SL Green Realty Posts Q2 Loss Beat

SL Green Realty (SLG -0.68%), Manhattan’s largest office landlord and a leading real estate investment trust, released its second quarter 2025 earnings on July 16, 2025. The most notable news from the quarter was a GAAP net loss per share of $0.16, which was a smaller loss than expected by analysts, and higher revenue than consensus. Funds from operations (FFO) per share, a core measure for REITs that adjusts net income for property-related items and key non-cash gains or losses, declined noticeably from last year. Revenue increased over the prior period. While the company continues to show solid leasing activity in the Manhattan office market, underlying pressure on rents and income lingered. However, management lifted its full-year FFO outlook, encouraged by gains in its debt and preferred equity investments. Overall, the quarter saw progress in alternative income streams but continued operational challenges in its core office operations.

Source: Analyst estimates provided by FactSet. Management expectations based on management's guidance, as provided in Q1 2025 earnings report.

About SL Green Realty and Its Business Model

SL Green Realty is a major real estate investment trust focused on owning, managing, and investing primarily in office buildings located in Manhattan, New York. It derives most of its revenue from leasing office space and ground-floor retail in these high-profile properties. Its portfolio includes trophy buildings and modern office towers, with a focus on maintaining and growing occupancy through active asset management and upgrades.

In recent years, its key strategies have been elevating occupancy rates, optimizing the portfolio through property sales and acquisitions, and investing in debt and preferred equity to diversify income. Success relies on keeping properties well-leased, recycling capital at favorable prices, prudent financial management, and growing new revenue sources such as its alternative investment and observation deck businesses.

Highlights from the Quarter: Financials and Operations

The company reported a GAAP net loss attributable to common stockholders of $0.16 per share, a smaller-than-expected loss versus analysts’ forecast of $0.17 per share. Revenue increased from the prior-year quarter, coming in above expectations. This was due in part to steady rental income and increased investment and fee income from alternative assets. Still, FFO per share fell 20.5% from last year after adjusting for non-cash and one-time items. This drop was driven by the absence of large, one-off gains on debt extinguishments that benefited last year’s results.

Leasing activity remained active, with 46 new office leases totaling over 541,000 square feet signed in Manhattan in the period. Management highlighted mark-to-market rents—meaning current leasing rates compared to expiring leases—rose by 2.4% for the quarter, but trailed off slightly over the first half of the year at minus 0.4%. Manhattan same-store office occupancy ended the quarter at 91.4%, down only slightly from earlier in the year. Same-store cash net operating income (NOI), which measures recurring property-level profit, slipped 1.0% from the prior-year quarter when excluding termination income, continuing a trend of modest softness in core building income.

The company bought out its partner’s 49.9% interest in 100 Park Avenue for $14.9 million, deepening control over a key asset, and completed the sale of its 85 Fifth Avenue property, yielding $3.2 million in net proceeds. In its investment segment, a commercial mortgage on 522 Fifth Avenue—carried on the books at $125 million—was repaid at $200 million, generating $196.6 million in proceeds. This windfall reflected a non-recurring gain that helped boost overall income. SL Green also sold a 50% preferred equity position in 625 Madison Avenue in July for $104.9 million, at a 6.4% discount to its carrying value, suggesting a modest markdown in some sales versus book value.

Debt and preferred equity investments have become a more significant income source. As of quarter end, the debt and preferred equity portfolio stood at $525.4 million, up considerably from year-end, with a weighted average yield of 7.0% (7.9% if excluding $63 million in non-accrual investments—meaning investments not currently earning interest). The build-up in this portfolio reflects an active strategy to tap opportunistic lending and distressed deal markets in New York, which management believes will be an enduring part of the earnings mix.

The period also saw continued effort to maintain financial flexibility. Net debt rose marginally to $3.64 billion, in line with ongoing capital recycling and refinancing activities. At quarter-end, cash and available investments amounted to more than $180 million, with additional liquidity from the alternative investment portfolio.

On the dividend front, SL Green continued its regular payout to shareholders. There was no declared increase or cut during the quarter, continuing the recent pattern of steady payments.

Key Metrics and Market Developments

Leasing volume and occupancy results underline the company's ongoing efforts. Of the leases signed in the quarter, the average length stood at 7.8 years with an average annual rental rate of $90.03 per square foot. On average, tenants received 6.3 months of free rent and $78.81 per square foot in tenant improvement allowances. These incentives have been relatively stable, although mark-to-market pressures show some tenants renewed or signed new leases at lower effective rents year-to-date.

Same-store occupancy edged lower from the prior quarter but remained above 91%. Management reaffirmed its goal of reaching 93.2% occupancy in Manhattan properties by year-end, aided by leases already signed but not yet begun. The company remains on track to hit its target of 2 million square feet of total leasing by the end of 2025, having achieved over 1.1 million square feet in the first half.

Alternative revenue sources, particularly the SUMMIT One Vanderbilt observation deck and the special servicing/debt businesses, continue to provide diversification. The observation deck has seen regular visitor traffic, with around half of all guests in the past year coming from outside the U.S., supporting steady non-office income. In the special servicing platform, SL Green increased active assignments by $1.3 billion to $6.1 billion, positioning itself as a key player in managing and resolving distressed real estate debt in the market.

Asset sales continued at a measured pace. Notably, the company transacted both acquisitions and monetizations with only modest discounts to book value, supporting ongoing capital rotation. However, certain sales such as the preferred equity at 625 Madison Avenue underscore the company’s willingness to accept small losses to generate cash and reduce risk.

Looking Ahead

SL Green raised its 2025 funds from operations per share guidance to a range of $5.65 to $5.95, up $0.40 at the midpoint from previous forecasts. Management cited the anticipated incremental income from its debt and preferred equity investments as the key driver for this increase. Full-year net income per share guidance remains unchanged at $1.27 to $1.57. These targets depend on continued leasing success and the stability of income from both property and investment portfolios. The company expects to reach 93.2% Manhattan portfolio occupancy by December 2025, assuming that leasing momentum holds and signed deals commence as anticipated.

For investors tracking SL Green, key things to watch in coming quarters include new lease activity, realized rent growth on lease renewals, the performance and credit quality of the debt and preferred equity investments, as well as further portfolio recycling efforts. Management did not disclose any new major development projects or adjustments to its strategic priorities during the quarter. The company continues to pay a regular quarterly dividend, maintaining continuity in its shareholder distributions.

Revenue and net income presented using U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) unless otherwise noted.