Education Realty Trust Releases Fourth-Quarter and Year-End Results


MEMPHIS, Tenn., Feb. 27, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Education Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:EDR) today announced financial results for the quarter and the year ended December 31, 2006.

Highlights



 -- Total revenue increased 16.1 percent to $32.4 million in the fourth
    quarter of 2006 from $27.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2005.
    Total revenue for the full year increased 32.9 percent to $119.3
    million for 2006 from $89.8 million for 2005;

 -- Funds from operations (FFO) grew 3.6 percent to $0.29 per share/
    unit in the fourth quarter of 2006 from $0.28 in the fourth quarter
    of 2005.  FFO for the full year increased 72.9 percent to $0.83 per
    share/unit in 2006 from $0.48 per share in 2005;

 -- On a same-community basis quarter over quarter, revenue grew $0.4
    million or 1.9 percent to $23.5 million, net operating income grew
    $0.7 million or 5.7 percent to $13.3 million, both physical and
    economic occupancies grew 150 basis points to 96.5 percent and 97.7
    percent respectively, and operating margins grew to 56.5 percent in
    the fourth quarter of 2006 up from 54.5 percent in the fourth
    quarter of 2005;

 -- As of February 26, approximately 36.4 percent of the beds at EDR
    owned/managed/asset managed same communities are pre-leased for the
    2007-2008 academic year, compared to 38.1 percent at this same time
    last year;

 -- During the quarter, EDR completed joint-venture purchases of
    communities near the University of California, Santa Barbara and
    the University of Oklahoma and received approval to begin work on
    another phase at the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa, which
    includes 930 beds and a 1,000-car parking structure;

 -- EDR paid a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.205 per share on
    February 6, 2007;

 -- EDR affirms its previous full year 2007 FFO guidance of $0.88 to
    $0.92 per weighted average share/unit.

Fourth Quarter Operating Results

Total revenue increased $4.5 million to $32.4 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2006, a 16.1 percent increase from the comparable quarter in 2005. Growth was obtained across each business segment, including a $1.0 million or 4.2 percent increase in student housing leasing revenue, the addition of $3.4 million in other leasing revenue, a $0.7 million or 89.6 percent increase in third-party development services, and a 4.9 percent increase in third-party management services. These increases were partially offset by a $0.7 million decrease in operating expense reimbursement revenue, which represents the direct pass through of reimbursable expenses.

Operating expenses increased at a rate of 17.4 percent to $25.1 million for the fourth quarter of 2006 from $21.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2005, resulting in an operating income of $7.3 million for the quarter, an increase of 11.7 percent over the fourth quarter of 2005. The largest component of the increase in operating expenses was a $3.1 million increase in depreciation and amortization due to 2006 acquisitions. In addition General and administrative costs increased $1.3 million, which primarily consisted of a $1.0 million increase in salaries and staffing costs and $0.2 million related to first year Sarbanes-Oxley implementation efforts. Our student housing leasing business was successful in maintaining operating expenses at $10.5 million for the fourth quarter 2006, the same as the comparable period in 2005.

Total non-operating expenses increased to $7.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2006 from $4.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2005. Interest expense, the main component of non-operating expenses, increased $3.1 million or 66.8 percent as a result of 2006 acquisitions, including the 13 property portfolio purchased from Place Properties in January 2006. The increase in interest expense contributed to a net loss of $0.8 million or $0.03 per share for the quarter ended December 31, 2006 versus net income of $2.0 million or $0.08 per share for the quarter ended December 31, 2005.

Funds from operations (FFO) grew 2.8 percent to $8.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2006 from $7.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2005 and FFO per weighted average share/unit grew 3.6 percent to $0.29 in the fourth quarter of 2006 from $0.28 in the fourth quarter of 2005. A reconciliation of FFO to net income and net loss is included in the financial tables accompanying this media release.

"Our quarterly revenue growth was strong. Property operating expense growth was flat. And we see the tangible results in rising operating income and stronger margins for the quarter on a same-community basis across our portfolio," said Paul O. Bower, chairman, chief executive officer and president of Education Realty Trust, Inc.

Year End Operating Results

Total revenues grew $29.5 million or 32.9 percent to $119.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2006. Almost half of the revenue growth year over year came from the addition of $14.0 million in other leasing revenue, related to the January 2006 purchase of the 13 property portfolio from Place Properties. Revenue in all business segments grew year over year, including an $11.6 million increase in student housing leasing revenue of which $11.2 million related to acquisition growth and $0.4 million related to same community growth year over year.

Third-party development services grew $2.0 million to $3.8 million as a result of an increase in the number and size of development projects being managed during the respective periods. Third-party management services grew $0.8 million to $2.8 million mainly as a result of development properties opening and moving under the responsibility of the management company in the summers of 2005 and 2006.

Operating expenses rose $12.6 million or 14.0 percent to $102.0 million in 2006. Driven by acquisition growth, Depreciation and amortization accounted for $6.9 million of the increase. Student housing leasing expenses increased $4.9 million to $42.7 million, with almost all of the increase coming from acquisitions while same communities' operating expenses year over year remained relatively flat. General and administrative expenses declined by $0.2 million to $12.3 million, representing the impact of a $4.0 million decline in non-cash compensation related to our 2005 IPO, offset primarily by increases in salary and staffing costs of $2.5 and first year Sarbanes-Oxley implementation costs of $0.8. As a result, operating income grew to $17.3 million in 2006 from $0.3 million in 2005.

Total non-operating expenses, driven primarily by acquisition related interest expense growth, rose 73.3 percent to $29.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2006 from $17.3 million in the comparable period in 2005.

The strong revenue growth more than offset higher operating and non-operating costs and contributed to a smaller net loss of $12.2 million or $0.46 per share for the year ended December 31, 2006 compared to a net loss of $15.5 million or $0.67 per share for the year ended December 31, 2005. FFO per weighted average share/unit grew 72.9 percent to $0.83 per share for the year ended December 31, 2006 from $0.48 per share for the year ended December 31, 2005. Funds from operations-adjusted (FFOA) was $0.83 per share for 2006 compared with $0.74 for 2005. FFOA adjusts FFO for one-time noncash charges, which in 2005 included costs related to our formation transactions.

"Our performance this past year provides a solid platform on which to build through the remainder of 2007 and beyond," said Bower. "We intend to grow in each of our business lines: community ownership and management, development and management for third-parties."

Occupancy and Leasing

Same-community physical occupancy increased 150 basis points to 96.5 percent for the quarter ended December 31, 2006 from 95 percent for the quarter ended December 31, 2005. Same community economic occupancy also increased 150 basis points to 97.7 percent for the fourth quarter of 2006 from 96.2 percent for the fourth quarter of 2005.

As of February 26, 2007, the company reported pre-leasing activity at EDR owned/managed/asset managed same communities for the fall with 36.4 percent of the beds pre-leased for fall, compared to 38.1 percent at the same time last year.

Development Activity

During the quarter, Allen & O'Hara Development Company, LLC, the development company subsidiary of EDR, received an award letter from the University of Alabama to begin development of a new 930-bed residential community and 950-space parking structure on the Tuscaloosa campus.

The project, estimated to cost $62 million, is scheduled for completion by August 2008. Allen & O'Hara Development Company will serve as the developer and construction manager of the venture, which will include five-story brick and stucco buildings, urban plazas at ground level, and a three-level parking garage below.

The community, known as South Ridgecrest Residential Community, is the second new student housing facility developed by the EDR development company subsidiary on the north edge of the Tuscaloosa campus. Construction is underway on the $31.7 million, 631-bed North Ridgecrest Residential Community, which is scheduled to open in August 2007.

Presently, Allen & O'Hara Development Company has ten projects with 8,378 beds under construction or in development in four states.

Acquisition Activity

During the quarter, EDR completed the joint-venture purchase of Fontainebleu, a 437-bed off-campus community near the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), with JPMorgan Asset Management, a global leader in asset management, for $42.5 million. EDR owns a 10 percent interest in the joint venture. EDR also provides fee-based management services to Fontainebleu through its community management subsidiary, Allen & O'Hara Education Services, Inc.

During the quarter, EDR also completed the joint-venture purchase of The Reserve on Stinson, a 612-bed off-campus community near the University of Oklahoma, with Walton Street Capital, L.L.C., a private real estate investment firm based in Chicago, for $31 million. Through Allen & O'Hara Education Services, Inc., EDR has managed the community since its first phase opened in 2004 and continues to manage the community for the joint-venture.

Subsequent Events

After the quarter ended, EDR announced it has reached two new, multi-year management agreements with owners of one collegiate community serving students at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, N.C. and owners of five collegiate communities serving students at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan and at Central Michigan University in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. The communities are managed by Allen & O'Hara Education Services, Inc.

Together, the six communities have 3,956 beds and extend the EDR portfolio of owned and managed communities to 66 with 40,742 beds in 21 states.

Also after the quarter ended, EDR announced that Allen & O'Hara Development Company, LLC has been selected to develop new on-campus residential communities at West Chester University of Pennsylvania, just west of Philadelphia. The initial phase includes construction of approximately 1,050 beds, primarily in the form of two-person shared suites and two-person private suites, estimated at approximately $64 million. The new seven-story, on-campus communities are scheduled to open beginning in August 2009. The total multi-year project is expected to exceed $250 million in total cost.

Supplemental Information

The company has scheduled a conference call for interested parties at 11 a.m. (Eastern Time) on Wednesday, February 28, featuring Chairman, CEO and President Paul Bower, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Randy Brown, Executive Vice President Craig Cardwell and Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer Tom Trubiana, who will discuss the company's performance.

The conference call will be accessible by telephone, the Internet and for MP3 player download. To access the call, participants from within the U.S. may dial 866.356.3377 and participants from outside the U.S. may dial 617.597.5392. The pass code for this call is 81045877. Participants who prefer may access the call via the Internet at www.educationrealty.com.

A taped rebroadcast of the earnings call will be available shortly after its completion on March 1 through March 8, 2007. To access the rebroadcast, the domestic number is 888.286.8010, the international number is 617.801.6888 and the pass code is 96205290. A replay of the call and a version for MP3 player download will also be available through www.educationrealty.com.

About Education Realty Trust

Education Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:EDR) is a self-administered, self-managed real estate investment trust that owns, develops and manages high-quality student housing communities throughout the U.S. Led by a team with more than 170 years of shared industry experience, EDR is one of America's largest owners and operators of collegiate student housing. Its portfolio includes 40,742 beds at 66 communities in 21 states. For more information please visit the company's Web site at www.educationrealty.com.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

Statements about the company's business that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations. You should not rely on our forward-looking statements because the matters they describe are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause the company's future results, performance, or achievements to differ significantly from the results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. Such risks are set forth under the captions "Item 1A. Risk Factors" and "Forward-Looking Statements" in our annual report on Form 10-K and under the caption "Item 2. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" (or similar captions) in our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and as described in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and EDR undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments, or otherwise.



            EDUCATION REALTY TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
            (Amounts in thousands, except per share data)


                                           December 31,   December 31,
                                              2006            2005
                                            ---------      ---------
                                           (Unaudited)
  Assets
   Student housing properties, net          $ 804,759      $ 620,305
   Corporate office furniture, net                752            991
   Cash and cash equivalents                    6,427         61,662
   Restricted cash                              9,154          6,738
   Student contracts receivable, net              227            470
   Receivable from affiliates                     369             --
   Management fee receivable from
    third parties                                 669            552
   Goodwill and other intangibles, net          3,649          3,546
   Other assets                                 9,452          9,785
                                            ---------      ---------

  Total assets                              $ 835,458      $ 704,049
                                            =========      =========

  Liabilities and stockholders' equity
  Liabilities:
   Mortgage loans, net of premium/discount  $ 423,933      $ 328,335
   Long term debt                              47,000             --
   Line of credit and other short term debt    22,400             --
   Accounts payable and accrued expenses       10,764          9,370
   Accounts payable affiliates                     --            225
   Deferred revenue                             9,073          7,660
                                            ---------      ---------
  Total liabilities                           523,170        345,590
                                            ---------      ---------

  Minority interests                           19,289         27,926
                                            ---------      ---------

 Commitments and contingencies                     --             --

  Stockholders' equity:
   Common stock, $.01 par value,
    200,000,000 shares authorized,
    26,810,552, and 26,263,889 shares
    issued and outstanding December
    31, 2006 and 2005, respectively               268            263
   Preferred shares, $0.01 par value,
    50,000,000 shares authorized,
    no shares issues and outstanding               --             --
   Additional paid-in capital                 330,374        351,664
   Loan to shareholder                             --         (5,996)
   Warrants                                       375            375
   Accumulated deficit                        (28,018)       (15,773)
                                            ---------      ---------
                                              302,999        330,533
                                            ---------      ---------

  Total liabilities and
   stockholders' equity                     $ 835,458      $ 704,049
                                            =========      =========

             EDUCATION REALTY TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                 CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
             (Amounts in thousands, except per share data)
                               Unaudited

                                                 Three months ended
                                              ------------------------
                                             December 31,  December 31,
                                                 2006          2005
                                              ----------    ----------
  Revenues:
   Student housing leasing revenue            $   24,017    $   23,045
   Student housing food service revenue              964           888
   Other leasing revenue                           3,435            --
   Third-party development services                1,490           786
   Third-party management services                   745           710
   Operating expense reimbursements                1,747         2,485
                                              ----------    ----------
  Total revenues                                  32,398        27,914
                                              ----------    ----------

  Operating Expenses:
   Student housing leasing operations             10,510        10,488
   Student housing food service operations           891           826
   General and administrative                      3,294         2,044
   Depreciation and amortization                   8,638         5,521
   Reimbursable operating expenses                 1,747         2,485
                                              ----------    ----------
  Total operating expenses                        25,080        21,364
                                              ----------    ----------

  Operating income                                 7,318         6,550

  Nonoperating income and expenses:
   Interest expense                                7,671         4,599
   Amortization of deferred financing costs          280           238
   Interest income                                   (95)         (673)
                                              ----------    ----------
  Total nonoperating expenses                      7,856         4,164
                                              ----------    ----------

  Income (loss) before equity in
   earnings of unconsolidated entities,
  income taxes, and minority interest               (538)        2,386

  Equity in earnings of
   unconsolidated entities                           167           293
                                              ----------    ----------

  Income (loss) before income taxes
   and minority interest                            (371)        2,679
  Income tax expense                                 196           327
                                              ----------    ----------
  Net income (loss) before
   minority interest                                (567)        2,352

  Minority interest                                  195           344
                                              ----------    ----------
  Net income (loss)                           $     (762)   $    2,008
                                              ==========    ==========
 Earnings per share information:
  Income (loss) per share
   - basic and diluted                        $    (0.03)   $     0.08
                                              ==========    ==========
  Weighted-average common
   shares outstanding -
    Basic and diluted                         26,540,588    26,259,639
                                              ==========    ==========

          EDUCATION REALTY TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES AND
             EDUCATION REALTY TRUST PREDECESSOR CONDENSED
          CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
             (Amounts in thousands, except per share data)


                                               Education Realty Trust
                                              ------------------------
                         Education Realty     Predecessor  Consolidated
                            Trust, Inc.         Combined   & Combined
                           Consolidated         --------   -----------
                      -----------------------    Jan. 1        Year
                            Year ended             to         ended
                           December 31,          Jan. 30,    Dec. 31,
                         2006         2005         2005        2005
                      ----------   ----------   --------   -----------
                      (Unaudited)
 Revenues:
  Student housing
   leasing revenue    $   87,438   $   74,374   $  1,503   $    75,877
  Student housing food
   service revenue         3,634        3,222        269         3,491
  Other leasing
   revenue                14,012           --         --            --
  Third-party develop-
   ment services           3,773        1,759         --         1,759
  Third-party management
   services                2,796        1,865        103         1,968
  Operating expense
   reimbursements          7,638        6,023        671         6,694
                      ----------   ----------   --------   -----------
 Total revenues          119,291       87,243      2,546        89,789
                      ----------   ----------   --------   -----------

 Operating expenses:
  Student housing
   leasing operations     42,669       37,270        524        37,794
  Student housing food
   service operations      3,318        3,020        255         3,275
  General and
   administrative         12,331       12,182        367        12,549
  Depreciation and
   amortization           36,083       28,908        260        29,168
  Reimbursable
   operating expenses      7,638        6,023        671         6,694
                      ----------   ----------   --------   -----------
 Total operating
  expenses               102,039       87,403      2,077        89,480
                      ----------   ----------   --------   -----------

 Operating income
  (loss)                  17,252         (160)       469           309

 Nonoperating income
  and expenses:
   Interest expense       29,353       16,186        479        16,665
   Exit fees on early
   repayment of mortgages     --        1,084         --         1,084
  Amortization of
   deferred financing
   costs                   1,114          820         --           820
  Interest income           (534)      (1,303)        --        (1,303)
                      ----------   ----------   --------   -----------
 Total nonoperating
  expenses                29,933       16,787        479        17,266
                      ----------   ----------   --------   -----------

 Loss before equity in
  earnings of uncon-
  solidated entities,
  income taxes, and
  minority interest      (12,681)     (16,947)       (10)      (16,957)

 Equity in earnings of
  unconsolidated
  entities                   740          853         27           880
                      ----------   ----------   --------   -----------

 Income (loss) before
  income taxes and
  minority interest      (11,941)     (16,094)        17       (16,077)
 Income tax expense          659          497         --           497
                      ----------   ----------   --------   -----------
 Net income (loss)
  before minority
  interest               (12,600)     (16,591)        17       (16,574)

 Minority interest          (355)      (1,040)        --        (1,040)
                      ----------   ----------   --------   -----------
 Net income (loss)    $  (12,245)  $  (15,551)  $     17   $   (15,534)
                      ==========   ==========   ========   ===========

 Earnings per share
  information:
  Loss per share
   - basic and
   diluted            $    (0.46)  $    (0.67)
                      ==========   ==========

 Weighted-average
  common shares
  outstanding -
   Basic and diluted  26,387,547   23,063,110
                      ==========   ==========

             EDUCATION REALTY TRUST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                      CALCULATION OF FFO AND FFOA
        (Amounts in thousands, except share and per share data)
                               Unaudited

                                     EDR Consolidated
                     -------------------------------------------------
                       Three months ended            Year ended
                          December 31,              December 31,
                     -----------------------   -----------------------
                        2006         2005         2006         2005
                     ----------   ----------   ----------   ----------


 Net income (loss)   $     (762)  $    2,008   $  (12,245)  $  (15,551)
 Real estate related
  depreciation and
  amortization            8,549        5,458       35,728       28,636
 Equity portion of
  real estate
  depreciation and
  amortization on
  equity investees           49           --           54           --
 Minority interest
  expense                   195          344         (355)      (1,040)
                     ----------   ----------   ----------   ----------
 Funds from
  operations ("FFO")      8,031        7,810       23,182       12,045

 Elimination of one-
  time IPO related
  transactions:
   Compensation charge
    for profit interest
    units                    --           --           --        4,039
   Write-off of fees
    associated with
    repayment of
    mortgage debt            --           --           --        1,084
   Loss of deferred
    revenue due to
    purchase
    accounting (a)           --           --           --        1,233
                     ----------   ----------   ----------   ----------
 Impact of IPO related
  transactions               --           --           --        6,356
                     ----------   ----------   ----------   ----------

 Funds from opera-
  tions - adjusted
  ("FFOA")           $    8,031   $    7,810   $   23,182   $   18,401
                     ==========   ==========   ==========   ==========

 FFO per weighted
  average share/
  unit (b)           $     0.29   $     0.28   $     0.83   $     0.48
                     ==========   ==========   ==========   ==========
 FFOA per weighted
  average share/
  unit (b)           $     0.29   $     0.28   $     0.83   $     0.74
                     ==========   ==========   ==========   ==========


 Weighted average
  shares/units (b)   27,987,415   28,150,867   27,967,366   24,941,717
                     ==========   ==========   ==========   ==========

 Notes:
 ------
 (a)- Represents the balance of deferred straight-lined rents and
      service fees at the time of the IPO acquisitions that would have
      been recognized by EDR during the reported period had it already
      owned the properties. Generally accepted accounting standards do
      not allow such deferred revenue items to be carried forward in an
      acquisition, resulting in a one-time, non-recurring loss of
      revenue.
 (b)- Funds from operations (FFO) and funds from operations -
      adjusted (FFOA) per weighted average shares/units were computed
      using the weighted average of all shares and partnership units
      outstanding, regardless of their dilutive impact.

    FFO is an important supplemental measure of operating performance
    for EDR. Because FFO excludes depreciation and amortization unique
    to real estate, gains and losses from property dispositions and
    extraordinary items, it provides a performance measure that when
    compared year over year, reflects the impact to operations from
    trends in occupancy rate, rental rates, operating costs,
    development activities and interest costs, providing perspective
    not immediately apparent from net income.

    For a definition of FFO and a statement by management regarding
    the reasons for and significance of reporting FFO as a measure of
    performance, see Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
    Condition and Results of Operations in the EDR annual report on
    form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005.


            

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