Prologis posts solid 2019 numbers, raises 2020 guidance

Solid 2019 for Prologis, a better 2020 forecast (Photo: Prologis)

Prologis Inc. (NYSE:PLD), the world’s leading logistics real estate investment trust (REIT), posted on Wednesday solid fourth-quarter and 2019 results, and raised its outlook for 2020.

The San Francisco-based company reported that core funds from operations (FFO), the key metric for measuring a REIT’s cash flow, came in at 84 cents per diluted share in the fourth quarter, compared with 80 cents per diluted share in the 2018 period. For all of 2019, core FFO was $3.31 a diluted share, compared with $3.03 a share in 2018.  

Fourth-quarter 2019 occupancy rates dropped to 96.5% from 97.5% in the 2018 quarter as the company said it prioritized rental rate quality over occupancy levels. Rents in the quarter rose by nearly 400 basis points over the increases in the 2018 quarter.

Fourth-quarter 2019 revenue rose to $826 million over $807 million in 2018. For the full year, revenues came in at $3.3 billion from $2.8 billion, the company said.

The company boosted its 2020 FFO guidance to $3.75 per share from $3.67 a share and net earnings to $2.13 a share from $1.98 a share. It expects year-end occupancy rates to be at 97%, up slightly from the initial projection of 96%. The 2020 guidance includes the company’s $4 billion acquisition of Industrial Property Trust, which closed earlier this month, and its $12.4 billion purchase of Liberty Property Trust, which is expected to close Feb. 4. Both deals were announced last year. Prologis currently owns and manages about 800 million square feet of logistics properties worldwide.

Prologis Chairman and CEO Hamad R. Moghadam said in a statement that the company’s cumulative earnings growth over the past three years has “surpassed our expectations materially.” Prologis completed a three-year strategic plan, known as Vision 2019, at the end of last year.

Upcoming FreightWaves Events
Compliance

Brokerage Compliance Symposium

The day before F3. Every compliance issue you face - fraud exposure, carrier liability, FMCSA rules, cargo theft, insurance gaps - navigated by attorneys and operators defining best practices in a changing industry.

October 26, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN
Register Now
Awards

F3 Awards Dinner

The night before F3. FreightTech100 companies honored. FreightTech 25 and Shipper of Choice winners revealed live. Cocktail reception into dinner and live music - 300 industry leaders in one purpose-built room.

October 26, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN
Register Now
FreightTech

F3: Future of Freight Festival

Industry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.

October 27, 2026 – October 28, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN
Register Now
Compliance Brokerage Compliance Symposium Oct 26 • The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN

The day before F3. Every compliance issue you face - fraud exposure, carrier liability, FMCSA rules, cargo theft, insurance gaps - navigated by attorneys and operators defining best practices in a changing industry.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now
Awards F3 Awards Dinner Oct 26 • The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN

The night before F3. FreightTech100 companies honored. FreightTech 25 and Shipper of Choice winners revealed live. Cocktail reception into dinner and live music - 300 industry leaders in one purpose-built room.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now
FreightTech F3: Future of Freight Festival Oct 27 – Oct 28 • The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN

Industry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now

Mark Solomon

Formerly the Executive Editor at DC Velocity, Mark Solomon joined FreightWaves as Managing Editor of Freight Markets. Solomon began his journalistic career in 1982 at Traffic World magazine, ran his own public relations firm (Media Based Solutions) from 1994 to 2008, and has been at DC Velocity since then. Over the course of his career, Solomon has covered nearly the whole gamut of the transportation and logistics industry, including trucking, railroads, maritime, 3PLs, and regulatory issues. Solomon witnessed and narrated the rise of Amazon and XPO Logistics and the shift of the U.S. Postal Service from a mail-focused service to parcel, as well as the exponential, e-commerce-driven growth of warehouse square footage and omnichannel fulfillment.