Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

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Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

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The following discussion should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto appearing elsewhere in this report. We make statements in this section that are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. For a complete discussion of forward-looking statements, see the section in this Form 10-K entitled “Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information.” Certain risk factors may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the following discussion. For a discussion of such risk factors, see the section in this Form 10-K entitled “Risk Factors.” Amounts in thousands, except share and per share data.

Overview

We are a fully integrated, self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust, or REIT, formed to continue the business commenced in 1977 by Extra Space Storage LLC and its subsidiaries to own, operate, manage, acquire, develop and redevelop professionally managed stores.

At December 31, 2015, we owned, had ownership interests in, or managed 1,347 operating stores in 36 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico. Of these 1,347 operating stores, we owned 746, we held joint venture interests in 253 stores, and our taxable REIT subsidiary, Extra Space Management, Inc., operated an additional 348 stores that are owned by third parties. These operating stores contain approximately 101 million square feet of rentable space in approximately 896,000 units and currently serve a customer base of approximately 800,000 tenants.

Our stores are generally situated in convenient, highly visible locations clustered around large population centers such as Atlanta, Baltimore/Washington, D.C., Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, St. Petersburg/Tampa and San Francisco/Oakland. These areas all enjoy above average population growth and income levels. The clustering of our assets around these population centers enables us to reduce our operating costs through economies of scale. We consider a store to be in the lease-up stage after it has been issued a certificate of occupancy, but before it has achieved stabilization. A store is considered to be stabilized once it has achieved an 80% occupancy rate for a full year measured as of January 1, or has been open for three years.

To maximize the performance of our stores, we employ industry-leading revenue management systems. Developed by our management team, these systems enable us to analyze, set and adjust rental rates in real time across our portfolio in order to respond to changing market conditions. We believe our systems and processes allow us to more proactively manage revenues.

We derive substantially all of our revenues from rents received from tenants under leases at each of our wholly-owned stores, from management fees on the stores we manage for joint-venture partners and unaffiliated third parties, and from our tenant reinsurance program. Our management fee is generally equal to approximately 6.0% of cash collected from total revenues generated by the managed stores. We also receive an asset management fee of 0.5% of the total asset value from one of our joint ventures.

We operate in competitive markets, often where consumers have multiple stores from which to choose. Competition has impacted, and will continue to impact, our store results. We experience seasonal fluctuations in occupancy levels, with occupancy levels generally higher in the summer months due to increased moving activity. Our operating results depend materially on our ability to lease available self-storage units, to actively manage unit rental rates, and on the ability of our tenants to make required rental payments. We believe that we are able to respond quickly and effectively to changes in local, regional and national economic conditions by adjusting rental rates through the combination of our revenue management team and our industry-leading technology systems.

We continue to evaluate a range of new initiatives and opportunities in order to enable us to maximize stockholder value. Our strategies to maximize stockholder value include the following:

	•		*Maximize the performance of our stores through strategic, efficient and proactive management.* We pursue revenue-generating and expense-minimizing opportunities in our operations. Our revenue management team seeks to maximize revenue by responding to changing market conditions through our advanced technology system’s ability to provide real-time, interactive rental rate and discount management. Our size allows us greater ability than the majority of our competitors to implement more effective online marketing programs, which we believe will attract more customers to our stores at a lower net cost.

	•		*Acquire stores.* Our acquisitions team continues to pursue the acquisition of multi-store portfolios and single stores that we believe can provide stockholder value. We have established a reputation as a reliable, ethical buyer, which we believe enhances our ability to negotiate and close acquisitions. In addition, we believe our status as an UPREIT enables flexibility when structuring deals. We continue to see available acquisitions on which to bid and are seeing increasing prices. However, we remain a disciplined buyer and look for acquisitions that will strengthen our portfolio and increase stockholder value.

	•		*Expand our management business.* Our management business enables us to generate increased revenues through management fees and expand our geographic footprint. We believe this expanded footprint enables us to reduce our operating costs through economies of scale. In addition, we see our management business as a future acquisition pipeline. We pursue strategic relationships with owners whose stores would enhance our portfolio in the event an opportunity arises to acquire such stores.

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES

Our financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amount of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. On an ongoing basis, we evaluate our estimates and assumptions, including those that impact our most critical accounting policies. We base our estimates and assumptions on historical experience and on various other factors that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results may differ from these estimates. We believe the following are our most critical accounting policies:

CONSOLIDATION: Arrangements that are not controlled through voting or similar rights are accounted for as variable interest entities (“VIEs”). An enterprise is required to consolidate a VIE if it is the primary beneficiary of the VIE.

A VIE is created when (i) the equity investment at risk is not sufficient to permit the entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support from other parties, or (ii) the entity’s equity holders as a group either: (a) lack the power, through voting or similar rights, to direct the activities of the entity that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance, (b) are not obligated to absorb expected losses of the entity if they occur, or (c) do not have the right to receive expected residual returns of the entity if they occur. If an entity is deemed to be a VIE, the enterprise that is deemed to have a variable interest, or combination of variable interests, that provides the enterprise with a controlling financial interest in the VIE is considered the primary beneficiary and must consolidate the VIE.

We have concluded that under certain circumstances when we enter into arrangements for the formation of joint ventures, a VIE may be created under condition (i), (ii) (b) or (c) of the previous paragraph. For each VIE created, we have performed a qualitative analysis, including considering which party, if any, has the power to direct the activities most significant to the economic performance of each VIE and whether that party has the

obligation to absorb losses of the VIE or the right to receive benefits from the VIE that could be significant to the VIE. If we are determined to be the primary beneficiary of the VIE, the assets, liabilities and operations of the VIE are consolidated with our financial statements. As of December 31, 2015, we had no consolidated VIEs. Additionally, our Operating Partnership has notes payable to three trusts that are VIEs under condition (ii)(a) above. Since the Operating Partnership is not the primary beneficiary of the trusts, these VIEs are not consolidated.

REAL ESTATE ASSETS: Real estate assets are stated at cost, less accumulated depreciation. Direct and allowable internal costs associated with the development, construction, renovation, and improvement of real estate assets are capitalized. Interest, property taxes, and other costs associated with development incurred during the construction period are capitalized.

Expenditures for maintenance and repairs are charged to expense as incurred. Major replacements and betterments that improve or extend the life of the asset are capitalized and depreciated over their estimated useful lives. Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the buildings and improvements, which are generally between 5 and 39 years.

In connection with our acquisition of stores, the purchase price is allocated to the tangible and intangible assets and liabilities acquired based on their fair values, which are estimated using significant unobservable inputs. The value of the tangible assets, consisting of land and buildings, is determined as if vacant. Intangible assets, which represent the value of existing tenant relationships, are recorded at their fair values based on the avoided cost to replace the current leases. We measure the value of tenant relationships based on the rent lost due to the amount of time required to replace existing customers, which is based on our historical experience with turnover in our facilities. Debt assumed as part of an acquisition is recorded at fair value based on current interest rates compared to contractual rates. Acquisition-related transaction costs are expensed as incurred.

Intangible lease rights include: (1) purchase price amounts allocated to leases on three stores that cannot be classified as ground or building leases; these rights are amortized to expense over the term of the leases; and (2) intangibles related to ground leases on six stores where the ground leases were assumed by the Company at rates that were different than the current market rates for similar leases. The value associated with these assumed leases were recorded as intangibles, which will be amortized over the lease terms.

EVALUATION OF ASSET IMPAIRMENT: Long lived assets held for use are evaluated for impairment when events or circumstances indicate that there may be impairment. We review each store at least annually to determine if any such events or circumstances have occurred or exist. We focus on stores where occupancy and/or rental income have decreased by a significant amount. For these stores, we determine whether the decrease is temporary or permanent and whether the store will likely recover the lost occupancy and/or revenue in the short term. In addition, we review stores in the lease-up stage and compare actual operating results to original projections.

When we determine that an event that may indicate impairment has occurred, we compare the carrying value of the related long-lived assets to the undiscounted future net operating cash flows attributable to the assets. An impairment loss is recorded if the net carrying value of the assets exceeds the undiscounted future net operating cash flows attributable to the assets. The impairment loss recognized equals the excess of net carrying value over the related fair value of the assets.

When real estate assets are identified as held for sale, we discontinue depreciating the assets and estimate the fair value of the assets, net of selling costs. If the estimated fair value, net of selling costs, of the assets that have been identified as held for sale is less than the net carrying value of the assets, we would recognize a loss on the disposal group classified as held for sale. The operations of assets held for sale or sold during the period are presented as part of normal operations for all periods presented.

INVESTMENTS IN UNCONSOLIDATED REAL ESTATE VENTURES: Our investments in real estate joint ventures where we have significant influence but not control, and joint ventures which are VIEs in which we are not the primary beneficiary, are recorded under the equity method of accounting on the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

Under the equity method, our investment in real estate ventures is stated at cost and adjusted for our share of net earnings or losses and reduced by distributions. Equity in earnings of real estate ventures is generally recognized based on our ownership interest in the earnings of each of the unconsolidated real estate ventures. For the purposes of presentation in the statement of cash flows, we follow the “look through” approach for classification of distributions from joint ventures. Under this approach, distributions are reported under operating cash flow unless the facts and circumstances of a specific distribution clearly indicate that it is a return of capital (e.g., a liquidating dividend or distribution of the proceeds from the joint venture’s sale of assets) in which case it is reported as an investing activity.

Our management assesses annually whether there are any indicators that the value of our investments in unconsolidated real estate ventures may be impaired and when events or circumstances indicate that there may be impairment. An investment is impaired if management’s estimate of the fair value of the investment, using significant unobservable inputs, is less than its carrying value. To the extent impairment has occurred and is considered to be other than temporary, the loss is measured as the excess of the carrying amount of the investment over the fair value of the investment.

DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS AND HEDGING ACTIVITIES: The accounting for changes in the fair value of derivatives depends on the intended use of the derivative and the resulting designation. Derivatives used to hedge the exposure to changes in the fair value of an asset, liability or firm commitment attributable to a particular risk, are considered fair value hedges. Derivatives used to hedge the exposure to variability in expected future cash flows, or other types of forecasted transactions, are considered cash flow hedges.

For derivatives designated as fair value hedges, changes in the fair value of the derivative and the hedged item related to the hedged risk are recognized in earnings. For derivatives designated as cash flow hedges, the effective portion of changes in the fair value of the derivative is initially reported in other comprehensive income, outside of earnings and subsequently reclassified to earnings when the hedged transaction affects earnings.

REVENUE AND EXPENSE RECOGNITION: Rental revenues are recognized as earned based upon amounts that are currently due from tenants. Leases are generally on month-to-month terms. Prepaid rents are recognized on a straight-line basis over the term of the leases. Promotional discounts are recognized as a reduction to rental income over the promotional period. Late charges, administrative fees, merchandise sales and truck rentals are recognized in income when earned. Management fee revenues are recognized monthly as services are performed and in accordance with the terms of the related management agreements. Equity in earnings of real estate entities is recognized based on our ownership interest in the earnings of each of the unconsolidated real estate entities. Interest income is recognized as earned.

Property expenses, including utilities, property taxes, repairs and maintenance and other costs to manage the facilities are recognized as incurred. We accrue for property tax expense based upon invoice amounts, estimates and historical trends. If these estimates are incorrect, the timing of expense recognition could be affected.

Tenant reinsurance premiums are recognized as revenue over the period of insurance coverage. We record an unpaid claims liability at the end of each period based on existing unpaid claims and historical claims payment history. The unpaid claims liability represents an estimate of the ultimate cost to settle all unpaid claims as of each period end, including both reported but unpaid claims and claims that may have been incurred but have not been reported. We use a third party claims administrator to adjust all tenant reinsurance claims received. The administrator evaluates each claim to determine the ultimate claim loss and includes an estimate for claims that may have been incurred but not reported. Annually, a third party actuary evaluates the adequacy of the unpaid

claims liability. Prior year claim reserves are adjusted as experience develops or new information becomes known. The impact of such adjustments is included in the current period operations. The unpaid claims liability is not discounted to its present value. Each tenant chooses the amount of insurance coverage they want through the tenant reinsurance program. Tenants can purchase policies in amounts of two thousand dollars to ten thousand dollars of insurance coverage in exchange for a monthly fee. Our exposure per claim is limited by the maximum amount of coverage chosen by each tenant. We purchase reinsurance for losses exceeding a set amount on any one event. We do not currently have any amounts recoverable under the reinsurance arrangements.

INCOME TAXES: We have elected to be treated as a REIT under Sections 856 through 860 of the Internal Revenue Code. In order to maintain our qualification as a REIT, among other things, we are required to distribute at least 90% of our REIT taxable income to our stockholders and meet certain tests regarding the nature of our income and assets. As a REIT, we are not subject to federal income tax with respect to that portion of our income which meets certain criteria and is distributed annually to our stockholders. We plan to continue to operate so that we meet the requirements for taxation as a REIT. Many of these requirements, however, are highly technical and complex. If we were to fail to meet these requirements, we would be subject to federal income tax. We are subject to certain state and local taxes. Provision for such taxes has been included in income tax expense in our consolidated statements of operations.

We have elected to treat one of our corporate subsidiaries, Extra Space Management, Inc., as a taxable REIT subsidiary (“TRS”). In general, our TRS may perform additional services for tenants and generally may engage in any real estate or non-real estate related business. A TRS is subject to corporate federal income tax. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on differences between financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities. Interest and penalties relating to uncertain tax positions will be recognized in income tax expense when incurred.

RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

In April 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-08, “Presentation of Financial Statements (Topic 205) and Property, Plant and Equipment (Topic 360): Reporting Discontinued Operations and Disclosures of Disposals of Components of an Entity.” Under this guidance, only disposals representing a strategic shift in operations should be presented as discontinued operations. The guidance also requires new disclosures of both discontinued operations and certain other disposals that do not meet the definition of a discontinued operation. The Company adopted this guidance effective January 1, 2015. We have not previously had discontinued operations and as such, this guidance did not have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers,” which amends the guidance for revenue recognition to replace numerous, industry-specific requirements and converges areas under this topic with those of the International Financial Reporting Standards. ASU 2014-09 outlines a five-step process for customer contract revenue recognition that focuses on transfer of control, as opposed to transfer of risk and rewards. The amendment also requires enhanced disclosures regarding the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenues and cash flows from contracts with customers. ASU 2014-09 was originally effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016. Entities can transition to the standard either retrospectively or as a cumulative-effect adjustment as of the date of adoption. In July 2015, the FASB approved a one-year deferral of the effective date of the standard. The new standard will now become effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017 with early adoption on the original effective date permitted. The Company has not yet selected a transition method. Management is currently assessing the impact of the adoption of ASU 2014-09 on our consolidated financial statements.

In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-02, “Consolidation (Topic 810): Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis.” This guidance is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2015, including interim periods within that reporting period. ASU 2015-02 amends the criteria for determining if

a service provider possesses a variable interest in a variable interest entity (“VIE”), and eliminates the presumption that a general partner should consolidate a limited partnership. We do not expect the adoption of this standard to materially impact its consolidated financial statements.

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, “Interest—Imputation of Interest: Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs,” which requires debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability to be presented as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability. The new guidance only impacts financial statement presentation. The guidance is effective in the first quarter of 2016 and allows for early adoption. We adopted this guidance October 1, 2015 on a retrospective basis. As a result $20,120 of unamortized debt issuance costs that had been included in the Other assets line on the consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2014 are now presented as direct deductions from the carrying amounts of the related debt liabilities.

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-05, “Intangibles—Goodwill and Other—Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40)—Customers Accounting for Fees Paid in a Cloud Computing Arrangement,” which provides guidance regarding the accounting for fees paid by a customer in cloud computing arrangements. If a cloud computing arrangement includes a software license, the payment of fees should be accounted for in the same manner as the acquisition of other software licenses. If there is no software license, the fees should be accounted for as a service contract. The guidance is effective in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015 and early adoption is permitted. An entity can elect to adopt the amendments either (1) prospectively to all arrangements entered into or materially modified after the effective date or (2) retrospectively. We do not expect the adoption of this standard to materially impact our consolidated financial statements.

In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-15, “Interest—Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30) Presentation and Subsequent Measurement of Debt Issuance Costs Associated with Line-of-Credit Arrangements,” which provides guidance regarding the classification of debt issuance costs associated with lines of credit. Specifically, deferring and presenting debt issuance costs as an asset and subsequently amortizing the deferred debt issuance costs ratably over the term of the line-of-credit arrangement, regardless of whether there are any outstanding borrowings on the line-of-credit arrangement is allowed. We adopted this guidance effective October 1, 2015. We continued to present the debt issuance costs and related accumulated amortization relating to our lines of credit as assets.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Comparison of the Year Ended December 31, 2015 to the Year Ended December 31, 2014

Overview

Results for the year ended December 31, 2015, included the operations of 999 stores (747 of which were consolidated and 252 of which were in joint ventures accounted for using the equity method) compared to the results for the year ended December 31, 2014, which included the operations of 828 stores (576 of which were consolidated and 252 of which were in joint ventures accounted for using the equity method).

Revenues

The following table presents information on revenues earned for the years indicated:


	For the Year Ended December 31,
	2015		2014		$ Change		% Change
Revenues:
Property rental	$	676,138	$	559,868	$	116,270		20.8	%
Tenant reinsurance		71,971		59,072		12,899		21.8	%
Management fees and other income		34,161		28,215		5,946		21.1	%

Total revenues	$	782,270	$	647,155	$	135,115		20.9	%

Property Rental—The change in property rental revenues consists primarily of an increase of $69,622 associated with acquisitions completed in 2015 and 2014. We acquired 171 operating stores during 2015 and 51 stores during 2014. In addition, revenues increased by $47,560 as a result of increases in occupancy and rental rates to new and existing customers at our stabilized stores. We have seen no significant increase in overall customer renewal rates and our average length of stay is approximately 13.7 months. For existing customers we generally seek to increase rental rates approximately 7% to 10% at least annually. Rental rates to new tenants increased by approximately 8.9% over the prior year. Occupancy at our stabilized stores increased to 91.1% at December 31, 2015, as compared to 89.6% at December 31, 2014.

Tenant Reinsurance—The increase in tenant reinsurance revenues was partially due to the increase in overall customer participation to approximately 72.8% at December 31, 2015, compared to approximately 70.7% at December 31, 2014. In addition, we operated 1,347 stores at December 31, 2015, compared to 1,088 stores at December 31, 2014.

Management Fees and Other Income—Our taxable REIT subsidiary, Extra Space Management, Inc., manages stores owned by our joint ventures and third parties. Management fees generally represent 6.0% of cash collected from stores owned by third parties and unconsolidated joint ventures. We also earn an asset management fee from the Storage Portfolio I (“SPI”) joint venture, equal to 0.50% multiplied by the total asset value, provided certain conditions are met. The increase in management fees is due to an increase in the number of properties managed. At December 31, 2015, we managed 348 stores, compared to 260 stores at December 31, 2014.

Expenses

The following table presents information on expenses for the years indicated:


	For the Year Ended December 31,
	2015		2014		$ Change		% Change
Expenses:
Property operations	$	203,965	$	172,416	$	31,549		18.3	%
Tenant reinsurance		13,033		10,427		2,606		25.0	%
Acquisition related costs		69,401		9,826		59,575		606.3	%
General and administrative		67,758		60,942		6,816		11.2	%
Depreciation and amortization		133,457		115,076		18,381		16.0	%

Total expenses	$	487,614	$	368,687	$	118,927		32.3	%

Property Operations—The increase in property operations expense consists primarily of an increase of $26,236 related to acquisitions completed in 2015 and 2014. We acquired 171 operating stores during the year ended December 31, 2015 and 51 stores during the year ended December 31, 2014.

Tenant Reinsurance—Tenant reinsurance expense represents the costs that are incurred to provide tenant reinsurance. The change is due primarily to the increase in the number of stores we owned and/or managed. At December 31, 2015, we owned and/or managed 1,347 stores compared to 1,088 stores at December 31, 2014. In addition, there was an increase in overall customer participation to approximately 72.8% at December 31, 2015 from approximately 70.7% at December 31, 2014.

Acquisition Related Costs—These costs relate to acquisition activities during the periods indicated. The increase for the year ended December 31, 2015 when compared to the prior year was related primarily to the acquisition of SmartStop Self Storage Inc. (“SmartStop”) on October 1, 2015. As part of this acquisition, we recorded an expense of $38,360 related to defeasance costs and prepayment penalties incurred related to the repayment of SmartStop’s existing debt as of the acquisition date. We incurred $8,053 of professional fees/closing costs, $6,338 of severance-related costs, $1,327 of other payroll-related costs and $9,043 of other

acquisition related costs as a result of the acquisition of SmartStop for a total of $63,121. Additionally, we acquired 49 other properties during the year ended December 31, 2015.

General and Administrative—General and administrative expenses primarily include all expenses not related to our stores, including corporate payroll, travel and professional fees. The expenses are recognized as incurred. General and administrative expense increased over the prior year primarily as a result of the costs related to the management of additional stores. During the year ended December 31, 2015, we acquired 171 stores, 161 of which we did not previously manage. During the year ended December 31, 2014, we acquired 51 stores, 30 of which we did not previously manage. We did not observe any material trends specific to payroll, travel or other expense that contributed significantly to the increase in general and administrative expenses apart from the increase due to the management of additional stores.

Depreciation and Amortization—Depreciation and amortization expense increased as a result of the acquisition of new stores. We acquired 171 operating stores during the year ended December 31, 2015, and 51 operating stores during the year ended December 31, 2014.

Other Income and Expenses

The following table presents information on other revenues and expenses for the years indicated:


	For the Year Ended December 31,
	2015			2014			$ Change			% Change
Other income and expenses:
Gain (loss) on sale of real estate and earnout from prior acquisitions	$	1,501		$	(10,285	)	$	11,786			(114.6	%)
Property casualty loss, net		—			(1,724	)		1,724			—
Interest expense		(95,682	)		(81,330	)		(14,352	)		17.6	%
Non-cash interest expense related to amortization of discount on equity component of exchangeable senior notes		(3,310	)		(2,683	)		(627	)		23.4	%
Interest income		3,461			1,607			1,854			115.4	%
Interest income on note receivable from Preferred Operating Partnership unit holder		4,850			4,850			—			—
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated real estate ventures		12,351			10,541			1,810			17.2	%
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated real estate ventures—gain on sale of real estate assets and purchase of joint venture partners’ interests		2,857			4,022			(1,165	)		(29.0	%)
Income tax expense		(11,148	)		(7,570	)		(3,578	)		47.3	%

Total other expense, net	$	(85,120	)	$	(82,572	)	$	(2,548	)		3.1	%

**Gain (Loss) on Sale of Real Estate and Earnout from Prior Acquisition—**During 2011, we acquired a store located in Florida. As part of this acquisition, we agreed to make an additional cash payment to the sellers if the acquired store exceeded a specified amount of net rental income for any twelve-month period prior to June 30, 2015. At the acquisition date, $133 was recorded as the estimated amount that would be due, and we believed that it was unlikely that any significant additional payment would be made as a result of this earnout provision. Because the rental growth of the stores trended significantly higher than expected, we recorded additional liability of $2,500. This amount is included in gain (loss) on sale of real estate and earnout from prior acquisitions on our consolidated statements of operations for the year ended December 31, 2014. The $400 gain recorded during the year ended December 31, 2015 represents the adjustment needed to true up the existing liability to the amount owed to the sellers as of June 30, 2015.

During the year ended December 31, 2015, we determined that one of our acquisitions was purchased at below its market value, and we therefore recorded a $1,101 gain, which represents the excess of the fair value of the store acquired over the consideration paid.

During 2012, we acquired a portfolio of ten stores. As part of this acquisition, we agreed to make an additional cash payment to the sellers if the acquired stores exceeded a specified amount of net rental income two years after the acquisition date. At the acquisition date, we believed that it was unlikely that any significant payment would be made as a result of this earnout provision. The rental growth of the stores was significantly higher than expected, resulting in a payment to the sellers of $7,785. This amount is included in gain (loss) on sale of real estate and earnout from prior acquisitions on our consolidated statements of operations for the year ended December 31, 2014.

Property Casualty Loss, Net—In October 2014, a store located in Venice, California, was damaged by a fire. As a result, we recorded a loss, net of insurance recoveries, of $1,724.

Interest Expense—Interest expense increased due to the increase in total amount of debt outstanding. This increase was partially offset by a decrease in the average interest rate. At December 31, 2015, our total face value of debt was $3,598,254, compared to a total face value of debt of $2,379,657 at December 31, 2014. The average interest rate was 3.1% as of December 31, 2015, compared to 3.4% as of December 31, 2014.

Non-cash Interest Expense Related to Amortization of Discount on Equity Component of Exchangeable Senior Notes—Represents the amortization of the discount related to the equity component of the exchangeable senior notes issued by our Operating Partnership. In June 2013, our Operating Partnership issued $250,000 of its 2.375% Exchangeable Senior Notes due 2033 (the “2013 Notes”). In September 2015, our Operating Partnership issued $575,000 of its 3.125% Exchangeable Senior Notes due 2035 (the “2015 Notes”), and repurchased $164,636 principal amount of the 2013 Notes. Both the 2013 Notes and the 2015 Notes have effective interest rates of 4.0%.

Interest Income—Interest income represents amounts earned on cash and cash equivalents deposited with financial institutions and interest earned on notes receivable. The increase relates primarily to the increase in the average balance of notes receivable when compared to the prior year and an increase in our average cash balance. As part of the SmartStop acquisition on October 1, 2015, we issued an $84,331 note receivable that accrues interest at 7.0% annually. We recorded approximately $1,476 of interest income related to this note receivable during the year ended December 31, 2015.

Interest Income on Note Receivable from Preferred Operating Partnership Unit Holder—Represents interest on a $100,000 loan to the holder of the Operating Partnership’s Series A Participating Redeemable Preferred Units (the “Series A Units”).

Equity in Earnings of Unconsolidated Real Estate Ventures—Equity in earnings of unconsolidated real estate ventures represents the income earned through our ownership interests in unconsolidated joint ventures. The increase in equity in earnings for the year ended December 31, 2015 was due primarily to increases in revenue at the stores owned by the joint ventures.

Equity in Earnings of Unconsolidated Real Estate Ventures—Gain on Sale of Real Estate Assets and Purchase of Joint Venture Partners’ Interests— During March 2015, one of our joint ventures sold a store located in New York to a third party and recognized a gain of $60,495. We recognized our 2.0% share of this gain, or $1,228. Additionally, in March 2015 we acquired a joint venture partner’s 82.4% equity interest in an existing joint venture. We previously held the remaining 17.6% equity interest in this joint venture. Prior to the acquisition, we accounted for our equity interest in this joint venture as an equity-method investment. We recognized a non-cash gain of $1,629 during the three months ended March 31, 2015 as a result of re-measuring the fair value of our equity interest in this joint venture held before the acquisition.

In December 2013 and May 2014, as part of a larger acquisition, we acquired our joint venture partners’ 60% to 65% equity interests in six stores located in California. We previously held the remaining 35% to 40% interests in these stores through six separate joint ventures with affiliates of Grupe Properties Co. Inc. (“Grupe”). Prior to the acquisition, we accounted for our interests in these joint ventures as equity-method investments. We recognized a non-cash gain of $3,438 during the year ended December 31, 2014, as a result of re-measuring the fair value of our equity interest in one of these joint ventures held before the acquisition. During the year ended December 31, 2014, we recorded an additional gain of $584 as a result of the final cash distributions received from the other five joint ventures associated with the acquisitions that were completed during 2013.

Income Tax Expense—The increase in income tax expense relates primarily to an increase in income earned by our Taxable REIT Subsidiary (“TRS”) when compared to the same periods in the prior year. Additionally, during the year ended December 31, 2014, we recorded the initial tax benefit related to a royalty fee that we charge quarterly to our captive insurance subsidiary, which reduced the tax expense for that period.

Net Income Allocated to Noncontrolling Interests

The following table presents information on net income allocated to noncontrolling interests for the years indicated:


	For the Year Ended December 31,
	2015			2014			$ Change			% Change
Net income allocated to noncontrolling interests:
Net income allocated to Preferred Operating Partnership noncontrolling interests	$	(11,718	)	$	(10,991	)	$	(727	)		6.6	%
Net income allocated to Operating Partnership and other noncontrolling interests		(8,344	)		(6,550	)		(1,794	)		27.4	%

Total income allocated to noncontrolling interests:	$	(20,062	)	$	(17,541	)	$	(2,521	)		14.4	%

Net Income Allocated to Preferred Operating Partnership Noncontrolling Interests—In December 2014, as part of the acquisition of a single store, our Operating Partnership issued 548,390 Series D Redeemable Preferred Units (“Series D Units”). The Series D Units have a liquidation value of $25.00 per unit, and receive distributions at an annual rate of 5.0%.

In December 2013 and May 2014, as part of a portfolio acquisition, our Operating Partnership issued 704,016 Series C Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units (“Series C Units”). The Series C Units have a liquidation value of $42.10 per unit. From issuance until the fifth anniversary of issuance, the Series C Units receive distributions at an annual rate of $0.18 plus the then-payable quarterly distribution per OP Unit.

In April 2014, as part of a single store acquisition, our Operating Partnership issued 333,360 Series B Redeemable Preferred Units (“Series B Units”). During August and September 2013, as part of a portfolio acquisition, our Operating Partnership issued 1,342,727 Series B Units. The Series B Units have a liquidation value of $25.00 per unit and receive distributions at an annual rate of 6.0%.

Income allocated to the Preferred Operating Partnership noncontrolling interests for the year ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 represents the fixed distributions paid to the holders of the Series A Units, Series B Units, Series C Units and Series D Units, plus approximately 0.7% of the remaining net income allocated to the holders of the Series A Units.

Net Income Allocated to Operating Partnership and Other Noncontrolling Interests—Income allocated to the Operating Partnership represents approximately 4.2% and 3.5% of net income after the allocation of the fixed distribution paid to the Preferred Operating Partnership unit holders for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The percentage of net income allocated to the Operating Partnership noncontrolling interest increased due to OP Units issued in conjunction with acquisitions during 2015.

Comparison of the Year Ended December 31, 2014 to the Year Ended December 31, 2013

Overview

Results for the year ended December 31, 2014, included the operations of 828 stores (576 of which were consolidated and 252 of which were in joint ventures accounted for using the equity method) compared to the results for the year ended December 31, 2013, which included the operations of 779 stores (525 of which were consolidated and 254 of which were in joint ventures accounted for using the equity method).

Revenues

The following table presents information on revenues earned for the years indicated:


	For the Year Ended December 31,
	2014		2013		$ Change		% Change
Revenues:
Property rental	$	559,868	$	446,682	$	113,186		25.3	%
Tenant reinsurance		59,072		47,317		11,755		24.8	%
Management fees and other income		28,215		26,614		1,601		6.0	%

Total revenues	$	647,155	$	520,613	$	126,542		24.3	%

Property Rental—The change in property rental revenues consists primarily of an increase of $83,651 associated with acquisitions completed in 2014 and 2013. We acquired 51 operating stores during 2014 and 78 operating stores during 2013. In addition, revenues increased by $29,531 as a result of increases in occupancy and rental rates to existing customers at our stabilized stores. We have seen no significant increase in overall customer renewal rates and our average length of stay is approximately 12.9 months. For existing customers we generally seek to increase rental rates approximately 7% to 10% at least annually. Occupancy at our stabilized stores increased to 91.0% at December 31, 2014, as compared to 88.4% at December 31, 2013. Rental rates to new tenants increased by approximately 3.9% over the same period in the prior year.

Tenant Reinsurance—The increase in tenant reinsurance revenues was partially due to the increase in overall customer participation to approximately 70.7% at December 31, 2014, compared to approximately 68.7% at December 31, 2013. In addition, we operated 1,088 stores at December 31, 2014, compared to 1,029 stores at December 31, 2013.

Expenses

The following table presents information on expenses for the years indicated:


	For the Year Ended December 31,
	2014		2013		$ Change		% Change
Expenses:
Property operations	$	172,416	$	140,012	$	32,404		23.1	%
Tenant reinsurance		10,427		9,022		1,405		15.6	%
Acquisition related costs		9,826		8,618		1,208		14.0	%
General and administrative		60,942		54,246		6,696		12.3	%
Depreciation and amortization		115,076		95,232		19,844		20.8	%

Total expenses	$	368,687	$	307,130	$	61,557		20.0	%

Property Operations—The increase in property operations expense consists primarily of an increase of $30,036 related to acquisitions completed in 2014 and 2013. We acquired 51 operating stores during the year ended December 31, 2014 and 78 operating stores during the year ended December 31, 2013.

Tenant Reinsurance—Tenant reinsurance expense represents the costs that are incurred to provide tenant reinsurance. The change is due primarily to the increase in the number of stores we owned and/or managed. At December 31, 2014, we owned and/or managed 1,088 stores compared to 1,029 stores at December 31, 2013. In addition, there was an increase in overall customer participation to approximately 70.7% at December 31, 2014 from approximately 68.7% at December 31, 2013.

Acquisition Related Costs—These costs relate to acquisition activities during the periods indicated. The increase for the year ended December 31, 2014 when compared to the prior year was related primarily to the expense of $3,550 of defeasance costs paid in an acquisition in December 2014. This increase was offset by a decrease in the number of stores acquired. We acquired 51 operating stores during 2014, compared to 78 operating stores acquired during 2013.

General and Administrative—General and administrative expenses primarily include all expenses not related to our stores, including corporate payroll, travel and professional fees. The expenses are recognized as incurred. General and administrative expense increased over the prior year primarily as a result of the costs related to the management of additional stores. During the year ended December 31, 2014, we acquired 52 stores, 30 of which we did not previously manage. During the year ended December 31, 2013, we acquired 78 stores, 47 of which we did not previously manage. We did not observe any material trends specific to payroll, travel or other expense that contributed significantly to the increase in general and administrative expenses apart from the increase due to the management of additional stores.

Depreciation and Amortization—Depreciation and amortization expense increased as a result of the acquisition of new stores. We acquired 51 operating stores during the year ended December 31, 2014, and 78 stores during the year ended December 31, 2013.

Other Income and Expenses

The following table presents information on other revenues and expenses for the years indicated:


	For the Year Ended December 31,
	2014			2013			$ Change			% Change
Other income and expenses:
Gain (loss) on sale of real estate and earnout from prior acquisitions	$	(10,285	)	$	960		$	(11,245	)		(1,171.4	%)
Property casualty loss, net		(1,724	)		—			(1,724	)		100.0	%
Loss on extinguishment of debt related to portfolio acquisition		—			(9,153	)		9,153			(100.0	%)
Interest expense		(81,330	)		(71,630	)		(9,700	)		13.5	%
Non-cash interest expense related to amortization of discount on equity component of exchangeable senior notes		(2,683	)		(1,404	)		(1,279	)		91.1	%
Interest income		1,607			749			858			114.6	%
Interest income on note receivable from Preferred Operating Partnership unit holder		4,850			4,850			—			—
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated real estate ventures		10,541			11,653			(1,112	)		(9.5	%)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated real estate ventures—gain on sale of real estate assets and purchase of joint venture partners’ interests		4,022			46,032			(42,010	)		(91.3	%)
Income tax expense		(7,570	)		(9,984	)		2,414			(24.2	%)

Total other expense, net	$	(82,572	)	$	(27,927	)	$	(54,645	)		195.7	%

Gain (Loss) on Sale of Real Estate and Earnout from Prior Acquisitions—During 2011, we acquired a store located in Florida. As part of this acquisition, we agreed to make an additional cash payment to the sellers if the acquired store exceeded a specified amount of net rental income for any twelve-month period prior to June 30, 2015. At the acquisition date, $133 was recorded as the estimated amount that would be due, and we believed that it was unlikely that any significant additional payment would be made as a result of this earnout provision. Because the rental growth of the store was trending significantly higher than expected, we estimated that an additional earnout payment of $2,500 would be due to the seller. This amount is included in gain (loss) on sale of real estate and earnout from prior acquisitions on our consolidated statements of operations for the year ended December 31, 2014.

The gain on sale of real estate assets recorded for the year ended December 31, 2013 was related to two transactions: (1) we recorded a gain of $800 as a result of the condemnation of a portion of land in California that resulted from eminent domain, and (2) we recorded a gain of $160 as a result of the sale of one store in Florida for $3,250 in cash.

Property Casualty Loss, Net—In October 2014, a store located in Venice, California, was damaged by a fire. As a result, we recorded a loss, net of insurance recoveries, of $1,724.

Loss on Extinguishment of Debt Related to Portfolio Acquisition—The loss on extinguishment of debt occurred as part of a loan assumption and immediate defeasance upon closing of a portfolio acquisition during the year ended December 31, 2013.

Interest Expense—Interest expense increased due to the increase in total amount of debt outstanding. This increase was partially offset by a decrease in the average interest rate. At December 31, 2014, our total face value of debt was $2,379,657 compared to total face value of debt of $1,958,586 at December 31, 2013. The average interest rate was 3.4% as of December 31, 2014, compared to 3.8% as of December 31, 2013.

Interest Income on Note Receivable from Preferred Operating Partnership Unit Holder—Represents interest on a $100,000 loan to the holder of the Operating Partnership’s Series A Units.

Equity in Earnings of Unconsolidated Real Estate Ventures—Equity in earnings of unconsolidated real estate ventures represents the income earned through our ownership interests in unconsolidated joint ventures. The decrease was due to the acquisition of our joint venture partners’ interests in several joint ventures during 2013. There were 252 operating stores owned by unconsolidated real estate ventures as of December 31, 2014, compared to 254 stores as of December 31, 2013, and 280 as of December 31, 2012.

Equity in Earnings of Unconsolidated Real Estate Ventures—Gain on Sale of Real Estate Assets and Purchase of Joint Venture Partners’ Interests—In December 2013 and May 2014, as part of a larger acquisition, we acquired our joint venture partners’ 60% to 65% equity interests in six stores located in California. We previously held the remaining 35% to 40% interests in these stores through six separate joint ventures with affiliates of Grupe. Prior to the acquisition, we accounted for our interests in these joint ventures as equity-method investments. We recognized a non-cash gain of $3,438 during the year ended December 31, 2014, as a result of re-measuring the fair value of our equity interest in one of these joint ventures held before the acquisition. During the year ended December 31, 2014, we recorded an additional gain of $584 as a result of the final cash distributions received from the other five joint ventures associated with the acquisitions that were completed during 2013. We recognized non-cash gains of $9,339 during the year ended December 31, 2013, which represented the increase in the fair values of our prior interests in the Grupe joint ventures from their formations to the acquisition dates.

On November 1, 2013, we acquired an additional 49% equity interest from our joint venture partners, which retained a 1% interest in the HSRE-ESP IA, LLC joint venture (“HSRE”) that owns 19 stores. This transaction resulted in a non-cash gain of $34,136, which represents the increase in the fair value of our 50% interest in HSRE from the formation of the joint venture to the acquisition date.

In February 2013, we acquired our partners’ equity interests in two joint ventures that each held one store. As a result of the acquisitions, we recognized non-cash gains of $2,556, which represents the increase in the fair values of our prior interests in the joint ventures from their formations to the acquisition dates.

Income Tax Expense— The decrease in income tax expense relates primarily to a royalty charged to the insurance captive by the Operating Partnership for access to and use of customer lists and intellectual property. The effect of this change lowered the taxable income of the TRS.

Net Income Allocated to Noncontrolling Interests

The following table presents information on net income allocated to noncontrolling interests for the years indicated:


	For the Year Ended December 31,
	2014			2013			$ Change			% Change
Net income allocated to noncontrolling interests:
Net income allocated to Preferred Operating Partnership noncontrolling interests	$	(10,991	)	$	(8,006	)	$	(2,985	)		37.3	%
Net income allocated to Operating Partnership and other noncontrolling interests		(6,550	)		(5,474	)		(1,076	)		19.7	%

Total income allocated to noncontrolling interests:	$	(17,541	)	$	(13,480	)	$	(4,061	)		30.1	%

Net Income Allocated to Preferred Operating Partnership Noncontrolling Interests—In December 2014, as part of the acquisition of a single store, our Operating Partnership issued 548,390 Series D Units. The Series D Units have a liquidation value of $25.00 per unit, and receive distributions at an annual rate of 5.0%.

In April 2014, as part of a single store acquisition, our Operating Partnership issued 333,360 Series B Units. During August and September 2013, as part of a portfolio acquisition, our Operating Partnership issued 1,342,727 Series B Units. The Series B Units have a liquidation value of $25.00 per unit and receive distributions at an annual rate of 6.0%.

Income allocated to the Preferred Operating Partnership noncontrolling interests for the year ended December 31, 2014 represents the fixed distributions paid to the holders of the Series A Units, Series B Units, Series C Units and Series D Units, plus approximately 0.7% of the remaining net income allocated to the holders of the Series A Units.

Net Income Allocated to Operating Partnership and Other Noncontrolling Interests—Income allocated to the Operating Partnership represents approximately 3.5% and 3.6% of net income after the allocation of the fixed distribution paid to the Preferred Operating Partnership unit holders for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

FUNDS FROM OPERATIONS

FFO provides relevant and meaningful information about our operating performance that is necessary, along with net income and cash flows, for an understanding of our operating results. We believe FFO is a meaningful disclosure as a supplement to net earnings. Net earnings assume that the values of real estate assets diminish predictably over time as reflected through depreciation and amortization expenses. The values of real estate assets fluctuate due to market conditions and we believe FFO more accurately reflects the value of our real estate assets. FFO is defined by the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts, Inc. (“NAREIT”) as net income computed in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), excluding gains or losses on sales of operating stores and impairment write-downs of depreciable real estate assets, plus depreciation and amortization and after adjustments to record unconsolidated partnerships and joint ventures on the same basis. We believe that to further understand our performance, FFO should be considered along with the reported net income and cash flows in accordance with GAAP, as presented in the consolidated financial statements.

The computation of FFO may not be comparable to FFO reported by other REITs or real estate companies that do not define the term in accordance with the current NAREIT definition or that interpret the current NAREIT definition differently. FFO does not represent cash generated from operating activities determined in accordance with GAAP, and should not be considered as an alternative to net income as an indication of our performance, as an alternative to net cash flow from operating activities as a measure of our liquidity, or as an indicator of our ability to make cash distributions.

The following table presents the calculation of FFO for the periods indicated:


	For the Year Ended December 31,
	2015			2014			2013
Net income attributable to common stockholders	$	189,474		$	178,355		$	172,076
Adjustments:
Real estate depreciation		115,924			96,819			78,943
Amortization of intangibles		11,094			12,394			11,463
(Gain) loss on sale of real estate and earnout from prior acquisitions		(1,501	)		10,285			(960	)
Unconsolidated joint venture real estate depreciation and amortization		4,233			4,395			5,676
Unconsolidated joint venture gain on sale of real estate and purchase of partners’ interests		(2,857	)		(4,022	)		(46,032	)
Distributions paid on Series A Preferred Operating Partnership units		(5,088	)		(5,750	)		(5,750	)
Income allocated to Operating Partnership noncontrolling interests		20,064			17,530			13,431

Funds from operations attributable to common stockholders	$	331,343		$	310,006		$	228,847

SAME-STORE RESULTS

We consider our same-store portfolio to consist of only those stores which were wholly-owned at the beginning and at the end of the applicable periods presented that had achieved stabilization as of the first day of

such period. The following tables present operating data for our same-store portfolio. We consider the following same-store presentation to be meaningful in regards to the stores shown below because these results provide information relating to store level operating changes without the effects of acquisitions or completed developments.

Comparison of the Year Ended December 31, 2015 to the Year Ended December 31, 2014


	For the Three Months Ended December 31,						Percent Change			For the Year Ended December 31,						Percent Change
	2015			2014				2015			2014
Same-store rental and tenant reinsurance revenues	$	151,761		$	138,471			9.6	%	$	590,979		$	540,664			9.3	%
Same-store operating and tenant reinsurance expenses		41,702			39,802			4.8	%		166,166			161,135			3.1	%

Same-store net operating income	$	110,059		$	98,669			11.5	%	$	424,813		$	379,529			11.9	%
Non same-store rental and tenant reinsurance revenues	$	63,806		$	21,665			194.5	%	$	157,130		$	78,276			100.7	%
Non same-store operating and tenant reinsurance expenses	$	21,146		$	5,838			262.2	%	$	50,832		$	21,708			134.2	%
Total rental and tenant reinsurance revenues	$	215,567		$	160,136			34.6	%	$	748,109		$	618,940			20.9	%
Total operating and tenant reinsurance expenses	$	62,848		$	45,640			37.7	%	$	216,998		$	182,843			18.7	%
Same-store square foot occupancy as of quarter end		92.9	%		91.4	%					92.9	%		91.4	%
Properties included in same-store		503			503						503			503

The increases in same-store rental and tenant reinsurance revenues for the three months and year ended December 31, 2015, as compared to the same periods ended December 31, 2014, were due primarily to an increase in occupancy, an increase in rental rates to new and existing customers, and reduced customer discounts. Expenses were higher for the year ended December 31, 2015 due to increases in tenant reinsurance expense, credit card merchant fees and property taxes. Increases were offset by decreases in utility expenses and property insurance expense.

Comparison of the Year Ended December 31, 2014 to the Year Ended December 31, 2013


	For the Three Months Ended December 31,						Percent Change			For the Year Ended December 31,						Percent Change
	2014			2013				2014			2013
Same-store rental and tenant reinsurance revenues	$	121,819		$	113,546			7.3	%	$	477,884		$	444,353			7.5	%
Same-store operating and tenant reinsurance expenses		34,669			33,942			2.1	%		139,835			135,547			3.2	%

Same-store net operating income	$	87,150		$	79,604			9.5	%	$	338,049		$	308,806			9.5	%
Non same-store rental and tenant reinsurance revenues	$	38,317		$	21,684			76.7	%	$	141,056		$	49,646			184.1	%
Non same-store operating and tenant reinsurance expenses	$	10,971		$	5,832			88.1	%	$	43,008		$	13,487			218.9	%
Total rental and tenant reinsurance revenues	$	160,136		$	135,230			18.4	%	$	618,940		$	493,999			25.3	%
Total operating and tenant reinsurance expenses	$	45,640		$	39,774			14.7	%	$	182,843		$	149,034			22.7	%
Same-store square foot occupancy as of quarter end		91.4	%		89.5	%					91.4	%		89.5	%
Properties included in same-store		442			442						442			442

The increases in same-store rental and tenant reinsurance revenues for the three months and year ended December 31, 2014, as compared to the same periods ended December 31, 2013, were due primarily to an increase in occupancy, a decrease in discounts to new customers, and an average increase of 4.0% to 5.0% in incoming rates to new tenants. Expenses were higher for the year ended December 31, 2014 due to increases in office expense, property taxes and repairs and maintenance. These expenses were partially offset by a decrease in property insurance in the three months and year ended December 31, 2014.

CASH FLOWS

Comparison of the Year Ended December 31, 2015 to the Year Ended December 31, 2014

Cash provided by operating activities was $367,329 and $337,581 for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The change when compared to the prior year was primarily due to a $13,640 increase in net income and an increase in depreciation and amortization expense of $18,381. These increases were partially offset by a decrease in the change in accounts payable and accrued liabilities of $4,812.

Cash used in investing activities was $1,625,664 and $564,948 for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The change was primarily the result of an increase of $1,200,853 paid for the acquisition of SmartStop in October 2015. There was also an increase of $55,073 in cash used to purchase/issue notes receivable. These increases in cash outflows were partially offset by an increase of $45,080 in cash received as returns of investments in unconsolidated real estate ventures.

Cash provided by financing activities was $1,286,471 and $148,307 for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The net increase was due to a number of factors, including an increase of $1,204,138 in the cash proceeds received from the issuance of notes payable and lines of credit, an increase of $446,877 in the cash proceeds received from the sale of common stock, and an increase of $563,500 in the net proceeds from the issuance of exchangeable senior notes. These increases in cash inflows were offset by an increase of $780,442 of cash paid for principal payments on notes payable and lines of credit, an increase of $227,212 in cash paid to repurchase existing exchangeable senior notes, and an increase of $59,211 in cash paid as dividends on our common stock.

Comparison of the Year Ended December 31, 2014 to the Year Ended December 31, 2013

Cash provided by operating activities was $337,581 and $271,259 for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. The change when compared to the prior year was primarily due to a decrease of $42,594 in non-cash gains related to purchases of joint venture partners’ interests. There was also a $10,340 increase in net income and an increase in depreciation and amortization of $19,844. These increases were partially offset by a decrease in the loss on extinguishment of debt related to portfolio acquisition of $9,153.

Cash used in investing activities was $564,948 and $366,976 for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. The change was primarily the result of an increase of $153,579 in the amount of cash used to acquire new stores in 2014 when compared to 2013. There was also an increase of $24,258 in cash used to purchase/issue notes receivable, and an increase of $17,062 in cash used in the development and redevelopment of real estate assets.

Cash provided by financing activities was $148,307 and $191,655 for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. The net decrease was due to a number of factors, including a decrease of $205,988 in the cash proceeds received from the sale of common stock, a decrease of $246,250 in the proceeds from issuance of exchangeable senior notes, and an increase of $47,077 in cash paid as dividends on common stock. These decreases were offset by an increase of $335,479 in the proceeds from notes payable and lines of credit, and a decrease of $131,244 in principal payments on notes payable and lines of credit.

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

As of December 31, 2015, we had $75,799 available in cash and cash equivalents. We intend to use this cash for acquisitions, to repay debt scheduled to mature in 2015 and for general corporate purposes. We are required to distribute at least 90% of our net taxable income, excluding net capital gains, to our stockholders on an annual basis to maintain our qualification as a REIT.

Our cash and cash equivalents are held in accounts managed by third party financial institutions and consist of invested cash and cash in our operating accounts. During 2015, we experienced no loss or lack of access to our cash or cash equivalents; however, there can be no assurance that access to our cash and cash equivalents will not be impacted by adverse conditions in the financial markets.

The following table presents information on our lines of credit for the period presented. All of our lines of credit are guaranteed by us and secured by mortgages on certain real estate assets.


	As of December 31, 2015
	Amount				Interest			Origination
Line of Credit	Drawn		Capacity		Rate			Date		Maturity		Basis Rate (1)			Notes
Credit Line 1	$	36,000	$	180,000		2.1	%		6/4/2010		6/30/2018		LIBOR plus 1.7	%		(2	)
Credit Line 2		—		50,000		2.2	%		11/16/2010		2/13/2017		LIBOR plus 1.8	%		(3	)
Credit Line 3		—		80,000		2.1	%		4/29/2011		11/18/2016		LIBOR plus 1.7	%		(3	)
Credit Line 4		—		50,000		2.1	%		9/29/2014		9/29/2017		LIBOR plus 1.7	%		(3	)

	$	36,000	$	360,000

(1)	30-day USD LIBOR

(2)	One two-year extension available

(3)	Two one-year extensions available

As of December 31, 2015, we had $3,598,254 face value of debt, resulting in a debt to total capitalization ratio of 23.2%. As of December 31, 2015, the ratio of total fixed rate debt and other instruments to total debt was 68.6% (including $1,527,386 on which we have interest rate swaps that have been included as fixed-rate debt). The weighted average interest rate of the total of fixed and variable rate debt at December 31, 2015 was 3.1%. Certain of our real estate assets are pledged as collateral for our debt. We are subject to certain restrictive covenants relating to our outstanding debt. We were in compliance with all financial covenants at December 31, 2015.

We expect to fund our short-term liquidity requirements, including operating expenses, recurring capital expenditures, dividends to stockholders, distributions to holders of OP Units and interest on our outstanding indebtedness out of our operating cash flow, cash on hand and borrowings under our Credit Lines. In addition, we are pursuing additional term loans secured by unencumbered stores.

Our liquidity needs consist primarily of cash distributions to stockholders, store acquisitions, principal payments under our borrowings and non-recurring capital expenditures. We may from time to time seek to repurchase our outstanding debt, shares of common stock or other securities in open market purchases, privately negotiated transactions or otherwise. Such repurchases, if any, will depend on prevailing market conditions, our liquidity requirements, contractual restrictions and other factors. In addition, we evaluate, on an ongoing basis, the merits of strategic acquisitions and other relationships, which may require us to raise additional funds. We do not expect that our operating cash flow will be sufficient to fund our liquidity needs and instead expect to fund such needs out of additional borrowings of secured or unsecured indebtedness, joint ventures with third parties, and from the proceeds of public and private offerings of equity and debt. Additional capital may not be available on terms favorable to us or at all. Any additional issuance of equity or equity-linked securities may result in dilution to our stockholders. In addition, any new securities we issue could have rights, preferences and

privileges senior to holders of our common stock. We may also use OP Units as currency to fund acquisitions from self-storage owners who desire tax-deferral in their exiting transactions.

OFF-BALANCE SHEET ARRANGEMENTS

Except as disclosed in the notes to our financial statements, we do not currently have any relationships with unconsolidated entities or financial partnerships, such as entities often referred to as structured finance or special purposes entities, which typically are established for the purpose of facilitating off-balance sheet arrangements or other contractually narrow or limited purposes. Further, except as disclosed in the notes to our financial statements, we have not guaranteed any obligations of unconsolidated entities nor do we have any commitments or intent to provide funding to any such entities. Accordingly, we are not materially exposed to any financing, liquidity, market or credit risk that could arise if we had engaged in these relationships.

CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS

The following table presents information on future payments due by period as of December 31, 2015:


	Payments due by Period:
			Less Than						After
	Total		1 Year		1-3 Years		3-5 Years		5 Years
Operating leases	$	79,926	$	5,655	$	7,805	$	5,669	$	60,797
Notes payable, notes payable to trusts and lines of credit
Interest		512,602		108,366		180,022		120,023		104,191
Principal		3,598,254		167,477		956,056		1,885,685		589,036

Total contractual obligations	$	4,190,782	$	281,498	$	1,143,883	$	2,011,377	$	754,024

The operating leases above include minimum future lease payments on leases for 19 of our operating stores as well as leases of our corporate offices. Two ground leases include additional contingent rental payments based on the level of revenue achieved at the store.

As of December 31, 2015, the weighted average interest rate for all fixed rate loans was 3.6%, and the weighted average interest rate on all variable rate loans was 2.1%.

FINANCING STRATEGY

We will continue to employ leverage in our capital structure in amounts reviewed from time to time by our board of directors. Although our board of directors has not adopted a policy which limits the total amount of indebtedness that we may incur, we will consider a number of factors in evaluating our level of indebtedness from time to time, as well as the amount of such indebtedness that will be either fixed or variable rate. In making financing decisions, we will consider factors including but not limited to:

	•		the interest rate of the proposed financing;

	•		the extent to which the financing impacts flexibility in managing our stores;

	•		prepayment penalties and restrictions on refinancing;

	•		the purchase price of stores acquired with debt financing;

	•		long-term objectives with respect to the financing;

	•		target investment returns;

	•		the ability of particular stores, and our Company as a whole, to generate cash flow sufficient to cover expected debt service payments;

	•		overall level of consolidated indebtedness;

	•		timing of debt and lease maturities;

	•		provisions that require recourse and cross-collateralization;

	•		corporate credit ratios including debt service coverage, debt to total capitalization and debt to undepreciated assets; and

	•		the overall ratio of fixed and variable rate debt.

Our indebtedness may be recourse, non-recourse or cross-collateralized. If the indebtedness is non-recourse, the collateral will be limited to the particular stores to which the indebtedness relates. In addition, we may invest in stores subject to existing loans collateralized by mortgages or similar liens on our stores, or may refinance stores acquired on a leveraged basis. We may use the proceeds from any borrowings to refinance existing indebtedness, to refinance investments, including the redevelopment of existing stores, for general working capital or to purchase additional interests in partnerships or joint ventures or for other purposes when we believe it is advisable.

We may from time to time seek to retire or repurchase our outstanding debt, as well as shares of common stock or other securities in open market purchases, privately negotiated transactions or otherwise. Such repurchases, if any, will depend on prevailing market conditions, our liquidity requirements, contractual restrictions and other factors. The amounts involved may be material.

SEASONALITY

The self-storage business is subject to seasonal fluctuations. A greater portion of revenues and profits are realized from May through September. Historically, our highest level of occupancy has been at the end of July, while our lowest level of occupancy has been in late February and early March. Results for any quarter may not be indicative of the results that may be achieved for the full fiscal year.

Previous: Item 6. Selected Financial Data · Next: Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

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