As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 3, 2022
Registration No. 333-
Eastgroup Properties Inc S-3ASR, filed Jun 3, 2022
Eastgroup Properties Inc (EGP)
S-3ASR
2022-06-03
View Original
Added on
October 17, 2026
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
Maryland | | | 13-2711135 |
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | | | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
400 W. Parkway Place, Suite 100
Ridgeland, Mississippi 39157
(601) 354-3555
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)
MARSHALL A. LOEB, President and Chief Executive Officer
EastGroup Properties, Inc.
400 W. Parkway Place, Suite 100
Ridgeland, Mississippi 39157
(601) 354-3555
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
Copy to:
ETTORE SANTUCCI, Esq.
Goodwin Procter LLP
100 Northern Avenue
Boston, Massachusetts 02210
(617) 570-1000
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement.
If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box: ☐
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box: ☒
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering: ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering: ☐
If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box: ☒
If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box: ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer ☒ | | | Accelerated filer ☐ |
Non-accelerated filer ☐ | | | Smaller reporting company ☐ |
| | | Emerging growth company ☐ |
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of Securities Act. ☐
PROSPECTUS
1,868,809 SHARES
COMMON STOCK
This prospectus relates to the potential resale from time to time by the selling securityholders identified in this prospectus of some or all of 1,868,809 shares of our common stock (the “securities”). The registration of the securities covered by this prospectus does not necessarily mean that any of the securities will be offered or sold by the selling securityholders.
We will receive no proceeds from any resale of the shares of common stock, but we have agreed to pay certain registration expenses.
The selling securityholders identified in this prospectus (which term as used herein includes the pledgees, donees, transferees, or other successors in interest of the selling securityholder named in the section entitled “Selling Securityholders” on page 34) may offer the securities from time to time as they may determine directly or through underwriters, broker-dealers or agents and in one or more public or private transactions and at fixed prices, prevailing market prices, at prices related to prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices. If these securities are sold through underwriters, broker-dealers or agents, the selling securityholders will be responsible for underwriting discounts or commissions or agents’ commissions. See the sections entitled “Plan of Distribution” and “About this Prospectus” for more information.
This prospectus contains summaries of certain provisions contained in some of the documents described herein, but reference is made to the actual documents for complete information. All of the summaries are qualified in their entirety by the actual documents. Copies of some of the documents referred to herein have been filed or will be filed or incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and you may obtain copies of those documents as described below under “Where You Can Find More Information.”
Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “EGP.” On June 2, 2022, the closing price of our common stock on the New York Stock Exchange was $166.69.
We impose certain restrictions on the ownership and transfer of our stock. You should read the information under the section entitled “Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer” in this prospectus for a description of these restrictions.
Our principal executive offices are located at 400 W. Parkway Place, Suite 100, Ridgeland, Mississippi 39157, and our telephone number is (601) 354-3555.
Investing in our common stock involves risks. See “Risk Factors” on page 2 as well as the risk factors contained in any applicable prospectus supplement and in documents we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission and which are incorporated by reference in this prospectus before investing in our securities.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this prospectus is June 3, 2022.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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You should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus and any related prospectus supplement. Neither we nor any of the selling securityholders have authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. This prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement does not constitute an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale of these securities is not permitted. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus, the related prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated by reference herein is accurate only as of its respective date or dates or on the date or dates which are specified in these documents. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.
Unless otherwise indicated or the context requires otherwise, in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement hereto, references to “EastGroup,” “the Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” mean EastGroup Properties, Inc., a Maryland corporation, together with its consolidated subsidiaries.
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This prospectus is part of a “shelf” registration statement that we have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Under this shelf registration process, the selling securityholders may, from time to time, sell the offered securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings. Additionally, under this shelf registration process, in certain circumstances, we may provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of a particular offering by the selling securityholders. We may also provide a prospectus supplement to add information to, or update or change information contained in, this prospectus. If there is any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus and a prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in that prospectus supplement. You should read both this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, together with any additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference.”
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-3, of which this prospectus is a part, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), with respect to the offered securities. This prospectus does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement, portions of which we have omitted as permitted by the rules and regulations of the SEC. Statements contained in this prospectus as to the contents of any contract or other document are not necessarily complete. You should refer to the copy of each contract or document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement for a complete description.
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Investment in our securities offered pursuant to this prospectus involves risks. Before acquiring any of the securities offered pursuant to this prospectus, you should carefully consider the risk factors under the caption “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and as described in our other filings with the SEC, which are incorporated, or deemed to be incorporated, by reference into this prospectus, and in the other documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus that we file with the SEC after the date of this prospectus and which are deemed incorporated by reference in this prospectus. For a description of these reports and documents, and information about where you can find them, see “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Documents By Reference.” The occurrence of any of these risks might cause you to lose all or a part of your investment in the offered securities. Please also refer to the section below entitled “Forward-Looking Information” for additional risks and uncertainties. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair our business operations. If any of the risks or uncertainties described in our periodic reports filed with the SEC or any such additional risks and uncertainties actually occur, our business, results of operations and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected. In that case, the trading price of the securities being offered by this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement could decline, and you might lose all or part of your investment. You should consider these risk factors before acquiring any of such securities and when you read forward-looking statements contained elsewhere or incorporated by reference in this prospectus.
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This prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement, and the documents incorporated by reference herein or therein may contain “forward-looking statements” (within the meaning of the federal securities laws, Section 27A of the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) that reflect our expectations and projections about the Company’s future results, performance, prospects, plans and opportunities. You may identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words such as “may,” “will,” “seek,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “targets,” “intends,” “should,” “estimates,” “could,” “continue,” “assume,” “projects,” “goals,” “plans” or variations of such words and similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements may contain such words. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to the Company and are subject to a number of known and unknown assumptions, risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company’s actual results, performance, plans or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These factors include, among other things, those discussed below. The Company intends for all such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act, as applicable by law. The Company does not undertake to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of changes in underlying assumptions or new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required to satisfy the Company’s obligations under federal securities laws.
The following are some, but not all, of the risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from those presented in the Company’s forward-looking statements:
• | international, national, regional and local economic conditions; |
• | the duration and extent of the impact of the coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic, including any COVID-19 variants or the efficacy or availability of COVID-19 vaccines, on our business operations or the business operations of our tenants (including their ability to timely make rent payments) and the economy generally; |
• | disruption in supply and delivery chains; |
• | construction costs could increase as a result of inflation impacting the cost to develop properties; |
• | increase in interest rates and ability to raise equity capital on attractive terms; |
• | financing risks, including the risks that our cash flows from operations may be insufficient to meet required payments of principal and interest and we may be unable to refinance our existing debt upon maturity or obtain new financing on attractive terms or at all; |
• | our ability to retain our credit agency ratings; |
• | our ability to comply with applicable financial covenants; |
• | the competitive environment in which the Company operates; |
• | fluctuations of occupancy or rental rates; |
• | potential defaults (including bankruptcies or insolvency) on or non-renewal of leases by tenants, or our ability to lease space at current or anticipated rents, particularly in light of the significant uncertainty as to the conditions under which current or potential tenants will be able to operate physical locations in the future; |
• | potential changes in the law or governmental regulations, and interpretations of those laws and regulations, including changes in real estate laws or real estate investment trust (“REIT”) or corporate income tax laws, and potential increases in real property tax rates; |
• | our ability to maintain our qualification as a REIT; |
• | acquisition and development risks, including failure of such acquisitions and development projects to perform in accordance with projections; |
• | natural disasters such as fires, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes and earthquakes; |
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• | pandemics, epidemics or other public health emergencies, such as the outbreak of COVID-19; |
• | the terms of governmental regulations that affect us and interpretations of those regulations, including the costs of compliance with those regulations, changes in real estate and zoning laws and increases in real property tax rates; |
• | credit risk in the event of non-performance by the counterparties to our interest rate swaps; |
• | the discontinuation of London Interbank Offered Rate; |
• | lack of or insufficient amounts of insurance; |
• | litigation, including costs associated with prosecuting or defending claims and any adverse outcomes; |
• | our ability to attract and retain key personnel; |
• | risks related to the failure, inadequacy or interruption of our data security systems and processes; |
• | the consequences of future terrorist attacks or civil unrest; and |
• | environmental liabilities, including costs, fines or penalties that may be incurred due to necessary remediation of contamination of properties presently owned or previously owned by us. |
The risks included herein are not exhaustive, and investors should be aware that there may be other factors that could adversely affect our business and financial performance. New risk factors emerge from time to time and it is not possible for management to predict all risk factors, nor can we assess the impact of all risk factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Given these risks and uncertainties, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. Investors should also refer to our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K that are incorporated herein by reference, including those filed in the future and deemed incorporated by reference herein, for a discussion of risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements.
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We are an internally-managed equity REIT first organized in 1969. Our goal is to maximize shareholder value by being a leading provider in our markets of functional, flexible, and quality business distribution space for location-sensitive customers (primarily in the 15,000 to 70,000 square foot range). We develop, acquire and operate distribution facilities, the majority of which are clustered around major transportation features in supply constrained submarkets in major Sunbelt regions. Our core markets are in the states of Florida, Texas, Arizona, California and North Carolina.
We are a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Maryland. Our principal executive offices are located at 400 W. Parkway Place, Suite 100, Ridgeland, Mississippi 39157, and our telephone number is (601) 354-3555. We also have a web site at www.eastgroup.net. The information found on, or otherwise accessible through, our web site is not incorporated into, and does not form a part of, this prospectus.
Additional information regarding EastGroup, including our audited financial statements, is contained in the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus. Please also refer to the section below entitled “Where You Can Find More Information.”
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The securities offered in this prospectus relate to the potential resale of 1,868,809 shares of our common stock. The 1,868,809 shares of common stock were issued to John Brian Tulloch in connection with our acquisition of a portfolio of logistics properties in California (the “Portfolio Acquisition”), pursuant to the terms of an agreement and plan of merger, dated as of May 20, 2022, by and among the Company, EastGroup Gold Rush, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership and an indirect subsidiary of the Company (“Merger Sub”), Tulloch Corporation, a California corporation (the “Seller”) and John B. Tulloch (the “Merger Agreement”). Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, on June 1, 2022, the Seller was merged with and into Merger Sub, with Merger Sub surviving. In connection with the Portfolio Acquisition, we agreed to file this registration statement to register the shares of our common stock issued to John Brian Tulloch.
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This prospectus relates to the securities that may be offered and sold from time to time by the selling securityholders who will receive all of the proceeds from any sale of the securities. We will not receive any of the proceeds from any sales of the securities by the selling securityholders. However, we will pay the registration expenses.
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The following description of our common stock sets forth certain general terms and provisions of the common stock to which any prospectus supplement may relate and will apply to the common stock offered by this prospectus unless we provide otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement. The description of our common stock set forth below and in any prospectus supplement does not purport to be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to the applicable provisions of our Articles of Amendment and Restatement, as supplemented (our “charter”) and our Amended and Restated Bylaws (our “bylaws”), each of which are incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. See “Where You Can Find More Information.”
Authorized Shares. The total number of shares of capital stock of all classes that we are authorized to issue is 100,000,000. Our charter authorizes the issuance of 70,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share and 30,000,000 shares of Excess Stock (as defined in our charter), par value $0.0001 per share. As of May 31, 2022, 41,680,414 shares of common stock and no shares of Excess Stock were issued and outstanding. Our common stock is currently listed on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) under the symbol “EGP.”
Our Board of Directors (the “Board” or “Board of Directors”) is authorized by the charter to classify and reclassify any of our unissued shares of capital stock, by, among other alternatives, setting, altering or eliminating the designation, preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers, qualifications and terms and conditions of redemption of, limitations as to dividends and any other restrictions on, our capital stock. The power of the Board of Directors to classify and reclassify any of the shares of capital stock includes the authority to classify or reclassify such shares into a class or classes of preferred stock or other stock.
Distributions. Subject to the preferential rights of any shares of preferred stock currently outstanding or subsequently classified and to the provisions of our charter regarding restrictions on transfer and ownership of shares of common stock, a holder of our common stock is entitled to receive distributions, if, as and when authorized and declared by our Board of Directors, out of our assets that we may legally use for distributions to stockholders and to share ratably in our assets that we may legally distribute to our stockholders in the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up after payment of, or adequate provision for, all of our known debts and liabilities. We currently pay regular quarterly distributions on our common stock.
Relationship to Preferred Stock and Other Shares of Common Stock. The rights of a holder of shares of common stock will be subject to, and may be adversely affected by, the rights of holders of preferred stock that may be issued in the future. Our Board of Directors may cause preferred stock to be issued to obtain additional capital, in connection with acquisitions, to our officers, directors and employees pursuant to benefit plans or otherwise and for other corporate purposes.
A holder of our common stock has no preferences, conversion rights, sinking fund, redemption rights, or preemptive rights to subscribe for any of our securities. Subject to the provisions of our charter regarding restrictions on ownership and transfer, all shares of common stock have equal distribution, liquidation, voting and other rights.
Voting Rights. Subject to the provisions of our charter regarding restrictions on transfer and ownership of shares of common stock and except as may otherwise be required by law, a holder of common stock has one vote per share on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders, including the election of directors.
Under the Maryland General Corporation Law (the “MGCL”), a Maryland corporation generally cannot dissolve, amend its charter, merge, sell all or substantially all of its assets, engage in a share exchange or engage in similar transactions outside the ordinary course of business, unless approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders holding at least two thirds of the shares entitled to vote on the matter. However, a Maryland corporation may provide in its charter for approval of these matters by a lesser percentage, but not less than a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. Our charter provides that such actions need to be approved by a majority of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. However, any merger, consolidation, share exchange, recapitalization, dissolution, sale of all or substantially all of our assets or any amendment to the provisions of our charter regarding the Board of Directors, indemnification of our directors and officers or amendment of the charter must be approved by at least two-thirds of our Board of Directors. Additionally, no amendment to our charter may be made that would, (i) in the determination of our Board of Directors, cause us not to qualify as a REIT, (ii) amend the provisions of our charter regarding removal of directors, (iii) amend the provisions of our charter regarding the indemnification of directors and officers, (iv) amend our charter’s
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amendment provisions, or (v) impose cumulative voting in the election of directors, in each case, unless approved by the holders of not less than 80% of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.
Our charter and bylaws do not allow for cumulative voting in the election of directors, and a majority of the votes cast in an election for a director shall be sufficient to elect a director. However, if there are more candidates for director than there are board seats to be voted upon, directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast.
Stockholder Liability. Under Maryland law applicable to Maryland corporations, holders of common stock will not be liable as stockholders for our obligations solely as a result of their status as stockholders.
Transfer Agent. The registrar and transfer agent for shares of our common stock is Equiniti Trust Company.
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The following summary with respect to restrictions on ownership and transfer of our capital stock sets forth certain general terms and provisions of our charter. This summary does not purport to be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to our charter, which is incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. See “Where You Can Find More Information.”
Pursuant to the provisions of our charter, if a transfer of our capital stock occurs such that any person would own, beneficially or constructively (applying the applicable attribution rules of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, (the “Code”), more than 9.8% (in value or in number, whichever is more restrictive) of our outstanding equity stock (excluding shares of Excess Stock), then the amount in excess of the 9.8% limit will automatically be converted into shares of Excess Stock, any such transfer will be void ab initio, and we will have the right to redeem such stock. These restrictions also apply to any transfer of stock that would result in our being “closely held” within the meaning of Section 856(h) of the Code, or otherwise failing to qualify as a REIT for federal income tax purposes. Upon any transfer that results in Excess Stock, such Excess Stock shall be held in trust for the exclusive benefit of one or more charitable beneficiaries designated by us. Upon the satisfaction of certain conditions, the person who would have been the recordholder of the equity stock if the transfer had not resulted in Excess Stock may designate a beneficiary of an interest in the trust. Upon such transfer of an interest in the trust, the corresponding shares of Excess Stock in the trust shall be automatically exchanged for an equal number of shares of equity stock of the same class as such stock had been prior to it becoming Excess Stock and shall be transferred of record to the designated beneficiary. Excess Stock has no voting rights, except as required by law. Excess Stock shall not be entitled to dividends. Any dividend paid prior to our discovery that equity stock has been converted into Excess Stock shall be repaid to us upon demand. In the event of our liquidation, each holder of Excess Stock shall be entitled to receive that portion of our assets that would have been distributed to the holder of equity stock in respect of which such Excess Stock was issued. The trustee of the trust holding Excess Stock shall distribute such assets to the beneficiaries of such trust. These restrictions will not prevent the settlement of a transaction entered into through the facilities of any interdealer quotation system or national securities exchange upon which shares of our capital stock are traded. Notwithstanding the prior sentence, certain transactions may be settled by providing shares of Excess Stock.
Our Board of Directors, upon receipt of a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service or an opinion of counsel or other evidence satisfactory to the Board of Directors and upon at least 15 days’ written notice from a transferee prior to a proposed transfer that, if consummated, would result in the intended transferee “beneficially owning” (as defined in our charter, and determined after the application of the applicable attribution rules of the Code) equity stock in excess of the 9.8% ownership limit and the satisfaction of such other conditions as the Board may direct, may in its sole and absolute discretion exempt a person from the 9.8% ownership limit. Additionally, our Board of Directors, upon receipt of a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service or an opinion of counsel or other evidence satisfactory to our Board, may in its sole and absolute discretion exempt a person from the limitation on a person “constructively owning” (as defined in our charter, and determined after the application of the applicable attribution rules of the Code) equity stock in excess of the 9.8% ownership limit if (i) such person does not and represents that it will not directly or “constructively own” (after the application of the applicable attribution rules of the Code) more than a 9.8% interest in a tenant of ours; (ii) we obtain such representations and undertakings as are reasonably necessary to ascertain this fact; and (iii) such person agrees that any violation or attempted violation of such representations, undertakings and agreements will result in such equity stock in excess of the ownership limit being converted into and exchanged for Excess Stock. Our Board of Directors may from time to time increase or decrease the 9.8% limit, provided that the 9.8% limit may be increased only if five individuals could not “beneficially own” or “constructively own” (applying the applicable attribution rules of the Code) more than 50.0% in value of the shares of equity stock then outstanding.
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The following paragraphs summarize certain material provisions of Maryland law applicable to Maryland corporations. The summary does not purport to be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to Maryland law, our charter, including any articles supplementary, and bylaws, in each case as may be amended from time to time. You should read these documents carefully to fully understand the terms of Maryland law, our charter and our bylaws.
The Company is not Subject to the Maryland Business Combination Statute
Under the MGCL, certain “business combinations” (including a merger, consolidation, share exchange or, in certain circumstances, an asset transfer or issuance or reclassification of equity securities) between a Maryland corporation and any interested stockholder, or an affiliate of such interested stockholder, are prohibited for five years after the most recent date on which the interested stockholder becomes an interested stockholder. The MGCL defines an interested stockholder as any person who beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, ten percent or more of the voting power of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock or an affiliate or associate of the corporation who, at any time within the two-year period prior to the date in question, was the beneficial owner of, directly or indirectly, ten percent or more of the voting power of the then outstanding voting stock of the corporation. A person is not an interested stockholder under the statute if the board of directors approved in advance the transaction by which the person otherwise would have become an interested stockholder. The corporation’s board of directors may provide that its approval is subject to compliance with any terms and conditions determined by the board of directors.
After the five-year prohibition, any such business combination must be recommended by the board of directors of such corporation and approved by the affirmative vote of at least:
• | 80% of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of outstanding shares of voting stock of the corporation; and |
• | two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of voting stock of the corporation other than shares held by the interested stockholders with whom (or with whose affiliate) the business combination is to be effected or held by an affiliate or associate of the interested stockholder. |
These super-majority vote requirements do not apply if the corporation’s common stockholders receive a minimum price, as defined under the MGCL, for their shares and the consideration is received in cash or in the same form as previously paid by the interested stockholder for its shares.
These provisions of the MGCL do not apply, however, to business combinations that are approved or exempted by a board of directors prior to the time that the interested shareholder becomes an interested shareholder. Our Board of Directors has adopted resolutions exempting any business combination between us and any other person or entity from the business combination provisions of the MGCL. Our bylaws provide that such resolutions may only be revoked, altered or amended, and our Board of Directors may only adopt any resolution inconsistent with a prior resolution of our Board of Directors that exempts any business combination (as defined in Section 3-601(e) of the MGCL) between the Company and any other person, whether identified specifically, generally or by type, from the business combination provisions of the MGCL, with the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast on the matter by the holders of the issued and outstanding shares of our common stock. We cannot assure you that our Board of Directors will not recommend to shareholders that the Board of Directors alter or repeal this resolution in the future.
As a result of the Company’s decision not to be subject to the business combinations statute, an interested stockholder may be able to effect a “business combination” without complying with the requirements discussed above, which may make it easier for stockholders who become interested stockholders to consummate a business combination involving the Company.
The Company is not Subject to the Maryland Control Share Acquisition Statute
The Company has elected in its bylaws not to be subject to the “control share acquisition” provisions of the MGCL (sections 3-701 through 3-710). If the Company wants to be subject to these provisions, its bylaws would need to be amended. Such amendments would require (a) the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes entitled to be cast by the Company’s stockholders, or (b) a vote of two-thirds of the Board of Directors and the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast on the matter by the Company’s stockholders.
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The MGCL provides that “control shares” of a Maryland corporation acquired in a “control share acquisition” entitle their holders to no voting rights except to the extent approved at a special stockholder meeting by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter, excluding shares of stock in a corporation in respect of which any of the following persons is entitled to exercise or direct the exercise of the voting power of shares of stock of the corporation in the election of directors: (i) a person who makes or proposes to make a control share acquisition, (ii) an officer of the corporation or (iii) an employee of the corporation who is also a director of the corporation. “Control shares” are voting shares of stock which, if aggregated with all other shares of stock previously acquired by the acquiror, or in respect of which the acquiror is able to exercise or direct the exercise of voting power (except solely by virtue of a revocable proxy), would entitle the acquiror to exercise voting power in electing directors within one of the following ranges of voting power:
• | one-tenth or more but less than one-third, |
• | one-third or more but less than a majority, or |
• | a majority or more of all voting power. |
Control shares do not include shares the acquiring person is then entitled to vote as a result of having previously obtained stockholder approval. A “control share acquisition” means the acquisition of control shares, subject to certain exceptions.
A person who has made or proposes to make a control share acquisition may compel the board of directors of the corporation to call a special meeting of stockholders to be held within 50 days of demand to consider the voting rights of the shares. The right to compel the calling of a special meeting is subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, including an undertaking to pay the expenses of the meeting. If no request for a meeting is made, the corporation may itself present the question at any stockholders’ meeting.
If voting rights of control shares are not approved at the meeting or if the acquiring person does not deliver an acquiring person statement as required by the statute, then, subject to certain conditions and limitations, the corporation may redeem for fair value any or all of the control shares, except those for which voting rights have previously been approved. Fair value is determined, without regard to the absence of voting rights for the control shares, as of the date of any meeting of stockholders at which the voting rights of such shares are considered and not approved or, if no such meeting is held, as of the date of the last control share acquisition by the acquiror. If voting rights for control shares are approved at a stockholders’ meeting and the acquiror becomes entitled to vote a majority of the shares entitled to vote, all other stockholders may exercise appraisal rights. The fair value of the shares as determined for purposes of appraisal rights may not be less than the highest price per share paid by the acquiror in the control share acquisition.
The control share acquisition statute does not apply (i) to shares acquired in a merger, consolidation or share exchange if the corporation is a party to the transaction, or (ii) to acquisitions approved or exempted by a provision in the charter or bylaws of the corporation and adopted at any time before the acquisition of the control shares.
Because the Company is not subject to these provisions at this time, stockholders who acquire a substantial block of Company common stock do not need approval of the other stockholders before exercising full voting rights with respect to their shares on all matters. This may make it easier for any of these control share stockholders to effect a business combination with the Company.
Certain Elective Provisions of Maryland Law
Maryland law provides, among other things, that the board of directors has broad discretion in adopting stockholders’ rights plans and has the sole power to fix the record date, time and place for special meetings of the stockholders. Furthermore, Maryland law provides that Maryland corporations that:
• | have at least three directors who are not any of the following: (i) officers or employees of the entity; (ii) acquiring persons; (iii) directors, officers, affiliates or associates of an acquiring person; or (iv) individuals who were nominated or designated as directors by an acquiring person; and |
• | have a class of equity securities that is subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, |
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may elect in their charter or bylaws or by resolution of the board of directors to be subject to all or part of Subtitle 8 of Title 3 of the MGCL, which provides that:
• | the corporation may have a classified board of directors, holding office for staggered terms; |
• | any director may be removed only for cause and by the vote of two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast in the election of directors generally, even if a lesser proportion is provided in the charter or bylaws; |
• | the number of directors may only be set by the board of directors, notwithstanding any provision of the corporation’s charter or bylaws; |
• | vacancies resulting from an increase in size of the board of directors or the death, resignation or removal of a director may only be filled by the vote of the remaining directors, notwithstanding any provision of the corporation’s charter or bylaws; and |
• | the secretary of the corporation may call a special meeting of stockholders only on the written request of the stockholders entitled to cast at least a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast at the meeting, notwithstanding any provision of the corporation’s charter or bylaws. |
To date, we have not made any of the elections described above, although, independent of these elections, our charter and bylaws contain provisions that special meetings of stockholders are required to be held upon the written request of stockholders entitled to cast at least a majority of the votes entitled to be cast at the meeting, and that directors may be removed only for cause and by the vote of two-thirds of the stockholder votes entitled to be cast.
Board of Directors
Our bylaws provide that the number of our directors may be established by the Board of Directors but may not be fewer than the minimum required by Maryland law nor more than 15. The stockholders may elect a successor to fill a vacancy on the Board of Directors which results from the removal of a director. A majority of the remaining directors, whether or not sufficient to constitute a quorum, may fill a vacancy on the Board of Directors which results from any cause except an increase in the number of directors, and a majority of the entire Board of Directors may fill a vacancy which results from an increase in the number of directors.
Our charter provides that a director may be removed only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the combined voting power of all shares of capital stock entitled to be cast in the election of directors voting together as a single class. This provision may preclude stockholders from removing incumbent directors and filling the vacancies created by such removal with their own nominees.
Our bylaws provide that with respect to an annual meeting of stockholders, nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors and the proposal of business to be considered by stockholders may be made only (i) pursuant to our notice of the meeting, (ii) by the Board of Directors or (iii) by a stockholder who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who has complied with the advance notice procedures of the bylaws. With respect to special meetings of stockholders, only the business specified in our notice of the meeting may be brought before the meeting. Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors at a special meeting may be made only (i) pursuant to our notice of the meeting, (ii) by the Board of Directors or (iii) provided that the Board of Directors has determined that directors will be elected at the meeting, by a stockholder who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who has complied with the advance notice provisions of the bylaws.
Power to Issue Additional Shares of Common Stock and Preferred Stock
Our charter authorizes our Board of Directors to issue stock of any class, whenever authorized. We believe that the power to issue additional shares of common or preferred stock and to classify or reclassify unissued shares of common or preferred stock and thereafter to issue the classified or reclassified shares provides us with increased flexibility in structuring possible future financings and acquisitions and in meeting other needs which might arise. These actions can be taken without stockholder approval, unless stockholder approval is required by applicable law or the rules of any stock exchange on which our securities may be listed. Although we have no present intention of doing so, we could issue a class or series of stock that could delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change in control of the Company.
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Consideration of “All Relevant Factors”
In addition, as permitted by the MGCL, our charter includes a provision that requires our Board of Directors, in their evaluation of any potential business combination or any actual or proposed transaction that could result in a change of control, to consider all relevant factors, including the economic effect on our stockholders, the social and economic effect on our employees, suppliers, customers and creditors and the communities in which we have offices or other operations.
Indemnification and Limitation of Directors’ and Officers’ Liability
The MGCL permits a Maryland corporation to include in its charter a provision limiting the liability of its directors and officers to the corporation and its stockholders for money damages except for liability resulting from (i) actual receipt of an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services or (ii) active and deliberate dishonesty established by a final judgment and which is material to the cause of action. Our charter contains a provision which limits the liability of our directors and officers to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law.
The MGCL requires a corporation (unless its charter provides otherwise, which our charter does not) to indemnify a director or officer who has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any proceeding to which he or she is made or threatened to be made a party by reason of his or her service in that capacity, or in the defense of any issue, claim or matter in such a proceeding.
The MGCL permits a corporation to indemnify its present and former directors and officers, among others, against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in connection with any proceeding to which they may be made or threatened to be made a party by reason of his or her service in that capacity, unless it is established that:
• | the act or omission was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding and was committed in bad faith or was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty; |
• | the director or officer actually received an improper personal benefit in money, property or services; or |
• | in the case of any criminal proceeding, the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful. |
However, under the MGCL, a Maryland corporation may not indemnify a director or officer for an adverse judgment in a suit by or in the right of the corporation or for a judgment of liability on the basis that a personal benefit was improperly received. A court may order indemnification if it determines that the director or officer is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification, even though the prescribed standard of conduct is not met or the director or officer was adjudged liable on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received. However, indemnification for an adverse judgment in a suit by us or in our right, or for a judgment of liability on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received, is limited to expenses.
In addition, the MGCL permits a corporation to advance reasonable expenses to a director or officer upon the corporation’s receipt of (i) a written affirmation by the director or officer of his or her good faith belief that he or she has met the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification by the corporation and (2) a written undertaking to repay the amount paid or reimbursed by the corporation if it is ultimately determined that the appropriate standard of conduct was not met.
We also are party to indemnification agreements with each of our directors and executive officers that provide for indemnification to the maximum extent permitted by the MGCL. We also maintain liability insurance for our officers and directors.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling us pursuant to the foregoing provisions, we have been informed that, in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
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The following summary addresses U.S. federal income tax considerations related to our election to be subject to taxation as a REIT and the ownership and disposition of our common stock that we anticipate being material to holders of such securities. Except to the limited extent discussed below, this summary does not address any foreign, state, or local tax consequences of holding our common stock; this summary also does not address tax consequences of holding other types of our securities. The provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, concerning the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a REIT and its shareholders and security holders are highly technical and complex; the following discussion sets forth only certain aspects of those provisions. This summary is intended to provide you with general information only, it is not intended as a substitute for careful tax planning, and it is not tax advice.
This summary is based on provisions of the Code, applicable final and temporary Treasury Regulations, judicial decisions, and administrative rulings and practice, all in effect as of the date of this prospectus, and should not be construed as legal or tax advice. No assurance can be given that future legislative or administrative changes or judicial decisions will not affect the accuracy of the descriptions or conclusions contained in this summary. In addition, any such changes may be retroactive and apply to transactions entered into prior to the date of their enactment, promulgation or release. We do not expect to seek a ruling from the IRS regarding any of the U.S. federal income tax issues discussed in this prospectus, and no assurance can be given that the IRS will not challenge any of the positions we take and that such a challenge will not succeed. This discussion does not purport to address all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be relevant to you in light of your particular investment circumstances, or if you are a type of investor subject to special tax rules. This discussion also does not consider tax considerations that may be relevant with respect to securities we may issue, or selling security holders may sell, other than our common stock described below. Furthermore, the following summary does not address any U.S. federal income tax considerations to holders of our outstanding stock (including our common stock) that could result if we issue any redeemable preferred stock at a price that exceeds its redemption price by more than a de minimis amount or that otherwise provides for dividends that are economically a return of the stockholder’s investment (rather than a return on the stockholder’s investment), which preferred stock could be considered “fast-pay stock” under Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 7701(l) of the Code and treated under such regulations as a financing instrument among the holders of the fast-pay stock and our other stockholders. You are urged to refer to any applicable prospectus supplement relating to a particular offering by the selling securityholders for any amendments or changes to this summary.
Taxation of our Company
We have elected to be taxed as a REIT under Sections 856 through 860 of the Code. We believe that we have been organized and operated in conformity with the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code beginning with our taxable year ended November 30, 1969 and that our intended manner of operation will enable us to continue to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
In connection with the filing of this prospectus, our tax counsel, Goodwin Procter LLP, is rendering an opinion to us to the effect that, commencing with our taxable year ended December 31, 2014, we have been organized in conformity with the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code and our prior, current and proposed ownership, organization and method of operations have allowed and will continue to allow us to satisfy the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code commencing with our taxable year ended December 31, 2014 and for subsequent taxable years. The opinion of Goodwin Procter LLP is based upon various assumptions and our representations as to our past and contemplated future ownership, investments, distributions, share valuations and operations, among other things. The opinion of Goodwin Procter LLP is expressly conditioned upon the accuracy of these and other assumptions and upon our representations, which Goodwin Procter LLP has not verified and will not verify. Moreover, our qualification and taxation as a REIT will depend upon our ability to meet, through actual annual operating results, distribution levels, and diversity of stock ownership, the various and complex REIT qualification tests imposed under the Code, the results of which have not been and will not be reviewed or verified by Goodwin Procter LLP. See “-Qualification as a REIT” below. Accordingly, no assurance can be given that we have satisfied or will satisfy the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT. The opinion of Goodwin Procter LLP is based upon the law in effect as of the date of the opinion (or, with respect to past years, the law in effect for such years), which is subject to change either prospectively or retroactively. Opinions of counsel impose no obligation
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on counsel to advise us or the holders of our stock of any subsequent change in the matters stated, represented or assumed, or of any subsequent change in the applicable law. Changes in applicable law could modify the conclusions expressed in the opinion. Unlike a ruling from the IRS, an opinion of Goodwin Procter LLP is not binding on the IRS and no assurance can be given that the IRS could not successfully challenge our qualification as a REIT.
If we qualify as a REIT, we generally will be allowed to deduct dividends paid to our shareholders, and, as a result, we generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on that portion of our ordinary income and net capital gain that we currently distribute to our shareholders. We intend to make distributions to our shareholders on a regular basis as necessary to avoid material U.S. federal income tax and to comply with the REIT requirements. See “—Qualification as a REIT—Annual Distribution Requirements” below.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, even if we qualify for taxation as a REIT, we nonetheless may be subject to U.S. federal income tax or excise tax in certain circumstances, including the following:
• | we will be required to pay U.S. federal income tax on our undistributed REIT taxable income, including net capital gain; |
• | we may be subject to tax at the highest U.S. federal corporate income tax rate on certain income from “foreclosure property” (generally, property acquired by reason of default on a lease or indebtedness held by us); |
• | we will be subject to a 100% U.S. federal income tax on net income from “prohibited transactions” (generally, certain sales or other dispositions of property, sometimes referred to as “dealer property,” held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business, other than foreclosure property) unless the gain is realized in a “taxable REIT subsidiary,” or TRS, or such property has been held by us for at least two years and certain other requirements are satisfied; |
• | if we fail to satisfy either the 75% gross income test or the 95% gross income test (discussed below), but nonetheless maintain our qualification as a REIT pursuant to certain relief provisions, we will be subject to a 100% U.S. federal income tax on the greater of (i) the amount by which we fail the 75% gross income test or (ii) the amount by which we fail the 95% gross income test, in either case, multiplied by a fraction intended to reflect our profitability; |
• | if we fail to satisfy any of the asset tests, and the failure is not a failure of the 5% or the 10% asset test that qualifies under the De Minimis Exception but the failure does qualify under the General Exception, both as described below under “-Qualification as a REIT-Asset Tests,” then we will have to pay an excise tax equal to the greater of (i) $50,000 and (ii) an amount determined by multiplying the net income generated during a specified period by the assets that caused the failure by the highest U.S. federal corporate income tax rate; |
• | if we fail to satisfy any REIT requirements other than the gross income test or asset test requirements, described below under “-Qualification as a REIT-Income Tests” and “-Qualification as a REIT-Asset Tests,” respectively, and we qualify for a reasonable cause exception, then we will have to pay a penalty equal to $50,000 for each such failure; |
• | we will be subject to a 4% excise tax on certain undistributed amounts if certain distribution requirements are not satisfied; |
• | we may be required to pay monetary penalties to the IRS in certain circumstances, including if we fail to meet record-keeping requirements intended to monitor our compliance with rules relating to the composition of a REIT’s shareholders, as described below in “-Recordkeeping Requirements;” |
• | if we dispose of an asset acquired by us from a C corporation in a transaction in which we took the C corporation’s tax basis in the asset, we may be subject to tax at the highest U.S. federal corporate income tax rate on the appreciation inherent in such asset as of the date of acquisition by us; |
• | we will be required to pay a 100% tax on any redetermined rents, redetermined deductions, excess interest and redetermined TRS service income. In general, redetermined rents are rents from real property that are overstated as a result of services furnished by our TRS. Redetermined deductions and excess interest generally represent amounts that are deducted by a TRS for amounts paid to us that are |
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in excess of the amounts that would have been deducted based on arm’s-length negotiations. Redetermined TRS service income generally means the additional gross income a TRS would recognize if it were paid an arm’s length fee for services provided to, or on behalf of, us; and
• | income earned by our TRS or any other subsidiaries that are taxable as C corporations will be subject to regular U.S. federal corporate income tax. |
No assurance can be given that the amount of any such U.S. federal income or excise taxes will not be substantial. In addition, we and our subsidiaries may be subject to a variety of taxes, including payroll taxes and state, local and foreign income, property and other taxes on assets and operations. We could also be subject to tax in situations and on transactions not presently contemplated.
Qualification as a REIT
In General
The REIT provisions of the Code apply to a domestic corporation, trust or association (i) that is managed by one or more trustees or directors, (ii) the beneficial ownership of which is evidenced by transferable shares or by transferable certificates of beneficial interest, (iii) that properly elects to be taxed as a REIT and such election has not been terminated or revoked, (iv) that is neither a financial institution nor an insurance company, (v) that uses a calendar year for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and (vi) that meets the additional requirements discussed below. The discussion below summarizes current law except where expressly noted otherwise. We do not believe any differences between the current requirements for qualification as a REIT and the requirements in effect for any prior year have prevented us from qualifying as a REIT for any period.
Ownership Tests
In order to continue to qualify as a REIT, (i) the beneficial ownership of our stock must be held by 100 or more persons during at least 335 days of a 12-month taxable year (or during a proportionate part of a taxable year of less than 12 months) for each of our taxable years and (ii) during the last half of each taxable year, no more than 50% in value of our stock may be owned, directly or indirectly, by or for five or fewer individuals (the “5/50 Test”). Stock ownership for purposes of the 5/50 Test is determined by applying the constructive ownership provisions of Section 544(a) of the Code, subject to certain modifications. The term “individual” for purposes of the 5/50 Test includes a private foundation, a trust providing for the payment of supplemental unemployment compensation benefits, and a portion of a trust permanently set aside or to be used exclusively for charitable purposes. A “qualified trust” described in Section 401(a) of the Code and exempt from tax under Section 501(a) of the Code generally is not treated as an individual; rather, stock held by it is generally treated as owned proportionately by its beneficiaries.
We believe that we have satisfied and will continue to satisfy the above ownership requirements. In addition, our charter restricts ownership and transfers of our stock that would violate these requirements, although these restrictions may not be effective in all circumstances to prevent a violation. We will be deemed to have satisfied the 5/50 Test for a particular taxable year if we have complied with all the requirements for ascertaining the ownership of our outstanding stock in that taxable year and have no reason to know that we have violated the 5/50 Test.
Income Tests
In order to maintain qualification as a REIT, we must annually satisfy two gross income requirements:
(1) First, at least 75% of our gross income (excluding gross income from prohibited transactions and certain other income and gains as described below) for each taxable year must be derived, directly or indirectly, from investments relating to real property or mortgages on real property or from certain types of temporary investments (or any combination thereof). Qualifying income for purposes of this 75% gross income test generally includes: (i) rents from real property, (ii) interest on obligations secured by mortgages on real property or on interests in real property, (iii) dividends or other distributions on, and gain from the sale of, shares in other REITs, (iv) gain from the sale of real estate assets (but not including certain debt instruments of publicly offered REITs that are not secured by mortgages on real property or interests on real property and gain from prohibited transactions), (v) income and gain derived from foreclosure property, and (vi) income from certain types of temporary investments; and
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(2) Second, in general, at least 95% of our gross income (excluding gross income from prohibited transactions and certain other income and gains as described below) for each taxable year must be derived from the real property investments described above and from other types of dividends and interest, gain from the sale or disposition of stock or securities that are not dealer property, or any combination of the above.
Rents we receive will qualify as rents from real property in satisfying the gross income requirements for a REIT described above only if several conditions are met. First, the amount of rent generally must not be based in whole or in part on the income or profits of any person. However, an amount received or accrued generally will not be excluded from the term “rents from real property” solely by reason of being based on a fixed percentage or percentages of receipts or sales. Second, rents received from a “related party tenant” will not qualify as rents from real property in satisfying the gross income tests unless the tenant is a TRS and either (i) at least 90% of the property is leased to unrelated tenants and the rent paid by the TRS is substantially comparable to the rent paid by the unrelated tenants for comparable space, or (ii) the property leased is a “qualified lodging facility,” as defined in Section 856(d)(9)(D) of the Code, or a “qualified health care property,” as defined in Section 856(e)(6)(D)(i), and certain other conditions are satisfied. A tenant is a related party tenant if the REIT, or an actual or constructive owner of 10% or more of the REIT, actually or constructively owns 10% or more of the tenant. Third, if rent attributable to personal property, leased in connection with a lease of real property, is greater than 15% of the total rent received under the lease (determined based on the fair market value as of the beginning and end of the taxable year), then the portion of rent attributable to the personal property will not qualify as rents from real property.
Generally, for rents to qualify as rents from real property for the purpose of satisfying the gross income tests, we may provide directly only an insignificant amount of services, unless those services are “usually or customarily rendered” in connection with the rental of real property and not otherwise considered “rendered to the occupant” under the applicable tax rules. Accordingly, we may not provide “impermissible services” to tenants (except through an independent contractor from whom we derive no revenue and that meets other requirements or through a TRS) without giving rise to “impermissible tenant service income.” Impermissible tenant service income is deemed to be at least 150% of the direct cost to us of providing the service. If the impermissible tenant service income exceeds 1% of our total income from a property, then all of the income from that property will fail to qualify as rents from real property. If the total amount of impermissible tenant service income from a property does not exceed 1% of our total income from the property, the services will not disqualify any other income from the property that qualifies as rents from real property, but the impermissible tenant service income will not qualify as rents from real property.
We do not intend to charge significant rent that is based in whole or in part on the income or profits of any person, derive significant rents from related party tenants, derive rent attributable to personal property leased in connection with real property that exceeds 15% of the total rents from that property, or derive impermissible tenant service income that exceeds 1% of our total income from any property if the treatment of the rents from such property as nonqualified rents could cause us to fail to qualify as a REIT.
Distributions that we receive from a TRS will be classified as dividend income to the extent of the earnings and profits of the TRS. Such distributions will generally constitute qualifying income for purposes of the 95% gross income test, but not under the 75% gross income test unless attributable to investments of certain new capital during the one-year period beginning on the date of receipt of the new capital (as described below under “Qualification as a REIT-Income Tests-Qualified temporary investment income”). Any dividends received by us from a REIT will be qualifying income for purposes of both the 75% and 95% gross income tests.
If we fail to satisfy one or both of the 75% or the 95% gross income tests, we may nevertheless qualify as a REIT for a particular year if we are entitled to relief under certain provisions of the Code. Those relief provisions generally will be available if our failure to meet such tests is due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect and we file a schedule describing each item of our gross income for such year(s) in accordance with the applicable Treasury Regulations. It is not possible, however, to state whether in all circumstances we would be entitled to the benefit of these relief provisions. As discussed above in “-Taxation of Our Company,” even if these relief provisions were to apply, we would be subject to U.S. federal corporate income tax to the extent we fail to meet the 75% or 95% gross income tests.
Foreclosure property. Foreclosure property is real property (including interests in real property) and any personal property incident to such real property (i) that is acquired by a REIT as a result of the REIT having bid
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on the property at foreclosure, or having otherwise reduced the property to ownership or possession by agreement or process of law, after there was a default (or default was imminent) on a lease of the property or a mortgage loan held by the REIT and secured by the property, (ii) for which the related loan or lease was made, entered into or acquired by the REIT at a time when default was not imminent or anticipated and (iii) for which such REIT makes an election to treat the property as foreclosure property. REITs generally are subject to tax at the highest U.S. federal corporate income tax rate on any net income from foreclosure property, including any gain from the disposition of the foreclosure property, other than income that would otherwise be qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test. Any gain from the sale of property for which a foreclosure property election has been made will not be subject to the 100% tax on gains from prohibited transactions described above, even if the property is held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business.
Hedging transactions. We may enter into hedging transactions with respect to one or more of our assets or liabilities. Hedging transactions could take a variety of forms, including interest rate swaps or cap agreements, options, futures contracts, forward rate agreements or similar financial instruments. Except to the extent as may be provided by future Treasury Regulations, any income from a hedging transaction which is (i) clearly identified as such before the close of the day on which it was acquired, originated or entered into, and (ii) accompanied by a substantially contemporaneous identification of the item being hedged, including gain from the disposition or termination of such a transaction, will not constitute gross income for purposes of the 75% and 95% gross income tests, provided that the hedging transaction is entered into (a) in the normal course of our business primarily to manage risk of interest rate or price changes or currency fluctuations with respect to indebtedness incurred or to be incurred by us to acquire or carry real estate assets, (b) primarily to manage the risk of currency fluctuations with respect to any item of income or gain that would be qualifying income under the 75% or 95% gross income tests (or any property which generates such income or gain), or (c) to hedge against transactions described in clause (a) or (b) and is entered into in connection with the extinguishment of debt or a sale of property that is being hedged against by the transaction described in clause (a) or (b). To the extent we enter into other types of hedging transactions or do not make proper identifications, as applicable, the income from those transactions is likely to be treated as non-qualifying income for purposes of both the 75% and 95% gross income tests. We intend to structure, monitor and document our hedging transactions so that such transactions do not jeopardize our ability to qualify as a REIT. No assurances can be given, however, that our hedging activities will not give rise to income that does not qualify for purposes of either or both of the gross income tests and that such income will not adversely affect our ability to satisfy REIT qualification requirements.
Qualified temporary investment income. Income derived from certain types of temporary stock and debt investments made with the proceeds of certain stock and debt offerings (but not including proceeds received pursuant to a dividend reinvestment plan), not otherwise treated as qualifying income for the 75% gross income test, generally will nonetheless constitute qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test for the year following such an offering. More specifically, qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test includes “qualified temporary investment income,” which generally means any income that is attributable to stock or a debt instrument, is attributable to the temporary investment of new equity capital and certain debt capital, and is received or accrued during the one-year period beginning on the date on which the REIT receives such new capital. After the one-year period following a qualifying equity or debt offering, income from investments of the proceeds of such offering will be qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test only if derived from one of the other qualifying sources enumerated above.
Asset Tests
At the close of each quarter of each taxable year, we must also satisfy five tests relating to the nature of our assets. First, real estate assets, cash and cash items, and government securities must represent at least 75% of the value of our total assets. Real estate assets include interests in real property (such as land, buildings, leasehold interests in real property and personal property leased with real property if the rents attributable to the personal property would be rents from real property under the income tests discussed above), interests in mortgages on real property or on interest in real property, shares in other qualifying REITs, debt instruments issued by publicly offered REITs, and stock or debt instruments held for less than one year that are purchased with the proceeds from an offering of shares of our stock or certain long-term debt. Second, not more than 25% of our total assets may be represented by securities other than those in the 75% asset class. Third, of the investments that are not included in the 75% asset class and are not securities of our TRSs, (i) the value of any one issuer’s securities
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owned by us may not exceed 5% of the value of our total assets and (ii) we may not own more than 10% by vote or by value of any one issuer’s outstanding securities. For purposes of the 10% value test, debt instruments issued by a partnership are not classified as “securities” to the extent of our interest as a partner in such partnership (based on our proportionate share of the partnership’s equity interests and certain debt securities) or if at least 75% of the partnership’s gross income, excluding income from prohibited transactions, is qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test. For purposes of the 10% value test, the term “securities” also does not include certain instruments, such as debt securities issued by another REIT, certain “straight debt” securities (for example, qualifying debt securities of a corporation of which we own no more than a de minimis amount of equity interest), loans to individuals or estates, and accrued obligations to pay rent. Fourth, securities of our TRSs cannot represent more than 20% of the value of our total assets. Fifth, not more than 25% of the value of our total assets may be represented by debt instruments of publicly offered REITs that are not secured by mortgages on real property or interest in real property. Although we believe we have met these asset tests and we intend to continue to meet them, no assurance can be given that we have met them or will be able to do so. For purposes of these asset tests, we are treated as holding our proportionate share of our subsidiary partnerships’ assets. Also, for purposes of these asset tests, pursuant to an IRS ruling, we generally may treat shares of certain money market mutual funds as “cash items.”
We will monitor the status of our assets for purposes of the various asset tests and will endeavor to manage our portfolio in order to comply at all times with such tests. If we fail to satisfy the asset tests at the end of a calendar quarter, other than our first calendar quarter as a REIT, we will not lose our REIT status if one of the following exceptions applies:
• | we satisfied the asset tests at the end of the preceding calendar quarter and the discrepancy between the value of our assets and the asset test requirements arose from changes in the market values of our assets and was not wholly or partly caused by the acquisition of one or more non-qualifying assets; or |
• | we eliminate any discrepancy within 30 days after the close of the calendar quarter in which it arose. |
Moreover, if we fail to satisfy the asset tests at the end of a calendar quarter during a taxable year, we will not lose our REIT status if one of the following additional exceptions applies:
• | De Minimis Exception: the failure is due to a violation of the 5% or 10% asset tests referenced above and is “de minimis” (meaning that the failure is one that arises from our ownership of assets the total value of which does not exceed the lesser of 1% of the total value of our assets at the end of the quarter in which the failure occurred and $10 million), and we either dispose of the assets that caused the failure or otherwise satisfy the asset tests within six months after the last day of the quarter in which our identification of the failure occurred; or |
• | General Exception: all of the following requirements are satisfied: (i) the failure does not qualify for the above De Minimis Exception, (ii) the failure is due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect, (iii) we file a schedule in accordance with the applicable Treasury Regulations providing a description of each asset that caused the failure, and (iv) we either dispose of the assets that caused the failure or otherwise satisfy the asset tests within six months after the last day of the quarter in which our identification of the failure occurred. A REIT that utilizes this general relief provision must pay an excise tax equal to the greater of (a) $50,000 or (b) the product of the net income generated during a specified period by the asset that caused the failure and the highest U.S. federal corporate income tax rate. |
Annual Distribution Requirements
In order to qualify as a REIT, each taxable year we must distribute dividends (other than capital gain dividends) to our shareholders in an amount at least equal to (i) the sum of (a) 90% of our “REIT taxable income” (determined without regard to the dividends paid deduction and excluding net capital gains) and (b) 90% of the net income (after tax), if any, from foreclosure property, minus (ii) the sum of certain items of non-cash income. For purposes of the distribution requirements, any built-in gain (net of any applicable tax) we recognize during the applicable recognition period that existed on an asset at the time we acquired it from a C corporation in a carry-over basis transaction will be included in our REIT taxable income. We generally must pay such distributions in the taxable year to which they relate (or be treated as having paid such distributions in such year, as described further below under “Taxation of U.S. Shareholders – Distributions”), or in the following
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taxable year if declared before we timely file our tax return for such year and if paid on or before the first regular dividend payment after such declaration. Subject to certain requirements, we may satisfy all or part of our distribution requirement by paying taxable stock dividends.
To the extent that we do not distribute all of our net capital gain and REIT taxable income, we will be subject to regular U.S. federal corporate income tax, and potentially, state and local tax, on these retained amounts. Furthermore, if we should fail to distribute during each calendar year at least the sum of (i) 85% of our “ordinary income,” as defined in Section 4981(e)(1) of the Code, for such year, (ii) 95% of our “capital gain net income,” as defined in Section 4981(e)(2) of the Code, for such year, and (iii) 100% of any corresponding undistributed amounts from prior periods, we will be subject to a 4% nondeductible federal excise tax on the excess of such required distribution over the sum of amounts actually distributed plus retained income from such taxable year on which we paid corporate income tax.
Under certain circumstances, we may be able to rectify a failure to meet the distribution requirement for a year by paying “deficiency dividends” to our shareholders in a later year that may be included in our deduction for dividends paid for the earlier year. Thus, we may be able to avoid being taxed on amounts distributed as deficiency dividends; however, we will be required to pay interest based upon the amount of any deduction taken for deficiency dividends.
For taxable years beginning before January 1, 2015, in order for our distributions to have satisfied the annual distribution requirements for REITs and provided us with a REIT-level tax deduction, the distributions must not have been “preferential dividends.” A dividend is not a preferential dividend if the distribution is (i) pro rata among all outstanding shares of stock within a particular class, and (ii) in accordance with the preferences among different classes of stock as set forth in our organizational documents. The preferential dividend rule for publicly offered REITs was repealed for distributions made in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2014. As such, we are no longer subject to these preferential dividend requirements. Any non-publicly offered REIT in which we invest would be subject to the preferential dividend rule regardless of the date of the distribution.
Pursuant to an IRS ruling, the prohibition on preferential dividends applicable to our taxable years beginning before January 1, 2015 did not prohibit REITs from offering shares under a distribution reinvestment plan at discounts of up to 5% of fair market value, but a discount in excess of 5% of the fair market value of the shares would have been considered a preferential dividend. We believe that our distribution reinvestment plan has complied with those requirements.
We may retain and pay income tax on net long-term capital gains we received during the tax year. To the extent we so elect, (i) each shareholder must include in its income (as long-term capital gain) its proportionate share of our undistributed long-term capital gains, (ii) each shareholder is deemed to have paid, and receives a credit for, its proportionate share of the tax paid by us on the undistributed long-term capital gains, and (iii) each shareholder’s basis in its stock is increased by the included amount of the undistributed long-term capital gains less their share of the tax paid by us.
To qualify as a REIT, we may not have, at the end of any taxable year, any undistributed earnings and profits accumulated in any non-REIT taxable year (including non-REIT earnings and profits accumulated by another corporation and to which we succeed as a result of our acquisition of such other corporation in a tax-free reorganization). We believe that we have not had any non-REIT earnings and profits at the end of any taxable year covered by this rule, and we intend to distribute any non-REIT earnings and profits that we accumulate or to which we succeed before the end of any taxable year in which we accumulate or succeed to such earnings and profits if and as needed to comply with this rule.
Failure to Qualify
If we fail to qualify as a REIT and such failure is not an asset test or gross income test failure subject to the cure provisions described above, or for taxable years beginning before January 1, 2015 the result of preferential dividends, we generally will be eligible for a relief provision if the failure is due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect and we pay a penalty of $50,000 with respect to such failure.
If we fail to qualify for taxation as a REIT in any taxable year and no relief provisions apply, we generally will be subject to regular U.S. federal corporate income tax on our taxable income. Distributions to our shareholders in any year in which we fail to qualify as a REIT will not be deductible by us nor will they be
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required to be made. In such event, to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, all distributions to our shareholders will be taxable as dividend income. Subject to certain limitations in the Code, corporate shareholders may be eligible for the dividends received deduction, and individual, trust and estate shareholders 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 Code. However, non-corporate shareholders (including individuals) will not be able eligible for the 20% deduction on certain dividends they receive from us should we fail to qualify as a REIT. Unless entitled to relief under specific statutory provisions, we also will be ineligible to elect to be taxed as a REIT again prior to the fifth taxable year following the first year in which we failed to qualify as a REIT under the Code.
Our qualification as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes will depend on our continuing to meet the various requirements summarized above governing the ownership of our outstanding stock, the nature of our assets, the sources of our income, and the amount of our distributions to our shareholders. Although we intend to operate in a manner that will enable us to comply with such requirements, there can be no certainty that such intention will be realized. In addition, because the relevant laws may change, compliance with one or more of the REIT requirements may become impossible or impracticable for us.
Prohibited Transaction Tax
Any gain realized by us on the sale of any property held (other than foreclosure property) as inventory or other property held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business, including our share of any such gain realized by our subsidiary partnerships, will be treated as income from a “prohibited transaction” that is subject to a 100% penalty tax. Whether property is held as inventory or primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business depends upon all the facts and circumstances with respect to the particular transaction. However, the Code provides a “safe harbor” pursuant to which sales of properties held for at least two years and meeting certain other requirements will not give rise to prohibited transaction income.
We generally intend to hold properties for investment, but we have made and will make sales of properties consistent with our strategic objectives. We believe our past sales in open tax years are not considered prohibited transactions. However, we have made and we may make sales at a gain that do not satisfy the safe harbor requirements described above. There can be no assurance that the IRS will not contend that one or more of these sales are subject to the 100% penalty tax. The 100% penalty tax will not apply to gains from the sale of property realized through a U.S. TRS or other U.S. taxable corporation, although such income will be subject to regular U.S. federal corporate income tax.
Recordkeeping Requirements
To avoid a monetary penalty, we must request on an annual basis information from certain of our shareholders designed to disclose the actual ownership of our outstanding stock. We intend to comply with these requirements.
Qualified REIT Subsidiaries and Disregarded Entities
If a REIT owns a subsidiary that is a “qualified REIT subsidiary,” or QRS, or if a REIT owns 100% of the membership interests in a domestic limited liability company or other domestic unincorporated entity that does not elect to be treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the separate existence of the QRS, limited liability company or other unincorporated entity generally will be disregarded for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Generally, a QRS is a corporation, other than a TRS, all of the stock of which is owned by a REIT. All assets, liabilities, and items of income, deduction, and credit of the QRS or disregarded entity will be treated as assets, liabilities, and items of income, deduction, and credit of its owner. To the extent we own a QRS or a disregarded entity, neither will be subject to U.S. federal corporate income taxation, although such entities may be subject to state and local taxation in some states or foreign taxes if they do business or own property outside the United States.
Taxation of Subsidiary Partnerships
We have held and may in the future hold investments through entities that are classified as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Under the Code, a partnership generally is not subject to U.S. federal income tax, but is required to file a partnership tax information return each year. In general, the character of each
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partner’s share of each item of income, gain, loss, deduction, credit, and tax preference is determined at the partnership level. Each partner is then allocated a distributive share of such items and is required to take such items into account in determining the partner’s income. Each partner includes such amount in income for any taxable year of the partnership ending within or with the taxable year of the partner, without regard to whether the partner has received or will receive any cash distributions from the partnership. Cash distributions, if any, from a partnership to a partner generally are not taxable unless and to the extent they exceed the partner’s basis in its partnership interest immediately before the distribution. Any amounts in excess of such tax basis will generally be treated as a sale of such partner’s interest in the partnership.
While generally the rules described above mean that a partnership is not subject to U.S. federal income tax, the rules applicable to U.S. federal income tax audits of partnerships effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 may require the partnership to pay the hypothetical increase in partner-level taxes (including interest and penalties) resulting from an adjustment of partnership tax items on audit or in other tax proceedings (an “imputed underpayment”), unless the partnership elects an alternative method under which the taxes resulting from the adjustment (and interest and penalties) are assessed at the partner level (often referred to as a “push-out election”), subject to a higher rate of interest than otherwise would apply. Treasury Regulations provide that when a push-out election affects a partner that is a REIT, such REIT may be able to use deficiency dividend procedures with respect to adjustments resulting from such election. It is possible that partnerships in which we directly and indirectly invest may be subject to U.S. federal income tax, interest and penalties in the event of a U.S. federal income tax audit as a result of these rules, and as a result, we could be required to bear the economic costs of taxes attributable to our partners.
For purposes of the REIT income and assets tests, a REIT that is a partner in a partnership will be deemed to own its proportionate share of the assets of the partnership and will be deemed to earn its proportionate share of the partnership’s income. The assets and gross income of the partnership retain the same character in the hands of the REIT for purposes of the gross income and asset tests applicable to REITs. Our proportionate share of the assets and items of income of any subsidiary partnership, including such partnership’s share of the assets and liabilities and items of income with respect to any partnership or disregarded entity in which it holds an interest, will be treated as our assets and liabilities and items of income for purposes of applying the REIT asset and income tests.
We may form joint ventures taxed as partnerships and our joint venture partners may contribute property to such subsidiary partnerships. If our partner contributes appreciated property (i.e., property with a value in excess of adjusted tax basis) in exchange for a partnership interest, the subsidiary partnership’s initial tax basis in the property acquired generally will be less than the purchase price of the property. Although the partnership tax rules of Section 704(c) of the Code would generally attempt to provide us as the non-contributing partner with the depreciation deductions comparable to what we would receive if the subsidiary partnership purchased the appreciated assets for cash in a taxable transaction (and obtained an initial tax basis equal to the purchase price), absent certain elections, which would accelerate income to the contributor, the depreciation would be limited to tax basis. Consequently, our depreciation deductions for such properties may be less, and our tax gain on a sale of such properties may be more, than the deductions or gain, respectively, that we would have if the subsidiary partnership acquired these properties in taxable transactions. Alternatively, if we contribute appreciated property to a subsidiary partnership, such partnership may elect to use a method of allocation under Section 704(c) of the Code that accelerates income to us.
The discussion above assumes that any subsidiary partnerships in which we invest will be treated as “partnerships” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Generally, a domestic unincorporated entity with two or more owners is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes unless it affirmatively elects to be treated as a corporation. However, certain “publicly traded partnerships” are treated as corporations for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Pursuant to Section 7704 of the Code, a partnership that does not elect to be treated as a corporation nevertheless will be treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes if it is a “publicly traded partnership,” it does not derive at least 90% of its gross income from certain specified sources of “qualifying income” within the meaning of that provision and it meets certain other requirements. A “publicly traded partnership” is any partnership (i) the interests in which are traded on an established securities market or (ii) the interests in which are readily tradable on a “secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof.” Under the relevant Treasury Regulations, interests in a partnership will not be considered readily tradable on a secondary market or on the substantial equivalent of a secondary market if the partnership qualifies for specified
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“safe harbors,” which are based on the specific facts and circumstances relating to the partnership. For example, interests in a partnership are not readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof if (i) all interests in the partnership were issued in a transaction (or transactions) that was not required to be registered under the Securities Act, and (ii) the partnership does not have more than 100 partners at any time during the taxable year of the partnership (determined by counting indirect partners who held their partnership interest through certain flow-through entities). If any subsidiary partnership were a publicly traded partnership, it would be taxed as a corporation unless at least 90% of its gross income consists of “qualifying income” under Section 7704 of the Code. Qualifying income is generally real property rents and other types of passive income, and the income requirements applicable to us to qualify as a REIT under the Code and the definition of qualifying income under the publicly traded partnership rules are very similar. We intend to operate so that any subsidiary partnerships in which we invest will satisfy at least one of the above-mentioned safe harbors, and/or comply with the qualifying income exception, so as to avoid being taxed as a corporation under these rules. However, we may not control all of the subsidiary partnerships in which we may invest, and treatment of a subsidiary partnership as a corporation could prevent us from qualifying as a REIT.
Investments in Certain Debt Instruments
We may acquire mortgage, mezzanine, bridge loans and other debt investments. If a mortgage loan is secured by both real property and personal property, then such mortgage shall be treated as a wholly qualifying real estate asset and all interest shall be treated as mortgage interest for purposes of the 75% gross income test, provided that the fair market value of such personal property does not exceed 15% of the total fair market value of all such property on the date that we committed to acquire or modify the loan (or on the date of disposition for purposes of whether gain from a disposition of the mortgage is qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test), even if the real property collateral value is less than the outstanding balance of the loan. However, if a mortgage loan that is secured by both real property and personal property does not satisfy the 15% test articulated in the previous sentence, then such mortgage may not be a qualifying real estate asset in its entirety for purposes of the 75% asset test and/or a portion of the interest income from such mortgage may not constitute qualifying mortgage interest for purposes of the 75% gross income test if the amount of the loan outstanding exceeds the fair market value of the real property collateral on the date that we committed to acquire or modify the loan.
To the extent that we derive interest income from a mortgage loan where all or a portion of the amount of interest payable is contingent, such income generally will qualify for purposes of the gross income tests only if it is based upon the gross receipts or sales, and not the net income or profits, of the borrower. This limitation does not apply, however, where the borrower leases substantially all of its interest in the property to tenants or subtenants, to the extent that the rental income derived by the borrower would qualify as rents from real property had we earned the income directly.
The application of the REIT provisions of the Code to certain mezzanine loans, which are loans secured by equity interests in an entity that directly or indirectly owns real property rather than by a direct mortgage of the real property, is not entirely clear. A safe harbor in IRS Revenue Procedure 2003-65 provides that if a mezzanine loan meets certain requirements then it will be treated by the IRS as a qualifying real estate asset for purposes of the REIT asset tests and interest income derived from it will be treated as qualifying mortgage interest for purposes of the 75% gross income test. However, to the extent that mezzanine loans do not meet all of the requirements for reliance on the safe harbor set forth in IRS Revenue Procedure 2003-65, all or a portion of such mezzanine loans may not qualify as real estate assets for purposes of the REIT asset tests and the interest income derived therefrom may not be qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test, which could adversely affect our REIT qualification if we acquired such loans. As such, the REIT provisions of the Code may limit our ability to acquire mortgage, mezzanine or other loans that we might otherwise desire to acquire.
Investments in debt instruments may require recognition of taxable income prior to receipt of cash from such investments and may cause portions of gain to be treated as ordinary income. For example, we may purchase debt instruments at a discount from face value. To the extent we purchase any instruments at a discount in connection with their original issuances, the discount will be “original issue discount,” or OID, if it exceeds certain de minimis amounts, which must be accrued on a constant yield method even though we may not receive the corresponding cash payment until maturity. To the extent debt instruments are purchased by us at a discount after their original issuances, the discount may represent “market discount.” Unlike OID, market discount is not required to be included in income on a constant yield method. However, if we sell a debt instrument with market
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discount, we will be required to treat gain up to an amount equal to the market discount that has accrued while we held the debt instrument as ordinary income. Additionally, any principal payments we receive in respect of our debt instruments must be treated as ordinary income to the extent of any accrued market discount. If we ultimately collect less on a debt instrument than our purchase price and any OID or accrued market discount that we have included in income, there may be limitations on our ability to use any losses resulting from that debt instrument. We may acquire distressed debt instruments that are subsequently modified by agreement with the borrower. Under applicable Treasury Regulations, these modifications may be treated as a taxable event in which we exchange the old debt instrument for a new debt instrument, the value of which may be treated as equal to the face amount of the new debt instrument. Because distressed debt instruments are often acquired at a substantial discount from face value, the difference between our amount realized and our tax basis in the old note could be significant, resulting in significant income without any corresponding receipt of cash. Similarly, if we acquire a distressed debt instrument and subsequently foreclose, we could have taxable income to the extent that the fair market value of the property we receive exceeds our tax basis in the debt instrument. Such a scenario could also result in significant taxable income without any receipt of cash. In the event that any debt instruments acquired by us are delinquent as to mandatory principal and interest payments, or in the event payments with respect to a particular debt instrument are not made when due, we may nonetheless be required to continue to recognize the unpaid interest as taxable income.
We generally will be required to include certain amounts in income for U.S. federal income tax purposes no later than the time such amounts are reflected on certain financial statements. This rule generally will be effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017 but, for debt instruments issued with OID, for tax years beginning after December 31, 2018. Under finalized Treasury Regulations, we generally will not be required to accrue OID or market discount earlier than would be the case under the general tax rules described in the preceding paragraph.
Investments in TRSs
We own a subsidiary that has elected to be treated as a TRS for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and we may form additional TRSs. A TRS of ours is a corporation in which we directly or indirectly own stock and that jointly elects with us to be treated as a TRS under Section 856(l) of the Code. In addition, if a TRS owns, directly or indirectly, securities representing 35% or more of the vote or value of a subsidiary corporation, that subsidiary will also be treated as a TRS of ours. A domestic TRS (or a foreign TRS with income from a U.S. business) pays U.S. federal, state, and local income taxes at the full applicable corporate rates on its taxable income prior to payment of any dividends. A TRS owning property outside of the U.S. may pay foreign taxes. The taxes owed by a TRS could be substantial. To the extent that any of our TRSs is required to pay U.S. federal, state, local or foreign taxes, the cash available for distribution by us will be reduced accordingly.
A TRS is permitted to engage in certain kinds of activities that cannot be performed directly by us without jeopardizing our qualification as a REIT (but a TRS is not permitted to directly or indirectly operate or manage certain lodging facilities or health care facilities). However, several provisions regarding the arrangements between a REIT and its TRS ensure that a TRS will be subject to an appropriate level of U.S. federal income taxation. For example, we will be obligated to pay a 100% penalty tax on some payments that we receive or on certain expenses deducted by the TRS if the economic arrangements among us, our tenants, and/or the TRS are not comparable to similar arrangements among unrelated parties.
Taxation of U.S. Shareholders
The term “U.S. shareholder” means a beneficial owner of our common stock that, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is (i) a citizen or resident of the United States, (ii) a corporation or other entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any of its states or the District of Columbia, (iii) an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source, or (iv) a trust (a) that is subject to the primary supervision of a United States court and the control of one or more U.S. persons or (b) that has a valid election in effect under the applicable Treasury Regulations to be treated as a U.S. person under the Code.
In addition, as used herein, the term U.S. shareholder does not include any individuals or entities that are subject to special treatment under the Code, such as (i) insurance companies; (ii) tax-exempt organizations (except to the limited extent discussed below); (iii) financial institutions or broker-dealers; (iv) U.S. expatriates;
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(v) persons who mark-to-market our common stock; (vi) subchapter S corporations; (vii) U.S. shareholders whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar; (viii) regulated investment companies; (ix) holders who receive our common stock through the exercise of employee stock options or otherwise as compensation; (x) persons holding shares of our common stock as part of a “straddle,” “hedge,” “conversion transaction,” “synthetic security” or other integrated investment; (xi) persons subject to the alternative minimum tax provisions of the Code; (xii) persons holding our common stock through a partnership or similar pass-through entity; and (xiii) persons holding a 10% or more (by vote or value) beneficial interest in our stock. If a partnership, including any entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, holds our stock, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner in the partnership will generally depend on the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. If you are a partner in a partnership holding our stock, you are urged to consult your tax advisor regarding the consequences of the ownership and disposition of shares of our stock by the partnership. This summary assumes that shareholders hold our stock as capital assets for U.S. federal income tax purposes, which generally means property held for investment.
Certain accrual method taxpayers are required to include certain amounts in income for U.S. federal income tax purposes no later than the time such amounts are reflected on certain financial statements. This summary does not address the impact of those rules.
Distributions
Distributions by us, other than capital gain dividends, will constitute ordinary dividends to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and profits as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Distributions on our preferred stock will be treated as made out of any available earnings and profits in priority to distributions on our common stock. In general, these dividends will be taxable as ordinary income and will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders. However, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026, individuals and other non-corporate taxpayers generally may deduct 20% of dividends received from us, other than capital gain dividends or dividends treated as qualified dividend income, subject to certain limitations. Our ordinary dividends generally will not qualify as “qualified dividend income” currently taxed as net capital gain for U.S. shareholders that are individuals, trusts or estates. However, provided we properly designate the distributions, distributions to U.S. shareholders that are individuals, trusts or estates generally will constitute qualified dividend income taxed as net capital gains to the extent the U.S. shareholder satisfies certain holding period requirements and to the extent the dividends are attributable to (i) qualified dividend income we receive from other corporations during the taxable year, including from our TRSs, and (ii) our undistributed earnings or built-in gains taxed at the corporate level during the immediately preceding taxable year. We do not anticipate distributing a significant amount of qualified dividend income.
The discussion in this section applies equally to distributions payable in cash and taxable stock distributions. The Code provides that certain distributions payable in stock will be treated as taxable stock dividends. In addition, shares acquired through a distribution reinvestment plan are treated as taxable stock dividends. Certain features, typically with respect to preferred stock, such as certain redemption premiums and conversion ratio adjustments that have the effect of increasing the affected shareholders’ interest in our earnings or assets, also may be treated as taxable stock dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Taxable U.S. shareholders receiving taxable dividends of stock will be required to include as dividend income the fair market value of the stock received plus any cash or other property received in the distribution, to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits for U.S. federal income tax purposes. As a result, a U.S. shareholder may be required to pay tax with respect to such dividends in excess of the cash received. If a U.S. shareholder sells the stock it receives as a dividend, the sales proceeds may be less than the amount included in income with respect to the dividend, depending on the market price of the stock at the time of the sale.
To the extent that we make a distribution in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits (a “return of capital distribution”), a U.S. shareholder will first apply the distribution to reduce the shareholder’s tax basis in our stock, and the return of capital distribution will be tax-free to that extent. To the extent that a return of capital distribution exceeds a U.S. shareholder’s tax basis in its stock, the distribution will be taxable as capital gain realized from the sale of such stock.
Dividends declared by us in October, November or December and payable to a shareholder of record on a specified date in any such month shall be treated both as paid by us and as received by the shareholder on December 31 of the year to the extent of our remaining current and accumulated earnings and profits for such year, provided that the dividend is actually paid by us during January of the following calendar year.
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We will be treated as having sufficient earnings and profits to treat as a dividend any distribution up to the amount required to be distributed in order to avoid imposition of the 4% excise tax generally applicable to REITs if certain distribution requirements are not met. Moreover, any deficiency dividend will be treated as an ordinary or a capital gain dividend, as the case may be, regardless of our earnings and profits at the time the distribution is actually made. As a result, shareholders may be required to treat certain distributions as taxable dividends that would otherwise result in a tax-free return of capital.
Distributions that are properly designated as capital gain dividends will be taxed as long-term capital gains (to the extent they do not exceed our actual net capital gain for the taxable year) without regard to the period for which the shareholder has held its stock. However, corporate shareholders may be required to treat up to 20% of certain capital gain dividends as ordinary income. In addition, U.S. shareholders may be required to treat a portion of any capital gain dividend as “unrecaptured Section 1250 gain,” taxable at a maximum rate of 25%, if we incur such gain. Capital gain dividends are not eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporations.
The REIT provisions of the Code do not require us to distribute our long-term capital gain, and we may elect to retain and pay income tax on our net long-term capital gains received during the taxable year. If we so elect for a taxable year, our shareholders would include in income as long-term capital gains their proportionate share of retained net long-term capital gains for the taxable year as we may designate. A U.S. shareholder would be deemed to have paid its share of the tax paid by us on such undistributed capital gains, which would be credited or refunded to the shareholder. The U.S. shareholder’s basis in its stock would be increased by the amount of undistributed long-term capital gains (less the capital gains tax paid by us) included in the U.S. shareholder’s long-term capital gains.
Passive Activity Loss and Investment Interest Limitations; No Pass-Through of Losses
Dividends paid by us and gain from the disposition of our common stock will not be treated as passive activity income and, therefore, U.S. shareholders will not be able to apply any “passive losses” against such income. With respect to non-corporate U.S. shareholders, our dividends (to the extent they do not constitute a return of capital) that are taxed at ordinary income rates will generally be treated as investment income for purposes of the investment interest limitation; however, net capital gain from the disposition of our common stock (or distributions treated as such), capital gain dividends, and dividends taxed at net capital gains rates generally will be excluded from investment income except to the extent the U.S. shareholder elects to treat such amounts as ordinary income for U.S. federal income tax purposes. U.S. shareholders may not include in their own U.S. federal income tax returns any of our net operating or net capital losses.
Sale or Disposition of Stock
In general, any gain or loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares of our common stock by a shareholder that is not a dealer in securities will be a long-term capital gain or loss if the stock has been held for more than one year; otherwise it will be a short-term capital gain or loss. However, any loss upon a sale or exchange of the stock by a shareholder who has held such stock for six months or less (after applying certain holding period rules) will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of our distributions or undistributed capital gains required to be treated by such shareholder as long-term capital gain. All or a portion of any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares of our common stock may be disallowed if the taxpayer purchases other shares of our common stock within 30 days before or after the disposition.
Taxation of U.S. Tax-Exempt Shareholders
In General
In general, a tax-exempt organization is exempt from U.S. federal income tax on its income, except to the extent of its “unrelated business taxable income” or UBTI, which is defined by the Code as the gross income derived from any trade or business which is regularly carried on by a tax-exempt entity and unrelated to its exempt purposes, less any directly connected deductions and subject to certain modifications. For this purpose, the Code generally excludes from UBTI any gain or loss from the sale or other disposition of property (other than stock in trade or property held primarily for sale in the ordinary course of a trade or business), dividends, interest, rents from real property, and certain other items. However, a portion of any such gains, dividends, interest, rents, and other items generally is UBTI to the extent derived from debt-financed property not related to the tax-exempt entity’s exempt purpose, based on the amount of “acquisition indebtedness” with
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respect to such debt-financed property. A U.S. tax-exempt shareholder that is subject to tax on its UBTI will be required to separately compute its taxable income and loss for each unrelated trade or business activity for purposes of determining its UBTI. Before making an investment in shares of our common stock, a tax-exempt shareholder should consult its tax advisors with regard to UBTI and the suitability of the investment in our stock.
Distributions we make to a tax-exempt employee pension trust or other domestic tax-exempt shareholder or gains from the disposition of our common stock held as capital assets generally will not constitute UBTI unless the exempt organization’s stock is debt-financed property (e.g., the shareholder has incurred “acquisition indebtedness” with respect to such stock). However, if we are a “pension-held REIT,” this general rule may not apply to distributions to certain pension trusts that are qualified trusts (as defined above) and that hold more than 10% (by value) of our stock. We will be treated as a “pension-held REIT” if (i) treating qualified trusts as individuals would cause us to fail the 5/50 Test (as defined above) and (ii) we are “predominantly held” by qualified trusts. We will be “predominantly held” by qualified trusts if either (i) a single qualified trust holds more than 25% by value of our stock or (ii) one or more qualified trusts, each owning more than 10% by value of our stock, hold in the aggregate more than 50% by value of our stock. In the event we are a pension-held REIT, the percentage of any dividend received from us treated as UBTI would be equal to the ratio of (i) the gross UBTI (less certain associated expenses) earned by us (treating us as if we were a qualified trust and, therefore, subject to tax on UBTI) to (ii) our total gross income (less certain associated expenses). A de minimis exception applies where the ratio set forth in the preceding sentence is less than 5% for any year; in that case, no dividends are treated as UBTI. We cannot assure you that we will not be treated as a pension-held REIT.
Special Issues
Social clubs, voluntary employee benefit associations and supplemental unemployment benefit trusts that are exempt from taxation under paragraphs (7), (9) and (17), respectively, of Section 501(c) of the Code are subject to different UBTI rules, which generally will require them to characterize distributions from us as UBTI.
Taxation of Non-U.S. Shareholders
The rules governing U.S. federal income taxation of beneficial owners of our stock who are not U.S. persons, such as nonresident alien individuals, foreign corporations, and foreign trusts and estates (“non-U.S. shareholders”), are complex. This section is only a partial discussion of such rules. This discussion does not attempt to address the considerations that may be relevant for non-U.S. shareholders that are partnerships or other pass-through entities, that hold their common stock through intermediate entities, that have special statuses (such as sovereigns), or that otherwise are subject to special rules under the Code. This discussion also generally is limited to investments in classes of our stock that are regularly traded on an established securities market.
Distributions
A non-U.S. shareholder that receives a distribution that is not attributable to gain from our sale or exchange of “United States real property interests” (as defined below) and that we do not designate as a capital gain dividend or retained capital gain generally will recognize ordinary dividend income to the extent that we pay the distribution out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits. A U.S. federal withholding tax equal to 30% of the gross amount of the distribution ordinarily will apply unless an applicable tax treaty reduces or eliminates the tax. Under many treaties, lower withholding rates do not apply to dividends from REITs or are available in limited circumstances. However, if a distribution is treated as effectively connected with the non-U.S. shareholder’s conduct of a U.S. trade or business, the non-U.S. shareholder generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the distribution at graduated rates (in the same manner as U.S. shareholders are taxed on distributions) and also may be subject to the 30% branch profits tax in the case of a corporate non-U.S. shareholder. We generally plan to withhold U.S. income tax at the rate of 30% on the gross amount of any distribution paid to a non-U.S. shareholder (including any portion of any dividend that is payable in our stock) unless either (i) a lower treaty rate or special provision of the Code (e.g., Section 892) applies and the non-U.S. shareholder provides to us any required IRS Form W-8 (for example, an IRS Form W-8BEN) evidencing eligibility for that reduced rate or (ii) the non-U.S. shareholder provides with us an IRS Form W-8ECI claiming that the distribution is effectively connected income, or (iii) we determined that a different withholding rate is appropriate (such as because we can determine at the time of distribution that the distribution is a capital gain dividend or is attributable to gain from the sale or exchange of “United States real property interests”).
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A non-U.S. shareholder generally will not incur U.S. federal income tax (but will be subject to withholding as described below) on a return of capital distribution in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits that is not attributable to the gain from our disposition of a “United States real property interest” if the excess portion of the distribution does not exceed the adjusted basis of the non-U.S. shareholder’s stock. Instead, the excess portion of the distribution will reduce the adjusted basis of the stock. However, a non-U.S. shareholder will be subject to tax on such a distribution that exceeds both our current and accumulated earnings and profits and the non-U.S. shareholder’s adjusted basis in the stock if the non-U.S. shareholder otherwise would be subject to tax on gain from the sale or disposition of its stock, as described below. Because we generally cannot determine at the time we make a distribution whether or not the distribution will exceed our current and accumulated earnings and profits, we normally will withhold tax on the entire amount of any distribution at the same rate as we would withhold on a dividend.
We may be required to withhold 15% of any distribution that exceeds our current and accumulated earnings and profits even if a lower treaty rate applies to dividends or the non-U.S. shareholder is not liable for tax on the receipt of that distribution. Consequently, to the extent that we do not withhold at a rate of 30% on the entire amount of any distribution, we generally expect to withhold at a rate of 15% on the portion of the distribution that we do not withhold at a rate of 30%,. unless we conclude that an exemption or different rate applies.
A non-U.S. shareholder may seek a refund from the IRS if the non-U.S. shareholder’s withholdings and any other tax payments exceed its U.S. federal income tax liability for the year.
Subject to the exception discussed below for 10% or smaller holders of classes of stock of a corporation that are regularly traded on an established securities market located in the United States and the special rules for “qualified shareholders” or “qualified foreign pension funds” discussed below, a non-U.S. shareholder will incur tax on distributions that are attributable to gain from our sale or exchange of “United States real property interests” under special provisions of the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act of 1980, or FIRPTA, regardless of whether we designate such distributions as capital gain dividend. The term “United States real property interests” includes interests in U.S. real property and stock in U.S. corporations at least 50% of whose assets consist of interests in U.S. real property. Under those rules, a non-U.S. shareholder is taxed on our distributions attributable to gain from sales of United States real property interests as if the gain were effectively connected with the non-U.S. shareholder’s conduct of a U.S. trade or business. A non-U.S. shareholder thus would be taxed on such a distribution at the normal capital gain rates applicable to U.S. shareholders, subject to any applicable alternative minimum tax. A corporate non-U.S. shareholder not entitled to treaty relief or exemption also may be subject to the 30% branch profits tax on such a distribution. We will be required to withhold and remit to the IRS 21% of any distributions to non-U.S. shareholders attributable to gain from our sale or exchange of United States real property interests (“FIRPTA Withholding”). A non-U.S. shareholder may receive a credit against its tax liability for the amount we withhold.
A non-U.S. shareholder that owns, actually or constructively, no more than 10% of our common stock at all times during the one-year period ending on the date of a distribution with respect to such stock should not be subject to FIRPTA, branch profits tax or FIRPTA Withholding with respect to a distribution on that stock that is attributable to gain from our sale or exchange of United States real property interests, provided that the class of stock in question continues to be regularly traded on an established securities market located in the United States. In the case of any such distribution that was a capital gain dividend made to such non-U.S. shareholder, the distribution will be treated as an ordinary dividend subject to the general withholding rules discussed above, which generally impose a withholding tax equal to 30% of the gross amount of each dividend distribution (unless reduced by treaty).
Distributions that are designated by us as capital gain dividends but that are not attributable to the disposition of a United States real property interest, generally should not be subject to U.S. federal income taxation unless:
(i) | such distribution is effectively connected with the non-U.S. shareholder’s U.S. trade or business and, if certain treaties apply, is attributable to a U.S. permanent establishment maintained by the non-U.S. shareholder, in which case the non-U.S. shareholder will be subject to tax on a net basis in a manner similar to the taxation of U.S. shareholders with respect to such gain, except that a holder that is a foreign corporation may also be subject to the additional 30% branch profits tax; or |
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(ii) | the non-U.S. shareholder is a nonresident alien individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year and meets certain other criteria, in which case such nonresident alien individual generally will be subject to a 30% tax on the individual’s net U.S. source capital gain. |
Notwithstanding that such non-FIRPTA capital gain dividend may not be subject to U.S. federal income taxation, as noted above we generally plan to withhold U.S. federal income tax at the rate of 30% on the gross amount of any dividend distribution paid to a non-U.S. shareholder and we may be required to withhold not less than 21% of any such capital gain dividends (or amounts we could have designated as such). Distributions can be designated as capital gain dividends to the extent of our net capital gain for the taxable year of the distribution. The amount withheld is creditable against the non-U.S. shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability.
Although the law is not clear on the matter, it appears that amounts designated by us as undistributed capital gains generally should be treated with respect to non-U.S. shareholders in the same manner as actual distributions by us of capital gain dividends. Under that approach, non-U.S. shareholders would be able to offset as a credit against their U.S. federal income tax liability resulting therefrom an amount equal to their proportionate share of the tax paid by us on the undistributed capital gains and to receive from the IRS a refund to the extent their proportionate share of this tax paid by us exceeds their actual U.S. federal income tax liability.
Dispositions
If gain on the sale of our common stock were taxed under FIRPTA, a non-U.S. shareholder would be taxed on that gain in the same manner as U.S. shareholders with respect to that gain, subject to any applicable alternative minimum tax. A non-U.S. shareholder generally will not incur tax under FIRPTA on a sale or other disposition of our common stock if we are a “domestically controlled qualified investment entity,” which requires that, during the five-year period ending on the date of the distribution or disposition, non-U.S. shareholders hold, directly or indirectly, less than 50% in value of our stock and we are qualified as a REIT. For such testing periods that end on or after December 18, 2015, a person holding less than 5% of our regularly traded classes of stock for five years has been, and will be, treated as a U.S. person unless we have actual knowledge that such person is not a U.S. person. Because our common stock is publicly traded, we cannot assure you that we are or will be in the future a domestically controlled qualified investment entity. However, gain recognized by a non-U.S. shareholder from a sale of our common stock that is regularly traded on an established securities market will not be subject to tax under FIRPTA if (i) our stock is considered regularly traded under applicable Treasury Regulations on an established securities market, such as the NYSE, and (ii) the non-U.S. shareholder owned, actually and constructively, 10% or less of the value of such class of stock at all times during the specified testing period ending on the date of the disposition. The testing period referred to in the previous sentence is the shorter of (i) the period during which the non-U.S. shareholder held the stock and (ii) the five-year period ending on the date of the disposition. We believe that our common stock is currently regularly traded on an established securities market. Non-U.S. shareholders should consult their tax advisors as to the availability of the exception for holders of less than 10% of our stock in the case of a class of our stock that is not regularly traded on an established securities market.
In addition, even if we are a domestically controlled qualified investment entity, upon a disposition of our common stock, a non-U.S. shareholder may be treated as having gain from the sale or exchange of a United States real property interest if the non-U.S. shareholder (i) disposes of an interest in our common stock during the 30-day period preceding the ex-dividend date of a distribution, any portion of which, but for the disposition, would have been treated as gain from the sale or exchange of a United States real property interest, and (ii) directly or indirectly acquires, enters into a contract or option to acquire, or is deemed to acquire, other shares of our common stock within 30 days before or after such ex-dividend date. The foregoing rule does not apply if the exception described above for dispositions by 10% or smaller holders of regularly traded classes of stock is satisfied.
Furthermore, a non-U.S. shareholder generally will incur tax on gain not subject to FIRPTA if (i) the gain is effectively connected with the non-U.S. shareholder’s U.S. trade or business and, if certain treaties apply, is attributable to a U.S. permanent establishment maintained by the non-U.S. shareholder, in which case the non-U.S. shareholder will be subject to the same treatment as U.S. shareholders with respect to such gain and may be subject to the 30% branch profits tax in the case of a non-U.S. corporation, or (ii) the non-U.S.
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shareholder is a nonresident alien individual who was present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year and has a “tax home” in the United States, in which case the non-U.S. shareholder will generally incur a 30% tax on his or her net U.S. source capital gains.
Purchasers of our common stock from a non-U.S. shareholder generally will be required to withhold and remit to the IRS 15% of the purchase price unless at the time of purchase (i) any class of our stock is regularly traded on an established securities market (subject to certain limits if the shares of stock sold are not themselves part of such a regularly traded class) or (ii) we are a domestically controlled qualified investment entity. The non-U.S. shareholder may receive a credit against his or her U.S. tax liability for the amount withheld.
Special FIRPTA Rules
To the extent our stock is held directly (or indirectly through one or more partnerships) by a “qualified shareholder,” it will not be treated as a United States real property interest for such qualified shareholder. Thus, gain treated as gain from the sale or exchange of our stock (including distributions treated as gain from the sale or exchange of our stock) will not be subject to tax unless such gain is treated as effectively connected with the qualified shareholder’s conduct of a U.S. trade or business. Further, to the extent such treatment applies, any distribution to such shareholder will not be treated as gain recognized from the sale or exchange of a United States real property interest (and capital gain dividends and non-dividend distributions to such shareholder may be treated as ordinary dividends). For these purposes, a qualified shareholder is generally a non-U.S. shareholder that (i)(a) is eligible for treaty benefits under an income tax treaty with the United States that includes an exchange of information program and the principal class of interests of which is listed and regularly traded on one or more stock exchanges as defined by the treaty, or (b) is a foreign limited partnership organized in a jurisdiction with an exchange of information agreement with the United States and that has a class of regularly traded limited partnership units (having a value greater than 50% of the value of all partnership units) on the NYSE or Nasdaq, (ii) is a “qualified collective investment vehicle” (within the meaning of Section 897(k)(3)(B) of the Code) and (iii) maintains records of persons holding 5% or more of the class of interests described in clauses (i)(a) or (i)(b) above. However, in the case of a qualified shareholder having one or more “applicable investors,” the exception described in the first sentence of this paragraph will not apply to the applicable percentage of the qualified shareholder’s stock (with “applicable percentage” generally meaning the percentage of the value of the interests in the qualified shareholder held by applicable investors after applying certain constructive ownership rules). The applicable percentage of the amount realized by a qualified shareholder on the disposition of our stock or with respect to a distribution from us attributable to gain from the sale or exchange of a United States real property interest will be treated as amounts realized from the disposition of United States real property interest. Such treatment shall also apply to applicable investors in respect of distributions treated as a sale or exchange of stock with respect to a qualified shareholder. For these purposes, an “applicable investor” is a person (other than a qualified shareholder) who generally holds an interest in the qualified shareholder and holds more than 10% of our stock applying certain constructive ownership rules.
For FIRPTA purposes, neither a “qualified foreign pension fund” (as defined below) nor a “qualified controlled entity” (as defined below) is treated as a non-U.S. shareholder. Accordingly, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of ordinary dividends received by qualified foreign pension funds and qualified controlled entities will be determined without regard to the FIRPTA rules discussed above, and their gain from the sale or exchange of our stock, as well as our capital gain dividends and distributions treated as gain from the sale or exchange of our stock, will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax unless such gain is treated as effectively connected with the qualified foreign pension fund’s (or the qualified controlled entity’s) conduct of a U.S. trade or business. A “qualified foreign pension fund” is an organization or arrangement (i) created or organized in a foreign country, (ii) established to provide retirement or pension benefits to current or former employees (including self-employed individuals) or their designees by either (a) such foreign country as a result of services rendered by such employees to their employers, or (b) one or more employers in consideration for services rendered by such employees to such employers, (iii) which does not have a single participant or beneficiary that has a right to more than 5% of its assets or income, (iv) which is subject to government regulation and with respect to which annual information about its beneficiaries is provided, or is otherwise available, to relevant local tax authorities, and (v) with respect to which, under its local laws, (a) contributions that would otherwise be subject to tax are deductible or excluded from its gross income or taxed at a reduced rate, or (b) taxation of its investment income is deferred, or such income is excluded from its gross income or taxed at a reduced rate. A “qualified controlled entity” for purposes of the above summary means an entity all the interests of which are held by a qualified
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foreign pension fund. Alternatively, under proposed Treasury Regulations that taxpayers generally may rely on, but which are subject to change, a “qualified controlled entity” is a trust or corporation organized under the laws of a foreign country all of the interests of which are held by one or more qualified foreign pension funds either directly or indirectly through one or more qualified controlled entities or partnerships.
U.S. Federal Income Tax Returns
If a non-U.S. shareholder is subject to taxation under FIRPTA on proceeds from the sale of our common stock or on distributions, the non-U.S. shareholder will be required to file a U.S. federal income tax return.
Information Reporting Requirements and Backup Withholding Tax Applicable to Shareholders
U.S. Shareholders
In general, information reporting requirements will apply to payments of distributions on our stock and payments of the proceeds of the sale of our stock to some shareholders. Further, the payor will be required to backup withhold on any payments at the current rate of 24% if:
(1) | the payee fails to furnish a taxpayer identification number, or TIN, to the payor or establish an exemption from backup withholding; |
(2) | the IRS notifies the payor that the TIN furnished by the payee is incorrect; or |
(3) | the payee fails to certify under the penalty of perjury that the payee is not subject to backup withholding under the Code; or |
(4) | there has been a notified payee underreporting with respect to dividends described in Code Section 3406(c). |
Some U.S. shareholders, including corporations and tax-exempt organizations, will be exempt from backup withholding. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules from a payment to a shareholder will be allowed as a credit against the shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax and may entitle the shareholder to a refund, provided that the required information is furnished to the IRS on a timely basis.
Non-U.S. Shareholders
Information reporting requirements and backup withholding may apply to (i) payments of distributions on our stock to a non-U.S. shareholder and (ii) proceeds a non-U.S. shareholder receives upon the sale, exchange, redemption, retirement or other disposition of our stock. Information reporting and backup withholding will generally not apply if an appropriate IRS Form W-8 is duly provided by such non-U.S. shareholder or the shareholder otherwise establishes an exemption, provided that the withholding agent does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that the shareholder is a U.S. person or that the claimed exemption is not in fact satisfied. Even without having executed an appropriate IRS Form W-8 or substantially similar form, however, in some cases information reporting and backup withholding will not apply to proceeds received through a broker’s foreign office that a non-U.S. shareholder receives upon the sale, exchange, redemption, retirement or other disposition of our stock. However, this exemption does not apply to brokers that are U.S. persons and certain foreign brokers with substantial U.S. ownership or operations. Any amount withheld under the backup withholding rules is allowable as a credit against such shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability (which might entitle such holder to a refund), provided that such holder furnishes the required information to the IRS. Payments not subject to information reporting requirements may nonetheless be subject to other reporting requirements.
Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act Withholding Rules
The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, or FATCA, provisions of the Code, subject to administrative guidance and certain intergovernmental agreements entered into thereunder, impose a 30% withholding tax on certain types of payments made to “foreign financial institutions” (as specifically defined in the Code) and certain other non-U.S. entities unless (i) the foreign financial institution (as the beneficial owner or as an intermediary for the beneficial owners) undertakes certain diligence and reporting obligations or (ii) the foreign non-financial entity (as the beneficial owner or, in certain cases, as an intermediary for the beneficial owners) either certifies it does not have any substantial United States owners or furnishes identifying information
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regarding each substantial United States owner. If the payee is a foreign financial institution that is not subject to special treatment under certain intergovernmental agreements, it must enter into an agreement with the United States Treasury requiring, among other things, that it undertakes to identify accounts held by certain United States persons or United States-owned foreign entities, annually report certain information about such accounts, and withhold 30% on payments to account holders whose actions prevent them from complying with these reporting and other requirements. The compliance requirements under FATCA are complex and special requirements may apply to certain categories of payees. Withholding under this legislation may apply with respect to certain types of passive income from sources within the United States, which include dividend income from our stock. However, FATCA withholding will not apply to amounts treated as income effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States or to distributions and proceeds from a sale or other disposition of our stock.
Medicare Tax
A U.S. shareholder that is an individual is subject to a 3.8% tax on the lesser of (i) his or her “net investment income” for the relevant taxable year and (ii) the excess of his or her modified adjusted gross income for the taxable year over a certain threshold (currently between $125,000 and $250,000, depending on the individual’s U.S. federal income tax filing status). A similar regime applies to certain estates and trusts. Net investment income generally would include dividends on our common stock (without regard to the 20% deduction allowed by Section 199A of the Code) and gain from the sale of our common stock. If you are a U.S. person that is an individual, an estate or a trust, you are urged to consult your tax advisors regarding the applicability of this tax to your income and gains in respect of your investment in our common stock.
Additional Legislative or Other Actions Affecting REITs
The rules dealing with U.S. federal income taxation are constantly under review by persons involved in the legislative process and by the IRS and the U.S. Treasury Department and it is possible that there could be future changes that could adversely impact our shareholders. No assurance can be given as to whether, when, or in what form the U.S. federal income tax laws applicable to us and our shareholders may be enacted. Changes to the U.S. federal tax laws and interpretations of federal tax laws could adversely affect an investment in our common stock.
State, Local and Foreign Tax
We may be subject to state, local and foreign tax in states, localities and foreign countries in which we do business or own property. The tax treatment applicable to us and our shareholders in such jurisdictions may differ from the U.S. federal income tax treatment described above.
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When we refer to the “selling securityholders” in this prospectus, we mean the individual listed in the table below and his pledgees, donees, transferees or other successors in interest. The selling securityholders may from time to time offer and sell any or all of the securities set forth below pursuant to this prospectus. The selling securityholder listed in the table below initially acquired shares of our common stock in connection with the Portfolio Acquisition, pursuant to the Merger Agreement. See “About this Offering” above. The selling securityholders may sell any or all of the shares of our common stock offered under this prospectus.
Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with the rules of the SEC and includes voting or investment power with respect to the securities.
Except as described in this prospectus, the selling securityholder listed below does not have, nor within the past three years has had, any material relationship with us or any of our affiliates.
We do not know when or in what amounts the selling securityholders may offer securities for sale, if at all. It is possible that the selling securityholders will not sell any or all of the shares offered under this prospectus. Because the selling securityholders may offer all or some of the securities pursuant to this prospectus and because we have been advised that there are currently no agreements, arrangements or understanding with respect to the sale of any such securities, we cannot estimate the number of securities that will be held by the selling securityholders after the completion of this offering. Solely for purposes of the table below, we have assumed that the selling securityholder will sell all of the securities held by him and therefore would hold no securities following the offering and hold none of the securities following the offering.
Selling Securityholder | | | Shares of Common Stock Beneficially Owned Prior to Offering | | | Maximum Number of Shares of Common Stock Being Offered Hereby | | | Shares of Common Stock Owned After the Offering | ||||||
| | | Shares | | | Percent(1) | | | | | Shares(2) | | | Percent(2) | ||
John Brian Tulloch | | | 1,868,809 | | | 4.5% | | | 1,868,809 | | | — | | | — |
(1) | Percentage ownership calculation is based on 41,680,414 shares of common stock outstanding as of May 31, 2022. |
(2) | For purposes of this table only, we have assumed that the selling securityholder will sell all of his shares offered pursuant to this prospectus. |
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The selling securityholders, including any pledgees, donees, transferees, or any of their successors in interest selling the securities received from the named selling securityholder as a gift or other non-sale-related transfer after the date of this prospectus, may sell the securities from time to time on any stock exchange or automated interdealer quotation system on which the securities are listed, in the over-the-counter market, in privately negotiated transactions or in any other legal manner, at fixed prices that may be changed, at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices. The selling securityholders will act independently of us in making decisions with respect to the timing, manner and size of each sale or non-sale related transfers. The selling securityholders may sell the securities by one or more of the following methods, without limitation:
• | block trades in which the broker or dealer so engaged will attempt to sell the securities as agent but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction, or in crosses in which the same broker acts as agent on both sides; |
• | purchases by a broker or dealer as principal and resale by the broker or dealer for its own account; |
• | an exchange distribution or secondary distribution in accordance with the rules of any stock exchange on which the securities are listed; |
• | ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker solicits purchases; |
• | an offering at other than a fixed price on or through the facilities of any stock exchange on which the securities are listed or to or through a market maker other than on that stock exchange; |
• | privately negotiated transactions, directly or through agents; |
• | short sales; |
• | through the writing of options on the securities, swaps or other derivatives, whether or not the options or such instruments are listed on an exchange; |
• | through the distribution of the securities by any selling securityholder to its partners, members, equityholders or creditors; |
• | one or more underwritten offerings on a firm commitment or best efforts basis or other purchases by underwriters, brokers, dealers, and agents who may receive compensation in the form of underwriting discounts, concessions or commissions from the selling securityholders and/or the purchasers of the securities for whom they may act as agent; |
• | pledges of the securities as security for any loan or obligation, including pledges to brokers or dealers who may from time to time effect distributions of the securities; |
• | sales in other ways not involving market makers or established trading markets, including direct sales to institutions or individual purchasers; and |
• | any combination of any of these methods of sale or distribution, or by any other method permitted by applicable law. |
The selling securityholder may also transfer the securities by gift.
The selling securityholders may engage underwriters, brokers or dealers, and any underwriters, brokers or dealers may arrange for other underwriters, brokers or dealers to participate in effecting sales of the securities. These brokers, dealers or underwriters may act as principals, or as an agent of a selling securityholder. Broker-dealers may agree with the selling securityholder to sell a specified number of the securities at a stipulated price per security. If the broker-dealer is unable to sell securities acting as agent for a selling securityholder, it may purchase as principal any unsold securities at the stipulated price. Broker-dealers who acquire securities as principals may thereafter resell the securities from time to time in transactions in any stock exchange or automated interdealer quotation system on which the securities are then listed or in over-the-counter market, at prices and on terms then prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to the then-current market price or in negotiated transactions. Broker-dealers may use block transactions and sales to and through
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broker-dealers, including transactions of the nature described above. The selling securityholder may also sell the securities in accordance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act, or in accordance with Section 4(a)(1) of the Securities Act, rather than pursuant to this prospectus, regardless of whether the securities are covered by this prospectus.
From time to time, one or more of the selling securityholders may pledge, hypothecate or grant a security interest in some or all of the securities owned by them. The pledgees, secured parties or persons to whom the securities have been so pledged or hypothecated (or otherwise subject to a security interest) will, upon foreclosure in the event of default, be deemed to be selling securityholders. The plan of distribution for that selling securityholder’s securities will otherwise remain unchanged. The selling securityholders (or their pledgees, donees, transferees or other successors in interest) also may transfer and donate the securities in other circumstances in which case the transferees, donees, pledgees or other successors in interest thereof will be the selling securityholders for purposes of this prospectus.
In addition, a selling securityholder may, from time to time, sell the securities short, and, in those instances, this prospectus may be delivered in connection with the short sales and the securities offered under this prospectus may be used to cover short sales.
To the extent required under the Securities Act, the aggregate amount of selling securityholders’ securities being offered and the terms of the offering, the names of any agents, brokers, dealers or underwriters and any applicable commission with respect to a particular offer will be set forth in an accompanying prospectus supplement. Any underwriters, dealers, brokers or agents participating in the distribution of the securities may receive compensation in the form of underwriting discounts, concessions, commissions or fees from a selling securityholder and/or purchasers of selling securityholders’ securities, for whom they may act (which compensation as to a particular broker-dealer might be in excess of customary commissions). The maximum commission or discount to be received by any member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA) or independent broker-dealer will not be greater than 8% of the initial gross proceeds from the sale of any securities being sold.
The selling securityholders and any underwriters, brokers, dealers or agents that participate in the distribution of the securities may be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act, and any discounts, concessions, commissions or fees received by them and any profit on the resale of the securities sold by them may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions.
The selling securityholders may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers and the broker-dealers may engage in short sales of the securities in the course of hedging the positions they assume with that selling securityholder, including, without limitation, in connection with distributions of the securities by those broker-dealers. The selling securityholders may enter into options or other transactions with broker-dealers that involve the delivery of the securities offered hereby to the broker-dealers, who may then resell or otherwise transfer those securities. The selling securityholders may also loan or pledge the securities offered hereby to a broker-dealer and the broker-dealer may sell the securities offered hereby so loaned or upon a default may sell or otherwise transfer the pledged securities offered hereby.
The selling securityholders and other persons participating in the sale or distribution of the securities will be subject to applicable provisions of the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations thereunder, including Regulation M. This regulation may limit the timing of purchases and sales of any of the securities by the selling securityholders and any other person. The anti-manipulation rules under the Exchange Act may apply to sales of securities in the market and to the activities of the selling securityholders and their affiliates. Furthermore, Regulation M may restrict the ability of any person engaged in the distribution of the securities to engage in market-making activities with respect to the particular securities being distributed for a period of up to five business days before the distribution. These restrictions may affect the marketability of the securities and the ability of any person or entity to engage in market-making activities with respect to the securities.
We have agreed to indemnify in certain circumstances the selling securityholders, and may agree to indemnify any brokers, dealers and agents who may be deemed to be underwriters, if any, of the securities covered by the registration statement, against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. The
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selling securityholders have agreed to indemnify us in certain circumstances against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. In addition, the selling securityholders may agree to indemnify any underwriter, broker-dealer or agent against certain liabilities related to the selling of the securities, including liabilities arising under the Securities Act.
The securities offered hereby were originally issued to John Brian Tulloch pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. We agreed to register the securities under the Securities Act, and to keep the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part effective until the selling securityholders no longer own any securities. We have agreed to pay all expenses in connection with this offering, but not including underwriting fees, discounts or commissions of the selling securityholders or any fees and expenses of counsel or other advisors to the selling securityholder or any underwriter engaged by the selling stockholder.
We will not receive any proceeds from sales of any securities by the selling securityholders.
We cannot assure you that the selling securityholders will sell all or any portion of the securities offered hereby.
To the extent permitted by applicable law, this plan of distribution may be modified in a prospectus supplement or otherwise. All of the foregoing may affect the marketability of the securities offered hereby. This offering will terminate on the date that all securities offered by this prospectus have been sold by the selling securityholders.
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The validity of the securities offered hereby will be passed upon for us by Goodwin Procter llp. Goodwin Procter llp has also issued an opinion to us regarding certain tax matters described under “Material United States Federal Income Tax Considerations.”
The consolidated financial statements of EastGroup Properties, Inc., as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2021, and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2021, have been incorporated by reference herein in reliance upon the reports of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
We are subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act, and, in accordance with those requirements, file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Such reports, proxy statements and other information, including this registration statement and the exhibits and schedules thereto, are available on the SEC’s web site (www.sec.gov). Copies of these documents may also be accessed on our website (www.eastgroup.net). The information found on, or otherwise accessible through, our website is not incorporated into, and does not form a part of, this prospectus.
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The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference the information contained in documents that we file with them. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus, and information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information.
We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings we make with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the completion of this offering (other than, in each case, documents or information deemed to have been furnished and not filed in accordance with SEC rules):
• | our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, filed with the SEC on February 16, 2022 (the “2021 10-K”); |
• | our Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A, filed with the SEC on April 14, 2022 (solely to the extent specifically incorporated by reference into our 2021 10-K); |
• | our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2022, filed with the SEC on April 27, 2022; |
• | our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed February 3, 2022, February 8, 2022, May 26, 2022, May 27, 2022 and June 2, 2022; and |
• | the description of our common stock contained in our registration statement on Form 8-B, filed on June 5, 1997, and all amendments and reports updating that description, including Exhibit 4.1 to the 2021 10-K. |
We will provide without charge to each person to whom this prospectus is delivered, upon his or her written or oral request, a copy of any or all documents referred to above that have been or may be incorporated by reference into this prospectus (other than exhibits, unless they are specifically incorporated by reference in the documents) by writing or telephoning us at the following address and telephone number:
EastGroup Properties, Inc.
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
400 W. Parkway Place, Suite 100
Ridgeland, MS 39157
(601) 354-3555
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PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.
The following table itemizes the expenses incurred by us in connection with the issuance and registration of the securities being registered hereunder. All amounts shown, other than the SEC registration fee, are estimates.
SEC Registration fee | | | $27,500 |
Accountants’ fees and expenses | | | $20,000 |
Legal fees and expenses | | | $25,000 |
Printing fees | | | $5,000 |
Transfer Agent and Depositary expenses | | | $3,000 |
Miscellaneous | | | $2,500 |
Total | | | $83,000 |
Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
Maryland law permits a corporation to include in its charter a provision limiting the liability of its directors and officers to the corporation and its stockholders for money damages, except for liability resulting from (i) actual receipt of an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services or (ii) active and deliberate dishonesty established by a final judgment and which is material to the cause of action. Our charter contains a provision which limits the liability of our directors and officers to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law.
Maryland law requires a corporation (unless its charter provides otherwise, which our charter does not) to indemnify a director or officer who has been successful in the defense of any proceeding to which he or she is made a party by reason of his or her service in that capacity, or in the defense of any issue, claim or matter in such a proceeding. Our charter contains a provision authorizing and requiring us to indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by Maryland law, our directors and officers, whether serving us or, at our request, any other entity.
Maryland law permits a corporation to indemnify its present and former directors and officers, among others, against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in connection with any proceeding to which they may be made or threatened to be made a party by reason of his or her service in that capacity, unless it is established that:
• | the act or omission was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding and was committed in bad faith or was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty; |
• | the director or officer actually received an improper personal benefit in money, property or services; or |
• | in the case of any criminal proceeding, the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful. |
However, under the Maryland General Corporation Law, a Maryland corporation may not indemnify a director or officer for an adverse judgment in a suit by or in the right of the corporation or for a judgment of liability on the basis that a personal benefit was improperly received. A court may order indemnification if it determines that the director or officer is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification, even though the prescribed standard of conduct is not met or the director or officer was adjudged liable on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received. However, indemnification for an adverse judgment in a suit by us or in our right, or for a judgment of liability on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received, is limited to expenses.
In addition, Maryland law permits a corporation to advance reasonable expenses to a director or officer party to a proceeding upon the corporation’s receipt of (i) a written affirmation by the director or officer of his or her good faith belief that he or she has met the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification by the corporation and (ii) a written undertaking to repay the amount paid or reimbursed by the corporation if it is ultimately determined that the appropriate standard of conduct was not met.
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We also are party to indemnification agreements with each of our directors and executive officers that provide for indemnification to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law. We also maintain liability insurance for our officers and directors.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling us pursuant to the foregoing provisions, we have been informed that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
Item 16. Exhibits.
The exhibit index in this registration statement identifies the exhibits that are included in this registration statement and are incorporated herein by reference.
Item 17. Undertakings.
(a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:
(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;
(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the registration statement; and
(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;
provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(iii) above do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the Registration Statement.
(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
(4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act to any purchaser:
(i) Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and
(ii) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5) or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii) or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement
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relating to the securities in the registration statement to which the prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.
(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:
(i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;
(ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;
(iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of an undersigned registrant; and
(iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.
(b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
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EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit No. | | | Document |
| | | Articles of Amendment and Restatement of EastGroup Properties, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed May 28, 2021). | |
| | | Amended and Restated Bylaws of EastGroup Properties, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed May 28, 2021). | |
| | | Opinion of Goodwin Procter LLP (filed herewith). | |
| | | Opinion of Goodwin Procter LLP with respect to certain tax matters (filed herewith). | |
| | | Consent of KPMG LLP (filed herewith). | |
| | | Consent of Goodwin Procter LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1) (filed herewith). | |
| | | Consent of Goodwin Procter LLP (included in Exhibit 8.1) (filed herewith). | |
| | | Powers of Attorney (included on signature page of this registration statement). | |
| | | Filing Fee Table. |
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Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Ridgeland, State of Mississippi on June 3, 2022.
| | | EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC. | ||||
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| | | By: | | | /s/ Marshall A. Loeb | |
| | | | | Marshall A. Loeb | ||
| | | | | Chief Executive Officer, President and Director | ||
POWERS OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints each of Marshall A. Loeb or Brent W. Wood his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, each with full power of substitution and revocation, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and to file the same with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, and in connection with any registration of additional securities pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, to sign any abbreviated registration statements and any and all amendments thereto, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto each attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done, as fully to all intents and purposes as such person might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement and the foregoing Powers of Attorney have been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated on June 3, 2022.
Signature | | | Title |
| | | ||
/s/ David H. Hoster II | | | Chairman of the Board |
David H. Hoster II | | ||
| | | ||
/s/ Marshall A. Loeb | | | Chief Executive Officer, President and Director (Principal Executive Officer) |
Marshall A. Loeb | | ||
| | | ||
/s/ Brent W. Wood | | | Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer (Principal Financial Officer) |
Brent W. Wood | | ||
| | | ||
/s/ Staci H. Tyler, CPA | | | Senior Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer and Secretary (Principal Accounting Officer) |
Staci H. Tyler, CPA | | ||
| | | ||
/s/ D. Pike Aloian | | | Director |
D. Pike Aloian | | | |
| | | ||
/s/ H. Eric Bolton, Jr. | | | Director |
H. Eric Bolton, Jr. | | | |
| | | ||
/s/ Donald F. Colleran | | | Director |
Donald F. Colleran | | |
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Exhibit 5.1
[LETTERHEAD OF GOODWIN PROCTER LLP]
June 3, 2022
EastGroup Properties, Inc.
400 W. Parkway Place, Suite 100
Ridgeland, Mississippi 39157
Re: Securities Registered under Registration Statement on Form S-3
We have acted as counsel to you in connection with your filing of a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (as amended or supplemented, the “Registration Statement”) filed on June 3, 2022 with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the “Commission”) pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), relating to the registration of the offering by EastGroup Properties, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”) of up to 1,868,809 shares
(the “Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Common Stock”) to be sold by the selling securityholders listed in the Registration Statement under “Selling Securityholders” (the “Selling Securityholders”).
We have reviewed such documents and made such examination of law as we have deemed appropriate to give the opinions set forth below. We have relied, without independent verification, on certificates of public
officials and, as to matters of fact material to the opinions set forth below, on certificates of officers of the Company. For purposes of the opinion set forth below, we have assumed that before the Shares are issued the Company does not issue
shares of Common Stock or reduce the total number of shares of Common Stock that the Company is authorized to issue under its articles of amendment and restatement such that the number of unissued shares of
Common Stock authorized under the Company’s articles of amendment and restatement is less than the number of Shares.
The opinion set forth below is limited to the Maryland General Corporation Law.
Based on the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Shares have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable.
We hereby consent to the inclusion of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement and to the references to our firm under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Registration Statement. In giving our consent,
we do not admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder.
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Very truly yours,
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/s/ GOODWIN PROCTER LLP
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GOODWIN PROCTER LLP
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Exhibit 8.1
[LETTERHEAD OF GOODWIN PROCTER LLP]
June 3, 2022
EastGroup Properties, Inc.
400 W. Parkway Place, Suite 100
Ridgeland, Mississippi 391457
Re: EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel for EastGroup Properties, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the preparation of the
Company’s registration statement on Form S-3, dated June 3, 2022 (as amended or supplemented, the “Registration Statement”) pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, relating to the registration of up to 1,868,809 shares of the
Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, that may be sold from time to time by the selling securityholders identified under the caption “Selling Securityholders” in the Registration Statement. This opinion letter relates to the Company’s
qualification for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a real estate investment trust (a “REIT”) under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), for taxable years commencing with the Company’s taxable year ended
December 31, 2014, and the accuracy of certain matters discussed in the Registration Statement under the heading “Material United States Federal Income Tax Considerations.”
In rendering the following opinions, we have reviewed and relied upon the Company’s articles of incorporation and the bylaws of the Company, in each
case as amended or amended and restated, and as in effect for the periods covered by our opinions (the “Organizational Documents”). For purposes of this opinion
letter, we have assumed (i) the genuineness of all signatures on documents we have examined, (ii) the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, (iii) the conformity to the original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies,
(iv) the conformity to the original documents of copies obtained by us from filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) or other government agencies, (v) the conformity, to the extent relevant to our
opinions, of final documents to all documents submitted to us as drafts, (vi) the authority and capacity of the individual or individuals who executed any such documents on behalf of any person, (vii) due execution and delivery of all such documents by
all the parties thereto, (viii) the compliance of each party with all material provisions of such documents, and (ix) the accuracy and completeness of all records made available to us.
We also have reviewed and relied upon the representations and covenants of the Company and EastGroup Properties, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership
(the “Operating Partnership”) contained in a letter that they provided to us in connection with the preparation of this opinion letter, a copy of which we have previously provided to your counsel (the “REIT Certificate”), regarding the
formation, organization, ownership and operations of the Company and the Operating Partnership and other matters affecting the Company’s ability to qualify as a REIT. We assume that each of the representations and covenants in the REIT Certificate has
been, is and will be true, correct and complete, that the Company and its subsidiaries have been, are and will be owned and operated in accordance with the REIT Certificate and that all representations and covenants that speak to the best of knowledge
and belief (or mere knowledge and/or belief) of any person(s) or party(ies), or are subject to similar qualification, have been, are and will continue to be true, correct and complete as if made without such qualification. To the extent such
representations and covenants speak to the intended ownership or operations of any entity, we assume that such entity will in fact be owned and operated in accordance with such stated intent.
EastGroup Properties, Inc.
June 3, 2022
Page 2 of 3
Based upon the foregoing and subject to the limitations set forth herein, we are of the opinion that:
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i.
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Commencing with its taxable year ended December 31, 2014, the Company has been
organized in conformity with the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code;
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ii.
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The Company’s prior, current and proposed ownership, organization and method of operations as described in the REIT Certificate have allowed and will continue
to allow the Company to satisfy the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code commencing with its taxable year ended December 31, 2014 and for subsequent taxable years; and
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iii.
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The statements set forth under the heading “Material United States Federal Income Tax Considerations” in the Registration Statement, insofar as such statements
describe applicable U.S. federal income tax law, are correct in all material respects.
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* * * * *
We express no opinion other than the opinions expressly set forth herein. Our opinions are not binding on the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”)
or a court. The IRS may disagree with and challenge our conclusions, and a court could sustain such a challenge. Our opinions are based upon the Code, the Income Tax Regulations and Procedure and Administration Regulations promulgated thereunder and
existing administrative and judicial interpretations thereof (including the practices and policies of the IRS in issuing private letter rulings, which are not binding on the IRS except with respect to a taxpayer that receives such a ruling), all as in
effect as of the date of this opinion letter or, to the extent different and relevant for a prior taxable year or other period, as in effect for the applicable taxable year or period. Changes in applicable law could cause the U.S. federal income tax
treatment of the Company to differ materially and adversely from the treatment described herein and render the tax discussion in the Registration Statement incorrect or
incomplete.
EastGroup Properties, Inc.
June 3, 2022
Page 3 of 3
In rendering our opinions, we have relied solely on the Organizational Documents, the REIT Certificate, and the assumptions set forth herein. For
purposes of our opinions, we have not investigated or verified the accuracy of any of the representations in the REIT Certificate or any of our assumptions set forth herein. We also have not investigated or verified the ability of the Company and its
subsidiaries to operate in compliance with the REIT Certificate or our assumptions. Differences between the actual ownership and operations of such entities and the prior, proposed and intended ownership and operations described in the REIT
Certificate or our assumptions could result in U.S. federal income tax treatment of the Company that differs materially and adversely from the treatment described herein. The Company’s actual qualification as a REIT depends on the Company meeting and
having met, in its actual ownership and operations, the applicable asset composition, source of income, shareholder diversification, distribution and other requirements of the Code necessary for a corporation to qualify as a REIT. We will not monitor
actual results or verify the Company’s compliance with the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT, and no assurance can be given that the actual ownership and operations of the Company and its affiliates have satisfied or will satisfy
those requirements.
Our opinions do not preclude the possibility that the Company may need to utilize one or more of the various “savings provisions” under the Code and
the regulations thereunder that would permit the Company to cure certain violations of the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT. Utilizing such savings provisions could require the Company to pay significant penalty or excise taxes
and/or interest charges and/or make additional distributions to shareholders that the Company otherwise would not make.
This opinion letter speaks only as of the date hereof, and we undertake no obligation to update this opinion letter or to notify any person of any
changes in facts, circumstances or applicable law (including without limitation any discovery of any facts that are inconsistent with the REIT Certificate or our assumptions).
This letter is being furnished to you solely for the inclusion of this opinion as Exhibit 8.1 to the Registration Statement and may not be used or
otherwise relied upon for any other purpose (other than as required by law or by a governmental authority).
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Very truly yours,
/s/ Goodwin Procter LLP
Goodwin Procter LLP
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Exhibit 23.1
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
We consent to the use of our reports dated February 16, 2022, with respect to the consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedule III of EastGroup Properties, Inc., and the effectiveness of internal control over financial
reporting, incorporated herein by reference and to the reference to our firm under the heading “Experts” in the prospectus.
/s/ KPMG LLP
Jackson, Mississippi
June 3, 2022