Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. Reports Record Fourth Quarter Results, Establishes 2026 Guidance and Declares 2026 First Quarter Dividend of $0.78 per Share

WYOMISSING, Pa., Feb. 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. (NASDAQ: GLPI) (“GLPI” or the “Company”) today announced record results for the fourth quarter and year-ended December 31, 2025. GLPI has posted a supplemental earnings presentation, which highlights the events of the quarter, recent developments, and future considerations, that can be accessed at www.glpropinc.com.

Financial Highlights

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_{⁽¹⁾ Funds from operations ("FFO") is net income, excluding (gains) or losses from dispositions of property and real estate depreciation as defined by NAREIT.}

_{⁽²⁾ Adjusted Funds from Operations ("AFFO") is FFO, excluding, as applicable to the particular period, stock based compensation expense; the amortization of debt issuance, bond premiums and original issuance discounts; other depreciation; amortization of land rights; accretion on investment in leases; non-cash adjustments to financing lease liabilities; straight-line rent and deferred rent adjustments; losses on debt extinguishment; severance charges; capitalized interest; and provision (benefit) for credit losses, net, reduced by capital maintenance expenditures.}

_{⁽³⁾ Adjusted EBITDA is net income, excluding, as applicable to the particular period, interest, net; income tax expense; real estate depreciation; other depreciation; (gains) or losses from dispositions of property; stock based compensation expense; straight-line rent and deferred rent adjustments; amortization of land rights; accretion on investment in leases; non-cash adjustments to financing lease liabilities; losses on debt extinguishment; severance charges; and provision (benefit) for credit losses, net.}

_{⁽⁴⁾ Metrics are presented assuming full conversion of limited partnership units to common shares and therefore before the income statement impact of non-controlling interests.}

Peter Carlino, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of GLPI, commented, “Our record fourth quarter and full year 2025 results reflect recent acquisitions and financing arrangements and growth from our expanding base of leading regional gaming operator tenants and tribal relationships. Together, these factors are expected to drive accelerating growth in 2026. Long term tenant stability remains the bedrock of our approach to underwriting. To this end, lease coverage across each of our five largest tenants remains strong. On an operating basis, fourth quarter total revenue rose 4.5% year over year to $407.0 million, while AFFO grew 7.5% to $290.0 million. Our record results and the strength of our leases continue to highlight the diligence of our underwriting and our ability to deliver relationship-driven innovative financing solutions to current and prospective tenants.

“Despite the difficult transaction and financing environment in 2025, we executed three new transactions, totaling approximately $876 million of capital deployment, at a blended cap rate of over 9% while also deploying incremental capital for previously announced transactions, such as those with PENN Entertainment and Bally’s. Our current pipeline, which includes the ongoing development funding for Bally’s Chicago, Live! Virginia, and our tribal partnerships, as well as several projects with PENN Entertainment, amounted to approximately $2.6 billion of future capital outlays, as of December 31, 2025, at a blended cap rate over 8%. We kicked off 2026 with the $27 million land acquisition for the Live! Virginia Casino & Hotel development, the first stage of the $467 million total commitment to The Cordish Companies, and completed the acquisition of the real property assets of Bally’s Twin River Lincoln Casino Resort for $700 million, at an 8% cap rate. Post these transactions, our net debt to adjusted EBITDA ratio remains below the low end of our target range.

“During the fourth quarter, we provided $201.6 million in funding for Bally’s Chicago, leaving $738.4 million of investment remaining on our $940 million commitment as of December 31, 2025. The project continues to advance consistent with our expectations and timeline toward its 2027 opening. In addition, the land-based conversion of Bally’s Baton Rouge concluded with a successful grand opening in early December, as we capped off our $111 million investment in the period.

“As we look over the medium-term, with a strong in place pipeline, our balance sheet remains well prepared to accommodate the aforementioned $2.6 billion of committed financing. At period end, our net financial leverage stood at 4.6x, well below our target range of 5.0x to 5.5x. This balance sheet positioning allows us to fulfill our financial commitments, without equity, and remain at the low end of our target range, while driving accretive and accelerating AFFO growth. As such, we believe GLPI is well positioned for long-term growth, driven by our strong gaming operator relationships, our rights and options to participate in select tenants’ future growth and expansion initiatives, an environment conducive to supporting a healthy pipeline of new agreements, and our ability to structure and fund innovative transactions at competitive rates. We further believe that our tenants' strength, combined with our balance sheet and liquidity, positions the Company to grow cash flows, support dividend growth, and build value for shareholders in 2026 and beyond.”

Recent Developments

• On February 11, 2026, GLPI exercised its option to acquire the real property assets of Bally’s Twin River Lincoln Casino Resort for a purchase price of $700 million and additional rent of $56.0 million.

• On January 15, 2026, GLPI entered into a development agreement with The Cordish Companies ("Cordish") to fund up to $440 million of real estate construction costs for the Live! Virginia Casino & Hotel, and acquired the project land for $27 million—representing a total commitment of $467 million at an 8.0% cap rate.

• During the fourth quarter, provided development funding for Bally’s Chicago of $201.6 million as part of the $940 million development commitment (8.5% cap rate).

• On December 4, 2025, following the receipt of the National Indian Gaming Commission declination letter, GLPI funded its $45.3 million share of the $200 million Term B loan tranche for the Caesars Republic Sonoma County resort. The Term B loan was issued at an original issue discount of 3% and yields SOFR plus 9%, with a SOFR floor of 1%. The remaining $180 million commitment, priced at a 12.50% fixed rate was undrawn at year-end. Upon or prior to maturity of the 6-year loans, the Dry Creek Rancheria Bank of Pomo Indians ("Dry Creek") will lease back the property to an affiliate of GLPI, and GLPI will sublease the property back to an affiliate of Dry Creek for no less than $112.5 million for 45 years. Annual rent on the sublease will be based on a 9.75% capitalization rate.

• The Bally's Baton Rouge grand opening occurred in December. The Company funded $111 million for the project at an incremental rental yield on the development funding, and subsequent rent post opening at 9%.

• On November 3, 2025, the Company funded $150 million at a 7.79% cap rate for PENN Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: PENN) ("PENN") M Resort hotel tower and conference space expansion.

• On October 15, 2025, GLPI acquired the real estate assets of Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino for $183.75 million, at an initial 8.2% cap rate, which was placed into the Strategic Gaming Leases.

• As of December 31, 2025, GLPI has funded $56.6 million of the $110 million Ione Loan for the tribe's Acorn Ridge casino development that is scheduled to open in February 2026.
  
  

Dividends

On February 18, 2026, the Company's Board of Directors declared a first quarter dividend of $0.78 per share on the Company's common stock that will be payable on March 27, 2026 to shareholders of record on March 13, 2026.

On December 19, 2025, the Company paid its fourth quarter dividend of $0.78 per share to shareholders of record on December 5, 2025.

2026 Guidance

Reflecting the current operating and competitive environment, the Company is providing AFFO guidance for the full year 2026 based on the following assumptions and other factors:

• The guidance does not include the impact on operating results from any possible future acquisitions or dispositions, future capital markets activity, or other future non-recurring transactions other than: anticipated fundings of approximately $575 million to $650 million related to current development projects which will be funded relatively evenly by quarter throughout 2026; $225 million of funding for PENN’s Aurora facility late in second quarter of 2026; the completion of the Lincoln acquisition for $700 million in February of 2026; and, the anticipated settlement of $363.3 million of our forward equity on June 1, 2026.

• The guidance assumes there will be no material changes in applicable legislation, regulatory environment, world events, including weather, recent consumer trends, economic conditions, oil prices, competitive landscape or other circumstances beyond our control that may adversely affect the Company's results of operations.
  
  

The Company estimates AFFO for the year ending December 31, 2026 will be between $1.207 billion and $1.222 billion, or between $4.06 and $4.11 per diluted share and OP/LTIP units.

The Company does not provide a reconciliation for non-GAAP estimates on a forward-looking basis, including the information above, where it is unable to provide a meaningful or accurate calculation or estimation of reconciling items and the information is not available without unreasonable effort. This is due to the inherent difficulty of forecasting the timing and/or amounts of various items that would impact net income, which is the most directly comparable forward-looking GAAP financial measure. This includes, for example, provision for credit losses, net, and other non-core items that have not yet occurred, are out of the Company’s control and/or cannot be reasonably predicted. For the same reasons, the Company is unable to address the probable significance of the unavailable information. In particular, the Company is unable to predict with reasonable certainty the amount of the change in the provision for credit losses, net, under ASU No. 2016-13 - Financial Instruments - Credit Losses ("ASC 326") in future periods. The non-cash change in the provision for credit losses under ASC 326 with respect to future periods is dependent upon future events that are entirely outside of the Company's control and may not be reliably predicted, including the performance and future outlook of our tenant's operations for our leases that are accounted for as investment in leases, as well as broader macroeconomic factors and future predictions of such factors. As a result, forward-looking non-GAAP financial measures provided without the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures may vary materially from the corresponding GAAP financial measures.

Portfolio Update

GLPI's primary business consists of acquiring, financing, and owning real estate property to be leased to gaming operators in triple-net lease arrangements. As of December 31, 2025, GLPI's portfolio consisted of interests in 69 gaming and related facilities, including the real property associated with 34 gaming and related facilities operated by PENN, the real property associated with 6 gaming and related facilities operated by Caesars Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: CZR) ("Caesars"), the real property associated with 4 gaming and related facilities operated by Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE: BYD) ("Boyd"), the real property associated with 15 gaming and related facilities operated by Bally's Corporation (NYSE: BALY) and 1 facility under development for Bally's in Chicago, Illinois, the real property associated with 3 gaming and related facilities operated by Cordish, 1 gaming and related facility operated by American Racing & Entertainment, LLC ("American Racing"), 4 gaming and related facilities operated by Strategic Gaming Management, LLC ("Strategic") and 1 gaming facility managed by a subsidiary of Hard Rock International ("Hard Rock"). These facilities are geographically diversified across 20 states. The Company also extends loans that produce fixed or variable returns which may convert into leased rent upon project completion or stabilization.

Conference Call Details

The Company will hold a conference call on February 20, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern Time) to discuss its financial results, current business trends and market conditions.

To Participate in the Telephone Conference Call:
Dial in at least five minutes prior to start time.
Domestic: 1-877/407-0784
International: 1-201/689-8560

Conference Call Playback:
Domestic: 1-844/512-2921
International: 1-412/317-6671
Passcode: 13758037
The playback can be accessed through Friday, February 27, 2026.

Webcast
The conference call will be available in the Investor Relations section of the Company's website at www.glpropinc.com. To listen to a live broadcast, go to the site at least 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time in order to register, download and install any necessary software. A replay of the call will also be available for 90 days thereafter on the Company’s website.

Debt Capitalization

The Company’s debt structure as of December 31, 2025 was as follows:

Rating Agency – Issue Rating 

Funding commitments

As of December 31, 2025, the Company has entered into various commitments or call rights to finance/acquire future investments in gaming and related facilities for our tenants. These are detailed in the table below. Our tenants retain the option to decline our financing for certain projects and may seek alternative financing solutions. The inclusion of a commitment in this disclosure does not guarantee that the financing will be utilized by the tenant in circumstances where a tenant has the option.

_{⁽¹⁾ PENN anticipates completing the relocation of its riverboat casino in Aurora to a land based facility in the first half of 2026. The Company anticipates funding $225 million at a 7.75% capitalization rate.}

_{⁽²⁾ The Company has agreed to fund, if requested by PENN in their sole discretion, on or before March 31, 2029, construction improvements in an amount not to exceed the greater of (i) the hard costs associated with the project and (ii) $150.0 million at a 7.10% capitalization rate.}

We seek to provide an opportunity to invest in the growth opportunities afforded by the gaming industry, with the stability and cash flow opportunities of a REIT. GLPI’s primary business consists of acquiring, financing, and owning real estate property to be leased to gaming operators in triple-net lease arrangements. Under these arrangements, in addition to rent, the tenants are required to pay the following executory costs: (1) all facility maintenance, (2) all insurance required in connection with the leased properties and the business conducted on the leased properties, including coverage of the landlord's interests, (3) taxes levied on or with respect to the leased properties (other than taxes on the income of the lessor) and (4) all utilities and other services necessary or appropriate for the leased properties and the business conducted on the leased properties. The Company also extends loans that produce fixed or variable returns which may convert into leased rent upon project completion or stabilization.

Property and lease information

The Company has disclosed the following key terms of its Master Leases and Single Property Leases in the tables below, along with the properties within each lease at December 31, 2025. We believe the following key terms are important for users of our financial statements to understand.

• The coverage ratio is a defined term in each respective lease agreement with our tenants and represents the ratio of Adjusted EBITDAR to rent expense for the properties contained within each lease. Adjusted EBITDAR is defined in each respective lease but is generally consistent with the Company's definition of Adjusted EBITDA as described in the Results of Operations section of this Management Discussion and Analysis, plus rent expense paid to GLPI.

• Certain leases have a minimum escalator coverage ratio governor as disclosed below. Before a rent escalation of up to 2% on the building base rent component of each lease can occur, the minimum coverage ratio for these leases needs to be 1.8 to 1 for the applicable lease year.

• The reported coverage ratios below with respect to our tenants' rent coverage over the trailing twelve months were provided by our tenants for the most recently available time period. GLPI has not independently verified the accuracy of the tenants' information and therefore makes no representation as to its accuracy. Rent coverage ratios are not reported for ground leases, leases with development projects or on leases that have been in effect for less than twelve months.

• The Amended PENN Master Lease, the Amended Pinnacle Master Lease, the Boyd Master Lease, and the Belterra Park Lease each include (i) a fixed rent component, a portion of which escalates annually by up to 2% if specified rent coverage thresholds are met, and (ii) a percentage rent component tied to property performance. The percentage rent component is recalculated periodically, every five years for the Amended PENN Master Lease and every two years for the other leases, based on 4% of the average annual net revenues of the applicable facilities in excess of a contractually defined baseline, subject to certain floors.