FrontView REIT's Q1 2025: Unraveling Contradictions in Bad Debt Guidance and Asset Recycling Strategy

Bad debt guidance and recovery expectations, recycling strategy and focus on asset selection are the key contradictions discussed in FrontView REIT's latest 2025Q1 earnings call.



Acquisitions and Capital Allocation:
- FrontView REIT, Inc. acquired approximately $49.2 million of properties in Q1 2025 at an average cap rate of 7.9%.
- The company has slowed its acquisition activity due to a challenging cost of capital, planning to acquire between $125 million and $145 million for the year.
- They continue to seek acquisitions at elevated cap rates, as they believe these assets are being acquired at historically high levels.

Portfolio Management and Lease Replacements:
- FrontView REIT reported having 12 properties with tenants in financial distress, representing approximately 4% of year-end 2024 ABR.
- The company has successfully sold one asset and has contracts to sell another, with lease negotiations ongoing for replacements.
- They expect the replacement leases will generate rental income close to the previous levels, contributing to a projected bad debt expense of between 1% to 2%.

Dividend and Shareholder Returns:
- The company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.215 per share, aiming to balance shareholder returns with reinvestment in growing the portfolio.
- The dividend is part of the company's strategy to maintain a strong balance sheet while providing capital returns to shareholders.

Cost of Capital and Liquidity:
- FrontView REIT recently locked in a $200 million term loan for three years at a SOFR rate of 3.66%, improving their borrowing cost.
- The company ended Q1 2025 with approximately $141 million of liquidity, anticipating sufficient borrowing capacity for investment activity.