Digital Realty Reports Third Quarter 2020 Results

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Digital Realty (NYSE: DLR), a leading global provider of cloud- and carrier-neutral data center, colocation and interconnection solutions, announced today financial results for the third quarter of 2020.  All per-share results are presented on a fully-diluted share and unit basis. 

Highlights

• Reported net loss available to common stockholders of ($0.14) per share in 3Q20, compared to net income available to common stockholders of $0.24 in 3Q19
• Reported FFO per share of $1.19 in 3Q20, compared to $1.59 in 3Q19
• Reported core FFO per share of $1.54 in 3Q20, compared to $1.67 in 3Q19
• Signed total bookings during 3Q20 expected to generate $89 million of annualized GAAP rental revenue, including a $14 million contribution from interconnection
• Raised 2020 core FFO per share outlook from $6.00-$6.10 to $6.10-$6.15

Financial Results

Digital Realty reported revenues for the third quarter of 2020 of $1.0 billion, a 3% increase from the previous quarter and a 27% increase from the same quarter last year. 

The company delivered third quarter of 2020 net loss of ($1) million, and a net loss available to common stockholders of ($37) million, or ($0.14) per diluted share, compared to $0.20 per diluted share in the previous quarter and $0.24 per diluted share in the same quarter last year. 

Digital Realty generated third quarter of 2020 Adjusted EBITDA of $568 million, a 2% increase from the previous quarter and a 17% increase over the same quarter last year. 

The company reported third quarter of 2020 funds from operations of $336 million, or $1.19 per share, compared to $1.49 per share in the previous quarter and $1.59 per share in the same quarter last year. 

Excluding certain items that do not represent core expenses or revenue streams, Digital Realty delivered third quarter of 2020 core FFO per share of $1.54, unchanged from $1.54 per share in the previous quarter, and an 8% decrease from $1.67 per share in the same quarter last year. 

Leasing Activity

In the third quarter, Digital Realty signed total bookings expected to generate $89 million of annualized GAAP rental revenue, including a $14 million contribution from interconnection. 

"We delivered solid third-quarter results, driven by consistent execution and growth across the business," said Digital Realty Chief Executive Officer A. William Stein.  "Our new logo growth and heightened deal velocity reflect the power of our global platform and the resiliency of our business.  As we close out the year, we remain focused on delivering for our customers, maintaining our momentum, and investing in our global platform to support long-term growth." 

The weighted-average lag between leases signed during the third quarter of 2020 and the contractual commencement date was seven months. 

In addition to new leases signed, Digital Realty also signed renewal leases representing $161 million of annualized GAAP rental revenue during the quarter.  Rental rates on renewal leases signed during the third quarter of 2020 rolled down 0.2% on a cash basis and up 0.4% on a GAAP basis. 

New leases signed during the third quarter of 2020 are summarized by region as follows:

		Annualized GAAP
		Base Rent					GAAP Base Rent					GAAP Base Rent
The Americas		(in thousands)			Square Feet		per Square Foot			Megawatts		per Kilowatt
0-1 MW			$14,491		67,724			$214		6.1			$199
> 1 MW			12,340		99,141			124		9.6			107
Other (1)			62		1,394			45		—			—
Total			$26,894		168,259			$160		15.7			$143
Europe (2)
0-1 MW			$12,116		47,928			$253		4.1			$245
> 1 MW			19,715		117,021			168		12.4			133
Other (1)			281		1,056			266		—			—
Total			$32,112		166,004			$193		16.5			$161
Asia Pacific (2)
0-1 MW			$2,563		13,492			$190		1.0			$220
> 1 MW			13,476		73,238			184		9.0			125
Other (1)			93		2,733			—		—			—
Total			$16,133		89,463			$180		10.0			$134
All Regions (2)
0-1 MW			$29,171		129,144			$226		11.1			$218
> 1 MW			45,532		289,400			157		31.0			123
Other (1)			436		5,183			84		—			—
Total			$75,138		423,726			$177		42.1			$148
Interconnection			$13,576		N/A			N/A		N/A			N/A
Grand Total			$88,714		423,726			$177		42.1			$148

Note:  Totals may not foot due to rounding differences.
(1)	Other includes Powered Base Building shell capacity as well as storage and office space within fully improved data center facilities.
(2)	Based on quarterly average exchange rates during the three months ended September 30, 2020.

Investment Activity

During the third quarter of 2020, Digital Realty closed on the previously announced acquisition of the freehold to the land under its Hanauer Landstraße campus in Frankfurt for €185 million, or approximately $217 million.  The site includes nine Interxion data centers previously subject to leasehold agreements with approximately nine years of remaining lease term, along with Interxion's German headquarters office as well as several buildings currently leased to other customers.  Interxion now owns the freehold to all 15 data centers on its Frankfurt campus. 

During the third quarter of 2020, Digital Realty acquired Altus IT, the leading carrier-neutral data center provider in Croatia, for approximately €11 million, or approximately $13 million.  Altus IT's highly-connected data center provides access to more than 100 customers, approximately 50 connectivity providers – including five tier-one carriers – and two main internet exchanges, establishing it as one of the most interconnected communities within Southeastern Europe. 

Digital Realty also closed on the previously announced sale of a property in Gronigen, the Netherlands for €20 million, or approximately $23 million.  The property is expected to generate 2020 cash net operating income of approximately €1.3 million, or approximately $1.6 million, representing a 6.7% cap rate. 

During the third quarter of 2020, Digital Realty acquired the freehold to a parcel of land within approximately one kilometer of its existing campus in Vienna, Austria for €17 million, or approximately $19 million.  The expansion parcel totals 22,000 square meters that will support the development of up to 40 megawatts of additional IT capacity.  The parcel will be fully connected to the existing campus, the most highly connected in the Central and Eastern European region with 120 carriers, four Internet Exchanges and direct access to seven global cloud platforms.

Balance Sheet

Digital Realty completed the following financing transactions during the third quarter of 2020. 

• In early August, Digital Realty issued approximately 1.6 million shares of common stock under the company's at-the-market equity offering program at a weighted average price of $160.15 per share, generating gross proceeds of approximately $249 million.
• Also in early August, Digital Realty redeemed all $300 million of its outstanding 3.625% notes due 2022 and all $500 million of its outstanding 3.950% notes due 2022.
• In early September, Digital Realty redeemed all $250 million of its 6.350% Series I preferred stock.
• In late September, Digital Realty closed an offering of €750 million, or approximately $880 million, of 1.0% Euro bonds due 2032 as well as €300 million, or approximately $350 million, of floating rate notes due 2022.
• Likewise in late September, Digital Realty settled the remaining 9.775 million shares subject to the forward sale agreements originally entered into during the third quarter of 2018, generating net proceeds of approximately $1 billion.
• Subsequent to quarter-end, Digital Realty redeemed all £300 million of its 4.750% notes due 2023 as well as all $250 million of its 5.875% Series G preferred stock.

Digital Realty had approximately $12.9 billion of total debt outstanding as of September 30, 2020, comprised of $12.7 billion of unsecured debt and approximately $0.2 billion of secured debt.  At the end of the third quarter of 2020, net debt-to-Adjusted EBITDA was 5.6x, debt plus-preferred-to-total enterprise value was 25.0% and fixed charge coverage was 4.4x. 

COVID-19

Throughout the COVID-19 global pandemic, Digital Realty's data centers around the world have remained fully operational in accordance with business continuity and pandemic response plans, prioritizing the health and safety of employees, customers and partners while ensuring service levels are maintained.  Digital Realty data centers have been deemed essential operations, allowing for critical personnel to remain in place and continue to provide services and support for customers.  Construction activity has been somewhat delayed in a few markets due to government restrictions in certain locations and/or limited availability of labor.  In some instances, these delays have impacted scheduled delivery dates.  We are monitoring the situation closely and remain in frequent communication with customers, contractors and suppliers.  We have proactively managed our supply chain, and we believe we have acquired the vast majority of the equipment needed to complete our 2020 development activities.  We believe we have ample liquidity to fund our business needs, given the $971 million of cash on the balance sheet and $2.5 billion of availability under our global revolving credit facilities as of September 30, 2020.  While we have not experienced any significant business disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic to date, we cannot predict what impact the COVID-19 pandemic may have on our future financial condition, results of operations or cash flows due to numerous uncertainties. 

2020 Outlook

Digital Realty raised its 2020 core FFO per share outlook from $6.00-$6.10 to $6.10-$6.15.  The assumptions underlying the outlook are summarized in the following table. 

		As of		As of		As of
Top-Line and Cost Structure		May 7, 2020		July 30, 2020		October 29, 2020
Total revenue		$3.725 - $3.825 billion		$3.775 - $3.825 billion		$3.850 - $3.875 billion
Net non-cash rent adjustments (1)		($20 - $30 million)		($20 - $30 million)		($20 - $30 million)
Adjusted EBITDA		$2.075 - $2.125 billion		$2.100 - $2.125 billion		$2.150 - $2.175 billion
G&A		$320 - $330 million		$320 - $330 million		$325 - $335 million
Internal Growth
Rental rates on renewal leases
Cash basis		Down low single-digits		Down low single-digits		Slightly negative
GAAP basis		Unchanged		Unchanged		Slightly positive
Year-end portfolio occupancy (2)		85.0% - 86.0%		85.0% - 86.0%		85.0% - 86.0%
"Same-capital" cash NOI growth (3)		(2.5%) - (3.5%)		(2.5%) - (3.5%)		(1.5%) - (2.5%)
Foreign Exchange Rates
U.S. Dollar / Pound Sterling		$1.20 - $1.25		$1.20 - $1.25		$1.20 - $1.30
U.S. Dollar / Euro		$1.05 - $1.10		$1.05 - $1.15		$1.10 - $1.15
External Growth
Dispositions
Dollar volume		$0.6 - $1.0 billion		$0.6 - $1.0 billion		$0.6 - $1.0 billion
Cap rate		0.0% - 12.0%		0.0% - 12.0%		0.0% - 12.0%
Development
CapEx (4)		$1.9 - $2.2 billion		$1.9 - $2.2 billion		$1.9 - $2.2 billion
Average stabilized yields		9.0% - 15.0%		9.0% - 15.0%		9.0% - 15.0%
Enhancements and other non-recurring CapEx (5)		$5 - $10 million		$5 - $10 million		$5 - $10 million
Recurring CapEx + capitalized leasing costs (6)		$220 - $230 million		$220 - $230 million		$200 - $210 million
Balance Sheet
Long-term debt issuance
Dollar amount		$1.9 billion		$2.5 billion		$3.7 billion
Pricing		1.00%		1.00% - 1.25%		1.00%
Timing		Early 2020		Early-to-mid 2020		Early-to-mid 2020
Net income per diluted share		$1.60 - $1.75		$1.20 - $1.25		$1.25 - $1.30
Real estate depreciation and (gain) / loss on sale		$3.50 - $3.50		$3.90 - $3.90		$3.90 - $3.90
Funds From Operations / share (NAREIT-Defined)		$5.10 - $5.25		$5.10 - $5.15		$5.15 - $5.20
Non-core expenses and revenue streams		$0.80 - $0.85		$0.90 - $0.95		$0.95 - $0.95
Core Funds From Operations / share		$5.90 - $6.10		$6.00 - $6.10		$6.10 - $6.15
Foreign currency translation adjustments		$0.05 - $0.15		$0.05 - $0.15		$0.00 - $0.15
Constant-Currency Core FFO / share		$5.95 - $6.25		$6.05 - $6.25		$6.10 - $6.30

(1)	Net non-cash rent adjustments represent the sum of straight-line rental revenue and straight-line rent expense, as well as the amortization of above- and below-market leases (i.e., ASC 805 adjustments).
(2)	Reflects inclusion of the Interxion portfolio, which was approximately 75% occupied as of September 30, 2020.
(3)	The "same-capital"pool includes properties owned as of December 31, 2018 with less than 5% of total rentable square feet under development.  It also excludes properties that were undergoing, or were expected to undergo, development activities in 2019–2020, properties classified as held for sale, and properties sold or contributed to joint ventures for all periods presented.
(4)	Includes land acquisitions.
(5)	Other non-recurring CapEx represents costs incurred to enhance the capacity or marketability of operating properties, such as network fiber initiatives and software development costs.
(6)	Recurring CapEx represents non-incremental improvements required to maintain current revenues, including second-generation tenant improvements and leasing commissions.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This press release contains non-GAAP financial measures, including FFO, core FFO and Adjusted EBITDA.  A reconciliation from U.S. GAAP net income available to common stockholders to FFO, a reconciliation from FFO to core FFO, and definitions of FFO and core FFO are included as an attachment to this document.  A reconciliation from U.S. GAAP net income available to common stockholders to Adjusted EBITDA, a definition of Adjusted EBITDA and definitions of net debt-to-Adjusted EBITDA, debt-plus-preferred-to-total enterprise value, cash NOI, and fixed charge coverage ratio are included as an attachment to this document. 

Investor Conference Call

Prior to Digital Realty's investor conference call at 5:30 p.m. EDT / 2:30 p.m. PDT on October 29, 2020, a presentation will be posted to the Investors section of the company's website at https://investor.digitalrealty.com/.  The presentation is designed to accompany the discussion of the company's third quarter 2020 financial results and operating performance.  The conference call will feature Chief Executive Officer A. William Stein and Chief Financial Officer Andrew P. Power. 

To participate in the live call, investors are invited to dial (888) 317-6003 (for domestic callers) or (412) 317-6061 (for international callers) and reference the conference ID# 1657717 at least five minutes prior to start time.  A live webcast of the call will be available via the Investors section of Digital Realty's website at https://investor.digitalrealty.com/. 

Telephone and webcast replays will be available after the call until November 29, 2020.  The telephone replay can be accessed by dialing (877) 344-7529 (for domestic callers) or (412) 317-0088 (for international callers) and providing the conference ID# 10148191.  The webcast replay can be accessed on Digital Realty's website. 

About Digital Realty

Digital Realty supports the world's leading enterprises and service providers by delivering the full spectrum of data center, colocation and interconnection solutions.  PlatformDIGITAL®, the company's global data center platform, provides customers a trusted foundation and proven Pervasive Datacenter Architecture PDx™ solution methodology for scaling digital business and efficiently managing data gravity challenges.  Digital Realty's global data center footprint gives customers access to the connected communities that matter to them with more than 284 facilities in 48 metros across 23 countries on six continents.  To learn more about Digital Realty, please visit digitalrealty.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. 

Contact Information

Andrew P. Power
Chief Financial Officer
Digital Realty 
(415) 738–6500

John J. Stewart / Jim Huseby
Investor Relations
Digital Realty
(415) 738–6500

Consolidated Quarterly Statements of Operations
Unaudited and Dollars in Thousands, Except Per Share Data
			Three Months Ended															Nine Months Ended
			30-Sep-20			30-Jun-20			31-Mar-20			31-Dec-19			30-Sep-19				30-Sep-20			30-Sep-19
Rental revenues			$726,441			$698,041			$579,774			$549,733			$564,975				$2,004,256			$1,716,325
Tenant reimbursements - Utilities			155,111			141,576			113,520			107,518			114,719				410,207			323,697
Tenant reimbursements - Other			53,654			62,630			56,943			59,641			57,466				173,227			176,154
Interconnection & other			85,725			85,428			69,835			65,576			65,312				240,988			197,712
Fee income			3,687			4,353			2,452			4,814			3,994				10,492			6,840
Other			50			967			813			181			—				1,830			1,050
Total Operating Revenues			$1,024,668			$992,995			$823,337			$787,463			$806,466				$2,841,000			$2,421,778
Utilities			$177,925			$160,173			$129,526			$125,127			$132,565				$467,623			$380,297
Rental property operating			180,755			172,474			136,182			129,034			126,866				489,411			386,120
Property taxes			39,732			45,071			42,123			42,541			38,255				126,926			117,052
Insurance			2,926			3,370			3,547			3,055			3,103				9,843			9,535
Depreciation & amortization			365,842			349,165			291,457			275,008			286,718				1,006,464			888,766
General & administration			90,431			90,649			62,266			53,540			49,862				243,346			154,156
Severance, equity acceleration, and legal expenses			920			3,642			1,272			1,130			123				5,834			2,271
Transaction and integration expenses			14,953			15,618			56,801			17,106			4,115				87,372			10,819
Impairment of investments in real estate			6,482			—			—			—			—				6,482			5,351
Other expenses			297			22			114			1,989			92				433			12,129
Total Operating Expenses			$880,263			$840,184			$723,288			$648,530			$641,699				$2,443,734			$1,966,496
Operating Income			$144,405			$152,811			$100,049			$138,933			$164,767				$397,266			$455,282
Equity in (loss) earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures			(2,056)			(7,632)			(78,996)			11,157			(19,269)				(88,684)			(3,090)
Gain on sale / deconsolidation			10,410			—			304,801			267,651			—				315,211			67,497
Interest and other income (expense), net			4,348			22,163			(3,542)			10,734			16,842				22,969			55,266
Interest (expense)			(89,499)			(79,874)			(85,800)			(80,880)			(84,574)				(255,173)			(272,177)
Income tax benefit (expense)			(16,053)			(11,490)			(7,182)			1,731			(4,826)				(34,725)			(13,726)
Loss from early extinguishment of debt			(53,007)			—			(632)			—			(5,366)				(53,639)			(39,157)
Net (Loss) / Income			($1,452)			$75,978			$228,698			$349,326			$67,574				$303,225			$249,895
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests			1,316			(1,147)			(4,684)			(13,042)			(1,077)				(4,515)			(6,418)
Net Income Attributable to Digital Realty Trust, Inc.			($136)			$74,831			$224,014			$336,284			$66,497				$298,710			$243,477
Preferred stock dividends, including undeclared dividends			(20,712)			(21,155)			(21,155)			(20,707)			(16,670)				(63,022)			(54,283)
Issuance costs associated with redeemed preferred stock			(16,520)			—			—			—			—				(16,520)			(11,760)
Net (Loss) / Income Available to Common Stockholders			($37,368)			$53,676			$202,859			$315,577			$49,827				$219,168			$177,434
Weighted-average shares outstanding - basic			270,214,413			267,569,823			222,163,324			208,776,355			208,421,470				253,377,527			208,173,995
Weighted-average shares outstanding - diluted			270,214,413			270,744,408			224,474,295			210,286,278			209,801,771				256,362,579			209,199,535
Weighted-average fully diluted shares and units			281,523,515			278,719,109			232,753,630			218,901,078			218,755,597				264,401,464			218,280,351
Net (loss) / income per share - basic			($0.14)			$0.20			$0.91			$1.51			$0.24				$0.86			$0.85
Net (loss) / income per share - diluted			($0.14)			$0.20			$0.90			$1.50			$0.24				$0.85			$0.85

 

 

Funds From Operations and Core Funds From Operations
Unaudited and in Thousands, Except Per Share Data
		Three Months Ended																Nine Months Ended
Reconciliation of Net Income to Funds From Operations (FFO)			30-Sep-20			30-Jun-20			31-Mar-20			31-Dec-19			30-Sep-19				30-Sep-20			30-Sep-19
Net (Loss) / Income Available to Common Stockholders			($37,368)			$53,676			$202,859			$315,577			$49,827				$219,167			$177,434
Adjustments:
Non-controlling interest operating partnership			(1,000)			1,400			7,800			13,100			2,300				8,200			8,000
Real estate related depreciation & amortization (1)			358,619			342,334			286,517			271,371			283,090				987,470			877,869
Unconsolidated JV real estate related depreciation & amortization			19,213			17,123			19,923			21,631			13,612				56,259			31,086
(Gain) on real estate transactions			(10,410)			-			(304,801)			(267,651)			-				(315,211)			-
Impairment of investments in real estate			6,482			-			-			-			-				6,482			5,351
Funds From Operations			$335,536			$414,533			$212,298			$354,028			$348,829				$962,367			$1,099,740
Funds From Operations - diluted			$335,536			$414,533			$212,298			$354,028			$348,829				$962,367			$1,099,740
Weighted-average shares and units outstanding - basic			278,079			275,545			230,443			217,391			217,375				261,416			217,255
Weighted-average shares and units outstanding - diluted (2)			281,524			278,719			232,754			218,901			218,756				264,401			218,280
Funds From Operations per share - basic			$1.21			$1.50			$0.92			$1.63			$1.60				$3.68			$5.06
Funds From Operations per share - diluted (2)			$1.19			$1.49			$0.91			$1.62			$1.59				$3.64			$5.04
		Three Months Ended																Nine Months Ended
Reconciliation of FFO to Core FFO			30-Sep-20			30-Jun-20			31-Mar-20			31-Dec-19			30-Sep-19				30-Sep-20			30-Sep-19
Funds From Operations - diluted			$335,536			$414,533			$212,298			$354,028			$348,829				$962,367			$1,099,740
Termination fees and other non-core revenues (3)			(5,713)			(21,908)			(2,425)			(5,634)			(16,792)				(30,046)			(48,063)
Transaction and integration expenses			14,953			15,618			56,801			17,106			4,115				87,372			10,819
Loss from early extinguishment of debt			53,007			-			632			-			5,366				53,639			39,157
Issuance costs associated with redeemed preferred stock			16,520			-			-			-			-				16,520			11,760
Severance, equity acceleration, and legal expenses (4)			920			3,642			1,272			1,130			123				5,834			2,271
(Gain) / Loss on FX revaluation			10,312			17,526			81,288			(10,422)			23,136				109,126			28,489
(Gain) on contribution to unconsolidated JV, net of related tax			-			-			-			-			-				-			(58,497)
Other non-core expense adjustments			6,697			22			5,509			(1,511)			92				12,228			12,129
Core Funds From Operations - diluted			$432,232			$429,433			$355,375			$354,697			$364,869				$1,217,040			$1,097,805
Weighted-average shares and units outstanding - diluted (2)			281,524			278,719			232,754			218,901			218,756				264,401			218,280
Core Funds From Operations per share - diluted (2)			$1.54			$1.54			$1.53			$1.62			$1.67				$4.60			$5.03
(1) Real Estate Related Depreciation & Amortization		Three Months Ended																Nine Months Ended
			30-Sep-20			30-Jun-20			31-Mar-20			31-Dec-19			30-Sep-19				30-Sep-20			30-Sep-19
Depreciation & amortization per income statement			$365,842			$349,165			$291,457			$275,008			$286,718				1,006,464			888,766
Non-real estate depreciation			(7,223)			(6,831)			(4,940)			(3,637)			(3,628)				(18,994)			(10,897)
Real Estate Related Depreciation & Amortization			$358,619			$342,334			$286,517			$271,371			$283,090				$987,470			$877,869

(2)	For all periods presented, we have excluded the effect of dilutive series C, series G, series H, series I, series J, series K and series L preferred stock, as applicable, that may be converted into common stock upon the occurrence of specified change in control transactions as described in the articles supplementary governing the series C, series G, series H, series I, series J, series K and series L preferred stock, as applicable, which we consider highly improbable. See above for calculations of diluted FFO and the share count detail section that follows the reconciliation of core FFO to AFFO for calculations of weighted average common stock and units outstanding.  For definitions and discussion of FFO and core FFO, see the definition section.
(3)	Includes lease termination fees and certain other adjustments that are not core to our business.
(4)	Relates to severance and other charges related to the departure of company executives and integration-related severance.

 

 

Adjusted Funds From Operations (AFFO)
Unaudited and in Thousands, Except Per Share Data
		Three Months Ended																Nine Months Ended
Reconciliation of Core FFO to AFFO			30-Sep-20			30-Jun-20			31-Mar-20			31-Dec-19			30-Sep-19				30-Sep-20			30-Sep-19
Core FFO available to common stockholders and unitholders			$432,232			$429,433			$355,375			$354,697			$364,869				$1,217,040			$1,097,805
Adjustments:
Non-real estate depreciation			7,223			6,831			4,940			3,637			3,628				18,994			10,897
Amortization of deferred financing costs			3,655			3,661			4,260			3,064			2,900				11,576			10,298
Amortization of debt discount/premium			987			1,011			943			612			466				2,941			1,741
Non-cash stock-based compensation expense			15,969			15,060			12,153			8,937			8,906				43,182			25,966
Straight-line rental revenue			(10,017)			(10,928)			(15,404)			(13,994)			(12,764)				(36,349)			(41,776)
Straight-line rental expense			3,934			7,373			1,460			(342)			(209)				12,767			1,342
Above- and below-market rent amortization			2,360			3,794			3,294			4,109			2,824				9,448			12,988
Deferred tax expense			6,421			(150)			(792)			(998)			(1,418)				5,479			(17,794)
Leasing compensation & internal lease commissions (1)			6,052			1,739			2,793			3,646			3,254				10,584			10,860
Recurring capital expenditures (2)			(53,683)			(38,796)			(34,677)			(54,731)			(48,408)				(127,156)			(125,982)
AFFO available to common stockholders and unitholders (3)			$415,133			$419,028			$334,345			$308,637			$324,048				$1,168,506			$986,345
Weighted-average shares and units outstanding - basic			278,079			275,545			230,443			217,391			217,375				261,416			217,255
Weighted-average shares and units outstanding - diluted (4)			281,524			278,719			232,754			218,901			218,756				264,401			218,280
AFFO per share - diluted (4)			$1.47			$1.50			$1.44			$1.41			$1.48				$4.42			$4.52
Dividends per share and common unit			$1.12			$1.12			$1.12			$1.08			$1.08				$3.36			$3.24
Diluted AFFO Payout Ratio			76.0%			74.5%			78.0%			76.6%			72.9%				76.0%			71.7%
		Three Months Ended																Nine Months Ended
Share Count Detail			30-Sep-20			30-Jun-20			31-Mar-20			31-Dec-19			30-Sep-19				30-Sep-20			30-Sep-19
Weighted Average Common Stock and Units Outstanding			278,079			275,545			230,443			217,391			217,375				261,416			217,255
Add: Effect of dilutive securities			3,445			3,174			2,311			1,510			1,381				2,985			1,025
Weighted Avg. Common Stock and Units Outstanding - diluted			281,524			278,719			232,754			218,901			218,756				264,401			218,280

(1)	The company adopted ASC 842 in the first quarter of 2019.
(2)	Recurring capital expenditures represent non-incremental building improvements required to maintain current revenues, including second-generation tenant improvements and external leasing commissions. Recurring capital expenditures do not include acquisition costs contemplated when underwriting the purchase of a building, costs which are incurred to bring a building up to Digital Realty's operating standards, or internal leasing commissions.
(3)	For a definition and discussion of AFFO, see the definitions section. For a reconciliation of net income available to common stockholders to FFO and core FFO, see above.
(4)	For all periods presented, we have excluded the effect of dilutive series C, series G, series H, series I, series J, series K and series L preferred stock, as applicable, that may be converted into common stock upon the occurrence of specified change in control transactions as described in the articles supplementary governing the series C, series G, series H, series I, series J, series K and series L preferred stock, as applicable, which we consider highly improbable. See above for calculations of diluted FFO available to common stockholders and unitholders and for calculations of weighted average common stock and units outstanding.

 

Consolidated Balance Sheets
Unaudited and in Thousands, Except Share and Per Share Data
							30-Sep-20			30-Jun-20			31-Mar-20			31-Dec-19			30-Sep-19
Assets
Investments in real estate:
Real estate								$22,125,486			$20,843,273			$20,477,290			$16,886,592			$16,407,080
Construction in progress								2,328,654			2,514,324			2,204,869			1,732,555			1,647,130
Land held for future development								198,536			175,209			137,447			147,597			150,265
Investments in real estate								$24,652,676			$23,532,806			$22,819,606			$18,766,744			$18,204,475
Accumulated depreciation and amortization								(5,250,140)			(4,945,534)			(4,694,713)			(4,536,169)			(4,298,629)
Net Investments in Properties								$19,402,536			$18,587,272			$18,124,893			$14,230,575			$13,905,846
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures								1,059,978			1,033,235			1,064,009			1,287,109			1,035,861
Net Investments in Real Estate								$20,462,514			$19,620,507			$19,188,902			$15,517,684			$14,941,707
Cash and cash equivalents								$971,305			$505,174			$246,480			$89,817			$7,190
Accounts and other receivables (1)								585,506			542,750			527,699			305,501			304,712
Deferred rent								510,627			496,684			484,179			478,744			471,516
Customer relationship value, deferred leasing costs & other intangibles, net								3,106,414			3,128,140			3,500,588			2,195,324			2,245,017
Acquired above-market leases, net								50,080			57,535			66,033			74,815			84,315
Goodwill								8,012,256			7,791,522			7,466,046			3,363,070			3,338,168
Assets associated with real estate held for sale								—			10,981			—			229,934			967,527
Operating lease right-of-use assets (2)								1,363,285			1,375,427			1,364,621			628,681			634,085
Other assets								373,346			333,916			268,752			184,561			178,528
Total Assets								$35,435,333			$33,862,636			$33,113,300			$23,068,131			$23,172,765
Liabilities and Equity
Global unsecured revolving credit facilities								$124,082			$64,492			$603,101			$234,105			$1,833,512
Unsecured term loans								512,642			799,550			771,425			810,219			796,232
Unsecured senior notes, net of discount								11,999,170			11,268,753			10,637,006			8,973,190			8,189,138
Secured debt, net of premiums								238,866			238,826			239,800			104,934			105,153
Operating lease liabilities (2)								1,444,060			1,451,152			1,431,292			693,539			699,381
Accounts payable and other accrued liabilities								2,187,025			1,828,288			1,732,318			1,007,761			938,740
Accrued dividends and distributions								571			—			—			234,620			—
Acquired below-market leases								135,263			139,851			145,208			148,774			153,422
Security deposits and prepaid rent								353,902			348,253			336,583			208,724			203,708
Liabilities associated with assets held for sale								—			238			—			2,700			23,534
Total Liabilities								$16,995,581			$16,139,403			$15,896,733			$12,418,566			$12,942,820
Redeemable non-controlling interests - operating partnership								41,265			40,584			40,027			41,465			19,090
Equity
Preferred Stock:  $0.01 par value per share, 110,000,000 shares authorized:
Series C Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock (3)								$219,250			$219,250			$219,250			$219,250			$219,250
Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (4)								—			241,468			241,468			241,468			241,468
Series I Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (5)								—			242,012			242,012			242,012			242,012
Series J Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (6)								193,540			193,540			193,540			193,540			193,540
Series K Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (7)								203,264			203,264			203,264			203,264			203,264
Series L Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (8)								334,886			334,886			334,886			334,886			—
Common Stock: $0.01 par value per share, 392,000,000 shares authorized (9)								2,784			2,670			2,622			2,073			2,069
Additional paid-in capital								20,566,645			19,292,311			18,606,766			11,577,320			11,540,980
Dividends in excess of earnings								(3,726,901)			(3,386,525)			(3,139,350)			(3,046,579)			(3,136,668)
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss), net								(123,623)			(358,349)			(444,222)			(87,922)			(68,625)
Total Stockholders' Equity								$17,669,845			$16,984,527			$16,460,236			$9,879,312			$9,437,290
Noncontrolling Interests
Noncontrolling interest in operating partnership								$620,676			$633,831			$656,266			$708,163			$732,314
Noncontrolling interest in consolidated joint ventures								107,966			64,291			60,038			20,625			41,251
Total Noncontrolling Interests								$728,642			$698,122			$716,304			$728,788			$773,565
Total Equity								$18,398,487			$17,682,649			$17,176,540			$10,608,100			$10,210,855
Total Liabilities and Equity								$35,435,333			$33,862,636			$33,113,300			$23,068,131			$23,172,765

(1)	Net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $19,146 and $13,753 as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively.
(2)	Adoption of the new lease accounting standard required that we adjust the consolidated balance sheet to include the recognition of additional right-of-use assets and lease liabilities for operating leases. See our quarterly report on Form 10–Q filed on May 10, 2019 for additional information.
(3)	Series C Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock, 6.625%, $201,250 and $201,250 liquidation preference, respectively ($25.00 per share), 8,050,000 and 8,050,000 shares issued and outstanding as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively.
(4)	Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, 5.875%, $0 (redeemed October 15, 2020, reclassed to accounts payable as of September 30, 2020 for accounting purposes) and $250,000 liquidation preference, respectively ($25.00 per share), 0 and 10,000,000 shares issued and outstanding as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively.
(5)	Series I Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, 6.350%, $0 and $250,000 liquidation preference, respectively ($25.00 per share), 0 and 10,000,000 shares issued and outstanding as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively.
(6)	Series J Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, 5.250%, $200,000 and $200,000 liquidation preference, respectively ($25.00 per share), 8,000,000 and 8,000,000 shares issued and outstanding as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively.
(7)	Series K Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, 5.850%, $210,000 and $210,000 liquidation preference, respectively ($25.00 per share), 8,400,000 and 8,400,000  shares issued and outstanding as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively.
(8)	Series L Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, 5.200%, $345,000 and $345,000 liquidation preference, respectively ($25.00 per share), 13,800,000 and 13,800,000  shares issued and outstanding as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively.
(9)	Common Stock: 279,920,621 and 208,900,758 shares issued and outstanding as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively.

 

 

Reconciliation of Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation & Amortization
and Financial Ratios
Unaudited and Dollars in Thousands
		Three Months Ended
Reconciliation of Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation & Amortization (EBITDA) (1)			30-Sep-20			30-Jun-20			31-Mar-20			31-Dec-19			30-Sep-19
Net (Loss) / Income Available to Common Stockholders			($37,368)			$53,676			$202,859			$315,577			$49,827
Interest			89,499			79,874			85,800			80,880			84,574
Loss from early extinguishment of debt			53,007			—			632			—			5,366
Income tax (benefit) expense			16,053			11,490			7,182			(1,731)			4,826
Depreciation & amortization			365,842			349,165			291,457			275,008			286,718
EBITDA			$487,033			$494,205			$587,930			$669,734			$431,311
Unconsolidated JV real estate related depreciation & amortization			19,213			17,123			19,923			21,631			13,612
Unconsolidated JV interest expense and tax expense			9,002			9,203			9,944			13,553			10,816
Severance, equity acceleration, and legal expenses			920			3,642			1,272			1,130			123
Transaction and integration expenses			14,953			15,618			56,801			17,106			4,115
(Gain) on sale / deconsolidation			(10,410)			—			(304,801)			(267,651)			—
Impairment of investments in real estate			6,482			—			—			—			—
Other non-core adjustments, net			4,945			(3,404)			85,185			(13,886)			6,436
Non-controlling interests			(1,316)			1,147			4,684			13,042			1,077
Preferred stock dividends, including undeclared dividends			20,712			21,155			21,155			20,707			16,670
Issuance costs associated with redeemed preferred stock			16,520			—			—			—			—
Adjusted EBITDA			$568,054			$558,690			$482,093			$475,366			$484,160
(1)  For definitions and discussion of EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA, see the definitions section.
		Three Months Ended
Financial Ratios			30-Sep-20			30-Jun-20			31-Mar-20			31-Dec-19			30-Sep-19
Total GAAP interest expense			$89,499			$79,874			$85,800			$80,880			$84,574
Capitalized interest			12,379			13,133			10,480			9,877			9,936
Change in accrued interest and other non-cash amounts			19,718			(38,478)			24,321			(30,564)			8,490
Cash Interest Expense (2)			$121,596			$54,529			$120,601			$60,193			$103,000
Scheduled debt principal payments			—			57			125			210			163
Preferred dividends			20,712			21,155			21,155			20,707			16,670
Total Fixed Charges (3)			$122,590			$114,219			$117,560			$111,674			$111,343
Coverage
Interest coverage ratio (4)			5.2x			5.6x			4.6x			4.7x			4.7x
Cash interest coverage ratio (5)			4.4x			9.1x			3.7x			6.7x			4.3x
Fixed charge coverage ratio (6)			4.4x			4.6x			3.8x			3.9x			4.0x
Cash fixed charge coverage ratio (7)			3.8x			6.8x			3.2x			5.2x			3.8x
Leverage
Debt to total enterprise value (8) (9)			22.8%			23.3%			23.8%			26.9%			27.1%
Debt plus preferred stock to total enterprise value (10)			25.0%			26.0%			26.6%			30.8%			29.9%
Pre-tax income to interest expense (11)			1.0x			2.0x			3.7x			5.3x			1.8x
Net Debt to Adjusted EBITDA (12)			5.6x			5.7x			6.6x			5.7x			6.0x

(2)	Cash interest expense is interest expense less amortization of debt discount and deferred financing fees and includes interest that we capitalized. We consider cash interest expense to be a useful measure of interest as it excludes non-cash based interest expense.
(3)	Fixed charges consist of GAAP interest expense, capitalized interest, scheduled debt principal payments and preferred dividends.
(4)	Adjusted EBITDA divided by GAAP interest expense plus capitalized interest (including our pro rata share of unconsolidated joint venture interest expense).
(5)	Adjusted EBITDA divided by cash interest expense (including our pro rata share of unconsolidated joint venture interest expense).
(6)	Adjusted EBITDA divided by fixed charges (including our pro rata share of unconsolidated joint venture fixed charges).
(7)	Adjusted EBITDA divided by the sum of cash interest expense, scheduled debt principal payments and preferred dividends (including our pro rata share of unconsolidated joint venture fixed charges).
(8)	Mortgage debt and other loans divided by market value of equity plus debt plus preferred stock.
(9)	Total enterprise value defined as market value of common equity plus debt plus preferred stock.
(10)	Same as (8), except numerator includes preferred stock.
(11)	Calculated as net income plus interest expense divided by GAAP interest expense.
(12)	Calculated as total debt at balance sheet carrying value, plus capital lease obligations, plus Digital Realty's share of joint venture debt, less cash and cash equivalents divided by the product of Adjusted EBITDA (inclusive of our share of joint venture EBITDA), multiplied by four.

Definitions

Funds From Operations (FFO):
We calculate funds from operations, or FFO, in accordance with the standards established by the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts, or Nareit, in the Nareit Funds From Operations White Paper - 2018 Restatement. FFO represents net income (loss) (computed in accordance with GAAP), excluding gains (or losses) from real estate transactions, impairment of investment in real estate, real estate related depreciation and amortization (excluding amortization of deferred financing costs), unconsolidated JV real estate related depreciation & amortization, non-controlling interests in operating partnership and after adjustments for unconsolidated partnerships and joint ventures. Management uses FFO as a supplemental performance measure because, in excluding real estate related depreciation and amortization and gains and losses from property dispositions and after adjustments for unconsolidated partnerships and joint ventures, it provides a performance measure that, when compared year over year, captures trends in occupancy rates, rental rates and operating costs. We also believe that, as a widely recognized measure of the performance of REITs, FFO will be used by investors as a basis to compare our operating performance with that of other REITs. However, because FFO excludes depreciation and amortization and captures neither the changes in the value of our data centers that result from use or market conditions, nor the level of capital expenditures and capitalized leasing commissions necessary to maintain the operating performance of our data centers, all of which have real economic effect and could materially impact our financial condition and results from operations, the utility of FFO as a measure of our performance is limited. Other REITs may not calculate FFO in accordance with the NAREIT definition and, accordingly, our FFO may not be comparable to other REITs' FFO. FFO should be considered only as a supplement to net income computed in accordance with GAAP as a measure of our performance.

Core Funds from Operations (Core FFO):
We present core funds from operations, or core FFO, as a supplemental operating measure because, in excluding certain items that do not reflect core revenue or expense streams, it provides a performance measure that, when compared year over year, captures trends in our core business operating performance. We calculate core FFO by adding to or subtracting from FFO (i) termination fees and other non-core revenues, (ii) transaction and integration expenses, (iii) loss from early extinguishment of debt, (iv) issuance costs associated with redeemed preferred stock, (v) severance, equity acceleration, and legal expenses, (vi) gain/loss on FX revaluation, (vii) gain on contribution to unconsolidated joint venture, net of related tax, and (viii) other non-core expense adjustments. Because certain of these adjustments have a real economic impact on our financial condition and results from operations, the utility of core FFO as a measure of our performance is limited. Other REITs may calculate core FFO differently than we do and accordingly, our core FFO may not be comparable to other REITs' core FFO. Core FFO should be considered only as a supplement to net income computed in accordance with GAAP as a measure of our performance.

Adjusted Funds from Operations (AFFO):
We present adjusted funds from operations, or AFFO, as a supplemental operating measure because, when compared year over year, it assesses our ability to fund dividend and distribution requirements from our operating activities. We also believe that, as a widely recognized measure of the operations of REITs, AFFO will be used by investors as a basis to assess our ability to fund dividend payments in comparison to other REITs, including on a per share and unit basis. We calculate AFFO by adding to or subtracting from core FFO (i) non-real estate depreciation, (ii) amortization of deferred financing costs, (iii) amortization of debt discount/premium, (iv) non-cash stock-based compensation expense, (v) straight-line rental revenue, (vi) straight-line rental expense, (vii) above- and below-market rent amortization, (viii) deferred tax expense, (ix) leasing compensation and internal lease commissions, and (x) recurring capital expenditures. Other REITs may calculate AFFO differently than we do and accordingly, our AFFO may not be comparable to other REITs' AFFO. AFFO should be considered only as a supplement to net income computed in accordance with GAAP as a measure of our performance.

EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA:
We believe that earnings before interest, loss from early extinguishment of debt, income taxes, and depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA, and Adjusted EBITDA (as defined below), are useful supplemental performance measures because they allow investors to view our performance without the impact of non-cash depreciation and amortization or the cost of debt and, with respect to Adjusted EBITDA, unconsolidated joint venture real estate related depreciation & amortization, unconsolidated joint venture interest expense and tax, severance, equity acceleration, and legal expenses, transaction and integration expenses, gain on sale / deconsolidation, other non-core adjustments, net, non-controlling interests, preferred stock dividends, including undeclared dividends, and issuance costs associated with redeemed preferred stock. Adjusted EBITDA is EBITDA excluding unconsolidated joint venture real estate related depreciation & amortization, unconsolidated joint venture interest expense and tax, severance, equity acceleration, and legal expenses, transaction and integration expenses, gain on sale / deconsolidation, impairment of investments in real estate, other non-core adjustments, net, non-controlling interests, preferred stock dividends, including undeclared dividends, and issuance costs associated with redeemed preferred stock. In addition, we believe EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are frequently used by securities analysts, investors and other interested parties in the evaluation of REITs. Because EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are calculated before recurring cash charges including interest expense and income taxes, exclude capitalized costs, such as leasing commissions, and are not adjusted for capital expenditures or other recurring cash requirements of our business, their utility as a measure of our performance is limited. Other REITs may calculate EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA differently than we do and, accordingly, our EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to other REITs' EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA. Accordingly, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA should be considered only as supplements to net income computed in accordance with GAAP as a measure of our financial performance.

Net Operating Income (NOI) and Cash NOI:
Net operating income, or NOI, represents rental revenue, tenant reimbursement revenue and interconnection revenue less utilities expense, rental property operating expenses, property taxes and insurance expenses (as reflected in the statement of operations). NOI is commonly used by stockholders, company management and industry analysts as a measurement of operating performance of the company's rental portfolio. Cash NOI is NOI less straight-line rents and above- and below-market rent amortization. Cash NOI is commonly used by stockholders, company management and industry analysts as a measure of property operating performance on a cash basis. However, because NOI and cash NOI exclude depreciation and amortization and capture neither the changes in the value of our data centers that result from use or market conditions, nor the level of capital expenditures and capitalized leasing commissions necessary to maintain the operating performance of our data centers, all of which have real economic effect and could materially impact our results from operations, the utility of NOI and cash NOI as measures of our performance is limited. Other REITs may calculate NOI and cash NOI differently than we do and, accordingly, our NOI and cash NOI may not be comparable to other REITs' NOI and cash NOI. NOI and cash NOI should be considered only as supplements to net income computed in accordance with GAAP as measures of our performance.

Additional Definitions

Net debt-to-Adjusted EBITDA ratio is calculated using total debt at balance sheet carrying value, plus capital lease obligations, plus our share of JV debt, less unrestricted cash and cash equivalents divided by the product of Adjusted EBITDA (inclusive of our share of JV EBITDA) multiplied by four.

Debt-plus-preferred-to-total enterprise value is mortgage debt and other loans plus preferred stock divided by mortgage debt and other loans plus the liquidation value of preferred stock and the market value of outstanding Digital Realty Trust, Inc. common stock and Digital Realty Trust, L.P. units, assuming the redemption of Digital Realty Trust, L.P. units for shares of Digital Realty Trust, Inc. common stock.

Fixed charge coverage ratio is Adjusted EBITDA divided by the sum of GAAP interest expense, capitalized interest, scheduled debt principal payments and preferred dividends. For the Quarter Ended September 30, 2020, GAAP interest expense was $89 million, capitalized interest was $12 million and scheduled debt principal payments and preferred dividends was $21 million.

Reconciliation of Net Operating Income (NOI)		Three Months Ended										Nine Months Ended
(in thousands)		30-Sep-20			30-Jun-20			30-Sep-19				30-Sep-20			30-Sep-19
Operating income			$144,405			$152,811			$164,767				$397,266			$455,282
Fee income			(3,687)			(4,353)			(3,994)				(10,492)			(6,840)
Other income			(50)			(967)			—				(1,830)			(1,050)
Depreciation and amortization			365,842			349,165			286,718				1,006,464			888,766
General and administrative			90,431			90,649			49,862				243,346			154,156
Severance, equity acceleration, and legal expenses			920			3,642			123				5,834			2,271
Transaction expenses			14,953			15,618			4,115				87,372			10,819
Impairment in investments in real estate			6,482			—			—				6,482			5,351
Other expenses			297			22			92				433			12,129
Net Operating Income			$619,593			$606,587			$501,683				$1,734,875			$1,520,884
Cash Net Operating Income (Cash NOI)
Net Operating Income			$619,593			$606,587			$501,683				$1,734,875			$1,520,884
Straight-line rental revenue			(9,215)			(10,713)			(12,673)				(33,321)			(42,208)
Straight-line rental expense			3,674			7,296			(192)				12,465			1,381
Above- and below-market rent amortization			2,360			3,794			2,824				9,447			12,988
Cash Net Operating Income			$616,412			$606,964			$491,642				$1,723,466			$1,493,045

This document contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, which are based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially. Such forward-looking statements include statements relating to: our expected investment and expansion activity, COVID-19, our liquidity, our joint ventures, supply and demand for data center and colocation space, our acquisition and disposition activity, pricing and net effective leasing economics, market dynamics and data center fundamentals, our strategic priorities, rent from leases that have been signed but have not yet commenced and other contracted rent to be received in future periods, rental rates on future leases, lag between signing and commencement, cap rates and yields, investment activity, the company's FFO, core FFO and net income, 2020 outlook and underlying assumptions, information related to trends, our strategy and plans, leasing expectations, weighted average lease terms, the exercise of lease extensions, lease expirations, debt maturities, annualized rent at expiration of leases, the effect new leases and increases in rental rates will have on our rental revenue, our credit ratings, construction and development activity and plans, projected construction costs, estimated yields on investment, expected occupancy, expected square footage and IT load capacity upon completion of development projects, 2020 backlog NOI, NAV components, and other forward-looking financial data. Such statements are based on management's beliefs and assumptions made based on information currently available to management. Such statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions and are not guarantees of future performance and may be affected by known and unknown risks, trends, uncertainties and factors that are beyond our control. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those anticipated, estimated or projected. Some of the risks and uncertainties that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements include, among others, the following:

• reduced demand for data centers or decreases in information technology spending;
• increased competition or available supply of data center space;
• decreased rental rates, increased operating costs or increased vacancy rates;
• the suitability of our data centers and data center infrastructure, delays or disruptions in connectivity or availability of power, or failures or breaches of our physical and information security infrastructure or services;
• our dependence upon significant customers, bankruptcy or insolvency of a major customer or a significant number of smaller customers, or defaults on or non-renewal of leases by customers;
• our ability to attract and retain customers;
• breaches of our obligations or restrictions under our contracts with our customers;
• our inability to successfully develop and lease new properties and development space, and delays or unexpected costs in development of properties;
• the impact of current global and local economic, credit and market conditions;
• our inability to retain data center space that we lease or sublease from third parties;
• information security and data privacy breaches;
• difficulty managing an international business and acquiring or operating properties in foreign jurisdictions and unfamiliar metropolitan areas;
• our failure to realize the intended benefits from, or disruptions to our plans and operations or unknown or contingent liabilities related to, our recent acquisitions;
• our failure to successfully integrate and operate acquired or developed properties or businesses;
• difficulties in identifying properties to acquire and completing acquisitions;
• risks related to joint venture investments, including as a result of our lack of control of such investments;
• risks associated with using debt to fund our business activities, including re-financing and interest rate risks, our failure to repay debt when due, adverse changes in our credit ratings or our breach of covenants or other terms contained in our loan facilities and agreements;
• our failure to obtain necessary debt and equity financing, and our dependence on external sources of capital;
• financial market fluctuations and changes in foreign currency exchange rates;
• adverse economic or real estate developments in our industry or the industry sectors that we sell to, including risks relating to decreasing real estate valuations and impairment charges and goodwill and other intangible asset impairment charges;
• our inability to manage our growth effectively;
• losses in excess of our insurance coverage;
• our inability to attract and retain talent;
• impact on our operations and on the operations of our customers, suppliers and business partners during a pandemic, such as COVID-19;
• environmental liabilities, risks related to natural disasters and our inability to achieve our sustainability goals;
• our inability to comply with rules and regulations applicable to our company;
• Digital Realty Trust, Inc.'s failure to maintain its status as a REIT for federal income tax purposes;
• Digital Realty Trust, L.P.'s failure to qualify as a partnership for federal income tax purposes;
• restrictions on our ability to engage in certain business activities;
• changes in local, state, federal and international laws and regulations, including related to taxation, real estate and zoning laws, and increases in real property tax rates; and
• the impact of any financial, accounting, legal or regulatory issues or litigation that may affect us.

The risks included here are not exhaustive, and additional factors could adversely affect our business and financial performance.  Several additional material risks are discussed in our annual report on Form 10–K for the year ended December 31, 2019, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended June 30, 2020 and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  Those risks continue to be relevant to our performance and financial condition.  Moreover, we operate in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment.  New risk factors emerge from time to time and it is not possible for management to predict all such risk factors, nor can it assess the impact of all such risk factors on the business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements.  We expressly disclaim any responsibility to update forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.  Digital Realty, Digital Realty Trust, the Digital Realty logo, Turn-Key Flex and Powered Base Building are registered trademarks and service marks of Digital Realty Trust, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. 

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SOURCE Digital Realty