Camden Property Trust 10-K 2018-12-31

10-K 1 cpt1231201810k.htm

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018

OR

For the transition period from to

Commission file number: 1-12110

CAMDEN PROPERTY TRUST

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (713) 354-2500

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ý No ¨

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ¨ No ý

Indicate by check mark whether registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ý No ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ý No ¨

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K (§229.405 of this chapter) is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. ý

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act (check one):

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected to not use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant of Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in the Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes ¨ No ý

The aggregate market value of voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates of the registrant was $8,386,569,325 based on a June 29, 2018 share price of $91.13.

On February 7, 2019, 93,259,373 common shares of the registrant were outstanding, net of treasury shares and shares held in our deferred compensation arrangements.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the registrant's Proxy Statement in connection with its Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held May 9, 2019 are incorporated by reference in Part III.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ii

PART I

General

Formed on May 25, 1993, Camden Property Trust, a Texas real estate investment trust (“REIT”), and all its consolidated subsidiaries are primarily engaged in the ownership, management, development, redevelopment, acquisition, and construction of multifamily apartment communities. Unless the context requires otherwise, “we,” “our,” “us,” and the “Company” refer to Camden Property Trust and its consolidated subsidiaries. Our multifamily apartment communities are referred to as “communities,” “multifamily communities,” “properties,” or “multifamily properties” in the following discussion.

Our website is located at www.camdenliving.com. We make available free of charge through our website, our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to such reports, filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). We also make available, free of charge on our website, our Guidelines on Governance, Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, Code of Ethical Conduct for Senior Financial Officers, and the charters of each of our Audit, Compensation, and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committees. Copies are also available, without charge, from Investor Relations, 11 Greenway Plaza, Suite 2400, Houston, Texas 77046. References to our website in this report are provided as a convenience and do not constitute, and should not be viewed as, an incorporation by reference of the information contained on, or available through our website, and therefore such information should not be considered part of this report.

Our annual, quarterly, and current reports, proxy statements, and other information are electronically filed with the SEC. The SEC maintains a website (http://www.sec.gov) that contains reports, proxy, and information statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC.

Narrative Description of Business

As of December 31, 2018, we owned interests in, operated, or were developing 167 multifamily properties comprised of 56,858 apartment homes across the United States. Of the 167 properties, six properties were under construction and will consist of a total of 1,698 apartment homes when completed. We also own land holdings which we may develop into multifamily communities in the future.

Operating and Business Strategy

We believe producing consistent earnings growth through property operations, development and acquisitions, achieving market balance, and recycling capital are crucial factors to our success. We rely heavily on our sophisticated property management capabilities and innovative operating strategies to help us maximize the earnings potential of our communities.

Real Estate Investments and Market Balance. We believe we are well positioned in our current markets and have the expertise to take advantage of new opportunities as they arise. These capabilities, combined with what we believe is a conservative financial structure, should allow us to concentrate our growth efforts toward selective opportunities to enhance our strategy of having a geographically diverse portfolio of assets which meet the requirements of our residents.

We continue to operate in our core markets which we believe provides an advantage due to economies of scale. We believe, where possible, it is best to operate with a strong base of properties in order to benefit from the personnel allocation and the market strength associated with managing multiple properties in the same market. However, consistent with our goal of generating sustained earnings growth, we intend to selectively dispose of properties and redeploy capital for various strategic reasons, including if we determine a property cannot meet our long-term earnings growth expectations.

We try to maximize capital appreciation of our properties by investing in markets characterized by conditions favorable to multifamily property appreciation. These markets generally feature the following:

Subject to market conditions, we intend to continue to seek opportunities to develop new communities, and to redevelop, reposition and acquire existing communities. We also intend to evaluate our operating property and land development portfolio and plan to continue our practice of selective dispositions as market conditions warrant and opportunities arise.

We expect to maintain a strong balance sheet and preserve our financial flexibility by continuing to focus on our core fundamentals which currently are generating positive cash flows from operations, maintaining appropriate debt levels and leverage ratios, and controlling overhead costs. We intend to meet our near-term liquidity requirements through a combination of one or more of the following: cash flows generated from operations, draws on our unsecured credit facility or other short-term borrowing, the use of debt and equity offerings under our automatic shelf registration statement, proceeds from property dispositions, equity issued from our 2017 at-the-market ("ATM") share offering program, other unsecured borrowings, or secured mortgages.

Sophisticated Property Management. We believe the depth of our organization enables us to deliver quality services, promote resident satisfaction, and retain residents, thereby increasing our operating revenues and reducing our operating expenses. We manage our properties utilizing a staff of professionals and support personnel, including certified property managers, experienced apartment managers and leasing agents, and trained apartment maintenance technicians. Our on-site personnel are trained to deliver high-quality services to our residents, and we strive to motivate our on-site employees through incentive compensation arrangements based upon property operational results, rental rate increases, occupancy levels, and level of new leases and lease renewals achieved.

Operations. We believe an intense focus on operations is necessary to realize consistent, sustained earnings growth. Ensuring resident satisfaction, increasing rents as market conditions allow, maximizing rent collections, maintaining property occupancy at optimal levels, and controlling operating costs comprise our principal strategies to maximize property financial results. We believe our web-based property management and revenue management systems strengthen on-site operations and allow us to quickly adjust rental rates as local market conditions change. Lease terms are generally staggered based on vacancy exposure by apartment type so lease expirations are matched to each property's seasonal rental patterns. We generally offer leases ranging from twelve to fifteen months with individual property marketing plans structured to respond to local market conditions. In addition, we conduct ongoing customer service surveys to help ensure timely response to residents' changing needs and a high level of satisfaction.

Investments in Joint Ventures. We have entered into, and may continue in the future to enter into, joint ventures or partnerships, including limited liability companies, through which we own an indirect economic interest in less than 100% of the community or land owned by the joint venture or partnership. We account for three investment funds (collectively, the "Funds") utilizing the equity method of accounting. As of December 31, 2018, we have two discretionary investment funds, which are closed to future investments, and a third fund which we formed in March 2015 for future multifamily investments of up to $450 million. See Note 9, “Investments in Joint Ventures,” and Note 15, “Commitments and Contingencies,” in the notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further discussion of our investments in joint ventures.

Competition

There are numerous housing alternatives which compete with our communities in attracting residents. Our properties compete directly with other multifamily properties as well as condominiums, single-family homes, third-party providers of short-term rentals and serviced apartments, which are available for rent or purchase in the markets in which our communities are located. This competitive environment could have a material adverse effect on our ability to lease apartment homes at our present properties or any newly developed or acquired property, as well as on the rents realized.

Employees

At December 31, 2018, we had approximately 1,600 employees, including executive, administrative, and community personnel.

Qualification as a Real Estate Investment Trust

As of December 31, 2018, we met the qualification of a REIT under Sections 856-860 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). As a result, we, with the exception of our taxable REIT subsidiaries, will not be subject to federal income tax to the extent we continue to meet certain requirements of the Code.

In addition to the other information contained in this Form 10-K, the following risk factors should be considered carefully in evaluating our business. Our business, financial condition, or results of operations could be materially adversely affected by any of these risks.

Risks Associated with Capital Markets, Credit Markets, and Real Estate

Volatility in capital and credit markets, or other unfavorable changes in economic conditions, either nationally or regionally in one or more of the markets in which we operate, could adversely impact us.

The capital and credit markets are subject to volatility and disruption. We therefore may not be able to obtain new debt financing or refinance our existing debt on favorable terms or at all, which would adversely affect our liquidity, our ability to make distributions to shareholders, acquire assets and continue our development activities. Other weakened economic conditions, including job losses, high unemployment levels, stock market volatility, and uncertainty about the future, could adversely affect rental rates and occupancy levels. Unfavorable changes in economic conditions may have a material adverse impact on our cash flows and operating results.

Additional key economic risks which may adversely affect conditions in the markets in which we operate include the following:

Short-term leases expose us to the effects of declining market rents.

Our apartment leases are generally for a term of fifteen months or less. As these leases typically permit the residents to leave at the end of the lease term without penalty, our rental revenues are impacted by declines in market rents more quickly than if our leases were for longer terms.

Competition could limit our ability to lease apartments or increase or maintain rental income.

There are numerous housing alternatives which compete with our properties in attracting residents. Our properties compete directly with other multifamily properties, condominiums, single-family homes, third-party providers of short-term rentals and serviced apartments, which are available for rent or purchase in the markets in which our properties are located. This competitive environment could have a material adverse effect on our ability to lease apartment homes at our present properties or any newly developed or acquired property, as well as on the rents realized.

We face risks associated with land holdings and related activities.

We hold land for future development and may in the future acquire additional land holdings. The risks inherent in purchasing, owning, and developing land increase as demand for apartments, or rental rates, decrease. Real estate markets are highly uncertain and, as a result, the value of undeveloped land may fluctuate significantly. In addition, carrying costs can be significant and can result in losses or reduced profitability. As a result, we hold certain land, and may in the future acquire additional land, in our development pipeline at a cost we may not be able to fully recover or at a cost which may preclude us from developing a profitable multifamily community. If there are subsequent changes in the fair market value of our land holdings which we determine is less than the carrying basis of our land holdings reflected in our financial statements plus estimated costs to sell, we may be required to take future impairment charges which would reduce our net income.

Potential reforms to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could adversely affect us.

There is significant uncertainty surrounding the futures of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Through their lender originator networks, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are potential significant lenders both to us and to buyers of our properties. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have a mandate to support multifamily housing through their financing activities and any changes to their mandates, further reductions in their size or the scale of their activities, or loss of their key personnel could have a significant adverse impact on us and may, among other things, lead to lower values for our assets and higher interest rates on our borrowings.

Fannie Mae's and Freddie Mac's regulator has set overall volume limits on most of Fannie Mae's and Freddie Mac's lending activities. The regulator in the future could require Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to focus more of their lending activities on small borrowers or properties the regulator deems affordable, which may or may not include our assets, which could also adversely impact us. In addition, the members of the current Presidential administration and House and Senate banking committees have proposed various reform plans for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and there is uncertainty regarding the impact of these actions on us and buyers of our properties.

Risks Associated with Our Operations

Development, redevelopment and construction risks could impact our profitability.

We intend to continue to develop, redevelop and construct multifamily apartment communities for our portfolio. In 2019, we expect to incur costs between approximately $205 million and $225 million related to the construction of six consolidated projects. Additionally, during 2019, we expect to incur costs between approximately $95 million and $105 million related to the start of new development activities, between approximately $46 million and $50 million related to repositions and revenue enhancing expenditures of existing properties and between approximately $25 million and $33 million in extensive redevelopment expenditures of existing properties. Our development, redevelopment and construction activities may be exposed to a number of risks which may increase our construction costs and decrease our profitability, including the following:

Our inability to successfully implement our development, redevelopment and construction strategy could adversely affect our results of operations and our ability to satisfy our financial obligations and pay distributions to shareholders.

One of our wholly-owned subsidiaries is engaged in the business of providing general contracting services under construction contracts entered into between it and third parties (which may include our nonconsolidated affiliates). The terms of those construction contracts generally require this subsidiary to estimate the time and costs to complete a project to calculate the cost plus margin for the project fee, but not to exceed a maximum amount, and to assume the risk when these estimates may be greater than anticipated. As a result, profitability on those contracts is dependent on the ability to accurately predict such factors. The time and costs necessary to complete a project may be affected by a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, those listed above, many of which are beyond this subsidiary’s control. In addition, the terms of those contracts generally require this subsidiary to warrant its work for a period of time during which it may be required to repair, replace, or rebuild non-conforming work. Further, trailing liabilities, based on various legal theories such as claims of negligent construction, may result from such projects, and these trailing liabilities may go on for a number of years depending on the length of the statute of repose in the applicable jurisdictions.

Investments through joint ventures and investment funds involve risks not present in investments in which we are the sole investor.

We have invested and may continue to invest as a joint venture partner in joint ventures. These investments involve risks, including, but not limited to, the possibility the other joint venture partner may: have business goals which are inconsistent with ours, possess the ability to take or force action or withhold consent contrary to our requests, or become insolvent and require us to assume and fulfill the joint venture’s financial obligations. We and our joint venture partners may each have the right to initiate a buy-sell arrangement, which could cause us to sell our interest, or acquire a joint venture partner’s interest, at a time when we otherwise would not have entered into such a transaction. Each joint venture agreement is individually negotiated, and our ability to operate, finance, or dispose of a community in our sole discretion may be limited to varying degrees depending on the terms of the applicable joint venture agreement. We account for three investment funds (collectively, the "Funds") utilizing the equity method of accounting. As of December 31, 2018, we had two discretionary investment funds and in March 2015, we completed the formation of a third fund with an unaffiliated third party and it did not own any properties in 2018, 2017, or 2016. The risks associated with our Funds, which we manage as the general partner and advisor, include, but are not limited to, the following:

Competition could adversely affect our ability to acquire properties.

We expect other real estate investors will compete with us to acquire additional operating properties. This competition could increase prices for the type of properties we would likely pursue and adversely affect our ability to acquire these properties or achieve the expected profitability of such properties upon acquisition.

Our acquisition strategy may not produce the cash flows expected.

We may acquire additional operating properties on a selective basis. Our acquisition activities are subject to a number of risks, including, but not limited to, the following:

Failure to qualify as a REIT could have adverse consequences.

We may not continue to qualify as a REIT in the future. Also, the Internal Revenue Service may challenge our qualification as a REIT for prior years.

For any taxable year we fail to qualify as a REIT and do not qualify under statutory relief provisions:

We may face other tax liabilities in the future which may impact our cash flow. These potential tax liabilities may be calculated on our income or property values at either the corporate or individual property levels. Any additional tax expense incurred would decrease the cash available for cash distributions to our common shareholders and non-controlling interest holders. Additionally, in order for us to continue to qualify as a REIT we must meet a number of organizational and operational requirements, including a requirement to distribute annual dividends to our shareholders equal to a minimum of 90% of our adjusted taxable income.

Tax laws have recently changed and may continue to change at any time, and any such legislative or other actions could have a negative effect on us.

Tax laws remain under constant review by persons involved in the legislative process, at the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Department of Treasury, and by various state and local tax authorities, as evidenced by the 2017 Jobs Act signed into law

in December 2017. Future changes in tax laws, including to the administrative interpretations thereof or to the enacted tax rates, or new pronouncements relating to accounting for income taxes, could adversely affect us in a number of ways, including making it more difficult or more costly for us to qualify as a REIT.

Litigation risks could affect our business.

As an owner, manager and developer of multifamily properties, we may incur liability based on various conditions at our properties and the buildings thereon, and we also have become and in the future may become involved in legal proceedings, including consumer, employment, tort or commercial litigation, which if decided adversely to or settled by us, and not adequately covered by insurance, could result in liability which is material to our financial condition or results of operations.

Damage from catastrophic weather and other natural events could result in losses.

A certain number of our properties are located in areas that have experienced and may in the future experience catastrophic weather and other natural events from time to time, including fires, snow or ice storms, windstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, flooding or other severe weather. These adverse weather or natural events could cause substantial damages or losses to our properties which could exceed our insurance coverage. In the event of a loss in excess of insured limits, we could lose our capital invested in the affected property, anticipated future revenue from the property, and could also continue to be obligated to repay any mortgage indebtedness or other obligations related to the property. Any such loss could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We are in the process of implementing a new enterprise resource planning system and problems with the design or implementation of this system could interfere with our business and operations.

We are engaged in a multi-year implementation of a cloud-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) system which is planned to be deployed in phases beginning in 2019. The new ERP system will replace multiple current business systems and is being designed to improve processes across the Company. The new ERP system will maintain books and records, record transactions and provide important information of the operations of our business to our management. The implementation of the new ERP system has required, and will continue to require, the investment of significant personnel and financial resources. While we have invested, and will continue to invest, significant resources in planning and project management, implementation issues may arise during the course of implementation, and it is possible we may experience delays, increased costs and other difficulties not presently contemplated. Any disruptions, delays or deficiencies in the design and implementation of the new ERP system could have a materially adverse affect on our financial condition and results of operations.

A cybersecurity incident and other technology disruptions could negatively impact our business.

We use technology in substantially all aspects of our business operations, including internet and cloud-based systems and applications. We also use mobile devices, social networking, outside vendors and other online activities to connect with our employees, suppliers and residents. Such uses and the on-going advancement in technology give rise to potential cybersecurity risks with increasing sophistication, including but not limited to, security breach, espionage, system disruption, theft and inadvertent release of confidential information. Our business involves the storage and transmission of numerous classes of sensitive and confidential information and intellectual property, including residents' and suppliers' personal information, private information about employees, and financial and strategic information about us. Further, as we pursue our strategy to grow through acquisitions and developments and to pursue new initiatives to improve our operations, we are also expanding our information technologies, resulting in a larger technological presence and corresponding exposure to cybersecurity risk. If we fail to assess and identify cybersecurity risks associated with our operations, we may become increasingly vulnerable to such risks and may be liable for the consequential litigation and remediation costs. Additionally, the measures we have implemented to prevent security breaches and cyber incidents may not be effective and there can be no complete assurance of prevention or anticipation of such incidents. The theft, destruction, loss, misappropriation, or release of sensitive data, confidential information or intellectual property, or interference with our information technology systems or the technology systems of third parties on which we rely could result in business disruption, negative publicity, brand damage, violation of privacy laws, loss of residents, potential liability and competitive disadvantage, any of which could result in a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations.

Our third-party service providers are primarily responsible for the security of their own information technology environments and in certain instances, we rely significantly on third-party service providers to supply and store our sensitive data in a secure manner. All of these third parties face potential risks relating to cybersecurity similar to ours which could disrupt their businesses and therefore adversely impact us. While we provide guidance and specific requirements in some cases, we do not directly control any of these parties' information technology security operations, or the amount of investment they place in guarding against cybersecurity threats. Accordingly, we are subject to any flaws in or breaches to their information technology systems or those which they operate for us, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations.

Risks Associated with Our Indebtedness and Financing

We have significant debt, which could have adverse consequences.

As of December 31, 2018, we had outstanding debt of approximately $2.3 billion. This indebtedness could have adverse consequences, including, but not limited to, the following:

The mortgages on our properties subject to secured debt, our unsecured credit facilities, and the indenture under which our unsecured debt was issued, contain customary restrictions, requirements, and other limitations, as well as certain financial and operating covenants including maintenance of certain financial ratios. Maintaining compliance with these provisions could limit our financial flexibility. A default in these provisions, if uncured, could require us to repay the indebtedness before the scheduled maturity date, which could adversely affect our liquidity and increase our financing costs.

Insufficient cash flows could limit our ability to make required payments for debt obligations or pay distributions to shareholders.

Substantially all of our income is derived from rental and other income from our multifamily communities. As a result, our performance depends in large part on our ability to collect rent from residents, which could be negatively affected by a number of factors, including, but not limited to, the following:

Cash flow could be insufficient to meet required payments of principal and interest with respect to debt financing. In order for us to continue to qualify as a REIT we must meet a number of organizational and operational requirements, including a requirement to distribute annual dividends to our shareholders equal to a minimum of 90% of our adjusted taxable income. This requirement limits the cash available to meet required principal payments on our debt.

Issuances of additional debt may adversely impact our financial condition.

Our capital requirements depend on numerous factors, including the rental and occupancy rates of our multifamily properties, minimum dividend requirements to our equity holders, development, redevelopment and other capital expenditures, costs of operations, and potential acquisitions. If our capital requirements vary materially from our plans, we may require additional financing earlier than anticipated. If we issue more debt, we could become more leveraged, resulting in increased risk of default on our obligations and an increase in our debt service requirements, both of which could adversely affect our financial condition and ability to access debt and equity capital markets in the future.

We may be unable to renew, repay, or refinance our outstanding debt.

We are subject to the risk indebtedness on our properties or our unsecured indebtedness will not be renewed, repaid, or refinanced when due or the terms of any renewal or refinancing will not be as favorable as the existing terms of such indebtedness. If we are unable to refinance our indebtedness on acceptable terms, or at all, we might be forced to dispose of one or more of the properties on disadvantageous terms, which might result in losses to us. Such losses could have a material adverse effect on us and our ability to pay amounts due on our debt and make distributions to our shareholders. Furthermore, if a property is mortgaged to secure payment of indebtedness and we are unable to meet mortgage payments, the mortgagee could foreclose on the property, appoint a receiver and exercise rights under an assignment of rents and leases, or pursue other remedies, all with a consequent loss of our revenues and asset value. Foreclosures could also create taxable income without accompanying cash proceeds, thereby hindering our ability to meet the REIT distribution requirements of the Code.

We may be adversely affected by changes in LIBOR reporting practices or the method in which LIBOR is determined.

Our unsecured credit facilities, unsecured term loan, and fair value of derivative instruments are indexed to the London Interbank Offered Rate ("LIBOR"). Central banks around the world, including the Federal Reserve, have commissioned working groups of market participants and official sector representatives with the goal of finding suitable replacements for LIBOR based on observable market transactions. It is expected a transition away from the widespread use of LIBOR to alternative rates will occur over the course of the next few years. The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which regulates LIBOR, has announced it has commitments from panel banks to continue to contribute to LIBOR through the end of 2021, but it will not use its powers to compel contributions beyond such date. Accordingly, there is considerable uncertainty regarding the publication of such rates beyond 2021. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York and various other authorities have commenced the publication of reforms and actions relating to alternatives to U.S. dollar LIBOR. Although the full impact of such reforms and actions, together with any transition away from LIBOR, including the potential or actual discontinuance of LIBOR publication, remains unclear, these changes may have a material adverse impact on the availability of financing, including LIBOR-based loans, and on our financing costs.

Rising interest rates could both increase our borrowing costs, thereby adversely affecting our cash flows and the amounts available for distribution to our shareholders, and decrease our share price, if investors seek higher yields through other investments.

We have mortgage debt with varying interest rates dependent upon various market indexes. In addition, we have unsecured credit facilities and an unsecured term loan bearing interest at variable rates on all amounts drawn. We may incur additional variable rate debt in the future. Increases in interest rates would increase our interest expense, unless we make arrangements which hedge the risk of rising interest rates, and would increase the costs of refinancing existing debt and of issuing new debt. Accordingly, higher interest rates would adversely affect cash flow, net income, and cash available for payment of our debt obligations and distributions to shareholders.

An environment of rising interest rates could also lead holders of our securities to seek higher yields through other investments, which could adversely affect the market price of our shares. One of the factors which may influence the price of our stock in public markets is the annual distribution rate we pay as compared with the yields on alternative investments.

Failure to hedge effectively against interest rates may adversely affect results of operations.

From time-to-time, we may seek to manage our exposure to interest rate volatility by using interest rate hedging arrangements for debt instruments and future debt issuances. These agreements involve risks, such as the risk the counterparties may fail to honor their obligations under these arrangements, and these arrangements may not be effective in reducing our exposure to interest rate changes. Failure to hedge effectively against interest rate changes could have a material adverse effect on us and our ability to make distributions to our shareholders and pay amounts due on our debt.

Failure to maintain our current credit ratings could adversely affect our cost of funds, related margins, liquidity, and access to capital markets.

Moody’s, Fitch, and Standard & Poor's, the major debt rating agencies, routinely evaluate our debt and have given us ratings of A3 with stable outlook, A- with stable outlook, and BBB+ with positive outlook, respectively, on our senior unsecured debt as of December 31, 2018. In February 2019, Standard and Poor's upgraded our senior unsecured debt rating to A- with stable outlook. These ratings are based on a number of factors, which include their assessment of our financial strength, liquidity, capital structure, asset quality, and sustainability of cash flow and earnings. Due to changes in market conditions, we may not be able to maintain our current credit ratings, which could adversely affect our cost of funds and related margins, liquidity, and access to capital markets.

Risks Associated with Our Shares

Share ownership limits and our ability to issue additional equity securities may prevent takeovers beneficial to shareholders.

For us to maintain our qualification as a REIT, we must have 100 or more shareholders during the year and not more than 50% in value of our outstanding shares may be owned, directly or indirectly, by five or fewer individuals. As defined for federal income tax purposes, the term “individuals” includes a number of specified entities. To minimize the possibility of us failing to qualify as a REIT under this test, our declaration of trust includes restrictions on transfers of our shares and ownership limits. The ownership limits, as well as our ability to issue other classes of equity securities, may delay, defer, or prevent a change in control. These provisions may also deter tender offers for our common shares which may be attractive to you or limit your opportunity to receive a premium for your shares which might otherwise exist if a third party were attempting to effect a change in control transaction.

Our share price will fluctuate.

The market price and trading volume of our common shares are subject to fluctuation due to general market conditions, the risks discussed in this report and other matters, including, but not limited to, the following:

The form, timing and amount of dividend distributions in future periods may vary and be impacted by economic and other considerations.

The form, timing and amount of dividend distributions will be declared at the discretion of our Board of Trust Managers and will depend on actual cash from operations, our financial condition, capital requirements, the annual distribution requirements under the REIT provisions of the Code and other factors as the Board of Trust Managers may consider relevant. The Board of Trust Managers may modify the form, timing and amount of dividends from time to time.

None.

The Properties

Our properties typically consist of mid-rise buildings or two and three story buildings in a landscaped setting, as well as high-rise buildings, and provide residents with a variety of amenities common to multifamily rental properties.

Operating Properties (including properties held through unconsolidated joint ventures)

The 161 operating properties in which we owned interests and operated at December 31, 2018 averaged 956 square feet of living area per apartment home. For the year ended December 31, 2018, no single operating property accounted for greater than 1.6% of our total revenues. Our stabilized operating properties had a weighted average occupancy rate of approximately 96% and 95% for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively, and an average monthly rental revenue per apartment home of $1,502 and $1,447 for the same periods, respectively. Resident lease terms generally range from twelve to fifteen months. At December 31, 2018, 146 of our operating properties had over 200 apartment homes, with the largest having 904 apartment homes. Our operating properties were constructed and placed in service as follows:

Property Table

The following table sets forth information with respect to our 161 operating properties at December 31, 2018:

None.

None.

PART II

Our common shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "CPT." As of February 7, 2019, there were approximately 365 shareholders of record and approximately 42,402 beneficial owners of our common shares.

In the first quarter of 2019, the Company's Board of Trust Managers declared a first quarter dividend of $0.80 per common share to our common shareholders of record as of March 29, 2019. Future dividend payments are paid at the discretion of the Board of Trust Managers and depend on cash flows generated from operations, the Company's financial condition and capital requirements, distribution requirements under the REIT provisions of the Code and other factors which may be deemed relevant by our Board of Trust Managers. Assuming similar dividend distributions for the remainder of 2019, our annualized dividend rate for 2019 would be $3.20 as compared to a dividend rate of $3.08 in 2018.

The following graph assumes the investment of $100 on December 31, 2013 and quarterly reinvestment of dividends, including the special dividend of $4.25 paid in September 2016.

(Source: S&P Global Market Intelligence)

In May 2017, we created an at-the market ("ATM") share offering program through which we can, but have no obligation to, sell common shares having an aggregate offering price of up to $315.3 million (the "2017 ATM program"), in amounts and at times as we determine, into the existing trading market at current market prices as well as through negotiated transactions. Actual sales from time to time may depend on a variety of factors including, among others, market conditions, the trading price of our common shares, and determinations by management of the appropriate sources of funding for us. During the year ended December 31, 2018, we did not sell any shares under the 2017 ATM Program. During the year ended December 31, 2017, we issued approximately 28.1 thousand common shares under the 2017 ATM program at our average price of $90.44 per share for a total net consideration of approximately $2.5 million. The proceeds from the sale of our common shares under the 2017 ATM program are intended to be used for general corporate purposes, which may include reducing future borrowings under our unsecured line of credit or short-term borrowing facilities, the repayment of other indebtedness, the redemption or other repurchase of outstanding debt or equity securities, funding for development activities, and financing for acquisitions.

As of the date of this filing, we had common shares having an aggregate offering price of up to $312.8 million remaining available for sale under the 2017 ATM program. No additional shares were sold under the 2017 ATM program subsequent to December 31, 2018 through the date of this filing.

See Part III, Item 12, for a description of securities authorized for issuance under equity compensation plans.

We have a repurchase plan approved by our Board of Trust Managers which allows for the repurchase of up to $500 million of our common equity securities through open market purchases, block purchases, and privately negotiated transactions. In March 2018, we repurchased 3,222 common shares for approximately $0.3 million. As of the date of this filing, the remaining dollar value of our common equity securities authorized to be repurchased under this program was approximately $269.5 million. There were no repurchases under this program for the years ended December 31, 2017 or 2016, or subsequent to December 31, 2018 through the date of this filing.

The following table provides selected financial data relating to our historical financial condition and results of operations as of and for each of the years ended December 31, 2014 through 2018. This data should be read in conjunction with Item 7, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and the consolidated financial statements and related notes. Prior year amounts have been reclassified for discontinued operations.

COMPARATIVE SUMMARY OF SELECTED FINANCIAL AND PROPERTY DATA

The following discussion should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes appearing elsewhere in this report. Historical results and trends which might appear in the consolidated financial statements should not be interpreted as being indicative of future operations.

We consider portions of this report to be “forward-looking” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, both as amended, with respect to our expectations for future periods. Forward-looking statements do not discuss historical fact, but instead include statements related to expectations, projections, intentions, or other items relating to the future; forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, results, or events. Although we believe the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, we can give no assurance our expectations will be achieved. Any statements contained herein which are not statements of historical fact should be deemed forward-looking statements. Reliance should not be placed on these forward-looking statements as these statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors beyond our control and could differ materially from our actual results and performance.

Factors which may cause our actual results or performance to differ materially from those contemplated by forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the following:

These forward-looking statements represent our estimates and assumptions as of the date of this report, and we assume no obligation to update or supplement forward-looking statements because of subsequent events.

Executive Summary

We are primarily engaged in the ownership, management, development, redevelopment, acquisition, and construction of multifamily apartment communities. Overall, we focus on investing in markets characterized by high-growth economic conditions, strong employment, and attractive quality of life which we believe leads to higher demand and retention of our apartments. As of December 31, 2018, we owned interests in, operated, or were developing 167 multifamily properties comprised of 56,858 apartment homes across the United States as detailed in the following Property Portfolio table. In addition, we own other land holdings which we may develop into multifamily apartment communities in the future.

Property Operations

Our results for the year ended December 31, 2018 reflect an increase in same store revenues of 3.2% as compared to 2017. These increases were due to higher average rental rates, which we believe was primarily attributable to improving job growth, favorable demographics, a manageable supply of new multifamily housing, and in part to more individuals choosing to rent versus buy as evidenced by the continued low level of homeownership rates. We believe the continued low levels of homeownership rates are mainly attributable to difficulties in obtaining mortgage loans as well as changing demographic trends which demonstrate certain generations having a higher propensity to rent, both of which promote apartment rentals. We also believe U.S. economic and employment growth are likely to continue during 2019 and the supply of new multifamily homes will likely remain at manageable levels. If economic conditions were to worsen, our operating results could be adversely affected.

Construction Activity

At December 31, 2018, we had six projects under construction comprised of 1,698 apartment homes, with stabilization expected to be completed within the next 42 months. As of December 31, 2018, we estimate the additional cost to complete the construction of the six projects to be approximately $335.2 million.

Acquisitions

Operating properties: During the year ended December 31, 2018 we acquired the following operating properties:

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We believe the primary market risk we face is interest rate risk. We seek to mitigate this risk by following established risk management policies, which includes (i) maintaining prudent levels of fixed and floating rate debt; and (ii) extending and sequencing the maturity dates of our debt where practicable. We also periodically use derivative financial instruments, primarily interest rate swaps with major financial institutions, to manage a portion of this risk. We do not utilize derivative financial instruments for trading or speculative purposes. The table below summarizes our debt as of December 31, 2018 and 2017:

In order to manage interest rate exposure, we have utilized interest rate swap agreements to protect against unfavorable interest rate changes relating to forecasted debt transactions. These swaps, which are settled upon issuance of the related debt, are designated as cash flow hedges and the gains and/or losses are deferred in other comprehensive income and recognized as an adjustment to interest expense over the same period the hedged interest payments affect earnings. In 2018, we settled five forward interest rate swaps with an aggregate notional amount of $400 million, in connection with the issuance of $400 million senior unsecured debt in October 2018, which resulted in a cash receipt of approximately $15.9 million. As of December 31, 2018, we have $300 million of forward interest rate swaps outstanding to reduce the impact of variability in interest rates on a portion of expected debt issuances in 2019.

At December 31, 2018 and 2017, we did not have any amounts outstanding under our unsecured credit facility or other short-term borrowings. If interest rates on the variable rate debt listed in the table above would have been 100 basis points higher throughout 2018 and 2017, our annual interest costs would have increased by approximately $1.0 million and $1.8 million, respectively.

For fixed rate debt, interest rate changes affect the fair market value but do not impact net income attributable to common shareholders or cash flows. Holding other variables constant, if interest rates would have been 100 basis points higher as of December 31, 2018, the fair value of our fixed rate debt would have decreased by approximately $90.4 million.

Our response to this item is included in a separate section at the end of this report beginning on page F-1.

None.

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures. We carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered by this report pursuant to Securities Exchange Act ("Exchange Act") Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e). Based on the evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded the disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered by this report are effective to ensure information required to be disclosed by us in our Exchange Act filings is accurately recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the periods specified in the Securities and Exchange Commission's rules and forms and is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

Changes in Internal Controls. There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting (identified in connection with the evaluation required by paragraph (d) in Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act) during our most recent fiscal quarter which have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting

Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting. Internal control over financial reporting is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as follows:

A process designed by, or under the supervision of, the Company’s principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, and effected by the Company's board of trust managers, management, and other personnel, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and includes those policies and procedures that:

Management assessed the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2018. In making this assessment, management used the criteria established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.

Based on our assessment, management concluded our internal control over financial reporting is effective as of December 31, 2018.

Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, has issued an attestation report regarding the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, which is included herein.

February 15, 2019

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Shareholders and Board of Trust Managers of Camden Property Trust

Opinion on Internal Control over Financial Reporting

We have audited the internal control over financial reporting of Camden Property Trust and subsidiaries (the "Company") as of December 31, 2018, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). In our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2018, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by COSO.

We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2018, of the Company and our report dated February 15, 2019, expressed an unqualified opinion on those financial statements.

Basis for Opinion

The Company's management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company's internal control over financial reporting based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Definition and Limitations of Internal Control over Financial Reporting

A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

None.

PART III

Information with respect to this Item 10 is incorporated by reference from our Proxy Statement, which we expect to file on or about March 22, 2019 in connection with the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on or about May 9, 2019.

Information with respect to this Item 11 is incorporated by reference from our Proxy Statement, which we expect to file on or about March 22, 2019 in connection with the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on or about May 9, 2019.

Information with respect to this Item 11 is incorporated by reference from our Proxy Statement, which we expect to file on or about March 22, 2019 in connection with the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on or about May 9, 2019.

Information with respect to this Item 13 is incorporated herein by reference from our Proxy Statement, which we expect to file on or about March 22, 2019 in connection with the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on or about May 9, 2019.

Information with respect to this Item 14 is incorporated herein by reference from our Proxy Statement, which we expect to file on or about March 22, 2019 in connection with the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on or about May 9, 2019.

PART IV

The following documents are filed as part of this report:

All other schedules have been omitted since the required information is presented in the financial statements and the related notes or is not applicable.

(3) Index to Exhibits:

The following exhibits are filed as part of or incorporated by reference into this report:

None.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Camden Property Trust has duly caused this Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this Report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of Camden Property Trust and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Shareholders and the Board of Trust Managers of Camden Property Trust

Opinion on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Camden Property Trust and subsidiaries (the "Company") as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, the related consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income, equity, and cash flows, for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2018, and the related notes and the schedules listed in the Index at Item 15 (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2018, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the Company's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2018, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission and our report dated February 15, 2019, expressed an unqualified opinion on the Company's internal control over financial reporting.

Basis for Opinion

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

CAMDEN PROPERTY TRUST

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

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