This report combines the annual reports on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 20152018 of Kite Realty Group Trust, Kite Realty Group, L.P. and its subsidiaries. Unless stated otherwise or the context otherwise requires, references to "Kite“Kite Realty Group Trust"Trust” or the "Parent Company"“Parent Company” mean Kite Realty Group Trust, and references to the "Operating Partnership"“Operating Partnership” mean Kite Realty Group, L.P. and its consolidated subsidiaries. The terms "Company," "we," "us,"“Company,” “we,” “us,” and "our"“our” refer to the Parent Company and the Operating Partnership collectively, and those entities owned or controlled by the Parent Company and/or the Operating Partnership.

We believe it is important to understand the few differences between the Parent Company and the Operating Partnership in the context of how we operate as an interrelated consolidated company. The Parent Company has no material assets or liabilities other than its investment in the Operating Partnership. The Parent Company issues public equity from time to time but does not have any indebtedness as all debt is incurred by the Operating Partnership. In addition, the Parent Company currently does not nor does it intend to guarantee any debt of the Operating Partnership. The Operating Partnership has numerous wholly-owned subsidiaries, and it also owns interests in certain joint ventures. These subsidiaries and joint ventures own and operate retail shopping centers and other real estate assets. The Operating Partnership is structured as a partnership with no publicly-traded equity. Except for net proceeds from equity issuances by the Parent Company, which are contributed to the Operating Partnership in exchange for General Partner Units, the Operating Partnership generates the capital required by the business through its operations, its incurrence of indebtedness and the issuance of Limited Partner Units to third parties.

This Annual Report on Form 10-K, together with other statements and information publicly disseminated by us, contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such statements are based on assumptions and expectations that may not be realized and are inherently subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which cannot be predicted with accuracy and some of which might not even be anticipated. Future events and actual results, performance, transactions or achievements, financial or otherwise, may differ materially from the results, performance, transactions or achievements, financial or otherwise, expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Risks, uncertainties and other factors that might cause such differences, some of which could be material, include but are not limited to:

We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

As of December 31, 2015,2018, we owned interests in 110 retail111 operating and redevelopment properties totaling approximately 22.021.9 million square feetfeet. We also owned one development project under construction as of gross leasable area (including approximately 6.7 million square feet of non-owned anchor space) located in 20 states.this date.  Our retail operating portfolio was 95.4%94.6% leased to a diversified retail tenant base, with no single retail tenant accounting for more than 3.4%2.6% of our total annualized base rent. In the aggregate, our largest 25 tenants accounted for 36.4%34.1% of our annualized base rent.  See Item 2, “Properties” for a list of our top 25 tenants by annualized base rent.

During 2018, we sold six non-core operating properties for $125 million of gross proceeds that were used to maintainpay down our operational excellence. existing credit facility. These operating retail assets had a weighted average ABR of $12.23, which was 27% lower than the remaining operating portfolio ABR.

We believe our efficiency metrics, which we defineentered into a strategic joint venture with Nuveen (formerly known as a combinationTH Real Estate) by selling an 80% interest in three core retail assets resulting in gross proceeds of operating margin and general and administrative expenses to revenue, are in the top third of our peer group.$89 million.

Our primary business objectives are to increase the cash flow and build or realize capital appreciationvalue of our properties, achieve sustainable long-term growth and maximize shareholder value primarily through the ownership and operation, acquisition, development and redevelopment of well-locatedhigh-quality neighborhood and community and neighborhood shopping centers.  We invest in properties with well-located real estate and strong demographics, and we use our effective leasing and management strategies to improve the long-term values and economic returns of our properties.  We believe that manycertain of our properties represent attractive opportunities for futureprofitable renovation and expansion.

We seek to implement our business objectives through the following strategies, each of which is more completely described in the sections that follow:  

We successfully executed our operating strategy in 20152018 in a number of ways, including improving our Same Property NOI by 3.5% and generatinggrowth of 1.4%, a blended new and renewal positive cash leasing spreadsspread of 11.4%6.8%, and an increase in 2015.our small shop leased percentage to 91.2% as of year end. We have also been successful inplaced significant emphasis on maintaining a strong and diverse retail tenant mix, withwhich has resulted in no tenant accounting for more than 3.4%2.6% of our annualized base rent. See Item 2, “Properties” for a list of our top tenants by gross leasable area ("GLA") and annualized base rent.

In evaluating opportunities for potential acquisition, development, redevelopment and disposition, we consider a number of factors, including:

The United States commercial real estate market continues to be highly competitive. We face competition from other REITs, including other retail REITs, and other owner-operators engaged in the ownership, leasing, acquisition, and development of shopping centers as well as from numerous local, regional and national real estate developers and owners in each of our markets.  Some of these competitors may have greater capital resources than we do;do, although we do not believe that any single competitor or group of competitors is dominant in any of the primary markets where our properties are located are dominant in that market.

We face significant competition in our efforts to lease available space to prospective tenants at our operating, development and redevelopment properties. The nature of the competition for tenants varies based on the characteristics of each local market in which we own properties. We believe that the principal competitive factors in attracting tenants in our market areas are location, demographics, rental rates, the presence of anchor stores, competitor shopping centers in the same geographic area and the maintenance, appearance, access and traffic patterns of our properties.  There can be no assurance in the future that we will be able to compete successfully with our competitors in our development, acquisition and leasing activities.

In addition, some of our properties have tenants which may use hazardous or toxic substances in the routine course of their businesses. In general, these tenants have covenanted in their leases with us to use these substances, if any, in compliance with all environmental laws and have agreed to indemnify us for any damages we may suffer as a result of their use of such substances. However, these lease provisions may not fully protect us in the event that a tenant becomes insolvent. Finally, onecertain of our properties hashave contained asbestos-containing building materials, or ACBM, and another propertyother properties may have contained such materials based on the date of its construction. Environmental laws require that ACBM be properly managed and maintained, and fines and penalties may be imposed on building owners or operators for failure to comply with these requirements. The laws also may allow third parties to seek recovery from owners or operators for personal injury associated with exposure to asbestos fibers.

Neither existing environmental, health, safety and similar laws nor the costs of our compliance with these laws has had a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results operations, and management does not believe they will in the future. In addition, we have not incurred, and do not expect to incur, any material costs or liabilities due to environmental contamination at properties we currently own or have owned in the past. However, we cannot predict the impact of new or changed laws or regulations on properties we currently own or may acquire in the future.

With environmental sustainability becoming a national priority, we have continued to demonstrate our strong commitment to be a responsible corporate citizen through resource reduction and employee training that have resulted in reductions of energy consumption, waste and improved maintenance cycles.

We carry comprehensive liability, fire, extended coverage, and rental loss insurance that covers all properties in our portfolio. We believe the policy specifications and insured limits are appropriate and adequate given the relative risk of loss, the cost of the coverage, geographic locations of our assets and industry practice. Certain risks such as loss from riots, war or acts of God, and, in some cases, flooding are not insurable; and therefore, we do not carry insurance for these losses. Some of our policies, such as those covering losses due to terrorism and floods, are insured subject to limitations involving large deductibles or co-payments and policy limits that may not be sufficient to cover losses.

Our principal executive office is located at 30 S. Meridian Street, Suite 1100, Indianapolis, IN 46204. Our telephone number is (317) 577-5600.

As of December 31, 2015,2018, we had 145144 full-time employees. The majority of these employees were based at our Indianapolis, Indiana headquarters.

Our primary business is the ownership and operation of neighborhood and community shopping centers. We do not distinguish or group our operations on a geographical basis, or any other basis, when measuring performance. Accordingly, we have one operating segment, which also serves as our reportable segment for disclosure purposes in accordance with GAAP.accounting principles generally accepted in the United States ("GAAP").  

Also available on our website, free of charge, are copies of our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, our Code of Ethics for Principal Executive Officer and Senior Financial Officers, our Corporate Governance Guidelines, and the charters for each of the committees of our Board of Trustees—the Audit Committee, the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee, and the Compensation Committee. Copies of our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, our Code of Ethics for Principal Executive Officer and Senior Financial Officers, our Corporate Governance Guidelines, and our committee charters are also available from us in print and free of charge to any shareholder upon request. Any person wishing to obtain such copies in print should contact our Investor Relations department by mail at our principal executive office.

The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements made in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and presented elsewhere by our management from time to time. These factors, among others, may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, operating results and cash flows, and you should carefully consider them. It is not possible to predict or identify all such factors. You should not consider this list to be a complete statement of all potential risks or uncertainties. Past performance should not be considered an indication of future performance.

We have separated the risks into three categories:

Certain sectors of the United States economy, are still experiencingincluding the retail sector, have experienced and continue to experience sustained weakness.  Over the past several years, this structural weakness has resulted in periods of high unemployment, the bankruptcy or weakened financial condition of a number of retailers, decreased consumer spending, increased home foreclosures, low consumer confidence, and reduced demand and rental rates for certain retail space. Market conditions remain challenging as higher than historical levels of unemployment and lower consumer confidence have persisted.  There can be no assurance that the recovery will continue. General economic factors that are beyond our control, including, but not limited to, economic recessions, decreases in consumer confidence and spending, decreases in business confidence and business spending, reductions in consumer credit availability, increasing consumer debt levels, rising energy costs, higher tax rates continuedor other changes in taxation, rising interest rates, business layoffs, downsizing and industry slowdowns, unemployment and/or rising or falling inflation, could have a negative impact on the business of our retail tenants.  In turn, this could have a material adverse effect on our business because current or prospective tenants may, among other things, (i) have difficulty paying their rent obligations as they struggle to sell goods and services to consumers, (ii) be unwilling to enter into or renew leases with us on favorable terms or at all, (iii) seek to terminate their existing leases with us or request rentalrent concessions on such leases, or (iv) be forced to curtail operations or declare bankruptcy.  We are also susceptible to other developments and conditions that while not directly tied to the economy, could have a material adverse effect on our business. These developments and conditions include relocations of businesses, changing demographics increased Internet(including the number of households and average household income surrounding our properties), increasing consumer shopping via the internet (or e-commerce), other changes in retailers' and consumers' preferences and behaviors, infrastructure quality, federal, state, and local budgetary constraints and priorities, increases in real estate and other taxes, costs of complying withincreased government regulations or increased regulation and the related compliance cost, decreasing valuations of real estate, and other factors.

Further, we continually monitor events and changes in circumstances that could indicate that the carrying value of our real estate assets may not be recoverable.  The ongoing challengingChallenging market conditions could require us to recognize an impairment charge,charges with respect to one or more of our properties, or a loss on the disposition of one or more of our properties.  

Our long-lived assets, primarily real estate held for investment, are carried at cost unless circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the assets may not be recoverable. Werecoverable through future operations. On at least a quarterly basis, we evaluate whether there are any indicators, including propertypoor operating performance andor deteriorating general market conditions, that the carrying value of theour real estate properties (including any related amortizable intangible assets or liabilities) may not be recoverable. Through theAs part of this evaluation, we compare the current carrying value of the asset to the estimated undiscounted cash flows that are directly associated with the use and ultimate disposition of the asset. Our estimated cash flows are based on several key assumptions, including current and projected rental rates, costs of tenant improvements, leasing commissions, anticipated hold periods, and assumptions regarding the residual value upon disposition, including the exit capitalization rate. These key assumptions are subjective in nature and could differ materially from actual results.results if the property was disposed. Changes in our disposition strategy or changes in the marketplace may alter the hold period of an asset or asset group, which may result in an impairment loss, and such loss could be material to our financial condition or operating performance. To the extent that the carrying value of the asset exceeds the estimated undiscounted cash flows, an impairment loss is recognized equal to the excess of carrying value over estimated fair value. If suchthe above-described negative indicators as described above, are not identified during our period property evaluations, management will not assess the recoverability of a property's carrying value.

The estimation of the fair value of real estate assets is highly subjective and is typically determined through comparable sales information and other market data if available or through use of an income approach such as the direct capitalization method or the traditional discounted cash flow approach. Such cash flow projections consider factors, including expected future operating income, trends and prospects, as well as the effects of demand, competition and other factors, and therefore are subject to a significant degree of management judgment. Changes in those factors could impact the determination of fair value. In estimating the fair value of undeveloped land, we generally use market data and comparable sales information.

These subjective assessments have a direct impact on our net income because recording an impairment charge results in an immediate negative adjustment to net income. There can be no assurance that we will not take additional charges in the future related to the impairment of our assets. Any future impairment could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations in the period in which the charge is taken.

Required repayments of debt and related interest charges, along with any applicable prepayment premium, may materially adversely affect our operating performance. We had $1.7$1.5 billion of consolidated outstanding indebtedness as of December 31, 2015.2018.  At December 31, 2015, $711.02018, $464.1 million of our debt bore interest at variable rates ($215.372.9 million when reduced by our $495.7$391.2 million of fixed interest rate swaps). Interest rates are currently low relative to historical levels and may increase significantly in the future. If our interest expense increased significantly, it could materially adversely affect our results of operations. For example, if market rates of interest on our variable rate debt outstanding, net of cash flow hedges, as of December 31, 20152018 increased by 1%, the increase in interest expense on our unhedged variable rate debt would decrease future cash flows by $2.2approximately $0.7 million annually.

Our substantial debt could materially and adversely affect our business in other ways, including by, among other things:

 

Our unsecured revolving credit facility and various other debt agreements contain certain Events of Default which include, but are not limited to, failure to make principal or interest payments when due, failure to perform or observe any term, in the agreement, covenant or condition contained in the agreements, failure to maintain certain financial and operating ratios and other criteria, misrepresentations, acceleration of other material indebtedness and bankruptcy proceedings.  In the event of a default under any of these agreements, the lender would have various rights including, but not limited to, the ability to require the acceleration of the payment of all principal and interest due and/or to terminate the agreements and, to the extent such debt is secured, to foreclose on the properties.  The declaration of a default and/or the acceleration of the amount due under any such credit agreement could have a material adverse effect on our business, limit our ability to make distributions to our shareholders, and prevent us from obtaining additional funds needed to address cash shortfalls or pursue growth opportunities.

A significant amount of our indebtedness is secured by our real estate assets. If a property or group of properties is mortgaged to secure payment of debt and we are unable to meetmake the required periodic mortgage payments, the lender or the holder of the mortgage or lender could foreclose on the property, resulting in the loss of our investment. For tax purposes, a foreclosure of any of our properties would be treated as a sale of the property for a purchase price equal to the outstanding balance of the debt secured by the mortgage. If the outstanding balance of the debt secured by the mortgage exceeds our tax basis in the property, we would recognize taxable income on foreclosure, but we would not receive any cash proceeds, which could hinder our ability to meet the REIT distribution requirements imposed by the Internal Revenue Code.Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). If any of our properties are foreclosed on due to a default, our ability to pay cash distributions to our shareholders and our earnings will be limited.  In addition, as a result of cross-collateralization or cross-default provisions contained in certain of our mortgage loans, a default under one mortgage loan could result in a default on other indebtedness and cause us to lose other better performing properties, which could materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

We use a combination of interest rate protection agreements, including interest rate swaps, to manage risk associated with interest rate volatility. This may expose us to additional risks, including a risk that the counterparty to a hedging arrangement may fail to honor its obligations. Developing an effective interest rate risk strategy is complex and no strategy can completely insulate us from risks associated with interest rate fluctuations. There can be no assurance that our hedging activities will have the desired beneficial impacteffect on our results of operations or financial condition. Further, should we choose to terminate a hedging agreement, there could be significant costs and cash requirements involved to fulfill our initial obligation under the hedgingsuch agreement.

Our unsecured revolving credit facility contains certain financial and operating covenants, including, among other things, certain coverage ratios, as well as limitations on our ability to incur debt, make dividend payments, sell all or substantially all of our assets and engage in mergers and consolidations and certain acquisitions. These covenants may restrict our ability to pursue certain business initiatives or certain acquisition transactions. In addition, certain of our mortgages contain customary covenants which, among other things, limit our ability, without the prior consent of the lender, to further mortgage the property, to enter into new leases or materially modify existing leases, and to discontinue insurance coverage.  Failure to meet any of the financial covenants could cause an event of default under and/or accelerate some or all of our indebtedness, which could have a material adverse effect on us.

As of December 31, 2015,2018, we have nineone development project and four redevelopment projects under construction or in the planning stage, including de-leasing space and evaluating development plans and costs with potential tenants and partners. Some of these plans include non-retail uses, such as multifamily housing. New development and redevelopment projects. New development projects and property acquisitions are subject to a number of risks, including, but not limited to:

In addition, if a project is delayed or if we are unable to lease designated space to anchor tenants, certain other tenants may have the right to terminate their leases.leases or modify the terms in a manner that is disadvantageous to us. If any of these situations occur, development costs for a project may increase, which may result in reduced returns, or even losses, from such investments. In deciding whether to acquire, develop, or developredevelop a particular property, we make certain assumptions regarding the expected future performance of that property. If these new properties do not perform as expected, our financial performance may be materially and adversely affected, or an impairment charge could occur. In addition, the issuance of equity securities as consideration for any significant acquisitions could be dilutive to our shareholders.

We currently have threeone development projectsproject and one redevelopment project under construction. We have also identified multiplethree additional redevelopment opportunities at our operating properties and expect to commence redevelopment in the future. In connection with any development or redevelopment of our properties, we will bear certain risks, including the risk of construction delays or cost overruns that may increase project costs and make a project uneconomical, the risk that occupancy or rental rates at a completed project will not be sufficient to enable us to pay operating expenses or earn the targeted rate of return on investment, and the risk of incurrence of predevelopment costs in connection with projects that are not pursued to completion. In addition, various tenants may have the right to withdraw from a property if a development and/or redevelopment project is not completed on time. In the case of a redevelopment project,schedule and

Real estate property investments generally cannot be sold quickly. Our ability to dispose of properties on advantageous terms depends on factors beyond our control, including competition from other sellers and the availability of attractive financing for potential buyers of our properties, and we cannot predict the various market conditions affecting real estate investments that will exist at any particular time in the future.  In addition,Before a property can be sold, we may need to make expenditures to correct defects or to make improvements. We may not have funds available to correct such defects or to make such improvements, and if we cannot do so, we might not be able to sell the property or might be required to sell the property on unfavorable terms. With respect to our plan announced in February 2019 to market and sell up to $500 million in non-core assets, there can be no assurances that we will successfully complete the dispositions or that execution of our plan will enhance shareholder value. We may not be able to dispose of any of the properties on terms favorable to us or at all, and each individual sale will depend on, among other things, economic and market conditions, individual asset characteristics and the availability of potential buyers and favorable financing terms at the time. Further, we will incur marketing expenses and other transaction costs in connection with our formation atdispositions, and the timeprocess of marketing and selling a large pool of properties may distract the attention of our initial public offering (“IPO”), we entered into an agreement that restricts our ability, prior to December 31, 2016, to dispose of sixpersonnel from the operation of our properties in taxable transactions and limits the amount of gain we can trigger with respect to certain other properties without incurring reimbursement obligations owed to certain limited partners of our Operating Partnership. We have agreed that if we dispose of any interest in six specified properties in a taxable transaction before December 31, 2016, we will indemnify the contributors of those properties for their tax liabilities attributable to the built-in gain that exists with respect to such property interest as of the time of our IPO (and tax liabilities incurred as a result of the reimbursement payment). The six properties to which our tax indemnity obligations relate represented 7.4% of our annualized base rent in the aggregate as of December 31, 2015. These six properties are International Speedway Square, Shops at Eagle Creek, Whitehall Pike, Portofino Shopping Center, Thirty South and Market

 

Also, the tax laws applicable to REITs require that we hold our properties for investment, rather thanimpose a 100% penalty tax on any net income from “prohibited transactions.” In general, prohibited transactions are sales or other dispositions of property held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business, which maybusiness. The determination as to whether a particular sale is a prohibited transaction depends on the facts and circumstances related to that sale. The need to avoid prohibited transactions could cause us to forego or defer sales of properties that might otherwise would be in our best interest.interest to sell. Therefore, we may be unable to adjust our portfolio mix promptly in response to market conditions, which may adversely affect our financial position. In addition, we will be subject to income taxes on gains from the sale of any properties owned by any taxable REIT subsidiary.

We do not carry insurance for generally uninsurable losses such as loss from riots, war or acts of God, and, in some cases, flooding. Some of our policies, such as those covering losses due to terrorism and floods, are insured subject to limitations involving large deductibles or co-payments and policy limits that may not be sufficient to cover all losses.  In addition, tenants generally are required to indemnify and hold us harmless from liabilities resulting from injury to persons or damage to personal or real property, on the premises, due to activities conducted by tenants or their agents on the properties (including without limitation any environmental contamination) and, at the tenant’s expense, to obtain and keep in full force during the term of the lease, liability and property damage insurance policies. However, tenants may not properly maintain their insurance policies or have the ability to pay the deductibles associated with such policies.  If we experience a loss that is uninsured or that exceeds policy limits, we could lose the capital invested in the damaged properties as well as the anticipated future cash flows from those properties. Inflation, changes in building codes and ordinances, environmental considerations, and other factors also might make it impractical or undesirable to use insurance proceeds to replace a property after it has been damaged or destroyed. In addition, if the damaged properties are subject to recourse indebtedness, we would continue to be liable for the indebtedness, even if these properties were irreparably damaged.

In the future, we may be unable to renew or duplicate our current insurance coverage at adequate levels or at reasonable prices. In addition, insurance companies may no longer offer coverage against certain types of losses, such as losses due to terrorist acts, environmental liabilities, or other catastrophic events including hurricanes and floods, or, if offered, the expense of obtaining these types of insurance may not be justified. We therefore may cease to have insurance coverage against certain types of losses and/or there may be decreases in the limits of insurance available. If an uninsured loss or a loss in excess of our insured limits occurs, we could lose all or a portion of the capital we have invested in a property, as well as the anticipated future revenue from the property after a covered period of time, but still remain obligated for any mortgage debt or other financial obligations related to the property. We cannot guarantee that material losses in excess of insurance proceeds will not occur in the future. If any of our properties were to experience a catastrophic loss, it could seriously disrupt our operations, delay revenue and result in large expenses to repair or rebuild the property. Events such as these could adversely affect our results of operations and our ability to meet our financial obligations.

Our existing properties and any properties we develop or acquire in the future are and will continue to be subject to operating risks common to real estate in general, any or all of which may negatively affect us. The expenses of owning and operating properties generally do not decrease, and may increase, when circumstances such as market factors and competition cause a reduction in income from the properties. Our properties continue to be subject to increases in real estate and other tax rates, utility costs, operating expenses, insurance costs, repairs and maintenance and administrative expenses, regardless of occupancy rates. As a result, if any property is not fully occupied or if rents are being paid in an amount that is insufficient to cover operating expenses, we could be required to expend funds for that property’s operating expenses. Our properties continue to be subject to increases in real estate and other tax rates, utility costs, operating expenses, insurance costs, repairs and maintenance and administrative expenses, regardless of such properties’ occupancy rates. Therefore, rising operating expenses could reduce our cash flow and funds available for future distributions, particularly if such expenses are not offset by corresponding revenues.

Under various federal, state and local laws, ordinances and regulations, an owner or operator of real estate may be required to investigate and clean up hazardous or toxic substances or petroleum product releases at a property and may be held liable to a governmental entity or to third parties for property damage and for investigation and clean-up costs incurred by such parties in connection with contamination. The cost of investigation, remediation or removal of such substances may be substantial, and the presence of such substances, or the failure to properly remediate such substances, may adversely affect the owner’s ability to sell or rent such property or to borrow using such property as collateral. In connection with the ownership, operation and management of real properties, we are potentially liable for removal or remediation costs, as well as certain other related costs, including governmental fines and injuries to persons and property.  We may also be liable to third parties for damage and injuries resulting from environmental contamination emanating from the real estate.  Environmental laws also may create liens on contaminated sites in favor of the government for damages and costs it incurs to address such contamination.  Moreover, if contamination is discovered on our properties, environmental laws may impose restrictions on the manner in which that property may be used or how businesses may be operated on that property.

Some of the properties in our portfolio contain, may have contained or are adjacent to or near other properties that have contained or currently contain underground storage tanks for petroleum products or other hazardous or toxic substances. These tanks may have released, or have the potential to release, such substances into the environment. In addition, some of our properties have tenants that may use hazardous or toxic substances in the routine course of their businesses. In general, these tenants have covenanted in their leases with us to use these substances, if any, in compliance with all environmental laws and have agreed to indemnify us for any damages that we may suffer as a result of their use of such substances. However, these lease provisions may not fully protect us in the event that a tenant becomes insolvent. Finally, onecertain of our properties hashave contained asbestos-containing building materials, or ACBM, and another propertyother properties may have contained such materials based on the date of its construction. Environmental laws require that ACBM be properly managed and maintained, and may impose fines and penalties on building owners or operators for failure to comply with these requirements. The laws also may allow third parties to seek recovery from owners or operators for personal injury associated with exposure to asbestos fibers.

We test our properties for compliance with applicable environmental laws on a limited basis. We cannot give assurance that:

Our properties must comply with Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA to the extent that such properties are public accommodations as defined by the ADA. The ADA may require removal of structural barriers to access by persons with disabilities in certain public areas of our properties where such removal is readily achievable. Noncompliance with the ADA could result in imposition of finesorders requiring us to spend substantial sums to cure violations, pay attorneys' fees, or an award of damages to private litigants and the incurrence of additional costs associated with bringing the properties into compliance.pay other amounts. Although we believe the properties in our portfolio substantially comply with present requirements of the ADA, we have not conducted an audit or investigation of all of our properties to determine our compliance. While the tenants to whom our properties are leased are obligated by law to comply with the ADA provisions, and typically under tenant leases are obligated to cover costs associated with compliance, if required changes involve greater expenditures than anticipated, or if the changes must be made on a more accelerated basis than anticipated, the ability of these tenants to cover costs could be adversely affected. As a result, we could be required to expend funds to comply with the provisions of the ADA, which could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition. In addition, we are required to operate the properties in compliance with fire and safety regulations, building codes and other land use regulations, as they may be adopted by governmental agencies and bodies and become applicable to the properties. We may be required to make substantial capital expenditures to comply with, and we may be restricted in our ability to renovate the properties subject to, those requirements. The resulting expenditures and restrictions could have a material adverse effect on our ability to meet our financial obligations.obligations, as well as our cash flows and results of operations.

Most of our leases contain provisions requiring the tenant to pay a share of operating expenses, including common area maintenance, real estate taxes and insurance.  However, increased inflation could have a more pronounced negative impact on our mortgage and debt interest and general and administrative expenses, as these costs could increase at a rate higher than our rents. Also, inflation may adversely affect tenant leases with stated rent increases or limits on such tenant’s obligation to pay its share of operating expenses, which could be lower than the increase in inflation at any given time.  It may also limit our ability to recover all of our operating expenses. Inflation could also have an adverse effect on consumer spending, which could impact our tenants’ sales and, in turn, our average rents, and in some cases, our percentage rents, where applicable.  In addition, renewals of leases or future leases may not be negotiated on current terms, in which event we may recover a smaller percentage of our operating expenses.

We rely extensively on computer systems to process transactions and manage our business, and our business is at risk from and may be impacted by cybersecurity attacks. These could include attempts to gain unauthorized access to our data and computer systems. Attacks can be both individual and/or highly organized attempts by very sophisticated hacking organizations. A cybersecurity attack could compromise the confidential information of our employees, tenants, and vendors. Additionally, we rely on a number of service providers and vendors, and cybersecurity risks at these service providers and vendors create additional

We employ a number of measures to prevent, detect and mitigate these threats. These prevention measures include password protection, frequent password change events, firewall detection systems, frequent backups, a redundant data system for core applications and penetration testing. We conduct periodic assessments of (i) the nature, sensitivity and location of information that we collect, process and store and the technology systems we use; (ii) internal and external cybersecurity threats to and vulnerabilities of our information and technology systems; (iii) security controls and processes currently in place; (iv) the impact should our technology systems become compromised; and (v) the effectiveness of our management of cybersecurity risk. The results of these assessments are used to create and implement a strategy designed to prevent, detect and respond to cybersecurity threats. However, there is no guarantee such efforts will be successful in preventing a cyber-attack.

Our organizational documents contain provisions that may have an anti-takeover effect and inhibit a change in our management.

Certain provisions of Maryland law may have the effect of inhibiting a third party from making a proposal to acquire us or of impeding a change of control under circumstances that otherwise could provide the holders of our common shares with the opportunity to realize a premium over the then-prevailing market price of such shares, including:

Our declaration of trust authorizes our Board of Trustees to, among other things, issue additional common shares without shareholder approval. The issuance of substantial numbers of our common shares in the public market or the perception that such issuances might occur could adversely affect the per share trading price of our common shares. In addition, any such issuance could dilute our existing shareholders' interests in our company. Furthermore, if our shareholders sell, or the market perceives that our shareholders intend to sell, substantial amounts of our common shares in the public market, the market price of our common shares could decline significantly. These sales also might make it more difficult for us to sell equity or equity-related securities

Certain of our officers own limited partner units in our Operating Partnership. These individuals may have personal interests that conflict with the interests of our shareholders with respect to business decisions affecting us and our Operating Partnership, such as interests in the timing and pricing of property sales or refinancingsrefinancing transactions in order to obtain favorable tax treatment. As a result, the effect of certain transactions on these unit holders may influence our decisions affecting these properties.

To qualify as a REIT, we are required to distribute to our shareholders each year at least 90% of our “REIT taxable income” (determined before the deduction for dividends paid and excluding net capital gains). In order to eliminate federal income tax, we are required to distribute annually 100% of our net taxable income, including capital gains. Partly because of these distribution requirements, we may not be able to fund all future capital needs, including capital for property development, redevelopment and acquisitions, with income from operations. We therefore will have to rely on third-party sources of capital, which may or may not be available on favorable terms, if at all.  Any additional debt we incur will increase our leverage, expose us to the risk of default and may impose operating restrictions on us, and any additional equity we raise could be dilutive to existing shareholders.  Our access to third-party sources of capital depends on a number of things, including:

If we cannot obtain capital from third-party sources, we may not be able to acquire or develop properties when strategic opportunities exist, satisfy our principal and interest obligations or make distributions to our shareholders.

Maryland law provides that a director or officer has limited liability in that capacity if he or she performs his or her duties in good faith and in a manner that he or she reasonably believes to be in our best interests and that an ordinarily prudent person

Our investment, financing, borrowing and dividend policies and our policies with respect to all other activities, including growth, debt, capitalization and operations, will be determined by our management and, in certain cases, approved by our Board of Trustees. These policies may be amended or revised from time to time at the discretion of our Board of Trustees without a vote of our shareholders. This means that our shareholders will have limited control over changes in our policies. Such changes in our policies intended to improve, expand or diversify our business may not have the anticipated effects and consequently may adversely affect our business and prospects, results of operations and share price.

The stock markets (including The New York Stock Exchange or the “NYSE,”(the “NYSE”) on which we list our common shares) have experienced significant price and volume fluctuations. The market price of our common shares could be similarly volatile, and investors in our shares may experience a decrease in the value of their shares, including decreases unrelated to our operating performance or prospects. Among the market conditions that may affect the market price of our publicly traded securities are the following:

 

 In the past, securities class action litigation has often been instituted against companies following periods of volatility in their stock price. This type of litigation could result in substantial costs and divert our management’s attention and resources.

We believe that we have qualified for taxation as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes commencing with our taxable year ended December 31, 2004.  We intend to continue to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT, but we cannot assure shareholders that we will qualify as a REIT. We have not requested and do not plan to request a ruling from the IRS that we qualify as a REIT, and the statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are not binding on the IRS or any court. As a REIT, we generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on our income that we distribute currently to our shareholders. Many of the REIT requirements, however, are highly technical and complex. The determination that we are a REIT requires an analysis of various factual matters and circumstances that may not be totally within our control. For example, to qualify as a REIT, at least 95% of our gross income must come from specific passive sources, such as rent, that are itemized in the REIT tax laws. In addition, to qualify as a REIT, we cannot own specified amounts of debt and equity securities of some issuers. We also are required to distribute to our shareholders with respect to each year at least 90% of our “REIT taxable income” (determined before the deduction for dividends paid and excluding net capital gains). The fact that we hold substantially all of our assets through our Operating Partnership and its subsidiaries and joint ventures further complicates the application of the REIT requirements for us. Even a technical or inadvertent mistake could jeopardize our REIT status, and, given the highly complex nature of the rules governing REITs and the ongoing importance of factual determinations, we cannot provide any assurance that we will continue to qualify as a REIT. Furthermore, Congress and the IRS might make changes to the tax laws and regulations, and the courts might issue new rulings, that make it more difficult, or impossible, for us to remain qualified as a REIT.

If we fail to qualify as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes and are unable to avail ourselves of certain savings provisions set forth in the Internal Revenue Code, weCode:

If Inland Diversified Real Estate Trust, Inc. ("Inland Diversified") failed to qualify as a REIT for a taxable year before the Merger or for the taxable year that includes the Merger and no relief is available, in connection with the Merger we would succeed to any earnings and profits accumulated by Inland Diversified for the taxable periods that it did not qualify as a REIT, and we would have to pay a special dividend and/or employ applicable deficiency dividend procedures (including significant interest payments to the IRS) to eliminate such earnings and profits.

Even if we qualify as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes, we will be required to pay certain U.S. federal, state and local taxes on our income and property. For example, we will be subject to income tax to the extent we distribute less than 100% of our REIT taxable income (including capital gains). Additionally, we will be subject to a 4% nondeductible excise tax on

In addition, any net taxable income earned directly by our taxable REIT subsidiaries, or through entities that are disregarded for U.S. federal income tax purposes as entities separate from our taxable REIT subsidiaries, will be subject to U.S. federal and possibly state corporate income tax. We have elected to treat Kite Realty Holdings, LLC as a taxable REIT subsidiary, and we may elect to treat other subsidiaries as taxable REIT subsidiaries in the future. In this regard, several provisions of the laws applicable to REITs and their subsidiaries ensure that a taxable REIT subsidiary will be subject to an appropriate level of U.S. federal income taxation. For example, a taxable REIT subsidiary is limited in its ability to deduct interest payments made to an affiliated REIT. In addition, the REIT has to pay a 100% penalty tax on some payments that it receives or on some deductions taken by the taxable REIT subsidiaries if the economic arrangements between the REIT, the REIT’s tenants, and the taxable REIT subsidiary are not comparable to similar arrangements between unrelated parties. Finally, some state and local jurisdictions may tax some of our income even though as a REIT we are not subject to U.S. federal income tax on that income because not all states and localities treat REITs the same way they are treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes. To the extent that we and our affiliates are required to pay U.S. federal, state and local taxes, we will have less cash available for distributions to our shareholders.

If Inland Diversified failed to qualify as a REIT for a taxable year before the Merger or the taxable year that includes the Merger and no relief is available, as a result of the Merger (a) we would inherit any corporate income tax liabilities of Inland Diversified for Inland Diversified’s open tax years (generally three years or Inland Diversified’s 2011 through 2014 tax years but possibly extending back six years or Inland Diversified’s initial 2009 tax year2012 through its 2014 tax year), including penalties and interest,years and (b) we would be subject to tax on the built-in gain on each asset of Inland Diversified existing at the time of the Merger if we were to dispose of the Inland Diversified asset within five years following the Merger (i.e. before  July 1, 2019).

We may be required from time to time, under certain circumstances, to accrue income for tax purposes that has not yet been received. In such event, or upon our repayment of principal on debt, we could have taxable income without sufficient cash to enable us to meet the distribution requirements of a REIT. Accordingly, we could be required to borrow funds or liquidate investments on adverse terms in order to meet these distribution requirements. Additionally, the sale of properties resulting in significant tax gains could require higher distributions to our shareholders or payment of additional income taxes in order to maintain our REIT status.

The maximum rate applicable to “qualified dividend income” paid by regularnon-REIT “C” corporations to certain non-corporate U.S. shareholders that are individuals, trusts and estates generally is 20%has been reduced by legislation to 23.8% (taking into account the 3.8% Medicare tax applicable to net investment income).  Dividends payable by REITs, however, generally are not eligible for the current reduced rate, except to the extent that certain holding requirements have been metrates. Effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and a REIT’sbefore January 1, 2026, non-corporate shareholders may deduct 20% of their dividends are attributable to dividends received by a REIT from taxable corporations (such as a REIT’s taxable REIT subsidiaries), to income that was subject to tax at the REIT/corporate level, or to dividends properly designated by the REIT as “capital gains dividends.” Although the reduced rates applicable toREITs (excluding qualified dividend income from regularand capital gains dividends). For non-corporate shareholders in the top marginal tax bracket of 37%, the deduction for REIT dividends yields an effective income tax rate of 29.6% on REIT dividends, which is higher than the 20% tax rate on qualified dividend income paid by non-REIT “C” corporations docorporations. This does not adversely affect the taxation of REITs, or dividends payable by REITs,however, it could cause investors who arecertain non-corporate taxpayersinvestors to perceive investments in REITs to be relatively less attractive than investments in the shares of regularnon-REIT “C” corporations that pay dividends, which could adversely affect the value of our common shares.

As of December 31, 2015,2018, we owned interests in a portfolio of 110105 retail operating properties totaling approximately 22.021.2 million square feet of total Gross Leasable Area (“GLA”)GLA (including approximately 6.76.1 million square feet of non-owned anchor space).  The following tables settable sets forth more specific information with respect to our retail operating properties as of December 31, 2015:2018: