Forward-Looking Statements and Cautionary Language
This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. All statements regarding Omega’s or its tenants’, operators’, borrowers’ or managers’ expected future financial condition, results of operations, cash flows, funds from operations, dividends and dividend plans, financing opportunities and plans, capital markets transactions, business strategy, budgets, projected costs, operating metrics, capital expenditures, competitive positions, acquisitions, investment opportunities, dispositions, facility transitions, growth opportunities, expected lease income, continued qualification as a REIT, plans and objectives of management for future operations and statements that include words such as “anticipate,” “if,” “believe,” “plan,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “could,” “should,” “will” and other similar expressions are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and actual results may differ from Omega's expectations.
Omega’s actual results may differ materially from those reflected in such forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including, among other things: (i) uncertainties relating to the business operations of the operators of Omega’s properties, including those relating to reimbursement by third-party payors, regulatory matters and occupancy levels; (ii) the long-term impacts of the Novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic on our business and the business of our operators, including without limitation, the levels of staffing shortages, increased costs and decreased occupancy experienced by operators of skilled nursing facilities (“SNFs”) and assisted living facilities (“ALFs”) arising from the pandemic, proposed federal minimum staffing requirements for SNFs that may further labor and occupancy challenges for our operators, the ability of our operators to comply with infection control and vaccine protocols and to manage facility infection rates or future infectious diseases, and the sufficiency of government support and reimbursement rates to offset such costs and the conditions related thereto; (iii) the ability of any of Omega’s operators in bankruptcy to reject unexpired lease obligations, modify the terms of Omega’s mortgages and impede the ability of Omega to collect unpaid rent or interest during the pendency of a bankruptcy proceeding and retain security deposits for the debtor’s obligations, and other costs and uncertainties associated with operator bankruptcies; (iv) additional regulatory and other changes in the healthcare sector, including federal minimum staffing requirements for SNFs that may further exacerbate labor and occupancy challenges for Omega’s operators; (v) Omega’s ability to re-lease, otherwise transition or sell underperforming assets or assets held for sale on a timely basis and on terms that allow Omega to realize the carrying value of these assets; (vi) the availability and cost of capital to Omega; (vii) changes in Omega’s credit ratings and the ratings of its debt securities; (viii) competition in the financing of healthcare facilities; (ix) competition in the long-term healthcare industry and shifts in the perception of various types of long-term care facilities, including SNFs and ALFs; (x) changes in the financial position of Omega’s operators; (xi) the effect of economic and market conditions generally, and particularly in the healthcare industry; (xii) changes in interest rates or the impact of inflation; (xiii) the timing, amount and yield of any additional investments; (xiv) changes in tax laws and regulations affecting REITs; (xv) the potential impact of changes in the SNF and ALF market or local real estate conditions on the Company’s ability to dispose of assets held for sale for the anticipated proceeds or on a timely basis, or to redeploy the proceeds therefrom on favorable terms; (xvi) Omega’s ability to maintain its status as a REIT; (xvii) the effect of other factors affecting our business or the businesses of Omega’s operators that are beyond Omega’s or operators’ control, including natural disasters, other health crises or pandemics and governmental action, particularly in the healthcare industry, and (xviii) other factors identified in Omega’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Statements regarding future events and developments and Omega’s future performance, as well as management’s expectations, beliefs, plans, estimates or projections relating to the future, are forward looking statements.
We caution you that the foregoing list of important factors may not contain all the material factors that are important to you. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on those statements. All forward-looking statements are based upon information available to us on the date of this release. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by law.