Investments in Unconsolidated Entities

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2023

Investments in Unconsolidated Entities.

Investments in Unconsolidated Entities

6. Investments in Unconsolidated Entities

A summary of the Company’s investments in unconsolidated entities accounted for under the equity method of accounting is shown below (in thousands):

			Balance as of		Balance as of
	% Ownership			September 30, 2023		December 31, 2022
Americas (1)	Various	%	$	1,257,262	$	912,842
APAC (2)(5)	50	%		525,104		543,524
EMEA (3)	Various	%		59,402		62,570
Global (4)	42	%		338,545		472,490
Total			$	2,180,313	$	1,991,426

(1) Includes Ascenty, Clise, Colovore, GI Partners, Mapletree, Menlo, TPG Real Estate, and Walsh.

(2) Includes BAM Digital Realty, Lumen, and MCDR.

(3) Includes Medallion and Mivne.

(4) Includes Digital Core REIT.

(5) During the nine months ended September 30, 2023, we derecognized all assets, liabilities and 50% noncontrolling interests related to a joint venture that was previously consolidated and recognized an equity method investment of approximately $61.9 million based on the value of our 50% noncontrolling interest in the joint venture. We had concluded that we would consolidate the joint venture during the development phase of the buildings because we had the power to direct activities that most significantly impacted the joint venture’s economic performance, however, upon the building’s completion and commencing the operational phase, we no longer have the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the joint venture’s economic performance and deconsolidated the joint venture and recognized the investment under the equity method as we still retained significant influence.

GI Partners Joint Venture – On July 13, 2023, we formed a joint venture with GI Partners. We contributed two stabilized hyperscale data center buildings in the Chicago metro area, at a purchase price of $900 million, to the new joint venture. We received approximately $0.7 billion of gross proceeds from the contribution of our data centers to the joint venture and the associated financing and retained a 35% interest in the joint venture. GI Partners contributed such cash to the joint venture in exchange for a 65% interest in the joint venture. We have also granted GI Partners an option to purchase an interest in the third facility on the same hyperscale data center campus in Chicago. In addition, GI Partners has a call option to increase their ownership interest in the joint venture from 65% to 80%. The call option must be delivered by written notice to the Company no later than January 9, 2024. We perform the day-to-day accounting and property management functions for the joint venture and, as such, will earn a management fee. DLR is to serve as the managing member responsible for operations in the ordinary course of business. However, certain approval rights are granted through the terms of the LLC agreement and require unanimous consent of both members with respect to any major decisions. Major decisions are defined to include the annual plan which sets out joint venture and property level budgets, including lease revenues, operating expenses, and capital expenditures. As such, we concluded we do not own a controlling interest and accounted for our interest in the joint venture under the equity method of accounting.

As of the date of the joint venture formation, we used a discounted cash flow model to calculate the fair value of our retained equity interest. The fair value of the retained interest was $157 million, and is classified as a Level 3 investment in the fair value hierarchy. The primary inputs to the valuation included volatility, hold period, and dividend yield.

TPG Real Estate Joint Venture – On July 25, 2023, we formed a joint venture with TPG Real Estate. We contributed three stabilized hyperscale data center buildings in Northern Virginia, at a purchase price of $1.5 billion, to the new joint venture. We received approximately $1.3 billion of gross proceeds from the contribution of our data centers to the joint venture and the associated financing and retained a 20% interest in the joint venture. TPG Real Estate contributed such cash to the joint venture in exchange for an 80% interest in the joint venture. We perform the day-to-day accounting and property management functions for the joint venture and, as such, will earn a management fee. DLR is to serve as the managing member responsible for operations in the ordinary course of business. However, certain approval rights are granted through the terms of the LLC agreement and require unanimous consent of both members with respect to any major decisions. Major decisions are defined to include the annual plan which sets out joint venture and property level budgets, including lease revenues, operating expenses, and capital expenditures. As such, we concluded we do not own a controlling interest and accounted for our interest in the joint venture under the equity method of accounting.

As of the date of the joint venture formation, we used a discounted cash flow model to calculate the fair value of our retained equity interest. The fair value of the retained interest was $121 million, and is classified as a Level 3 investment in the fair value hierarchy. The primary inputs to the valuation included volatility, hold period, and dividend yield.

DCREIT – Digital Core REIT is a standalone real estate investment trust formed under Singapore law, which is publicly-traded on the Singapore Exchange under the ticker symbol “DCRU”. Digital Core REIT owns 11 operating data center properties. The Company’s ownership interest in the units of DCRU, as well as its ownership interest in the operating properties of DCRU are collectively referred to as the Company’s investment in DCREIT.

As of September 30, 2023, the Company held 36% of the outstanding DCRU units and separately owned a 10% direct retained interest in the underlying North American operating properties and a 75% direct retained interest in the underlying German operating property.

The Company’s 36% interest in DCRU consisted of 406 million units and 396 million units as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively. Based on the closing price per unit of $0.53 and $0.55 as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively, the fair value of the units the Company owned in DCRU was approximately $215 million and $218 million as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively.

These values do not include the value of the Company’s 10% interest in the North American operating properties and 75% interest in the German operating property of DCRU, because the associated ownership interests are not publicly traded. The Company accounts for its investment in DCREIT as an equity method investment (and not at fair value) based on the significant influence it is able to exert on DCREIT.

Pursuant to contractual agreements with DCRU and its operating properties, the Company will earn fees for asset and property management services as well as fees for aiding in future acquisition, disposition and development activities. Certain of these fees are payable to the Company in the form of additional units in DCRU or in cash. The Company earned fees pursuant to these contractual agreements of approximately $2.4 million and $1.8 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and $7.3 million and $6.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, which is recorded as fee income and other on the condensed consolidated income statement.

In preparing our financial statements for the period ended September 30, 2023, we concluded that the decline in fair value of our equity investment in DCRU as of September 30, 2023 was other than temporary due to the length of time and extent to which the fair value of our investment has been less than the carrying value. As a result, we recorded an impairment charge of $95 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023, which was recorded to provision for impairment in our condensed consolidated income statements. The charge reflects the difference between the fair value of our equity investment in DCRU using DCRU’s share price as of September 30, 2023 and the carrying value of our equity investment in DCRU at September 30, 2023.

Ascenty – The Company’s ownership interest in Ascenty includes an approximate 2% interest held by one of the Company’s non-controlling interest holders. This 2% interest had a carrying value of approximately $12 million and $18 million as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively. Ascenty is a variable interest entity (“VIE”) and the Company’s maximum exposure to loss related to this VIE is limited to our equity investment in the entity.

Debt – The debt of our unconsolidated entities generally is non-recourse to us, except for customary exceptions pertaining to matters such as intentional misuse of funds, environmental conditions, and material misrepresentations.