Howard Hughes 10-K2023 FY Annual report

 

Throughout this Annual Report on Form 10-K (Annual Report), references to the “Company,” “HHH,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to Howard Hughes Holdings Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries, unless the context requires otherwise. This Annual Report contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 (Securities Act) and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Exchange Act). All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this Annual Report are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements give our current expectations relating to our financial condition, results of operations, plans, objectives, future performance, or business. You can identify forward-looking statements by the fact that they do not relate strictly to current or historical facts. These statements may include words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “intend,” “likely,” “may,” “plan,” “project,” “realize,” “should,” “transform,” “would,” and other statements of similar expression. Forward-looking statements should not be relied upon. They give our expectations about the future and are not guarantees.

Forward-looking statements include:

These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance and achievements to materially differ from any future results, performance and achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements include:

Any factor could, by itself, or together with one or more other factors, adversely affect our business, results of operations, plans, objectives, future performance, or financial condition. Other factors not described in this Annual Report also could cause results to differ from our expectations. Given these risks and uncertainties, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements present our estimates and assumptions only as of the date of this Annual Report. Except as may be required by law, we undertake no obligation to modify or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this Annual Report.

References to HHH, the Company, we, us, and our refer to Howard Hughes Holdings Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries, which includes The Howard Hughes Corporation, unless otherwise specifically stated. References to HHC refer to The Howard Hughes Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise specifically stated.

HHH is establishing Seaport Entertainment with the intention of completing its spinoff as an independent, publicly traded company in 2024, but there can be no assurance regarding the ultimate timing of the spinoff or that the spinoff will ultimately occur. The planned separation of Seaport Entertainment will refine the identity of HHH as a pure-play real estate company focused solely on its portfolio of master planned communities and allow the new company, Seaport Entertainment, to operate independently as an entertainment-focused enterprise.

We operate through four business segments: Operating Assets, MPCs, Strategic Developments, and Seaport. We create a unique and continuous value-creation cycle through operational and financial synergies associated with our three primary business segments of Operating Assets, MPCs, and Strategic Developments. In our MPC segment, we plan, develop, and manage small cities and large-scale, mixed-use communities in markets with strong long-term growth fundamentals. This business focuses on the horizontal development of residential land. The improved acreage is then sold to homebuilders who build and sell homes to new residents. New homeowners create demand for commercial developments, such as retail, office, and multi-family offerings. We build these commercial properties through Strategic Developments at the appropriate time using the cash flow harvested from the sale of land to homebuilders, which helps mitigate development risk. Once the commercial developments are completed, the assets transition to Operating Assets, which increase recurring Net Operating Income (NOI), further funding our Strategic Developments. New office, retail, and other commercial amenities make our MPC residential land more appealing to buyers and increase the velocity of land sales at premiums that typically exceed the broader market. This increased demand for residential land generates more cash flow from MPCs, thus continuing the value-creation cycle. Our fourth business segment, Seaport, is one of the few multi-block districts largely under private management by a single owner in New York City.

Our assets are located across the United States, with the vast majority of the assets in our Operating Assets segment located within our MPCs. This helps us achieve scale and, in most cases, critical mass, which leads to pricing power in lease and vendor negotiations; increased ability to attract, hire, and retain the best local leadership and leasing teams; flexibility to meet changing customer demands; and enhanced ability to identify and capitalize on emerging opportunities. Our MPCs, including our Floreo joint venture, span approximately 101,000 gross acres, with approximately 22,000 residential acres of land remaining to be developed and sold in high-demand geographic areas. In addition to the residential land, our MPC segment contains approximately 13,000 acres designated for commercial development or sale to non-competing users such as hospitals. This land is held in our MPC segment until we identify demand for a new commercial development, at which point the land is transitioned into our Strategic Developments segment.

We distinguish ourselves from other real estate companies through the following competitive strengths:

With respect to our MPC segment, we compete with other landholders and residential and commercial property developers primarily in the development of properties within Las Vegas, Nevada; the greater Houston, Texas area; and Phoenix, Arizona markets. Significant factors that we believe allow us to compete effectively in this business include:

With respect to the Managed Businesses and Events & Sponsorships within our Seaport segment, the restaurant and event industry is intensely competitive with respect to the type and quality of food, price, service, restaurant, or event location, personnel, brand, attractiveness of facilities, availability of carryout and home delivery, internet and mobile ordering capabilities, and effectiveness of advertising and marketing. We compete in the New York area for guests, management, and hourly personnel.

With respect to our Strategic Developments segment our direct competitors include other commercial property developers and other owners of commercial real estate that engage in similar businesses. With respect to our Strategic Developments segment, we also compete with residential condominium developers. With significant existing entitlements, we hold an advantage over many of our competitors in our markets in that we already own or have significant influence over, substantial acreage for development. We also own the majority of square feet of each product type in many of our markets.

Our website address is www.howardhughes.com. The 2022 Annual Report on Form 10-K of our subsidiary, The Howard Hughes Corporation, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and other publicly filed documents, including all exhibits filed therewith, are available and may be accessed free of charge through the Investors section of our website under the SEC Filings subsection, as soon as reasonably practicable after those documents are filed with, or furnished to, the SEC at www.sec.gov. Also available through the Investors section of our website are reports filed by our directors and executive officers on Forms 3, 4, and 5, and amendments to those reports. Our website and included or linked information on the website are not incorporated into this Annual Report on Form 10-K. From time to time, we use our website as an additional means of disclosing public information to investors, the media, and others interested in us.

We have developed many of the assets in our Operating Assets segment since the Company’s inception in 2010. As of December 31, 2023, we have 73 Operating Assets, including our investments in unconsolidated ventures, consisting of 11 retail properties, 34 office properties, 17 multi-family properties, and 11 other operating properties or investments. Excluding our projects under construction, we own approximately 8.8 million square feet of retail and office space and 5,587 multi-family units.

We believe that the long-term value of our Operating Assets is driven by their concentration in our MPCs, where we have a competitive advantage. We believe that these assets have the potential for future growth by increasing rental rates, absorbing remaining vacancy, and changing the tenant mix in retail centers to improve gross sales revenue of our tenants, thereby increasing rents. Revenue is primarily generated through rental services and is directly impacted by trends in rental rates and operating costs.

We will also occasionally sell an operating asset when it does not complement our existing properties or no longer fits within our current strategy. In 2023, the Company completed the sale of two land parcels in Honolulu, Hawai‘i, including an 11,929-square-foot building at the Ward Village Retail property, as well as two self-storage facilities and a medical office building in The Woodlands, for total net proceeds after debt repayment of $43.3 million.

For certain assets, we believe there are opportunities to improve operating performance through redevelopment or repositioning. Redevelopment plans for these assets may include office, retail, or residential space, shopping centers, movie theaters, parking complexes, or open space. The redevelopment plans may require that we obtain permits, licenses, consents, and/or waivers from various parties. These opportunities will require new capital investment and vary in complexity and scale. The redevelopment opportunities range from those that would have minimal disruption to the property to those requiring partial or full demolition of existing structures for new construction. Factors we evaluate in determining whether to redevelop or reposition an asset include the following: (1) existing and forecasted demographics surrounding the property; (2) competition related to existing and/or alternative uses; (3) existing entitlements of the property and our ability to change them; (4) compatibility of the physical site with proposed uses; and (5) environmental considerations, traffic patterns, and access to the properties.

We generally transfer an operating asset that is being repositioned or redeveloped into our Strategic Developments segment when we close operations at a property and/or begin construction on the redevelopment project. Upon completion of construction or renovation of a development or redevelopment, the asset is fully or partially placed in service and transferred back into our Operating Assets segment.

As of December 31, 2023, our portfolio of MPCs comprises Summerlin in Las Vegas; The Woodlands, The Woodlands Hills and Bridgeland in the Houston region; and Teravalis in the Phoenix region. Our MPC segment includes the development and sale of residential and commercial land, primarily in large-scale, long-term projects. These developments often require decades of investment and continued focus on the changing market dynamics surrounding these communities. We believe that the long-term value of our MPCs remains strong because of their competitive positioning in their respective markets, our in-depth experience in diverse land-use planning, and the fact that we have substantially completed the entitlement processes within the majority of our communities.

Our MPCs have won numerous awards for design excellence and for community contribution. Summerlin and Bridgeland were again ranked by Robert Charles Lesser & Co., LLC (RCLCO), capturing fourth and fifth top-selling master planned communities in the nation, respectively, for the year ended December 31, 2023.

We expect the competitive position, desirable locations, and land development expertise to drive the long-term growth of our MPCs. As of December 31, 2023, our MPCs, including Floreo, our unconsolidated joint venture near Phoenix, Arizona, encompass approximately 101,000 gross acres of land and include approximately 35,000 acres of land available for sale or development. Residential sales, which are generated primarily from the sale of finished lots and undeveloped superpads to residential homebuilders and developers, include standard and custom parcels designated for detached and attached single-family homes and range from entry-level to luxury homes. Superpad sites are generally 10- to 25-acre parcels of unimproved land where we develop and construct the major utilities (water, sewer, and storm drainage) and roads to the borders of the parcel, and the homebuilder completes the on-site utilities, roads, and finished lots. Revenue is also generated through builder price participation with homebuilders.

We also occasionally sell or lease land for commercial development when we deem its use will not compete with our existing properties or our development strategy. Commercial sales include land parcels designated for retail, office, hospitality, high-density residential projects (condominiums and apartments), services, and other for-profit activities, as well as those parcels designated for use by government, schools, and other not-for-profit entities.

On October 5, 2023, HHH announced the intent to form a new division, Seaport Entertainment, that is expected to include all of the assets in the Seaport segment, as well as the Las Vegas Aviators Triple-A Minor League Baseball team, the Las Vegas Ballpark, and our 80% interest in the air rights above the Fashion Show Mall in Las Vegas. HHH is establishing Seaport Entertainment with the intention of completing its spinoff as an independent, publicly traded company in 2024, but there can be no assurance regarding the ultimate timing of the spinoff or that the spinoff will ultimately occur.

The Seaport spans approximately 472,000 square feet and several city blocks, including Pier 17, the Tin Building, the Historic District, and the 250 Water Street development. Our Seaport segment is part non-stabilized operating asset, part development project, and part operating business. Due to this range of asset types, we categorize the businesses in the Seaport segment into the following groups: Landlord Operations, Managed Businesses, the Tin Building, and Events and Sponsorships.

Our Strategic Developments segment consists of 18 development or redevelopment projects, including developments within our MPCs that will transition to Operating Assets upon completion and condominium towers at Ward Village. Many of these developments require extensive planning and expertise in large-scale and long-range development to maximize their highest and best uses. The strategic process is complex and unique to each asset and requires ongoing assessment of the changing market dynamics prior to the commencement of construction. We must study each local market, determine the highest and best use of the land and necessary improvements to the area, obtain entitlements and permits, complete architectural design and construction drawings, secure tenant commitments, and obtain and commit sources of capital.

We are in various stages of predevelopment or execution of our strategic plans for many of these assets based on market conditions. As of December 31, 2023, seven properties are under construction and not yet placed into service. We generally obtain construction financing to fund a significant amount of the costs associated with developing these assets.

Our expansive portfolio and tremendous scale give HHH a unique opportunity to build next-generation communities and make a meaningful, positive impact on people’s lives at a local, regional, and national level. We are acutely aware of the responsibility that comes along with that opportunity. Building on our reputation for excellence and innovation, we remain focused on making our developments sustainable; giving back to our communities; protecting our landscapes; supporting inclusivity; and establishing communities that create value and well-being for generations to come.

Acknowledging the power of our scale, as well as the opportunities for taking climate action, we are amplifying and accelerating our efforts to further advance resiliency, conservation, innovation, and inclusion throughout our large-scale, mixed-use communities. We have aligned our community strategies to support the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals, defined by the UN as the blueprint for achieving a better and more sustainable future for all. This framework helps us view our people-centric approach to development and management through the global lens of our planet’s most pressing issues.

Our program is overseen by our chief executive officer, president, and board of directors. Additional details on our sustainable, inclusive, and transparent approach are available in our latest ESG annual report now called the Communities Report, which can be found on the Company’s website (https://www.howardhughes.com/communities/). This annual report, published in October 2023, looks at the collective efforts of our team in 2022. It reflects each business segment and region across our national portfolio of MPCs, Strategic Developments, Operating Assets, and the Seaport. Our disclosure is in reference to the Global Reporting Initiative’s 2021 Standards. Prior to this report, our most recent Communities report was published in November 2022 and covered calendar year 2021.

The guiding principle that drives the development of our award-winning master planned communities is, ‘How you live, how we build’. HHH operates one of the nation's largest portfolios of large-scale, mixed-use master planned communities, including The Woodlands in Texas, which in 2022 became the world's largest master planned community to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Precertification for excellence in sustainable development. Ward Village was honored and recognized as the top LEED developer in Hawai'i with the most LEED-certified and registered green buildings in the state.

Each community manages and addresses its unique context through resilient planning, green building design, high operational performance, and ongoing risk management. We continue to monitor and refine our approach as developments transition into operating assets in order to ensure continued support for the responsible use of resources, conservation, and efficiency measures. From an operational standpoint, we measure energy, water, emissions, and waste performance and proactively pursue efforts to reduce our impact across our portfolio. These efforts align with UN Sustainable Development Goals, which focus on climate health and responsible resource stewardship. We complement this holistic approach with programs and actions customized for the age, asset type, and regional considerations of our diverse properties. Data-driven analysis, engineering insights, and occupant feedback drive unique strategies for each of our buildings.

In 2017, we set 10-year environmentally focused goals for reductions in energy use, water use, waste, and carbon emissions. We report our progress against these goals annually in our Communities Report and leverage industry leadership programs to benchmark and certify environmental performance. Our report highlighted our management of climate-related risks and opportunities in line with the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations. Annually, we work with DNV Business Assurance USA, Inc. to externally confirm our energy consumption, water consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and waste data. LEED, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR, and BOMA 360 certifications validate our use of sustainable design, construction, and operations principles that result in reduced resource usage, decreased emissions and better well-being for building occupants. We have 94 active or pending building and community green certifications.

In 2023, Marlow, a multi-family asset in Columbia, received the highest level for green building certification at LEED Platinum, the 1700 Pavilion office building in Summerlin achieved LEED Silver, and Creekside Park Medical Plaza in The Woodlands achieved LEED Gold. HHH leveraged our green building strategy to execute sustainability-linked financial instruments, and our sustainability platform was featured in three industry reports and six thought-leadership conferences.

Beyond our commitment to community building, we create spaces for our employees to thrive, both within and beyond their professional lives. We actively cultivate a culture of learning throughout our organization. Opportunities for ongoing development include resources like tuition reimbursement, student debt management assistance, financial wellness courses, and dedicated budgets for training. We prioritize personal well-being through comprehensive programs tailored to employees and their families across all life stages. These programs encompass a robust health benefits package and wellness discount, a 401k match program, up to 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave, support for adoption and surrogacy services, commuter benefits, and even pet care insurance.

In addition to our focus on our employees, we are highly attuned to how we impact the lives of those within our communities, and we support over 220 local charities through monetary donations and volunteerism within our HHCares program. In 2023, the Company donated over $2.6 million nationwide, including over $250,000 of individual employee donations and company matches to registered 501c3 non-profit organizations. Our employees also donated nearly 2,800 hours of volunteer time throughout 2023. At HHH, we recognize that our people are the foundation of our communities, and we are committed to holistically supporting them.

In order to identify, monitor, and mitigate potential risks that could impact our organization and investors, HHH has made governance and risk management a top Board priority. As part of our corporate governance framework, we have a formal Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Program that is overseen by the Board’s Risk Committee and led by our Risk Management team. The Risk Committee helps to evaluate the effectiveness of the ERM Program and the performance of the Risk Management team. It also reviews and monitors risks that have been identified and are considered critical by management, such as capital, market, liquidity, legal, regulatory, operational, reputational, and strategic risks. The Risk Committee reviews and approves periodic risk assessment results and reviews risk mitigation activities deemed material by management. The Risk Committee also reviews risk mitigation activities for emerging risks and oversees management’s approach to fostering a risk-intelligent culture. Additionally, the Risk Committee identifies key risk topics to refer to the Board for further analysis and decision-making.

HHH’s program is shaped and supported by the Board and encompasses a range of corporate governance policies and guidelines that include but are not limited to: Anti-Corruption Compliance Policy, Board Diversity Policy, Cybersecurity Policy, Code of Business Conduct and Ethics for Officers and Employees, Code of Business Conduct and Ethics for the Board of Directors, Corporate Governance Guidelines, and Insider Trading Policy. These policies and our Human Rights Policy are published on the Company’s website (https://investor.howardhughes.com/governance/governance-documents).

A portion of our business is dedicated to the development and sale of condominiums. Condominiums are generally regulated by an agency of the state in which they are located or where the condominiums are marketed to be sold. In connection with our development and offering of condominium units for sale, we must submit regulatory filings to various state agencies and engage in an entitlement process by which real property owned under one title is converted into individual units. Responses or comments on our condominium filings may delay our ability to sell condominiums in certain states and other jurisdictions in a timely manner, or at all. In addition, approval to develop real property sometimes requires political support and generally entails an extensive entitlement process involving multiple and overlapping regulatory jurisdictions and often requires discretionary action by local governments. Real estate projects must generally comply with local land development regulations and may need to comply with state and federal regulations. We incur substantial costs to comply with legal and regulatory requirements.

Various local, state, and federal statutes, ordinances, rules and regulations concerning building, health and safety, site and building design, environment, zoning, sales and similar matters apply to and/or affect the real estate development industry. Our ability to obtain or renew permits or approvals and the continued effectiveness of permits already granted or approvals already obtained depends on factors beyond our control, such as changes in federal, state, and local policies, rules and regulations, and their interpretations and application.

There is a variety of legislation being enacted, or considered for enactment, at the federal, state, and local levels relating to energy and climate change. This legislation relates to items such as carbon dioxide emissions control and building codes that impose energy efficiency standards. New building code requirements that impose stricter energy efficiency standards could significantly increase our cost to construct buildings. As climate change concerns continue to grow, legislation and regulations of this nature are expected to continue and become more costly to comply with. We may be required to apply for additional approvals or modify our existing approvals because of changes in local circumstances or applicable law. Energy-related initiatives affect a wide variety of companies throughout the United States and the world and, because our operations are heavily dependent on significant amounts of raw materials, such as lumber, steel, and concrete, they could have an indirect adverse impact on our operations and profitability to the extent the manufacturers and suppliers of our materials are burdened with expensive cap and trade and similar energy-related taxes and regulations. Governmental regulation also affects sales activities, mortgage lending activities, and other dealings with consumers. Further, government agencies routinely initiate audits, reviews, or investigations of our business practices to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations, which can cause us to incur costs or create other disruptions in our business that can be significant. We may experience delays and increased expenses as a result of legal challenges to our proposed communities, whether brought by governmental authorities or private parties.

Under various federal, state, and local laws and regulations, an owner of real estate is liable for the costs of remediation of certain hazardous substances, including petroleum and certain toxic substances (collectively hazardous substances) on such real estate. These laws often impose such liability without regard to whether the owner knew of, or was responsible for, the presence of such hazardous substances. The costs of remediation of such substances may be substantial, and the presence of such substances, or the failure to remediate such substances, may adversely affect the owner’s ability to sell such real estate or to obtain financing using such real estate as collateral. Other federal, state, and local laws, ordinances and regulations require abatement or removal of asbestos-containing materials in the event of demolition or certain renovations or remodeling, the cost of which may be substantial for certain redevelopments, and also govern emissions of and exposure to asbestos fibers in the air. Federal and state laws also regulate the operation and removal of underground storage tanks. In connection with our ownership, operation, and management of certain properties, we could be held liable for the costs of remedial action with respect to these regulated substances or tanks or related claims.

For further information see Governance and Risk Management above.

Our economic performance and the value of our real estate assets, and consequently the market value of the Company’s securities, are subject to the risk that our properties may not generate revenues sufficient to meet our operating expenses or other obligations. A deficiency of this nature would adversely impact our financial condition, results of operations, cash flows, the quoted trading price of our securities, and our ability to satisfy our debt service obligations.

We believe that new home sales are an important indicator of future demand for our superpad sites, lots, and condominium units. Demand for new homes is sensitive to changes in economic conditions such as the level of employment, consumer confidence, consumer income, the availability of financing, and interest rate levels. The prior economic downturn severely affected both the number of homes that could be sold in our MPCs and the prices for which homebuilders could sell them. We cannot predict when another economic downturn in the housing market will occur. If there were another economic downturn in the housing market or in general economic conditions, the resulting decline in demand for new homes and condominium units would likely have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

The ability of the ultimate buyers of condominiums to finance their purchases is generally dependent on their personal savings and availability of third-party financing. Consequently, the demand for condominiums could be adversely affected by increases in interest rates (which generally rose in 2022 and 2023), unavailability of mortgage financing, increasing housing costs, and unemployment levels. Levels of income and savings, including retirement savings, available to condominium purchasers can be affected by declines in the capital markets. Any significant increase in the mortgage interest rates or decrease in available credit could reduce consumer demand for housing, and result in fewer condominium sales, which may have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

We enter into contracts for the sale of condominium units that generally provide for the payment of a substantial portion of the sales price at closing when a condominium unit is ready to be delivered and occupied. A significant amount of time may pass between the execution of a contract for the purchase of a condominium unit and the closing thereof. The rate of defaults may increase from historical levels due to the personal finances of purchasers being negatively impacted as a result of changing macroeconomic and other conditions, including slow growth or recession, higher interest rates, high unemployment, inflation, and/or tighter credit. Defaults by purchasers to pay any remaining portions of the sales prices for condominium units under contract may have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

A tenant may experience a downturn in its business, due to a variety of factors including rising inflation or supply chain issues, which may weaken its financial condition and result in its failure to make timely rental payments or result in defaults under our leases. The rate of defaults may increase from historical levels due to tenants’ businesses being negatively impacted by higher interest rates. In the event of default by a tenant, we may experience delays in enforcing our rights as the landlord and may incur substantial costs in protecting our investment.

Many of our mixed-used properties are anchored by “big box” tenants. We could be adversely affected if these or other anchor stores were to consolidate, close, or enter into bankruptcy. Given the current economic environment for certain retailers, there is a heightened risk an anchor store could close or enter into bankruptcy. Any losses resulting from the bankruptcy of any of our existing tenants could adversely impact our financial condition. Even if we own the anchor space, we may be unable to re-lease this area or to re-lease it on comparable terms. The loss of these revenues could adversely affect our results of operations and cash flows. Further, the temporary or permanent loss of any anchor would likely reduce customer traffic in the retail center, which could lead to decreased sales at other retail stores. Rents obtained from other tenants may be adversely impacted as a result of co-tenancy clauses in their leases. One or more of these factors could cause the retail center to fail to meet its debt service requirements. The consolidation of anchor stores may also negatively affect lease negotiations and current and future development projects.

We cannot provide any assurance that existing leases will be renewed, available space will be re-leased, or that our rental rates will be equal to or above the current rental rates. If the average rental rates for our properties decrease, existing tenants do not renew their leases, or available space is not re-leased, our financial condition, results of operations, cash flows, and our ability to satisfy our debt service obligations at the affected properties could be adversely affected.

The nature and extent of the competition we face depend on the type of property. With respect to our MPCs, we compete with other landholders and residential and commercial property developers in the development of properties in the respective MPC regions. Numerous residential and commercial developers, some with greater financial and other resources, compete with us in seeking resources for development and prospective purchasers and tenants. Competition from other real estate developers may adversely affect our ability to attract purchasers and sell residential and commercial real estate, sell undeveloped rural land, attract and retain experienced real estate development personnel, or obtain construction materials and labor. These competitive conditions can make it difficult to sell land at desirable prices and can adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.

There are numerous shopping facilities that compete with our operating retail properties in attracting retailers to lease space. In addition, retailers at these properties face continued competition from other retailers, including internet retailers, retailers at other regional shopping centers, outlet malls and other discount shopping centers, discount shopping clubs, and catalog companies. Competition of this type could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition. In addition, we compete with other major real estate investors with significant capital for attractive investment and development opportunities. These competitors include REITs and private institutional investors.

Many of the properties we own are located in the same or in a limited number of geographic regions, including Texas, Hawai‘i, Nevada, New York, and Maryland. In October 2021, we announced the launch of Teravalis, a new large-scale master planned community in the West Valley of Phoenix, Arizona. Our current and future operations at the properties in these states are generally subject to significant fluctuations by various factors that are beyond our control such as the regional and local economy, which may be negatively impacted by material relocation by residents, industry slowdowns, plant closings, increased unemployment, lack of availability of consumer credit, levels of consumer debt, housing market conditions, adverse weather conditions, natural disasters, climate change and other factors, as well as the local real estate conditions, such as an oversupply of, or a reduction in demand for, retail space or retail goods and the availability and creditworthiness of current and prospective tenants.

In addition, some of our properties are subject to various other factors specific to those geographic areas. For example, tourism is a major component of both the local economies in Hawai‘i and Nevada. Ward Village, which is located in Honolulu, Hawai‘i, and Summerlin, which is located in Las Vegas, Nevada, may be impacted by the local and global tourism industry. These properties are susceptible to many factors that affect travel and tourism related to Hawai‘i and Las Vegas, including cost and availability of air services and the impact of any events that disrupt air travel to and from these regions. Moreover, these properties may be affected by risks such as acts of terrorism and natural disasters, including major fires, floods, and earthquakes, as well as severe or inclement weather, which could also decrease tourism activity in Las Vegas or Hawai‘i.

Further, Summerlin is to some degree dependent on the gaming industry, which could be adversely affected by changes in consumer trends and preferences and other factors over which we have no control. The gaming industry is characterized by an increasingly high degree of competition among a large number of participants, including riverboat casinos, dockside casinos, land-based casinos, video lottery, sweepstakes, and poker machines, many of which are located outside of Las Vegas. Furthermore, competition from internet lotteries, sweepstakes, and other internet-wagering gaming services, which allow their customers to wager on a wide variety of sporting events and play Las Vegas-style casino games from home or in non-casino settings, could negatively impact the population in the Las Vegas area.

Markets and the local economies surrounding our properties in Columbia, Maryland are heavily influenced by government spending and activity. A reduction of government spending in this market generally could decrease the demand for housing and retail space in this geographic region.

The Woodlands, The Woodlands Hills, and Bridgeland in the Houston, Texas region depend significantly on the energy sector. Our success depends to a large extent upon the business activity, population, income levels, employment trends, and real estate activity in and around Houston, Texas. In the event that oil prices fall and remain depressed for a sustained period, demand may decrease for housing and commercial space in The Woodlands, Bridgeland, and The Woodlands Hills.

Additionally, the success of Summerlin, our master planned community in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Teravalis, our new master planned community in the Phoenix, Arizona region, may be negatively impacted by changes in temperature due to climate change, increased stress on water supplies caused by climate change and population growth and other factors over which we have no control.

If any or all of the factors discussed above were to occur and result in our inability to sell or lease our residential and commercial property in any of these geographic regions, it would likely have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

We currently have and intend to enter into additional joint venture partnerships. These joint venture partners may bring local market knowledge and relationships, development experience, industry expertise, financial resources, financing capabilities, brand recognition, and credibility or other competitive advantages. In the future, we may not have sufficient resources, experience and/or skills to locate desirable partners. We also may not be able to attract partners who want to conduct business in the locations where our properties are located, and who have the assets, reputation, or other characteristics that would optimize our development opportunities.

While we generally participate in making decisions for our jointly owned properties and assets, we might not always have the same objectives as the partner in relation to a particular asset, and we might not be able to formally resolve any issues that arise. In addition, actions by a partner may subject property owned by the joint venture to liabilities greater than those contemplated by the joint venture agreements, be contrary to our instructions or requests or result in adverse consequences. We cannot control the ultimate outcome of any decision made by our partners, which may be detrimental to our interests.

The bankruptcy or, to a lesser extent, financial distress of any of our joint venture partners could materially and adversely affect the relevant property or properties. If this occurred, we would be precluded from taking some actions affecting the estate of the other investor without prior court approval which would, in most cases, entail prior notice to other parties and a hearing. At a minimum, the requirement to obtain court approval may delay the actions we would or might want to take. If the relevant joint venture through which we have invested in a property has incurred recourse obligations, the discharge in bankruptcy of one of the other partners might result in our ultimate liability for a greater portion of those obligations than would otherwise be required.

Real estate investments generally, and in particular large office and mixed-use properties like those that we develop and construct, often cannot be sold quickly. The capitalization rates at which properties may be sold could be higher than historic rates, thereby reducing our potential proceeds from the sale. Consequently, we may not be able to alter our portfolio promptly in response to changes in economic or other conditions. All of these factors reduce our ability to respond to changes in the performance of our investments and could adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

A number of our properties are located in areas which are subject to natural or other disasters, including hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, and oil spills. We cannot predict the extent of damage that may result from such adverse weather events, which depend on a variety of factors beyond our control. Some of our properties, including Houston-area MPCs, Ward Village, and the Seaport are located in regions that could be affected by increases in sea levels, the frequency or severity of hurricanes and tropical storms, or environmental disasters, whether such events are caused by global climate changes or other factors. Additionally, adverse weather events can cause widespread property damage and significantly depress the local economies in which the Company operates and have an adverse impact on the Company’s business, financial condition, and operations.

We are highly dependent on our relationships with homebuilders to purchase superpad sites and lots at our MPCs. Our business will be adversely affected if homebuilders do not view our MPCs as desirable locations for homebuilding operations or due to a change in demand, our inability to achieve certain pricing arrangements, or upon an overall decline in general market conditions. Also, some homebuilders may be unwilling or unable to close on previously committed lot purchases due to our failure to meet certain conditions in our agreements or otherwise. As a result, we may sell fewer lots and in certain instances suspend any of our MPC developments. This would result in lower land sales revenues, which could have an adverse effect on our financial position and results of operations.

The Seaport’s operational results are volatile. The increased volatility is largely the result of: (i) seasonality; (ii) potential sponsorship revenue; (iii) potential event revenue; and (iv) business operating risks from our various managed businesses. We own, either wholly or through joint ventures, and in some instances operate several start-up businesses in the Seaport. As a result, the revenues and expenses of these businesses directly impact the net operating income of the Seaport, which could have an adverse effect on our financial position and results of operations. This is in contrast to our other retail properties where we generally receive lease payments from unaffiliated tenants and are not necessarily impacted by the operating performance of their underlying businesses.

Our development, redevelopment, and construction activities expose us to risks such as:

If any of the aforementioned risks were to occur during the development, redevelopment, or construction of our properties, it could have a substantial negative impact on the project’s success and result in a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations.

We may hire and supervise third-party contractors to provide construction, engineering, and various other services for wholly owned development projects or development projects undertaken by real estate ventures in which we hold an equity interest. Certain of these contracts are structured such that we are the principal rather than the agent. As a result, we may assume liabilities in the course of the project and be subjected to, or become liable for, claims for construction defects, negligent performance of work or other similar actions by third parties we have engaged.

Adverse outcomes of disputes or litigation could negatively impact our business, results of operations, and financial condition, particularly if we have not limited the extent of the damages to which we may be liable, or if our liabilities exceed the amounts of the insurance that we carry. Moreover, our tenants and condominium owners may seek to hold us accountable for the actions of contractors because of our role even if we have technically disclaimed liability as a legal matter, in which case we may determine it necessary to participate in a financial settlement for purposes of preserving the tenant or customer relationship or to protect our corporate brand. Acting as a principal may also mean that we pay a contractor before we have been reimbursed by our tenants or have received the entire purchase price of a condominium unit from the purchaser. This exposes us to additional risks of collection in the event of a bankruptcy, insolvency, or a purchaser default. The reverse can occur as well, where a contractor we have paid files for bankruptcy protection or commits fraud with the funds before completing a project which we have funded in part or in full.

In the ordinary course of our business, we collect and store sensitive data, including intellectual property, our proprietary business information and that of our tenants and business partners and personally identifiable information of our employees on our networks. The collection and use of personally identifiable information are governed by federal and state laws and regulations. Privacy and information security laws continue to evolve and may be inconsistent from one jurisdiction to another. Compliance with all such laws and regulations may increase our operating costs and adversely impact our ability to market our properties and services.

Additionally, we rely on our information technology systems to be able to monitor and control our operations, adjust to changing market conditions and implement strategic initiatives. We own and manage some of these systems but also rely on third parties for a range of products and services. Any disruptions in or the failure of our own systems, or those managed by third parties, to operate as expected could adversely affect our ability to access and use certain applications and could, depending on the nature and magnitude of the problem, adversely affect our operating results by limiting our ability to effectively monitor and control our operations, adjust to changing market conditions, and implement strategic initiatives.

The security measures that we and our vendors put in place cannot provide absolute security, and the information technology infrastructure we and our vendors use may be vulnerable to criminal cyber-attacks or data security incidents.

Any such incident could compromise our networks or our vendors’ networks (or the networks or systems of third parties that facilitate our business activities or our vendors’ business activities), and the information we or our vendors store could be accessed, misused, publicly disclosed, corrupted, lost, or stolen, resulting in fraud, including wire fraud related to our assets, or other harm. Moreover, if a data security incident or breach affects our systems or our vendors’ systems, whether through a breach of our systems or a breach of the systems of third parties, or results in the unauthorized release of personally identifiable information, our reputation and brand could be materially damaged, and we may be exposed to a risk of loss or litigation and possible liability, including, without limitation, loss related to the fact that agreements with our vendors, or our vendors’ financial condition, may not allow us to recover all costs related to a cyber-breach for which they alone are responsible or for which we are jointly responsible for, which could result in a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition.

Like many companies, we and our third party vendors have been impacted by security incidents in the past and will likely experience security incidents of varying degrees. While we do not believe these incidents have had a material impact to date, privacy and information security risks have generally increased in recent years because of the proliferation of new technologies, such as ransomware, and the increased sophistication and activities of perpetrators of cyber-attacks. The rapid evolution and increased adoption of artificial intelligence technologies may also intensify our privacy and information security risks. Further, there has been a surge in widespread cyber-attacks during and since the COVID-19 pandemic, and the use of remote work environments and virtual platforms may increase our risk of cyber-attack or data security breaches. In light of the increased risks, we have dedicated substantial additional resources of expense, labor, and time to

strengthening the security of our computer systems. In the future, we may expend additional resources to continue to enhance our information security measures and/or to investigate and remediate any information security vulnerabilities. Despite these steps, there can be no assurance that we will not suffer a significant data security incident in the future, that unauthorized parties will not gain access to sensitive data stored on our systems, or that any such incident will be discovered in a timely manner. Any failure in or breach of our information security systems, those of third-party service providers, or a breach of other third-party systems that ultimately impacts our operational or information security systems as a result of cyber-attacks or information security breaches could result in a wide range of potentially serious harm to our business and results of operations.

Our business could be adversely affected by unstable economic and political conditions within the U.S. and foreign jurisdictions and geopolitical conflicts, such as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the more recent Israel-Hamas war. While we do not have any customer or direct supplier relationships in any of these countries, the current military conflicts and related sanctions, as well as export controls or actions that may be initiated by nations (e.g., potential cyberattacks, disruption of energy flows, etc.) and other potential uncertainties could adversely affect our supply chain by causing shortages or increases in costs for materials necessary for construction. These conflicts have already resulted in significant volatility in oil and natural-gas prices worldwide. In addition, such events could cause higher interest rates, inflation, or general economic uncertainty, which could negatively impact our business partners, employees, or customers, or otherwise adversely impact our business.

Certain of our directors have and may in the future have interests in other real estate business activities and may have control or influence over these activities or may serve as investment advisors, directors, or officers. These interests and activities, and any duties to third parties arising from such interests and activities, could divert the attention of such directors from our operations. Additionally, certain of our directors are engaged in investment and other activities in which they may learn of real estate and other related opportunities in their non-director capacities. Our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics applicable to our directors expressly provides, as permitted by Section 122(17) of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the DGCL), that our non-employee directors are not obligated to limit their interests or activities in their non-director capacities or to notify us of any opportunities that may arise in connection therewith, even if the opportunities are complementary to, or in competition with, our businesses. Accordingly, we have no expectation that we will be able to learn of or participate in such opportunities. If any potential business opportunity is expressly presented to a director exclusively in his or her director capacity, the director will not be permitted to pursue the opportunity, directly or indirectly through a controlled affiliate in which the director has an ownership interest, without the approval of the independent members of our board of directors.

Pershing Square beneficially owns approximately 37.7% of our outstanding common stock as of December 31, 2023. Additionally, Mr. William Ackman, founder and chief executive officer of Pershing Square, is the chairman of our board of directors. Accordingly, Pershing Square will have the ability to influence our policies and operations, including the appointment of management, future issuances of our common stock or other securities, the payment of dividends, if any, on our common stock, the incurrence or modification of debt by us, amendments to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws and the entering into of extraordinary transactions, and its interests may not in all cases be aligned with other stockholders’ interests.

On October 5, 2023, we announced our intent to form a new division, Seaport Entertainment, that is expected to include our entertainment-related assets in New York and Las Vegas, including the Seaport in Lower Manhattan and the Las Vegas Aviators Triple-A Minor League Baseball team, as well as our 25% ownership stake in Jean-Georges Restaurants and other partnerships and our 80% interest in the air rights above the Fashion Show Mall in Las Vegas. We are

establishing Seaport Entertainment with the intent of completing its spinoff as an independent, publicly traded company in 2024, but there can be no assurance regarding the ultimate timing of the spinoff or that the spinoff will ultimately occur.

Completion of the spinoff is subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, including obtaining final approvals from our board of directors; the completion of the transfer of assets and liabilities to Seaport Entertainment in accordance with the separation and distribution agreement; due execution and delivery of the agreements relating to the spinoff; no order, injunction, or decree issued by any court of competent jurisdiction or other legal restraint or prohibition in effect preventing the consummation of the spinoff, the distribution, or any of the related transactions; acceptance for listing on a national stock exchange of the Seaport Entertainment shares to be distributed, subject to official notice of distribution; and no other event or development having occurred or being in existence that, in the judgment of our board of directors, in its sole discretion, makes it inadvisable to effect the spinoff. The spinoff is complex in nature, and unanticipated developments or changes, including changes in the law, macroeconomic environment, and competitive conditions of our markets, the uncertainty of the financial markets, and challenges in executing the spinoff, could delay or prevent the completion of the spinoff or cause the spinoff to occur on terms or conditions that are different or less favorable than expected.

Whether or not we complete the spinoff, our ongoing business may face material challenges in connection with the spinoff, including, but not limited to:

If we do complete the spinoff, the anticipated benefits may not be achieved, may be delayed, or may be less advantageous than we anticipate for a variety of reasons, including that the actions required to separate the companies’ respective businesses could disrupt each company’s operations; following the spinoff, each company may be more susceptible to market fluctuations and other adverse events than if the companies were still combined; and following the spinoff the companies’ businesses will be less diversified than the combined businesses prior to the spinoff.

The separation and distribution agreement and other agreements we intend to enter into in connection with the spinoff will determine the allocation of assets and liabilities between us and Seaport Entertainment following the spinoff and will include any necessary indemnifications related to liabilities and obligations. We will rely on Seaport Entertainment after the spinoff to satisfy its performance and payment obligations under these agreements. If Seaport Entertainment is unable to satisfy these obligations, including its indemnification obligations, we could incur operational difficulties or losses that could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Because of their current or former positions with the Company, certain HHH executive officers and directors are expected to own equity interests in Seaport Entertainment. Their ownership of shares of common stock of Seaport Entertainment could create, or create the appearance of, potential conflicts of interest if we and Seaport Entertainment face decisions that could have implications for both companies after the spinoff.

The distribution is conditioned upon, among other things, our receipt of an opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP, tax counsel to HHH, regarding the qualification of the distribution as a distribution under Section 355 of the Code. There is no administrative or judicial authority that directly addresses facts that are substantially similar to those of the distribution, and the opinion of tax counsel is therefore not free from doubt. Moreover, the opinion of tax counsel will be based on, among other things, certain factual assumptions, representations, and undertakings from Seaport Entertainment and us, including those regarding the past and future conduct of the companies’ respective businesses and other matters. If any of these factual assumptions, representations, or undertakings is incorrect or not satisfied, we may not be able to rely on the opinion, and we and our shareholders could be subject to significant adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences. In addition, the opinion of tax counsel will not be binding on the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (the IRS) or the courts, and, notwithstanding the opinion of tax counsel, the IRS could determine that the distribution does not so qualify or that the

distribution should be taxable for other reasons, including as a result of a significant change in stock or asset ownership after the distribution.

If the distribution is ultimately determined not to qualify as a distribution under Section 355 of the Code, the distribution could be treated as a taxable disposition of common shares of Seaport Entertainment by us and as a taxable dividend or capital gain to our shareholders for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In such case, we and our shareholders that are subject to U.S. federal income tax could incur significant adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences.

As of December 31, 2023, our total consolidated debt was approximately $5.3 billion of which $2.1 billion was recourse to the Company or one of its subsidiaries. In addition, as of December 31, 2023, we have $69.3 million of recourse guarantees associated with undrawn financing commitments. As of December 31, 2023, our proportionate share of the debt of our unconsolidated ventures was $134.9 million based upon our economic interest. All of this indebtedness is without recourse to the Company, with the exception of the collateral maintenance obligation for Floreo.

Subject to the limits contained in the indentures governing the $475 million Bridgeland Notes due 2026, the $750 million 5.375% senior notes due 2028, the $650 million 4.125% senior notes due 2029, and the $650 million 4.375% senior notes due 2031 (collectively, the Senior Notes), and any limits under our other debt agreements, we may need to incur substantial additional indebtedness from time to time, including project indebtedness for developments by our subsidiaries. If we incur additional indebtedness or experience an adverse change in interest rates, the risks related to our level of indebtedness could intensify. Specifically, an increased level of indebtedness could have important consequences, including:

The indentures governing our Senior Notes contain certain restrictions that may limit our ability to operate. In addition, the Loan Agreements contain representations and covenants customary for loan agreements of this type, including financial covenants related to maintenance of interest coverage ratios and loan-to-value ratios with respect to the certain mortgaged properties, taken as a whole. The Loan Agreements also contain customary events of default, certain of which are subject to cure periods. These restrictions limit our ability or the ability of certain of our subsidiaries to, among other things:

We may be required to take action to reduce our debt or act in a manner inconsistent with our business objectives and strategies to meet such ratios and satisfy the covenants in our debt agreements. Events beyond our control, such as changes in economic and business conditions, may affect our ability to do so. We may not be able to meet the ratios or satisfy the covenants in our debt agreements, and we cannot provide any assurance that our lenders will waive any failure to do so. A breach of any of the covenants in, or our inability to maintain the required financial ratios, under our debt agreements would likely result in a default under such debt agreements, which may accelerate the principal and interest payments of the debt and, if such debt is secured, result in the foreclosure on certain of our assets that secure such debt. A breach of any of the covenants in, or our inability to maintain the required financial ratios, under our debt agreements also would prevent us from borrowing additional money under such agreements that include revolving credit facilities. A default under any of our debt agreements could, in turn, result in defaults under other obligations and result in other creditors accelerating the payment of other obligations and foreclosing on assets securing such obligations, if any. Any such defaults could materially impair our financial condition and liquidity. In addition, if the lenders under any of our debt agreements or other obligations accelerate the maturity of those obligations, we cannot assure that we will have sufficient assets to satisfy our obligations under the notes or our other debt.

Our business objective includes the development and redevelopment of our properties, particularly those in our Strategic Developments segment, which we may be unable to do if we do not have, cannot obtain, or cannot generate sufficient capital from MPC land sales or operations, debt capital from lenders or the capital markets, or government incentives, such as tax increment financing, to proceed with planned development, redevelopment, or expansion activities. We may be unable to access or acquire financing due to the market volatility and uncertainty. We may be unable to obtain an anchor store, mortgage lender and property partner approvals that are required for any such development, redevelopment, or expansion. We may abandon redevelopment or expansion activities already underway that we are unable to complete due to the inability to secure additional capital to finance such activities. This may result in charge-offs of costs previously capitalized. In addition, if redevelopment, expansion, or reinvestment projects are unsuccessful, the investment in such projects may not be recoverable, in full or in part, from future operations or sale resulting in impairment charges.

The Company has no business operations of its own, and the Company’s only significant assets are the outstanding equity interests of its subsidiaries, including The Howard Hughes Corporation (HHC). As a result, the Company relies on cash flows from its subsidiaries, including HHC, to meet its financial obligations, including to service any debt obligations that the Company may incur from time to time in the future. Legal and contractual restrictions in agreements governing future indebtedness of any of the Company’s subsidiaries, as well as the financial condition and future operating requirements of any such subsidiaries, in each case, including HHC, may limit such subsidiaries’ ability to distribute cash to the Company. If HHC or any of the Company’s other subsidiaries is limited in its ability to distribute cash to the Company, or if the earnings or other available assets of the Company’s subsidiaries are not sufficient to pay distributions or make loans to the Company in the amounts or at the times necessary for the Company to meet its financial obligations, then the Company’s business, financial condition, cash flows, results of operations, and reputation may be materially adversely affected.

We enter into interest rate swap agreements and other interest rate hedging contracts, including caps and cash settled forward starting swaps, to mitigate or reduce our exposure to interest rate volatility, or to satisfy lender requirements. These agreements expose us to additional risks, including a risk that counterparties of these hedging and swap agreements will not perform. There also could be significant costs and cash requirements involved to fulfill our obligations

under a hedging agreement. In addition, our hedging activities may not have the desired beneficial impact on interest rate exposure and have a negative impact on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Certain provisions of the Internal Revenue Code could limit our ability to fully utilize certain tax assets if we were to experience a change in control. As of December 31, 2023, we have approximately $51.7 million of federal net operating loss carryforwards. If certain change in control events were to occur, the cash flow benefits we might otherwise have received could be decreased.

The U.S. economy has experienced an increase in inflation recently. Inflation can adversely affect us by increasing costs of land, materials, and labor, which we have experienced in recent years due to higher inflation rates. Although we believe that sources of supply for raw materials and components are generally adequate, it is difficult to predict what effects price increases may have in the future. In addition, significant inflation is often accompanied by higher interest rates, which have a negative impact on demand for homes in our MPCs and demand for our condominium projects, and our ability to refinance existing indebtedness on favorable terms, or at all, due to higher borrowing costs. In an inflationary environment, depending on the homebuilding industry and other economic conditions, we may be precluded from raising land prices enough to keep up with the rate of inflation, which could significantly reduce our profit margins. In recent years we have been experiencing increases in the prices of labor and materials above the general inflation rate. Our inability to offset increasing costs due to inflation through price increases to customers could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial conditions, and cash flows.

We carry comprehensive liability, fire, flood, earthquake, terrorism, extended coverage, and rental loss insurance on all of our properties. We believe the policy specifications and insured limits of these policies are adequate and appropriate. There are some types of losses, including lease and other contract claims, which generally are not insured. If an uninsured loss or a loss in excess of insured limits occurs, we could lose all or a portion of the capital invested in a property, as well as the anticipated future revenue from the property. If this happens, we might remain obligated for any mortgage debt or other financial obligations related to the property.

A portion of our business is dedicated to the development and sale of condominiums. Condominiums are generally regulated by an agency of the state in which they are located or where the condominiums are marketed to be sold. In connection with our development and offering of condominium units for sale, we must submit regulatory filings to various state agencies and engage in an entitlement process by which real property owned under one title is converted into individual units. Responses or comments on our condominium filings may delay our ability to sell condominiums in certain states and other jurisdictions in a timely manner, or at all. Further, we will be required to transfer control of a condominium association’s board of directors once we trigger one of several statutory thresholds, with the most likely triggers being tied to the sale of not less than a majority of units to third-party owners. Transfer of control can result in claims with respect to deficiencies in operating funds and reserves, construction defects, and other condominium-related matters by the condominium association and/or third-party condominium unit owners. Any material claims in these areas could negatively affect our reputation in condominium development and ultimately have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Approval to develop real property sometimes requires political support and generally entails an extensive entitlement process involving multiple and overlapping regulatory jurisdictions and often requires discretionary action by local governments. Real estate projects must generally comply with local land development regulations and may need to comply with state and federal regulations. We incur substantial costs to comply with legal and regulatory requirements. An increase in legal and regulatory requirements may cause us to incur substantial additional costs, or in some cases cause us to determine that the property is not feasible for development. In addition, our competitors and local residents may

challenge our efforts to obtain entitlements and permits for the development of properties. The process to comply with these regulations is usually lengthy and costly, may not result in the approvals we seek and can be expected to materially affect our development activities.

Various local, state, and federal statutes, ordinances, rules, and regulations concerning building, health and safety, site and building design, environment, zoning, sales, and similar matters apply to and/or affect the real estate development industry. In addition, our ability to obtain or renew permits or approvals and the continued effectiveness of permits already granted or approvals already obtained depends on factors beyond our control, such as changes in federal, state, and local policies, rules, and regulations, and their interpretations and application.

Municipalities may restrict or place moratoriums on the availability of utilities, such as water and sewer taps. If municipalities in which we operate take such actions, it could have an adverse effect on our business by causing delays, increasing our costs, or limiting our ability to operate in those municipalities. These measures may reduce our ability to open new MPCs and to build and sell other real estate development projects in the affected markets, including with respect to land we may already own, and create additional costs and administration requirements, which in turn may harm our future sales, margins, and earnings.

Governmental regulation affects not only construction activities but also sales activities, mortgage lending activities, and other dealings with consumers. Further, government agencies routinely initiate audits, reviews, or investigations of our business practices to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations, which can cause us to incur costs or create other disruptions in our business that can be significant. Further, we may experience delays and increased expenses as a result of legal challenges to our proposed communities, whether brought by governmental authorities or private parties.

A variety of legislation is being enacted, or considered for enactment, at the federal, state, and local levels relating to energy and climate change. This legislation relates to items such as carbon dioxide emissions control and building codes that impose energy efficiency standards. New building code requirements that impose stricter energy efficiency standards could significantly increase our cost to construct buildings. Such environmental laws may affect, for example, how we manage storm water runoff, wastewater discharges, and dust; how we develop or operate on properties on or affecting resources such as wetlands, endangered species, cultural resources, or areas subject to preservation laws; and how we address contamination. As climate change concerns continue to grow, legislation and regulations of this nature are expected to continue and to make compliance more costly. In addition, it is possible that some form of expanded energy efficiency legislation may be passed by the U.S. Congress or federal agencies and certain state legislatures, which may, despite being phased in over time, significantly increase our costs of building MPCs and the sale price to our buyers and adversely affect our sales volumes. We may be required to apply for additional approvals or modify our existing approvals because of changes in local circumstances or applicable law.

Energy-related initiatives affect a wide variety of companies throughout the U.S. and the world. Because our operations are heavily dependent on significant amounts of raw materials, such as lumber, steel, and concrete, energy-related initiatives could have an indirect adverse impact on our operations and profitability to the extent the manufacturers and suppliers of our materials are burdened with expensive cap and trade and similar energy-related taxes and regulations. Noncompliance with environmental laws could result in fines and penalties, obligations to remediate, permit revocations, and other sanctions.

Future development opportunities may require additional capital and other expenditures to comply with laws and regulations relating to the protection of the environment. Under various federal, state, or local laws, ordinances, and regulations, a current or previous owner or operator of real estate may be required to investigate and clean up hazardous or toxic substances released at a property and may be held liable to a governmental entity or to third parties for property damage or personal injuries and for investigation and clean-up costs incurred by the parties in connection with the contamination. These laws often impose liability without regard to whether the owner or operator knew of, or was responsible for, the release of the hazardous or toxic substances. The presence of contamination or the failure to remediate contamination may adversely affect the owner’s ability to sell or lease real estate or to borrow using the real estate as collateral. Other federal, state, and local laws, ordinances, and regulations require abatement or removal of asbestos-containing materials in the event of demolition or certain renovations or remodeling, the cost of which may be substantial for certain redevelopments, and also govern emissions of and exposure to asbestos fibers in the air. Federal

and state laws also regulate the operation and removal of underground storage tanks. In connection with our ownership, operation, and management of certain properties, we could be held liable for the costs of remedial action with respect to these regulated substances or tanks or related claims.

We cannot predict with any certainty the magnitude of any expenditures relating to the environmental compliance or the long-range effect, if any, on our operations. Compliance with such laws has not had a material adverse effect on our operating results or competitive position in the past but could have such an effect on our operating results and competitive position in the future.

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended (ADA), requires that all public accommodations and commercial facilities, including office buildings, meet certain federal requirements related to access and use by disabled persons. Other federal, state, and local laws may require modifications to or restrict further renovations of our properties with respect to such accesses. Noncompliance with the ADA or similar or related laws or regulations could result in the U.S. government imposing fines or private litigants being awarded damages against us. Such costs may adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

As a result of climate change, we may experience extreme weather and changes in precipitation and temperature, all of which may result in physical damage or a decrease in demand for our properties located in the areas affected by these conditions. Should the impact of climate change be material in nature or occur for lengthy periods of time, our financial condition or results of operations would be adversely affected. In addition, many state and local governments are adopting or considering adopting regulations requiring that property owners and developers include in their development or redevelopment plans resiliency measures to address climate-change related risks. We may be required to incur substantial costs if such regulations apply to any of our properties. Additionally, COVID-19 disrupted our business and a resurgence of it, or another pandemic, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial performance and condition, operating results, and cash flows, and could materially adversely impact and cause disruption to, our business, financial performance and condition, operating results, and cash flows.

Drought conditions and increased temperatures in the Phoenix, Arizona and Las Vegas, Nevada, regions could cause our master planned communities in these regions to experience water and electricity shortages. The lack or reduced availability of electricity or water in these regions may make it more difficult or expensive for us to obtain approvals for new developments and could limit, impair or delay our ability to develop or sell, or increase the cost of developing, our land in these master planned communities.

As a company conducting business with physical operations throughout North America, we are exposed, both directly and indirectly, to the effects of changes in U.S., state, and local tax rules. Taxes for financial reporting purposes and cash tax liabilities in the future may be adversely affected by changes in such tax rules.

The anticipated benefits of the holding company structure may not be obtained by the Company if circumstances prevent the Company from taking advantage of the strategic and business opportunities that it expects the structure may afford it. As a result, the Company may incur costs associated with the holding company structure without realizing the anticipated benefits, which could adversely affect the Company’s business, financial condition, cash flows, and results of operations.

We depend on the efforts of key executive personnel. The loss of the services of any key executive personnel could adversely affect our business and operations. While we believe we have proper succession planning and are confident we could attract and train new personnel if necessary, this could impose additional costs and hinder our business strategy.

Future terrorist attacks in the U.S. or other acts of violence may result in declining economic activity, which could harm the demand for goods and services offered by tenants and the value of our properties and might adversely affect the value of an investment in our securities. Such a resulting decrease in retail demand could make it difficult to renew or re-lease properties at lease rates equal to or above historical rates. Terrorist activities or violence also could directly affect the value of our properties, including a high-profile property such as the Seaport, through damage, destruction or loss, and the availability of insurance for such acts, or of insurance generally, might be lower or cost more, which could increase our operating expenses and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations. To the extent that tenants are affected by future attacks, their businesses similarly could be adversely affected, including their ability to continue to meet obligations under their existing leases. Any one of these events might decrease demand for real estate, decrease or delay the occupancy of new or redeveloped properties, and limit access to capital or increase the cost of capital.

The trading price of our common stock is likely to continue to be volatile due to the stock market’s routine periods of large or extreme volatility. This volatility often has been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of particular companies, including ours. Factors that affect our trading price may include the following:

These broad market and industry fluctuations may adversely affect the market price of our common stock, regardless of our actual operating performance. In addition, price volatility may be greater if the public float and trading volume of our common stock is low. In the past, following periods of market volatility, stockholders have instituted securities class action litigation. If we were involved in securities litigation, it could have a substantial cost and divert resources and the attention of executive management from our business regardless of the outcome of such litigation.

Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws contain the following limitations:

In addition, we are a Delaware corporation, and Section 203 of the DGCL applies to us. In general, Section 203 prevents an interested stockholder from engaging in certain business combinations with us for three years following the date that person becomes an interested stockholder subject to certain exceptions. The statute generally defines an interested stockholder as any person that is the owner of 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock or is our affiliate or associate and was the owner of 15% or more of outstanding voting stock at any time within the three-year period immediately before the date of determination.

We have granted a waiver of the applicability of the provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL to Pershing Square Capital Management, L.P., PS Management GP, LLC and William A. Ackman (together, Pershing Square) such that Pershing Square may increase its position in our common stock up to 40% of the outstanding shares without being subject to Section 203’s restrictions on business combinations. As such, Pershing Square, through its ability to accumulate more common stock than would otherwise be permitted under Section 203, has the ability to become a large holder that would be able to affect matters requiring approval by Company stockholders, including the election of directors and approval of mergers or other business combination transactions. The Board’s Corporate Governance Guidelines reflect that it will grant to any stockholder a waiver of the applicability of Section 203 of the DGCL to the acquisition of up to 40% of the Company’s outstanding voting stock upon the request of such stockholder, subject to the Board’s fiduciary duties and applicable law.

These anti-takeover provisions could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire us, even if the third-party’s offer may be considered beneficial by many of our stockholders. As a result, our stockholders may be limited in their ability to obtain a premium for their shares. These provisions could limit the price that investors might be willing to pay in the future for shares of our common stock.

None.

We rely on our systems and networks to support our business activities. As some of these networks and systems are managed by third parties, the HHH cybersecurity program also includes evaluation and monitoring of cybersecurity risks associated with its use of third-party service providers. We also leverage third-party experts and vendors to help manage our cybersecurity program, audit the effectiveness of our existing cybersecurity controls, and make recommendations for improvements and best practices. We utilize a Managed Detection and Response service that provides threat intelligence, technology, and specialist expertise to protect our systems and networks from cyber threats. We require all third parties with access to our information systems or data to maintain industry standard cybersecurity programs and to report actual or suspected security incidents to us.

We employ a range of tools and strategies to mitigate cybersecurity risks, regularly testing them for effectiveness. Additionally, we continuously assess and improve our cybersecurity stance by conducting vulnerability scans, internal and external network penetration tests, and by integrating threat intelligence updates. We also have specific tools to provide real time, continuous monitoring and protection of our endpoints. To the extent that our proactive monitoring and testing identifies weakness in our cybersecurity readiness, these weaknesses are tracked and remediated as part of our cybersecurity program. Our employees receive security awareness training on an annual basis and are subjected to phishing training and phishing tests throughout the year. Annually, we perform tabletop exercises to test our cybersecurity incident response plan that is kept within our written information security program (WISP). Our cybersecurity program is aligned with industry standards and best practices such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology Cybersecurity Framework.

As of the date of this report, we are not aware of any material risks from cybersecurity threats that have materially affected or are reasonably likely to materially affect the Company, including our business strategy, results of operations, or financial condition. However, along with all companies of a similar size, we face common cybersecurity threats. These threats include ransomware and denial-of-service, including sophisticated attacks from criminal ransomware groups and nation state actors. Our customers, supply-chain providers, and subcontractors face similar cybersecurity threats, and an incident impacting us or any of these entities could materially adversely affect our business operations.

The Company’s Board of Directors recently formed a technology committee (the Technology Committee) to assume governance and oversight of HHH’s cybersecurity program from the Audit Committee. This includes reviewing the cybersecurity program’s strategy and effectiveness, the cybersecurity landscape and emerging threats, and reports from any cybersecurity events. The Technology Committee also oversees cybersecurity and digital strategy and, whenever necessary, will communicate with, or advise management to consult with, the Audit Committee regarding technology, digital, and other innovation-related matters that relate to or affect the Company’s internal control systems. The Technology Committee will actively participate in strategic cybersecurity decisions and will be responsible for approving major initiatives. Management will provide updates to the Technology Committee on a quarterly basis and will continue to provide updates to the full Board of Directors on an annual basis. When appropriate, the Technology Committee will inform the Board of Directors on important matters. Furthermore, the Board of Directors would be notified in accordance with the Company’s incident response plan, of any suspected cyber incidents that may have at least a moderate business impact on the Company.

Item 2.  Properties

Our corporate headquarters are located in The Woodlands, Texas. We also maintain offices at certain of our properties nationwide, including Honolulu, Hawai‘i; New York, New York; Columbia, Maryland; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Scottsdale, Arizona. We believe our present facilities are sufficient to support our operations.

In our Operating Assets segment, we own a variety of asset types including approximately 8.8 million square feet of retail and office properties, 5,587 wholly and partially owned multi-family units, and wholly and partially owned other properties and investments. Our assets in this segment are primarily located in and around Houston, Texas (The Woodlands and Bridgeland); Columbia, Maryland (Columbia); Las Vegas, Nevada (Summerlin); and Honolulu, Hawai‘i (Ward Village).

The following table summarizes certain metrics of our office assets within our Operating Assets segment as of December 31, 2023:

The following table summarizes certain metrics of our retail properties within the Operating Assets segment as of December 31, 2023, and does not include any retail square footage in our multi-family assets:

The following tables summarize certain metrics of our multi-family Operating Assets as of December 31, 2023:

The following tables summarize certain metrics of our other Operating Assets as of December 31, 2023:

The following table summarizes our Operating Assets segment lease expirations:

Our MPCs are located in and around Houston, Texas; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Phoenix, Arizona and are summarized in the following table as of December 31, 2023:

The Seaport, located on the East River in Lower Manhattan, encompasses several city blocks (inclusive of Historic Area/Uplands, Pier 17, Tin Building, and the 250 Water Street development) and totals approximately 472,000 square feet of innovative culinary, entertainment, and cultural experiences.

The following table summarizes certain metrics of the Seaport as of December 31, 2023:

We continue to plan, develop, and hold or seek development rights for unique properties primarily in Ward Village, The Woodlands, Bridgeland, Summerlin, Columbia, and Teravalis. We continue to execute our strategic plans for developing several of these assets with construction either actively underway or pending. Strategic Developments are transferred into our Operating Assets segment when the asset is placed in service.

The following table summarizes our Strategic Developments projects under construction as of December 31, 2023:

The following table summarizes future Strategic Developments projects as of December 31, 2023:

 

Not applicable.

During the third quarter of 2023, the Company became the successor issuer of HHC pursuant to Rule 12g-3(a) under the Exchange Act as of August 11, 2023.

Our common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (the NYSE) under the ticker symbol “HHH”. No dividends have been declared or paid in 2023 or 2022. Any future determination related to our dividend policy will be made at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on a number of factors, including future earnings, capital requirements, restrictions under debt agreements, financial condition, future prospects, and other factors the board of directors may deem relevant.

As of February 20, 2024, there were 1,154 stockholders of record of our common stock.

The following performance graph compares the yearly dollar change in the cumulative total stockholder return on our common stock with the cumulative total returns of the NYSE Composite Index, MSCI US REIT Index, and the S&P 500 Real Estate Index. The graph tracks the performance of a $100 investment in our common stock and in each of the indexes during the last five fiscal years ended December 31, 2023. The graph was prepared based on the assumption that dividends have been reinvested subsequent to the initial investment. Stockholder returns over the indicated period are based on historical data and should not be considered indicative of future stockholder returns.

The following sets forth information with respect to the equity compensation plans available to employees and directors of the Company at December 31, 2023:

In March 2022, the Board authorized a share repurchase program pursuant to which the Company may, from time to time, purchase up to $250.0 million of its common stock through open-market transactions. The date and time of such repurchases will depend upon market conditions and the program may be suspended or discontinued at any time. During 2022, the Company repurchased 2,704,228 shares of its common stock under this program for approximately $235.0 million at an average price of $86.90 per share. All purchases were funded with cash on hand.

Following the Company’s holding company reorganization on August 11, 2023, HHC transferred to the Company, and the Company assumed sponsorship of all of HHC’s stock plans along with all of HHC’s rights and obligations under each plan.

The following sets forth information with respect to repurchases made by the Company of its shares of common stock during the fourth quarter of 2023:

All references to numbered Notes are to specific Notes to our Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report and which descriptions are incorporated into the applicable response by reference. Capitalized terms used, but not defined, in this Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (MD&A) have the same meanings as in such Notes.