COUSINS PROPERTIES INC - Annual Report: 2011 (Form 10-K)

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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011

or

For the transition period from                      to                     

Commission file number 001-11312

COUSINS PROPERTIES INCORPORATED

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

(404) 407-1000

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

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

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

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.    Yes  ¨    No  x

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act.    Yes  ¨    No  x

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  x    No  ¨

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

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 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.     ¨

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 Exchange Act).    Yes  ¨    No  x

As of June 30, 2011, the aggregate market value of the common stock of Cousins Properties Incorporated held by non-affiliates was $763,722,037 based on the closing sales price as reported on the New York Stock Exchange. As of February 14, 2012, 104,142,932 shares of common stock were outstanding.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the Registrant’s proxy statement for the annual stockholders meeting to be held on May 8, 2012 are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Form 10-K.

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain matters contained in this report are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws and are subject to uncertainties and risks, as itemized in Item 1A included in this Form 10-K. These forward-looking statements include information about possible or assumed future results of the Company’s business and the Company’s financial condition, liquidity, results of operations, plans and objectives. They also include, among other things, statements regarding subjects that are forward-looking by their nature, such as:

The forward-looking statements are based upon management’s beliefs, assumptions and expectations of the Company’s future performance, taking into account information currently available. These beliefs, assumptions and expectations may change as a result of many possible events or factors, not all of which are known. If a change occurs, the Company’s business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations may vary materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements. Actual results may vary from forward-looking statements due to, but not limited to, the following:

The words “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “plans,” “may,” “intend,” “will,” or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes its plans, intentions and expectations reflected in any forward-looking statements are reasonable, the Company can give no assurance that such plans, intentions or expectations will be achieved. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of future events, new information or otherwise, except as required under U.S. federal securities laws.

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PART I

Item 1. Business

Corporate Profile

Cousins Properties Incorporated (the “Registrant” or “Cousins”) is a Georgia corporation, which, since 1987, has elected to be taxed as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”). Cousins Real Estate Corporation and its subsidiaries (“CREC”) is a taxable entity wholly-owned by the Registrant, which is consolidated with the Registrant. CREC owns, develops, and manages its own real estate portfolio and performs certain real estate related services for other parties. The Registrant, its subsidiaries and CREC combined are hereafter referred to as the “Company.” The Company has been a public company since 1962, and its common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “CUZ.” Unless otherwise indicated, the notes referenced in the discussion below are the “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K on pages F-7 through F-36.

Company Strategy

The Company’s strategy is to produce stockholder returns through the acquisition, development and management of high-quality office and retail properties in its core markets of Georgia, Texas and North Carolina. The Company also owns interests in residential development projects, undeveloped land tracts held for investment, and manages properties for third party owners. The Company intends to focus on increasing the value in its current portfolio through lease-up, cost control and superior customer service, as well as making opportunistic investments in office properties within its core markets. The Company’s long-term strategy also includes recycling capital not invested in its core markets or property types, reducing its holdings of undeveloped land and residential lots, and diversifying its holdings geographically in order to reduce the current level of asset concentration in Atlanta, Georgia. Through this capital recycling and other capital sources, the Company expects to maintain its leverage near its current levels.

Detail of Properties

For a description and list of the Company’s properties, see Item 2 of this report.

2011 Significant Activities

The following is a summary of the Company’s 2011 activities by business line and in the financing area.

Office

As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned directly or through joint ventures 21 operating office properties totaling 7.8 million square feet. The Company developed many of the office properties it currently owns. While the Company maintains expertise in the development of office properties, given the current economic real estate environment, it may also seek to opportunistically acquire operating office properties within its core markets. These acquisitions may take the form of operationally or financially distressed properties that are well-located and to which the Company’s leasing and management expertise could add value over time. During 2011, the Company had the following activity in its office property portfolio:

Retail

As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned directly or through joint ventures 17 operating retail centers totaling 4.8 million square feet. The Company developed most of the retail properties it currently owns. Similar to its strategy for office properties, given the current economic real estate environment, the Company may seek to opportunistically acquire retail properties within its core markets. During 2011, the Company had the following activity in its retail property portfolio:

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Third Party Management and Other Fee Income

As of December 31, 2011, the Company managed and/or leased 12.7 million square feet of office and retail properties for third party owners. In addition, the Company has contracts to provide development and construction management services for third party owners.

Other Investments

As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned directly or through joint ventures, 22 residential development projects and residential and commercial undeveloped land, the Company’s share of which was approximately 5,000 acres. During 2011, the Company had the following activity related to its other investments:

Financing Activities

The Company’s financing strategy is to provide capital to fund its investment activities, while maintaining, over time, a relatively conservative leverage ratio, debt maturity dates which are staggered and actively managing borrowing costs. Historically, the Company has generated capital using bank credit facilities, construction loans or mortgage notes payable secured by underlying properties. The Company has also raised capital through sales of assets, contribution of assets into joint ventures, and the issuance of equity securities. During 2011, the Company had the following financing activities:

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Environmental Matters

The Company’s business operations are subject to various federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations governing land, water and wetlands resources. Among these are certain laws and regulations under which an owner or operator of real estate could become liable for the costs of removal or remediation of certain hazardous or toxic substances present on or in such property. Such laws often impose liability without regard to whether the owner knew of, or was responsible for, the presence of such hazardous or toxic substances. The presence of such substances, or the failure to properly remediate such substances, may subject the owner to substantial liability and may adversely affect the owner’s ability to develop the property or to borrow using such real estate as collateral. The Company typically manages this potential liability through performance of Phase I Environmental Site Assessments and, as necessary, Phase II environmental sampling, on properties it acquires or develops, although no assurance can be given that environmental liabilities do not exist, that the reports revealed all environmental liabilities or that no prior owner created any material environmental condition not known to the Company. In certain situations, the Company has also sought to avail itself of legal and regulatory protections offered by federal and state authorities to prospective purchasers of property. Where applicable studies have resulted in the determination that remediation was required by applicable law, the necessary remediation is typically incorporated into the development activity of the relevant property. Compliance with other applicable environmental laws and regulations is similarly incorporated into the redevelopment plans for the property. The Company is not aware of any environmental liability that the Company’s management believes would have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, assets or results of operations.

Certain environmental laws impose liability on a previous owner of property to the extent that hazardous or toxic substances were present during the prior ownership period. A transfer of the property does not necessarily relieve an owner of such liability. Thus, although the Company is not aware of any such situation, the Company may be liable in respect to properties previously sold. The Company believes that it and its properties are in compliance in all material respects with all applicable federal, state and local laws, ordinances and regulations governing the environment.

Competition

The Company owns several different real estate products, most of which are located in markets that include other real estate products of the same or similar type. The Company competes with other real estate owners with similar properties located in its markets, and distinguishes itself to tenants/buyers primarily on the basis of location, rental rates/sales prices, services provided, reputation and the design and condition of the facilities. The Company also competes with other real estate companies, financial institutions, pension funds, partnerships, individual investors and others when attempting to acquire and develop properties.

Executive Offices; Employees

The Registrant’s executive offices are located at 191 Peachtree Street, Suite 500, Atlanta, Georgia 30303-1740. At December 31, 2011, the Company employed 320 people.

Available Information

The Company makes available free of charge on the “Investor Relations” page of its website, www.cousinsproperties.com, its filed and furnished reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K, and all amendments thereto, as soon as reasonably practicable after the reports are filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).

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The Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines, Director Independence Standards, Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, and the Charters of the Audit Committee, the Investment Committee and the Compensation, Succession, Nominating and Governance Committee of the Board of Directors are also available on the “Investor Relations” page of the Company’s website. The information contained on the Company’s website is not incorporated herein by reference. Copies of these documents (without exhibits, when applicable) are also available free of charge upon request to the Company at 191 Peachtree Street, Suite 500, Atlanta, Georgia 30303-1740, Attention: Cameron Golden, Investor Relations. Mr. Golden may also be reached by telephone at (404) 407-1984 or by facsimile at (404) 407-1002. In addition, the SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers, including the Company, that file electronically with the SEC at www.sec.gov.

Item 1A. Risk Factors

Set forth below are the risks we believe investors should consider carefully in evaluating an investment in the securities of Cousins Properties Incorporated.

General Risks of Owning and Operating Real Estate

Our ownership of commercial real estate involves a number of risks, the effects of which could adversely affect our business.

General economic and market risks. In periods during or following a general economic decline or a recessionary climate, our assets may not generate sufficient cash to pay expenses, service debt or cover maintenance, and, as a result, our results of operations and cash flows may be adversely affected. Several factors may adversely affect the economic performance and value of our properties. These factors include, among other things:

While the trends in the real estate industry and the broader U. S. economy appear to be showing signs of stabilization, economic conditions within some of our markets, such as unemployment, consumer demand and housing starts, continue to be unfavorable and may, as a result, adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and the ability of our tenants and other parties to satisfy their contractual obligations to us. As a result, defaults by our tenants and other contracting parties may increase, which would adversely affect our results of operations. Furthermore, our ability to sell or lease our properties at favorable rates, or at all, may be negatively impacted by general economic conditions.

Our ability to collect rent from tenants affects our ability to pay for adequate maintenance, insurance and other operating costs (including real estate taxes). Also, the expenses of owning and operating a property are not necessarily reduced when circumstances such as market factors and competition cause a reduction in income from the property. If a property is mortgaged and we are unable to meet the mortgage payments, the lender could foreclose on the mortgage and take title to the property. In addition, interest rate levels, the availability of financing, changes in laws and governmental regulations (including those governing usage, zoning and taxes) may adversely affect our financial condition.

Impairment risks. We regularly review our real estate assets for impairment and based on these reviews, we may record impairment losses that have an adverse effect on our results of operations. Negative or uncertain market and economic conditions, as well as market volatility, increase the likelihood of incurring additional impairment losses. In addition, if management changes its intent from holding a real estate asset for long-term investment or development to holding it as a for-sale asset, or if management’s estimates of future

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cash flows decrease, the risk of impairment losses increases. For example, we recorded impairment losses in connection with our change in strategy to more aggressively liquidate our residential and land holdings. The magnitude of and frequency with which these charges occur could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Leasing risk. Our operating revenues are dependent upon entering into leases with and collecting rents from our tenants. Uncertain economic conditions may adversely impact current tenants in our various markets and, accordingly, could affect their ability to pay rents and possibly to occupy their space. In periods of economic uncertainty, tenants are more likely to close less profitable locations and/or to declare bankruptcy; and, pursuant to various bankruptcy laws, leases may be rejected and thereby terminated. When leases expire or are terminated, replacement tenants may or may not be available upon acceptable terms and conditions. In addition, our cash flows and results of operations could be adversely impacted if existing leases expire or are terminated and, at such time, market rental rates are lower than the previous contractual rental rates. Also, during uncertain economic conditions, our tenants may approach us for additional concessions in order to remain open and operating. The granting of these concessions may adversely affect our results of operations and cash flows to the extent that they result in reduced rental rates or additional capital improvements or allowances paid to or on behalf of the tenants.

Tenant and property concentration risk. As of December 31, 2011, our top 20 tenants represented approximately 38% of our annualized base rental revenues. While no single tenant accounts for more than 5% of our annualized base rental revenues, the loss of one or more of these tenants could have a significant negative impact on our results of operations or financial condition if a suitable replacement tenant is not secured in a timely fashion.

In addition, for the year ending December 31, 2011, 44% of the Company’s net operating income was derived from four properties in Atlanta, Georgia: Terminus 100, 191 Peachtree Tower and The American Cancer Society Center, all of which are office buildings, and The Avenue Forsyth, a retail center. A large percentage of our properties in addition to those listed above are also located in metropolitan Atlanta. Any adverse economic conditions that may impact the Atlanta area generally, or in its Downtown, Midtown or Buckhead submarkets specifically, could adversely affect the operations of one or all of these properties which, in turn, could adversely affect our overall results of operations and financial condition.

Uninsured losses and condemnation costs. Accidents, earthquakes, terrorism incidents and other losses at our properties could materially adversely affect our operating results. Casualties may occur that significantly damage an operating property, and insurance proceeds may be materially less than the total loss incurred by us. Although we maintain casualty insurance under policies we believe to be adequate and appropriate, some types of losses, such as lease and other contract claims, generally are not insured. Certain types of insurance may not be available or may be available on terms that could result in large uninsured losses. We own property in locations that are potentially subject to damage from earthquakes, as well as other natural catastrophes. We also own property that could be subject to loss due to terrorism incidents. The earthquake insurance and terrorism insurance markets, in particular, tend to be volatile and the availability and pricing of insurance to cover losses from earthquakes and terrorism incidents may be unfavorable from time to time. In addition, earthquakes and terrorism incidents could result in a significant loss that is uninsured due to the high level of deductibles or damage in excess of levels of coverage. Property ownership also involves potential liability to third parties for such matters as personal injuries occurring on the property. Such losses may not be fully insured. In addition to uninsured losses, various government authorities may condemn all or parts of operating properties. Such condemnations could adversely affect the viability of such projects.

Environmental issues. Environmental issues that arise at our properties could have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. Federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of the environment may require a current or previous owner or operator of real estate to investigate and clean up hazardous or toxic substances or petroleum product releases at a property. If determined to be liable, the owner or operator may have to pay a governmental entity or third parties for property damage and for investigation and clean-up costs incurred by such parties in connection with the contamination, or perform such investigation and clean-up itself. Although certain legal protections may be available to prospective purchasers of property, these laws typically impose clean-up responsibility and liability without regard to whether the owner or operator knew of or caused the presence of the regulated substances. Even if more than

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one person may have been responsible for the release of regulated substances at the property, each person covered by the environmental laws may be held responsible for all of the clean-up costs incurred. In addition, third parties may sue the owner or operator of a site for damages and costs resulting from regulated substances emanating from that site. We are not currently aware of any environmental liabilities at locations that we believe could have a material adverse effect on our business, assets, financial condition or results of operations. Unidentified environmental liabilities could arise, however, and could have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

Joint venture structure risks. Similar to other real estate companies, we have interests in a number of joint ventures (including partnerships and limited liability companies) and may in the future invest in real estate through such structures. Our venture partners sometimes have rights to take some actions over which we have no control, or sometimes the right to withhold approval of actions that we propose, either of which could adversely affect our interests in the related joint ventures and in some cases our overall financial condition or results of operations. These structures involve participation by other parties whose interests and rights may not be the same as ours. For example, a venture partner might have economic and/or other business interests or goals which are unlike or incompatible with our business interests or goals and those venture partners may be in a position to take action contrary to our interests. In addition, such venture partners may become bankrupt and such proceedings could have an adverse impact on the operation of the partnership or joint venture. Furthermore, the success of a project may be dependent upon the expertise, business judgment, diligence and effectiveness of our venture partners in matters that are outside our control. Thus, the involvement of venture partners could adversely impact the development, operation, ownership or disposition of the underlying properties.

Liquidity risk. Real estate investments are relatively illiquid and can be difficult to sell and convert to cash quickly, especially if market conditions are not favorable. As a result, our ability to sell one or more of our properties, whether in response to any changes in economic or other conditions or in response to a change in strategy, may be limited. In the event we want to sell a property, we may not be able to do so in the desired time period, the sales price of the property may not meet our expectations or requirements, and we may be required to record an impairment loss on the property as a result.

Compliance or failure to comply with federal, state and local regulatory requirements could result in substantial costs.

Our properties are subject to various federal, state and local regulatory requirements, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act, state and local fire, health and life safety requirements. Compliance with these regulations generally involves upfront expenditures and/or ongoing costs. If we fail to comply with these requirements, we could incur fines or private damage awards. We do not know whether existing requirements will change or whether compliance with existing or future requirements will require significant unanticipated expenditures that will affect our cash flow and results of operations.

Financing Risks

At certain times, interest rates and other market conditions for obtaining capital are unfavorable, and, as a result, we may be unable to raise the capital needed to invest in acquisition or development opportunities, maintain our properties or otherwise satisfy our commitments on a timely basis, or we may be forced to raise capital at a higher cost or under restrictive terms, which could adversely affect returns on our investments, our cash flows and results of operations.

We finance our acquisition and development projects through one or more of the following: our bank Credit Facility, permanent mortgages, proceeds from the sale of assets, construction loans, and joint venture equity. In addition, we have raised capital through the issuance of common stock and preferred stock to supplement our capital needs. Each of these sources may be constrained from time to time because of market conditions, and the related cost of raising this capital may be unfavorable at any given point in time. These sources of capital, and the risks associated with each, include the following:

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We may not be able to refinance maturing debt secured by our properties on favorable terms which could have an adverse effect on our liquidity and financial position.

We may not be able to refinance debt secured by our properties at the same levels or on the same terms, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. Further, at the time a loan matures, the property may be worth less than the loan amount and, as a result, the Company may determine not to refinance the loan and permit foreclosure, generating a loss to the Company.

Covenants contained in our Credit Facility and mortgages could restrict or hinder our operational flexibility, which could adversely affect our results of operations.

Our Credit Facility imposes financial and operating covenants on us. These covenants may be modified from time to time, but covenants of this type typically include restrictions and limitations on our ability to incur debt, as well as limitations on the amount of our unsecured debt, limitations on distributions to stockholders, and limitations on the amount of joint venture activity in which we may engage. These covenants may limit our flexibility in making business decisions. In addition, our Credit Facility contains financial covenants that, among other things, require that our earnings, as defined, exceed our fixed charges, as defined, by a specified amount and a covenant that requires our net worth, as defined, to be above a specified dollar amount. If our earnings decline or if our fixed charges increase, we are at greater risk of violating the earnings to fixed charges covenant. If we incur significant losses, such as impairment losses, we are at greater risk of violating our net worth covenant. If we fail to comply with these covenants, our ability to borrow may be impaired, which could potentially make it more difficult to fund our capital and operating needs. In addition, our failure to comply with such covenants could cause a default, and we may then be required to repay our outstanding debt with capital from other sources. Under those circumstances, other sources of capital may not be available to us or may be available only on unattractive terms, which could materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

Additionally, some of our property mortgages contain customary negative covenants, including limitations on our ability, without the lender’s prior consent, to further mortgage that property, to modify existing leases or to sell that property. Compliance with these covenants and requirements could harm our operational flexibility and financial condition.

Our degree of leverage could limit our ability to obtain additional financing or affect the market price of our securities.

Total debt as a percentage of either total asset value or total market capitalization is often used by analysts to gauge the financial health of equity REITs such as us. If our degree of leverage is viewed unfavorably by lenders or potential joint venture partners, it could affect our ability to obtain additional financing. In general, our degree of leverage could also make us more vulnerable to a downturn in business or the economy. In addition, changes in our debt to market capitalization ratio, which is in part a function of our stock price, or to other measures of asset value used by financial analysts, may have an adverse effect on the market price of our equity securities.

Real Estate Development Risks

We face risks associated with the development of real estate, such as delay, cost overruns and the possibility that we are unable to lease a portion of the space that we build, which could adversely affect our results.

While our overall development activities are lower than in past years due to unfavorable market conditions, we have historically undertaken more commercial development activity relative to our size than most other public real estate companies. Development activities contain certain inherent risks. Although we seek to minimize risks from commercial development through various management controls and procedures, development risks cannot be eliminated. Some of the key factors affecting development of commercial property are as follows:

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We may face risks associated with opportunistic property acquisitions.

In the current market environment, development opportunities may continue to be limited. Therefore, we may invest more heavily in property acquisitions, including the acquisition and redevelopment of operationally or financially distressed properties. The risks associated with property acquisitions are generally the same as those described above for real estate development. However, certain additional risks may be present for property acquisitions and redevelopment projects, including:

Any of these risks could have an adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. In addition, we may acquire properties subject to liabilities, including environmental, and without any recourse, or with only limited recourse, against the prior owners or other third parties with respect to unknown liabilities. As a result, if a liability were asserted against us based upon ownership of those properties, we might have to pay substantial sums to settle or contest it, which could adversely affect our business, results of operations and cash flow.

Risks Associated with our Land Developments and Investments

If we are unable to achieve the estimated sales prices and/or anticipated timing of sales of our residential lots and undeveloped residential land, or if there are further changes in our expectations and strategy for these property types, it could result in additional impairment charges and adversely affect our results of operations.

We have historically developed residential subdivisions, primarily in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia. We have also participated in joint ventures that develop or plan to develop subdivisions in metropolitan Atlanta, as well as Texas and Florida. Residential lot sales are highly cyclical and can be affected by the availability of mortgage financing, interest rates and local issues, including the availability of jobs, transportation and the quality of public schools. Once a development is undertaken, no assurances can be given that we will be able to sell the various developed lots in a timely manner. Additionally, market conditions may change between the time we decide to develop a property and the time that all or some of the lots may be ready for sale. Failure to sell such lots in a timely manner could result in significantly increased carrying costs, erosion or elimination of profit with respect to any development and/or impairment losses. Similarly, we have historically held undeveloped residential land for long periods of time prior to development or sale. Any changes in market conditions between the time we acquire land and the time we develop and/or sell land could cause the Company’s estimates of proceeds and related profits from such sales to be lower or result in an impairment charge.

We do not currently anticipate the commencement of development of any new residential projects. Our current strategy is to reduce our holdings of developed and undeveloped residential land. As a part of this strategy, we have decided to liquidate certain projects in bulk as opposed to selling developed lots over an extended period of time. Decisions such as this have increased the risk that we will not recover our investment in these projects, which required us to record impairment losses. Actual sales prices could be less than our current estimates of fair value, and the expected timing of these bulk sales could lengthen, leading to additional impairment losses.

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Any failure to timely sell or lease other non-income producing land could result in additional impairment charges and adversely affect our results of operations.

We maintain significant holdings of commercial (non-residential) non-income producing land in the form of land tracts and outparcels. Our strategies with respect to these parcels of land have included (1) developing the land at a future date as an office, retail, mixed-use or multi-use income producing property; (2) ground leasing the land to third parties; and (3) selling the parcels to third parties. Before we develop, lease or sell these land parcels, we incur carrying costs, including interest and property tax expense. If we are unable to sell this land or convert it into income producing property in a timely manner, our results of operations and liquidity could be adversely affected.

Our current strategy includes a goal of aggressively reducing our holdings of commercial non-income producing land. As a part of this strategy, we expect to liquidate one or more parcels of land to generate capital in the short term as opposed to holding the land for future development or capital appreciation. Decisions such as this have increased the risk that we will sell the land for less than our basis requiring us to record impairment losses. Actual future sales prices could differ from our current estimates, which could lead to further impairments.

Risks Associated with our Third Party Management Business

Our third party management business may experience volatility based on a number of factors, including termination of contracts, which could adversely affect our results of operations.

We engage in third party development, leasing, property management, asset management and property services to unrelated property owners. In addition, 39% of our third party revenues are from one customer. Contracts for such services are generally short-term in nature and permit termination without extensive notice. Fees from such activities can be volatile due to unexpected terminations of such contracts. Termination of contracts with our most significant customer or other unexpected terminations could materially adversely affect our results of operations. Further, the timing of the generation of new contracts for services is difficult to predict.

General Business Risks

We may not adequately or accurately assess new opportunities, which could adversely impact our results of operations.

Our estimates and expectations with respect to new properties or lines of business and opportunities may differ substantially from actual results, and any losses from these endeavors could materially adversely affect our results of operations. We conduct business in an entrepreneurial manner. We seek opportunities in various sectors of real estate and in various geographical areas. Not all opportunities prove to be profitable. We expect from time to time that some of our business lines may have to be terminated because they do not meet our profit expectations. Termination of these business lines may result in the write off of certain related assets and/or the termination of personnel, which would adversely impact results of operations.

We are dependent upon the services of certain key personnel, the loss of any of whom could adversely impair our ability to execute our business.

One of our objectives is to develop and maintain a strong management group at all levels. At any given time, we could lose the services of key executives and other employees. None of our key executives or other employees is subject to employment contracts. Further, we do not carry key person insurance on any of our executive officers or other key employees. The loss of services of any of our key employees could have an adverse effect upon our results of operations, financial condition and our ability to execute our business strategy.

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Our restated and amended articles of incorporation contain limitations on ownership of our stock, which may prevent a change in control that might otherwise be in the best interests of our stockholders.

Our restated and amended articles of incorporation impose limitations on the ownership of our stock. In general, except for certain individuals who owned stock at the time of adoption of these limitations, and except for persons that are granted waivers by our Board of Directors, no individual or entity may own more than 3.9% of the value of our outstanding stock. The ownership limitation may have the effect of delaying, inhibiting or preventing a transaction or a change in control that might involve a premium price for our stock or otherwise be in the best interest of our stockholders.

We experience fluctuations and variability in our operating results on a quarterly basis and in the market price of our common stock and, as a result, our historical performance may not be a meaningful indicator of future results.

Our operating results have fluctuated greatly in the past, due to, among other things, volatility in land tract and outparcel sales, property sales, residential lot sales and impairment losses. We are currently engaged in a strategy to simplify our business and focus our resources on Class A office properties which we expect to make our operating results less volatile over time. However, in the near term, we continue to anticipate future fluctuations in our quarterly results, which does not allow for predictability in the market by analysts and investors. Therefore, our historical performance may not be a meaningful indicator of our future results.

The market prices of shares of our common stock have been, and may continue to be, subject to fluctuation due to many events and factors such as those described in this report including:

Many of the factors listed above are beyond our control. Those factors may cause market prices of shares of our common stock to decline, regardless of our financial performance, condition and prospects. The market price of shares of our common stock may fall significantly in the future, and it may be difficult for our stockholders to resell our common stock at prices they find attractive, or at all.

If our future operating performance does not meet projections of our analysts or investors, our stock price could decline.

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Several independent securities analysts publish quarterly and annual projections of our financial performance. These projections are developed independently by third-party securities analysts based on their own analyses, and we undertake no obligation to monitor, and take no responsibility for, such projections. Such estimates are inherently subject to uncertainty and should not be relied upon as being indicative of the performance that we anticipate for any applicable period. Our actual revenues and net income may differ materially from what is projected by securities analysts. If our actual results do not meet analysts’ guidance, our stock price could decline significantly.

Federal Income Tax Risks

Any failure to continue to qualify as a REIT for federal income tax purposes could have a material adverse impact on us and our stockholders.

We intend to operate in a manner to qualify as a REIT for federal income tax purposes. Qualification as a REIT involves the application of highly technical and complex provisions of the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”), for which there are only limited judicial or administrative interpretations. Certain facts and circumstances not entirely within our control may affect our ability to qualify as a REIT. In addition, we can provide no assurance that legislation, new regulations, administrative interpretations or court decisions will not adversely affect our qualification as a REIT or the federal income tax consequences of our REIT status.

If we were to fail to qualify as a REIT, we would not be allowed a deduction for distributions to stockholders in computing our taxable income. In this case, we would be subject to federal income tax (including any applicable alternative minimum tax) on our taxable income at regular corporate rates. Unless entitled to relief under certain Code provisions, we also would be disqualified from operating as a REIT for the four taxable years following the year during which qualification was lost. As a result, we would be subject to federal and state income taxes which could adversely affect our results of operations and distributions to stockholders. Although we currently intend to operate in a manner designed to qualify as a REIT, it is possible that future economic, market, legal, tax or other considerations may cause us to revoke the REIT election.

In order to qualify as a REIT, under current law, we generally are required each taxable year to distribute to our stockholders at least 90% of our net taxable income (excluding any net capital gain). To the extent that we do not distribute all of our net capital gain or distribute at least 90%, but less than 100%, of our other taxable income, we are subject to tax on the undistributed amounts at regular corporate rates. In addition, we are subject to a 4% nondeductible excise tax to the extent that distributions paid by us during the calendar year are less than the sum of the following:

We generally intend to make distributions to our stockholders to comply with the 90% distribution requirement, to avoid corporate-level tax on undistributed taxable income and to avoid the nondeductible excise tax. Distributions could be made in cash, stock or in a combination of cash and stock. Differences in timing between taxable income and cash available for distribution could require us to borrow funds to meet the 90% distribution requirement, to avoid corporate-level tax on undistributed taxable income and to avoid the nondeductible excise tax. Satisfying the distribution requirements may also make it more difficult to fund new investment or development projects.

Certain property transfers may be characterized as prohibited transactions, resulting in a tax on any gain attributable to the transaction.

From time to time, we may transfer or otherwise dispose of some of our properties. Under the Code, any gains resulting from transfers or dispositions, from other than our taxable REIT subsidiary, that are deemed to be prohibited transactions would be subject to a 100% tax on any gain associated with the transaction. Prohibited transactions generally include sales of assets that constitute inventory or other property held for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business. Since we acquire properties primarily for investment purposes, we do not believe that our occasional transfers or disposals of property are deemed to be prohibited

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transactions. However, whether or not a transfer or sale of property qualifies as a prohibited transaction depends on all the facts and circumstances surrounding the particular transaction. The Internal Revenue Service may contend that certain transfers or disposals of properties by us are prohibited transactions. While we believe that the Internal Revenue Service would not prevail in any such dispute, if the Internal Revenue Service were to argue successfully that a transfer or disposition of property constituted a prohibited transaction, we would be required to pay a tax equal to 100% of any gain allocable to us from the prohibited transaction. In addition, income from a prohibited transaction might adversely affect our ability to satisfy the income tests for qualification as a REIT for federal income tax purposes.

Disclosure Controls and Internal Control over Financial Reporting Risks

Our business could be adversely impacted if we have deficiencies in our disclosure controls and procedures or internal control over financial reporting.

The design and effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting may not prevent all errors, misstatements or misrepresentations. While management will continue to review the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting, there can be no guarantee that our internal control over financial reporting will be effective in accomplishing all control objectives at all times. Deficiencies, including any material weakness, in our internal control over financial reporting which may occur in the future could result in misstatements of our results of operations, restatements of our financial statements, a decline in our stock price, or otherwise materially adversely affect our business, reputation, results of operations, financial condition or liquidity.

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments

Not applicable.

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Item 2. Properties

The following table sets forth certain information related to operating properties in which the Company has an ownership interest. Information presented in Note 4 to the Consolidated Financial Statements provides additional information related to the Company’s joint ventures. Except as noted, all information presented is as of December 31, 2011 ($ in thousands):

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Lease Expirations

OFFICE

As of December 31, 2011, the Company’s office portfolio included 21 commercial office buildings. The weighted average remaining lease term of these office buildings was approximately seven years as of December 31, 2011. Most of the major tenant leases in these buildings provide for pass through of operating expenses and contractual rents which escalate over time. The leases expire as follows:

RETAIL

As of December 31, 2011, the Co mpany's retail portfolio included 17 retail properties. The weighted average remaining lease term of these retail properties was appro ximately eight years as of December 31, 2011. Most of the major tenant leases in these retail properties provide for pass through of operating expenses and contractual rents which escalate over time. The leases expire as follows:

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Development Pipeline

As of December 31, 2011, the Company had the following projects under development ($ in thousands; see Note 4 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for Emory Point joint venture information):

Inventory of Lots and Tracts in Residential Projects

As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned, directly or indirectly, the following residential projects (see Note 4 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for joint venture information):