Apartment Investment & Management Co.
(
AIV
) or Aimco as the real estate investment trust (REIT) is popularly
known, reported second quarter 2012 funds from operations (FFO) of
38 cents per share, compared to 29 cents in the year-ago period.
The strong quarterly earnings were primarily due to higher rents
chargeable.
We cover below the results of the recent earnings announcement,
as well as the subsequent analysts' estimate revisions and the
Zacks ratings for the short and long-term outlook on the stock.
Second Quarter Review
Recurring FFO stood at 46 cents per share, compared to 27 cents
in the year-ago period. Recurring FFO for second quarter 2012 was
ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 6 cents.
During the quarter, total revenues stood at $270.9 million
compared to $259.4 million in the year-ago period. Total revenues
in the reported quarter beat the Zacks consensus estimate of $259
million
Read our full coverage on this earnings report:
Aimco Beats Estimates
Earnings Estimate Revisions - Overview
Fiscal earnings estimates have moved in an upward direction
since the earnings release. It suggests that the analysts are
positive about the long-term performance of the company. We
take a look at the earnings estimate details.
Agreement of Estimate Revisions
In the last seven days for 2012, the earnings estimates were
increased by two out of the four analysts covering the
stock, and one has decreased it. For 2013, four out of 13
analysts covering the stock had increased the estimates upward,
while none moved it downward over the same period. This indicates a
positive bias for the fiscal year earnings.
Magnitude of Estimate Revisions
Earnings estimate for 2012 has increased by two cents over
the last seven days to $1.79 per share. For 2013, earnings
estimates have increased from $1.99 to $2.02 during the same
period, which indicates that the analysts are optimistic about the
future performance of the company.
Moving Forward
The long-term earnings estimate picture for Aimco is neutral.
Aimco is one of the largest owners and operators of multifamily
apartments in the U.S., with a diversified portfolio of
conventional, affordable and student housing communities. The
company has a strong portfolio of Class 'B' and Class 'C'
properties primarily catering to the middle-income market. In
addition, Aimco rents and leases its apartment units to a diverse
base of residents. This provides a strong upside potential for the
company
Aimco's properties are geographically diversified, compared to
several of its competitors, which helps to limit the effect of a
significant local downturn. This enables a relatively stable
revenue stream for the company, and augurs well for its long-term
growth
However, Aimco competes with other housing alternatives such as
rental apartments, condominiums and single-family homes that are
available for rent, and new and existing condominiums and
single-family homes available for sale. This puts considerable
pressure on maintaining profitability through stringent
cost-cutting measures
Aimco currently retains a Zacks #3 Rank, which translates into a
short-term Hold rating. We also maintain our long-term Neutral
recommendation on the stock. One of its competitors
, Equity Residential
(
EQR
) currently retains a Zacks #2 Rank, which translates into a
short-term Buy rating.
Note: FFO, a widely used metric to gauge the performance of
REITs, is obtained after adding depreciation and amortization and
other non-cash expenses to net income.
About Earnings Estimate Scorecard
As a PhD from MIT, Len Zacks proved over 30 years ago that
earnings estimate revisions are the most powerful force impacting
stock prices. He turned this ground breaking discovery into two
of the most celebrated stock rating systems in use today. The
Zacks Rank for stock trading in a 1 to 3 month time horizon and
the Zacks Recommendation for long-term investing (6+ months).
These "Earnings Estimate Scorecard" articles help analyze the
important aspects of estimate revisions for each stock after
their quarterly earnings announcements. Learn more about earnings
estimates and our proven stock ratings at
http://www.zacks.com/education
APARTMENT INVT (AIV): Free Stock Analysis
Report
EQUITY RESIDENT (EQR): Free Stock Analysis
Report
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