VENTAS REPORTS SECOND QUARTER 2000 RESULTS

Louisville, Ky. (August 14, 2000) -- Ventas, Inc. (NYSE:VTR) (the "Company") announced today the results of its operations for the second quarter of 2000.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Funds from operations ("FFO") for the three months ended June 30, 2000 totaled $18.0 million, or $.26 per diluted share. FFO for the comparable period in 1999 totaled $31.1 million, or $.46 per diluted share. Net income for the three months ended June 30, 2000 was $7.5 million, or $.11 per diluted share. Net income for the three months ended June 30, 1999 was $20.2 million, or $.30 per diluted share.

Unrestricted cash as of June 30, 2000 was $115.6 million, an increase of $20.8 million over unrestricted cash of $94.8 million as of March 31, 2000.

Rental income for the three months ended June 30, 2000 was $58.2 million, of which $57.4 million resulted from leases with Vencor, Inc. (OTC/BB:VCRIQ), its principal tenant ("Vencor"). Vencor filed for bankruptcy court protection in mid-September 1999. Interest and other income totaled approximately $1.7 million, and was primarily the result of earnings from investment of cash reserves during the quarter.

Expenses for the quarter totaled $52.5 million, and included $10.5 million of depreciation on real estate assets and $23.8 million of interest expense. Expenses also included a charge to earnings of $12.1 million representing unpaid rents from Vencor during the second quarter of 2000.

General and administrative expenses for the three months ended June 30, 2000 totaled $2.5 million. Professional fees totaled $3.3 million and included approximately $2.7 million in unusual professional fees (legal and financial advisory fees) incurred as a result of ongoing discussions with Vencor and the evaluation of the Company's business strategy alternatives. Substantial legal and financial advisory expenses will continue to be incurred by the Company until a resolution of these matters is reached, although there can be no assurance that such a resolution will be reached.

FFO for the six months ended June 30, 2000 totaled $35.6 million, or $.52 per diluted share. FFO for the comparable period in 1999 totaled $62.4 million, or $.92 per diluted share. Net income for the six months ended June 30, 2000 was $10.2 million, or $.15 per diluted share after the extraordinary loss (described below) of $4.2 million, or $0.06 per diluted share. Net income for the six months ended June 30, 1999 was $40.5 million, or $.60 per diluted share.

During the six months ended June 30, 2000, the Company incurred an extraordinary loss of $4.2 million relating to the write-off of unamortized deferred financing fees associated with the Company's 1998 bank credit agreement. The 1998 bank credit agreement was replaced in full with a new $1 billion long-term amended credit agreement between the Company and all its lenders, which was consummated on January 31, 2000.

Rental income for the six months ended June 30, 2000 was $115.7 million, of which $114.1 million resulted from leases with Vencor. Interest and other income totaled approximately $3.4 million, and was primarily the result of earnings from investment of cash reserves during the six months ended June 30, 2000.

Expenses for the six months ended June 30, 2000 totaled $104.6 million, and included $21.2 million of depreciation on real estate assets and $47.6 million of interest expense. Expenses also included a charge to earnings of $23.4 million representing unpaid rents from Vencor during the six months ended June 30, 2000.

General and administrative expenses for the six months ended June 30, 2000 totaled $4.8 million. Professional fees totaled $6.6 million and included approximately $5.4 million in unusual professional fees (legal and financial advisory fees) incurred as a result of ongoing discussions with Vencor and the evaluation of the Company's business strategy alternatives.

Ventas intends to qualify as a REIT for federal income tax purposes for the tax years beginning with the year ended December 31, 1999. Although the Company currently expects to qualify as REIT, it is possible that economic, market, legal, tax or other considerations may cause the Company to fail or elect not to qualify as a REIT.

FFO for the three months ended and the six months ended June 30, 2000 and June 30, 1999 is summarized in the following table (in thousands):



                           Three Months Ended   Six Months Ended
                          June 30,  June 30,  June 30,  June 30,
                            2000      1999      2000      1999

Net income             $   7,512   $ 20,166   $ 10,245  $ 40,504
Extraordinary loss
  on extinguishment
  of debt                      -          -      4,207         -
                        --------    -------   --------   -------
Income before
  extraordinary loss       7,512     20,166     14,452    40,504
Add:  depreciation
  on real estate
  investments             10,526     10,944     21,160    21,888
                        --------    -------   --------   -------
Funds from operations   $ 18,038   $ 31,110   $ 35,612  $ 62,392
                        ========    =======   ========   =======

The Company considers FFO an appropriate measure of performance of an equity REIT, and the Company uses the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts' ("NAREIT") definition of FFO. NAREIT defines FFO as net income (computed in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States ("GAAP")), excluding gains (or losses) from debt restructuring and sales of property, plus depreciation on real estate assets and after adjustments for unconsolidated partnerships and joint ventures. FFO presented herein is not necessarily comparable to FFO presented by other real estate companies due to the fact that not all real estate companies use the same definition. FFO should not be considered as an alternative to net income (determined in accordance with GAAP) as an indicator of the Company's financial performance or as an alternative to cash flow from operating activities (determined in accordance with GAAP) as a measure of the Company's liquidity, nor is FFO necessarily indicative of sufficient cash flow to fund all of the Company's needs. The Company believes that in order to facilitate a clear understanding of the consolidated historical operating results of the Company, FFO should be examined in conjunction with net income as presented in the condensed consolidated financial statements and data included elsewhere in this Press Release.

Ventas, Inc. is a real estate company whose properties include 45 hospitals, 218 nursing centers, and eight personal care facilities in 36 states.

This Press Release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (the "Securities Act") and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, (the "Exchange Act"). All statements regarding the Company's and its subsidiaries' expected future financial position, results of operations, cash flows, funds from operations, dividends and dividend plans, financing plans, business strategy, budgets, projected costs, capital expenditures, competitive positions, growth opportunities, expected lease income, ability to qualify as a real estate investment trust, plans and objectives of management for future operations and statements that include words such as "anticipate," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "could," and other similar expressions are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and stockholders must recognize that actual results may differ from the Company's expectations.

Actual future results and trends for the Company may differ materially depending on a variety of factors discussed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Factors that may affect the plans or results of the Company include, without limitation, (a) the treatment of the Company's claims in the chapter 11 cases of its primary tenant, Vencor and certain of its affiliates (collectively referred to in this paragraph as "Vencor"), as well as certain of its other tenants, (b) the ability and willingness of Vencor to continue to meet and/or honor its obligations under the agreements the Company and Vencor entered into in connection with the 1998 spin off by the Company of Vencor (the "1998 Spin Off"), including, without limitation, the obligation to indemnify and defend the Company for all litigation and other claims relating to the health care operations and other assets and liabilities transferred to Vencor in the 1998 Spin Off, (c) the ability of Vencor and the Company's other operators to maintain the financial strength and liquidity necessary to satisfy their respective obligations and duties under the leases and other agreements with the Company, and their existing credit agreements, (d) the Company's success in implementing its business strategy, (e) the nature and extent of future competition, (f) the extent of future health care reform and regulation, including cost containment measures and changes in reimbursement policies and procedures, (g) increases in the cost of borrowing for the Company, (h) the ability of the Company's operators to deliver high quality care and to attract patients, (i) the results of litigation affecting the Company, (j) the results of the settlement discussions Vencor and the Company have been engaged in with the federal government seeking to resolve federal civil and administrative claims against them arising from the participation of Vencor facilities in various federal health benefit programs, (k) changes in general economic conditions and/or economic conditions in the markets in which the Company may, from time to time, compete, (l) the ability of the Company to pay down, refinance, restructure, and/or extend its indebtedness as it becomes due, and (m) the ability of the Company to qualify as a real estate investment trust. Many of such factors are beyond the control of the Company and its management.

VENTAS, INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

 
                                         June 30,  December 31,
                                           2000        1999
                                      (Unaudited)   (Audited)
                                           (In Thousands)
Assets  
Real estate investments:  
   Land                               $   120,891  $   120,891
   Building and improvements            1,061,656    1,061,656
                                       ----------   ----------
                                        1,182,547    1,182,547
   Accumulated depreciation              (308,915)    (287,756)
                                       ----------   ----------
   Total real estate investments          873,632      894,791
Cash and cash equivalents                 115,648      139,594
Restricted cash - disputed federal,
   state and local tax refunds
   and accumulated interest                27,763            -
Deferred financing costs, net              12,097        5,702
Notes receivable from employees             3,470        3,611
Recoverable federal income taxes                -       26,610
Other                                       1,656          891
                                        ---------    ---------
             Total assets            $  1,034,266  $ 1,071,199
                                        =========    =========
Liabilities and stockholders' equity   
Liabilities:  
   Notes payable and other debt      $    923,368  $   974,247
   Deferred gain on partial
     termination of interest
     rate swap agreement                   21,605       21,605
   Accounts payable and other
     accrued liabilities                   11,173        9,886
   Other liabilities - disputed federal,
     state and local tax refunds
     and accumulated interest              27,763       26,610
   Deferred income taxes                   30,506       30,506
                                        ---------    ---------
           Total liabilities            1,014,415    1,062,854
                                        ---------    ---------
Commitments and contingencies  
  
Stockholders' equity:  
   Preferred stock, unissued                    -            -
   Common stock                            18,402       18,402
   Capital in excess of par value         132,245      139,723
   Unearned compensation on
     restricted stock                      (2,024)      (2,080)
   Retained earnings                       16,655        6,409
                                        ---------    ---------
                                          165,278      162,454
   Treasury stock                        (145,427)    (154,109)
                                        ---------    ---------
         Total stockholders' equity        19,851        8,345
                                        ---------    ---------
         Total liabilities and
              stockholders' equity    $ 1,034,266  $ 1,071,199
                                        =========    =========

Note - The Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet at
  December 31, 1999 has been derived from the Company's
  audited consolidated financial statements for the year
  ended December 31, 1999.
 

VENTAS, INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME 
(Unaudited)
(In Thousands, Except Per Share Amounts)
 

                      Three Months Ended    Six Months Ended
                      June 30,  June 30,   June 30,  June 30,
                        2000      1999       2000      1999
Revenues:     
 Rental income      $  58,238  $  57,175  $ 115,721 $ 113,611
 Interest and
  other income          1,736        734      3,353       931
                      -------   --------    -------   -------
                       59,974     57,909    119,074   114,542
     
Expenses:     
 General and
  administrative        2,497      1,613      4,785     3,182
 Professional Fees      3,271      2,949      6,593     3,931
 Non-recurring employee
  severance costs           -          -        355     1,272
 Loss on uncollectible
  amounts due from
  tenant               12,061          -     23,368         -
 Amortization of
  restricted
  stock grants            330        215        735       867
 Depreciation on real
  estate investments   10,526     10,944     21,160    21,888
 Interest              23,777     22,022     47,626    42,898
                     --------   --------   --------  --------
                       52,462     37,743    104,622    74,038
                     --------   --------   --------  --------
Income before
 extraordinary loss     7,512     20,166     14,452    40,504
Extraordinary loss on
 extinguishment of debt     -          -     (4,207)        -
                     --------   --------   --------  --------
Net income           $  7,512   $ 20,166   $ 10,245  $ 40,504
                     ========   ========   ========  ========
     
     
Earnings per common share:     
Basic:     
 Income before
  extraordinary loss  $  0.11    $  0.30   $   0.21   $  0.60
 Extraordinary loss on
  extinguishment of debt    -          -      (0.06)        -
                     --------   --------   --------  --------
 Net income           $  0.11    $  0.30   $   0.15   $  0.60
                     ========   ========   ========  ========
Diluted:     
 Income before
  extraordinary loss  $  0.11    $  0.30   $   0.21   $  0.60
 Extraordinary loss on
  extinguishment of debt    -          -      (0.06)        -
                     --------   --------   --------  --------
 Net income           $  0.11    $  0.30   $   0.15   $  0.60
                     ========   ========   ========  ========
     
Shares used in computing earnings per common share:     
   Basic               68,027     67,811     67,963    67,762
   Diluted             68,101     68,008     68,007    68,019

- END -