Eastgroup Properties (EGP) Risk Factors

Real estate investments are relatively illiquid.  Our ability to vary our portfolio in response to changes in economic and other conditions will therefore be limited.  In addition, because of our status as a REIT, the Internal Revenue Code limits our ability to sell our properties.  If we must sell an investment, we cannot ensure that we will be able to dispose of the investment on terms favorable to the Company.

If we fail to qualify as a REIT, we will not be allowed to deduct dividends to stockholders in computing our taxable income and will be subject to federal income tax at regular corporate rates. In addition, we may be barred from qualification as a REIT for the four years following disqualification. The additional tax incurred at regular corporate rates would significantly reduce the cash flow available for distribution to stockholders and for debt service. Furthermore, we would no longer be required by the Internal Revenue Code to make any dividends to our stockholders as a condition of REIT qualification. If we were to fail to qualify as a REIT, subject to certain limitations in the Internal Revenue Code, corporate stockholders may be eligible for the dividends received deduction, and individual, trust and estate stockholders may be eligible to treat the dividends received from us as qualified dividend income taxable as net capital gains under the provisions of Section 1(h)(11) of the Internal Revenue Code. However, non-corporate stockholders (including individuals) will not be able to deduct 20% of certain dividends they receive from us in accordance with Section 199A of the Internal Revenue Code. The REIT qualification requirements are extremely complex, and interpretation of the U.S. federal income tax laws governing REIT qualification is limited. Although we believe we have operated and intend to operate in a manner that will continue to qualify us as a REIT, we cannot be certain that we have been or will be successful in continuing to be taxed as a REIT. In addition, facts and circumstances that may be beyond our control may affect our ability to qualify as a REIT. We cannot assure you that new legislation, regulations, administrative interpretations or court decisions will not change the tax laws significantly with respect to our qualification as a REIT or with respect to the federal income tax consequences of qualification.

To the extent that climate change causes an increase in catastrophic weather events, such as severe storms, fires or floods, our properties may be susceptible to an increase in weather-related damage.  Even in the absence of direct physical damage to our properties, the occurrence of any natural disasters or a changing climate in the area of any of our properties could have a material adverse effect on business, supply chains and the economy generally. Climate change could cause an increase in property and casualty insurance premiums. The potential impacts of future climate change on our properties could adversely affect our ability to lease, develop or sell our properties or to borrow using our properties as collateral.  In addition, any proposed legislation enacted to address climate change could increase the costs of energy, utilities and overall development. The resulting costs of any proposed legislation may adversely affect our financial position, results of operations and cash flows. Financing Risks

Inflation and its related impacts, including increased prices for services and goods and higher interest rates and wages, and any fiscal or other policy interventions by the U.S. government in reaction to such events, could negatively impact our tenants' businesses or our results of operations. Most of our leases require the tenants to pay their pro rata share of operating expenses, including real estate taxes, insurance and common area maintenance, although a limited number of tenants have capped the amount of these operating expenses they are responsible for under their lease. As a result, we believe that most of our leases mitigate our exposure to increases in costs and operating expenses resulting from inflation. However, there can be no assurance that our tenants would be able to absorb these expense increases and be able to continue to pay us their portion of operating expenses, capital expenditures and rent. In addition, while most of our leases provide for scheduled rent increases, high levels of inflation could outpace these increases. As a result, our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows, liquidity and ability to satisfy our minimum debt service obligations and to pay dividends and distributions to shareholders could be adversely affected over time. There is no guarantee that we will be able to mitigate the effects of inflation and related impacts, and the duration and extent of any prolonged periods of inflation, and any related adverse effects on our results of operations and financial condition, remain unknown at this time. Additionally, inflationary pricing may have a negative effect on the construction costs necessary to complete our development projects, including, but not limited to, costs of construction materials, labor and services from third-party contractors and suppliers. Higher construction costs could adversely impact our investments in real estate assets and our expected yields on development and value-add projects. Although the Company has an obligation to complete development projects currently under construction, the Company does not have any obligation to start new development projects in the future. EastGroup evaluates new development projects on a case-by-case basis including many factors such as construction costs, potential yields, and tenant demand, and no assurance can be given that inflationary pricing will not have a material adverse impact on our development pipeline and future results. Inflation may also cause increased volatility in financial markets, which could affect our ability to access the capital markets or impact the cost or timing at which we are able to do so. To the extent our exposure to increases in interest rates on any of our debt is not eliminated through interest rate swaps and interest rate protection agreements, such increases will result in higher debt service costs, which will adversely affect our cash flows. Our exposure to increases in interest rates in the short term includes our variable-rate borrowings. With the exception of the unsecured bank credit facilities, all of the Company's debt has an effectively fixed interest rate. See "Financing Risks – Increases in interest rates would increase our interest expense." Increases in interest rates could also increase our debt financing costs over time, either through near-term borrowings on our existing unsecured bank credit facilities or refinancing of our existing borrowings that may incur incrementally higher interest rates. One of the factors that may influence the trading price of our publicly-traded common stock is the interest rate on our debt and the dividend yield on our common stock relative to market interest rates. As market interest rates rise, unless we eliminate our exposure to such increases, our borrowing costs may rise and result in less funds being available for distribution. Therefore, we may not be able to, or we may choose not to, provide a higher distribution rate on our common stock. In addition, fluctuations in interest rates could adversely affect the market value of our properties. These factors could result in a decline in the market prices of our common stock. There is no guarantee we will be able to mitigate the impact of inflation.