Invitation Homes Inc 8-K, filed Dec 20, 2021
Invitation Homes Inc. (INVH)
About this 8-K
Invitation Homes Inc filed this 8-K on December 20, 2021.
Items reported
- Item 8.01: Other events
- Item 9.01: Financial statements and exhibits
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15 (d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
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Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
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| Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR §230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2):
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 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
| 8.01 | Other Events. |
On December 20, 2021, Invitation Homes Inc. (the “Company”) and Invitation Homes Operating Partnership LP (the “Operating Partnership”) entered into twenty-two separate Distribution Agreements (each, a “Distribution Agreement” and collectively, the “Distribution Agreements”) with each of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, BofA Securities, Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Academy Securities, Inc., BMO Capital Markets Corp., BNP Paribas Securities Corp., BNY Mellon Capital Markets, LLC, BTIG, LLC, Capital One Securities, Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc., Mizuho Securities USA LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Raymond James & Associates, Inc., RBC Capital Markets, LLC, Regions Securities LLC, Samuel A. Ramirez & Company, Inc., Scotia Capital (USA) Inc. and Siebert Williams Shank & Co., LLC as agents and as forward sellers (in their capacities as agents for the Company, each an “Agent” and collectively, the “Agents” and in their capacities as agents for the Forward Purchasers (as defined below), each a “Forward Seller” and collectively, the “Forward Sellers”), and JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, Bank of America, N.A., Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, Bank of Montreal, BNP Paribas, The Bank of New York Mellon, Citibank, N.A., Credit Suisse Capital LLC, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc., Mizuho Markets Americas LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Raymond James & Associates, Inc., Royal Bank of Canada, Regions Securities LLC and The Bank of Nova Scotia, as forward purchasers (each, a “Forward Purchaser” and collectively, the “Forward Purchasers”).
Pursuant to the Distribution Agreements, the Company may issue and sell, from time to time, shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”), with an aggregate sales price of up to $1.25 billion, through the Agents and the Forward Sellers, as applicable. Actual sales will depend on a variety of factors to be determined by the Company from time to time, including (among others) market conditions, the trading price of the Common Stock, capital needs and determinations by the Company of the appropriate sources of funding for the Company.
Sales of the Common Stock made pursuant to the Distribution Agreements, if any, may be made in negotiated transactions or transactions that are deemed to be “at the market” offerings as defined in Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, including sales made directly on the New York Stock Exchange, or sales made to or through a market maker other than on an exchange, in block transactions or by any other method permitted by law, at prices related to the prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices, or as otherwise agreed between the applicable Agent and the Company. Each Agent will be entitled to compensation in an amount not to exceed 2.00% of the gross sales price per share for any Common Stock sold through it.
The Distribution Agreements contemplate that, in addition to the Company’s issuance and sale of Shares through the Agents, the Company may enter into separate forward sale transactions with the relevant Forward Purchaser, as set forth in a separate letter agreement (each, a “Forward Confirmation”), a form of which is attached as Exhibit F to each Distribution Agreement. In connection with any Forward Confirmation, the relevant Forward Purchaser may borrow shares from third parties and, through its affiliated Forward Seller, offer a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of shares of Common Stock underlying the particular Forward Confirmation. Each Forward Seller will be entitled to a commission, in the form of a reduction to the initial forward price under the related Forward Confirmation, in an amount not to exceed 2.0% of the volume weighted average sales price per share for any borrowed shares of Common Stock sold through it (subject to certain possible adjustments). The Company will not initially receive any proceeds from any sale of borrowed shares of Common Stock through a Forward Seller. The Company currently expects to elect full physical settlement of any Forward Confirmation, in which case the Company would expect to receive aggregate net cash proceeds at settlement equal to the number of shares specified in such Forward Confirmation multiplied by the relevant forward price per share. However, except in limited circumstances, the Company may elect a cash or net share settlement for all or a portion of its obligations under such Forward Confirmation. If the Company elects to cash settle or net share settle a Forward Confirmation, the Company may not (in the case of cash settlement) or will not (in the case of net share settlement) receive any proceeds, and the Company may owe cash (in the case of cash settlement) or shares of Common Stock (in the case of net share settlement) to the relevant Forward Purchaser.
The Distribution Agreements contain customary representations, warranties and agreements of the Company and the Operating Partnership, indemnification rights and obligations of the parties and termination provisions. The form of the Distribution Agreements is filed as Exhibit 1.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K, and the descriptions of the material terms of the Distribution Agreements and the transactions contemplated thereby in this Item 8.01 are qualified in their entirety by reference to such Exhibit, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Any shares of Common Stock the Company may offer, issue and sell, and any shares of borrowed Common Stock that the Forward Purchasers may offer and sell, pursuant to the Distribution Agreements will be offered and sold pursuant to the Company’s automatic shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-258290) and a prospectus supplement of the Company, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 30, 2021 and December 20, 2021, respectively.
The Company intends to use the net proceeds from sales of Common Stock pursuant to the Distribution Agreements and any Forward Confirmations for general corporate purposes, which may include, without limitation, working capital, repayment of indebtedness, acquisitions and renovations of single-family properties and for related activities in accordance with its business strategy.
This Current Report on Form 8-K shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction.
| Item 9.01 | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
| (d) | Exhibits. |
Exhibit Index
| 1.1 | Form of Distribution Agreement, dated as of December 20, 2021 | |
| 5.1 | Opinion of Venable LLP | |
| 23.1 | Consent of Venable LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1) | |
| 104 | Cover page Interactive data file (embedded with in the inline XBRL document) | |
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrants has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| Date: December 20, 2021 |
INVITATION HOMES INC. | |||
| By: | /s/ Mark A. Solls | |||
| Name: | Mark A. Solls | |||
| Title: | Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary | |||
Exhibit 1.1
DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
December 20, 2021
[•]
As Agent [and Forward Seller]
[[•]
As Forward Purchaser]
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Invitation Homes Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), and Invitation Homes Operating Partnership LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “Operating Partnership”) confirm their agreements with [[•] (in its capacity as purchaser under any Forward Confirmation (as defined below), the “Forward Purchaser”) and] [•] (in its capacity as agent for the Company and/or principal in connection with the offering, issuance and sale of any Shares (as defined below) by the Company hereunder, the “Agent[,]” [and, in its capacity as agent for the Forward Purchaser in connection with the offering and sale of any Forward Hedge Shares (as defined below) hereunder, the “Forward Seller”]) with respect to the offer and/or issuance and sale from time to time, in the manner and subject to the terms and conditions described below in this Distribution Agreement (this “Agreement”), of shares of common stock, $0.01 par value per share (the “Common Stock”), of the Company having an aggregate Gross Sales Price (as defined in Section 1(a) below) of up to $1,250,000,000 (the “Maximum Amount”) on the terms set forth in Section 1 of this Agreement. Such shares are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Shares” and are described in the Prospectus referred to below.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if a Forward Seller and Forward Purchaser have not been identified in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement and have not executed this Agreement, the Company and the Operating Partnership agree that all provisions of this Agreement related to the Forward Seller, the Forward Purchaser and Forwards are not applicable hereunder and no sales of Forward Hedge Shares shall take place pursuant to this Agreement.
If Shares are offered or sold through the Forward Seller, the parties hereto understand and agree that the Forward Seller shall be acting solely as sales agent for the Forward Purchaser with respect to the offering and sale of such Shares.
The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-258290) (the “registration statement”) for the registration of the Shares and other securities of the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Act”); and such registration statement sets forth the terms of the offering, sale and plan of distribution of the Shares and contains additional information concerning the Company and its business. Except where the context otherwise requires, “Registration
Statement,” as used herein, means, at any given time, the registration statement, as amended at the time of such registration statement’s effectiveness for purposes of Section 11 of the Act, as such section applies to the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser, including (1) all documents filed as a part thereof or incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein and (2) any information contained or incorporated by reference in a prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act, to the extent such information is deemed, pursuant to Rule 430B or Rule 430C under the Act, to be part of the registration statement at the effective time. “Basic Prospectus” means the prospectus dated July 30, 2021, filed as part of the Registration Statement, including the documents incorporated by reference therein as of the date of such prospectus; “Prospectus Supplement” means the most recent prospectus supplement relating to the Shares, to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act on or before the second business day after the date of its first use in connection with a public offering or sale of Shares pursuant hereto (or such earlier time as may be required under the Act), in the form furnished by the Company to the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser in connection with the offering of the Shares; “Prospectus” means the Prospectus Supplement (and any additional prospectus supplement prepared in accordance with the provision of Section 4(h) of this Agreement and filed in accordance with the provisions of Rule 424(b)) together with the Basic Prospectus attached to or used with the Prospectus Supplement; and “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(b). Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus shall, unless otherwise stated, be deemed to refer to and include the documents, if any, incorporated by reference, or deemed to be incorporated by reference, therein (the “Incorporated Documents”), including, unless the context otherwise requires, the documents, if any, filed as exhibits to such Incorporated Documents. Any reference herein to the terms “amend,” “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus shall, unless stated otherwise, be deemed to refer to and include the filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”) on or after the initial effective date of the Registration Statement, or the date of the Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus or such Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, and deemed to be incorporated therein by reference. To the extent that the Company files one or more new registration statements relating to the Shares, any reference in this Agreement to the “Registration Statement” shall instead be deemed to be a reference to any such a new registration statement, and any reference in this Agreement to the “Basic Prospectus” shall instead be deemed to be a reference to the prospectus contained in any such new registration statement. References in this Agreement to financial statements or other information that is “contained,” “included,” “described,” “set forth” or “provided” in the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus and any similar references shall, unless stated otherwise, include any information incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein.
The Company and the Operating Partnership have also entered into separate distribution agreements (the “Alternative Distribution Agreements” and, collectively with this Agreement, the “Distribution Agreements”), as of the date hereof, with [•], [•] and [•] (each, in its capacity as purchaser under any Forward Confirmation as defined in the applicable Alternative
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Distribution Agreement, an “Alternative Forward Purchaser” and collectively with the Forward Purchaser, the “Forward Purchasers”) and each of [•], [•] and [•] (in their capacity as agents for the Company and/or principal in connection with the offering, issuance and sale of any Shares by the Company pursuant to their respective Alternative Distribution Agreements, each an “Alternative Agent” and, collectively with the Agent, the “Agents” and, each in its capacity as agent for its affiliated Alternative Forward Purchaser in connection with the offering and sale of any Forward Hedge Shares under their respective Alternative Distribution Agreement, each an “Alternative Forward Seller” and collectively with the Forward Seller, the “Forward Sellers”). The aggregate Gross Sales Price of the Shares that may be sold pursuant to this Agreement, any Terms Agreement (as defined below), the Alternative Distribution Agreements and any Alternative Terms Agreement (as defined below) shall not exceed the Maximum Amount.
The Company, the Operating Partnership, the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser agree as follows:
1. Issuance and Sale.
(a) Upon the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and provided the Company provides the Agent with any due diligence materials and information reasonably requested by the Agent necessary for the Agent to satisfy its due diligence obligations, on any Exchange Business Day (as defined below) selected by the Company, the Company and the Agent shall enter into an agreement in accordance with Section 2 hereof regarding the number of Shares to be placed by the Agent, as agent, and the manner in which and other terms upon which such placement is to occur (each such transaction being referred to as an “Agency Transaction”). The Company may also offer to sell the Shares directly to the Agent, as principal, in which event such parties shall enter into a separate agreement (each, a “Terms Agreement”) in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto, relating to such sale in accordance with Section 2(g) of this Agreement (each such transaction being referred to as a “Principal Transaction”). Whenever the Company determines to sell Shares directly to an Alternative Agent as principal pursuant to an Alternative Distribution Agreement, it may enter into a separate agreement (each, an “Alternative Terms Agreement”) in substantially the form of Exhibit A to such Alternative Distribution Agreement. As used herein, (i) “Gross Sales Price” means the gross sales price of the Shares sold in any Agency Transaction, in a Principal Transaction or as Forward Hedge Shares, as applicable, (ii) the “Term” shall be the period commencing on the date hereof and ending on the earlier of (x) the date on which the aggregate Gross Sales Price of Shares offered and/or issued and sold pursuant to the Distribution Agreements, any Terms Agreements and any Alternative Terms Agreement is equal to the Maximum Amount and (y) any termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 8, (iii) an “Exchange Business Day” means any day during the Term that is a trading day for the Exchange other than a day on which trading on the Exchange is scheduled to close prior to its regular weekday closing time, and (iv) “Exchange” means the New York Stock Exchange.
(b) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth below, the Company appoints the Agent as agent in connection with the offer and sale of Shares in any Agency Transactions entered into hereunder. The Agent will use commercially reasonable efforts, consistent with its normal trading and sales practices, to sell such Shares in accordance with the terms and subject
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to the conditions hereof and of the applicable Transaction Acceptance (as defined below). Neither the Company nor the Agent shall have any obligation to enter into an Agency Transaction. The Company shall be obligated to issue and sell through the Agent, and the Agent shall be obligated to use commercially reasonable efforts, consistent with normal trading and sales practices and as provided in the Distribution Agreements and in the applicable Transaction Acceptance, to place Shares only if and when the Company makes a Transaction Proposal (as defined below) to the Agent related to such an Agency Transaction and a Transaction Acceptance related to such Agency Transaction has been delivered to the Company by the Agent as provided in Section 2 below.
(c) The Agent, as agent in any Agency Transaction, hereby covenants and agrees not to make any sales of the Shares on behalf of the Company pursuant to this Agreement other than (i) by any method permitted by law deemed to be an “at the market” offering as defined in Rule 415 of the Securities Act, including without limitation sales made directly on the Exchange, on any other existing trading market for the Common Stock or to or through a market maker, in block transactions or by any other method permitted by law, at prices related to the prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices or (ii) such other sales of the Shares on behalf of the Company in its capacity as agent of the Company as shall be agreed by the Company and the Agent in writing.
(d) If Shares are to be sold in an Agency Transaction in an at the market offering, the Agent will confirm in writing to the Company the number of Shares sold on any Exchange Business Day and the related Gross Sales Price and Net Sales Price (as each of such terms is defined in Section 2(b) below) no later than the opening of trading on the immediately following Exchange Business Day.
(e) If the Company shall default on its obligation to deliver Shares to the Agent or the Forward Purchaser pursuant to the terms of any Agency Transaction or Terms Agreement or Forward Confirmation, as applicable, the Company shall (i) indemnify and hold harmless the Agent or the Forward Purchaser, as applicable, and its successors and assigns from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses arising from or as a result of such default by the Company and (ii) notwithstanding any such default, pay to the Agent the commission to which it would otherwise be entitled in connection with such sale in accordance with Section 2(b) below.
(f) The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) there can be no assurance that the Agent will be successful in selling the Shares, (ii) the Agent or the Forward Purchaser shall incur no liability or obligation to the Company or any other person or entity if (A) the Agent or the Forward Purchaser is unable to borrow and deliver for sale Shares, (B) it would be impractical for the Agent or the Forward Purchaser to borrow and deliver Shares or Agent or the Forward Purchaser would incur a stock loan fee per annum greater than the amount set forth in the Transaction Proposal for the relevant Forward to do so or (C) the Agent or the Forward Seller does not sell Shares for any reason other than a failure by the Agent or the Forward Seller to use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable law and regulations to sell such Shares in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, and (iii) the Agent shall be under no obligation to purchase Shares on a principal basis pursuant to this Agreement, except as may otherwise be specifically agreed by the Agent and the Company in a Terms Agreement.
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(g) On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions in this Agreement and the relevant Forward Confirmation, upon the Forward Purchaser’s and the Forward Seller’s delivery of a Transaction Acceptance, the Forward Purchaser will use its commercially reasonable efforts to borrow or cause its affiliate to borrow a number of Forward Hedge Shares, up to the Forward Hedge Number, sufficient to have an aggregate Gross Sales Price as close as reasonably practicable to the Forward Hedge Amount specified in the Transaction Proposal and the Forward Seller will use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices to sell such Forward Hedge Shares and otherwise in accordance with the terms of such Transaction Proposal. Each of the Company, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser acknowledges and agrees that (i) none of the Company nor the Forward Seller or Forward Purchaser shall have any obligation to enter into any Forward, (ii) there can be no assurance that the Forward Purchaser or its affiliates will be successful in borrowing or that the Forward Seller will be successful in selling Forward Hedge Shares, (iii) the Forward Seller will not incur any liability or obligation to the Company, the Forward Purchaser, or any other person or entity if it does not sell Forward Hedge Shares borrowed by the Forward Purchaser or its affiliates for any reason other than a failure by the Forward Seller to use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices to sell such Forward Hedge Shares as required under this Section 1, and (iv) the Forward Purchaser will not incur any liability or obligation to the Company, the Forward Seller, or any other person or entity if it or its affiliate does not borrow Forward Hedge Shares for any reason other than a failure by the Forward Purchaser to use its commercially reasonable efforts to borrow or cause its affiliate to borrow such Forward Hedge Shares as required under this Section 1. In acting hereunder, the Forward Seller will be acting as an agent for the Forward Purchaser and not as principal. The Forward Seller will provide written confirmation by email (or other method mutually agreed to in writing by the parties) to the Company no later than the opening of the Exchange Business Day immediately following each Exchange Business Day on which it has made sales of Forward Hedge Shares hereunder setting forth the number of Forward Hedge Shares sold on such day and the prices at which such Shares were sold.
(h) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Forward Purchaser’s obligation to use its commercially reasonable efforts to borrow or cause its affiliate to borrow all or any portion of the Forward Hedge Shares (and the Forward Seller’s obligation to use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices to sell such portion of the Forward Hedge Shares) for the Forward hereunder in accordance with the terms of the relevant Transaction Proposal shall be subject in all respects to the terms and conditions of the relevant Forward Confirmation.
(i) On or before each Forward Hedge Settlement Date, the Forward Purchaser will transfer the Forward Hedge Shares being sold by crediting the Forward Seller’s (or its designee’s) account at The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit and Withdrawal at Custodian System or by such other means of delivery as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto which in all cases shall be freely tradable, transferable, registered shares in good deliverable form. On each Forward Hedge Settlement Date, the Forward Seller will deliver the related Aggregate Forward Hedge Price to the Forward Purchaser in same day funds to an account designated by the Forward Purchaser prior to the relevant Forward Hedge Settlement Date.
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2. Transaction Acceptances and Terms Agreements.
(a) The Company may, from time to time during the Term, propose (x) in the case of an Agency Transaction, to the Agent that they enter into an Agency Transaction or (y) in the case of a Forward, so long as no Acceleration Event (as defined in the Forward Confirmation) shall have occurred, by written notice in the form attached as Exhibit E, to the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser that they enter into a Forward, in each case, with a sale of Forward Hedge Shares to be executed on a specified Exchange Business Day or over a specified period of Exchange Business Days, which proposal shall be made to the Agent or the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser, as applicable, by telephone or by email from any of the individuals listed as an authorized representative of the Company on Schedule A hereto to make such sales and shall set forth the information specified below (or, in the case of a Forward, as set forth in Exhibit E) (each, a “Transaction Proposal”). If the Agent or the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser, as applicable, agrees to the terms of such proposed Agency Transaction or Forward or if the Company and the Agent or the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser, as applicable, mutually agree to modified terms for such proposed Agency Transaction or Forward, then the Agent or the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser, as applicable, shall promptly deliver to the Company by email a notice (each, a “Transaction Acceptance”) confirming the terms of such proposed Agency Transaction or Forward as set forth in such Transaction Proposal or setting forth the modified terms for such proposed Agency Transaction or Forward as agreed by the Company and the Agent or the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser, as applicable, whereupon such Agency Transaction or Forward shall become a binding agreement between the Company and the Agent or the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser, as applicable. In all cases the governing terms of a Transaction Proposal are those as amended by the corresponding Transaction Acceptance, if applicable, unless the sale of the Forward Hedge Shares described in such Transaction Proposal have been declined, suspended, or otherwise terminated in accordance with the terms of this Agreement or the relevant Forward Confirmation. Each Transaction Proposal in respect of an Agency Transaction shall specify:
| (i) | the Exchange Business Day(s) on which the Shares subject to such Agency Transaction are intended to be sold (each, a “Purchase Date”); |
| (ii) | the maximum number of Shares to be sold by the Agent (the “Specified Number of Shares”) on, or over the course of, such Purchase Date(s), or as otherwise agreed between the Company and Agent and documented in the relevant Transaction Acceptance; |
| (iii) | the lowest price, if any, at which the Company is willing to sell Shares on each such Purchase Date or a formula pursuant to which such lowest price shall be determined (each, a “Floor Price”); |
| (iv) | if other than 2.00% of the Gross Sales Price, the Agent’s discount or commission; and |
| (v) | that such Transaction Proposal relates to an Agency Transaction. |
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Each Transaction Proposal in respect of a Forward shall specify the information set forth in Exhibit E. A Transaction Proposal shall not set forth a Specified Number of Shares or Forward Hedge Number or Forward Hedge Amount that, when added to the aggregate Gross Sales Price of Shares previously offered and to be offered pursuant to pending Transaction Acceptances (if any) hereunder, any Terms Agreements, an Alternative Distribution Agreement and any Alternative Terms Agreement, results or could result in a total Gross Sales Price exceeding the Maximum Amount nor shall it set forth a Floor Price or sale price for Forward Hedge Shares which is lower than the minimum price authorized from time to time by the Company’s board of directors or, if permitted by applicable law and the Company’s charter and by-laws, a duly authorized committee thereof. The Company shall have responsibility for maintaining records with respect to the aggregate number and aggregate Gross Sales Price of Shares sold and for otherwise monitoring the availability of Shares for sale under the Registration Statement and for insuring that the aggregate number and aggregate Gross Sales Price of Shares offered and sold does not exceed, and the price at which any Shares are offered or sold is not lower than, the aggregate number and aggregate Gross Sales Price of Shares and the minimum price authorized from time to time by the Company’s board of directors or, if permitted by applicable law and the Company’s charter and by-laws, a duly authorized committee thereof. In the event that more than one Transaction Acceptance with respect to any Purchase Date(s) or Forward Hedge Selling Period is delivered by the Agent or the Forward Seller and Forward Purchaser, as the case may be, to the Company, the latest Transaction Acceptance shall govern any sales of Shares for the relevant Purchase Date(s) or Forward Hedge Selling Period, except to the extent of any action occurring pursuant to a prior Transaction Acceptance and prior to the delivery to the Company of the latest Transaction Acceptance. The Company or the Agent or the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser, as the case may be, may, upon notice to the other such party by telephone (confirmed promptly by e-mail), suspend or terminate the offering of the Shares pursuant to Agency Transactions or a Forward for any reason; provided, however, that such suspension or termination shall not affect or impair the parties’ respective obligations with respect to the Shares sold hereunder prior to the giving of such notice or their respective obligations under any Terms Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the terms of any Agency Transaction contemplate that Shares shall be sold on more than one Purchase Date, then the Company and the Agent shall mutually agree to such additional terms and conditions as they deem reasonably necessary in respect of such multiple Purchase Dates, and such additional terms and conditions shall be set forth in or confirmed by, as the case may be, the relevant Transaction Acceptance and be binding to the same extent as any other terms contained therein. No Transaction Proposal, for any Agency Transaction or Forward, (i) may be delivered hereunder if any Purchase Date or Forward Hedge Selling Period specified therein would overlap in whole or in part with any Unwind Period under (and as defined in) any Forward Confirmation entered into between the Company and any Forward
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Purchaser, (ii) may be delivered hereunder if the Purchase Date(s) or Forward Hedge Selling Period specified therein would overlap in whole or in part with any Forward Hedge Selling Period or Purchase Date(s) specified in any other Transaction Proposal delivered hereunder unless the Shares to be sold under all such previously delivered Transaction Proposals have all been sold, and (iii) specifying that it relates to a “Forward” may be delivered if such Transaction Proposal, together with all prior Transaction Proposals delivered by the Company relating to a “Forward” hereunder, would result in the sum of the number of Shares issued under all Forward Confirmations that have settled, plus the aggregate Capped Number under all Forward Confirmations then outstanding or to be entered into between the Company and the Forward Purchasers exceeding 19.99% of the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding as of the date of this Agreement.
(b) The Purchase Date(s) in respect of the Shares deliverable pursuant to any Transaction Acceptance in respect of an Agency Transaction shall be set forth in or confirmed by, as the case may be, the applicable Transaction Acceptance. Except as otherwise agreed between the Company and the Agent, the Agent’s commission for any Shares sold through the Agent pursuant to this Agreement shall be a percentage, not to exceed 2.00%, of the Gross Sales Price of such Shares, which commission shall be as set forth in or confirmed by, as the case may be, the applicable Transaction Acceptance; provided, however, that such commission shall not apply when the Agent acts as principal, in which case such commission or a discount shall be set forth in the applicable Terms Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event the Company engages the Agent for a sale of Shares in an Agency Transaction that would constitute a “distribution,” within the meaning of Rule 100 of Regulation M under the Exchange Act or a “block” within the meaning of Rule 10b-18(a)(5) under the Exchange Act, the Company will provide the Agent, at the Agent’s request and upon reasonable advance notice to the Company, on or prior to the Settlement Date (as defined below) the opinions and negative assurance letters of counsel, accountants’ letters and officers’ certificates pursuant to Section 6 hereof, each dated the Settlement Date, and such other documents and information as the Agent shall reasonably request, and the Company and the Agent will agree to compensation that is customary for the Agent with respect to such transaction. The Gross Sales Price less the Agent’s commission and after deduction for any transaction fees, transfer taxes or similar taxes or fees imposed by any governmental, regulatory or self-regulatory organization in respect of the sale of the applicable Shares is referred to herein at the “Net Sales Price.”
(c) Payment of the Net Sales Price for Shares sold by the Company on any Purchase Date pursuant to a Transaction Acceptance in respect of an Agency Transaction shall be made to the Company by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the account of the Company (which the Company shall provide to the Agent at least one Exchange Business Day prior to the applicable Agency Settlement Date (as defined below)) against delivery of such Shares to the Agent’s account, or an account of the Agent’s designee, at The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit and Withdrawal at Custodian System (“DWAC”) or by such other means of delivery as may be agreed to by the Company and the Agent. Such payment and delivery shall be made at or about 10:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the second Exchange Business Day (or such other day as may, from time to time, become standard industry practice for settlement of such a securities issuance or as agreed to by the Company and the Agent) following each Purchase Date (each, an “Agency Settlement Date”).
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(d) If, as set forth in or confirmed by, as the case may be, the related Transaction Acceptance, a Floor Price has been agreed to by the parties with respect to a Purchase Date, and the Agent thereafter determines and notifies the Company that the Gross Sales Price for such Agency Transaction would not be at least equal to such Floor Price, then the Company shall not be obligated to issue and sell through the Agent, and the Agent shall not be obligated to place, the Shares proposed to be sold pursuant to such Agency Transaction on such Purchase Date, unless the Company and the Agent otherwise agree in writing.
(e) If either party has reason to believe that the exemptive provisions set forth in Rule 101(c)(1) of Regulation M under the Exchange Act are not satisfied with respect to the Shares, it shall promptly notify the other party and sales of the Shares under this Agreement, any Forward Confirmation, any Transaction Acceptance or any Terms Agreement shall be suspended until that or other exemptive provisions have been satisfied in the judgment of each party. On or prior to the delivery of a prospectus that is required (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Act or any similar rule) in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares, the Company shall calculate the average daily trading volume (as defined under “ADTV” by Rule 100 of Regulation M under the Exchange Act) of the Common Stock based on market data provided by Bloomberg L.P. or such other sources as agreed upon by the Company and the Agent.
| (f) | (i) If the Company wishes to issue and sell the Shares pursuant to this Agreement but other than as set forth in Section 2(a) of this Agreement, it will notify the Agent of the proposed terms of the Principal Transaction. If the Agent, acting as principal, wishes to accept such proposed terms (which it may decline to do for any reason in its sole discretion) or, following discussions with the Company, wishes to accept amended terms, the Company and the Agent shall enter into a Terms Agreement setting forth the terms of such Principal Transaction. |
(ii) The terms set forth in a Terms Agreement shall not be binding on the Company or the Agent unless and until the Company and the Agent have each executed and delivered such Terms Agreement accepting all of the terms of such Terms Agreement. In the event of a conflict between the terms of this Agreement and the terms of a Terms Agreement, the terms of such Terms Agreement shall control.
(g) Each sale of the Shares to the Agent in a Principal Transaction shall be made in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and a Terms Agreement, which shall provide for the sale of such Shares to, and the purchase thereof by, the Agent. A Terms Agreement may also specify certain provisions relating to the reoffering of such Shares by the Agent. The commitment of the Agent to purchase the Shares pursuant to any Terms Agreement shall be deemed to have been made on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements of the Company contained, and shall be subject to the terms and conditions set forth, in this Agreement and such Terms Agreement. Any such Terms Agreement shall specify the number of the Shares to be purchased by the Agent pursuant thereto, the price to be paid to the Company for such
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Shares, any provisions relating to rights of, and default by, underwriters, if any, acting together with the Agent in the reoffering of the Shares, and the time and date (each such time and date being referred to herein as a “Principal Settlement Date”; and, together with any Agency Settlement Date and Forward Hedge Settlement Date, a “Settlement Date”) and place of delivery of and payment for such Shares.
(h) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Company shall not offer, sell or deliver, or request the offer or sale, of any Shares pursuant to this Agreement (whether in an Agency Transaction, Forward or a Principal Transaction) and, by notice to the Agent, the Forward Purchaser and the Forward Seller given by telephone (confirmed promptly by email), shall cancel any instructions for the offer or sale of any Shares, and neither the Agent or the Forward Seller shall be obligated to offer or sell any Shares, (i) during any period in which the Company is, or could be deemed to be, in possession of material non-public information or (ii) at any time from and including the date on which the Company shall issue a press release containing, or shall otherwise publicly announce, its earnings, revenues or other results of operations (an “Earnings Announcement”) through and including the time that is 24 hours after the time that the Company files a Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or an Annual Report on Form 10-K that includes consolidated financial statements as of and for the same period or periods, as the case may be, covered by such Earnings Announcement.
(i) Subject to Section 2(g) above, the Company agrees that any offer to sell, any solicitation of an offer to buy, or any sales of Shares shall be effected only by or through one of the Agents or Forward Sellers on any Exchange Business Day.
(j) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall not authorize the issuance and sale of, and the Agent, as sales agent, and the Forward Seller, shall not be obligated to use its commercially reasonable efforts, consistent with its normal trading and sales practices, to sell, any Shares at a price lower than the minimum price, or in a number or with an aggregate gross or net sales price in excess of the number or aggregate gross or net sales price, as the case may be, authorized from time to time to be issued and sold under this Agreement and any Terms Agreement, in each case by the Company’s board of directors or, if permitted by applicable law and the Company’s charter and by-laws, a duly authorized committee thereof, or in a number in excess of the number of Shares approved for listing on the Exchange, or in excess of the number or amount of Shares available for issuance on the Registration Statement or as to which the Company has paid the applicable registration fee, it being understood and agreed by the parties hereto that compliance with any such limitations shall be the sole responsibility of the Company.
3. Representations, Warranties and Agreements of the Company and the Operating Partnership. Each of the Company and the Operating Partnership, jointly and severally, represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser, on and as of (i) the date hereof, (ii) each date on which the Company receives a Transaction Acceptance (the “Time of Acceptance”), (iii) each date on which the Company executes and delivers a Terms Agreement, (iv) each Time of Sale (as defined in Section 3(a)), (v) each Settlement Date and (vi) each Bring-Down Delivery Date (as defined in Section 6(b)) (each such date listed in (i) through (vi), a “Representation Date”), as follows:
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(a) The Registration Statement is an “automatic shelf registration statement” as defined under Rule 405 of the Act that has been filed with the Commission not earlier than three years prior to the date hereof; there is no order preventing or suspending the use of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, and, to the knowledge of the Company, no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Act against the Company or related to the offering has been initiated or threatened by the Commission; no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of such Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Act has been received by the Company; the Registration Statement complied when it initially became effective, complies as of the date hereof and, as then amended or supplemented, as of each other Representation Date will comply, in all material respects, with the requirements of the Act; the conditions to the use of Form S-3 in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares as contemplated hereby have been satisfied; the Registration Statement meets, and the offering and sale of the Shares as contemplated hereby complies with, the requirements of Rule 415 under the Act (including, without limitation, Rule 415(a)(5)); the Prospectus complied or will comply, at the time it was or will be filed with the Commission, and will comply, as then amended or supplemented, as of each Representation Date, in all material respects, with the requirements of the Act; the Registration Statement did not, as of the time of its initial effectiveness, and does not or will not, as then amended or supplemented, as of each Representation Date, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; as of each Representation Date, the Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, together with all of the then issued Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to any statement in or omission from the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus made in reliance upon and in conformity with information concerning any Agent and furnished in writing by or on behalf of any Agent expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or such Permitted Free Writing Prospectus (it being understood that such information consists solely of the information specified in Section 9(b)). As used herein, “Time of Sale” means (i) with respect to each offering of Shares pursuant to this Agreement, the time of the Agent’s or the Forward Seller’s initial entry into contracts with investors for the sale of such Shares and (ii) with respect to each offering of Shares pursuant to any relevant Terms Agreement, the time of sale of such Shares.
(b) Prior to the execution of this Agreement, the Company has not, directly or indirectly, offered or sold any of the Shares by means of any “prospectus” (within the meaning of the Act) or used any “prospectus” (within the meaning of the Act) in connection with the offer or sale of the Shares, in each case other than the Basic Prospectus. The Company represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of each Agent, until the termination of this Agreement, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute an “issuer free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Act) or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Act) other than any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus. Any such free writing prospectus relating to the Shares consented to by the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser (including any Free Writing Prospectus prepared by the Company solely for use in connection with the offering contemplated by a particular Terms Agreement) is hereinafter referred to as a
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“Permitted Free Writing Prospectus”. The Company has complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of Rule 433 under the Act applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. The conditions set forth in one or more of subclauses (i) through (iv), inclusive, of Rule 433(b)(1) under the Act are satisfied, and the registration statement relating to the offering of the Shares contemplated hereby, as initially filed with the Commission, includes a prospectus that, other than by reason of Rule 433 under the Act, satisfies the requirements of Section 10 of the Act; the Company is not disqualified, by reason of Rule 164(f) or (g) under the Act, from using, in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares, “free writing prospectuses” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Act) pursuant to Rules 164 and 433 under the Act; the Company was not as of each eligibility determination date for purposes of Rules 164 and 433 under the Act with respect to the offering of the Shares contemplated by the Registration Statement and this Agreement and is not an “ineligible issuer” and was as of each such eligibility date and is a “well-known seasoned issuer” (each as defined in Rule 405 under the Act). The Company has paid or, no later than the business day after the date of this Agreement, will pay the registration fee for the offering of the Maximum Amount of Shares pursuant to Rule 457 under the Act.
(c) The Incorporated Documents, when they were filed with the Commission (or, if any amendment with respect to any such document was filed, when such amendment was filed), conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and none of such documents contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and any further documents so filed during the Term and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, when such documents become effective or are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(d) The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Maryland, with requisite power and authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus. The Operating Partnership has been duly organized and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect (as defined below), each of the direct and indirect subsidiaries of the Company (collectively, the “Subsidiaries”) has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation, limited liability company, limited partnership or similar entity in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization with requisite power and authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus. The Company and each of the Subsidiaries are duly qualified to transact business in all jurisdictions in which the conduct of their business requires such qualification except where the failure to be so qualified would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on the results of operations, business, assets, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company and the
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Subsidiaries taken as a whole (the occurrence of any such effect being referred to as a “Material Adverse Effect”). Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (x) the outstanding ownership interests in each of the Subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and such ownership interests owned by the Company or another Subsidiary are free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and equities and claims, other than any such liens or encumbrances arising pursuant to indebtedness or financing arrangements described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, and (y) no options, warrants or other rights to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue or other rights to convert any obligations into shares of capital stock or ownership interests in the Subsidiaries are outstanding.
(e) The outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable. The Shares and the Forward Settlement Shares to be issued and sold by the Company pursuant to this Agreement, any Forward Confirmation, the Alternative Distribution Agreements, any Terms Agreement and any Alternative Terms Agreement have been duly authorized and when issued and paid for as contemplated herein or therein will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; and no preemptive or similar rights of stockholders exist with respect to any of the issue and sale of the Shares that have not been complied with or otherwise validly waived. None of the outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company were issued in violation of the preemptive or other similar rights of any stockholder of the Company. Neither the filing of the Registration Statement nor the offering or sale of the Shares or Forward Settlement Shares as contemplated by this Agreement gives rise to any rights, other than those which have been waived or satisfied, for or relating to the registration of any shares of Common Stock. The outstanding common units of limited partnership interest of the Operating Partnership (“Common Units”) have been duly authorized and validly issued. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, (i) there are no outstanding securities convertible into or exchangeable for any shares of Common Stock or Common Units and (ii) there are no outstanding options, rights (preemptive or otherwise) or warrants to purchase or subscribe for shares of Common Stock, Common Units or any other securities of the Company or the Operating Partnership. None of the outstanding Common Units were issued in violation of any preemptive or other similar rights.
(f) The terms of the Shares conform to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus. The form of certificate for the Shares (if any) complies in all material respects with the corporate law of Maryland and to any applicable requirements of the Company’s organizational documents. Subsequent to the respective dates as of which financial information is given in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, except as otherwise disclosed therein or in this Agreement, the Company has not: (i) issued any securities; (ii) incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, for borrowed money, which is material to the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole; or (iii) declared or paid any dividend or made any other distribution on or in respect to its capital stock.
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(g) The consolidated financial statements of the Company and the Subsidiaries, together with the related notes and schedules thereto, as set forth or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act and present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position and the results of operations and cash flows of the Company and the Subsidiaries, at the indicated dates and for the indicated periods. Such financial statements and the related notes and schedules have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted principles of accounting (“GAAP”), consistently applied throughout the periods involved, except as disclosed therein, and all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of results for such periods have been made. The summary and selected consolidated financial and statistical data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, if any, present fairly, on the basis stated therein, in all material respects the information shown therein and such data has been compiled on a basis consistent with the financial statements presented therein and the books and records of the Company and the Subsidiaries. Any pro forma financial information included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus present fairly, in all material respects, the information shown therein, have been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines with respect to pro forma financial statements, have been properly compiled on the pro forma bases described therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions or circumstances referred to therein. All disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP” financial measures (as such term is defined by the Rules and Regulations) comply in all material respects with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the Act, to the extent applicable. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, the Company and the Subsidiaries do not have any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations or any “variable interest entities” within the meaning of Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 46). There are no financial statements (historical or pro forma) that are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus that are not included as required. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has in all material respects been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.
(h) Deloitte & Touche LLP, which has certified certain of the financial statements filed with the Commission as part of, or incorporated by reference in, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, is, to the knowledge of the Company, an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and the Subsidiaries within the meaning of the Act and the applicable Rules and Regulations and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (the “PCAOB”) as required by the Act.
(i) Solely to the extent that the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission and the Exchange thereunder (collectively, the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) have been applicable to the Company or the Subsidiaries, there is and has been no failure on the part of the Company and the Subsidiaries to comply in all material respects with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Company has taken all necessary actions to ensure that it is in compliance in all material respects with all provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act that are in effect and with which the Company is required to comply (including Section 402 related to loans).
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(j) There is no legal, governmental, administrative or regulatory investigation, action, suit, claim or proceeding pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, or to which any property of the Company or the Subsidiaries is, or to the knowledge of the Company, would reasonably be expected to be, subject, before any court or regulatory or administrative agency or otherwise, which would reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(k) The Company and/or the Subsidiaries, as the case may be, have legal, valid and defensible title to all of the real properties described as owned or leased by them in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus (individually, a “Property” and collectively, the “Properties”), in each case free and clear of all liens, security interests, pledges, charges, encumbrances, mortgages and defects, except such as (i) are pursuant to indebtedness or financing arrangements described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus or are otherwise disclosed therein, (ii) are Permitted Encumbrances or (iii) would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect; all of the leases and subleases relating to the Properties, if any, material to the business of the Company and the Subsidiaries considered as one enterprise are in full force and effect, with such exceptions as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect; and, except as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any Subsidiary under any such leases. The Company, each of the Subsidiaries and each of their Properties complies with all applicable codes, laws and regulations (including, without limitation, building and zoning codes, laws and regulations and laws relating to access to the Properties, homeowners association laws, rules and regulations and the Fair Housing Act and its state law counterparts), except for such failures to comply that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; the Company has no knowledge of any pending or threatened condemnation proceedings, zoning change or other proceeding or action that will in any material manner affect the size of, use of, improvements on, construction on or access to the Properties, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; the mortgages and deeds of trust that encumber the Properties are not convertible into equity securities of the entity owning such Property and said mortgages and deeds of trust are not cross-defaulted or cross-collateralized with any property other than other Properties, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; except as otherwise described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus or as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company, directly or indirectly, has obtained title insurance on the fee or leasehold interests, as the case may be, in each of the Properties, in such amounts as is adequate for the conduct of its business and the value of its Properties and as is prudent and customary for companies engaged in similar businesses, and all such policies of insurance are in full force and effect; and except as otherwise described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus or as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any
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tenant of any of the Properties is in default under (x) any tenant lease (as lessor or lessee, as the case may be) relating to any of the Properties, (y) any of the mortgages or other security documents or other agreements encumbering or otherwise recorded against the Properties or (z) any lease, sublease or operating sublease relating to any of the Properties, whether with or without the passage of time or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a default under any of such documents or agreements. “Permitted Encumbrances” shall mean each of the following: (i) mechanics’, carriers’, workers’, repairers’, materialmen’s, warehousemen’s and other similar liens and encumbrances for construction in progress or which have otherwise arisen in the ordinary course of business; (ii) liens for taxes not yet delinquent or being contested in good faith and for which there are adequate reserves on the financial statements of the owner of the applicable Property; (iii) easements, zoning restrictions, rights-of-way and similar encumbrances on real property imposed by law or arising in the ordinary course of business that do not secure any monetary obligations and do not materially detract from the value of the affected Property or interfere with the ordinary course business of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries; and (iv) liens arising under conditional sales contracts and equipment leases with third parties entered into in the ordinary course of business.
(l) The Company and the Subsidiaries have filed all U.S. federal, state, local and foreign tax returns which have been required to be filed or have requested extensions thereof (except in any case in which the failure to so file would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or except as set forth in or contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus) and have paid all taxes indicated by such returns and all assessments received by them or any of them to the extent that such taxes have become due, except for any such taxes and assessments (i) that are currently being contested in good faith and for which adequate reserves or accruals have been provided in accordance with GAAP or (ii) as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.
(m) Since the date of the most recent financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, (i) there has not been any material adverse change or any development involving a prospective material adverse change in or affecting the earnings, business, management, properties, assets, rights, operations, condition (financial or otherwise), or prospects of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, whether or not occurring in the ordinary course of business, (ii) there has not been any material transaction entered into or any material transaction that is probable of being entered into by the Company or the Subsidiaries, other than transactions in the ordinary course of business and changes and transactions described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, as each may be amended or supplemented, and (iii) except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has sustained any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor disturbance or dispute or any action, order or decree of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority.
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(n) Neither the Company nor the Operating Partnership is in violation of its certificate of incorporation or charter, bylaws, certificate of limited partnership or partnership agreement, as applicable and, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, no other Subsidiary of the Company is in violation of its certificate or articles of incorporation or organization, charter, bylaws, certificate of formation, limited liability company agreement, partnership agreement or other organizational documents, as applicable. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is (i) in violation of or in default under any agreement, lease, contract, indenture or other instrument or obligation to which it is a party or by which it, or any of its properties, is bound or (ii) in violation of any law, order, rule or regulation judgment, order, writ or decree applicable to the Company or any Subsidiary of any court or of any government, regulatory body or administrative agency or other governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company or any Subsidiary, or any of their properties or assets, except in the case of clauses (i) and (ii), for such violations or defaults as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The execution and delivery of this Agreement, any Forward Confirmation and any Terms Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein or in any Forward Confirmation or Terms Agreement, and the fulfillment of the terms hereof and thereof, (i) do not and will not conflict with the certificate or articles of incorporation or organization, charter, bylaws, certificate of formation, partnership agreement or other organizational documents, as applicable, of the Company or the Operating Partnership and (ii) do not and will not conflict with or result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or the Subsidiaries, as the case may be, is a party or by which the Company, the Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties is bound, or of the certificate or articles of incorporation or organization, charter, bylaws, certificate of formation, limited liability company agreement, partnership agreement or other organizational documents, as applicable, of the Company’s Subsidiaries or any law, order, rule or regulation judgment, order, writ or decree applicable to the Company or any Subsidiary of any court or of any government, regulatory body or administrative agency or other governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company or any Subsidiary, or any of their properties or assets, except in the case of clause (ii) only, for such conflicts, breaches or defaults that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect or would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the performance of this Agreement or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby.
(o) Each of the Company and the Operating Partnership has full right, power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement, any Forward Confirmation and any Terms Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder or thereunder, including the Company’s issuance, sale and delivery of the Shares and the issuance and delivery of any Forward Settlement Shares, as provided herein and therein; and all action required to be taken for the due and proper authorization, execution and delivery by each of the Company and the Operating Partnership of this Agreement, any Forward Confirmation and any Terms Agreement and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby has been duly and validly taken (or, in the case of any Forward Confirmation or Terms Agreement, such action has been or will have been duly and validly authorized).
(p) Each Forward Confirmation constitutes, and each “Pricing Supplement” thereunder will constitute, a valid and binding agreement of the Company and the Operating Partnership, and assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by the Forward Purchaser, is enforceable against the Company and the Operating Partnership in accordance with the terms thereof, subject to (i) the effect of bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance,
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reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws now or hereafter in effect relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors and (ii) the effect of general principles of equity, whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law, and the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefore may be brought.
(q) Each approval, consent, order, authorization, designation, declaration or filing by or with any regulatory, administrative or other governmental body necessary or required in connection with the execution and delivery by the Company and the Operating Partnership of this Agreement, any Forward Confirmation or any Terms Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement, any Forward Confirmation or by any Terms Agreement has been obtained or made and is in full force and effect (except such additional steps as may be required by the Commission under the Act or Exchange Act, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) or the Exchange, or such additional steps as may be necessary to qualify the Shares for public offering by the Agents under state securities or Blue Sky laws).
(r) Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and the Subsidiaries (i) hold all licenses, registrations, certificates and permits from governmental authorities (collectively, “Governmental Licenses”) which are necessary to the conduct of their business, (ii) are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all Governmental Licenses, and all Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, and (iii) have not received any written or other notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Governmental License.
(s) The Company and the Subsidiaries own or possess adequate rights to use all patents, inventions, trademarks, trade names, service marks, logos, copyrights, licenses, trade secrets and know-how (including unpatented and unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) (collectively, the “Intellectual Property”) reasonably necessary to conduct their business as presently conducted, except where the failure to own or possess such rights would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. None of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries has received any communication or notice alleging any claim of infringement, misappropriation or conflict with the asserted rights of others in connection with the Intellectual Property which would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(t) Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus: (i) none of the Intellectual Property or technology (including information technology and outsourced arrangements) employed by the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, the Subsidiaries is being used by the Company or the Subsidiaries in violation of any contractual obligation binding on the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or any of their respective officers, directors or employees; (ii) the Company and the Subsidiaries own or have a valid right to access and use all computer systems, networks, hardware, software, databases, websites and equipment used to process, store, maintain and operate data, information, and functions used in connection with the business of the Company and the Subsidiaries as currently conducted (the “Company IT Systems”) and (iii) the Company IT Systems are adequate for, and operate and perform in all material respects as required in connection with, the operation of the business of the Company and the Subsidiaries as currently conducted.
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(u) Except as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and the Subsidiaries have implemented and maintained commercially reasonable controls, policies, procedures, and safeguards to maintain and protect their confidential information and the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of the Company IT Systems and data (including all personal, personally identifiable, sensitive, confidential or regulated data (“Personal Data”)) used in connection with their businesses as currently conducted, and, to the knowledge of the Company and the Subsidiaries, there have been no breaches, violations, outages or unauthorized uses of or accesses to the same, except for those that have been remedied without material cost or liability or the duty to notify any other person, nor any incidents under internal review or investigations relating to the same. Except as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and the Subsidiaries are presently in compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of the Company IT Systems and Personal Data and to the protection of the Company IT Systems and Personal Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification.
(v) Neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its affiliates, has taken or may take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or result in, or which has constituted or which might reasonably be expected to constitute, the unlawful stabilization or manipulation of the price of the shares of Common Stock to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.
(w) Each of the Company and the Operating Partnership is not and, after giving effect to (i) the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the net proceeds thereof and (ii) the transactions contemplated by each Forward Confirmation (including the application of the proceeds, if any, upon settlement thereof), will not be required to register as an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
(x) The Company and the Subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that: (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP, and to maintain accountability for assets; (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences and (E) the interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and is prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto. The Company and the Subsidiaries are not aware of any material weaknesses in their internal controls over financial reporting.
(y) The Company has established and maintains “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act); the Company’s “disclosure controls and procedures” are reasonably designed to ensure that information (both financial and non-financial) required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Exchange Act, and that all such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
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(z) The statistical, industry-related and market-related data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus are based on or derived from sources which the Company reasonably and in good faith believes are reliable and accurate in all material respects, and such data agree with the sources from which they are derived.
(aa) The operations of the Company and the Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance in all material respects with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including without limitation, those of Title 18 U.S. Code section 1956 and 1957, the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970, otherwise known as the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions where the Company or any of the Subsidiaries conducts business and the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency having jurisdiction over the Company or any of the Subsidiaries thereunder (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of the Subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.
(bb) Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, controlled affiliate, employee or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, (i) is currently the subject or the target of any sanctions administered or imposed by the U.S. government (including, without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”), the U.S. Department of Commerce, or the U.S. Department of State) (collectively, “Sanctions”); (ii) is owned or controlled by an individual or entity that is currently the subject or target of any Sanctions, or is located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions (a “Sanctioned Country”) (including, without limitation, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria); (iii) is designated as a ‘specially designated national’ or a ‘blocked person’ by the U.S. government. Neither the Company nor the Operating Partnership will directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Shares hereunder or the proceeds, if any, received upon settlement of any Forward Confirmation, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any Subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity (i) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business with any person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding or facilitating, is the subject or target of Sanctions; (ii) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business in any Sanctioned Country in violation of Sanctions or (iii) in any other manner which would reasonably be expected to result in the imposition of Sanctions against any person (including any person participating in the transaction, whether as an initial purchaser, underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise).
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(cc) Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or controlled affiliate, or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, has taken any action on behalf of the Company, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA; and the Company, the Subsidiaries and controlled affiliates have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.
(dd) The Company and each of the Subsidiaries carry, or are covered by, insurance, from insurers of recognized financial responsibility, in such amounts and covering such risks as is prudent and customary for companies engaged in similar businesses; and the Company has no reason to believe that it will not be able to renew existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.
(ee) Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) each “employee benefit plan” (within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (“ERISA”)) for which the Company or any member of its “Controlled Group” (defined as any organization that is a member of a controlled group of corporations within the meaning of Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”)) would have liability (each a “Plan”) is in compliance with all presently applicable statutes, rules and regulations, including ERISA and the Code; (ii) with respect to each Plan subject to Title IV of ERISA (a) no “reportable event” (within the meaning of Section 4043(c) of ERISA) has occurred; and (b) neither the Company nor any member of its Controlled Group has incurred or expects to incur liability under Title IV of ERISA (other than for contributions to the Plan or premiums payable to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, in each case in the ordinary course and without default); (iii) no Plan which is subject to Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA has failed to satisfy the minimum funding standard within the meaning of such sections of the Code or ERISA; and (iv) each Plan that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.
(ff) Except in each case as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect or as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, the Company and the Subsidiaries: (i) are in compliance with all applicable federal, state and local statutes, rules and regulations relating to pollution or to the protection of the environment, natural resources or human health or safety, or to the manufacture, use, generation, treatment, storage, disposal, release or threatened release of hazardous or toxic substances, pollutants, contaminants or wastes or the arrangement for such activities (“Environmental Laws”); (ii) have obtained and are in compliance with all permits, licenses, authorizations or other approvals required of them under Environmental
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Laws to conduct their business; and (iii) have not received written notice of any actual, pending or threatened claim or potential liability under Environmental Laws in respect of its past or present business, operations (including the disposal of hazardous substances at any off-site location) or facilities or real property (whether owned, leased or operated) and the Company is not aware of any facts or conditions that could reasonably be expected to give rise to any such claim or liability.
(gg) There are no relationships or related-party transactions involving the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or any other person required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, which have not been so described as required.
(hh) Except as provided under the terms of any indebtedness of the Company or the Subsidiaries disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus or as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, no Subsidiary is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such Subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such Subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such Subsidiary’s property or assets to the Company or any other Subsidiary.
(ii) No labor disturbance by or dispute with employees of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is contemplated or threatened, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(jj) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than this Agreement and the relevant Forward Confirmation) that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company, any of its subsidiaries or the Agents, the Forward Sellers or the Forward Purchasers for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Common Stock hereunder or any Forward Confirmation.
(kk) Commencing with its taxable year ended December 31, 2013, the Company (as successor to the real estate investment trust (“REIT”) election of IH2 Property Holdings Inc. in connection with the Company’s initial public offering in February 2017) has been and is organized and has operated in conformity with the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT, and its current organization and current and proposed method of operation will enable it to continue to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT for the taxable year ending December 31, 2021 and thereafter.
(ll) There are no franchises, contracts or other documents of a character required to be described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus, or to be filed as exhibits thereto, that are not so filed or described. The statements set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus under the headings “Description of Stock,” “Certain Provisions of Maryland Law and of Our Charter and Bylaws,” “Description of the Partnership Agreement of Invitation Homes Operating Partnership LP,” and “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations,” insofar as such statements summarize legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings discussed therein, are accurate and fair summaries of such legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings in all material respects.
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(mm) No person has the right to require the Company or any of the Subsidiaries to register any securities for sale under the Act by reason of the filing of the Registration Statement or the offering, issuance or sale of the Shares other than pursuant to the Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of October 4, 2016, among the Company, as successor in interest to Starwood Waypoint Residential Trust, and the other parties named therein. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, the Company (i) does not have any material lending or other relationship with any Agent or, to its knowledge, any bank or lending affiliate of any Agent and (ii) does not intend to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Shares to repay any outstanding debt owed to any Agent or, to its knowledge, any affiliate of any Agent.
(nn) Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus or as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and/or the Subsidiaries holds the lessor’s interest under the leases with any tenants occupying each Property.
(oo) The Common Stock is an “actively-traded security” excepted from the requirements of Rule 101 of Regulation M under the Exchange Act by Rule 101 (c)(1) thereunder.
(pp) Neither the issuance, sale or delivery of the Shares nor the application of the proceeds received by the Company from the issuance, sale and delivery of the Shares will violate Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or any other regulation of such Board of Governors.
(qq) Any certificate signed by any officer, general partner, managing member or other authorized representative of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company and delivered to the Agent, the Forward Seller or the Forward Purchaser or to counsel to the Agent, the Forward Seller or the Forward Purchaser pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement, any Forward Confirmation or any Terms Agreement shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser as to the matters covered thereby.
4. Certain Covenants of the Company and the Operating Partnership. The Company and the Operating Partnership, jointly and severally, hereby agree with the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser:
(a) For so long as the delivery of a prospectus is required (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Act or any similar rule) in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares, before using or filing any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus and before using or filing any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus (in each case, other than due to the filing of an Incorporated Document), to furnish to the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser a copy of each such proposed Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, amendment or supplement within a reasonable period of time before filing with the Commission or using any
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such Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, amendment or supplement, and the Company will not use or file any such Permitted Free Writing Prospectus or any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Agent, the Forward Seller or the Forward Purchaser reasonably objects, unless the Company’s legal counsel has advised the Company that use or filing of such document is required by law.
(b) To file the Prospectus, each Prospectus Supplement and any other amendments or supplements to the Prospectus pursuant to, and within the time period required by, Rule 424(b) under the Act (without reference to Rule 424(b)(8)) and to file any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Act and to provide copies of the Prospectus, each Prospectus Supplement, any other amendments or supplements to the Prospectus and each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus (to the extent not previously delivered or filed on the Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system or any successor system thereto (collectively, “EDGAR”)) to the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser via e-mail in “.pdf” format on such filing date to an e-mail account designated by the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser and, at the Agent’s, the Forward Seller’s or the Forward Purchaser’s request, to also furnish copies of the Prospectus, each Prospectus Supplement, any other amendments or supplements to the Prospectus and each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus to each exchange or market on which sales were effected as may be required by the rules or regulations of such exchange or market.
(c) To file timely all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act for so long as the delivery of a prospectus is required (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Act or any similar rule) in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares, and during such same period to advise the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser, promptly after the Company receives notice thereof, (i) of the time when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or has become effective or any supplement to the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus or any amended Prospectus has been filed with the Commission; (ii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or any order preventing or suspending the use of any prospectus relating to the Shares or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose, pursuant to Section 8A of the Act; (iii) of any objection by the Commission to the use of Form S-3ASR by the Company pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Act; (iv) of the suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction or of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose; (v) of any request by the Commission for the amendment of the Registration Statement or the amendment or supplementation of the Prospectus (in each case including any documents incorporated by reference therein) or for additional information; (vi) of the occurrence of any event as a result of which the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as then amended or supplemented includes any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus or any such Permitted Free Writing Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading; and (vii) of the receipt by the Company of any notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto.
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(d) In the event of the issuance of any such stop order or of any such order preventing or suspending the use of any such prospectus or suspending any such qualification, or of any notice of objection pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Act, to use promptly its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain its withdrawal.
(e) To furnish such information as may be required and otherwise cooperate in qualifying the Shares for offering and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of such states or other jurisdictions as the Agent, the Forward Seller or the Forward Purchaser may reasonably designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Shares; provided that the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation, become a dealer of securities, or become subject to taxation in, or to consent to the service of process under the laws of, any such state or other jurisdictions (except service of process with respect to the offering and sale of the Shares); and to promptly advise the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Shares for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation of any proceeding for such purpose.
(f) To make available to the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser at their offices, without charge, as soon as reasonably practicable after the Registration Statement becomes effective, and thereafter from time to time to furnish to the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser, as many copies of the Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement (or of the Prospectus or Prospectus Supplement as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have made any amendments or supplements thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein after the effective date of the Registration Statement) and each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as the Agent, the Forward Seller or the Forward Purchaser may reasonably request for so long as the delivery of a prospectus is required (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Act or any similar rule); and for so long as this Agreement is in effect, the Company will prepare and file promptly such amendment or amendments to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as may be necessary to comply with the requirements of Section 10(a)(3) of the Act.
(g) To furnish or make available to the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser during the Term (i) copies of any reports or other communications which the Company shall send to its shareholders or shall from time to time publish or publicly disseminate and (ii) copies of all annual, quarterly and current reports filed with the Commission on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K, or such other similar form as may be designated by the Commission, and to furnish to the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser from time to time during the Term such other information as the Agent, the Forward Seller or the Forward Purchaser may reasonably request regarding the Company, the Operating Partnership or their subsidiaries, in each case as soon as such reports, communications, documents or information becomes available or promptly upon the request of the Agent, the Forward Seller or the Forward Purchaser, as applicable; provided, however, that the Company, the Operating Partnership and their subsidiaries shall have no obligation to provide the Agent, the Forward Seller or the Forward Purchaser with any document filed on EDGAR or included on the Company’s Internet website.
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(h) If, at any time during the Term, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary in the reasonable opinion of counsel for the Agent, the Forward Seller or the Forward Purchaser or counsel for the Company, to further amend or supplement the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as then amended or supplemented in order that the Prospectus or any such Permitted Free Writing Prospectus will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, in light of the circumstances existing at the time the Prospectus or any such Permitted Free Writing Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, or if it shall be necessary, in the reasonable opinion of either such counsel, to amend or supplement the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus in order to comply with the requirements of the Act, in the case of such a determination by counsel to the Company, immediate notice shall be given, and confirmed in writing, to the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser to cease the solicitation of offers to purchase the Shares in the Agent’s capacity and the Forward Seller’s capacity as such, and, in either case, the Company will, subject to Section 4(a) above, promptly prepare and file with the Commission such amendment or supplement, whether by filing documents pursuant to the Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, as may be necessary to correct such untrue statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any such Permitted Free Writing Prospectus comply with such requirements.
(i) To generally make available to its security holders as soon as reasonably practicable, but not later than 16 months after the first day of each fiscal quarter referred to below, an earnings statement (in form complying with the provisions of Section 11(a) under the Act and Rule 158 of the Commission promulgated thereunder) covering each twelve-month period beginning, in each case, not later than the first day of the Company’s fiscal quarter next following each “effective date” (as defined in such Rule 158) of the Registration Statement with respect to each sale of Shares.
(j) To apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Shares and the net proceeds (if any) from the sale of any Forward Settlement Shares in the manner described in the Prospectus Supplement under the caption “Use of Proceeds.”
(k) Not to, and to cause its subsidiaries not to, take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or result in, or that constitutes or might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares; provided that nothing herein shall prevent the Company from filing or submitting reports under the Exchange Act or issuing press releases in the ordinary course of business.
(l) Except as otherwise agreed between the Company, the Agents, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchasers, to pay all costs, expenses, fees and taxes in connection with (i) the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement (including registration fees pursuant to Rule 456(b)(1)(i) under the Act), the Prospectus, any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, and any amendments or supplements thereto, and the printing and furnishing of copies of each thereof to the Agents and to dealers (including costs of mailing and shipment), (ii) the registration, issue and delivery of the Shares, (iii) the qualification of the Shares for offering and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of such states or other jurisdictions as the Agents, the Forward Seller or the Forward Purchasers may reasonably designate as aforesaid (including filing fees and the reasonable legal fees and disbursements of counsel to the Agents in connection therewith) and
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the printing and furnishing of copies of any blue sky surveys to the Agents, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchasers (not to exceed $10,000), (iv) the listing of the Shares on the Exchange and any registration thereof under the Exchange Act, (v) any filing for review, and any review, of the public offering of the Shares by FINRA (including filing fees and the reasonable legal fees and disbursements of counsel to the Agents, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchasers in connection therewith) (not to exceed $10,000), (vi) the fees and disbursements of counsel to the Company and of the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm and (vii) the performance of the Company’s other obligations hereunder, and under any Terms Agreement; provided that, except as otherwise agreed with the Company, the Agents, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchasers shall be responsible for any transfer taxes on resales of the Shares, any costs and expenses associated with the sale and marketing of the Shares, and legal costs of the Agents, the Forward Seller or the Forward Purchasers other than as specifically provided above and in the next sentence.
(m) With respect to the offering(s) contemplated by this Agreement or any Terms Agreement, the Company will not offer shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for shares of the Common Stock in a manner in violation of the Act or the Exchange Act; and the Company will not distribute any offering material in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares, other than the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto.
(n) Unless the Company has given written notice to the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser that the Company has suspended activity under this Agreement and there are no pending Agency Transactions, Principal Transactions or Transaction Proposals relating to a “Forward,” the Company will not, without (A) giving the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser at least three Exchange Business Days’ prior written notice specifying the nature of the proposed sale and the date of such proposed sale and (B) the Agent and the Forward Purchaser suspending activity under this program for such period of time as requested by the Company or deemed appropriate by the Agent or the Forward Purchaser in light of the proposed sale, (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or other equity securities of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable, redeemable or exchangeable for Common Stock or other equity securities of the Company, or submit to, or file with, the Commission any registration statement under the Act with respect to any of the foregoing (other than a registration statement on Form S-8 or post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement), or publicly announce the intention to undertake any of the foregoing, or (ii) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of Common Stock or other equity securities of the Company, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of shares of Common Stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (A) Shares offered and sold under this Agreement, any Alternative Distribution Agreement, any Terms Agreement or any Alternative Terms Agreement, or any Forward Settlement Shares sold or delivered pursuant to any Forward Confirmation or (B) securities issued pursuant to any of the Company’s equity incentive plans described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or upon the exercise of options granted thereunder. Any lock-up provisions relating to a Principal Transaction shall be set forth in the applicable Terms Agreement.
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(o) The Company will, pursuant to reasonable procedures developed in good faith, retain copies of each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus that is not filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 433 under the Act.
(p) The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Shares to be listed on the Exchange.
(q) The Company consents to the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser and their respective affiliates trading in the Common Stock for each of their own account and for the account of their clients at the same time as sales and deliveries of the Shares occur pursuant to this Agreement, any Terms Agreement or any Forward Confirmation.
(r) If immediately prior to the third anniversary (the “Renewal Deadline”) of the initial effective date of the Registration Statement, the aggregate Gross Sales Price of Shares sold by the Company is less than the Maximum Amount and this Agreement has not expired or been terminated, the Company will, prior to the Renewal Deadline, file, if it has not already done so and is eligible to do so, a new automatic shelf registration statement relating to the Shares, in a form satisfactory to the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser. If the Company is no longer eligible to file an automatic shelf registration statement, the Company will, prior to the Renewal Deadline, if it has not already done so, file a new shelf registration statement relating to the Shares, in a form satisfactory to the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser, and will use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to be declared effective within 60 days after the Renewal Deadline. The Company will take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the issuance and sale of the Shares to continue as contemplated in the expired registration statement relating to the Shares. References herein to the Registration Statement shall include such new automatic shelf registration statement or such new shelf registration statement, as the case may be.
(s) In connection with entering into any Forward, neither the Company nor any of its affiliates will acquire any long position (either directly or indirectly, including through a derivative transaction) with respect to shares of Common Stock.
(t) The Company will, at any time during a fiscal quarter in which the Company delivers a Transaction Proposal, or offers hereunder Shares, advise the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser as promptly as reasonably practicable prior to the delivery of such Transaction Proposal, of any information or fact that would alter or affect in any material respect any opinion, certificate, letter or other document provided to the Agent, the Forward Seller or the Forward Purchaser pursuant to this Agreement or any Forward Confirmation.
5. Execution of Agreement. The Agent’s, the Forward Seller’s and the Forward Purchaser’s obligations under this Agreement shall be subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions in connection with and on the date of the execution of this Agreement:
(a) the Company shall have delivered to the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser:
| (i) | an officers’ certificate signed by two officers of the Company (one of whom shall be the Chief Financial Officer or other senior financial officer) certifying as to the matters set forth in Exhibit B hereto; |
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| (ii) | (A) a legal opinion, tax opinion and negative assurance letter of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, counsel for the Company and (B) a legal opinion of Venable LLP, Maryland counsel for the Company, each addressed to the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser and dated the date of this Agreement, of the same tenor as referred to in Exhibit C-1 and C-2, respectively, hereto; |
| (iii) | “comfort” letter from Deloitte & Touche LLP addressed to the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser, and dated the date of this Agreement, addressing such matters as the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser may reasonably request; |
| (iv) | a certificate signed by the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, in the form of Exhibit D hereto, certifying as to certain financial, numerical and statistical data not covered by the “comfort” letter referred to in Section 5(a)(iii) hereof; |
| (v) | evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, the Forward Seller the Forward Purchaser and their counsel that either (i) the Shares have been approved for listing on the Exchange, subject only to notice of issuance, or (ii) the Company has filed an application for listing of the Shares on the Exchange on or before the date hereof; |
| (vi) | a certificate signed by the Company’s corporate secretary, annexing, among other documents, the resolutions duly adopted by the Company’s board of directors authorizing the Company’s and the Operating Partnership’s execution of this Agreement and the relevant Forward Confirmation (and related Forward Confirmations) and the consummation by the Company and the Operating Partnership of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, including the issuance and sale of the Shares and the Forward Settlement Shares; and |
| (vii) | such other documents as the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser shall reasonably request; and |
(b) The Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser shall have received a letter or letters, which shall include legal opinions and negative assurance statements, of Goodwin Procter LLP, counsel to the Agents, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchasers, addressed to the Agents, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchasers and dated the date of this Agreement, addressing such matters as the Agents, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchasers may reasonably request.
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6. Additional Covenants of the Company and the Operating Partnership. The Company and the Operating Partnership further covenant and agree with the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser as follows:
(a) Each Transaction Proposal made by the Company that is accepted by the Agent, the Forward Seller or the Forward Purchaser by means of a Transaction Acceptance and each execution and delivery by the Company of a Terms Agreement shall be deemed to be (i) an affirmation that the representations, warranties and agreements of the Company herein contained and contained in any certificate delivered to the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser pursuant hereto are true and correct at such Time of Acceptance or the date of such Terms Agreement, as the case may be, and (ii) an undertaking that such representations, warranties and agreements will be true and correct on any applicable Time of Sale and Settlement Date, as though made at and as of each such time (it being understood that such representations, warranties and agreements shall relate to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as amended and supplemented to the time of such Transaction Acceptance or Terms Agreement, as the case may be).
(b) Each time that (i) the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus shall be amended or supplemented (including, except as noted in the proviso at the end of this Section 6(b), by the filing of any Incorporated Document), (ii) there is a Principal Settlement Date pursuant to a Terms Agreement, or (iii) the Agent, the Forward Seller or the Forward Purchaser shall reasonably request (each date referred to clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) above, a “Bring-Down Delivery Date”), the Company shall, unless the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser agrees otherwise, furnish or cause to be furnished to the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser certificates, dated as of such Bring-Down Delivery Date and delivered within one Exchange Business Day after the applicable Bring-Down Delivery Date or, in the case of a Bring-Down Delivery Date resulting from a Principal Settlement Date, delivered on such Principal Settlement Date, of the same tenor as the certificates referred to in Section 5(a)(i), Section 5(a)(iv) and 5(a)(v) hereof, modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as amended and supplemented to the time of delivery of such certificates and, in the case of the Chief Financial Officer’s certificate, covering such other financial, numerical and statistical data that is not covered by the accountants’ “comfort” letter dated as of such Bring-Down Delivery Date as the Agent, the Forward Seller or the Forward Purchaser may reasonably request, or, in lieu of such certificates, certificates to the effect that the statements contained in the certificates referred to in Sections 5(a)(i), 5(a)(v) and, unless the Agent, the Forward Seller or the Forward Purchaser shall have requested that the Chief Financial Officer’s certificate cover different or additional date as aforesaid, 5(a)(iv) hereof furnished to Agent are true and correct as of such Bring-Down Delivery Date as though made at and as of such date (except that such statements shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as amended and supplemented to the time of delivery of such certificate); provided, however, that the filing of a Current Report on Form 8-K will not constitute a Bring-Down Delivery Date under clause (i) above unless either (A) (x) such Current Report on Form 8-K is filed at any time during which either a Transaction Acceptance is binding and the Company has not suspended the use thereof (and prior to the settlement of the Shares specified therein) or a prospectus relating to the Shares is required to be delivered under the Act (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Act or any similar rule) or
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such Current Report on Form 8-K is filed at any time from and including the date of a Terms Agreement through and including the related Settlement Date and (y) the Agent, the Forward Seller or the Forward Purchaser has reasonably requested that such date be deemed to be a Bring-Down Delivery Date based upon the event or events reported in such Current Report on Form 8-K or (B) such Current Report on Form 8-K contains capsule financial information, historical or pro forma financial statements, supporting schedules or other financial data, including any Current Report on Form 8-K or part thereof under Item 2.02 of Regulation S-K of the Commission that is considered “filed” under the Exchange Act; provided, further, that an amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus relating to the offering of other securities pursuant to the Registration Statement will not constitute a Bring-Down Delivery Date; and provided, further, that the requirement to provide the certificates under this Section 6(b) shall be waived for any Bring-Down Delivery Date occurring at a time at which no Transaction Proposal is pending, which waiver shall continue until the earlier to occur of the date the Company delivers a Transaction Proposal hereunder (which for such calendar quarter shall be considered a Bring-Down Delivery Date) and the next occurring Bring-Down Delivery Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company subsequently decides to sell Shares following a Bring-Down Delivery Date when the Company relied on such waiver and did not provide the Agent, the Forward Seller or the Forward Purchaser with the certificates under this Section 6(b), then before the Company delivers the Transaction Proposal or the Agent, the Forward Seller or the Forward Purchaser sells any Shares, the Company shall provide the Agents with the certificates under this Section 6(b), dated the date of the Transaction Proposal. The obligation of the Company under this Section 6(b) shall be deferred for any period during which the sale of Shares has been suspended or terminated pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and shall recommence upon the termination of such period.
(c) On each date on which the Company is required to deliver the certificates under Section 6(b), the Company shall, unless the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser agree otherwise, cause to be furnished to the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser (i)(A) the written legal opinion, tax opinion and negative assurance letter of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, counsel to the Company and (B) the written legal opinion of Venable LLP, Maryland counsel to the Company and (ii) the written legal opinion and negative assurance letter of Goodwin Procter LLP, counsel to the Agents, each dated as of the applicable Bring-Down Delivery Date and delivered within one Exchange Business Day after the applicable Bring-Down Delivery Date or, in the case of a Bring-Down Delivery Date resulting from a Principal Settlement Date, dated and delivered on such Principal Settlement Date, of the same tenor as the opinions and letters referred to in Section 5(a)(ii) or Section 5(b) hereof, as applicable, but modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as amended and supplemented to the time of delivery of such opinions and letters, or, in lieu of such opinions and letters, each such counsel shall furnish the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser with a letter substantially to the effect that the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser may rely on the opinion and letter of such counsel referred to in Section 5(a)(ii) or Section 5(b), as applicable, furnished to the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser, to the same extent as though they were dated the date of such letter authorizing reliance (except that statements in such last opinion and letter of such counsel shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as amended and supplemented to the time of delivery of such letters authorizing reliance).
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(d) On each date on which the Company is required to deliver the certificates under Section 6(b), the Company shall, unless the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser agree otherwise, cause each of (i) Deloitte & Touche LLP and (ii) Ernst & Young LLP to furnish to the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser a “comfort” letter, dated as of the applicable Bring-Down Delivery Date and delivered within one Exchange Business Day after the applicable Bring-Down Delivery Date or, in the case of a Bring-Down Delivery Date resulting from a Principal Settlement Date, delivered on such Principal Settlement Date, of the same tenor as the letters referred to in Section 5(a)(iii) hereof, but modified to relate to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as amended and supplemented to the date of such letter, and, if the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus shall include or incorporate by reference the financial statements of any entity or business (other than the consolidated financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries), the Company shall, if requested by the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser, cause a firm of independent public accountants to furnish to the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser a “comfort” letter, dated as of the applicable Bring-Down Delivery Date and delivered within one Exchange Business Day after the applicable Bring-Down Delivery Date or, in the case of a Bring-Down Delivery Date resulting from a Principal Settlement Date, delivered on such Principal Settlement Date, addressing such matters as the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser may reasonably request.
(e) (i) No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A under the Act shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission; the Prospectus and each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission under the Act (in the case of a Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Act); and all requests by the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the satisfaction of the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser and no suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes, shall have occurred and be in effect at the time the Company delivers a Transaction Proposal to the Agent or the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser or the time the Agent or the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser delivers a Transaction Acceptance to the Company; and (ii) the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus shall not contain an untrue statement of material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading at the time the Company delivers a Transaction Proposal to the Agent or the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser or the time the Agent or the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser delivers a Transaction Acceptance to the Company.
(f) The Company shall reasonably cooperate with any reasonable due diligence review requested by the Agent, the Forward Seller or the Forward Purchaser or their counsel from time to time in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby or any Terms Agreement, including, without limitation, (i) at the commencement of each intended Purchase Date or Forward Hedge Selling Period and any Time of Sale or Settlement Date, providing information and making available appropriate documents and appropriate corporate officers of the Company and, upon reasonable request, representatives of each of Deloitte & Touche LLP and Ernst & Young LLP (and, if the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Permitted
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Free-Writing Prospectus shall include or incorporate by reference the financial statements of any entity or business (other than the consolidated financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries), representatives of the independent public accountants that audited or reviewed such financial statements) for an update on diligence matters with representatives of the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser and (ii) at each Bring-Down Delivery Date and otherwise as the Agent, the Forward Seller or the Forward Purchaser may reasonably request, providing information and making available documents and appropriate corporate officers of the Company and representatives of each of Deloitte & Touche LLP and Ernst & Young LLP (and, if the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free-Writing Prospectus shall include or incorporate by reference the financial statements of any entity or business (other than the consolidated financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries), representatives of the independent public accountants that audited or reviewed such financial statements) for one or more due diligence sessions with representatives of the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser and their counsel.
(g) The Company shall disclose, in its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and in its annual report on Form 10-K and, if requested by the Agent, in supplements to the Prospectus to be filed by the Company with the Commission from time to time, the number of the Shares sold through the Agent and the Forward Seller under this Agreement and any Terms Agreement, and the gross and net proceeds to the Company from the sale of the Shares and the compensation paid by the Company with respect to sales of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement during the relevant quarter or, in the case of any such prospectus supplement, such shorter period as the Agent may reasonably request or, in the case of an Annual Report on Form 10-K, during the fiscal year covered by such Annual Report and the fourth quarter of such fiscal year.
All opinions, letters and other documents referred to in Sections 6(b) through (d) above shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser. The Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser will provide the Company with such notice (which may be oral, and in such case, will be confirmed via e-mail as soon as reasonably practicable thereafter) as is reasonably practicable under the circumstances when requesting an opinion, letter or other document referred to in Sections 6(b) through (d) above.
7. Conditions of the Agent’s, the Forward Seller’s and the Forward Purchaser’s Obligations. The Agent’s obligation to solicit purchases on an agency basis for the Shares or otherwise take any action pursuant to a Transaction Acceptance and to purchase the Shares pursuant to any Terms Agreement and the Forward Seller’s and Forward Purchaser’s obligations to borrow and sell Shares or otherwise take any action pursuant to a Transaction Proposal or Forward Confirmation, shall be subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions:
(a) At the Time of Acceptance, at the time of the commencement of trading on the Exchange on the Purchase Date(s) and each day of a Forward Hedge Selling Period and at the relevant Time of Sale and Agency Settlement Date or Forward Hedge Settlement Date, as the case may be, or with respect to a Principal Transaction pursuant to a Terms Agreement, at the time of execution and delivery of the Terms Agreement by the Company and at the relevant Time of Sale and Principal Settlement Date:
| (i) | The representations, warranties and agreements on the part of the Company and the Operating Partnership herein contained or contained in any certificate of an officer or officers of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof shall be true and correct in all respects. |
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| (ii) | The Company shall have performed and observed its covenants and other obligations hereunder, under any Forward Confirmation and/or under any Terms Agreement, as the case may be, in all material respects. |
| (iii) | In the case of an Agency Transaction or a Forward, from the Time of Acceptance until the Agency Settlement Date or the last Forward Hedge Settlement Date of the relevant Forward Hedge Selling Period, or, in the case of a Principal Transaction pursuant to a Terms Agreement, from the time of execution and delivery of the Terms Agreement by the Company until the Principal Settlement Date, trading in the Common Stock on the Exchange shall not have been suspended. |
| (iv) | From the date of this Agreement, no event or condition of a type described in Section 3(d) hereof shall have occurred or shall exist, which event or condition is not described in a Permitted Free Writing Prospectus (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) or the Prospectus (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the effect of which in the judgment of the Agent, the Forward Seller or the Forward Purchaser makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Shares on the applicable Settlement Date on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, any Terms Agreement, any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus. |
| (v) | Subsequent to the relevant Time of Acceptance or, in the case of a Principal Transaction, subsequent to execution of the applicable Terms Agreement, (A) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded any securities of or guaranteed by the Company, the Operating Partnership or any of their subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization”, as such term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act and (B) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, or has changed its outlook with respect to, its rating of any debt securities or preferred equity securities of or guaranteed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading) in each case that has not been described in any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus issued prior to any related Time of Sale. |
| (vi) | The Shares to be issued pursuant to the Transaction Acceptance or pursuant to a Terms Agreement, as applicable, shall either (i) have been approved for listing on the Exchange, subject only to notice of issuance, or (ii) the Company has filed an application for listing of the Shares on the Exchange on or before the delivery of any Transaction Proposal. |
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| (vii) | (A) No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the relevant Settlement Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Shares and (B) no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of the relevant Settlement Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Shares. |
| (viii) | (A) No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, no proceeding for such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Act shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission and no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Act shall have been received by the Company; (B) the Prospectus and each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission under the Act (in the case of any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Act); (C) all requests by the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the satisfaction of the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser; and (D) no suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, and no initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes, shall have occurred and be in effect. The Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus shall not contain an untrue statement of material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading at the time the Agent, the Forward Seller or the Forward Purchaser delivers a Transaction Acceptance to the Company or the Company and the Agent execute a Terms Agreement, as the case may be. |
| (ix) | No amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus shall have been filed to which the Agent, the Forward Seller or the Forward Purchaser shall have reasonably objected in writing. |
(b) Within one Exchange Business Day after the applicable Bring-Down Delivery Date or, in the case of a Bring-Down Delivery Date resulting from a Principal Settlement Date, on such Principal Settlement Date, the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser shall have received the officer’s certificates, opinions and negative assurance letters of counsel and “comfort” letters and other documents provided for under Sections 6(b) through (d), inclusive. For purposes of clarity and without limitation to any other provision of this Section 7 or elsewhere in this Agreement, the parties hereto agree that the Agent’s, the Forward Seller’s, and the Forward Purchaser’s obligations, if any, to solicit purchases of Shares on an agency basis
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or otherwise take any action pursuant to a Transaction Acceptance shall, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser, be suspended during the period from and including a Bring-Down Delivery Date through and including the time that the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser shall have received the documents described in the preceding sentence.
8. Termination.
| (a) (i) | The Company may terminate this Agreement in its sole discretion at any time upon prior written notice to the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party, except that (A) with respect to any pending sale, the obligations of the Company, including in respect of compensation of the Agent, the Forward Seller or the Forward Purchaser, and in respect of any related Forward Confirmation, shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination; and (B) the provisions of Sections 3, 4 (except that if no Shares have been previously sold hereunder or under any Terms Agreement, only Section 4(l)), 9, 13, 14 and 16 of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination. |
| (ii) | Unless the Agent is in default of any of its obligations under this Agreement or any Terms Agreement, in the case of any sale by the Company pursuant to a Terms Agreement, the obligations of the Company pursuant to such Terms Agreement and this Agreement may not be terminated by the Company without the prior written consent of the Agent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. |
| (b) (i) | Each of the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser may terminate this Agreement with respect to itself in its sole discretion at any time upon giving prior written notice to the Company; provided however that this Agreement will remain in full force and effect with respect to the Agent or the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser, as the case may be, that have not terminated this Agreement with respect to themselves. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party, except that the provisions of Sections 3, 4 (except that if no Shares have been previously sold hereunder or under any Terms Agreement, only Section 4(l)), 9, 13, 14 and 16 of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination. |
| (ii) | In the case of any purchase by the Agent pursuant to a Terms Agreement, the obligations of the Agent pursuant to such Terms Agreement shall be subject to termination by the Agent at any time prior to or at the Principal Settlement Date if (A) since the time of execution of the Terms Agreement or the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on or by any of the Exchange, the Nasdaq Stock Market, the Chicago Board |
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| Options Exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange or the Chicago Board of Trade; (ii) trading of any securities issued or guaranteed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the counter market, (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by federal or New York state authorities, (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis, either within or outside the United States, that, solely in the case of events and conditions described in this clause (iv), in the Agent’s judgment, is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus or such Terms Agreement. If the Agent elects to terminate its obligations pursuant to this Section 8(b)(ii), the Company shall be notified promptly in writing. |
(c) This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect until the earliest of (A) termination of the Agreement pursuant to Section 8(a) or 8(b) above or otherwise by mutual written agreement of the parties and (B) such date that the Maximum Amount of Shares has been sold in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and any Terms Agreements, in each case except that the provisions of Section 3, 4 (except that if no Shares have been previously sold hereunder or under any Terms Agreement, only Section 4(l)), 9, 13, 14 and 16 of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.
(d) Any termination of this Agreement shall be effective on the date specified in such notice of termination; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, such termination shall not be effective until the close of business on the date of receipt of such notice by the Agent, the Forward Seller, the Forward Purchaser or the Company, as the case may be, or such later date as may be required pursuant to Section 8(a) or (b). If such termination shall occur prior to the Settlement Date for any sale of Shares, such sale shall settle in accordance with the provisions of Section 2 hereof.
9. Indemnity and Contribution.
(a) The Company and the Operating Partnership, jointly and severally, agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser, their affiliates, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, reasonable out of pocket legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), that arise out of, or are based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, not misleading or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed
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pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act or any road show as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Act (a “road show”), or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser furnished to the Company in writing by the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser consists of the information described as such in subsection (b) below.
(b) Each of the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser, severally and not jointly, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and the Operating Partnership and each of the Company’s officers, each of the Company’s directors, each of the Company’s officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company or the Operating Partnership within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser furnished to the Company in writing by the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or any road show, it being understood and agreed upon that such information shall consist solely of the following: (i) the Agent’s name appearing on the front and back cover pages of the Prospectus Supplement and (ii) the second sentence of the third paragraph under the heading “Plan of Distribution” in the Prospectus Supplement.
(c) If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to either Section 9(a) or 9(b) above, such person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying Person”) in writing; provided that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under this Section 9 except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided, further, that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under this Section 9. If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person (who shall not, without the consent of the Indemnified Person, be counsel to the Indemnifying Person) to represent the Indemnified Person and any others entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Section 9 that the Indemnifying Person may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred. In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel), but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying
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Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (iii) the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) included both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such reasonable fees and expenses shall be paid or reimbursed as they are incurred. Any such separate firm for the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser and its affiliates, directors and officers and its control persons, if any, shall be designated in writing by the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser and any such separate firm for the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and its control persons, if any, shall be designated in writing by the Company. The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification is or could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (x) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (y) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an Indemnified Person shall have requested an Indemnifying Person to reimburse the Indemnified Person for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this Section 9(c), the Indemnifying Person agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by such Indemnifying Person of the aforesaid request and (ii) such Indemnifying Person shall not have reimbursed the Indemnified Person in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in Sections 9(a) and 9(b) above is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such Sections, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Operating Partnership and the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser from the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement and any Terms Agreements or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Company and the Operating Partnership and the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward
39
Purchaser in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company and the Operating Partnership and the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser shall be deemed to be (a) in the case of the Company and the Operating Partnership, the sum of (x) the net proceeds (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the Operating Partnership from the sale of the Shares and (y) the number of Forward Hedge Shares for each Forward under this Agreement multiplied by the Forward Hedge Price for such Forward, (b) in the case of the Agent, the total discounts and commissions received by the Agent in connection with its sale of Shares hereunder, (c) in the case of the Forward Seller, the number of Forward Hedge Shares sold by the Forward Seller under this Agreement for each Forward, multiplied by the Forward Hedge Selling Commission for such Forward (the “Actual Forward Commission”), and (d) in the case of the Forward Purchaser, the number of Forward Hedge Shares sold to hedge each Forward Confirmation executed by such Forward Purchaser in connection with this Agreement multiplied by the net Spread (as such term is defined in the related Forward Confirmation for such Forward and net of any related stock borrow costs or other costs or expenses actually incurred) multiplied by the Forward Hedge Price for such Forward Hedge Shares (the “Actual Forward Spread”). The relative fault of the Company and the Operating Partnership the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company and the Operating Partnership or by the Agent, the Forward Seller or the Forward Purchaser, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
(e) The Company, the Operating Partnership, the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 9 were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in Section 9(d) above. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in Section 9(d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 9, in no event shall (i) the Agent or the Forward Seller be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total discounts and commissions received by the Agent with respect to the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement and any Terms Agreements or by which the aggregate Actual Forward Commission of the Forward Seller, as the case may be, exceeds the amount of any damages that the Agent or the Forward Seller has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission and (ii) the Forward Purchaser be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the aggregate Actual Forward Spread for all Forward Confirmations entered into pursuant to this Agreement by the Forward Purchaser exceeds the amount of any damages such Forward Purchaser has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
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(f) The remedies provided for in this Section 9 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.
10. Notices. All notices and other communications under this Agreement and any Terms Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted and confirmed by any standard form of communication, and, if to the Agent or the Forward Seller, shall be sufficient in all respects if delivered or sent to [•], [•]; [and, if to the Forward Purchaser, shall be sufficient in all respects if delivered or sent to [•],] as well as a copy to Goodwin Procter LLP, 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, NY 10018, Attention: Scott C. Chase, Esq. (email: [•]); and, if to the Company or the Operating Partnership, shall be sufficient in all respects if delivered or sent to 1717 Main Street, Suite 2000, Dallas, Texas 75201, Attn: Mark Solls, Chief Legal Officer (email: [•]) with copies to Ernie Freedman (email: [•]), Kim Norrell (email: [•]), Liuba Baban (email: [•]) and Jon Olsen (email: [•]), Greg Van Winkle (email: [•]) and to Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, 425 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10017, Attention: Joshua Ford Bonnie, Esq. (email: [•]) and William R. Golden III, Esq. (email: [•]). Notwithstanding the foregoing, Transaction Proposals shall be delivered by the Company to the Agent[, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser] by telephone or email to [•]; and Transaction Acceptances shall be delivered by the Agent[, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser] to the Company and the Operating Partnership by email to any of the individuals listed as an authorized representative of the Company on Schedule A hereto.
11. No Fiduciary Relationship. Each of the Company and the Operating Partnership acknowledges and agrees that the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser is acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Company and the Operating Partnership with respect to the offering of Shares contemplated hereby and any Terms Agreements (including in connection with determining the terms of the offering) and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, the Company, the Operating Partnership or any other person. Additionally, none of the Agent, the Forward Seller or the Forward Purchaser is advising the Company, the Operating Partnership or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction. The Company and the Operating Partnership shall consult with their own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making their own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and none of the Agent, the Forward Seller or the Forward Purchaser shall have any responsibility or liability to the Company or the Operating Partnership with respect thereto. Any review by the Agent, the Forward Seller or the Forward Purchaser of the Company, the Operating Partnership, the transactions contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of the Agent, the Forward Seller or the Forward Purchaser and shall not be on behalf of the Company or the Operating Partnership.
12. Adjustments for Stock Splits. The parties acknowledge and agree that all share related numbers contained in this Agreement, any Transaction Proposal and any Transaction Acceptance shall be adjusted to take into account any stock split or reverse stock split effected with respect to the Shares.
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13. Miscellaneous.
(a) Governing Law. This Agreement, any Terms Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or relating to this Agreement or any Terms Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
(b) Submission to Jurisdiction. The Company hereby submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the U.S. federal and New York state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby. The Company waives any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such suit or proceeding in such courts. The Company agrees that final judgment in any such suit, action or proceeding brought in such court shall be conclusive and binding upon the Company and may be enforced in any court to the jurisdiction of which Company is subject by a suit upon such judgment.
(c) Waiver of Jury Trial. Each of the parties hereto hereby waives any right to trial by jury in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement and any Terms Agreement.
14. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement and any Terms Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and thereto, respectively, and their respective successors and the officers, directors, affiliates and controlling persons referred to in Section 9 hereof. Nothing in this Agreement or any Terms Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any other person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any such Terms Agreement or any provision contained herein or therein. No purchaser of Shares from or through the Agent shall be deemed to be a successor merely by reason of purchase.
15. Counterparts. This Agreement and any Terms Agreement may be signed in counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication), each of which shall be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Counterparts may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including any electronic signature covered by the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Electronic Signatures and Records Act or other applicable law, e.g., www.docusign.com) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.
16. Survival. The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, representations, warranties and agreements of the Company, the Operating Partnership, the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser contained in this Agreement or any Terms Agreement or made by or on behalf of the Company, the Operating Partnership, the Agent, the Forward Seller or the Forward Purchaser pursuant to this Agreement or any Terms Agreement or any certificate delivered pursuant hereto or thereto shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Shares and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination of this Agreement or any Terms Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of the Company, the Agent, the Forward Seller or the Forward Purchaser.
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17. Certain Defined Terms. For purposes of this agreement, except where otherwise expressly provided, the term “affiliate” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Act; the term “business day” means any day other than a day on which banks are permitted or required to be closed in New York City; and the term “subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the act. In addition, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated.
| (a) | “Aggregate Forward Hedge Price” means, with respect to a period, the product of (x) the number of Forward Hedge Shares sold during such period and (y) the Forward Hedge Price during such period. |
| (b) | “Capped Number” means, with respect to any Forward Confirmation, two times the number of Forward Hedge Shares for any Forward. |
| (c) | “Forward” means the issuer share forward sale transaction resulting from each Transaction Proposal (as amended by the corresponding Transaction Acceptance, if applicable) specifying that it relates to a “Forward” and requiring the relevant Forward Seller to use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices to sell, as specified in such Transaction Proposal and subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the applicable Forward Confirmation, Forward Hedge Shares. |
| (d) | “Forward Confirmation” means, for each Forward, the form of letter agreement evidencing the Forward between the Company and the relevant Forward Purchaser, which shall be comprised of the relevant Confirmation and the related “Pricing Supplement” (as defined in the Forward Confirmation) for such Forward substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit F. |
| (e) | “Forward Hedge Amount” means, for any Forward, the amount specified as such in the Transaction Proposal for such Forward (as amended by the corresponding Transaction Acceptance, if applicable), which amount shall be the target aggregate Gross Sales Price of the Forward Hedge Shares to be sold by the Forward Seller in respect of such Forward, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement. |
| (f) | “Forward Hedge Number” means the maximum number of Forward Hedge Shares to be sold by a Forward Seller with respect to any Forward, as specified in the Transaction Proposal for such Forward (as amended by the corresponding Transaction Acceptance, if applicable), subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement. |
| (g) | “Forward Hedge Price” means, for any Forward Confirmation, the product of (x) an amount equal to one (1) minus the Forward Hedge Selling Commission Rate for such Forward Confirmation and (y) the Volume-Weighted Hedge Price. |
| (h) | “Forward Hedge Selling Commission” means, for any Forward Confirmation, the product of (x) the Forward Hedge Selling Commission Rate for such Forward Confirmation and (y) the Volume-Weighted Hedge Price. |
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| (i) | “Forward Hedge Selling Commission Rate” means, for any Forward Confirmation, a rate of any commission, discount or other compensation to be paid by the Company to the Forward Seller in connection with the sale of the Forward Hedge Shares, which shall be a rate mutually agreed between the Company and a Forward Seller, not to exceed 2.0%, and recorded in the applicable Transaction Proposal (as amended by the corresponding Transaction Acceptance, if applicable). |
| (j) | “Forward Hedge Selling Period” means, subject to Section 2(a) hereof, the period of such number of consecutive Exchange Business Days (as determined by the Company in the Company’s sole discretion and specified in the applicable Transaction Proposal (as amended by the corresponding Transaction Acceptance, if applicable) specifying that it relates to a Forward), beginning on the date specified in the applicable Transaction Proposal (as amended by the corresponding Transaction Acceptance, if applicable) or, if such date is not an Exchange Business Day, the next Exchange Business Day following such date and ending on the last such Exchange Business Day or such earlier date on which the Forward Seller shall have completed the sale of Forward Hedge Shares in connection with the applicable Forward; provided that if, prior to the scheduled end of any Forward Hedge Selling Period any event occurs that would permit the Forward Purchaser to designate a “Scheduled Trading Day” as an “Acceleration Event” (as each such term is defined in the relevant Forward Confirmation) under, and pursuant to the provisions opposite the caption “Acceleration Events” in the relevant Forward Confirmation, then the Forward Hedge Selling Period shall, upon the Forward Seller becoming aware of such occurrence, immediately terminate as of the first such occurrence. Any Forward Hedge Selling Period then in effect shall immediately terminate upon the termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 8 hereof and as set forth in Section 2(a) hereof. |
| (k) | “Forward Hedge Settlement Date” means, for any Forward and related sale of Forward Hedge Shares, unless specified in the applicable Transaction Proposal (as amended by the corresponding Transaction Acceptance, if applicable), the second (2nd) Exchange Business Day (as defined below) (or such earlier day as is industry practice for regular-way trading) following the date on which such sale of Forward Hedge Shares is made. |
| (l) | “Forward Hedge Shares” means all Common Stock borrowed by the Forward Purchaser or its affiliate and offered and sold by its affiliated Forward Seller or its affiliate in connection with any Forward that has occurred or may occur in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement. |
| (m) | “Forward Purchaser” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement. |
| (n) | “Forward Seller” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement. |
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| (o) | “Forward Settlement Shares” means any shares of Common Stock to be sold pursuant to any Forward Confirmation. |
| (p) | “Volume-Weighted Hedge Price” means the volume weighted average price at which the Forward Hedge Shares are sold through the Agent in a commercially reasonable manner that reflects prevailing market prices or as otherwise directed pursuant to this Agreement during the Forward Hedge Selling Period. |
18. Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes.
(a) In the event that any Agent, Forward Seller or Forward Purchaser that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Agent, Forward Seller or Forward Purchaser, as the case may be, of this Agreement or any Terms Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement or any Terms Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement or any Terms Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.
(b) In the event that any Agent, Forward Seller or Forward Purchaser that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Agent, Forward Seller or Forward Purchaser becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement or any Terms Agreement that may be exercised against such Agent, Forward Seller or Forward Purchaser are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement or any Terms Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.
As used in this Section 18:
“BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k).
“Covered Entity” means any of the following:
(i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b);
(ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or
(iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).
“Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable.
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“U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
19. Compliance with USA Patriot Act. In accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies its clients, including the Company and the Operating Partnership, which information may include the name and address of its clients, as well as other information that will allow the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser to properly identify their respective clients.
20. Amendments or Waivers. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any Terms Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the parties hereto or thereto as the case may be.
21. Headings. The headings herein and in any Terms Agreement are included for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement or any Terms Agreement.
[Signature Page Follows]
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If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding among the Company, the Operating Partnership and the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter and your acceptance shall constitute a binding agreement among the Company, the Operating Partnership and the Agent, the Forward Seller and the Forward Purchaser.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| Invitation Homes Inc. | ||
| By: |
||
| Name: |
||
| Title: |
||
| Invitation Homes Operating Partnership LP | ||
| By: Invitation Homes OP GP LLC, its sole general partner | ||
| By: Invitation Homes Inc. | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
[Signature Page to the Distribution Agreement]
| Accepted and agreed to as of the date first above written: | ||
| [•] as Agent [and Forward Seller] | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| [[•] as Forward Purchaser | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title:] | ||
[Signature Page to the Distribution Agreement]
Schedule A
Authorized Company Representatives
Dallas B. Tanner
Email:[•]
Ernest M. Freedman
Email: [•]
Mark A. Solls
Email: [•]
Jon Olsen
Email: [•]
Kim Norrell
Email: [•]
Leanne Horler
Email: [•]
Liuba Baban
Email: [•]
Exhibit A
Invitation Homes Inc. Common Stock
TERMS AGREEMENT
_____________, 20__
[•]
Dear Sirs:
Invitation Homes Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein and in the Distribution Agreement dated December 20, 2021 (the “Distribution Agreement”) between the Company, Invitation Homes Operating Partnership LP, a Delaware limited partnership, and [•] (the “Agent”) [and [•]], to issue and sell to the Agent the securities specified in the Schedule hereto (the “Purchased Securities”). Unless otherwise defined below, terms defined in the Distribution Agreement shall have the same meanings when used herein.
Each of the provisions of the Distribution Agreement not specifically related to the solicitation by the Agent, as agent of the Company and the Operating Partnership, of offers to purchase securities is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and shall be deemed to be part of this Terms Agreement to the same extent as if such provisions had been set forth in full herein. Each of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth therein shall be deemed to have been made as of the date of this Terms Agreement and the Settlement Date set forth in the Schedule hereto.
An amendment to the Registration Statement or a supplement to the Prospectus, as the case may be, relating to the Purchased Securities, in the form heretofore delivered to the Agents is now proposed to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the Distribution Agreement which are incorporated herein by reference, the Company agrees to issue and sell to the Agent, and the latter agrees to purchase from the Company, the Purchased Securities at the time and place and at the purchase price set forth in the Schedule hereto.
Notwithstanding any provision of the Distribution Agreement or this Terms Agreement to the contrary, the Company consents to the Agent trading in the Common Stock for Agent’s own account and for the account of its clients at the same time as sales of the Purchased Securities occur pursuant to this Terms Agreement.
[Signature Page Follows]
A-1
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and return to us a counterpart hereof, whereupon this Terms Agreement, including those provisions of the Distribution Agreement incorporated herein by reference, shall constitute a binding agreement between the Agent, the Company and the Operating Partnership.
| Invitation Homes Inc. | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| Invitation Homes Operating Partnership LP | ||
| By: Invitation Homes OP GP LLC, its sole general partner | ||
| By: Invitation Homes Inc. | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| Accepted and agreed as of the date first above written: | ||
| [•] | ||
| By: |
||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
A-2
Schedule to Terms Agreement
Title of Purchased Securities:
Common Stock, par value $[•] per share
Number of Shares of Purchased Securities:
[•] shares
Initial Price to Public:
$[•] per share
Purchase Price Payable by the Agent:
$[•] per share
Method of and Specified Funds for Payment of Purchase Price:
[By wire transfer to a bank account specified by the Company in same day funds.]
Method of Delivery:
[To the Agent’s account, or the account of the Agent’s designee, at The Depository Trust Company via DWAC in return for payment of the purchase price.]
Settlement Date:
[•], 20[•]
Closing Location:
[•]
Documents to be Delivered:
The following documents referred to in the Distribution Agreement shall be delivered on the Settlement Date as a condition to the closing for the Purchased Securities (which documents shall be dated on or as of the Settlement Date and shall be appropriately updated to cover any Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses and any amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses and any documents incorporated by reference therein):
(1) the officer’s certificate referred to in Section 5(a)(i) and Section 5(a)(v);
(2) the opinions and negative assurance letters of the Company’s outside counsel referred to in Section 5(a)(ii);
(3) the “comfort” letter referred to in Section 5(a)(iii);
(4) the Chief Financial Officer’s certificate referred to in Section 5(a)(iv);
(5) the opinion and negative assurance letter referred to in Section 5(b); and
(6) such other documents as the Agent shall reasonably request.
[Lockup:]
[•]
A-3
Time of sale: [•] [a.m./p.m.] (New York City time) on [•], [•]
Time of sale information:
| • | The number of shares of Purchased Securities set forth above |
| • | The initial price to public set forth above |
| • | [Other] |
A-4
Exhibit F
FORM OF REGISTERED FORWARD CONFIRMATION
Date: [•], 20[•]
| To: | Invitation Homes Inc. |
1717 Main Street, Suite 2000
Dallas, Texas 75201
Attn: [_________]
Telephone: [_________]
Email: [_________]
From: [DEALER NAME AND NOTICE INFORMATION]
| Re: | Registered Forward Transaction |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The purpose of this letter agreement (this “Confirmation”) is to confirm the terms and conditions of the transaction entered into between us on the Trade Date specified below (the “Transaction”). This Confirmation constitutes a “Confirmation” as referred to in the ISDA Master Agreement specified below.
| 1. | The definitions and provisions contained in the 2006 ISDA Definitions (the “2006 Definitions”) and the 2002 ISDA Equity Derivatives Definitions (the “2002 Definitions” and, together with the 2006 Definitions, the “Definitions”), each as published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., are incorporated into this Confirmation. |
Each party further agrees that this Confirmation, the Pricing Supplement (as defined below) delivered hereunder and the Agreement (as defined below) together evidence a complete binding agreement between Party A and Party B as to the subject matter and terms of the Transaction to which this Confirmation relates, and shall supersede all prior or contemporaneous written or oral communications with respect thereto. This Confirmation, together with any other Confirmations for registered forward transactions entered into between Party A and Party B in connection with the Sales Agreement (as defined below) (each, an “Additional Confirmation”) shall supplement, form a part of, and be subject to an agreement in the form of the 2002 ISDA Master Agreement (the “Agreement”) as if Party A and Party B had executed an agreement in such form on the Trade Date (but without any Schedule except for (i) the election of New York law (without regard to New York’s choice of laws doctrine other than Title 14 of Article 5 of the New York General Obligations Law (the “General Obligations Law”)) as the governing law and US Dollars (“USD”) as the Termination Currency and (ii) the election that the “Cross Default” provisions of Section 5(a)(vi) shall apply to Party A with a “Threshold Amount” of 3% of the stockholders’ equity of Party A; provided that (x) the words “, or becoming capable at such time of being declared,” shall be deleted from clause (1) thereof, (y) “Specified Indebtedness” has the meaning specified in Section 14 of the Agreement, except that such term shall not include obligations in respect of deposits received in the ordinary course of Party A’s banking business, and (z) the following language shall be added to the end of such Section 5(a)(vi): “Notwithstanding the foregoing, a default under subsection (2) hereof shall not constitute an Event of Default if (X) the default was caused solely by error or omission of an administrative or operational nature; (Y) funds were available to enable the party to make the payment when due; and (Z) the payment is made within two Local Business Days of such party’s receipt of written notice of its failure to pay;”). In the event of any inconsistency between the Agreement, this Confirmation, the Pricing Supplement, the 2006 Definitions and the 2002 Definitions, the following will prevail for purposes of the Transaction in the order of precedence indicated: (i) the Pricing Supplement, (ii) this Confirmation; (iii) the 2002 Definitions; (iv) the 2006 Definitions and (v) the Agreement. The parties hereby agree that no Transaction other than the Transaction to which this Confirmation relates and the Transactions to which the Additional Confirmations, if any, relate (each, an “Additional Transaction”) shall be governed by the Agreement. For purposes of the 2002 Definitions, the Transaction is a Share Forward Transaction. For the avoidance of doubt, if there exists any ISDA Master Agreement between Party A and Party B or any confirmation or other agreement between Party A and Party B
F-1
pursuant to which an ISDA Master Agreement is deemed to exist between Party A and Party B, then notwithstanding anything to the contrary in such ISDA Master Agreement, such confirmation or agreement or any other agreement to which Party A and Party B are parties, the Transaction shall not be considered a Transaction under, or otherwise governed by, such existing or deemed ISDA Master Agreement, and the occurrence of any Event of Default or Termination Event under the Agreement with respect to either party or the Transaction shall not, by itself, give rise to any right or obligation under any such other agreement or deemed agreement.
Party A and Party B each represent to the other that it has entered into the Transaction in reliance upon such tax, accounting, regulatory, legal, and financial advice as it deems necessary and not upon any view expressed by the other.
| 2. | The terms of the particular Transaction to which this Confirmation relates are as follows: |
General Terms:
| Party A: |
[DEALER NAME] | |
| Party B: |
Invitation Homes Inc. | |
| Trade Date: |
[•], 20[•] | |
| Effective Date: |
The first day occurring on or after the Trade Date on which Shares that are sold through [AGENT NAME], acting as forward seller for Party A (in such capacity, the “Agent”) pursuant to the [Distribution Agreement dated November [__], 2021] between Party A, Party B, the Agent and the other parties thereto (the “Sales Agreement”), settle. | |
| Base Amount: |
The specified aggregate number of Shares to be sold through the Agent during the period from and including the Trade Date through and including the Hedge Completion Date, as set forth in the Transaction Proposal (as defined in the Sales Agreement); provided, however, that the Base Amount shall be reduced to reflect any reduction in the aggregate number of Shares actually borrowed by Party A (or an affiliate thereof) and sold by the Agent, using commercially reasonable efforts, consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable law and regulations, pursuant to Section 2(m) and Section 2(c), respectively, of the Sales Agreement; provided further that on each Settlement Date, the Base Amount shall be reduced by the number of Settlement Shares for such Settlement Date. | |
| Maturity Date: |
The earlier of: (i) [DATE]1 (or, if such date is not a Scheduled Trading Day, the next following Scheduled Trading Day) and (ii) the date on which the Base Amount is reduced to zero. | |
| Hedge Completion Date: |
The earliest of: (i) the date specified in writing as the Hedge Completion Date by Party A, (ii) any Settlement Date and (iii) [DATE]2. Promptly after the Hedge Completion Date, Party A will furnish Party B with a pricing supplement (the “Pricing Supplement”) in substantially the form of Annex B hereto specifying the Hedge Completion Date, the Base Amount as of the Hedge Completion Date (the “Initial Base Amount”), the Initial Forward Price and the Maturity Date, all determined in accordance with the terms hereof. | |
| 1 | Insert Maturity Date specified by Party B in the Transaction Proposal (as defined in the Sales Agreement). |
| 2 | Insert final date of Forward Hedging Period specified by Party B in the Transaction Proposal. |
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| Forward Price: |
On the Hedge Completion Date, the Initial Forward Price, and on any other day, the Forward Price as of the immediately preceding calendar day multiplied by the sum of (i) 1 and (ii) the Daily Rate for such day; provided that on each Forward Price Reduction Date, the Forward Price in effect on such date shall be the Forward Price otherwise in effect on such date, minus the Forward Price Reduction Amount for such Forward Price Reduction Date. | |
| Initial Forward Price: |
[•]%3 of the volume weighted average price at which the Shares are sold through the Agent in a commercially reasonable manner that reflects prevailing market prices or as otherwise directed pursuant to the Sales Agreement during the period from and including the Trade Date through and including the Hedge Completion Date, adjusted by the Calculation Agent in a commercially reasonable manner to (i) reflect on each day during such period the sum of 1 and the Daily Rate for such day multiplied by the then-Initial Forward Price as of such day and (ii) reduce the then-Initial Forward Price by the relevant Forward Price Reduction Amount on each Forward Price Reduction Date occurring on or before the Hedge Completion Date. | |
| Daily Rate: |
For any day, a rate (which rate may be negative) equal to (i)(A) the Overnight Bank Rate for such day, minus (B) the Spread, divided by (ii) 365. | |
| Overnight Bank Rate: |
For any day, the rate set forth for such day opposite the caption “Overnight Bank Funding Rate”, as such rate is displayed on Bloomberg Screen “OBFR01 <Index> <GO>“, or any successor page; provided that, if no rate appears for a particular day on such page, the rate for the immediately preceding day for which a rate does so appear shall be used for such day. | |
| Spread: |
[•]4 basis points per annum. | |
| Prepayment: |
Not Applicable. | |
| Variable Obligation: |
Not Applicable. | |
| Forward Price Reduction Date: |
Each date (other than the Trade Date) set forth on Schedule I under the heading “Forward Price Reduction Date.” | |
| Forward Price Reduction Amount: |
For each Forward Price Reduction Date, the Forward Price Reduction Amount set forth opposite such date on Schedule I. | |
| 3 | Insert percentage equal to 100 minus the agreed upon Forward Seller Commission (which shall not exceed [2]%, unless otherwise agreed in the case of a “distribution” within the meaning of Rule 100 of Regulation M under the Exchange Act), as specified by Party B in the Transaction Proposal. In the event the hedge is executed via a block sale, the Hedge Completion Date would be the Trade Date, and the Initial Forward Price will be a number equal to the sale price to the Forward Seller less the Forward Seller Commission. |
| 4 | Insert Spread specified by Party B in the Transaction Proposal. |
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| Shares: |
Common shares, USD 0.01 par value per share, of Party B (also referred to herein as the “Issuer”) (Exchange identifier: “INVH”). | |
| Exchange: |
New York Stock Exchange. | |
| Related Exchange(s): |
All Exchanges. | |
| Clearance System: |
DTC. | |
| Calculation Agent: |
Party A. Whenever the Calculation Agent is required to act or to exercise judgment in any way with respect to any Transaction hereunder, it will do so in a good faith and a commercially reasonable manner. | |
| Following any determination, adjustment or calculation hereunder by the Calculation Agent, the Calculation Agent will upon written request by Party B promptly following (and, in any event, within three (3) Exchange Business Days of) such request, provide to Party B a report (in a commonly used file format for the storage and manipulation of financial data but without disclosing Party A’s confidential or proprietary models or other information that may be confidential, proprietary or subject to contractual, legal or regulatory obligations to not disclose such information) displaying in reasonable detail the basis for such determination, adjustment or calculation, as the case may be. | ||
| Following the occurrence and during the continuation of an Event of Default pursuant to Section 5(a)(vii) of the Agreement with respect to which Party A is the sole Defaulting Party, Party B shall have the right to designate an independent, nationally recognized corporate equity derivatives dealer to replace Party A as Calculation Agent, and the parties hereto shall work in good faith to execute any appropriate documentation required by such replacement Calculation Agent. | ||
| Settlement Terms: | ||
| Settlement Date: |
Any Scheduled Trading Day following the Effective Date and up to and including the Maturity Date, as designated by (a) Party A pursuant to “Termination Settlement” below or (b) Party B in a written notice (a “Settlement Notice”) that satisfies the Settlement Notice Requirements and is delivered to Party A at least (i) two Scheduled Trading Days prior to such Settlement Date, which may be the Maturity Date, if Physical Settlement applies, and (ii) [30] Scheduled Trading Days prior to such Settlement Date, which may be the Maturity Date, if Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement applies; provided that (i) the Maturity Date shall be a Settlement Date if on such date the Base Amount is greater than zero and (ii) if Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement applies and Party A shall have fully unwound its commercially reasonable hedge in a commercially reasonable manner during an Unwind Period by a date that is more than two Scheduled Trading Days prior to a Settlement Date specified above, Party A may, by written notice to Party B, specify any Scheduled Trading Day prior to such originally specified Settlement Date as the Settlement Date. | |
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| Settlement Shares: |
With respect to any Settlement Date, a number of Shares, not to exceed the Base Amount, designated as such by Party B in the related Settlement Notice or by Party A pursuant to “Termination Settlement” below; provided that the Settlement Shares so designated shall, in the case of a designation by Party B, be at least equal to the lesser of 100,000 and the Base Amount at that time; provided further that on the Maturity Date the number of Settlement Shares shall be equal to the Base Amount on such date. | |
| Settlement: |
Physical Settlement, Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement, at the election of Party B as set forth in a Settlement Notice delivered on or after the Effective Date that satisfies the Settlement Notice Requirements; provided that Physical Settlement shall apply (i) if no Settlement Method is validly selected, (ii) with respect to any Settlement Shares in respect of which Party A is unable to unwind its hedge by the end of the Unwind Period (a) in a manner that, in the good faith, reasonable judgment of Party A based on the advice of counsel, is consistent with the requirements for qualifying for the safe harbor provided by Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act (as if such requirements were applicable to purchases by Party A in connection with its unwind activity hereunder and under any Additional Transaction) or (b) due to the occurrence of Disrupted Days or to the lack of sufficient liquidity in the Shares on any Exchange Business Day during the Unwind Period, (iii) to any Termination Settlement Date (as defined below under “Termination Settlement”) or (iv) if the Maturity Date is a Settlement Date other than as the result of a valid Settlement Notice in respect of such Settlement Date or (v) if on any Exchange Business Day the price per Share on the Exchange is below [•]%5 of the Initial Forward Price. | |
| Settlement Notice Requirements: |
Notwithstanding any other provision hereof, a Settlement Notice delivered by Party B that specifies Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement will not be effective to establish a Settlement Date or require Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement unless Party B delivers to Party A with such Settlement Notice representations signed by Party B substantially in the form set forth in clause (a) under the heading “Representations, Warranties and Agreements of Party B” in Section 3 of this Confirmation. | |
| Unwind Period: |
Each Exchange Business Day during the period from and including the first Exchange Business Day following the date Party B validly elects Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement in respect of a Settlement Date through the second Scheduled Trading Day preceding such Settlement Date (or the immediately preceding Exchange Business Day if such Scheduled Trading Day is not an Exchange Business Day); | |
| 5 | Insert Termination Threshold specified by Party B in the Transaction Proposal. |
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| subject to “Termination Settlement” below. If any Exchange Business Day during an Unwind Period is a Disrupted Day, the Calculation Agent shall make commercially reasonable adjustments to the terms of the Transaction (including, without limitation, the Cash Settlement Amount, the number of Net Share Settlement Shares and the 10b-18 VWAP) to account for the effect of the occurrence of such Disrupted Day on Party A’s commercially reasonable hedge position, assuming Party A has acted in a commercially reasonable manner. | ||
| Market Disruption Event: |
Section 6.3(a) of the 2002 Definitions is hereby amended by replacing the first sentence in its entirety with the following: “‘Market Disruption Event’ means in respect of a Share or an Index, the occurrence or existence of (i) a Trading Disruption, (ii) an Exchange Disruption, (iii) an Early Closure or (iv) a Regulatory Disruption, in each case, that the Calculation Agent determines is material.” | |
| Early Closure: |
Section 6.3(d) of the 2002 Definitions is hereby amended by deleting the remainder of the provision following the term “Scheduled Closing Time” in the fourth line thereof. | |
| Regulatory Disruption: |
Any event that Party A, in its reasonable discretion based on the advice of counsel, determines makes it advisable with regard to any legal, regulatory or self-regulatory requirements or related policies and procedures, so long as such policies or procedures are generally applicable in similar situations and applied to the relevant Transaction in a non-discriminatory manner (whether or not such policies or procedures are imposed by law or have been voluntarily adopted by Party A) for Party A to refrain from or decrease any market activity in connection with the Transaction. Subject to applicable legal requirements and Party A’s internal policies and guidelines, Party A shall promptly notify Party B upon the occurrence of a Regulatory Disruption and shall subsequently promptly notify Party B on the day Party A believes that the circumstances giving rise to such Regulatory Disruption have changed. | |
| Exchange Act: |
The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time. | |
| Securities Act: |
The Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time. | |
| Physical Settlement: |
On any Settlement Date in respect of which Physical Settlement applies, Party B shall deliver to Party A through the Clearance System the Settlement Shares for such Settlement Date, and Party A shall deliver to Party B, by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by Party B, an amount in cash equal to the Physical Settlement Amount for such Settlement Date, on a delivery versus payment basis. If, on any Settlement Date, the Shares to be delivered by Party B to Party A hereunder are not so delivered (the “Deferred Shares”), and a Forward Price Reduction Date occurs during the period from, and including, such Settlement Date to, but excluding, the date such Shares are actually delivered to Party A, then the portion of the Physical Settlement Amount payable by Party A to Party B in respect of the Deferred Shares shall be reduced by an amount equal to the Forward Price Reduction Amount for such Forward Price Reduction Date, multiplied by the number of Deferred Shares. | |
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| Physical Settlement Amount: |
For any Settlement Date in respect of which Physical Settlement applies, an amount in cash equal to the product of (i) the Forward Price on such Settlement Date and (ii) the number of Settlement Shares for such Settlement Date. | |
| Cash Settlement: |
On any Settlement Date in respect of which Cash Settlement applies, if the Cash Settlement Amount for such Settlement Date is a positive number, Party A will pay such Cash Settlement Amount to Party B. If the Cash Settlement Amount is a negative number, Party B will pay the absolute value of such Cash Settlement Amount to Party A. Such amounts shall be paid on the Settlement Date by wire transfer of immediately available funds. | |
| Cash Settlement Amount: |
For any Settlement Date in respect of which Cash Settlement applies, an amount determined by the Calculation Agent equal to the difference between (1) the product of (i) (A) the average Forward Price over the period beginning on, and including, the date that is one Settlement Cycle following the first day of the applicable Unwind Period and ending on, and including, such Settlement Date (calculated assuming no reduction to the Forward Price for any Forward Price Reduction Date that occurs during the Unwind Period, except as set forth in clause (2) below), minus a commercially reasonable commission not to exceed USD [0.02] per Share in respect of each Share purchased during the Unwind Period, minus (B) the average of the 10b-18 VWAP prices per Share on each Exchange Business Day during such Unwind Period, and (ii) the number of Settlement Shares for such Settlement Date, and (2) the product of (i) the Forward Price Reduction Amount for any Forward Price Reduction Date that occurs during such Unwind Period, and (ii) the number of Settlement Shares with respect to which Party A has not unwound its commercially reasonable hedge for the Transaction in a commercially reasonable manner, as of such Forward Price Reduction Date. | |
| Net Share Settlement: |
On any Settlement Date in respect of which Net Share Settlement applies, if the number of Net Share Settlement Shares is a (i) negative number, Party A shall deliver a number of Shares to Party B equal to the absolute value of the Net Share Settlement Shares, or (ii) positive number, Party B shall deliver to Party A the Net Share Settlement Shares; provided that if Party A determines in its good faith judgment that it would be required to deliver Net Share Settlement Shares to Party B, Party A may elect to deliver a portion of such Net Share Settlement Shares on one or more dates prior to the applicable Settlement Date. | |
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| Net Share Settlement Shares: |
For any Settlement Date in respect of which Net Share Settlement applies, a number of Shares equal to (a) the number of Settlement Shares for such Settlement Date, minus (b) the number of Shares Party A actually purchases during the Unwind Period (with such purchases to be made in a commercially reasonable manner at prevailing market prices) for a total purchase price equal to the difference between (1) the product of (i) the average Forward Price over the period beginning on, and including, the date that is one Settlement Cycle following the first day of the applicable Unwind Period and ending on, and including, such Settlement Date (calculated assuming no reduction to the Forward Price for any Forward Price Reduction Date that occurs during the Unwind Period, except as set forth in clause (2) below), minus a commercially reasonable commission not to exceed [USD 0.02] per Share in respect of each Share purchased during the Unwind Period, and (ii) the number of Settlement Shares for such Settlement Date, and (2) the product of (i) the Forward Price Reduction Amount for any Forward Price Reduction Date that occurs during such Unwind Period and (ii) the number of Shares with respect to which Party A has not unwound its commercially reasonable hedge for the Transaction in a commercially reasonable manner, as of such Forward Price Reduction Date. | |
| 10b-18 VWAP: |
For any Exchange Business Day during the Unwind Period the volume-weighted average price at which the Shares trade as reported at 4:15 p.m. New York time (or 15 minutes following the end of any extension of the regular trading session) on such Exchange Business Day in the composite transactions, excluding (i) trades that do not settle regular way, (ii) opening (regular way) reported trades on the Exchange on such Exchange Business Day, (iii) trades that occur in the last ten minutes before the scheduled close of trading on the Exchange on such Exchange Business Day and ten minutes before the scheduled close of the primary trading session in the market where the trade is effected, and trades on such Exchange Business Day that do not satisfy the requirements of Rule 10b-18(b)(3), as determined in good faith and in a commercially reasonable manner by the Calculation Agent. The parties agree that the Calculation Agent shall refer to the Bloomberg Page “INVH <Equity> AQR SEC” (or any successor thereto), for such Exchange Business Day to determine the 10b-18 VWAP absent unavailability of such page (or a successor thereto) or error, as determined by the Calculation Agent. | |
| Settlement Currency: |
USD. | |
| Failure to Deliver: |
Applicable if Party A is required to deliver Shares hereunder; otherwise, Inapplicable. | |
| Adjustments: | ||
| Method of Adjustment: |
Calculation Agent Adjustment; notwithstanding anything in the 2002 Definitions to the contrary, the Calculation Agent may make an adjustment pursuant to Calculation Agent Adjustment to any one or more of the Base Amount, the Forward Price and any other variable relevant to the settlement or payment terms of the Transaction (provided that no adjustments will be made to account solely for changes in volatility, expected dividends, stock loan rate or liquidity relative to the relevant Share). | |
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| Additional Adjustment: |
If, in the commercially reasonable judgment of Party A, the stock loan fee to Party A (or an affiliate thereof) in a commercially reasonable hedge position, excluding the federal funds or other interest rate component payable by the relevant stock lender to Party A or such affiliate (the “Stock Loan Fee”), over any one-month period, of borrowing a number of Shares equal to the Base Amount to hedge its exposure to the Transaction exceeds a weighted average rate equal to [•]6 basis points per annum, the Calculation Agent shall reduce the Forward Price to the extent necessary to compensate Party A for the amount by which the Stock Loan Fee exceeded a weighted average rate equal to [•]7 basis points per annum during such period. The Calculation Agent shall notify Party B prior to making any such adjustment to the Forward Price and, upon the request of Party B, Party A shall provide a report of the Stock Loan Fees for the applicable one-month period. | |
| Extraordinary Events: |
In lieu of the applicable provisions contained in Article 12 of the 2002 Definitions, the consequences of any Extraordinary Event (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any Merger Event, Tender Offer, Nationalization, Insolvency, Delisting or Change In Law) shall be as specified in the “Acceleration Events” and the “Termination Settlement” provisions of Section 3 of this Confirmation. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in the 2002 Definitions, no Additional Disruption Event will be applicable, except Failure to Deliver or except to the extent expressly referenced in “Acceleration Events” in Section 3 of this Confirmation. The definition of “Tender Offer” in Section 12.1(d) of the 2002 Definitions is hereby amended by replacing “10%” with “20%.” | |
| Non-Reliance: |
Applicable | |
| Agreement and Acknowledgements |
||
| Regarding Hedging Activities: |
Applicable | |
| Additional Acknowledgements: |
Applicable | |
| Account Details: | ||
| Payments to Party A: |
To be advised under separate cover or telephone confirmed prior to each Settlement Date. | |
| Payments to Party B: |
To be advised under separate cover or telephone confirmed prior to each Settlement Date. | |
| Delivery of Shares to Party A: |
To be advised. | |
| Delivery of Shares to Party B: |
To be advised. | |
| 6 | Insert initial Stock Loan Fee specified by Party B in the Transaction Proposal. |
| 7 | Insert initial Stock Loan Fee specified by Party B in the Transaction Proposal. |
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| 3. | Other Provisions: |
Conditions to Effectiveness:
This Transaction shall be effective only if and to the extent that the following conditions are satisfied (or waived by Party A): (a) Shares are sold by the Agent on or after the Trade Date and on or before the Hedge Completion Date pursuant to the Sales Agreement; (b) the representations and warranties of Party B contained in the Sales Agreement and any certificate delivered pursuant thereto by Party B or any subsidiary of Party B are true and correct as of the Trade Date; (c) Party B has performed all of the obligations required to be performed by it under the Sales Agreement on or prior to the Trade Date; (d) all of the conditions set forth in Section 5 of the Sales Agreement have been satisfied on or prior to the Trade Date and (e) except as set forth in the second following sentence, the condition that the Sales Agreement has not been terminated prior to the Hedge Completion Date; and (f) the condition, as determined by Party A in good faith and in a commercially reasonable manner, that neither of the following has occurred (A) Party A (or its affiliate) is unable to borrow and deliver for sale the Base Amount on or prior to the Hedge Completion Date, or (B) either it would be impractical for Party A to borrow and deliver the Base Amount on or prior to the Hedge Completion Date or Party A (or its affiliate) would incur a Stock Loan Fee greater than [•]8 basis points per annum to do so. If the Sales Agreement is terminated prior to any sale of Shares in connection with the Transaction thereunder, the parties shall have no further obligations in connection with this Transaction, other than in respect of breaches of representations or covenants on or prior to such date. For the avoidance of doubt, if the Sales Agreement is terminated prior to the Hedge Completion Date, this Confirmation shall remain in effect with respect to any Shares that had been sold by the Agent on or after the Trade Date and prior to such termination.
Interpretive Letter:
The parties intend for this Confirmation and each Pricing Supplement to constitute a “Contract” as described in the letter dated October 6, 2003 submitted on behalf of Goldman, Sachs & Co. to Paula Dubberly of the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Staff”) to which the Staff responded in an interpretive letter dated October 9, 2003 (the “Interpretive Letter”).
Representations, Warranties and Agreements of Party B: The representations and warranties of Party B set forth in Section 1 of the Sales Agreement are true and correct as of the date hereof. In addition to the representations and warranties in Section 1 of the Sales Agreement, the Agreement and those contained elsewhere herein, Party B hereby represents and warrants to, and agrees with, Party A as of the date hereof that:
| (a) | Party B represents to Party A on the Trade Date and on any date that Party B notifies Party A that Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement applies to this Transaction, that (A) Party B is not aware of any material nonpublic information regarding Party B or the Shares, (B) each of its filings under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or other applicable securities laws that are required to be filed have been filed and that, as of the date of this representation, when considered as a whole (with the more recent such filings deemed to amend inconsistent statements contained in any earlier such filings), there is no misstatement of material fact contained therein or omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and (C) Party B is neither entering into this Confirmation nor making any election hereunder to create actual or apparent trading activity in the Shares (or any security convertible into or exchangeable for Shares) or to raise or depress or otherwise manipulate the price of the Shares (or any security convertible into or exchangeable for Shares) or otherwise in violation of the Exchange Act. |
| 8 | Insert maximum Stock Loan Fee specified by Party B in the Transaction Proposal. |
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| (b) | Any Shares, when issued and delivered in accordance with the terms of the Transaction, will be duly authorized and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and the issuance thereof will not be subject to any preemptive or similar rights. |
| (c) | Party B has reserved and will keep available at all times, free from preemptive rights, out of its authorized but unissued Shares, solely for the purpose of issuance upon settlement of the Transaction as herein provided, the maximum number of Shares as shall be issuable at such time upon settlement of the Transaction as set forth below under the heading “Maximum Share Delivery”. All Shares so issuable shall, upon such issuance, be accepted for listing or quotation on the Exchange. |
| (d) | Party B agrees to provide Party A with written notice (an “Issuer Repurchase Notice”) prior to executing any repurchase of Shares by Party B or any of its subsidiaries (or entering into any contract that would require, or give the option to, Party B or any of its subsidiaries, to purchase or repurchase Shares), whether out of profits or capital or whether the consideration for such repurchase is cash, securities or otherwise (an “Issuer Repurchase”), that alone or in the aggregate would result in the Base Amount Percentage (as defined below) being greater by 0.5% or more than the Base Amount Percentage at the time of the immediately preceding Issuer Repurchase Notice (or in the case of the first such Issuer Repurchase Notice, greater than the Base Amount Percentage as of the later of the date hereof or the immediately preceding Settlement Date for any outstanding Additional Transaction, if any). The “Base Amount Percentage” as of any day is the fraction (1) the numerator of which is the aggregate of the Base Amount and each “Base Amount” (as defined in the applicable Additional Confirmation and any additional Share Forward Transaction or other equity derivative transaction under any outstanding Additional Transactions and (2) the denominator of which is the number of Shares outstanding on such day. |
| (e) | No filing with, or approval, authorization, consent, license registration, qualification, order or decree of, any court or governmental authority or agency, domestic or foreign, is necessary or required for the execution, delivery and performance by Party B of this Confirmation and the consummation of the Transaction (including, without limitation, the issuance and delivery of Shares on any Settlement Date) except (i) such as have been obtained under the Securities Act, and (ii) as may be required to be obtained under state securities laws. |
| (f) | Party B agrees not to make any Issuer Repurchase if, immediately following such Issuer Repurchase, the Base Amount Percentage would be equal to or greater than 4.5%. |
| (g) | Party B is not insolvent, nor will Party B be rendered insolvent as a result of the Transaction. |
| (h) | Neither Party B nor any of its affiliated purchasers (within the meaning of Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act) shall take any action (including, without limitation, any direct purchases by Party B or any of its affiliated purchasers or any purchases by a party to a derivative transaction with Party B or any of its affiliated purchasers), either under this Confirmation, under an agreement with another party or otherwise, that could reasonably be expected to cause any purchases of Shares by Party A or any of its affiliates in connection with any Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement of the Transaction not to meet the requirements of the safe harbor provided by Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act if such purchases were made by Party B. |
| (i) | Party B will not engage in any “distribution” (as defined in Regulation M under the Exchange Act (“Regulation M”)) that would cause a “restricted period” (as defined in Regulation M) to occur during any Unwind Period. |
| (j) | Party B (i) is capable of evaluating investment risks independently, both in general and with regard to the Transaction; (ii) will exercise independent judgment in evaluating the recommendations of any broker-dealer or its associated persons, unless it has otherwise notified the broker-dealer in writing; and (iii) has total assets of at least USD 50 million as of the date hereof. |
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| (k) | Party B acknowledges and agrees that, in each case subject to clause (c) under the caption “Covenants of Party A” in this Section 3: |
| (i) | during the term of the Transaction, Party A and its Affiliates may buy or sell Shares or other securities or buy or sell options or futures contracts or enter into swaps or other derivative securities in order to establish, adjust or unwind its hedge position with respect to the Transaction; |
| (ii) | Party A and its Affiliates may also be active in the market for the Shares and Share-linked transactions other than in connection with hedging activities in relation to the Transaction; |
| (iii) | Party A shall make its own determination as to whether, when or in what manner any hedging or market activities in Party B’s securities shall be conducted and shall do so in a manner that it deems appropriate to hedge its price and market risk with respect to the Forward Price and the 10b-18 VWAP; |
| (iv) | any market activities of Party A and its Affiliates with respect to the Shares may affect the market price and volatility of the Shares, as well as the Forward Price and 10b-18 VWAP, each in a manner that may be adverse to Party B; and |
| (v) | the Transaction is a derivatives transaction in which it has granted Party A the right, under certain circumstances, to receive cash or Shares, as the case may be; Party A may purchase Shares for its own account at an average price that may be greater than, or less than, the effective price paid by Party B under the terms of the Transaction. |
| (l) | The assets of Party B do not constitute “plan assets” under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, the Department of Labor Regulations promulgated thereunder or similar law. |
| (m) | Party B shall, at least one day prior to the first day of any Unwind Period, notify Party A of the total number of Shares purchased in Rule 10b-18 purchases of blocks pursuant to the once-a-week block exception contained in Rule 10b-18(b)(4) by or for Party B or any of its affiliated purchasers during each of the four calendar weeks preceding the first day of the Unwind Period and during the calendar week in which the first day of the Unwind Period occurs (“Rule 10b-18 purchase”, “blocks” and “affiliated purchaser” each being used as defined in Rule 10b-18). |
| (n) | During any Unwind Period, Party B shall (i) notify Party A prior to the opening of trading in the Shares on any day on which Party B makes, or expects to be made, any public announcement (as defined in Rule 165(f) under the Securities Act) of any merger, acquisition, or similar transaction involving a recapitalization relating to Party B (other than any such transaction in which the consideration consists solely of cash and there is no valuation period), (ii) promptly notify Party A following any such announcement that such announcement has been made, and (iii) promptly deliver to Party A following the making of any such announcement information indicating (A) Party B’s average daily Rule 10b-18 purchases (as defined in Rule 10b-18) during the three full calendar months preceding the date of the announcement of such transaction and (B) Party B’s block purchases (as defined in Rule 10b-18) effected pursuant to paragraph (b)(4) of Rule 10b-18 during the three full calendar months preceding the date of the announcement of such transaction. In addition, Party B shall promptly notify Party A of the earlier to occur of the completion of such transaction and the completion of the vote by target shareholders. |
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| (o) | Party B is not, and after giving effect to the transactions contemplated hereby will not be, required to register as an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. |
| (p) | Without limiting the generality of Section 13.1 of the 2002 Definitions, Party B acknowledges that Party A is not making any representations or warranties or taking any position or expressing any view with respect to the treatment of the Transaction under any accounting standards including ASC Topic 260, Earnings Per Share, ASC Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging, or ASC Topic 480, Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity and ASC 815-40, Derivatives and Hedging – Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (or any successor issue statements) or under FASB’s Liabilities & Equity Project. |
| (q) | Party B understands that no obligations of Party A to it hereunder will be entitled to the benefit of deposit insurance and that such obligations will not be guaranteed by any affiliate of Party A or any governmental agency. |
| (r) | Party B is not aware of any federal, state or local (including non-U.S. jurisdictions) law, rule, regulation or regulatory order applicable to the Shares that would give rise to any reporting, consent, registration or other requirement (including without limitation a requirement to obtain prior approval from any person or entity) as a result of Party A or its affiliates owning or holding (however defined) Shares as part of its hedging activities in connection with the Transaction, other than Sections 13 and 16 under the Exchange Act. |
| (s) | Party B (i) has such knowledge and experience in financial and business affairs as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of entering into the Transaction, (ii) has consulted with its own legal, financial, accounting and tax advisors in connection with the Transaction, and (iii) is entering into the Transaction for a bona fide business purpose. |
| (t) | Ownership positions held by Party A or any of its affiliates solely in its capacity as a nominee or fiduciary do not constitute “beneficial ownership” or “constructive ownership” (as such terms are defined in the Charter) and neither Party A nor any of its affiliates shall be deemed or treated as a “person” or “prohibited owner” for purposes of the Charter of Invitation Homes dated of February 6, 2017 (the “Charter”). |
Covenants of Party B:
Subject to the provisions of “Private Placement Procedures” below, the parties acknowledge and agree that any Shares delivered by Party B to Party A on any Settlement Date will be newly issued Shares and when delivered by Party A (or an affiliate of Party A) to securities lenders from whom Party A (or an affiliate of Party A) borrowed Shares in connection with hedging its exposure to the Transaction will be freely saleable without further registration or other restrictions under the Securities Act, in the hands of those securities lenders, irrespective of whether such stock loan is effected by Party A or an affiliate of Party A. Accordingly, subject to the provisions of “Private Placement Procedures” below, Party B agrees that the Shares that it delivers to Party A on each Settlement Date will not bear a restrictive legend and that such Shares will be deposited in, and the delivery thereof shall be effected through the facilities of, the Clearance System.
Covenants of Party A:
| (a) | Unless the provisions set forth below under “Private Placement Procedures” shall be applicable, Party A shall use any Shares delivered by Party B to Party A on any Settlement Date to return to securities lenders to close out open Share loans created by Party A or an affiliate of Party A in the course of Party A’s or such affiliate’s hedging activities related to Party A’s exposure under this Confirmation. |
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| (b) | In connection with bids and purchases of Shares in connection with any Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement of the Transaction, Party A shall use good faith efforts to conduct its activities, or cause its affiliates to conduct their activities, in a manner consistent with the requirements of the safe harbor provided by Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act, as if such provisions were applicable to such purchases as well as any analogous purchases occurring on the same day under any Additional Transaction. |
| (c) | Party A hereby represents and covenants to Party B that it has implemented policies and procedures, taking into consideration the nature of its business, reasonably designed to ensure that individuals conducting hedging activity related to any Transaction do not have access to material non-public information regarding Issuer or the Shares. |
| (d) | Within one Exchange Business Day of purchasing any Shares in connection with any Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement of the Transaction pursuant to the once-a-week block exception set forth in paragraph (b)(4) of Rule 10b-18, Party A shall notify Party B of the total number of Shares so purchased. |
Insolvency Filing:
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, in the Agreement or in the 2002 Definitions, upon any Insolvency Filing in respect of the Issuer, the Transaction shall automatically terminate on the date thereof without further liability of either party to this Confirmation to the other party (except for any liability in respect of any breach of representation or covenant by a party under this Confirmation prior to the date of such Insolvency Filing).
Extraordinary Dividends:
If an ex-dividend date for an Extraordinary Dividend occurs on or after the Trade Date and on or prior to the Maturity Date (or, if later, the last date on which Shares are delivered by Party B to Party A in settlement of the Transaction), Party B shall pay an amount, as determined by the Calculation Agent, in cash equal to the product of such Extraordinary Dividend and the Base Amount to Party A on the earlier of (i) the date on which such Extraordinary Dividend is paid by the Issuer to holders of record of the Shares or (ii) the Maturity Date. “Extraordinary Dividend” means the per Share amount of any cash dividend or distribution declared by Party B with respect to the Shares that is specified by the board of trustees of the Issuer as an “extraordinary” dividend.
Acceleration Events:
The following events shall each constitute an “Acceleration Event”:
| (a) | Stock Borrow Events. In the good faith, commercially reasonable judgment of Party A (i) Party A (or its affiliate) is unable to hedge Party A’s exposure to the Transaction because of the lack of sufficient Shares being made available for Share borrowing by lenders, or (ii) Party A (or its affiliate) would incur a Stock Loan Fee to borrow a number of Shares equal to the Base Amount of more than a rate of [•]9 basis points per annum (each, a “Stock Borrow Event”); |
| (b) | Dividends and Other Distributions. On any day occurring after the Trade Date Party B declares a distribution, issue or dividend to existing holders of the Shares of (i) any cash dividend (other than an Extraordinary Dividend) to the extent all cash dividends having an ex-dividend date during the period from and including any Forward Price Reduction Date (with the Trade Date being a Forward Price Reduction Date for purposes of this clause (b) only) to but excluding the next subsequent Forward Price Reduction Date exceed, on a per Share basis, the Forward Price Reduction Amount set forth opposite the first date of any such period on Schedule I (such cash dividend, an “Excess Dividend”), (ii) share capital or securities of another issuer acquired or |
| 9 | Insert maximum Stock Loan Fee specified by Party B in the Transaction Proposal. |
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| owned (directly or indirectly) by Party B as a result of a spin-off or other similar transaction or any other type of securities (other than Shares), rights or warrants or other assets, for payment (cash or other consideration) at less than the prevailing market price as determined by Party A; for the avoidance of doubt, any amount calculated pursuant to this “Acceleration Events” Section as a result of an Excess Dividend shall not be adjusted by the value associated with such Excess Dividend; |
| (c) | ISDA Early Termination Date. Party A has the right to designate an Early Termination Date pursuant to Section 6 of the Agreement, in which case, except as otherwise specified herein and except as a result of an Event of Default under Section 5(a)(i) of the Agreement, the provisions of “Termination Settlement” below shall apply in lieu of the consequences specified in Section 6 of the Agreement; |
| (d) | Other ISDA Events. The announcement of any event (other than a Delisting) that if consummated, would result in an Extraordinary Event or the occurrence of any Change in Law, Hedging Disruption or a Delisting (with Party A as Hedging Party); provided that in case of a Delisting, in addition to the provisions of Section 12.6(a)(iii) of the 2002 Definitions, it will also constitute a Delisting if the Exchange is located in the United States and the Shares are not immediately re-listed, re-traded or re-quoted on any of the New York Stock Exchange, the NASDAQ Global Select Market or the NASDAQ Global Market (or their respective successors); and provided further that the definition of “Change in Law” provided in Section 12.9(a)(ii) of the 2002 Definitions is hereby amended by (i) replacing the phrase “the interpretation” in the third line thereof with the phrase “, or public announcement of, the formal or informal interpretation”, (ii) replacing the parenthetical beginning after the word “regulation” in the second line thereof the words “(including, for the avoidance of doubt and without limitation, (x) any tax law or (y) adoption, effectiveness or promulgation of new regulations authorized or mandated by existing statute)” and (iii) immediately following the word “Transaction” in clause (X) thereof, adding the phrase “in the manner contemplated by Party A on the Trade Date”; or |
| (e) | Ownership Event. In the good faith, commercially reasonable judgment of Party A, on any day, the Share Amount for such day exceeds the Applicable Share Limit for such day (if any applies). |
For purposes of clause (e) above, the “Share Amount” as of any day is the number of Shares that Party A and any person whose ownership position would be aggregated with that of Party A, including any “group” (within the meaning of Section 13 of the Exchange Act) of which Party A is or may be deemed to be a part (Party A or any such person or group, a “Party A Person”) under any law, rule, regulation, regulatory order or organizational documents or contracts of Party B (including without limitation Article V and Article VII of the Charter) that are, in each case, applicable to ownership of Shares (“Applicable Restrictions”), owns, beneficially owns, constructively owns, controls, holds the power to vote or otherwise meets a relevant definition of ownership under any Applicable Restriction, as determined by Party A in its reasonable discretion. The “Applicable Share Limit” means a number of Shares equal to (A) the minimum number of Shares that could reasonably be expected to give rise to reporting or registration obligations (other than any filing under Section 13 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, in each case, as in effect on the Trade Date) or other requirements (including obtaining prior approval from any person or entity) of a Party A Person, or could result in an adverse effect on a Party A Person, under any Applicable Restriction, as determined by Party A in its good faith, reasonable discretion (it being understood that reporting obligations under Section 13 or Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, in each case, as in effect on the Trade Date, will not be deemed to have such an adverse effect), minus (B) 1% of the number of Shares outstanding.
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Termination Settlement:
Upon the occurrence of any Acceleration Event, Party A shall have the right to designate, upon at least one Scheduled Trading Day’s notice, any Scheduled Trading Day following such occurrence to be a Settlement Date hereunder (a “Termination Settlement Date”) to which Physical Settlement shall apply, and to select the number of Settlement Shares relating to such Termination Settlement Date; provided that (i) in the case of an Acceleration Event arising out of an Ownership Event, the number of Settlement Shares so designated by Party A shall not exceed the number of Shares necessary to reduce the Share Amount to the Applicable Share Limit, and (ii) in the case of an Acceleration Event arising out of a Stock Borrow Event the number of Settlement Shares so designated by Party A shall not exceed the number of Shares as to which such Stock Borrow Event exists. If, upon designation of a Termination Settlement Date by Party A pursuant to the preceding sentence, Party B fails to deliver the Settlement Shares relating to such Termination Settlement Date when due or otherwise fails to perform obligations within its control in respect of the Transaction, it shall be an Event of Default with respect to Party B and Section 6 of the Agreement shall apply. If an Acceleration Event occurs during an Unwind Period relating to a number of Settlement Shares to which Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement applies, then on the Termination Settlement Date relating to such Acceleration Event, notwithstanding any election to the contrary by Party B, Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement shall apply to the portion of the Settlement Shares relating to such Unwind Period as to which Party A has unwound its commercially reasonable hedge and Physical Settlement shall apply in respect of (x) the remainder (if any) of such Settlement Shares and (y) the Settlement Shares designated by Party A in respect of such Termination Settlement Date. If an Acceleration Event occurs after Party B has designated a Settlement Date to which Physical Settlement applies but before the relevant Settlement Shares have been delivered to Party A, then Party A shall have the right to cancel such Settlement Date and designate a Termination Settlement Date in respect of such Shares pursuant to the first sentence hereof. If Party A designates a Termination Settlement Date as a result of an Acceleration Event caused by an Excess Dividend of the type described in paragraph “(b) Dividends and Other Distributions” under the heading “Acceleration Events,” no adjustment(s) shall be made to account for the amount of such Excess Dividend.
Private Placement Procedures:
If Party B is unable to comply with the provisions of “Covenants of Party B” above because of a change in law or a change in the policy of the Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff, a failure by Party A to comply with the provisions of the Interpretive Letter or a breach by Party A of a covenant set forth under “Covenants of Party A” above, or if Party A otherwise reasonably determines, based upon advice of counsel, that any Settlement Shares to be delivered to Party A by Party B may not be freely returned by Party A or its affiliates to securities lenders as described under “Covenants of Party B” above, then delivery of any such Settlement Shares (the “Restricted Shares”) shall be effected pursuant to Annex A hereto, unless waived by Party A.
Rule 10b5-1:
It is the intent of Party A and Party B that following any election of Cash Settlement or Net Share Settlement by Party B, the purchase of Shares by Party A during any Unwind Period comply with the requirements of Rule 10b5-1(c)(1)(i)(B) of the Exchange Act and that this Confirmation shall be interpreted to comply with the requirements of Rule 10b5-1(c).
Party B acknowledges that (i) during any Unwind Period Party B does not have, and shall not attempt to exercise, any influence over how, when or whether to effect purchases of Shares by Party A (or its agent or affiliate) in connection with this Confirmation and (ii) Party B is entering into the Agreement and this Confirmation in good faith and not as part of a plan or scheme to evade compliance with federal securities laws including, without limitation, Rule 10b-5 promulgated under the Exchange Act.
Party B hereby agrees with Party A that during any Unwind Period, Party B shall not communicate, directly or indirectly, any Material Non-Public Information (as defined herein) to any Derivatives Personnel (as defined below). For purposes of the Transaction, “Material Non-Public Information” means information relating to Party B or the Shares that (a) has not been widely disseminated by wire service, in one or more newspapers of general circulation, by communication from Party B to its shareholders or in a press release, or contained in a public filing made by Party B with the Securities and Exchange Commission or otherwise disseminated in a manner constituting “public disclosure” within
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the meaning of Regulation FD under the Exchange Act and (b) a reasonable investor might consider to be of importance in making an investment decision to buy, sell or hold Shares. For the avoidance of doubt and solely by way of illustration, information should be presumed “material” if it relates to such matters as dividend increases or decreases, earnings estimates, changes in previously released earnings estimates, significant expansion or curtailment of operations, a significant increase or decline of orders, significant merger or acquisition proposals or agreements, significant new products or discoveries, extraordinary borrowing, major litigation, liquidity problems, extraordinary management developments, purchase or sale of substantial assets, or other similar information. For purposes of the Transaction, “Derivatives Personnel” means any employee on the trading side of the Equity Derivatives Group of Party A and does not include [•] or [•] (or any other person or persons designated from time to time by the Compliance Group of Party A).
Maximum Share Delivery:
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Confirmation, in no event will Party B be required to deliver on any Settlement Date, whether pursuant to Physical Settlement, Net Share Settlement, Termination Settlement or any Private Placement Settlement, more than a number of Shares equal to twice the Initial Base Amount to Party A, subject to reduction by the amount of any Shares delivered by Party B on any prior Settlement Date and subject to adjustment from time to time in accordance with the provisions of this Confirmation and the 2002 Definitions but solely with respect to adjustments arising from events caused by Party B or under the control of Party B.
Transfer and Assignment:
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in the Agreement, Party A may assign or transfer any of its rights or delegate any of its duties hereunder to (i) any affiliate of Party A, whose obligations hereunder and under the Agreement are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by [•] or (ii) any affiliate of Party A with a long-term issuer rating equal to or better than the credit rating of Party A at the time of such assignment or transfer; provided that (A) Party B will neither (x) be required to pay an additional amount in respect of an Indemnifiable Tax under Section 2(d)(i)(4) of the Agreement under the law as of the date of the transfer or assignment, nor (y) receive a payment from which an amount has been deducted or withheld for or on account of any Tax in respect of which the other party is not required to pay an additional amount, in either case, as a result of such transfer or assignment and (B) no Event of Default or Potential Event of Default shall (x) have occurred with respect to Party A or (y) occur with respect to either party solely as a result of such transfer and assignment.
Designation by Party A
Notwithstanding any other provision in this Confirmation or Agreement to the contrary requiring or allowing Party A to purchase, sell, receive or deliver any Shares or other securities to or from Party B, Party A (the “Designator”) may designate any of its Affiliates (the “Designee”) to deliver or take delivery, as the case may be, and otherwise perform its obligations to deliver, if any, or take delivery of, as the case may be, any such Shares or other securities in respect of the Transaction, and the Designee may assume such obligations, if any. Such designation shall not relieve the Designator of any of its obligations, if any, hereunder. Notwithstanding the previous sentence, if the Designee shall have performed the obligations, if any, of the Designator hereunder, then the Designator shall be discharged of its obligations, if any, to Party B to the extent of such performance.
Indemnity
Party B agrees to indemnify Party A and its affiliates and their respective directors, officers, agents and controlling parties (Party A and each such affiliate or person being an “Indemnified Party”) from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities, joint and several, incurred by or asserted against such Indemnified Party arising out of, in connection with, or relating to any breach of any covenant or representation made by Party B in this Confirmation or the Agreement and will reimburse any Indemnified Party for all reasonable expenses (including reasonable legal fees and expenses) as they
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are incurred in connection with the investigation of, preparation for, or defense of any pending or threatened claim or any action or proceeding arising therefrom, whether or not such Indemnified Party is a party thereto, but only to the extent that the relevant loss, claim, damage, liability or expense is found in a final and nonappealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from such breach. Party B will not be liable under this Indemnity paragraph to the extent that any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense is found in a final and nonappealable judgment by a court to have resulted from Party A’s material breach of any covenant or representation made by Party A in this Confirmation or the Agreement or any willful misconduct, fraud, gross negligence or bad faith of any Indemnified Party. For the avoidance of doubt, any payments due as a result of this provision may not be used to set off any obligation of Party A upon settlement of the Transaction. If for any reason the foregoing indemnification is unavailable to any Indemnified Party or insufficient to hold harmless any Indemnified Party, then Party B shall contribute, to the maximum extent permitted by law, to the amount paid or payable by the Indemnified Party as a result of such loss, claim, damage or liability.
| 4. | The Agreement is further supplemented by the following provisions: |
No Collateral or Setoff:
Notwithstanding Section 6(f) or any other provision of the Agreement or any other agreement between the parties to the contrary, the obligations of Party B hereunder are not secured by any collateral. Obligations under the Transaction shall not be set off against any other obligations of the parties, whether arising under the Agreement, this Confirmation, under any other agreement between the parties hereto, by operation of law or otherwise, and no other obligations of the parties shall be set off against obligations under the Transaction, whether arising under the Agreement, this Confirmation, under any other agreement between the parties hereto, by operation of law or otherwise, and each party hereby waives any such right of setoff. In calculating any amounts under Section 6(e) of the Agreement, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Agreement, (a) separate amounts shall be calculated as set forth in such Section 6(e) with respect to (i) the Transaction and (ii) all other Transactions, and (b) such separate amounts shall be payable pursuant to Section 6(d)(ii) of the Agreement.
Status of Claims in Bankruptcy:
Party A acknowledges and agrees that this confirmation is not intended to convey to Party A rights with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby that are senior to the claims of common shareholders in any U.S. bankruptcy proceedings of Party B; provided, however, that nothing herein shall limit or shall be deemed to limit Party A’s right to pursue remedies in the event of a breach by Party B of its obligations and agreements with respect to this Confirmation and the Agreement; and provided further that nothing herein shall limit or shall be deemed to limit Party A’s rights in respect of any transaction other than the Transaction.
Limit on Beneficial Ownership:
Notwithstanding any other provisions hereof, Party A shall not have the “right to acquire” (within the meaning of NYSE Rule 312.04(g)) Shares hereunder and Party A shall not be entitled to take delivery of any Shares deliverable hereunder (in each case, whether in connection with the purchase of Shares on any Settlement Date or any Termination Settlement Date, any Private Placement Settlement or otherwise) to the extent (but only to the extent) that, after such receipt of any Shares hereunder, (i) the Share Amount would exceed the Applicable Share Limit, (ii) the Section 16 Percentage would exceed 4.9%, (iii) Party A and each person subject to aggregation of Shares with Party A under Section 13 or Section 16 of the Exchange Act and rules promulgated thereunder (the “Party A Group”) would directly or indirectly beneficially own (as such term is defined for purposes of Section 13 or Section 16 of the Exchange Act and rules promulgated thereunder) in excess of [•]10 Shares (the “Threshold Number of Shares”) or (iv) such acquisition would result in a violation of any limit or restriction on transfer and ownership of Shares set forth in the Article V or Article VII of the Charter, as amended and supplemented (the
| 10 | Insert number equal to 4.9% of the outstanding Shares as of the relevant Trade Date. |
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“Counterparty Stock Ownership Restrictions”). Any purported delivery hereunder shall be void and have no effect to the extent (but only to the extent) that, after such delivery, (i) the Share Amount would exceed the Applicable Share Limit, (ii) the Section 16 Percentage would exceed 4.9%, (iii) Party A Group would directly or indirectly so beneficially own in excess of the Threshold Number of Shares or (iv) such delivery would result in a violation of the Counterparty Stock Ownership Restrictions. If any delivery owed to Party A hereunder is not made, in whole or in part, as a result of this provision, Party B’s obligation to make such delivery shall not be extinguished and Party B shall make such delivery as promptly as practicable after, but in no event later than one Exchange Business Day after, Party A gives notice to Party B that, after such delivery, (i) the Share Amount would not exceed the Applicable Share Limit, (ii) the Section 16 Percentage would not exceed 4.9%, (iii) Party A Group would not directly or indirectly so beneficially own in excess of the Threshold Number of Shares and (iv) such delivery would not result in a violation of the Counterparty Stock Ownership Restriction. The “Section 16 Percentage” as of any day is the fraction, expressed as a percentage, (A) the numerator of which is the number of Shares that Party A and any of its affiliates or any other person subject to aggregation with Party A for purposes of the “beneficial ownership” test under Section 13 of the Exchange Act, or any “group” (within the meaning of Section 13 of the Exchange Act) of which Party A is or may be deemed to be a part beneficially owns (within the meaning of Section 13 of the Exchange Act), without duplication, on such day (or, to the extent that for any reason the equivalent calculation under Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder results in a higher number, such higher number) and (B) the denominator of which is the number of Shares outstanding on such day.
In addition, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if any delivery owed to Party A hereunder is not made, in whole or in part, as a result of the immediately preceding paragraph, Party A shall be permitted to make any payment due in respect of such Shares to Party B in two or more tranches that correspond in amount to the number of Shares delivered by Party B to Party A pursuant to the immediately preceding paragraph.
Wall Street Transparency and Accountability Act:
In connection with Section 739 of the Wall Street Transparency and Accountability Act of 2010 (the “WSTAA”), the parties hereby agree that neither the enactment of the WSTAA or any regulation under the WSTAA, nor any requirement under the WSTAA or an amendment made by the WSTAA, shall limit or otherwise impair either party’s otherwise applicable rights to terminate, renegotiate, modify, amend or supplement this Confirmation or the Agreement, as applicable, arising from a termination event, force majeure, illegality, increased costs, regulatory change or similar event under this Confirmation, the 2002 Definitions incorporated herein, or the Agreement (including, but not limited to, rights arising from any Acceleration Event or Illegality (as defined in the Agreement)).
Miscellaneous:
| (a) | Addresses for Notices. For the purpose of Section 12(a) of the Agreement: |
Address for notices or communications to Party A:
[INSERT DEALER NAME AND NOTICE INFORMATION]
Address for notices or communications to Party B:
Invitation Homes Inc.
1717 Main Street, Suite 2000
Dallas, Texas 75201
Attn: [_________]
Telephone: [_________]
Email: [_________]
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| (b) | Waiver of Right to Trial by Jury. Each party waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any right it may have to a trial by jury in respect of any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Confirmation. Each party (i) certifies that no representative, agent or attorney of the other party has represented, expressly or otherwise, that such other party would not, in the event of such a suit action or proceeding, seek to enforce the foregoing waiver and (ii) acknowledges that it and the other party have been induced to enter into this Confirmation by, among other things, the mutual waivers and certifications herein. |
| (c) | Offices: |
The Office of Party A for the Transaction is: [•]
The Office of Party B for the Transaction is: Inapplicable, Party B is not a Multibranch Party
Acknowledgements:
The parties hereto intend for:
| (a) | the Transaction to be a “securities contract” as defined in Section 741(7) of Title 11 of the United States Code (the “Bankruptcy Code”), qualifying for the protections under Section 555 of the Bankruptcy Code; |
| (b) | a party’s right to liquidate the Transaction and to exercise any other remedies upon the occurrence of any Event of Default under the Agreement with respect to the other party to constitute a “contractual right” as defined in the Bankruptcy Code; |
| (c) | Party A to be a “financial institution” within the meaning of Section 101(22) of the Bankruptcy Code; and |
| (d) | all payments for, under or in connection with the Transaction, all payments for the Shares and the transfer of such Shares to constitute “settlement payments” as defined in the Bankruptcy Code. |
Severability:
If any term, provision, covenant or condition of this Confirmation, or the application thereof to any party or circumstance, shall be held to be invalid or unenforceable in whole or in part for any reason, the remaining terms, provisions, covenants, and conditions hereof shall continue in full force and effect as if this Confirmation had been executed with the invalid or unenforceable provision eliminated, so long as this Confirmation as so modified continues to express, without material change, the original intentions of the parties as to the subject matter of this Confirmation and the deletion of such portion of this Confirmation will not substantially impair the respective benefits or expectations of parties to the Agreement; provided, however, that this severability provision shall not be applicable if any provision of Section 2, 5, 6 or 13 of the Agreement (or any definition or provision in Section 14 of the Agreement to the extent that it relates to, or is used in or in connection with any such Section) shall be so held to be invalid or unenforceable.
Governing Law/Jurisdiction:
This Confirmation and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Confirmation shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York without reference to the conflict of laws provisions thereof (other than Title 14 of Article 5 of the General Obligations Law). The parties hereto irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York and the United States Court for the Southern District of New York in connection with all matters relating hereto and waive any objection to the laying of venue in, and any claim of inconvenient forum with respect to, these courts.
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Disclosure:
Effective from the date of commencement of discussions concerning the Transaction, each of Party A and Party B and each of their employees, representatives, or other agents may disclose to any and all persons, without limitation of any kind, the tax treatment and tax structure of the Transaction and all materials of any kind (including opinions or other tax analyses) relating to such tax treatment and tax structure.
Commodity Exchange Act:
Each of Party A and Party B agrees and represents that it is an “eligible contract participant” as defined in Section 1a(18) of the U.S. Commodity Exchange Act, as amended (the “CEA”), the Agreement and the Transaction are subject to individual negotiation by the parties and have not been executed or traded on a “trading facility” as defined in Section 1a(51) of the CEA.
Tax Matters:
| (a) | [For the purpose of Section 3(f) of the Agreement: |
| (i) | Party A makes the following representations: |
| (A) | [EACH DEALER TO PROVIDE.] |
| (ii) | Party B makes the following representations: |
| (A) | It is a “U.S. person” (as that term is used in section 1.1441-4(a)(3)(ii) of the United States Treasury Regulations) for U.S. federal income tax purposes. |
| (B) | It is a real estate investment trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes and is organized under the laws of the Delaware, and is an exempt recipient under section 1.6049-4(c)(1)(ii)(J) of the United States Treasury Regulations. |
| (b) | Withholding Tax imposed on payments to non-US counterparties under the United States Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act. “Tax” and “Indemnifiable Tax”, each as defined in Section 14 of the Agreement, shall not include any U.S. federal withholding tax imposed or collected pursuant to Sections 1471 through 1474 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof, any agreement entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b) of the Code, or any fiscal or regulatory legislation, rules or practices adopted pursuant to any intergovernmental agreement entered into in connection with the implementation of such Sections of the Code (a “FATCA Withholding Tax”). For the avoidance of doubt, a FATCA Withholding Tax is a Tax the deduction or withholding of which is required by applicable law for the purposes of Section 2(d) of the Agreement. |
| (c) | HIRE Act. To the extent that either party to the Agreement with respect to this Transaction is not an adhering party to the ISDA 2015 Section 871(m) Protocol published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. on November 2, 2015 and available at www.isda.org, as may be amended, supplemented, replaced or superseded from time to time (the “871(m) Protocol”), the parties agree that the provisions and amendments contained in the Attachment to the 871(m) Protocol are incorporated into and apply to the Agreement with respect to this Transaction as if set forth in full herein. The parties further agree that, solely for purposes of applying such provisions and amendments to the Agreement with respect to this Transaction, |
F-21
| references to “each Covered Master Agreement” in the 871(m) Protocol will be deemed to be references to the Agreement with respect to this Transaction, and references to the “Implementation Date” in the 871(m) Protocol will be deemed to be references to the Trade Date of this Transaction. For greater certainty, if there is any inconsistency between this provision and the provisions in any other agreement between the parties with respect to this Transaction, this provision shall prevail unless such other agreement expressly overrides the provision of the Attachment to the 871(m) Protocol. |
| (d) | Tax documentation. For the purposes of Sections 4(a)(i) and 4(a)(ii) of the Agreement, Party A and Party B each agrees to deliver a valid and duly executed U.S. Internal Revenue Service Form [W-9], or any successor thereto, completely accurately and in a manner reasonably acceptable to such other party and, in particular, with the “corporation” or “partnership” box checked on line 3 thereof], (i) on or before the date of execution of this Confirmation; (ii) promptly upon reasonable demand by such other party; and (iii) promptly upon learning that any such tax form it previously provided to such other party has become invalid, inaccurate, obsolete or incorrect. Additionally, each party shall, promptly upon request by the other party, provide such other tax forms and documents reasonably requested by such other party. |
U.S. Stay Regulations:
[The parties agree that the terms of Section 1 and Section 2 and the related defined terms (together, the “Bilateral Terms”) of the form of bilateral template entitled “Full-Length Omnibus (for use between U.S. G-SIBs and Corporate Groups)” published by ISDA on November 2, 2018 (currently available on the 2018 ISDA U.S. Resolution Stay Protocol (the “Protocol”) page at www.isda.org and, a copy of which is available upon request), the effect of which is to amend the qualified financial contracts between the parties thereto to conform with the requirements of the QFC Stay Rules, are hereby incorporated into and form a part of this Confirmation, and for such purposes this Confirmation shall be deemed a “Covered Agreement,” Party A shall be deemed a “Covered Entity” and Party B shall be deemed a “Counterparty Entity.” In the event that, after the date of this Confirmation, both parties hereto become adhering parties to the Protocol, the terms of the Protocol will replace the terms of this paragraph. In the event of any inconsistencies between this Confirmation and the terms of the Protocol or the Bilateral Terms (each, the “QFC Stay Terms”), as applicable, the QFC Stay Terms will govern. Terms used in this paragraph without definition shall have the meanings assigned to them under the QFC Stay Rules. For purposes of this paragraph, references to “this Confirmation” include any related credit enhancements entered into between the parties or provided by one to the other. In addition, the parties agree that the terms of this paragraph shall be incorporated into any related covered affiliate credit enhancements, with all references to Party A replaced by references to the covered affiliate support provider.
“QFC Stay Rules” means the regulations codified at 12 C.F.R. 252.2, 252.81–8, 12 C.F.R. 382.1-7 and 12 C.F.R. 47.1-8, which, subject to limited exceptions, require an express recognition of the stay-and-transfer powers of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the Orderly Liquidation Authority under Title II of the Dodd Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the override of default rights related directly or indirectly to the entry of an affiliate into certain insolvency proceedings and any restrictions on the transfer of any covered affiliate credit enhancements.]11
Other Forwards / Dealers:
Party A acknowledges that Party B has entered or may enter in the future into one or more similar forward transactions for the Shares (each, an “Other Forward” and collectively, the “Other Forwards”) with one or more dealers, and/or affiliates thereof (each, an “Other Dealer” and collectively, the “Other Dealers”). Party A and Party B agree that if Party B designates a “Settlement Date” with respect to one or more Other Forwards for which “Cash Settlement” or “Net Share Settlement” is applicable, and the
| 11 | Include preferred version of U.S. Stay Regulations for Party A |
F-22
resulting “Unwind Period” for such Other Forwards coincides for any period of time with an Unwind Period for this Transaction (the “Overlap Unwind Period”), Party B shall notify Party A at least one Scheduled Trading Day prior to the commencement of such Overlap Unwind Period of the first Scheduled Trading Day and length of such Overlap Unwind Period, and Party A shall be permitted to purchase Shares to unwind its hedge in respect of this Transaction only on alternating Scheduled Trading Days during such Overlap Unwind Period, commencing on the first, second, third or later Scheduled Trading Day of such Overlap Unwind Period, as notified to Party A by Party B at least one Scheduled Trading Day prior to such Overlap Unwind Period (which alternating Scheduled Trading Days, for the avoidance of doubt, may be every other Scheduled Trading Day if there is only one Other Dealer, every third Scheduled Trading Day if there are two Other Dealers, etc.).
[Role of Agent]
[Insert Party A agency or communications with employees provisions, if any.]
[Party A Boilerplate]
[Insert Party A regulatory boilerplate provisions, if any.]
[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]
F-23
Please confirm that the foregoing correctly sets forth the terms of our agreement by signing and returning this Confirmation.
| Yours faithfully,
[DEALER NAME] | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
F-24
Confirmed as of the date first written above:
| INVITATION HOMES INC. | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
F-25
SCHEDULE I
FORWARD PRICE REDUCTION DATES AND AMOUNTS
| Forward Price Reduction Date12 |
Forward Price Reduction Amount13 | |||
| Trade Date |
USD | 0.000 | ||
| [•] |
USD | [ | •] | |
| [•] |
USD | [ | •] | |
| [•] |
USD | [ | •] | |
| [•] |
USD | [ | •] | |
| [•] |
USD | [ | •] | |
| 12 | Insert Forward Price Reduction Dates specified by Party B in the Transaction Proposal. |
| 13 | Insert Forward Price Reduction Amounts specified by Party B in the Transaction Proposal. |
F-26
ANNEX A
PRIVATE PLACEMENT PROCEDURES
| (i) | If Party B delivers the Restricted Shares pursuant to this clause (i) (a “Private Placement Settlement”), then delivery of Restricted Shares by Party B shall be effected in customary private placement procedures with respect to such Restricted Shares reasonably acceptable to Party A; provided that if, on or before the date that a Private Placement Settlement would occur, Party B has taken, or caused to be taken, any action that would make unavailable either the exemption pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act for the sale by Party B to Party A (or any affiliate designated by Party A) of the Restricted Shares or the exemption pursuant to Section 4(a)(1) or Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act for resales of the Restricted Shares by Party A (or any such affiliate of Party A) or Party B fails to deliver the Restricted Shares when due or otherwise fails to perform obligations within its control in respect of a Private Placement Settlement, it shall be an Event of Default with respect to Party B and Section 6 of the Agreement shall apply. The Private Placement Settlement of such Restricted Shares shall include customary representations, covenants, blue sky and other governmental filings and/or registrations, indemnities to Party A, due diligence rights (for Party A or any designated buyer of the Restricted Shares by Party A), opinions and certificates, and such other documentation as is customary for private placements of similar size, all reasonably acceptable to Party A. In the case of a Private Placement Settlement, Party A shall, in its good faith discretion, adjust the number of Restricted Shares to be delivered to Party A hereunder and/or the Forward Price in a commercially reasonable manner to reflect the fact that such Restricted Shares may not be freely returned to securities lenders by Party A and may only be saleable by Party A at a discount to reflect the lack of liquidity in Restricted Shares. Notwithstanding the Agreement or this Confirmation, the date of delivery of such Restricted Shares shall be the Clearance System Business Day following notice by Party A to Party B of the number of Restricted Shares to be delivered pursuant to this clause (i). For the avoidance of doubt, delivery of Restricted Shares shall be due as set forth in the previous sentence and not be due on the Settlement Date or Termination Settlement Date that would otherwise be applicable. |
| (ii) | If Party B delivers any Restricted Shares in respect of the Transaction, unless it is advised in writing by outside counsel that any of the following actions would violate applicable securities laws because of a change in law or a change in the policy of the Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff occurring after the Trade Date, Party B agrees that (i) such Shares may be transferred by and among Party A and its affiliates and (ii) after the minimum “holding period” within the meaning of Rule 144(d) under the Securities Act has elapsed after the applicable Settlement Date, Party B shall promptly remove, or cause the transfer agent for the Shares to remove, any legends referring to any transfer restrictions from such Shares upon delivery by Party A (or such affiliate of Party A) to Party B or such transfer agent of seller’s and broker’s representation letters customarily delivered by Party A or its affiliates in connection with resales of restricted securities pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act, each without any further requirement for the delivery of any certificate, consent, agreement, opinion of counsel, notice or any other document, any transfer tax stamps or payment of any other amount or any other action by Party A (or such affiliate of Party A). |
F-27
ANNEX B
FORM OF PRICING SUPPLEMENT
[DEALER NAME AND ADDRESS]
Date: [•]
Invitation Homes Inc.
1717 Main Street, Suite 2000
Dallas, Texas 7520
Attn: [__________]
Telephone: [_________]
Email: [_________]
Ladies and Gentlemen:
This Pricing Supplement is the Pricing Supplement contemplated by the Registered Forward Transaction dated as of [•], 20[•] (the “Confirmation”) between Invitation Homes Inc. (“Party B”) and [DEALER NAME] (“Party A”).
For all purposes under the Confirmation,
| (a) | the Hedge Completion Date is [•]; |
| (b) | the Base Amount shall be [•], subject to further adjustment in accordance with the terms of the Confirmation; |
| (c) | the Maturity Date shall be [•]; and |
| (d) | the Initial Forward Price shall be USD [•]. |
| Very truly yours,
[DEALER NAME] | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
F-28
Confirmed as of the date first above written:
| INVITATION HOMES INC. | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
F-29
Exhibit 5.1
LETTERHEAD OF VENABLE LLP
December 20, 2021
Invitation Homes Inc.
1717 Main Street, Suite 2000
Dallas, TX 75201
Re: Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-258290)
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have served as Maryland counsel to Invitation Homes Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), in connection with certain matters of Maryland law arising out of an “at-the-market” program for the sale and issuance from time to time of shares (the “Shares”) of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”), of the Company, having an aggregate offering price of up to $1,250,000,000, which Shares may be issued from time to time pursuant to those certain Distribution Agreements, each dated as of the date hereof (each, a “Distribution Agreement” and collectively, the “Distribution Agreements”), by and among the Company, Invitation Homes Operating Partnership LP, a Delaware limited partnership, and each of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, BofA Securities, Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Academy Securities, Inc., BMO Capital Markets Corp., BNP Paribas Securities Corp., BNY Mellon Capital Markets, LLC, BTIG, LLC, Capital One Securities, Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc., Mizuho Securities USA LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Raymond James & Associates, Inc., RBC Capital Markets, LLC, Regions Securities LLC, Samuel A. Ramirez & Company, Inc., Scotia Capital (USA) Inc. and Siebert Williams Shank & Co., LLC, and certain of their affiliates. This firm did not participate in the drafting or negotiation of the Equity Distribution Agreement or the Forward Confirmation (as defined below).
In connection with our representation of the Company, and as a basis for the opinion hereinafter set forth, we have examined originals, or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of the following documents (hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Documents”):
1. The Registration Statement and the related form of prospectus included therein and the supplement thereto, each in the form in which it was filed with the Commission under the Securities Act;
2. The charter of the Company (the “Charter”), certified by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland (the “SDAT”);
3. The Bylaws of the Company, certified as of the date hereof by an officer of the Company;
4. A certificate of the SDAT as to the good standing of the Company, dated as of a recent date;
5. Resolutions (the “Resolutions”) adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company, relating to, among other matters, (a) the sale and issuance of the Shares, (b) the execution and delivery of the Distribution Agreements and any related Forward Confirmation, and the performance of the Company’s obligations thereunder, and (c) the delegation to designated officers of the Company (the “Authorized Officers”) of the power to determine the number and price of the Shares and certain other matters in connection with the registration, sale and issuance of the Shares, certified as of the date hereof by an officer of the Company;
Invitation Homes Inc.
December 20, 2021
Page 2
6. Each of the Distribution Agreements, including the form of Forward Confirmation attached thereto as Exhibit F (each, a “Forward Confirmation”);
7. A certificate executed by an officer of the Company, dated as of the date hereof; and
8. Such other documents and matters as we have deemed necessary or appropriate to express the opinion set forth below, subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications stated herein.
In expressing the opinion set forth below, we have assumed the following:
1. Each individual executing any of the Documents, whether on behalf of such individual or another person, is legally competent to do so.
2. Each individual executing any of the Documents on behalf of a party (other than the Company) is duly authorized to do so.
3. Each of the parties (other than the Company) executing any of the Documents has duly and validly executed and delivered each of the Documents to which such party is a signatory, and such party’s obligations set forth therein are legal, valid and binding and are enforceable in accordance with all stated terms.
4. All Documents submitted to us as originals are authentic. The form and content of all Documents submitted to us as unexecuted drafts do not differ in any respect relevant to this opinion from the form and content of such Documents as executed and delivered. All Documents submitted to us as certified or photostatic copies conform to the original documents. All signatures on all Documents are genuine. All public records reviewed or relied upon by us or on our behalf are true and complete. All representations, warranties, statements and information contained in the Documents are true and complete. There has been no oral or written modification of or amendment to any of the Documents, and there has been no waiver of any provision of any of the Documents, by action or omission of the parties or otherwise.
5. The Shares will not be issued or transferred in violation of the restrictions on transfer and ownership contained in Article VII of the Charter.
6. Upon the issuance of any of the Shares, the total number of shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding will not exceed the total number of shares of Common Stock that the Company is then authorized to issue under the Charter.
Invitation Homes Inc.
December 20, 2021
Page 3
7. Certain terms of the Shares to be issued by the Company from time to time will be authorized and approved by the Board or a duly authorized committee thereof, or by the Authorized Officers, in accordance with the Maryland General Corporation Law, the Charter and the Resolutions (with such approvals referred to hereinafter as the “Corporate Proceedings”) prior to the issuance thereof.
Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications stated herein, it is our opinion that:
1. The Company is a corporation duly incorporated and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the State of Maryland and is in good standing with the SDAT.
2. The issuance of the Shares has been duly authorized and, when and if issued and delivered by the Company in accordance with the Registration Statement, the Resolutions, the applicable Distribution Agreement, any Forward Confirmation and the Corporate Proceedings against payment of the purchase price therefor, the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
The foregoing opinion is limited to the laws of the State of Maryland and we do not express any opinion herein concerning federal law or the laws of any other jurisdiction. We express no opinion as to compliance with any federal or state securities laws, including the securities laws of the State of Maryland, or as to federal or state laws regarding fraudulent transfers. To the extent that any matter as to which our opinion is expressed herein would be governed by the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Maryland, we do not express any opinion on such matter. The opinion expressed herein is subject to the effect of any judicial decision which may permit the introduction of parol evidence to modify the terms or the interpretation of agreements.
The opinion expressed herein is limited to the matters specifically set forth herein and no other opinion shall be inferred beyond the matters expressly stated. We assume no obligation to supplement this opinion if any applicable law changes after the date hereof or if we become aware of any fact that might change the opinion expressed herein after the date hereof.
This opinion is being furnished to you for submission to the Commission as an exhibit to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K (the “Current Report”), which is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement. We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Current Report and the said incorporation by reference and to the use of the name of our firm therein. In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required by Section 7 of the Securities Act.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Venable LLP