Business description of LTC-PROPERTIES-INC from last 10-k form

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

Commission file number: 1-11314

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LTC PROPERTIES, INC.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

2829 Townsgate Road, Suite 350
Westlake Village, California 91361
(Address of principal executive offices)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (805) 981-8655

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

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: NONE

          Indicate by checkmark if the Registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ý    No o

          Indicate by checkmark if the Registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes o    No ý

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

          Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes ý    No o

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

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

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

          The aggregate market value of voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates of the Registrant was approximately $823,215,000 as of June 30, 2011 (the last business day of the Registrant's most recently completed second fiscal quarter). For purposes of this calculation, shares of common stock held by officers and directors of the registrant and shares of common stock held by persons who hold more than 10% of the outstanding common stock of the Registrant have been excluded from this calculation because such persons may be deemed to be affiliates.

The number of shares of common stock outstanding as of February 17, 2012 was 30,401,774.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

          Portions of the Registrant's definitive proxy statement relating to its 2012 Annual Meeting of Stockholders are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K where indicated.

   

CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS

        This annual report contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, adopted pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that are not purely historical may be forward-looking. You can identify some of the forward-looking statements by their use of forward-looking words, such as "believes," "expects," "may," "will," "should," "seeks," "approximately," "intends," "plans," "estimates" or "anticipates," or the negative of those words or similar words. Forward- looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties regarding events, conditions and financial trends that may affect our future plans of operation, business strategy, results of operations and financial position. A number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those included within or contemplated by such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the status of the economy; the status of capital markets (including prevailing interest rates) and our access to capital; the income and returns available from investments in health care related real estate; the ability of our borrowers and lessees to meet their obligations to us; our reliance on a few major operators; competition faced by our borrowers and lessees within the health care industry; regulation of the health care industry by federal, state and local governments, including as a result of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010; changes in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement amounts, including due to federal and state budget constraints; compliance with and changes to regulations and payment policies within the health care industry; debt that we may incur and changes in financing terms; ability to continue to qualify as a real estate investment trust; the relative illiquidity of our real estate investments; potential limitations on our remedies when mortgage loans default; and risks and liabilities in connection with properties owned through limited liability companies and partnerships. For a discussion of these and other factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contemplated in the forward-looking statements, please see the discussion under "Risk Factors" contained in this annual report and in other information contained in this annual report and our publicly available filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We do not undertake any responsibility to update or revise any of these factors or to announce publicly any revisions to forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

PART I

Item 1.    BUSINESS

General

        LTC Properties, Inc., a health care real estate investment trust (or REIT), was incorporated on May 12, 1992 in the State of Maryland and commenced operations on August 25, 1992. We invest primarily in senior housing and long term care properties through property lease transactions, mortgage loans and other investments. We conduct and manage our business as one operating segment, rather than multiple operating segments, for internal reporting and internal decision making purposes. Our primary objectives are to sustain and enhance stockholder equity value and provide current income for distribution to stockholders through real estate investments in senior housing and long term care properties managed by experienced operators. Our primary senior housing and long term healthcare property types include skilled nursing properties (or SNF), assisted living properties (or ALF), independent living properties (or ILF) and combinations thereof. To meet these objectives, we attempt to invest in properties that provide opportunity for additional value and current returns to our stockholders and diversify our investment portfolio by geographic location, operator, property type and form of investment.

        Skilled nursing facilities provide restorative, rehabilitative and nursing care for people not requiring the more extensive and sophisticated treatment available at acute care hospitals. Many skilled nursing facilities provide ancillary services that include occupational, speech, physical, respiratory and

IV therapies, as well as sub-acute care services which are paid either by the patient, the patient's family, private health insurance, or through the federal Medicare or state Medicaid programs.

        Assisted living facilities serve elderly persons who require assistance with activities of daily living, but do not require the constant supervision skilled nursing facilities provide. Services are usually available 24 hours a day and include personal supervision and assistance with eating, bathing, grooming and administering medication. The facilities provide a combination of housing, supportive services, personalized assistance and health care designed to respond to individual needs.

        Independent living facilities, also known as retirement communities or senior apartments, offer a sense of community and numerous levels of service, such as laundry, housekeeping, dining options/meal plans, exercise and wellness programs, transportation, social, cultural and recreational activities, on-site security and emergency response programs. Many offer on-site conveniences like beauty/barber shops, fitness facilities, game rooms, libraries and activity centers.

        One property in our real estate investment portfolio is a charter school. Charter schools provide an alternative to the traditional public school. Charter schools are generally autonomous entities authorized by the state or locality to conduct operations independent from the surrounding public school district. Laws vary by state, but generally charters are granted by state boards of education either directly or in conjunction with local school districts or public universities. Operators are granted charters to establish and operate schools based on the goals and objectives set forth in the charter. Upon receipt of a charter, schools receive an annuity from the state for each student enrolled. Another property in our real estate investment portfolio is a school that provides therapeutic support and intensive home, school and center-based behavioral therapy for children, youth and families affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders. The operator receives revenues largely from insurance companies, government sponsored programs and private pay.

        We were organized to qualify, and intend to continue to qualify, as a REIT. So long as we qualify, with limited exceptions, we may deduct distributions, both preferred dividends and common dividends, to our stockholders from our taxable income. We have made distributions, and intend to continue to make distributions to our stockholders, in order to eliminate any federal tax liability.

Portfolio

        Our real estate investment in senior housing and long term care healthcare properties is managed and conducted as a single operating segment for internal reporting and for internal decision-making purposes. The following table summarizes our real estate investment portfolio as of December 31, 2011 (dollar amounts in thousands):