American Realty Trust Reports Second Quarter, Six Month Losses


DALLAS, August 14, 2000 (PRIMEZONE) -- American Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:ARB) announced Monday that decreased total income and higher total expenses produced second quarter and six month net losses of $1.4 million and $7.7 million, or $.13 and $.71 per share, on revenues of $44.4 million and $89.9 million respectively, as compared to $381,000 net income and a $9.3 million net loss, or $.04 per share net income and $.87 per share net loss on revenues of $56.1 million and $100.9 million respectively, in the same periods in 1999. The six month 2000 loss was a $1.7 million improvement in net income over 1999.

Details of income are as follows:


 --  Rental incomes decreased to $35.4 million and $70.5 million in
     the second quarter and six months of 2000, from $41.6 million and
     $81.9 million in the same periods in 1999. The decline is mostly
     due to the 14 apartments sold in 1999, partially offset by higher
     commercial property and hotel rents.

 --  Interest and other income decreased to $578,000 and $3.1 million
     from $6.6 million and $4.1 million for same periods in 1999 due
     to the collection of mortgage notes receivables and their related
     maturity in 2000, as well as unrealized decreases in market value
     of ART's trading portfolio.

 --  Pizza parlor sales increased to $8.4 million and $16.3 million
     from $7.8 million and $15 million as a result of aggressive
     marketing and due to cheese prices returning to historic levels.
     Cost of sales increased to $6.9 million and $13.3 million from
     $6.6 million and $12.8 million in 1999. Total expenses for the
     second quarter increased to $71.5 million and decreased in the
     six months 2000 to $134.9 million from $69.7 million and $137
     million for the 1999 comparable period.

 --  Property operations expenses decreased to $22.7 million and $46.7
     million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2000, from
     $25.5 million and $53.4 million in the same periods in 1999 due
     to the sale of land and income-producing properties in 1999 and
     2000. The decrease was partially offset by increases in
     commercial property and hotel expenses.

 --  Interest expenses decreased to $20.4 million and $40.6 million
     from $24.4 million and $45.4 million in 1999, due to
     income-producing property and land sales.

 --  Depreciation, general and administrative expenses and advisory
     fees for the six months approximate those of the 1999 periods.

Total gains on the sale of real estate rose to $33.1 million and $51.7 million on the sale of five apartments, one office building, a shopping center and 11 land tracts, up from $21.2 million and $38.7 million in second quarter 1999. Land sales accounted for gains of $1.1 million and $3.5 million in the three and six months ended June 30, 2000, from $6.4 million and $11.4 million in 1999, on decreased sales of $5.8 million and $19 million as compared to $33.3 million and $41.7 million in 1999. Costs associated with the sales fell to $4.7 million and $15.4 million from $26.9 million and $30.3 million in 1999.

Equity in income of investees in the second quarter and six months 2000 decreased to $94,000 and $296,000 from $4.1 million and $3.4 million in 1999. The decrease was attributable to losses associated with the sale of Transcontinental Realty Investors, Inc. (NYSE:TCI) and Income Opportunity Realty Investors, Inc. (AMEX:IOT) stock during the second quarter.

Minority interests increased to $17.9 million and $27.3 million for the three and six months 2000 from $6.9 million and $15.4 million in 1999. The increase is attributable to the increased earnings of National Realty, L.P. (AMEX:NLP).

American Realty Trust, Inc., a Dallas-based real estate investment company, holds a diverse portfolio of equity real estate located across the U.S., including office buildings, apartments, hotels, shopping centers, and developed and undeveloped land. ART has combined with National Realty, L.P. under ownership of a new company named American Realty Investors, Inc. (NYSE:ARL). The transaction closed on August 2, 2000. NLP unitholders and ART shareholders have received, in a tax-free exchange, shares of ARI's common stock. Each NLP unit exchanged for one ARI common share. Each American Realty Trust common share exchanged for 0.91 ARI common share. For more information on ARI, go to American Realty Web site at www.amrealtytrust.com.


                            FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
        (dollars in thousands, except share and per share data)

                        Three months ended        Six months ended
                              June 30,                June 30,
                          2000        1999        2000        1999

 Income from rents     $ 35,424    $ 41,623    $ 70,503    $ 81,865
 Expense from
  operations             22,710      25,523      46,675      53,401
   Operating income      12,714      16,100      23,828      28,464
 
 Land sales            $  5,760    $ 33,260    $ 18,953    $ 41,724
 Cost of sales            4,698      26,904      15,442      30,345
  Gain on land sales      1,062       6,356       3,511      11,379
 
 Pizza sales           $  8,392    $  7,829    $ 16,264    $ 14,953
 Cost of sales            6,852       6,624      13,340      12,798
  Gross margin            1,540       1,205       2,924       2,155
 
 Income from
  operations           $ 15,316    $ 23,661    $ 30,263    $ 41,998
 
 Other income               578       6,637       3,121       4,054
 Other expense           48,836      44,194      88,203      83,568
 Gain on sale of
  real estate            32,078      14,845      48,232      27,338
 
 Net income (loss)     $   (864)   $    949    $ (6,587)   $ (8,178)
 Preferred dividend
  requirement              (563)       (568)     (1,071)     (1,134)
 
 Net income (loss)
  applicable to
  Common shares        $ (1,427)   $    381    $ (7,658)   $ (9,312)
 
 Earnings Per Share
  Net income (loss)    $   (.13)   $    .04    $   (.71)   $   (.87) 
 
 Weighted average
  common shares
  used to compute
  earnings per
  share              10,716,533  10,759,166  10,738,003  10,750,790 


            

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