Skip to main
Patrick
@namastestrategy
#BusinessEthics #HindenburgResearch #CallingBS The latest Hindenburg Research report is out, this time with its crosshairs on $WELL , a healthcare #REIT with a large market cap ($32.1 billion), which owns more senior housing facilities (1,568 properties) than anyone else in the US. https://hindenburgresearch.com/welltower/ Below are some highlights (or lowlights, perhaps) from the report: ✏️Until last month, Welltower’s largest tenant was a non-profit health system in the Midwest called ProMedica (https://www.promedica.org/), which accounted for 12% of the company's annual Net Operating Income (NOI). ProMedica faced severe distress and began breaching bond covenants in early 2022, threatening Welltower’s investment. Given its size as Welltower’s largest operator, Welltower has stressed the importance of ProMedica’s financial health as a key risk factor. 🗓️ On November 7th, 2022, Welltower announced a solution: it would transfer the operation of 147 skilled nursing facilities out of ProMedica and into a new joint venture with a health care operator called Integra Health. The deal helped fuel a 9% spike in Welltower’s stock. Welltower’s CEO said that Integra provided a “well-capitalized strategic partner” resulting in Welltower being paid 4% more in cash rent under the new JV, coming out ahead despite the distressed situation. 🤔Despite the high praise from Welltower’s management and claims of being a well-experienced operator, Integra seems to barely exist. The entity was registered 6 months ago, according to Delaware corporate records. Its website was registered on the same day. 🤔Integra’s CEO, 29-year-old David Gefner, appears to have no background in the skilled nursing space at all. 🤔Integra has no employees on LinkedIn except for Gefner, who claims to have worked at the 6-month-old entity for 11 months. 😳 ❓A senior ProMedica employee told Hindenburg Research that Integra had no operating experience and came in after the company couldn't find genuine operators. 🤔A former Welltower executive told Hindenburg Research he had never heard of Gefner, saying that Integra would need "a lot of people" to manage the deal with Welltower. 🚩Red flags indicate that another of Welltower’s distressed deals, a 2021 restructuring with its troubled 4th largest operator, Genesis Healthcare, mirrored the latest ‘miracle’ deal. ➡️In late 2021, evidence suggests that Welltower quietly disposed of 21 of its distressed Genesis assets to a Gefner-affiliated firm, once again handing skilled nursing facilities over to an inexperienced operator and clearing its books of the mess. 🚩Hindenburg Research found signs of overt conflicts of interest with the deal. Gefner previously worked at the investment firm that owned Genesis, according to contact database records. Gefner’s own private equity firm at one point shared an office suite with an affiliate of the firm that ran Genesis. None of these relationships have been disclosed by Welltower or Gefner. 🚩In addition to his CEO role at Integra, Gefner is CEO of private equity firm "Perigrove", which at one point claimed to have raised $3 billion. We found no regulatory Form ADVs or Form Ds for Gefner or Perigrove. Hindenburg Research also found no association with a broker/dealer, indicating that Perigrove may have either lied about the size of its capital raises or raised the capital illegally. ❓Perigrove claimed on its website to have run 12 prior real estate projects. Hindenburg Research found NO evidence to support this. Real estate records show all were led by other developers.❓ ❓Perigrove had a documented role in only 1 of the claimed projects on its website that we could find; an attempted launch of a $30 million crypto token to raise funds for a property once dubbed by Crain's Business as the "city's worst illegal hotel". The token offering looks to have failed. 🚩Perigrove’s website claims it operates out of a prestigious office building in Manhattan. Hindenburg Research visited and found the company has no presence at its claimed address. Instead, Hindenburg Research found Perigrove’s office on the outskirts of New York City, in a strip mall sharing an address with an auto parts store. ❓On the front door of the building, Perigrove's name was spelled wrong, as "Perigove", with stickers. 😂 💰Welltower trades at a premium to competitors, with its price/estimated NTM AFFO at 22.7x, 22% higher than the average multiple of comparably-rated peers. It has the lowest dividend yield of its peers, indicating that the market views it as a safe asset. 😬Welltower’s valuation comes despite an industry in turmoil: a 2022 BDO report reported that 50% of long term / post-acute home health facilities had defaulted in the last 12 months. The report surveyed 100 Healthcare CFOs and found that one in four who had not defaulted in 2021 were concerned they would default on bond or loan covenants in 2022. ➡️Welltower also faces significantly larger maturities moving past 2023, with 2024 and 2025 debt totaling over $3.7 billion in a rising interest rate environment. 💧Meanwhile, the company has been diluting its equity via at-the-market (ATM) offerings, having raised $4.5 billion in total net proceeds in the past 2 years. It has raised over $400 million in 5 months through its latest ATM, with $2.57 billion in remaining capacity as of September 30, 2022. Source: Hindenburg Research
3
0
Own your future.
Build your portfolio.

All of your investing.
All in one place.

Invest in stocks, treasuries, ETFs, crypto, and alternative assets on Public. Transfer your account to Public and get up to $10,000.
Sign Up
Products
Contact Us
Check the background of this firm on FINRA’s BrokerCheck.

© Copyright 2024 Public Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Market data powered by Xignite.

All investments involve the risk of loss and the past performance of a security or a financial product does not guarantee future results or returns. You should consult your legal, tax, or financial advisors before making any financial decisions. This material is not intended as a recommendation, offer, or solicitation to purchase or sell securities, open a brokerage account, or engage in any investment strategy.

Product offerings and availability vary based on jurisdiction.

Stocks, ETFs, Options, Bonds.
Self-directed brokerage accounts and brokerage services for US-listed, registered securities, options, and Bonds, except for treasury securities offered through Jiko Securities, Inc., are offered to self-directed customers by Open to the Public Investing, Inc. (“Public Investing”), a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA & SIPC. Additional information about your broker can be found by clicking here. Public Investing is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Public Holdings, Inc. (“Public Holdings”). This is not an offer, solicitation of an offer, or advice to buy or sell securities or open a brokerage account in any jurisdiction where Public Investing is not registered. Securities products offered by Public Investing are not FDIC insured. Apex Clearing Corporation, our clearing firm, has additional insurance coverage in excess of the regular SIPC limits. Additional information can be found here.

Options.
Certain requirements must be met in order to trade options. Options can be risky and are not suitable for all investors. Options transactions are often complex, and investors can rapidly lose the entire amount of their investment or more in a short period of time. Investors should consider their investment objectives and risks carefully before investing in options. Refer to the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options before considering any options transaction. Supporting documentation for any claims, if applicable, will be furnished upon request. Tax considerations with options transactions are unique and investors considering options should consult their tax advisor as to how taxes affect the outcome of each options strategy.

Options Order Flow Rebate.
If you are enrolled in our Options Order Flow Rebate Program, Public Investing will share 50% of our estimated order flow revenue for each completed options trade as a rebate to help reduce your trading costs. The exact rebate will depend on the specifics of each transaction and will be previewed for you prior to submitting each trade. This rebate will be deducted from your cost to place the trade and will be reflected on your trade confirmation. Order flow rebates are not available for non-options transactions. To learn more, see our Fee Schedule, Order Flow Rebate FAQ, and Order Flow Rebate Program Terms & Conditions.

Bonds.
“Bonds” shall refer to corporate debt securities and U.S. government securities offered on the Public platform through a self-directed brokerage account held at Public Investing and custodied at Apex Clearing. For purposes of this section, Bonds exclude treasury securities held in treasury accounts with Jiko Securities, Inc. as explained under the “ Treasury Accounts” section.

Investments in Bonds are subject to various risks including risks related to interest rates, credit quality, market valuations, liquidity, prepayments, early redemption, corporate events, tax ramifications and other factors. The value of Bonds fluctuate and any investments sold prior to maturity may result in gain or loss of principal. In general, when interest rates go up, Bond prices typically drop, and vice versa. Bonds with higher yields or offered by issuers with lower credit ratings generally carry a higher degree of risk. All fixed income securities are subject to price change and availability, and yield is subject to change. Bond ratings, if provided, are third party opinions on the overall bond's credit worthiness at the time the rating is assigned. Ratings are not recommendations to purchase, hold, or sell securities, and they do not address the market value of securities or their suitability for investment purposes.

High-Yield Cash Account.
A High-Yield Cash Account is a secondary brokerage account with Public Investing. Funds in your High-Yield Cash Account are automatically deposited into partner banks (“Partner Banks”), where that cash earns interest and is eligible for FDIC insurance. See here for a list of current Partner Banks. Your Annual Percentage Yield is variable and may change at the discretion of the Partner Banks or Public Investing. Apex Clearing and Public Investing receive administrative fees for operating this program, which reduce the amount of interest paid on swept cash. Neither Public Investing nor any of its affiliates is a bank. Learn more.

Alternative Assets.
Brokerage services for alternative assets available on Public are offered by Dalmore Group, LLC (“Dalmore”), member of FINRA & SIPC. “Alternative assets,” as the term is used at Public, are equity securities that have been issued pursuant to Regulation A of the Securities Act of 1933 (as amended) (“Regulation A”). This content is not investment advice. These investments are speculative, involve substantial risks (including illiquidity and loss of principal), and are not FDIC or SIPC insured. Alternative Assets purchased on the Public platform are not held in a Public Investing brokerage account and are self-custodied by the purchaser. The issuers of these securities may be an affiliate of Public Investing, and Public Investing (or an affiliate) may earn fees when you purchase or sell Alternative Assets. For more information on risks and conflicts of interest, see these disclosures. An affiliate of Public may be “testing the waters” and considering making an offering of securities under Tier 2 of Regulation A. No money or other consideration is being solicited and, if sent in response, will not be accepted. No offer to buy securities can be accepted, and no part of the purchase price can be received, until an offering statement filed with the SEC has been qualified by the SEC. Any such offer may be withdrawn or revoked, without obligation or commitment of any kind, at any time before notice of acceptance given after the date of qualification by the SEC or as stated in the offering materials relating to an investment opportunity, as applicable. An indication of interest to purchase securities involves no obligation or commitment of any kind.

Cryptocurrency.
Cryptocurrency trading, execution, and custody services are provided by Bakkt Crypto Solutions, LLC (NMLS ID 1828849) (“Bakkt”). Cryptocurrency is highly speculative, involves a high degree of risk, and has the potential for loss of the entire amount of an investment. Cryptocurrencies offered by Bakkt are not securities and are not FDIC insured or protected by SIPC. Your cryptocurrency assets are held in your Bakkt account. Bakkt is a licensed virtual currency business by the New York State Department of Financial Services and a licensed money transmitter, but is not a registered broker-dealer or a FINRA member. Your Bakkt Crypto account is separate from your brokerage account with Public Investing, which holds US-listed stocks and ETFs. Please review the Risk Disclosures before trading.

Treasury Accounts.
Investing services in treasury accounts offering 6 month US Treasury Bills on the Public platform are through Jiko Securities, Inc. (“JSI”), a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA & SIPC. See JSI’s FINRA BrokerCheck and Form CRS for further information.

JSI uses funds from your Treasury Account to purchase T-bills in increments of $100 “par value” (the T-bill’s value at maturity). T-bills are purchased at a discount to the par value and the T-bill’s yield represents the difference in price between the “par value” and the “discount price.” Aggregate funds in your Treasury Account in excess of the T-bill purchases will remain in your Treasury Account as cash. The value of T-bills fluctuate and investors may receive more or less than their original investments if sold prior to maturity. T-bills are subject to price change and availability - yield is subject to change. Past performance is not indicative of future performance. Investments in T-bills involve a variety of risks, including credit risk, interest rate risk, and liquidity risk. As a general rule, the price of a T-bills moves inversely to changes in interest rates. Although T-bills are considered safer than many other financial instruments, you could lose all or a part of your investment. See Jiko U.S. Treasuries Risk Disclosures for further details.

Investments in T-bills: Not FDIC Insured; No Bank Guarantee; May Lose Value.

Banking services and bank accounts are offered by Jiko Bank, a division of Mid-Central National Bank.

JSI and Jiko Bank are not affiliated with Public Holdings, Inc. (“Public”) or any of its subsidiaries. None of these entities provide legal, tax, or accounting advice. You should consult your legal, tax, or financial advisors before making any financial decisions. This material is not intended as a recommendation, offer, or solicitation to purchase or sell securities, open a brokerage account, or engage in any investment strategy.

Commission-free trading refers to $0 commissions charged on trades of US listed registered securities placed during the US Markets Regular Trading Hours in self-directed brokerage accounts offered by Public Investing. Keep in mind that other fees such as regulatory fees, Premium subscription fees, commissions on trades during extended trading hours, wire transfer fees, and paper statement fees may apply to your brokerage account. Please see Public’s Investing’s Fee Schedule to learn more.

Fractional shares are illiquid outside of Public and not transferable. For a complete explanation of conditions, restrictions and limitations associated with fractional shares, see our Fractional Share Disclosure to learn more.

Investment Plans. US members only. Investment Plans (“Plans”) shown in our marketplace are for informational purposes only and are meant as helpful starting points as you discover, research and create a Plan that meets your specific investing needs. Plans are self-directed purchases of individually-selected assets, which may include stocks, ETFs and cryptocurrency. Plans are not recommendations of a Plan overall or its individual holdings or default allocations. Plans are created using defined, objective criteria based on generally accepted investment theory; they are not based on your needs or risk profile. You are responsible for establishing and maintaining allocations among assets within your Plan. Plans involve continuous investments, regardless of market conditions. Diversification does not eliminate risk. See our Investment Plans Terms and Conditions and Sponsored Content and Conflicts of Interest Disclosure.

Market Data. Quotes and other market data for Public’s product offerings are obtained from third party sources believed to be reliable, but Public makes no representation or warranty regarding the quality, accuracy, timeliness, and/or completeness of this information. Such information is time sensitive and subject to change based on market conditions and other factors. You assume full responsibility for any trading decisions you make based upon the market data provided, and Public is not liable for any loss caused directly or indirectly by your use of such information. Market data is provided solely for informational and/or educational purposes only. It is not intended as a recommendation and does not represent a solicitation or an offer to buy or sell any particular security.