STAG Industrial, Inc. 10-Q

Item 1A. Risk Factors Other than the following, there have been no material changes from the risk factors disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 filed with the SEC on February 15, 2023. Recent macroeconomic trends, including inflation and rising interest rates, and adverse developments affecting the financial services industry may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. During the year ended December 31, 2022, inflation in the United States accelerated and is currently expected to continue at an elevated level in the near-term. Beginning in 2022, in an effort to combat inflation and restore price stability, the Federal Reserve significantly raised its benchmark federal funds rate, which led to increases in interest rates in the credit markets. The Federal Reserve may continue to raise the federal funds rate, which will likely lead to higher interest rates in the credit markets and the possibility of slowing economic growth and/or a recession. Additionally, U.S. government policies implemented to address inflation, including actions by the Federal Reserve to increase interest rates, could negatively impact consumer spending, our tenants’ businesses, and/or future demand for industrial space. Rising inflation could also have an adverse impact on our financing costs (either through near-term borrowings on our variable rate debt, including our unsecured credit facility, or refinancing of existing debt at higher interest rates), and general and administrative expenses and property operating expenses, as these costs could increase at a rate higher than our rental and other revenue. To the extent our exposure to increases in interest rates is not eliminated through interest rate swaps or other protection agreements, such increases may also result in higher debt service costs, which will adversely affect our cash flows. Historically, during periods of increasing interest rates, real estate valuations have generally decreased due to rising capitalization rates, which tend to move directionally with interest rates. Consequently, prolonged periods of higher interest rates may negatively impact the valuation of our real estate assets and could result in the decline of the market price of our common stock, which may adversely impact our ability and willingness to raise equity capital on favorable terms, including through our at-the-market (“ATM”) common stock offering program. Although the extent of any prolonged periods of higher interest rates remains unknown at this time, negative impacts to our cost of capital may adversely affect our future business plans and growth, at least in the near term. Actual events involving limited liquidity, defaults, non-performance or other adverse developments that affect financial institutions, transactional counterparties or other companies in the financial services industry or the financial services industry generally, or concerns or rumors about any events of these kinds or other similar risks, have in the past and may in the future lead to market-wide liquidity problems. For example, on March 10, 2023, Silicon Valley Bank was closed by the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, which appointed the FDIC as receiver. Similarly, on March 12, 2023, Signature Bank and Silvergate Capital Corp. were each swept into receivership. In addition, if any parties with whom we conduct business are unable to access funds pursuant to such instruments or lending arrangements with such a financial institution, such parties’ ability to pay their obligations to us or to enter into new commercial arrangements requiring additional payments to us could be adversely affected. Although we assess our banking relationships as we believe necessary or appropriate, our access to funding sources and other credit arrangements in amounts adequate to finance or capitalize our current and projected future business operations could be significantly impaired by factors that affect us, the financial services industry or economy in general. These factors could include, among others, events such as liquidity constraints or failures, the ability to perform obligations under various types of financial, credit or liquidity agreements or arrangements, disruptions or instability in the financial services industry or financial markets, or concerns or negative expectations about the prospects for companies in the financial services industry. If debt is unavailable at reasonable rates, we may not be able to finance acquisitions or refinance our existing debt. If debt is unavailable at reasonable rates, we may not be able to finance acquisitions or refinance existing debt when the loans come due on favorable terms, or at all. Most of our financing arrangements require us to make a lump-sum or “balloon” payment at maturity. Our ability to make a payment at maturity is uncertain and, in the event that we do not have sufficient 42 Table of Contents funds, we will need to refinance this debt. If interest rates are higher when we refinance such debt, our net income, cash flow, and, consequently, our cash available for distribution to stockholders could be reduced. If the credit environment is constrained at the time a payment is due, we may not be able to refinance the existing debt on acceptable terms and may be forced to choose from a number of unfavorable options, including accepting unfavorable financing terms, selling properties on disadvantageous terms or defaulting and permitting the lender to foreclose. In addition, adverse developments affecting the financial services industry or investor concerns regarding the U.S. or international financial systems could result in less favorable commercial financing terms, including higher interest rates or costs and tighter financial and operating covenants, or systemic limitations on access to credit and liquidity sources, thereby making it more difficult for us to acquire financing on acceptable terms or at all. Any decline in available funding or access to our cash and liquidity resources could, among other risks, adversely impact our ability to meet our financial or other obligations or reduce our net income and cash available for distribution to stockholders.