FTAI Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2020 Results, Dividend of $0.33 per Common Share

NEW YORK, Feb. 25, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fortress Transportation and Infrastructure Investors LLC (NYSE:FTAI) (the “Company” or “FTAI”) today reported financial results for the quarter and full year ended December 31, 2020. The Company’s consolidated comparative financial statements and key performance measures are attached as an exhibit to this press release.

Financial Overview

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⁽¹⁾ For definitions and reconciliations of non-GAAP measures, please refer to the exhibit to this press release.

For the fourth quarter of 2020, total FAD was $54.2 million. This amount includes $89.9 million from our aviation leasing portfolio, offset by $(1.8) million from our infrastructure business and $(33.9) million from corporate and other.

Fourth Quarter 2020 Dividends

On February 25, 2021, the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) declared a cash dividend on its common shares of $0.33 per share for the quarter ended December 31, 2020, payable on March 23, 2021 to the holders of record on March 12, 2021.

Additionally, on February 25, 2021, the Board declared cash dividends on its Fixed-to-Floating Rate Series A Cumulative Perpetual Redeemable Preferred Shares (“Series A Preferred Shares”) and Fixed-to-Floating Rate Series B Cumulative Perpetual Redeemable Preferred Shares (“Series B Preferred Shares”) of $0.51563 and $0.50000 per share, respectively, for the quarter ended December 31, 2020, payable on March 15, 2021 to the holders of record on March 8, 2021.

Additional Information

For additional information that management believes to be useful for investors, please refer to the presentation posted on the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website, www.ftandi.com, and the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, when available on the Company’s website. Nothing on the Company’s website is included or incorporated by reference herein.

Conference Call

The Company will host a conference call on Friday, February 26, 2021 at 8:00 A.M. Eastern Time. The conference call may be accessed by dialing (877) 447-5636 (from within the U.S.) or (615) 247-0080 (from outside of the U.S.) ten minutes prior to the scheduled start of the call; please reference “FTAI 2020 Fourth Quarter Earnings Call.” A simultaneous webcast of the conference call will be available to the public on a listen-only basis at www.ftandi.com.

Following the call, a replay of the conference call will be available after 11:30 A.M. on Friday, February 26, 2021 through 11:30 A.M. on Friday, March 5, 2021 at (855) 859-2056 (from within the U.S.) or (404) 537-3406 (from outside of the U.S.), Passcode: 4656159.

About Fortress Transportation and Infrastructure Investors LLC

Fortress Transportation and Infrastructure Investors LLC owns and acquires high quality infrastructure and equipment that is essential for the transportation of goods and people globally. FTAI targets assets that, on a combined basis, generate strong and stable cash flows with the potential for earnings growth and asset appreciation. FTAI is externally managed by an affiliate of Fortress Investment Group LLC, a leading, diversified global investment firm.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management's current expectations and beliefs and are subject to a number of trends and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements, many of which are beyond the Company’s control. The Company can give no assurance that its expectations will be attained and such differences may be material. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements contained in this press release. For a discussion of some of the risks and important factors that could affect such forward-looking statements, see the sections entitled “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, which are available on the Company’s website (www.ftandi.com). In addition, new risks and uncertainties emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company to predict or assess the impact of every factor that may cause its actual results to differ from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the Company's expectations with regard thereto or change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based. This release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities.

For further information, please contact:

Alan Andreini
Investor Relations
Fortress Transportation and Infrastructure Investors LLC
(212) 798-6128
[email protected]

Withholding Information for Withholding Agents

This announcement is intended to be a qualified notice as provided in the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”) and the Regulations thereunder. For U.S. federal income tax purposes, the common dividend and the Series A Preferred and Series B Preferred dividends declared in February 2021 will be treated as a partnership distribution and guaranteed payments, respectively. For U.S. tax withholding purposes, the per share distribution components are as follows:

⁽¹⁾  Eligible for the U.S. portfolio interest exemption for any holder not considered a 10-percent shareholder under §871(h)(3)(B) of the Code.

⁽²⁾ This income is subject to withholding under §1441 or §1442 of the Code.

⁽³⁾ This income is not subject to withholding under §1441, §1442 or §1446 of the Code.

⁽⁴⁾ U.S. Long Term Capital Gain attributable to the sale of a U.S. Real Property Holding Corporation. As a result, the gain will be treated as income that is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business and be subject to withholding.                        

⁽⁵⁾ Brokers and nominees should treat this income as subject to withholding under §1441 or §1442 of the Code.

For U.S. shareholders: In computing your U.S. federal taxable income, you should not rely on this qualified notice, but should generally take into account your allocable share of the Company’s taxable income as reported to you on your Schedule K-1.

Exhibit - Financial Statements

FORTRESS TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTORS LLC
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (Unaudited)
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data)

FORTRESS TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTORS LLC
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Unaudited)
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data)

FORTRESS TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTORS LLC
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (Unaudited)
(Dollar amounts in thousands)

FORTRESS TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTORS LLC
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (Unaudited)
(Dollar amounts in thousands)

Key Performance Measures

The Chief Operating Decision Maker (“CODM”) utilizes Adjusted EBITDA as our key performance measure.   Adjusted EBITDA is not a financial measure in accordance with GAAP. This performance measure provides the CODM with the information necessary to assess operational performance, as well as making resource and allocation decisions. The Company believes Adjusted EBITDA is a useful metric for investors and analysts for similar purposes of assessing its operational performance.

Adjusted EBITDA provides the CODM with the information necessary to assess operational performance, as well as make resource and allocation decisions. Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net income (losses) attributable to shareholders from continuing operations, adjusted (a) to exclude the impact of provision for income taxes, equity-based compensation expense, acquisition and transaction expenses, losses on the modification or extinguishment of debt and capital lease obligations, changes in fair value of non-hedge derivative instruments, asset impairment charges, incentive allocations, depreciation and amortization expense, and interest expense, (b) to include the impact of our pro-rata share of Adjusted EBITDA from unconsolidated entities, and (c) to exclude the impact of equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated entities and the non-controlling share of Adjusted EBITDA.

The following table sets forth a reconciliation of net income attributable to shareholders to Adjusted EBITDA for the three months and years ended December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019:

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⁽¹⁾ Includes the following items for the three months ended December 31, 2020 and 2019: (i) depreciation and amortization expense of $45,857 and $44,843, (ii) lease intangible amortization of $731 and $1,445 and (iii) amortization for lease incentives of $6,221 and $4,709, respectively.

Includes the following items for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019: (i) depreciation and amortization expense of $172,400 and $169,023, (ii) lease intangible amortization of $3,747 and $7,181 and (iii) amortization for lease incentives of $26,599 and $22,981, respectively.

⁽²⁾ Includes the following items for the three months ended December 31, 2020 and 2019: (i) net income (loss) of $158 and $(770), (ii) interest expense of $290 and $30 and (iii) depreciation and amortization expense of $1,716 and $248, (iv) acquisition and transaction expense of $48 and $0 and (v) changes in fair value of non-hedge derivative instruments of $(837) and $0, respectively.

Includes the following items for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019: (i) net loss of $(5,435) and $(2,563), (ii) interest expense of $1,138 and $131, (iii) depreciation and amortization expense of $5,513 and $1,045, (iv) acquisition and transaction expense of $581 and $0 and (v) changes in fair value of non-hedge derivative instruments of $(589) and $0, respectively.

⁽³⁾ Includes the following items for the three months ended December 31, 2020 and 2019: (i) equity based compensation of $178 and $54, (ii) provision for income taxes of $15 and $22, (iii) interest expense of $472 and $642, (iv) depreciation and amortization expense of $1,566 and $1,200 and (v) changes in fair value of non-hedge derivative instruments of $0 and $75, respectively.

Includes the following items for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019: (i) equity based compensation of $374 and $230, (ii) provision for income taxes of $59 and $60, (iii) interest expense of $2,025 and $3,400, (iv) depreciation and amortization expense of $6,149 and $4,833, (v) changes in fair value of non-hedge derivative instruments of $38 and $1,336 and (vi) loss on extinguishment of debt of $992 and $0, respectively.

The Company uses Funds Available for Distribution (“FAD”) in evaluating its ability to meet its stated dividend policy. The Company believes FAD is a useful metric for investors and analysts for similar purposes. FAD is not a financial measure in accordance with GAAP. The GAAP measure most directly comparable to FAD is net cash provided by operating activities.

The Company defines FAD as: Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities plus principal collections on finance leases, proceeds from sale of assets, and return of capital distributions from unconsolidated entities, less required payments on debt obligations and capital distributions to non-controlling interest, and excluding changes in working capital.

The following table sets forth a reconciliation of Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities to FAD for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019:

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⁽¹⁾        Required payments on debt obligations for the year ended December 31, 2020 exclude repayments of $306,206 for the 2022 Notes, $270,000 for the Revolving Credit Facility, $144,200 for the Series 2016 Bonds, $50,262 for the Jefferson Revolver, $45,520 for the Series 2012 Bonds and $36,009 for the FTAI Pride Credit Agreement, and for the year ended December 31, 2019 exclude repayments of $350,000 for the Revolving Credit Facility and $18,572 for the CMQR Credit Agreement

The following tables set forth a reconciliation of Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities to FAD for the three months ended and year ended December 31, 2020:

FAD is subject to a number of limitations and assumptions and there can be no assurance that the Company will generate FAD sufficient to meet its intended dividends. FAD has material limitations as a liquidity measure of the Company because such measure excludes items that are required elements of the Company’s net cash provided by operating activities as described below. FAD should not be considered in isolation nor as a substitute for analysis of the Company’s results of operations under GAAP, and it is not the only metric that should be considered in evaluating the Company’s ability to meet its stated dividend policy. Specifically:

• FAD does not include equity capital called from the Company’s existing limited partners, proceeds from any debt issuance or future equity offering, historical cash and cash equivalents and expected investments in the Company’s operations.
• FAD does not give pro forma effect to prior acquisitions, certain of which cannot be quantified.
• While FAD reflects the cash inflows from sale of certain assets, FAD does not reflect the cash outflows to acquire assets as the Company relies on alternative sources of liquidity to fund such purchases.
• FAD does not reflect expenditures related to capital expenditures, acquisitions and other investments as the Company has multiple sources of liquidity and intends to fund these expenditures with future incurrences of indebtedness, additional capital contributions and/or future issuances of equity.
• FAD does not reflect any maintenance capital expenditures necessary to maintain the same level of cash generation from our capital investments.
• FAD does not reflect changes in working capital balances as management believes that changes in working capital are primarily driven by short term timing differences, which are not meaningful to the Company’s distribution decisions.
• Management has significant discretion to make distributions, and the Company is not bound by any contractual provision that requires it to use cash for distributions.
  

If such factors were included in FAD, there can be no assurance that the results would be consistent with the Company’s presentation of FAD.