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): May 6, 2004 (May 5, 2004)

National Health Investors, Inc.

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

Maryland

(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)

333-41863

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 5. Other Events

On May 5, 2004, National Health Investors, Inc. announced its first quarter earnings. A copy of the press release is furnished as an exhibit to this Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

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: May 6, 2004




Exhibit Index

Number Exhibit
99 Press release, dated May 5, 2004




EXHIBIT 99

For Release: May 5, 2004

Contact: Gerald Coggin Senior VP of Corporate Relations

Phone: (615) 890-9100



NHI reports first quarter results

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- National Health Investors, Inc., (NYSE: NHI) announced income from continuing operations for the first quarter ended March 31, 2004 of $13,614,000 or 49 cents per basic and diluted share of common stock compared to $10,530,000 or 38 cents per basic and 37 cents per diluted share of common stock for the same period in 2003.

Funds from operations, ("FFO") from continuing operations for the first quarter ended March 31, 2004 was $16,586,000 or 62 cents per basic and $16,618,000, or 60 cents per diluted share of common stock compared to $13,226,000 or 50 cents per basic and $13,264,000 or 49 cents per diluted share of common stock in 2003.

Income and FFO from continuing operations for the first quarter of 2003 excludes a $1,932,000 or seven cents per basic and diluted share of common stock gain on the sale of real estate.

The improvement in income from continuing operations for the first quarter ended March 31, 2004 was primarily due to gains on sales of marketable securities of $668,000, recovery of previous write downs of marketable securities of $687,000 and recovery of a previous write down of a mortgage note of $1,302,000. Interest expense also declined as a result of lower debt outstanding. Income from continuing operations for the first quarter of 2003 included loan loss expense of $1,500,000.

"At March 31, 2004, cash and marketable securities totaled approximately 79% of total debt outstanding," said President Andy Adams. "Even with this unsurpassed liquidity, our debt to capitalization ratio declined to 27.7%, the lowest level in our 12 year history."

NHI 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 our 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 first quarter results

Condensed Statements of Income
(in thousands except share and per share amounts) Three Months Ended March
2004 2003
Revenues:
Mortgage interest income $ 4,851 $ 5,543
Rental income 12,213 13,357
Investment interest and other 2,133 1,644
Facility operating revenues 20,400 19,121
39,597 39,665
Expenses:
Interest 3,120 3,988
Depreciation 3,538 3,773
Amortization of loan costs 37 183
Legal expense 149 (81)
Franchise and excise tax 70 396
General and administrative 856 714
Loan and security (recoveries) (1,989) 1,500
Facility operating expense 20,202 18,662
25,983 29,135
Income From Continuing Operations 13,614 10,530
Discontinued Operations:
Operating Loss - discontinued (179) (342)
Gain on sale of real estate --- 1,932
(179) 1,590
Net Income 13,435 12,120
Dividends to preferred stockholders 397 397
Net income applicable to common stock $ 13,038 $ 11,723
Income from continuing operations per common share:
Basic $ .49 $ .38
Diluted $ .49 $ .37
Discontinued operations per common share:
Basic $ --- $ .06
Diluted $ (.01) $ .06
Net income per common share:
Basic $ .49 $ .44
Diluted $ .48 $ .43
Funds from operations
Basic $ 16,586 $ 13,226
Diluted $ 16,618 $ 13,264
Funds from operations per common share
Basic $ .62 $ .50
Diluted $ .60 $ .49
Weighted average common shares
Basic 26,782,468 26,688,984
Diluted 27,071,585 26,944,523
Diluted Shares for FFO purposes 27,748,503 26,944,523
Dividends per common share $ .425 $ .40
Balance Sheet Data
(in thousands)

March 31

December
2004 2003
Real estate properties, net $ 286,163 $ 289,465
Mortgages receivable, net 143,556 149,892
Preferred stock investment 38,132 38,132
REMIC investments 16,407 16,043
Cash and marketable securities 124,823 120,522
Debt 157,304 162,100
Convertible debt 1,210 1,351
Stockholders' equity 414,511 409,644

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Page 3 NHI's first quarter results

Reconciliation of Funds From Operations (1)

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



Three Months Ended March 31
2004 2003
(in thousands, except share and per share amounts)
Net income $ 13,435 $ 12,120
Dividends to preferred stockholders (397) (397)
Net income applicable to common stockholders 13,038 11,723
Adjustments:
Real estate depreciation 2,972 3,093
Other Items:
Discontinued operations:
Operating loss - discontinued 179 342
Gain on sale of real estate --- (1,932)
Dividends to preferred stockholders, if dilutive 397 ---
Basic funds from operations applicable to common stockholders 16,586 13,226
Interest on convertible subordinated debentures 32 38
Diluted funds from operations applicable to common stockholders $ 16,618 $ 13,264
Basic funds from operations per share $ .62 $ .50
Diluted funds from operations per share $ .60 $ .49
Shares for basic funds from operations per share 26,782,468 26,688,984
Shares for diluted funds from operations per share 27,748,503 26,944,523


(1)We believe that funds from operations is an important supplemental measure of operating performance. We, therefore, disclose funds from operations, although it is a measurement that is not defined by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. We generally use the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT) measure of funds from operations. We define funds from operations as income before extraordinary items adjusted for certain non-cash items, primarily real estate depreciation, less gains/losses on sales of facilities. 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. Funds from operations does not represent cash generated from operating activities as defined by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (funds from operations does not include changes in operating assets and liabilities) and, therefore, should not be considered as an alternative to net income as the primary indicator of operating performance or to cash flow as a measure of liquidity.











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Page 4 NHI's first quarter results

National Health Investors, Inc. Portfolio Summary March 31, 2004
Portfolio Statistics Investment
Properties Investment Percentage
Equity Ownership 94 286,163,000 64%
Mortgage Loan Receivables 72 159,963,000 36%
Total Real Estate Portfolio 166 446,126,000 100%
Equity Ownership  Properties Beds Investments
  Nursing Homes 68 9,142 $ 183,726,000
  Assisted Living 16 1,350 72,151,000
  Medical Office Buildings 4 124,427 sq.ft. 11,217,000
  Retirement Homes 5 471 11,176,000
  Hospitals 1 55 7,893,000
    94   $ 286,163,000
Mortgage Loan Receivables Properties Beds Investments
  Nursing Homes 50 5,512 $ 131,188,000
  Assisted Living 1 90 5,675,000
  Retirement Homes 1 60 2,151,000
  Developmentally Disabled 17 108 4,542,000
    69   $ 143,556,000
  Remic 3 390 10,061,000
  Remic II Investment 2,313 6,346,000
  Total Mortgage Portfolio 72   $ 159,963,000
Summary of Facilities by Type:      
  Percentage of Total
    Properties Total Dollars Dollars
  Nursing Homes 121 74.27% $ 331,321,000
  Assisted Living 17 17.44% 77,826,000
  Medical Office Buildings 4 2.51% 11,217,000
  Retirement Homes 6 2.99% 13,327,000
  Hospitals 1 1.77% 7,893,000
  Developmentally Disabled 17 1.02% 4,542,000
    166 100.00% $ 446,126,000
Portfolio by Operator Type:      
    # of Percentage of Total
    Properties Total Dollars Dollars
  Public 98 31.02% $ 138,409,000
  Regional 56 64.37% 287,182,000
  Small Operator 12 4.60% 20,535,000
    166 100.00% $ 446,126,000
Public Operators: Percentage
Of Total Dollar
Portfolio Amount
National HealthCare Corp. 13.35% 59,554,000
National Health Investors, Inc. 4.50% 20,067,000
Community Health Systems, Inc. 3.26% 14,522,000
Sunrise Senior Living Services 3.14% 14,026,000
Mariner Post Acute Network 2.54% 11,333,000
Sun Healthcare 2.10% 9,378,000
HCA-The Healthcare Company 1.03% 4,587,000
Res-Care, Inc. 1.02% 4,542,000
Centennial HealthCare Corp. 0.09% 400,000
31.02% 138,409,000
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Page 5 NHI's first quarter results



Summary of Facilities by State March 31, 2004
Percent of
Acute Dev. Asst. Retire- Current Total
LTC Care MOB Disab. Living ment Total Amount Portfolio
1 Florida 20 1 14 6 41 116,690,000 26.16%
2 Texas 28 2 1 1 32 97,778,000 21.92%
3 Tennesssee 21 3 3 2 29 39,041,000 8.75%
4 Missouri 9 1 10 27,129,000 6.08%
5 New Jersey 2 1 3 26,649,000 5.97%
6 Arizona 1 4 5 19,423,000 4.35%
7 Virginia 7 7 19,116,000 4.28%
8 Georgia 7 7 17,061,000 3.82%
9 New Hampshire 3 1 4 16,749,000 3.75%
10 Massachusetts 4 4 12,197,000 2.73%
11 Kansas 7 7 11,626,000 2.61%
12 Kentucky 3 1 4 9,320,000 2.09%
13 South Carolina 3 1 4 8,539,000 1.91%
14 Idaho 1 1 2 5,669,000 1.27%
15 Colorado 1 1 3,875,000 0.87%
16 Alabama 2 2 2,464,000 0.55%
17 North Carolina 0 1 1 1,995,000 0.45%
18 Illinois 0 1 1 1,622,000 0.36%
19 Wisconsin 1 1 1,441,000 0.32%
20 Washington 1           1 1,396,000 0.31%
121 1 4 17 17 6 166 439,780,000 98.58%
Remic II 6,346,000 1.42%
446,126,000 100.00%


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