UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT

TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): February 15, 2005 (February 14, 2005)

National Health Investors, Inc.

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

Maryland

(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)

001-10822

62-1470956

(Commission File No.)

(IRS Employer

Identification Number)

100 Vine Street, Suite 1202

Murfreesboro, TN 37130

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

(615) 890-9100

(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)



Item 2.02 Results of Operations and Financial Condition.



On February 14, 2004, National Health Investors, Inc. issued a press release announcing its 2004 year end results. A copy of the press release is filed an Exhibit 99 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated by reference herein.



SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

National Health Investors, Inc.
By: /s/ W. Andrew Adams
Name: W. Andrew Adams
Title: Chief Executive Officer
By:/s/ Donald K. Daniel
Name: Donald K. Daniel
Title: Principal Accounting Officer
Date: February 15, 2005














Exhibit Index

Number Exhibit
99 Press release, dated February 14, 2005




EXHIBIT 99



For Release: February 14, 2005

Contact: Gerald Coggin, SVP of Investor Relations

Phone: (615) 890-9100

NHI reports 2004 year end results

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -National Health Investors, Inc., (NYSE:NHI) announced income from continuing operations for the year ended December 31, 2004 of $55,082,000 or $2.00 per basic and $1.99 per diluted share of common stock compared to $43,290,000, or $1.56 per basic and $1.55 per diluted share of common stock for 2003.

Net income for the year ended December 31, 2004 was $56,379,000 or $2.05 per common share, basic and $2.03 per common share, diluted, compared to net income of $43,808,000 or $1.58 per common share, basic and $1.57 per common share, diluted for 2003.

Funds from operations ("FFO") for the year ended December 31, 2004 was $66,502,000, or $2.44 per basic and $66,622,000, or $2.42 per diluted share of common stock compared to $53,110,000, or $1.99 per basic and $53,259,000, or $1.97 per diluted share in 2003.

Income from continuing operations for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2004 was $18,597,000, or 68 cents per basic and 67 cents per diluted share of common stock compared to $9,846,000, or 35 cents per basic and diluted share of common stock for the same period in 2003.

Net income for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2004 was $18,951,000 or 69 cents per common share, basic and 68 cents per common share, diluted, compared to net income of $9,817,000 or 35 cents per basic and diluted share of common stock for the same period in 2003.

For the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2004, FFO was $21,878,000 or 80 cents per basic and $21,907,000 or 79 cents per diluted share of common stock compared to $12,495,000 or 47 cents per basic and $12,529,000 or 46 cents per diluted share for the same period in 2003.

Net income for the year was positively impacted by recoveries of prior year writedowns, net gains on the sales of real estate, income from the early payoff of loans and improved profitability of operated facilities. Our balance sheet continues to be one of the strongest in the industry with cash and marketable securities exceeding total debt by $34.7 million.

National Health Investors, Inc. is a long-term health care real estate investment trust that specializes in the financing of health care real estate by first mortgage and by purchase and leaseback transactions. The common stock of the company trades on the New York Stock Exchange with the symbol NHI. Additional information including NHI's most recent press releases may be obtained on NHI's web site at www.nhinvestors.com

Statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. NHI cautions investors that any forward-looking statements made involve risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance. All forward-looking statements represent NHI's judgment as of the date of this release.

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Page 2 NHI's year end results



Condensed Statements of Income
(in thousands, except share and per share amounts)
Three Months Ended Dec. 31 Year Ended December 31
2004 2003 2004 2003
Revenues:
Mortgage interest income $ 4,166 $ 6,151 $ 18,116 $ 21,046
Rental income 11,519 11,840 48,004 55,863
Facility operating revenues 26,429 20,335 89,439 79,272
$ 42,114 $ 38,326 $ 155,559 $ 156,181
Expenses:
Interest expense $ 3,131 $ 3,239 $ 12,439 $ 13,840
Depreciation 3,912 3,777 14,385 15,007
Amortization of loan costs 37 37 148 297
Legal expense 177 286 1,292 729
Franchise and excise taxes 69 20 284 548
General and administrative 619 1,021 3,492 3,135
Loan, remic, realty, and security
losses (recoveries) (2,000) 2,234 (2,896) 9,134
Facility operating expenses 22,745 19,210 83,027 76,132
$ 28,690 $ 29,824 $ 112,171 $ 118,822
Income Before Non-Operating Income $ 13,424 $ 8,502 $ 43,388 $ 37,359
Non-operating income (investment
Interest and other) 5,173 1,344 11,694 5,931
Income From Continuing Operations $ 18,597 $ 9,846 $ 55,082 $ 43,290
Discontinued operations
Operating (loss) income-discontinued 63 (29) (246) (1,017)
Net gain on sales of real estate 291 --- 1,543 1,535
$ 354 $ (29) $ 1,297 $ 518
Net income $ 18,951 $ 9,817 $ 56,379 $ 43,808
Dividends to preferred stockholders --- 397 514 1,589
Net income applicable to common stock $ 18,951 $ 9,420 $ 55,865 $ 42,219
Income from continuing operations per common share:
Basic $ .68 $ .35 $ 2.00 $ 1.56
Diluted $ .67 $ .35 $ 1.99 $ 1.55
Discontinued operations per common share:
Basic $ .01 $ --- $ .05 $ .02
Diluted $ .01 $ --- $ .04 $ .02
Net income per common share:
Basic $ .69 $ .35 $ 2.05 $ 1.58
Diluted $ .68 $ .35 $ 2.03 $ 1.57
Funds from operations
Basic $ 21,878 $ 12,495 $ 66,502 $ 53,110
Diluted $ 21,907 $ 12,529 $ 66,622 $ 53,259
Funds from operations per common share
Basic $ .80 $ .47 $ 2.44 $ 1.99
Diluted $ .79 $ .46 $ 2.42 $ 1.97
Weighted average common shares outstanding:
Basic 27,494,101 26,766,300 27,257,826 26,727,814
Diluted 27,750,938 27,026,532 27,531,084 26,985,571
Dividends declared per common share $ .575 $ .50 $ 1.85 $ 1.70


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Page 3 NHI's year end results



Balance Sheet Data
(in thousands)
December 31 December 31
2004 2003
Real estate properties, net $ 278,170 $ 289,465
Mortgages receivable, net 112,072 149,892
Preferred stock investment 38,132 38,132
REMIC investments --- 16,043
Cash and marketable securities 190,313 120,522
Debt and credit facilities 154,432 162,100
Convertible debt 1,116 1,351
Stockholders' equity 425,539 409,644




Reconciliation of Funds From Operations (1)(2)

The following table reconciles net income to funds from operations applicable to common stockholders:

(in thousands, except share and per share amounts)



Three Months Ended Dec. 31 Year Ended Dec. 31
2004 2003 2004 2003
Net income $ 18,951 $ 9,817 $ 56,379 $ 43,808
Dividends to preferred stockholders --- (397) (514) (1,589)
Net income applicable to common stockholders 18,951 9,420 55,865 42,219
Elimination of non-cash items in net income:
Real estate depreciation 3,216 3,070 12,112 12,249
Real estate depreciation in discontinued
operations 2 5 68 177
Gain on sale of real estate (291) --- (1,543) (1,535)
Basic funds from operations applicable
to common stockholders 21,878 12,495 66,502 53,110
Interest on convertible subordinated
debentures 29 34 120 149
Diluted funds from operations applicable
to common stockholders $ 21,907 $ 12,529 $ 66,622 $ 53,259
Basic funds from operations per share $ .80 $ .47 $ 2.44 $ 1.99
Diluted funds from operations per share $ .79 $ .46 $ 2.42 $ 1.97
Shares for basic funds from operations per share 27,494,101 26,766,300 27,257,826 26,727,814
Shares for diluted funds from operations per share 27,750,938 27,026,532 27,531,084 26,985,571

(1) Management believes that funds from operations (FFO) is an important supplemental measure of operating performance for a real estate investment trust. Because the historical cost accounting convention used for real estate assets requires straight-line depreciation (except on land), such accounting presentation implies that the value of real estate assets diminishes predictably over time. Since real estate values instead have historically risen and fallen with market conditions, presentations of operating results for a real estate investment trust that used historical cost accounting for depreciation could be less informative, and should be supplemented with a measure such as FFO. The term FFO was designed by the real estate investment trust industry to address this issue. Our measure may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other REITs. Consequently, our funds from operations may not provide a meaningful measure of our performance as compared to that of other REITs. Since other REITs may not use our definition of FFO, caution should be exercised when comparing our Company's FFO to that of other REITs. Funds from operations in and of itself does not represent cash generated from operating activities in accordance with GAAP (funds from operations does not include changes in operating assets and liabilities) and, therefore, should not be considered an alternative to net earnings as an indication of operating performance, or to net cash flow from operating activities as determined by GAAP in the United States, as a measure of liquidity and is not necessarily indicative of cash available to fund cash needs.



(2) We have complied with the SEC's interpretation that recurring impairments taken on real property may not be added back to net income in the calculation of FFO. The SEC's position is that recurring impairments on real property are not an appropriate adjustment.

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Page 4 NHI's year end results



National Health Investors, Inc. Portfolio Summary December 31, 2004
Portfolio Statistics Investment
Properties Investment Percentage
Equity Ownership 94 278,170,000 71%
Mortgage Loan Receivables 58 112,072,000 29%
Total Real Estate Portfolio 152 390,2420,000 100%
Equity Ownership Properties Beds Investments
  Nursing Homes 68 9,183 $ 178,438,000
  Assisted Living 16 1,350 70,503,000
  Medical Office Buildings 4 124,427 sq.ft. 10,861,000
  Retirement Homes 5 517 10,752,000
  Hospitals 1 55 7,616,000
    94   $ 278,170,000
Mortgage Loan Receivables Properties Beds Investments
         
  Nursing Homes 39 4,587 $ 100,041,000
  Assisted Living 1 90 5,548,000
  Retirement Homes 1 60 2,052,000
  Developmentally Disabled 17 108 4,431,000
    58   $ 112,072,000
  Total Mortgage Portfolio 152   $ 390,242,000
         
Summary of Facilities by Type:      
      Percentage of Total
    Properties Total Dollars Dollars
  Nursing Homes 107 71.36% $ 278,479,000
  Assisted Living 17 19.49% 76,051,000
  Medical Office Buildings 4 2.78% 10,861,000
  Retirement Homes 6 3.28% 12,804,000
  Hospitals 1 1.95% 7,616,000
  Developmentally Disabled 17 1.14% 4,431,000
    152 100.00% $ 390,242,000










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Page 5 NHI's year end results

         
Portfolio by Operator Type      
    # of Percentage of Total
    Properties Total Dollars Dollars
  Public 72 31.04% $ 121,115,000
  Regional 75 66.12% 258,024,000
  Small Operator 5 2.85% 11,103,000
    152 100.00% $ 390,242,000
         
Public Operators Percent Percentage
Of Public Of Total Dollar
 Operators Portfolio Amount
National HealthCare Corp. 45.57% 14.14% 55,198,000
National Health Investors, Inc. 16.64% 5.16% 20,149,000
Community Health Systems, Inc. 11.61% 3.60% 14,061,000
Sunrise Senior Living Services 11.32% 3.51% 13,710,000
Sun Healthcare 7.55% 2.34% 9,150,000
Res-Care, Inc. 3.66% 1.14% 4,431,000
HCA-The Healthcare Company 3.65% 1.13% 4,416,000
100% 31.04% 121,115,000
Summary of Facilities by State December 31, 2004
Percent of
Acute Dev. Asst. Retire- Current Total
LTC Care MOB Disab. Living ment Total Amount Portfolio
1 Florida 17 1 14 6 38 104,744,000 26.84%
2 Texas 25 2 1 1 29 89,129,000 22.84%
3 Tennessee 21 3 3 2 29 37,300,000 9.56%
4 Missouri 9 1 10 26,646,000 6.83%
5 New Jersey 2 1 3 26,065,000 6.68%
6 Arizona 1 4 5 19,022,000 4.87%
7 Virginia 1 1 1,426,000 0.37%
8 Georgia 7 7 16,996,000 4.36%
9 New Hampshire 3 1 4 15,487,000 3.97%
10 Massachusetts 4 4 11,421,000 2.93%
11 Kansas 7 7 11,198,000 2.87%
12 Kentucky 3 1 4 9,306,000 2.38%
13 South Carolina 3 1 4 8,190,000 2.10%
14 Idaho 1 1 2 5,536,000 1.42%
15 Alabama 2 2 2,322,000 0.60%
16 North Carolina 0 1 1 1,947,000 0.50%
17 Illinois 0 1 1 1,582,000 0.41%
18 Wisconsin 1 1 1,925,000 0.49%
107 1 4 17 17 6 152 390,242,000 100.00%

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