Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5)
Registration Statement No. 333-222481
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
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Title of Each Class of Securities to be Registered |
Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price |
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Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share |
(1) | (1) | ||
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(1) | The registrant previously registered $400,000,000 of common stock on the registrants registration statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-201464) filed on January 13, 2015, and a related prospectus supplement filed on June 8, 2015 (the Prior Prospectus Supplement) pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), and all of such shares remain unsold (the Unsold Securities) and are being registered hereunder. As reflected under the caption Calculation of Registration Fee in the Prior Prospectus Supplement, a filing fee of $46,480 was previously paid in connection with the registration of such $400,000,000 in shares of the registrants common stock, which filing fee was calculated in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) of the Securities Act and is hereby applied to the registration of the Unsold Securities pursuant to Rule 415(a)(6) under the Securities Act. |
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
(To Prospectus dated January 9, 2018)
Up to $400,000,000
Common Stock
Brixmor Property Group Inc. has entered into equity distribution agreements (the Sales Agreements) with RBC Capital Markets, LLC, BNY Mellon Capital Markets, LLC, Jefferies LLC, Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc., Scotia Capital (USA) Inc. and SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc. (collectively the Sales Agents and each, individually, a Sales Agent) relating to its shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, or common stock, offered by this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus pursuant to a continuous offering program. In accordance with the terms of the Sales Agreements, we may offer and sell up to $400.0 million of our common stock from time to time through the Sales Agents, as our sales agents.
Sales of the shares of our common stock, if any, under this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may be made in negotiated transactions or transactions that are deemed to be at the market offerings as defined in Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, including sales made directly on the New York Stock Exchange (the NYSE), the existing trading market for our common stock, or sales made to or through a market maker. From time to time during the terms of the Sales Agreements, we may deliver a placement notice to one of the Sales Agents specifying the length of the selling period, the amount of shares to be sold and the minimum price below which sales may not be made. We will submit a notice to only one Sales Agent relating to the sale of our common shares on any given day. Upon acceptance of a placement notice from us, and subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable Sales Agreements, if acting as agent, each Sales Agent agrees to use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices to sell such shares on such terms. The Sales Agents are not required to sell any specific number or dollar amount of common stock. We or any of the Sales Agents may suspend the offering of our common stock at any time upon proper notice, upon which the selling period will immediately terminate.
Each Sales Agent will receive from us a commission of 1.0% of the gross sales price of shares sold through it as our agent under the applicable Sales Agreements. In connection with the sale of common stock on our behalf, each of the Sales Agents may be deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act, and the compensation of each Sales Agent may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts.
Under the terms of the Sales Agreements, we also may sell shares of our common stock to each of the Sales Agents, as principal for its own account, at a price per share to be agreed upon at the time of sale. If we sell shares of our common stock to any Sales Agent, as principal, we will enter into a separate agreement with such Sales Agent, as applicable, setting forth the terms of such transaction, and we will describe the agreement in a separate prospectus supplement or pricing supplement.
The Sales Agents are not required to sell any specific number or dollar amount of shares of our common stock but will use their commercially reasonable efforts, as our sales agents and subject to the terms of the Sales Agreements, to sell the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus supplement, as instructed by us. The offering of common stock pursuant to the Sales Agreements will terminate upon the earliest of (1) the sale of shares of our common stock subject to the Sales Agreements having an aggregate offering price of $400.0 million, (2) the termination of the Sales Agreements by us or by the Sales Agents and (3) June 8, 2018, the third anniversary of the date of the distribution agreements, unless extended by us and the Sales Agents.
Our shares of common stock trade on the NYSE under the symbol BRX. On January 8, 2018, the last sale price of our shares of common stock as reported on the NYSE was $17.87 per share.
Investing in our common stock involves risks that are described in documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. See the Risk Factors section beginning on page 8 of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus to which it relates is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
RBC Capital Markets | BNY Mellon Capital Markets, LLC | Jefferies |
MUFG | Scotiabank | SunTrust Robinson Humphrey |
The date of this prospectus supplement is January 9, 2018.
Prospectus Supplement
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Prospectus
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Brixmor Property Group Inc. and Brixmor Operating Partnership LP |
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Material Provisions of Maryland Law and of Our Charter and Bylaws |
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You should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or any applicable free writing prospectus in making a decision about whether to invest in our common stock. We have not, and the Sales Agents have not, authorized any other person to provide you with different or additional information. If anyone provides you with different or additional information, you should not rely on it. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus do not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to purchase, any securities in any jurisdiction where it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, any applicable free writing prospectus and the 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 such documents. Our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.
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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT AND THE PROSPECTUS
This document is in two parts. The first part is this prospectus supplement, which describes the specific terms of this offering and also adds to and updates information contained in the accompanying prospectus and the previously filed documents incorporated by reference. The second part, the accompanying prospectus, gives more general information, some of which may not apply to this offering.
To the extent the information contained in this prospectus supplement differs or varies from the information contained in the accompanying prospectus or previously filed documents incorporated by reference, the information in this prospectus supplement will supersede such information. In addition, any statement in a filing we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, that adds to, updates or changes information contained in an earlier filing we made with the SEC shall be deemed to modify and supersede such information in the earlier filing.
This prospectus supplement does not contain all of the information that is important to you. You should read the accompanying prospectus as well as the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. See Incorporation by Reference in this prospectus supplement and Where You Can Find More Information in the accompanying prospectus. Unless otherwise indicated or unless the context requires otherwise, references in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus supplement to Brixmor, we, us, our, Brixmor, and the Company refer to Brixmor Property Group Inc., a Maryland corporation, individually or together with its consolidated subsidiaries, and the term the Operating Partnership refers to Brixmor Operating Partnership LP. References to our common stock refer to the common stock, $0.01 par value per share, of Brixmor Property Group Inc.
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DISCLOSURE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference herein and other statements and information publicly disseminated by us, contain certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act, as amended, which reflect our current views with respect to, among other things, our operations and financial performance. In some cases, you can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words such as outlook, believes, expects, potential, continues, may, will, should, seeks, approximately, predicts, intends, plans, estimates, anticipates or the negative version of these words or other comparable words. Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties.
Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause actual outcomes or results to differ materially from those indicated in these statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements and are based on various underlying assumptions and expectations and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions, and may include projections of our future financial performance based on our growth strategies and anticipated trends in Brixmors business. We believe these factors include, but are not limited to, those described under Risk Factors in Item 1A of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, filed with the SEC on February 13, 2017, as such factors may be updated from time to time in our periodic filings with the SEC (which documents are incorporated by reference herein), as well as the other information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or in any prospectus supplement hereto. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, or in any documents incorporated by reference hereto. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
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Brixmor is an internally-managed real estate investment trust (REIT). The Operating Partnership, together with its subsidiaries, is the entity through which Brixmor conducts substantially all of its operations and owns substantially all of its assets. Brixmor owns 100% of the outstanding stock of BPG Subsidiary Inc. (BPG Subsidiary), which, in turn, is the sole member of Brixmor OP GP LLC, the sole general partner of the Operating Partnership. Brixmor engages in the ownership, management, leasing, acquisition, disposition and redevelopment of retail shopping centers through the Operating Partnership, and has no other substantial assets or liabilities other than through its investment in the Operating Partnership. We believe we own and operate the second largest open air retail portfolio by gross leasable area in the United States, comprised primarily of community and neighborhood shopping centers. As of September 30, 2017, our portfolio was comprised of 498 wholly owned shopping centers totaling approximately 84 million square feet of gross leasable area. In addition, we had one land parcel under development as of September 30, 2017. Our high-quality national portfolio is primarily located within established trade areas in the top 50 Metropolitan Statistical Areas, and our shopping centers are primarily anchored by non-discretionary and value-oriented retailers, as well as consumer-oriented service providers.
Our and the Operating Partnerships principal executive offices are located at 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017, and our telephone number is (212) 869-3000.
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We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering for general corporate purposes. Pending application of cash proceeds, we will invest the net proceeds from this offering in interest-bearing accounts and short-term, interest-bearing securities in a manner that is consistent with our intention to qualify for taxation as a REIT.
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We have entered into separate distribution agreements with each of RBC Capital Markets, LLC, BNY Mellon Capital Markets, LLC, Jefferies LLC, Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc., Scotia Capital (USA) Inc. and SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc. under which we may offer and sell up to an aggregate of $400.0 million of our common stock from time to time through the Sales Agents, as our sales agents, or directly to the Sales Agents, acting as principals.
Sales, if any, of our common stock made through the Sales Agents, as our sales agents, as contemplated by this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may be made by means of ordinary brokers transactions on the NYSE directly or through another national securities exchange, a trading facility or a national securities association, electronic communications network or similar venue, to or through a market maker, or as otherwise agreed by us and the applicable Sales Agent.
None of the Sales Agents is required to sell any specific number or dollar amount of shares of our common stock but each has agreed to use its commercially reasonable efforts, consistent with its normal trading and sales practices, as our Sales Agent and on the terms and subject to the conditions of the applicable distribution agreement, to sell the shares offered on terms agreed upon by such Sales Agent and us. If we elect to offer shares, we will instruct the applicable Sales Agent as to the number of shares of common stock to be sold by it as our sales agent, the date or dates on which such shares are to be sold and the minimum sales price therefor. A Sales Agent may decline to accept any such instructions that we may provide to it from time to time. The shares of our common stock offered and sold through the Sales Agents, as our sales agents, pursuant to the distribution agreements will be offered and sold through only one Sales Agent on any given day. We may suspend the offering of common stock by such Sales Agent, as our sales agent, upon three business days prior notice to the Sales Agents, subject to certain conditions.
If shares of our common stock are sold by any Sales Agent, as our sales agent, in an at-the-market offering, that Sales Agent has agreed to confirm to us in writing the number of shares sold on the applicable trading day and the related gross sales price and net sales price of those shares on the immediately following trading day. We will report at least quarterly the number of shares of common stock sold through the Sales Agents, as our sales agents, under the distribution agreements and information concerning the proceeds from those sales.
We will pay each Sales Agent a commission of 1.0% of the gross sales price per share of our common stock sold through such Sales Agent, as our sales agent, under the applicable distribution agreement. The remaining sale proceeds, after deducting any transaction fees, transfer taxes or similar taxes or fees imposed by any governmental, regulatory or self-regulatory organization in respect of the sale of the shares sold through such Sales Agent, will be our net proceeds (before the expenses referred to in the next paragraph) from the sale of the common stock in the offering.
We estimate that the total expenses payable by us in connection with the offering and sale of shares of our common stock pursuant to the Sales Agreements, excluding commissions and any discounts payable to the Sales Agents and any other deductions described in the paragraph above, will be approximately $300,000.
Under the terms of the distribution agreements, we may, if agreed to by the applicable Sales Agent, also sell shares of our common stock to any of the Sales Agents, as principal, at a price per share to be agreed upon at the time of sale. If we sell shares to a Sales Agent as principal, we will enter into a separate terms agreement with that Sales Agent and we will describe the public offering price, underwriting discount (which may exceed 1.0% of the public offering price) and other terms of the offering of those shares in a separate prospectus supplement. However, none of the Sales Agents has any obligation to agree to purchase shares as principal or to enter into a terms agreement.
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Settlement for sales of our common stock will occur on the second trading day (or on such other date as may be agreed upon by us and the applicable Sales Agent) following the respective dates on which any such sales are made in return for payment of the net proceeds to us.
The offering of shares of our common stock pursuant to the distribution agreements will terminate upon the earliest of (1) the sale of all of the shares of our common stock subject to the distribution agreements, (2) the termination of all of the distribution agreements by us or the Sales Agents and (3) June 8, 2018, the third anniversary of the date of the distribution agreements, unless extended by us and the Sales Agents. Any distribution agreement may be terminated either by us or the applicable Sales Agent at any time and in the sole discretion of us or such Sales Agent, as the case may be.
We have agreed to provide indemnification and contribution to the Sales Agents against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
We have determined that our common stock is an actively-traded security excepted from the requirements of Rule 101 of Regulation M under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, by Rule 101(c)(1) of Regulation M. If either we or a Sales Agent has reason to believe that the exemptive provisions set forth in Rule 101(c)(1) of Regulation M under the Exchange Act are not satisfied, that party has agreed to promptly notify the other party and sales of common stock under the distribution agreements will be suspended until that or other exemptive provisions have been satisfied in the judgment of the applicable Sales Agents and us.
Selling restrictions
No action has been taken in any jurisdiction (except in the United States) that would permit a public offering of the shares of our common stock, or the possession, circulation or distribution of this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, any free writing prospectus or any other offering material relating to us or our common stock where action for that purpose is required. Accordingly, our common stock may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, and neither this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, any free writing prospectus nor any other offering material or advertisements in connection with our common stock may be distributed or published in or from any country or jurisdiction, except in compliance with any applicable rules and regulations of any such country or jurisdiction.
Each of the Sales Agents may arrange to sell the shares offered by this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus in certain jurisdictions outside the United States, either directly or through affiliates, where they are permitted to do so.
Notice to Prospective Investors in Hong Kong
The shares may not be offered or sold in Hong Kong by means of any document other than (i) in circumstances which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32, Laws of Hong Kong), or (ii) to professional investors within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder, or (iii) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a prospectus within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32, Laws of Hong Kong) and no advertisement, invitation or document relating to the shares may be issued or may be in the possession of any person for the purpose of issue (in each case whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere), which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public in Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to shares which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to professional investors within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder.
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Notice to Prospective Investors in Singapore
This prospectus supplement has not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this prospectus supplement and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the shares may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the shares be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore (the SFA), (ii) to a relevant person pursuant to Section 275(1), or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A), and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275 of the SFA or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA, in each case subject to compliance with conditions set forth in the SFA.
Where the shares are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is:
| a corporation (which is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA)) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor; or |
| a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary of the trust is an individual who is an accredited investor, |
shares, debentures and units of shares and debentures of that corporation or the beneficiaries rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferred within six months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the shares pursuant to an offer made under Section 275 of the SFA except:
| to an institutional investor (for corporations, under Section 274 of the SFA) or to a relevant person defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA, or to any person pursuant to an offer that is made on terms that such shares, debentures and units of shares and debentures of that corporation or such rights and interest in that trust are acquired at a consideration of not less than S$200,000 (or its equivalent in a foreign currency) for each transaction, whether such amount is to be paid for in cash or by exchange of securities or other assets, and further for corporations, in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275 of the SFA; |
| where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer; or |
| where the transfer is by operation of law. |
Notice to Prospective Investors in Australia
No placement document, prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure document has been lodged with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), in relation to the offering. This prospectus supplement does not constitute a prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure document under the Corporations Act 2001 (the Corporations Act), and does not purport to include the information required for a prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure document under the Corporations Act.
Any offer in Australia of the shares may only be made to persons (the Exempt Investors) who are sophisticated investors (within the meaning of section 708(8) of the Corporations Act), professional investors (within the meaning of section 708(11) of the Corporations Act) or otherwise pursuant to one or more exemptions contained in section 708 of the Corporations Act so that it is lawful to offer the shares without disclosure to investors under Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act.
The shares applied for by Exempt Investors in Australia must not be offered for sale in Australia in the period of 12 months after the date of allotment under the offering, except in circumstances where disclosure to investors under Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act would not be required pursuant to an exemption under
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section 708 of the Corporations Act or otherwise or where the offer is pursuant to a disclosure document which complies with Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act. Any person acquiring shares must observe such Australian on-sale restrictions.
This prospectus supplement contains general information only and does not take account of the investment objectives, financial situation or particular needs of any particular person. It does not contain any securities recommendations or financial product advice. Before making an investment decision, investors need to consider whether the information in this prospectus is appropriate to their needs, objectives and circumstances, and, if necessary, seek expert advice on those matters.
Notice to Prospective Investors in the Dubai International Financial Centre
This prospectus supplement relates to an Exempt Offer in accordance with the Offered Securities Rules of the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA). This prospectus supplement is intended for distribution only to persons of a type specified in the Offered Securities Rules of the DFSA. It must not be delivered to, or relied on by, any other person. The DFSA has no responsibility for reviewing or verifying any documents in connection with Exempt Offers. The DFSA has not approved this prospectus supplement nor taken steps to verify the information set forth herein and has no responsibility for this prospectus supplement. The shares to which this prospectus supplement relates may be illiquid and/or subject to restrictions on their resale. Prospective purchasers of the shares offered should conduct their own due diligence on the shares. If you do not understand the contents of this prospectus supplement you should consult an authorized financial advisor.
Notice to Prospective Investors in the European Economic Area
In relation to each member state of the European Economic Area that has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a relevant member state), with effect from and including the date on which the Prospectus Directive is implemented in that relevant member state (the relevant implementation date), an offer of shares described in this prospectus supplement may not be made to the public in that relevant member state other than:
| to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined in the Prospectus Directive; |
| to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined in the Prospectus Directive), as permitted under the Prospectus Directive, subject to obtaining the prior consent of the relevant Dealer or Dealers nominated by us for any such offer; or |
| in any other circumstances falling within Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive, |
provided that no such offer of shares shall require us or any Sales Agent to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive.
For purposes of this provision, the expression an offer of securities to the public in any relevant member state means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the shares to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for the shares, as the expression may be varied in that member state by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that member state, and the expression Prospectus Directive means Directive 2003/71/EC (as amended, including by Directive 2010/73/EU) and includes any relevant implementing measure in the relevant member state.
The above selling restriction is in addition to any other selling restrictions.
Notice to Prospective Investors in the United Kingdom
This prospectus supplement is only being distributed to, and is only directed at, persons in the United Kingdom that are qualified investors within the meaning of Article 2(1)(e) of the Prospectus Directive that are also (i) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000
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(Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the Order) or (ii) high net worth entities, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (each such person being referred to as a relevant person). This prospectus supplement and its contents are confidential and should not be distributed, published or reproduced (in whole or in part) or disclosed by recipients to any other persons in the United Kingdom. Any person in the United Kingdom that is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents.
Notice to Prospective Investors in France
Neither this prospectus supplement nor any other offering material relating to the shares described in this prospectus supplement has been submitted to the clearance procedures of the Autorité des Marchés Financiers or of the competent authority of another member state of the European Economic Area and notified to the Autorité des Marchés Financiers. The shares have not been offered or sold and will not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, to the public in France. Neither this prospectus supplement nor any other offering material relating to the shares has been or will be:
| released, issued, distributed or caused to be released, issued or distributed to the public in France; or |
| used in connection with any offer for subscription or sale of the shares to the public in France. |
Such offers, sales and distributions will be made in France only:
| to qualified investors (investisseurs qualifiés) and/or to a restricted circle of investors (cercle restreint dinvestisseurs), in each case investing for their own account, all as defined in, and in accordance with articles L.411-2, D.411-1, D.411-2, D.734-1, D.744-1, D.754-1 and D.764-1 of the French Code monétaire et financier; |
| to investment services providers authorized to engage in portfolio management on behalf of third parties; or |
| in a transaction that, in accordance with article L.411-2-II-1°-or-2°-or 3° of the French Code monétaire et financier and article 211-2 of the General Regulations (Règlement Général) of the Autorité des Marchés Financiers, does not constitute a public offer (appel public à lépargne). |
The shares may be resold directly or indirectly, only in compliance with articles L.411-1, L.411-2, L.412-1 and L.621-8 through L.621-8-3 of the French Code monétaire et financier.
Notice to Prospective Investors in Switzerland
We have not and will not register with the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) as a foreign collective investment scheme pursuant to Article 119 of the Federal Act on Collective Investment Scheme of 23 June 2006, as amended (CISA), and accordingly the shares being offered pursuant to this prospectus supplement have not and will not be approved, and may not be licenseable, with FINMA. Therefore, the shares have not been authorized for distribution by FINMA as a foreign collective investment scheme pursuant to Article 119 CISA and the shares offered hereby may not be offered to the public (as this term is defined in Article 3 CISA) in or from Switzerland. The shares may solely be offered to qualified investors, as this term is defined in Article 10 CISA, and in the circumstances set out in Article 3 of the Ordinance on Collective Investment Scheme of 22 November 2006, as amended (CISO), such that there is no public offer. Investors, however, do not benefit from protection under CISA or CISO or supervision by FINMA. This prospectus supplement and any other materials relating to the shares are strictly personal and confidential to each offeree and do not constitute an offer to any other person. This prospectus supplement may only be used by those qualified investors to whom it has been handed out in connection with the offer described herein and may neither directly or indirectly be distributed or made available to any person or entity other than its recipients. It may not be used in connection with any other offer and shall in particular not be copied and/or distributed to the public in Switzerland or from Switzerland. This prospectus supplement does not constitute an issue prospectus as that term
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is understood pursuant to Article 652a and/or 1156 of the Swiss Federal Code of Obligations. We have not applied for a listing of the shares on the SIX Swiss Exchange or any other regulated securities market in Switzerland, and consequently, the information presented in this prospectus supplement does not necessarily comply with the information standards set out in the listing rules of the SIX Swiss Exchange and corresponding prospectus schemes annexed to the listing rules of the SIX Swiss Exchange.
Other relationships
The Sales Agents are full service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which may include securities trading, commercial and investment banking, financial advisory, investment management, principal investment, hedging, financing and brokerage activities. The Sales Agents and their affiliates have in the past performed commercial banking, corporate trust, investment banking and advisory services for us and our affiliates from time to time for which they have received customary fees and reimbursement of expenses and may, from time to time, engage in transactions with and perform services for us and our affiliates in the ordinary course of their business for which they may receive customary fees and reimbursement of expenses. In the ordinary course of their various business activities, the Sales Agents and their respective affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (which may include bank loans and/or credit default swaps) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers and may at any time hold long and short positions in such securities and instruments. Such investments and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments of ours or our affiliates. In addition, affiliates of the Sales Agents, including RBC Capital Markets, LLC, BNY Mellon Capital Markets, LLC, Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc., Scotia Capital (USA) Inc. and SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc., are lenders, and in some cases agents or managers for the lenders, under our unsecured credit facility.
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Hogan Lovells US LLP will pass upon the legality of our common shares offered by this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. Certain legal matters will be passed upon for the Sales Agents by Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP.
The financial statements of Brixmor Property Group Inc. and Subsidiaries as of December 31, 2016 and 2015 and for the years then ended, and the related financial statement schedules, incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, and the effectiveness of Brixmor Property Group Inc. and Subsidiaries internal control over financial reporting have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their reports, which are incorporated herein by reference. Such financial statements and financial statement schedules have been so incorporated in reliance upon the reports of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
The financial statements of Brixmor Operating Partnership LP and Subsidiaries as of December 31, 2016 and 2015 for the years then ended, and the related financial statement schedules, incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, and the effectiveness of Brixmor Operating Partnership LPs internal control over financial reporting have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their reports, which are incorporated herein by reference. Such financial statements and financial statement schedules have been so included in reliance upon the reports of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
The consolidated financial statements of Brixmor Property Group Inc. for the year ended December 31, 2014 (including schedules appearing therein) appearing in Brixmor Property Group Inc.s Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2016, have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report thereon, included therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements are incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
The consolidated financial statements of Brixmor Operating Partnership LP for the year ended December 31, 2014 (including schedules appearing therein) appearing in Brixmor Operating Partnership LPs Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2016, have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report thereon, included therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements are incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
The SECs rules allow us and the Operating Partnership to incorporate by reference information into this prospectus supplement. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be a part of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. This prospectus supplement incorporates by reference the documents listed below:
| our and the Operating Partnerships Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016; |
| our and the Operating Partnerships Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the periods ended March 31, 2017, June 30, 2017 and September 30, 2017; |
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| our Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A, filed on March 29, 2017 (solely to the extent incorporated by reference into Part III of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016); |
| our and the Operating Partnerships Current Reports on Form 8-K, filed on February 27, 2017, March 3, 2017, March 8, 2017, May 19, 2017, June 2, 2017, June 5, 2017, July 31, 2017 (other than Item 2.02 and exhibits 99.1 and 99.2), December 5, 2017 (other than Item 7.01 and exhibits 99.1 and 99.2) and December 7, 2017; and |
| the description of our common stock contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed on October 30, 2013, including all amendments and reports filed for the purpose of updating such description. |
We also incorporate by reference into this prospectus all other documents filed by us under sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this prospectus supplement and before the termination of the offering to which this prospectus supplement relates (other than documents and information furnished and not filed in accordance with SEC rules, unless expressly stated otherwise therein).
Any statement made in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus or in a previously filed document incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus will be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus supplement or any subsequently filed document that is deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement modifies or supersedes that statement. Any statement so modified or superseded will not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.
You can obtain any of the filings incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement through us or from the SEC through the SECs website at http://www.sec.gov. We will provide, without charge, to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a copy of this prospectus is delivered, upon written or oral request of such person, a copy of any or all of the reports and documents referred to above which have been or may be incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. You should direct requests for those documents to:
Brixmor Property Group Inc.
450 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York 10017
Attn: Investor Relations
(212) 869-3000
Our reports and documents incorporated by reference herein may also be found in the Investors section of our website at http://www.brixmor.com. Our website and the information contained in it or connected to it shall not be deemed to be incorporated into this prospectus supplement, accompanying prospectus or any registration statement of which they form a part.
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Brixmor Property Group Inc.
Common Stock
Preferred Stock
Depositary Shares
Purchase Contracts
Units
Warrants
Brixmor Operating Partnership LP
Debt Securities
We may offer, from time to time, 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, $0.01 par value per share; |
| Shares of our preferred stock, $0.01 par value per share; |
| Depositary shares representing our preferred stock; |
| Purchase contracts; |
| Units, comprised of two or more of any of the securities referred to herein, in any combination; and |
| Warrants to purchase shares of our common stock, preferred stock or depositary shares representing preferred stock. |
Brixmor Operating Partnership LP, or the Operating Partnership, may offer, from time to time, debt securities in one or more series.
We refer to our common stock, preferred stock, depositary shares, purchase contracts, units and warrants, together with the debt securities of the Operating Partnership, collectively as the securities. We and the Operating Partnership may offer the securities separately or together, in separate series or classes and in amounts, at prices and on terms described in one or more supplements to this prospectus.
This prospectus describes some of the general terms and conditions that may apply to these securities. The specific terms and conditions of these securities will be provided in prospectus supplements to this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement carefully before you invest.
We and the Operating Partnership may offer and sell these securities to or through one or more underwriters, dealers and agents or directly to purchasers, on a continuous or delayed basis.
Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol BRX. On January 8, 2018, the closing sales price of our common stock as reported on the NYSE was $17.87 per share.
Investing in the securities involves risks. See the risks described under Risk Factors in Item 1A of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Item 1A of each subsequently filed Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (which documents are incorporated by reference herein), as well as the other information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or in any prospectus supplement hereto before making a decision to invest in the securities. See Incorporation by Reference and Where You Can Find More Information in this prospectus.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission or other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this prospectus is January 9, 2018
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Brixmor Property Group Inc. and Brixmor Operating Partnership LP |
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Material Provisions of Maryland Law and of Our Charter and Bylaws |
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We and the Operating Partnership have not authorized anyone to provide you with information different from that contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, any amendment or supplement to this prospectus or in any free writing prospectus prepared by us or on our behalf. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We and the Operating Partnership do not take any responsibility for, or can provide any assurance as to the reliability of, any information other than the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, any amendment or supplement to this prospectus or in any free writing prospectus prepared by us or on our behalf. We and the Operating Partnership are offering to sell, and seeking offers to buy, the securities only in jurisdictions where offers and sales are permitted.
You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus or in any free writing prospectus prepared by us is accurate only as of their respective dates or on the date or dates which are specified in such documents, and that any information in documents that is incorporated by reference is accurate only as of the date of such document incorporated by reference. Our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.
Except as otherwise indicated or where the context requires otherwise, references in this prospectus to Brixmor, we, our, us and the Company refer to Brixmor Property Group Inc., together with its consolidated subsidiaries, and the term the Operating Partnership refers to Brixmor Operating Partnership LP. References to our common stock refer to the common stock, $0.01 par value per share, of Brixmor Property Group Inc.
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This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we and the Operating Partnership filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), utilizing a shelf registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we and the Operating Partnership may, from time to time, sell in one or more offerings any combination of the securities described in this prospectus.
This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities that we and the Operating Partnership may offer. Each time we or the Operating Partnership sell securities, to the extent required, we or the Operating Partnership will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering, including the specific amounts, prices and terms of the securities offered. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus.
You should carefully read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with additional information described below under the heading Where You Can Find More Information.
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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We and the Operating Partnership have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act with respect to the securities offered by this prospectus. This prospectus, and any document incorporated by reference into this prospectus, filed as part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement and its exhibits and schedules, portions of which have been omitted as permitted by the rules and regulations of the SEC. For further information about us, the Operating Partnership and the securities, we refer you to the registration statement and to its exhibits. Statements in this prospectus about the contents of any contract, agreement or other document are not necessarily complete, and in each instance reference is made to the copy of such contract, agreement or document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement, which each such statement being qualified in all respects by reference to the document to which it refers. Anyone may inspect the registration statement and its exhibits and schedules without charge at the public reference facilities the SEC maintains at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You may obtain copies of all or any part of these materials from the SEC upon the payment of certain fees prescribed by the SEC. You may obtain further information about the operation of the SECs Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. You may also inspect these reports and other information without charge at a website maintained by the SEC. The address of this site is http://www.sec.gov.
We and the Operating Partnership are subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act), and we and the Operating Partnership are required to file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You may inspect and copy these reports, proxy statements and other information at the public reference facilities maintained by the SEC at the address noted above. You may also obtain copies of this material from the Public Reference Room of the SEC as described above, or inspect them without charge at the SECs website. We also make available to our common stockholders annual reports containing consolidated financial statements audited by an independent registered public accounting firm.
The SECs rules allow us and the Operating Partnership to incorporate by reference information into this prospectus. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be a part of this prospectus. This prospectus incorporates by reference the documents listed below:
| our and the Operating Partnerships Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016; |
| our and the Operating Partnerships Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the periods ended March 31, 2017, June 30, 2017 and September 30, 2017; |
| our Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A, filed on March 29, 2017 (solely to the extent incorporated by reference into Part III of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016); |
| our and the Operating Partnerships Current Reports on Form 8-K, filed on February 27, 2017, March 3, 2017, March 8, 2017, May 19, 2017, June 2, 2017, June 5, 2017, July 31, 2017 (other than Item 2.02 and exhibits 99.1 and 99.2), December 5, 2017 (other than Item 7.01 and exhibits 99.1 and 99.2) and December 7, 2017; and |
| the description of our common stock contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed on October 30, 2013, including all amendments and reports filed for the purpose of updating such description. |
We and the Operating Partnership also incorporate by reference into this prospectus all other documents filed by us or the Operating Partnership under sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the
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date of this prospectus and before the termination of the offerings to which this prospectus relates (other than documents and information furnished and not filed in accordance with SEC rules, unless expressly stated otherwise therein).
Any statement made in this prospectus or in a document incorporated by reference into this prospectus will be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus modifies or supersedes that statement. Any statement so modified or superseded will not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus.
You can obtain any of the filings incorporated by reference into this prospectus through us or from the SEC through the SECs website at http://www.sec.gov. We will provide, without charge, to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a copy of this prospectus is delivered, upon written or oral request of such person, a copy of any or all of the reports and documents referred to above which have been or may be incorporated by reference into this prospectus. You should direct requests for those documents to:
Brixmor Property Group Inc.
450 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York 10017
Attn: Investor Relations
(212) 869-3000
Our reports and documents and those of the Operating Partnership incorporated by reference herein may also be found in the Investors section of our website at http://www.brixmor.com. Our website and the information contained in it or connected to it shall not be deemed to be incorporated into this prospectus or any registration statement of which it forms a part.
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DISCLOSURE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
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 Exchange Act, which reflect our current views with respect to, among other things, our operations and financial performance. In some cases, you can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words such as outlook, believes, expects, potential, continues, may, will, should, seeks, approximately, predicts, intends, plans, estimates, anticipates or the negative version of these words or other comparable words. Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties.
Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause actual outcomes or results to differ materially from those indicated in these statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements and are based on various underlying assumptions and expectations and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions, and may include projections of our future financial performance based on our growth strategies and anticipated trends in Brixmors business. We believe these factors include, but are not limited to, those described under Risk Factors in Item 1A of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, filed with the SEC on February 13, 2017, as such factors may be updated from time to time in our periodic filings with the SEC (which documents are incorporated by reference herein), as well as the other information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or in any prospectus supplement hereto. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or in any prospectus supplement hereto. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
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BRIXMOR PROPERTY GROUP INC. AND BRIXMOR OPERATING PARTNERSHIP LP
Overview
Brixmor is an internally-managed real estate investment trust (REIT). The Operating Partnership, together with its subsidiaries, is the entity through which Brixmor conducts substantially all of its operations and owns substantially all of its assets. Brixmor owns 100% of the outstanding stock of BPG Subsidiary Inc. (BPG Subsidiary), which, in turn, is the sole member of Brixmor OP GP LLC, the sole general partner of the Operating Partnership. Brixmor engages in the ownership, management, leasing, acquisition, disposition and redevelopment of retail shopping centers through the Operating Partnership, and has no other substantial assets or liabilities other than through its investment in the Operating Partnership. We believe we own and operate the second largest open air retail portfolio by gross leasable area in the United States, comprised primarily of community and neighborhood shopping centers. As of September 30, 2017, our portfolio was comprised of 498 wholly owned shopping centers totaling approximately 84 million square feet of gross leasable area. In addition, we had one land parcel under development as of September 30, 2017. Our high-quality national portfolio is primarily located within established trade areas in the top 50 Metropolitan Statistical Areas, and our shopping centers are primarily anchored by non-discretionary and value-oriented retailers, as well as consumer-oriented service providers.
Our and the Operating Partnerships principal executive offices are located at 450 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10017, and our telephone number is (212) 869-3000.
Early Adoption of Accounting Standards Update
Effective January 1, 2017, we early adopted Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-18 (ASU 2016-18), Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Restricted Cash, which requires the statement of cash flows to explain any change during the period in the total of cash, cash equivalents, and amounts generally described as restricted cash. Therefore, amounts generally described as restricted cash should be included with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning and end of period total amounts on the statement of cash flows. As required by ASU 2016-18, we applied this change retrospectively to our prior period condensed consolidated statements of cash flows presented in our filings on Form 10-Q as of and for the three, six and nine months ended March 31, 2017, June 30, 2017, and September 30, 2017. Upon issuance of our December 31, 2017 financial statements to be included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year then ended, we will modify certain balances included in our December 31, 2016 financial statements to make them comparable to the 2017 presentation, as required by the ASU. The adoption of this standard is not material to our financial statements for the periods presented.
During the year ended December 31, 2016, our net cash provided by operating activities, used in investing activities and used in financing activities was reported as approximately $567.2 million, $151.6 million and $433.7 million, respectively. Adjusted for the retrospective application of ASU 2016-18, our net cash provided by operating activities, used in investing activities and used in financing activities was approximately $567.5 million, $141.9 million and $433.7 million, respectively, during the year ended December 31, 2016.
During the year ended December 31, 2015, our net cash provided by operating activities, used in investing activities and used in financing activities was reported as approximately $534.0 million, $189.1 million and $336.0 million, respectively. Adjusted for the retrospective application of ASU 2016-18, our net cash provided by operating activities, used in investing activities and used in financing activities was approximately $524.0 million, $190.7 million and $336.0 million, respectively, during the year ended December 31, 2015.
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Except as otherwise set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, we and the Operating Partnership, as the case may be, intend to use the net proceeds from sales of the securities for general corporate purposes, which may include, but is not limited to, funding for working capital, repayment of indebtedness, capital expenditures, repurchases of our capital stock and acquisitions.
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RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES AND RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO COMBINED FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS
Our and the Operating Partnerships ratios of earnings to fixed charges and earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred stock dividends for the periods indicated are as follows (unaudited):
For the three months ended September 30, 2017 |
Year Ended December 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||
2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Brixmor Property Group Inc.: |
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Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges(1) |
2.3x | 2.2x | 1.8x | 1.4x | | | ||||||||||||||||||
Ratio of Earnings to Combined Fixed Charges and Preferred Stock Dividends(2) |
2.3x | 2.2x | 1.8x | 1.4x | | | ||||||||||||||||||
Brixmor Operating Partnership LP: |
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Ratio of earnings to fixed charges(3) |
2.3x | 2.2x | 1.8x | 1.4x | | |
(1) | For the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2013 fixed charges exceeded earnings by $151,619 and $86,384, respectively. |
(2) | For the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2013 combined fixed charges and preferred stock dividends exceeded earnings by $151,915 and $86,546, respectively. |
(3) | For the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2013 fixed charges exceeded earnings by $151,095 and $86,378, respectively. |
For purposes of computing these ratios, earnings have been calculated by adding fixed charges (excluding preferred stock dividends and capitalized interest) to income (loss) before equity in income of unconsolidated joint ventures plus distributions from equity investees. Fixed charges consist of interest costs, whether expensed or capitalized, the interest component of rental expense, if any, and amortization of debt discounts and issue costs, whether expensed or capitalized. Combined fixed charges and preferred stock dividends consist of fixed charges and preferred stock dividends declared.
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The following summary of the terms of our common stock is a summary and is qualified in its entirety by reference to our charter and bylaws, copies of which are filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, and the Maryland General Corporation Law, or MGCL. See Where You Can Find More Information.
General
Our charter authorizes us to issue up to 3,000,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.01 par value per share, and up to 300,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.01 par value per share. Our charter authorizes our board of directors, without common stockholder approval, to amend our charter to increase or decrease the aggregate number of shares of stock that we are authorized to issue or the number of authorized shares of any class or series. Under Maryland law, a stockholder generally is not liable for a corporations debts or obligations solely as a result of the stockholders status as a stockholder.
Common Stock
Subject to the restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock discussed below under the caption Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer and the voting rights of holders of outstanding shares of any other class or series of our stock, holders 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. The holders of our common stock do not have cumulative voting rights in the election of directors.
Holders of our common stock are entitled to receive dividends if, as and when authorized by our board of directors and declared by us out of assets legally available for the payment of dividends. 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 outstanding shares of any other class or series of our stock having a liquidation preference, if any, the holders of our common stock will be entitled to receive pro rata our remaining assets available for distribution. Holders of our common stock do not have preemptive, subscription, redemption or conversion rights. There are no sinking fund provisions applicable to the common stock. Holders of our common stock generally have no appraisal rights. All shares of our common stock outstanding as of the date of this prospectus are fully paid and nonassessable and have equal dividend and liquidation rights. The preferences, conversion and other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends and other distributions, qualifications and terms and conditions of redemption of our common stock are subject to those of the holders of any shares of our preferred stock or any other class or series of stock we may authorize and issue in the future.
Under Maryland law, a Maryland corporation generally cannot amend its charter, consolidate, merge, convert, sell all or substantially all of its assets, engage in a statutory share exchange or dissolve unless the action is declared advisable by its board of directors and approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. As permitted by Maryland law, our charter provides that any of these actions may be approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. See Material Provisions of Maryland Law and of our Charter and Bylaws. In addition, because many of our operating assets are held by our subsidiaries, these subsidiaries may be able to merge or sell all or substantially all of their assets without the approval of our stockholders.
Preferred Stock
We are authorized to issue up to 300,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.01 par value per share. We may issue shares of preferred stock from time-to-time, in one or more classes or series, as authorized by our board of directors. Prior to issuance of shares of each class or series, the board of directors is required by the MGCL and our charter to fix for each class or series, the preferences, conversion or other rights, voting power, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications and terms or conditions of redemption.
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The board of directors could authorize the issuance of shares of preferred stock with terms and conditions that could have the effect of discouraging a change of control or other transaction that holders of shares of our outstanding common stock might believe to be in their best interests or in which holders of some, or a majority, of shares of our outstanding common stock might receive a premium for their shares over the then market price of our common stock.
A prospectus supplement relating to any series of preferred stock being offered will include specific terms relating to the offering. They will include, where applicable:
| the title and stated value of the preferred stock; |
| the number of shares of the preferred stock offered, the liquidation preference per share and the offering price of the preferred stock; |
| the dividend rate(s), period(s) and/or payment date(s) or method(s) of calculation thereof applicable to the preferred stock; |
| whether dividends will be cumulative or non-cumulative and, if cumulative, the date from which dividends on the preferred stock shall accumulate; |
| the procedures for an auction and remarketing, if any, of the preferred stock; |
| the provisions for a sinking fund, if any, for the preferred stock; |
| any voting rights of the preferred stock; |
| the provisions for redemption, if applicable, of the preferred stock; |
| any listing of the preferred stock on any securities exchange; |
| information with respect to book-entry registration procedures, if any; |
| the terms and conditions, if applicable, upon which the preferred stock will be convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock, preferred stock or other securities including the conversion price or the manner of calculating the conversion price and conversion period; |
| if appropriate, a discussion of federal income tax consequences applicable to the preferred stock; |
| any limitations on direct or beneficial ownership and restrictions on transfer, in each case as may be appropriate to assist us in qualifying as a REIT or otherwise; |
| the priority of the preferred stock with all series of preferred stock ranking on a parity with each other unless otherwise specified in the charter and that the preferred stock will rank senior to common stock with respect to payment of dividends and distribution of assets upon liquidation; and |
| any other specific terms, preferences, rights, limitations or restrictions on the preferred stock. |
The terms, if any, on which the preferred stock may be convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock, preferred stock or other securities will be stated in the prospectus supplement relating to the preferred stock. The terms will include provisions as to whether conversion or exchange is mandatory, at the option of the holder or at our option, and may include provisions pursuant to which the number of shares of our common stock or other securities to be received by the holders of preferred stock would be subject to adjustment.
Power to Reclassify and Issue Stock
Our board of directors may, without approval of holders of our common stock, classify and reclassify any unissued shares of our stock into other classes or series of stock, including one or more classes or series of stock that have priority over our common stock with respect to dividends or upon liquidation, or have voting rights and other rights that differ from the rights of the common stock, and authorize us to issue the newly-classified shares.
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Before authorizing the issuance of shares of any new class or series, our board of directors must set, subject to the provisions in our charter relating to the restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock, the preferences, conversion and other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends and other distributions, qualifications and terms and conditions of redemption for each class or series of stock. These actions may be taken without the approval of holders of our common stock unless such approval is required by applicable law, the terms of any other class or series of our stock or the rules of any stock exchange or automated quotation system on which any of our stock is listed or traded.
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 the first year for which an election to be a REIT has been made) 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 or indirectly, by five or fewer individuals (as defined in the Internal Revenue Code (the Code) to include certain entities such as qualified pension plans) during the last half of a taxable year (other than the first year for which an election to be a REIT has been made).
Our charter contains restrictions on the ownership and transfer of our stock. Subject to the exceptions described below, 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 by number of shares, whichever is more restrictive) of our outstanding common stock or 9.8% in value of our outstanding 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 our outstanding 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 stockholders 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. 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 Internal Revenue Service (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.
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. 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 entitys 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 charter also prohibits:
| any person from beneficially or constructively owning shares of our stock that would result in our being closely held under Section 856(h) of the Code (without regard to whether the ownership |
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interest is held during the last half of a taxable year) or otherwise cause us to fail to qualify as a REIT; and |
| 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 in order to determine the effect of the transfer on our status as a REIT. The provisions of our charter 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 attempt to qualify, or 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 a violation of the ownership limit (or other limit established by our charter or our board of directors), 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 or 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 before 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 a violation of the ownership limit (or other limit established by our charter or our board of directors), 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 or as a domestically controlled qualified investment entity, will be null and void.
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 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 Maryland 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. However, if we have already taken irreversible corporate action, then the trustee may not 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 the 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 in our charter. After the sale of the shares, the interest of the
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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 a purchase of such shares at market price, which will generally be the last sales price reported on the NYSE, the market price on the last trading day before 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, if the event that resulted in the transfer to the trust did not involve a purchase of such shares at market price, the market price on the last trading day before the day of the event that resulted in the transfer of such shares to the trust; 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.
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 persons 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 in order to determine the effect, if any, of the persons 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 in order 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.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Computershare Trust Company, N.A.
Listing
Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol BRX.
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MATERIAL PROVISIONS OF MARYLAND LAW AND OF OUR CHARTER AND BYLAWS
The following summary of certain provisions of Maryland law and of our charter and bylaws is a summary and is qualified in its entirety by reference to our charter and bylaws, copies of which are filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, and by the MGCL. See Where You Can Find More Information. Under Material Provisions of Maryland Law and of Our Charter and Bylaws, we, us, our and our company refer to Brixmor Property Group Inc. and not to any of its subsidiaries.
Election and Removal of Directors
Our charter and bylaws provide that the number of our directors may be established only by our board of directors but may not be more than 15 or fewer than the minimum number permitted by Maryland law, which is one. There will be no cumulative voting in the election of directors, and a director will be elected by a majority of votes cast in uncontested elections, and in the event that an incumbent director fails to receive a majority of votes cast in an uncontested election, such incumbent director is required to submit his or her resignation to our board of directors, which will decide what action to take on the resignation, and the decision will be publicly disclosed. A director will be elected by a plurality of the votes cast in contested elections.
Our charter provides that any vacancy on our board of directors may be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors in office, even if the remaining directors do not constitute a quorum of the board of directors. Our charter provides that a director may be removed with or without cause by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast a majority of the votes entitled to be cast generally in the election of directors.
Amendment to Charter and Bylaws
Except as described below and as provided in the MGCL, amendments to our charter must be advised by our board of directors and approved by the affirmative vote of our stockholders entitled to cast a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.
Our bylaws may be amended, altered or repealed, or new bylaws may be adopted, by our board of directors or by the affirmative vote of holders of our shares representing not less than a majority of all votes entitled to be cast on the matter at a meeting of stockholders duly called and at which a quorum is present. In addition, any amendment to the provision of our bylaws prohibiting our board of directors from revoking, altering or amending its resolution exempting any business combination from the business combination provisions of the MGCL without the approval of our stockholders and the provision exempting any acquisition of our stock from the control share provisions of the MGCL must be approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast on the matter by our stockholders entitled to vote generally in the election of directors.
Business Combinations
Under the MGCL, certain business combinations between a Maryland corporation and an interested stockholder or an affiliate of an interested stockholder are prohibited for five years after the most recent date on which the interested stockholder becomes an interested stockholder. These business combinations include a merger, consolidation, statutory share exchange, and, in circumstances specified in the statute, an asset transfer or issuance or reclassification of equity securities. An interested stockholder is defined as:
| any person who beneficially owns 10% or more of the voting power of the corporations outstanding voting stock; or |
| an affiliate or associate of the corporation who, at any time within the two-year period before the date in question, was the beneficial owner of 10% or more of the voting power of the corporations then outstanding voting stock. |
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A person is not an interested stockholder under the MGCL if the corporations board of directors approves in advance the transaction by which the person otherwise would have become an interested stockholder. In approving the transaction, the board of directors may provide that its approval is subject to compliance, at or after the time of approval, with any terms and conditions determined by the board.
After the five-year prohibition, any business combination between the Maryland corporation and the interested stockholder generally must be recommended by the corporations board of directors and approved by the affirmative vote of at least:
| 80% of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of outstanding shares of voting stock of the corporation; and |
| two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of outstanding shares of voting stock of the corporation other than shares held by the interested stockholder with whom or with whose affiliate the business combination is to be effected or held by an affiliate or associate of the interested stockholder. |
These super-majority vote requirements do not apply if the corporations common stockholders receive a minimum price, as defined under the MGCL, for their shares in the form of cash or other consideration in the same form as previously paid by the interested stockholder for its shares.
The MGCL permits various exemptions from its provisions, including business combinations that are exempted by the board of directors before the time that the interested stockholder becomes an interested stockholder. Pursuant to the statute, our board of directors has adopted a resolution exempting any transactions between us and any other person. Consequently, the five-year prohibition and the super-majority vote requirements will not apply to business combinations involving us. Our bylaws provide that this resolution or any other resolution of our board of directors exempting any business combination from the business combination provisions of the MGCL may only be revoked, altered or amended, and our board of directors may only adopt any resolution inconsistent with this resolution, with the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast on the matter by our stockholders entitled to vote generally in the election of directors. In the event that our board of directors amends or revokes this resolution, business combinations between us and an interested stockholder or an affiliate of an interested stockholder that are not exempted by our board of directors would be subject to the five-year prohibition and the super-majority vote requirements.
Control Share Acquisitions
The MGCL provides that a holder of control shares of a Maryland corporation acquired in a control share acquisition has no voting rights with respect to the control shares except to the extent approved by a vote of two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. Shares owned by the acquiror, by officers or by employees who are directors of the corporation are excluded from shares entitled to vote on the matter. Control shares are voting shares of stock that, if aggregated with all other shares of stock owned by the acquiror or in respect of which the acquiror is able to exercise or direct the exercise of voting power (except solely by virtue of a revocable proxy), would entitle the acquiror to exercise voting power in electing directors within one of the following ranges of voting power:
| one-tenth or more but less than one-third; |
| one-third or more but less than a majority; or |
| a majority or more of all voting power. |
Control shares do not include shares the acquiror is then entitled to vote as a result of having previously obtained stockholder approval or shares acquired directly from the corporation. A control share acquisition means the acquisition of issued and outstanding control shares, subject to certain exceptions.
A person who has made or proposes to make a control share acquisition may compel the board of directors of the corporation to call a special meeting of stockholders to be held within 50 days of demand to consider the
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voting rights of the shares. The right to compel the calling of a special meeting is subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, including an undertaking to pay the expenses of the meeting. If no request for a meeting is made, the corporation may itself present the question at any stockholders meeting.
If voting rights are not approved at the meeting or if the acquiror does not deliver an acquiring person statement as required by the statute, then the corporation may, subject to certain limitations and conditions, redeem for fair value any or all of the control shares, except those for which voting rights have previously been approved. Fair value is determined, without regard to the absence of voting rights for the control shares, as of the date of the last control share acquisition by the acquiror or of any meeting of stockholders at which the voting rights of the shares are considered and not approved. If voting rights for control shares are approved at a stockholders meeting and the acquiror becomes entitled to exercise or direct the exercise of a majority of the voting power, all other stockholders may exercise appraisal rights. The fair value of the shares as determined for purposes of appraisal rights may not be less than the highest price per share paid by the acquiror in the control share acquisition.
The control share acquisition statute does not apply (a) to shares acquired in a merger, consolidation or share exchange if the corporation is a party to the transaction or (b) to acquisitions approved or exempted by the charter or bylaws of the corporation.
Our bylaws contain a provision exempting any acquisition of our stock by any person from the foregoing provisions on control shares, and this provision of our bylaws cannot be amended without the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast on the matter by our stockholders entitled to vote generally in the election of directors. In the event that our bylaws are amended to modify or eliminate this provision, acquisitions of our common stock may constitute a control share acquisition.
Subtitle 8
Subtitle 8 of Title 3 of the MGCL permits a Maryland corporation with a class of equity securities registered under the Exchange Act and at least three independent directors to elect, by provision in its charter or bylaws or a resolution of its board of directors and notwithstanding any contrary provision in the charter or bylaws, to be subject to any or all of five provisions, including:
| a classified board; |
| a two-thirds vote of outstanding shares to remove a director; |
| a requirement that the number of directors be fixed only by vote of the board of directors; |
| a requirement that a vacancy on the board of directors be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors and for the remainder of the full term of the class of directors in which the vacancy occurred and until a successor is elected and qualifies; and |
| a provision that a special meeting of stockholders must be called upon stockholder request only on the written request of stockholders entitled to cast a majority of the votes entitled to be cast at the meeting. |
We have elected in our charter to be subject to the provision of Subtitle 8 that provides that vacancies on our board of directors may be filled only by the remaining directors. We have not elected to be subject to any of the other provisions of Subtitle 8, including the provisions that would permit us to classify our board of directors or increase the vote required to remove a director without stockholder approval. Moreover, our charter provides that, without the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast on the matter by our stockholders entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, we may not elect to be subject to any of these additional provisions of Subtitle 8. We do not currently have a classified board and a director may be removed with or without cause by the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes entitled to be cast generally in the election of directors.
Through provisions in our charter and bylaws unrelated to Subtitle 8, we (1) vest in our board of directors the exclusive power to fix the number of directors and (2) require the request of stockholders entitled to cast a
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majority of the votes entitled to be cast at the meeting to call a special meeting (unless the special meeting is called either by our board of directors, the chairman of our board of directors or our president, chief executive officer or secretary as described below under the caption Special Meetings of Stockholders).
Special Meetings of Stockholders
Our board of directors, the chairman of our board of directors or our president, chief executive officer or secretary may call a special meeting of our stockholders. Our bylaws provide that a special meeting of our stockholders to act on any matter that may properly be considered at a meeting of our stockholders must also be called by our secretary upon the written request of stockholders entitled to cast a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on such matter at the meeting and containing the information required by our bylaws.
Stockholder Action by Written Consent
The MGCL generally provides that, unless the charter of the corporation authorizes stockholder action by less than unanimous consent, stockholder action may be taken by consent in lieu of a meeting only if it is given by all stockholders entitled to vote on the matter. Our charter permits stockholder action by consent in lieu of a meeting to the extent permitted by our bylaws. Our bylaws provide that, so long as our pre-IPO owners (as defined in the stockholders agreement) and their affiliates together continue to beneficially own at least 40% of the total Outstanding Brixmor Interests, stockholder action may be taken without a meeting if a consent, setting forth the action so taken, is given by the stockholders entitled to cast 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.
Competing Interests and Activities of Our Non-Employee Directors
Our charter, to the maximum extent permitted from time to time by Maryland law, renounces any interest or expectancy that we have in, or any right to be offered an opportunity to participate in, any business opportunities that are from time to time presented to or developed by our directors or their affiliates, other than to those directors who are employed by us or our subsidiaries, unless the business opportunity is expressly offered or made known to such person in his or her capacity as a director.
Our charter provides that, to the maximum extent permitted from time to time by Maryland law, any director who is not employed by us or any of his or her affiliates, will not have any duty to refrain from (1) engaging in similar lines of business in which we or our affiliates now engage or propose to engage or (2) otherwise competing with us or our affiliates and each of our non- employee directors, and any of their respective affiliates, may (a) acquire, hold and dispose of shares of our stock, shares of common stock of BPG Subsidiary, our majority-owned subsidiary or OP Units for his, her or its own account or for the account of others, and exercise all of the rights of a stockholder of us or BPG Subsidiary, or a limited partner of our Operating Partnership, to the same extent and in the same manner as if he, she or it were not our director or stockholder, and (b) in his, her or its personal capacity, or in his or her capacity as a director, officer, trustee, stockholder, partner, member, equity owner, manager, advisor or employee of any other person, have business interests and engage, directly or indirectly, in business activities that are similar to ours or compete with us, that we could seize and develop or that include the acquisition, syndication, holding, management, development, operation or disposition of interests in mortgages, real property or persons engaged in the real estate business. In addition, our charter provides that, to the maximum extent permitted from time to time by Maryland law, in the event that any non-employee director or any of his or her affiliates acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or other business opportunity, no such person will have any duty to communicate or offer such transaction or business opportunity to us or any of our affiliates and such person may take any such opportunity for himself, herself or itself or offer it to another person or entity unless the business opportunity is expressly offered to such person in his or her capacity as our director. Furthermore, our charter contains a provision intended to eliminate the liability of any director who is not employed by us or any of his or her affiliates to us or our stockholders for
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money damages in connection with any benefit received, directly or indirectly, from any transaction or business opportunity that we have renounced in our charter or otherwise and permit our directors and officers to be indemnified and advanced expenses, notwithstanding his or her receipt, directly or indirectly, of a personal benefit from any such transaction or opportunity.
Advance Notice of Director Nomination and New Business
Our bylaws provide that nominations of individuals for election as directors and proposals of business to be considered by stockholders at any annual meeting may be made only (1) pursuant to our notice of the meeting, (2) by or at the direction of our board of directors or any duly authorized committee of our board of directors or (3) by any stockholder who was a stockholder of record at the time of provision of notice and at the time of the meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting in the election of the individuals so nominated or on such other proposed business and who has complied with the advance notice procedures of our bylaws. Stockholders generally must provide notice to our secretary not earlier than the 150th day or later than the close of business on the 120th day before the first anniversary of the date our proxy statement for the preceding years annual meeting is first sent or given to our stockholders.
Only the business specified in the notice of the meeting may be brought before a special meeting of our stockholders. Nominations of individuals for election as directors at a special meeting of stockholders may be made only (1) by or at the direction of our board of directors or any duly authorized committee of our board of directors or (2) if the special meeting has been called in accordance with our bylaws for the purpose of electing directors, by a stockholder who is a stockholder of record both at the time of provision of notice and at the time of the special meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting in the election of each individual so nominated and who has complied with the advance notice procedures of our bylaws. Stockholders generally must provide notice to our secretary not earlier than the 120th day before such special meeting and or later than the later of the close of business on the 90th day before the special meeting or the tenth day after the first public announcement of the date of the special meeting and the nominees of our board of directors to be elected at the meeting.
A stockholders notice must contain certain information specified by our bylaws 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.
Effect of Certain Provisions of Maryland Law and our Charter and Bylaws
The restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock discussed under the caption Description of StockRestrictions on Ownership and Transfer prevent any person from acquiring more than 9.8% (in value or by number of shares, whichever is more restrictive) of our outstanding common stock or 9.8% in value of our outstanding stock without the approval of our board of directors. These provisions may delay, defer or prevent a change in control of us. Further, our board of directors has the power to increase the aggregate number of authorized shares and classify and reclassify any unissued shares of our stock into other classes or series of stock, and to authorize us to issue the newly-classified shares, as discussed under the captions Description of Capital StockCommon Stock and Description of Capital StockPower to Reclassify and Issue Stock, and could authorize the issuance of shares of common stock or another class or series of stock, including a class or series of preferred stock, that could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of us. We believe that the power to increase the aggregate number of authorized shares and to classify or reclassify unissued shares of common or preferred stock, without approval of holders of our common stock, provides us with increased flexibility in structuring possible future financings and acquisitions and in meeting other needs that might arise.
Our charter and bylaws also provide that the number of directors may be established only by our board of directors, which prevents our stockholders from increasing the number of our directors and filling any vacancies created by such increase with their own nominees. The provisions of our bylaws discussed above under the
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captions Special Meetings of Stockholders and Advance Notice of Director Nomination and New Business require stockholders seeking to call a special meeting, nominate an individual for election as a director or propose other business at an annual meeting to comply with certain notice and information requirements. We believe that these provisions will help to assure the continuity and stability of our business strategies and policies as determined by our board of directors and promote good corporate governance by providing us with clear procedures for calling special meetings, information about a stockholder proponents interest in us and adequate time to consider stockholder nominees and other business proposals. However, these provisions, alone or in combination, could make it more difficult for our stockholders to remove incumbent directors or fill vacancies on our board of directors with their own nominees and could delay, defer or prevent a change in control, including a proxy contest or tender offer that might involve a premium price for our common stockholders or otherwise be in the best interest of our stockholders.
Exclusive Forum
Our bylaws provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, Maryland, or, if that court does not have jurisdiction, the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, Baltimore Division, will be the sole and exclusive forum for (a) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (b) any action asserting a claim of breach of any duty owed by any of our directors, officers or other employees to us or to our stockholders, (c) any action asserting a claim against us or any of our directors, officers or other employees arising pursuant to any provision of the MGCL or our charter or bylaws or (d) any action asserting a claim against us or any of our directors, officers or other employees that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our stock will be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of our charter and bylaws, including the exclusive forum provisions in our bylaws.
Limitation of Liability and Indemnification of Directors and Officers
Maryland law permits us to include a provision in our charter eliminating the liability of our directors and officers to us and our stockholders for money damages, except for liability resulting from (a) actual receipt of an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services or (b) active and deliberate dishonesty that is established by a final judgment and is material to the cause of action. Our charter contains a provision that eliminates our directors and officers liability to us and our stockholders for money damages to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law.
The MGCL requires us (unless our charter were to provide otherwise, which our charter does not) to indemnify a director or officer who has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any proceeding to which he or she is made a party by reason of his or her service in that capacity. The MGCL permits us to indemnify our present and former directors and officers, among others, against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in connection with any proceeding to which they may be made or threatened to be made a party by reason of their service in those or certain other capacities unless it is established that:
| the act or omission of the director or officer was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding and (a) was committed in bad faith or (b) was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty; |
| the director or officer actually received an improper personal benefit in money, property or services; or |
| in the case of any criminal proceeding, the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful. |
The MGCL prohibits us from indemnifying a director or officer who has been adjudged liable in a suit by us or on our behalf or in which the director or officer was adjudged liable on the basis that a personal benefit was improperly received. A court may order indemnification if it determines that the director or officer is fairly and
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reasonably entitled to indemnification, even though the director or officer did not meet the prescribed standard of conduct or was adjudged liable on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received; however, indemnification for an adverse judgment in a suit by us or on our behalf, or for a judgment of liability on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received, is limited to expenses.
In addition, the MGCL permits us to advance reasonable expenses to a director or officer upon our receipt of (a) a written affirmation by the director or officer of his or her good faith belief that he or she has met the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification and (b) a written undertaking by him or her or on his or her behalf to repay the amount paid or reimbursed if it is ultimately determined that the standard of conduct was not met.
To the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law, our charter authorizes us to indemnify any person who serves or has served, and our bylaws obligate us to indemnify any individual who is made or threatened to be made a party to or witness in a proceeding by reason of his or her service:
| as our director or officer; or |
| while a director or officer and at our request, as a director, officer, partner, manager, member or trustee of another corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, from and against any claim or liability to which he or she may become subject or that he or she may incur by reason of his or her service in any of these capacities, and to pay or reimburse his or her reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding. Our charter and bylaws also permit us to indemnify and advance expenses to any individual who served any of our predecessors in any of the capacities described above and any employee or agent of us or any of our predecessors. |
Indemnification Agreements
We have entered into indemnification agreements with each of our directors and executive officers. 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.
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DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES
The following description of shares represented by depositary shares sets forth certain general terms and provisions of depositary agreements, depositary shares and depositary receipts. This summary does not contain all of the information that you may find useful. The particular terms of the depositary shares and related agreements and receipts will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to those depositary shares. For more information, you should review the relevant form of deposit agreement and relevant form of depositary receipts, which are or will be filed with the SEC.
General
We may elect to have shares represented by depositary shares. The shares underlying the depositary shares will be deposited under a separate deposit agreement between us and a bank or trust company we select. The prospectus supplement relating to a class or series of depositary shares will set forth the name and address of this share depositary. Subject to the terms of the deposit agreement, each owner of a depositary share will be entitled, proportionately, to all the rights, preferences and privileges of the share represented by such depositary share (including dividend, voting, redemption, conversion, exchange and liquidation rights).
The depositary shares will be evidenced by depositary receipts issued pursuant to the deposit agreement, each of which will represent the applicable interest in a number of shares, or fraction thereof, as described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
A holder of depositary shares will be entitled to receive the shares (but only in whole shares) underlying those depositary shares. If the depositary receipts delivered by the holder evidence a number of depositary shares in excess of the whole number of shares to be withdrawn, the depositary will deliver to that holder at the same time a new depositary receipt for the excess number of depositary shares.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the depositary agreement, the depositary shares and the depositary receipts will be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of the State of New York.
Dividends and Other Distributions
The share depositary will distribute all cash dividends or other cash distributions in respect of the shares to the record holders of depositary receipts in proportion, insofar as possible, to the number of depositary shares owned by those holders.
If there is a distribution other than in cash in respect of the shares, the share depositary will distribute property received by it to the record holders of depositary receipts in proportion, insofar as possible, to the number of depositary shares owned by those holders, unless the share depositary determines that it is not feasible to make such a distribution. In that case, the share depositary may, with our approval, adopt any method that it deems equitable and practicable to effect the distribution, including a public or private sale of the property and distribution of the net proceeds from the sale to the holders.
The amount distributed in any of the above cases will be reduced by any amount we or the share depositary are required to withhold on account of taxes.
Conversion and Exchange
If any share underlying the depositary shares is subject to provisions relating to its conversion or exchange as set forth in an applicable prospectus supplement, each record holder of depositary shares will have the right or obligation to convert or exchange those depositary shares pursuant to those provisions.
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Redemption of Depositary Shares
Whenever we redeem a share held by the share depositary, the share depositary will redeem as of the same redemption date a proportionate number of depositary shares representing the shares that were redeemed. The redemption price per depositary share will be equal to the aggregate redemption price payable with respect to the number of shares underlying the depositary shares. If fewer than all the depositary shares are to be redeemed, the depositary shares to be redeemed will be selected by lot or proportionately as we may determine.
After the date fixed for redemption, the depositary shares called for redemption will no longer be deemed to be outstanding and all rights of the holders of the depositary shares will cease, except the right to receive the redemption price.
Voting
Upon receipt of notice of any meeting at which the holders of any shares underlying the depositary shares are entitled to vote, the share depositary will mail the information contained in the notice to the record holders of the depositary receipts. Each record holder of the depositary receipts on the record date (which will be the same date as the record date for the shares) may then instruct the share depositary as to the exercise of the voting rights pertaining to the number of shares underlying that holders depositary shares. The share depositary will try to vote the number of shares underlying the depositary shares in accordance with the instructions, and we will agree to take all reasonable action which the share depositary deems necessary to enable the share depositary to do so. The share depositary will abstain from voting the shares to the extent that it does not receive specific written instructions from holders of depositary receipts representing the share.
Record Date
Whenever any cash dividend or other cash distribution becomes payable, any distribution other than cash is made, or any rights, preferences or privileges are offered with respect to the shares; or the share depositary receives notice of any meeting at which holders of shares are entitled to vote or of which holders of such shares are entitled to notice, or of the mandatory conversion of or any election by us to call for the redemption of any such share, the share depositary will in each instance fix a record date (which will be the same as the record date for the shares) for the determination of the holders of depositary receipts:
| who will be entitled to receive dividend, distribution, rights, preferences or privileges or the net proceeds of any sale; or |
| who will be entitled to give instructions for the exercise of voting rights at any such meeting or to receive notice of the meeting or the redemption or conversion, subject to the provisions of the deposit agreement. |
Amendment and Termination of the Deposit Agreement
We and the share depositary may at any time agree to amend the form of depositary receipt and any provision of the deposit agreement. However, any amendment that materially and adversely alters the rights of holders of depositary shares will not be effective unless the amendment has been approved by the holders of at least a majority of the depositary shares then outstanding. The deposit agreement may be terminated by us or by the share depositary only if all outstanding shares have been redeemed or if a final distribution in respect of the underlying shares has been made to the holders of the depositary shares in connection with the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of us.
Charges of Share Depositary
We will pay all charges of the share depositary including charges in connection with the initial deposit of the shares, the initial issuance of the depositary receipts, the distribution of information to the holders of
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depositary receipts with respect to matters on which the share is entitled to vote, withdrawals of the share by the holders of depositary receipts or redemption or conversion of the share, except for taxes (including transfer taxes, if any) and other governmental charges and any other charges expressly provided in the deposit agreement to be at the expense of holders of depositary receipts or persons depositing shares.
Miscellaneous
Neither we nor the share depositary will be liable if either of us is prevented or delayed by law or any circumstance beyond our control in performing any obligations under the deposit agreement. The obligations of the share depositary under the deposit agreement are limited to performing its duties under the agreement without negligence or bad faith. Our obligations under the deposit agreement are limited to performing our duties in good faith. Neither we nor the share depositary is obligated to prosecute or defend any legal proceeding in respect of any depositary shares or shares unless satisfactory indemnity is furnished. We and the share depositary may rely on advice of or information from counsel, accountants or other persons that they believe to be competent and on documents that they believe to be genuine. The share depositary may resign at any time or be removed by us, effective upon the acceptance by its successor of its appointment. If we have not appointed a successor share depositary and the successor depositary has not accepted its appointment within 60 days after the share depositary delivered a resignation notice to us, the share depositary may terminate the deposit agreement. See Amendment and Termination of the Deposit Agreement above.
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DESCRIPTION OF PURCHASE CONTRACTS
The following description sets forth certain general terms and provisions of the purchase contracts that we may offer from time to time. This summary does not contain all of the information that you may find useful. The particular terms of any purchase contract that we may offer and the related agreements will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to those purchase contracts. For more information, you should review the relevant form of purchase contract and the relevant form of pledge agreement for purchase contracts, if any, which are or will be filed with the SEC.
If we offer any purchase contracts, certain terms of that series of purchase contracts will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement, including, without limitation, the following:
| the price of the securities or other property subject to the purchase contracts (which may be determined by reference to a specific formula described in the purchase contracts); |
| whether the purchase contracts are issued separately, or as a part of units each consisting of a purchase contract and one or more of our other securities or securities of an unaffiliated entity, including U.S. Treasury securities, securing the holders obligations under the purchase contract; |
| any requirement for us to make periodic payments to holders or vice versa, and whether the payments are unsecured or pre-funded; |
| any provisions relating to any security provided for the purchase contracts; |
| whether the purchase contracts obligate the holder or us to purchase or sell, or both purchase and sell, the securities subject to purchase under the purchase contract, and the nature and amount of each of those securities, or the method of determining those amounts; |
| whether the purchase contracts are to be prepaid or not; |
| whether the purchase contracts are to be settled by delivery, or by reference or linkage to the value, performance or level of the securities subject to purchase under the purchase contract; |
| any acceleration, cancellation, termination or other provisions relating to the settlement of the purchase contracts; |
| a discussion of certain United States federal income tax considerations applicable to the purchase contracts; |
| whether the purchase contracts will be issued in fully registered or global form; and |
| any other terms of the purchase contracts and any securities subject to such purchase contracts. |
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The following description sets forth certain general terms and provisions of the units that we may offer from time to time. This summary does not contain all of the information that you may find useful. The particular terms of any of the units that we may offer and the related agreements will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to those units. For more information, you should review the relevant form of unit agreement and the relevant form of unit certificate, if any, which are or will be filed with the SEC.
If we offer any units, certain terms of that series of units will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement, including, without limitation, the following, as applicable:
| the title of the series of units; |
| identification and description of the separate constituent securities comprising the units; |
| the price or prices at which the units will be issued; |
| the date, if any, on and after which the constituent securities comprising the units will be separately transferable; |
| a discussion of certain United States federal income tax considerations applicable to the units; and |
| any other terms of the units and their constituent securities. |
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The following description sets forth certain general terms and provisions of the warrants that we may offer from time to time. This summary does not contain all of the information that you may find useful. The particular terms of any of the warrants that we may offer and the related agreements will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to those warrants. For more information, you should review the relevant form of warrant agreement and the relevant form of warrant certificate, if any, which are or will be filed with the SEC.
General
We may issue warrants to purchase our securities or rights (including rights to receive payment in cash or securities based on the value, rate or price of specified commodities, currencies or indices) or securities of other issuers or any combination of the foregoing. Warrants may be issued independently or together with any securities and 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 we select.
You should review the applicable prospectus supplement for the specific terms of any warrants that may be offered, including:
| the title of the warrants; |
| the aggregate number of the warrants; |
| the price or prices at which the warrants will be issued; |
| the currency or currencies, including composite currencies, in which the price of the warrants may be payable; |
| our securities or rights (including rights to receive payment in cash or securities based on the value, rate or price of one or more specified commodities, currencies or indices) or securities of other issuers or any combination of the foregoing purchasable upon exercise of such warrants; |
| the price at which and the currency or currencies, including composite currencies, in which the securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants may be purchased; |
| the date on which the right to exercise the warrants will commence and the date on which that right will expire; |
| if applicable, the minimum or maximum amount of the warrants that may be exercised at any one time; |
| if applicable, the designation and terms of the securities with which the warrants are issued and the number of warrants issued with each such security; |
| if applicable, the date on and after which the warrants and the related securities will be separately transferable; |
| information with respect to book-entry procedures, if any; |
| if applicable, a discussion of certain United States federal income tax considerations; and |
| any other terms of the warrants, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of the warrants. |
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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
The debt securities will be issued in one or more series under an indenture between the Operating Partnership and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee, dated as of January 21, 2015. References herein to the Indenture refer to such indenture and references to the Trustee refer to such trustee or any other trustee for any particular series of debt securities issued under the Indenture. The terms of the debt securities of any series will be those specified in or pursuant to the Indenture and in the applicable debt securities of that series and those made part of the Indenture by the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the Trust Indenture Act).
The following description of selected provisions of the Indenture and the debt securities that may be issued thereunder is not complete, and the description of selected terms of the debt securities of a particular series included in the applicable prospectus supplement also will not be complete. You should review the form of the Indenture, any supplemental indentures and the form of the applicable debt securities, which forms have been or will be filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, or as exhibits to documents which have been or will be incorporated by reference in this prospectus. To obtain a copy of the form of the Indenture or the form of the applicable debt securities, see Where You Can Find More Information in this prospectus. The following description of debt securities and the description of the debt securities of the particular series in the applicable prospectus supplement are qualified in their entirety by reference to all of the provisions of the Indenture, any supplemental indentures and the applicable debt securities, which provisions, including defined terms, are incorporated by reference in this prospectus. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this section shall have the meanings assigned to those terms in the Indenture.
The following description of debt securities describes general terms and provisions of the series of debt securities to which any prospectus supplement may relate. When the debt securities of a particular series are offered for sale, the specific terms of such debt securities will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. If any particular terms of such debt securities described in a prospectus supplement are inconsistent with any of the terms of the debt securities generally described in this prospectus, then the terms described in the applicable prospectus supplement will supersede the terms described in this prospectus.
General
The Operating Partnership may issue an unlimited principal amount of debt securities under the Indenture. The Indenture provides that debt securities of any series may be issued up to the aggregate principal amount which may be authorized from time to time by the Operating Partnership. Please read the applicable prospectus supplement relating to the debt securities of the particular series being offered thereby for the specific terms of such debt securities, including, where applicable:
| the title of the series of debt securities; |
| the aggregate principal amount of debt securities of the series and any limit thereon; |
| whether such debt securities are to be issuable in global form or as registered securities; |
| the date or dates on which the Operating Partnership will pay the principal of and premium, if any, on debt securities of the series, or the method used to determine such date or dates; |
| the rate or rates, which may be fixed or variable, at which debt securities of the series will bear interest, if any, or the method or methods, if any, used to determine such rate or rates; |
| the basis used to calculate interest, if any, on the debt securities of the series if other than a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months; |
| the date or dates, if any, from which interest on the debt securities of the series will accrue, or the method or methods, if any, used to determine such date or dates; |
| the date or dates, if any, on which the interest on the debt securities of the series will be payable and the record dates for any such payment of interest; |
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| the terms and conditions, if any, upon which the Operating Partnership is required to, or may, at its option, redeem debt securities of the series; |
| the terms and conditions, if any, upon which the Operating Partnership will be required to repurchase debt securities of the series at the option of the holders of debt securities of the series; |
| the terms of any sinking fund or analogous provision; |
| if other than the entire principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of the debt securities of the series which will be payable upon acceleration if other than the full principal amount; |
| the authorized denominations in which debt securities of the series will be issued, if other than minimum denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof; |
| the place or places where (1) amounts due on the debt securities of the series will be payable, (2) the debt securities of the series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, (3) the debt securities of the series may be surrendered for conversion or exchange and (4) notices or demands to or upon the Operating Partnership in respect of the debt securities of the series or the Indenture may be served, if different than the corporate trust office of the Trustee; |
| the terms and conditions, if any, upon which the debt securities will be convertible into and/or exchangeable for equity or other securities or property of the Operating Partnership or of any other person; |
| if other than U.S. dollars, the currency or currencies in which purchases of, and payments on, the debt securities of the series must be made, the manner of determining the equivalent thereof in U.S. dollars for any purpose, and the ability, if any, of the Operating Partnership or the holders of debt securities of the series to elect for payments to be made in any other currency or currencies and the terms and conditions upon which such election may be made; |
| whether the amount of payments on the debt securities of the series may be determined with reference to an index, formula, or other method or methods (any of those debt securities being referred to as Indexed Securities) and the manner used to determine those amounts; |
| any addition to, modification of, or deletion of, any covenant or Event of Default with respect to debt securities of the series or any guarantee; |
| the covenants subject to covenant defeasance; |
| the terms and conditions, if any, upon which debt securities are to be issuable upon the exercise of warrants; |
| the identity of the depositary for the global debt securities; |
| the circumstances under which the Operating Partnership or any guarantor will pay Additional Amounts on the debt securities of the series in respect of any tax, assessment, or other governmental charge and whether the Operating Partnership will have the option to redeem such debt securities rather than pay the Additional Amounts; |
| if there is more than one trustee, the identity of the trustee that has any obligations, duties and remedies with respect to the debt securities and, if not the trustee, the identity of each security registrar, paying agent or authenticating agent with respect to the debt securities; |
| the terms of any guarantee of the debt securities and the identity of any guarantor or guarantors of the debt securities; |
| if the principal amount payable at the stated maturity of the debt securities of the series will not be determinable as of any one or more dates prior to the stated maturity, the amount which shall be deemed to be the principal amount of such debt securities as of any date; |
| whether the debt securities will not be issued in a transaction registered under the Securities Act and any restriction or condition on the transferability of the debt securities of such series; |
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| the exchanges, if any, on which the debt securities of the series may be listed; |
| the price or prices at which the debt securities of the series will be sold; |
| if debt securities issuable in global form are to be issuable in definitive form, then the forms and terms related to such issuance; |
| the person to whom any interest on any registered security shall be payable, if other than the person in whose name such security is registered at the close of business on the regular record date for such payment and the manner in which any interest payable on a temporary global security will be paid if other than in the manner provided in the Indenture; |
| any additional covenants subject to waiver by the act of the holders of debt securities pursuant to the Indenture; and |
| any other terms of debt securities of the series and any deletions from or modifications or additions to the Indenture in respect of such securities. |
As used in this prospectus, references to the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the debt securities of a series include Additional Amounts, if any, payable on the debt securities of such series in that context.
The Operating Partnership may issue debt securities as original issue discount securities to be sold at a substantial discount below their principal amount. In the event of an acceleration of the maturity of any original issue discount security, the amount payable to the holder upon acceleration will be determined in the manner described in the applicable prospectus supplement. Important federal income tax and other considerations applicable to original issue discount securities will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
The terms of the debt securities of any series may be inconsistent with the terms of the debt securities of any other series. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the Operating Partnership may, without the consent of, or notice to, the holders of the debt securities of any series, reopen an existing series of debt securities and issue additional debt securities of that series.
Other than to the extent provided with respect to the debt securities of a particular series and described in the applicable prospectus supplement, the Indenture will not contain any provisions that would limit the ability of the Operating Partnership to incur indebtedness or to substantially reduce or eliminate the Operating Partnerships consolidated assets, which may have a material adverse effect on the ability of the Operating Partnership to service the Operating Partnerships indebtedness (including the debt securities) or that would afford holders of the debt securities protection in the event of:
(1) | a highly leveraged or similar transaction involving the Operating Partnerships management, or any affiliate of any of those parties, |
(2) | a change of control, or |
(3) | a reorganization, restructuring, merger, or similar transaction involving the Operating Partnership or its affiliates. |
Registration, Transfer, Payment and Paying Agent
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, each series of debt securities will be issued in registered form only, without coupons.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the debt securities will be payable and may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange at an office of the Operating Partnership or an agent of the Operating Partnership in the United States. However, the Operating Partnership, at its option, may make payments of interest on any interest payment date on any debt security by check mailed to the address of the
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person entitled to receive that payment or by wire transfer to an account maintained by the payee with a bank located in the United States; provided, that the paying agent shall have received appropriate wire transfer instructions at least five business days prior to the interest payment date.
Any interest not punctually paid or duly provided for on any interest payment date with respect to the debt securities of any series will forthwith cease to be payable to the holders of those debt securities on the applicable regular record date and may either be paid to the persons in whose names those debt securities are registered at the close of business on a special record date for the payment of the interest not punctually paid or duly provided for to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to the holders of those debt securities not less than 10 days prior to the special record date, or may be paid at any time in any other lawful manner, all as completely described in the Indenture.
Subject to certain limitations imposed on debt securities issued in book-entry form, the debt securities of any series will be exchangeable for other debt securities of the same series and of a like aggregate principal amount and tenor of different authorized denominations upon surrender of those debt securities at the designated place or places. In addition, subject to certain limitations imposed upon debt securities issued in book-entry form, the debt securities of any series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange thereof at the designated place or places if duly endorsed or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer. No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange, redemption or repayment of debt securities, but the Operating Partnership may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with certain of those transactions.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the Operating Partnership will not be required to:
| issue, register the transfer of or exchange debt securities of any series during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before any selection of debt securities of that series of like tenor and terms to be redeemed and ending at the close of business on the day of that selection; |
| register the transfer of or exchange any debt security, or portion of any debt security, called for redemption, except the unredeemed portion of any debt security being redeemed in part; or |
| issue, register the transfer of or exchange a debt security which has been surrendered for repurchase at the option of the holder, except the portion, if any, of the debt security not to be repurchased. |
Outstanding Debt Securities
In determining whether the holders of the requisite principal amount of outstanding debt securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, or waiver under the Indenture:
| the principal amount of an original issue discount security that shall be deemed to be outstanding for these purposes shall be that portion of the principal amount of the original issue discount security that would be due and payable upon acceleration of the original issue discount security as of the date of the determination, |
| the principal amount of any Indexed Security that shall be deemed to be outstanding for these purposes shall be the principal amount of the Indexed Security determined on the date of its original issuance, unless otherwise provided in the Indenture, |
| the principal amount of a debt security denominated in a foreign currency shall be the U.S. dollar equivalent, determined on the date of its original issuance, of the principal amount of the debt security, and |
| a debt security owned by the Operating Partnership or any obligor on the debt security or any affiliate of the Operating Partnership or such other obligor shall be deemed not to be outstanding. |
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Redemption and Repurchase
The debt securities of any series may be redeemable at the Operating Partnerships option or may be subject to mandatory redemption by the Operating Partnership as required by a sinking fund or otherwise. In addition, the debt securities of any series may be subject to repurchase by the Operating Partnership at the option of the holders. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms and conditions regarding any optional or mandatory redemption or option to repurchase the debt securities of the related series.
Covenants
Any material covenants applicable to the debt securities of the applicable series will be specified in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Events of Default
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, an Event of Default with respect to the debt securities of any series is defined in the Indenture as being:
(1) | default for thirty (30) days in the payment of any installment of interest or Additional Amounts payable with respect to such interest under the debt securities of that series; |
(2) | default in the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, on or, any Additional Amounts payable in respect of any principal of or premium, if any, on the debt securities of that series, when the same becomes due and payable or default is made in the deposit of any sinking fund payment with respect to the debt securities of that series when due and such default continues for three business days; |
(3) | the Operating Partnership fails to comply with any of the Operating Partnerships other agreements contained in the debt securities or the Indenture (other than an agreement a default in whose performance or whose breach is elsewhere specifically dealt with in the Indenture or which has expressly been included in the Indenture solely for the benefit of a series of debt securities other than that series) upon receipt by the Operating Partnership of notice of such default by the Trustee or receipt by the Operating Partnership and the Trustee of notice of such default by holders of not less than twenty five percent (25%) in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of that series then outstanding and the Operating Partnership fails to cure (or obtain a waiver of) such default within sixty (60) days after the Operating Partnership receives such notice; |
(4) | failure to pay any recourse indebtedness for monies borrowed by the Operating Partnership, any guarantor or any Significant Subsidiary in an outstanding principal amount in excess of $50,000,000 at final maturity or upon acceleration after the expiration of any applicable grace period, which recourse indebtedness is not discharged, or such default in payment or acceleration is not cured or rescinded, within thirty (30) days after written notice of such failure to the Operating Partnership from the Trustee (or to the Operating Partnership and the Trustee from holders of at least twenty five percent (25%) in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series); |
(5) | specified events of bankruptcy, insolvency, or reorganization with respect to the Operating Partnership, any guarantor or any Significant Subsidiary. |
No Event of Default with respect to any particular series of debt securities necessarily constitutes an Event of Default with respect to any other series of debt securities. The Trustee is required to give notice to holders of the debt securities of the applicable series within 90 days after the Trustee has actual knowledge (as such knowledge is described in the Indenture) of a default relating to such debt securities; provided, however, that in the case of an Event of Default as described in (3) above, the Trustee will not give notice to the holders until at least 60 days after the occurrence thereof.
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If an Event of Default specified in clause (5) above occurs, then the principal of, and premium, if any, on all the outstanding debt securities of the applicable series and unpaid interest, if any, accrued thereon shall automatically become immediately due and payable. If any other Event of Default with respect to the outstanding debt securities of the applicable series occurs and is continuing, either the Trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of that series then outstanding may declare the principal of, and premium, if any, on, or if debt securities of that series are original issue discount securities such lesser amount as may be specified in the terms of that series of debt securities, and unpaid interest, if any, accrued thereon to be due and payable immediately. However, upon specified conditions, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of that series then outstanding may rescind and annul any such declaration of acceleration and its consequences if:
| the Operating Partnership has paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum of money sufficient to pay all required payments as specified in the Indenture, including payments of the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to the debt securities of such series, and specified compensation, expenses, disbursement and advances of the Trustee; and |
| all Events of Default with respect to the debt securities of such series, other than the non-payment of principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to the debt securities of such series which have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in the Indenture. |
The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of a series may waive any past default with respect to the debt securities of such series and its consequences, except:
| a continuing default in the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any debt security of such series, or |
| in the case of any debt securities which are convertible into or exchangeable for common equity or other securities or property, a continuing default in any such conversion or exchange, or |
| a continuing default in respect of a covenant or provision contained in the Indenture that cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the holder of each outstanding debt security of such series affected. |
The Indenture provides that no holders of debt securities of any series may institute any proceedings, judicial or otherwise, with respect to the Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or Trustee, or for any remedy thereunder, except in the case of failure of the Trustee, for 60 days, to act after it has received written notice of an Event of Default with respect to such series from a holder of a debt security of such series, a written request to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default from the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series, as well as an offer of indemnity or security satisfactory to it, and no inconsistent direction has been given to the Trustee during such 60 day period by the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Indenture, each holder of a debt security will have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, and any Additional Amounts on that debt security on the respective due dates for those payments, and in the case of any debt security which is convertible into or exchangeable for other securities or property, to convert or exchange as the case may be, such debt security in accordance with its terms, and to institute suit for the enforcement of those payments and any such right to convert or exchange, and this right shall not be impaired without the consent of such holder.
Subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act requiring the Trustee, during the continuance of an Event of Default under the Indenture, to act with the requisite standard of care, the Trustee is under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under the Indenture at the request or direction of any of the holders of debt securities of any series unless those holders have offered the Trustee indemnity or security satisfactory to it. The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series will have the
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right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or of exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, provided that the direction would not conflict with any rule or law or with the Indenture or with any series of debt securities or involve the Trustee in personal liability, such direction would not be unduly prejudicial to the rights of any other holder of debt securities of that series (or the debt securities of any other series) not joining in such action, and the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction.
Within 120 calendar days after the close of each fiscal year, the Operating Partnership must deliver to the Trustee an officers certificate stating whether or not each certifying officer has knowledge of any default under the Indenture and, if so, specifying each such default and the nature and status thereof.
Modification, Waivers and Meetings
The Indenture permits the Operating Partnership and the Trustee, with the consent of the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each series issued under the Indenture and affected by a modification or amendment (voting as separate classes), to modify or amend any of the provisions of the Indenture or of the debt securities of the applicable series or the rights of the holders of the debt securities of the applicable series under the Indenture. However, no modification or amendment shall, without the consent of the holder of each outstanding debt security affected thereby:
| change the stated maturity of the principal of, or premium, if any, or any installment of interest, if any, on, or any Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, any debt securities; |
| reduce the principal of or any premium on any debt securities or reduce the rate (or modify the calculation of such rate) of interest on or the redemption or repurchase price of any debt securities, or any Additional Amounts payable with respect to any debt securities or related guarantee or change the Operating Partnerships or any guarantors obligation to pay Additional Amounts; |
| reduce the amount of principal of any original issue discount securities that would be due and payable upon acceleration of the maturity of any debt security; |
| adversely affect any right of repayment or repurchase at the option of any holder; |
| change any place where, or the currency in which, the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to any debt securities or guarantees are payable; |
| impair the holders right to institute suit to enforce the payment of any debt securities or guarantee on or after their stated maturity (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the redemption date, or on or after the date for a repayment or repurchase); |
| reduce the percentage of the outstanding debt securities of any series whose holders must consent to any modification or amendment or any waiver of compliance with specific provisions of the Indenture or specified defaults under the Indenture and their consequences; |
| reduce the requirements for a quorum or voting at a meeting of holders of the applicable debt securities; |
| modify the sections of the Indenture setting forth the provisions of the Indenture that may not be amended without the consent of holders, or providing for the waiver of past defaults and the waiver of certain covenants, except to increase any such percentage or provide that certain other provisions of the Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of holder of each outstanding debt security of such series; |
| release a guarantor from any of the obligations under a guarantee except as permitted under the Indenture; or |
| make any change that adversely affects the right, if any, to convert or exchange any debt security for common equity or other securities or property. |
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The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Operating Partnership and any guarantor, as applicable, and the Trustee, without the consent of the holders of any debt securities, to modify or amend the Indenture, among other things:
| to evidence a successor to the Operating Partnership or any guarantor, if applicable, as under the Indenture, or successive successions, and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the Operating Partnership or any guarantor; |
| to add to the covenants of the Operating Partnership or any guarantor for the benefit of the holders of all or any series of debt securities or to surrender any right or power conferred upon the Operating Partnership or any guarantor in the Indenture; |
| to change or eliminate any restrictions on the payment of principal of or any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any debt securities or any guarantee, provided any such action does not adversely affect the interest of the holders of debt securities of any series; |
| to add to the Events of Default in a manner that benefits the holders of all or any series of debt securities issued under the Indenture; |
| to establish the form or terms of debt securities of any series, and the form of the guarantee of debt securities of any series (provided that any such deletions, additions and changes shall not be applicable to any other series of debt securities then outstanding); |
| to make any change necessary to comply with any requirement of the SEC in connection with the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act; |
| to provide for any guarantee of the holders of debt securities of a series, to secure the debt securities or to confirm and evidence the release, termination or discharge of any guarantee of or lien securing the debt securities which such release, termination or discharge is permitted by the Indenture; |
| to provide for the acceptance of appointment by a successor trustee or facilitate the administration of the trusts under the Indenture by more than one trustee; |
| to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency in the Indenture; |
| to make any change that would provide any additional rights or benefits to the holders of debt securities or that does not adversely affect the legal rights under the Indenture of any holder in any material respect; |
| to supplement any of the provisions of the Indenture to the extent necessary to permit or facilitate defeasance and discharge of any series of debt securities; provided, that the action shall not adversely affect the interests of the holders of debt securities; |
| to provide for the issuance of additional debt securities, subject to the limitations established in the Indenture; |
| to comply with the rules of any applicable depositary or the rules or regulations of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which any of the debt securities may be listed or traded; |
| to add to or change any provisions of the Indenture to such extent as is necessary to permit or facilitate the issuance of debt securities in uncertificated form; |
| to amend or supplement any provision contained in the Indenture, in any supplemental indenture or in any debt securities, provided that the amendment or supplement (i) does not (a) apply to any outstanding debt securities issued before the date of the amendment or supplement and entitled to the benefits of that provision, or (b) modify the rights of holders of any such debt securities with respect to such provision, or (ii) becomes effective only when no security described in clause (i)(a) is outstanding; |
| in the case of any debt security which is convertible into or exchangeable for shares of common equity or other securities or property, impair the right to institute suit to enforce the right to convert or exchange such debt security in accordance with its terms; or |
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| to conform the terms of the Indenture or the debt securities of a series, as applicable, to the description thereof contained in any prospectus, prospectus supplement or other offering document relating to the offer and sale of such debt securities. |
The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may waive the Operating Partnerships compliance with some of the restrictive provisions of the Indenture, which may include covenants, if any, which are specified in the applicable prospectus supplement. The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may, on behalf of all holders of debt securities of that series, waive any past default under the Indenture with respect to the debt securities of that series and its consequences, except a default which is continuing (i) in the payment of the principal of, or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on, and any Additional Amounts with respect to, the debt securities of that series, (ii) with respect to the conversion or exchange of a series of debt securities convertible or exchangeable into common equity of the Operating Partnership, or (iii) in respect of a covenant or provision which cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the holder of each outstanding debt security of the affected series.
The Indenture contains provisions for convening meetings of the holders of a series of debt securities. A meeting may be called at any time by the Trustee, and also, upon the Operating Partnerships or any guarantors request, or the request of holders of at least 10% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series. Notice of a meeting must be given in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture. Except for any consent which must be given by the holder of each outstanding debt security affected in the manner described above, any resolution presented at a meeting or adjourned meeting duly reconvened at which a quorum, as described below, is present may be adopted by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the applicable series. However, any resolution with respect to any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver, or other action which may be made, given or taken by the holders of a specified percentage, other than a majority, in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of a series may be adopted at a meeting or adjourned meeting duly reconvened at which a quorum is present by the affirmative vote of the holders of that specified percentage in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series. Any resolution passed or decision taken at any meeting of holders of debt securities of any series duly held in accordance with the Indenture will be binding on all holders of debt securities of that series. The quorum at any meeting called to adopt a resolution, and at any reconvened meeting, will be persons holding or representing a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the applicable series, subject to exceptions; provided, however, that if any action is to be taken at that meeting with respect to a consent or waiver which may be given by the holders of a supermajority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of a series, the persons holding or representing that specified supermajority percentage in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series will constitute a quorum.
Discharge, Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance
Satisfaction and Discharge
Upon the Operating Partnerships direction, the Indenture shall cease to be of further effect with respect to the debt securities of any series specified by the Operating Partnership, subject to the survival of specified provisions of the Indenture, including (unless the accompanying prospectus supplement provides otherwise) the Operating Partnerships obligation to repurchase such debt securities at the option of the holders thereof, if applicable, and the Operating Partnerships, or any guarantors, if applicable, obligation to pay Additional Amounts in respect of such debt securities to the extent described below, when:
| either |
(A) | all outstanding debt securities of that series have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, subject to exceptions, or |
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(B) | all debt securities of that series have become due and payable or will become due and payable at their maturity within one year or are to be called for redemption within one year, and the Operating Partnership has deposited with the Trustee, in trust, funds in the currency in which the debt securities of that series are payable in an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on the debt securities of that series, including the principal thereof and, premium, if any, and interest, if any, thereon, and, to the extent that (x) the debt securities of that series provide for the payment of Additional Amounts and (y) the amount of any Additional Amounts which are or will be payable is at the time of deposit reasonably determinable by the Operating Partnership, in the exercise of its sole discretion, those Additional Amounts, to the date of such deposit, if the debt securities of that series have become due and payable, or to the maturity or redemption date of the debt securities of that series, as the case may be; |
and, in either case
| the Operating Partnership has paid all other sums payable under the Indenture with respect to the debt securities of that series (including amounts payable to the Trustee); and |
| the Trustee has received an officers certificate and an opinion of counsel to the effect that all conditions precedent to the satisfaction and discharge of the Indenture in respect of the debt securities of such series have been satisfied. |
If the debt securities of any series provide for the payment of Additional Amounts, the Operating Partnership or any guarantor, as applicable, will remain obligated, following the deposit described above, to pay Additional Amounts on those debt securities to the extent that they exceed the amount deposited in respect of those Additional Amounts as described above.
Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the Operating Partnership may elect with respect to the debt securities of the particular series either:
| to defease and discharge itself and any guarantor from any and all obligations with respect to those debt securities (legal defeasance), except for, among other things: |
(A) | the obligation to pay Additional Amounts, if any, upon the occurrence of specified events of taxation, assessment, or governmental charge with respect to payments on those debt securities to the extent that those Additional Amounts exceed the amount deposited in respect of those amounts as provided below; |
(B) | the obligations to register the transfer or exchange of those debt securities; |
(C) | the obligation to replace mutilated, destroyed, lost, or stolen debt securities; |
(D) | the obligation to maintain an office or agent of the Operating Partnership in the United States, in respect of those debt securities; |
(E) | the rights of holders of such outstanding debt securities to receive payments from moneys held in trust when such payments are due; |
(F) | the obligation, if applicable, to repurchase those debt securities at the option of the holders thereof; and |
(G) | the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the trustee; or |
| to be released from its obligations and the obligations of any guarantor with respect to those debt securities under (A) certain covenants in the Indenture related to the preservation of the rights (charter and statutory) and franchises of the Operating Partnership and (B) if applicable, other covenants as may be specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, and any omission to comply with those obligations shall not constitute a default or an Event of Default with respect to those debt securities (covenant defeasance), |
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in either case upon the irrevocable deposit with the Trustee, in trust for that purpose, of an amount in the currency in which those debt securities are payable at maturity or, if applicable, upon redemption, and/or government obligations (as defined in the Indenture) which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in accordance with their terms will provide money, in an amount sufficient, in the written opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants, to pay the principal of and any premium and any interest on, and, to the extent that (x) those debt securities provide for the payment of Additional Amounts and (y) the amount of the Additional Amounts which are or will be payable is at the time of deposit reasonably determinable by the Operating Partnership, in the exercise of its reasonable discretion, the Additional Amounts with respect to, those debt securities, and any mandatory sinking fund or analogous payments on those debt securities, on the due dates for those payments. If the cash and government obligations deposited are sufficient to pay the outstanding debt securities of the applicable series on a particular redemption date, the Operating Partnership shall have given the Trustee irrevocable instructions to redeem those debt securities on that date.
The legal defeasance or covenant defeasance described above shall only be effective if, among other things:
| it shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, the Indenture or any other material agreement or instrument to which the Operating Partnership is a party or is bound; |
| in the case of legal defeasance, the Operating Partnership shall have delivered to the Trustee an opinion of independent counsel acceptable to the Trustee confirming that: |
(A) | the Operating Partnership has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling; or |
(B) | since the date of the Indenture, there has been a change in applicable federal income tax law, |
in either case to the effect that, and based on this ruling or change the opinion of counsel shall confirm that, the holders of the debt securities of the applicable series will not recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of the legal defeasance and will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if the legal defeasance had not occurred;
| in the case of covenant defeasance, the Operating Partnership shall have delivered to the Trustee an opinion of independent counsel reasonably acceptable to the Trustee to the effect that the holders of the debt securities of the applicable series will not recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of the covenant defeasance and will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if the covenant defeasance had not occurred; |
| no Event of Default or default which with notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default with respect to debt securities of the applicable series shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of the deposit into trust; |
| solely in the case of legal defeasance, no Event of Default arising from specified events of bankruptcy, insolvency, or reorganization with respect to the Operating Partnership or any guarantor or default which with notice or lapse of time or both would become such an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing during the period ending on the 91st day after the date of the deposit into trust; and |
| the Operating Partnership shall have delivered to the Trustee an officers certificate and legal opinion to the effect that all conditions precedent to the legal defeasance or covenant defeasance, as the case may be, have been satisfied. |
In the event the Operating Partnership effects covenant defeasance with respect to debt securities of any series and those debt securities are declared due and payable because of the occurrence of any Event of Default other than an Event of Default with respect to the covenants as to which covenant defeasance has been effected, which covenants would no longer be applicable to the debt securities of that series after covenant defeasance, the
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amount of monies and/or government obligations deposited with the Trustee to effect covenant defeasance may not be sufficient to pay amounts due on the debt securities of that series at the time of any acceleration resulting from that Event of Default. However, the Operating Partnership would remain liable to make payment of those amounts due at the time of acceleration.
The applicable prospectus supplement may further describe the provisions, if any, permitting or restricting legal defeasance or covenant defeasance with respect to the debt securities of a particular series.
Concerning the Trustee
The Indenture provides that there may be more than one Trustee under the Indenture, each with respect to one or more series of debt securities. If there are different Trustees for different series of debt securities, each Trustee will be a Trustee of a trust or trusts separate and apart from the trust or trusts administered by any other Trustee under the Indenture. Unless otherwise indicated in any applicable prospectus supplement, any action permitted to be taken by a Trustee may be taken by such Trustee only with respect to the one or more series of debt securities for which it is the Trustee under the Indenture. Any Trustee under the Indenture may resign or be removed with respect to one or more series of debt securities. All payments of principal of, and premium, if any, and interest on, and all registration, transfer, exchange, authentication and delivery (including authentication and delivery on original issuance of the debt securities) of, the debt securities of a series will be effected by the Trustee with respect to that series at an office designated by the Trustee.
The Bank of New York Mellon has been appointed to act as the trustee under the Indenture. We may maintain corporate trust relationships in the ordinary course of business with the Trustee. The Trustee shall have and be subject to all the duties and responsibilities specified with respect to an indenture trustee under the Trust Indenture Act. Subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee is under no obligation to exercise any of the powers vested in it by the Indenture at the request of any holder of debt securities, unless offered indemnity or security satisfactory to it by the holder against the losses, damages, costs, expense and liabilities which might be incurred thereby.
Under the Trust Indenture Act, the Indenture is deemed to contain limitations on the right of the Trustee, should it become a creditor of the Operating Partnership, to obtain payment of claims in some cases or to realize on certain property received in respect of any such claim as security or otherwise. The Trustee may engage in other transactions with the Operating Partnership. If it acquires any conflicting interest under the Trust Indenture Act relating to any of its duties with respect to the debt securities, however, it must eliminate the conflict or resign as Trustee.
Governing Law
The Indenture, the debt securities and any related guarantees will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
Notices
All notices to holders of debt securities shall be validly given if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, or delivered electronically pursuant to the applicable procedures of the depositary, to them at their respective addresses in the register maintained by the trustee.
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The debt securities will be issued in the form of one or more fully registered global securities (Global Notes) that will be deposited with, or on behalf of, The Depository Trust Company (DTC), and registered in the name of DTCs nominee, Cede & Co. The Global Notes may be transferred, in whole and not in part, only to DTC, to another nominee of DTC or to a successor of DTC or its nominee. Beneficial interests in the Global Notes may not be exchanged for definitive debt securities in registered certificated form (Certificated Notes) except in the limited circumstances described below. See Exchange of Global Notes for Certificated Notes. Except in the limited circumstances described below, owners of beneficial interests in the Global Notes will not be entitled to receive physical delivery of debt securities in certificated form. Investors may elect to hold their interest in the Global Notes through either DTC, Clearstream Banking, société anonyme (Clearstream) or Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V. (Euroclear) if they are participants in these systems, or indirectly through organizations which are participants in these systems. Clearstream and Euroclear in turn will hold interests in such Global Notes as Participants on the books of DTC.
Depositary procedures
The following description of the operations and procedures of DTC, Euroclear and Clearstream is provided solely as a matter of convenience. These operations and procedures are solely within the control of the respective settlement systems and are subject to changes by them. The Operating Partnership takes no responsibility for these operations and procedures and urge investors to contact the system or their participants directly to discuss these matters.
DTC has advised the Operating Partnership that DTC is a limited-purpose trust company created to hold securities for its participating organizations (collectively, the Participants) and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of transactions in those securities between the Participants through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of its Participants. The Participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations. Access to DTCs system is also available to other entities such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a Participant, either directly or indirectly (collectively, the Indirect Participants). Persons who are not Participants may beneficially own securities held by or on behalf of DTC only through the Participants or the Indirect Participants. The ownership interests in, and transfers of ownership interests in, each security held by or on behalf of DTC are recorded on the records of the Participants and Indirect Participants.
DTC has also advised the Operating Partnership that, pursuant to procedures established by it:
| upon deposit of the Global Notes, DTC will credit the accounts of the Participants designated by the underwriters with portions of the principal amount of the Global Notes; and |
| ownership of these interests in the Global Notes will be shown on, and the transfer of ownership of these interests will be effected only through, records maintained by DTC (with respect to the Participants) or by the Participants and the Indirect Participants (with respect to other owners of beneficial interest in the Global Notes). |
Investors in the Global Notes who are Participants may hold their interests therein directly through DTC. Investors in the Global Notes who are not Participants may hold their interests therein indirectly through organizations (including Euroclear and Clearstream) which are Participants. All interests in a Global Note, including those held through Euroclear or Clearstream, may be subject to the procedures and requirements of DTC. Those interests held through Euroclear or Clearstream may also be subject to the procedures and requirements of such systems. The laws of some states require that certain persons take physical delivery in definitive form of securities that they own. Consequently, the ability to transfer beneficial interests in a Global Note to such persons will be limited to that extent. Because DTC can act only on behalf of the Participants, which in turn act on behalf of the Indirect Participants, the ability of a person having beneficial interests in a
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Global Note to pledge such interests to persons that do not participate in the DTC system, or otherwise take actions in respect of such interests, may be affected by the lack of a physical certificate evidencing such interests.
Except as described below, owners of interests in the Global Notes will not have debt securities registered in their names, will not receive physical delivery of debt securities in certificated form and will not be considered the registered owners or holders thereof under the indenture governing the debt securities for any purpose.
Payments in respect of the principal of, and interest and premium, if any, on, a Global Note registered in the name of DTC or its nominee will be payable to DTC in its capacity as the registered holder under the indenture governing the debt securities. Under the terms of the indenture, the Operating Partnership and the trustee will treat the persons in whose names the debt securities, including the Global Notes, are registered as the owners of the debt securities for the purpose of receiving payments and for all other purposes. Consequently, neither the Operating Partnership, the trustee nor any agent of them has or will have any responsibility or liability for:
| any aspect of DTCs records or any Participants or Indirect Participants records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interest in the Global Notes or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any of DTCs records or any Participants or Indirect Participants records relating to the beneficial ownership interests in the Global Notes; or |
| any other matter relating to the actions and practices of DTC or any of its Participants or Indirect Participants. |
DTC has advised the Operating Partnership that its current practice, upon receipt of any payment in respect of securities such as the debt securities (including principal and interest), is to credit the accounts of the relevant Participants with the payment on the payment date unless DTC has reason to believe that it will not receive payment on such payment date. Each relevant Participant is credited with an amount proportionate to its beneficial ownership of an interest in the principal amount of the relevant security as shown on the records of DTC. Payments by the Participants and the Indirect Participants to the beneficial owners of debt securities will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices and will be the responsibility of the Participants or the Indirect Participants and will not be the responsibility of DTC, the trustee or us. Neither we nor the trustee will be liable for any delay by DTC or any of the Participants or the Indirect Participants in identifying the beneficial owners of the debt securities, and we and the trustee may conclusively rely on and will be protected in relying on instructions from DTC or its nominee for all purposes.
DTC has advised the Operating Partnership that it will take any action permitted to be taken by a holder of debt securities only at the direction of one or more Participants to whose account DTC has credited the interests in the debt securities and only in respect of such portion of the aggregate principal amount at maturity of the debt securities as to which such Participant or Participants has or have given such direction. However, if there is an Event of Default under the debt securities, DTC reserves the right to exchange the debt securities for legended debt securities in certificated form, and to distribute such debt securities to its Participants.
Exchange of Global Notes for Certificated Notes
A Global Note is exchangeable for Certificated Notes if:
| DTC (a) notifies the Operating Partnership that it is unwilling or unable to continue as depositary for the Global Notes or (b) has ceased to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act and, in either case, the Operating Partnership fails to appoint a successor depositary within 90 days after it receives such notice or of its becoming aware of such cessation; |
| the Operating Partnership, at its option and subject to DTCs procedures, notifies the trustee in writing that the Operating Partnership elects to cause the issuance of the Certificated Notes; or |
| upon request from DTC if there has occurred and is continuing a default or Event of Default with respect to the debt securities. |
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In addition, beneficial interests in a Global Note may be exchanged for Certificated Notes upon prior written notice given to the trustee by or on behalf of DTC in accordance with the indenture. In all cases, Certificated Notes delivered in exchange for any Global Note or beneficial interests in Global Notes will be registered in the names, and issued in any approved denominations, requested by or on behalf of DTC (in accordance with its customary procedures).
Exchange of Certificated Notes for Global Notes
Certificated Notes, if any, may be exchanged for beneficial interests in Global Notes.
Same day settlement and payment
The underwriters will settle the debt securities in immediately available funds. the Operating Partnership will make payments in respect of the debt securities represented by the Global Notes (including principal, premium, if any, and interest) by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by DTC or its nominee. The Operating Partnership will make all payments of principal, interest and premium, if any, with respect to Certificated Notes by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the holders of the Certificated Notes or, if no such account is specified, by mailing a check to each such holders registered address. The debt securities represented by the Global Notes are expected to trade in DTCs Same-Day Funds Settlement System, and any permitted secondary market trading activity in such debt securities will, therefore, be required by DTC to be settled in immediately available funds. The Operating Partnership expects that secondary trading in any Certificated Notes will also be settled in immediately available funds.
Because of time zone differences, the securities account of a Euroclear or Clearstream participant purchasing an interest in a Global Note from a Participant will be credited, and any such crediting will be reported to the relevant Euroclear or Clearstream participant, during the securities settlement processing day (which must be a business day for Euroclear and Clearstream) immediately following the settlement date of DTC. DTC has advised the Operating Partnership that cash received in Euroclear or Clearstream as a result of sales of interests in a Global Note by or through a Euroclear or Clearstream participant to a Participant will be received with value on the settlement date of DTC but will be available in the relevant Euroclear or Clearstream cash account only as of the business day for Euroclear or Clearstream following DTCs settlement date.
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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS
The following is a general discussion of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations relating to our qualification and taxation as a real estate investment trust (REIT), and the acquisition, holding, and disposition of shares of our common stock, shares of our preferred stock, and depositary shares (together with our shares of common stock and preferred stock, the shares), as well as our warrants. For purposes of the following discussion, references to our Company, the Company, we, and us mean only Brixmor Property Group Inc. and not its subsidiaries or affiliates. This discussion is based upon the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code), the U.S. Treasury Regulations, rulings and other administrative interpretations and practices of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) (including administrative interpretations and practices expressed in private letter rulings which are binding on the IRS only with respect to the particular taxpayers who requested and received those rulings), and judicial decisions, all as currently in effect, and all of which are subject to differing interpretations or to change, possibly with retroactive effect. No assurance can be given that the IRS would not assert, or that a court would not sustain, a position contrary to any of the tax consequences described below. We have not sought and will not seek an advance ruling from the IRS regarding any matter discussed in this section. The discussion is also based upon the assumption that we will operate the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliated entities in accordance with their applicable organizational documents. This discussion is for general information only, and does not purport to discuss all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be important to a particular investor in light of its investment or tax circumstances, or to investors subject to special tax rules, including:
| financial institutions; |
| pass-through entities (such as entities treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes); |
| persons acting as nominees or otherwise not as beneficial owners; |
| insurance companies; |
| broker-dealers; |
| except to the extent described in the discussion below entitled Taxation of U.S. StockholdersTaxation of Tax-Exempt Stockholders, tax-exempt organizations; |
| dealers in securities or currencies; |
| traders in securities that elect to use a mark to market method of accounting; |
| persons that hold shares as part of a straddle, hedge, constructive sale, conversion transaction, or other integrated transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes; |
| regulated investment companies (RICs); |
| REITs; |
| certain U.S. expatriates; |
| foreign (non-U.S.) governments; |
| except to the extent described in the discussion below entitled Taxation of Non-U.S. Stockholders, non-U.S. stockholders (as defined below); |
| U.S. stockholders whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar; |
| persons who acquired their shares through the exercise of stock options or otherwise in connection with compensation; |
| persons who do not hold their shares as a capital asset within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code; and |
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| for purposes of the discussion below entitled Taxation of U.S. Stockholders, persons subject to the alternative minimum tax under the Code. |
For purposes of this discussion, a U.S. stockholder means a beneficial owner of shares that is:
| an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States for U.S. federal income tax purposes; |
| an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or |
| a trust that (A) is subject to the supervision of a court within the United States and the control of one or more U.S. persons or (B) was in existence on August 20, 1996, was treated as a U.S. person prior to such date and has a valid election in place to continue to be treated as a U.S. person, as defined in the Code. |
If a partnership (or other entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) holds shares, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership generally will depend on the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. Any partnership or other entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and the partners in such partnership (as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes), should consult their tax advisors.
This discussion of material U.S. federal income tax considerations is not binding on the IRS. No assurance can be given that the IRS would not assert, or that a court would not sustain, a position contrary to any described herein.
THE U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX RULES APPLICABLE TO HOLDING AND DISPOSING SHARES, AND TO REITS GENERALLY, ARE HIGHLY TECHNICAL AND COMPLEX. HOLDERS OF SHARES ARE URGED TO CONSULT THEIR TAX ADVISORS REGARDING THE SPECIFIC TAX CONSEQUENCES TO THEM OF THE OWNERSHIP OF SHARES, AND THE COMPANYS QUALIFICATION AS A REIT, INCLUDING THE APPLICABILITY AND EFFECT OF U.S. FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND NON-U.S. INCOME AND OTHER TAX LAWS, AND POTENTIAL CHANGES IN APPLICABLE TAX LAWS, IN LIGHT OF THEIR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES.
The U.S. federal income tax treatment of holders of our shares depends in some instances on determinations of fact and interpretations of complex provisions of U.S. federal income tax law for which no clear precedent or authority is available. In addition, the tax consequences to any particular stockholder of holding our shares will depend on the stockholders particular tax circumstances. You should consult your tax advisor regarding the U.S. federal, state, local, and foreign income and other tax consequences to you in light of your particular investment or tax circumstances of acquiring, holding, exchanging, or otherwise disposing of our shares, our election to be taxed as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and potential changes in applicable law.
Taxation of the Company as a REIT
General
We elected to be taxed as a REIT commencing with our taxable year ended December 31, 2011. A REIT generally is not subject to U.S. federal income tax on the income that it distributes to stockholders provided that the REIT meets the applicable REIT distribution requirements and other requirements for qualification as a REIT under the Code. We believe that we have been organized and operated in a manner so as to satisfy the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code, and we intend to continue to be organized and operated in a manner that will allow us to continue to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code.
Qualification and taxation as a REIT depends upon our ability to meet the various qualification tests imposed under the Code, including through our actual annual (or in some cases quarterly) operating results,
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requirements relating to income, asset ownership, distribution levels and diversity of share ownership, and the various other REIT qualification requirements imposed under the Code. Given the complex nature of the REIT qualification requirements, the ongoing importance of factual determinations and the possibility of future changes in our circumstances, we cannot provide any assurances that we have been or will be organized or operated in a manner so as to satisfy the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code, or that we will meet in the future the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT. See Failure to Qualify as a REIT.
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.
Taxation
For each taxable year in which we qualify for taxation as a REIT, we generally will not be subject to U.S. federal corporate income tax on our net income that is distributed currently to our stockholders. Stockholders generally will be subject to taxation on dividends (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, 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.
Qualification for taxation as a REIT enables the REIT and its stockholders to substantially eliminate the double taxation (that is, taxation at both the corporate and stockholder levels) that generally results from an investment in a regular corporation. Regular corporations (non-REIT C corporations) generally are subject to U.S. federal corporate income taxation on their income and stockholders of regular corporations are subject to tax on any dividends that are received. Currently, however, stockholders of regular domestic and certain foreign corporations who are taxed at individual rates generally are taxed on dividends they receive at capital gains rates, which may be lower for individuals than ordinary income rates, and stockholders of regular corporations who are taxed at regular corporate rates will receive the benefit of a dividends-received deduction that substantially reduces the effective rate that they pay on such dividends. Subject to certain limited exceptions, dividends received from REITs are generally not eligible for taxation at the preferential dividend income rates currently available to individual U.S. stockholders who receive dividends from taxable subchapter C corporations, and corporate stockholders of a REIT are not eligible for the dividends-received deduction. Income earned by a REIT and distributed currently to its stockholders generally will be subject to lower aggregate rates of U.S. federal income taxation than if such income were earned by a non-REIT C corporation, subjected to corporate income tax, and then distributed to stockholders and subjected to tax either at capital gain rates or the effective rate paid by a corporate recipient entitled to the benefit of the dividends-received deduction.
Any net operating losses, foreign tax credits and other tax attributes of a REIT generally do not pass through to our stockholders, subject to special rules for certain items such as the capital gains that we recognize.
Even if we qualify for taxation as a REIT, we will be subject to U.S. federal income tax in the following circumstances:
1. | We will be taxed at regular corporate rates on any undistributed REIT taxable income. REIT taxable income is the taxable income of the REIT subject to specified adjustments, including a deduction for dividends paid. |
2. | If we elect to treat property that we acquire in connection with certain leasehold terminations as foreclosure property, we may thereby avoid (a) the 100% tax on gain from a resale of that property (if the sale would otherwise constitute a prohibited transaction) as discussed below; and (b) the |
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inclusion of any income from such property not qualifying for purposes of the gross income tests discussed below. Income from the sale or operation of the property may be subject to U.S. federal corporate income tax at the highest applicable rate (effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, 21%). |
3. | Our net income from prohibited transactions will be subject to a 100% tax. In general, prohibited transactions are sales or other dispositions of property held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business other than foreclosure property. See Gross Income TestsIncome from Prohibited Transactions. |
4. | If we fail to satisfy either the 75% gross income test or the 95% gross income test, as discussed below, but our failure is due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect and we nonetheless maintain our qualification as a REIT because of specified cure provisions, we will be subject to a 100% tax on an amount equal to (a) the greater of (1) the amount by which we fail the 75% gross income test or (2) the amount by which we fail the 95% gross income test, as the case may be, multiplied by (b) a fraction intended to reflect our profitability. |
5. | We will be subject to a 4% nondeductible excise tax on the excess of the required distribution over the sum of amounts actually distributed, excess distributions from the preceding taxable year and amounts retained for which U.S. federal income tax was paid, if we fail to make the required distributions by the end of a calendar year. The required distributions for each calendar year is equal to the sum of: 85% of our REIT ordinary income for the year; 95% of our REIT capital gain net income for the year other than capital gains we elect to retain and pay tax on as described below; and any undistributed taxable income from prior taxable years. |
6. | We will be subject to a 100% penalty tax on certain rental income we receive when a taxable REIT subsidiary provides services to our tenants, on certain expenses deducted by a taxable REIT subsidiary on payments made to us and, effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015, on income for services rendered to us by a taxable REIT subsidiary, if the arrangements among us, our tenants, and our taxable REIT subsidiaries do not reflect arms-length terms. |
7. | If we acquire any assets from a non-REIT C corporation in a transaction in which the basis of the assets in our hands is determined by reference to the basis of the asset in the hands of the non-REIT C corporation, we would be liable for corporate income tax, at the highest applicable corporate rate, for the built-in gain with respect to those assets if we dispose of those assets in a taxable transaction during the five-year period beginning on the day the asset was transferred to us by the non-REIT C corporation. To the extent that assets are transferred to us in a carry-over basis transaction by a partnership in which a corporation owns an interest, we will be subject to this tax in proportion to the non-REIT C corporations interest in the partnership. Built-in gain is the amount by which an assets fair market value exceeds its adjusted tax basis at the time we acquire the asset. 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) or Section 1033 (an involuntary conversion) of the Code would be excluded from the application of this built-in gain tax. |
8. | We may elect to retain and pay U.S. federal income tax on our net long-term capital gain. In that case, a U.S. stockholder would include its proportionate share of our undistributed long-term capital gain (to the extent that we make a timely designation of such gain to the stockholder) in its income, would be deemed to have paid the tax 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 basis of the U.S. stockholder in our shares. |
9. | If we violate the asset tests (other than certain de minimis violations) or other requirements applicable to REITs, as described below, but our failure is due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect and we nevertheless maintain our REIT qualification because of specified cure provisions, we will be |
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subject to a tax equal to the greater of $50,000 or the amount determined by multiplying the net income generated by such non-qualifying assets by the highest rate of tax applicable to non-REIT C corporations during periods when such assets would have caused us to fail the asset test. |
10. | If we fail to satisfy a requirement under the Code which would result in the loss of our REIT qualification, other than a failure to satisfy a gross income test, or an asset test as described in paragraph 10 above, but nonetheless maintain our qualification as a REIT because the requirements of certain relief provisions are satisfied, we will be subject to a penalty of $50,000 for each such failure. |
11. | If we fail to comply with the requirements to send annual letters to our stockholders requesting information regarding the actual ownership of our shares and the failure was not due to reasonable cause or was due to willful neglect, we will be subject to a $25,000 penalty or, if the failure is intentional, a $50,000 penalty. |
12. | The earnings of any subsidiaries that are subchapter C corporations, including any taxable REIT subsidiary, are subject to U.S. federal corporate income tax. |
Notwithstanding our qualification as a REIT, we and our subsidiaries may be subject to a variety of taxes, including payroll taxes and state, local, and foreign income, property and other taxes on our assets, operations and/or net worth. We could also be subject to tax in situations and on transactions not presently contemplated.
Requirements for Qualification as a REIT
The Code defines a REIT as a corporation, trust or association:
1. | that is managed by one or more trustees or directors; |
2. | that issues transferable shares or transferable certificates to evidence its beneficial ownership; |
3. | that would be taxable as a domestic corporation but for Sections 856 through 859 of the Code; |
4. | that is neither a financial institution nor an insurance company within the meaning of certain provisions of the Code; |
5. | that is beneficially owned by 100 or more persons; |
6. | in which not more than 50% in value of the outstanding shares or other beneficial interest of which is owned, actually or constructively, by five or fewer individuals (as defined in the Code to include certain entities and as determined by applying certain attribution rules) during the last half of each taxable year; |
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 meets other applicable tests, described below, regarding the nature of its income and assets and the amount of its distributions; and |
10. | that has no earnings and profits from any non-REIT taxable year at the close of any taxable year. |
The Code provides that conditions (1), (2), (3) and (4) above must be met during the entire taxable year and condition (5) above must be met during at least 335 days of a taxable year of 12 months, or during a proportionate part of a taxable year of less than 12 months. Conditions (5) and (6) do not apply until after the first taxable year for which an election is made to be taxed as a REIT. Condition (6) must be met during the last half of each taxable year. For purposes of determining share ownership under condition (6) above, a supplemental
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unemployment compensation benefits plan, a private foundation or a portion of a trust permanently set aside or used exclusively for charitable purposes generally is considered an individual. However, a trust that is a qualified trust under Code Section 401(a) generally is not considered an individual, and beneficiaries of a qualified trust are treated as holding shares of a REIT in proportion to their actuarial interests in the trust for purposes of condition (6) above. If we fail to satisfy these share ownership requirements, we will fail to qualify as a REIT unless we qualify for certain relief provisions described in the following paragraph.
To monitor our compliance with condition (6) above, we are generally required to maintain records regarding the actual ownership of our shares. To do so, we must demand written statements each year from the record holders of certain specified percentages of our shares pursuant to which the record holders must disclose the actual owners of the shares (i.e., the persons required to include in gross income the dividends paid by us). 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. A stockholder that fails or refuses to comply with the demand is required by Treasury Regulations to submit a statement with its tax return disclosing the actual ownership of our shares and other information. If we comply with the record-keeping requirement and we do not know or, exercising reasonable diligence, would not have known of our failure to meet condition (6) above, then we will be treated as having met condition (6) above.
For purposes of condition (8), we adopted December 31 as our year end, and thereby satisfy this requirement.
Effect of Subsidiary Entities
Ownership of Interests in Partnerships and Limited Liability Companies. In the case of a REIT which is a partner in a partnership or a member in a limited liability company treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, Treasury Regulations provide that the REIT will be deemed to own its pro rata share of the assets of the partnership or limited liability company, as the case may be, based on its capital interest in such partnership or limited liability company. Also, the REIT will be deemed to be entitled to the income of the partnership or limited liability company attributable to its pro rata share of the assets of that entity. The assets and gross income of the partnership or limited liability company retain the same character in the hands of the REIT for purposes of Section 856 of the Code, including satisfying the gross income tests and the asset tests. Thus, our pro rata share of the assets and items of income of our operating partnership, including our operating partnerships share of these items of any partnership or limited liability company in which our operating partnership owns an interest, are treated as our assets and items of income for purposes of applying the requirements described in this prospectus, including the income and asset tests described below.
We have included a brief summary of the rules governing the U.S. federal income taxation of partnerships and limited liability companies and their partners or members below in Tax Aspects of Our Ownership of Interests in our Operating Partnership and other Partnerships and Limited Liability Companies. We believe that we have operated and we intend to continue to operate our operating partnership and the subsidiary partnerships and limited liability companies in which our operating partnership invests in a manner consistent with the requirements for our qualification and taxation as a REIT. We have interests in several joint ventures in which we are a non-managing member in a limited liability company. In the future, we may be a limited partner or non-managing member in some of our partnerships and limited liability companies. If such a partnership or limited liability company were to take actions which could jeopardize our qualification 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 REIT income or asset test, and that we would not become aware of such action in a time frame that would allow us 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 as a REIT unless entitled to relief, as described below.
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Under the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, Congress revised the rules applicable to U.S. federal income tax audits of partnerships (such as certain of our subsidiaries) and the collection of any tax resulting from any such audits or other tax proceedings, generally for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017. Under the new rules, the partnership itself may be liable for a hypothetical increase in partner-level taxes (including interest and penalties) resulting from an adjustment of partnership tax items on audit, regardless of changes in the composition of the partners (or their relative ownership) between the year under audit and the year of the adjustment. The new rules also include an elective alternative method under which the additional taxes resulting from the adjustment are assessed from the affected partners, subject to a higher rate of interest than otherwise would apply. Many questions remain as to how the new rules will apply, especially with respect to partners that are REITs, and it is not clear at this time what effect this new legislation will have on us. However, these changes could increase the U.S. federal income tax, interest, and/or penalties otherwise borne by us in the event of a federal income tax audit of a subsidiary partnership.
Ownership of Interests in Qualified REIT Subsidiaries. We may own 100% of the stock of one or more corporations that are qualified REIT subsidiaries. A corporation will qualify as a qualified REIT subsidiary if we own 100% of its stock and it is not a taxable REIT subsidiary. A qualified REIT subsidiary will not be treated as a separate corporation, and all assets, liabilities and items of income, deduction and credit of a qualified REIT subsidiary will be treated as our assets, liabilities and such items (as the case may be) for all purposes of the Code, including the REIT qualification tests. For this reason, references in this discussion to our income and assets should be understood to include the income and assets of any qualified REIT subsidiary we own. Our ownership of the voting stock of a qualified REIT subsidiary will not violate the restrictions against ownership of securities of any one issuer which constitute more than 10% of the voting power or value of such issuers securities or more than 5% of the value of our total assets, as described below in Asset Tests Applicable to REITs.
Ownership of Interests in 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 taxable REIT subsidiary. A taxable REIT subsidiary of ours is a corporation other than a REIT in which we directly or indirectly hold stock, and that has made a joint election with us to be treated as a taxable REIT subsidiary under Section 856(l) of the Code. A taxable REIT subsidiary also includes any corporation other than a REIT in which a taxable REIT subsidiary of ours owns, directly or indirectly, securities (other than certain straight debt securities), which represent more than 35% of the total voting power or value of the outstanding securities of such corporation. For purposes of the following discussion, the term taxable REIT subsidiary includes subsidiaries of the taxable REIT subsidiaries. Other than some activities relating to lodging and health care facilities, a taxable REIT subsidiary may generally engage in any business, including the provision of customary or non-customary services to our tenants without causing us to receive impermissible tenant service income under the REIT gross income tests. A taxable REIT subsidiary is required to pay regular U.S. federal income tax, and state and local income tax where applicable, as a non-REIT C corporation. In addition, a taxable REIT subsidiary may be prevented from deducting interest on debt funded directly or indirectly by us. If dividends are paid to us by our taxable REIT subsidiaries, then a portion of the dividends we distribute to stockholders who are taxed at individual rates will generally be eligible for taxation at lower capital gains rates, rather than at ordinary income rates. See Taxation of U.S. StockholdersTaxation of Taxable U.S. StockholdersQualified Dividend Income.
Generally, a taxable REIT subsidiary can perform impermissible tenant services without causing us to receive impermissible tenant services income under the REIT income tests. However, several provisions applicable to the arrangements between us and our taxable REIT subsidiaries ensure that such taxable REIT subsidiaries will be subject to an appropriate level of U.S. federal income taxation. For example, taxable REIT subsidiaries are limited in their ability to deduct interest payments in excess of a certain amount made directly or indirectly to us. In addition, we will be obligated to pay a 100% penalty tax on some payments we receive or on certain expenses deducted by our taxable REIT subsidiaries if the economic arrangements between us, our tenants and such taxable REIT subsidiaries are not comparable to similar arrangements among unrelated parties.
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Our taxable REIT subsidiaries, and any future taxable REIT subsidiaries acquired by us, may make interest and other payments to us and to third parties in connection with activities related to our properties. There can be no assurance that our taxable REIT subsidiaries will not be limited in their ability to deduct interest payments made to us. In addition, 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 taxable REIT subsidiaries.
Ownership of Interests in Subsidiary REITs
We may own stock of one or more corporations that elect to be taxed as REITs. We currently do not own interests in any subsidiary REIT but, prior to April 3, 2017, substantially all of our assets consisted of the common stock of BPG Subsidiary, Inc. (BPG Subsidiary), an entity that elected to be taxed as a REIT commencing with its taxable year ended December 31, 2007. We believe that BPG Subsidiary (and any other REIT that we may acquire in the future, as applicable) operated (or, with respect to any future subsidiary REITs, will operate) in a manner to permit us to qualify for taxation as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes and that stock in any such REIT was (or, with respect to any future subsidiary REITs, will be) a qualifying asset for purposes of the 75% asset test. However, if BPG Subsidiary (and any such other REIT that we may acquire in the future) failed (or, with respect to any future subsidiary REITs, fails) to qualify as a REIT then (i) the entity would be subject to regular corporate income tax, as described herein (refer below to the section entitled Failure to Qualify as a REIT) and (ii) the Companys equity interest in such entity would not be a qualifying real estate asset for purposes of the 75% asset test and would be subject to the 5% asset test and the 10% vote or value test generally applicable to the Companys ownership in corporations other than REITs, qualified REIT subsidiaries or taxable REIT subsidiaries (refer below to the section entitled Asset Tests). If BPG Subsidiary (and any other REIT that we may acquire in the future) failed (or, with respect to any future subsidiary REITs, fails) to qualify as a REIT, it is possible that we would not have met (or, with respect to any future subsidiary REITs, meet) the 75% asset test, the 5% asset test, and/or the 10% vote or value test with respect to its interest in such entity, in which event we would fail to qualify as a REIT, unless we qualified for certain relief provisions.
Gross Income Tests
To qualify as a REIT, we must satisfy two gross income tests which are applied on an annual basis. First, in each taxable year at least 75% of our gross income, excluding gross income from sales of inventory or dealer property in prohibited transactions and certain hedging and foreign currency transactions, must be derived from investments relating to real property or mortgages on real property, including:
| rents from real property; |
| dividends or other distributions on, and gain from the sale of, shares in other REITs; |
| gain from the sale of real property or mortgages on real property, in either case, not held for sale to customers; |
| interest income derived from mortgage loans secured by real property and interests in real property(and effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015, certain loans partially secured by personal property); |
| income attributable to temporary investments of new capital in stocks and debt instruments during the one-year period following our receipt of new capital that we raise through equity offerings or issuance of debt obligations with at least a five-year term; and |
| effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015, gain from the sale of a debt instrument issued by a publicly offered REIT (i.e., a REIT that is required to file annual and periodic reports with the SEC under the Exchange Act) 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. |
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Second, at least 95% of our gross income in each taxable year, excluding gross income from prohibited transactions and certain hedging transactions, must be derived from some combination of income that qualifies under the 75% gross income test described above, as well as (a) other dividends, (b) interest, and (c) gain from the sale or disposition of shares or securities, in either case, not held for sale to customers.
Rents from Real Property. Rents we receive will qualify as rents from real property for the purpose of satisfying the gross income requirements for a REIT described above only if several conditions are met. These conditions relate to the identity of the tenant, the computation of the rent payable, and the nature of the property lease.
| First, the amount of rent must not be based in whole or in part on the income or profits of any person. However, an amount we receive or accrue generally will not be excluded from the term rents from real property solely by reason of being based on a fixed percentage or percentages of receipts or sales; |
| Second, we, or an actual or constructive owner of 10% or more in value of our shares, must not actually or constructively own 10% or more of the interests in the tenant, or, if the tenant is a corporation, 10% or more of the voting power or value of all classes of stock of the tenant. Rents received from such a tenant that is a taxable REIT subsidiary, however, will not be excluded from the definition of rents from real property as a result of this condition if either (i) 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 taxable REIT subsidiary are comparable to rents paid by our other tenants for comparable space or (ii) the property is a qualified lodging or qualified health care facility and such property is operated on behalf of the taxable REIT subsidiary by a person who is an eligible independent contractor (as described below) and certain other requirements are met; |
| Third, rent attributable to personal property, leased in connection with a lease of real property, must not be greater than 15% of the total rent received under the lease. If this requirement is not met, then the portion of rent attributable to personal property will not qualify as rents from real property; and |
| Fourth, for rents to qualify as rents from real property for the purpose of satisfying the gross income tests, we generally must not operate or manage the property or furnish or render non-customary services to the tenants of such property, other than through an independent contractor who is adequately compensated and from whom we derive no revenue or through a taxable REIT subsidiary. To the extent that impermissible services are provided by an independent contractor, the cost of the services generally must be borne by the independent contractor. We anticipate that any services we provide directly to tenants will be usually or customarily rendered in connection with the rental of space for occupancy only and not otherwise considered to be provided for the tenants convenience. We may provide a minimal amount of non-customary services to tenants of some of our properties, other than through an independent contractor or taxable REIT subsidiary, but we believe that our income from these services has not and will not in the future exceed 1% of our total gross income from any such property. If the impermissible tenant services income exceeds 1% of our total income from a property, then all of the income from that property will fail to qualify as rents from real property. If the total amount of impermissible tenant services income does not exceed 1% of our total income from the property, the services will not taint the other income from the property (that is, it will not cause the rent paid by tenants of that property to fail to qualify as rents from real property), but the impermissible tenant services income will not qualify as rents from real property. We are deemed to have received income from the provision of impermissible services in an amount equal to at least 150% of our direct cost of providing the service. |
We monitor (and intend to continue to monitor) the activities provided at, and the non-qualifying income arising from, our properties and believe that we have not provided services at levels that will cause us to fail to meet the gross income tests. We provide services and may provide access to third party service providers at some or all of our properties. Based upon our experience in the markets where the properties are located, we believe that all access to service providers and services provided to tenants by us (other than through a qualified
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independent contractor or a taxable REIT subsidiary) either are usually or customarily rendered in connection with the rental of real property and not otherwise considered rendered to the occupant, or, if considered impermissible services, will not result in an amount of impermissible tenant service income that will cause us to fail to meet the gross income test requirements. However, we cannot provide any assurance that the IRS will agree with these positions.
Interest Income. Interest generally will be non-qualifying income for purposes of the 75% or 95% gross income tests if it depends in whole or in part on the income or profits of any person. However, interest based on a fixed percentage or percentages of receipts or sales may still qualify under the gross income tests. We do not expect to derive significant amounts of interest that will not qualify under the 75% and 95% gross income tests.
Dividend Income. Our share of any dividends received from any corporations in which we own an interest (including taxable REIT subsidiaries but excluding qualified REIT subsidiaries) will qualify for purposes of the 95% gross income test but not for purposes of the 75% gross income test. We do not anticipate that we will receive sufficient dividends from such corporations to cause us to exceed the limit on non-qualifying income under the 75% gross income test. Dividends that we receive from other qualifying REITs will qualify for purposes of both the 75% and 95% gross income tests.
Income from Hedging Transactions. From time to time we may enter into hedging transactions with respect to one or more of our assets or liabilities. Any such hedging transactions could take a variety of forms, including the use of derivative instruments such as interest rate swap or cap agreements, option agreements, and futures or forward contracts. Income of a REIT, including income from a pass-through subsidiary, arising from clearly identified hedging transactions that are entered into to manage the risk of interest rate or price changes with respect to borrowings, including gain from the disposition of such hedging transactions, to the extent the hedging transactions hedge indebtedness incurred, or to be incurred, by the REIT to acquire or carry real estate assets (each such hedge, a Borrowings Hedge), will not be treated as gross income for purposes of the 95% gross income test, and will not be treated as gross income for purposes of the 75% gross income test. Income of a REIT arising from hedging transactions that are entered into to manage the risk of currency fluctuations with respect to our investments (each such hedge, a Currency Hedge) will not be treated as gross income for purposes of either the 95% gross income test or the 75% gross income test, provided that the transaction is clearly identified. Effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015, this exclusion from the 95% and 75% gross income tests also will apply if we previously entered into a Borrowings Hedge or a Currency Hedge, a portion of the 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. In general, for a hedging transaction to be clearly identified, (1) it must be identified as a hedging transaction before the end of the day on which it is acquired, originated, or entered into; and (2) the items of risks being hedged must be identified substantially contemporaneously with entering into the hedging transaction (generally not more than 35 days after entering into the hedging transaction). To the extent that we hedge with other types of financial instruments or in other situations, the resultant income will be treated as income that does not qualify under the 95% or 75% gross income tests unless the hedge meets certain requirements and we elect to integrate it with a specified asset and to treat the integrated position as a synthetic debt instrument. We intend to structure any hedging transactions in a manner that does not jeopardize our qualification as a REIT but there can be no assurance we will be successful in this regard.
Income from Prohibited Transactions. Any gain that we realize on the sale of any property held as inventory or otherwise held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business (commonly referred to as dealer property) including our share of any such gain realized by our operating partnership, either directly or through its subsidiary partnerships and limited liability companies, will be treated as income from a prohibited transaction that is subject to a 100% penalty tax. For purposes of determining the amount of income subject to the penalty tax, gains from sales of dealer property may not be offset by losses from such sales. Whether property is held as dealer property is a question of fact that depends on all the facts and circumstances surrounding the particular transaction. Among the factors considered by the IRS and the courts in making the dealer
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determination are the nature and purpose of the acquisition of the property; the duration of ownership of the property; the extent and nature of the taxpayers efforts to sell the property; the number, extent, continuity, and substantiality of the property sales; the extent of subdividing, developing, and advertising the property to increase sales; the use of a business office for the sale of the property; the character and degree of supervision or control exercised by the taxpayer over any representative selling the property; and the time and effort the taxpayer habitually devotes to the sale. The frequency and substantiality of sales is often cited by the courts as the most important objective factor in determining whether the taxpayer is engaged in the business of selling real estate to customers. The fact that the taxpayer holds some or even a substantial portion of its properties for lease and for long-term investment (i.e., not as dealer property) does not necessarily preclude other properties from being viewed as dealer property if the specific facts and circumstances relating thereto indicate that such properties were acquired and held for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business.
However, we will not be treated as a dealer in real property with respect to a property which is a real estate asset that we sell for the purposes of the 100% tax if (i) we have held the property for at least two years for the production of rental income prior to the sale, (ii) capitalized expenditures on the property in the two years preceding the sale are less than 30% of the net selling price of the property, and (iii) we either (a) have seven or fewer sales of property (excluding certain property obtained through foreclosure) for the year of sale, or (b) the aggregate adjusted basis of property sold during the year is 10% or less of the aggregate adjusted basis of all of our assets as of the beginning of the taxable year, or (c) the fair market value of property sold during the year is 10% or less of the aggregate fair market value of all of our assets as of the beginning of the taxable year, or (d) effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015, the aggregate adjusted basis of property sold during the year is 20% or less of the aggregate adjusted basis of all of our assets as of the beginning of the taxable year and the aggregate adjusted basis of property sold during the three-year period ending with the year of sale is 10% or less of the aggregate tax basis of all of our assets as of the beginning of each of the three taxable years ending with the year of sale, or (e) effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015, the fair market value of property sold during the year is 20% or less of the aggregate fair market value of all of our assets as of the beginning of the taxable year and the fair market value of property sold during the three-year period ending with the year of sale is 10% or less of the aggregate fair market value of all of our assets as of the beginning of each of the three taxable years ending with the year of sale. If we rely on clauses (b), (c), (d), or (e) in the preceding sentence, substantially all of the marketing and development expenditures with respect to the property sold must be made through an independent contractor from whom we derive no income or, effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015, our taxable REIT subsidiary. The sale of more than one property to one buyer as part of one transaction constitutes one sale for purposes of this safe harbor. We intend to hold our properties for investment with a view to long-term appreciation, to engage in the business of acquiring, developing and owning our properties and to make occasional sales of the properties as are consistent with our investment objectives. However, the IRS may successfully contend that some or all of the sales made by us or subsidiary partnerships or limited liability companies are prohibited transactions. In that case, we would be required to pay the 100% penalty tax on our allocable share of the gains resulting from any such sales.
Income from Foreclosure Property. We generally will be subject to tax at the maximum corporate rate (effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, 21%) on any net income from foreclosure property, including any gain from the disposition of the foreclosure property, other than income that constitutes qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test. 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. 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. To the extent that we receive any income from
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foreclosure property that does not qualify for purposes of the 75% gross income test, we intend to make an election to treat the related property as foreclosure property if the election is available (which may not be the case with respect to acquired distressed loans).
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, we may nevertheless qualify as a REIT for that year if we are entitled to relief under 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% and/or 95% gross income tests for any taxable year, we file a schedule with the IRS setting forth a description of each item of our gross income that satisfies the gross income tests for purposes of the 75% or 95% gross income test for such taxable year in accordance with Treasury Regulations. It is not possible, however, to state whether in all circumstances we would be entitled to the benefit of these relief provisions. If these relief provisions are inapplicable to a particular set of circumstances, we will fail to qualify as a REIT. As discussed above, under Taxation of the Company as a REITGeneral, even if these relief provisions apply, a tax would be imposed based on the amount of non-qualifying income. 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.
Redetermined Rents; Redetermined Deductions; Excess Interest; or Redetermined Taxable REIT Subsidiary Service Income. Any redetermined rents, redetermined deductions, excess interest or, effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015, redetermined taxable REIT subsidiary 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 services furnished by one of our taxable REIT subsidiaries to any of our tenants, and redetermined deductions and excess interest represent amounts that are deducted by a taxable REIT subsidiary for amounts paid to us that are in excess of the amounts that would have been deducted based on arms-length negotiations. Redetermined taxable REIT subsidiary service income means gross income (less allocable deductions) of a taxable REIT subsidiary attributable to services provided to, or on behalf of, the REIT (other than to tenants) to the extent the taxable REIT subsidiarys income (less deductions) attributable thereto is increased to clearly reflect income. Rents we receive will not constitute redetermined rents if they qualify for the safe harbor provisions contained in the Code. Safe harbor provisions are provided where:
| amounts are excluded from the definition of impermissible tenant service income as a result of satisfying the 1% de minimis exception; |
| a taxable REIT subsidiary renders a significant amount of similar services to unrelated parties and the charges for such services are substantially comparable; |
| rents paid to us by tenants leasing at least 25% of the net leasable space of the REITs property who are not receiving services from the taxable REIT subsidiary are substantially comparable to the rents paid by the REITs tenants leasing comparable space who are receiving such services from the taxable REIT subsidiary and the charge for the service is separately stated; or |
| the taxable REIT subsidiarys gross income from the service is not less than 150% of the taxable REIT subsidiarys direct cost of furnishing the service. |
While we believe that any fees paid to our taxable REIT subsidiaries for tenant services have and will continue to reflect arms-length rates, a taxable REIT subsidiary may under certain circumstances provide tenant services which do not satisfy any of the safe-harbor provisions described above. Nevertheless, 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 redetermined rent, redetermined deductions, excess interest or redetermined taxable REIT subsidiary service income, as applicable.
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Asset Tests
At the close of each calendar quarter, we must satisfy the following tests relating to the nature and diversification of our assets. For purposes of the asset tests, a REIT is not treated as owning the stock of a qualified REIT subsidiary, an equity interest in any entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, or an equity interest in any entity that is disregarded as separate from its owner for U.S. federal income tax purposes (a disregarded entity). Instead, a REIT is treated as owning its proportionate share of the assets held by such entity.
| At least 75% of the value of our total assets must be represented by some combination of real estate assets, cash, cash items and U.S. government securities. For purposes of this test, real estate assets include interests in real property, such as land and buildings, leasehold interests in real property, stock of other corporations that qualify as REITs, some types of mortgage-backed securities, mortgage loans on real property or on interests in real property, property attributable to the temporary investment of new capital (but only if such property is stock or a debt instrument, and only for the one-year period beginning on the date we receive such capital), and, effective for each calendar quarter beginning with the calendar quarter ending March 31, 2016: (i) 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, and (ii) debt instruments issued by publicly offered REITs. Assets that do not qualify for purposes of the 75% asset test are subject to the additional asset tests described below. |
| Not more than 25% of our total assets may be represented by securities other than those described in the first bullet above. |
| Except for securities described in the first bullet above and securities in qualified REIT subsidiaries and taxable REIT subsidiaries, the value of any one issuers securities owned by us may not exceed 5% of the value of our total assets. |
| Except for securities described in the first bullet above and securities in qualified REIT subsidiaries and taxable REIT subsidiaries, we may not own more than 10% of any one issuers outstanding voting securities. |
| Except for securities described in the first bullet above and securities in qualified REIT subsidiaries and taxable REIT subsidiaries, and certain types of indebtedness that are not treated as securities for purposes of this test, as discussed below, we may not own more than 10% of the total value of the outstanding securities of any one issuer. |
| Effective for calendar quarters beginning with the calendar quarter ended March 31, 2016, real estate assets include debt instruments issued by publicly offered REITs to the extent not secured by real property or interests in real property, but the value of such debt instruments cannot exceed 25% of the value of our total assets. |
| Not more than 25% (20% for calendar quarters beginning with the calendar quarter ending March 31, 2018) of the value of our total assets may be represented by the securities of one or more taxable REIT subsidiaries. |
The 10% value test does not apply to certain straight debt and other excluded securities, as described in the Code, including (1) loans to individuals or estates; (2) obligations to pay rent from real property; (3) rental agreements described in Section 467 of the Code; (4) any security issued by other REITs; (5) certain securities issued by a state, the District of Columbia, a foreign government, or a political subdivision of any of the foregoing, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and (6) any other arrangement as determined by the IRS. In addition, (1) a REITs interest as a partner in a partnership is not considered a security for purposes of the 10% value test; (2) any debt instrument issued by a partnership (other than straight debt or other excluded security) will not be considered a security issued by the partnership if at least 75% of the partnerships gross income is derived from sources that would qualify for the 75% gross income test; and (3) any debt instrument issued by a partnership (other than straight debt or other excluded security) will not be considered a security issued by a partnership to the extent of the REITs interest as a partner in the partnership.
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For purposes of the 10% value test, debt will meet the straight debt safe harbor if (1) neither us, nor any of our controlled taxable REIT subsidiaries (i.e., taxable REIT subsidiaries more than 50% of the vote or value of the outstanding stock of which is directly or indirectly owned by us), own any securities not described in the preceding paragraph that have an aggregate value greater than one percent of the issuers outstanding securities, as calculated under the Code, (2) the debt is a written unconditional promise to pay on demand or on a specified date a sum certain in money, (3) the debt is not convertible, directly or indirectly, into stock, and (4) the interest rate and the interest payment dates of the debt are not contingent on the borrowers profits, the borrowers discretion or similar factors. However, contingencies regarding time of payment and interest are permissible for purposes of qualifying as a straight debt security if either (1) such contingency does not have the effect of changing the effective yield of maturity, as determined under the Code, other than a change in the annual yield to maturity that does not exceed the greater of (i) 5% of the annual yield to maturity and (ii) 0.25%, or (2) neither the aggregate issue price nor the aggregate face amount of the issuers debt instruments held by the REIT exceeds $1,000,000 and not more than 12 months of unaccrued interest can be required to be prepaid thereunder. In addition, debt will not be disqualified from being treated as straight debt solely because the time or amount of payment is subject to a contingency upon a default or the exercise of a prepayment right by the issuer of the debt, provided that such contingency is consistent with customary commercial practice.
We believe that the assets that we hold and intend to hold will satisfy the foregoing asset test requirements. However, we have not and will not obtain independent appraisals to support our conclusions as to the value of our assets. Moreover, the value of some assets may not be susceptible to a precise determination. As a result, there can be no assurance that the IRS will not contend that our ownership of assets violates one or more of the asset tests applicable to REITs in which case we might not satisfy the 75% asset test and the other asset tests and could fail to qualify as a REIT.
Failure to Satisfy the Asset Tests. The asset tests must be satisfied not only on the last day of the calendar quarter in which we, directly or through pass-through subsidiaries, acquire securities in the applicable issuer, but also on the last day of the calendar quarter in which we increase our ownership of securities of such issuer, including as a result of increasing our interest in pass-through subsidiaries. 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 solely by reason of changes in the relative values of our assets. If failure to satisfy the asset tests results from an acquisition of securities or other property during a quarter, we can cure this failure by disposing of sufficient non-qualifying assets within 30 days after the close of that quarter. We believe that we have maintained, and we intend to continue to maintain, adequate records of the value of our assets to ensure compliance with the asset tests, and we intend to take any available action within 30 days after the close of any quarter as may be required to cure any noncompliance with the asset tests. Although we plan to take steps to ensure that we satisfy such tests for any quarter with respect to which testing is to occur, there can be no assurance that such steps will always be successful. If we fail to timely cure any noncompliance with the asset tests, we would cease to qualify as a REIT, unless we satisfy certain relief provisions.
The failure to satisfy the 5% asset test, or the 10% vote or value asset tests can be remedied even after the 30-day cure period under certain circumstances. Specifically, if we fail these asset tests at the end of any quarter and such failure is not cured within 30 days thereafter, we may dispose of sufficient assets (generally within six months after the last day of the quarter in which our identification of the failure to satisfy these asset tests occurred) to cure such a violation that does not exceed the lesser of 1% of our assets at the end of the relevant quarter or $10,000,000. If we fail any of the other asset tests or our failure of the 5% and 10% asset tests is in excess of the de minimis amount described above, as long as such failure was due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect, we are permitted to avoid disqualification as a REIT, after the 30-day cure period, by taking steps including disposing of sufficient assets to meet the asset test (generally within six months after the last day of the quarter in which our identification of the failure to satisfy the REIT asset test occurred), paying a tax equal to the greater of $50,000 and the highest corporate income tax rate of the net income generated by the non-qualifying assets during the period in which we failed to satisfy the asset test, and filing in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations a schedule with the IRS that describes the assets that caused us to fail to satisfy the asset
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test(s). We intend to take advantage of any and all relief provisions that are available to us to cure any violation of the asset tests applicable to REITs. In certain circumstances, utilization of such provisions could result in us being required to pay an excise or penalty tax, which could be significant in amount.
Annual Distribution Requirements
To qualify as a REIT, we are required to distribute dividends, other than capital gain dividends, to our stockholders each year in an amount at least equal to:
| the sum of: (1) 90% of our REIT taxable income, computed without regard to the dividends paid deduction and our net capital gain; and (2) 90% of our after tax net income, if any, from foreclosure property; minus |
| the sum of specified items of non-cash income. |
For purposes of this test, non-cash income means income attributable to leveled stepped rents, original issue discount included in our taxable income without the receipt of a corresponding payment, cancellation of indebtedness or a like-kind exchange that is later determined to be taxable.
We generally must make dividend distributions in the taxable year to which they relate. Dividend distributions may be made in the following year in two circumstances. First, if we declare a dividend in October, November, or December of any year with a prospective record date in one of these months and pay the dividend on or before January 31 of the following year, such distributions are treated as both paid by us and received by each stockholder on December 31 of the year in which they are declared. Second, distributions (858 spill-over dividends) may be made in the following year if (A) the distributions are (i) declared before we timely file our tax return for the prior year, (ii) distributed within the 12-month period following the close of the prior taxable year to which they relate back, and (iii) distributed with or before the first regular dividend payment after such declaration, and (B) we elect in our tax return to have a specified dollar amount of such dividend (or dividends) treated as if paid in the prior year. The maximum dollar amount that we may elect to treat as an 858 spill-over dividend is the amount by which the earnings and profits for the taxable year exceed the total amount of distributions out of such earnings and profits that were actually made during the taxable year to which they relate back. These distributions are taxable to our stockholders in the year in which paid, even though the distributions relate to our prior taxable year for purposes of the 90% distribution requirement.
For taxable years ending on or before December 31, 2014, in order for distributions to be counted as satisfying the annual distribution requirement for REITs, and to provide us with a REIT-level tax deduction, the distributions must not have been preferential dividends. A dividend is not a preferential dividend if the distribution is (1) pro rata among all outstanding shares within a particular class, and (2) in accordance with the preferences among different classes of shares as set forth in our organizational documents. Beginning with the taxable year that began on January 1, 2015, so long as we continue to be a publicly offered REIT (i.e., a REIT which is required to file annual and periodic reports with the SEC under the Exchange Act), the preferential dividend rule has not and will not apply to us.
To the extent that we do not distribute all of our net capital gain or distribute at least 90%, but less than 100%, of our REIT taxable income, as adjusted, we will be required to pay tax on that amount at regular corporate tax rates. We believe that we have made, and we intend to continue to make, timely distributions sufficient to satisfy these annual distribution requirements. In certain circumstances, we may elect to retain, rather than distribute, 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 their adjusted basis of their shares 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.
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To the extent that in the future we may have available net operating losses carried forward from prior taxable years, such losses may reduce the amount of distributions that we must make in order to comply with the REIT distribution requirements. Such losses, however, (1) will generally not affect the character, in the hands of our stockholders, of any distributions that are actually made as ordinary dividends or capital gains; and (2) cannot be passed through or used by our stockholders. See Taxation of U.S. StockholdersTaxation of Taxable U.S. StockholdersDistributions Generally.
If we fail to distribute during each calendar year at least the sum of (a) 85% of our REIT ordinary income for such year, (b) 95% of our REIT capital gain net income for such year, and (c) any undistributed taxable income (ordinary and capital gain) from all prior periods, we would be subject to a non-deductible 4% excise tax on the excess of such required distribution over the sum of (x) the amounts actually distributed, and (y) the amounts of income we retained and on which we paid corporate income tax.
We expect that our REIT taxable income (determined before our deduction for dividends paid) will be less than our cash flow because of depreciation and other non-cash charges included in computing REIT taxable income. Accordingly, we anticipate that we will generally 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 arriving at our taxable income. If these timing differences occur, we may need to arrange for short-term, or possibly long-term, borrowings or need to pay dividends in the form of taxable dividends in order to meet the distribution requirements.
We may be able to rectify a failure to meet the distribution requirement for a year by paying deficiency dividends to our stockholders in a later year, which may be included in our deduction for dividends paid for the earlier year. Thus, we may be able to avoid being taxed on amounts distributed as deficiency dividends. However, we will be required to pay interest to the IRS based upon the amount of any deduction claimed for deficiency dividends.
Record-Keeping Requirements
We are required to comply with applicable record-keeping requirements. Failure to comply could result in monetary fines.
Failure to Qualify as a REIT
If we fail to satisfy one or more requirements for REIT qualification other than gross income and asset tests that have the specific savings clauses, we can avoid termination of our REIT qualification by paying a penalty of $50,000 for each such failure, provided that our noncompliance was due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect.
If we fail to qualify for taxation as a REIT in any taxable year and the relief provisions do not apply, we will be subject to tax, including any applicable alternative minimum tax, on our taxable income at regular corporate rates. If we fail to qualify for taxation as a REIT, we will not be required to make any distributions to our stockholders, and any distributions that are made to our stockholders will not be deductible by us. As a result, our failure to qualify for taxation as a REIT would significantly reduce the cash available for distributions by us to our stockholders. In addition, if we fail to qualify for taxation as a REIT, all distributions to our stockholders, to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits, will be taxable as regular corporate dividends, which means that stockholders taxed as individuals currently would receive qualified dividend income that would be taxed at capital gains rates, and corporate stockholders generally would be entitled to a dividends-received deduction with respect to such dividends. Unless entitled to relief under specific statutory provisions, we also
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will be disqualified from taxation as a REIT for the four taxable years following the year during which qualification was lost. There can be no assurance that we would be entitled to any statutory relief. We intend to take advantage of any and all relief provisions that are available to us to cure any violation of the requirements applicable to REITs.
Tax Aspects of Our Ownership of Interests in our Operating Partnership and other Partnerships and Limited Liability Companies
General
Substantially all of our investments are and will continue to be owned indirectly through our operating partnership, Brixmor Operating Partnership LP. In addition, our operating partnership holds certain of its investments indirectly through subsidiary partnerships and limited liability companies that are classified as partnerships or as disregarded entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In general, entities that are classified as partnerships or as disregarded entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes are pass-through entities which are not required to pay U.S. federal income tax. Rather, partners or members of such entities are allocated their pro rata shares of the items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit of the entity, and are required to include these items in calculating their U.S. federal income tax liability, without regard to whether the partners or members receive a distribution of cash from the entity. We include in our income our pro rata share of the foregoing items for purposes of the various REIT gross income tests and in the computation of our REIT taxable income. Moreover, for purposes of the REIT asset tests, we include our pro rata share of assets, based on capital interests, of assets held by our operating partnership, including its share of its subsidiary partnerships and limited liability companies. See Requirements for Qualification as a REITEffect of Subsidiary EntitiesOwnership of Interests in Partnerships and Limited Liability Companies.
Entity Classification
Our interests in our operating partnership and the subsidiary partnerships and limited liability companies involve special tax considerations, including the possibility that the IRS might challenge the status of one or more of these entities as a partnership or disregarded entity, and assert that such entity is an association taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If our operating partnership, or a subsidiary partnership or limited liability company, were treated as an association, it would be taxable as a corporation and would be required to pay an entity-level tax on its income. In this situation, the character of our assets and items of gross income could change and could preclude us from satisfying the REIT asset tests and possibly the REIT income tests. See Requirements for Qualification as a REITGross Income Tests and Requirements for Qualification as a REIT Asset Tests. This, in turn, would prevent us from qualifying as a REIT. See Failure to Qualify as a REIT for a discussion of the effect of our failure to meet these tests for a taxable year. In addition, a change in our operating partnerships or a subsidiary partnerships or limited liability companys status as a partnership for tax purposes might be treated as a taxable event. If so, we might incur a tax liability without any related cash distributions.
We believe each of our operating partnership and our other partnerships and limited liability companies (other than our taxable REIT subsidiaries) is properly treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a partnership or disregarded entity. Pursuant to Treasury Regulations under Section 7701 of the Code, a partnership is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes unless it elects to be treated as a corporation or would be treated as a corporation because it is a publicly traded partnership. A publicly traded partnership is any partnership (i) the interests in which are traded on an established securities market or (ii) the interests in which are readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof.
Our company and our operating partnership intend to take the reporting position for U.S. federal income tax purposes that our operating partnership is not a publicly traded partnership. There is a risk, however, that the right of a holder of OP units to redeem the units for shares of common stock could cause OP units to be
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considered readily tradable on the substantial equivalent of a secondary market. Under the relevant Treasury Regulations, interests in a partnership will not be considered readily tradable on a secondary market or on the substantial equivalent of a secondary market if the partnership qualifies for specified safe harbors, which are based on the specific facts and circumstances relating to the partnership. We and our operating partnership believe that our operating partnership has qualified and will qualify for at least one of these safe harbors at all times in the foreseeable future. Our operating partnership cannot provide any assurance that it will continue to qualify for one of the safe harbors mentioned above.
If our operating partnership is a publicly traded partnership, it will be taxed as a corporation unless at least 90% of its gross income consists of qualifying income under Section 7704 of the Code. Qualifying income is generally real property rents and other types of passive income. We believe that our operating partnership has sufficient qualifying income so that it would be taxed as a partnership, even if it were a publicly traded partnership. The income requirements applicable to us in order for us to qualify as a REIT under the Code and the definition of qualifying income under the publicly traded partnership rules are very similar. Although differences exist between these two income tests, we do not believe that these differences would cause our operating partnership not to satisfy the 90% gross income test applicable to publicly traded partnerships.
If our operating partnership were taxable as a corporation, most, if not all, of the tax consequences described herein would be inapplicable. In particular, we would not qualify as a REIT because the value of our ownership interest in our operating partnership would exceed 5% of our assets and we would be considered to hold more than 10% of the voting securities (and more than 10% of the value of the outstanding securities) of another corporation (see Requirements for Qualification as a REITAsset Tests above). In this event, the value of our shares could be materially adversely affected (see Failure to Qualify as a REIT above).
Allocations of Partnership Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction
The partnership agreement of our operating partnership generally provides that items of operating income and loss will be allocated to reflect the distribution and liquidation preferences of certain holders of OP units, and then to the holders of units in proportion to the number of units held by each such unit holder. Certain limited partners may agree in the future to guarantee debt of our operating partnership, either directly or indirectly through an agreement to make capital contributions to our operating partnership under limited circumstances. As a result of these guarantees or contribution agreements, such limited partners could under limited circumstances be allocated net loss that would have otherwise been allocable to us.
If an allocation of partnership income or loss does not comply with the requirements of Section 704(b) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder, the item subject to the allocation will be reallocated in accordance with the partners interests in the partnership. This reallocation will be determined by taking into account all of the facts and circumstances relating to the economic arrangement of the partners with respect to such item. Our operating partnerships allocations of taxable income and loss are intended to comply with the requirements of Section 704(b) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder.
Tax Allocations with Respect to the Properties
Under Section 704(c) of the Code, income, gain, loss and deduction attributable to appreciated or depreciated property that is contributed to a partnership in exchange for an interest in the partnership, must be allocated in a manner so that the contributing partner is charged with the unrealized gain or benefits from the unrealized loss associated with the property at the time of the contribution. The amount of the unrealized gain or unrealized loss is generally equal to the difference between the fair market value or book value and the adjusted tax basis of the property at the time of contribution. These allocations are solely for U.S. federal income tax purposes and do not affect the book capital accounts or other economic or legal arrangements among the partners. The partnership agreement requires that these allocations be made in a manner consistent with Section 704(c) of the Code.
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Treasury Regulations issued under Section 704(c) of the Code provide partnerships with a choice of several methods of accounting for book-tax differences. We and our operating partnership use the traditional method for accounting for book-tax differences for properties contributed to our operating partnership. Under the traditional method, which is the least favorable method from our perspective, the carryover basis of contributed properties in the hands of our operating partnership (i) may cause us to be allocated lower amounts of depreciation and other deductions for tax purposes than would be allocated to us if all contributed properties were to have a tax basis equal to their fair market value at the time of the contribution and (ii) in the event of a sale of such properties, could cause us to be allocated taxable gain in excess of our corresponding economic or book gain (or taxable loss that is less than our economic or book loss) with respect to the sale, with a corresponding benefit to the contributing partners. Therefore, the use of the traditional method could result in our having taxable income that is in excess of economic income and our cash distributions from our operating partnership. This excess taxable income is sometimes referred to as phantom income and will be subject to the REIT distribution requirements described in Annual Distribution Requirements. Because we rely on our cash distributions from our operating partnership to meet the REIT distribution requirements, the phantom income could adversely affect our ability to comply with the REIT distribution requirements and cause our stockholders to recognize additional dividend income without an increase in distributions. See Requirements for Qualification as a REIT and Requirements for Qualification as a REITAnnual Distribution Requirements. We and our operating partnership may use the traditional method to account for book-tax differences for other properties acquired by our operating partnership in the future. Any property acquired by our operating partnership in a taxable transaction will initially have a tax basis equal to its fair market value and, accordingly, Section 704(c) of the Code will not apply.
Taxation of U.S. Stockholders
Taxation of Taxable U.S. Stockholders
This section summarizes the taxation of U.S. stockholders that are not tax-exempt organizations.
If an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds our shares, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner generally will depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. A partner of a partnership holding our shares should consult its tax advisor regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences to the partner of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of our shares by the partnership.
Distributions Generally. So long as we qualify as a REIT, distributions out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits that are not designated as capital gains dividends or qualified dividend income will be taxable to our taxable U.S. stockholders as ordinary income and will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction in the case of U.S. stockholders that are corporations. For purposes of determining whether distributions to holders of our shares are out of current or accumulated earnings and profits, our earnings and profits will be allocated first to any shares of preferred stock then to our shares of common stock. Dividends received from REITs are generally not eligible to be taxed at the preferential qualified dividend income rates currently available to individual U.S. stockholders who receive dividends from taxable subchapter C corporations. For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026, generally, 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.
Capital Gain Dividends. We may elect to designate distributions of our net capital gain as capital gain dividends. Distributions that we properly designate as capital gain dividends will be taxable to our taxable U.S. stockholders as long-term capital gains without regard to the period for which the U.S. stockholder that receives such distribution has held its shares, to the extent that such distributions do not exceed our actual net capital gain for the taxable year (and, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015, do not exceed our
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dividends paid with respect to the taxable year, taking Section 858 of the Code into account). Designations made by us will only be effective to the extent that they comply with Revenue Ruling 89-81, which requires that distributions made to different classes of shares be composed proportionately of dividends of a particular type. If we designate any portion of a dividend as a capital gain dividend, a U.S. stockholder will receive an IRS Form 1099-DIV indicating the amount that will be taxable to the stockholder as capital gain. Corporate stockholders, however, may be required to treat up to 20% of some capital gain dividends as ordinary income. Recipients of capital gain dividends from us that are taxed at corporate income tax rates will be taxed at the normal corporate income tax rates on these dividends.
We may elect to retain and pay taxes on some or all of our net long-term capital gains, in which case U.S. stockholders will be treated as having received, solely for U.S. federal income tax purposes, our undistributed capital gains as well as a corresponding credit or refund, as the case may be, for taxes that we paid on such undistributed capital gains. A U.S. stockholder will increase the basis in its shares by the difference between the amount of capital gain included in its income and the amount of tax it is deemed to have paid. A U.S. stockholder that is a corporation will appropriately adjust its earnings and profits for the retained capital gain in accordance with Treasury Regulations to be prescribed by the IRS. Our earnings and profits will be adjusted appropriately.
We will classify portions of any designated capital gain dividend or undistributed capital gain as either:
| a long-term capital gain distribution, which would be taxable to non-corporate U.S. stockholders at a maximum rate of 20%, and, effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, taxable to U.S. stockholders that are corporations at a maximum rate of 21%; or |
| an unrecaptured Section 1250 gain distribution, which would be taxable to non-corporate U.S. stockholders at a maximum rate of 25%, to the extent of previously claimed depreciation deductions. |
Distributions from us in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits will not be taxable to a U.S. stockholder to the extent that they do not exceed the adjusted basis of the U.S. stockholders shares in respect of which the distributions were made. Rather, the distribution will reduce the adjusted basis of these shares. To the extent that such distributions exceed the adjusted basis of a U.S. stockholders shares, the U.S. stockholder generally must include such distributions in income as long-term capital gain, or short-term capital gain if the shares 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 prospective date in any such month will be treated as both paid by us and received by the stockholder on December 31 of such year, provided that we actually pay the dividend before the end of January of the following calendar year.
To the extent that we have available net operating losses and capital losses carried forward from prior taxable years, such losses may reduce the amount of distributions that we must make in order to comply with the REIT distribution requirements. See Taxation of the Company as a REIT and Requirements for Qualification as a REITAnnual Distribution Requirements. Such losses, however, are not passed through to U.S. stockholders and do not offset income of U.S. 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 U.S. stockholders to the extent that we have current or accumulated earnings and profits.
Qualified Dividend Income. With respect to U.S. stockholders who are taxed at the rates applicable to individuals, we may elect to designate a portion of our distributions paid to stockholders as qualified dividend income. A portion of a distribution that is properly designated as qualified dividend income is taxable to non-corporate U.S. stockholders as capital gain, provided that the stockholder has held the shares with respect to which the distribution is made for more than 60 days during the 121-day period beginning on the date that is 60 days before the date on which such shares become ex-dividend with respect to the relevant distribution. The maximum amount of our distributions eligible to be designated as qualified dividend income for a taxable year is equal to the sum of:
| the qualified dividend income received by us during such taxable year from non-REIT C corporations (including our taxable REIT subsidiaries); |
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| the excess of any undistributed REIT taxable income recognized during the immediately preceding year over the U.S. federal income tax paid by us with respect to such undistributed REIT taxable income; and |
| the excess of (i) any income recognized during the immediately preceding year attributable to the sale of a built-in-gain asset that was acquired in a carry-over basis transaction from a C corporation with respect to which the Company is required to pay U.S. federal income tax, over (ii) the U.S. federal income tax paid by us with respect to such built-in gain. |
Generally, dividends that we receive will be treated as qualified dividend income for purposes of the first bullet above if (A) the dividends are received from (i) a U.S. corporation (other than a REIT or a RIC), (ii) any of our taxable REIT subsidiaries, or (iii) a qualifying foreign corporation, and (B) specified holding period requirements and other requirements are met. A foreign corporation (other than a foreign personal holding company, a foreign investment company, or a passive foreign investment company) will be a qualifying foreign corporation if it is incorporated in a possession of the United States, the corporation is eligible for benefits of an income tax treaty with the United States that the Secretary of Treasury determines is satisfactory, or the stock of the foreign corporation on which the dividend is paid is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States. We generally expect that an insignificant portion, if any, of our distributions from us will consist of qualified dividend income. 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.
Passive Activity Losses and Investment Interest Limitations. Distributions we make and gain arising from the sale or exchange by a U.S. stockholder of our shares will not be treated as passive activity income. As a result, U.S. stockholders generally will not be able to apply any passive losses against this income or gain. Distributions we make, 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 may elect, depending on its particular situation, to treat capital gain dividends, capital gains from the disposition of our shares and income designated as qualified dividend income as investment income for purposes of the investment interest limitation, in which case the applicable capital gains will be taxed at ordinary income rates. We will notify stockholders regarding the portions of our distributions for each year that constitute ordinary income, return of capital and qualified dividend income.
Distributions to Holders of Depositary Shares. Owners of depositary shares will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as if they were owners of the underlying preferred stock represented by such depositary shares. Accordingly, such owners will be entitled to take into account, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, income and deductions to which they would be entitled if they were direct holders of underlying preferred stock. In addition, (i) no gain or loss will be recognized for U.S. federal income tax purposes upon the withdrawal of certificates evidencing the underlying preferred stock in exchange for depositary receipts, (ii) the tax basis of each share of the underlying preferred stock to an exchanging owner of depositary shares will, upon such exchange, be the same as the aggregate tax basis of the depositary shares exchanged therefor, and (iii) the holding period for the underlying preferred stock in the hands of an exchanging owner of depositary shares will include the period during which such person owned such depositary shares.
Dispositions of Our Shares. If a U.S. stockholder sells or otherwise disposes of our shares in a taxable transaction (other than redemption), it 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 holders adjusted basis in the shares for tax purposes. In general, a U.S. stockholders adjusted basis will equal the U.S. stockholders acquisition cost, increased by the excess for net capital gains deemed distributed to the U.S. stockholder (discussed above) less tax deemed paid on it and reduced by returns on capital.
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In general, capital gains recognized by individuals and other non-corporate U.S. stockholders upon the sale or disposition of our shares will be subject to a maximum U.S. federal income tax rate of 20%, if our shares are 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 our shares are held for one year or less. Effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, gains recognized by U.S. stockholders that are corporations are subject to U.S. federal income tax at a maximum rate of 21%, 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 our shares 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 U.S. stockholder upon the disposition of our shares that were 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 offset up to $3,000 of ordinary income each year). Similarly, capital losses recognized by a U.S. stockholder upon the disposition of our shares that were held for one year or less at the time of disposition will be considered short-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 offset up to $3,000 of ordinary income each year). In addition, any loss upon a sale or exchange of our shares by a U.S. 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 distributions that we make that are required to be treated by the U.S. stockholder as long-term capital gain.
If a stockholder recognizes a loss upon a subsequent disposition of our shares 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 may 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 shares, or transactions that we might undertake directly or indirectly.
Medicare Tax on Unearned Income. The Health Care and Reconciliation Act of 2010 requires certain U.S. stockholders that are individuals, estates or trusts to pay an additional 3.8% tax on net investment income, which includes, among other things, dividends on and gains from the sale or other disposition of REIT shares. U.S. stockholders should consult their tax advisors regarding this legislation.
Legislation Relating To Foreign Accounts. The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), which was enacted in 2010, imposes a 30% withholding tax on certain types of payments made to foreign financial institutions and certain other non-U.S. entities unless certain due diligence, reporting, withholding, and certification obligations requirements are satisfied. Investors are advised to consult their tax advisors regarding this legislation. See Information Reporting and Backup Withholding Tax Applicable to StockholdersU.S. StockholdersLegislation Relating To Foreign Accounts.
Redemption of Preferred Stock and Depositary Shares. Whenever we redeem any preferred stock or depositary shares, the treatment accorded to any redemption by us for cash (as distinguished from a sale, exchange or other disposition) of our preferred stock or depositary shares to a holder of such shares can only be determined on the basis of the particular facts as to each holder at the time of redemption. In general, a holder of our preferred stock or depositary shares will recognize capital gain or loss measured by the difference between the amount received by the holder of such shares upon the redemption and such holders adjusted tax basis in the shares redeemed (provided the shares of preferred stock are held as a capital asset) if such redemption (i) is not essentially
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equivalent to a dividend with respect to the holder of the preferred stock under Section 302(b)(1) of the Code, (ii) is a substantially disproportionate redemption with respect to the stockholder under Section 302(b)(2) of the Code, or (iii) results in a complete termination of the holders interest in all classes of our shares under Section 302(b)(3) of the Code. In applying these tests, there must be taken into account not only any series or class of the shares being redeemed, but also such holders ownership of other classes of our shares and any options (including share purchase rights) to acquire any of the foregoing. The holder of our preferred stock or depositary shares also must take into account any such securities (including options) which are considered to be owned by such holder by reason of the constructive ownership rules set forth in Sections 318 and 302(c) of the Code.
If the holder of preferred stock or depositary shares owns (actually or constructively) none of our voting shares, or owns an insubstantial amount of our voting shares, based upon current law, it is probable that the redemption of preferred stock from such a holder would be considered to be not essentially equivalent to a dividend. However, whether a distribution is not essentially equivalent to a dividend depends on all of the facts and circumstances, and a holder of our preferred stock or depositary shares intending to rely on any of these tests at the time of redemption should consult its tax advisor to determine their application to its particular situation.
Satisfaction of the substantially disproportionate and complete termination exceptions is dependent upon compliance with the respective objective tests set forth in Section 302(b)(2) and Section 302(b)(3) of the Code. A distribution to a holder of preferred stock or depositary shares will be substantially disproportionate if the percentage of our outstanding voting shares actually and constructively owned by the stockholder immediately following the redemption of shares (treating shares of preferred stock redeemed as not outstanding) is less than 80% of the percentage of our outstanding voting shares actually and constructively owned by the stockholder immediately before the redemption, and immediately following the redemption the stockholder actually and constructively owns less than 50% of the total combined voting power of the Company. Because the Companys preferred stock and depositary shares are nonvoting shares, a stockholder would have to reduce such holders holdings (if any) in our classes of voting shares to satisfy this test.
If the redemption does not meet any of the tests under Section 302 of the Code, then the redemption proceeds received from our preferred stock or depositary shares will be treated as a distribution on our shares as described under Taxation of U.S. StockholdersTaxation of Taxable U.S. StockholdersDistributions Generally. If the redemption of a holders preferred stock or depositary shares is taxed as a dividend, the adjusted basis of such holders redeemed shares will be transferred to any other shares held by the holder. If the holder owns no other shares, under certain circumstances, such basis may be transferred to a related person, or it may be lost entirely.
With respect to a redemption of our preferred stock or depositary shares that is treated as a distribution with respect to our shares, which is not otherwise taxable as a dividend, the IRS has proposed Treasury regulations that would require any basis reduction associated with such a redemption to be applied on a share-by-share basis which could result in taxable gain with respect to some shares, even though the holders aggregate basis for the shares would be sufficient to absorb the entire amount of the redemption distribution (in excess of any amount of such distribution treated as a dividend). Additionally, these proposed Treasury regulations would not permit the transfer of basis in the redeemed shares of the preferred stock or depositary shares to the remaining shares held (directly or indirectly) by the redeemed holder. Instead, the unrecovered basis in our preferred stock or depositary shares would be treated as a deferred loss to be recognized when certain conditions are satisfied. These proposed Treasury regulations would be effective for transactions that occur after the date the regulations are published as final Treasury regulations. There can, however, be no assurance as to whether, when, and in what particular form such proposed Treasury regulations will ultimately be finalized. If a redemption of shares is not treated as a distribution taxable as a dividend, it will be treated as a taxable sale or exchange in the manner described under Taxation of U.S. StockholdersTaxation of Taxable U.S. StockholdersDispositions of Our Shares.
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Conversion of Our Preferred Stock into Common Stock. Except as provided below, a U.S. stockholder generally will not recognize gain or loss upon the conversion of our shares of preferred stock into our shares of common stock. Except as provided below, a U.S. stockholders basis and holding period in the common stock received upon conversion generally will be the same as those of the converted preferred stock (but the basis will be reduced by the portion of adjusted tax basis allocated to any fractional share of common stock exchanged for cash). Any common stock received in a conversion that is attributable to accumulated and unpaid dividends on the converted preferred stock will be treated as a distribution on our shares as described above in Taxation of U.S. StockholdersTaxation of Taxable U.S. StockholdersDistributions Generally. Cash received upon conversion in lieu of a fractional share of common stock generally will be treated as a payment in a taxable exchange for such fractional share of common stock, and gain or loss will be recognized on the receipt of cash in an amount equal to the difference between the amount of cash received and the adjusted tax basis allocable to the fractional share of common stock deemed exchanged. This gain or loss will be long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. stockholder has held the preferred stock for more than one year. See Taxation of U.S. StockholdersDispositions of Our Shares. U.S. stockholders should consult with their tax advisor regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of any transaction by which such holder exchanges common stock received on a conversion of preferred stock for cash or other property.
Taxation of Tax Exempt Stockholders
U.S. tax-exempt entities, including qualified employee pension and profit sharing trusts and individual retirement accounts, generally are exempt from U.S. federal income taxation. Such entities, however, may be subject to taxation on their unrelated business taxable income, or 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 generally do not constitute UBTI. Based on that ruling, and provided that (1) a tax-exempt stockholder has not held our shares 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 U.S. tax-exempt stockholder), (2) our shares are not otherwise used in an unrelated trade or business, and (3) we do not hold an asset that gives rise to excess inclusion income, distributions that we make and income from the sale of our shares generally should not give rise to UBTI to a U.S. tax-exempt stockholder.
Tax-exempt stockholders that are social clubs, voluntary employee benefit associations, supplemental unemployment benefit trusts, or qualified group legal services plans exempt from U.S. federal income taxation under Sections 501(c)(7), (c)(9), (c)(17) or (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 require such stockholders to characterize distributions from us as UBTI unless the organization is able to properly claim a deduction for amounts set aside or placed in reserve for certain purposes so as to offset the income generated by its investment in our shares. These stockholders should consult with their tax advisors concerning these set aside and reserve requirements.
In certain circumstances, a pension trust (1) that is described in Section 401(a) of the Code, (2) is tax exempt under Section 501(a) of the Code, and (3) that owns more than 10% of our shares could be required to treat a percentage of the dividends as UBTI, if we are a pension-held REIT. We will not be a pension-held REIT unless:
| either (1) one pension trust owns more than 25% of the value of our shares, or (2) one or more pension trusts, each individually holding more than 10% of the value of our shares, collectively own more than 50% of the value of our shares; and |
| we would not have qualified as a REIT but for the fact that Section 856(h)(3) of the Code provides that shares owned by such trusts shall be treated, for purposes of the requirement that not more than 50% of the value of the outstanding shares of a REIT are owned, directly or indirectly, by five or fewer individuals (as defined in the Code to include certain entities), as owned by the beneficiaries of such trusts. |
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The percentage of any REIT dividend from a pension-held REIT that is treated as UBTI is equal to the ratio of the UBTI earned by the REIT, treating the REIT as if it were a pension trust and therefore subject to tax on UBTI, to the total gross income of the REIT. An exception applies where the percentage is less than 5% for any year, in which case none of the dividends would be treated as UBTI. The provisions requiring pension trusts to treat a portion of REIT distributions as UBTI will not apply if the REIT is able to satisfy the not closely held requirement without relying upon the look-through exception with respect to pension trusts. As a result of certain limitations on the transfer and ownership of shares of our common and preferred stock contained in our declaration of trust, we do not expect to be classified as a pension-held REIT, and accordingly, the tax treatment described above with respect to pension-held REITs should be inapplicable to our tax-exempt stockholders.
Prospective stockholders who are tax-exempt organizations should consult with their tax advisors regarding the tax consequences of investing in our shares.
Taxation of Non-U.S. Stockholders
The following discussion addresses the rules governing U.S. federal income taxation of non-U.S. stockholders. For purposes of this discussion, non-U.S. stockholder is a beneficial owner of our shares that is not a U.S. stockholder (as defined above) or an entity that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. These rules are complex, and no attempt is made herein to provide more than a brief summary of such rules. Accordingly, the discussion does not address all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation and does not address state, local, foreign, or other tax consequences that may be relevant to a non-U.S. stockholder in light of its particular circumstances.
Distributions Generally. As described in the discussion below, distributions paid by us with respect to our shares will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as either:
| ordinary income dividends; |
| long-term capital gain; or |
| return of capital distributions. |
This discussion assumes that our shares will be considered regularly traded on an established securities market for purposes of the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act of 1980, or FIRPTA, provisions described below. Generally, FIRPTA treats gain from the disposition of U.S. real property interests, or USRPIs, (and certain distributions received, that are attributable to gain from disposition of USRPIs) as income effectively connected with a non-U.S. stockholders conduct of a U.S. trade or business, and subjects such income to U.S. federal income tax at rates applicable to U.S. individuals or corporations. If our shares are no longer regularly traded on an established securities market, the tax considerations described below would materially differ.
Ordinary Income Dividends. A distribution paid by us to a non-U.S. stockholder will be treated as an ordinary income dividend if the distribution is payable out of our earnings and profits and:
| the distribution is not attributable to our net capital gain; or |
| the distribution is attributable to our net capital gain from the sale of USRPIs, and the non-U.S. stockholder owns 10% or less of the value of our shares at all times during the one-year period ending on the date of the distribution. |
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 shares. In cases where the dividend income from a non-U.S. stockholders investment in our shares is, or is treated as, effectively connected with the non-U.S. stockholders 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 income must
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generally be reported on a U.S. federal income tax return filed by or on behalf of the non-U.S. stockholder. The income may also be subject to the 30% branch profits tax in the case of a non-U.S. stockholder that is a corporation.
Generally, we will withhold and remit to the IRS 30% of dividend distributions (including distributions that may later be determined to have been made in excess of current and accumulated earnings and profits) that could not be treated as capital gain distributions with respect to the non-U.S. stockholder (and that are not deemed to be capital gain dividends for purposes of the FIRPTA withholding rules described below) unless:
| a lower treaty rate applies and the non-U.S. stockholder files an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable, evidencing eligibility for that reduced treaty rate with us; or |
| the non-U.S. stockholder files an IRS Form W-8ECI with us claiming that the distribution is income effectively connected with the non-U.S. stockholders trade or business. |
Return of Capital Distributions. Unless (A) our shares constitute a USRPI, as described in Dispositions of Our Shares below, or (B) either (1) the non-U.S. stockholders investment in our shares is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business conducted by such non-U.S. stockholder (in which case the non-U.S. stockholder will be subject to the same treatment as U.S. stockholders with respect to such gain) or (2) the non-U.S. stockholder is a nonresident alien individual who was present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year and has a tax home in the United States (in which case the non-U.S. stockholder will be subject to a 30% tax on the individuals net capital gain for the year), 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 subsequently is determined that the distribution was, in fact, in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits. If our shares constitute a USRPI, as described below, distributions that we make in excess of the sum of (1) the non-U.S. stockholders proportionate share of our earnings and profits, and (2) the non-U.S. stockholders basis in its shares, 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 (e.g., an individual or a corporation, as the case may be), and the collection of the tax will be enforced by a refundable withholding tax at a rate of 15% of the amount by which the distribution exceeds the stockholders share of our earnings and profits.
Capital Gain Dividends. A distribution paid by us to a non-U.S. stockholder will be treated as long-term capital gain if the distribution is paid out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits and:
| the distribution is attributable to our net capital gain (other than from the sale of USRPIs) and we timely designate the distribution as a capital gain dividend; or |
| the distribution is attributable to our net capital gain from the sale of USRPIs and the non-U.S. stockholder owns more than 10% of the value of shares at any point during the one-year period ending on the date on which the distribution is paid. |
Long-term capital gain that a non-U.S. stockholder is deemed to receive from a capital gain dividend that is not attributable to the sale of USRPIs generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax in the hands of the non-U.S. stockholder unless:
| the non-U.S. stockholders investment in our shares is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the non-U.S. stockholder, in which case the non-U.S. stockholder will be subject to the same treatment as U.S. stockholders with respect to any gain, except that a non-U.S. stockholder that is a corporation also may be subject to the 30% branch profits tax; or |
| the non-U.S. stockholder is a nonresident alien individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year and has a tax home in the United States in which case the nonresident alien individual will be subject to a 30% tax on his capital gains. |
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Subject to the discussion below regarding distributions to qualified stockholders and qualified foreign pension funds, under FIRPTA, distributions that are attributable to net capital gain from the sale by us of USRPIs and paid to a non-U.S. stockholder that owns more than 10% of the value of our shares at any time during the one-year period ending on the date on which the distribution is paid will be subject to U.S. tax as income effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business. The FIRPTA tax will apply to these distributions whether or not the distribution is designated as a capital gain dividend, and, in the case of a non-U.S. stockholder that is a corporation, such distributions also may be subject to the 30% branch profits tax.
Subject to the discussion below regarding distributions to qualified stockholders and qualified foreign pension funds, any distribution paid by us that is treated as a capital gain dividend or that could be treated as a capital gain dividend with respect to a particular non-U.S. stockholder will be subject to special withholding rules under FIRPTA. We will withhold and remit to the IRS 21% of any distribution that could be treated as a capital gain dividend with respect to the non-U.S. stockholder, to the extent that the distribution is attributable to the sale by us of USRPIs. The amount withheld is creditable against the non-U.S. stockholders U.S. federal income tax liability or refundable when the non-U.S. stockholder properly and timely files a tax return with the IRS.
Qualified Stockholders. Subject to the exception discussed below, any distribution to a qualified stockholder who holds REIT stock directly (or indirectly through one or more partnerships) will not be subject to U.S. tax under FIRPTA with respect to that REIT stock and thus will not be subject to withholding rules under FIRPTA. If a foreign investor in a qualified stockholder directly or indirectly, whether or not by reason of such investors ownership interest in the qualified stockholder, holds more than 10% of the stock of the REIT, then a portion of the REIT stock held by the qualified stockholder (based on the foreign investors percentage ownership of the qualified stockholder) will be treated as a USRPI in the hands of the qualified stockholder and will be subject to FIRPTA.
A qualified stockholder is a foreign person that (i) either is eligible for the benefits of a comprehensive income tax treaty with the United States that includes an exchange of information program and whose principal class of interests is listed and regularly traded on one or more recognized stock exchanges (as defined in such comprehensive income tax treaty), or is a foreign partnership that is created or organized under foreign law as a limited partnership in a jurisdiction that has an agreement for the exchange of information with respect to taxes with the United States and has a class of limited partnership units representing greater than 50% of the value of all the partnership units that is regularly traded on the NYSE or NASDAQ markets, (ii) is a qualified collective investment vehicle (defined below), and (iii) maintains records on the identity of each person who, at any time during the foreign persons taxable year, is the direct owner of 5% or more of the class of interests or units (as applicable) described in (i), above.
A qualified collective investment vehicle is a foreign person that (i) would be eligible for a reduced rate of withholding under the comprehensive income tax treaty described above, even if such entity holds more than 10% of the stock of such REIT, (ii) is publicly traded, is treated as a partnership under the Code, is a withholding foreign partnership, and would be treated as a U.S. real property holding corporation (USRPHC) if it were a domestic corporation, or (iii) is designated as such by the Secretary of the Treasury and is either (a) fiscally transparent within the meaning of section 894 of the Code, or (b) required to include dividends in its gross income, but is entitled to a deduction for distributions to its investors.
Qualified Foreign Pension Funds. Any distribution to a qualified foreign pension fund or an entity all of the interests of which are held by a qualified foreign pension fund who holds REIT stock directly (or indirectly through one or more partnerships) will not be subject to U.S. tax under FIRPTA and thus will not be subject to the withholding rules under FIRPTA.
A qualified foreign pension fund is any trust, corporation, or other organization or arrangement (A) that is created or organized under the law of a country other than the United States, (B) that is established to provide
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retirement or pension benefits to participants or beneficiaries that are current or former employees (or persons designated by such employees) of one or more employers in consideration for services rendered, (C) that does not have a single participant or beneficiary with a right to more than 5% of its assets or income, (D) that is subject to government regulation and provides annual information reporting about its beneficiaries to the relevant tax authorities in the country in which it is established or operates, and (E) with respect to which, under the laws of the country in which it is established or operates, (i) contributions to such organization or arrangement that would otherwise be subject to tax under such laws are deductible or excluded from the gross income of such entity or taxed at a reduced rate, or (ii) taxation of any investment income of such organization or arrangement is deferred or such income is taxed at a reduced rate.
Undistributed Capital Gain. Although the law is not entirely clear on the matter, it appears that amounts designated by us as undistributed capital gains in respect of our shares held by non-U.S. stockholders generally should be treated in the same manner as actual distributions by us of capital gain dividends. Under this approach, the non-U.S. stockholder would be able to offset as a credit against their U.S. federal income tax liability resulting therefrom their proportionate share of the tax paid by us on the undistributed capital gains treated as long-term capital gains to the non-U.S. stockholder, and generally receive from the IRS a refund to the extent their proportionate share of the tax paid by us were to exceed the non-U.S. stockholders actual U.S. federal income tax liability on such long-term capital gain. If we were to designate any portion of our net capital gain as undistributed capital gain, a non-U.S. stockholder should consult its tax advisors regarding taxation of such undistributed capital gain.
Dispositions of Our Shares. Unless our shares constitute a USRPI, a sale of our shares by a non-U.S. stockholder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income taxation under FIRPTA.
Generally, subject to the discussion below regarding dispositions by qualified stockholders and qualified foreign pension funds, with respect to any particular stockholder, our shares will constitute a USRPI only if each of the following three statements is true:
| Fifty percent or more of our assets on any of certain testing dates during a prescribed testing period consist of interests in real property located within the United States, excluding for this purpose, interests in real property solely in a capacity as creditor (which we expect to be the case); |
| We are not a domestically-controlled qualified investment entity. A domestically-controlled qualified investment entity includes a REIT, less than 50% of the value of which is held directly or indirectly by non-U.S. stockholders at all times during a specified testing period. Although we believe that we are and will remain a domestically-controlled REIT, because our shares are publicly traded we cannot make any assurance that we are or will remain a domestically-controlled qualified investment entity; and |
| Either (a) our shares are not regularly traded, as defined by applicable Treasury Regulations, on an established securities market; or (b) our shares are regularly traded on an established securities market and the selling non-U.S. stockholder has held over 10% of our outstanding shares any time during the five-year period ending on the date of the sale. |
A sale of our shares by a qualified stockholder or a qualified pension fund that holds our shares directly (or indirectly through one or more partnerships) will not be subject to U.S. federal income taxation under FIRPTA. However, if a foreign investor in a qualified stockholder directly or indirectly, whether or not by reason of such investors ownership interest in the qualified stockholder, holds more than 10% of the stock of the REIT, then a portion of the REIT stock held by the qualified stockholder (based on the foreign investors percentage ownership of the qualified stockholder) will be treated as a USRPI in the hands of the qualified stockholder and will be subject to FIRPTA.
Specific wash sales rules applicable to sales of shares in a domestically-controlled qualified investment entity could result in gain recognition, taxable under FIRPTA, upon the sale of our shares even if we are a
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domestically-controlled qualified investment entity. These rules would apply if a non-U.S. stockholder (1) disposes of our shares within a 30-day period preceding the ex-dividend date of a distribution, any portion of which, but for the disposition, would have been taxable to such non-U.S. stockholder as gain from the sale or exchange of a USRPI, and (2) acquires, or enters into a contract or option to acquire, other shares during the 61-day period that begins 30 days prior to such ex-dividend date.
If gain on the sale of our shares was subject to taxation under FIRPTA, the non-U.S. stockholder would be required to file a U.S. federal income tax return and would be subject to the same treatment as a U.S. stockholder with respect to such gain, subject to the applicable alternative minimum tax and a special alternative minimum tax in the case of non-resident alien individuals, and the purchaser of the shares could be required to withhold 15% of the purchase price and remit such amount to the IRS.
Gain from the sale of our shares that would not otherwise be subject to FIRPTA will nonetheless be taxable in the United States to a non-U.S. stockholder as follows: (1) if the non-U.S. stockholders investment in our shares is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business conducted by such non-U.S. stockholder, the non-U.S. stockholder will be subject to the same treatment as a U.S. stockholder with respect to such gain, or (2) if the non-U.S. stockholder is a nonresident alien individual who was present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year and has a tax home in the United States, the nonresident alien individual will be subject to a 30% tax on the individuals capital gain.
Legislation Relating to Payments to Certain Foreign Entities. FATCA imposes a 30% withholding tax on certain types of payments made to foreign financial institutions and certain other non-U.S. entities unless certain due diligence, reporting, withholding, and certification obligations requirements are satisfied. Investors are advised to consult their tax advisors regarding this legislation. See Information Reporting and Backup Withholding Tax Applicable to StockholdersNon-U.S. StockholdersWithholding on Payments to Certain Foreign Entities.
Redemption of Preferred Stock and Depositary Shares. See discussion above under Taxation of Taxable U.S. StockholdersRedemption of Preferred Stock and Depositary Shares. If the redemption does not meet any of the tests described in Taxation of Taxable U.S. StockholdersRedemption of Preferred Stock and Depositary Shares, then the redemption proceeds received from our shares will be treated as a distribution on our shares as described under Taxation of Non-U.S. StockholdersDistributions Generally. If a redemption of shares of is not treated as a distribution taxable as a dividend, it will be treated as a taxable sale or exchange in the manner described under Taxation of Non-U.S. StockholdersDispositions of Our Shares.
Conversion of Our Preferred Stock into Common Stock. Except as provided below, a non-U.S. stockholder generally will not recognize gain or loss upon the conversion of our shares of preferred stock into our shares of common stock, provided our shares of preferred stock do not constitute a USRPI. Even if our shares of preferred stock do constitute a USRPI, provided our shares of common stock also constitutes a USRPI, a non-U.S. stockholder generally will not recognize gain or loss upon a conversion of our shares of preferred stock into our shares of common stock provided certain reporting requirements are satisfied. Except as provided below, a non-U.S. stockholders basis and holding period in the common stock received upon conversion will be the same as those of the converted shares of preferred stock (but the basis will be reduced by the portion of adjusted tax basis allocated to any fractional share of common stock exchanged for cash). Any common stock received in a conversion that is attributable to accumulated and unpaid dividends on the converted preferred stock will be treated as a distribution on our shares as described under Taxation of Non-U.S. StockholdersOrdinary Income Dividends. Cash received upon conversion in lieu of a fractional share of common stock generally will be treated as a payment in a taxable exchange for such fractional share of common stock as described under Taxation of Non-U.S. StockholdersDispositions of Our Shares. Non-U.S. stockholders should consult with their tax advisor regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of any transaction by which such holder exchanges shares of common stock received on a conversion of shares of preferred stock for cash or other property.
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Information Reporting and Backup Withholding Tax Applicable to Stockholders
U.S. StockholdersGenerally
In general, information reporting requirements will apply to payments of distributions on our shares and payments of the proceeds of the sale of our shares to some U.S. stockholders, unless an exception applies. Further, the payor will be required to withhold backup withholding tax on such payments (currently at the rate of 28%) if:
1. | the payee fails to furnish a taxpayer identification number, or TIN, to the payor or to establish an exemption from backup withholding; |
2. | the IRS notifies the payor that the TIN furnished by the payee is incorrect; |
3. | 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 |
4. | 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. |
Some stockholders may be exempt from backup withholding. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules from a payment to a stockholder will be allowed as a credit against the stockholders U.S. federal income tax liability and may entitle the stockholder to a refund, provided that the required information is furnished to the IRS.
U.S. StockholdersLegislation Relating To Foreign Accounts
Under FATCA certain payments made to foreign financial institutions and non-financial foreign entities may be subject to withholding at a rate of 30%. U.S. stockholders should consult their tax advisors regarding the effect, if any, of this legislation on their ownership and disposition of their shares. See Information Reporting and Backup Withholding Tax Applicable to StockholdersNon-U.S. StockholdersWithholding on Payments to Certain Foreign Entities.
Non-U.S. StockholdersGenerally
Generally, information reporting will apply to payments of distributions on our shares, and backup withholding, currently at a rate of 28%, may apply, unless the payee certifies that it is not a U.S. person or otherwise establishes an exemption.
The proceeds from a disposition by a non-U.S. stockholder of shares 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 United States, then information reporting generally will apply as though the payment were made through a U.S. office of a U.S. or foreign broker. Generally, backup withholding does not apply in such a case.
Generally, non-U.S. stockholders will satisfy the information reporting requirements by providing a proper IRS withholding certificate (such as the Form W-8BEN or Form W-8BEN-E). In the absence of a proper withholding certificate, applicable Treasury Regulations provide presumptions regarding the status of holders of our shares when payments to the holders cannot be reliably associated with appropriate documentation provided to the payor. If a non-U.S. stockholder fails to comply with the information reporting requirement, payments to such person may be subject to the full withholding tax even if such person might have been eligible for a reduced rate of withholding or no withholding under an applicable income tax treaty. Any payment subject to a withholding
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tax will not be again subject to backup withholding. Because the application of these Treasury Regulations varies depending on the holders particular circumstances, a non-U.S. stockholder is advised to consult its tax advisor regarding the information reporting requirements applicable to it.
Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts that we withhold under the backup withholding rules may be refunded or credited against the non-U.S. stockholders federal income tax liability if certain required information is furnished to the IRS. Non-U.S. stockholders should consult their tax advisors regarding application of backup withholding in their particular circumstances and the availability of and procedure for obtaining an exemption from backup withholding under current Treasury Regulations.
Non-U.S. StockholdersWithholding on Payments to Certain Foreign Entities
FATCA imposes a 30% withholding tax on certain types of payments to foreign financial institutions and certain non-U.S. entities unless certain due diligence, reporting, withholding, and certification obligation requirements are satisfied.
The Treasury Department and the IRS have issued final regulations under FATCA. As a general matter, FATCA imposes a 30% withholding tax on dividends on, and gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of, our shares if paid to a foreign entity unless either (i) the foreign entity is a foreign financial institution that undertakes certain due diligence, reporting, withholding, and certification obligations, or in the case of a foreign financial institution that is a resident in a jurisdiction that has entered into an intergovernmental agreement to implement FATCA, the entity complies with the diligence and reporting requirements of such agreement, (ii) the foreign entity is not a foreign financial institution and identifies certain of its U.S. investors, or (iii) the foreign entity otherwise is exempted under FATCA. Under the delayed effective dates provided for in the regulations, the required withholding would not begin until January 1, 2019 with respect to gross proceeds from a sale or other disposition of our shares.
If withholding is required under FATCA on a payment related to our shares, investors that otherwise would not be subject to withholding (or that otherwise would be entitled to a reduced rate of withholding) generally will be required to seek a refund or credit from the IRS to obtain the benefit of such exemption or reduction (provided that such benefit is available). Prospective investors should consult their tax advisors regarding the effect of FATCA in their particular circumstances.
Taxation of Holders of Our Warrants
Holders will not generally recognize gain or loss upon the exercise of a warrant. A holders basis in the preferred stock, depositary shares representing preferred stock or common stock, as the case may be, received upon the exercise of the warrant will be equal to the sum of the holders adjusted tax basis in the warrant and the exercise price paid. A holders holding period in the preferred stock, depositary shares representing preferred stock or common stock, as the case may be, received upon the exercise of the warrant will not include the period during which the warrant was held by the holder. Upon the expiration of a warrant, a holder will recognize a capital loss in an amount equal to his or her adjusted tax basis in the warrant. Upon the sale or exchange of a warrant to a person other than us, a holder will recognize gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between the amount realized on the sale or exchange and the holders adjusted tax basis in the warrant. Such gain or loss will be capital gain or loss and will be long-term capital gain or loss if the warrant was held for more than one year. Upon the sale of the warrant to us, the IRS may argue that a holder should recognize ordinary income on the sale. Prospective investors should consult their tax advisors as to the consequences of a sale of a warrant to us.
Treatment of Depositary Shares
Owners of depositary shares will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as if they are owners of the preferred stock represented by such depositary shares. Accordingly, such owners will be entitled to take into
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account, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, income and deductions to which they would be entitled if they were holders of such preferred stock. In addition, (i) no gain or loss will be recognized for U.S. federal income tax purposes upon the withdrawal of preferred stock to an exchange owner of depositary shares, (ii) the tax basis of each share of preferred stock to an exchanging owner of depositary shares will, upon such exchange, be the same as the aggregate tax basis of the depositary shares exchanged therefor, and (iii) the holding period for preferred stock in the hands of an exchanging owner of depositary shares will include the period during which such person owned such depositary shares.
Other Tax Consequences
Legislative or other actions affecting REITs
The present U.S. federal income tax treatment of REITs may be modified, possibly with retroactive effect, by legislative, judicial or administrative action at any time. The REIT rules are constantly under review by persons involved in the legislative process and by the IRS and the U.S. Treasury Department which may result in statutory changes as well as revisions to regulations and interpretations. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the TCJA) significantly changed the U.S. federal income tax laws applicable to businesses and their owners, including REITs and their shareholders. Technical corrections or other amendments to the TCJA or administrative guidance interpreting the TCJA may be forthcoming at any time. We cannot predict the long-term effect of the TCJA or any future law changes on REITs or their shareholders. Investors should consult with their tax advisors regarding the effect of potential changes to the federal tax laws and on an investment in our shares.
State, Local and Foreign Taxes
We may be required to pay tax in various state or local jurisdictions, including those in which we transact business, and our stockholders may be required to pay tax in various state or local jurisdictions, including those in which they reside. Our state and local tax treatment may not conform to the U.S. federal income tax consequences discussed above. In addition, a stockholders state and local tax treatment may not conform to the U.S. federal income tax consequences discussed above. Consequently, investors should consult with their tax advisors regarding the effect of state and local tax laws on an investment in our shares.
Tax Shelter Reporting
If a holder recognizes a loss as a result of a transaction with respect to our shares of at least (i) for a holder that is an individual, S corporation, trust or a partnership with at least one non-corporate partner, $2 million or more in a single taxable year or $4.0 million or more in a combination of taxable years, or (ii) for a holder that is either a corporation or a partnership with only corporate partners, $10 million or more in a single taxable year or $20 million or more in a combination of taxable years, such holder may be required to file a disclosure statement with the IRS on IRS Form 8886. Direct stockholders of portfolio securities are in many cases exempt from this reporting requirement, but stockholders of a REIT currently are not excepted. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayers treatment of the loss is proper. Investors should consult their tax advisors to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.
Legislative or Other Actions Affecting REITsChanges in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017
The TCJA was passed by Congress on December 20, 2017 and signed into law by President Trump on December 22, 2017. The TCJA significantly changed the U.S. federal income tax laws applicable to businesses and their owners, including REITs and their stockholders. Technical corrections or other amendments to the TCJA or administrative guidance interpreting the TCJA may be forthcoming at any time. We cannot predict the long-term effect of the TCJA or any future law changes on REITs or their stockholders. Below is a brief summary of the key changes in TCJA that directly impact REITs and their stockholders with respect to an
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investment in REITs. The changes described below are effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, unless otherwise noted. Investors should consult with their tax advisors regarding the effect of the TCJA on their particular circumstances (including the impact of other changes enacted as part of the TCJA that do not directly relate to REITs and thus are not discussed here).
Income Tax Rates. Under the TCJA, the corporate income tax rate is reduced from a maximum marginal rate of 35% to a flat 21% rate, a 40% reduction. The reduced corporate income tax rate, which is effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, will apply to income earned by taxable REIT subsidiaries.
The TJCA also reduces the highest marginal income tax rate applicable to individuals to 37% (excluding the 3.8% Medicare tax on net investment income), a 6.6% reduction. Individuals continue to pay a maximum 20% rate on long-term capital gains and qualified dividend income. However, the TCJA also will allow individuals to deduct 20% of their dividends from REITs, excluding capital gain dividends and qualified dividend income (which continue to be subject to the 20% rate). As a result, dividend income received by an individual shareholder in a REIT will be subject to a maximum effective federal income tax rate of 29.6%, compared with the previous maximum effective rate of 39.6% (plus, in each case, the 3.8% Medicare tax on net investment income). The income tax rate changes applicable to individuals apply for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026.
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We may sell the securities described in this prospectus from time to time, at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to market prices, at a fixed price or prices subject to change or at negotiated prices, by a variety of methods including the following:
| on the New York Stock Exchange (including through at-the-market offerings); |
| in the over-the-counter market; |
| in privately negotiated transactions; |
| through broker/dealers, who may act as agents or principals; |
| through one or more underwriters on a firm commitment or best-efforts basis; |
| in a block trade in which a broker/dealer will attempt to sell a block of shares of common stock as agent but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction; |
| through put or call option transactions relating to the shares of common stock; |
| directly to one or more purchasers; |
| through agents; or |
| in any combination of the above. |
We may sell the securities directly to institutional investors or others who may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act, with respect to any resale of the securities. To the extent required, a prospectus supplement will describe the terms of any sale of securities we are offering hereunder. Direct sales may be arranged by a securities broker-dealer or other financial intermediary.
To the extent required, the applicable prospectus supplement will name any underwriter involved in a sale of securities. Underwriters may offer and sell securities at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed, or from time to time at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to market prices, or at negotiated prices. Underwriters may be deemed to have received compensation from us from sales of securities in the form of underwriting discounts or commissions and may also receive commissions from purchasers of securities for whom they may act as agent. Underwriters may be involved in any at-the-market offering of securities by or on our behalf.
Underwriters may sell securities to or through dealers, and such dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the underwriters and/or commissions (which may be changed from time to time) from the purchasers for whom they may act as agent.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the obligations of any underwriters to purchase securities will be subject to certain conditions precedent, and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all the securities if any are purchased.
To the extent required, the applicable prospectus supplement will set forth whether or not underwriters may over-allot or effect transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market price of the securities at levels above those that might otherwise prevail in the open market, including, for example, by entering stabilizing bids, effecting syndicate covering transactions or imposing penalty bids.
To the extent required, we will name any agent involved in a sale of securities, as well as any commissions payable by us to such agent, in the applicable prospectus supplement. Unless otherwise specified in the
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applicable prospectus supplement, any such agent will be acting on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment.
If we utilize a dealer in the sale of the securities being offered pursuant to this prospectus, we will sell the securities to the dealer, as principal. The dealer may then resell the securities to the public at varying prices to be determined by the dealer at the time of resale.
Underwriters, dealers and agents participating in a sale of the securities may be deemed to be underwriters as defined in the Securities Act, 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, under the Securities Act. We may have agreements with underwriters, dealers and agents to indemnify them against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, and to reimburse them for certain expenses.
Underwriters or agents and their affiliates may be customers of, engage in transactions with or perform services for us or our affiliates in the ordinary course of business.
Some or all of the securities may be new issues of securities with no established trading market. Any underwriters that purchase the securities for public offering and sale may make a market in such securities, but such underwriters will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. We make no assurance as to the liquidity of or the trading markets for any securities.
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Certain legal matters related to the securities offered pursuant to this prospectus will be and have been passed upon for us by Hogan Lovells US LLP, Washington, D.C. Hogan Lovells US LLP, Washington, D.C., has delivered an opinion as to our status as a REIT. See Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations.
The financial statements of Brixmor Property Group Inc. and Subsidiaries as of December 31, 2016 and 2015 and for the years then ended, and the related financial statement schedules, incorporated by reference in this prospectus, and the effectiveness of Brixmor Property Group Inc. and Subsidiaries internal control over financial reporting have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their reports, which are incorporated herein by reference. Such financial statements and financial statement schedules have been so incorporated in reliance upon the reports of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
The financial statements of Brixmor Operating Partnership LP and Subsidiaries as of December 31, 2016 and 2015 and for the years then ended, and the related financial statement schedules, incorporated by reference in this prospectus, and the effectiveness of Brixmor Operating Partnership LP and Subsidiaries internal control over financial reporting have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their reports, which are incorporated herein by reference. Such financial statements and financial statement schedules have been so incorporated in reliance upon the reports of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
The consolidated financial statements of Brixmor Property Group Inc. for the year ended December 31, 2014 (including schedules appearing therein) appearing in Brixmor Property Group Inc.s Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2016, have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report thereon, included therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements are incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
The consolidated financial statements of Brixmor Operating Partnership LP for the year ended December 31, 2014 (including schedules appearing therein) appearing in Brixmor Operating Partnership LPs Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2016, have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report thereon, included therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements are incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
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Up to $400,000,000
Common Stock
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
RBC Capital Markets
BNY Mellon Capital Markets, LLC
Jefferies
MUFG
Scotiabank
SunTrust Robinson Humphrey
January 9, 2018