07/27/2020 | by

Greer Aviv, Senior Vice President, Investor Relations, Iron Mountain Inc. (NYSE: IRM)

"Investors are looking to understand what impact COVID-19 has had—and is expected to have—on our business, including possible changes in how customers work and utilize our products and services.

Iron Mountain has been very proactive in response to the coronavirus and has been actively supporting customers’ evolving needs as they adjust to supporting remote workforces. This is another big area of interest from investors—how we have been serving our customers, many of which are considered essential businesses, in new and innovative ways as they navigate this pandemic. We highlight the new service and storage revenue opportunities we have seized as we respond in real time to our customers’ changing needs, such as reserving storage space for critical assets and unanticipated inventory volumes, including supplies needed by health responders and food and drug retailers."

Tejal Engman, Vice President, Investor Relations, Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: HST)

"The most frequently asked investor question currently is how we’re going to use this pandemic-induced crisis to structurally improve our operating model. A close second concerns our ability to capitalize on attractive M&A opportunities that may arise from this crisis.

Investors are keenly interested in the long-term margin benefits of potentially fewer brand standards and greater technology adoption in hotels. They also want Host’s perspective on the markets and asset types where M&A opportunity is most likely to emerge.

Investor questions have evolved as the crisis has unfolded. In late March and early April, questions were focused on monthly cash burn rates and having sufficient liquidity to withstand prolonged business disruption. In May, investors focused on the shape of the RevPAR recovery and which segments of hotel demand would lead or lag. Today, investor focus has shifted to how we can capitalize on the opportunity this crisis provides to improve and grow the business, which is a very positive sign.”

Lindsay Winterhalter, Vice President, Investor Relations & Operations, Easterly Government Properties, Inc. (NYSE: DEA)

"Honestly, the questions have not changed much since the onset of the coronavirus. That is in large part because Easterly has had the same investment strategy for over a decade. We are a company with the simple and consistent strategy of acquiring, developing, and managing class-A mission critical real estate leased to the U.S. government. Investors understand the credit quality of our primary tenant and view us as a safe haven.

We have substantially scaled our portfolio over the past few years to achieve an attractive cost of capital that reflects a strong commitment from both our debt and equity partners. Further, we have demonstrated a consistent pattern of delivering on our stated goals, which we believe appeals to investors all the more in times of economic uncertainty. We strive to be an anchor to windward for investors, and this messaging has resonated since the onset of the crisis.”