Park Hotels & Resorts Inc S-3ASR, filed Mar 5, 2021
Park Hotels & Resorts Inc. (PK)
Table of Contents
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 5, 2021
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Park Hotels & Resorts Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
| Delaware | 36-2058176 | |
| (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
Park Hotels & Resorts Inc.
1775 Tysons Blvd., 7th Floor
Tysons, VA 22102
Tel: (571) 302-5757
(Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Registrant’s Principal Executive Offices)
Nancy M. Vu
Senior Vice President and General Counsel
Park Hotels & Resorts Inc.
1775 Tysons Blvd., 7th Floor
Tysons, VA 22102
Tel: (571) 302-5757
(Name, Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent For Service)
Copy to:
Paul D. Manca Esq.
Andrew S. Zahn Esq.
Hogan Lovells US LLP
555 Thirteenth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20004
(202) 637-5600
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement.
If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. ☐
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box. ☒
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☒
If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
| Large accelerated filer | ☒ | Accelerated filer | ☐ | |||
| Non-accelerated filer | ☐ | Smaller reporting company | ☐ | |||
| Emerging growth company | ☐ | |||||
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
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| TITLE OF EACH CLASS OF SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED (1) |
AMOUNT TO BE REGISTERED (2) |
PROPOSED MAXIMUM OFFERING PRICE PER UNIT (2) |
PROPOSED MAXIMUM AGGREGATE OFFERING PRICE (2) |
AMOUNT OF REGISTRATION FEE | ||||
| Common Stock, $0.01 par value (3) |
(4) | (4) | (4) | (4) | ||||
| Preferred Stock, $0.01 par value (3) |
(4) | (4) | (4) | (4) | ||||
| Depositary Shares, representing an interest in Preferred Stock (5) |
(4) | (4) | (4) | (4) | ||||
| Warrants |
(4) | (4) | (4) | (4) | ||||
| Rights |
(4) | (4) | (4) | (4) | ||||
| Total |
(4)(6) | (4)(6) | (4)(6) | (7) | ||||
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| (1) | This registration statement covers offers, sales and other distributions of securities listed in this table from time to time at prices to be determined. This registration statement also covers delayed delivery contracts that the registrant may issue. The party purchasing the contracts may be required to purchase common stock or preferred stock. The contracts may be issued together with the offered securities to which they relate. In addition, offered securities registered under this registration statement may be sold separately, together or as units with other offered securities registered under this registration statement. |
| (2) | In U.S. dollars or their equivalent denominated in one or more foreign currencies or units of two or more foreign currencies or composite currencies. |
| (3) | Includes common stock and preferred stock that may be issued upon conversion of preferred stock registered under this registration statement or upon exercise of warrants registered under this registration statement. No separate consideration will be received for common stock or preferred stock that is issued upon conversion of preferred stock or exercise of warrants registered under this registration statement. |
| (4) | Not required to be included in accordance with General Instruction II.E. of Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). |
| (5) | Each depositary share will be issued under a deposit agreement, which will represent an interest in a fractional share or multiple shares of preferred stock and will be evidenced by a depositary receipt. |
| (6) | An indeterminate aggregate offering price or number of securities of each identified class is being registered as may from time to time be offered at indeterminate prices. |
| (7) | Deferred in reliance upon Rule 456(b) and Rule 457(r) under the Securities Act. |
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PROSPECTUS
Park Hotels & Resorts Inc.
Common Stock
Preferred Stock
Depositary Shares
Warrants
Rights
We may offer, from time to time, in one or more series or classes, separately or together, and in amounts, at prices and on terms to be set forth in one or more supplements to this prospectus, the following securities:
| • | Shares of our common stock, par value $0.01 per share; |
| • | Shares of our preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share; |
| • | Depositary shares representing an interest in our preferred stock; |
| • | Warrants to purchase our common stock, preferred stock or depositary shares representing an interest in our preferred stock; and |
| • | Rights to purchase our common stock. |
We refer to our common stock, preferred stock, depositary shares, warrants, and rights collectively as the “securities.” This prospectus describes some of the general terms that may apply to these securities and the general manner in which they may be offered. The prices and terms of any securities to be offered, the net proceeds that we expect to receive from the sale of such securities and the specific manner in which such securities may be offered will be set forth in one or more supplements to this prospectus.
We will deliver this prospectus together with an applicable prospectus supplement setting forth the specific terms of the securities we are offering. The applicable prospectus supplement also will contain information, where applicable, about U.S. federal income tax considerations relating to, and any listing on a securities exchange of, the securities covered by such prospectus supplement.
We may offer the securities directly to investors, through agents designated from time to time by them, us, or to or through underwriters or dealers. If any agents, underwriters or dealers are involved in the sale of any of the securities, their names, and any applicable purchase price, fee, commission or discount arrangement with, between or among them, will be set forth, or will be calculable from the information set forth, in an accompanying prospectus supplement. For more detailed information, see “Plan of Distribution” beginning on page 52. No securities may be sold without delivery of a prospectus supplement describing the method and terms of the offering of those securities.
Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) under the symbol “PK.” On March 4, 2021, the last reported sale price of our common stock on the NYSE was $21.15 per share. Our principal executive offices are located at 1775 Tysons Blvd., 7th Floor, Tysons, VA 22102 and our telephone number is (571) 302-5757.
You should carefully read this entire prospectus, the documents that are incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement before you invest in our securities.
Investing in our securities involves risks. You should carefully consider the risks described under “Risk Factors” on page 4 of this prospectus, as well as the other information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, before making a decision to invest in our securities.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
This prospectus is dated March 5, 2021.
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| CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF DELAWARE LAW AND OUR CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION AND BY-LAWS |
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This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) utilizing a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may, from time to time, sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus, in one or more offerings. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer and is not meant to provide a complete description of each security. As a result, each time we offer securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that contains specific information about the terms of those securities, which we will attach to this prospectus. The prospectus supplement also may add, update or change information contained in this prospectus.
You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement. To the extent there are any inconsistencies between the information in this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in the applicable prospectus supplement. You should rely only on the information provided or information to which we have referred you, including any information incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement. We have not authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We are not making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale of these securities is not permitted. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus, any free writing prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement prepared by us or the other documents incorporated by reference herein or therein is accurate only as of their respective dates or on the date or dates that are specified in these documents. Our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.
You should carefully read this entire prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, as well as the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, which we have referred you to in “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference” below, before making an investment decision. Information incorporated by reference after the date of this prospectus may add to, update or change information contained in this prospectus. Statements contained or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement as to the content of any contract or other document are not necessarily complete, and in each instance we refer you to the copy of the contract or other document filed as an exhibit to a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus or such prospectus supplement, each such statement being qualified in all respects by such reference. Any information in such subsequent filings and any applicable prospectus supplement that is inconsistent with this prospectus will supersede the information in this prospectus or any earlier prospectus supplement.
Unless the context requires otherwise, references in this prospectus to “Park,” “Park Hotels & Resorts,” “we,” “our,” “us” and “our company” refer to Park Hotels & Resorts Inc., together with its consolidated subsidiaries. References in this prospectus to “Park Parent” means only Park Hotels & Resorts Inc. and not its subsidiaries or other lower-tier entities.
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This prospectus contains or incorporates by reference forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements related to our expectations regarding the performance of our business, our financial results, our liquidity and capital resources, the impact to our business and financial condition and that of our hotel management companies, and measures (including through potential alternative sources of revenue) being taken in response to, COVID-19, the effects of competition and the effects of future legislation or regulations and other non-historical statements. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not historical facts and, in some cases, can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as the words “outlook,” “believes,” “expects,” “potential,” “continues,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “seeks,” “projects,” “predicts,” “intends,” “plans,” “estimates,” “anticipates” or the negative version of these words or other comparable words. You should not rely on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond our control and which could materially affect our results of operations, financial condition, cash flows, performance or future achievements or events. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements. You should not put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements and we urge investors to carefully review the disclosures we make concerning risk and uncertainties in Item 1A: “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Currently, one of the most significant factors is the adverse effect of COVID-19, or any mutations thereof or similar pandemics, including possible resurgences, economic contractions, or any sustained decrease in demand for travel or hospitality, on our financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and performance, our hotel management companies and our hotels’ tenants, and the global economy and financial markets. COVID-19 has impacted us significantly, and the extent to which it will continue to impact us, our hotel managers, tenants and guests at our hotels will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted with confidence, including the scope, severity and duration of the pandemic, the speed and effectiveness of vaccine and treatment developments and distribution pipeline, the actions taken to contain the pandemic or mitigate its effect, additional closures that may be mandated or advisable even after the reopening of certain of our hotels on a limited basis, whether due to an increased number of COVID-19 cases or otherwise, and the direct and indirect economic effects of the pandemic and containment measures, among others. Moreover, investors are cautioned to interpret many of the risks identified in the risk factors discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 as being heightened as a result of the ongoing and numerous adverse impacts of COVID-19.
All such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations of management and therefore involve estimates and assumptions that are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed in the statements. There may be other risks and uncertainties that we are unable to predict at this time or that we currently do not expect to have a material adverse effect on our business. You should not put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements and we urge investors to carefully review the disclosures we make concerning risks and uncertainties in Item 1A: “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, as such factors may be updated from time to time in our periodic filings with the SEC, which are accessible on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov, as well as risks, uncertainties and other factors discussed in this prospectus. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
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We are the second largest publicly-traded lodging real estate investment trust (“REIT”) with a diverse portfolio of market-leading hotels and resorts with significant underlying real estate value. We were originally formed as Hilton Hotels Corporation, a Delaware corporation, in 1946 and existed as a part of one of Hilton’s business segments. On January 3, 2017, Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (“Hilton Worldwide”) completed the spin-off that resulted in our establishment as an independent, publicly traded company. As of March 4, 2021, our portfolio consists of 60 premium-branded hotels and resorts with over 33,000 rooms, primarily located in prime United States (“U.S.”) markets with high barriers to entry. Over 86% of our rooms are luxury and upper upscale and all of our rooms are located in the U.S. and its territories. We are focused on consistently delivering superior risk-adjusted returns to stockholders through active asset management and a thoughtful external growth strategy while maintaining a strong and flexible balance sheet.
Park Intermediate Holdings LLC (our “Operating Company”), directly or indirectly holds all of our assets and conducts all of our operations. Park Parent owns 100% of the interests in our Operating Company.
We are treated as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and we believe we have been organized and operated, and expect to continue to be organized and operate, in a manner to qualify as a REIT.
Our shares of common stock are listed on the NYSE under the ticker symbol “PK.” Our principal executive offices are located at 1775 Tysons Blvd., 7th Floor, Tysons, VA 22102 and our telephone number is (571) 302-5757.
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Investment in any securities offered pursuant to this prospectus involves risks. You should carefully consider the risk factors contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, which are incorporated by reference herein, together with all other information contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus, as updated by our subsequent filings under the Exchange Act, and the risk factors and other information contained in any applicable prospectus supplement, before acquiring any of such securities. The occurrence of any of the events described could materially and adversely affect our business, prospects, financial condition, results of operations and our ability to make cash distributions to our stockholders, which could cause you to lose all or a significant part of your investment in our securities. Although we have tried to discuss key factors, please be aware that these are not the only risks we face and there may be additional risks that we do not presently know of or that we currently consider not likely to have a significant impact. New risks may emerge at any time and we cannot predict such risks or estimate the extent to which they may affect our business or our financial performance. Some statements in this prospectus constitute forward-looking statements. Please refer to the section entitled “Forward-Looking Statements.”
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Unless otherwise described in the applicable prospectus supplement to this prospectus used to offer specific securities, we intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of securities by us under this prospectus for general corporate purposes, which may include, without limitation, the repayment of outstanding indebtedness, the acquisition of additional properties, capital expenditures, the redevelopment of properties in our portfolio, working capital and other general purposes. Any allocation of the net proceeds of an offering of securities to a specific purpose will be determined at the time of such offering and will be described in the accompanying supplement to this prospectus.
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Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (“Certificate of Incorporation”) provides that we may issue up to 6,600,000,000 shares, consisting of 6,000,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“common stock”), and 600,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share (“preferred stock”). The 6,600,000,000 aggregate number of authorized shares of common stock or preferred stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority in voting power of the stock of our company entitled to vote thereon. Unless our board of directors determines otherwise, we will issue all shares of our capital stock in uncertificated form.
As of March 4, 2021, 236,355,840 shares of common stock and no shares of preferred stock were outstanding.
Under Delaware law, stockholders generally are not personally liable for our debts or obligations solely as a result of their status as stockholders.
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The following description of certain terms of our common stock is a summary and is qualified in its entirety by reference to our Certificate of Incorporation and amended and restated by-laws (“By-laws”), which are filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, and by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”). See “Where to Find Additional Information.”
Under “Description of Common Stock,” “we,” “us,” “our” and “our company” refer to Park and not to any of its subsidiaries.
General
Our Certificate of Incorporation authorizes us to issue up to 6,000,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share.
Subject to the provisions in our Certificate of Incorporation regarding the restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock discussed below under the caption “Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer,” holders of shares of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters on which stockholders are entitled to vote generally, including the election or removal of directors elected by our stockholders generally. The holders of our common stock do not have cumulative voting rights in the election of directors.
Upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up and after payment in full of all amounts required to be paid to creditors and to the holders of our preferred stock having liquidation preferences, if any, the holders of our common stock will be entitled to receive pro rata our remaining assets available for distribution. The common stock is not subject to further calls or assessment by us. Holders of our common stock do not have preemptive, subscription, redemption or conversion rights. There is no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the common stock. The rights, powers, preferences and privileges of holders of our common stock are be subject to those of the holders of any shares of our preferred stock we may authorize and issue in the future.
Dividends
The DGCL permits a corporation to declare and pay dividends out of “surplus” or, if there is no “surplus,” out of its net profits for the fiscal year in which the dividend is declared and/or the preceding fiscal year. “Surplus” is defined as the excess of the net assets of the corporation over the amount determined to be the capital of the corporation by its board of directors. The capital of the corporation is typically calculated to be (and cannot be less than) the aggregate par value of all issued shares of capital stock. Net assets equals the fair value of the total assets minus total liabilities. The DGCL also provides that dividends may not be paid out of net profits if, after the payment of the dividend, remaining capital would be less than the capital represented by the outstanding stock of all classes having a preference upon the distribution of assets. Declaration and payment of any dividend is subject to the discretion of our board of directors.
Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer
Holders of common stock will be subject to the ownership restrictions of our charter. See “Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer” on page 19.
Certain Provisions of Delaware Law and Our Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws
For a description of certain provisions of Delaware law and our Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws that may affect the rights and restrictions related to our common stock, see “Certain Provisions of Delaware Law and Our Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws” on page 16.
Exchange Listing
Our common stock is listed on the NYSE under the symbol “PK.”
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Equiniti Trust Company.
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DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK
General
Our Certificate of Incorporation authorizes us to issued up to 600,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share.
Subject to the limitations prescribed by Delaware law and our Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws, our Certificate of Incorporation authorizes our board of directors to classify or reclassify and issue one or more classes or series of preferred stock without stockholder approval. Our board of directors may determine the relative preferences, conversion and other rights, voting powers, restrictions and limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications or terms or conditions of redemption of each class or series of preferred stock so issued, which may be more beneficial than the rights, preferences and privileges attributable to our common stock. The issuance of preferred stock could have the effect of delaying, deterring or preventing a transaction or a change in control that might involve a premium price for holders of our securities or otherwise might be in their best interest. The preferred stock will, when issued, be fully paid and nonassessable and will not have, or be subject to, any preemptive or similar rights.
Any prospectus supplement relating to a class or series of preferred stock will describe the specific terms of such securities, which may include:
| • | the title and stated value of such preferred stock; |
| • | the number of shares of such preferred stock offered, the liquidation preference per share and the offering price of such shares; |
| • | the dividend rate(s), period(s) and/or payment date(s) or method(s) of calculation thereof applicable to such preferred stock; |
| • | whether dividends shall be cumulative or non-cumulative and, if cumulative, the date from which dividends on such preferred stock shall accumulate; |
| • | the procedures for any auction and remarketing, if any, for such preferred stock; |
| • | the provisions for a sinking fund, if any, for such preferred stock; |
| • | the provisions for redemption, if applicable, of such preferred stock; |
| • | any listing of such preferred stock on any securities exchange; |
| • | the terms and conditions, if applicable, upon which shares of such preferred stock will be convertible into shares of our common stock, including the conversion price (or manner of calculation thereof) and conversion period; |
| • | a discussion of additional material U.S. federal income tax considerations; |
| • | any limitations on issuance of any class or series of preferred stock ranking senior to or on a parity with such class or series of preferred stock as to dividend rights and rights upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our affairs; |
| • | in addition to those limitations described below in “Certain Provisions of Delaware Law and Our Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws,” any other limitations on actual or constructive ownership and restrictions on transfer, in each case as may be appropriate to preserve our status as a REIT; and |
| • | any other specific terms, preferences, rights, limitations or restrictions of such preferred stock. |
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Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer
Holders of preferred stock will be subject to the ownership restrictions of our Certificate of Incorporation. See “Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer” on page 19.
Certain Provisions of Delaware Law and Our Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws
For a description of certain provisions of Delaware law and our Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws that may affect the rights and restrictions related to our preferred stock, see “Certain Provisions of Delaware Law and Our Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws” on page 16.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The registrar and transfer agent for the shares of preferred stock will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.
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DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES
General
We may issue receipts for depositary shares, each of which will represent a fractional interest of a share of a particular class or series of our preferred stock, as specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, which will more fully describe the terms of those depositary shares. Preferred stock of each class or series represented by depositary shares will be deposited under a separate deposit agreement among us, the depositary named therein and the holders from time to time of the depositary receipts. Subject to the terms of the applicable deposit agreement, each owner of a depositary receipt will be entitled, in proportion to the fractional interest of a share of a particular class or series of preferred stock represented by the depositary shares evidenced by such depositary receipt, to all the rights and preferences of the class or series of preferred stock represented by such depositary shares (including dividend, voting, conversion, redemption and liquidation rights).
The depositary shares will be evidenced by depositary receipts issued pursuant to the applicable deposit agreement. Immediately following the issuance and delivery of the shares of preferred stock by us to a preferred shares depositary, we will cause such preferred shares depositary to issue, on our behalf, the depositary receipts. Copies of the applicable form of deposit agreement and depositary receipt may be obtained from us upon request, and the statements made herein relating to the deposit agreement and the depositary receipts to be issued thereunder are summaries of certain provisions thereof and do not purport to be complete and are subject to, and qualified in their entirety by reference to, all of the provisions of the applicable deposit agreement and related depositary receipts.
Dividends and Other Distributions
The preferred shares depositary will distribute all cash dividends or other cash distributions received in respect of the shares of preferred stock to the record holders of depositary receipts evidencing the related depositary shares in proportion to the number of such depositary receipts owned by such holders, subject to certain obligations of holders to file proofs, certificates and other information and to pay certain charges and expenses to the preferred shares depositary.
In the event of a distribution other than in cash, the preferred shares depositary will distribute property received by it to the record holders of depositary receipts entitled thereto, subject to certain obligations of holders to file proofs, certificates and other information and to pay certain charges and expenses to the preferred shares depositary, unless the preferred shares depositary determines that it is not feasible to make such distribution, in which case the preferred shares depositary may, with our approval, sell such property and distribute the net proceeds from such sale to such holders.
No distribution will be made in respect of any depositary share to the extent that it represents any shares of preferred stock converted into other securities.
Withdrawal of Shares
Upon surrender of the depositary receipts at the corporate trust office of the applicable preferred shares depositary (unless the related depositary shares have previously been called for redemption or converted into other securities), the holders thereof will be entitled to delivery at such office, to or upon such holder’s order, of the number of whole or fractional shares of preferred stock and any money or other property represented by the depositary shares evidenced by such depositary receipts. Holders of depositary receipts will be entitled to receive whole or fractional shares of preferred stock on the basis of the proportion of preferred stock represented by each depositary share as specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, but holders of such preferred stock will not thereafter be entitled to receive depositary shares therefor. If the depositary receipts delivered by the holder evidence a number of depositary shares in excess of the number of depositary shares representing the number of shares of preferred stock to be withdrawn, the preferred shares depositary will deliver to such holder at the same time a new depositary receipt evidencing such excess number of depositary shares.
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Redemption of Depositary Shares
Whenever we redeem shares of preferred stock held by the preferred shares depositary, the preferred shares depositary will redeem as of the same redemption date the number of depositary shares representing shares of preferred stock so redeemed, provided we shall have paid in full to the preferred shares depositary the redemption price of the preferred stock to be redeemed plus an amount equal to any accrued and unpaid dividends thereon to the date fixed for redemption. The redemption price per depositary share will be equal to the corresponding proportion of the redemption price and any other amounts per share payable with respect to the preferred stock. If fewer than all the depositary shares are to be redeemed, the depositary shares to be redeemed will be selected pro rata (as nearly as may be practicable without creating fractional depositary shares) or by any other equitable method determined by us that will not result in a violation of the ownership restrictions in our Certificate of Incorporation.
From and after the date fixed for redemption, all dividends in respect of the preferred stock so called for redemption will cease to accrue, the depositary shares so called for redemption will no longer be deemed to be outstanding and all rights of the holders of the depositary receipts evidencing the depositary shares so called for redemption will cease, except the right to receive any moneys payable upon such redemption and any money or other property to which the holders of such depositary receipts were entitled upon such redemption and surrender thereof to the preferred shares depositary. See “Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer.”
Voting of the Shares of Preferred Stock
Upon receipt of notice of any meeting at which the holders of the applicable shares of preferred stock are entitled to vote, the preferred shares depositary will mail the information contained in such notice of meeting to the record holders of the depositary receipts evidencing the depositary shares which represent such shares of preferred stock. Each record holder of depositary receipts evidencing depositary shares on the record date (which will be the same date as the record date for the preferred stock) will be entitled to instruct the preferred shares depositary as to the exercise of the voting rights pertaining to the amount of preferred stock represented by such holder’s depositary shares. The preferred shares depositary will vote the amount of preferred stock represented by such depositary shares in accordance with such instructions, and we will agree to take all reasonable action which may be deemed necessary by the preferred shares depositary in order to enable the preferred shares depositary to do so. The preferred shares depositary will abstain from voting the amount of preferred stock represented by such depositary shares to the extent it does not receive specific instructions from the holders of depositary receipts evidencing such depositary shares. The preferred shares depositary shall not be responsible for any failure to carry out any instruction to vote, or for the manner or effect of any such vote made, as long as any such action or non-action is in good faith and does not result from negligence or willful misconduct of the preferred shares depositary.
Liquidation Preference
In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, whether voluntary or involuntary, the holders of each depositary receipt will be entitled to a fraction of the liquidation preference accorded each share of preferred stock represented by the depositary shares evidenced by such depositary receipt, as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Conversion of Shares of Preferred Stock
The depositary shares, as such, are not convertible into common stock or any of our other securities or property. Nevertheless, if so specified in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to an offering of depositary shares, the depositary receipts may be surrendered by holders thereof to the preferred shares depositary with written instructions to the preferred shares depositary to instruct us to cause conversion of the shares of preferred stock represented by the depositary shares evidenced by such depositary receipts into whole shares of common stock or other shares of preferred stock, and we agree that upon receipt of such instructions and any amounts payable in respect thereof, we will cause the conversion thereof utilizing the same procedures as those provided for delivery of shares of preferred stock to effect such conversion. If the depositary shares evidenced by a depositary receipt are to be converted in part only, a new depositary receipt or receipts will be issued for any depositary shares not to be converted. No fractional shares of common stock will be issued upon conversion, and if such conversion would result in a fractional share being issued, an amount will be paid in cash by us equal to the value of the fractional interest based upon the closing price of the common stock on the last business day prior to the conversion.
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Amendment and Termination of Deposit Agreement
The form of depositary receipt evidencing the depositary shares which represent the preferred stock and any provision of the deposit agreement may at any time be amended by agreement between us and the preferred shares depositary. However, any amendment that materially and adversely alters the rights of the holders of depositary receipts or that would be materially and adversely inconsistent with the rights granted to the holders of the related preferred stock will not be effective unless such amendment has been approved by the existing holders of at least two-thirds of the applicable depositary shares evidenced by the applicable depositary receipts then outstanding. No amendment shall impair the right, subject to certain exceptions in the deposit agreement, of any holder of depositary receipts to surrender any depositary receipt with instructions to deliver to the holder the related preferred stock and all money and other property, if any, represented thereby, except in order to comply with law. Every holder of an outstanding depositary receipt at the time any such amendment becomes effective shall be deemed, by continuing to hold such receipt, to consent and agree to such amendment and to be bound by the deposit agreement as amended thereby.
The deposit agreement may be terminated by us upon not less than 30 days’ prior written notice to the preferred shares depositary if (i) such termination is necessary to preserve our status as a REIT or (ii) a majority of each class or series of preferred stock affected by such termination consents to such termination, whereupon the preferred shares depositary shall deliver or make available to each holder of depositary receipts, upon surrender of the depositary receipts held by such holder, such number of whole or fractional shares of preferred stock as are represented by the depositary shares evidenced by such depositary receipts together with any other property held by the preferred shares depositary with respect to such depositary receipts. We have agreed that if the deposit agreement is terminated to preserve our status as a REIT, then we will use our best efforts to list the preferred stock issued upon surrender of the related depositary shares on a national securities exchange. In addition, the deposit agreement will automatically terminate if (i) all outstanding depositary shares shall have been redeemed, (ii) there shall have been a final distribution in respect of the related preferred stock in connection with our liquidation, dissolution or winding up and such distribution shall have been distributed to the holders of depositary receipts evidencing the depositary shares representing such preferred stock or (iii) each related share of preferred stock shall have been converted into our securities not so represented by depositary shares.
Charges of Preferred Shares Depositary
We will pay all transfer and other taxes and governmental charges arising solely from the existence of the deposit agreement. In addition, we will pay the fees and expenses of the preferred shares depositary in connection with the performance of its duties under the deposit agreement. However, holders of depositary receipts will pay the fees and expenses of the preferred shares depositary for any duties requested by such holders to be performed which are outside of those expressly provided for in the deposit agreement.
Resignation and Removal of Depositary
The preferred shares depositary may resign at any time by delivering to us notice of its election to do so, and we may at any time remove the preferred shares depositary, any such resignation or removal to take effect upon the appointment of a successor preferred shares depositary. A successor preferred shares depositary must be appointed within 60 days after delivery of the notice of resignation or removal and must be a bank or trust company having its principal office in the U.S. and that meets certain combined capital and surplus requirements.
Miscellaneous
The preferred shares depositary will forward to holders of depositary receipts any reports and communications from us which are received by the preferred shares depositary with respect to the related preferred stock.
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Neither we nor the preferred shares depositary will be liable if we or it is prevented from or delayed in, by law or any circumstances beyond our or its control, performing our or its obligations under the deposit agreement. The obligations of us and the preferred shares depositary under the deposit agreement will be limited to performing our or their duties thereunder in good faith and without negligence (in the case of any action or inaction in the voting of shares of preferred stock represented by the depositary shares), gross negligence or willful misconduct, and we and the preferred shares depositary will not be obligated to prosecute or defend any legal proceeding in respect of any depositary receipts, depositary shares or shares of preferred stock represented thereby unless satisfactory indemnity is furnished. We and the preferred shares depositary may rely on written advice of counsel or accountants, or information provided by persons presenting shares of preferred stock represented thereby for deposit, holders of depositary receipts or other persons believed in good faith to be competent to give such information, and on documents believed in good faith to be genuine and signed by a proper party.
In the event the preferred shares depositary shall receive conflicting claims, requests or instructions from any holders of depositary receipts, on the one hand, and us, on the other hand, the preferred shares depositary shall be entitled to act on such claims, requests or instructions received from us.
Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer
Holders of depositary receipts will be subject to the ownership restrictions of our Certificate of Incorporation. See “Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer” on page 19.
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General
We may offer and issue by means of this prospectus warrants for the purchase of any of the types of securities offered by this prospectus. We may issue warrants separately or together with any other securities offered by means of this prospectus, and the warrants may be attached to or separate from such securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and a warrant agent specified therein or the applicable prospectus supplement. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants of such series and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders or beneficial owners of warrants.
Any prospectus supplement relating to warrants will describe the specific terms of such securities, which may include:
| • | the title of such warrants; |
| • | the aggregate number of such warrants; |
| • | the price or prices at which such warrants will be issued; |
| • | the currencies in which the price or prices of such warrants may be payable; |
| • | the price or prices at which and currency or currencies in which the securities purchasable upon exercise of such warrants may be purchased; |
| • | the designation, amount and terms of the securities purchasable upon exercise of such warrants; |
| • | the designation and terms of the other securities with which such warrants are issued and the number of such warrants issued with each such security; |
| • | if applicable, the date on and after which such warrants and the securities purchasable upon exercise of such warrants will be separately transferable; |
| • | the date on which the right to exercise such warrants shall commence and the date on which such right shall expire; |
| • | the minimum or maximum amount of such warrants which may be exercised at any one time; |
| • | information with respect to book-entry procedures, if any; |
| • | a discussion of material U.S. federal income tax considerations; and |
| • | any other material terms of such warrants, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of such warrants. |
Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer
Holders of warrants will be subject to the ownership restrictions of our Certificate of Incorporation. See “Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer” on page 19.
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General
We may offer and issue rights to our stockholders for the purchase of shares of common stock. Each series of rights will be issued under a separate rights agreement to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as rights agent, all as set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the particular issue of rights. The rights agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the certificates relating to the rights of such series and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders of rights certificates or beneficial owners of rights. The rights agreement and the rights certificates relating to each series of rights will be filed with the SEC and incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.
Any prospectus supplement relating to a series of rights will describe the specific terms of such securities, which may include:
| • | the date for determining the stockholders entitled to the rights distribution; |
| • | the aggregate number of shares of common stock purchasable upon exercise of such rights and the exercise price; |
| • | the aggregate number of rights being issued; |
| • | the date, if any, on and after which such rights may be transferable separately; |
| • | the date on which the right to exercise such rights shall commence and the date on which such right shall expire; |
| • | a discussion of material U.S. federal income tax considerations; and |
| • | any other terms of such rights, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the distribution, exchange and exercise of such rights. |
The description in any accompanying prospectus supplement of any rights we offer will not necessarily be complete and will be qualified in its entirety by reference to the applicable rights certificate or rights agreement, which will be filed with the SEC if we offer rights. For more information on how you can obtain copies of any rights certificate or rights agreement if we offer rights, see “Where to Find Additional Information” in this prospectus. We urge you to read the applicable rights certificate, the applicable rights agreement and any applicable prospectus supplement in their entirety.
Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer
Holders of rights will be subject to the ownership restrictions of our Certificate of Incorporation. See “Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer” on page 19.
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CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF DELAWARE LAW AND
OUR CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION AND BY-LAWS
The following is a summary of certain provisions of Delaware law and our Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws.
Stockholder Meetings
Our By-laws provide that annual stockholder meetings will be held at a date, time and place, if any, as exclusively selected by our board of directors. Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that special meetings of the stockholders may be called only by or at the direction of the board of directors, the chairman of our board or our chief executive officer or upon the written demand of holders of not less than 25% of the total voting power of all the then outstanding shares of our capital stock.
To the extent permitted under applicable law, we may conduct meetings by remote communications, including by webcast.
Dissenters’ Rights of Appraisal and Payment
Under the DGCL, with certain exceptions, our stockholders will have appraisal rights in connection with a merger or consolidation of our company. Pursuant to the DGCL, stockholders who properly request and perfect appraisal rights in connection with such merger or consolidation will have the right to receive payment of the fair value of their shares as determined by the Delaware Court of Chancery.
Stockholders’ Derivative Actions
Under the DGCL, any of our stockholders may bring an action in our name to procure a judgment in our favor, also known as a derivative action, provided that the stockholder bringing the action is a holder of our shares at the time of the transaction to which the action relates or such stockholder’s stock thereafter devolved by operation of law.
Exclusive Forum
Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that unless we consent to the selection of an alternative forum, the Delaware Court of Chancery shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for any (i) derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of our company, (ii) action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer, employee or stockholder of our company to our company or our stockholders, (iii) action asserting a claim against our company or any director or officer of our company arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, our Certificate of Incorporation or our By-laws or (iv) action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of capital stock of our company shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the forum provisions in our Certificate of Incorporation.
Limitations on Liability and Indemnification of Officers and Directors
The DGCL authorizes corporations to limit or eliminate the personal liability of directors to corporations and their stockholders for monetary damages for breaches of directors’ fiduciary duties, subject to certain exceptions. Our Certificate of Incorporation includes a provision that eliminates the personal liability of directors for monetary damages to the corporation or its stockholders for any breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted under the DGCL. The effect of this provision is to eliminate the rights of us and our stockholders, through stockholders’ derivative suits on our behalf, to recover monetary damages from a director for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, including breaches resulting from grossly negligent behavior. However, exculpation does not apply to any director if the director has acted in bad faith, knowingly or intentionally violated the law, authorized illegal dividends or redemptions or derived an improper benefit from his or her actions as a director.
Our By-laws provide that we must indemnify and advance expenses to our directors and officers to the fullest extent authorized by the DGCL. We also are expressly authorized to carry directors’ and officers’ liability insurance providing indemnification for our directors, officers and certain employees for any liabilities. We believe that these indemnification and advancement provisions and insurance are useful to attract and retain qualified directors and executive officers.
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The limitation of liability, indemnification and advancement provisions in our Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against directors and officers, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our stockholders.
There is currently no pending material litigation or proceeding involving any of our directors, officers or employees for which indemnification is sought.
Indemnification Agreements
We have entered into indemnification agreements with our directors and executive officers. These agreements require us to indemnify these individuals to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law against liabilities that may arise by reason of their service to us, and to advance expenses incurred as a result of any proceeding against them as to which they could be indemnified. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors or executive officers, we have been informed that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy and is therefore unenforceable.
Anti-Takeover Effects of Our Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws
Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer
The restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock discussed under the caption “Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer” prevent any person from acquiring more than 9.8% (in value or in number of shares, whichever is more restrictive) of our outstanding common stock or more than 9.8% (in value or in number of shares, whichever is more restrictive) of any outstanding class or series of our preferred stock without the approval of our board of directors. These provisions may delay, defer or prevent a change in control of us.
Undesignated Preferred Stock
The ability to authorize undesignated preferred stock will make it possible for our board of directors to issue preferred stock with super-majority voting, special approval, dividend or other rights or preferences that could impede the success of any attempt to acquire us or otherwise effect a change in control of us. These and other provisions may have the effect of deferring, delaying or discouraging hostile takeovers, or changes in control or management of our company.
We do not have a stockholder rights plan or any class or series of preferred stock designated in connection with such a plan, and if our board of directors were ever to adopt a stockholder rights plan in the future without prior stockholder approval, our board of directors would either submit the plan to stockholders for ratification or cause the rights plan to expire within one year.
Requirements for Advance Notification of Stockholder Meetings, Nominations and Proposals
Our By-laws establish advance notice procedures with respect to stockholder proposals and the nomination of candidates for election as directors, other than nominations made by or at the direction of the board of directors or a committee of the board of directors. For any matter to be “properly brought” before a meeting, a stockholder will have to comply with advance notice requirements and provide us with certain information specified by our By-laws about the stockholder, its affiliates and any proposed business or nominee for election as a director, including information about the economic interest of the stockholder, its affiliates and any proposed nominee in us. Additionally, vacancies and newly created directorships may be filled only by a vote of a majority of the directors then in office, even though less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, and not by the stockholders. Our By-laws provide for certain procedures with respect to the resignation of any director who does not receive a majority of the votes cast in an uncontested election. Our By-laws allow the presiding officer at a meeting of the stockholders to adopt rules and regulations for the conduct of meetings which may have the effect of precluding the conduct of certain business at a meeting if the rules and regulations are not followed. These provisions may also defer, delay or discourage a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect the acquirer’s own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to influence or obtain control of our company.
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In addition to the director nomination provisions described above, our By-laws contain a “proxy access” provision that provides that any stockholder or group of up to twenty stockholders who qualify as an eligible stockholder (as defined in our By-laws) who has owned 3% or more of our outstanding common stock continuously for at least three years may nominate and include in our proxy materials director candidates constituting up to 20% of our board of directors or two directors, whichever is greater, provided that the stockholders and the nominees satisfy the eligibility requirements specified in our By-laws. A stockholder or group of stockholders proposing to nominate a person for election to our board of directors through the proxy access provision must provide us with a notice requesting the inclusion of the director nominee in our proxy materials and other required information not less than 120 days nor more than 150 days prior to the first anniversary of the date of the proxy statement for the preceding year’s annual meeting of stockholders. The complete proxy access provisions for director nominations are set forth in our By-laws.
No Cumulative Voting
The DGCL provides that stockholders are not entitled to the right to cumulate votes in the election of directors unless our Certificate of Incorporation provides otherwise. Our Certificate of Incorporation does not provide for cumulative voting.
Stockholder Action by Written Consent
Pursuant to Section 228 of the DGCL, any action required to be taken at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, is or are signed by the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares of our stock entitled to vote thereon were present and voted, unless our Certificate of Incorporation provides otherwise. Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that any action required or permitted to be taken by our stockholders may not be effected by consent in writing by stockholders unless such action is recommended by all directors then in office.
Delaware Anti-Takeover Statute
We have opted out of Section 203 of the DGCL. Section 203 provides that, subject to certain exceptions specified in the law, a publicly held Delaware corporation shall not engage in certain “business combinations” with any “interested stockholder” for a three-year period after the date of the transaction in which the person became an interested stockholder. These provisions could prohibit or delay the accomplishment of mergers, assets or stock sales or other takeover or change-in-control attempts that are not approved by a company’s board of directors, including discouraging attempts that might result in a premium over the market price for the shares of common stock held by our stockholders.
REIT Qualification
Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that our board of directors may revoke or otherwise terminate our REIT election, without approval of our stockholders, if we determine that it is no longer in our best interests to continue to qualify as a REIT.
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RESTRICTIONS ON OWNERSHIP AND TRANSFER
In order for us to qualify as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes, our stock must be beneficially owned by 100 or more persons during at least 335 days of a taxable year of 12 months (other than our taxable year ended December 31, 2017) or during a proportionate part of a shorter taxable year. Also, not more than 50% of the value of the outstanding shares of our stock may be owned, directly, indirectly or through attribution, by five or fewer individuals (as defined in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) to include certain entities such as qualified pension plans) during the last half of a taxable year (other than our taxable year ended December 31, 2017). In addition, if we or one or more owners of 10% or more of our stock actually or constructively own 10% or more of a tenant (or subtenant) of ours, the rent received by us from such tenant generally will not be qualifying income for purposes of the REIT gross income tests of the Code, unless the tenant qualifies as a taxable REIT subsidiary (a “TRS”) (and we do not own, actually or constructively, 10% or more of a subtenant), and the leased property is a “qualified lodging facility” operated by an “eligible independent contractor” under the Code.
An “eligible independent contractor” means, with respect to any “qualified lodging facility,” any “independent contractor” if, at the time such contractor enters into a management agreement to operate such qualified lodging facility, such contractor is actively engaged in the trade or business of operating qualified lodging facilities for any person who is not a related person with respect to us or our TRS lessees. An “independent contractor” means any person (i) who does not own, directly or indirectly, more than 35% of shares of our stock and (ii) if such person is a corporation, not more than 35% of the total combined voting power of whose stock (or 35% of the total shares of all classes of whose stock) or, if such person is not a corporation, not more than 35% of the interest in whose assets or net profits is owned, directly or indirectly, by one or more persons owning 35% or more of the shares of our stock, in each case, taking into account certain attribution rules. Since our stock is regularly traded on an established securities market, only persons who own, directly or indirectly, more than 5% of the shares of our stock are taken into account as owning any of our shares for purposes of applying the 35% limitation in clause (ii) of the preceding sentence (but all of our outstanding shares are considered outstanding to compute the denominator for purpose of determining the applicable percentage of ownership).
To assist us in complying with the limitations on the concentration of ownership of our stock imposed by the Code, our Certificate of Incorporation contains restrictions on the ownership and transfer of our stock. Subject to the exceptions described below, no person or entity (other than a person or entity that has been granted an exemption) may directly or indirectly, beneficially own, or be deemed to own by virtue of the applicable constructive ownership provisions of the Code, more than 9.8%, in value or in number of shares, whichever is more restrictive, of our outstanding common stock, or more than 9.8%, in value or in number of shares, whichever is more restrictive, of any outstanding class or series of our preferred stock. We refer to these restrictions, collectively, as the “ownership limit.”
The constructive ownership rules under the Code are complex and may cause stock owned actually or constructively by a group of related individuals and/or entities to be owned constructively by one individual or entity. As a result, the acquisition of less than 9.8% of our outstanding common stock or 9.8% of any class or series of our preferred stock, or the acquisition of an interest in an entity that owns our stock, could, nevertheless, cause the acquiror or another individual or entity to own our stock in excess of the ownership limit.
Our board of directors may, upon receipt of certain representations and agreements and in its sole discretion, prospectively or retroactively, waive the ownership limit and may establish or increase a different limit on ownership, or excepted holder limit, for a particular stockholder if the stockholder’s ownership in excess of the ownership limit would not result in our being “closely held” under Section 856(h) of the Code (without regard to whether the ownership interest is held during the last half of a taxable year) or otherwise failing to qualify as a REIT (including, but not limited to, as a result of any “eligible independent contractor” that operates a “qualified lodging facility” (as such terms are defined in Section 856(d)(9)(A) and Section 856(d)(9)(D) of the Code, respectively) on behalf of our TRS Lessees failing to qualify as such). As a condition of granting a waiver of the ownership limit or creating an excepted holder limit, our board of directors may, but is not required to, require an opinion of counsel or IRS ruling satisfactory to our board of directors as it may deem necessary or advisable to determine or ensure our status as a REIT and may impose such other conditions or restrictions as it deems appropriate.
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In connection with granting a waiver of the ownership limit or creating or modifying an excepted holder limit, or at any other time, our board of directors may increase or decrease the ownership limit unless, after giving effect to any increased or decreased ownership limit, five or fewer persons could beneficially own, in the aggregate, more than 49.9% in value of the shares of our stock then outstanding or we would otherwise fail to qualify as a REIT (including, but not limited to, as a result of any “eligible independent contractor” that operates a “qualified lodging facility” (as such terms are defined in Section 856(d)(9)(A) and Section 856(d)(9)(D) of the Code, respectively) on behalf of our TRS Lessees failing to qualify as such). A decreased ownership limit will not apply to any person or entity whose percentage of ownership of our stock is in excess of the decreased ownership limit until the person or entity’s ownership of our stock equals or falls below the decreased ownership limit, but any further acquisition of our stock will be subject to the decreased ownership limit.
Our Certificate of Incorporation also prohibits:
| • | any person from beneficially or constructively owning shares of our stock that would (or, in the sole judgment of our board of directors, could) result in our being “closely held” under Section 856(h) of the Code (without regard to whether the ownership interest is held during the last half of a taxable year) or otherwise cause us to fail to qualify as a REIT; |
| • | any person from beneficially or constructively owning shares of our stock that would cause any hotel manager to fail to qualify as an “eligible independent contractor” that operates a “qualified lodging facility” (as such terms are defined in Section 856(d)(9)(A) and Section 856(d)(9)(D) of the Code, respectively) on behalf of our TRS Lessees; |
| • | any person from transferring shares of our stock if the transfer would result in shares of our stock being beneficially owned by fewer than 100 persons; and |
| • | any person from beneficially owning shares of our stock to the extent such ownership would result in our failing to qualify as a “domestically controlled qualified investment entity” within the meaning of Section 897(h) of the Code. |
Any person who acquires or attempts or intends to acquire beneficial or constructive ownership of shares of our stock that will or may violate the ownership limit or any of the other restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock, and any person who is the intended transferee of shares of our stock that are transferred to a trust for the benefit of one or more charitable beneficiaries described below, must give immediate written notice to us of such an event or, in the case of a proposed or attempted transfer, give at least 15 days’ prior written notice to us and must provide us with such other information as we may request to determine the effect of the transfer on our status as a REIT. The provisions of our Certificate of Incorporation relating to the restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock will not apply if our board of directors determines that it is no longer in our best interests to continue to qualify as a REIT, or that compliance is no longer required in order for us to qualify as a REIT.
Any attempted transfer of our stock that, if effective, would result in our stock being beneficially owned by fewer than 100 persons will be null and void. Any attempted transfer of our stock that, if effective, would result in (i) a violation of the ownership limit (or other exempted holder limit established by our Certificate of Incorporation or our board of directors), (ii) our being “closely held” under Section 856(h) of the Code (without regard to whether the ownership interest is held during the last half of a taxable year) or our otherwise failing to qualify as a REIT, (iii) any hotel manager, including Hilton, failing to qualify as an “eligible independent contractor” that operates a “qualified lodging facility” (as such terms are defined in Section 856(d)(9)(A) and Section 856(d)(9)(D) of the Code, respectively) on behalf of our TRS Lessees, or (iv) our failing to qualify as a “domestically controlled qualified investment entity” within the meaning of Section 897(h) of the Code will cause the number of shares causing the violation (rounded up to the nearest whole share) to be transferred automatically to a trust for the exclusive benefit of one or more charitable beneficiaries, and the proposed transferee will not acquire any rights in the shares. The automatic transfer will be effective as of the close of business on the business day prior to the date of the attempted transfer or other event that resulted in a transfer to the trust. If the transfer to the trust as described above is not automatically effective, for any reason, to prevent a violation of the applicable restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock, then the attempted transfer that, if effective, would have resulted in (i) a violation of the ownership limit (or other limit established by our Certificate of Incorporation or our board of directors), (ii) our being “closely held” under Section 856(h) of the Code (without regard to whether the ownership interest is held during the last half of a taxable year) or our otherwise failing to qualify as a REIT, (iii) any hotel manager, including Hilton, failing to qualify as an “eligible independent contractor” that operates a “qualified lodging facility” (as such terms are defined in Section 856(d)(9)(A) and Section 856(d)(9)(D) of the Code, respectively) on behalf of our TRS Lessees, or (iv) our failing to qualify as a “domestically controlled qualified investment entity,” will be null and void.
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Shares of our stock held in the trust will be issued and outstanding shares. The proposed transferee will not benefit economically from ownership of any shares of our stock held in the trust and will have no rights to dividends and no rights to vote or other rights attributable to the shares of our stock held in the trust. The proposed transferee will have no claim, cause of action, or any other recourse whatsoever against the purported transferor of such shares of our stock. The trustee of the trust will exercise all voting rights and receive all dividends and other distributions with respect to shares held in the trust for the exclusive benefit of the charitable beneficiary of the trust. Any dividend or other distribution paid before we discover that the shares have been transferred to a trust as described above must be repaid by the recipient to the trustee upon demand. Subject to Delaware law, effective as of the date that the shares have been transferred to the trust, the trustee will have the authority to rescind as void any vote cast by a proposed transferee before our discovery that the shares have been transferred to the trust and to recast the vote in the sole discretion of the trustee acting for the benefit of the charitable beneficiary. However, if we have already taken irreversible corporate action, the trustee will not have the authority to rescind or recast the vote.
Within 20 days of receiving notice from us of a transfer of shares to the trust, the trustee must sell such shares to a person that would be permitted to own the shares without violating the ownership limit or the other restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock set forth in our Certificate of Incorporation. After the sale of the shares, the interest of the charitable beneficiary in the shares transferred to the trust will terminate and the trustee must distribute to the proposed transferee an amount equal to the lesser of:
| • | the price paid by the proposed transferee for the shares or, if the event that resulted in the transfer to the trust did not involve value, the market price (which generally will be the last sale price reported on the NYSE) on the day of the event that resulted in the transfer of such shares to the trust; and |
| • | the sales proceeds (net of commissions and other expenses of sale) received by the trust for the shares. |
The trustee must distribute any remaining funds held by the trust with respect to the shares to the charitable beneficiary. If the shares are sold by the proposed transferee before we discover that they have been transferred to the trust, the shares will be deemed to have been sold on behalf of the trust and the proposed transferee must pay to the trustee, upon demand, the amount, if any, that the proposed transferee received in excess of the amount that the proposed transferee would have received had the shares been sold by the trustee.
Shares of our stock held in the trust will be deemed to be offered for sale to us, or our designee, at a price per share equal to the lesser of:
| • | the price per share in the transaction that resulted in the transfer to the trust or, in the case of a devise or gift, the market price at the time of such devise or gift; and |
| • | the market price on the date we accept, or our designee accepts, such offer. |
We may accept the offer until the trustee has otherwise sold the shares of our stock held in the trust. Upon a sale to us, the interest of the charitable beneficiary in the shares sold will terminate and the trustee must distribute the net proceeds of the sale to the proposed transferee and distribute any dividends or other distributions held by the trustee with respect to the shares to the charitable beneficiary.
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Every owner of 5% or more (or such lower percentage as required by the Code or the regulations promulgated thereunder) of our stock, within 30 days after the end of each taxable year, must give us written notice stating the person’s name and address, the number of shares of each class and series of our stock that the person beneficially owns and a description of the manner in which the shares are held. Each such owner also must provide us with any additional information that we request to determine the effect, if any, of the person’s beneficial ownership on our status as a REIT and to ensure compliance with the ownership limit. In addition, any person or entity that is a beneficial owner or constructive owner of shares of our stock and any person or entity (including the stockholder of record) who is holding shares of our stock for a beneficial owner or constructive owner must, on request, disclose to us in writing such information as we may request to determine our status as a REIT or to comply, or determine our compliance, with the requirements of any governmental or taxing authority.
If our board of directors authorizes any of our shares to be represented by certificates, the certificates will bear a legend referring to the restrictions described above.
These restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock could delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change of control of us that might involve a premium price for our common stock or otherwise be in the best interests of our stockholders.
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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS
The following is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in our common stock. This summary is based on the Code, the Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder, and judicial and administrative interpretations thereof, all as in effect as of the date of this prospectus and all of which are subject to differing interpretations and may change at any time, possibly with retroactive effect. Any such change could affect the tax consequences described below. This summary does not discuss all tax considerations that may be relevant to stockholders in light of their particular circumstances, nor does it address the consequences to stockholders subject to special treatment under the U.S. federal income tax laws, such as:
| • | persons acting as nominees or otherwise not as beneficial owners; |
| • | dealers or traders in securities; |
| • | broker-dealers; |
| • | traders in securities that elect to use the mark to market method of accounting; |
| • | tax-exempt entities (except to the extent discussed below); |
| • | cooperatives; |
| • | banks, trusts, financial institutions or insurance companies; |
| • | persons who acquire shares our common stock pursuant to the exercise of employee stock options or otherwise as compensation; |
| • | stockholders who own, or are deemed to own, at least 10% or more, by voting power or value, of our equity; |
| • | holders owning our common stock as part of a position in a straddle or as part of a hedging, conversion, constructive sale, synthetic security, integrated investment, or other risk reduction transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes; |
| • | regulated investment companies; |
| • | REITs; |
| • | foreign (non-U.S.) governments; |
| • | non-U.S. stockholders (except to the extent discussed below); |
| • | former citizens or former long-term residents of the U.S.; |
| • | holders who are subject to the alternative minimum tax; |
| • | pass-through entities (such as entities treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes); or |
| • | persons that own our common stock through partnerships or other pass-through entities. |
This summary does not address the U.S. federal income tax consequences to our stockholders who do not hold shares of our common stock as a capital asset. Moreover, this summary does not address any state, local, or foreign tax consequences, or any estate or gift tax consequences, or tax consequences other than U.S. federal income tax consequences.
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If a partnership (or any other entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) holds shares of our common stock, the tax treatment of a partner in that partnership generally will depend on the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership.
YOU ARE URGED TO CONSULT WITH YOUR TAX ADVISOR AS TO THE SPECIFIC U.S. FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL, AND NON-U.S. TAX CONSEQUENCES OF HOLDING OUR COMMON STOCK IN LIGHT OF YOUR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES AND THE EFFECT OF POSSIBLE CHANGES IN LAW THAT MIGHT AFFECT THE TAX CONSEQUENCES DESCRIBED IN THIS PROSPECTUS.
U.S. Federal Income Taxation of Park
For U.S. federal income tax purposes, we made an election to be taxed as a REIT, with the filing of our initial U.S. federal income tax return for the year ended December 31, 2017. We indirectly own interests in an entity that elected to be taxed as a REIT commencing with its initial taxable year ending December 31, 2019 (“Park Subsidiary REIT”). Park Subsidiary REIT is subject to the same REIT qualification requirements and other limitations described herein that apply to us. We believe that we are organized and have operated in a REIT qualified manner and we intend to continue to operate in such a manner. Our qualification and taxation as a REIT depends upon our ability to meet, on a continuing basis, various qualification requirements imposed upon REITs by the Code. The material qualification requirements are summarized below under “—Requirements for Qualification—General.” While we believe that we are organized and have operated and we intend to continue to be organized and operate so that we qualify to be taxed as a REIT, no assurance can be given that the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) will not challenge our qualification or that we will be able to operate in accordance with the REIT requirements in the future. See “—Failure to Qualify.” The sections of the Code that relate to our qualification and operation as a REIT are highly technical and complex. This discussion sets forth the material aspects of the sections of the Code that govern the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a REIT and its stockholders. This summary is qualified in its entirety by the applicable Code provisions, relevant rules and Treasury regulations, and related administrative and judicial interpretations.
Taxation of REITs in General
Provided that we qualify to be taxed as a REIT, generally we will be entitled to a deduction for dividends that we pay and therefore will not be subject to U.S. federal corporate income tax on our REIT taxable income that is currently distributed to our stockholders. This treatment substantially eliminates the “double taxation” at the corporate and stockholder levels that generally results from an investment in a C corporation. A “C corporation” is a corporation that generally is required to pay tax at the corporate level. Double taxation means taxation once at the corporate level when income is earned and once again at the stockholder level when the income is distributed. In general, the income that we generate is taxed only at the stockholder level upon a distribution of dividends to our stockholders.
U.S. stockholders generally will be subject to taxation on dividends distributed by us (other than designated capital gain dividends and “qualified dividend income”) at rates applicable to ordinary income, instead of at lower capital gain rates. For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026, generally, U.S. stockholders that are individuals, trusts or estates may deduct 20% of the aggregate amount of ordinary dividends distributed by us, subject to certain limitations. Capital gain dividends and qualified dividend income will continue to be subject to a maximum 20% rate. See “—Taxation of Stockholders—Taxation of Taxable U.S. Stockholders—Distributions.”
Any net operating losses, foreign tax credits and other tax attributes generally do not pass through to our stockholders, subject to special rules for certain items such as the capital gains that we recognize. See “—Taxation of Stockholders—Taxation of Taxable U.S. Stockholders—Distributions.”
Even if we qualify to be taxed as a REIT, we will nonetheless be subject to U.S. federal tax in the following circumstances:
| • | We will be taxed at regular corporate rates on any undistributed net taxable income, including undistributed net capital gains. |
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| • | If we have net income from prohibited transactions, which are, in general, sales or other dispositions of inventory or property held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business, other than foreclosure property, such income will be subject to a 100% tax. See “—Prohibited Transactions” and “—Foreclosure Property.” |
| • | If we elect to treat property that we acquire in connection with a foreclosure of a mortgage loan or certain leasehold terminations as “foreclosure property,” we may thereby avoid the 100% tax on gain from a resale of that property (if the sale would otherwise constitute a prohibited transaction), but the income from the sale or operation of the property may be subject to corporate income tax at the highest applicable rate (currently 21%). |
| • | If we fail to satisfy the 75% gross income test or the 95% gross income test, as discussed below, but nonetheless maintain our qualification to be taxed as a REIT because we satisfy other requirements, we will be subject to a 100% tax on an amount based on the magnitude of the failure, as adjusted to reflect the profit margin associated with our gross income. |
| • | If we violate the asset tests (other than certain de minimis violations) or other requirements applicable to REITs, as described below, and yet maintain our qualification to be taxed as a REIT because there is reasonable cause for the failure and other applicable requirements are met, we may be subject to a penalty tax. In that case, the amount of the penalty tax will be at least $50,000 per failure, and, in the case of certain asset test failures, will be determined as the amount of net income generated by the non-qualifying assets in question multiplied by the highest corporate tax rate (currently 21%) if that amount exceeds $50,000 per failure. |
| • | If we fail to distribute during each calendar year at least the sum of (1) 85% of our ordinary income for such year, (2) 95% of our capital gain net income for such year and (3) any undistributed net taxable income from prior periods, we will be subject to a nondeductible 4% excise tax on the excess of the required distribution over the sum of (a) the amounts that we actually distributed (taking into account excess distributions from prior years) and (b) the amounts we retained and upon which we paid income tax at the corporate level. |
| • | We may be required to pay monetary penalties to the IRS in certain circumstances, including if we fail to meet record-keeping requirements intended to monitor our compliance with rules relating to the composition of a REIT’s stockholders, as described below in “—Requirements for Qualification—General.” |
| • | A 100% tax may be imposed on items of income and expense relating to transactions between us and a TRS that do not reflect arm’s-length terms. |
| • | If we recognize gain on the disposition of any asset we acquire from a corporation that is not a REIT (i.e., a corporation taxable under subchapter C of the Code) in a transaction in which the adjusted tax basis of the assets in our hands is determined by reference to the adjusted tax basis in the hands of the C corporation during a specified period (generally, the five-year period following such acquisition, as applicable), then we will owe tax at the highest corporate tax rate on the lesser of (1) the excess of the fair market value of the asset on the acquisition date over the basis in the asset at such time, and (2) the gain recognized upon the disposition of such asset. We own appreciated assets that were held by a C corporation, and were acquired by us in the spin-off from Hilton Worldwide in a transaction in which the adjusted tax basis of the assets in our hands was determined by reference to the adjusted basis of the asset in the hands of such C corporation. If we dispose of any such appreciated assets prior to January 4, 2022, we will be subject to tax as described above. |
| • | We may elect to retain and pay income tax on our net long-term capital gain. In that case, a stockholder would include its proportionate share of our undistributed long-term capital gain (to the extent we make a timely designation of such gain to the stockholder) in its income, would be deemed to have paid the tax that we paid on such gain, and would be allowed a credit for its proportionate share of the tax deemed to have been paid, and an adjustment would be made to increase the stockholder’s basis in our stock. |
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| • | The earnings of our TRSs generally will be subject to U.S. federal corporate income tax. |
In addition, we and our subsidiaries may be subject to a variety of taxes, including payroll taxes and state, local, and any applicable non-U.S. income, sales & use, property, gross receipts and other taxes on our assets and operations. We could also be subject to tax in situations and on transactions not presently contemplated.
Requirements for Qualification—General
The Code defines a REIT as a corporation, trust or association:
| (1) | that is managed by one or more trustees or directors; |
| (2) | the beneficial ownership of which is evidenced by transferable shares, or by transferable certificates of beneficial interest; |
| (3) | that would be taxable as a domestic corporation but for its election to be subject to tax as a REIT; |
| (4) | that is neither a financial institution nor an insurance company subject to specific provisions of the Code; |
| (5) | the beneficial ownership of which is held by 100 or more persons; |
| (6) | in which, during the last half of each taxable year, not more than 50% in value of the outstanding stock is owned, directly or indirectly, by five or fewer “individuals” (as defined in the Code to include specified tax-exempt entities); |
| (7) | that makes an election to be a REIT for the current taxable year, or has made such an election for a previous taxable year that has not been revoked or terminated, and satisfies all relevant filing and other administrative requirements established by the IRS that must be met to elect and maintain REIT status; |
| (8) | that uses a calendar year for U.S. federal income tax purposes; |
| (9) | that has no earnings and profits from any non-REIT year at the close of any taxable year; and |
| (10) | that meets other tests described below, including with respect to the nature of its income and assets. |
The Code provides that conditions (1) through (4) must be met during the entire taxable year, and that condition (5) must be met during at least 335 days of a taxable year of twelve months, or during a proportionate part of a shorter taxable year. Conditions (5) and (6) need not be met during a corporation’s initial tax year as a REIT (which, in our case, is 2017). Our Certificate of Incorporation provides restrictions regarding the ownership and transfers of shares of our stock, which are intended to assist us in satisfying the stock ownership requirements described in conditions (5) and (6) above, among other purposes. These restrictions, however, may not ensure that we will, in all cases, be able to satisfy the share ownership requirements described in conditions (5) and (6) above. If we fail to satisfy these share ownership requirements, except as provided in the next sentence, our status as a REIT will terminate. If, however, we comply with the rules contained in applicable Treasury regulations that require us to ascertain the actual ownership of our stock and we do not know, or would not have known through the exercise of reasonable diligence, that we failed to meet the requirement described in condition (6) above, we will be treated as having met this requirement.
To monitor compliance with the stock ownership requirements, we generally are required to maintain records regarding the actual ownership of our stock. To do so, we must demand written statements each year from the record holders of significant percentages of our stock pursuant to which the record holders must disclose the actual owners of the stock (i.e., the persons required to include our dividends in their gross income). We must maintain a list of those persons failing or refusing to comply with this demand as part of our records. We could be subject to monetary penalties if we fail to comply with these record-keeping requirements. If such record holder fails or refuses to comply with the demands, such record holder will be required by Treasury regulations to submit a statement with such record holder’s tax return disclosing such record holder’s actual ownership of our stock and other information.
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December 31 is our taxable year-end and we thereby satisfy condition (8) (that a REIT’s taxable year is the calendar year).
A REIT is not permitted to have accumulated earnings and profits attributable to non-REIT years. Hilton Worldwide allocated its accumulated earnings and profits (as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes) for periods prior to the spin-off in a manner that, in its best judgment, was in accordance with the provisions of the Code. To comply with condition (9) above, on March 9, 2017 we paid a dividend of $2.79 per share to our stockholders to distribute our accumulated earnings and profits attributable to any non-REIT years (the “Purging Distribution”). We believe that the Purging Distribution satisfied the requirements relating to the distribution of our pre-REIT accumulated earnings and profits. See “—Annual Distribution Requirements— Earnings and Profits Distribution Requirement” and “—Taxation of Stockholders—Taxation of Taxable U.S. Stockholders—Distributions” for further discussion.
Effect of Subsidiary Entities
Ownership of Partnership Interests
We have interests in joint ventures that are partnerships for tax purposes. If we are a partner in an entity that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, Treasury regulations provide that we are deemed to own our proportionate share of the partnership’s assets, and to earn our proportionate share of the partnership’s income, for purposes of the asset and gross income tests applicable to REITs. Our proportionate share of a partnership’s assets and income is based on our capital interest in the partnership (except that for purposes of the 10% Value Asset Test, described below, our proportionate share of the partnership’s assets is based on our proportionate interest in the equity and certain debt securities issued by the partnership). In addition, the assets and gross income of the partnership are deemed to retain the same character in our hands. Thus, our proportionate share of the assets and items of income of any of our subsidiary partnerships will be treated as our assets and items of income for purposes of applying the REIT requirements.
If we become a limited partner or non-managing member in any partnership or limited liability company and such entity takes or expects to take actions that could jeopardize our status as a REIT or require us to pay tax, we may be forced to dispose of our interest in such entity. In addition, it is possible that a partnership or limited liability company could take an action which could cause us to fail a gross income or asset test, and that we would not become aware of such action in time to dispose of our interest in the partnership or limited liability company or take other corrective action on a timely basis. In that case, we could fail to qualify to be taxed as a REIT unless we were entitled to relief, as described below under “—Income Tests—Failure to Satisfy the Gross Income Tests” and “—Asset Tests.”
Under the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, liability is imposed on the partnership (rather than its partners) for adjustments to reported partnership taxable income resulting from audits or other tax proceedings. The liability can include an imputed underpayment of tax, calculated by using the highest marginal U.S. federal income tax rate, as well as interest and penalties on such imputed underpayment of tax. Using certain rules, partnerships may be able to transfer these liabilities to their partners. In the event any adjustments are imposed by the IRS on the taxable income reported by any of our subsidiary partnerships, we intend to utilize the rules to the extent possible to allow us to transfer any liability with respect to such adjustments to the partners of our subsidiary partnerships who should properly bear such liability. However, there is no assurance that we will qualify under those rules or that we will have the authority to use those rules under the operating agreements for our subsidiary partnerships.
Disregarded Subsidiaries
If we own a corporate subsidiary that is a QRS, that subsidiary is generally disregarded as a separate entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and all of the subsidiary’s assets, liabilities and items of income, deduction and credit are treated as our assets, liabilities and items of income, deduction and credit, including for purposes of the gross income and asset tests applicable to REITs. A QRS is any corporation, other than a TRS (as described below), that is directly or indirectly wholly owned by a REIT. Other entities that are wholly owned by us, including single member limited liability companies that have not elected to be taxed as corporations for U.S. federal income tax purposes, are also generally disregarded as separate entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes, including for purposes of the REIT income and asset tests. Disregarded subsidiaries, along with any partnerships in which we hold an equity interest, are sometimes referred to herein as “pass-through subsidiaries.”
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In the event that a disregarded subsidiary of ours ceases to be wholly owned—for example, if any equity interest in the subsidiary is acquired by a person other than us or another disregarded subsidiary of ours—the subsidiary’s separate existence would no longer be disregarded for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Instead, the subsidiary would have multiple owners and would be treated as either a partnership or a taxable corporation. Such an event could, depending on the circumstances, adversely affect our ability to satisfy the various asset and gross income requirements applicable to REITs, including the requirement that REITs generally may not own, directly or indirectly, more than 10% of the securities of another corporation. See “—Asset Tests” and “—Income Tests.”
Taxable REIT Subsidiaries
In general, we may jointly elect with a subsidiary corporation, whether or not wholly owned, to treat such subsidiary corporation as a TRS. We generally may not own more than 10% of the securities of a taxable corporation, as measured by voting power or value, unless we and such corporation elect to treat such corporation as a TRS. The separate existence of a TRS or other taxable corporation is not ignored for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Accordingly, a TRS or other taxable subsidiary corporation generally is subject to corporate income tax on its earnings, which may reduce the cash flow that we and our subsidiaries generate in the aggregate, and may reduce our ability to make distributions to our stockholders.
We are not treated as holding the assets of a TRS or other taxable subsidiary corporation or as receiving any income that the subsidiary earns. Rather, the stock issued by a taxable subsidiary corporation to us is an asset in our hands, and we treat the dividends paid to us from such taxable subsidiary corporation, if any, as income. This treatment can affect our income and asset test calculations, as described below. Because we do not include the assets and income of TRSs or other taxable subsidiary corporations on a look-through basis in determining our compliance with the REIT requirements, we may use such entities to undertake indirectly activities that the REIT rules might otherwise preclude us from doing directly or through pass-through subsidiaries. For example, we may use TRSs or other taxable subsidiary corporations to perform services or conduct activities that give rise to certain categories of income or to conduct activities that, if conducted by us directly, would be treated in our hands as prohibited transactions.
A TRS may not directly or indirectly operate or manage a lodging facility. However, rent received by a REIT from the lease of a qualified lodging facility to a TRS Lessee may qualify as “rents from real property” for purposes of both the 75% and 95% gross income tests, provided that the facility is operated by a hotel management company that qualifies as an “eligible independent contractor.” The Code defines a “qualified lodging facility” generally to mean a hotel, motel, or other establishment more than one-half of the dwelling units in which are used on a transient basis, unless wagering activities are conducted at or in connection with such facility by any person who is engaged in the business of accepting wagers and who is legally authorized to engage in such business at or in connection with such facility. A “qualified lodging facility” includes customary amenities and facilities operated as part of, or associated with, the lodging facility as long as such amenities and facilities are customary for other properties of a comparable size and class owned by other unrelated owners. If the IRS were to treat a subsidiary corporation of ours as directly or indirectly operating or managing a lodging facility, such subsidiary would not qualify as a TRS, which could jeopardize our REIT qualification under the REIT 5% and 10% asset tests.
Generally, an “eligible independent contractor” is a person from whom we derive no income, who is adequately compensated, and who is, or is related to a person who is, actively engaged in the trade or business of operating “qualified lodging facilities” for any person unrelated to us and any TRS Lessee. A hotel management company that otherwise would qualify as an “eligible independent contractor” with regard to a TRS of a REIT will not so qualify if (i) the hotel management company and/or one or more actual or constructive owners of 10% or more of the hotel management company actually or constructively own more than 35% of the REIT, or (ii) one or more actual or constructive owners of more than 35% of the hotel management company own 35% or more of the REIT (determined with respect to a REIT whose shares of stock are regularly traded on an established securities market by taking into account only the shares of stock held by persons owning, actually or constructively, more than 5% of the outstanding shares of the REIT and, if the stock of the hotel management company is regularly traded on an established securities market, determined by taking into account only the shares held by persons owning, actually or constructively, more than 5% of the publicly traded stock of the hotel management company). Qualification as an eligible independent contractor involves the interpretation and application of highly technical and complex Code provisions for which no or only limited authorities exist.
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We have one or more TRSs and, except for the Select Hotels and certain hotels owned by our TRSs, we lease all of our hotel properties to our TRSs. We have taken and will continue to take all steps reasonably practicable to ensure that no TRS will engage in “operating” or “managing” our hotel properties. Additionally, our TRSs contract with one or more hotel management companies, including contracting with subsidiaries of Hilton Worldwide, with respect to our hotel properties. We have taken and will continue to take all steps reasonably practicable to ensure that each hotel management company engaged to operate and manage our hotel properties qualifies as an “eligible independent contractor” with regard to our TRSs. In that regard, constructive ownership under Section 318 of the Code resulting, for example, from relationships between the hotel management companies engaged to operate and manage the hotel properties and the REIT’s other stockholders could impact the hotel management companies’ ability to satisfy the applicable ownership limit. Because of the broad scope of the attribution rules of Section 318 of the Code, no assurance can be given that all potential prohibited relationships have been or will be identified. The existence of such a relationship would disqualify a hotel management company as an eligible independent contractor, which could in turn disqualify us as a REIT.
In addition to the restrictions discussed above with respect to lodging facilities, current restrictions imposed on TRSs are intended to ensure that such entities will be subject to appropriate levels of U.S. federal income taxation. First, in certain circumstances a TRS may not be able to deduct interest paid or accrued by it for U.S. federal income tax purposes. See “—Interest Deduction Limitation” below. Second, the rules impose a 100% excise tax on transactions between a TRS and its parent REIT or the REIT’s tenants that are not conducted on an arm’s-length basis. We believe that all of our transactions with our TRSs have been conducted, and we intend that all future transactions will be conducted, on an arm’s-length basis. There can be no assurance that the IRS might not seek to impose the 100% excise tax on a portion of payments received by us from, or expenses deducted by, our TRSs.
Subsidiary REIT
As discussed above, we own one subsidiary REIT: Park Subsidiary REIT. Park Subsidiary REIT elected to be taxed as a REIT commencing with its initial taxable year ending December 31, 2019. We believe that Park Subsidiary REIT is organized and has operated and will continue to operate in a manner to permit it to qualify for taxation as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, if Park Subsidiary REIT were to fail to qualify as a REIT, then (i) it would become subject to regular U.S. corporate income tax, as described herein, see “—Failure to Qualify” below, and (ii) our equity interest in Park Subsidiary REIT would cease to be a qualifying real estate asset for purposes of the 75% asset test and would become subject to the 5% asset test, the 10% voting stock asset test, and the 10% Value Asset Test generally applicable to our ownership in corporations other than REITs, QRSs and TRSs. See “—Asset Tests” below. If Park Subsidiary REIT were to fail to qualify as a REIT, it is possible that we would not meet the 10% voting stock asset test and the 10% Value Asset Test with respect to our interest in such entity, in which event we would fail to qualify as a REIT, unless we could avail ourselves of certain relief provisions.
Income Tests
To qualify to be taxed as a REIT, we must satisfy two gross income requirements on an annual basis. First, at least 75% of our gross income for each taxable year, excluding gross income from sales of inventory or dealer property in “prohibited transactions,” discharge of indebtedness and certain hedging and foreign currency transactions, generally must be derived from “rents from real property,” gains from the sale of real estate assets, interest income derived from mortgage loans secured by real property (including certain types of mortgage-backed securities), dividends received from and gain received on the disposition of shares of stock of other REITs and specified income from temporary investments. Gain from the sale of a debt instrument issued by a publicly offered REIT, unless the debt instrument is secured by real property or an interest in real property, is not treated as qualifying income for purposes of the 75% income test. Second, at least 95% of our gross income in each taxable year, excluding gross income from prohibited transactions, discharge of indebtedness and certain hedging and foreign currency transactions, must be derived from some combination of income that qualifies under the 75% gross income test described above, as well as other dividends, interest, and gain from the sale or disposition of stock or securities, which need not have any relation to real property. Income and gain from certain hedging transactions and foreign currency transactions will be excluded from both the numerator and the denominator for purposes of both the 75% and 95% gross income tests.
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Rents from Real Property
Rents we receive from a tenant will qualify as “rents from real property” for the purpose of satisfying the gross income requirements for a REIT described above only if all of the conditions described below are met.
| • | The amount of rent is not based in whole or in part on the income or profits of any person from the property. However, an amount we receive or accrue generally will not be excluded from the term “rents from real property” solely because it is based on a fixed percentage or percentages of receipts or sales; |
| • | Neither we nor an actual or constructive owner of 10% or more of our stock actually or constructively owns 10% or more of the interests in the assets or net profits of a noncorporate tenant, or, if the tenant is a corporation (but excluding any TRS), 10% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote or 10% or more of the total value of all classes of stock of the tenant. Rents we receive from such a tenant that is a TRS of ours, however, will not be excluded from the definition of “rents from real property” as a result of this condition if (1) at least 90% of the space at the property to which the rents relate is leased to third parties, and the rents paid by the TRS are “substantially comparable” to rents paid by our other tenants for comparable space, or (2) the property is a qualified lodging facility and such property is operated on behalf of the TRS by a person who is an “eligible independent contractor” and certain other requirements are met. Whether rents paid by a TRS are substantially comparable to rents paid by other tenants is determined at the time the lease with the TRS is entered into, extended, and modified, if such modification increases the rents due under such lease. Notwithstanding the foregoing, however, if a lease with a “controlled TRS” is modified and such modification results in an increase in the rents payable by such TRS, any such increase will not qualify as “rents from real property.” For purposes of this rule, a “controlled TRS” is a TRS in which the parent REIT owns stock possessing more than 50% of the voting power or more than 50% of the total value of the outstanding stock of such TRS. Our TRSs will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on their income from the operations of these properties; |
| • | Rent attributable to personal property that is leased in connection with a lease of real property is not greater than 15% of the total rent received under the lease. If this condition is not met, then the portion of the rent attributable to personal property will not qualify as “rents from real property”; and |
| • | We generally do not operate or manage the property or furnish or render services to our tenants, subject to a 1% de minimis exception and except as provided below. We are permitted, however, to perform directly certain services that are “usually or customarily rendered” in connection with the rental of space for occupancy only and are not otherwise considered “rendered to the occupant” of the property. Examples of these permitted services include the provision of light, heat or other utilities, trash removal and general maintenance of common areas. In addition, we are permitted to employ an independent contractor from whom we derive no income, or a TRS, which may be wholly or partially owned by us, to provide non-customary services to our tenants without causing the rent that we receive from those tenants to fail to qualify as “rents from real property.” |
With respect to our hotel properties that are leased to our TRSs, in order for the rent paid pursuant to the hotel leases to constitute “rents from real property,” the leases must be respected as true leases for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Accordingly, the leases cannot be treated as service contracts, joint ventures or some other type of arrangement. The determination of whether the leases are true leases for U.S. federal income tax purposes depends upon an analysis of all the surrounding facts and circumstances. In making such a determination, courts have considered a variety of factors, including the following:
| • | the intent of the parties; |
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| • | the form of the agreement; |
| • | the degree of control over the property that is retained by the property owner (for example, whether the lessee has substantial control over the operation of the property or whether the lessee was required simply to use its best efforts to perform its obligations under the agreement); and |
| • | the extent to which the property owner retains the risk of loss with respect to the property (for example, whether the lessee bears the risk of increases in operating expenses or the risk of damage to the property) or the potential for economic gain with respect to the property. |
In addition, Section 7701(e) of the Code provides that a contract that purports to be a service contract or a partnership agreement is treated instead as a lease of property if the contract is properly treated as such, taking into account all relevant factors. Since the determination of whether a service contract should be treated as a lease is inherently factual, the presence or absence of any single factor may not be dispositive in every case.
We believe that we have structured our leases to qualify as true leases for U.S. federal income tax purposes. For example, with respect to the leases, generally:
| • | the property owning entity and the lessee intend for their relationship to be that of a lessor and lessee, and such relationship will be documented by a lease agreement; |
| • | the lessee has the right to exclusive possession and use and quiet enjoyment of the hotels covered by the lease during the term of the lease; |
| • | the lessee bears the cost of, and is responsible for, day-to-day maintenance and repair of the hotels other than the cost of certain capital expenditures, and dictates through the hotel managers, who work for the lessee during the terms of the lease, how the hotels are operated and maintained; |
| • | the lessee bears all of the costs and expenses of operating the hotels, including the cost of any inventory used in their operation, during the term of the lease, other than the cost of certain furniture, fixtures and equipment, and certain capital expenditures; |
| • | the lessee benefits from any savings and bears the burdens of any increases in the costs of operating the hotels during the term of the lease; |
| • | in the event of damage or destruction to a hotel, the lessee may be at economic risk because it may bear the economic burden of the loss in income from operation of the hotels subject to the right, in certain circumstances, to terminate the lease if the lessor does not restore the hotel to its prior condition; |
| • | the lessee generally indemnifies the lessor against all liabilities imposed on the lessor during the term of the lease by reason of (A) injury to persons or damage to property occurring at the hotels or (B) the lessee’s use, management, maintenance or repair of the hotels; |
| • | the lessee is obligated to pay, at a minimum, substantial base rent for the period of use of the hotels under the lease; |
| • | the lessee stands to incur substantial losses or reap substantial gains depending on how successfully it, through the hotel managers, who work for the lessees during the terms of the leases, operates the hotels; |
| • | the lease enables the tenant to derive a meaningful profit, after expenses and taking into account the risks associated with the lease, from the operation of the hotels during the term of its leases; and |
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| • | upon termination of the lease at the end of the lease term, the applicable hotel will be expected to have a remaining useful life equal to at least 20% of its expected useful life on the date the lease is entered into, and a fair market value equal to at least 20% of its fair market value on the date the lease was entered into. |
If, however, a lease were recharacterized as a service contract or partnership agreement, rather than a true lease, or disregarded altogether for tax purposes, all or part of the payments that the lessor receives from the lessee would not be considered rent and would not otherwise satisfy the various requirements for qualification as “rents from real property.”
As described above, in order for the rent that we receive to constitute “rents from real property,” several other requirements must be satisfied. First, rent must not be based in whole or in part on the income or profits of any person. Rent that consists, in whole or in part, of one or more percentages of the lessee’s receipts or sales in excess of determinable dollar amounts, however, will qualify as “rents from real property” if:
| • | the determinable amounts do not depend in whole or in part on the income or profits of the lessee; and |
| • | the percentages and determinable amounts are fixed at the time the lease is entered into and a change in percentages and determinable amounts is not renegotiated during the term of the lease (including any renewal periods of the lease) in a manner that has the effect of basing rent on income or profits. |
More generally, rent will not qualify as “rents from real property” if, considering the leases and all the surrounding circumstances, the arrangement does not conform with normal business practice, but is in reality used as a means of basing the rent on income or profits.
Second, we must not own, actually or constructively, 10% or more of the stock or the assets or net profits of any lessee, other than a TRS. All of our hotel properties, other than the Select Hotels and certain hotels owned by a TRS and managed by a hotel management company, are leased to our TRSs. As described above, rent that we receive from a TRS with respect to any hotel will qualify as “rents from real property” as long as the property is operated on behalf of the TRS by an eligible independent contractor. Our Certificate of Incorporation contains restrictions on the ownership and transfer of our stock. In general, no person or entity may beneficially own, or be deemed to own by virtue of the applicable constructive ownership provisions of the Code, more than 9.8% (in value or in number of shares, whichever is more restrictive) of our outstanding common stock or more than 9.8% (in value or in number of shares, whichever is more restrictive) of any outstanding class or series of our preferred stock. Applying the tax ownership rules, including certain attribution rules, we believe that Hilton Worldwide and/or one or more actual or constructive owners of 10% or more of the stock of Hilton Worldwide does not own, actually or constructively, more than 35% of our stock. However, because the tax ownership rules and attribution rules are complex and there is no or limited authority on certain aspects of those rules, and because the stock of Hilton Worldwide is publicly traded and is not subject to any restrictions on ownership and transfer, there can be no assurance that Hilton Worldwide will satisfy the 35% ownership requirement to be an eligible independent contractor. In addition to the 35% ownership requirement with respect to Hilton Worldwide, the hotel management contracts between our TRS Lessees and subsidiaries of Hilton Worldwide are substantially similar to the hotel management contracts between subsidiaries of Hilton Worldwide and third party hotel owners. Thus, we believe that Hilton Worldwide and its subsidiaries should qualify as eligible independent contractors with respect to our TRS Lessees.
Third, the rent attributable to the personal property leased in connection with the lease of a hotel must not be greater than 15% of the total rent received under the lease. The rent attributable to the personal property contained in a hotel is the amount that bears the same ratio to total rent for the taxable year as the average of the fair market values of the personal property at the beginning and at the end of the taxable year bears to the average of the aggregate fair market values of both the real and personal property contained in the hotel at the beginning and at the end of such taxable year (the “personal property ratio”). To comply with this limitation, a TRS Lessee may acquire furnishings, equipment and other personal property, which might reduce the rent payments from the TRS Lessee, which may increase the taxable income of the TRS Lessee. With respect to each hotel in which the TRS Lessee does not own the personal property, we believe either that the personal property ratio will be less than 15% or that any rent attributable to excess personal property, when taken together with all of our other nonqualifying income, will not result in our failure to qualify as a REIT. There can be no assurance, however, that the IRS would not challenge our calculation of a personal property ratio, or that a court would not uphold such assertion. If such a challenge were successfully asserted, we potentially could fail to satisfy the 75% or 95% gross income test and thus lose our REIT qualification.
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Fourth, we generally cannot furnish or render services to the tenants of our hotels, or manage or operate our properties, other than through an independent contractor who is adequately compensated and from whom we do not derive or receive any income. However, our TRSs may provide customary and noncustomary services to our tenants without tainting our rental income from such properties. Furthermore, we need not provide services through an “independent contractor” or TRS but instead may provide services directly to our tenants, if the services are “usually or customarily rendered” in connection with the rental of space for occupancy only and are not considered to be provided for the tenants’ convenience. In addition, we may provide a minimal amount of “noncustomary” services to the tenants of a property, other than through an independent contractor or a TRS, as long as our income from the services does not exceed 1% of our income from the related property. We have not performed and will not perform any services other than customary ones for our lessees, unless such services are provided through independent contractors or TRSs or would not otherwise result in our failure to qualify as a REIT.
If a portion of the rent that we receive from a hotel does not qualify as “rents from real property” because the rent attributable to personal property exceeds 15% of the total rent for a taxable year, the portion of the rent that is attributable to personal property will not be qualifying income for purposes of either the 75% or 95% gross income test. Thus, if such rent attributable to personal property, plus any other income that is nonqualifying income for purposes of the 95% gross income test, during a taxable year exceeds 5% of our gross income during the year, we would lose our REIT qualification. If, however, the rent from a particular hotel does not qualify as “rents from real property” because either (i) the percentage rent is considered based on the income or profits of the related lessee, (ii) the lessee either is a related party tenant or fails to qualify for the exception to the related party tenant rule for qualifying TRSs, or (iii) we furnish noncustomary services to the tenants of the hotel, or manage or operate the hotel, other than through a qualifying independent contractor or a TRS, none of the rent from that hotel would qualify as “rents from real property.” In that case, we might lose our REIT qualification because we might be unable to satisfy either the 75% or 95% gross income test. We believe that we have structured our leases in a manner that will enable us to satisfy the REIT gross income tests.
In the case of the hotels that we lease to our TRSs and our TRSs engage third parties to manage, we believe that the leases qualify as true leases for U.S. federal income tax purposes and that the rents payable under those leases qualify as “rents from real property” for purposes of the 75% and 95% gross income tests. There can, however, be no assurance that the IRS will not successfully assert a contrary position or that there will not be a change in circumstances which would cause a portion of the rent received to fail to qualify as “rents from real property.” If such failure were in sufficient amounts, we would not be able to satisfy either the 75% or 95% gross income test and, subject to the discussion below under “—Failure to Satisfy the Gross Income Tests”, we would lose our REIT status.
Interest Income
Interest income constitutes qualifying mortgage interest for purposes of the 75% gross income test (as described above) to the extent that the obligation upon which such interest is paid is secured by a mortgage on real property. If we receive interest income with respect to a mortgage loan that is secured by both real property and other property, and the highest principal amount of the loan outstanding during a taxable year exceeds the fair market value of the real property on the date that we acquired or originated the mortgage loan, the interest income will be apportioned between the real property and the other collateral, and our income from the arrangement will qualify for purposes of the 75% gross income test only to the extent that the interest is allocable to the real property. In the case of real estate mortgage loans that are secured by both real property and personal property, if the fair market value of such personal property does not exceed 15% of the total fair market value of all property securing the loan, then the personal property securing the loan will be treated as real property for purposes of determining whether the mortgage is a qualifying asset under the 75% asset test and interest income that qualifies for purposes of the 75% gross income test. Even if a loan is not secured by real property, or is undersecured, the income that it generates may nonetheless qualify for purposes of the 95% gross income test. For these purposes, the term “interest” generally does not include any amount received or accrued, directly or indirectly, if the determination of all or some of the amount depends in any way on the income or profits of any person. However, an amount received or accrued generally will not be excluded from the term “interest” solely by reason of being based on a fixed percentage or percentages of receipts or sales.
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Among the assets we may hold are certain mezzanine loans secured by equity interests in a pass-through entity that directly or indirectly owns real property, rather than a direct mortgage on the real property. The IRS has issued Revenue Procedure 2003-65 (the “Revenue Procedure”), which provides a safe harbor applicable to mezzanine loans. Under the Revenue Procedure, if a mezzanine loan meets each of the requirements contained in the Revenue Procedure, (1) the mezzanine loan will be treated by the IRS as a real estate asset for purposes of the asset tests described below, and (2) interest derived from the mezzanine loan will be treated as qualifying mortgage interest for purposes of the 75% gross income test. Although the Revenue Procedure provides a safe harbor on which taxpayers may rely, it does not prescribe rules of substantive tax law. Certain components of the safe harbor relate to valuations of the underlying real property and the value of the pass-through entity’s other assets. Generally, the assets that serve as collateral for the loans are not susceptible to precise valuation and therefore the IRS could challenge valuations for these purposes. To the extent that mezzanine loans do not meet all of the requirements for reliance on the safe harbor set forth in the Revenue Procedure, there can be no assurance that the IRS will not challenge the tax treatment of such loans. To the extent we make mezzanine loans that do not qualify as real estate assets, the interest income with respect to such loans will not be qualifying income for the 75% gross income test.
Dividend Income
We may directly or indirectly receive distributions from our TRSs or other corporations that are not REITs or QRSs. These distributions generally are treated as dividend income to the extent of the earnings and profits of the distributing corporation. Such distributions generally will constitute qualifying income for purposes of the 95% gross income test, but not for purposes of the 75% gross income test. Any dividends that we receive from another REIT, however, will be qualifying income for purposes of both the 95% and 75% gross income tests.
Hotel Operating Income and Fee Income
We own and operate the Select Hotels, which we do not lease to a TRS, and are not operated through an independent contractor. Income we earn from operating the Select Hotels generally will not be qualifying income for purposes of the 75% or 95% gross income tests. In addition, any fee income that we earn generally will not be qualifying income for purposes of the 75% or 95% gross income tests. Any fees earned by a TRS, however, will not be included for purposes of the 75% or 95% gross income tests.
Hedging Transactions
Any income or gain that we or our pass-through subsidiaries derive from instruments that hedge certain risks, such as the risk of changes in interest rate or currency fluctuations, will be excluded from gross income for purposes of both the 75% and 95% gross income tests, provided that specified requirements are met, including the requirement that the instrument is entered into during the ordinary course of our business, the instrument hedges risks associated with indebtedness issued by us or our pass-through subsidiary that is incurred or to be incurred to acquire or carry “real estate assets” (as described below under “—Asset Tests”), and the instrument is properly identified as a hedge along with the risk that it hedges within prescribed time periods. In addition, the exclusion from the 95% and 75% gross income tests will apply if we previously entered into a hedging position and a portion of that hedged indebtedness or property is disposed of, and in connection with such extinguishment or disposition we enter into a new “clearly identified” hedging transaction to offset the prior hedging position. Most likely, income and gain from all other hedging transactions will not be qualifying income for either the 95% or 75% gross income test.
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Failure to Satisfy the Gross Income Tests
If we fail to satisfy one or both of the 75% or 95% gross income tests for any taxable year, including as a result of rents received by us from any TRS Lessee failing to qualify as “rents from real property,” we may still qualify to be taxed as a REIT for such year if we are entitled to relief under applicable provisions of the Code. These relief provisions will be generally available if (1) our failure to meet these tests was due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect and (2) following our identification of the failure to meet the 75% or 95% gross income test for any taxable year, we file a schedule with the IRS setting forth each item of our gross income for purposes of the 75% or 95% gross income test for such taxable year in accordance with Treasury regulations, which have not yet been issued. It is not possible to state whether we would be entitled to the benefit of these relief provisions in all circumstances. If these relief provisions are inapplicable to a particular set of circumstances, we will not qualify to be taxed as a REIT. Even if these relief provisions apply, and we retain our status as a REIT, the Code imposes a tax based upon the amount by which we fail to satisfy the particular gross income test, multiplied by a factor designated to approximate our profitability. We intend to take advantage of any and all relief provisions that are available to us to cure any violation of the income tests applicable to REITs.
Asset Tests
At the close of each calendar quarter, we must also satisfy seven tests relating to the nature of our assets.
First, at least 75% of the value of our total assets must be represented by some combination of “real estate assets,” cash, cash items, foreign currency that meets certain requirements under the Code, U.S. government securities and, under some circumstances, stock or debt instruments purchased with new capital. For this purpose, real estate assets include interests in real property, personal property leased in connection with real property to the extent that rents attributable to such personal property are treated as “rents from real property,” stock of other corporations that qualify as REITs, some kinds of mortgage-backed securities and mortgage loans and debt instruments issued by publicly offered REITs.
Second, not more than 25% of our total assets may be represented by securities other than those described in the immediately preceding paragraph.
Third, except for securities described in the first paragraph above and securities in QRSs and TRSs, the value of any one issuer’s securities that we own may not exceed 5% of the value of our total assets.
Fourth, except for securities described in the first paragraph above and securities in QRSs and TRSs, we may not own more than 10% of any one issuer’s outstanding voting securities.
Fifth, except for securities described in the first paragraph above and securities in QRSs and TRSs, we may not own more than 10% of the total value of the outstanding securities of any one issuer (the “10% Value Asset Test”). The 10% Value Asset Test does not apply to “straight debt” having specified characteristics and to certain other securities described below. Solely for purposes of the 10% Value Asset Test, the determination of our interest in the assets of a partnership or limited liability company that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes in which we own an interest will be based on our proportionate interest in any securities issued by the partnership or limited liability company, excluding for this purpose certain securities described in the Code.
Sixth, not more than 20% of the value of our total assets may be represented by the securities of one or more TRSs.
Seventh, not more than 25% of our total assets may be represented by debt instruments issued by publicly offered REITs that are “nonqualified” debt instruments (e.g., not secured by interests in mortgages on interests in real property and personal property leased in connection with real property to the extent that rents attributable to such personal property are treated as “rents from real property”).
Notwithstanding the general rule, as noted above, that for purposes of the REIT income and asset tests we are treated as owning our proportionate share of the underlying assets of a subsidiary partnership, if we hold indebtedness issued by a partnership, the indebtedness will be subject to, and may cause a violation of, the asset tests unless the indebtedness is a qualifying mortgage asset or other conditions are met. Similarly, although stock of another REIT is a qualifying asset for purposes of the REIT asset tests, any non-mortgage debt that is issued by another REIT may not so qualify (although such debt will not be treated as “securities” for purposes of the 10% Value Asset Test, as explained below).
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Certain securities will not cause a violation of the 10% Value Asset Test described above. Such securities include instruments that constitute “straight debt,” which term generally excludes, among other things, securities having contingency features. A security does not qualify as “straight debt” where a REIT (or a controlled TRS of the REIT) owns other securities of the same issuer which do not qualify as straight debt, unless the value of those other securities constitute, in the aggregate, 1% or less of the total value of that issuer’s outstanding securities. In addition to straight debt, the Code provides that certain other securities will not violate the 10% Value Asset Test. Such securities include (1) any loan made to an individual or an estate, (2) certain rental agreements pursuant to which one or more payments are to be made in subsequent years (other than agreements between a REIT and certain persons related to the REIT under attribution rules), (3) any obligation to pay rents from real property, (4) securities issued by certain governmental entities that are not dependent in whole or in part on the profits of (or payments made by) a nongovernmental entity, (5) any security (including debt securities) issued by another REIT, (6) any debt instrument issued by a partnership if the partnership’s income is of a nature that it would satisfy the 75% gross income test described above under “—Income Tests” and (7) any other arrangement as determined by the IRS. In applying the 10% Value Asset Test, a debt security issued by a partnership is not taken into account to the extent, if any, of the REIT’s proportionate interest in the equity and certain debt securities issued by that partnership.
As discussed above, certain mezzanine loans may qualify for the safe harbor in the Revenue Procedure pursuant to which certain loans secured by a first priority security interest in ownership interests in a partnership or limited liability company will be treated as qualifying assets for purposes of the 75% asset test and the 10% vote or10% Value Asset Test. See “—Taxation of REITs in General—Income Tests—Interest Income.” We may make mezzanine loans that do not qualify for that safe harbor and that do not qualify as “straight debt” securities or for one of the other exclusions from the definition of “securities” for purposes of the 10% Value Asset Test. We intend to make such investments in such a manner as not to fail the asset tests described above.
The values of some assets may not be susceptible to a precise determination, and values are subject to change in the future. Furthermore, the proper classification of an instrument as debt or equity for U.S. federal income tax purposes may be uncertain in some circumstances, which could affect the application of the REIT asset requirements. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the IRS will not contend that our interests in our subsidiaries or in the securities of other issuers will not cause a violation of the REIT asset tests.
The asset tests must be satisfied at the close of each calendar quarter of our taxable year. However, after initially meeting the asset tests at the close of any quarter, we will not lose our status as a REIT for failure to satisfy the asset tests at the end of a later quarter solely by reason of changes in asset values, unless we acquire securities in an applicable issuer or we increase our ownership of securities of such issuer during such later quarter.
If we fail to satisfy an asset test, certain relief provisions are available to allow REITs to satisfy the asset requirements or to maintain REIT qualification notwithstanding certain violations of the asset and other requirements. For example, if we should fail to satisfy the asset tests at the end of a calendar quarter such a failure would not cause us to lose our REIT qualification if (a) we satisfied the asset tests at the close of the preceding calendar quarter and (b) the discrepancy between the value of our assets and the asset requirements was not wholly or partly caused by an acquisition of non-qualifying assets, but instead arose from changes in the relative market values of our assets. If the condition described in (b) were not satisfied, we still could avoid disqualification by eliminating any discrepancy within 30 days after the close of the calendar quarter in which it arose or by making use of the relief provisions described above.
In the case of de minimis violations of the 10% and 5% asset tests, a REIT may maintain its qualification despite a violation of such requirements if (i) the value of the assets causing the violation does not exceed the lesser of 1% of the REIT’s total assets and $10,000,000 and (ii) the REIT either disposes of the assets causing the failure within six months after the last day of the quarter in which it identifies the failure, or the relevant tests are otherwise satisfied within that time frame.
Even if we did not qualify for the foregoing relief provisions, one additional provision allows a REIT that fails one or more of the asset requirements to nevertheless maintain its REIT qualification if (1) the REIT provides the IRS with a description of each asset causing the failure, (2) the failure is due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect, (3) the REIT pays a tax equal to the greater of (a) $50,000 per failure and (b) the product of the net income generated by the assets that caused the failure multiplied by the highest applicable corporate tax rate (currently 21%) and (4) the REIT either disposes of the assets causing the failure within six months after the last day of the quarter in which it identifies the failure, or otherwise satisfies the relevant asset tests within that time frame.
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Annual Distribution Requirements
To qualify to be taxed as a REIT, we are required to distribute dividends, other than capital gain dividends, to our stockholders in an amount at least equal to:
| (1) | the sum of |
| (a) | 90% of our “REIT taxable income,” computed without regard to our net capital gains and the deduction for dividends paid; and |
| (b) | 90% of our after tax net income, if any, from foreclosure property (as described below); minus |
| (2) | the excess of the sum of specified items of noncash income over 5% of our REIT taxable income, computed without regard to our net capital gain and the deduction for dividends paid. |
We generally must make these distributions in the taxable year to which they relate, or in the following taxable year if declared before we timely file our tax return for the year and if paid with or before the first regular dividend payment after such declaration. These distributions will generally be treated as received by our stockholders in the year in which paid. For purposes of the 90% distribution requirement and excise tax described below, any dividend that we declare in October, November or December of any year and that is payable to a stockholder of record on a specified date in any such month will be treated as paid by us on December 31 of such year, provided that we actually pay the dividend before January 31 of the following calendar year.
To the extent that we distribute at least 90%, but less than 100%, of our REIT taxable income, as adjusted, we will be subject to tax at ordinary corporate tax rates on the retained portion. We may elect to retain, rather than distribute, some or all of our net long-term capital gains and pay tax on such gains. In this case, we could elect for our stockholders to include their proportionate share of such undistributed long-term capital gains in income, and to receive a corresponding credit for their share of the tax that we paid. Our stockholders would then increase the adjusted basis of their stock by the difference between (1) the amounts of capital gain dividends that we designated and that they included in their taxable income, minus (2) the tax that we paid on their behalf with respect to that income.
To the extent that we have available net operating losses carried forward from prior tax years, such losses may reduce the amount of distributions that we must make to comply with the REIT distribution requirements. Such losses, however, generally will not affect the tax treatment to our stockholders of any distributions that are actually made. See “—Taxation of Stockholders—Taxation of Taxable U.S. Stockholders—Distributions.” Under amendments made by H.R. 1 to Section 172 of the Code, our deduction for any net operating loss carryforwards arising from losses we sustain in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 is limited to 80% of our REIT taxable income (determined without regard to the deduction for dividends paid), and any unused portion of losses arising in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 may not be carried back, but may be carried forward indefinitely.
If we fail to distribute during each calendar year at least the sum of (1) 85% of our ordinary income for such year, (2) 95% of our capital gain net income for such year and (3) any undistributed net taxable income from prior periods, we will be subject to a nondeductible 4% excise tax on the excess of such required distribution over the sum of (a) the amounts actually distributed, plus (b) the amounts of income we retained and on which we have paid corporate income tax.
The calculation of REIT taxable income includes deductions for noncash charges, such as depreciation. Accordingly, we anticipate that we generally will have sufficient cash or liquid assets to enable us to satisfy the distribution requirements described above. However, from time to time, we may not have sufficient cash or other liquid assets to meet these distribution requirements due to timing differences between the actual receipt of income and actual payment of deductible expenses, and the inclusion of income and deduction of expenses in determining our taxable income. Further, under amendments to Section 451 of the Code made by H.R. 1, subject to certain exceptions, we must accrue income for U.S. federal income tax purposes no later than when such income is taken into account as revenue in our financial statements, which could create additional differences between REIT taxable income and the receipt of cash attributable to such income. In addition, Section 162(m) of the Code places a per-employee limit of $1 million on the amount of compensation that a publicly held corporation may deduct in any one year with respect to its chief executive officer and certain other highly compensated executive officers. In addition, we may decide to retain our cash, rather than distribute it, to repay debt, acquire assets, or for other reasons. If these timing differences occur, we may borrow funds to pay dividends or pay dividends through the distribution of other property (including shares of our stock) to meet the distribution requirements, while preserving our cash. Alternatively, subject to certain conditions and limitations, we may declare a taxable dividend payable in cash or stock at the election of each stockholder, where the aggregate amount of cash to be distributed in such dividend may be subject to limitation. In such case, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, taxable stockholders receiving such dividends will be required to include the full amount of the dividend as ordinary income to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits.
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We calculate our REIT taxable income based upon the conclusion that the lessor is the owner of the hotels for U.S. federal income tax purposes. As a result, we expect that the depreciation deductions with respect to the hotels owned by the lessors will reduce our REIT taxable income. This conclusion is consistent with the conclusion above that the leases of our hotels will be treated as true leases for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If, however, the IRS were to challenge successfully this position, in addition to failing in all likelihood the 75% and 95% gross income tests described above, we also might be deemed retroactively to have failed to meet the REIT distribution requirements and would have to rely on the payment of a “deficiency dividend” in order to retain REIT status.
If our taxable income for a particular year is subsequently determined to have been understated, we may be able to rectify a resultant failure to meet the distribution requirements for a year by paying “deficiency dividends” to stockholders in a later year, which may be included in our deduction for dividends paid for the earlier year. In this case, we may be able to avoid losing REIT qualification or being taxed on amounts distributed as deficiency dividends, subject to the 4% excise tax described above. We will be required to pay interest based on the amount of any deduction taken for deficiency dividends.
Earnings and Profits Distribution Requirement
A REIT is not permitted to have accumulated earnings and profits attributable to non-REIT years. A REIT has until the close of its first taxable year in which it has non-REIT earnings and profits to distribute all such earnings and profits. To comply with this requirement, we made the Purging Distribution. While we believe that the Purging Distribution satisfies the requirements relating to the distribution of our pre-REIT accumulated earnings and profits, there can be no assurance that the IRS will agree with our or Hilton Worldwide’s calculation or allocation of earnings and profits to us. If the IRS is successful in asserting that we have additional amounts of pre-REIT earnings and profits, there are procedures generally available to cure any failure to distribute all of our pre-REIT earnings and profits, but there can be no assurance that we will be able to successfully implement such procedures. Hilton Worldwide received a ruling from the IRS (“IRS Ruling”), which addresses, in addition to certain aspects of the treatment of the spin-off, certain tax issues relevant to our payment of the Purging Distribution in a combination of cash and our stock.
Interest Deduction Limitation
Commencing in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, Section 163(j) of the Code, limits the deductibility of net interest expense paid or accrued on debt properly allocable to a trade or business to 30% of “adjusted taxable income,” (50% for taxable years 2019 and 2020) subject to certain exceptions. Any deduction in excess of the limitation is carried forward and may be used in a subsequent year, subject to the 30% limitation (50% for taxable years 2019 and 2020). Adjusted taxable income is determined without regard to certain deductions, including those for net interest expense, net operating loss carryforwards and, for taxable years beginning before January 1, 2022, depreciation, amortization and depletion. Additionally, an election is available for taxpayers to use their 2019 adjusted taxable income as their adjusted taxable income in 2020 for purposes of applying the limitation. Provided the taxpayer makes a timely election (which is irrevocable), the 30% limitation (50% for taxable years 2019 and 2020) does not apply to a trade or business involving real property development, redevelopment, construction, reconstruction, rental, operation, acquisition, conversion, disposition, management, leasing or brokerage, within the meaning of Section 469(c)(7)(C) of the Code. If this election is made, depreciable real property (including certain improvements) held by the relevant trade or business must be depreciated under the alternative depreciation system under the Code, which is generally less favorable than the generally applicable system of depreciation under the Code. Although the matter is not free from doubt, we believe that leasing our hotels to our TRS Lessees generally should constitute a real property trade or business, and we may elect not to have the interest deduction limitation apply to that trade or business. If we do not make the election or if the election is determined not to be available with respect to all or certain of our business activities, the new interest deduction limitation could result in us having more REIT taxable income and thus increase the amount of distributions we must make to comply with the REIT requirements and avoid incurring corporate-level tax.
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Prohibited Transactions
Net income that we derive from a prohibited transaction is subject to a 100% tax. The term “prohibited transaction” generally includes a sale or other disposition of property (other than foreclosure property, as discussed below) that is held as inventory or primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business. Whether property is held as inventory or “primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business” depends on the particular facts and circumstances. The 100% tax does not apply to gains from the sale of property that is held through a TRS or other taxable corporation, although such income will be subject to tax in the hands of the corporation at regular corporate rates. We hold hotels for investment with a view to long-term appreciation, engage in the business of acquiring and owning hotels and we currently intend to make sales of hotels consistent with our investment objectives. However, some of our sales may not satisfy certain safe harbor provisions of the Code and there can be no assurance that the IRS might not contend that one or more of these sales are subject to the 100% tax.
Like-Kind Exchanges
We may dispose of properties in transactions intended to qualify as like-kind exchanges under the Code. Such like-kind exchanges are intended to result in the deferral of gain for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The failure of any such transaction to qualify as a like-kind exchange could require us to pay U.S. federal income tax, including the built-in gains tax and possibly including the 100% prohibited transaction tax, depending on the facts and circumstances surrounding the particular transaction. Effective for exchanges completed after December 31, 2017 (subject to certain transitional rules), the preferential tax treatment applicable to like-kind exchanges is limited to exchanges of real property not held primarily for sale. Previously, the like-kind exchange provisions also applied to personal property not held for sale. Accordingly, for exchanges completed after December 31, 2017, exchanges of personal property and intangible property will not qualify for deferred treatment
Foreclosure Property
Foreclosure property is real property and any personal property incident to such real property (1) that we acquire as the result of having bid on the property at foreclosure, or having otherwise reduced the property to ownership or possession by agreement or process of law, after a default (or upon imminent default) on a lease of the property or a mortgage loan held by us and secured by the property, (2) for which we acquired the related loan or lease at a time when default was not imminent or anticipated and (3) with respect to which we made a proper election to treat the property as foreclosure property.
We generally will be subject to tax at the maximum corporate rate (currently 21%) on any net income from foreclosure property, including any gain from the disposition of the foreclosure property, other than income that would otherwise be qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test. Any gain from the sale of property for which a foreclosure property election has been made will not be subject to the 100% tax on gains from prohibited transactions described above, even if the property would otherwise constitute inventory or dealer property. We do not anticipate receiving any income from foreclosure property that does not qualify for purposes of the 75% gross income test.
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Tax on Built-In Gains
If we dispose of any appreciated assets acquired from a C corporation in a transaction in which the adjusted tax basis of the assets in our hands is less than the fair market value of the assets, determined at the time we acquired such assets, during the 5-year period following the acquisition of such assets, we will be subject to tax at the highest corporate tax rate on the lesser of (i) the amount of gain that we recognize at the time of the sale or disposition and (ii) the amount of gain that we would have recognized if we had sold the assets at the time that we acquired them. The results described in this paragraph assume that the non-REIT C corporation will not elect, in lieu of this treatment, to be subject to an immediate tax when the asset is acquired by us. Any gain from the sale of property acquired by us in an exchange under Section 1031 (a like-kind exchange, as described above) or Section 1033 (an involuntary conversion) of the Code is excluded from the application of this built-in gains tax.
With respect to the appreciated assets that we acquired in the spin-off from Hilton Worldwide, if we dispose of any such appreciated assets prior to January 4, 2022 (the “Specified Period”), we will be subject to tax as described above. We would be subject to this tax liability even if we qualify and maintain our status as a REIT. The amount of tax could be significant.
Any recognized built-in gain will retain its character as ordinary income or capital gain and will be taken into account in determining REIT taxable income and our REIT distribution requirement. Any tax on the recognized built-in gain will reduce our REIT taxable income. If we choose to dispose of any assets within the Specified Period, we will attempt to utilize various tax planning strategies, including like-kind exchanges, to mitigate the exposure to the built-in gains tax. Gain from a sale of an asset occurring after the Specified Period ends will not be subject to this corporate-level tax.
Recordkeeping Requirements Regarding Stockholders
We are required to maintain records and request on an annual basis information from specified stockholders. These requirements are designed to assist us in determining the actual ownership of our outstanding shares of stock and maintaining our qualification as a REIT.
Penalty Tax
Any redetermined rents, redetermined deductions, excess interest, or redetermined TRS service income will be subject to a 100% penalty tax. In general, “redetermined rents” are rents from real property that are overstated as a result of any services furnished to any of our tenants by a TRS, “redetermined deductions” and excess interest represent any amounts that are deducted by a TRS for amounts paid to us that are in excess of the amounts that would have been deducted based on arm’s-length negotiations or if the interest payments were at a commercially reasonable rate, and “redetermined TRS service income” is gross income of a TRS attributable to services provided to us (less deductions properly allocable thereto) that are in excess of the amounts that would have been deducted based on arm’s-length negotiations. It is our policy to evaluate material intercompany transactions and to attempt to set the terms of such transactions so as to achieve substantially the same result as would have been achieved if the parties were unrelated. As a result, we believe that (i) all material transactions between and among us and the entities in which we own a direct or indirect interest have been and will continue to be negotiated and structured with the intention of achieving an arm’s-length result, (ii) the potential application of the 100% penalty tax will not have a material effect on us and (iii) the potential application of Section 482 of the Code will not have a material effect on us. Furthermore, rents that we receive will not constitute redetermined rents if they qualify for certain safe harbor provisions contained in the Code. Application of the 100% penalty tax would apply, for example, to the extent we were found to have charged any TRS Lessee rent in excess of an arm’s-length rent and application of Section 482 of the Code depends on whether, as a factual matter, transactions between commonly controlled entities are at arm’s-length. We cannot assure you that we will not be subject to the 100% penalty tax or that Section 482 of the Code will not apply to reallocate income between or among us or any of our affiliated entities.
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From time to time, our TRSs may provide services to our tenants. We intend to set the fees paid to our TRSs for such services at arm’s-length rates, although the fees paid may not satisfy the safe harbor provisions described above. These determinations are inherently factual, and the IRS has broad discretion to assert that amounts paid between related parties should be reallocated to clearly reflect their respective incomes. If the IRS successfully made such an assertion, we would be required to pay a 100% penalty tax on the excess of an arm’s-length fee for tenant services over the amount actually paid.
Failure to Qualify
If we fail to satisfy one or more requirements for REIT qualification other than the income or asset tests, we could avoid disqualification as a REIT if our failure is due to reasonable cause and not to willful neglect and we pay a penalty of $50,000 for each such failure. Relief provisions are also available for failures of the income tests and asset tests, as described above in “—Income Tests” and “—Asset Tests.”
If we fail to qualify for taxation as a REIT in any taxable year, and the relief provisions described above do not apply, we will be subject to tax, including any applicable alternative minimum tax (for our taxable year ended December 31, 2017), on our taxable income at regular corporate rates. We cannot deduct distributions to stockholders in any year in which we are not a REIT, nor would we be required to make distributions in such a year. In this situation, to the extent of current and accumulated earnings and profits (as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes), distributions to stockholders will be taxable as regular corporate dividends. Such dividends paid to U.S. stockholders that are individuals, trusts and estates may be taxable at the preferential income tax rates (i.e., the 20% maximum U.S. federal rate) for qualified dividends. Such dividends, however, would not be eligible for the 20% deduction on “qualified” REIT dividends generally available to U.S. stockholders that are individuals, trusts or estates for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026. In addition, subject to the limitations of the Code, corporate distributees may be eligible for the dividends received deduction. Unless we are entitled to relief under specific statutory provisions, we also will be disqualified from re-electing to be taxed as a REIT for the four taxable years following the year during which we lose our qualification. It is not possible to state whether, in all circumstances, we will be entitled to this statutory relief.
Taxation of Stockholders
Taxation of Taxable U.S. Stockholders
The following is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of our common stock applicable to taxable U.S. stockholders. A “U.S. stockholder” is any beneficial owner of our common stock that is, for U.S. federal income tax purposes:
| • | an individual who is a citizen or a resident of the U.S.; |
| • | a corporation, or other entity taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, created or organized under the laws of the U.S. or any state thereof or the District of Columbia; |
| • | an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or |
| • | a trust (1) with respect to which a court within the U.S. is able to exercise primary jurisdiction over its administration and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all of its substantial decisions, or (2) that has a valid election is in place under applicable Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person. |
If a partnership (or any other entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) holds shares of our common stock, the tax treatment of a partner in that partnership generally will depend on the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. Such a partner or partnership is urged to consult its tax advisor as to the tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of our common stock.
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Distributions
For such time as we qualify to be taxed as a REIT, the distributions that we make to our taxable U.S. stockholders out of current or accumulated earnings and profits (as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes) that we do not designate as capital gain dividends generally will be taken into account by such stockholders as ordinary income and will not be eligible for the dividends received deduction for corporations. With limited exceptions, our dividends are not eligible for taxation at the preferential income tax rates (i.e., the 20% maximum U.S. federal rate) for qualified dividends received by most U.S. stockholders that are individuals, trusts or estates from taxable C corporations. However, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and prior to January 1, 2026, generally U.S. stockholders that are individuals, trusts or estates may deduct 20% of the aggregate amount of ordinary dividends distributed by us, subject to certain limitations. Such stockholders, however, may be taxed at the preferential rates on dividends designated as qualified dividend income by and received from REITs, provided certain requirements described below are met, to the extent that the dividends are attributable to:
| • | income retained by the REIT in the prior taxable year on which the REIT or a predecessor was subject to corporate-level income tax (less the amount of tax); |
| • | qualified dividends received by the REIT during such taxable year from domestic TRSs, other taxable domestic C corporations and certain “qualifying foreign corporations” that satisfy certain requirements (discussed below); or |
| • | income recognized in the prior taxable year from sales of “built-in gain” property acquired by the REIT from C corporations in carryover basis transactions (less the amount of corporate tax on such income). |
A foreign corporation generally will be a “qualifying foreign corporation” if it is incorporated in a possession of the U.S., the corporation is eligible for benefits of an income tax treaty with the U.S. which the IRS determines is satisfactory, or the stock on which the dividend is paid is readily tradable on an established securities market in the U.S. However, if a foreign corporation is a foreign personal holding company, a foreign investment company or a passive foreign investment company, then it will not be treated as a qualifying foreign corporation, and the dividends we receive from such an entity would not constitute qualified dividend income.
In addition, even if we designate certain dividends as qualified dividend income to our stockholders, the U.S. stockholder will have to meet certain other requirements for the dividend to qualify for taxation at capital gains rates. For example, the U.S. stockholder will only be eligible to treat the dividend as qualifying dividend income if the U.S. stockholder is taxed at individual rates and meets certain holding requirements. In general, to treat a particular dividend as qualified dividend income, a U.S. stockholder will be required to hold our stock for more than 60 days during the 121-day period beginning on the date which is 60 days before the date on which the stock becomes ex-dividend. Moreover, in no case may the amount we designate as qualified dividend income exceed the amount we distribute to our stockholders as dividends with respect to the taxable year. If we designate any portion of a dividend as qualified dividend income, a U.S. stockholder will receive an IRS Form 1099-DIV indicating the amount that will be taxable to the stockholder as qualified dividend income
On March 9, 2017 we paid the Purging Distribution in a combination of cash and our common stock. The portion that was paid in cash represented approximately 20% of the total amount distributed to all stockholders. As discussed above under “— Taxation of REITs in General—Annual Distribution Requirements—Earnings and Profits Distribution Requirement,” Hilton Worldwide received an IRS Ruling, which addresses, in addition to certain aspects of the treatment of the spin-off, certain tax issues relevant to our payment of the Purging Distribution in a combination of cash and our stock. If in the future we declare a taxable dividend payable in cash or stock at the election of each stockholder, where the aggregate amount of cash to be distributed in such dividend may be subject to limitation, taxable U.S. stockholders receiving such dividends will be required to include the full amount of the dividend as ordinary income to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits.
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Distributions that we designate as capital gain dividends generally will be taxed to our U.S. stockholders as long-term capital gains, to the extent that such distributions do not exceed our actual net capital gain for the taxable year, without regard to the period for which the stockholder that receives such distribution has held its stock. We may elect to retain and pay taxes on some or all of our net long-term capital gains, in which case we may elect to apply provisions of the Code that treat our U.S. stockholders as having received, solely for tax purposes, our undistributed capital gains, and the stockholders as receiving a corresponding credit for taxes that we paid on such undistributed capital gains. See “—Taxation of REITs in General—Annual Distribution Requirements.” U.S. stockholders will increase their adjusted tax basis in our common stock by the difference between their allocable share of such retained capital gain and their share of the tax paid by us. Corporate stockholders may be required to treat up to 20% of some capital gain dividends as ordinary income. Long-term capital gains are generally taxable at maximum U.S. federal rates of 20% in the case of U.S. stockholders that are individuals, trusts and estates, and effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, 21% in the case of U.S. stockholders that are corporations. Capital gains attributable to the sale of depreciable real property held for more than twelve months are subject to a 25% maximum U.S. federal income tax rate for taxpayers who are taxed as individuals, to the extent of previously claimed depreciation deductions.
Distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits (as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes) generally will represent a return of capital and will not be taxable to a stockholder to the extent that the amount of such distributions does not exceed the adjusted basis of the stockholder’s shares in respect of which the distributions were made. Rather, the distribution will reduce the adjusted basis of the stockholder’s shares. To the extent that such distributions exceed the adjusted basis of a stockholder’s shares, the stockholder generally must include such distributions in income as long-term capital gain if the shares of stock have been held for more than one year, or short-term capital gain if the shares of stock have been held for one year or less. In addition, any dividend that we declare in October, November or December of any year and that is payable to a stockholder of record on a specified date in any such month will be treated as received by the stockholder on December 31 of such year, provided that we actually pay the dividend before January 31 of the following calendar year.
To the extent that we have available net operating losses and capital losses carried forward from prior tax years, such losses may reduce the amount of distributions that we must make to comply with the REIT distribution requirements. See “—Taxation of REITs in General—Annual Distribution Requirements.” Such losses, however, are not passed through to stockholders and do not offset income of stockholders from other sources, nor would such losses affect the character of any distributions that we make, which are generally subject to tax in the hands of stockholders to the extent that we have current or accumulated earnings and profits.
Dispositions of Our Stock
If a U.S. stockholder sells or disposes of shares of our stock, it generally will recognize gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes in an amount equal to the difference between the amount of cash and the fair market value of any property received on the sale or other disposition and the stockholder’s adjusted tax basis in the shares of stock. In general, capital gains recognized by individuals, trusts or estates upon the sale or disposition of our stock will be subject to a maximum U.S. federal income tax rate of 20% if the stock is held for more than one year, and will be taxed at ordinary income rates (of up to 37% for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026) if the stock is held for one year or less. Gains recognized by stockholders that are corporations are subject to U.S. federal income tax at a maximum rate of 21%, effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, whether or not such gains are classified as long-term capital gains. The IRS has the authority to prescribe, but has not yet prescribed, Treasury regulations that would apply a capital gain tax rate of 25% (which is higher than the long-term capital gain tax rates for non-corporate U.S. stockholders) to a portion of capital gain realized by a non-corporate U.S. stockholder on the sale of shares of our stock that would correspond to our “unrecaptured Section 1250 gain.” U.S. stockholders should consult with their tax advisors with respect to their capital gain tax liability.
Capital losses recognized by a stockholder upon the disposition of our stock that was held for more than one year at the time of disposition will be considered long-term capital losses, and are generally available only to offset capital gain income of the stockholder but not ordinary income (except in the case of individuals, who may also offset up to $3,000 of ordinary income each year). In addition, any loss upon a sale or exchange of shares of our stock by a stockholder who has held the shares for six months or less, after applying holding period rules, will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of actual or deemed distributions that we make that are required to be treated by the stockholder as long-term capital gain.
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If a stockholder recognizes a loss upon a subsequent disposition of our stock in an amount that exceeds a prescribed threshold, it is possible that the provisions of Treasury regulations involving “reportable transactions” could apply, with a resulting requirement to separately disclose the loss-generating transaction to the IRS. These regulations, though directed towards “tax shelters,” are broadly written, and apply to transactions that would not typically be considered tax shelters. The Code imposes significant penalties for failure to comply with these requirements. U.S. stockholders should consult their tax advisors concerning any possible disclosure obligation with respect to the receipt or disposition of our stock, or transactions that we might undertake directly or indirectly. Moreover, you should be aware that we and other participants in transactions involving us (including our advisors) might be subject to disclosure or other requirements pursuant to these regulations.
Passive Activity Losses and Investment Interest Limitations
Distributions made by us and gain arising from the sale or exchange by a U.S. stockholder of our common stock will not be treated as passive activity income. As a result, U.S. stockholders will not be able to apply any “passive losses” against income or gain relating to our common stock. Distributions made by us, to the extent they do not constitute a return of capital, generally will be treated as investment income for purposes of computing the investment interest limitation. A U.S. stockholder that elects to treat capital gain dividends, qualified dividend income or capital gains from the disposition of common stock as investment income for purposes of the investment interest limitation will be taxed at ordinary income rates on such amounts. We will notify stockholders regarding the portions of our distributions for each year that constitute ordinary income, return of capital and qualified dividend income.
Medicare Tax on Unearned Income
Certain U.S. stockholders that are individuals, estates or trusts are required to pay an additional 3.8% tax on “net investment income,” (or, in the case of an estate or trust, on “undistributed net investment income”) which includes, among other things, dividends on and gains from the sale or other disposition of REIT stock. The temporary 20% deduction allowed by Section 199A of the Code, as added by H.R. 1, with respect to ordinary REIT dividends received by non-corporate taxpayers is allowed only for purposes of Chapter 1 of the Code and thus is apparently not allowed as a deduction allocable to such dividends for purposes of determining the amount of net investment income subject to the 3.8% Medicare tax, which is imposed under Chapter 2A of the Code. U.S. stockholders should consult their tax advisors regarding this tax on net investment income.
Taxation of Non-U.S. Stockholders
The following is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of our stock applicable to non-U.S. stockholders. A “non-U.S. stockholder” is any beneficial owner of our common stock, including a partner in a partnership that owns our common stock, that is not a U.S. stockholder.
Ordinary Dividends
The portion of dividends received by non-U.S. stockholders that (1) is payable out of our earnings and profits, (2) is not attributable to capital gains from the disposition of a U.S. real property interest that we recognize and (3) is not effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the non-U.S. stockholder, will be subject to U.S. withholding tax at the rate of 30%, unless reduced or eliminated by treaty. Under some treaties, however, lower rates generally applicable to dividends do not apply to dividends from REITs.
In general, non-U.S. stockholders will not be considered to be engaged in a U.S. trade or business solely as a result of their ownership of our stock. In cases where the dividend income from a non-U.S. stockholder’s investment in our stock is, or is treated as, effectively connected with the non-U.S. stockholder’s conduct of a U.S. trade or business, the non-U.S. stockholder generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at graduated rates, in the same manner as U.S. stockholders are taxed with respect to such dividends. Such effectively connected income must generally be reported on a U.S. income tax return filed by or on behalf of the non-U.S. stockholder. The income may also be subject to a branch profits tax at the rate of 30% (unless reduced or eliminated by treaty) in the case of a non-U.S. stockholder that is a corporation.
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Non-Dividend Distributions
Unless our stock constitutes a U.S. real property interest (“USRPI”), distributions that we make which are not dividends out of our earnings and profits will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax. If we cannot determine at the time a distribution is made whether or not the distribution will exceed current and accumulated earnings and profits, the distribution will be subject to withholding at the rate applicable to dividends. The non-U.S. stockholder may seek a refund from the IRS of any amounts withheld if it is subsequently determined that the distribution was, in fact, in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits. If our stock constitutes a USRPI, as described below, distributions that we make in excess of the sum of (1) the stockholder’s proportionate share of our earnings and profits, plus (2) the stockholder’s basis in its stock, will be taxed under FIRPTA, at the rate of tax, including any applicable capital gains rates, that would apply to a U.S. stockholder of the same type (i.e., an individual or a corporation, as the case may be), and the collection of the tax will be enforced by a withholding at a rate of 15% of the amount by which the distribution exceeds the stockholder’s share of our earnings and profits.
Capital Gain Dividends
Under FIRPTA, a distribution that we make to a non-U.S. stockholder, to the extent attributable to gains from dispositions of USRPIs that we held directly or through pass-through subsidiaries (“USRPI capital gains”) will, except as described below, be considered effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the non-U.S. stockholder and will be subject to U.S. income tax at the rates applicable to U.S. individuals or corporations, without regard to whether we designate the distribution as a capital gain dividend. See “—Taxation of Stockholders—Taxation of Non-U.S. Stockholders—Ordinary Dividends,” for a discussion of the consequences of income that is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business. In addition, we will be required to withhold tax equal to 21% of the maximum amount that could have been designated as USRPI capital gain dividends. Distributions subject to FIRPTA may also be subject to a branch profits tax at the rate of 30% (unless reduced or eliminated by treaty) in the hands of a non-U.S. stockholder that is a corporation. A distribution is not attributable to USRPI capital gain if we held an interest in the underlying asset solely as a creditor.
Capital gain dividends received by a non-U.S. stockholder that are attributable to dispositions of our assets other than USRPIs are not subject to U.S. federal income or withholding tax, unless (1) the gain is effectively connected with the non-U.S. stockholder’s U.S. trade or business, in which case the non-U.S. stockholder would be subject to the same treatment as U.S. stockholders with respect to such gain, except that a non-U.S. stockholder that is a corporation may also be subject to a branch profits tax at the rate of 30% (unless reduced or eliminated by treaty) or (2) the non-U.S. stockholder is a nonresident alien individual who was present in the U.S. for 183 days or more during the taxable year and has a “tax home” in the U.S., in which case the non-U.S. stockholder will incur a 30% tax on his capital gains.
We believe that a significant portion of our assets are USRPIs and we expect that a significant portion of our assets will continue to be USRPIs.
A capital gain dividend that would otherwise have been treated as a USRPI capital gain will not be so treated or be subject to FIRPTA or the branch profits tax, and generally will not be treated as income that is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business, but instead will be treated in the same manner as an ordinary dividend (see “Taxation of Stockholders—Taxation of Non-U.S. Stockholders—Ordinary Dividends”), if (1) the capital gain dividend is received with respect to a class of stock that is “regularly traded” on an established securities market located in the U.S. and (2) the recipient non-U.S. stockholder does not own more than 10% of that class of stock at any time during the year ending on the date on which the capital gain dividend is received. We believe that our common stock currently is and will continue to be “regularly traded” on an established securities exchange. In addition, distributions to certain non-U.S. publicly traded stockholders that meet certain record-keeping and other requirements (“qualified stockholders”) are exempt from FIRPTA, except to the extent owners of such qualified stockholders that are not also qualified stockholders own, actually or constructively, more than 10% of our common stock. Furthermore, distributions to “qualified foreign pension funds” or entities all of the interests of which are held by “qualified foreign pension funds” are exempt from FIRPTA. Non-U.S. stockholders should consult their tax advisors regarding the application of these rules.
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Dispositions of Our Common Stock
Gain recognized by a non-U.S. stockholder upon the sale or exchange of our stock generally would not be subject to U.S. federal income taxation unless:
| • | the investment in our common stock is effectively connected with the non-U.S. stockholder’s U.S. trade or business, in which case the non-U.S. stockholder will be subject to the same treatment as U.S. stockholders with respect to any gain; |
| • | the non-U.S. stockholder is a nonresident alien individual who is present in the U.S. for 183 days or more during the taxable year and has a tax home in the U.S., in which case the nonresident alien individual will be subject to a 30% tax on the individual’s net capital gains for the taxable year; or |
| • | our common stock constitutes a USPRI within the meaning of FIRPTA, as described below. |
Our common stock will constitute a USRPI unless we are a domestically controlled REIT. We intend to take the position that we will be a domestically controlled REIT if, at all times during a specified testing period, less than 50% in value of our stock is held directly or indirectly by non-U.S. stockholders.
As described above, our Certificate of Incorporation contains restrictions designed to protect our status as a domestically controlled REIT, and we believe that we will be and will remain a domestically controlled REIT, and that a sale of our common stock should not be subject to taxation under FIRPTA. However, because our stock is publicly traded, no assurance can be given that we are or will be a domestically controlled REIT. Even if we were not a domestically controlled REIT, a sale of our common stock by a non-U.S. stockholder would nevertheless not be subject to taxation under FIRPTA as a sale of a USRPI if:
| • | our common stock were “regularly traded” on an established securities market; and |
| • | the non-U.S. stockholder did not actually, or constructively under specified attribution rules under the Code, own more than 10% of our common stock at any time during the shorter of the five-year period preceding the disposition or the holder’s holding period. |
Specific “wash sale” rules applicable to sales of shares of stock in a domestically controlled qualified investment entity could result in gain recognition, taxable under FIRPTA, upon the sale or other taxable disposition of our stock even if we are a domestically controlled qualified investment entity. These rules would apply if the non-U.S. stockholder (1) disposes of our stock within a 30-day period preceding the ex-dividend date of a distribution, any portion of which, but for the disposition, would have been treated as gain from the sale or exchange of a USRPI, and (2) acquires, or enters into a contract or option to acquire, or is deemed to acquire, other shares of our stock during the 61-day period beginning with the first day of the 30-day period described in clause (1). A sale or other taxable disposition of our stock is not treated as an applicable “wash sale” transaction if the stock is “regularly traded” on an established securities market in the U.S. and the selling non-US stockholder has not held more than 5% of the regularly traded stock during the one-year period ending on the date of such distribution described in clause (1).
In addition, dispositions of our common stock by qualified stockholders are exempt from FIRPTA, except to the extent owners of such qualified stockholders that are not also qualified stockholders own, actually or constructively, more than 10% of our common stock. An actual or deemed disposition of our common stock by such stockholders may also be treated as a dividend. Furthermore, dispositions of our common stock by “qualified foreign pension funds” or entities all of the interests of which are held by “qualified foreign pension funds” are exempt from FIRPTA. Non-U.S. stockholders should consult their tax advisors regarding the application of these rules.
We believe that our common stock currently is and will continue to be regularly traded on an established securities market. If gain on the sale or exchange of our common stock were subject to taxation under FIRPTA, the non-U.S. stockholder would be subject to regular U.S. federal income tax with respect to any gain in the same manner as a taxable U.S. stockholder, subject to any applicable alternative minimum tax and special alternative minimum tax in the case of nonresident alien individuals. In such case, under FIRPTA the purchaser of common stock may be required to withhold 15% of the purchase price and remit this amount to the IRS.
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U.S. Federal Income Tax Returns
If a non-U.S. stockholder is subject to taxation under FIRPTA on proceeds from the sale of our common stock or on capital gain distributions, the non-U.S. stockholder will be required to file a U.S. federal income tax return.
Non-U.S. stockholders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal, state, local and foreign income and other tax consequences of owning our stock, including any reporting requirements.
Taxation of Tax-Exempt Stockholders
Tax-exempt entities, including qualified employee pension and profit sharing trusts and individual retirement accounts, generally are exempt from U.S. federal income taxation. However, they may be subject to taxation on their unrelated business taxable income (“UBTI”). While some investments in real estate may generate UBTI, the IRS has ruled that dividend distributions from a REIT to a tax-exempt entity do not constitute UBTI. Based on that ruling, and provided that (1) a tax-exempt stockholder has not held our stock as “debt financed property” within the meaning of the Code (i.e., where the acquisition or holding of the property is financed through a borrowing by the tax-exempt stockholder) and (2) our stock is not otherwise used in an unrelated trade or business, distributions that we make and income from the sale of our stock generally should not give rise to UBTI to a tax-exempt stockholder.
Tax-exempt U.S. stockholders that are social clubs, voluntary employee benefit associations, supplemental unemployment benefit trusts, and qualified group legal services plans exempt from U.S. federal income taxation under sections 501(c)(7), (c)(9), (c)(17) and (c)(20) of the Code, respectively, or single parent title-holding corporations exempt under Section 501(c)(2) and whose income is payable to any of the aforementioned tax-exempt organizations, are subject to different UBTI rules, which generally will require them to characterize distributions from us as UBTI unless they are able to properly claim a deduction for amounts set aside or placed in reserve for specific purposes so as to offset the income generated by their investment in our common stock. These investors should consult their tax advisors concerning these “set aside” and reserve requirements.
In certain circumstances, a pension trust that owns more than 10% of our stock could be required to treat a percentage of any dividends received from us as UBTI if we are a “pension-held REIT.” We will not be a pension-held REIT unless (1) we are required to “look through” one or more of our pension trust stockholders to satisfy the REIT “closely held” test and (2) either (a) one pension trust owns more than 25% of the value of our stock or (b) one or more pension trusts, each individually holding more than 10% of the value of our stock, collectively own more than 50% of the value of our stock. Certain restrictions on ownership and transfer of shares of our stock generally should prevent a tax-exempt entity from owning more than 10% of the value of our stock and generally should prevent us from becoming a pension-held REIT.
Tax-exempt stockholders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal, state, local and foreign income and other tax consequences of owning our stock.
Backup Withholding Tax and Information Reporting
U.S. Stockholders of Our Common Stock
In general, information reporting requirements will apply to payments of dividends on and payments of the proceeds of the sale of our common stock held by U.S. stockholders, unless an exception applies. The applicable withholding agent is required to withhold tax on such payments if (i) the payee fails to furnish a taxpayer identification number, (a “TIN”) to the payor or to establish an exemption from backup withholding, or (ii) the IRS notifies the payor that the TIN furnished by the payee is incorrect. In addition, the applicable withholding agent with respect to the dividends on our common stock is required to withhold tax if (i) there has been a notified payee under-reporting with respect to interest, dividends or original issue discount described in Section 3406(c) of the Code, or (ii) there has been a failure of the payee to certify under the penalty of perjury that the payee is not subject to backup withholding under the Code. A U.S. stockholder that does not provide the applicable withholding agent with a correct TIN may also be subject to penalties imposed by the IRS. In addition, we may be required to withhold a portion of capital gain distributions to any U.S. stockholders who fail to certify their U.S. status to us.
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Some U.S. stockholders of our common stock, including corporations, may be exempt from backup withholding. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules from a payment to a U.S. stockholder will be allowed as a credit against the U.S. stockholder’s U.S. federal income tax and may entitle the stockholder to a refund, provided that the required information is furnished to the IRS. The applicable withholding agent will be required to furnish annually to the IRS and to U.S. stockholders of our common stock information relating to the amount of dividends paid on our common stock, and that information reporting may also apply to payments of proceeds from the sale of our common stock. Some U.S. stockholders, including corporations, financial institutions and certain tax-exempt organizations, are generally not subject to information reporting.
Non-U.S. Stockholders of Our Common Stock
Generally, information reporting will apply to payments of interest and dividends on our common stock, and backup withholding described above for a U.S. stockholder will apply, unless the payee certifies that it is not a U.S. person or otherwise establishes an exemption.
The payment of the proceeds from the disposition of our common stock to or through the U.S. office of a U.S. or foreign broker will be subject to information reporting and backup withholding as described above for U.S. stockholders unless the non-U.S. stockholder satisfies the requirements necessary to be an exempt non-U.S. stockholder or otherwise qualifies for an exemption. The proceeds of a disposition by a non-U.S. stockholder of our common stock to or through a foreign office of a broker generally will not be subject to information reporting or backup withholding. However, if the broker is a U.S. person, a controlled foreign corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, a foreign person 50% or more of whose gross income from all sources for specified periods is from activities that are effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business, a foreign partnership if partners who hold more than 50% of the interest in the partnership are U.S. persons, or a foreign partnership that is engaged in the conduct of a trade or business in the U.S., then information reporting generally will apply as though the payment was made through a U.S. office of a U.S. or foreign broker.
Other Tax Considerations
Legislative or Other Actions Affecting REITs
The rules dealing with U.S. federal income taxation are constantly under review by persons involved in the legislative process and by the IRS and the U.S. Treasury Department. We cannot give you any assurances as to whether, or in what form, any proposals affecting REITs or their stockholders will be enacted. Changes to the U.S. federal tax laws and interpretations thereof could adversely affect an investment in our common stock. As noted above, H.R. 1 was signed into law by the President on December 22, 2017. H.R. 1 significantly changed the U.S. federal income tax laws applicable to businesses and their owners, including REITs and their stockholders. We cannot predict the long-term effect of H.R. 1 or any future law changes on REITs or their stockholders. Taxpayers should consult with their tax advisors regarding the effect of H.R. 1 on their particular circumstances (including the impact of other changes enacted as part of H.R. 1 that do not directly relate to REITs and that are not discussed herein).
Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act
Withholding at a rate of 30% generally will be required in certain circumstances on dividends in respect of our common stock held by or through certain foreign financial institutions (including investment funds), unless such institution (i) enters into, and complies with, an agreement with the IRS to report, on an annual basis, information with respect to interests in, and accounts maintained by, the institution that are owned by certain U.S. persons and by certain non-U.S. entities that are wholly or partially owned by U.S. persons and to withhold on certain payments, or (ii) if required under an intergovernmental agreement between the U.S. and an applicable foreign country, reports such information to its local tax authority, which will exchange such information with the U.S. authorities. An intergovernmental agreement between the U.S. and an applicable foreign country, or other guidance, may modify these requirements. Accordingly, the entity through which our common stock is held will affect the determination of whether such withholding is required. Similarly, in certain circumstances, dividends in respect of our common stock held by an investor that is a non-financial non-U.S. entity that does not qualify under certain exemptions generally will be subject to withholding at a rate of 30%, unless such entity either (i) certifies that such entity does not have any “substantial U.S. owners” or (ii) provides certain information regarding the entity’s “substantial U.S. owners,” which we will in turn provide to the IRS. Under these withholding rules, the failure to comply with additional certification, information reporting and other specified requirements could result in withholding tax being imposed on payments of dividends and sales proceeds to U.S. stockholders (as defined above) who own shares of our common stock through foreign accounts or foreign intermediaries and certain non-U.S. stockholders. We will not pay any additional amounts to stockholders in respect of any amounts withheld. Investors should consult their tax advisors regarding the possible implications of these rules on their investment in our common stock.
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State, Local and Non-U.S. Taxes
We and our subsidiaries and stockholders may be subject to state, local or non-U.S. taxation in various jurisdictions including those in which we or they transact business, own property or reside. Our state, local or non-U.S. tax treatment and that of our stockholders may not conform to the U.S. federal income tax treatment discussed above. Any non-U.S. taxes that we incur do not pass through to stockholders as a credit against their U.S. federal income tax liability. Investors are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the application and effect of state, local and non-U.S. income and other tax laws on an investment in our stock.
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We may issue the securities offered by means of this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement in whole or in part in book-entry form, meaning that beneficial owners of the securities will not receive certificates representing their ownership interests in the securities, except in the event the book-entry system for the securities is discontinued. If securities are issued in book-entry form, they will be evidenced by one or more global securities that will be deposited with, or on behalf of, a depository identified in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to the securities. The Depository Trust Company is expected to serve as depository. Unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for the individual securities represented thereby, a global security may not be transferred except as a whole by the depository for the global security to a nominee of such depository or by a nominee of such depository to such depository or another nominee of such depository or by the depository or any nominee of such depository to a successor depository or a nominee of such successor. Global securities may be issued in either registered or bearer form and in either temporary or permanent form. The specific terms of the depository arrangement with respect to a class or series of securities that differ from the terms described here will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we anticipate that the following provisions will apply to depository arrangements.
Upon the issuance of a global security, the depository for the global security or its nominee will credit on its book-entry registration and transfer system the respective principal amounts of the individual securities represented by such global security to the accounts of persons that have accounts with such depository, who are called “participants.” Such accounts shall be designated by the underwriters, dealers or agents with respect to the securities or by us if the securities are offered and sold directly by us. Ownership of beneficial interests in a global security will be limited to the depository’s participants or persons that may hold interests through such participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in the global security will be shown on, and the transfer of that ownership will be effected only through, records maintained by the applicable depository or its nominee (with respect to beneficial interests of participants) and records of the participants (with respect to beneficial interests of persons who hold through participants). The laws of some states require that certain purchasers of securities take physical delivery of such securities in definitive form. Such limits and laws may impair the ability to own, pledge or transfer beneficial interest in a global security.
So long as the depository for a global security or its nominee is the registered owner of such global security, such depository or nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole owner or holder of the securities represented by such global security for all purposes under the applicable instrument defining the rights of a holder of the securities. Except as provided below or in the applicable prospectus supplement, owners of beneficial interest in a global security will not be entitled to have any of the individual securities of the series represented by such global security registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of any such securities in definitive form and will not be considered the owners or holders thereof under the applicable instrument defining the rights of the holders of the securities.
Payments of amounts payable with respect to individual securities represented by a global security registered in the name of a depository or its nominee will be made to the depository or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered owner of the global security representing such securities. None of us, our officers and board members or any trustee, paying agent or security registrar for an individual series of securities will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in the global security for such securities or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests.
We expect that the depository for a series of securities offered by means of this prospectus or its nominee, upon receipt of any payment of principal, premium, interest, dividend or other amount in respect of a permanent global security representing any of such securities, will immediately credit its participants’ accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in the principal amount of such global security for such securities as shown on the records of such depository or its nominee. We also expect that payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in such global security held through such participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is the case with securities held for the account of customers in bearer form or registered in “street name.” Such payments will be the responsibility of such participants.
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If a depository for a series of securities is at any time unwilling, unable or ineligible to continue as depository and a successor depository is not appointed by us within 90 days, we will issue individual securities of such series in exchange for the global security representing such series of securities. In addition, we may, at any time and in our sole discretion, subject to any limitations described in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to such securities, determine not to have any securities of such series represented by one or more global securities and, in such event, will issue individual securities of such series in exchange for the global security or securities representing such series of securities.
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Unless otherwise set forth in a prospectus supplement accompanying this prospectus, we may offer or sell the securities offered pursuant to this prospectus to or through one or more underwriters or dealers, or we may sell the securities to investors directly or through agents. Any such underwriter, dealer or agent involved in the offer and sale of the securities will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement. We may sell securities directly to investors on our or their own behalf in those jurisdictions where we or they are authorized to do so. Direct sales to investors may be accomplished through subscription offerings or through subscription rights distributed to our stockholders. In connection with subscription offerings or the distribution of subscription rights to stockholders, if all of the underlying offered securities are not subscribed for, we may sell such unsubscribed offered securities to third parties directly or through agents and, in addition, whether or not all of the underlying offered securities are subscribed for, we may concurrently offer additional offered securities to third parties directly or through agents, which agents may be affiliated with us.
Underwriters may offer and sell the securities at a fixed price or prices which may be changed, at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to such prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices, any of which may represent a discount from the prevailing market price. We also may, from time to time, authorize dealers or agents to offer and sell the securities upon such terms and conditions as may be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. In connection with the sale of any of the securities, underwriters may receive compensation from us in the form of underwriting discounts or commissions and may also receive commissions from purchasers of the securities for whom they may act as agents. Underwriters may sell the securities to or through dealers, and such dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the underwriters or commissions from the purchasers for whom they may act as agents.
Our securities may also be sold in one or more of the following transactions: (i) block transactions (which may involve crosses) in which a broker-dealer may sell all or a portion of the applicable securities as agent, but may position and resell all or a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction; (ii) purchases by any such broker-dealer as principal, and resale by such broker-dealer for its own account pursuant to a prospectus supplement; (iii) a special offering, an exchange distribution or a secondary distribution in accordance with applicable NYSE or other stock exchange, quotation system or over-the-counter market rules; (iv) ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which any such broker-dealer solicits purchasers; (v) sales “at the market” to or through a market maker or into an existing trading market, on an exchange or otherwise, for the applicable securities; and (vi) sales in other ways not involving market makers or established trading markets, including direct sales to purchasers. We may also effect a distribution of the securities pursuant to this prospectus through the issuance of derivative securities, including without limitation, warrants, forward delivery contracts and the writing of options.
We may also enter into hedging transactions. For example, we may: (i) enter into transactions with a broker-dealer or affiliate thereof in connection with which such broker-dealer or affiliate will engage in short sales of securities offered pursuant to this prospectus, in which case such broker-dealer or affiliate may use securities issued pursuant to this prospectus close out its short positions; (ii) sell securities short and redeliver such shares to close out our short positions; (iii) enter into option or other types of transactions that require us to deliver securities to a broker-dealer or an affiliate thereof, who will then resell or transfer securities under this prospectus; or (iv) loan or pledge securities to a broker-dealer or an affiliate thereof, who may sell the loaned securities or, in an event of default in the case of a pledge, sell the pledged securities pursuant to this prospectus.
Any underwriting compensation paid by us to underwriters or agents in connection with the offering of the securities, and any discounts or concessions or commissions allowed by underwriters to participating dealers, will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. Dealers and agents participating in the distribution of the securities may be deemed to be underwriters, and any discounts and commissions received by them and any profit realized by them on resale of the securities may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions.
Underwriters, dealers and agents may be entitled, under agreements entered into with us , to indemnification against and contribution toward certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. Unless otherwise set forth in an accompanying prospectus supplement, the obligations of any underwriters to purchase any of the securities will be subject to certain conditions precedent, and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all of such securities, if any are purchased.
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Underwriters, dealers and agents may engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us and our affiliates in the ordinary course of business.
If indicated in the prospectus supplement, we may authorize underwriters or other agents to solicit offers by institutions to purchase securities from us pursuant to contracts providing for payment and delivery on a future date. Institutions with which we may make these delayed delivery contracts include commercial and savings banks, insurance companies, pension funds, investment companies, educational and charitable institutions and others. The obligations of any purchaser under any such delayed delivery contract will be subject to the condition that the purchase of the securities shall not at the time of delivery be prohibited under the laws of the jurisdiction to which the purchaser is subject. The underwriters and other agents will not have any responsibility with regard to the validity or performance of these delayed delivery contracts.
In connection with the offering of the securities hereby, certain underwriters and selling group members and their respective affiliates may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market price of the applicable securities. Such transactions may include stabilization transactions effected in accordance with Rule 104 of Regulation M promulgated by the SEC, pursuant to which such persons may bid for or purchase securities for the purpose of stabilizing their market price. The underwriters in an offering of securities may also create a “short position” for their account by selling more securities in connection with the offering than they are committed to purchase from us. In such case, the underwriters could cover all or a portion of such short position by either purchasing securities in the open market following completion of the offering of such securities or by exercising any over-allotment option granted to them by us. In addition, the managing underwriter may impose “penalty bids” under contractual arrangements with other underwriters, which means that they can reclaim from an underwriter (or any selling group member participating in the offering) for the account of the other underwriters, the selling concession, discount or commission with respect to securities that are distributed in the offering but subsequently purchased for the account of the underwriters in the open market. Any of the transactions described in this paragraph or comparable transactions that are described in any accompanying prospectus supplement may result in the maintenance of the price of the securities at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in the open market. None of such transactions described in this paragraph or in an accompanying prospectus supplement are required to be taken by any underwriters and, if they are undertaken, may be discontinued at any time.
We may sell the securities in exchange in whole or part for consideration other than cash. This consideration may consist of services or products, whether tangible or intangible, and including services or products we may use in our business; outstanding debt or equity securities of our company or one or more of its subsidiaries; debt or equity securities or assets of other companies, including in connection with investments, joint ventures or other strategic transactions, or acquisitions; release of claims or settlement of disputes; and satisfaction of obligations, including obligations to make payments to distributors or other suppliers and payment of interest on outstanding obligations. We may sell the securities as part of a transaction in which outstanding debt or equity securities of our company or one or more of our subsidiaries are surrendered, converted, exercised, canceled, repurchased or transferred.
Our shares of common stock are listed on the NYSE under the symbol “PK.” Any securities that we issue, other than our common stock, will be new issues of securities and, except with respect to our common stock, will have no established trading market and may or may not be listed on a national securities exchange, quotation system or over-the-counter market. Any underwriters or agents to or through which securities are sold by us may make a market in such securities, but such underwriters or agents will not be obligated to do so and any of them may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. No assurance can be given as to the liquidity of or trading market for any securities sold by us.
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The validity of the securities offered by means of this prospectus and certain U.S. federal income tax matters have been passed upon for us by Hogan Lovells US LLP.
The consolidated financial statements of Park Hotels & Resorts Inc. appearing in Park Hotels & Resorts Inc.’s Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2020, and the effectiveness of Park Hotels & Resorts Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020 have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their reports thereon, included therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements are incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such reports given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
WHERE TO FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Our website address is www.pkhotelsandresorts.com. We make our SEC filings available on our website, free of charge, as soon as reasonably practicable after such materials are filed with, or furnished to the SEC. Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus, and you should not consider information contained on our website to be part of this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement.
We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. This prospectus does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement. For further information with respect to our company and the securities to be registered, we refer you to the registration statement, including the exhibits, schedules and information incorporated by reference into the registration statement. Statements contained in this prospectus as to the contents of any contract or other document referred to in this prospectus are not necessarily complete and, where that contract or other document has been filed as an exhibit to or incorporated by reference into the registration statement, each statement in this prospectus is qualified in all respects by the exhibit to which the reference relates. Our SEC filings are available electronically to the public on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
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INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE
SEC rules allow us to incorporate information into this prospectus by reference, which means that we disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is deemed to be part of this prospectus, except to the extent superseded by information contained herein or by information contained in documents filed with or furnished to the SEC after the date of this prospectus. This prospectus incorporates by reference the documents set forth below that have been previously filed with the SEC:
| • | our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020; |
| • | Our definitive proxy statement filed with the SEC on March 12, 2020 (solely to the extent incorporated by reference into Part III of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019); and |
| • | the description of our common stock contained in our Information Statement on Form 10 filed with the SEC on June 2, 2016, including all amendments and reports filed for the purpose of updating such description. |
We also incorporate by reference into this prospectus additional documents that we may file with the SEC under Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act from the date of this prospectus until we have sold all of the securities to which this prospectus relates or the offering is otherwise terminated. These documents may include, among others, Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, as well as proxy statements. We are not, however, incorporating any information furnished under either Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of any Current Report on Form 8-K.
You may obtain copies of the documents we incorporate by reference, at no cost, upon written or oral request, by contacting us as described below, or through contacting the SEC or accessing its website as described above. Documents incorporated by reference are available without charge, excluding all exhibits unless an exhibit has been specifically incorporated by reference into those documents, by requesting them in writing or by telephone at:
Park Hotels & Resorts Inc.
1775 Tysons Boulevard, 7th Floor
Tysons, VA 22102
Attn: Investor Relations
(571) 302-5757
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PART II. INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
ITEM 14. OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION.
The following table sets forth the costs and expenses, other than underwriting discounts and commissions, payable by us in connection with the sale and distribution of the securities being registered.
| SEC Registration Fee |
$ | * | ||
| Transfer Agent and Depositary Fees |
** | |||
| Accountant’s Fees and Expenses |
** | |||
| Legal Fees and Expenses |
** | |||
| Printing Expenses |
** | |||
| Miscellaneous |
** | |||
|
|
|
|||
| TOTAL |
$ | */** | ||
|
|
|
| * | In accordance with Rule 456(b) and Rule 457(r) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), the registrant is deferring payment of all of the registration fee. |
| ** | The calculation of these fees and expenses is dependent on the number of issuances and amount of securities offered and, accordingly, cannot be estimated at this time. The applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the estimated aggregate amount of expenses payable in respect of any offering of securities. |
ITEM 15. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.
Section 102(b)(7) of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”), allows a corporation to include in its certificate of incorporation a provision that limits or eliminates the personal liability of directors to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for a breach of a fiduciary duty as a director, except where the director breached the duty of loyalty, failed to act in good faith, engaged in intentional misconduct or knowingly violated a law, authorized the payment of a dividend or approved a stock repurchase or redemption in violation of Delaware corporate law or obtained an improper personal benefit.
Section 145(a) of the DGCL provides that a Delaware corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, other than an action by or in the right of the corporation, by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful.
Section 145(b) of the DGCL provides that a Delaware corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that such person acted in any of the capacities set forth above, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation, unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the court shall deem proper.
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Further subsections of DGCL Section 145 provide that:
(1) to the extent a present or former director or officer of a corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in the defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 145 or in the defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, such person shall be indemnified against expenses, including attorneys’ fees, actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection therewith;
(2) the indemnification and advancement of expenses provided for pursuant to Section 145 shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under any bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise; and
(3) the corporation shall have the power to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of such person’s status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under Section 145.
Section 174 of the DGCL provides, among other things, that a director, who willfully or negligently approves of an unlawful payment of dividends or an unlawful stock purchase or redemption, may be held jointly and severally liable for such actions. A director who was either absent when the unlawful actions were approved or dissented at the time may avoid liability by causing his or her dissent to such actions to be entered into the books containing the minutes of the meetings of the board of directors at the time such action occurred or immediately after such absent director receives notice of the unlawful acts.
Our By-laws provide, in effect, that, to the fullest extent and under the circumstances permitted by Section 145 of the DGCL, Park will indemnify any person who is or was involved in any manner or is threatened to be made so involved in any threatened, pending, or completed investigation, claim, action, suit, or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative, by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer of Park or while a director, officer, or employee of Park is or was serving at the request of Park as a director, officer, or employee of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, or other entity.
Park currently maintains an insurance policy which, within the limits and subject to the terms and conditions thereof, covers certain expenses and liabilities that may be incurred by directors, officers and certain employees in connection with proceedings that may be brought against them as a result of an act or omission committed or suffered while acting as a director or officer of Park and its subsidiaries.
Park has also entered into indemnification agreements with its executive officers and its directors. The agreements are identical. Each agreement requires Park to indemnify and hold harmless the applicable officer or director to the fullest extent authorized by Delaware law. Each agreement provides that Park will indemnify the applicable officer or director against all loss and liability suffered and expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by or on his or her behalf, if, by reason of his status as an officer or director, he or she is, or is threatened to be, made a party or participant in any proceeding. The only limitation on this obligation is that Park is not required to make any payment (i) for any action, suit, or proceeding initiated by the covered officer or director, including actions to enforce or interpret the indemnification agreement, unless the officer or director is successful in such action, (ii) for any suit for disgorgement of profits made from the purchase and sale by the officer or director of securities of Park pursuant to the provisions of Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, (iii) when the officer’s or director’s conduct was determined by a final judgment or other adjudication to be knowingly fraudulent or constitute willful misconduct, or (iv) when indemnification has been determined by a final judgment or other adjudication to be prohibited by law. Park must also advance to the indemnified officer or director all expenses reasonably and necessarily incurred by him or her or on his or her behalf in connection with any proceeding in which he or she is made a party or participant by reason of his status as an officer or director.
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| ITEM 16. | EXHIBITS. |
| * | To be filed by amendment or incorporated by reference in connection with the offering of specific securities. |
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ITEM 17. UNDERTAKINGS.
| (a) | The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes: |
| (1) | To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement: |
| (i) | To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933; |
| (ii) | To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of this registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in this registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and |
| (iii) | To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in this registration statement or any material change to such information in this registration statement; |
provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(iii) of this section do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in this registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of this registration statement.
| (2) | That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
| (3) | To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering. |
| (4) | That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser: |
| (i) | Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in this registration statement; and |
| (ii) | Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in this registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of this registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into this registration statement or prospectus that is part of this registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in this registration statement or prospectus that was part of this registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date. |
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| (5) | That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities: |
The undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:
| (i) | Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424; |
| (ii) | Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant; |
| (iii) | The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and |
| (iv) | Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser. |
| (b) | The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in this registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered herein and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
| (c) | Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. |
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Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Tysons, State of Virginia, on March 5, 2021.
| PARK HOTELS & RESORTS INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Thomas J. Baltimore, Jr. | |
| Name: Thomas J. Baltimore, Jr. | ||
| Title: Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer | ||
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Thomas J. Baltimore, Jr., Sean M. Dell’Orto, Thomas C. Morey and Nancy M. Vu, and each of them (with full power to act alone), the individual’s true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for the person and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments to this Registration Statement on Form S-3 and any Registration Statement for the same offering that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462 under the Securities Act, and to file the same, with exhibits thereto and any other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary in connection with such matters to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as such person might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorneys-in-fact and agents, or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. This Power of Attorney may be signed in several counterparts.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement and power of attorney has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
| Signature |
Title |
Date | ||
| /s/ Thomas J. Baltimore, Jr. Thomas J. Baltimore, Jr. |
Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) |
March 5, 2021 | ||
| /s/ Sean M. Dell’Orto Sean M. Dell’Orto |
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer) |
March 5, 2021 | ||
| /s/ Darren W. Robb Darren W. Robb |
Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer (Principal Accounting Officer) |
March 5, 2021 | ||
| /s/ Patricia M. Bedient Patricia M. Bedient |
Director | March 5, 2021 | ||
| /s/ Gordon M. Bethune Gordon M. Bethune |
Director | March 5, 2021 | ||
| /s/ Thomas D. Eckert Thomas D. Eckert |
Director | March 5, 2021 | ||
| /s/ Geoffrey Garrett Geoffrey Garrett |
Director | March 5, 2021 | ||
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| Signature |
Title |
Date | ||
| /s/ Christie B. Kelly Christie B. Kelly |
Director | March 5, 2021 | ||
| /s/ Joseph I. Lieberman Joseph I. Lieberman |
Director | March 5, 2021 | ||
| /s/ Thomas A. Natelli Thomas A. Natelli |
Director | March 5, 2021 | ||
| /s/ Timothy J. Naughton Timothy J. Naughton |
Director | March 5, 2021 | ||
| /s/ Stephen I. Sadove Stephen I. Sadove |
Director | March 5, 2021 | ||
II-7
Exhibit 5.1
|
Hogan Lovells US LLP Columbia Square 555 Thirteenth Street, NW Washington, DC 20004 T +1 202 637 5600 F +1 202 637 5910 www.hoganlovells.com |
March 5, 2021
Board of Directors
Park Hotels & Resorts Inc.
1775 Tysons Boulevard, 7th Floor
Tysons, VA 22102
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We are acting as counsel to Park Hotels & Resorts Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with its registration statement on Form S-3, as amended (the “Registration Statement”), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission relating to the proposed public offering of an unlimited amount of one or more series of the following securities of the Company: (i) shares of common stock of the Company, $0.01 par value per share (the “Common Stock”), (ii) shares of preferred stock of the Company, $0.01 par value per share (the “Preferred Stock”), (iii) Preferred Stock represented by depositary receipts (the “Depositary Shares”), (iv) warrants to purchase Common Stock (the “Common Stock Warrants”), Preferred Stock (the “Preferred Stock Warrants”) or Depositary Shares (“Depositary Share Warrants” and, collectively with the Preferred Stock Warrants and the Common Stock Warrants, the “Warrants”) and (v) rights to purchase Common Stock (the “Subscription Rights,” and, together with the Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Depositary Shares and Warrants, the “Securities”), all of which may be sold from time to time and on a delayed or continuous basis, as set forth in the prospectus which forms a part of the Registration Statement, and as to be set forth in one or more supplements to the prospectus. This opinion letter is furnished to you at your request to enable you to fulfill the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K, 17 C.F.R. § 229.601(b)(5), in connection with the Registration Statement.
For purposes of this opinion letter, we have examined copies of such agreements, instruments and documents as we have deemed an appropriate basis on which to render the opinions hereinafter expressed. In our examination of the aforesaid documents, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of all natural persons, the accuracy and completeness of all documents submitted to us, the authenticity of all original documents, and the conformity to authentic original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies (including pdfs). As to all matters of fact, we have relied on the representations and statements of fact made in the documents so reviewed, and we have not independently established the facts so relied on. This opinion letter is given, and all statements herein are made, in the context of the foregoing.
For purposes of this opinion letter, we have assumed that (i) the issuance, sale, amount and terms of any Securities of the Company to be offered from time to time will have been duly authorized and established by proper action of the board of directors of the Company or a duly authorized committee of such board (“Board Action”) consistent with the procedures and terms described in the Registration Statement and in accordance with the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company (the “Charter”) and the Amended and Restated By-laws of the Company and applicable Delaware
Hogan Lovells US LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in the District of Columbia. “Hogan Lovells” is an international legal practice that includes Hogan Lovells US LLP and Hogan Lovells International LLP, with offices in: Alicante Amsterdam Baltimore Beijing Birmingham Boston Brussels Colorado Springs Denver Dubai Dusseldorf Frankfurt Hamburg Hanoi Ho Chi Minh City Hong Kong Houston Johannesburg London Los Angeles Luxembourg Madrid Mexico City Miami Milan Minneapolis Monterrey Moscow Munich New York Northern Virginia Paris Perth Philadelphia Rome San Francisco São Paulo Shanghai Silicon Valley Singapore Sydney Tokyo Warsaw Washington, D.C. Associated Offices: Budapest Jakarta Riyadh Shanghai FTZ Ulaanbaatar Zagreb. Business Service Centers: Johannesburg Louisville. Legal Services Center: Berlin. For more information see www.hoganlovells.com
corporate law, in a manner that does not violate any law, government or court-imposed order or restriction or agreement or instrument then binding on the Company or otherwise impair the legal or binding nature of the obligations represented by the applicable Securities; (ii) at the time of offer, issuance and sale of any Securities, the Registration Statement will have been declared effective under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), and no stop order suspending its effectiveness will have been issued and remain in effect; (iii) any Warrants will be issued under one or more warrant agreements, each to be between the Company and a financial institution identified therein as a warrant agent; (iv) prior to any issuance of Preferred Stock or Depositary Shares, appropriate certificates of designation will be accepted for record by the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware; (v) any Depositary Shares will be issued under one or more deposit agreements by the financial institution identified therein as a depositary, each deposit agreement to be between the Company and the financial institution identified therein as a depositary; (vi) any Subscription Rights will be issued under one or more rights agreements, each to be between the Company and a financial institution identified therein as a rights agent; (vii) if being sold by the Company, the Securities will be delivered against payment of valid consideration therefor and in accordance with the terms of the applicable Board Action authorizing such sale and any applicable underwriting agreement or purchase agreement and as contemplated by the Registration Statement and/or the applicable prospectus supplement; (viii) the Company will remain a Delaware corporation; (ix) the Securities will not be issued in violation of the ownership limit contained in the Charter; and (x) the laws of the State of New York will be the governing law under any deposit agreement, warrant agreement or rights agreement.
To the extent that the obligations of the Company with respect to the Securities may be dependent upon such matters, we assume for purposes of this opinion that the other party under the warrant agreement for any Warrants, under the deposit agreement for any Depositary Shares, and under any rights agreement for any Subscription Rights, namely, the warrant agent, the depositary or the rights agent, respectively, is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization; that such other party is duly qualified to engage in the activities contemplated by such warrant agreement, deposit agreement or rights agreement, as applicable; that such warrant agreement, deposit agreement or rights agreement, as applicable, has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the other party and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the other party enforceable against the other party in accordance with its terms; that such other party is in compliance with respect to performance of its obligations under such warrant agreement, deposit agreement or rights agreement, as applicable, with all applicable laws, rules and regulations; and that such other party has the requisite organizational and legal power and authority to perform its obligations under such warrant agreement, deposit agreement or rights agreement, as applicable.
This opinion letter is based as to matters of law solely on the applicable provisions of the following, as currently in effect: (i) the Delaware General Corporation Law, as amended; and (ii) as to the opinions given in paragraphs (c), (d), (e), (f) and (g), the laws of the State of New York (but not including any laws, statutes, ordinances, administrative decisions, rules or regulations of any political subdivision below the state level). We express no opinion herein as to any other statutes, rules or regulations (and in particular, we express no opinion as to any effect that such other statutes, rules or regulations may have on the opinions expressed herein).
Based upon, subject to and limited by the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:
(a) The shares of Common Stock (including any shares of Common Stock that are duly issued upon the exchange or conversion of Preferred Stock that are exchangeable for or convertible into Common Stock or upon the exercise of Common Stock Warrants or Subscription Rights and, if applicable, receipt by the Company of any additional consideration payable upon such conversion, exchange or exercise), upon due execution and delivery on behalf of the Company of certificates therefor, if applicable, including global certificates, or the entry of the issuance thereof in the books and records of the Company, as the case may be, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(b) The shares of Preferred Stock (including any shares of Preferred Stock represented by Depositary Shares or that are duly issued upon the exercise of the Preferred Stock Warrants and receipt by the Company of any additional consideration payable upon such exercise), upon due execution and delivery on behalf of the Company of certificates therefor, including global certificates, or the entry of the issuance thereof in the books and records of the Company, as the case may be, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(c) The Preferred Stock Warrants, upon due execution and delivery of an equity warrant agreement relating thereto on behalf of the Company and the warrant agent named therein and due authentication of the Preferred Stock Warrants by such warrant agent, and upon due execution and delivery of the Preferred Stock Warrants on behalf of the Company, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company.
(d) The Common Stock Warrants, upon due execution and delivery of an equity warrant agreement relating thereto on behalf of the Company and the warrant agent named therein and due authentication of the Common Stock Warrants by such warrant agent, and upon due execution and delivery of the Common Stock Warrants on behalf of the Company, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company.
(e) The Depositary Share Warrants, upon due execution and delivery of a warrant agreement relating thereto on behalf of the Company and the warrant agent named therein and due authentication of the Depositary Shares Warrants by such warrant agent, and upon due execution and delivery of the Depositary Shares Warrants on behalf of the Company, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company.
(f) The depositary receipts evidencing the Depositary Shares, upon due countersignature thereof and issuance against a deposit of duly authorized and validly issued Preferred Stock in accordance with the deposit agreement relating thereto, will be validly issued and entitle the holders thereof to the rights specified in such depositary receipts and deposit agreement.
(g) The Subscription Rights, upon due execution and delivery of a rights agreement relating thereto on behalf of the Company and the rights agent named therein and due authentication of the subscription rights certificates by such rights agent, and upon due execution and delivery of one or more subscription rights certificates bearing such terms on behalf of the Company, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company.
The opinions expressed in Paragraphs (c), (d), (e), (f) and (g) above with respect to the valid and binding nature of obligations may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, receivership, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights (including, without limitation, the effect of statutory and other law regarding fraudulent conveyances, fraudulent transfers and preferential transfers) and by the exercise of judicial discretion and the application of principles of equity, good faith, fair dealing, reasonableness, conscionability and materiality (regardless of whether the Securities are considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
This opinion letter has been prepared for use in connection with the Registration Statement. We assume no obligation to advise of any changes in the foregoing subsequent to the effective date of the Registration Statement.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement and to the reference to this firm under the caption “Legal Matters” in the prospectus constituting a part of the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are an “expert” within the meaning of the Act.
| Very truly yours, |
| /s/ Hogan Lovells US LLP |
| HOGAN LOVELLS US LLP |
Exhibit 8.1
|
|
Hogan Lovells US LLP Columbia Square 555 Thirteenth Street, NW Washington, DC 20004 T +1 202 637 5600 F +1 202 637 5910 www.hoganlovells.com |
March 5, 2021
Park Hotels & Resorts Inc.
1775 Tysons Boulevard, 7th Floor
Tysons, VA 22102
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We are acting as tax counsel to Park Hotels & Resorts Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Park”), in connection with its registration statement on Form S-3, as amended (the “Registration Statement”), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, relating to the proposed public offering of an unlimited amount of one or more series of the following securities of the Company: (i) shares of common stock of the Company, $0.01 par value per share (the “Common Stock”), (ii) shares of preferred stock of the Company, $0.01 par value per share (the “Preferred Stock”), (iii) Preferred Stock represented by depositary receipts (the “Depositary Shares”), (iv) warrants to purchase Common Stock (the “Common Stock Warrants”), Preferred Stock (the “Preferred Stock Warrants”) or Depositary Shares (“Depositary Share Warrants” and, collectively with the Preferred Stock Warrants and the Common Stock Warrants, the “Warrants”) and (v) rights to purchase Common Stock (the “Subscription Rights,” and, together with the Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Depositary Shares, and Warrants, the “Securities”), all of which may be sold from time to time and on a delayed or continuous basis, as set forth in the prospectus which forms a part of the Registration Statement, and as to be set forth in one or more supplements to the prospectus. In connection with the filing of the Registration Statement, we have been asked to provide you with this letter regarding the Company’s qualification as a real estate investment trust (a “REIT”) for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Bases for Opinion
The opinion set forth in this letter is based on relevant current provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), the Treasury Regulations thereunder (including proposed and temporary Treasury Regulations), and interpretations of the foregoing as expressed in court decisions, applicable legislative history, and the administrative rulings and practices of the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”), including its practices and policies in issuing private letter rulings, which are not binding on the IRS except with respect to a taxpayer that receives such a ruling, all as of the date hereof. These provisions and interpretations are subject to change by the IRS, Congress and the courts (as applicable), which may or may not be retroactive in effect and which might result in material modifications of our opinion. Our opinion does not foreclose the possibility of a contrary determination by the IRS or a court of competent jurisdiction, or of a contrary position taken by the IRS or the Treasury Department in regulations or rulings issued in the future. In this regard, an opinion of counsel with respect to an issue represents counsel’s professional judgment with respect to the merits of such issue, if such issue were to be litigated, but an opinion is not binding on the IRS or the courts, and is not a guarantee that the IRS will not assert a contrary position with respect to such issue or that a court will not sustain such a position asserted by the IRS.
Park Hotels & Resorts Inc.
March 5, 2021
Page 2
In rendering the opinion set forth in this letter, we have examined such statutes, regulations, records, agreements, certificates and the following documents that we have considered necessary and appropriate to serve as a basis for the opinion and, with your consent, relied upon (without any independent investigation or review thereof):
| (1) | the form of lease (the “Lease”) used in connection with hotels indirectly owned by Park and Park Subsidiary REIT (as defined below) (the “Hotels”) leased to “taxable REIT subsidiaries”, as defined in Section 856(l) of the Code, of Park and Park Subsidiary REIT (as defined below) (the “TRS Lessees”); |
| (2) | the waiver letter agreement among Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Hilton”), Park and certain entities affiliated with The Blackstone Group L.P. (“Blackstone”), dated as of October 24, 2016, the bring-down waiver letter agreement among the same parties, dated as of January 3, 2017, the update letter from certain entities affiliated with Blackstone, dated as of April 14, 2017, the update letter from certain entities affiliated with Blackstone, dated as of August 2, 2017, the update letter from certain entities affiliated with Blackstone, dated as of November 2, 2017, together with all exhibits and attachments thereto, pursuant to which certain Blackstone entities made representations, warranties and covenants in connection with the grant by Park of a limited exemption from the ownership limits in the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Park (the “Charter”); |
| (3) | the waiver letter agreement among Hilton, Park and HNA Tourism Group Company Limited (“HNA”), dated as of October 24, 2016, the bring-down waiver letter agreement among the same parties, dated as of January 3, 2017, the update letter from HNA, dated as of March 15, 2017, the update letter from HNA, dated as of July 17, 2017, the update letter from HNA, dated as of October 16, 2017, the update letter from HNA, dated as of January 13, 2018, together with all exhibits and attachments thereto, pursuant to which HNA made representations, warranties and covenants in connection with the grant by Park of a limited exemption from the ownership limits in the Charter; |
| (4) | the waiver letter agreement among the Vanguard REIT Index Fund and Park, dated as of April 28, 2017, together with all exhibits and attachments thereto, pursuant to which the Vanguard REIT Index Fund made representations, warranties and covenants in connection with the grant by Park of a limited exemption from the ownership limits in the Charter; and |
| (5) | the Charter and certain organizational documents of Park and certain of its subsidiaries (those documents referred to in clauses (1) through (5), the “Reviewed Documents”). |
The opinion set forth in this letter is premised on, among other things, the written representations and covenants of Park and PK Domestic REIT Inc. (the “Park Subsidiary REIT”) contained in a letter to us, dated as of the date hereof, together with all exhibits and attachments thereto (collectively, the “Management Representation Letter”). Although we have discussed the Management Representation Letter with the relevant signatory thereto, for purposes of rendering our opinion we have not made an independent investigation or audit of the facts set forth in any of the Reviewed Documents or the Management Representation Letter. We consequently have relied upon the representations and statements of Park and Park Subsidiary REIT and other signatories as described in the Reviewed Documents and the Management Representation Letter, and assumed that the information presented in such documents or otherwise furnished to us is accurate and complete in all material respects.
Park Hotels & Resorts Inc.
March 5, 2021
Page 3
In this regard, we have assumed with your consent the following:
| (1) | that (A) all of the representations and statements as to factual matters set forth in each of the Reviewed Documents and the Management Representation Letter are true, correct, and complete as of the date hereof, (B) any representation or statement in any of the Reviewed Documents or the Management Representation Letter made as a belief or made “to the knowledge of” or similarly qualified is true, correct, and complete as of the date hereof, without such qualification, (C) each agreement described in any of the Reviewed Documents is valid and binding in accordance with its terms, and (D) each of the obligations of the parties to the Reviewed Documents, and their subsidiaries, as described in the Reviewed Documents, has been or will be performed or satisfied in accordance with its terms; |
| (2) | the representations in the management representation letter from Chesapeake Lodging Trust, dated as of September 18, 2019, in connection with the issuance by Polsinelli PC of an opinion regarding the status of Chesapeake Lodging Trust as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes are accurate; |
| (3) | Section 856(c)(8) of the Code does not apply to Hilton or Park because the distribution of 100 percent of common shares of Park (“Park Common Shares”) by Hilton pursuant to a registration statement on Form 10 (the “Distribution”) was described in the private letter ruling request letter initially submitted by Hilton to the IRS on September 11, 2015 (the “PLR Request”), the PLR Request has not been withdrawn as of December 7, 2015, and with respect to the PLR Request a private letter ruling had not been issued or denied by the IRS in its entirety as of December 7, 2015; |
| (4) | the genuineness of all signatures, the proper execution of all documents, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to originals of documents submitted to us as copies, and the authenticity of the originals from which any copies were made; |
| (5) | that any documents as to which we have reviewed only a form were or will be duly executed without material changes from the form reviewed by us; and |
| (6) | that, from and after the date of this letter, each of Park and Park Subsidiary REIT will comply with its representation contained in the Management Representation Letter that it will utilize all appropriate “savings provisions” (including the provisions of Sections 856(c)(6), 856(c)(7), and 856(g) of the Code, and the provision included in Section 856(c)(4) of the Code (flush language) allowing for the disposal of assets within 30 days after the close of a calendar quarter, and all available deficiency dividend procedures) available to Park under the Code in order to correct any violations of the REIT qualification requirements of Sections 856 and 857 of the Code to the full extent the remedies under such provisions are available. |
Any material variation or difference in the facts from those set forth in the documents that we have reviewed and upon which we have relied (including, in particular, the Reviewed Documents and the Management Representation Letter) may adversely affect the conclusions stated herein.
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Opinion
Based upon and subject to the assumptions and qualifications set forth herein, including, without limitation, the discussion in the next five paragraphs below, we are of the opinion that commencing with its taxable year ended December 31, 2017, Park has been organized and operated in conformity with the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and Park’s method of operation (as described in the Reviewed Documents and the Management Representation Letter) should enable it to continue to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code for the current taxable year and future taxable years.
Park’s qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code depends upon the ability of Park to meet on an ongoing basis (through actual quarterly and annual operating results, distribution levels, diversity of share ownership and otherwise) the various qualification tests imposed under the Code, and upon Park utilizing any and all available “savings provisions” (including the provisions of Sections 856(c)(6), 856(c)(7), and 856(g) of the Code and the provision included in Section 856(c)(4) of the Code (flush language) allowing for the disposal of assets within 30 days after the close of a calendar quarter, and all available deficiency dividend procedures) available to Park under the Code in order to correct any violations of the applicable REIT qualification requirements of Sections 856 and 857 of the Code. Our opinion set forth in this letter does not foreclose the possibility that Park may have to utilize one or more of these “savings provisions” in the future, which could require Park to pay an excise or penalty tax (which could be significant in amount) in order to maintain its REIT qualification.
The accuracy of our opinion is entirely dependent on the representations contained in the Management Representation Letter regarding the value and composition of the assets of Park, and the nature of its income derived therefrom. We have not undertaken at this time to review Park’s compliance with the applicable REIT qualification requirements on a continuing basis, nor will we do so in the future. Accordingly, no assurance can be given that the actual results of Park’s operations, the sources of its income, the nature of its assets, the level of its distributions to shareholders and the diversity of its share ownership, and/or changes in the actual or constructive ownership of Park and Hilton, which is intended to be an “eligible independent contractor” within the meaning of Section 856(d)(9) of the Code (an “Eligible Independent Contractor”) with respect to Park for any given taxable year, should permit Park to satisfy the requirements under the Code for qualification and taxation as a REIT.
We note in particular that, Hilton has operated all of the legacy Hotels (that is, those Hotels owned by Park at the time of the Distribution) except for the following four Hotels which are managed by Park: the Hilton Garden Inn LAX/El Segundo in El Segundo, California; the Hampton Inn & Suites Memphis—Shady Grove in Memphis, Tennessee; the Hilton Suites Chicago/Oak Brook in Chicago, Illinois; and the Hilton Garden Inn Chicago/Oak Brook in Chicago, Illinois. A few of the Hotels that are operated by Hilton have been owned or are owned in whole or in part by taxable REIT subsidiaries of Park and the remainder of such Hotels have been and are currently leased to a TRS Lessee. Hilton operates, and is expected to continue to operate in the foreseeable future, a very substantial portion of the Hotels. One of the requirements that must be satisfied for the rents that Park and Park Subsidiary REIT receive from a TRS Lessee with respect to a Lease to qualify as “rents from real property” under Section 856(d) of the Code (and thus for each of Park and Park Subsidiary REIT to satisfy the gross income tests applicable to REITs) is that Hilton must qualify as an Eligible Independent Contractor. With respect to each of Park and Park Subsidiary REIT respectively, an Eligible Independent Contractor means, with respect to a Hotel, an “independent contractor” as defined in Section 856(d)(3) of the Code (an “Independent Contractor”) from whom
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the REIT derives no income, who is adequately compensated, and, at the time the Independent Contractor enters into a management agreement to operate the Hotel, is actively engaged in the trade or business of operating “qualified lodging facilities” as defined under Section 856(d)(9)(D) of the Code for any person who is not a related person with respect to Park, Park Subsidiary REIT, or the TRS Lessees. For Hilton to qualify as an Independent Contractor with respect to each of Park and Park Subsidiary REIT respectively, (i) Hilton cannot own, directly or indirectly, more than 35% of shares of the REIT’s stock and (ii) not more than 35% of the total combined voting power of Hilton’s stock (or 35% of the total shares of all classes of its stock) can be owned, directly or indirectly, by one or more persons owning 35% or more of the shares of the REIT’s stock, in each case, taking into account certain constructive ownership rules set forth in Section 318(a) of the Code (as modified by Section 856(d)(5) of the Code) (collectively, the “35% Ownership Requirement”). For the period commencing on January 4, 2017: (i) Park and Hilton have only had common stock outstanding, and (ii) both Park Common Shares and the shares of common stock of Hilton (the “Hilton Common Shares”) have been and are currently regularly traded on an established securities market. Thus, only persons who own, directly or indirectly (taking into account the constructive ownership rules), more than 5% of Park Common Shares and more than 5% of the Hilton Common Shares (the owner of such amount of stock, a “5% Shareholder”) are taken into account as owning any of Park Common Shares or the Hilton Common Shares for purposes of applying the limitation in clause (ii) of the preceding sentence.
Prior to the Distribution, certain funds affiliated with Blackstone and affiliated entities that directly or indirectly owned, actually or constructively, the Hilton Common Shares (the “Blackstone Entities”) were 5% Shareholders of Hilton and would not have satisfied the 35% Ownership Requirement. Immediately after the Distribution, but before January 4, 2017, Blackstone undertook certain steps (the “Blackstone Restructuring”) intended to reduce Park Common Shares and the Hilton Common Shares held the Blackstone Entities and Blackstone Investors that would be considered to be owned by 5% Shareholders for purposes of the 35% Ownership Requirement, such that commencing at the time of completion of the Blackstone Restructuring, those persons treated as 5% Shareholders of Park or Hilton should not have caused and should not cause Park or Hilton to fail the 35% Ownership Requirement. Moreover, on March 15, 2017, certain entities affiliated with Blackstone and HNA consummated a transaction that resulted in HNA acquiring approximately 25% of each of the Hilton Common Shares and Park Common Shares (the “HNA Purchase Transaction”). The HNA Purchase Transaction had the effect of reducing the ownership of the Blackstone Entities in each of Hilton and Park, but required that HNA also be taken into account in applying the 35% Ownership Requirement. Given the manner in which the rules work, the HNA Purchase Transaction actually increased, for purposes of the 35% Ownership Requirement, the Hilton Common Shares and Park Common Shares that are considered owned by persons treated as 5% Shareholders. Effective March 9, 2018, HNA sold all of its Park Common Shares.
Applying the tax ownership rules, including the constructive ownership rules, we believe that, after the Distribution and the Blackstone Restructuring, and both before and after the HNA Purchase Transaction, (i) Hilton and/or one or more actual or constructive owners of 10% or more of the Hilton Common Shares should not be considered to own, actually or constructively, more than 35% of Park Common Shares, and (ii) the Blackstone Entities that are 5% Shareholders with respect to Park Common Shares and the Hilton Common Shares, together with HNA following the HNA Purchase Transaction, collectively should not be considered to own more than 35% of Park Common Shares and the Hilton Common Shares. Based on this conclusion and the statements in the Reviewed Documents and the Management Representation Letter, we believe that, commencing January 4, 2017, Hilton and its subsidiaries should qualify as Eligible Independent Contractors with respect to the TRS Lessees. However, because the tax ownership rules and constructive ownership rules are very complex and there is no or limited authority on certain aspects of those rules that are relevant to
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Blackstone’s ownership for purposes of the 35% Ownership Requirement, and because the Hilton Common Shares are publicly traded and are not subject to restrictions on ownership and transfer similar to the restrictions on ownership and transfer applicable to Park Common Shares, there can be no assurance that Hilton in fact has satisfied or will satisfy the 35% Ownership Requirement. If Hilton has not satisfied that requirement at all times since the Distribution or does not satisfy that requirement in the future, then Park may fail to qualify as a REIT.
This opinion letter addresses only the specific U.S. federal income tax matters set forth above and does not address any other U.S. federal, state, local or foreign legal or tax issues.
This opinion letter has been prepared solely for your use pursuant to the Purchase Agreement and speaks as of the date hereof. We assume no obligation by reason of this opinion letter or otherwise to advise you of any changes in our opinion subsequent to the date hereof. This opinion letter may not be distributed, quoted in whole or in part or otherwise reproduced in any document, or filed with any governmental agency without our express written consent. In addition, this opinion letter may not be relied on by any other person for any other purpose without our prior written consent.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Hogan Lovells US LLP
HOGAN LOVELLS US LLP
Exhibit 23.1
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption “Experts” in this Registration Statement (Form S-3) and related Prospectus of Park Hotels & Resorts Inc. for the registration of common stock, preferred stock, depositary shares, warrants and rights and to the incorporation by reference therein of our reports dated February 26, 2021, with respect to the consolidated financial statements of Park Hotels & Resorts Inc., and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting of Park Hotels & Resorts Inc., included in its Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2020, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
Tysons, Virginia
March 5, 2021