated as 5.09% Series A Senior Notes due March 22, 2029 (the “Series A Notes”) and (ii) $50 million are designated as 5.17% Series B Senior Notes due March 22, 2029 (the “Series B Notes” and, together with the Series A Notes, the “Notes”) pursuant to a private placement that closed on March 22, 2019 (the “Private Placement”). Obligations under the Notes are unconditionally guaranteed by the Company and by the Subsidiary Guarantors.

On December 16, 2022, Whitestone REIT (the “Company”) and its operating partnership, Whitestone REIT Operating Partnership, L.P. (the “Operating Partnership”), amended its Note Purchase and Guarantee Agreement originally executed on  March 22, 2019 (the “Existing Note Agreement”), pursuant to the terms and conditions of an Amendment No. 1 to Note Purchase and Guaranty Agreement, dated as of December 16, 2022 (the Existing Note Purchase Agreement, as so amended, the “Amended Note Agreement”), by and among the Company and the Operating Partnership, together with certain subsidiary guarantors as initial guarantor parties thereto and The Prudential Insurance Company of America and the various other purchasers named therein.

Neither the term of the Existing Note Agreement, the interest rate, nor the principal amounts, were amended. The purpose of the amendment is to conform certain covenants and defined terms contained in the Amended Note Agreement with the Company’s recently amended unsecured credit facility with the lenders party thereto, Bank of Montreal, as administrative agent, Truist Bank, as syndication agent, and BMO Capital Markets Corp., Truist Bank, Capital One, National Association, and U.S. Bank National Association, as co-lead arrangers and joint book runners. 

The principal of the Series A Notes will begin to amortize on March 22, 2023 with annual principal payments of approximately $7.1 million. The principal of the Series B Notes will begin to amortize on March 22, 2025 with annual principal payments of $10.0 million. The Notes will pay interest quarterly on the 22nd day of March, June, September and December in each year until maturity.

The Operating Partnership may prepay at any time all, or from time to time part of, the Notes, in an amount not less than $1,000,000 in the case of a partial prepayment, at 100% of the principal amount so prepaid, plus a make-whole amount. The make-whole amount is equal to the excess, if any, of the discounted value of the remaining scheduled payments with respect to the Notes being prepaid over the aggregate principal amount of such Notes (as described in the Note Agreement). In addition, in connection with a Change of Control (as defined in the Note Purchase Agreement), the Operating Partnership is required to offer to prepay the Notes at 100% of the principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon.

The Note Agreement contains representations, warranties, covenants, terms and conditions customary for transactions of this type and substantially similar to the Operating Partnership’s existing senior revolving credit facility, including limitations on liens, incurrence of investments, acquisitions, loans and advances and restrictions on dividends and certain other restricted payments. In addition, the Note Agreement contains certain financial covenants substantially similar to the Operating Partnership’s existing senior revolving credit facility, including the following:

In addition, the Note Agreement contains a financial covenant requiring that maximum unsecured indebtedness not exceed the ratio of unsecured indebtedness to unencumbered asset pool of 0.60 to 1.00. That covenant is substantially similar to the borrowing base concept contained in the Operating Partnership’s existing senior revolving credit facility.

The Note Agreement also contains default provisions, including defaults for non-payment, breach of representations and warranties, insolvency, non-performance of covenants, cross-defaults with other indebtedness and guarantor defaults. The occurrence of an event of default under the Note Agreement could result in the Purchasers accelerating the payment of all obligations under the Notes. The financial and restrictive covenants and default provisions in the Note Agreement are substantially similar to those contained in the Operating Partnership’s existing credit facility.

Net proceeds from the Private Placement were used to refinance existing indebtedness. The Notes have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. The Notes were sold in reliance on the exemption from registration provided by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act.

On September 16, 2022, we, through our Operating Partnership, entered into an unsecured credit facility (the “2022 Facility”) with the lenders party thereto, Bank of Montreal, as administrative agent (the “Administrative Agent”), Truist Bank, as syndication agent, and BMO Capital Markets Corp., Truist Bank, Capital One, National Association, and U.S. Bank National Association, as co-lead arrangers and joint book runners. The 2022 Facility amended and restated the Company's previous unsecured revolving credit facility, dated January 31, 2019 (the “2019 Facility”).

The 2022 Facility is comprised of the following two tranches:

Borrowings under the 2022 Facility accrue interest (at the Operating Partnership's option) at a Base Rate or an Adjusted Term Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) plus an applicable margin based upon our then existing leverage. As of December 31, 2022, the interest rate on the 2022 Revolver was 5.79%. Based on our current leverage ratio, the revolver has initial interest rate of SOFR plus 1.60% and a 10 basis point credit spread adjustment. In addition, we entered into interest rate swaps to fix the interest rates on the Term Loan. The Term Loan with the swaps has the following interest rates:

The 2022 Facility also has a pricing provision where the applicable margin can be adjusted by an aggregate 0.02% per annum based on the Company’s performance on certain sustainability performance targets. Base Rate means, for any day, the higher of: (a) the Administrative Agent’s prime commercial rate, (b) the sum of (i) the rate per annum equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York for such day, plus (ii) 0.50%, or (c) the sum of (i) Adjusted Term SOFR for a one-month tenor in effect on such day plus (ii) 1.10%.  Adjusted Term SOFR means, for any such day, the sum of (i) the SOFR-based term rate for the day two (2) business days prior and (ii) 0.10%.

The 2022 Facility includes an accordion feature that will allow the Operating Partnership to increase the borrowing capacity by $200.0 million, upon the satisfaction of certain conditions. As of December 31, 2022, subject to any potential future paydowns or increases in the borrowing base, we have $146.4 million remaining availability under the 2022 Revolver. As of December 31, 2022, $368.5 million was drawn on the 2022 Facility and our unused borrowing capacity was $146.4 million, assuming that we use the proceeds of the 2022 Facility to acquire properties, or to repay debt on properties, that are eligible to be included in the unsecured borrowing base. The Company used $379.5 million of proceeds from the 2022 Facility to repay amounts outstanding under the 2019 Facility.

The Company, each direct and indirect material subsidiary of the Operating Partnership and any other subsidiary of the Operating Partnership that is a guarantor under any unsecured ratable debt will serve as a guarantor for funds borrowed by the Operating Partnership under the 2022 Facility. The 2022 Facility contains customary terms and conditions, including, without limitation, customary representations and warranties and affirmative and negative covenants including, without limitation, information reporting requirements, limitations on investments, acquisitions, loans and advances, mergers, consolidations and sales, incurrence of liens, dividends and restricted payments. In addition, the 2022 Facility contains certain financial covenants including the following:

The 2022 Facility also contains customary events of default with customary notice and cure, including, without limitation, nonpayment, breach of covenant, misrepresentation of representations and warranties in a material respect, cross-default to other major indebtedness, change of control, bankruptcy and loss of REIT tax status. If an event of default occurs and is continuing under the 2022 Facility, the lenders may, among other things, terminate their commitments under the 2022 Facility and require the immediate payment of all amounts owed thereunder. 

As of December 31, 2022, our $157.5 million in secured debt was collateralized by seven properties with a carrying value of $243.1 million.  Our loans contain restrictions that would require the payment of prepayment penalties for the acceleration of outstanding debt and are secured by deeds of trust on certain of our properties and by assignment of the rents and leases associated with those properties. As of December 31, 2022, we were in compliance with all loan covenants.

Scheduled maturities of our outstanding debt as of December 31, 2022 were as follows (in thousands):

Capital Expenditures

We continually evaluate our properties’ performance and value. We may determine it is in our shareholders’ best interest to invest capital in properties we believe have potential for increasing value. We also may have unexpected capital expenditures or improvements for our existing assets. Additionally, we intend to continue investing in similar properties outside of Texas and Arizona in cities with exceptional demographics to diversify market risk, and we may incur significant capital expenditures or make improvements in connection with any properties we may acquire.

The following is a summary of the Company’s capital expenditures, excluding property acquisitions, for the years ended December 31 (in thousands):

Contractual Obligations

As of December 31, 2022, we had the following contractual obligations (see Note 8 of our accompanying consolidated financial statements for further discussion regarding the specific terms of our debt):

Distributions

U.S. federal income tax law generally requires that a REIT distribute annually to its shareholders at least 90% of its REIT taxable income, without regard to the deduction for dividends paid and excluding net capital gains, and that it pay tax at regular corporate rates on any taxable income that it does not distribute. We currently, and intend to continue to, accrue distributions quarterly and make distributions in three monthly installments following the end of each quarter. For a discussion of our cash flow as compared to dividends, see “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Liquidity and Capital Resources.”

The timing and frequency of our distributions are authorized and declared by our board of trustees in exercise of its business judgment based upon a number of factors, including:

Any distributions we make will be at the discretion of our board of trustees and we cannot provide assurance that our distributions will be made or sustained in the future.

On February 10, 2021, the Company announced an increase to its quarterly distribution to $0.1075 per common share and OP units, equal to a monthly distribution of $0.035833, beginning with the March 2021 distribution. On February 22, 2022, the Company announced an increase to its quarterly distribution to 0.12 per commons share and OP unit, equal to a monthly distribution of $0.04, beginning with the April 2022 distribution.

During 2022, we paid distributions to our common shareholders and OP unit holders of $23.3 million, compared to $19.7 million in 2021.  Common shareholders and OP unit holders receive monthly distributions.  Payments of distributions are declared quarterly and paid monthly.  The distributions paid to common shareholders and OP unit holders were as follows (in thousands, except per share data) for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021: 

Summary of Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

Our discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations are based on our consolidated financial statements.  We prepared these financial statements in conformity with GAAP.  The preparation of these financial statements required us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent liabilities at the dates of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods.  We based our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances.  Our results may differ from these estimates.  Currently, we believe that our accounting policies do not require us to make estimates using assumptions about matters that are highly uncertain.  For a better understanding of our accounting policies, you should read Note 2 to our accompanying consolidated financial statements in conjunction with this “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”