Cousins Properties (CUZ) Q2 FY26 earnings call: guidance and Q&A

The office market is experiencing a significant bifurcation, with the commodity sector facing oversupply and the lifestyle office sector becoming increasingly undersupplied, particularly in the Sun Belt. Demand is improving, evidenced by post-pandemic high leasing activity and four consecutive quarters of positive net absorption. Available space is declining rapidly, and new construction starts are at historic lows, suggesting no meaningful supply growth until 2030 at the earliest. The 'flight to quality' is unrelenting, with customers prioritizing high-quality, well-located buildings.

Cousins delivered an exceptional second quarter with 924,000 square feet of leases, matching the strong first quarter and totaling 1.9 million square feet for the first half of the year. This volume is roughly equivalent to the company's average annual leasing volume over the past decade. New and expansion leases accounted for 43% of the Q2 volume (395,000 sq ft), well above the three-year run rate. The team also completed 19 renewals, including five large renewals (over 50,000 sq ft) where tenants either retained or expanded their footprint.

The company continues its strategy of selective dispositions and new investments to enhance portfolio quality and geographic diversification. Recent dispositions include Research Park Plaza 5 for $42 million and 111 Congress for $208 million, both noncore assets with limited remaining lease terms. On the investment side, Cousins bought out its partner's 10% interest in 100 Mill for $18.5 million and entered a preferred equity position of up to $31.5 million in the Fifth & Walsh development project in Austin, which is already 58% pre-leased.

Atlanta's office market recorded its strongest quarterly activity in four years, with no new office projects over 100,000 square feet underway for the first time in 15 years. Cousins signed 404,000 square feet of leases in Atlanta, with 51% being new and expansion, and achieved a 14.3% cash rent roll-up. Austin saw over 200,000 square feet of net absorption in H1 2026, the first positive H1 since 2022. Cousins signed 74,000 square feet of new and expansion leases in Austin, with 42,000 square feet from technology companies, and rolled up cash rents by 16.3%.

Cousins closed on a new 5-year $1.2 billion unsecured credit facility, improving the borrowing spread by 15 basis points, and added extension options on two term loans totaling $500 million. This strong balance sheet provides flexibility to pursue compelling new investments, including acquisitions and developments. The company also has 2.9 million shares issued on a forward basis, valued at approximately $90 million, which offers optionality for funding future investments or delaying settlement based on capital recycling opportunities.

AI is proving to be a 'friend' to the office sector, with AI-related office demand broadening across all Cousins' markets, particularly robust in Austin. Management dismisses the 'false narrative' that the Sun Belt is more susceptible to AI-driven job displacement, emphasizing that their high-quality properties house knowledge workers. They believe the Sun Belt's affordability, vibrancy, and less regulated environment will continue to attract tech growth, including AI components, bucking any perceived trend of AI growth avoiding these cities.