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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

SCHEDULE 14A

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Filed by the Registrant  ☒

Filed by a Party other than the Registrant  ☐

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Filed by the Registrant  x

Filed by a Party other than the Registranto

Check the appropriate box:

o

Preliminary Proxy Statement

o

Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))

x

Definitive Proxy Statement

o

Definitive Additional Materials

o

Soliciting Material Under Rule 14a-12

Realty Income Corporation

(Name of the Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

x

No fee required.

o

Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.

(1)

Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:

(2)

(2)

Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:

(3)

(3)

Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined):

(4)

Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:

(5)

Total fee paid:

o

Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.

o

Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.

(1)

Amount Previously Paid:

(2)

Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:

(3)

Filing Party:

(4)

Date Filed:

 



Table of Contents2017PROXY STATEMENT

 

GRAPHIC

March 21, 2014

 (REALTY INCOME FUND)

(REALTY INCOME LOGO) 

April 3, 2017

 

Dear Stockholder:

 

You are cordially invited to attend the 2014our 2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Realty Income Corporation, a Maryland corporation,(the Annual Meeting) to be held at 9:00 AM, local time,a.m., Pacific Time on May 6, 201416, 2017 at the San Diego Marriott Del Mar, 11966 El Camino Real, San Diego, California 92130.

 

AtThe business that will be conducted at the Annual Meeting you will be asked to consider and vote upon:

(1) The election of the seven directors named in the accompanying Proxy Statement to serve until the 2015 annual meeting of stockholders and until their respective successors are duly elected and qualify.

(2) The ratification of the appointment of KPMG LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2014.

(3) A non-binding advisory proposal to approve the compensation of our named executive officers, asis described in the accompanying Proxy Statement (the “say on pay vote”).

(4) The transactionNotice of such other business as may properly come before the 2017 Annual Meeting or any postponements or adjournments of the Annual Meeting.

These proposals are more fully described in the accompanying Proxy Statement.  We urge you to carefully review theStockholders and Proxy Statement.

 

OurWe are pleased with the company’s performance in 2016, with solid earnings growth and stockholder returns. We invested a record $1.86 billion in high-quality real estate properties, funded the acquisitions with attractively priced permanent and long-term capital, and actively managed our portfolio to maximize value. In 2016, we also surpassed $1 billion in rental revenue generated from our real estate portfolio, a significant milestone representing the growth and achievement of our company.

As The Monthly Dividend Company®, we remain committed to our mission of providing our stockholders with monthly dividends that increase over time. During 2016, we paid twelve monthly dividends and increased the dividend per share by 5.3% over 2015. I would like to thank our team members for their continued hard work and dedication in achieving our mission. We remain focused on continuing our positive momentum into 2017 and beyond.

We encourage you to review the information contained in the Proxy Statement. It is meant to provide an overview of the company’s achievements during the year, including further improvements to the company’s compensation program and enhancements to our corporate governance practices. After your review, we hope that you will vote at the meeting (either in person or by proxy) in accordance with the Board of Directors recommends aDirectors’ recommendations.

Your vote FOR the electionis important to us and we appreciate your continued support of our company.

Sincerely,

-s- John P. Case

John P. Case
Chief Executive Officer
Director, Board of Directors

Notice of the seven director nominees to serve until the next annual meeting and until their respective successors are duly elected and qualify; a vote FOR the ratification2017
Annual Meeting of the appointment of KPMG LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2014; and a vote FOR the say on pay vote.Stockholders

 

YOUR VOTENOTICE IS IMPORTANT TO US, WHETHER YOU OWN FEW OR MANY SHARES!

Please complete, date and signHEREBY GIVEN that the enclosed proxy card and return it in the accompanying postage paid envelope or authorize your proxy by internet or telephone, even if you plan to attend the Annual Meeting. If you attend the2017 Annual Meeting you may, if you wish, withdraw your proxy and vote in person.

of Stockholders (the Annual Meeting) of Realty Income Corporation, a Maryland corporation (the company), will be held as follows:

 

MEETING DATE:

Sincerely,

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

MEETING TIME:

9:00 a.m., Pacific Time

LOCATION:

/s/ JOHN P. CASE

JOHN P. CASE

Director, Board of Directors,

Chief Executive Officer



Table of Contents

REALTY INCOME CORPORATION

A Maryland corporation

600 La Terraza Boulevard

Escondido, California  92025-3873

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

TIME AND DATE

9:00 AM, Pacific Daylight Time, on Tuesday, May 6, 2014.

PLACE

San Diego Marriott Del Mar

11966 El Camino Real,

San Diego, California 92130

RECORD DATE: You may vote if you were a holder of record of our common stock at the close of business on March 9, 2017.

ITEMS OF BUSINESS:

 

ITEMS OF BUSINESS

1.

PROPOSAL 1 –

The election of the following seveneight director nominees named in this Proxy Statement to serve until the 20152018 annual meeting of stockholders and until their respective successors are duly elected and qualify: (1) Kathleen R. Allen, Ph.D., (2) John P. Case, (3) A. Larry Chapman, (4) Priya Cherian Huskins, (5) Michael D. McKee, (6) Gregory T. McLaughlin and (7) Ronald L. Merriman.

PROPOSAL 2 – qualify.

2.The ratification of KPMG LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2014.

PROPOSAL 3 – 2017.

3.A non-binding advisory proposal to approve the compensation of our named executive officers as described in this Proxy Statement.

Additionally,

4.A non-binding advisory vote to approve the frequency of future non-binding advisory votes by stockholders on the compensation of our named executive officers.
5.The transaction of such other business as may properly come before the Annual Meeting or any postponementspostponement or adjournmentsadjournment of the Annual Meeting.

The above items of business are more fully described in the accompanying Proxy Statement, which forms a part of this Notice.

Management will report on the current activities of Realty Income and comment on its future plans. A discussion period is planned so that stockholders will have an opportunity to ask questions and make appropriate comments.

The Proxy Statement following this Notice describes these matters in detail. We have not received notice of any other proposals to be presented at the Annual Meeting. At the Annual Meeting, management will report on the current activities of the company and comment on its future plans. A discussion period is planned so that stockholders will have an opportunity to ask questions and make appropriate comments. All presentation materials shared at the Annual Meeting will be made available on the company’s website at www.realtyincome.com.

PROXY VOTING:Your vote is important.

RECORD DATE

You can vote if you were a holder of record of our common stock at the close of business on March 6, 2014.

PROXY VOTING

YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT! If you plan to be present, please notify Michael R. Pfeiffer, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, so that identification can be prepared for you. Whether or not you plan to attend the Annual Meeting, please execute, date and promptly return the enclosed proxy or authorize your proxy by internet or telephone. A return envelope is enclosed for your convenience and requires no postage for mailing in the United States. If you are present at the Annual Meeting, you may, if you wish, withdraw your proxy and vote in person.

March 21, 2014

By Order of the Board of Directors,

/s/ MICHAEL R. PFEIFFER

Michael R. Pfeiffer

Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

Only holders of record of our common stock at the close of business on the Record Date will be entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting or any postponements or adjournments thereof.



Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

Frequently Asked Questions

2

Proposal 1 – Election of Directors

6

Proposal 2 – Ratification of Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

6

Proposal 3 – Advisory Vote to Approve the Compensation of our Named Executive Officers

7

Board of Directors

8

Board of Director Biographies

8

Corporate Governance

11

Board Independence

13

Committees of the Board of Directors

14

Audit Committee

14

Compensation Committee

14

Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee

16

Strategic Planning Committee

16

Director Qualifications

16

Identifying and Evaluating Nominees for Directors

17

Stockholder Recommendations

17

Board Leadership/Independent Chairman of the Board

17

Board Risk Oversight

17

Compensation Risk Assessment

18

Meetings and Attendance

18

Communications with the Board

19

Compensation of the Company’s Directors for 2013

19

Executive Officers of the Company

20

Executive Officer Biographies

21

Executive Compensation

22

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

22

Compensation Decisions and Programs

28

Tax Considerations

39

Compensation Committee Report

39

Summary Compensation Table

40

Grants of Plan-Based Awards Table

41

Outstanding Equity Awards Table as of December 31, 2013

42

Stock Vested During 2013 Table

42

No Pension Benefits or Nonqualified Deferred Compensation

43

Potential Payments upon Termination or Change in Control

43

Termination Scenario Table

45

Audit Committee Report

46

Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance

47

Related Party Transactions

47

Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management

48

Equity Compensation Plan Information as of December 31, 2013

49

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm Fees and Services

50

Fees Paid to Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

50

Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures

50

Stockholder Proposals for 2015 Annual Meeting

50

Forward-Looking Statements

51

Householding of Proxy Materials

51

Incorporation by Reference

51



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REALTY INCOME CORPORATION

600 La Terraza Boulevard

Escondido, California  92025-3873

PROXY STATEMENT

FOR THE

ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

May 6, 2014

Beginning at 9:00 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time

and at any postponements or adjournments of the Annual Meeting


Our Board of Directors is soliciting proxies for the 2014 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, or the Annual Meeting. This Proxy Statement contains important information for you to consider when deciding how to vote on the matters brought before the Annual Meeting. In this Proxy Statement, “Realty Income,” the “company,” “we” and “our” refer to Realty Income Corporation, a Maryland corporation. A copy of our 2013 Annual Report, the Notice of Annual Meeting, this Proxy Statement and the accompanying proxy card are being mailed to our stockholders beginning on or about April 1, 2014.

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Stockholder Meeting to be Held on May 6, 2014:

The Notice of Annual Meeting, this proxy statement, a form of proxy card and our 2013 annual report to stockholders are available on our website at www.realtyincome.com/investing/2014-annual-docs.shtml.  You are encouraged to access and review all of the information contained in the proxy materials before voting.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Why did I receive these proxy materials?

We are providing these proxy materials to our stockholders in connection with the solicitation of proxies by our Board of Directors for exercise at the Annual Meeting.

You are invited to attend our Annual Meeting, which will be held at the San Diego Marriott Del Mar, 11966 El Camino Real, San Diego, California 92130. Stockholders will be admittedwe urge you to the Annual Meeting at 8:30 AM.

Do I need a ticketsubmit your proxy as soon as possible to attend the Annual Meeting?

No, you do not need a ticket, but you will need to register and identify yourself as a stockholder in order to receive certain Annual Meeting materials when you arrive.

What is the purpose of the Annual Meeting?

At the Annual Meeting, stockholders will consider and vote upon:

·The election of seven directors to serve until the 2015 annual meeting of stockholders and until their respective successors are duly elected and qualify;

·The ratification of the appointment of KPMG LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2014;

·A non-binding advisory proposal to approve the compensation of our named executive officers as described in this Proxy Statement (the “say on pay vote”);

·The transaction of such other business as may properly come before the Annual Meeting or any postponements or adjournments of the Annual Meeting.

Who is entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting?

Holders of our common stock at the close of business on March 6, 2014 are entitled to receive notice of and to vote their shares at the Annual Meeting.  As of that date, there were 207,612,524 shares of common stock outstanding and entitled to vote. Each outstanding share of our common stock is entitled to one vote on each matter properly brought before the Annual Meeting.


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What is the difference between holding shares as a stockholder of record or as a beneficial owner?

Ifensure your shares are registered directly in your name withrepresented and voted at our transfer agent, Wells Fargo Shareowner Services, you are considered the “stockholder of record.” In this case, you receive your dividend check from Wells Fargo Shareowner Services.  This year we have engaged the services of Broadridge Financial Solutions (“Broadridge”) to mail ourAnnual Meeting. You may authorize a proxy materials to our registered holders.

If your shares are held in a brokerage account, or by a bank or other holder of record, you are considered the “beneficial owner” of shares held in street name. These proxy materials have been forwarded to you by your broker, bank, or other holder of record. As the beneficial owner, you have the right to direct your broker, bank, or other holder of record on how to vote your shares by usingtelephone, via the voting instruction form included in the mailing or by following their instructions for authorizing your proxy by telephone or on the internet.

Is it necessary to vote Internet, or—if my shares are held in my brokerage account?

It is important to vote your shares even if your shares are held in a brokerage account.  Otherwise, your shares may not be voted on certain matters unless you have a “Legal Proxy” in place authorizing them to vote your shares on your behalf, received and/or you provide voting instructions to your broker, bank or other holderrequested paper copies of record.  If you are unsure, then please vote your Realty Income shares using the voting information provided.

How do I vote?

You may vote using any of the following methods:

By Mail

Be sure to complete, signour proxy materials by mail—by signing, dating and datereturning the proxy card or voting instruction form and return it in the prepaid envelope.envelope provided. If you are a stockholder of record, and the prepaid envelope is missing, please mail your completed proxy to: Realty Income Corporation, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc., 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, NY 11717, Attn: Vote Processing.

By Telephone

Stockholders may authorize their proxies by telephone. The telephone voting procedures are designed to authenticate your identity, to allow you to authorize your proxy, to give your voting instructions and to confirm that those instructions have been properly recorded. You may authorize your proxy by calling the toll-free number on the proxy card or your broker’s voting

instruction form.  Please have your card or form available when you call as it contains your “control number,” which will be required to identify yourself and authorize your proxy to vote your shares. Telephone facilities will be available 24 hours a day and will close at 11:59 P.M. Central Daylight Time on May 5, 2014. If you authorize your proxy by telephone, you do not have to return your proxy or voting instruction form.

By Internet

Stockholders may authorize their proxies on the internet by going to the website indicated on the proxy card or your broker’s voting instruction form. Step-by-step instructions on how to authorize or vote your proxy are provided on the voting sites.

In person atattend the Annual Meeting,

All stockholders of record you may, if you wish, withdraw your proxy and vote in person at the Annual Meeting. You may also be represented by another person at the meeting by executing a proper proxy designating that person as your representative. If you are a beneficial owner of shares, you must obtain a Legal Proxy from your broker, bank or other holder of record and present it to the inspector of election at the Annual Meeting to be able to vote at the Annual Meeting.

What happens if I do not indicate my voting preferences?person.

If you are a stockholder of record and you submit your proxy card or authorize your proxy by telephone or internet, but do not indicate your voting preferences, the persons named in the proxy will vote the shares represented by that proxy FOR the election to the Board of Directors of the seven nominees listed in this proxy statement, FOR the ratification of KPMG LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2014, FOR the say on pay vote, and in the discretion of the proxy holders on any other matter that may properly come before the Annual Meeting.

If you hold your shares through a broker and do not instruct your broker on how to vote your shares, your broker cannot vote your shares on the election of directors or the say on pay vote, but can vote your shares on the proposal regarding ratification of the appointment of our auditor.


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Can I change my vote after I submit my proxy?

If you are a stockholder of record, you may revoke your proxy at any time before it is voted at the Annual Meeting by doing any one of the following:

·delivering to our Corporate Secretary a written notice of revocation prior to or at the Annual Meeting;

·signing and returning to our Corporate Secretary a proxy bearing a later date;

·authorizing another proxy by telephone or on the internet (your most recent telephone or internet authorization is used); or

·voting in person at the Annual Meeting.

If your shares are held in the name of a broker, bank, trust or other nominee, you may change your voting instructions by following the instructions provided by your broker, bank or other record holder in the voting instruction form.

Your attendance at the Annual Meeting will not by itself be sufficient to revoke a proxy unless you vote in person or give written notice of revocation to our Corporate Secretary before the polls are closed. Any written notice revoking a proxy should be sent to Michael R. Pfeiffer, our Corporate Secretary, at our corporate offices at 600 La Terraza Boulevard, Escondido, California 92025-3873.

How does our Board of Directors recommend you vote on the proposals?

Our Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR the election of the seven director nominees listed in this proxy to serve until the 2015 annual meeting and until their respective successors are duly elected and qualify. Our Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR the ratification of the appointment of KPMG LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ended December 31, 2014 and FOR the say on pay vote.

What are the quorum and voting requirements on our three proposals mentioned in this Proxy Statement?

The presence of the holders of a majority of outstanding shares of common stock entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting, present in person or represented by proxy, is necessary to constitute a quorum. Abstentions and broker non-votes are counted as present for purposes of determining a quorum. A “broker non-vote” occurs when a bank, broker or other holder of record holding shares for

a beneficial owner properly executes and returns a proxy card, but does not vote because the broker or other holder does not have discretionary voting power and has not received voting instructions from the beneficial owner.

Proposal 1 – Election of Directors.  Our Bylaws include a majority voting standard for the election of directors in uncontested elections, which are generally defined as elections in which the number of nominees does not exceed the number of directors to be elected at the meeting. In the election of directors, you may either vote “FOR,” “AGAINST” or “ABSTAIN” as to each nominee. Cumulative voting is not permitted. Under the majority voting standard, in uncontested elections of directors, such as this election, each director must be elected by the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast by the shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote. A majority of the votes cast means that the number of votes cast “FOR” a candidate for director exceeds the number of votes cast “AGAINST” that candidate for director. Brokers do not have discretionary authority to vote for directors. Abstentions and broker non-votes will not count as a vote cast “FOR” or “AGAINST” a nominee’s election and thus will have no effect in determining whether a director nominee has received a majority of the votes cast.

In accordance with the policy adopted by our Board of Directors, in this election, an incumbent candidate for director who does not receive the required votes for re-election is expected to offer his or her resignation to the Board of Directors. The Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee of the Board of Directors, or a committee of independent directors in the event the incumbent is a member of the Nominating/ Corporate Governance Committee, will then make a determination as to whether to accept or reject the tendered resignation, generally within 90 days after certification of the election results of the stockholder vote. Following such determination, we will publicly disclose the decision regarding any tendered resignation and the rationale behind such decision in a filing of a Current Report on Form 8-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). If a director’s offer to resign is not accepted by the Board of Directors (or properly constituted committee) or such director does not otherwise submit his or her resignation to the Board of Directors, such director shall continue to serve until his or her successor is duly elected, or his or her earlier resignation or removal.


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Proposal 2 – Ratification of Selection of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.  The affirmative vote of a majority of all the votes cast is necessary for the ratification of the appointment of KPMG LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2014. Accordingly, abstentions will have no effect on the outcome of the vote with respect to ratification of the independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2014. If you are a beneficial owner, your bank, broker or other holder of record is permitted to vote your shares on the ratification of accountants if the broker does not receive voting instructions from you, and thus broker non-votes are not expected to result from this proposal.

Proposal 3 – Say on Pay Vote.  The affirmative vote of a majority of all the votes cast is necessary for the approval of the say on pay vote. Brokers do not have discretionary authority to vote your shares on the say on pay vote. Abstentions and broker non-votes will not be counted as votes cast and will have no effect on the outcome of the vote.

Will any other business be conducted at the Annual Meeting?

Our Board of Directors does not know of any matters to be presented at the meeting other than those mentioned in this Proxy Statement. If any other matters are properly brought before the meeting, it is intended that the proxies will be voted in accordance with the discretion of the person or persons voting the proxies. Under the New York Stock Exchange rules, if you are a beneficial owner, your bank, broker or other holder of record may not vote your shares on any contested stockholder proposal without instructions from you.

If the Annual Meeting is postponed or adjourned for any reason, at any subsequent convening or resumption of the Annual Meeting, all proxies will be voted in the same manner as such proxies would have been voted at the Annual Meeting as originally convened (except for any proxies that have effectively been revoked or withdrawn).

Who will count the vote?

Representatives of Broadridge will tabulate the votes and act as inspector of election.

Can I access the Notice of Annual Meeting, Proxy Statement and 2013 Annual Report on the internet?

These materials are available on our website and can be accessed at www.realtyincome.com/investing/2014-annual-docs.shtml.

Who bears the cost of soliciting proxies?

We will bear the cost of soliciting proxies from our stockholders. In addition to solicitation by mail, our directors, officers, employees and agents may solicit proxies by telephone, telegram, internet or otherwise. These directors, officers and employees will not be additionally compensated for the solicitation, but may be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with the solicitation. Copies of solicitation material will be furnished to brokerage firms, fiduciaries and other custodians who hold shares of our common stock of record for beneficial owners for forwarding to such beneficial owners. We may also reimburse persons representing beneficial owners for their reasonable expenses incurred in forwarding such material.

Stockholders who authorize their proxies through the internet should be aware that they may incur costs to access the internet, such as usage charges from telephone companies or internet service providers and these costs must be borne by the stockholder.

Our common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange, or NYSE, under the ticker symbol “O”. On March 6, 2014, the last reported sale price for our common stock on the NYSE was $42.75 per share.

 

No person is authorized to make any representation with respect to the matters described in this Proxy Statement other than those contained herein and, if given or made, such information or representation must not be relied upon as having been authorized by us or any other person.

 

You are encouraged to read this Proxy Statement in its entirety.entirety before voting.

 

* * * *By Order of the Board of Directors,

-s- Michael R. Pfeiffer

Michael R. Pfeiffer 

Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

Table of Contents



Proxy Summary

The Board of Directors of Realty Income Corporation, a Maryland corporation, is soliciting proxies for the 2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the Annual Meeting) and any postponement or adjournment of the Annual Meeting. This Proxy Summary provides an overview of the proposals to be considered at the Annual Meeting and information contained in the Proxy Statement, but does not contain all of the information that should be considered before voting. We encourage you to read this Proxy Statement in its entirety before voting.

Meeting Date:Tuesday, May 16, 2017
Time:9:00 a.m., Pacific Time
Location:San Diego Marriott Del Mar
11966 El Camino Real
San Diego, California 92130
Record Date:March 9, 2017


How to Vote

On or about April 6, 2017, we will mail or e-mail a copy of our Proxy Statement, proxy card, and 2016 Annual Report (collectively Proxy Materials) to our stockholders according to their previously indicated preference. Some of our stockholders will be mailed a Notice of Availability of Proxy Materials which contains instructions on how to request and receive a paper or e-mailed copy of our Proxy Statement and 2016 Annual Report, and how to view these materials online. All methods of correspondence will provide stockholders with instructions on how to vote or authorize a proxy to vote using any of the following methods:

By Internet:By Toll-Free Telephone:By Mail:In Person:
 (GRAPHIC)(GRAPHIC)  (GRAPHIC) (GRAPHIC)
www.proxyvote.com1-800-690-6903Request, complete and returnComplete a ballot at the
24/7 through May 15, 201724/7 through May 15, 2017a proxy card by pre-paid mailAnnual Meeting

Beneficial Stockholders:If your shares of common stock are held by a bank, broker or other holder of record, please follow the instructions you receive from your bank, broker or other nominee on how to vote your shares of common stock at our Annual Meeting.

 

The dateImportant Notice Regarding the Availability of thisProxy Materials for the Annual Meeting to be Held on May 16, 2017:This Proxy Statement and our 2016 Annual Report are available on our website at http://investors.realtyincome.com/annual-reports-meetings. You can also view these materials at www.proxyvote.com by using the control number that is

March 21, 2014.


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Table provided to you either on your proxy card, in your e-mailed Proxy Materials, or on your Notice of ContentsAvailability of Proxy Materials. You are encouraged to access and review all of the information contained in the Proxy Materials before voting.

 

PROPOSAL 1Proposal Guide

PROPOSALPAGEBOARD VOTE
RECOMMENDATION
PROPOSAL 1 – ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
Our Board of Directors believes that the eight director nominees named herein contribute the breadth of knowledge and experience needed for the advancement of our business strategies and objectives4For
PROPOSAL 2 – RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
The Audit Committee of our Board of Directors has appointed KPMG LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2017 and requests stockholders to ratify, confirm, and approve the appointment4For
PROPOSAL 3 – ADVISORY VOTE TO APPROVE THE COMPENSATION OF OUR NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
Our Board of Directors believes our compensation program is appropriately structured to reward our named executive officers for the continued performance of the company, encourage a disciplined approach to management, and maintain focus on the creation of long-term value for our stockholders5For
PROPOSAL 4 – ADVISORY VOTE ON THE FREQUENCY OF FUTURE ADVISORY VOTES BY STOCKHOLDERS ON THE COMPENSATION OF OUR NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
Our Board of Directors believes an advisory vote to approve executive compensation every one year will lead to a more meaningful and coherent communication between the company and our stockholders on the compensation of our named executive officers6For Every One Year

Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement1

Proxy Summary

 

Director Nominees2016 Performance Highlights

EARNINGS AND DIVIDEND GROWTH – We surpassed $1.0 billion in rental revenue in 2016 by completing a company-record-high volume of property acquisitions and actively managing our portfolio to maximize value. These activities contributed to healthy 2016 earnings growth, including net income of $1.13 per share and AFFO of $2.88 per share, supporting the payment of multiple dividend increases throughout 2016. Our focus on providing dependable monthly dividends that increase over time helps drive strong total shareholder return (TSR) performance year over year.
(BAR CHART) 
(1)For a calculation of Adjusted Funds from Operations (AFFO) per share, see page 47 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on February 23, 2017, which also includes a Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) reconciliation of this non-GAAP measure.
(2)Realty Income TSR does not include reinvestment of dividends. Our TSR would be 15.8% assuming the compounded reinvestment of dividends on the ex-dividend date. Data sourced from FactSet as of December 31, 2016.

BALANCE SHEET – As we grow our earnings and dividend, we remain committed to managing our balance sheet in a conservative manner.
 (BAR CHART)

PORTFOLIO OCCUPANCY – The quality of our real estate portfolio as well as the experience of our team led to another year of consistently high portfolio occupancy.
 (BAR CHART)

2Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement

Proxy Summary

 

Corporate Governance Highlights

We remain committed to managing the company for the benefit of our stockholders and maintaining good corporate governance practices. In 2017, we further enhanced our corporate governance practices by instituting an 18-month minimum vesting provision on stock option and stock appreciation rights. In addition to this enhancement, we continue to uphold the following features of our corporate governance practices to maintain the company’s reputation for integrity and serving its stockholders responsibly:

üAll directors are subject to an annual election with a majority voting standard.
üOur Board of Directors is structured with a separate independent Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
üAll directors with the exception of our CEO are independent, and all members of our Audit, Compensation, Nominating/Corporate Governance, and Technology Risk committees are independent.
üOur directors conduct annual self-evaluations and participate in orientation and continuing education programs in accordance with our Corporate Governance Guidelines.
üOur Board of Directors conducts an annual Enterprise Risk Management process to identify and assess management’s visibility into company risk.
üOur directors, officers, and other employees are subject to a Code of Business Ethics to ensure our business is conducted in accordance with the highest standards of moral and ethical behavior.
üOur Board of Directors has adopted a “whistleblower” policy to provide a line of communication to directors for anonymously reporting concerns.
üOur directors, officers, other employees and their family members are subject to anti-hedging and anti-pledging policies to ensure they are not engaging in any transaction that might allow them to realize gains from declines in our securities.
üOur Board of Directors has voluntarily adopted a formal clawback policy in accordance with the Dodd-Frank Act.
üOur directors and named executive officers have minimum stock ownership requirements to closely align the interests of these individuals with the interests of our stockholders.
üThe restricted stock and restricted stock unit awards for our named executive officers have double-trigger provisions, so that both a change in control and a qualifying termination need to occur in order for the vesting of outstanding shares to accelerate.

Executive Compensation Highlights

We believe our performance demonstrates the effectiveness, over time, of the execution of our strategic business plan, and the alignment of our compensation program with our philosophy to reward executives for enhancing long-term stockholder value. In structuring executive compensation, the Compensation Committee, in consultation with its independent compensation consultant, considers how each component of compensation motivates performance and allows us to attract and retain highly qualified named executive officers. Our compensation program focuses on pay for performance principles that are linked to short-term and long-term financial and operational metrics, including relative total stockholder return. The following are some key highlights of the 2016 plan:

üOur 2016 Short-Term Incentive Program (STIP) consisted of variable cash (two-thirds) and equity (one-third) compensation based primarily on the achievement of our short-term corporate operating and financial goals as well as individual performance. 70% of compensation awarded under this program was based on objective criteria and 30% was based on subjective evaluation of individual performance.
üOur 2016 Long-Term Incentive Program (LTIP) consisted of equity compensation based on the achievement of our long-term performance goals over a three-year performance period. 70% of compensation awarded under this program was based on our TSR performance relative to select industry indices and 30% was based on achieving objective operating metrics.
üUnder both the STIP and LTIP programs, no compensation is awarded for below-threshold performance and maximum payouts for 2016 awards were capped at 150% of target. All of the compensation awarded under the programs is at-risk.
üApproximately 70% of our CEO’s total target direct compensation for the 2016 performance year consisted of compensation that was at-risk based on the achievement of certain performance metrics.

We believe our compensation program effectively links the compensation awarded to our executives to the achievement of the company’s financial and strategic goals, thus creating alignment with the interests of our stockholders.

Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement3

Proposals

Proposal 1 - Election of Directors

Our Board of Directors currently consists of eight directors who contribute the breadth of knowledge and experience necessary for the advancement of our business strategies and objectives. Based uponon the recommendation of our Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee, our Board of Directors has nominated seventhe following current eight directors for re-election at the Annual Meeting to serve for a one-year term expiring at theour annual meeting of stockholders in 20152018, and until their respective successors have been duly elected and qualify:

 

1.Kathleen R. Allen, Ph.D.

2.John P. Case

3.A. Larry Chapman

4.Priya Cherian Huskins

5.Michael D. McKee

6.Gregory T. McLaughlin

7.Ronald L. Merriman

Director NameAgeIndependentAuditCompensationNominating/ Corporate GovernanceTechnology Risk
Kathleen R. Allen71(GRAPHIC) (GRAPHIC)Chair
John P. Case53
A. Larry Chapman70(GRAPHIC) (GRAPHIC) (GRAPHIC)
Priya Cherian Huskins44(GRAPHIC)Chair(GRAPHIC)  (GRAPHIC)
Michael D. McKee71(GRAPHIC) (GRAPHIC)Chair
Gregory T. McLaughlin57(GRAPHIC) (GRAPHIC) (GRAPHIC)
Ronald L. Merriman72(GRAPHIC)Chair (GRAPHIC)
Stephen E. Sterrett61(GRAPHIC)(GRAPHIC)(GRAPHIC)

 

For more information regarding our nominees, please see the “Board of Directors” below.Directors and Corporate Governance” section of this Proxy Statement beginning on page 7.

 (GRAPHIC)OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT STOCKHOLDERSVOTE “FOR” EACH OF THE NOMINEES LISTED ABOVE.

 

OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT STOCKHOLDERS VOTE “FOR” EACH OF THE NOMINEES LISTED ABOVE.

PROPOSALProposal 2

RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM - Ratification of Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

The Audit Committee of our Board of Directors has appointed KPMG LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm to audit our consolidated financial statements and internal control over financial reporting for the year ending December 31, 2014.2017. Representatives of KPMG LLP are expected to be present at the Annual Meeting and will be provided an opportunity to make a statement if the representatives desire to do so. The representatives are also expected to be available to respond to appropriate questions.

 

Although ratification by our stockholders is not a prerequisite to the power of the Audit Committee to appoint KPMG LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm, our Board and the Audit Committee believes such ratification to be advisable and in the best interestsinterest of the company. Accordingly, stockholders are being requested to ratify, confirm, and approve the appointment of KPMG LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm to conduct the annual audit of our consolidated financial statements and internal control over financial reporting for fiscalthe year 2014.ending December 31, 2017. If the stockholders do not ratify the appointment of KPMG LLP, the appointment of an independent registered public accounting firm will be reconsidered by the Audit Committee; however, the Audit Committee has appointed KPMG LLP notwithstanding the failure of the stockholdersno obligation to ratifychange its appointment.appointment based on stockholder ratification. If the appointment of KPMG LLP is ratified, the Audit Committee will continue to conduct an ongoing review of KPMG LLP’s scope of engagement, pricing and work quality, among other factors, and will retain the right to replace KPMG LLP at any time.

 

 (GRAPHIC)OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT STOCKHOLDERS VOTE “FOR” THE RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF KPMG LLP.

OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT STOCKHOLDERS VOTE “FOR” THE RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF KPMG LLP AS OUR INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2014.

4Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement

 

6



Table of ContentsProposals

 

PROPOSAL 3

ADVISORY VOTE TO APPROVE THE COMPENSATION OF OUR NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERSProposal 3 - Advisory Vote to Approve the Compensation of Our Named Executive Officers

 

Our Board of Directors has determined to hold anadopted a policy of providing for annual “say on pay”“say-on-pay” advisory vote.votes. In accordance with our Board of Director’s determination and Section 14A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended or the Exchange Act,(Exchange Act), and as a matter of good corporate governance, we are asking our stockholders to approvevote on a non-binding, advisory basis to approve the compensation paid to our named executive officers, as described in the “Executive Compensation” of this Proxy Statement, including the Compensation Discussion and Analysis and the executive compensation tables that follow.

In an effort to align the interests of management with those of our stockholders, our compensation program focuses on pay for performance principles that are linked to short-term and long-term financial and operational metrics, including relative total stockholder return. Our compensation mix rewards for the continued performance of the company, encourages a disciplined approach to management, and maintains focus on the creation of long-term value for our stockholders. We believe this structure is competitive and allows us to attract, motivate, and retain highly qualified executive officers.

In connection with reviewing our compensation program and the 2016 compensation paid to our named executive officers, it is important to consider the company’s excellent performance results achieved in 2016, which include:

üWe invested $1.86 billion in high-quality real estate properties and funded the acquisitions by raising approximately $573 million in attractively-priced equity capital, and $600 million in unsecured, long-term fixed rate debt at a record-low yield for our company.
üWe remained committed to a conservative capital structure. At December 31, 2016, 70% of our balance sheet was represented by common equity.
üWe maintained high portfolio occupancy while managing another active year for lease expiration activity, recapturing 105% of expiring rent on properties re-leased during the year. Our proactive approach to managing our portfolio continues to maximize the cash flow generated from our properties.

These factors contributed to net income per share of $1.13, and AFFO per share growth of 5.1% to $2.88 in 2016, which allowed us to increase our dividend paid per share in 2016 by 5.3% over 2015, which helped drive a 16.0% TSR (refer to page 47 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 23, 2017 for a GAAP reconciliation of net income available to common stockholders to AFFO per share, a non-GAAP measure).

Based on the company’s performance in 2016, our named executive officers were awarded compensation in accordance with our STIP and LTIP, in addition to a fixed compensation component. All of the compensation awarded under the 2016 STIP and LTIP is based on the following performance goals and is at-risk, and not guaranteed:

 

The performance hurdles and weightings for each program are determined by the Compensation Committee, in consultation with its independent compensation consultant. This structure effectively links the compensation awarded to our executives to the achievement of the company’s financial and strategic goals. The independent members of our Board of Directors believe that the performance-based structure of our compensation program, as summarized above and detailed in the “Executive Compensation” section on page 23, allows the company to attract and retain talented executives while appropriately aligning their interests with the interests of our stockholders to support long-term value creation. Unless our Board of Directors modifies its determination on the frequency of future “say-on-pay” advisory votes, the next vote will be held at the annual meeting of stockholders in 2018.

(GRAPHIC) OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT STOCKHOLDERS VOTE “FOR” APPROVAL, ON A NON-BINDING ADVISORY BASIS, OF THE COMPENSATION OF OUR NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS.

Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement5

Proposals

Proposal 4 - Advisory Vote on the Frequency of Future Advisory Votes by Stockholders on the Compensation of Our Named Executive Officers

In accordance with the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010, we are seeking a non-binding, advisory vote as to the frequency with which stockholders would have an opportunity to provide an advisory vote to approve the executive compensation of our named executive officers (which consistofficers. Stockholders have the option of selecting a frequency of one, two, or three years, or abstaining.

While we will continue to monitor developments in this area, our Chief Executive Officer, former Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial OfficerBoard of Directors believes that an advisory vote to approve executive compensation every one year is appropriate. This will enable our stockholders to vote, on an advisory basis, to approve the most recent executive compensation information that is presented in our proxy statement, relative to that year’s company performance, leading to a more meaningful and coherent communication between us and our next three highest paid executives), as such compensation is described inshareholders on the Compensation Discussion and Analysis section beginning on page 22, the tabular disclosure regarding such compensation beginning on page 40 and the accompanying narrative disclosure set forth in this proxy statement.

We believe that our compensation policies and procedures are competitive, are focused on pay-for-performance principles and are strongly aligned with the long-term interests of our stockholders.  The following is a summary of the key highlights of our executive compensation program:

Almost all of our named executive officers’ 2013 pay was tied to performance.  In 2013, approximately 67% of our CEO’s total direct compensation and approximately 79%-88% of our other named executive officers’ total direct compensation consisted of compensation that is “at risk” based on our performance.  Included in the CEO’s 2013 compensation is a time-based promotion equity grant.  Excluding this one-time grant, approximately 93% of our CEO’s total direct compensation was considered “at risk.” In determining compensation we focus on both short and long-term performance based on company financial and operational metrics as well as stockholder returns.  Typically 100% of the annual equity awards we grant to our executive officers are based on our performance.officers.

 

Our named executive officers delivered extraordinary, and in some cases record-setting, performance in 2013.  The most notable results that influenced 2013 compensation included:

Substantial increase in dividend per share.  Our executives delivered operating results that enabledBased on the factors discussed, our Board of Directors recommends that future advisory votes to increaseapprove executive compensation occur every one year until the dividends paid per common sharenext advisory vote on the frequency of advisory votes to approve executive compensation. Shareholders are not being asked to approve or disapprove our Board’s recommendation, but rather to indicate their choice among the following frequency options: one year, two years, or three years, or to abstain from voting.

This vote is advisory, and therefore not binding on us, the Compensation Committee or our Board of Directors. However, we value the opinions of our stockholders in 2013 by 21.2% over dividends paid per share in 2012, which isand will take into account the largest increase in our company’s history and is over 16x greater than the averageoutcome of the per share dividend increase duringvote when considering the last three years.frequency of submitting to stockholders a resolution to afford stockholders the opportunity to vote on executive compensation.

 (GRAPHIC)OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT STOCKHOLDERS VOTE “FOR EVERY ONE YEAR” APPROVAL, ON A NON-BINDING ADVISORY BASIS, OF THE COMPENSATION OF OUR NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS.

 

Significant increase in funds from operations (FFO) per share.  Our executives delivered a 19.4% increase in FFO per share for 2013 compared to 2012 and a 19.3% increase in Normalized FFO per share for 2013 compared to 2012.  These represent the largest increases in our company’s history.  We define normalized FFO as FFO excluding the merger related costs for our January 2013 acquisition of American Realty Capital Trust, Inc., or ARCT.

6Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement

   

Record acquisitions.  Our executives delivered a record year for new property acquisitions as we invested $4.7 billion in real estate, including $3.2 billion of real estate acquired in January in connection with the acquisition of ARCT and an additional $1.5 billion invested in 459 new properties and properties under development at an initial lease yield of 7.1%.

Capital rating upgrade.  Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services upgraded our senior unsecured debt ratings to BBB+ from BBB and our preferred stock ratings to BBB- from BB+, with a stable outlook.

We paid certain executives special compensation related to two events outside the ordinary course of business that had an impact on 2013 compensation for our named executive officers. The non-recurring payments were:

     Restricted stock awards granted in connection with our acquisition of American Realty Capital Trust, Inc.

     Restricted stock awards granted in connection with the appointment of our new CEO.

OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT STOCKHOLDERS VOTE “FOR” APPROVAL, ON A NON-BINDING ADVISORY BASIS THE COMPENSATION OF OUR NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS, AS DESCRIBED IN THE COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS SECTION AND THE RELATED TABULAR AND NARRATIVE DISCLOSURE SET FORTH IN THIS PROXY STATEMENT.

 

 

7



TableBoard of ContentsDirectors and Corporate Governance

 

BOARD OF DIRECTORSDirector Nominees

 

The following table sets forth certain information asBoard of March 6, 2014 concerningDirectors has nominated our current directors.  Each person listedeight directors, identified below, except for Mr. Lewis, is a director nominee for re-election at the Annual Meeting. Mr. Case was appointed by the Board of DirectorsMeeting to serve asfor a memberone-year term expiring at our annual meeting of the Board upon his promotion to Chief Executive Officerstockholders in September 2013.  Upon his retirement as Chief Executive Officer in September 2013, Mr. Lewis maintained his position as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors.  The Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee, in consultation with Mr. Lewis, did not nominate Mr. Lewis for re-election to the Board at the Annual Meeting,2018, and intends to reduce the number of authorized directors under our Bylaws to seven.

Name

Title

Age

Kathleen R. Allen, Ph.D.

Director

68

John P. Case

Chief Executive Officer and Director

50

A. Larry Chapman

Director

67

Priya Cherian Huskins

Director

41

Thomas A. Lewis

Vice Chairman

61

Michael D. McKee

Chairman

68

Gregory T. McLaughlin

Director

54

Ronald L. Merriman

Director

69

Board of Director Biographies

until their respective successors are duly elected and qualify. The information presented below highlights each director nominee’s specific experience, qualifications, attributes, and skills that led our Board of Directors to the conclusion that he/she should serve as a director. We believe that all of our director nominees have a reputation for integrity, honesty, and adherence to high ethical standards. They each have demonstrated business acumen and an ability to exercise sound judgment, as well as a commitment of service to Realty Income and our Board of Directors. Finally, weWe also value their significantthe additional perspective that comes from the experience of serving on other companycompanies’ boards of directors and board committees.

 

Kathleen R. Allen, Ph.D.

Kathleen R. Allen, Ph.D. has been our director since February 2000. She is a professor at the Marshall School of Business and the director of the Center for Technology Commercialization at the University of Southern California (1991-present). She was the co-founder and Chairwoman of Gentech Corporation (1994-2004) and in 2006 co-founded and became the Chief Executive Officer and served on the board of directors of N2TEC Institute, a nonprofit company focused on technology commercialization in rural America, until it completed its mission in 2013. Dr. Allen has co-founded four private companies, is currently a principal and on the board of directors of a real estate investment and development company, and serves on the board of advisors for two life science companies as well as the Children’s Hospital/Saban Institute’s Center for Innovation in Pediatrics.

Kathleen R. Allen, Ph.D.

(GRAPHIC)

Age:71

Director Since:2000

Committees:Audit and
Technology Risk (Chair)

Independent:Yes

Experience

Kathleen R. Allen, Ph.D. is Professor Emeritus at the Marshall School of Business and the founding director of the Center for Technology Commercialization at the University of Southern California (1991-present). She was the co-founder and chairwoman of Gentech Corporation (1994-2004) and in 2006 co-founded and became the Chief Executive Officer and served on the board of directors of N2TEC Institute, a nonprofit company focused on technology commercialization in rural America, until it completed its mission in 2013. Dr. Allen has co-founded four private companies, is currently a principal and on the board of directors of a real estate investment and development company, and serves on the board of advisors for two life science companies. She is a Visiting Scholar at the Department of Homeland Security where she advises on issues related to technology deployment, including cybersecurity. She is the author of 15 books in the field of entrepreneurship and technology commercialization, a field in which she is considered an expert.

Qualifications

As a distinguished businesswoman, entrepreneur, and consultant, Dr. Allen has helped our Board of Directors identify and assess the risks associated with new endeavors. She has also worked with many early-growth and established companies to develop effective leadership and team-building skills. With her years of experience in risk management in the areas of business models, investment opportunities, and technology, commercialization, a field in which she is considered an expert. Dr. Allen is chairwoman of our Strategic Planning Committee and is a member of our Audit Committee and our Compensation Committee.

As a distinguished businesswoman, entrepreneur, and consultant, Dr. Allen has helped our Board of Directors identify and assess the risks associated with new endeavors. She has also worked with many early-growth and established companies to develop effective leadership and team-building skills, which she has implemented during her participation on various board committees. With her years of experience in risk management in the areas of business models, investment opportunities, and markets, Dr. Allen brings to the Board of Directors achievement in strategic business planning, which is a key part of our growth strategy.

Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement7

Board of Directors and Corporate Governance

John P. Case

(GRAPHIC)

Chief Executive Officer
and Director

Age:53

Director Since:2013Committees:None

Independent:No

Experience

Mr. Case has been the Chief Executive Officer since September 2013. He joined Realty Income in 2010 as Executive Vice President, Chief Investment Officer and served in this capacity until March 2013, when he was promoted to President, Chief Investment Officer. Prior to joining Realty Income, Mr. Case served for 19 years as a New York-based real estate investment banker. He began his investment banking career at Merrill Lynch, where he worked for 14 years, and was named a Managing Director in 2000. Following his tenure at Merrill Lynch, Mr. Case was co-head of Americas Real Estate Investment Banking at UBS and later the co-head of Real Estate Investment Banking for RBC Capital Markets, where he also served on the firm’s Global Investment Banking Management Committee. During Mr. Case’s investment banking career, he was responsible for more than $100 billion in real estate capital markets and advisory transactions. Mr. Case currently serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of Washington and Lee University. In addition, Mr. Case is extensively involved in the broader real estate industry, serving on the Executive Board of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT), The President’s Council of the Real Estate Roundtable, and as a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC). Previously, he served on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors for the National Multi-Housing Council (NMHC) and as a member of the Urban Land Institute.

Qualifications

Mr. Case has demonstrated extensive knowledge of the financial and operating issues facing real estate organizations. His vast experience and understanding of real estate, REITs, and financial strategy has helped guide the company and successfully execute its business plan. In addition, Mr. Case’s knowledge of all aspects of the company’s business positions him as a valuable member of, and contributor to, our Board of Directors.

A. Larry Chapman

(GRAPHIC)

Age:70

Director Since:2012

Committees:Audit and
Technology Risk

Independent:Yes

Experience

A. Larry Chapman is a retired 37-year veteran of Wells Fargo, having served most recently as Executive Vice President and the Head of Commercial Real Estate from 2006 until his retirement in June 2011, and as a member of the Wells Fargo Management Committee. Mr. Chapman joined Wells Fargo in 1974 in its Houston Real Estate office. In 1987, he was promoted to President of Wells Fargo Realty Advisors, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Wells Fargo & Co. The subsidiary’s primary responsibility was managing Wells Fargo Mortgage and Equity Trust, which was formed in 1970 and sold in 1989. He remained President of Wells Fargo Realty Advisors until 1990, and was promoted to Group Head of the Wells Fargo Real Estate Group in 1993. Mr. Chapman managed the Wells Fargo Real Estate Group until his 2006 promotion to Executive Vice President and Head of Commercial Real Estate for Wells Fargo on a nationwide basis. Mr. Chapman is a former board member of the Fisher Center for Real Estate and Urban Economics at the University of California, Berkeley, past governor and trustee of the Urban Land Institute, former member of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT), and member and past trustee of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC). He currently serves on the board of directors of CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. (NYSE: CBL) (August 2013-present).

Qualifications

Mr. Chapman’s financial acumen and extensive commercial real estate experience across many industries and tenant types, provide valuable insight and expertise to the Board of Directors and our senior management team as we continue to expand our real estate portfolio. In addition, his background as a leader of a Fortune 500 company, and as a member of its management team, further enhances the quality of leadership and oversight provided by our Board of Directors.

8Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement

Board of Directors and Corporate Governance

Priya Cherian Huskins

(GRAPHIC)

Age:44

Director Since:2007

Committees:Compensation
(Chair), Nominating/Corporate Governance, and Technology
Risk

Independent:Yes

Experience

Priya Cherian Huskins is Senior Vice President and partner at Woodruff-Sawyer & Co., a commercial insurance brokerage firm (2003-present). Prior to joining Woodruff-Sawyer & Co., Ms. Huskins served as a corporate and securities attorney at the law firm of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati (1997-2003). She has served on the advisory board of the Stanford Rock Center for Corporate Governance since 2012, the board of directors of Woodruff-Sawyer & Co. since 2016, the board of directors of the Silicon Valley Directors’ Exchange (SVDX) since 2013, and served on the board of directors of the National Association of Corporate Directors, Silicon Valley Chapter (2006-2013).

Qualifications

With her background in law, insurance, and risk management, Ms. Huskins brings a focus on these areas to our Board of Directors. As a recognized expert in directors and officers liability risk and its mitigation, Ms. Huskins provides valuable insight into our risk management strategy. In addition, she brings experience regarding corporate governance matters, including compensation best practices, and ways that corporate governance can enhance stockholder value. Ms. Huskins’ experience makes her a valuable component of a well-rounded Board of Directors.

Michael D. McKee

(GRAPHIC)

Age:71

Director Since:1994

Non-Executive Chairman Since:2012

Committees:Compensation and Nominating/Corporate Governance (Chair)

Independent:Yes

Experience

Michael D. McKee is the Executive Chairman of HCP, Inc. (NYSE: HCP) (May 2016-present). Prior to that, he was the Chief Executive Officer of Bentall Kennedy (U.S.), a registered real estate investment advisor (February 2010-April 2016). He was the Vice Chairman (1999-2008) and Chief Executive Officer (2007-2008) of The Irvine Company, a privately-held real estate investment company, as well as its Chief Operating Officer (2001-2007), Chief Financial Officer (1997-2001) and Executive Vice President (1994-1999). Prior to joining The Irvine Company, Mr. McKee was a partner in the law firm of Latham & Watkins (1986-1994). Through each of these positions, Mr. McKee has obtained extensive real estate experience and provides valuable insight and expertise to the Board and our senior management team. He has served on the board of directors of HCP, Inc. (NYSE: HCP) (1987-present), Bentall Kennedy (U.S.) (2008-2012), First American Financial Corporation (NYSE: FAF) (2011-present), the Tiger Woods Foundation (2006-present), The Irvine Company (1998-2008) and Hoag Hospital Foundation (1999-2008).

Qualifications

Mr. McKee’s business and legal experience includes numerous acquisition and disposition transactions, as well as a variety of public and private offerings of equity and debt securities. Additionally, he has been exposed to various compliance issues as they relate to real estate investment trusts. With his knowledge of the complex issues facing real estate companies today and his understanding of what makes businesses work effectively and efficiently, Mr. McKee provides valuable insight to our Board of Directors.

Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement9

Board of Directors and Corporate Governance

Gregory T. McLaughlin

(GRAPHIC)

Age:57

Director Since:2007

Committees:Audit and Compensation

Independent:Yes

Experience

Gregory T. McLaughlin is the President, PGA TOUR Champions and a Senior Vice President with the PGA TOUR in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida (2014-present). Prior to joining the PGA TOUR, Mr. McLaughlin was President and Chief Executive Officer of the Tiger Woods Event Corporation and Tiger Woods Foundation in Irvine, California (1999-2014), Vice President of Business Development of the Western Golf Association/Evans Scholars Foundation (1993-1999), and Vice President of Business Development of the Los Angeles Junior Chamber of Commerce (1988-1993). He is currently a member of the PGA TOUR Executive Committee.

Qualifications

With his diverse background, Mr. McLaughlin offers a unique perspective to the Board of Directors on a variety of business and legal matters. His business and legal experience includes tax-exempt status and financing as well as business development, capital raising, and program development. Additionally, his leadership skills in managing a variety of different organizations brings financial reporting expertise, especially as it relates to audit and tax matters. His proven effectiveness working with complex issues makes him a valuable member of our Board of Directors.

Ronald L. Merriman

(GRAPHIC)

Age:72

Director Since:2005

Committees:Audit (Chair) and Nominating/Corporate Governance

Independent:Yes

Experience

Ronald L. Merriman is a retired Vice Chairman and partner of KPMG LLP, a global accounting and consulting firm (1967-1997). At KPMG LLP, Mr. Merriman served as Vice Chairman of the Executive Management Committee. More recently, Mr. Merriman was the managing director of Merriman Partners, a management advisory firm (2003-2011). Prior to founding Merriman Partners, Mr. Merriman served as a managing director of O’Melveny & Myers law firm (2000-2003), Executive Vice President of Carlson Wagonlit Travel (1999-2000), and President of Ambassador Performance Group, Inc. (1997-1999). Mr. Merriman serves on the board of directors and is the chairman of the audit committee of the following public companies: Aircastle Limited (NYSE: AYR) (2006-present), and Pentair, Plc, formerly Pentair, Ltd. (NYSE: PNR) (2005-present). Additionally, he serves on the compensation committee of Aircastle Limited (2012-Present) and on the audit committee of Haemonetics Corporation (NYSE: HAE) (2005-Present).

Qualifications

Mr. Merriman is an experienced financial leader with the skills necessary to lead our Audit Committee. Throughout his career, he has been exposed to various issues involving accounting and auditing standards, business law and corporate ethics. His professional background and experience on other audit committees make him a valuable asset, both on our Board of Directors and as the Chair of our Audit Committee. Mr. Merriman’s positions have provided him with a wealth of knowledge in addressing financial and accounting matters. The depth and breadth of his exposure to complex financial issues makes him a skilled advisor to the Board of Directors.

10Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement

Board of Directors and Corporate Governance

Stephen E. Sterrett

(GRAPHIC)

Age:61

Director Since:2014

Committees:Compensation and Technology Risk

Independent:Yes

Experience

Stephen E. Sterrett retired as the Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group, Inc., an S&P 100 company, in December 2014. Mr. Sterrett joined the Simon organization in 1988, was named Treasurer in 1993, and was the Chief Financial Officer from 2000 until his retirement. Prior to joining Simon Property Group, Inc., he was a Senior Manager with the international accounting firm of Price Waterhouse. Mr. Sterrett serves on the boards of Berry Plastics Group, Inc. (NYSE: BERY) and Equity Residential (NYSE: EQR). Mr. Sterrett is active in several professional organizations, including the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT), the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) and is a past member of the Indiana CPA Society.

Qualifications

As the former Chief Financial Officer of Simon Property Group, Inc., Mr. Sterrett has direct experience with matters arising from the business and financial issues pertaining to the company, particularly in the areas of corporate finance and capital markets. His experience as a Chief Financial Officer in the REIT industry brings to our Board of Directors a comprehensive understanding of matters unique to REITs and enables him to make significant contributions to our Board of Directors.

Committees of the Board

Our Board of Directors has three standing committees that perform certain delegated functions of the Board: the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee, and the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee. The Board also has one special purpose committee, the Technology Risk Committee, which provides governance and oversight of the possible risks associated with the company’s technology and information systems. Each committee is composed entirely of independent directors within the meaning of our director independence standards, which reflect the NYSE director independence standards and the audit committee requirements of the SEC.

Each committee operates under a written charter, all of which were reviewed by their respective committees during 2016. Our Compensation and Nominating/Corporate Governance Committees updated their charters in 2016, and the Audit Committee updated its charter in February 2017 to provide additional enhancements. The Technology Risk Committee established its charter in connection with its formation in May 2015. In February 2017, the Board of Directors achievement in strategic business planning, which is a key partextended the duration of the Technology Risk Committee such that this committee will be deemed terminated, if not re-appointed, by the Board of Directors on or before June 1, 2018. Our Board of Directors may, from time to time, establish certain other committees to facilitate oversight over the management of the company. The charters of each of our growth strategy.standing committees are available on our company’s website at www.realtyincome.com.

Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement11

 

John P. Case

Mr. Case was promoted to Chief Executive Officer in September 2013.  He joined Realty Income in 2010 as Executive Vice President, Chief Investment OfficerBoard of Directors and served in this capacity until March 2013, when he was promoted to President, Chief Investment Officer.  Prior to joining Realty Income, Mr. Case served for 19 years as a New York-based real estate investment banker.  Most recently he served as the co-head of Real Estate Investment Banking for RBC Capital Markets, where he also served on the firm’s Global Investment Banking Management Committee.  Prior to joining RBC, he was co-head of America’sCorporate Governance

 

8AUDIT



Table of ContentsCOMMITTEE

Responsibilities

Members: 

Ronald L. Merriman (Chair)
Kathleen R. Allen, Ph.D.
A. Larry Chapman
Gregory T. McLaughlin 

Independent:All
Meetings in 2016:8

Oversee compliance with legal and regulatory requirements;
Oversee the integrity of our financial statements;
Appoint, retain, and oversee our independent registered public accounting firm, approve any special assignments given to the independent registered public accounting firm, and review:
The scope and results of the audit engagement with the independent registered public accounting firm, including the independent registered public accounting firm’s letters to the Audit Committee;
The independence and qualifications of the independent registered public accounting firm;
The compensation of the independent registered public accounting firm;
The performance of our internal audit function; and
Any proposed significant accounting changes.

  

Real Estate Investment Banking at UBS.  He began his careerOur Board of Directors has determined that Messrs. Merriman, Chapman and McLaughlin qualify as audit committee financial experts, as defined in real estate investment banking at Merrill Lynch, where he workedItem 407(d) of Regulation S-K, and that all members of the Audit Committee are financially literate under the current listing standards of the NYSE and meet the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) independence requirements for 13 years, and was named a managing director in 2000.  Duringaudit committee membership. Our Board of Directors has considered Mr. Case’s career, he was responsible for more than $100 billion in real estate capital markets and advisory transactions.  In addition, Mr. Case has been extensively involved in the broader real estate industry.  He currently servesMerriman’s concurrent service on the National Associationaudit committees of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT)three other public companies and has determined that such simultaneous service does not impair his ability to effectively serve as Chair of our Audit Committee.

COMPENSATION

COMMITTEE  

Responsibilities

Members:

Priya Cherian Huskins (Chair)
Michael D. McKee
Gregory T. McLaughlin
Stephen E. Sterrett

Independent:All
Meetings in 2016:8

Establish remuneration levels for our executive officers;
Review significant employee benefits programs;
Establish and administer executive compensation programs;
Conduct an annual review of our compensation philosophy;
Conduct an annual review of and approve the goals and objectives relating to the compensation of the CEO, including a performance evaluation to help determine and approve his compensation;
Review and approve all executive officers’ employment agreements and severance arrangements;
Manage and annually review executive officer short-term and long-term incentive compensation; and
Set performance metrics under all short-term and long-term incentive compensation plans as appropriate.

Our Board of Governors and is a member of The President’s CouncilDirectors has determined that all of the Real Estate Roundtablemembers of the Compensation Committee are “independent” within the meaning of our director independence standards, the NYSE director independence standards (including those applicable to Compensation Committee members), are “non-employee directors” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act, and are “outside directors” under the International Councilregulations promulgated under Section 162(m) of Shopping Centers (ICSC).  He wasthe Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The Compensation Committee may delegate any or all of its responsibilities to a subcommittee of the Committee to the extent permitted by applicable law.

12Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement

Board of Directors and Corporate Governance

NOMINATING/

CORPORATE

GOVERANCE

COMMITTEE 

Responsibilities

Members:

Michael D. McKee (Chair)

Priya Cherian Huskins
Ronald L. Merriman

Independent:All
Meetings in 2016: 2

Provide counsel to our Board of Directors on the broad range of issues concerning the composition and operation of the Board of Directors;
Develop and review the qualifications and competencies required for membership on our Board of Directors;
Review and interview qualified candidates to serve on our Board of Directors;
Oversee the structure, membership, and rotation of the committees of our Board of Directors;
Review the Board of Directors compensation;
Assess the effectiveness of the Board of Directors and executive management;
Oversee succession planning for our executive management; and
Review and consider developments in corporate governance to ensure best practices are being followed.

As part of these responsibilities, the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee annually solicits input from each member of the Board of Directors to review the effectiveness of the National Multi-Housing Council (NMHC) from 2001 to 2009, serving on the Executive Committee from 2002 to 2004, the Real Estate Roundtable from 2009 to 2010,its operation and the Urban Land Institute from 2003 to 2010.

As the Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Case’s primary responsibility is to perform as a fiduciary for our stockholders in fulfilling our mission to provide monthly dividends that increase over time.  This responsibility involves overseeing all committees thereof. The review consists of our operations, as well as creating and executing on the company’s strategy.  The implementationan assessment of our strategy involves constant monitoring of the economic environment, analyzing factors that can impact our operations, and doing what is required to generate investor returns, while mitigating the risks that are taken to achieve those returns.

Mr. Case has demonstrated extensive knowledge of the financialits governance and operating issues facing real estate organizations.  His vast understanding of real estate investment trusts and financial strategy has helped guidepractices which includes the company in recent years.  In addition, Mr. Case’s knowledge of all aspects of the company’s business positions him as a valuable member of, and contributor to, our Board of Directors. Mr. Case is a member of our Strategic Planning Committee.

A. Larry Chapman

A. Larry Chapman has been our director since February 2012.  He is a retired 37-year veteran of Wells Fargo, having served most recently as Executive Vice President and the Head of Commercial Real Estate from 2006 until his retirement in June 2011, and as a member of the Wells Fargo Management Committee.  Mr. Chapman joined Wells Fargo in 1974 in its Houston Real Estate office.  In 1987, he was promoted to President of Wells Fargo Realty Advisors, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Wells Fargo & Co.  The subsidiary’s primary responsibility was managing Wells Fargo Mortgage and Equity Trust, which was formed in 1970 and sold in 1989.  He remained President of Wells Fargo Realty Advisors until 1990, and was promoted to Group Head of the Wells Fargo Real Estate Group in 1993.  Mr. Chapman managed the Wells Fargo Real Estate Group until his 2006 promotion to Executive Vice President and Head of Commercial Real Estate for Wells Fargo on a nationwide basis.  Mr. Chapman is a former board member of the Fisher Center for Real Estate and Urban Economics at the University of California, Berkeley; past governor and trustee of the Urban Land Institute; former member of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts; and member and past trustee of the International Council of Shopping Centers. Mr. Chapman is a member of our Audit and Compensation Committees.  He currently serves on the board of directors of CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. (NYSE: CBL) (August 2013-present).

Mr. Chapman’s extensive commercial real estate experience, across many industries and tenant types, provides valuable insight and expertise to the Board and our senior management team as we continue to expand our real estate portfolio. In addition, his background as a leader of a Fortune 500 company, and as a member of its management team, further enhances the quality of leadership and oversight provided by our Board of Directors.

Priya Cherian Huskins

Priya Cherian Huskins has been our director since December 2007.  She is Senior Vice President and partner at Woodruff-Sawyer & Co., a commercial insurance brokerage firm (2003-present).  Prior to joining Woodruff-Sawyer & Co., Ms. Huskins served as a corporate and securities attorney at the law firm of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati (1997-2003).  She has served on the advisory board of the Stanford Rock Center for Corporate Governance since 2012,Guidelines that govern the boardoperation of directors of the Silicon Valley Directors’ Exchange (SVDX) since 2013, and served on the board of directors of the National Association of Corporate Directors, Silicon Valley Chapter (2006-2013).  Ms. Huskins is Chairwoman of our Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee and is a member of our Strategic Planning Committee.

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With her background in law, insurance and risk management, Ms. Huskins brings a focus on these areas to our Board of Directors. As a recognized expert in directors and officers liability risk and its mitigation, Ms. Huskins provides valuable insight into our risk management strategy.  In addition, she brings experience regarding corporate governance matters, including ways that corporate governance can enhance stockholder value. Ms. Huskins’s experience makes her a valuable component of a well-rounded Board of Directors and a key member of both committees on which she serves.

Michael D. McKee

Michael D. McKee has been a director since August 1994 and Chairman of the Board since February 2012. He is the Chief Executive Officer of Bentall Kennedy (U.S.), a registered real estate investment advisor (February 2010-present). He was the Vice Chairman (1999-2008) and Chief Executive Officer (2007-2008) of The Irvine Company, a privately-held real estate investment company, as well as Chief Operating Officer (2001-2007), Chief Financial Officer (1997-2001) and Executive Vice President (1994-1999) of The Irvine Company. Prior to joining The Irvine Company, Mr. McKee was a partner in the law firm of Latham & Watkins (1986-1994). Through each of these positions Mr. McKee has obtained extensive real estate experience and provides valuable insight and expertise to the Board and our senior management team. He has served on the board of directors of HCP, Inc. (NYSE: HCP) (1987-present) where he serves as Non-Executive Chairman, Bentall Kennedy (U.S.) (2008-2012), First American Financial Corporation (NYSE: FAF) (2011-present), the Tiger Woods Foundation (2006-present), The Irvine Company (1998-2008) and Hoag Hospital Foundation (1999-2008). In addition to being the chairman of our Board of Directors, Mr. McKee is a member of our Compensation Committee and our Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee.

Mr. McKee’s business and legal experience includes numerous acquisition and disposition transactions, as well as a variety of public and private offerings of equity and debt securities. Additionally, he has been exposed to various compliance issues as they relate to real estate investment trusts. With his knowledge of the complex issues facing real estate companies today and his understanding of what makes businesses work effectively and efficiently, Mr. McKee provides valuable insight to our Board of Directors.

Gregory T. McLaughlin

Gregory T. McLaughlin has been our director since June 2007.  Mr. McLaughlin is currently a Senior Vice President with the PGA TOUR in Ponte Vedra, Florida (2014-present). Prior to joining the PGA TOUR, Mr. McLaughlin was President and Chief Executive Officer of the Tiger Woods Event Corporation and Tiger Woods Foundation in Irvine, California (1999-2014); Vice President of Business Development of the Western Golf Association / Evans Scholars Foundation (1993-1999); and Vice President of Business Development of the Los Angeles Junior Chamber of Commerce (1988-1993).  He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Repucom (2014-present).  Mr. McLaughlin is Chairman of the Compensation Committee and is a member of the Audit Committee and the Strategic Planning Committee.

With his diverse background, Mr. McLaughlin offers a unique perspective to the Board of Directors on a variety of business and legal matters. His business and legal experience includes tax-exempt status and financing as well as business development, capital raising and program development.  Additionally, his leadership skills in managing not-for-profit organizations brings financial reporting expertise, especially as it relates to audit and tax matters. His proven effectiveness working with complex issues makes him a valuable member of our Board of Director committees.

Ronald L. Merriman

Ronald L. Merriman has been our director since July 2005. He is a retired Vice Chairman and partner of KPMG LLP, a global accounting and consulting firm (1967-1997).  At KPMG LLP, Mr. Merriman served as Vice Chairman of the Executive Management Committee.  More recently, Mr. Merriman was the managing director of Merriman Partners, a management advisory firm (2003-2011). Prior to founding Merriman Partners, Mr. Merriman served as a managing director of O’Melveny & Myers law firm (2000-2003), Executive Vice President of Carlson Wagonlit Travel (1999-2000) and President of Ambassador Performance Group, Inc. (1997-1999).  Mr. Merriman has served on the board of directors and is the chairman of the audit committee of the following public companies: Aircastle Limited (NYSE: AYR)(2006-

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present), Pentair, Ltd., formerly Pentair, Inc. (NYSE: PNR)(2005-present) and Haemonetics Corporation (NYSE: HAE)(2005-present). Additionally, he serves on the compensation committee for both Aircastle Limited (2012-Present) and Haemonetics Corporation (2011-Present).  Mr. Merriman is Chairman of our Audit Committee and is a member of our Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee and our Strategic Planning Committee.

Mr. Merriman is an experienced financial leader with the skills necessary to lead our Audit Committee. Throughout his career, he has been exposed to various issues involving accounting and auditing standards, business law and corporate ethics. His professional background and experience on other audit committees make him a valuable asset, both on our Board of Directors and as the Chairman of our Audit Committee. Mr. Merriman’s positions have provided him with a wealth of knowledge in addressing financial and accounting matters. The depth and breadth of his exposure to complex financial issues makes him a skilled advisor to the Board of Directors.

 

TECHNOLOGY RISK

COMMITTEE

Responsibilities

Members:

Kathleen R. Allen, Ph.D.
(Chair)
A. Larry Chapman
Priya Cherian Huskins
Stephen E. Sterrett

Independent:All
Meetings in 2016: 2

Review and assess risks, including cyber security, associated with the company’s technology and information systems;
Receive reports from management or other third party organizations on key metrics for the company’s technology and information systems; and
Provide guidance on matters specifically related to the company’s technology and information systems.

It is intended for the Technology Risk Committee to be of limited duration, and to help engage in assessing any potential technology risks at the company. The Technology Risk Committee will be deemed terminated, if not re-appointed, by the Board of Directors on or before June 1, 2018.

Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement13

Board of Directors and Corporate Governance

Corporate Governance

 

We believe that nothing is more important than a company’s reputation for integrity and serving as a responsible fiduciary for its stockholders.stockholders responsibly is of critical importance. We are committed to managing the company for the benefit of our stockholders and are focused on maintaining good corporate governance.  Practices that illustrate this commitment include:

 

·Corporate Governance Guidelines

Our company has adopted Corporate Governance Guidelines that promote the functioning of the Board of Directors is currently comprised of eight directors, six of which are independent, non-employee directors;

·Ourand its committees and sets forth expectations as to how the Board of Directors is elected on an annual basis;

·We employ a majority vote standard for director elections;

·Our Compensation Committee works with independent consultants, in conducting annual compensation reviews for our key executives, and compensates each individual based on reaching certain performance metrics that determineshould operate. The guidelines include information about the successcomposition of the company;

·We adhere to all other corporate governance principles outlined in our “Corporate Governance Guidelines” document;

·We have established an anti-hedgingBoard of Directors, orientation and anti-pledging policy;continuing education, director compensation, Board of Director meetings, Board of Director committees, management succession, evaluation and

·We have a stock ownership program for our compensation of named executive officers, expectations of directors, and executive officers.

·We have adopted a clawback policy that enables us to recover incentive compensation awards ininformation regarding the eventannual performance evaluation of negligence or misconduct directly related to a material restatementthe Board of Directors. A current copy is available on our financial or operating results, or miscalculated performance metrics that, if calculated correctly, would have resulted in a lower payment.company’s website at www.realtyincome.com. 

 

The Charters of each of our standing committees, our Code of Business Ethics and our Corporate Governance Guidelines are posted on our website at www.realtyincome.com and will be provided without charge upon request to the Corporate Secretary, Realty Income Corporation, 600 La Terraza Boulevard, Escondido, CA 92025-3873. During 2013, in accordance with the terms of each of our Committee Charters, each of our respective committees reviewed its charter.  Our Audit Committee, Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee, and Compensation Committee made minor updates to their charters in February 2014.  The Strategic Planning Committee determined that no updates to its charter were needed in 2013.

Code of Business Ethics. We have adopted a Code of Business Ethics that applies to our employees, officers and directors.  The Board of Directors adopted the Code of Business Ethics to codify and formalize certain of our long-standing policies and principles that help ensure our business is conducted in accordance with the highest standards of moral and ethical behavior.  Our Code of Business Ethics covers all areas of professional conduct, including conflicts of interest, insider trading and confidentiality, as well as requiring strict adherence to all laws and regulations applicable to our business and industry.  We conduct annual training of employees regarding ethical behavior and require all employees to acknowledge the terms of, and abide by, our Code of Business Ethics. We intend to disclose any future amendments to or waivers of certain provisions of our Code of Business Ethics applicable to our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer, controller and individuals performing similar functions on our website at www.realtyincome.com within five business days following such waiver or as otherwise required by the SEC or the NYSE.

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Table of Contents

 

Our Board of Directors has adopted a “whistleblower” policy, which outlines a procedure for all interested parties, including employees, to submit confidential complaints, concerns, unethical business practices, violations or suspected violations for any and all matters pertaining to accounting, internal control or auditing.

We have adopted a Code of Business Ethics that applies to our directors, officers, and other employees. The Board of Directors adopted the Code of Business Ethics to codify and formalize certain of our long-standing policies and principles that help ensure our business is conducted in accordance with the highest standards of moral and ethical behavior. We conduct annual training with our employees regarding ethical behavior and require all employees to acknowledge the terms of, and abide by, our Code of Business Ethics. A current copy, as updated in May 2015, is available on our company’s website at www.realtyincome.com. We intend to disclose any future amendments to or waivers of certain provisions of our Code of Business Ethics applicable to our officers and directors on our website, within five business days following such waiver or as otherwise required by the SEC or the NYSE.

 

Anti-Hedging and Anti-Pledging Policy.Policy We

To ensure proper alignment with our stockholders, we have established policies that prohibit our directors, officers, other employees, and their family members from engaging in any transaction that might allow them to realize gains from declines in our securities. Specifically, we prohibit our directors, officers, employees, and their family members from engaging in transactions using derivative securities, short selling our securities, trading in any puts, calls or covered calls, writing purchase or call options and short sales, or otherwise participating in hedging, “stop loss,” or other speculative transactions involving our securities by officers, directors, other employees and their family members.  Short selling our securities, trading in any puts, calls, covered calls or other derivative products involving our securities, or the writing of purchase or call options, short sales and other similar transactions are also prohibited for our officers, directors, other employees and family members.

securities. In addition, margin purchases of our securities and pledging any of our securities as collateral to secure loans is also prohibited. This prohibition means that our directors, officers, other employees, and their family members cannot hold our securities in a “margin account” nor can they pledge any of our securities for any loans or indebtedness.

 

Adoption of Compensation Clawback Policy. Policy Although the SEC still has not issued regulations regarding clawback policies, as required by

In accordance with the Dodd-Frank Act, we have recentlyour Board of Directors has voluntarily adopted our owna formal clawback policy which applies to outstanding awards and will apply to future awards. Our clawback policy provides that wethe company may recoup allrecover certain cash and/or equity-based incentive compensation paid or granted to an executive officer as defined pursuant to Rule 3b-7 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, during the three-year period preceding thea “triggering event” that was in excess of what would have been paid or granted to such executive officer after giving effect, as applicable, to the accounting restatement that resulted from the triggering event or to what would have been the correct calculation of the performance metric(s) used in determining that a triggering event had occurred.event.” A “triggering event” includes: i)

(i)a decision by the audit committee to effect an accounting restatement of previously published financial statements caused by material non-compliance by the company with any financial reporting requirement under the federal securities laws due to fraud, misconduct, negligence, or lack of sufficient oversight on the part of any executive officer; and ii) a decision by the compensation committee that one or more performance metrics used for determining previously paid compensation was incorrectly calculated and, if calculated, correctly would have resulted in a lower payment to one or more executive officers.  However, the Audit Committee to effect an accounting restatement of previously published financial statements caused by material non-compliance by the company with any financial reporting requirement under the federal securities laws due to fraud, misconduct, negligence, or lack of sufficient oversight on the part of any named executive officer, and

(ii)a decision by the Compensation Committee that one or more performance metrics used for determining previously paid compensation was incorrectly calculated and, if calculated correctly, would have resulted in a lower payment to one or more executive officers.

The requirement to repay the incentive compensation that is recoverable under this policy shall only exist if the boardBoard of Directors has actively taken steps to evaluate restating the financials or operating results, or recalculating other associated metrics prior to the end of the fifth year following the year in question. The company will not be bound by the three-year recoupment period or this five-year limitation in cases involving fraud or intentional misconduct. OnceAs applicable SEC regulations are adopted, we will reassess our clawback policy in light of the new rules and will implement appropriate changes to ensure that our policy is fully compliant with SEC regulations.

 

Stock Ownership Program.  We have adopted a stock ownership program for our directors, and executive vice presidents and above, with our CEO required to own a fixed number of shares based on five times his base salary.  A detailed description of each of these programs and the minimum share ownership requirements is included on page 20 and page 38 for directors and executives, respectively.

14Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement

  


Committee Charters. Our Board of Directors has adopted a charter for each of the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee, the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee and the Strategic Planning Committee. Each of our charters is reviewed annually. Our Board of Directors may, from time to time, establish certain other committees to facilitate our management. We have also adopted Corporate Governance Guidelines that promote the functioning of the Board of Directors and its committees and sets forth expectations as to how the Board of Directors should perform its functions. The guidelines include information about the composition of the Board of Directors, orientation and continuing education, director compensation, Board of Directors meetings, Board of Directors committees, management succession, evaluation and compensation of senior officers, expectations of directors and information regarding the annual performance evaluation of the Board of Directors.Corporate Governance

 

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Social Responsibility and Ethical Standards.Standards We are committed

An extension of our mission is our commitment to being socially responsible and conducting our business according to the highest ethical standards. Our employees enjoyare awarded compensation that is in line with those of our peers and competitors, including generous healthcare benefits for employees and their families;families, participation in a 401(k) plan with a matching contribution by Realty Income;Income, competitive vacation andpaid time-off benefits; paid maternity leavebenefits, and an infant-at-work program for new parents. We also have a longstanding commitment to equal employment opportunity and adhere to all Equal Employer Opportunity Policy guidelines. Our employees also have access to members of our Board of Directors to report anonymously, if desired, any suspicion of misconduct by any member of our senior management or executive team. We also have a long-standing commitment to equal employment opportunity and adhere to all Equal Employer Opportunity Policy guidelines.

We apply the principles of full and fair disclosure in all of our business dealings, and we encourage all of our directors, officers, and other employees to conduct our business in accordance with the highest standards of moral and ethical behavior, in each case, as outlined in our Corporate Code of Business Ethics. We are also committed to dealing fairly with all of our customers, suppliers, and competitors.

 

Realty Income and its employees have taken an active role in supporting communities through civic involvement with charitable organizations, and corporate donations. Focusing our impact on social responsibility, our non-profit partnerships have resulted in approximately 700 employee volunteer hours during 2016, principally through our partnership with San Diego Habitat for Humanity. Our employees have also provided educational services to at-risk youth, funding to local foodbanks, and toys for under-served children. Our dedication to being a responsible corporate citizen has a direct and positive impact in the communities in which we operate and contributes to the strength of our reputation and our financial performance.

Environmental Practices.Practices

Our focus on energy related mattersenvironmental conservationism is demonstrated by how we manage our day-to-day activities inat our corporate headquarters building.  Inheadquarters. At our headquarters, building we promote energy conservationefficiency and encourage the following practices:

·Poweringpractices such as powering down office equipment at the end of the day;

·Setting faxday, implementing file-sharing technology and copier machinesautomatic “duplex mode” to “energy saver mode”;

·Encouraging employeeslimit paper use, adopting an electronic approval system, carpooling to reduce paper usage whenever possible, by storing documents electronically and using “duplex” copy mode;

·Employing an automated “lights out” system that is activated 24/7; and

·Programming HVAC to only operate during normal business operating hours.

In addition, our headquarters, building was constructed accordingand recycling paper waste. In 2016, we sent more than 29,500 pounds of paper to the State of California energy standards and we have installed solar panels on our roof to fulfill our energy requirements. All of the windows on our building are dual-paned to increase energy efficiency and reduce our carbon footprint.off-site partner for recycling.

 

With respect to other recycling and reuse practices, we encourage the use of recycled products and the recycling of materials duringused in our operations.  Recycling bins are placed in all areas where materials are regularly disposed of and at the individual desks of our employees. Cell phones, wireless devices and office equipment isare recycled or donated whenever possible.  We also continue to pursue a paperless environment since this reduces costs and saves trees.  As a result, we encourage file-sharing networks and environments to produce and edit documents in order to reduce the dissemination of hard copy documents, and have implemented an electronic invoice approval system.

 

With respectIn addition, our headquarters building was retrofitted according to the State of California energy efficiency standards (specifically following California Green Building Standards Code and Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations), with features such as an automatic lighting control system with light-harvesting technology, a Building Management System that monitors and controls energy use, an energy-efficient PVC roof and heating and cooling system, LED lighting, and drought-tolerant landscaping with recycled materials.

The properties that we own, these propertiesin our portfolio are net-leasednet leased to our tenants who are responsible for maintaining the buildings and are in control of their own energy usage and environmental sustainability practices. We remain active in working with our tenants to promote environmental responsibility at the properties we own and to promote the importance of energy efficient facilities.

Our Asset Management team has engaged with a renewable energy development company to identify assets that would maximize energy efficiency initiatives throughout our property portfolio. These initiatives include solar energy arrays, battery storage, and charging stations. In addition, we continue to explore regional opportunities with our tenants in order to qualify for city and county energy programs.

 

More information on our corporatesocial responsibility effortsand environmental practices can be found on our company’s website at http://www.realtyincome.com/invest/investing-resources/corporate-responsibility.shtml.about-realty-income/corporate-responsibility/default.aspx.

 

Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement15

Board of Directors and Corporate Governance

Director Selection Process

Director Qualifications

Director qualifications are determined by what the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee believes to be the essential competencies required to effectively serve on the Board of Directors. The Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee seeks to include on our Board of Directors a complementary mix of professionals with the following qualities, skills, and attributes:

Personal and professional integrity, ethics, values, and absence of conflicts of interest;
Experience in corporate governance, for example as an officer or former officer of a public company;
Experience in our industry and a general business understanding of major issues facing public companies;
Experience as a member of the board of directors of another publicly-held company;
Ability to fairly and equally represent all stockholders of the company and time to devote to being a director;
Practical and mature business judgment, including the ability to make independent analytical inquiries and function effectively in an oversight role;
Academic expertise in an area of our operations and achievement in one or more applicable fields;
Background in financial capital markets and accounting matters; and
Diversity in terms of background, expertise, perspective, age, gender, and ethnicity.

Identifying and Evaluating Nominees for Directors

Our Corporate Governance Guidelines set forth the process by which our Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee identifies and evaluates nominees for our Board of Directors. The Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee first evaluates the current members of our Board of Directors to identify nominees for directors. Current members who are willing to continue service and who have qualifications and skills that are consistent with the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee’s criteria for Board of Directors service are re-nominated.

As to new candidates, the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee will generally poll members of our Board of Directors and members of executive management for their recommendations. The Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee has at times in the past retained a search firm to assist with identifying new candidates for membership on our Board of Directors, and in the future, may hire a search firm if deemed appropriate. An initial slate of candidates will be presented to the Chair of the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee, who will then make an initial determination as to the qualification and fit of each candidate. Final candidates will be interviewed by one or more members of the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee and other directors. The Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee will then approve final director candidates and, after review and deliberation of all feedback and data, will make its recommendation to our Board of Directors. Recommendations received from stockholders are subject to the same criteria as are candidates nominated by the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee and will be considered and processed accordingly.

Stockholder Recommendations

The Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee’s policy is to consider candidates recommended by our stockholders. The stockholder must submit proof of Realty Income stock ownership along with a detailed resume of the candidate and an explanation of the reasons why the stockholder believes the candidate is qualified for service on our Board of Directors. The stockholder must also demonstrate how the candidate satisfies our Board of Directors’ criteria and provide such other information about the candidate as would be required by the SEC rules to be included in a proxy statement, as well as our bylaws. The consent of the candidate must be included along with a description of any arrangements or undertakings between the stockholder and the candidate regarding the recommendation. All communications are to be directed to the Chair of the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee and sent to the address noted under “Communications with the Board” in this Proxy Statement on page 18.

Recommendations received before November 7, 2017 or after December 7, 2017 (more than 150 days or less than 120 days prior to the first anniversary of the date the company’s Proxy Statement is released to stockholders for the previous year’s annual meeting of stockholders) will not be considered timely for consideration at next year’s annual meeting of stockholders. See “Stockholder Proposals for 2018 Annual Meeting” in this Proxy Statement on page 57. Properly submitted stockholder recommendations will be evaluated by the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee using the same criteria used to evaluate other director candidates.

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Board of Directors and Corporate Governance

Board Independence

 

Our Board of Directors has determined that each of our current directors, except for Messrs.Mr. Case, and Lewis, has no material relationship with us (either directly or indirectly through an immediate family member or as a partner, stockholder or officer of an organization that has a relationship with us) and is “independent” within the meaning of our director independence standards and NYSE director independence standards. Our Board of Directors established and employed categorical standards in determining whether a relationship is material and thus would disqualify such director from being independent. Our categorical standards of independence mirror NYSE independence requirements, except that our categorical standards additionally consider a director to be not independent if:

 

·
The director (or an immediate family member of the director) received more than $100,000 per year in direct compensation from the company or any of its subsidiaries, other than director and committee fees, pension or other forms of deferred compensation for prior service (provided such compensation is not contingent in any way on continued service);
The director (or an immediate family member of the director) was, within the last three years, an affiliate or executive officer of another company which was indebted to us, or to which we were indebted, where the total amount of either company’s indebtedness to the other was five percent (5%) or more of our total consolidated assets or the total consolidated assets of such other company; or
The director (or an immediate family member of the director) was, within the last three years, an officer, director, or trustee of a charitable organization where our (or an affiliated charitable foundation’s) annual discretionary charitable contributions to the charitable organization exceeded the greater of $1 million, or five percent of that organization’s consolidated gross revenues. For the purposes of independence, we consider an “Affiliate” any person beneficially owing in excess of ten percent (5%) or more of our total consolidated assets or the total consolidated assets of such other company; and

·The director (or an immediate family member of the director) was, within the last three years, an officer, director or trustee of a charitable organization where our (or an affiliated charitable foundation’s) annual

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discretionary charitable contributions to the charitable organization exceeded the greater of $1 million, or five percent (5%) of that organization’s consolidated gross revenues.

“Affiliate” includes any person beneficially owning in excess of 10% of the voting power of, or a general partner or managing member of, a company.

COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS (as of the record date)

Name

Audit

Compensation

Nominating/
Corporate
 Governance


Strategic
 Planning

Kathleen R. Allen, Ph.D.

+

John P. Case

A. Larry Chapman

Priya Cherian Huskins

+

Thomas A. Lewis

Michael D. McKee

Gregory T. McLaughlin

+

Ronald L. Merriman

+

• Member         + Chairperson

 

Audit Committee

The Audit Committee of our Board of Directors was established in accordance with Section 10A-3 of the Exchange Act and is comprised of Dr. Allen and Messrs. Chapman, McLaughlin and Merriman (Chairman).  Our Board of Directors has determined that Messrs. Merriman and McLaughlin qualify as audit committee financial experts, as defined in Item 407(d) of Regulation S-K and that all members of the Audit Committee are financially literate under the current listing standards of the NYSE. All of the members of the Audit Committee are “independent” within the meaning of our director independence standards, which reflect the NYSE director independence standards, as discussed above, and the audit committee requirements of the SEC. Additionally, our Board of Directors has considered Mr. Merriman’s concurrent service on the audit committees of four public companies and has determined that such simultaneous service does not impair his ability to effectively serve as Chairman of our Audit Committee.

The Audit Committee’s principal responsibilities include:

·Compliance with legal and regulatory requirements;

·The integrity of our financial statements;

·The appointment, approval and engagement of our independent registered public accounting firm, approval of any special assignments given to the independent registered public accounting firm and review of:

oThe scope and results of the audit engagement with the independent registered public accounting firm, including the independent registered public accounting firm’s letters to the Audit Committee;

oThe independence and qualifications of the independent registered public accounting firm;

oThe effectiveness and efficiency of our internal accounting function; and

oAny proposed significant accounting changes; and

·As necessary, meeting with the Compensation Committee regarding the performance goals for key financial, internal control and risk management personnel.

Compensation Committee

The Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors is comprised of Dr. Allen and Messrs. Chapman, McKee and McLaughlin (Chairman).  All of the members of the Compensation Committee are “independent” within the meaning of our director independence standards, which reflect the NYSE director independence standards as discussed above, are “non-employee directors” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act, and are “outside directors” under the regulations promulgated under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code.

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The Compensation Committee’s principal responsibilities include:

·Establishing remuneration levels for our senior officers;

·Reviewing management organization and development;

·Reviewing significant employee benefits programs; and

·Establishing and administering executive compensation programs, including bonus plans, stock option and other equity-based programs, deferred compensation plans and any other cash or stock incentive programs.

The Compensation Committee regularly reviews and approves our executive compensation strategies and principles to ensure that they (i) are aligned with our business strategies and objectives, (ii) encourage high performance, (iii) promote accountability and (iv) assure that employee interests are aligned with the interests of our stockholders. In addition, the Compensation Committee:

·Conducts an annual review of our compensation philosophy, including a review of our company-wide incentive programs to assess whether the incentive programs encourage desirable behavior as it relates to our long-term growth and reflect our risk management philosophies, policies and processes;

·Conducts an annual review of and approves the goals and objectives relating to the compensation of the Chief Executive Officer, evaluates the performance of the Chief Executive Officer in light of our business strategies and performance and determines and approves the compensation of the Chief Executive Officer based on such evaluation;

·Conducts an annual review of and approves all compensation for all other senior officers (as such term is defined in Rule 16a-1 promulgated under the Exchange Act), all of our other employees and the employees of our subsidiaries with a base salary greater than or equal to $200,000;

·Reviews and approves all officers’ employment agreements and severance arrangements;

·Manages and annually reviews executive annual bonus and long-term incentive compensation;

·Manages and annually reviews employee pension and welfare benefit plans (including 401(k) and other plans);

·Sets performance metrics under all annual bonus and long-term incentive compensation plans as appropriate; and

·As necessary, meets with the Audit Committee and/or senior management regarding the role risk management plays in setting appropriate performance objectives and incentives.

The Compensation Committee’s charter reflects these various responsibilities, and the Compensation Committee periodically reviews and revises its charter. To assist in carrying out its responsibilities, the Compensation Committee regularly receives reports and recommendations from the Chief Executive Officer and management, from outside independent compensation consultants it selects and retains and, as appropriate, in consultation with its own legal or other advisors, all in accordance with the authority granted to the Compensation Committee in its charter.

To assist in its efforts to meet the objectives outlined above, the Compensation Committee has retained FPL Associates, LP, or FPL, a nationally-known executive compensation and benefits consulting firm specializing in real estate companies, to advise it on a regular basis on the amount and form of our executive compensation and benefit programs. During 2013, the Compensation Committee engaged the consultant to provide peer group compensation data, compensation and benchmarking analysis, general executive compensation consulting services, and to respond to any Compensation Committee member’s questions as further described in the “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” section. Additionally, during 2013 the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee engaged FPL to review the competitiveness of the compensation program for non-employee directors.

After review and consultation with FPL, the Compensation Committee assessed the independence of FPL in light of, among other factors, the independence factors established by the NYSE.  As a result of this assessment, the Compensation Committee has determined that FPL’s work raised no conflict of interest currently or during the year ended December 31, 2013.  Additionally, during 2013, advisory services were obtained from Latham & Watkins LLP and Hogan Lovells.  After review of the services performed and consultation with these law firms, the Compensation Committee assessed the independence of these firms in light of, among other factors, the independence factors established by the NYSE, and determined to continue directly or indirectly receive advice from these firms.

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The Chief Executive Officer, as well as the President, Chief Operating Officer, annually assist in the review of the compensation of the other officers and members of senior management. The Chief Executive Officer makes recommendations with respect to salary adjustments, annual bonuses and restricted stock awards to the Compensation Committee based on his review of each executive’s performance in relation to the guidelines and metrics established at the commencement of the year, compensation for similar positions at peer companies and the company’s performance for that year.

Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee

The Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee of our Board of Directors is comprised of Ms. Huskins (Chairwoman) and Messrs. McKee and Merriman. All of the members of the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee are “independent” within the meaning of our director independence standards, which reflect the NYSE director independence standards, as previously discussed. The Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee’s principal purpose is to provide counsel to our Board of Directors on the broad range of issues surrounding the composition and operation of the Board of Directors, including:

·Development and review of the qualifications and competencies required for membership on our Board of Directors;

·Reviewing and interviewing qualified candidates to serve on our Board of Directors;

·Structure and membership of the committees of our Board of Directors; and

·Succession planning for our executive management.

The Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee also provides recommendations to the Board of Directors in the areas of committee selection and rotation practices, evaluation of the overall effectiveness of the Board of Directors and management, review of Board of Director compensation, and review and consideration of developments in corporate governance practices.  The Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee retains the sole authority to retain and terminate any search firm to be used to identify director candidates, including sole authority to approve the search firm’s fees and other retention terms.  On an annual basis, the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee solicits input from the full Board of Directors and conducts a review of the effectiveness of the operation of the Board of Directors and all committees thereof, including reviewing governance and operating practices and the Corporate Governance Guidelines for operation of the Board of Directors.

Strategic Planning Committee

The Strategic Planning Committee of our Board of Directors is comprised of Dr. Allen (Chairwoman), Ms. Huskins and Messrs. Case, Lewis, McLaughlin, and Merriman.  With the exception of Mr. Lewis and Mr. Case, our Chief Executive Officer, all of the other members of the Strategic Planning Committee are “independent” within the meaning of our director independence standards, which reflect the NYSE director independence standards as previously discussed.  The Strategic Planning Committee works with management to review initiatives designed to achieve continued growth and to enhance stockholder value.  The Strategic Planning Committee also assists management in looking beyond traditional quarterly and annual perspectives in considering our longer-term goals.

Director Qualifications

The director qualifications developed to date focus on what the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee believes to be the essential competencies required to effectively serve on the Board of Directors.  In reviewing and considering potential nominees for the Board of Directors, the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee looks at the following qualities, skills and attributes:

·Personal and professional integrity, ethics, values and absence of conflicts of interest;

·Experience in corporate governance, for example as an officer or former officer of a publicly-held company;

·Experience in our industry and a general business understanding of major issues facing public companies;

·Experience as a member of the board of directors of another publicly-held company;

·Ability to fairly and equally represent all stockholders of the company and time to devote to being a director;

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·Practical and mature business judgment, including the ability to make independent analytical inquiries and function effectively in an oversight role;

·Academic expertise in an area of our operations and achievement in one or more applicable fields;

·Background in financial and accounting matters; and

·Diversity in terms of background, expertise, perspective, age, gender and ethnicity.

Identifying and Evaluating Nominees for Directors

The Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee identifies nominees for directors by first evaluating the current members of our Board of Directors willing to continue in service. Current members with qualifications and skills that are consistent with the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee’s criteria for Board of Directors service are re-nominated. As to new candidates, the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee will generally poll members of our Board of Directors and members of management for their recommendations. The Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee has in the past retained a search firm to assist with identifying new candidates for membership on our Board of Directors, and in the future may hire a search firm if deemed appropriate. An initial slate of candidates will be presented to the chairwoman of the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee, who will then make an initial determination as to the qualification and fit of each candidate. Final candidates will be interviewed by one or more members of the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee. The Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee will then approve final director candidates and, after review and deliberation of all feedback and data, will make its recommendation to our Board of Directors. Recommendations received from stockholders will be considered and processed and are subject to the same criteria as are candidates nominated by the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee.

Stockholder Recommendations

The Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee’s policy is to consider candidates recommended by stockholders. The stockholder must submit a detailed resume of the candidate and an explanation of the reasons why the stockholder believes the candidate is qualified for service on our Board of Directors and how the candidate satisfies our Board of Directors’ criteria. The stockholder must also provide such other information about the candidate as would be required by the SEC rules to be included in a proxy statement and as is required by our Bylaws. In addition, the stockholder must include the consent of the candidate and describe any arrangements or undertakings between the stockholder and the candidate regarding the recommendation. The stockholder must submit proof of Realty Income stockholdings and must also comply with the advance notice provisions of our Bylaws. All communications are to be directed to the chairwoman of the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee, c/o Corporate Secretary, Realty Income Corporation, 600 La Terraza Boulevard, Escondido, CA  92025-3873. Recommendations received before October 22, 2014 or after November 21, 2014 (more than 150 days or less than 120 days prior to the first anniversary of the date of the Proxy Statement for the previous year’s annual meeting of stockholders) will not be considered timely for consideration at next year’s annual meeting of stockholders. See “Stockholder Proposals for 2015 Annual Meeting” in this Proxy Statement. Properly submitted stockholder recommendations will be evaluated by the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee using the same criteria used to evaluate other director candidates.

Board Leadership/Non-Executive Independent Chairman of the Board

 

The Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee also evaluates the Board of Directors leadership structure. Since 1997, the positions of Non-Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive OfficerCEO have been separatedseparate in recognition of the differences between the two roles. Mr. McKee serves as our Non-Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors and presides as lead Independent Director,independent director, while Mr. Case serves as our Chief Executive Officer.CEO. The Board of Directors believes this is the most appropriate structure at this time because it enables the independent directors to participate meaningfully in the leadership of our Board of Directors while utilizing most efficiently the leadership skills of both Mr.Messrs. McKee and Mr. Case. In addition, separating the roles of Non-Executive Chairman and Chief Executive OfficerCEO allows our Non-Executive Chairman to serve as a liaison between the Board of Directors and executive management, while providing our Chief Executive OfficerCEO with the flexibility and focus needed to oversee our operations.

 

Board Risk Oversight

 

Our Board of Directors has overall responsibility for risk oversight with a focus on the more significant risks facing us.our company. The Board of Directors reviews and oversees our enterprise risk management or ERM,

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(ERM) program, which is a company-wide program designed to enable effectiveeffectively and efficient identification ofefficiently identify and managementassess management’s visibility into critical company risks and to facilitate the incorporation of risk considerations into decision making. The ERM program was established todoes this by clearly define risk management rolesdefining risks facing the company and responsibilities, bringbringing together seniorexecutive management to discuss risk, promotethese risks. This promotes visibility and constructive dialogue around risk at the seniorexecutive management and Board of Director levels, and facilitatefacilitates appropriate risk response strategies. DuringThroughout the year, as part of the ERM program, management and the Board of Directors jointly discuss major risks that they feel face our business.

In addition to the overall risk oversight that our Board of Directors provides, each of our committees exercises its own oversight related to the risks associated with the responsibilities of that committee:

The Audit Committee oversees our risk policies and processes relating to the financial statements and financial reporting procedures, as well as key credit risks, liquidity risks, market risks and compliance, and the guidelines, internal controls, policies and procedures for monitoring and mitigating those risks;
The Compensation Committee monitors the risks associated with management resources and structure, including evaluating the effect the compensation structure may have on risk decisions;
The Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee oversees the risk related to our governance structure and processes and risks arising from related party transactions; and
The Technology Risk Committee monitors the risks associated with the company’s technology and information systems.

Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement17

Board of Directors and Corporate Governance

By dividing responsibilities as such, the Board of Directors believes it can more effectively identify and address risk. Throughout the year, the Board of Directors, and the committees to which it has delegated responsibility, dedicatededicates a portion of their meetings to review and discuss specific risk topics in greater detail.  Strategic and operational risks are presented and discussed in the context of the Chief Executive Officer’s report on operations to the Board of Directors at regularly scheduled Board of Directors meetings and at presentations to the Board of Directors and its committees by senior management.  The Board of Directors has delegated responsibility for the oversight of specific risks to Board of Directors committees as follows:

 

·The Audit Committee oversees our risk policies and processes relating to the financial statements and financial reporting processes, as well as key credit risks, liquidity risks, market risks and compliance, and the guidelines, internal controls, policies and processes for monitoring and mitigating those risks;

·The Strategic Planning Committee monitors the risks associated with meeting long-term goals, including evaluating the impact that future initiatives may have on risk decisions;

·The Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee oversees the risk related to our governance structure and processes and risks arising from related party transactions; and

·The Compensation Committee monitors the risks associated with management resources and structure, including evaluating the effect the compensation structure may have on risk decisions.

Compensation Risk Assessment

 

The Compensation Committee reviews our company-wide incentive programs to assess whether the incentive programs for all employees, including our named executive officers, encourage desirable behavior as it relates to our long-term growth, and reflect our risk management philosophies, policies and processes.

Named Executive Officers.The total compensation of our executive officers is established after consideration ofthe Compensation Committee determines the appropriate performance metrics and is compared to best align the company’s peer group by the Compensation Committee.interests of management with those of our stockholders. The short-term incentive program metrics include absoluteare based on financial, operational, and individual goals. The long-term incentive program metrics are primarily based on our TSR performance relative performance, single year and multi-year performance andto our peers, a diversification and balance of metrics across financial, portfolio and value creation goal, and secondarily based on financial and operational goals. In addition, as previously discussed, we have adopted a clawback policy that enables us to recover incentive compensation awards in the event of negligence or misconduct directly related to a material restatement of our financial results, or miscalculated performance metrics that, if calculated correctly, would have resulted in a lower payment.

 

In addition to the compensation awarded to management, which is authorized by the Compensation Committee, management monitors incentive awards made to our staff and reviews those awards in light of the risks to which we may be subject. Our investor relations team receives bonuses based on their communications with financial advisors, and their time is monitored and approved by the Vice President, Corporate Communications. Our portfolio management team receives bonuses based on the re-leasing and sales of properties in our portfolio. All of these transactions are approved by the Executive Vice President, Portfolio Management.

We do not believe that the compensation programs give rise to any risks that are reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on us.  Non-management employees are largely compensated on a fixed salary basis.  Any additional bonuses or otherOther Employees.Non-named executive officer employee compensation awards are unlikely to encourage the taking of unnecessary or excessive risks that could threaten long-term value creation. Management monitors the cash and equity incentive awards made to our long-term value.employees and reviews those awards in light of the potential risks relative to the control environment, each respective employee’s responsibilities, and the general policies and procedures of our company. The Compensation Committee has sought to align the interests of our employees with that of our stockholders through grants of restricted stock awards, thereby giving employees additional incentives to protect and align with our long-term value.  In addition, as discussed above, wevalue creation. Based on its evaluation, the Compensation Committee does not believe that the compensation programs give rise to any risks that are reasonably likely to have adopted a clawback policy that enables us to recover incentive compensation awards in the event of negligence or misconduct directly related to a material restatement ofadverse effect on our financial or operating results or miscalculated performance metrics that, if calculated correctly, would have resulted in a lower payment.company.

 

Meetings and Attendance

 

Our Board of Directors met 2214 times during 2013. In 2013, the Audit Committee met seven times, the Compensation Committee met eleven times, the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee met six times and the Strategic Planning Committee met three times.2016. All directors attended at least 75% of the aggregate of (i) the total number of meetings of our Board of Directors while they were on our Board of Directors, and (ii) the total number of meetings of the committees of our Board of Directors on which such

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directors served. Although we have no policy with regard to Board of Director members’ attendance at our annual meeting of stockholders, it is customary for, and we expect, all Board of Director members to attend. All of our directorsBoard of Director members, with the exception of Mr. Merriman, attended the 2013our 2016 annual meeting of stockholders.

 

To ensure free and open discussion among the independent directors, only independent directors attend executive sessions of our Board of Directors and Committee meetings. As the non-executiveNon-Executive Independent Chairman of our Board of Directors, Mr. McKee presided at each of the five executive sessions held during 2013.2016.

 

Communications with the Board

 

Stockholders and other interested parties may communicate with the chairmanNon-Executive Chairman of our Board of Directors or with the non-employee directors, as a group, by sending an email to mpfeiffer@realtyincome.com or by regular mail addressed to the Chairmaneither of the Board of Directors, c/o the Corporate Secretary, Realty Income Corporation, 600 La Terraza Boulevard, Escondido, CA  92025-3873. following methods:

Email:Mail:
Non-Executive Chairman of the Board of DirectorsNon-Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors
c/o Corporate Secretaryc/o Corporate Secretary
mpfeiffer@realtyincome.comRealty Income Corporation
11995 El Camino Real
San Diego, CA 92130

All appropriate correspondence will be promptly forwarded promptly by the Corporate Secretary to the chairmanNon-Executive Chairman of our Board of Directors.

 

18Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement

Director Compensation

On an annual basis, the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee is responsible for reviewing the compensation of the Company’s Directors for 2013

Board of Directors. Compensation for our Independent Directors during 2013 consisted of an annual retainer, an additional retainer for acting as Chair of one of our Board’s committees, committee meeting fees, and an annual equity award.  2013 fees included (i) an annual retainer of $15,000 for each Board of Director member, other than the chairmanindependent directors of our Board of Directors whoduring 2016 consisted of an annual cash retainer and an additional cash retainer for acting as the Non-Executive Chairman or Chairperson of one of the committees of our Board of Directors as set forth below. In addition, each independent director receives an annual equity retainer based on a $35,000 annual retainer, (ii) an Audit Committee chair retainerfixed number of $18,000, (iii) a Compensation Committee chair retainer of $15,000, (iv) a Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee chair retainer of $10,000 and (v) a Strategic Planning Committee chair retainer of $10,000.shares provided for in the 2012 Incentive Award Plan. Lastly, independent directors receive Board of Director and committee meeting fees areof $1,000 per meeting attended in person and $500 for telephonic attendance.

     
POSITION HELD ANNUAL EQUITY
GRANT (IN SHARES)(1)
 ANNUAL CASH
RETAINER
Board of Directors – Member (including Non-Executive Chair) 4,000 $15,000  
Board of Directors – Non-Executive Chair  35,000
Audit Committee Chair  18,000
Compensation Committee Chair  15,000
Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee Chair  10,000
Technology Risk Committee Chair  10,000

(1)The value of the annual equity retainer is variable, based on the closing share price on the date of grant.

 

Both Mr. Lewis and Mr. Case are directors who were also members of management during 2013, and as non-independent employee directors, do not receive any compensation for serving as members of our Board of Directors or any of its committees. Our non-employee directors received the following aggregate amounts of compensation for the year ended December 31, 2013:2016: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name

 

Fees earned or
paid in cash

 

Stock
awards
(1)

 

All other
compensation
(2)

 

Total

 

 

Kathleen R. Allen, Ph.D.(3)

 

$ 55,500

 

$ 208,120

 

$          -

 

$ 263,620

 

 

John P. Case(4)

 

-

 

-

 

-

 

-

 

 

Priya Cherian Huskins(3)

 

46,500

 

208,120

 

-

 

254,620

 

 

Thomas A. Lewis(4)

 

-

 

-

 

-

 

-

 

 

Michael D. McKee(3)

 

76,000

 

208,120

 

-

 

284,120

 

 

Gregory T. McLaughlin(2)(3)

 

60,500

 

208,120

 

10,000

 

278,620

 

 

Ronald L. Merriman(3)

 

60,000

 

208,120

 

-

 

268,120

 

 

A. Larry Chapman(3)

 

42,000

 

208,120

 

-

 

250,120

 

(1)On May 7, 2013, the date of our 2013 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, each non-employee director received 4,000 shares of restricted stock with a grant date fair value of $208,120, which is calculated by multiplying the 4,000 shares by the closing market price of our common stock on May 7, 2013 of $52.03, as prescribed by Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718.  All of these stock grants vest according to the vesting schedule described below under “Stock Awards for Directors” and all shares, including shares of restricted stock, are paid dividends from the date of grant.

(2)Amounts represent the annual retainer of $10,000 for serving as the director of Crest Net Lease, Inc., or Crest, a wholly owned subsidiary of Realty Income.

(3) ��              As of December 31, 2013, the non-employee directors did not hold any stock options, but held the following number of shares of unvested restricted stock:

             
NAME FEES EARNED OR
PAID IN CASH
 STOCK
AWARDS(1)
 ALL OTHER
COMPENSATION(2)
 TOTAL 
Kathleen R. Allen, Ph.D.(3) $42,000  $   250,000  $  $292,000 
John P. Case(4)            
A. Larry Chapman(3)  32,500   250,000      282,500 
Priya Cherian Huskins(3)  48,500   250,000      298,500 
Michael D. McKee(3)  76,500   250,000      326,500 
Gregory T. McLaughlin(3)  36,000   250,000   10,000   296,000 
Ronald L. Merriman(3)  48,000   250,000      298,000 
Stephen E. Sterrett(3)  32,000   250,000      282,000 

 

(1)

NameOn May 17, 2016, the date of our 2016 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, each non-employee director received 4,000 shares of restricted stock with a grant date fair value of $250,000, which is calculated by multiplying the 4,000 shares by the closing market price of our common stock on May 17, 2016 of $62.50, as prescribed by Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718. All of these restricted stock grants vest according to the vesting schedule described below under “Stock Awards for Directors” and include dividends paid from the date of grant.

(2)

Amount represents the annual retainer of $10,000 for serving as the director of Crest Net Lease, Inc. (Crest), a wholly owned subsidiary of Realty Income.
(3)

SharesAs of December 31, 2016, the non-employee directors did not hold any stock options. Messrs. Chapman and Sterrett each held 8,001 shares of unvested
restricted stock held at
December 31, 2013stock.

(4)

Kathleen R. Allen, Ph.D.

-

Priya Cherian Huskins

8,001

Michael D. McKee

-

Gregory T. McLaughlin

8,001

Ronald L. Merriman

7,334

A. Larry Chapman

9,334

Mr. Case, our Chief Executive Officer and Director, did not receive any compensation for his services on our Board of Directors or as a director of Crest during 2016. His compensation is reflected as part of the “Summary Compensation Table” on page 39.

 

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(4)Mr. Case, our Chief Executive Officer, and Mr. Lewis, our former CEO and current Director, did not receive any compensation for their services on our Board of Directors or as a directors of Crest during 2013.  Their compensation is reflected as part of the “Summary Compensation Table” on page 40.

Stock Awards for Directors

 

The 2012 Incentive Award Plan provides that typically, upon the initial election to our Board of Directors, and at each annual meeting of stockholders thereafter, if the director continues to serve as a director after the meeting, each non-employee director is automatically granted 4,000 shares of restricted stock. This annual equity grant of 4,000 shares is specifically provided for in the 2012 Incentive Award Plan, which has been approved by our stockholders. The vesting schedule for restricted shares granted to non-employee directors is as follows:follows and is subject to the director’s continued service through each applicable vesting date:

YEARS OF SERVICEVESTING
< 6 years33.33% increments on each of the first three anniversaries of the grant date
6 years50% increments on each of the first two anniversaries of the grant date
7 years100% vested on the first anniversary of the grant date
≥ 8 yearsImmediately

 

Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement19

·For directors with less than six years of service at the date of grant, shares vest in 33.33% increments on each of the first three anniversaries of the date the shares of stock are granted;Director Compensation

 

·For directors with six years of service at the date of grant, shares vest in 50% increments on each of the first two anniversaries of the date the shares of stock are granted;

·For directors with seven years of service at the date of grant, shares are 100% vested on the first anniversary of the date the shares of stock are granted; and

·For directors with eight or more years of service at the date of grant, there is immediate vesting as of the date the shares of stock are granted.

Other Payments for Directors

 

The members of our Board of Directors are also entitled to reimbursement of their travel expenses incurred in connection with attendance at Board of Director and committee meetings and conferences, in accordance with our travel policy.conferences. Additionally, the members of our Board of Director membersDirectors are reimbursed for expenses incurred in connection with attending continuing education programs to assist them in remaining abreast of developments in corporate governance and other critical issues relating to the operation of public company boards.

 

Director Stock Ownership Guidelines

 

Our non-employee directors are subject to stock ownership guidelines. Under these guidelines, each non-employee director will be required, within five years of January 1, 2013, to hold stock valued at no less than five times the amount of the annual cash retainer paid to such director for service as a member of the Board of Directors, without reference to committee service. ForThe current stock ownership goal for each of our non-employee directors the stock ownership goal was determined usingis five times their annual cash retainers as of January 1, 20132017 of $15,000, or $75,000, divided by the closing price of our common stock as of December 31, 20122016 of $40.21,$57.48, which equals a minimum share ownership requirement of 1,8651,305 shares.

 

All vested and unvested restricted stock awards qualify towards satisfaction of the requirement. For any new director, compliance with the guidelines will be required within five years after being elected to the Board of Directors. As of January 1, 2014,December 31, 2016, each director subject to the guidelines met or exceeded the stock ownership requirements.

 

Stock ownership guidelines for our executive officers, including Messrs. Case and Lewis, are described below under “Executive Compensation — Compensation Discussion and Analysis — Executive Stock Ownership Requirements.”

20Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement

 

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE COMPANY

Executive Officers of the Company

 

The following table sets forth certain information as of the record date of March 6, 20149, 2017 concerning our executive officers:

NAME AND CURRENT

NameAGE 

TitleBUSINESS EXPERIENCE 

Age

TITLE

John P. Case


Chief Executive
Officer and Director

53

50

Mr. Case’s business experience is set forth in this Proxy Statement under “Director Nominees” on page 8.

Gary M. Malino

Sumit Roy
President and Chief
Operating Officer

47

Mr. Roy has been our President since November 2015 and our Chief Operating Officer

56

Sumit Roy

since October 2014. He served as Executive Vice President, Chief Investment Officer

44

from October 2013 to November 2015. Prior to that, he served as Executive Vice President, Acquisitions from March 2013 to October 2013, after being promoted from his prior role as Senior Vice President, Acquisitions from September 2011 to February 2013. Prior to joining us in September 2011, Mr. Roy was an Executive Director, Global Real Estate, Lodging & Leisure for UBS Investment Bank. Mr. Roy has also held positions at Merrill Lynch, and at Cap Gemini Ernst & Young LLP.

Paul M. Meurer


Executive Vice
President, Chief
Financial Officer and
Treasurer

51

Mr. Meurer has been our Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

48

since joining us in 2001. Prior to joining us, he was a director in Merrill Lynch & Co.’s Real Estate Investment Banking Group (1992-2001), a real estate consultant with General Atlantic Partners (1991) and worked in the Real Estate Investment Banking Department at Goldman Sachs & Co. (1987-1990).

Michael R. Pfeiffer


Executive Vice
President, General
Counsel and
Secretary

56

Mr. Pfeiffer has been our Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

53

since May 2002. He joined us in 1990 and served as Corporate Counsel until 1995, when he was named General Counsel and Secretary. Mr. Pfeiffer left us in September 2001 and served as Executive Vice President and General Counsel for Westfield Corporation, Inc., a retail shopping mall owner, until May 2002, at which time he returned to us as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary. Prior to joining us, Mr. Pfeiffer was in private practice with a law firm specializing in real estate transactional law and served as associate counsel with First American Title Insurance Company. He is a licensed attorney and member of the State Bar of California and Florida. Mr. Pfeiffer is a licensed Real Estate Broker in California and holds the real estate officer license for us.

Richard G. Collins

Neil M. Abraham
Executive Vice
President, Chief
Investment Officer

45

Mr. Abraham has been our Executive Vice President, Chief Investment Officer since November 2015. Prior to that, he was our Senior Vice President, Investments, a position he held from April 2015 to November 2015. Prior to joining us, Mr. Abraham was a Portfolio Manager for equity and mortgage REITs at Alliance Bernstein – Global Equities in New York (2007-2015). Prior to joining Alliance Bernstein, he held positions as Associate Principal for McKinsey & Company, and Vice President, Fixed Income Derivatives at Salomon Brothers (later Citigroup).

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Executive Officers of the Company

NAME AND CURRENTAGEBUSINESS EXPERIENCE
TITLE
Benjamin N. Fox
Senior Vice
President, Asset and
Portfolio
Management
37Mr. Fox has been our Senior Vice President, Asset and Portfolio Management since 2015. Prior to that, he was our Vice President, Asset Management, a position he held from 2013 to 2015. He joined us in 2007 and served as Acquisitions Director before being promoted to Associate Vice President in 2009, and then to Vice President of Strategic Investments in 2011. Prior to joining us, Mr. Fox worked in investment banking at JPMorgan and in merchant banking at Cappello Capital.
Robert J. Israel
Senior Vice
President, Research
57Mr. Israel has been our Senior Vice President, Research since 2006. He joined us in 1997 and served as Senior Research Director, Associate Vice President and Vice President of Research prior to being promoted to his current position. Prior to joining us, Mr. Israel was a Vice President of corporate banking for First National Bank and a Corporate Banker for City National Bank.
Dawn Nguyen
Senior Vice
President, Portfolio
Management
54Ms. Nguyen has been our Senior Vice President, Portfolio Management

65

Robert J. Israel

Senior since 2015. Prior to that, she was our Vice President, Portfolio Management, a position she held from 2007 to 2015. She joined us in 2001 as an Associate Vice President, Research

54

before transitioning to the Portfolio Management department as a Director in 2005. Prior to joining us, Ms. Nguyen was a financial and real estate consultant for KPMG and Arthur Andersen, and a commercial lending officer at Bank of America and Citigroup.

Laura S. King

Sean P. Nugent
Senior Vice
President, Assistant General Counsel and Assistant Secretary

Controller

44

52

Greg J. Fahey

Mr. Nugent has been our Senior Vice President, Controller

53

since January 2017. Prior to that, he was our Vice President, Controller, a position he held from 2014 to December 2016. He joined us in 2006 and served as Accounting Manager before being promoted to Associate Vice President, Assistant Controller, in 2012. Prior to joining us, Mr. Nugent worked in various accounting positions for a number of San Diego companies. Mr. Nugent is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in California.

Debra M. Bonebrake

Joel W. Tomlinson
Senior Vice
President,
Acquisitions

40

Mr. Tomlinson has been our Senior Vice President, Industrial, DistributionAcquisitions since 2015. Prior to that, he was our Vice President, Senior Director of Acquisitions, a position he held from 2011 to 2015. He joined us in 1999 and Office Properties

worked in a variety of capacities, including as an Acquisitions Director and Manager in the Portfolio Management Group. Mr. Tomlinson left us in 2006 to work in the franchise finance group at Merrill Lynch Capital. Subsequent to that, Mr. Tomlinson served as Senior Acquisitions Director for Cole Real Estate Investments, a net lease financing firm, until 2010, at which time he returned to us as Associate Vice President and Director of Acquisitions.
Cary J. Wenthur
Senior Vice
President,
Acquisitions

53

54

Mr. Wenthur has been our Senior Vice President, Acquisitions since 2015. Prior to that, he was our Vice President, Acquisitions, a position he held from 2003 to 2015. He joined us in 1997 as an Acquisitions Director. Prior to joining us, Mr. Wenthur was a Vice President and Loan Officer at a bank and an Appraiser and Loan Officer for a real estate company.

 

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20



Table of ContentsExecutive Compensation

 

Executive Officer Biographies

John Case’s biographical information is set forth above under Board of Director Biographies.

Gary M. Malino is our President, Chief Operating Officer, a position he has held since September 2001.  He joined us in 1985 and served in various executive positions until 1994 when he was named Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer. Prior to joining Realty Income, he was a certified public accountant for a Los Angeles based accounting firm (1981-1985) and assistant controller with McMillin Development Company, a real estate development company (1979-1981).

Sumit Roy is our Executive Vice President, Chief Investment Officer, a position he has held since October 2013.  He was Executive Vice President, Acquisitions, from March 2013 to October 2013.  From September 2011 to February 2013, he was our Senior Vice President, Acquisitions.  Prior to joining us, Mr. Roy was an Executive Director, Global Real Estate, Lodging & Leisure, for UBS Investment Bank in New York (UBS).  Prior to working at UBS, Mr. Roy was a Manager in the Corporate Finance Group at Meadwestvaco (2003-2004), an Associate in the Technology Investment Banking Group at Merrill Lynch (2001-2003), and a Principal at Cap Gemini (1994-1999).

Paul M. Meurer is our Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, positions he has held since joining us in 2001. Prior to joining us, he was a director in Merrill Lynch & Co.’s Real Estate Investment Banking Group (1992-2001), a real estate consultant with General Atlantic Partners (1991) and worked in the Real Estate Investment Banking Department at Goldman Sachs & Co. (1987-1990).

Michael R. Pfeiffer is our Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, positions he has held since May 2002. He joined us in 1990 and served as Corporate Counsel until 1995, when he was named General Counsel and Secretary. Mr. Pfeiffer left us in September 2001 and served as Executive Vice President and General Counsel for Westfield Corporation, Inc., a retail shopping mall owner, until May 2002, at which time he returned to us as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary. Prior to 1990, Mr. Pfeiffer was in private practice with a law firm specializing in real estate transactional law and served as associate counsel with First American Title Insurance Company. He is a licensed attorney and member of the State Bar of California and Florida. Mr. Pfeiffer is a licensed Real Estate Broker in California and holds the real estate officer license for us.

Richard G. Collins is our Executive Vice President, Portfolio Management, a position he has held since August 2005. Prior to becoming Executive Vice President, Portfolio Management, Mr. Collins served as the President of our subsidiary, Crest. He joined us in 1990 and has served in a variety of positions, including Vice President, Portfolio Management and Senior Vice President, Portfolio Acquisitions. Prior to joining us, he was involved as a principal in the acquisition and sale of land and commercial real estate, as a general partner for land and commercial real estate partnerships (1979-1990) and as a leasing and sales specialist in the Office Properties Division for Grubb & Ellis Commercial Real Estate Services (1974-1979).

Robert J. Israel is our Senior Vice President, Research, a position he has held since 2006.  He joined us in 1997 and served as Senior Research Director, Associate Vice President and Vice President of Research prior to being promoted to his current position.  Prior to joining us, Mr. Israel was a Vice President of corporate banking for First National Bank and a Corporate Banker for City National Bank.

Laura S. King is our Senior Vice President, Assistant General Counsel and Assistant Secretary, positions she has held since December 2008.  From November 1998 to December 2008, she was our Vice President, Assistant General Counsel and Assistant Secretary.  She joined us in 1985 and held various investor services and legal positions until her promotion to Vice President, Assistant General Counsel in 1998.  Prior to joining us, Ms. King held various accounting positions with Southern California Savings and Loan Associations.  She is a licensed attorney and member of the State Bar of California.

Greg J. Fahey is our Senior Vice President, Controller, a position he has held since January 2013.  From April 1998 to January 2013, he served as Vice President, Controller.  He joined us in January 1986 and served in a variety of accounting positions prior to becoming Vice President, Controller in 1998.  Prior to joining us, Mr. Fahey gained experience as an accountant, loan officer and mortgage broker.  He is accredited as a Certified Management Accountant.

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Table of Contents

Debra M. Bonebrake is our Senior Vice President, Industrial, Distribution and Office Properties, a position she has held since March 2014.  Prior to joining us, Ms. Bonebrake was a Managing Director at Prologis.  During her 18 years at Prologis (1995-2013), Ms. Bonebrake was responsible for the development and operation of the company’s property management platform.  More recently, Ms. Bonebrake had executive oversight for a business transformation project that delivered an integrated global operating platform to the organization.  Prior to her time at Prologis Ms. Bonebrake was the Director of Operations at Paragon Group, Inc. (1989-1995).

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

 

This Compensation Discussion and Analysis section discusses the compensation policies and programs for the company’sfollowing executive officers includingof the company (the named executive officers as such term is defined in the Summary Compensation Table in this Proxy Statement. The Compensation Committee administers the compensation policies and programs for our executive officers and certain other officers. The Compensation Committee regularly reviews and approves our executive compensation principles and programs to ensure that they are aligned with our business strategies and objectives, encourage high performance, promote accountability, minimize risk taking, and assure that management’s interests are aligned with the interests of our stockholders.or NEOs):

 

Executive Summary

NAMECURRENT TITLE
John P. CaseChief Executive Officer
Sumit RoyPresident and Chief Operating Officer
Paul M. MeurerExecutive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
Michael R. PfeifferExecutive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
Neil M. AbrahamExecutive Vice President, Chief Investment Officer

 

2013 was an eventful year for Realty Income Corporation.   There were two significant events that occurred during the year that were outside the ordinary course of business and that had an impact on the annual compensation of our named executive officers.  These events included the acquisition of ARCT which dramatically increased the size of our company at the very start of the year, and triggered a change to our peer group due to a significant increase in our total market capitalization and real estate portfolio.  Additionally, after 17 years, Tom Lewis, retired as CEO in September 2013 and John Case, our prior Executive Vice President, Chief Investment Officer, was promoted to CEO. As a result of this shift in leadership, equity-based awards were granted to Mr. Case as compensation for his promotion and Mr. Lewis’ 2013 performance compensation was awarded during 2013, as opposed to January of the following fiscal year when we customarily award performance compensation. It is important to understand these items and the impact of these non-recurring payments and awards on 2013 executive compensation and its comparability to prior years compensation as you read through the following executive compensation discussion.Summary

 

The primary objectives of the company’sour compensation program are to:

ü     Align the interests of management with those of the stockholders;
ü     Link executive compensation to the company’s short-term and long-term performance; and
ü     Attract, motivate and retain highly qualified executive officers through competitive compensation arrangements.

We continue to adhere to best in class compensation and corporate governance practices as set forth in the following table:

WHAT WE DO:WHAT WE DO NOT DO:
üDO align pay to performance by linking a substantial portion of compensation to the achievement of predefined performance metrics that drive stockholder value creationXDo NOT allow for uncapped award opportunities
üDO cap payouts for awards under our Short-Term Incentive Program (STIP) and our Long-Term Incentive Program (LTIP)XDo NOT provide any perquisites to our named executive officers
üDO set meaningful and measurable performance goals at the beginning of the performance period and evaluate such performance over both an annual and multi-year period on a relative basisXDo NOT permit executives officers or directors to pledge or hedge our securities
üDO maintain stock ownership requirements for our directors, CEO, and other named executive officersXDo NOT incentivize excessive risk taking
üDO perform an annual compensation risk assessment to ensure our compensation programs and policies do not encourage excessive risk taking behaviorXDo NOT pay accrued dividends on performance shares unless and until they vest
üDO allow for the Board to “clawback” incentive compensation in the event of certain financial restatements or incentive miscalculationsXDo NOT provide our named executive officers with tax gross-ups on perquisites or other benefits
üDO employ the services of an independent compensation consultantXDo NOT provide for excise tax gross ups
üDO grant performance-based equity, which is “at-risk” and not guaranteedXDo NOT provide supplemental or other retirement plans, other than a 401(k) plan

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Executive Compensation

2016 Performance

Prior to reviewing the compensation program and earned amounts for our named executive officers, it is important to review and acknowledge the company’s performance for the year. The company achieved solid growth and strong operating and financial performance in 2016. Here are some key highlights:

2016 Highlights:Resulted in the following 2016
Achievements:
We sourced $28.5 billion in real estate acquisition opportunities and closed on a company-record $1.86 billion in acquisitions.

5.1%AFFO

per Share Increase(1)

Our acquisitions further diversified the portfolio and improved our tenant credit quality, which enhanced the stability of our revenue.
Moody’s and S&P raised their outlook on our Baa1/BBB+ credit ratings to “Positive,” recognizing the growing strength of our credit profile.
We raised $573 million in common equity capital, at attractive pricing. Additionally, with one of the highest credit ratings in the REIT industry, we issued $600 million in 10-year unsecured debt at the lowest yield for debt of this term in our company’s history.

5.3%Increase in Dividends

Paid per Share During 2016

We achieved a high level of year-end occupancy of 98.3%, while recapturing 105% of expiring rent on properties re-leased during the year.
We increased the dividend six times throughout the year, and again in February 2017, growing the dividend by 6% compared to February 2016.

16.0%

Total Stockholder Return

We continued to capitalize on the scalability and efficiency of our business platform, with G&A expense as a percentage of rental revenue at 4.9%, the lowest in our history and the lowest amongst our net lease peers. We also achieved $1.13 net income per share.

(1)For a calculation of Adjusted Funds from Operations (AFFO) per share, see page 47 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 23, 2017, which also includes a GAAP reconciliation of net income available to common stockholders to this non-GAAP measure.

The company’s performance results are a significant contributor in determining the compensation awarded to our executives. Our compensation program is structured to effectively link compensation to the achievement of certain company performance metrics in order to create alignment with the interests of management with thoseour stockholders. We believe our performance in 2016 demonstrates the effectiveness, over time, of the stockholders,execution of our strategic business plan, and the alignment of our compensation program with our philosophy to link executive compensation to company performance, and to attract, motivate and retain Realty Income’s executive officers through competitive compensation arrangements that, within appropriate risk parameters, provide strong financial incentivesreward executives for executives to maximizeenhancing long-term stockholder value.

 

2013 Strong PerformanceStrategic Planning

 

Realty Income delivered extraordinary operating performance resultsOur goal is to continue managing the company in 2013, includinga manner that supports sustainable, long-term value creation for stockholders. In 2016, the following accomplishments:Board of Directors and the company’s named executive officers completed an in-depth strategic review of each facet of our business, focusing on the long-term vision for our company. While discussion of the company’s strategy is frequently a part of regularly scheduled Board meetings, this dedicated strategic review allowed the Board to further assess potential opportunities and threats to the business to properly position the company to continue to perform in the future. Additional members of management and outside experts were invited to participate in discussions on topics such as disruptive technologies, changing demographics, the macroeconomic and political landscape, and their implications for our company. We will continue to incorporate similar strategic reviews in our Board meetings and strive to stay in front of emerging trends by making adjustments to our strategy as needed.

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Executive Compensation

 

·Increased Monthly Dividend. Increased monthly dividends paid per common share in 2013 five times for a year over year increase of 21.2% to $2.147 per share in 2013 from $1.772 per share for 2012, which is the largest increase in our company’s historyFavorable Say-on-Pay Vote and is over 16x greater than the average of the per share dividend increase during the last 3 years.

·Increased FFO per share.Stockholder Engagement  Achieved a 19.4% increase in FFO per share for 2013 compared to 2012 and a 19.3% increase in normalized FFO per share for 2013 compared to 2012.  These represent the largest increases in our company’s history.

·Increased FFO. Achieved a 72.1% increase in FFO for 2013 compared to 2012. Achieved a 71.9% increase in normalized FFO available to common stockholders for 2013 compared to 2012.  Refer to page 49 of our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013 for a reconciliation of net income available to common stockholders (which we believe is the most comparable GAAP measure) to FFO and normalized FFO.

·Record Acquisitions. Recorded a record year for new property acquisitions as we invested $4.7 billion in real estate, including $3.2 billion of real estate acquired in January in connection with the acquisition of ARCT and an additional $1.5 billion invested in 459 new properties and properties under development or expansion at an initial lease yield of 7.1%.

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·Improved Credit Quality and Diversification of Revenues. We made progress on our strategic initiatives of improving the credit quality of our revenue stream and diversifying our portfolio to include non-retail properties, whereby 65% of the revenues generated by our 2013 investments in real estate are from investment grade tenants and 16% of the investments are in non-retail properties.

·Maintained a Very High Occupancy Rate.  At December 31, 2013, we had 70 properties available for lease out of 3,896 properties in our portfolio, which represents a 98.2% occupancy rate.

·Access to Capital. Accessed the capital markets to raise approximately $4.0 billion in gross capital during 2013. This new capital consisted primarily of approximately $3.2 billion of common equity and also included approximately $820.0 million of debt. This capital raising activity allowed us to fund our acquisitions during 2013.

·Increased Capacity on Credit Facility.  We expanded our credit facility to a capacity of $1.5 billion, providing us with ample access to funds which allows us to pursue additional real estate investment opportunities.  Throughout the year, we maintained a conservative capital structure with debt as a percentage of total market capitalization of 33.2% at December 31, 2013.

·Credit Rating Upgrade. Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services upgraded our senior unsecured debt ratings to BBB+ from BBB and our preferred stock ratings to BBB- from BB+, with a stable outlook.

 

We have also achieved relatively strong long-term performance, including the following accomplishments:

·Achieved three-year and five-year total stockholder returns at the 59th and 44th percentile, respectively, compared to our peer group.  Our year-end total return is based on our share price at December 31, 2013.  During 2013, the price of our shares fluctuated between a high of $55.48 and a low of $36.58, closing at $37.33 on December 31, 2013.  Factors that can play a role in the pricing of our shares include, but are not limited to, perceptions in the market place of unfolding economic events, as well as conditions in the stock market in general, which are unrelated to our outstanding operating performance. Of note is the fact that the decline in our shares did not occur in isolation as the broader REIT indices, including the share prices for many in our peer group, also declined during the second half of 2013, resulting in share price declines of 1.3% for the NAREIT Equity REIT Index in 2013.  Considering these fluctuations and the fluctuations of total stockholder returns within our peer group and the general REIT industry, we believe our three-year and five-year total stockholder returns have been favorable;

·Since listing on the NYSE in October 1994, our compounded average annual total stockholder return, as of December 31, 2013, was 16.3%.  As illustrated in the graph below, our performance far exceeded the following indices during the same period: FTSE NAREIT US Equity REIT index, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the S&P 500 and the NASDAQ Composite.  Each of these compounded average annual total stockholder return rates are calculated in the same manner, assuming reinvestment of dividends, except for NASDAQ.

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Overview of Compensation Philosophy

Executive compensation consists of the following elements; base salary, annual cash incentive bonus, equity based long-term incentive awards, severance and change in control payments and benefits. We believe each of these elements support the company’s overall compensation objectives.

The Compensation Committee’s philosophy is that executive compensation should reflect the value created forprovide our stockholders while supporting our business strategies, operational goals, and long-range plans.  Such compensation should also assist the company in attracting and retaining key executives critical to our long-term success.

·We emphasize pay for performance.  The company’s compensation program is designed to align company-wide financial, operational and total return achievements with the annual cash bonuses and equity awards granted to its named executive officers. Annual cash bonuses are paid based upon the Compensation Committee’s assessment of each executive’s individual performance and company-wide performance under the following key short-term and long-term performance metrics of:  (i) short-term stockholder returns (weighted 15%); (ii) the strength of its balance sheet (weighted 20%); (iii) short-term growth in earnings metrics (weighted 15%); (iv) portfolio performance (weighted 10%); (v) acquisitions (weighted 10%); (vi) long-term (3 year and 5 year) stockholder returns (weighted 20%); and (vii) long-term (3 year and 5 year) growth in earnings metrics (weighted 10%), with an available rating of poor, average, good, excellent or outstanding for each measure.  Individual metrics within each category are equally weighted.  Equity awards, which are typically granted after fiscal year end, in recognition of the company’s prior year performance under these performance metrics as well as each executive officer’s individual performance for the prior fiscal year, consist of annual grants of restricted stock.

·Alignment of executive compensation with the creation of value for our stockholders.  The combination of annual cash bonuses and restricted stock grants, which generally vest over a period of five years, except for officers approaching retirement age, creates a balanced focus on the achievement of short-term and long-term financial and operational goals and total return performance. The Compensation Committee believes that this “at risk” and variable compensation of annual bonuses and long-term equity incentives play a significant role in aligning management’s interests with those of the company’s stockholders. In 2013, approximately 67% of our CEO’s total direct compensation (as shown in the following chart) and approximately 79%-88% for our other named executive officer’s total direct compensation, consisted of compensation that is “at risk” based on our performance.  Included in the CEO’s 2013 compensation is a time-based promotion equity grant.  Excluding this one-time grant, approximately 93% of our CEO’s total direct compensation was considered “at risk.” Typically 100% of the annual equity awards we grant to our executive officers are based on our performance.

CEO Total Direct Compensation(1)

(1)The term total direct compensation means the aggregate amount of Mr. Case’s 2013 actual base salary, actual annual cash incentive bonus for 2013 performance (paid in January 2014), and the grant date fair value of long-term incentive awards based on 2013 performance (granted in 2013 and January 2014), calculated as prescribed by Accounting Standards Codification 718.  The performance equity awards consist of grants made in March 2013 related to the successful completion of the ARCT merger, performance-based awards granted in September 2013 upon Mr. Case’s promotion to CEO, and annual performance grants for 2013.  A portion of the promotion equity award consists of a time-based equity award granted in September 2013 upon Mr. Case’s promotion to CEO, and the remainder of the promotion equity award is performance based.

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·A flexible approach to annual cash incentive compensation and equity based long-term incentive awards.  The Compensation Committee has established targeted goals under each of the performance metrics to guide it in its evaluation of company performance and its determination of annual cash bonuses and equity awards. While the program provides structure to the Compensation Committee’s determinations, it also preserves the Compensation Committee’s flexibility to exercise its discretion in assessing company performance (including a comparison to our peer group’s performance), market conditions and any other relevant data. This ultimately helps to ensure that the incentive bonus program is both responsive to market conditions and linked to the actual performance of the company.  In addition to these performance metrics, the Compensation Committee employs targeted multiples of salary as guidelines for determination of cash bonuses and equity award values when performance approximates targeted (or good) performance and pay in excess of these multiples for excellent or outstanding performance.  For 2013, based on extraordinary accomplishments under its performance metrics, the company paid above-target multiples for cash bonuses and equity awards for each of its named executive officers.

·Competitive Aggregate Total Direct Compensation. The Compensation Committee, with the assistance of its independent compensation consultant, annually reviews the executive compensation program to ensure that it provides competitive pay opportunities. The Compensation Committee believes it is important to provide aggregate total direct compensation to named executive officers as a group that is targeted within a range of median aggregate total direct compensation paid by the company’s peer group during the same time frame.

·We are mindful of the concerns of our stockholders regarding executive compensation pay practices.  To address these concerns we have adopted the following policies during the last year:

·A clawback policy that enables us to recover incentive compensation awards in the event of negligence or misconduct directly related to a material restatement of our financial or operating results, or miscalculated performance metrics that, if calculated correctly, would have resulted in a lower payment; and

·An anti-pledging policy that prohibits directors, officers, employees and their families from holding our securities in a “margin account,” and pledging any of our securities for any loans or indebtedness.

Additionally, the Compensation Committee is considering certain modifications to the company’s existing compensation program for the 2014 calendar year which would result in distinct short-term and long-term plans based on separate metrics. Under the long-term incentive plan, an individual’s award would be granted in performance-vesting equity awards, based strictly on achieving future performance goals.  See further detail of the anticipated changes to the compensation program on page 32.

·Other Highlights of Our Compensation Practices. The Compensation Committee seeks to ensure good corporate governance practices are a key element of our executive compensation program.  Highlights include:

·A stock ownership program for our directors and executive officers with a position of executive vice president and above, with the Named Executive Officers required to own a fixed number of shares based on three to five times their base salaries, depending on their position.  All executive officers are in compliance with the stock ownership guidelines;

·An anti-hedging policy is in place that prohibits directors, officers, employees and their families from entering into speculative transactions involving the company’s stock;

·In the event of a change in control, without termination, no cash payments will be made to our named executive officers, including our CEO;

·There are no tax gross up payments;

·The Compensation Committee employs the services of an independent compensation consultant, who assists the Committee in its review of the market competitiveness of the compensation program and apprises the Committee of market trends; and

·The Compensation Committee carefully considers the risks associated with all of the compensation programs.

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Favorable Stockholder Say on Pay Vote

The company provides its stockholders an advisory “say on pay”“say-on-pay” vote on the compensation of named executive officers on an annual basis.officers. At our 20132016 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, our stockholders expressed substantial support for the compensation of named executive officers, with approximately 95%96% of the votes cast approving the advisory say on paysay-on-pay vote. FollowingThis continued support of our 2013 Annual Meetingcompensation program, as demonstrated below, reflects a strong alignment with the company’s performance and long-term value creation for our stockholders.

(BAR CHART) 

During 2016, we continued to engage and interact with our active stockholders through various means of Stockholders, ourcommunication including in-person meetings and conference calls.

In addition to the say-on-pay results and feedback from stockholders (as provided), the Compensation Committee evaluated the results of the 2013 advisory say on pay vote. The Compensation Committee also considered many other factors in evaluating our executive compensation programs, as discussed in this Compensation Discussion and Analysis, including the Compensation Committee’s assessment of the interaction of the company’s compensation programs with its financial and operational objectives, evaluations of its programs by an external consultant, and review of data of a comparator group of peers, each of whichbut not limited to:

üThe Compensation Committee’s assessment of the interaction of our compensation program with our financial and operational objectives;
üRecommendations provided by its independent consultant; and
üA review of peer data.

Each factor is evaluated in the context of the Compensation Committee’s responsibility to act in the company’s best interests. While each of these factors had a bearing on the Compensation Committee’s decisions regarding our named executive officers’ compensation, theinterest. The Compensation Committee did not make any material changesreviewed the company’s agreements for restricted stock and restricted stock unit awards and found them to our executive compensation program in 2013 and policies as a result of the 2013 advisory say on pay vote.be well aligned with current market practices. The Compensation Committee will continue to consider the outcome of say on paysay-on-pay proposals and stockholder input when making future compensation decisions for the named executive officers.

 

Compensation Process

Elements of Compensation Consultant

 

To achieve its goals,In 2016, the Compensation Committee offers executive officers a compensation package that is primarily comprised of the elements described in the table below.  In structuring executive compensation packages, the Compensation Committee considers how each component promotes retention and motivates performance. Base salaries and severance and other termination benefits are primarily intended to attract and retain highly qualified executives. We believe that in order to attract and retain top executives, we need to provide them with compensation levels that reward their continued service.

Annual bonuses and long-term equity incentives are the elements of the executive compensation program that are designed to reward performance and provide incentives to create stockholder value.  Annual bonuses are primarily intended to motivate named executive officers to achieve specific strategies and operating objectives, although we also believe it helps us attract and retain top executives.  Our long-term equity incentives are primarily intended to align named executive officers’ long-term interests with stockholders long-term interests, although we believe they also play a role in helping us reward performance and to attract and retain top executives.

Element

Objective Served

Base Salary

Fixed base pay that rewards performance of core job duties, and recognizes individual achievements, contributions and tenure.

Annual Cash Incentive Bonus

Variable cash awards based on performance and responsibility levels to compensate each executive for achieving our corporate goals and achievement of our short-term and long-term objectives.

Equity Based Long-term Incentive Awards – Restricted Stock

Variable equity awards also granted based on performance and responsibility levels and designed to foster retention and align the executive officers’ interests with the long-term interests of our stockholders.

Severance and Change in Control Payments and Benefits

Promotes executive recruitment and retention. Ensures best efforts for the benefit of our stockholders in the event of an actual or threatened change of control.

Compensation Process

Compensation Consultant

To assist in its efforts to meet the objectives outlined above, the Compensation Committee has retained FPL Associates, LP, or FPL, a nationally-known independent executive compensation and benefits consulting firm specializing in real estate companies, to provide general executive compensation consulting services and to respond to any Compensation Committee member’s questions.services. In addition, the consultant performs special executive compensation projects and consulting services, from time to time, as directed by the Compensation Committee. In 2013, as in the prior year, the Compensation Committee continued to review its program designs and guidelines, and conducted its annual review of the competitiveness of its compensation program and the market practices of our peer group. The consulting services provided by FPL in connection with these reviews included:include:

 

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Table of Contents

üEvaluating the current compensation program design and guidelines for the named executive officers and assisting in structuring a compensation program that meets the objectives outlined by the Compensation Committee;
üProviding peer information to assist the Compensation Committee in selecting the appropriate peer group;
üBenchmarking the compensation for the named executive officers against the appropriate peer group;
üIdentifying the appropriate mix between compensation components, including base salary, annual incentives, and short-term and long-term incentive compensation to ensure proper incentive alignment;
üDiscussing market-based incentive programs, including performance metrics and target, within the peer group companies, and providing guidance and recommendations for modifications to program elements to ensure competitiveness; and
üReviewing an overview of industry trends as it relates to human capital across the entire real estate industry.

 

·Evaluating the current compensation program in place for the named executive officers and assistance in structuring a compensation program that meets the objectives outlined by the Compensation Committee;

Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement25

 

·Providing competitor information to assist the Compensation Committee in selecting the appropriate peer group;

 

·Benchmarking the compensation for the named executive officers against the appropriate peer group;

 

·Identifying the appropriate mix between compensation components, including base salary, annual incentives, and long-term incentive compensation;

·Discussing market-based incentive programs, including performance metrics and targets, within the peer group companies, and providing guidance and recommendations for design modifications to program elements; and

·Reviewing an overview of industry trends as it relates to human capital across the entire real estate industry.Executive Compensation

 

FPL reports only to the chairman of the Compensation Committee and the other committee members and works with management as directed by the Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee retains the right to terminate or replace the consultant at any time. Pursuant to the Compensation Committee’s charter, the Compensation Committee has the power to engage such consultants and other advisors as it deems necessary.

 

Through a review and consultation with FPL, the Compensation Committee assessed the independence of FPL in light of, among other factors, the independence factors established by the NYSE. As a result of this assessment, the Compensation Committee has determined that FPL’s work raised no conflict of interest currently or during the year ended December 31, 2016.

Peer Group Data

 

The Compensation Committee uses comparison data from various companies in certain peer groupsit considers peers as a guide in its review and determination of base salaries, annual cash bonusespayments, equity awards, and restricted stocklong-term performance awards. From November 2013 through January 2014,Prior to approving the 2016 incentive compensation program, the Compensation Committee reviewed peer group data to assist in its determination regardingof total target direct compensation (on an aggregate and individual basis), as well as the appropriate mix of equity versus cash, bonusesshort-term versus long-term, and equityperformance-based versus time-based awards to be earnedpaid or granted for 2013 performance, as well as any salary increases for 2014. A similar process was conducted at the end of 2012 for the salaries established for 2013 and for the cash bonus and equity awards granted on January 4, 2013.2016 performance. The Compensation Committee evaluates our performance and determines whether the compensation elements and levels that are provided to our named executive officers are generally appropriate relative to the compensation elements and levels provided to their counterparts at our peer companies, in light of our performance relative to our peers and in light of each named executive officer’s contribution to our performance. This approach enablesallows us to respond to competitive dynamics in the labor market and provides us with the flexibility in maintainingneeded to maintain and enhancingenhance our named executive officers’ engagement, focus, and motivation for the future.

 

2016 Peer Group for 2016 Compensation Decisions

The Compensation Committee, with the help of the compensation consultant,FPL, periodically reviews the composition of our peer group and the criteria and data used in compiling our peer group list,to ensure that each company’s size and considers modificationsoperations remain comparable to this group. Atours. In January 2016, the end of 2012, our total market capitalization placed usCompensation Committee reviewed data provided by FPL regarding the appropriate companies to include in the 67th percentile of our peer group. DespiteThe peer group recommended by FPL and used by the factCompensation Committee for 2016 compensation decisions (2016 Peer Group), was amended from the prior year to include three companies: Equinix, Inc., Essex Property Trust, Inc. and VEREIT, Inc. Additionally, Aimco, CBL & Associates Properties, Inc. and Duke Realty Corporation were removed from the 2016 Peer Group. Given our company’s substantial growth in size and addition to the S&P 500 Index during 2015, the Compensation Committee determined these substitutions were warranted to ensure, among other factors, that our total and equity market capitalization was aboveremained near the targeted median of the peer group the Compensation Committee felt that it was not necessary to change the members of our peer group last year, but anticipated changing the membersfor 2016. Our 2016 Peer Group consists of the peer group for 2013 based on the increase in our market capitalization subsequent to the $3.2 billion acquisition of ARCT that was completed in January 2013 and the level of acquisition activity projected for the remainder of the year.following 17 public real estate companies:

 

During 2013, in addition to completion of the $3.2 billion ARCT acquisition in January, we invested $1.5 billion directly in real estate properties.  The capital raised to fund these acquisitions, combined with our year-end share price, resulted in a $3.7 billion, or 42%, increase in our total market capitalization as of December 31, 2013 compared to December 31, 2012.  Consequently, Realty Income ranked amongst the 20 largest publicly traded equity REITs in the U.S. by total enterprise value.  As a result of this substantial increase in our size, the Compensation Committee decided to change the relatively consistent composition of peer groups we have used over the past several years.  The Compensation Committee, with assistance from FPL, undertook a comprehensive new peer group review during the latter part of 2013 with the aim of optimizing the company’s peer group for benchmarking and determining executive compensation.

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Table of Contents

2016 Peer Group
Avalon Bay Communities, Inc.National Retail Properties, Inc.
DDR Corp.SL Green Realty Corp.
Digital Realty Trust, Inc.Spirit Realty Capital, Inc.
Equinix, Inc.The Macerich Company
Essex Property Trust, Inc.UDR, Inc.
Federal Realty Investment TrustVEREIT, Inc.
HCP, Inc.W.P. Carey, Inc.
Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc.Welltower, Inc.
Kimco Realty Corporation

  

The new peer group was selected based on various criteria considered by the Compensation Committee including industry (public REITs, and where applicable, net-lease), size, defined by both market capitalization and total capitalization, and portfolio scale, defined by number of properties. As a result of this peer group review and evaluation, the Compensation Committee selected the new 2013 peer group shown below to be usedcompanies in its assessment of our 2013 and 2014 executive compensation.

The new peer group recommended by the compensation consultant and approved by the Compensation Committee consists of 15 public real estate companies that2016 Peer Group focus on a variety of asset classes, including those having a net lease component to the extent available, and those that are similar in size to us in terms of total market capitalization and equity market capitalization (common and preferred stock, partnership units convertible into stock and long-termlong and short-term debt). Only a size-based peer group was used because public real estate companies of the same size have similar characteristics to our company with respect to the demands and complexity of managing a large property portfolio, a significant acquisition pipeline and extensive capital markets activities. The companies were selected so that our total and equity market capitalization approximatesremained near the median.  As of September 30, 2013, this peer group had total market capitalization ranging from approximately $9.4 billion to $30.0 billion.  At September 30, 2013 our total market capitalization placed us in the 56th percentile of our new peer group.  Our previous geographic-based peer group was eliminated in 2013 as a result of our total capitalization exceeding the total market capitalization of all but onemedian of the companies in the geographic-based peer group.  Additionally, geographic-based peer groups are not standard in our market and given our size and scale, we now complete for executive talent on a national basis.  Five companies from our prior peer group, including Digital Realty Trust, Federal Realty Investment Trust, HCP, Inc., Macerich Company, and UDR, Inc., remain in our current peer group.group:

 

26

Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement

Peer Group

Avalon Bay Communities, Inc.

Aimco

CBL & Associates Properties, Inc.

DDR Corp.

Digital Realty Trust, Inc.

Duke Realty Corporation

Federal Realty Investment Trust

HCP, Inc.

 

Health Care REIT, Inc.

Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc.

Kimco Realty Corporation

Macerich Company

SL Green Realty Corp.

UDR, Inc.

W.P. Carey, Inc.

 

Executive Compensation

2016 Peer Group Comparison(1)
(in billions)

(BAR CHART) 

(1)As of December 31, 2015, the 2016 Peer Group had total market capitalization ranging from approximately $8.1 billion to $37.2 billion, placing us in the 58thpercentile of our peer group. In terms of equity market capitalization, we were in the 66thpercentile of our peer group.

Management Involvement

 

In setting compensation for named executive officers, the Compensation Committee solicits appropriate input from the Chief Executive Officer and President, Chief Operating Officer,CEO concerning each of the other named executive officers.officers other than himself. In addition, from time to time, the Compensation Committee will direct management to work with itsthe Compensation Committee’s consultant in providing proposals, program design, and compensation recommendations. Each year, the Chief Executive OfficerCEO provides the Compensation Committee with a report regarding performanceof the company’s operating and financial results for the past fiscal year underrelative to the company’s performance metrics andmetrics. He also discusses his personal assessment of individual performance of each of the other named executive officer.officers. In addition, at the request of the Compensation Committee, the Chief Executive OfficerCEO makes recommendations regarding salary bonus and equityincentive compensation awards for each named executive officer other than himself. The Compensation Committee considers these recommendations and other factors as discussed belowabove in making the final determinations.

 

Compensation Decisions and ProgramsElements of Compensation

 

Base Salaries

In structuring executive compensation, the Compensation Committee considers how each component of compensation motivates performance, promotes retention, and creates long-term stockholder value. Base salaries provide our executive officers with a degree of financial certainty and stability, reward them for performing their core job duties and responsibilities, recognize their tenure and are usedprimarily intended to attract and retain highly qualified individuals. executives and to reward them for their continued service. Annual incentive cash payments, equity awards, and long-term performance shares are designed to (i) directly reward performance, (ii) achieve specific strategic and operating objectives, and (iii) provide incentives to create long-term stockholder value. All of our equity incentives are primarily intended to align named executive officers’ long-term interests with stockholders’ long-term interests, although we believe they also play a role in helping us reward performance and to attract and retain top executives. The following outlines the primary elements of our 2016 executive compensation program:

ELEMENT

OBJECTIVE SERVED

Base SalaryFixed base pay rewards performance of core job duties and recognizes individual achievements, contributions, and tenure.
Short-term Incentive ProgramVariable cash and equity compensation motivates each executive to achieve our short-term corporate operating and financial goals, rewards for personal performance, ties the interests of executives with stockholders, and facilitates executive retention.
Long-term Incentive ProgramVariable equity compensation motivates executives to achieve long-term financial goals, such as stock price appreciation on a relative basis to market.
Equity Based Incentive Awards – Restricted Shares (Time-Based)Fixed equity compensation fosters retention and aligns the named executive officers’ interest with the long-term interests of our stockholders.

Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement27

Executive Compensation

Total Target Direct Compensation

The Compensation Committee annually reviews and determines the base salaries of our executive officers at the commencement of each year, after review of performance over the prior year. Base salaries are also evaluated at the time of a promotion or other significant change in responsibilities. Increases in base salaries are based onworked with FPL Associates, L.P. (FPL), the Compensation Committee’s evaluationindependent consultant, to determine the levels of such factorstotal target direct compensation to achieve the appropriate balance between (i) cash and equity compensation, (ii) long-term and short-term compensation, (iii) performance-based and time-based equity, and (iv) fixed and variable compensation. The Compensation Committee reviewed the median and aggregate total target direct compensation within our peer group, based on market data provided in November 2015 by FPL, to assess the structure of the program, as an executive officer’s level of responsibilitywell as individual and development potential, the results previously achieved by theaggregate compensation levels. When establishing total target direct compensation levels for each named executive officer, the Compensation Committee gave consideration and special emphasis to individuals’ personal contributions to the organization, as well as skill sets, qualifications, and experience. Other factors considered were historical pay and the levelrecent trajectory of payindividual’s pay. After review and consideration, the Compensation Committee approved the following total target direct compensation and structure for 2016 compensation. Total target direct compensation for 2016 was composed of (i) base salary, (ii) target annual short-term incentive opportunity (two-thirds cash and one-third equity), (iii) performance shares, and (iv) the annual grant of restricted shares. In the aggregate, the 2016 total target direct compensation established for the named executive officers approximated the estimated peer group median.

TOTAL TARGET DIRECT COMPENSATION
EXECUTIVE 2016 
John P. Case $6,250,000 
Sumit Roy $3,000,000 
Paul M. Meurer $2,100,000 
Michael R. Pfeiffer $1,500,000 
Neil M. Abraham $1,250,000 
Total $14,100,000 

For our CEO, the Compensation Committee used the following structure for determining the various elements of direct compensation payable for 2016:

(FLOW CHART) 

Set forth below is a table that illustrates the application of the executive officer relative to other similarly situated executive officers atstructure for 2016 compensation decisions for our peer companies.CEO.

CEO ANNUAL CASH CEO ANNUAL EQUITY CEO TOTAL
           
   TARGET STIP TARGET LTIP ANNUAL TOTAL TARGET
ANNUAL TARGET STIP RESTRICTED PERFORMANCE RESTRICTED DIRECT
SALARY CASH AWARD SHARES SHARES SHARES COMPENSATION
$875,000 $2,250,000 $1,125,000 $1,000,000 $1,000,000 $6,250,000

28Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement

Executive Compensation

CEO Total Target Direct Compensation

 

The Compensation Committee believes that a significant portion of executive compensation should be at-risk and tied to our performance in order to best align management’s interests with those of our stockholders. In 2016, approximately 70% of our CEO’s total target direct compensation consisted of compensation that is at-risk based on achievement of certain objective performance metrics. Similar guiding principles were used for our other named executive officers, resulting in comparable percentages of at-risk compensation.

(PAI CHART) 

28General Note to Discussion of Pay Components



Some of the components of 2016 compensation disclosed in the following sections of this “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” section differ from the Summary Compensation Table on page 39. SEC rules require that the Summary Compensation Table include equity compensation in the year granted, while in our case, the Compensation Committee awards equity compensation under our STIP and time-based restricted stock program after the performance year, upon the successful completion of the external year-end audit process. Therefore, equity-based awards granted under these programs in January 2016 for the 2015 performance year are shown in the Summary Compensation Table as 2016 compensation. However, the equity-based awards under the STIP and time-based restricted stock program for 2016 discussed in the following sections for all named executive officers will be included in the Summary Compensation Table in next year’s proxy statement.

Table of ContentsBase Salaries

 

In connection with its review of fiscal 20132015 performance and settingin consideration of compensation in January 2014,the increased responsibilities that come with the continued growth of the company, the Compensation Committee decided to increase the base salaries paid to all of our named executive officers commencing on January 1, 2014.2016. The Compensation Committee’s decisionCommittee also considered the target compensation relative to increase 2014 salaries was based on its review of peer group compensation data, withhistorical pay, and the objectivetrajectory of aligning thecompensation increases when making its decision for salary changes. The 2016 base salaries of our named executive officers with those of their peers.  FPL providedare reflected in the table below, as well as the salary increases approved for 2017.

NAMED EXECUTIVE SALARIES FOR FISCAL YEAR
OFFICERPRINCIPAL POSITION IN 20162015 2016 2017
John P. CaseChief Executive Officer$825,000$875,000$925,000
Sumit RoyPresident,475,000 525,000 550,000
 Chief Operating Officer     
Paul M. MeurerExecutive Vice President,425,000 450,000 475,000
 Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer     
Michael R. PfeifferExecutive Vice President,400,000 420,000 450,000
 General Counsel and Secretary     
Neil M. AbrahamExecutive Vice President,300,000 335,000 375,000
 Chief Investment Officer     

Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement29

Executive Compensation

Short-Term Incentive Program (STIP)

During December 2015, the Compensation Committee with 2013 base salary averages and medians of our peer group for each executive position.  The Compensation Committee established a 2014 base salary for each named executive officerapproved the 2016 STIP, which is structured so that was within a range of 83% to 101% of the median average 2013 base salary of each executive position of our 2013 peer group, as reported by FPL.  The increases in 2014 base salaries reflect the named executive officers’ increased responsibilities fromannual incentive awards closely align with the significant growthcompany’s operating and outstanding 2013 operating performancefinancial performance. The components of the company.  2016 STIP were as follows:

Objective Company Performance Criteria – Weighted 70%
Individual Performance – Weighted 30%

üAll of the compensation awarded under this program was at-risk.

üNo compensation was awarded for below-threshold performance and maximum payouts were capped at 150% of target.

üAwards were paid two-thirds in cash and one-third in restricted shares that vest evenly over four years, subject to continued employment.

Objective Company Performance Criteria – 70%

The base salariescompany performance criteria, weightings, and amounts that can be earned under the 2016 STIP, in addition to our actual performance and amounts earned for 2016 performance, are shown onset forth in the following table:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Named Executive
Officer

 

Title

 

2012
Salary

 

2013
Salary

 

2014
Salary

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John P. Case

 

Chief Executive Officer (1)

 

$ 350,000

 

$ 527,361

 

$ 800,000

Thomas A. Lewis

 

Vice Chairman of the Board

and Former Chief Executive

Officer(2)

 

   650,000

 

   700,000

 

-

Gary M. Malino

 

President, Chief Operating Officer

 

   400,000

 

   425,000

 

   450,000

Sumit Roy

 

Executive Vice President, Chief Investment Officer (3)

 

   250,000

 

   326,042

 

   400,000

Paul M. Meurer

 

Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

 

   325,000

 

   350,000

 

   400,000

Michael R. Pfeiffer

 

Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

 

   325,000

 

   350,000

 

   375,000

           
   THRESHOLD TARGET MAXIMUM 20162016%
PERFORMANCE GOALSWEIGHTING  50% 100% 150% ACTUALEARNED(2)
AFFO per share(1)40%$2.79 $2.86 $2.90 $2.88 125%
Fixed charge coverage ratio20%3.0x3.3x3.7x4.2x150%
Portfolio occupancy10%96.75%98.00%98.60%98.30% 125%
Total Weighted Payout Prior to Individual Performance     132%
(1)AFFO per share is defined as Funds from Operations adjusted for unique revenue and expense items, which we believe are not as pertinent to the measurement of our ongoing operating performance, and is consistent with the presentation of AFFO in our public SEC filings. Refer to page 47of the company’s most recently filed 10-K for a reconciliation of AFFO to net income.

(1)Mr. Case was promoted to President, Chief Investment Officer in March 2013 and subsequently promoted to his current position in September 2013.  His 2013 salary reflects the amounts earned during 2013 while serving in each of these roles.  His ending 2013 salary of $750,000 was effective as of September 3, 2013, the date of his promotion to CEO.

(2)Mr. Lewis retired from his position of Chief Executive Officer on September 3, 2013 and served as an Executive Advisor through January 7, 2014.  He continues to serve as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and his 2014 compensation will be based on those services as a director.

(3)Mr. Roy was promoted to Executive Vice President, Acquisitions in March 2013 and subsequently promoted to his current position in September 2013.  His ending 2013 salary of $350,000 was effective as of September 15, 2013, the date of his promotion to CIO.

Performance Metrics

(2)The Compensation Committee used interpolation for results between threshold and maximum criteria. Performance in excess of maximum goals was capped at 150% of target payout for that measure.

 

The Compensation Committee has established certain performance metrics, weightingsbelieves these annual targeted operating and target guidelines,financial goals align with our strategy to provide a formal structureattain long-term financial stability that will support sustained cash flows beneficial to guide management in its performance and to guide the Compensation Committee in its determinations.  During 2013, the Compensation Committee performed a review of the existing performance metrics and elected to use the same metrics as used during 2012. To continue to enhance the existing structure and align compensation with performance, the Compensation Committee added a numerical scoring mechanism to the assessment process during 2013 which provides guidelines for clearly linking performance results to the concluded assessment for each category.

At the end of each year, the Chief Executive Officer provides the Compensation Committee with his personal assessment of the performance of each executive officer, excluding himself,our stockholders. The goals for the year.  He also presentsAFFO per share metric were increased from 2015 with the following tables which delineate the performance in each metric based on the numerical targetsmaximum payout set at the beginningtop of the yearcompany’s AFFO per share earnings guidance range for each metric.2016. The results of howtarget goals for the actual performance compares to the target determinesfixed charge coverage ratio, a rating based on a scale of “poor,” “average,” “good”, “excellent”liquidity metric, and “outstanding” for each metric. Performance under eachportfolio occupancy, an operational metric, is assigned a numerical score on a scale of one to five, five being awarded for outstanding performance and one awarded for poor performance.  Average scores are calculated for each of the categories as well as an overall weighted average across all short-term and long-term metrics.  Individual metrics within each category are weighted equally to arrive at an average for each category.remained unchanged. The Compensation Committee evaluates both actual performance underbelieves that these metricsgoals remain rigorous, requiring the company to thoughtfully manage its capital structure, successfully access the capital markets, and actively resolve lease turnover to achieve payouts in excess of target for these metrics.

Individual Performance – 30%

As a component of the CEO’s assessment of each officer’sSTIP, individual performance and considers this information in determining the executive officer’s annual cash bonuses and equity awards. In determining the amount of bonus and equity earned, the Compensation Committee employs guidelines, based on a multiple of the officer’s base salary and a rating of “good” performance.

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Table of Contents

Target Guidelines

Below is a summary of the target guidelines establishedused by the Compensation Committee to award for each of the performance metrics clarifying the targeted results that correspond to each of the ratings.

Short-Term Targets

Performance Rating

Outstanding

Excellent

Good

Average

Poor

Numerical Score

5

4

3

2

1

Stockholder Returns

Dividend Increases

5

4

1

0

Decrease

Dividend Per Share Growth

5.0%

2.5%

1.0%

0.0%

Decrease

Stock Price Growth

8.0%

5.0%

3.0%

0.0%

Decrease

Total Stockholder Return (current year)

12.0%

9.0%

7.0%

5.0%

Decrease

Total Stockholder Return Relative to Peer Group (Percentile Rank)

75th

60th

50th

40th

25th

Balance Sheet

Debt to Total Market Capitalization

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

Interest Coverage Ratio

3.75x

3.50x

3.25x

3.00x

2.75x

Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio

3.00x

2.75x

2.50x

2.25x

2.00x

Debt to Adjusted EBITDA

4.0x

5.0x

5.5x

6.0x

6.5x

Relative Comparison to Peers of Above Metrics (Percentile Rank)

75th

60th

50th

40th

25th

Earnings Metrics

FFO per Share Growth Absolute – current year

8%

5%

3%

1%

0%

FFO per Share Growth Relative to Peers – current year (Percentile Rank)

75th

60th

50th

40th

25th

Portfolio Performance

Portfolio Occupancy

98%

97%

96%

95%

94%

Same Store Rent Growth

2.0%

1.5%

1.0%

0.0%

Negative

Acquisitions

Acquisition Levels

$1 Billion

$600 Million

$300 Million

$150 Million

$100 Million

Long-Term Targets

Stockholder Returns

Total Stockholder Return Relative to Peers (Percentile Rank)

75th

60th

50th

40th

25th

Earnings Metrics

FFO per Share Growth Absolute –

3 year

5 year

20%

30%

13%

19%

 8%

11%

 3%

 4%

0%

0%

FFO per Share Growth Relative to Peers (3&5 year, in Percentile Rank)

75th

60th

50th

40th

25th

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Table of Contents

Actual Performance

The acquisition of ARCT resulted in performance which far exceeded targeted levels for a number of performance metrics; including dividend per share growth, short-term and long-term FFO per share growth, and acquisition levels.  Although the performance targets did not contemplate an acquisition of this size when established, we believe that performance above targeted levels would have been achieved nonetheless based on the additional $1.5 billion that we invested in real estate during 2013, exclusive of the acquisition of ARCT.

The 2013 guideline performance metrics, their weightings and the Compensation Committee’s ultimate assessment at the end of 2013 based on 2013 performance are as follows:

Performance Metric

Weighting

Results

Numerical Score(1)

Performance Rating

        Short-Term Metrics

STOCKHOLDER RETURNS

Dividend Increases

Dividend Per Share Growth

Stock Price Growth

Total Stockholder Return (current year)

Total Stockholder Return Relative to Peer Group

Category Average

15.0%

5

21.2%

-7.2%

-1.8%

 43%

5

5

1

1

2

2.8

Good

BALANCE SHEET

Debt to Total Market Capitalization

Interest Coverage Ratio

Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio

Debt to Adjusted EBITDA

Relative Comparison to Peer Group of Above Metrics

Category Average

20.0%

33.2%

3.6x

3.0x

6.1x

74%

3

4

5

2

5

3.8

Excellent

EARNING METRICS

FFO per Share Growth Absolute (current year)

FFO per Share Growth Relative to its Peer Group

FFO Multiple Relative to its Peer Group

Category Average

15.0%

19.4%

82%

62%

5

5

4

4.7

Outstanding

PORTFOLIO PERFORMANCE

Portfolio Occupancy

Same Store Rent Growth

Category Average

10.0%

98.2%

1.4%

5

4

4.5

Outstanding/ Excellent

ACQUISITIONS

Acquisition Levels

10.0%

$4.7 Billion

5

Outstanding

        Long-Term Metrics

STOCKHOLDER RETURNS

Total Stockholder Return Relative to Peer Group (3 Year)

Total Stockholder Return Relative to Peer Group (5 Year)

Category Average

20.0%

59%

44%

4

2

3.0

Good

EARNING METRICS

FFO per Share Growth Absolute (3 Year)

FFO per Share Growth Absolute (5 Year)

FFO per Share Growth Relative to Peer Group (3 Year)

FFO per Share Growth Relative to Peer Group (5 Year)

Category Average

10.0%

27.9%

27.9%

49%

86%

5

5

3

5

4.5

Outstanding/ Excellent

        Weighted Average Score

3.9

Excellent

(1) Individual metrics within each category are weighted equally to arrive at the category average.

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Table of Contents

Anticipated Changes to 2014 Compensation Program

Although the Compensation Committee feels the current plan achieves the goal of aligning the executive officers’ interests with the long-term interests of our stockholders, changes in investors’ acceptance of plans that do not include strictly formulaic components has prompted the Compensation Committee to consider certain modifications to the company’s existing compensation program.  The modified compensation program would result in distinct short-term and long-term incentive plans based on separate metrics.  The redesigned short-term incentive plan would include a mix of cash and equity awards, which will depend on the executive and desired compensation mix.  Short-term performance includes both objective and subjective performance measures and may include individual performance metrics.  Under the long-term incentive plan, an individual’s award would be granted in performance-vesting equity awards, based strictly on achieving future performance goals.  With respect to the performance based restricted stock, the award will be purely based on objective performance metrics and determined primarily by relative stockholder return metrics with a smaller component based on balance sheet metrics.  The table below highlights the major components of the existing compensation program and the proposed changes thereto.

Existing Compensation Program

Proposed Changes to the Compensation Program

Base Salary

Base Salary (no structural changes)

Annual Cash Bonus

Short-Term Incentive Plan

·     Cash

·     Cash and time-based restricted stock that vests over five years

·     Granted annually

·     Granted annually

·     Subjective based on objective performance metrics

·     Objective and subjective short-term performance metrics

Long-Term Incentive Plan

Multi-Year Long-Term Incentive Plan

·     Time-based restricted stock that vests over five years

·     Performance-based equity awards

·     Annual grants for overlapping multi-year periods

·     Annual grants for overlapping multi-year periods

·     Subjective with objective performance metrics

·     Forward-looking objective performance-vesting metrics, primarily based on relative total stockholder return.

Factors Affecting Compensation Decisions

As previously noted, the ARCT acquisition closed on January 22, 2013 and added total assets of approximately $3.2 billion to our portfolio.  An additional $1.5 billion was invested directly in real estate during the year.  Of the $4.7 billion invested during 2013, $4.0 billion occurred during the first six months of the year, evidencing that approximately 85% of our asset growth occurred during the first half of 2013. The effect of these acquisitions resulted in a 42% increase to our total market capitalization during 2013.  As a result of this significant increase in our total market capitalization, we identified early in the year that our 2012 peer groups were no longer reflective of the increased size and operations of our company.

2013 bonus and equity-based award targets were previously established and driven by base salaries that were in-line with median salaries of our 2012 peer group, which was made up substantially of companies that were significantly smaller than our larger company, after the completion of the ARCT acquisition in January 2013 and after additional acquisition activity throughout 2013.  The executive officers’ responsibilities for operating and managing our larger, more complex company during 2013 were not reflected in these original targets.  Accordingly, the Compensation Committee determined that compensation for our named executive officers should exceed the targeted amounts, because these targets were not reflective of the efforts required to grow and operate the significantly larger company.  Although the amounts of cash bonuses paid and equity awards granted for 2013 for each of our named executive officers are in excess of our prior years’ target levels, total compensation falls between 75% and 142% of the 2012 performance year median amounts of total compensation for our 2013 peer group.

Considering the increased size and complexity of our company for the vast majority of 2013, excellent and outstanding performance under our performance metrics were stillgoals achieved.  During 2013, our company achieved a 19.4% increase in FFO per share and increased monthly dividends per share by

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21.2%, both annual records for our company.  This FFO per share growth is over 8x greater than the average FFO per share growth experienced over the last 3 years and the dividend per share growth is over 16x greater than the average dividend per share growth over the last 3 years.  2013 has been a record year for new investments, growth and the total amount of dollars invested in real estate, of $4.7 billion, during the year, is approximately 5x greater than the historical 3-year average annual amount of dollars invested in real estate.  These high growth factors evidence our achievement of multiple years of growth within just one year.  Each of our executive officers were instrumental in achieving the growth and successful operating results that were realized during 2013 and, accordingly, the Compensation Committee determined that their actual bonuses and equity-based awards should reflect their results relative to the performance benchmarks.

Compensation for the Chief Executive Officers in 2013

Mr. Lewis, who served as Chief Executive Officer through September 2013 and served as an Executive Advisor through January 7, 2014, received total compensation for 2013 equal to 101% of the 2012 median paid by our new peer group.  Mr. Lewis’ annual cash bonus is 64% above his target multiple and his annual performance equity award is 43% above his target multiple. However, these targets were based on a base salary that was established to be in-line with our 2012 peer group which consisted of substantially smaller companies.  As our Chief Executive Officer, until September 3, 2013, Mr. Lewis guided us during a time of extraordinary growth whereby Realty Income became the largest net lease REIT and the 18th largest REIT in the industry.  He provided the leadership needed for our acquisition of ARCT and he successfully transitioned his responsibilities as CEO to Mr. Case.

In light of Mr. Lewis’ retirement as our Chief Executive Officer in September 2013 and his performance as an Executive Advisor through January 7, 2014, the Compensation Committee reviewed our performance through the date of Mr. Lewis’ retirement in determining his cash bonus and equity awards for 2013 performance.  In December 2013, the Compensation Committee granted Mr. Lewis 80,364 shares for his service as our Chief Executive Officer and Executive Advisor during 2013.  In determining the amount of this equity award, the Compensation Committee considered the $3.2 billion acquisition of American Realty Capital Trust that occurred in January 2013, the additional acquisitions of $1.4 billion of real estate that closed through September 30, 2013, the 21.1% increase in FFO per share and the 21.6% increase in dividends paid per common share that occurred through September 30, 2013, shortly after Mr. Lewis retired as Chief Executive Officer.  Similar to the growth factors discussed above, this acquisition growth was nearly 5x greater than the 3-year average amount of acquisitions and the dividend per share growth is over 16x greater than the average dividend per share growth over the last 3 years, evidencing significant growth during 2013 when he was Chief Executive Officer.  These unprecedented and extraordinary achievements that occurred before Mr. Lewis’ retirement from CEO resulted in an increase in his cash bonus and annual stock grant award.  The stock award granted to Mr. Lewis for his 2013 performance vested immediately, in accordance with our policy.

In order to provide a clearer picture as to compensation awarded for a particular year, we are providing additional compensation information not required by the SEC, which we believe is meaningful to our stockholders. The following tables for Mr. Lewis and Mr. Case, show each CEO’s total compensation for services performed in 2013. In accordance with SEC rules, the Summary Compensation Table discloses the grant date value of equity awards granted in the listed years, even though such awards were for service in prior years. In contrast, these tables show the grant date value of such awards for the actual year in which services were performed. In the case of Mr. Lewis, due to his retirement as our Chief Executive Officer in September 2013, his annual equity awards for both the 2012 and 2013 performance years were granted during 2013, and accordingly, both are presented in the stock awards column of the Summary Compensation Table. The table below summarizes his total compensation for services performed in 2013.

 

 

Base
Salary

 

Cash
Bonus

 

Annual Equity
Award 
(1)

 

Other
Compensation

 

Total
Compensation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thomas A. Lewis

 

$700,000

 

$2,300,000

 

$2,999,988

 

$12,006

 

$6,011,994

 

(1) Excludes $2,438,015 of equity awards granted to Mr. Lewis in 2013 for services performed in 2012.  This amount is included in the Stock Awards column of the Summary Compensation Table.

Mr. Case’s total compensation for 2013 was 94% of the 2012 median paid by our new peer group.   Mr. Case’s annual cash bonus is 42% above his target multiple and his annual performance equity award is 58% above his target multiple.  However, these targets were based on a base salary that was

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established to be in-line with our 2012 peer group which consisted of substantially smaller companies.  Mr. Case’s total compensation for purposes of this calculation includes the value of the ARCT transaction-related equity awards and excludes the value of time- and performance-based equity awards related to his promotion to CEO. Mr. Case, after serving as Chief Investment Officer for the first three months of the year, served as President, Chief Investment Officer beginning in March 2013, and was responsible for the successful execution of our expanded acquisitions strategy focused on increasing the size, quality and diversity of our real estate portfolio. During this time, we invested over $1.4 billion in real estate through September 30, 2013. Additionally, during his tenure as Executive Vice President, Chief Investment Officer, Mr. Case successfully negotiated and managed our $3.2 billion acquisition of ARCT in January 2013.  These acquisitions collectively increased the diversification and quality of our portfolio, while significantly increasing revenue, earnings and dividends.  During the last four months of 2013, while serving as Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Case has successfully continued the execution of our business plan helping lead the company to its record operating results.  The following table shows Mr. Case’s total compensation for services performed in 2013.

 

 

Base
Salary

 

Cash
Bonus

 

Annual
Equity
Award

 

Other
Compensation

 

Normalized
Compensation

 

Non-recurring
Equity
Award
(1)

 

Total
Compensation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John P. Case

 

$527,361

 

$1,500,000

 

$2,499,991

 

$33,640

 

$4,560,992

 

$6,150,115

 

$10,711,107

 

(1) Includes the value of time-based and performance-based equity awards granted in connection with Mr. Case’s promotion to CEO as well as equity awards granted for his role in the ARCT acquisition.  Further detail of these awards is included on page 37.

Compensation for the Other Named Executive Officers in 2013

Mr. Malino’s total compensation for 2013 was 100% of the 2012 median paid by our new peer group. Mr. Malino���s annual cash bonus is 65% above his target multiple and his annual performance equity awards is 29% above his target multiple.  However, these targets were based on a base salary that was established to be in-line with our 2012 peer group which consisted of substantially smaller companies.   Mr. Malino was responsible for overseeing the operating activities of our significantly larger company during the year. He successfully managed the operations of our company through the integration of ARCT and the $1.5 billion of additional properties acquired, while managing our staffing needs.

Mr. Roy’s total compensation for 2013 was 142% of the 2012 median paid by our new peer group.   Mr. Roy’s annual cash bonus is 99% above his target multiple and his annual performance equity award is 53% above his target multiple.  However, these targets were based on a base salary that was established to be in-line with our 2012 peer group which consisted of substantially smaller companies.  Mr. Roy’s total compensation for purposes of this calculation includes the value of ARCT transaction-related equity awards.  Mr. Roy did an outstanding job in his roles as both our Senior and Executive Vice President, Acquisitions, which he held through October 2013.  During that time he was integral to the successful negotiations, closing, and integration of our acquisition of ARCT.  In October 2013, he was promoted to Executive Vice President, Chief Investment Officer, and has continued to expand our acquisition strategy and build on key relationships that we have in the marketplace.

Mr. Meurer’s total compensation for 2013 was 75% of the 2012 median paid by our new peer group.   Mr. Meurer’s annual cash bonus is 86% above his target multiple and his annual performance equity award is 39% above his target multiple. However, these targets were based on a base salary that was established to be in-line with our 2012 peer group which consisted of substantially smaller companies.  Mr. Meurer was instrumental in expanding our credit facility, securing our credit rating upgrade, and accessing the capital markets to raise over $4.0 billion in gross capital during 2013.  This capital raising activity allowed us to fund our acquisitions during 2013.  Additionally, the increase above his target makes his total compensation more comparable with other CFOs within our peer group.

Mr. Pfeiffer’s total compensation for 2013 was 97% of the 2012 median paid by our new peer group.   Mr. Pfeiffer’s annual cash bonus is 21% above his target multiple and his annual performance equity award is 14% above his target multiple.  However, these targets were based on a base salary that was established to be in-line with our 2012 peer group which consisted of substantially smaller companies.  Mr. Pfeiffer’s total compensation for purposes of this calculation includes the value of ARCT transaction related equity awards.  Mr. Pfeiffer had a large role in the diligence and negotiations that occurred in conjunction with the ARCT acquisition and continued to provide oversight and legal expertise for an acquisition of this magnitude.

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Annual Cash Bonuses

Annual cash bonuses are designed to supplement the pay of our executive officers (and our key management personnel) so that their total compensation is competitive and properly rewards the participants for their efforts in achieving our objectives. As in prior years, the Compensation Committee employed targeted cash bonus payments, expressed as a multiple of base salary for targeted performance, ranging from one times to two times the officer’s base salary based on position, to guide it in its determinations regarding the amount of bonus to be paid to each executive officer. The Compensation Committee in its discretion, may pay higher or lower amounts than these targeted bonus amounts based on company short-term and long-term performance,used the status of our industry, market conditions,following process to establish individual performance peer group practicesgoals and other factors as it deems relevant.

As previously discussed,assess individual performance at the end of the performance year, the Chief Executive Officer presented the performance metrics table included above on page 31 which delineates the performance in each metric and made recommendationsyear.

üAt the beginning of 2016, our Compensation Committee worked with the CEO to formulate his individual performance objectives for the year and reviewed with the CEO the performance objectives for the other named executive officers.

üIn November 2016, the Compensation Committee reviewed the individual performance objectives.

üThe CEO evaluated each named executive officer’s performance, other than his own, and recommended to the Compensation Committee the percentages that should be earned under this individual performance component.

üThe Compensation Committee engaged in a discussion with the CEO regarding his recommendations and his assessments and made the final determination regarding this metric.

üThe Compensation Committee engaged in a review of the CEO’s performance as it relates to the company’s performance, as well as the state of our industry and market competitive practices, in determining the percentage that the CEO earned under this individual performance component.

30Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement

Executive Compensation

The Compensation Committee regardingincorporated the amount of cash bonuses to be paid torecommendations provided by the CEO for the individual performance percentages for the named executive officers other than himself. The percentages earned under the individual performance metric and the material factors considered are set forth below.

John P. Case—150%

Mr. Case successfully executed our business plan, leading the company to strong financial and operating results. Under his leadership, AFFO per share increased 5.1% which allowed us to increase our dividends paid per common share by 5.3% in 2016. These results contributed to a TSR of 16.0% in 2016, surpassing the mean or average performance of our peer group, the NAREIT US Equity REIT Index, the NASDAQ Composite, and the S&P 500 Index. Additionally, he effectively led the senior management team in the achievement of their objectives. Throughout the year, Mr. Case actively engaged with stockholders and other constituencies to communicate our results and strategic vision. He also played a key role in our Board’s in-depth strategic review that occurred in 2016, properly positioning the company to continue to perform in the future. The Compensation Committee evaluated both actualdetermined that his performance under these metricswell-exceeded his objectives.

Sumit Roy—150%

Mr. Roy executed our operational strategy during the year by remaining focused on optimizing efficiencies throughout the organization. In 2016, our general and administrative expense as a percentage of rental revenue was 4.9%, the lowest in our history and the lowest amongst our peers in the net lease sector. He continues to ensure the appropriate resources and structure are in place to effectively position the company for its continued growth. Additionally, he chairs our Investment Committee, and he oversaw the active management of our existing portfolio to maximize value by achieving high occupancy and re-leasing rates, and strategically selling non-core assets to further strengthen the portfolio. The Compensation Committee determined that his performance well-exceeded his objectives.

Paul M. Meurer—125%

Mr. Meurer was instrumental in the company accessing the capital markets in 2016, raising approximately $573 million in equity capital at company-record high pricing and issuing $600 million in 10-year unsecured bonds at the lowest yield for debt of this term in our company’s history. He led the execution of the company’s capital raising effort, which contributed to the company’s acquisition of properties at investment spreads well above our historical average. In 2016, the company achieved an increase in its credit ratings outlook to “Positive” from Moody’s and S&P, providing us with the highest credit ratings amongst our peers in the net lease sector. The Compensation Committee determined that his performance exceeded his objectives.

Michael R. Pfeiffer—125%

Mr. Pfeiffer successfully provided oversight and legal expertise for the $1.86 billion of acquisitions closed during the year, and the approximate $1.2 billion of combined equity and long-term debt capital raised. He also continued to enhance the company’s risk management oversight, streamline the internal legal processes to ensure efficiency, and develop key areas of internal legal expertise to support all functions of the company. The Compensation Committee determined that his performance exceeded his objectives.

Neil M. Abraham—125%

Mr. Abraham successfully executed our investment strategy during the year, achieving the highest volume of property-level acquisitions in our company’s history. In 2016, we invested $1.86 billion in high-quality real estate properties at attractive yields. We achieved this level of acquisitions while remaining selective and disciplined with our investment strategy, acquiring just 6.5% of the $28.5 billion of acquisition opportunities sourced. The Compensation Committee determined that his performance exceeded his objectives.

The incentive opportunities and the total actual incentive award earned by each named executive officer for 2016 under the STIP are set forth in the table below. Our CEO’s assessment2016 target incentive opportunity was established based on the total target direct compensation structure outlined on page 28. For our other named executive officers, the target incentive opportunities were intended to be between 38% and 53% of each officer’s individual performance,individual’s 2016 total target direct compensation level. Two-thirds of the earned incentive award was paid in cash in February 2017, while the remaining one-third was awarded in restricted shares that vest evenly over four years commencing on January 1 of the year following the grant, subject to continued employment. The restricted shares for all NEOs were granted effective as of February 14, 2017, based on the dollar value of the earned incentive award allocated to restricted shares and considered this information in determiningour closing stock price of $60.78 on that day.

Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement31

Executive Compensation

2016 Incentive Opportunities and Earned Incentive Compensation under the executive officer’s annual cash bonuses. Additionally,STIP

            
  INCENTIVE
OPPORTUNITY
 EARNED INCENTIVE COMPENSATION
NAMED
EXECUTIVE
OFFICER
 TARGET
ANNUAL
INCENTIVE(1)
 PERCENTAGE
OF TARGET
EARNED(2)
 ACTUAL 2016 INCENTIVE
EARNED
 CASH
PAYMENT
(67% TOTAL
EARNED)
 RESTRICTED
SHARES

(33% TOTAL
EARNED)
John P. Case $3,375,000 137.5% $4,640,625 $3,093,750 25,450
Sumit Roy 1,593,412 137.5% 2,190,940 1,460,627 12,015
Paul M. Meurer 1,005,000 130.0% 1,306,500 871,000 7,165
Michael R. Pfeiffer(3) 570,000 130.0% 741,000 494,000 4,063
Neil M. Abraham 497,501 130.0% 646,751 431,167 3,546

(1)The maximum annual incentive is equal to 150% of target, and threshold annual incentive is equal to 50% of target. No compensation is awarded for below-threshold performance.

(2)Captures the weighted average percentage achieved based on the company performance criteria and the individual performance criteria.

(3)Given that Mr. Pfeiffer is retirement eligible prior to the final vesting date of shares granted and therefore would be eligible for full acceleration upon retirement, he was granted restricted share units (RSUs) instead of restricted shares in order to preserve the deferral of his income taxation until the issuance of the shares to him upon vesting.

Long-Term Incentive Program (LTIP)

During January 2016, the Compensation Committee seeksapproved the grant of 2016-2018 performance shares to maintaineach named executive officer. The following is a consistent ratio of cash-based and equity-based awards in their determinationsummary of the total annualkey metrics criteria and terms:

TSR relative performance compensation.  In determining– Weighted 70%
Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio – Weighted 10%
Dividend per share Growth Rate – Weighted 20%

üLong-term performance shares were awarded in January 2016 and will be earned based on our performance over the three-year period from January 2016 to December 2018.

üNo compensation is awarded for below-threshold performance and maximum goals are capped at 150% of target.

ü50% of the performance shares earned based on the achievement of the performance goals during the 2016-2018 performance period will vest on January 1, 2019, and the remaining 50% will vest on January 1, 2020, subject to continued service with the company. Performance shares not earned as a result of the failure to achieve the applicable performance goals will be forfeited.

üThe performance shares provide for a cash payment following vesting equal to the aggregate cash dividends that would have been paid on the total number of performance shares earned, if any, as if the shares had been outstanding from January 1, 2016 through the date on which the shares are issued.

Specifically, the amountperformance measures and weightings for the 2016-2018 performance shares are based on the following objective performance measures, each of bonus earned,which are measured over the three-year performance period.

        
PERFORMANCE GOALSWEIGHTING THRESHOLD
50%(1)
 TARGET
100%
 MAXIMUM
150%(1)
TSR position within MSCI US REIT
Index(2)
50% 35thPercentile 55thPercentile 75thPercentile
(or greater)
TSR less TSR of the NAREIT
Freestanding Index(2)
20% –150 bps +75 bps +300 bps
(or greater)
Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio10% 6.3x 6.0 x 5.5x
(or less)
Dividend per share Growth Rate20% 2.0% 6.0 % 10.0%

(1)The maximum number of performance shares earned is equal to 150% of target, and threshold annual incentive is equal to 50% of target, with linear interpolation between threshold and maximum. No shares are earned for below-threshold performance.

(2)TSR is calculated by comparing the trailing 20-trade-day average stock price at the end of the performance period, assuming contemporaneous reinvestment of dividends, to the closing stock price on December 31, 2015.

32Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement

Executive Compensation

We are a member of the MSCI US REIT Index, which is a broad REIT index, and the NAREIT Freestanding Index, which is a net lease focused REIT index. Both indices are used to measure performance between REITs within and across the sub sectors. There are many ways to compare our performance to each of these indices. The Compensation Committee employed guidelines,analyzed the various methods and determined that comparisons on a percentile basis and based on a multiple of the officer’s base salary.  The guideline percentages for 2013 and the actual percentages paid for 2013 arespread, were both widely used in the following table.marketplace and appropriate for evaluating our performance during the 2016-2018 performance period.

 

 

Named
Executive

Officer

 

Title

Targeted
Base
Salary
Multiple

 

Targeted

Cash

Bonus

Actual
Base
Salary
Multiple

 

Actual

2013
Bonus
(1)

 

 

 

 

 

 

John P. Case

Chief Executive Officer

2.00x

$  1,054,722

2.84x

1,500,000

Thomas A. Lewis

Vice Chairman of the Board and Former Chief Executive Officer

2.00x

1,400,000

3.29x

2,300,000

Gary M. Malino

President, Chief Operating

1.25x

531,250

2.06x

875,000

Sumit Roy

Officer Executive Vice President, Chief Investment Officer

1.00x

326,042

1.99x

650,000

Paul M. Meurer

Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

1.00x

350,000

1.86x

650,000

Michael R. Pfeiffer

Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

1.00x

350,000

1.21x

425,000

(1)The bonuses shown for 2013 were paidlong-term performance shares granted in January 20142016 to each of theour named executive officers based on 2013 performance, except for Mr. Lewis’s bonus which was paid in December 2013.are as follows:

   
 PERFORMANCE SHAREPERFORMANCE SHARES
NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERTARGET DOLLAR VALUEGRANTED AT TARGET(1)
John P. Case$1,000,00020,619
Sumit Roy661,19113,633
Paul M. Meurer483,7509,974
Michael R. Pfeiffer382,5007,887
Neil M. Abraham313,1256,456

(1)The number of performance shares granted at target value reflect the grant date fair value of $50.77 per share (excluding the dividend equivalent rights), using a multifactor Monte Carlo simulation model for the market conditions associated with the TSR performance goals, valued at $33.26 per share, plus $17.51 per share for the two performance conditions of debt-to-EBITDA ratio and dividend growth rate.

 

Equity Based Long-Term Incentive AwardsTime-Based Restricted Shares

 

The Compensation Committee grants restricted stockshare awards on an annual basis, generally in January, in recognition of individual executive and company performance for the prior fiscal year as well as long-term achievements.  Additional awards can be granted from time-to-time based on non-recurring events or transactions where the Compensation Committee deems additional compensation in the form of equity awards to be warranted.

The restricted stock awardswhich are designed toto: (i) increase the named executive officers’ common stock ownership, (ii) motivate our named executive officers to improve long-term common stock dividendprice performance, (iii) align theirthe named executive officers’ interests with the interests of stockholders, encourage long-term dedication and (iv) operate as a retention mechanism for key members of our management.

 

Our common stock grants typicallyIn connection with the determination of the 2016 compensation program, the Compensation Committee proposed initial 2016 annual restricted share award values to be granted in February 2017. The proposed annual award values for all NEOs were reviewed and approved on February 14, 2017 and vest evenly over a periodfour years commencing on January 1 of five years.the year following the grant. The Compensation Committee approved effective July 1, 2013, changing the accelerated vesting of each restricted stock award that had originally been granted from January 1, 2001 to January 1, 2007 with ten-year vesting to five-year vesting from the issuance date.  This decision was made based on our determination that a 10-yearfour-year vesting period for equity awards was not in-line with market terms.  Since all grants were made more than five years ago, all of the remaining unvested shares under these grants vested.  On July 1, 2013, 212,827 restricted shares vested due to this action, resulting in additional compensation expense of $3.7 million in 2013, which was primarily related to our executive officers.

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Table of Contents

Annual Performance Grants

For the annual performance grants, the determination of the amount of restricted stock awards granted each January is based on how we performed under our performance metrics for the just completed year, as well as market data for that fiscal year.  The Compensation Committee considers the equity awards granted in January each year as earned for our performance duringto NEOs, concluding that a four-year vesting period is more inline with peer compensation practices than the prior fiscal year.five-year vesting period which had historically been used.

 

SEC disclosure rules require that theThe time-based restricted stock awards shown in the Grants of Plan Based Award table for 2013 reflect those shares granted in the most recently completed fiscal year which, in our case, includes grants made in January 2013 which are reflective of the 2012 performance year.  As such, to provide a more complete and relevant disclosure of compensation for the 2013 performance year, we have provided supplemental information in the footnotes to the table regarding restricted stock earned, based on 2013 performance and granted in January as follows:

   
 RESTRICTED SHAREANNUAL RESTRICTED
NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERDOLLAR VALUESHARES GRANTED(1)
John P. Case$1,000,00016,453
Sumit Roy220,3973,626
Paul M. Meurer161,2502,653
Michael R. Pfeiffer(2)127,5002,098
Neil M. Abraham104,3751,718

(1)Annual restricted shares reflect the actual number of shares that were granted by the Compensation Committee on February 14, 2017 for all NEOs. The number of annual restricted shares was calculated by dividing the dollar value authorized by the Compensation Committee by the closing price of our common stock on the date of grant, February 14, 2017, of $60.78, and rounded down to the nearest whole number.
(2)Given that Mr. Pfeiffer is retirement eligible prior to the final vesting date of shares granted, he was granted restricted share units (RSUs) instead of restricted shares in order to preserve the deferral of his income taxation until the issuance of the shares to him upon vesting.

2014 as discussed below.LTIP Award Payout

 

As part of its process of implementing its objectives to target aggregate total direct compensation at or around the median of our peer group, and to increase the percentage of compensation that is variable, at risk and tied to the interests of our stockholders,In February 2017, the Compensation Committee employs targeted base salary multiples, ranging from 1.75 times to 3 timescertified percentage achievement for the officer’s base salary2014-2016 performance shares that varieswere granted in April 2014, based on position, forour performance relative to the restricted stock awards to be granted to each executive officer. Actual awards depend on our accomplishments in accordance withfollowing metrics during the three-year performance metrics reviewed by the Compensation Committee, at the close of each year as noted in the performance matrix on pageperiod ending December 31, and other factors that the Compensation Committee determines are relevant. The targeted base salary multiples and awards for the grants made for our 2013 performance, to our named executive officers, are set forth in the table below, along with the actual base salary multiples and awards granted to these officers in early 2014.  The Compensation Committee may, in its discretion, choose to grant shares either below or above this multiple.2016.

 

The guideline percentages for 2013 and the actual percentages paid for 2013 are in the following table.

       
PERFORMANCE GOALSWEIGHTINGTHRESHOLD
50%
TARGET
100%
MAXIMUM
150%
2016
ACTUAL
%
EARNED
TSR position within MSCI
US REIT Index
60%35th
Percentile
55th
Percentile
75th Percentile
(or greater)
82nd
Percentile
150%
TSR less TSR of the
NAREIT Freestanding
Index
20%–150 bps+75 bps+300 bps
(or greater)
+990 bps150%
Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio20%7.0x6.5x6.0x
(or less)
5.7x150%

Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement33

 

Named
Executive
Officer

Title

Targeted
Base Salary
Multiple
(2013)

Targeted
Equity
Award
(in shares)
(1)

Actual
Base
Salary
Multiple
(2)

2014 Award
for 2013
Performance
(in shares) 
(3)

 

 

 

 

 

 

John P. Case

Chief Executive Officer

3.00x

40,257

4.74x

63,613

Thomas A. Lewis

Vice Chairman of the Board and Former Chief Executive Officer

3.00x

56,255

4.29x

80,364

Gary M. Malino

President, Chief Operating Officer

2.00x

21,628

2.59x

27,990

Sumit Roy

Executive Vice President, Chief Investment Officer

1.75x

14,518

2.68x

22,265

Paul M. Meurer

Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

1.75x

15,585

2.43x

21,628

Michael R. Pfeiffer

Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

1.75x

15,585

2.00x

17,812

 

(1)The targeted equity award represents the value calculated by multiplying the base salary paid to the respective executive officer in 2013 by the targeted base salary multiple, and then dividing by the closing priceExecutive Compensation

For purposes of our common stock on January 21, 2014 of $39.30.  For Mr. Lewis, the valuethese metrics, TSR was calculated by multiplying his base salary in 2013 by his targeted base salary multiple, and then dividing bycomparing the trailing 20-trade-day average stock price at the end of the performance period, December 31, 2016, assuming contemporaneous reinvestment of dividends, to the closing stock price of our common stock on December 31, 2013, the date2013. Based on achievement above maximum performance levels for all metrics, each named executive officer received 150% of the target shares granted. Fifty percent of the performance shares earned were issued as common stock that immediately vested. The remaining fifty percent are units subject to time vesting through January 1, 2018. The following table sets forth the performance shares earned by each NEO under the 2014 LTIP. Mr. Abraham did not receive a 2014 LTIP award of $37.33.payout, as he was not an NEO during that performance year.

   
 TARGET PERFORMANCEPERFORMANCE
NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERSHARES GRANTEDSHARES EARNED
John P. Case21,49232,238
Sumit Roy10,95316,430
Paul M. Meurer10,54215,813
Michael R. Pfeiffer  9,17713,766

 

(2)The actual base salary multiple represents the value of the January 21, 2014 award of restricted stock, calculated by multiplying the number of shares awarded times the closing price of our common stock on such date, as a percentage of the base salary paid to the respective executive officer in 2013.  Mr. Lewis’ award was granted on December 31, 2013; the actual base salary multiple represents the value on the grant date, calculated by multiplying the number of shares awarded times the closing price of our common stock on such date, as a percentage of his 2013 base salary.

(3)The grants of restricted stock represent the awards to each of the named executive officers based on 2013 performance.

Non-recurring Promotion and Transaction RelatedOne-Time Stock Grants

During 2013, additional grants were made to certain named executive officers as compensation for non-recurring events and transactions that occurred during the year.  During March 2013, grants were made to Mr. Case, Mr. Roy, and Mr. Pfeiffer as compensation for their roles in the successful completion of the ARCT acquisition. Additionally, during September 2013, grants were made to Mr. Case in connection with his promotion to CEO.

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The numbercompany does not have an ongoing practice of non-recurringproviding NEOs with equity grants outside of the executive compensation program established at the beginning of each performance year; however, certain instances can warrant additional one-time equity grants. In November 2016, the Compensation Committee awarded each named executive officer, as well as 24 other employees across the organization, a one-time equity grant of restricted shares for their exceptional contributions to the company’s performance. Since the end of 2013, the company has significantly grown and strengthened the portfolio, contributing to consistent earnings and dividend growth, and high overall and relative TSR performance. Specifically, during this period, the company:

ü     Generated a TSR of 76.4%,
ü     Outperformed the FTSE NAREIT US REIT Index, S&P 500, and other major equity market indices,
ü     Nearly doubled its total market capitalization, and
ü     Became a member of the S&P 500 and the S&P High Yield Dividend Aristocrats indices.

The Compensation Committee believes that these awards were necessary to continue to motivate the NEOs to strive to maintain this level of exceptional performance and to promote continued retention of the individuals that have been the most significant contributors to the company’s success. The awards vest in four equal installments on each anniversary of the grant date, subject to continued employment. The time-based restricted shares granted duringare as follows:

   
 RESTRICTED SHARERESTRICTED
NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERDOLLAR VALUESHARES GRANTED(1)
John P. Case$1,000,000     18,423  
Sumit Roy499,9739,211
Paul M. Meurer200,0223,685
Michael R. Pfeiffer(2)200,0223,685
Neil M. Abraham200,0223,685

(1)Restricted shares reflect the actual number of shares that were granted by the Compensation Committee on November 10, 2016 for all NEOs. The number of restricted shares was calculated by dividing the dollar value authorized by the Compensation Committee by the closing price of our common stock on the date of grant, November 10, 2016, of $54.28, and rounded down to the nearest whole number.
(2)Given that Mr. Pfeiffer is retirement eligible prior to the final vesting date of shares granted and would therefore be eligible for full acceleration upon retirement, he was granted restricted share units (RSUs) instead of restricted shares in order to preserve the deferral of his income taxation until the issuance of the shares to him upon vesting.

Outstanding 2013 is summarizedPerformance Award Granted in the following table:Connection with Promotion of our CEO

 

Named Executive
Officer

 

Title

 

ARCT
Equity
Award

(in shares)

 

Promotion
Time-based
Equity

Award
(in shares)

 

Promotion
Performance-
based Equity
Award

(in shares)

 

Total non-
recurring
Equity Award
(in shares)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John P. Case

 

Chief Executive Officer

 

22,989

 

77,180

 

51,454

 

151,623

 

Sumit Roy

 

Executive Vice President, Chief Investment Officer

 

9,195

 

-

 

-

 

9,195

 

Michael R. Pfeiffer

 

Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

 

4,598

 

-

 

-

 

4,598

 

As a result ofIn September 2013, in connection with Mr. Case’s promotion to Chief Executive Officer, as described in his employment agreement, the Compensation Committee set Mr. Case’s salary level at $800,000 beginning in 2014, and set a target cash bonus amount of 200% of salary.  In keeping with our broader compensation philosophy, the salary level and resulting level of cash compensation is materially consistent with the peer market median for both such components.  Additionally, although Mr. Case is an internal promotion as opposed to an external CEO hire, recognizing Mr. Case’s relatively short tenure at the company, the Compensation Committee determined it was appropriate and in stockholders’ best interests to provide a one-time equity grant that partially vests subject to ongoing future performance (as further detailed below) and one that vests separately over time.  The Compensation Committee believes that this promotes ongoing retention amidst a very competitive environment in the net-lease sector, further aligns Mr. Case’s interests with those of our stockholders, and continually motivates him to focus on a variety of key performance metrics.

Typically 100% of equity awards granted to our executive officers are based on our performance, however, the Compensation Committee determined that it was appropriate and in the company’s best interest to awardinclude, as part of his promotional equity compensation, a portionone-time equity grant of the equity awards granted to our CEO upon his promotion in September 2013 as a time-vesting equity award.  In connection with Mr. Case’s appointment as Chief Executive Officer, he was granted 77,18051,454 shares of restricted common stock (the “2013 Time Award”)2013 Performance Award). The 2013 TimePerformance Award vests ratablyis subject to performance vesting on December 31, of 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 subject to Mr. Case’s continued employment through the applicable vesting date. Additionally, Mr. Case was granted 51,454 sharesachievement of restricted common stock (the “2013 Performance Award”). The 2013 Performance Award vests over the term of his employment agreement on December 31 of 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 based on the performance metrics set forth below, with a maximum of 12,864 shares that can vest at each date. The vesting of such shares will be based on our achievement relative to the following seven annual performance metrics (with a range of 0 to 3,676 shares per performance metric):including: (i) adjusted funds from operations available to common stockholdersAFFO per share growth, (ii) dividend per share growth, (iii) interest coverage ratio, (iv) fixed charge coverage ratio, (v) debt to adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization,debt-to-EBITDA, (vi) portfolio occupancy rate, and (vii) acquisitions (each,volume. The Compensation Committee believes that this grant promoted retention amidst a “Performance Metric”).very competitive environment amongst REITs, further aligned Mr. Case’s interests with those of our stockholders, and would continually motivate him to focus on a variety of key performance metrics.

34Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement

Executive Compensation

 

IfThe vesting of these shares was based on our performance results relative to the company achieves at or below the “poor” threshold for the applicable calendar yearpreviously mentioned performance metrics, with respect to an applicable Performance Metric, then none of the shares of our restricted common stock subject to such Performance Metric’s tranche will vest. If we achieve within thea range of the “average,” “good,” “excellent” orzero shares vesting for a “poor” rating to 3,676 shares vesting for an “outstanding” threshold for the applicable calendar year with respect to an applicable Performance Metric, then 75%, 125%, 150% or 200%, respectively, of a targeted 1,838 shares subject to such Performance Metric’s tranche will vest.rating per metric. However, in no event willwas more than an aggregate of 12,864 shares of our common restricted stockto vest with respect to any calendar year, and no more than 51,454 shares willwas to vest, in the aggregate, pursuant to the 2013 Performance Award. During 2016, based on our strong operating and financial performance under these metrics, each of the metrics were achieved at the outstanding level and 12,862 shares of the 2013 Performance Award vested on December 31, 2016, representing the maximum number that may vest in this final tranche.

 

Other BenefitsRestricted Shares Granted in January 2016 for 2015 Performance

 

We provide medical and other benefits to ourOur restricted share awards are typically granted after fiscal year-end in recognition of the company’s prior year performance under the performance metrics for that year, as well as each named executive officersofficer’s individual performance for the prior fiscal year. For a discussion of restricted share awards that are similarwere granted in January 2016 under our 2015 STIP and restricted share awards granted in January 2016, which were intended to those benefits offeredbe compensation for 2015, see pages 27 to our full-time employees, including employer matching contributions to their 401(k) savings accounts and coverage under a health and disability insurance program.31 of the company’s 2016 Proxy Statement filed with the SEC on April 1, 2016.

 

WhenRestricted Share Vesting

Our restricted shares typically vest 20% to 25% per year on January 1, but are subject to accelerated vesting in the event of retirement, which is defined as a voluntary termination of employment by persons who are at least 60 years of age who have provided at least ten years of service to the company. The Compensation Committee believes that itthis vesting approach is necessary, we will occasionally supply perquisites(i) consistent with market practices, (ii) easy to administer, and (iii) preserves the benefit of acceleration, which occurs only upon actual retirement.

Given that Mr. Pfeiffer is eligible for retirement prior to the end of the vesting period, he was granted restricted share units (RSUs) in January 2016, November 2016, and February 2017 instead of restricted shares in order to preserve the deferral of his income taxation until the issuance of the shares upon vesting. The RSUs have dividend equivalents that pay out concurrently on the payment date of the dividend, regardless of the vested status of the RSUs. This provides the RSUs with the same economic rights as shares of restricted stock, which are entitled to cash dividends on the dividend payment date.

Changes to 2017 Incentive Programs

In February 2017, following consultation with and based on the recommendations of FPL, the Compensation Committee approved changes to the design of the STIP and LTIP programs applicable to the company’s NEOs for 2017. While the Compensation Committee preserved much of the 2016 incentive compensation program in terms of the categories used to measure performance, they recalibrated the mix of cash versus equity targeted under the programs. Consistent with peer compensation practices, the Compensation Committee also adjusted the bandwidth of earnings potential above target, with an increased maximum payout of 200% of target, and a Named corresponding level of enhanced rigor to achieve maximum performance to further motivate and reward outstanding performance. These changes resulted in (i) an increased total target compensation for each NEO from the 2016 levels, (ii) a reduction in the target bonus opportunity in the STIP, now awarded entirely in the form of cash, and (iii) a greater proportion of 2017 total target compensation tied to long-term performance objectives, awarded in equity.

CEO 2016 Cash vs Equity MixCEO 2017 Cash vs Equity Mix
(PIE CHART)(PIE CHART)

Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement35

Executive Officer.  During 2013, we reimbursedCompensation

The target amounts under the 2017 programs are set forth in the following table:

NAMED

EXECUTIVE

OFFICER

 

2017 BASE
SALARY

 

2017 TARGET
STIP(1)

 

2017 TARGET
LTIP(2)

 

2017 TOTAL TARGET
COMPENSATION(3)

 
John P. Case $925,000 $1,600,000 $4,500,000 $7,025,000 
Sumit Roy 550,000 825,000 2,125,000 3,500,000 
Paul M. Meurer 475,000 593,750 1,181,250 2,250,000 
Michael R. Pfeiffer 450,000 450,000 850,000 1,750,000 
Neil M. Abraham 375,000 375,000 850,000 1,600,000 

(1)The 2017 STIP is awarded entirely in the form of cash.
(2)The 2017 LTIP consists of awards of performance shares and time-vesting restricted stock or RSUs. Approximately seventy-eight percent of the NEOs’ 2017 LTIP opportunity is in the form of performance shares and twenty-two percent in the form of time-vesting restricted stock or RSUs.
(3)Mr. Case’s 2017 target total compensation approximates the 2017 peer group median.

The performance categories and their weightings under the 2017 STIP remain the same as in 2016. For the performance shares under the 2017 LTIP, the Compensation Committee replaced the NAREIT freestanding index with respect to the relative TSR objective with the J.P. Morgan Net Lease Peer Group, a group of peers categorized as “triple net lease REITs” included in the J.P. Morgan REIT database published by J.P. Morgan North American Equity Research, in order to provide a set of companies that are more comparable to Realty Income in terms of lease-type. The Compensation Committee also made certain modifications to the weightings of the objectives for the 2017 performance shares but continued the practice of having the relative TSR objectives represent approximately 70% of the total weighting. The service-vesting period for the time-vesting restricted stock or RSUs, which are expected to be granted in 2018, is four years following the grant date. This service-vesting period is in-line with market practice.

To effectuate these changes to the 2017 program, the company and Mr. Case entered into an amendment to Mr. Case’s employment agreement which provided for legal fees and expenses of $25,000 incurred in connection with the negotiation of his Amended and Restated Employment Agreement. following:

üReduced Mr. Case’s targeted annual cash performance bonus from no less than 200% of his base salary to no less than 150% of his base salary, and

üRemoved the provision which required that no less than 50% of his annual equity awards be in the form of time-based awards.

Changes to 2017 Peer Group

The Compensation Committee reviews such perquisitesour peer group and makes updates from time to time. Subsequent to 2016 and consistent with our standard practices, the Compensation Committee, with the help of FPL, reviewed the composition of our 2016 Peer Group to ensure that each company’s size and operations remained comparable to ours for 2017. Given our company’s continued growth during 2016, the Compensation Committee determined that substitutions were warranted to ensure, among other benefits providedfactors, that our total and equity market capitalization remained near the median of the peer group for 2017. The Compensation Committee met in January 2017 to review the peer group to be used for 2017 compensation decisions (2017 Peer Group) and decided to make the following modifications to the 2017 Peer Group, as recommended by FPL:

+Add: Boston Properties, Inc., Ventas, Inc., and Vornado Realty Trust
Remove: DDR Corp. and SL Green Realty Corp.

Boston Properties, Inc., Ventas, Inc. and Vornado Realty Trust were added to incorporate additional best-in-class S&P 500 REITs that are slightly larger in size in terms of both total and equity market capitalization. DDR Corp. and SL Green Realty Corp. were removed based on relative size and additional qualitative factors. These substitutions resulted in a net increase of one company to the number of peers and positions us at the 52ndpercentile in terms of total market capitalization, and at the 56thpercentile in terms of equity market capitalization relative to this updated peer group.

The Compensation Committee evaluates our executive officers as partpeer group periodically and may make adjustments to this peer group to reflect changes in the size or operations of its overall review of executive compensation. Thethe company or our peers.

 

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Compensation Committee has determined the type and amount paid in perquisites to be within the appropriate range of competitive compensation practices.

Severance and Change in Control Arrangements

 

We have employment agreements with eachEach of ourthe named executive officers and other executive officers, which provide forhas the right to receive severance payments and other benefits tocompensation upon the officers ifoccurrence of certain events as specified in their employment is terminated by us without cause or by the executive due to a constructive termination, including any such termination followingagreements. In addition, our award agreements provide certain rights in connection with a change of control and certain terminations of us.  We do not provide any tax gross-up payments.employment.

36Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement

Executive Compensation

 

In general,The following is a list of the employment agreements provide thatscenarios under which the named executive officers have rights to receive severance compensation.

ü     Qualifying Termination
ü     Change in Control Termination
ü     Death
ü     Disability
ü     For our CEO, a non-renewal of his employment agreement

Further detail surrounding the payments and benefits upon the occurrence of each scenario can be found in the event of a changesection titled “Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in control, without termination, no cash payments will be made to our named executive officers.  The only benefit they are entitled to is the accelerated vesting of their outstanding equity awards. In the event of a change in control and a qualifying termination within 12 months after the change in control, we will provide severance equal to 18 months of base salary plus the average bonus paid over the past three years, and we will provide continued medical insurance for 18 months (or, with respect to Mr. Case, 12 months) following termination.  In the event a qualifying termination occurs prior to, or later than 12 months following a change of control, the benefits equal 12 months of base salary plus the average bonus paid over the past three years, and we will provide continued medical insurance for 12 months following termination.  Also in general, in accordance with the terms of our restricted stock agreements, upon a qualifying termination or change of control, the vesting of all unvested shares of restricted stock accelerates.

In the event of a change in control termination, Mr. Case’s employment agreement also provides for a severance equal to (a) 36 months of base salary, plus three times his “bonus amount,” which is generally defined to mean (i) Mr. Case’s target bonus (for a termination in 2013, 2014, or 2015), (ii) the average of the last two years’ cash bonus paid to Mr. Case (for a termination in 2016) or (iii) the average of the last three years’ cash bonus paid to Mr. Case (for a termination in 2017 or later); (b) a prorated portion of his target bonus for the partial fiscal year; (c) any accrued but unpaid wages and accrued but unused vacation pay; and (d) any unearned but unpaid annual bonus with respect to the prior fiscal year.  In the event of a qualifying termination, Mr. Case’s employment agreement also provides for a severance equal to (a) 24 months of base salary, plus two times his “bonus amount,” as defined above; (b) any accrued but unpaid wages and accrued but unused vacation pay; and (c) any unearned but unpaid annual bonus with respect to the prior fiscal year.

Control” on page 43. The Compensation Committee believes these benefit levelsbenefits are reasonable. The payments and benefit levels under the employment agreements did not influence and were not influenced by other elements of compensation. The agreements were designed to help (i) attract and retain key employees, (ii) preserve employeekey employee’s morale and productivity, (iii) align with best practices, and (iv) promote continuity of management in the event of an actual or threatened change in the control of us.control. These change in control benefits allow executives to assess takeover bids objectively without regard to the potential impact on their individual job security.

 

Other Benefits and Policies

We provide medical and other benefits to our named executive officers that are similar to those benefits offered to all of our full-time employees, including a 401(k) plan with a matching contribution by the company and coverage under a health and disability insurance program.

Executive Stock Ownership Requirements

 

TheEffective January 1, 2013, the Board of Directors has implemented stock ownership requirements for the company’s CEO President, and the Executive Vice Presidents,other named executive officers to more closely align the interests of these individuals with the interests of our stockholders and to further promote the long-term growth of the price of our common stock.stockholders. The minimum share requirements were established as follows:

Position

Guideline(1)

Minimum Share
Ownership
Requirement

Chief Executive Officer

5requirement is five times base salary

87,565

President

4 times base salary

42,821

Executive Vice President

3 times base salary

26,488

(1)The requirement for each person subject to these Guidelines is determined on an individual basis, first in dollars as a multiple of the executive’s annual base salary for our CEO, four times base salary for our President, and then by converting such amount to a fixed number of shares.

As ofthree times base salary for the other named executive officers using their salary on January 1, 2014, each executive2013 or the date they became subject to the guidelines met or exceededguidelines. Each executive has five years from the stock ownership requirements.

For each of these executives, the stock ownership requirement was determined using their base salaries as of January 1, 2013 and the average closing price of the company’s common stock for the period November 1, 2012 through December 31, 2012, and they have until January 1, 2018 to satisfy

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Table of Contents

their ownership level.  For persons assuming an Executive-level position after January 1, 2013, the stock ownership requirement under these guidelines will be determined using their base salaries aslater of the date they become subjectof adoption or date of appointment to these guidelines and using  the average closing common stock price for the 60 trading days prior to such date, with five yearsan executive-level position to achieve the requirement. If an individual’s share ownership requirement increases because of a change in position, a five-year period to achieve the incremental amount of shares will begin on the effective date of the change in position.

All vested and unvested restricted stockshare and RSU awards qualify towards satisfaction of the requirement. Performance shares do not qualify towards the requirement. Compliance will beis evaluated on an annual basis, as of December 31 of each year. The following table sets forth the requirements for each of our named executive officers:

 

NAMED EXECUTIVE
OFFICER
GUIDELINEMINIMUM STOCK
OWNERSHIP REQUIREMENT(1)
STOCK OWNERSHIP AS
OF DECEMBER 31, 2016(2)
John P. Case5x base salary87,565182,045
Sumit Roy4x base salary39,72684,391
Paul M. Meurer3x base salary26,44857,264
Michael R. Pfeiffer3x base salary26,44849,348
Neil M. Abraham3x base salary18,81710,862
(1)The requirement for each NEO was determined first in dollars as a multiple of the executive’s annual base salary as of the date they become subject to this requirement, and then by converting such amount to a fixed number of shares based on the company’s average closing common stock price for the 60 trading days prior to such date. An executive’s stock ownership requirement will only be re-established upon a change to a different executive position.
(2)As of December 31, 2016, all of our named executive officers satisfied their ownership requirements, except for Mr. Abraham, who became subject to the requirements on November 30, 2015 and has until November 30, 2020 to achieve the requirement.

Tax Considerations

 

Section 162(m) of the Code limits the deductibility of compensation paid to our Chief Executive Officer, former Chief Executive OfficerCEO, and our three other most highly compensated named executive officers, other than the Chief Financial Officer. To qualify for deductibility under Section 162(m), compensation (including base salary, annualcash bonus, stock option exercises, compensation attributable to vesting of stock grants and nonqualified benefits) in excess of $1,000,000 per year, paid to each of these named executive officers, generally must be “performance-based” compensation as determined under Section 162(m). While the Compensation Committee considers whether to structure compensation so that it satisfies the “performance-based” compensation requirements under Section 162(m), the Compensation Committee balances the costs and burdens involved in doing so against the value to us, and our stockholders, of the potential tax benefits. Accordingly,The tax deductibility of our compensation is just one of many factors that the Compensation Committee reserves the right to design programs that recognize a full range of performance criteria important to our success, even where theconsiders when making its compensation paid under such programs may not be fully deductible as a result of Section 162(m).decisions.

 

Despite the fact that the incentive bonuses and stock-related awards for 2013 were determined by taking into consideration certain financial and strategic goals, the Compensation Committee did not apply these factors on a strict formulaic basis. As a result, incentive bonuses and stock-related awards, granted or earned in 2013, did not satisfy the “performance-based” compensation requirements of Section 162(m).  As a result, compensation of $22.3 million, in aggregate, was not deductible from a tax perspective for 2013.  We believe that we qualify as a REIT under the Code and generally are not subject to federal income taxes, provided we distribute to our stockholders at least 90% of our taxable income each year. As a result of the company’s tax status as a REIT, the loss of this deduction did not affect the amount of federal income tax payable by the company for its 2013 taxable year. However, the loss of this deduction increased the portion of the company’s 2013 distributions that were taxed as dividends to its stockholders and reduced the portion of such distributions treated as a return of capital. The Compensation Committee will continue to evaluate the advisability of providing performance-based compensation under Section 162(m).

Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement37

 

COMPENSATION COMMITTEE REPORTCompensation Committee Report

 

The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of Realty Income Corporation, a Maryland corporation, or Realty Income, has reviewed and discussed the Compensation Discussion and Analysis with management, and based on the review and discussions, the Compensation Committee recommended to the Board of Directors of Realty Income Corporation, a Maryland corporation, or Realty Income, that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis be included in this Proxy Statement for the 20142017 Annual Meeting of stockholders and in Realty Income’s 20132016 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

 

Submitted on March 10, 201414, 2017 by the members of the Compensation Committee of Realty Income’s Board of Directors.

 

Kathleen R. Allen, Ph.D.Priya Cherian Huskins, Chair


A. Larry Chapman

Michael D. McKee


Gregory T. McLaughlin Chairman
Stephen E. Sterrett

  

The above report of the Compensation Committee will not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into any filing by the company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except to the extent that the company specifically incorporates the same by reference.

38Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement

Compensation Tables

 

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Table of Contents

Summary Compensation Table

 

The following table sets forth information concerning the compensation earned by executive officers serving asof our Chief Executive Officer, during the last completed fiscal year, our Chief Financial Officer and our three other most highly compensated executive officers or collectively,(collectively, the named executive officers,officers), for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2013, 20122016, 2015 and 2011.2014. In general, non-equity incentive plan compensation aligns with the performance year noted; however, stock awards are included in the year of grant which may not align with the performance year to which they relate.

 

Name and Principal
Position in 2013

 

Year

 

Salary(1)

 

Bonus(2)

 

Stock
Awards
(3)(4)

 

All other
Compensation
(5)

 

Total

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John P. Case(6)

 

2013

 

$

527,361

 

$

1,500,000

 

$

7,069,130

 

$

33,640

 

$

9,130,131

 

Chief Executive Officer

 

2012

 

350,000

 

600,000

 

900,005

 

8,490

 

1,858,495

 

 

 

2011

 

325,000

 

440,000

 

692,023

 

8,340

 

1,465,363

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thomas A. Lewis(7)

 

2013

 

700,000

 

2,300,000

 

5,438,003

 

12,006

 

8,450,009

 

Vice Chairman of the Board

 

2012

 

650,000

 

1,625,000

 

2,229,992

 

10,338

 

4,515,330

 

and former Chief Executive Officer

 

2011

 

550,000

 

1,490,000

 

1,974,504

 

10,188

 

4,024,692

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gary M. Malino

 

2013

 

425,000

 

875,000

 

999,979

 

10,488

 

2,310,467

 

President and

 

2012

 

400,000

 

625,000

 

1,000,010

 

10,338

 

2,035,348

 

Chief Operating Officer

 

2011

 

400,000

 

630,000

 

988,604

 

8,868

 

2,027,472

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sumit Roy(8)

 

2013

 

326,042

 

650,000

 

789,314

 

8,310

 

1,773,666

 

Executive Vice President,

 

2012

 

250,000

 

375,000

 

249,994

 

8,058

 

883,052

 

Chief Investment Officer

 

2011

 

80,609

 

250,000

 

665,400

 

140

 

996,149

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paul M. Meurer

 

2013

 

350,000

 

650,000

 

711,000

 

8,640

 

1,719,640

 

Executive Vice President,

 

2012

 

325,000

 

406,000

 

699,997

 

8,490

 

1,439,487

 

Chief Financial Officer and

 

2011

 

325,000

 

390,000

 

692,023

 

8,340

 

1,415,363

 

Treasurer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Michael R. Pfeiffer

 

2013

 

350,000

 

425,000

 

918,186

 

9,168

 

1,702,354

 

Executive Vice President,

 

2012

 

325,000

 

406,000

 

699,997

 

9,018

 

1,440,015

 

General Counsel and

 

2011

 

325,000

 

390,000

 

692,023

 

8,868

 

1,415,891

 

Secretary

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

       NON-EQUITY    
NAME AND PRINCIPAL    STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN ALL OTHER  
POSITION IN 2016YEAR SALARY(1) AWARDS(2)(3) COMPENSATION(4) COMPENSATION(5) TOTAL
John P. Case2016$875,000$4,361,823$3,093,750$         9,468$8,340,041
Chief Executive Officer2015 825,000 3,073,391 2,842,583 9,468 6,750,442
 2014 800,000 3,390,980 2,564,125 9,318 6,764,423
Sumit Roy2016 525,000 3,006,348 1,460,627 8,940 5,000,915
President,2015 475,000 1,665,108 1,251,813 8,940 3,400,861
Chief Operating Officer2014 406,250 1,312,061 807,413 8,790 2,534,514
Paul M. Meurer2016 450,000 1,285,143 871,000 9,468 2,615,611
Executive Vice President,2015 425,000 976,184 851,278 9,468 2,261,930
Chief Financial Officer and           
Treasurer2014 400,000 1,287,026 711,200 8,790 2,407,016
Michael R. Pfeiffer2016 420,000 950,383 494,000 10,788 1,875,171
Executive Vice President,2015 400,000 752,477 459,911 10,788 1,623,176
General Counsel and           
Secretary2014 375,000 1,080,471 507,875 9,318 1,972,664
Neil M. Abraham(6)2016 335,000 902,777 431,167 33,940 1,702,884
Executive Vice President,           
Chief Investment Officer           

(1)The amounts shown include amounts earned, but a portion of which

(1)The amounts shown include amounts earned, but a portion of such amount may be deferred, at the election of the officer under our 401(k) retirement plan.

(2)For 2016, the amounts shown represent the grant date fair value of restricted stock grants on January 14, 2016 based on 2015 performance under our 2015 STIP and annual time-based restricted stock program, the promotional grant to Mr. Roy, the one-time restricted stock grants made on November 10, 2016, and the grant date fair value of performance share grants on January 14, 2016, in each case, calculated in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Topic 718. Fair value of restricted stock grants is calculated by multiplying the applicable shares by the closing market price of our common stock on the date of grant. Fair value for performance shares was estimated in accordance with ASC Topic 718 on the date of grant at $50.77 per share, using a multifactor Monte Carlo simulation model, based on two market conditions associated with TSR performance goals, valued at $33.26 per share, plus $17.51 per share for the two performance conditions of debt-to-EBITDA ratio and dividend growth rate, which reflect the probable outcome of such performance conditions. This column excludes the value of $4.74 determined for the Dividend Equivalent Rights (DERs), associated with the market conditions. The maximum grant date fair values of the performance shares, assuming maximum performance of all conditions and employing the $50.77 per share valuation for the January 14, 2016 grant, are as follows:

  GRANT DATE  
NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICER FAIR VALUE MAXIMUM VALUE
John P. Case$1,046,781$1,513,608
Sumit Roy 692,117 1,000,773
Paul M. Meurer 506,357 732,173
Michael R. Pfeiffer 400,405 578,978
Neil M. Abraham 327,757 473,929

(3)The stock awards shown reflect the grants of restricted stock during each of the fiscal years presented. Because we believe that the information is relevant to our investors, we have chosen to present supplemental disclosure regarding the grant of restricted stock on February 14, 2017, which represents the restricted share awards earned by each of the named executive officers, based on 2016 performance under the 2016 STIP and our annual time-based restricted stock program. See footnote 4 to the “Grants of Plan-Based Awards Table.”
(4)This column represents the cash incentive award earned in the year indicated pursuant to our STIP, which is paid the following year. The amounts earned under the STIP are paid two-thirds in cash and one-third in shares of restricted stock. See “Compensation Discussion and Analysis—Short-Term Incentive Program” on page 30 for more information.
(5)The following table sets forth matching contributions by us to the named executive officers’ 401(k) savings account and the cost of term life paid by us in 2016.

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Compensation Tables

  401(k) MATCHING   GROUP TERM LIFE  
NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICER CONTRIBUTIONS  INSURANCE PAYMENTS OTHER(a)
John P. Case$7,950 $1,518 
Sumit Roy 7,950  990 
Paul M. Meurer 7,950  1,518 
Michael R. Pfeiffer 7,950  2,838 
Neil M. Abraham 7,950  990 $25,000
(a)Other includes Mr. Abraham’s one-time relocation payment of $25,000.

(6)Mr. Abraham became a named executive officer during 2016, accordingly, we are only presenting compensation for 2016.

Narrative to Summary Compensation Table

 

(2)The bonuses shown were paid in JanuaryEach of the following year, for performance during the year shown, except for Mr. Lewis’ 2013 bonus which was paid in 2013.

(3)Represents the grant date fair value of restricted stock grants, which is calculated by multiplying the applicable shares by the closing market price of our common stock on the date of grant as prescribed by Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718.

The stock awards shown reflect the grants of restricted stock during each of the fiscal years presented above. Our general practice is to grant our equity awards in January of each year for performance during the previous fiscal year.  However, during 2013, our restricted stock grants reflect grants for annual performance, the closing of the ARCT acquisition, and awards related to promotions (See “Grants of Plan-Based Awards Table.”) Additionally, due to Mr. Lewis’ retirement as our Chief Executive Officer in September 2013 and his executive advisory services through January 2014, Mr. Lewis’ stock award for 2013 performance was granted in December 2013 instead of January 2014, resulting in the grant of two stock awards during fiscal 2013 shown in the table above; 1) $2,438,015 grant date fair value of shares granted on January 4, 2013 related to the 2012 performance year and 2) $2,999,988 grant date fair value of shares granted on December 31, 2013 related to the 2013 performance year.

(4)The stock awards shown reflect the grants of restricted stock during each of the fiscal years presented above. Because we believe that the information is relevant to our investors, we have chosen to present supplemental disclosure regarding the grant of restricted stock on January 21, 2014, which represents the award to each of the named executive officers based onis party to an employment agreement, which, in material part, establishes a minimum salary and provides for certain severance benefits, as described under “Potential Payments upon Termination or Change in Control” below. The employment agreements for each of our named executive officers, other than Mr. Case, continue until terminated by either party. The minimum salaries of our named executive officers are equal to their 2013 performance, with the exception of Mr. Lewis. See footnote 4 to the “Grants of Plan-Based Awards Table.”current salaries.

 

(5)The following table sets forth matching contributions by usIn connection with Mr. Case’s appointment to CEO, the named executive officer’s 401(k) savings accountcompany and the cost of term life premiums paid by us in 2013.  During 2013, we reimbursed Mr. Case for legal fees and expenses of $25,000 incurred in connection with the negotiation of hisentered into an Amended and Restated Employment Agreement as listed in the table below:

Name

 

401(k) Matching
Contributions

 

Group Term Life
Insurance Payments

 

Legal Expenses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John P. Case

 

$7,650

 

$  990

 

25,000

 

Thomas A. Lewis

 

7,650

 

4,356

 

-

 

Gary M. Malino

 

7,650

 

2,838

 

-

 

Sumit Roy

 

7,650

 

660

 

-

 

Paul M. Meurer

 

7,650

 

990

 

-

 

Michael R. Pfeiffer

 

7,650

 

1,518

 

-

 

(6)Mr.(the Case was the President, Chief Investment Officer untilEmployment Agreement), effective September 3, 2013 when he became Chief Executive Officer.through December 31, 2016. The Agreement was automatically renewed during 2016, and is effective through December 31, 2018, unless terminated earlier. Under the Case Employment Agreement, Mr. Case’s compensationCase will serve as CEO, and will report to the Board of Directors. The Case Employment Agreement provides for 2013 includes equity incentive awards associated with this promotiona minimum annual base salary of $800,000 in each calendar year starting in 2014, subject to increase at the discretion of the Compensation Committee.

In February 2017, the company and his achievements onMr. Case entered into an amendment to the ARCT acquisition.Case Employment Agreement. The amendment provides for the following changes:

ü     Reduced Mr. Case’s targeted annual cash performance bonus from no less than 200% of his base salary to no less than 150% of his base salary, and
ü     Removed the provision which required that no less than 50% of his annual equity awards be in the form of time-based awards.

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(7)Mr. Lewis was Chief Executive Officer until September 3, 2013.  He remained with us until early 2014 to assist with the transition to Mr. Case, and continues to serve as Vice Chairman of our Board of Directors.

(8)Mr. Roy’s employment with us began on September 6, 2011.  The amount shown for 2011 in the table above represents the pro-rated portion of his base salary of $250,000, as actually paid to him in 2011.

Grants of Plan-Based Awards Table

 

The following table sets forth summary information concerning all grants of plan-based awards made to the named executive officers during 2016. These awards consist of cash bonus amounts pursuant to the 2013 fiscal year.

 

 

Grant

 

Estimated Future Payouts Under
Equity Incentive Plan Awards
(2) 

 

All Other Stock
Awards: Number
of Shares of Stock

 

Grant Date Fair
Value of Stock
and Option

 

Name

 

Date(1)

 

Threshold

 

Target

 

Maximum

 

or Units(1)(3)

 

Awards(1)(4)(5)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John P. Case

 

1/4/13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

22,236

 

$

919,014

 

 

 

3/11/13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

22,989

 

1,035,884

 

 

 

9/3/13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

77,180

 

2,999,987

 

 

 

9/26/13

 

-

 

51,454

 

51,454

 

-

 

2,114,245

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thomas A. Lewis

 

1/4/13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

58,989

 

2,438,015

 

 

 

12/31/13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

80,364

 

2,999,988

 

Gary M. Malino

 

1/4/13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

24,195

 

999,979

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sumit Roy

 

1/4/13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9,073

 

374,987

 

 

 

3/11/13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9,195

 

414,327

 

Paul M. Meurer

 

1/4/13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

17,203

 

711,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Michael R. Pfeiffer

 

1/4/13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

17,203

 

711,000

 

 

 

3/11/13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4,598

 

207,186

 

(1)The grant date fair value has been calculated by multiplying the closing market price of our common stock at the grant date by the number of2016 STIP, restricted stock awards as prescribed under Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718.

(2)One-fourth ofpursuant to the performance units vest annually on December 31, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016, based on the achievement of seven annual performance metrics discussed on page 37. Represents the threshold, target and maximum number of shares that may vest.

(3)Typically 100% of equity awards we grant to our executive officers are based on our performance.  The 77,180 shares of restricted stock that were granted to Mr. Case on September 3, 2013 were not awarded based on specific past or future performance metrics.  The remainder of the plan-based awards granted to Mr. Case and the other executive officers were based on performance metrics.

(4)The stock awards shown in the table above reflect the grants of restricted stock during 2013 based on our 2012 performance, the closing of the ARCT acquisition, and awards related to promotions.  With respect to Mr. Lewis, this also includes his stock award for our 2013 performance, which was made in December 2013, reflecting his services as our Chief Executive Officer until in September 3, 2013 and his executive advisory services through January 7, 2014.  Consistent with our vesting policy his annual grant of restricted stock for his 2013 fiscal year performance vested immediately.  The grants of restricted stock for our other named executive officers for our 2013 performance were made in January 2014 consistent with past practices.  Because we believe that the information is relevant to our investors, we have chosen to present supplemental disclosure regarding the grants of restricted stock on January 21, 2014, which represent the awards to each of the named executive officers (other than Mr. Lewis)  based on their 2013 performance. The grant date fair value in the following chart has been calculated by multiplying the closing market price of our common stock at January 21, 2014 of $39.30, by the number of shares of restricted stock awarded in 2014 for 2013 performance, as prescribed under Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718:

Name

 

Grant
Date

 

All Other Stock
Awards: Number of
Shares of Stock or
Units

 

Grant Date Fair
Value of Stock
and Option
Awards

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John P. Case

 

1/21/14

 

63,613

 

$ 2,499,991

 

Gary M. Malino

 

1/21/14

 

27,990

 

1,100,007

 

Sumit Roy

 

1/21/14

 

22,265

 

875,015

 

Paul M. Meurer

 

1/21/14

 

21,628

 

849,980

 

Michael R. Pfeiffer

 

1/21/14

 

17,812

 

700,012

 

(5)The Compensation Committee awards grants ofSTIP, time-based restricted stock awards in accordance withpursuant to the provisions of our 2012 Incentive Award Plan. The vesting schedule is as follows: (i) for employees age 552015 compensation program, the promotional grant to Mr. Roy, performance shares granted pursuant to the 2016 LTIP, and below at the grant date, shares vest in 20% increments on each of the first five anniversaries of the grant date; (ii) for employees age 56 at the grant date, shares vest in 25% increments on each of the first four anniversaries of the grant date; (iii) for employees age 57 at the grant date, shares vest in 33.33% increments on each of the first three anniversaries of the grant date; (iv) for employees age 58 at the grant date, shares vest in 50% increments on each of the first two anniversaries of the grant date; (v) for employees age 59 at the grant date, shares are 100% vested on the first anniversary of the grant date; and (vi) for employees age 60 and above at the grant date, shares vest immediately on the grant date.  Cash dividends are paid on ourone-time time-based restricted stock fromgrants made in November 2016. Additionally, we have provided supplemental information in footnote 4 with respect to stock awards pursuant to the date of grant.2016 STIP granted in February 2017, and time-based restricted stock awards granted in February 2017 that is considered 2016 compensation. 

                    
                  GRANT DATE 
    ESTIMATED FUTURE PAYOUTS ESTIMATED FUTURE PAYOUTS ALL OTHER STOCK FAIR VALUE 
    UNDER NON-EQUITY INCENTIVE UNDER EQUITY INCENTIVE AWARDS: NUMBER OF STOCK 
  GRANT PLAN AWARDS(1) PLAN AWARDS(2) OF SHARES OF AND OPTION 
NEO DATE THRESHOLD TARGET MAXIMUM THRESHOLD TARGET MAXIMUM STOCK OR UNITS(3)(4) AWARDS(5)(6) 
John P. Case 1/14/16       27,201 $1,421,292 
  1/14/16       17,106 893,750 
  1/14/16    10,310 20,619 30,929  1,046,781 
  11/10/16       18,423 1,000,000 
    $1,125,000 $2,250,000 $3,375,000      
Sumit Roy 1/14/16       11,979 625,906 
  1/14/16       22,742 1,188,352 
  1/14/16    6,817 13,633 20,450  692,117 
  11/10/16       9,211 499,973 
    531,137 1,062,274 1,593,411      
Paul M. Meurer 1/14/16       8,146 425,639 
  1/14/16       2,930 153,125 
  1/14/16    4,987 9,974 14,961  506,357 
  11/10/16       3,685 200,022 
    335,000 670,000 1,005,000      
Michael R. Pfeiffer 1/14/16       4,401 229,956 
  1/14/16       2,296 120,000 
  1/14/16    3,944 7,887 11,831  400,405 
  11/10/16       3,685 200,022 
    190,000 380,000 570,000      
Neil M. Abraham 1/14/16       7,177 374,998 
  1/14/16    3,228 6,456 9,684  327,757 
  11/10/16       3,685 200,022 
    165,834 331,667 497,501      

(1)These columns represent cash incentive amounts that could have been paid to the named executive officers under the STIP for 2016 performance. These targets were established by the Compensation Committee on December 21, 2015. Total amounts earned under the STIP are paid two-thirds in cash and one-third in restricted shares. The earned restricted shares under the 2016 STIP were granted in February 2017 and will be reported in the Grants of Plan Based Awards Table for 2017. The STIP is described in more detail in the “Compensation Discussion and Analysis—Short-Term Incentive Program” on page 30. The actual cash paid in February 2017 for performance in 2016 are listed under 2016 in the “Summary Compensation Table” on page 39 as “Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation.”

(2)Amounts shown as granted on January 14, 2016 reflect the Threshold, Target, and Maximum awards for the 2016-2018 performance shares granted under the LTIP and our 2012 Incentive Award Plan, which are described in detail in the “Compensation Discussion and Analysis—Long-Term Incentive Program” beginning on page 32. Threshold reflects 50% of the target performance shares granted, and maximum reflects 150% of the target performance shares granted. Each performance share earned vests 50% at the end of the applicable performance period, and 50% one year later.

(3)The January 14, 2016 stock awards shown in the first row of this column reflect the grants to NEOs under the STIP for 2015 performance, made in January 2016, at a price of $52.25. These awards are described in the “Restricted Shares Granted in January 2016 for 2015 Performance” section on page 35. Mr. Abraham’s January 14, 2016 equity grant was not part of the 2015 STIP equity incentive plan because he was not a NEO at that time. This grant was based on 2015 performance.

(4)The January 14, 2016 stock awards shown in the second row of this column reflect the annual grants of time-based restricted stock made in January 2016, at a price of $52.25, based on 2015 performance. For Mr. Roy, this row also includes his promotional grant, made in January 2016, at a price of $52.25. The November 10, 2016 stock awards reflect the one-time grants of restricted shares made in November 2016 at a price of $54.28 to each named executive officer. Because we believe that the information is relevant to

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Compensation Tables

 

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our investors, we have chosen to present supplemental disclosure regarding the grants of restricted stock on February 14, 2017, that were (i) earned under our STIP, which represents one-third of the amounts earned under STIP based on 2016 performance, and (ii) the annual grants of restricted stock intended as 2016 compensation and granted in February 2017. Thus, the following chart reflects all grants made as compensation for 2016 performance:

 

NAMED
EXECUTIVE
OFFICER
 EQUITY
AWARDS
GRANTED
UNDER 2016
STIP(a)
 EQUITY
AWARDS
ANNUAL
GRANT(a)
 PERFORMANCE
SHARES
GRANTED
UNDER
2016 LTIP
 ONE-TIME
GRANTS IN
NOVEMBER
2016(b)
 TOTAL
STOCK AWARD
COMPENSATION
FOR 2016
 TOTAL 2016
STOCK AWARD
COMPENSATION
PRESENTED IN
SUMMARY
COMPENSATION
TABLE
 
John P. Case $1,546,875 $1,000,000 $1,046,781 $1,000,000 $4,593,656 $4,361,823 
Sumit Roy 730,313 220,397 692,117 499,973 2,142,800 3,006,348 
Paul M. Meurer 435,500 161,250 506,357 200,022 1,303,129 1,285,143 
Michael R. Pfeiffer(c) 247,000 127,500 400,405 200,022 974,927 950,383 
Neil M. Abraham 215,584 104,375 327,757 200,022 847,738 902,777 
(a)The grant date fair values of restricted stock in these columns have been calculated by multiplying the closing market price of our common stock at February 14, 2017 of $60.78 by the number of shares of restricted stock awarded in February 2017 for 2016 performance, as prescribed under ASC Topic 718.
(b)The grant date fair values of restricted stock in this column has been calculated by multiplying the closing market price of our common stock at November 10, 2016 of $54.28 by the number of shares of restricted stock awarded on November 10, 2016, as prescribed under ASC Topic 718.
(c)Given that Mr. Pfeiffer is retirement eligible prior to the final vesting date of shares granted, he was granted RSUs instead of restricted shares in order to preserve the deferral of his income taxation until the issuance of the shares to him upon vesting.

(5)For restricted stock granted on January 14, 2016, the grant date fair value has been calculated by multiplying the closing market price of our common stock on the grant date of $52.25 by the number of restricted stock awards. For restricted stock granted on November 10, 2016, the grant date fair value has been calculated by multiplying the closing market price of our common stock on the grant date of $54.28 by the number of restricted stock awards. Fair value for performance shares granted on January 14, 2016 was estimated on the date of grant at $50.77 per share, using a multifactor Monte Carlo simulation model for the market conditions associated with the TSR performance goals, valued at $33.26 per share, plus $17.51 per share for the performance conditions of debt- to-EBITDA ratio and dividend growth rate, reflecting the probable outcome of such performance conditions, and excludes the value of $4.74 per share determined for the DERs associated with the market conditions. The grant date fair value for the restricted stock and performance shares are computed in accordance with ASC Topic 718.

(6)The Compensation Committee grants restricted stock awards in accordance with the provisions of our 2012 Incentive Award Plan. The vesting schedule for restricted stock granted on January 14, 2016 is 20% per year over a 5-year period, commencing on January 1 of the year following the grant, subject to acceleration upon certain events, such as retirement, and qualifying terminations. The vesting schedule for restricted stock granted on November 10, 2016 is 25% per year over a 4-year period, commencing on the anniversary of the grant. Cash dividends are paid on our restricted stock from the date of grant.

Outstanding Equity Awards Table as of December 31, 20132016

 

The following table sets forth summary information concerning outstanding equity awardsrestricted stock and performance shares held by each of the named executive officersofficer as of December 31, 2013.2016. None of the named executive officers held any exercisable or unexercisable options as of December 31, 2013.2016. 

             
  STOCK AWARDS 
NAMED
EXECUTIVE OFFICER
 NUMBER OF SHARES OR
UNITS OF STOCK THAT
HAVE
NOT VESTED AS OF
DECEMBER 31, 2016(1)
 MARKET VALUE OF
SHARES OR UNITS
OF STOCK THAT
HAVE
NOT YET VESTED(2)
 EQUITY INCENTIVE
PLAN AWARDS:
NUMBER OF
UNEARNED SHARES
THAT HAVE NOT
VESTED(3)
 EQUITY INCENTIVE
PLAN AWARDS:
MARKET VALUE OF
UNEARNED SHARES
THAT HAVE NOT
VESTED(2)(3)
John P. Case(4) 157,838  $9,072,528  81,702  $4,696,231 
Sumit Roy(5) 82,478  4,740,835  48,300  2,776,255 
Paul M. Meurer(6) 46,270  2,659,600  40,613  2,334,435 
Michael R. Pfeiffer(7) 39,781  2,286,612  33,272  1,912,446 
Neil M. Abraham(8) 10,862  624,348  6,456  371,091 
(1)The amounts in this column represent the portion of restricted stock awards that were granted from 1/4/12 through 12/31/16 to the named executive officers and that were unvested at 12/31/16.
(2)Market value has been calculated by multiplying the closing market price of our common stock at 12/30/16 of $57.48 per share by the outstanding shares of restricted stock awards for each named executive officer.
(3)This column represents performance shares as if they were earned at the maximum level for the 2014-2016 and 2015-2017 performance periods, since company performance is currently between target and maximum levels for these performance periods. The performance shares for the 2016-2018 performance period represent shares earned at the target level since company performance is between threshold and target levels for this performance period. The number of performance shares earned will be determined at the end of each performance period, and will vest in 50% increments on the first and second January after the three-year performance periods. In February 2017, the Compensation Committee certified percentage achievement for the 2014-2016 performance shares

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Compensation Tables

 

 

 

 

Stock Awards

 

 

Name

 

Number of Shares or
Units of Stock That
Have
Not Vested as of
December 31, 2013
(1)

 

Market Value of
Shares or Units
of Stock That
Have
Not Yet Vested
(2)

 

Equity Incentive
Plan Awards:
Number of
Unearned Shares
That Have Not
Vested

 

Equity Incentive
Plan Awards:
Market Value of
Unearned Shares
That Have Not
Vested
(2)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John P. Case(3)(4)

 

 

166,249

 

$ 6,206,075

 

38,590

 

$ 1,440,565

 

 

Thomas A. Lewis(5)

 

 

127,256

 

4,750,466

 

-

 

-

 

 

Gary M. Malino(6)

 

 

81,415

 

3,039,222

 

-

 

-

 

 

Sumit Roy(7)

 

 

36,062

 

1,346,194

 

-

 

-

 

 

Paul M. Meurer(8)

 

 

56,207

 

2,098,207

 

-

 

-

 

 

Michael R. Pfeiffer(9)

 

 

60,805

 

2,269,851

 

-

 

-

 

that were granted in April 2014, based on our performance relative to the metrics during the three-year performance period ending December 31, 2016. Based on achievement above maximum performance levels for all metrics, each named executive officer received 150% of the target shares granted, as described in greater detail on page 33.
(4)The restricted stock awards for Mr. Case vest according to the following schedule: 44,034 shares vest on 1/1/17, 4,605 shares vest on 11/10/17, 38,821 shares vest on 1/1/18, 869 shares vest on 3/11/18, 4,606 shares vest on 11/10/18, 29,776 shares vest on 1/1/19, 4,606 shares vest on 11/10/19, 17,053 shares vest on 1/1/20, 4,606 shares vest on 11/10/20, and 8,862 shares vest on 1/1/21.
(5)The restricted stock awards for Mr. Roy vest according to the following schedule: 20,520 shares vest on 1/1/17, 2,302 shares vest on 11/10/17, 19,071 shares vest on 1/1/18, 348 shares vest on 3/11/18, 2,303 shares vest on 11/10/18, 15,418 shares vest on 1/1/19, 2,303 shares vest on 11/10/19, 10,965 shares vest on 1/1/20, 2,303 shares vest on 11/10/20, and 6,945 shares vest on 1/1/21.
(6)The restricted stock awards for Mr. Meurer vest according to the following schedule: 15,935 shares vest on 1/1/17, 921 shares vest on 11/10/17, 11,880 shares vest on 1/1/18, 921 shares vest on 11/10/18, 8,440 shares vest on 1/1/19, 921 shares vest on 11/10/19, 4,114 shares vest on 1/1/20, 922 shares vest on 11/10/20, and 2,216 shares vest on 1/1/21.
(7)The restricted stock awards for Mr. Pfeiffer vest according to the following schedule: 14,758 shares vest on 1/1/17, 921 shares vest on 11/10/17, 10,702 shares vest on 1/1/18, 174 shares vest on 3/11/18, 921 shares vest on 11/10/18, 6,343 shares vest on 1/1/19, 921 shares vest on 11/10/19, 2,779 shares vest on 1/1/20, 922 shares vest on 11/10/20, and 1,340 shares vest on 1/1/21.
(8)The restricted stock awards for Mr. Abraham vest according to the following schedule: 1,435 shares vest on 1/1/17, 921 shares vest on 11/10/17, 1,435 shares vest on 1/1/18, 921 shares vest on 11/10/18, 1,436 shares vest on 1/1/19, 921 shares vest on 11/10/19, 1,435 shares vest on 1/1/20, 922 shares vest on 11/10/20, and 1,436 shares vest on 1/1/21.

 

(1)The amounts in this column represent the portion of the stock awards that were granted from January 1, 2003 through December 31, 2013 to the named executive officers and that were unvested at December 31, 2013.

(2)Market value has been calculated by multiplying the closing market price of our common stock at December 31, 2013 of $37.33 by the outstanding restricted stock awards for each named executive officer.

(3)The time-based restricted stock awards for Mr. Case vest according to the following schedule: 15,000 shares vest on each of: 4/26/14 and 4/26/15; 19,295 shares vest on each of: 12/31/14, 12/31/15, and 12/31/16; 17,482 shares vest on 1/1/14, 18,354 shares vest on 1/1/15, 18,353 shares vest on 1/1/16, 14,260 vest on 1/1/17, 9,046 shares vest on 1/1/18 and 869 shares vest on 3/11/2018.

(4)Performance based awards of 12,864 will vest on 12/31/14, 12/31/15, and 12/31/16, not to exceed 38,590 during the 3-year period, upon achievement of the performance metrics outlined on page 37.

(5)The restricted stock awards for Mr. Lewis vested on 1/1/14.

(6)The restricted stock awards for Mr. Malino vest according to the following schedule: 26,981 shares vest on 1/1/14, 22,481 shares vest on 1/1/15, 16,481 shares vest on 1/1/16, 10,633 shares vest on 1/1/17 and 4,839 shares vest on 1/1/18.

(7)The restricted stock awards for Mr. Roy vest according to the following schedule: 4,000 shares vest on each of: 9/6/14, 9/6/15 and 9/6/15; 4,753 shares vest on 1/1/14, 5,103 shares vest on 1/1/15, 5,101 shares vest on 1/1/16, 5,103 shares vest on 1/1/17, 3,654 shares vest on 1/1/18 and 348 shares vest on 3/11/18.

(8)The restricted stock awards for Mr. Meurer vest according to the following schedule: 18,089 shares vest on 1/1/14, 15,590 shares vest on 1/1/15, 11,590 shares vest on 1/1/16, 7,497 shares vest on 1/1/17, 3,441 shares vest on 1/1/18.

(9)The restricted stock awards for Mr. Pfeiffer vest according to the following schedule: 18,834 shares vest on 1/1/14, 16,510 shares vest on 1/1/15, 12,509 shares vest on 1/1/16, 8,417 shares vest on 1/1/17, 4,361 shares vest on 1/1/18 and 174 shares vest on 3/11/18.

Stock Vested During 20132016 Table

 

The following table sets forth summary information concerning the vesting of restricted stock awardsand performance shares for each of the named executive officersofficer during the year ended December 31, 2013.2016. During the year ended December 31, 2013,2016, none of the named executive officers held or exercised any stock options.

 

 

 

Stock Awards

 

Name

 

Number of Shares Acquired
on Vesting
(1)(2)

 

Value Realized on Vesting(3)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John P. Case

 

 

56,467

 

$   2,319,820

 

 

Thomas A. Lewis

 

 

254,931

 

10,125,107

 

 

Gary M. Malino

 

 

79,391

 

3,248,810

 

 

Sumit Roy

 

 

5,448

 

214,744

 

 

Paul M. Meurer

 

 

62,049

 

2,550,750

 

 

Michael R. Pfeiffer

 

 

61,349

 

2,522,603

 

(1)Represents the portion of the stock awards that vested on January 1, 2013 and July 1, 2013 for Messrs. Lewis, Malino, Meurer, and Pfeiffer.  For Mr. Case, this includes the portion of his stock awards that vested on January 1, 2013, April 26, 2013 and December 31, 2013.  For Mr. Lewis, this includes the portion of his stock awards that vested on January 1, 2013, July 1, 2013, and December 31, 2013.  For Mr. Roy, this includes the portion of his stock awards that vested on January 1, 2013 and September 6, 2013.

(2)The number of shares acquired on vesting includes shares withheld to pay federal and state income taxes.

(3)This column represents the value realized on vesting as calculated by multiplying the closing market price of our common stock on the applicable vesting dates, by the number of shares that vested.

  STOCK AWARDS
NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICER NUMBER OF SHARES
ACQUIRED ON VESTING(1)(2)
 VALUE REALIZED
ON VESTING(3)
John P. Case 71,424  $3,875,740 
Sumit Roy 17,574  969,546 
Paul M. Meurer 17,814  919,737 
Michael R. Pfeiffer 17,510  904,041 
Neil M. Abraham    
(1)For Mr. Case, this includes the portion of his stock awards that vested on January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2016. For Mr. Roy, this includes the portion of his stock awards that vested on January 1, 2016 and September 6, 2016. For Messrs. Meurer and Pfeiffer, this includes the portion of their stock awards that vested on January 1, 2016. No stock awards vested during 2016 for Mr. Abraham.
(2)The number of shares acquired on vesting includes shares withheld to pay federal and state income taxes.
(3)This column represents the value realized on vesting as calculated by multiplying the closing market price of our common stock on the applicable vesting dates, by the number of shares that vested.

 

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No Pension Benefits or Nonqualified Deferred Compensation

 

We do not provide any retirement benefits, other than the opportunity to participate in a 401(k) plan. We do not currently sponsor any qualified or non-qualified defined benefit plans, any non-qualified defined contribution plans or deferred compensation plans. The Compensation Committee may elect to adopt such benefits if they determine that doing so is in the company’s best interest.

 

Potential Payments uponUpon Termination or Change in Control

 

Employment Agreements.Each of the named executive officers has the right to receive severance compensation upon the occurrence of certain events as specified in their employment agreements. We are party to two separate forms of employment agreements, including one for Mr. Case and one for the other named executive officers. The employment agreements provide that the named executive officers will be entitled to receive severance payments upon a termination by us without “cause”“Qualifying Termination” which is defined as:

üa termination by us without “cause,”
üfor our CEO, a termination for “good reason,” or
üfor our named executive officers other than the CEO, a “good reason” or “constructive termination” by the executive as applicable.

Our named executive as applicable (each a “Qualifying Termination”), includingofficers are also entitled to receive severance payments if a Qualifying Termination that occurs within 12 months after a change in control.

Qualifying Termination Not in Connection with a Change in Control. For a Qualifying Termination not in connection with a change in control each of our named executive officers is entitled to receive the following:

·a severance payment equal to twelve months’ base salary, with twenty-four months’ base salary for our CEO;

·an amount equal to the average of the last three years’ cash bonus paid, and for our CEO, an amount equal to two times his “bonus amount”, which is generally defined to mean (i) Mr. Case’s target bonus (for a termination in 2013, 2014 or 2015), (ii) the average of the last two years’ cash bonus paid to Mr. Case (for a termination in 2016) or (iii) the average of the last three years’ cash bonus paid to Mr. Case (for a termination in 2017 or later);

·payment of any accrued but unpaid wages and accrued but unused vacation pay to which the executive officer may be entitled through the date of termination and, with respect to Mr. Case, any earned but unpaid annual bonus with respect to the prior fiscal year; and

·continuation of group medical insurance coverage, at our expense, for a period of twelve months from the date of termination or until the executive officer becomes covered under another group medical insurance plan, whichever occurs first.

In addition, our time-based vesting restricted stock agreements for all employees provide that in the event of an employee’s Qualifying Termination all unvested time-based restricted stock shall immediately become vested.  If Mr. Case experiences a Qualifying Termination then (i) Mr. Case’s 2013 Performance Award will also vest in full.

Change in Control. In the event of a Qualifying Termination on or within twelve months after a change in control (these terms are further defined in the employment agreements). In addition, our equity award agreements provide certain rights in connection with a change in control and a Qualifying Termination of employment.

Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement43

Compensation Tables

Case Employment Agreement.The employment agreement, as amended, for Mr. Case was entered into in connection with his appointment to CEO in September 2013, and was amended in February 2017. The employment agreement, as well as the restricted stock award agreements and performance share award agreements stipulate the following severance payments and benefits upon the occurrence of each scenario listed below:

Qualifying Termination Not in Connection with a Change in Control
a severance payment equal to twenty-four months’ base salary
an amount equal to two times his “bonus amount,” which is generally defined to mean (i) the average of the last two years’ cash bonus paid to Mr. Case (for a termination in 2016) or (ii) the average of the last three years’ cash bonus paid to Mr. Case (for a termination in 2017 or later)
any accrued and unpaid wages and accrued but unused vacation pay, as well as any earned but unpaid annual bonus with respect to the prior fiscal year
continuation of medical insurance coverage, at our expense, for a period of twelve months from the date of termination or until he becomes covered under another group medical insurance plan, whichever occurs first
all of Mr. Case’s unvested time-based restricted stock granted shall immediately vest, and his outstanding performance awards would be accelerated based on achievement of the performance goals through the termination date, pro-rated based on the amount of time he was employed during the performance period through the termination date
Qualifying Termination in Connection with a Change in Control
a severance payment equal to thirty-six months’ base salary
an amount equal to three times his bonus amount, as defined above
a pro-rated portion of his target bonus for the year of termination
any accrued and unpaid wages and accrued but unused vacation pay, as well as any earned but unpaid annual bonus with respect to the prior fiscal year
continuation of medical insurance coverage, at our expense, for a period of twelve months from the date of termination or until he becomes covered under another group medical insurance plan, whichever occurs first
all of Mr. Case’s unvested time-based restricted stock shall immediately vest, and his other outstanding performance awards would be accelerated based on achievement of the performance goals through the change in control date, pro-rated based on the amount of time he was employed during the performance period through the change in control
Death or Disability
a payment equal to twelve months’ base salary
a payment equal to his bonus amount, as defined above
any accrued and unpaid wages and accrued but unused vacation pay, as well as any earned but unpaid annual bonus with respect to the prior fiscal year
company-paid healthcare continuation coverage for Mr. Case and his dependents for a period of twelve months after the termination date, or until Mr. Case or his dependents, as applicable, become covered under another group medical insurance plan, whichever occurs first
in the case of death, his heirs will be entitled to life insurance benefits under our group life insurance program
all of Mr. Case’s unvested time-based restricted stock shall immediately vest and all of the target number of performance shares would be accelerated, if during the performance period. If following the end of the performance period, Mr. Case will vest in the remaining unvested performance shares

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Compensation Tables

Non-renewal of Employment Agreement
a payment equal to eighteen months’ base salary
a payment equal to one and one-half times his bonus amount, as defined on the previous page
any accrued and unpaid wages and accrued but unused vacation pay, as well as any earned but unpaid annual bonus with respect to the prior fiscal year
continuation of medical insurance coverage, at our expense, for a period of twelve months from the date of termination or until he becomes covered under another group medical insurance plan, whichever occurs first
all of Mr. Case’s unvested time-based restricted stock shall immediately vest and all performance-based equity awards would be accelerated. Performance share vesting is based on performance through the termination date

Employment Agreement for Other Named Executive Officers.The employment agreements, as amended, for our named executive officers is entitled to receiveother than the following:CEO, as well as the restricted stock award agreements and performance share award agreements, stipulate the following severance payments and benefits upon the occurrence of each scenario listed below:

 

Qualifying Termination Not in Connection with a Change in Control
a severance payment equal to twelve months’ base salary
an amount equal to the average of the last three years’ cash bonus paid
any accrued but unpaid wages and accrued but unused vacation pay
continuation of medical insurance coverage, at our expense, for a period of twelve months from the date of termination or until the executive officer becomes covered under another group medical insurance plan, whichever occurs first
all unvested time-based restricted stock shall immediately vest, and outstanding performance shares would be accelerated based on achievement of the performance goals through the termination date, pro-rated based on the amount of time the executive was employed during the performance period through the termination date
Qualifying Termination in Connection with a Change in Control
a severance payment equal to twenty-four months’ base salary
an amount equal to two times the average of the last three years’ cash bonuses paid
any accrued but unpaid wages and accrued but unused vacation pay
continuation of medical insurance coverage, at our expense, for a period of eighteen months from the date of termination or until the named executive officer becomes covered under another group medical insurance plan, whichever occurs first
all unvested time-based restricted stock shall immediately vest, and outstanding performance shares would be accelerated based on achievement of the performance goals through the change in control date, pro-rated based on the amount of time the executive was employed during the performance period through the change in control

Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement45

·Compensation Tablesa severance payment equal to eighteen months’ base salary, with thirty-six months’ base salary for our CEO;

 

·an amount equal to the average of the last three years’ cash bonuses paid, for our CEO, an amount equal to three times Mr. Case’s bonus amount, as defined above;

Death or Disability
accrued but unpaid wages and accrued but unused vacation pay, if any, as of the date of his death or disability
if the executive dies or becomes disabled during the performance period, the executive will vest in all of the target number of performance shares. If the executive dies or becomes disabled after the performance period, the executive will vest in the remaining unvested earned performance shares
in the case of death, the executives’ heirs will be entitled to life insurance benefits under our group life insurance program and all shares of unvested time-based restricted stock held by the employee will immediately vest in full
in the case of death, all shares of unvested time-based restricted stock will immediately vest in full
in the case of disability, all shares of unvested time-based restricted stock will continue to vest as scheduled

 

·paymentChange in Control without a Qualifying Termination.Vesting of any accrued but unpaid wages and accrued but unused vacation pay to which the executive officer may be entitled, through the date of termination; and, with respect to Mr. Case, any earned but unpaid annual bonus with respect to the prior fiscal year and a pro-rated portion of his target bonus for the year of termination; and

·continuation of group medical insurance coverage, at our expense, for a period of eighteen months (or, with respect to Mr. Case, twelve months) from the date of termination or until the executive officer becomes covered under another group medical insurance plan, whichever occurs first.

In addition, outstanding restricted stock awards would be treated as set forth abovethat were granted prior to December 2015 accelerate in the event of a change in control without a Qualifying Termination. Restricted stock awards granted after December 2015 accelerate only if there is a Qualifying Termination notfollowing a change in connection with a Changecontrol. Outstanding performance shares accelerate based on achievement of the performance goals through the change in Control.control date, pro-rated based on the amount of time the executive was employed during the performance period through the change in control.

 

Termination for Death or Disability.Retirement.None of the named executive officers were retirement eligible as of December 31, 2016. In the event that thean executive officer dies, or is physically or mentally unable to perform his or her duties,retires, which can occur after a named executive officer turns 60 and has provided ten years of service, the named executive officer is entitled to receive his accrued but unpaid wages and accrued but unused vacation pay, ifaccelerated vesting of 100% of any as of the date of his death or disability. If Messrs. Malino, Roy, Meurer, and Pfeiffer dies, pursuant to the terms of the applicable employment agreement, his heirs will be entitled to life insurance benefits under our group life insurance program. In

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accordance with the terms of our time-based restricted stock agreements for all employees other than Mr. Case, upon termination of employment as a result of death, all shares of unvested time-based restricted stock held by the employee will immediately vest in full, and upon termination of employment as a result of disability, all shares of unvested time-based restricted stock will continue to vest as scheduled.

In regards to Mr. Case,equity awards granted. Effective January 2015, in the event of a termination due to death or disability, his heirs are entitled to receiveretirement (employing the following:

·same 60 years old plus ten years of service definition), restricted stock awards granted after this date will become fully vested. Additionally, in the event that a payment equal to twelve months’ base salary;named executive officer retires during an outstanding performance period, the number of performance shares will vest based on the executive’s achievement of the performance goals through the retirement date, and pro-rated based on the amount of time the executive was employed during the performance period.

 

·a payment equal to Mr. Case’s bonus amount, as defined above;

·payment of any accrued but unpaid wages and accrued but unused vacation pay to which the executive officer may be entitled, through the date of termination; and any earned but unpaid annual bonus with respect to the prior fiscal year;

·company-paid healthcare continuation coverage for Mr. Case and his dependents for a period of 12 months after the termination date, or until Mr. Case or his dependents, as applicable, become covered under another group medical insurance plan, whichever occurs first; and

·accelerated vesting of all outstanding time-based vesting restricted stock awards and the 2013 Performance Award.

Termination due to Company Non-Renewal.  Mr. Case’s employment agreement provides that if Mr. Case’s employment is terminated because the company elects not to renew the term of the agreement or the agreement’s extended term expires, then, in each case, he would become entitled to receive the severance payments and benefits described above (for a termination due to death or disability) except Mr. Case would be entitled to receive (i) cash severance equal to the sum of (A) 18 months’ of Mr. Case’s then-current base salary and (B) 1.5 times the bonus amount, as defined above, and (ii) accelerated vesting of all time-based company equity awards and prorated vesting of all performance-based equity awards.

Retirement.Upon Mr. Case’s “retirement” (as defined in his employment agreement), all then-outstanding company equity awards held by“retirement,” which can occur after Mr. Case will vest in full.  Mr. Case must attain the age ofturns 60 and has provided at least 60 and he must have completed at least 10ten consecutive years of service as an employee of the company, all then-outstanding equity awards held by Mr. Case will vest in order to be eligible to retire.full, with the exception of any performance shares, which vest at 100% of target.

 

Termination Forfor Cause.Upon termination for failure to perform duties, the named executive officer is not entitled to any payment or benefit other than the payment of accrued but unpaid wages and accrued but unused vacation pay as of the date of such termination, and the proratedpro-rated vesting of the portion of unvested restricted shares that are schedule to vest at the next vesting date.

 

Termination by Named Executive Officer.The named executive officer may also terminate the agreement at any time, upon two weeks’weeks notice to us,the company, which will not result in any severance payments other than the payment of any accrued but unpaid wages and accrued but unused vacation pay to which the employee may be entitled, prorated through the date of termination.payments.

46Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement

Compensation Tables

 

The employment agreements provide that the executive officer must devote his or her full time, attentionTermination and energy to our business and may not engageChange in any other business activity which would interfere with the performance of his or her duties or be competitive with us, unless specifically permitted by our Board of Directors. This restriction does not prevent the executive officer from making passive investments, so long as the investment does not require the executive officer’s services in a manner that would impair the performance of his or her duties under the employment agreement.

Definitions. A “change in control” means (i) an acquisition in one transaction, or a series of related transactions of the company’s voting securities, by any individual or entity, immediately after which such person has beneficial ownership of fifty percent (50%) or more of the combined voting power of the company’s then outstanding voting securities; (ii) a contested election of directors resulting in a change in composition of at least  a majority of the members of the Board of Directors; or (iii) with limited exceptions, the consummation of a merger, consolidation or reorganization involving the company.

A “constructive termination” means an employee’s resignation of employment within 60 days of one or more of the following events which remain uncured 30 days after employee’s delivery of written notice thereof, and which resignation is effective not more than 30 days following the expiration of such cure period:  (a) a material diminution in employee’s authority, duties or responsibilities from those in effect immediately prior to such diminution; (b) a material reduction in employee’s base salary in effect

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immediately prior to such reduction; or (c) a material relocation by the company of employee’s principal office location greater than 40 miles from the company’s headquarters.

TerminationControl Scenario Table

 

The table below estimates the paymentspayment and benefits to each of the named executive officers, assuming that on December 31, 2013:2016 (i) a Qualifying Termination occurred, not in connection with a change in control, (as defined) or any other merger or consolidation of the company, (ii) a change in control and Qualifying Termination (“Change(Change in Control Termination”)Termination) occurred, (iii) a change in control occurred, (iv) employment terminated due to death (andor disability, for Mr. Case),or (v) with respect to Mr. Case only, his employment terminated due to his retirement or (vi) with respect to Mr. Case only, his employment terminated due the company’s non-renewal of the employment agreement.  Not included are the effects of a termination of employment as a result of disability for all named executive officers other than Mr. Case, in which case, all shares of unvested restricted stock held by the executive officer will continue to vest as scheduled, as set forth under the “Outstanding Equity Awards Table as of December 31, 2013” on page 42. Excluded from the table below are certain benefits provided to all employees, such as accrued vacation, and benefits provided under our other insurance policies. With the exception of medical benefits, which are to be paid monthly, the following amounts represent lump-sum payments and benefits. Mr. Lewis,The closing price of our former CEO,stock on December 30, 2016 was $57.48 per share and is used to calculate equity values for the following table.

NEO AND
TRIGGER
  SEVERANCE
PAYMENTS(1)
  BONUS
PAYMENTS(2)
  MEDICAL
BENEFITS(3)
  VALUE OF
ACCELERATED
EQUITY
AWARDS(4)
  LIFE
INSURANCE
BENEFIT(5)
  TOTAL 
John P. Case                   
Qualifying Termination $1,750,000 $9,311,333 $22,939 $12,425,969   $23,510,241 
Change in Control Termination  2,625,000  12,279,500  22,939  12,425,969   $27,353,408 
Change in Control        8,820,249   $8,820,249 
Death or Disability  875,000  6,343,167  22,939  12,598,409  600,000 $20,439,515 
Non-renewal of Employment Agreement  1,312,500  7,827,250  22,939  13,768,913   $22,931,602 
Sumit Roy                   
Qualifying Termination  525,000  1,173,284  22,939  6,645,253   $8,366,476 
Change in Control Termination  1,050,000  2,346,568  34,409  6,645,253   $10,076,230 
Change in Control        4,119,984   $4,119,984 
Death        6,852,881  600,000 $7,452,881 
Disability        2,112,045   $2,112,045 
Paul M. Meurer                   
Qualifying Termination  450,000  811,159  22,939  4,327,765   $5,611,863 
Change in Control Termination  900,000  1,622,318  34,409  4,327,765   $6,884,492 
Change in Control        3,479,303   $3,479,303 
Death        4,406,992  600,000 $5,006,992 
Disability        1,747,392   $1,747,392 
Michael R. Pfeiffer                   
Qualifying Termination  420,000  487,262  22,939  3,674,208   $4,604,409 
Change in Control Termination  840,000  974,524  34,409  3,674,208   $5,523,141 
Change in Control        3,077,450   $3,077,450 
Death        3,712,691  600,000 $4,312,691 
Disability        1,426,079   $1,426,079 
Neil M. Abraham                   
Qualifying Termination  335,000  378,084  22,939  748,045   $1,484,068 
Change in Control Termination  670,000  756,168  34,409  748,045   $2,208,622 
Change in Control        123,697   $123,697 
Death        995,439  600,000 $1,595,439 
Disability        371,091   $371,091 

(1)Amount represents 12 months base salary in the case of a Qualifying Termination and 24 months base salary in the case of a Change in Control Termination, for all officers excluding Mr. Case. For Mr. Case, the amount represents 24 months base salary in the case of a Qualifying Termination, 36 months base salary in the case of a Change in Control Termination, 12 months base salary in the case of Death or Disability, and 18 months base salary in the case of Non-renewal of Employment Agreement.
(2)Amount represents the applicable scenario multiple of the average of annual bonuses paid based on performance for 2016, 2015 and 2014 (includes amounts presented as non-equity incentive compensation awarded for 2016, 2015 and 2014 performance in the Summary Compensation Table) for all officers excluding Messrs. Abraham and Case. For Mr. Abraham, the amount represents the applicable scenario multiple of the average of annual bonuses paid based on performance for 2016 and 2015. For Mr. Case, the amount represents two times his bonus amount (which is equal to the average of his last two years’ cash bonus paid of $2,968,167) in the case of a Qualifying Termination, three times his bonus amount in the case of a Change in Control Termination, his bonus amount in the case of Death or Disability, and 1.5 times his bonus amount in the case of Non-renewal of Employment Agreement. In addition to these amounts, we have included his 2016 Cash STIP Award at maximum of $3,375,000 for each of the scenarios above, which represents earned but unpaid compensation. Amounts do not include bonus amounts earned for 2016 performance for any other named executive officer.

Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement47

(3)Amount represents estimated continuation of group medical insurance coverage at our expense for a period of 12 months in the case of a Qualifying Termination and for 18 months in the case of a Change in Control Termination, for all officers excluding Mr. Case. For Mr. Case this amount represents continuation of group medical insurance coverage at our expense for a period of 12 months in the case of a Qualifying Termination, a Change in Control Termination, Death or Disability, and Non-renewal of Employment Agreement.
(4)Amount represents the aggregate value of the acceleration of vesting of the named executive officer’s outstanding restricted stock awards. For purposes of this calculation, each named executive officer’s total unvested restricted stock awards on December 31, 2016 are multiplied by our common stock closing price on December 30, 2016 of $57.48 per share. For termination scenarios, other than death or disability, the amount also includes the estimated amount payable under the outstanding performance shares consistent with the valuation of these awards set forth in the “Outstanding Equity Awards Table as of December 31, 2016” on page 42, which reflects maximum performance shares earned based on between target and maximum performance for the 2014 to 2016 and 2015 to 2017 performance awards under the performance conditions of outstanding performance shares, target performance for the 2016 to 2018 performance awards under the performance conditions of outstanding performance shares, and pro-rated for the amount of time passed under each outstanding performance period, except no such pro-rating occurs for Mr. Case in the event of a termination due to non-renewal of his employment agreement. For death and disability, the amount reflects the value of the granted target performance shares, based on the December 31, 2016 stock price. Not included in the table is the continued vesting of the executive’s restricted stock in accordance with its original vesting schedule in the event of a termination of employment as a result of disability for all named executive officers other than Mr. Case. The vesting schedule is set forth under the “Outstanding Equity Awards Table as of December 31, 2016” on page 42.
(5)Amount represents life insurance benefits that would have been paid by a third-party insurance company to the beneficiaries of the named executive officers if they had died on December 31, 2016. This amount is calculated as two times the 2016 base salary of each named executive officer plus $15,000, up to a maximum amount of $600,000. Amounts payable under our disability insurance policies upon disability are not included as they are available to all employees on a non-discriminatory basis.

Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance

Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires our officers and directors, and persons who own more than ten percent of a registered class of our equity securities (collectively Insiders) to file with the SEC initial reports of ownership and reports of changes in this table because he is no longer aownership of our common stock and other equity securities of Realty Income. Insiders are required by regulation of the SEC to furnish us with copies of all Section 16(a) forms they file.

Based solely on our review of copies of Forms 3, 4, and 5 and the amendments thereto, received by the company for the year ended December 31, 2016, or written representations from certain reporting persons, we believe that during the year ended December 31, 2016, all filing requirements were complied with by our named executive officer entitled to termination or change in control payment or benefits.officers, directors and beneficial owners of more than ten percent of our stock.

 

Name and Trigger

 

 

Salary
Payment
(1)

 

 

Bonus
Payment
(2)

 

 

Medical
Benefits
(3)

 

 

Value of
Accelerated
Equity Awards
(4)

 

 

Life
Insurance
Benefit
(5)

 

 

Total

 

John P. Case

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Qualifying Termination

 

 

$1,500,000

 

 

$ 3,000,000

 

 

$ 20,491

 

 

$  7,646,640

 

 

-

 

 

$12,167,131

 

Change in Control Termination

 

 

2,250,000

 

 

4,500,000

 

 

20,491

 

 

7,646,640

 

 

-

 

 

$14,417,131

 

Change in Control

 

 

-

 

 

-

 

 

-

 

 

7,646,640

 

 

-

 

 

$  7,646,640

 

Death or Disability

 

 

750,000

 

 

1,500,000

 

 

20,491

 

 

7,646,640

 

 

600,000

 

 

$10,517,131

 

Retirement

 

 

-

 

 

-

 

 

-

 

 

7,646,640

 

 

-

 

 

$ 7,646,640

 

Non-renewal of Employment Agreement

 

 

1,125,000

 

 

2,250,000

 

 

20,491

 

 

7,646,640

 

 

-

 

 

$11,042,131

 

Gary M. Malino

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Qualifying Termination

 

 

425,000

 

 

710,000

 

 

15,341

 

 

3,039,222

 

 

-

 

 

$4,189,563

 

Change in Control Termination

 

 

637,500

 

 

710,000

 

 

23,012

 

 

3,039,222

 

 

-

 

 

$4,409,734

 

Change in Control

 

 

-

 

 

-

 

 

-

 

 

3,039,222

 

 

-

 

 

$3,039,222

 

Death

 

 

-

 

 

-

 

 

-

 

 

3,039,222

 

 

600,000

 

 

$3,639,222

 

Sumit Roy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Qualifying Termination

 

 

350,000

 

 

425,000

 

 

20,491

 

 

1,346,194

 

 

-

 

 

$2,141,685

 

Change in Control Termination

 

 

525,000

 

 

425,000

 

 

30,737

 

 

1,346,194

 

 

-

 

 

$2,326,931

 

Change in Control

 

 

-

 

 

-

 

 

-

 

 

1,346,194

 

 

-

 

 

$1,346,194

 

Death

 

 

-

 

 

-

 

 

-

 

 

1,346,194

 

 

600,000

 

 

$1,946,194

 

Paul M. Meurer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Qualifying Termination

 

 

350,000

 

 

482,000

 

 

20,491

 

 

2,098,207

 

 

-

 

 

$2,950,698

 

Change in Control Termination

 

 

525,000

 

 

482,000

 

 

30,737

 

 

2,098,207

 

 

-

 

 

$3,135,944

 

Change in Control

 

 

-

 

 

-

 

 

-

 

 

2,098,207

 

 

-

 

 

$2,098,207

 

Death

 

 

-

 

 

-

 

 

-

 

 

2,098,207

 

 

600,000

 

 

$2,698,207

 

Michael R. Pfeiffer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Qualifying Termination

 

 

350,000

 

 

407,000

 

 

20,062

 

 

2,269,851

 

 

-

 

 

$3,046,913

 

Change in Control Termination

 

 

525,000

 

 

407,000

 

 

30,093

 

 

2,269,851

 

 

-

 

 

$3,231,944

 

Change in Control

 

 

-

 

 

-

 

 

-

 

 

2,269,851

 

 

-

 

 

$2,269,851

 

Death

 

 

-

 

 

-

 

 

-

 

 

2,269,851

 

 

600,000

 

 

$2,869,851

 

(1)Amount represents twelve months base salary in the case of a Qualifying Termination and eighteen months base salary in the case of a Change in Control Termination, for all officer excluding Mr. Case.  For Mr. Case, the amount represents 24 months base salary in the case of a Qualifying Termination, 36 months base salary in the case of a Change in Control Termination, twelve months base salary in the case of Death or Disability, and 18 months of base salary in the case of Non-renewal of Employment Agreement.Related Party Transactions

 

(2)Amount representsWe have adopted a written policy regarding the averagereview, approval, and ratification of annual bonuses paid basedany related party transaction. Under this policy, the Audit Committee shall review the relevant facts and circumstances of each related party transaction, including whether the transaction is on performance for 2013, 2012terms comparable to those that could be obtained in arm’s length dealings with an unrelated third party and 2011 for all officer excluding Mr. Case.  For Mr. Case, the amount represents two times his bonus amountextent of the related party’s interest in the casetransaction, taking into account the conflicts of a Qualifying Termination, three times his bonus amountinterest and corporate opportunity provisions of our Code of Business Ethics. The Audit Committee either approves or disapproves the related party transaction. Any related party transaction shall be consummated and shall continue only if the Audit Committee has approved or ratified such transaction in accordance with the guidelines set forth in the case of a Change in Control Termination, his bonus amount in the case of Death or Disability, and 1.5 times his bonus amount in the case of Non-renewal of Employment Agreement.

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(3)Amount represents continuation of group medical insurance coverage at our expense for a period of twelve months in the case of a Qualifying Termination and for eighteen months in the case of a Change in Control Termination, for all officer excluding Mr. Case.  For Mr. Case this amount represents continuation of group medical insurance coverage at our expense for a period of twelve months in the case of a Qualifying Termination, a Change in Control Termination, Death or Disability, and Non-renewal of Employment Agreement.

(4)Amount represents the aggregate value of the acceleration of vesting of the executive officer’s restricted stock.policy. For purposes of this calculation, each officer’s total restrictedour policy, a “Related Party” is (i) any person who is, or at any time since the beginning of the company’s last fiscal year was, our director or executive officer or a nominee to become our director, (ii) any person who is known to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of any class of our voting securities, (iii) any immediate family member of any of the foregoing persons, which means any spouse, child, stepchild, parent, stepparent, sibling, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law, and (iv) any firm, corporation or other entity in which any of the foregoing persons is employed, is a general partner, principal or in a similar position, or in which such person has a 5% or greater beneficial ownership interest.

We had no related party transactions in 2016.

48Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement

Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management

The following table sets forth, as of March 9, 2017, based on 271,111,850 shares of common stock awardsoutstanding on December 31, 2013 are multiplied bythat date, certain information with respect to the beneficial ownership of shares of our common stock closing price on December 31, 2013 of $37.33.

(5)Amount represents life insurance benefits that would have been paid by a third-party insurance company to the beneficiaries of the named executive officers if they had died on December 31, 2013. This amount is calculated as two times the 2013 base salary of(i) each director, each nominee, and each named executive officer, plus $15,000, up(ii) all current directors and executive officers of Realty Income as a group, and (iii) each person known to a maximum amountus to own beneficially more than 5% of $600,000.the outstanding shares of our common stock. Except as otherwise noted, we believe the beneficial owners of shares of our common stock listed below, based on information furnished by those owners, have sole voting and investment power with respect to their shares:

NAME OF BENEFICIAL OWNER SHARES OF BENEFICIAL
OWNERSHIP OF COMMON STOCK OF THE COMPANY
 PERCENT OF CLASS
John P. Case(1) 206,932  0.1 
Sumit Roy(2) 92,250  * 
Paul M. Meurer(3) 62,256  * 
Michael R. Pfeiffer(4) 35,760  * 
Neil M. Abraham(5) 15,304  * 
Michael D. McKee(6) 137,500  0.1 
Kathleen R. Allen, Ph.D.(7) 74,000  * 
Priya Cherian Huskins(8) 24,513  * 
A. Larry Chapman(9) 19,757  * 
Gregory T. McLaughlin(10) 18,936  * 
Ronald L. Merriman(11) 12,075  * 
Stephen E. Sterrett(12) 12,000  * 
All current directors and executive officers of the company, as a group (18 persons) 813,353  0.3 

* Less than one-tenth of one percent

STOCKHOLDERS HOLDING 5% OR MORE SHARES OF BENEFICIAL
OWNERSHIP OF COMMON STOCK OF THE COMPANY
 PERCENT OF CLASS
The Vanguard Group, Inc.(13) 44,103,106  17.05%
100 Vanguard Blvd.      
Malvern, PA 19355      
BlackRock, Inc.(14) 24,950,782  9.60%
55 East 52nd Street      
New York, NY 10055      
Vanguard Specialized Funds—Vanguard REIT Index Fund(15) 19,618,636  7.58%
100 Vanguard Blvd.      
Malvern, PA 19355      
State Street Corp.(16) 16,147,885  6.25%
One Lincoln St.      
Boston, MA 02111      

(1)Mr. Case’s total includes 155,707 shares of unvested restricted stock and 51,225 shares owned of record by the Case Family Trust dated May 27, 2015, of which he is a trustee and has shared voting and investment power.
(2)Mr. Roy’s total includes 77,599 shares of unvested restricted stock and 14,651 shares of stock.
(3)Mr. Meurer’s total includes 40,153 shares of unvested restricted stock and 22,103 shares of stock.
(4)Mr. Pfeiffer’s total includes 15,980 shares of unvested restricted stock and 19,780 shares owned of record by the Pfeiffer Revocable Living Trust dated November 23, 2009, of which he is a trustee and has sole voting and investment power.
(5)Mr. Abraham’s total includes 14,691 shares of unvested restricted stock and 613 shares of stock.
(6)Mr. McKee’s total includes 105,200 shares owned of record by The McKee Family Trust dated February 11, 1995, of which he is a trustee and has shared voting and investment power, 6,400 shares owned of record by MCR Holdings, LLC, a family limited liability company, of which he and his wife have shared voting and investment power, 6,400 shares owned of record by MCC Ventures, LLC, a family limited liability company, of which he and his wife have shared voting and investment power, and 19,500 shares owned of record by an IRA, in the account of Mr. McKee.

Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement49

(7)Dr. Allen’s total includes 74,000 shares owned of record by The Allen Family Trust dated December 5, 2006, of which she is a trustee and has shared voting and investment power.
(8)Ms. Huskins’s total includes 24,513 shares owned of record by The Michael and Priya Huskins Revocable Trust dated February 12, 2001, of which she is a trustee and has shared voting and investment power.
(9)Mr. Chapman’s total includes 8,001 shares of unvested restricted stock and 11,756 shares of vested stock owned of record by A. Larry Chapman and Patricia L. Chapman, Trustees of the Chapman Family Trust, dated March 18, 1998, of which he is a trustee and has sole voting power and shared investment power.
(10)Mr. McLaughlin’s total includes 18,936 shares owned of record by The McLaughlin Family Trust dated May 28, 2009, of which he is a trustee and has shared voting and investment power.
(11)Mr. Merriman’s total includes 12,075 shares owned of record by The Ronald Merriman Family Trust dated July 17, 1997, of which he is a trustee and has shared voting and investment power.
(12)Mr. Sterrett’s total includes 8,001 shares of unvested restricted stock and 3,999 shares of stock.
(13)Based on the information provided pursuant to a statement on a Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on February 10, 2017, The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard) has sole power to vote or direct the vote, and sole power to dispose or direct the disposition of, 732,378 and 43,357,055 shares of our common stock, respectively, and shared power to vote or direct the vote and shared power to dispose or direct the disposition of 338,118 and 746,051 shares of our common stock, respectively. Vanguard Fiduciary Trust Company (VFTC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Vanguard, is the beneficial owner of the 334,033 shares of our common stock as a result of its serving as investment manager of collective trust accounts and directs the voting of these shares. Vanguard Investments Australia, Ltd. (VIA), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Vanguard, is the beneficial owner of the 810,363 shares of our common stock as a result of its serving as investment manager of Australian investment offerings and directs the voting of these shares. Vanguard is an investment adviser in accordance with Section 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E) of the Exchange Act.
(14)Based on the information provided pursuant to a statement on a Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on January 25, 2017, BlackRock, Inc. has sole power to vote or direct the vote of 22,512,239 shares of our common stock, and sole power to dispose or direct the disposition of 24,950,782 shares of our common stock. BlackRock, Inc. does not have the shared power to vote or direct the vote of or the shared power to dispose or direct the disposition of any shares of our common stock.
(15)Based on the information provided pursuant to a statement on a Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on February 13, 2017, Vanguard Specialized Funds—Vanguard REIT Index Fund (Vanguard REIT Index Fund) has sole power to vote or direct the vote of 19,618,636 shares of our common stock and does not have the power to dispose or direct the disposition of any shares of our common stock. Vanguard REIT Index Fund is an investment company registered under Section 8 of the Investment Company Act of 1940.
(16)Based on the information provided pursuant to a statement on a Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on February 8, 2017, State Street Corporation does not have the power to vote or direct the vote of any shares of our common stock, or to dispose or direct thedisposition of any shares of our common stock. State Street Corporation has the shared power to vote or direct the vote of and the sharedpower to dispose or direct the disposition of 16,147,885 shares of our common stock.

Equity Compensation Plan Information as of December 31, 2016

The following table sets forth certain equity compensation plan information as of December 31, 2016. We historically have only granted shares of restricted stock, restricted stock units, and long-term performance shares under the equity plan.

PLAN CATEGORY(1) 

NUMBER OF SECURITIES
TO BE ISSUED UPON
EXERCISE OF
OUTSTANDING OPTIONS,
WARRANTS, AND RIGHTS
(a)

 WEIGHTED-AVERAGE
EXERCISE PRICE OF
OUTSTANDING OPTIONS,
WARRANTS AND RIGHTS
(b)
 

NUMBER OF SECURITIES REMAINING

AVAILABLE FOR FUTURE ISSUANCE
UNDER EQUITY COMPENSATION
PLANS (EXCLUDING SECURITIES
REFLECTED IN COLUMN (a))
(c)

Equity compensation plans approved by security holders 178,211(2) n/a 1,736,774(3)
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders   n/a  
Total 178,211    1,736,774 

(1)Each of our equity compensation plans has been approved by our stockholders.
(2)Assumes issuance of shares based on target performance of performance shares outstanding at December 31, 2016.
(3)Represents shares of our common stock available for issuance under our 2012 Stock Incentive Award Plan. This amount has been reduced by the 159,751 performance shares assuming target performance, and 18,460 restricted stock units outstanding at December 31, 2016.

50Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement

Audit Related Matters

 

Annual Review of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

In connection with its oversight responsibilities, the Audit Committee assesses the performance of our independent registered public accounting firm on an annual basis. In conducting its assessment, the Audit Committee considers various audit quality indicators including:

ü     Global firm reputation,
ü     Global and national support,
ü     Competency and service by the engagement team, including industry expertise,
ü     Management’s input as to the firm’s technical expertise and knowledge, and
ü     Quality and breadth of services provided relative to the cost of those services.

The results of this assessment were taken into consideration when determining whether to reappoint KPMG LLP for the year ended December 31, 2017. Based on its evaluation, the Audit Committee believes that the continued retention of KPMG LLP to serve as our independent registered public accounting firm is in the best interest of the company.

Rotation of Key Audit Partners

The Audit Committee is directly involved in the selection of the lead audit engagement partner whenever a rotational change is required, typically every five years. During the year ended December 31, 2016, the Audit Committee oversaw the required rotation of KPMG’s lead audit partner, as required by SEC rules. The approval of the lead partner was based on meetings between members of the Audit Committee and the prospective candidate and input received from KPMG LLP and the company’s management.

AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORTFees Paid to Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

The fees paid to KPMG LLP, our independent registered public accounting firm, relating to 2016 and 2015 were as follows: 

  2016(1)     2015(1)    
Total audit fees(2) $1,768,000  $1,715,000 
Tax fees(3)  370,000   627,000 
(1)There were no audit related fees or other fees incurred during 2016 or 2015.
(2)Includes the aggregate fees billed by KPMG LLP for the audit of our annual financial statements, the reviews of the financial statements included in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, the issuances of comfort letters to underwriters, the reviews of registration statements in connection with the issuance of consents totaling approximately $235,000 in 2016 and $265,000 in 2015, and the audit of internal controls.
(3)Includes the aggregate fees billed by KPMG LLP for tax services. Tax services consisted of tax return preparation and tax compliance.

Pre-approval Policies and Procedures

The Audit Committee’s charter provides that the Audit Committee has the sole authority and responsibility to pre-approve all audit and permitted non-audit services to be provided to the company. Pursuant to its charter, the Audit Committee has established pre-approval policies and procedures for permitted non-audit services. The Audit Committee considers each engagement on a case-by-case basis according to certain required criteria, including the skill set necessary for the engagement and ensuring the engagement should not involve work that would result in our registered public accounting firm eventually auditing their own work. The Audit Committee is regularly updated on the status of all outstanding engagements. If we anticipate that the fees for specific engagements may exceed the amount initially approved by the Audit Committee, the Audit Committee will consider proposals to increase the fees for such engagements on a case-by-case basis.

The Audit Committee has delegated a portion of its responsibility to pre-approve non-audit engagement services to be performed by our auditor in the following manner: 

ü     Select members of management have authority up to $100,000;
ü     The Audit Committee Chair has authority up to $250,000; and
ü     The Audit Committee has authority for engagement services greater than $250,000.

Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement51

Audit Related Matters

The decisions made pursuant to these delegated authorities must be presented to the full Audit Committee at its next scheduled meeting, whereby the above approval threshold levels are reset. All of the services performed by KPMG LLP in 2016 were approved in advance by the Audit Committee pursuant to the foregoing pre-approval policy and procedures.

Audit Committee Report

 

The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of Realty Income Corporation, a Maryland corporation (Realty Income) is comprised of independent directors as required by the listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange or NYSE.(NYSE). The Audit Committee operates pursuant to a written charter, as required by the NYSE and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission or the SEC,(SEC), which was adopted by Realty Income’s Board of Directors. In 2013,2016, the Audit Committee met seveneight times.

 

The role of the Audit Committee is to selectappoint, retain, and engage KPMG LLP,oversee our independent registered public accounting firm, which is currently KPMG LLP, and to oversee Realty Income’s financial reporting process on behalf of the Board of Directors. Management of Realty Income has the primary responsibility for the preparation of Realty Income’s consolidated financial statements as well as executing Realty Income’s financial reporting process, principles, and internal controls. The independent registered public accounting firm is responsible for performing an audit of Realty Income’s consolidated financial statements and Realty Income’s internal controls over financial reporting, and expressing an opinion as to the conformity of such consolidated financial statements with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, and expressing an opinion on management’s assessment of and the effectiveness of Realty Income’s internal controls over financial reporting.

 

In this context, the Audit Committee has reviewed and discussed with management and KPMG LLP the audit of the consolidated financial statements and the audit of Realty Income’s internal controls over financial reporting, of Realty Income, as of and for the year ended December 31, 2013.2016. The Audit Committee has discussed with KPMG LLP the matters required to be discussed by Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (���PCAOB”) Auditing Standard(PCAOB) AS No. 16.1301. In addition, the Audit Committee has received the written disclosures and the letter from KPMG LLP required by applicable requirements of the PCAOB regarding KPMG LLP’s communications with the Audit Committee concerning independence, and it has discussed with the auditors their independence from Realty Income and its management. The Audit Committee has also considered whether KPMG LLP’s preparation of tax returns, tax consulting services, and other non-audit services to Realty Income is compatible with maintaining KPMG LLP’s independence.

 

Based on the reports and discussions described above, the Audit Committee recommended to the Board of Directors that the audited consolidated financial statements be included in Realty Income’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013,2016, for filing with the SEC.

 

Submitted on March 10, 201413, 2017 by the members of the Audit Committee of Realty Income’s Board of Directors.

 

Ronald L. Merriman, Chair
Kathleen R. Allen, Ph.D.


A. Larry Chapman


Gregory T. McLaughlin

Ronald L. Merriman, Chairman

 

The above report of the Audit Committee will not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into any filing by the company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended or the(the Exchange Act,Act), except to the extent that Realty Income specifically incorporates the same by reference.

 

52Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement

46



Table of ContentsFrequently Asked Questions

 

SECTION 16(a) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCEWhen is the Annual Meeting?

 

Section 16(a)The Annual Meeting will be held on May 16, 2017, at the San Diego Marriott Del Mar, 11966 El Camino Real, San Diego, California 92130. Stockholders will be admitted to the Annual Meeting at 8:30 a.m. Pacific Time and the program will begin promptly at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time.

Do I need a ticket to attend the Annual Meeting?

No, you do not need a ticket, but you will need to identify yourself as a stockholder when you arrive in order to receive certain Annual Meeting materials. Complimentary parking will be available.

What is the purpose of the Exchange Act requires our officersAnnual Meeting?

At the Annual Meeting, stockholders as of the close of business on the record date, March 9, 2017, will consider and directors, and persons who own more than ten percent of a registered class of our equity securities, or collectively, Insiders,vote upon:

The election of eight director nominees named in this Proxy Statement to serve until the 2018 annual meeting of stockholders and until their respective successors are duly elected and qualify;
The ratification of KPMG LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2017;
A non-binding advisory proposal to approve the compensation of our named executive officers as described in this Proxy Statement (also known as the “say-on-pay” vote);
A non-binding advisory vote on the frequency of future non-binding advisory votes on the compensation of our named executive officers (also known as the “frequency vote”); and
The transaction of such other business as may properly come before the Annual Meeting or any postponement or adjournment of the Annual Meeting.

Who is entitled to file withvote at the SEC initial reports of ownership and reports of changes in ownershipAnnual Meeting?

Holders of our common stock at the close of business on March 9, 2017 are entitled to receive notice of and other equity securitiesto vote their shares at the Annual Meeting. As of Realty Income.  Insiders are required by regulation of the SEC to furnish us with copies of all Section 16(a) forms they file.

Based solely on our review of copies of Forms 3, 4 and 5, and the amendments thereto, received by the company for the year ended December 31, 2013, or written representations from certain reporting persons, we believe that during the year ended December 31, 2013, all filing requirementsdate, there were complied with by our executive officers, directors and beneficial owners of more than ten percent of our stock, except for the following, due to administrative oversight:

On March 15, 2013, one of our senior vice presidents sold 312 shares of common stock.  A late Form 4 was filed on May 1, 2013 to report this transaction.

RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

We have adopted a written policy regarding the review, approval and ratification of any related party transaction. Under this policy, the Audit Committee shall review the relevant facts and circumstances of each related party transaction, including whether the transaction is on terms comparable to those that could be obtained in arm’s length dealings with an unrelated third party and the extent of the related party’s interest in the transaction, taking into account the conflicts of interest and corporate opportunity provisions of our Code of Business Ethics, and the Audit Committee either approves or disapproves the related party transaction. Any related party transaction shall be consummated and shall continue only if the Audit Committee has approved or ratified such transaction in accordance with the guidelines set forth in the policy. For purposes of our policy, a “Related Party” is: (1) any person who is, or at any time since the beginning of the company’s last fiscal year was, our director or executive officer or a nominee to become our director; (2) any person who is known to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of any class of our voting securities; (3) any immediate family member of any of the foregoing persons, which means any spouse, child, stepchild, parent, stepparent, sibling, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law; and (4) any firm, corporation or other entity in which any of the foregoing persons is employed, is a general partner, principal or in a similar position, or in which such person has a 5% or greater beneficial ownership interest.

We had no related party transactions in 2013.

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Table of Contents

SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

The following table sets forth, as of March 6, 2014, based on 207,612,524271,111,850 shares of common stock outstanding and entitled to vote. Each outstanding share of our common stock is entitled to one vote on that date, certaineach matter properly brought before the Annual Meeting.

How will I receive my Proxy Materials for the Annual Meeting?

Beginning on or about April 6, 2017, Proxy Materials (including the Proxy Statement, proxy card, and Annual Report) for the Annual Meeting will be sent via e-mail or mail to our stockholders of record in accordance with their preference if indicated previously. If a preference has not been specified, we will either mail to those stockholders our Proxy Materials or a Notice of Availability of Proxy Materials (Notice) which contains instructions on how to access our materials by mail, e-mail, or on the Internet.

In accordance with the SEC notice and access rule, the Notice allows us to provide our stockholders with the information they need to vote through various delivery options, while lowering the costs of print and delivery and reducing the environmental impact. The Notice is not a proxy and cannot be used to vote your shares. If you receive a Notice this year, you will not receive paper copies of the Proxy Materials unless you request the materials by following the instructions on the Notice or by accessing the website identified on the Notice.

What is the difference between holding shares as a stockholder of record or as a beneficial owner?

If your shares are registered directly in your name with respectour transfer agent, Wells Fargo Shareowner Services, you are considered a “stockholder of record.” In this case, you receive your dividend check from Wells Fargo Shareowner Services. This year we have engaged the services of Broadridge Financial Solutions (Broadridge) to mail our Proxy Materials or Notice to our registered holders.

If your shares are held by a bank, in a brokerage account, or other holder of record, you are considered a “beneficial owner” of shares held in street name. The Proxy Materials or Notice may be forwarded to you by your bank, broker, or other holder of record. As the beneficial ownershipowner, you have the right to direct your bank, broker, or other holder of record on how to vote your shares by following their instructions for authorizing your proxy.

Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement53

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it necessary to vote if my shares are held in my brokerage account?

It is important to vote your shares even if your shares are held in a brokerage account. Otherwise, your shares may not be voted on certain matters unless you provide voting instructions to your bank, broker or other holder of record. If you are unsure, please vote your Realty Income shares using the voting information provided.

How do I vote?

You may vote or authorize a proxy to vote using any of the following methods:

By Internet
(GRAPHIC)

Authorize a proxy to vote your shares via the website www.proxyvote.com, which is available 24 hours per day until 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, May 15, 2017. In order to authorize your proxy, you will need to have available the control number that appears on the Notice or proxy you received. If you authorize your proxy via the Internet, you do not need to return your proxy or voting instruction card.

By Telephone
(GRAPHIC) 

Authorize a proxy to vote your shares by calling toll-free 1-800-690-6903, 24 hours per day until 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, May 15, 2017. When you call, please have the proxy in hand that you received and/or requested via the Notice, along with the control number that appears on the proxy. Follow the series of prompts to instruct your proxy how to vote your shares. If you authorize your proxy by telephone, you do not need to return your proxy or voting instruction card.

By Mail
(GRAPHIC) 

If you received and/or requested via the Notice a printed set of the Proxy Materials (including the Proxy Statement, proxy card, and Annual Report), authorize a proxy to vote your shares by completing, signing, and returning the proxy card in the prepaid envelope provided. If the prepaid envelope is missing, please mail your completed proxy to: Realty Income Corporation, Vote Processing, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc., 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, NY 11717.

In person at the Annual Meeting
(GRAPHIC) 

Vote your shares in person by attending the Annual Meeting. You may also be represented by another person at the Annual Meeting by executing a proper proxy designating that person as your representative. If you are a beneficial owner of shares, you must obtain a “legal proxy” from your broker, bank or other holder of record and present it to the inspector of election at the Annual Meeting to be able to vote in person at the Annual Meeting.

How does the Board of Directors recommend I vote on the proposals?

Our Board of Directors recommends that you vote your shares as follows:

ü     Proposal 1:FORthe election to the Board of Directors of the eight nominees listed in this Proxy Statement;
ü     Proposal 2:FORthe ratification of KPMG LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2017;
ü     Proposal 3:FORthe say-on-pay vote; and
ü     Proposal 4:FORthe frequency vote to be held every one year.

What happens if I do not indicate my voting preferences?

If you are a stockholder of record and you submit your proxy card or authorize your proxy by telephone or Internet, but do not indicate your voting preferences, the persons named in the proxy will vote the shares represented by that proxy consistent with the recommendation of our Board of Directors, which as follows:

ü     Proposal 1FORthe election to the Board of Directors of the eight nominees listed in this Proxy Statement;
ü     Proposal 2FORthe ratification of KPMG LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2017;
ü     Proposal 3FORthe say-on-pay vote; and
ü     Proposal 4FORthe frequency vote to be held every one year.

In the discretion of the proxy holders on any other matter that may properly come before the Annual Meeting.

54Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement

Frequently Asked Questions

If you hold your shares through a broker and do not instruct your broker on how to vote your shares, your broker cannot vote your shares on the election of directors, say-on-pay vote, or frequency vote, but can vote your shares on the proposal regarding ratification of the appointment of our auditor.

Can I change my vote after I submit my proxy?

If you are a stockholder of record, you may revoke your proxy at any time before it is voted at the Annual Meeting by doing one of the following:

delivering to our Corporate Secretary a written notice of revocation (the contact information for our Corporate Secretary is provided below);
signing and returning to our Corporate Secretary a proxy bearing a later date;
authorizing another proxy by telephone or on the Internet (your most recent telephone or Internet authorization will be used); or
voting in person at the Annual Meeting.

If your shares are held in the name of a broker, bank, trust, or other nominee, you may change your voting instructions by following the instructions provided by your broker, bank, or other record holder.

Your attendance at the Annual Meeting will not by itself be sufficient to revoke a proxy unless you vote in person or give written notice of revocation to our Corporate Secretary before the polls are closed. Any written notice revoking a proxy should be sent to Michael R. Pfeiffer, our Corporate Secretary, at our corporate offices at 11995 El Camino Real, San Diego, California 92130.

What are the quorum and voting requirements on the four proposals mentioned in this Proxy Statement?

The presence in person or by proxy of stockholders entitled to cast a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast at the Annual Meeting on any matter will constitute a quorum. Abstentions and “broker non-votes” are counted as present for purposes of determining a quorum. A “broker non-vote” occurs when a bank, broker, or other holder of record of shares for a beneficial owner properly executes and returns a proxy card, but does not vote on a matter because the bank, broker, or other holder does not have discretionary authority to vote the shares and has not received voting instructions from the beneficial owner.

The following outlines the vote required and impact of abstentions and broker non-votes for each proposal at the Annual Meeting:

PROPOSAL
NUMBER
SUBJECTVOTE REQUIREDIMPACT OF ABSTENTIONS AND BROKER
NON-VOTES, IF ANY
1Election of Directors(1)The affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast is necessary for the election of each director nominee. Under our bylaws, a “majority of the votes cast” means more votes “FOR” than “AGAINST.”Abstentions and broker non-votes will not count as a vote cast “FOR” or “AGAINST” a nominee’s election and thus will have no effect in determining whether a director nominee has received a majority of the votes cast. Brokers do not have discretionary authority to vote your shares for director nominees.
2Ratification of Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting FirmThe affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast is necessary for the ratification of the appointment of KPMG LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2017.Abstentions will have no effect on the outcome of the vote. Broker non-votes are not expected to result from this proposal since as a beneficial owner, your bank, broker, or other holder of record is permitted to vote your shares even if the broker does not receive voting instructions from you.
3Say-on-Pay VoteThe affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast is necessary for the approval of the say-on-pay vote.Abstentions and broker non-votes will not be counted as votes cast and will have no effect on the outcome of the vote. Brokers do not have discretionary authority to vote your shares for the say-on-pay vote.

Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement55

Frequently Asked Questions 

PROPOSAL
NUMBER
SUBJECTVOTE REQUIREDIMPACT OF ABSTENTIONS AND BROKER
NON-VOTES, IF ANY
4Frequency
Vote
The affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast is necessary for the approval of the frequency vote. If none of the alternatives in this proposal (one year, two years or three years) receives a majority vote, we will consider the alternative with the highest number of votes cast to be the frequency that has been approved pursuant to the advisory vote of the stockholders.

Abstentions and broker non-votes will not be counted as votes cast and will have no effect on the outcome of the vote. Brokers do not have discretionary authority to vote your shares for the frequency vote.

(1)In accordance with the policy adopted by our Board of Directors, in this election, an incumbent candidate for director who does not receive the required votes for re-election is expected to offer his or her resignation to the Board of Directors. The Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee of the Board of Directors, or a committee of independent directors in the event the incumbent is a member of the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee, will then make a determination as to whether to accept or reject the tendered resignation, generally within 90 days after certification of the election results of the stockholder vote. Following such determination, we will publicly disclose the decision regarding any tendered resignation and the rationale behind such decision in a filing of a Current Report on Form 8-K with the SEC. If a director’s offer to resign is not accepted by the Board of Directors (or properly constituted committee) or such director does not otherwise submit his or her resignation to the Board of Directors, such director shall continue to serve until his or her successor is duly elected and qualifies, or his or her earlier resignation or removal.

Will any other business be conducted at the Annual Meeting?

Our Board of Directors does not know of any matters to be presented at the meeting other than those mentioned in this Proxy Statement. If any other matters are properly brought before the meeting, it is intended that the proxies will be voted in accordance with the discretion of the person or persons voting the proxies. Under the NYSE rules, if you are a beneficial owner, your bank, broker, or other holder of record may not vote your shares on any contested stockholder proposal without instructions from you.

If the Annual Meeting is postponed or adjourned for any reason, at any subsequent convening or resumption of the Annual Meeting, all proxies will be voted in the same manner as such proxies would have been voted at the Annual Meeting as originally convened (except for any proxies that have effectively been revoked or withdrawn).

Who will count the vote?

Representatives of Broadridge will tabulate the votes and act as inspector of election.

Can I access the Notice of Annual Meeting, Proxy Statement and Annual Report on the Internet?

This Proxy Statement (which includes the Notice of Annual Meeting) and our 2016 Annual Report are available on our website at http://www.realtyincome.com/investors/financial-information/annual-reports-and-proxy/default.aspx. You can also view these materials at www.proxyvote.com by using the control number provided on your proxy card, in your e-mailed Proxy Materials, or on your Notice.

Who bears the cost of soliciting proxies?

We will bear the cost of soliciting proxies from our stockholders. In addition to solicitation by mail, our directors, officers, employees, and agents may solicit proxies by telephone, Internet, or otherwise. These directors, officers, and employees will not be additionally compensated for the solicitation, but may be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with the solicitation. Copies of solicitation material will be furnished to brokerage firms, fiduciaries, and other custodians who hold shares of our common stock by (i) each director, each nominee and each named executive officer; (ii) all current directors and executive officers of Realty Income as a group; and (iii) each person known to us to own beneficially more than 5% of the outstanding shares of our common stock. Except as otherwise noted, we believe therecord for beneficial owners of shares of our common stock listed below, based on information furnished by thosefor forwarding to such beneficial owners. We may also reimburse persons representing beneficial owners have sole voting and investment power with respect tofor their shares.

Name of Beneficial Owner

 

 

Shares of Beneficial
Ownership of Common Stock
of the Company

 

Percent of Class

John P. Case(1)

 

   286,354

 

0.1

Gary M. Malino(2)

 

   164,838

 

0.1

Michael R. Pfeiffer(3)

 

     95,787

 

*

Paul M. Meurer(4)

 

     84,656

 

*

Sumit Roy(5)

 

     59,038

 

*

Thomas A. Lewis(6)

 

   188,540

 

0.1

Michael D. McKee(7)

 

   125,500

 

0.1

Kathleen R. Allen, Ph.D.(8)

 

     66,000

 

*

Priya Cherian Huskins(9)

 

     25,066

 

*

Gregory T. McLaughlin(10)

 

     20,897

 

*

Ronald L. Merriman(11)

 

     17,238

 

*

A. Larry Chapman(12)

 

     10,574

 

*

 

 

 

 

 

All directors and executive officers of the company, as a group (17 persons)

 

1,275,570

 

0.6%

 

 

 

 

 

*Less than one-tenth of one percent

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stockholders Holding 5% or more

 

 

Shares of Beneficial

 

Ownership of Common Stock

 

of the Company

 

Percent of Class

The Vanguard Group, Inc.(13)

100 Vanguard Blvd.

Malvern, PA  19355

 

24,758,373

 

11.9

BlackRock, Inc.(14)

40 East 52nd Street

New York, NY 10022

 

17,265,879

 

8.3

Vanguard Specialized Funds –

Vanguard REIT Index Fund(15)

100 Vanguard Blvd.

Malvern, PA 19355

 

13,262,649

 

6.4

(1)Mr. Case’s total includes 250,970 shares of unvested restricted stock and 35,384 shares of vested stock.reasonable expenses incurred in forwarding such materials.

 

(2)Mr. Malino’s total includes 82,424 shares of unvested restricted stockStockholders who authorize their proxies through the Internet should be aware that they may incur costs to access the Internet, such as usage charges from telephone companies or Internet service providers and 82,414 shares of vested stock, 577 of these shares are held in an IRA incosts must be borne by the name of Mr. Malino.stockholder.

 

(3)Mr. Pfeiffer’s total includes 59,783 shares of unvested restricted stock and 36,004 shares owned of record by The Pfeiffer Revocable Living Trust dated November 23, 2009, of which he is a trustee and has sole voting and investment power.

(4)Mr. Meurer’s total includes 59,746 shares of unvested restricted stock and 24,910 shares of vested stock.

(5)Mr. Roy’s total includes 53,574 shares of unvested restricted stock and 5,464 shares of vested stock.

(6)Mr. Lewis’ total includes 95,816 shares owned of record by The Lewis Revocable Living Trust dated January 20, 2005, of which he is a trustee and has sole voting and investment power, and 92,724 shares held in a joint account of which he and his wife have shared voting and investment power.

(7)Mr. McKee’s total includes 93,200 shares owned of record by The McKee Family Trust dated February 11, 1995, of which he is a trustee and has shared voting and investment power, 12,800 shares owned of record by MCCR Holdings, LLC, a family limited liability company, of which he and his wife have shared voting and investment power, and 19,500 shares owned of record by an IRA, in the account of Mr. McKee.

(8)Dr. Allen’s total includes 66,000 shares owned of record by The Allen Family Trust dated December 5, 2006, of which she is a trustee and has shared voting and investment power.

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Table of Contents

(9)Ms. Huskins’s total includes 8,001 shares of unvested restricted stock and 17,065 shares owned of record by The Michael and Priya Huskins Revocable Trust dated February 12, 2001, of which she is a trustee and has shared voting and investment power.

(10)Mr. McLaughlin’s total includes 8,001 shares of unvested restricted stock and 12,896 shares owned of record by The McLaughlin Family Trust dated May 28, 2009, of which he is a trustee and has shared voting and investment power.

(11)Mr. Merriman’s total includes 7,334 shares of unvested restricted stock and 9,904 shares owned of record by The Ronald Merriman Family Trust dated July 17, 1997, of which he is a trustee and has shared voting and investment power.

(12)Mr. Chapman’s total includes 8,001 shares of unvested restricted stock and 2,573 shares of vested stock owned of record by A. Larry Chapman and Patricia L. Chapman, Trustees of the Chapman Family Trust, dated March 18, 1998, of which he is a trustee and has sole voting power and shared investment power.

(13)Based on the information provided pursuant to a statement on a Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on February 12, 2014, The Vanguard Group, Inc. (“Vanguard”) has sole power to vote or direct the vote, and sole power to dispose or direct the disposition of, 441,063 and 24,421,390 shares of our common stock, respectively, and shared power to vote or direct the vote and shared power to dispose or direct the disposition of 129,400 and 336,983 shares of our common stock, respectively.  Vanguard Fiduciary Trust Company (“VFTC”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Vanguard, is the beneficial owner of the 116,783 shares of our common stock as a result of its serving as investment manager of collective trust accounts and directs the voting of these shares. Vanguard Investments Australia, Ltd. (“VIA”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Vanguard, is the beneficial owner of the 544,480 shares of our common stock as a result of its serving as investment manager of Australian investment offerings and directs the voting of these shares.  Vanguard is an investment adviser in accordance with Section 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E) of the Exchange Act.

(14)Based on the information provided pursuant to a statement on a Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on January 30, 2014, BlackRock, Inc. has sole power to vote or direct the vote of 16,090,668 shares of our common stock, and sole power to dispose or direct the disposition of 17,265,879 shares of our common stock.

(15)Based on the information provided pursuant to a statement on a Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on February 4, 2014, Vanguard Specialized Funds – Vanguard REIT Index Fund (“Vanguard REIT Index Fund”) has sole power to vote or direct the vote of 13,262,649 shares of our common stock and does not have the power to dispose or direct the disposition of any shares of our common stock.  Vanguard REIT Index Fund is an investment company registered under Section 8 of the Investment Company Act of 1940.

EQUITY COMPENSATION PLAN INFORMATION AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2013

The following table sets forth certain equity compensation plan information as of December 31, 2013.  We only grant shares of restricted stock under the equity plan:

56

Realty IncomePlan Category|(1)

Number of securities
to be issued upon
exercise of
outstanding options,
warrants, and rights
(a)

Weighted-average
exercise price of
outstanding options,
warrants and rights
(b)

Number of securities remaining
available for future issuance
under equity compensation
plans (excluding securities
reflected in column (a))
(c)

Equity compensation plans approved by security holders

-

n/a

2,590,307(2)

Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders

-

n/a

-  

Total

-

2,590,307  

2017 Proxy Statement

  

(1)Each of our equity compensation plans has been approved by our stockholders.

 

(2)Represents shares of our common stock availableStockholder Proposals for issuance under our 2012 Stock Incentive Award Plan.2018 Annual Meeting

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INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM FEES AND SERVICES

Fees Paid to Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

The fees paid to KPMG LLP, our independent registered public accounting firm, relating to 2013 and 2012 were as follows:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2013

 

2012

 

Total audit fees(1)(2)

 

$        1,524,000

 

$      1,178,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tax fees(3)

 

853,000

 

494,000

 

All other fees(4)

 

-

 

450,000

 

Total non-audit fees

 

$          853,000

 

$         944,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(1)Includes the aggregate fees billed by KPMG LLP for the audit of our annual financial statements, the reviews of the financial statements included in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and the audit of internal controls.  Includes $19,000 paid in 2013 and $31,000 paid in 2012 for the stand-alone audits of CRG-CS, LLC, our subsidiary.

(2)Includes the aggregate fees billed by KPMG LLP, which are associated with the issuances of comfort letters to underwriters and review of registration statements in connection with the issuance of consents totaling approximate $131,000 in 2013 and $400,000 in 2012.

(3)Includes the aggregate fees billed by KPMG LLP for tax services. Tax services consisted of tax return preparation and tax compliance.  2012 fees include $294,000 of tax due-diligence on the acquisition of American Realty Capital Trust, Inc. that closed on January 22, 2013.

(4)Includes the aggregate fees billed by KPMG LLP for services other than those separately disclosed.  The services consisted of due-diligence on the acquisition of American Realty Capital Trust, Inc., other than tax due diligence discussed in footnote 3 above.

Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures

The Audit Committee’s charter provides that the Audit Committee has the sole authority and responsibility to pre-approve all audit and permitted non-audit services to be provided to us. Pursuant to its charter, the Audit Committee has established pre-approval policies and procedures for permitted non-audit services. The Audit Committee considers each engagement on a case-by-case basis according to certain required criteria, including the skill set necessary for the engagement and that the engagement should not involve work that would result in our registered public accounting firm eventually auditing their own work. The Audit Committee is regularly updated on the status of all outstanding engagements. If we anticipate that the fees for specific engagements may exceed the amount initially approved by the Audit Committee, the Audit Committee will consider proposals to increase the fees for such engagements on a case-by-case basis. The Audit Committee has delegated authority to its chairman to approve certain non-audit engagement fees, provided that the decisions made pursuant to this delegated authority must be presented to the full Audit Committee at its next scheduled meeting. All of the services performed by KPMG LLP in 2013 were approved in advance by the Audit Committee pursuant to the foregoing pre-approval policy and procedures.

STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS FOR 2015 ANNUAL MEETING

 

In order for stockholder proposals otherwise satisfying the eligibility requirements of SEC Rule 14a-8 to be considered for inclusion in our proxy statement for our 20152018 annual meeting of stockholders, they must be received by us at our principal office, 600 La Terraza Boulevard, Escondido,11995 El Camino Real, San Diego, CA 92025-387392130 on or before December 2, 2014.7, 2017.

 

In addition, if a stockholder desires to bring business (including director nominations) before our 20152018 annual meeting of stockholders that is not the subject of a proposal timely submitted for inclusion in our 20152018 proxy statement, written notice of such business, as currently prescribed in our Bylaws, must be received by our Corporate Secretary between October 22, 2014November 7, 2017 and November 21, 2014.December 7, 2017. For additional requirements, a stockholder may refer to our current Bylaws, Article III, Section 12, “Nominations“Advance Notice of Stockholder Nominees for Director and Other Stockholder Business,Proposals,” a copy of which may be obtained from our Corporate Secretary upon request and without charge. See “Communications with the Board” for contact information. If we do not receive timely notice pursuant to our Bylaws, the proposal will be excluded from consideration at the meeting.

 

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Table of Contents

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

This proxy statementProxy Statement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. When used in this annual report,proxy statement, the words “estimated”, “anticipated”, “expect”, “believe”, “intend” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include discussions of strategy, plans or intentions of management. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions about Realty Income Corporation, and future events and actual results, financial and otherwise, may differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements.

 

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this proxy statement.Proxy Statement. While forward-looking statements reflect our good faith beliefs, they are not guarantees of future performance. We undertake no obligation to publicly release the results of any revisions to these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this proxy statementProxy Statement or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

 

HOUSEHOLDING OF PROXY MATERIALSHouseholding of Proxy Materials

 

SEC rules permit companies and intermediaries (such as banks and brokers) to satisfy the delivery requirements for proxy statements and annual reports with respect to two or more stockholders sharing the same address by delivering a single proxy statement addressed to those stockholders. This process, which is commonly referred to as “householding,” potentially means extra convenience for stockholders and cost savings for companies.

 

A number of banks and brokers with account holders who are our stockholders will be householding our proxy materials. A single proxy statementProxy Statement will be delivered to multiple stockholders sharing an address unless contrary instructions have been received from the affected stockholders. If you have received notice from your bank or broker that it will be householding communications to your address, householding will continue until you are notified otherwise or until you revoke your consent. If, at any time, you no longer wish to participate in householding and would prefer to receive a separate proxy statement and annual report, please notify your bank or broker, direct your written request to Investor Relations, 600 La Terraza Blvd.,11995 El Camino Real, San Diego, CA 92130, or contact Investor Relations by telephone at (760) 741-2111.(877) 924-6266. Stockholders who currently receive multiple copies of the proxy statementProxy Statement at their address and would like to request householding of their communications should contact their bank or broker.

 

Realty Income|2017 Proxy Statement57

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCEIncorporation by Reference

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in any of our previous filings under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended or the(the Exchange Act,Act), which might incorporate future filings made by us under those statutes, neither the preceding Compensation Committee Report nor the Audit Committee Report will not be incorporated by reference into any of those prior filings, nor will any such report be incorporated by reference into any future filings made by us under those statutes. In addition, information on our website, other than our proxy statement,Proxy Statement, Notice of Annual Meeting and form of proxy, is not part of the proxy soliciting material and is not incorporated herein by reference.

By Order of the Board of Directors,

/s/ MICHAEL R. PFEIFFER

-s- Michael R. Pfeiffer 

Michael R. Pfeiffer


Executive Vice President, General
Counsel and Secretary

  

March 21, 2014April 3, 2017

 

51

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Table of Contents

 (REALTY INCOME LOGO)


(FSC LOGO) 

 

YOUR PROXY IS IMPORTANT

WHETHER YOU OWN FEW OR MANY SHARES

Please date, sign and mail the enclosed Proxy Card today.

 

52




Signature [PLEASE SIGN WITHIN BOX] Date Signature (Joint Owners) Date THIS PROXY CARD IS VALID ONLY WHEN SIGNED AND DATED. KEEP THIS PORTION FOR YOUR RECORDS DETACH AND RETURN THIS PORTION ONLY TO VOTE, MARK BLOCKS BELOW IN BLUE OR BLACK INK AS FOLLOWS: Please sign exactly as your name(s) appear(s) hereon. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, or other fiduciary, please give full title as such. Joint owners should each sign personally. All holders must sign. If a corporation or partnership, please sign in full corporate or partnership name by authorized officer. (REALTY INCOME CORPORATION LOGO)

REALTY INCOME CORPORATION M67502-P48613 REALTY INCOME CORPORATION

SHAREOWNER SERVICES

P.O. BOX 64945

ST. PAUL, MN 55164-0945 For address changes and/or comments, please check this box and write them on the back where indicated. 1a. Kathleen R. Allen, PhD. 1d. Priya Cherian Huskins 1b. John P. Case 1e. Michael D. McKee 1c. A. Larry Chapman 1g. Ronald L. Merriman 1f. Gregory T. McLaughlin

VOTE BY INTERNET -www.proxyvote.com

Use the Internet to transmit your voting instructions and for electronic delivery of information up until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time the day before the cut-off date or meeting date. Have your proxy card in hand when you access the web sitewebsite and follow the instructions to obtain your records and to create an electronic voting instruction form.

ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OF FUTURE PROXY MATERIALS

To sign up for electronic delivery, please follow the instructions above to vote using the Internet and, when prompted, indicate that you agree to receive or access proxy materials electronically in future years.

VOTE BY PHONE - 1-800-690-6903

Use any touch-tone telephone to transmit your voting instructions up until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time the day before the cut-off date or meeting date. Have your proxy card in hand when you call and then follow the instructions.

VOTE BY MAIL

Mark, sign and date your proxy card and return it in the postage-paid envelope we have provided or return it to Vote Processing, c/o Broadridge, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, NY 11717.

TO VOTE, MARK BLOCKS BELOW IN BLUE OR BLACK INK AS FOLLOWS:

E20582-P86333KEEP THIS PORTION FOR YOUR RECORDS
DETACH AND RETURN THIS PORTION ONLY
THIS PROXY CARD IS VALID ONLY WHEN SIGNED AND DATED.

REALTY INCOME CORPORATION

The Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR the election of the seveneight director nominees, FOR the ratification of the appointment of KPMG LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2014, and2017, FOR the resolution to approve the compensation of our named executive officers as described in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis, the compensation tables and related narrative discussion in the proxy statement. statement and EVERY ONE YEAR on an advisory vote on the frequency of future advisory votes by stockholders on the compensation of our named executive officers.

Proposal 1.To elect the following seveneight director nominees to serve until the 20152018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders and until their respective successors are duly elected and qualify:ForAgainstAbstain
Nominees:
1a.Kathleen R. Allen
1b.John P. Case
1c.A. Larry Chapman
1d.Priya Cherian Huskins
1e.Michael D. McKee
1f.Gregory T. McLaughlin
1g. Ronald L. Merriman
1h.Stephen E. Sterrett
For address changes and/or comments, please check this box and write them on the back where indicated.
ForAgainstAbstain
Proposal 2.Ratification of the appointment of KPMG LLP as the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for the Fiscal Year Ending December 31, 2014. 2017.
Proposal 3.Non-binding advisory vote to approve the compensation of our named executive officers.
1 Year2 Years3 YearsAbstain
Proposal 4.Advisory vote on the frequency of future advisory votes by stockholders on the compensation of our named executive officers.
Our Board of Directors believes an advisory vote to approve executive compensation every year will lead to a more meaningful and coherent communication between the company our stockholders on the executive compensation of our named executive officers.
THIS PROXY WHEN PROPERLY EXECUTED WILL BE VOTED AS DIRECTED OR, IF NO DIRECTION IS GIVEN, WILL BE VOTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AS INDICATED ABOVE. THE VOTES YOU ARE ENTITLED TO CAST WILL BE CAST IN THE DISCRETION OF THE PROXY HOLDER ON ANY OTHER MATTER THAT MAY PROPERLY COME BEFORE THE MEETING OR ANY ADJOURNMENTSADJOURNMENT OR POSTPONEMENTSPOSTPONEMENT THEREOF. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! for Against Abstain ! for Against Abstain Nominees:


Please sign exactly as your name(s) appear(s) hereon. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, or other fiduciary, please give full title as such. Joint owners should each sign personally. All holders must sign. If a corporation or partnership, please sign in full corporate or partnership name by authorized officer. 

Signature [PLEASE SIGN WITHIN BOX]DateSignature (Joint Owners)Date


V.1.1

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Annual Meeting:

The Notice and Proxy Statement and Annual Report are available at www.proxyvote.com.

E20583-P86333

Address Changes/Comments: _______________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ (If you noted any Address Changes/Comments above, please mark corresponding box on the reverse side.) REALTY INCOME CORPORATION
ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
Tuesday, May 6, 2014 16, 2017
9:00 a.m., Pacific Daylight Time
San Diego Marriott Del Mar 1966
11966 El Camino Real
San Diego, CA 92130
This proxy is solicited on behalf of the Board of Directors of Realty Income Corporation for useexercise at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders on May 6, 2014. 16, 2017.
The shares of stock held in your account will be voted as you specify on the reverse side.
If this proxy is executed but no choice is specified, the proxy will be voted "FOR"“FOR” the election of the seveneight director nominees, "FOR"“FOR” the ratification of the appointment of KPMG LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2014, and "FOR"2017, “FOR” the resolution to approve the compensation of our named executive officers as described in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis, the compensation tables and related narrative discussion in the proxy statement.statement and “EVERY ONE YEAR” on the advisory vote on the frequency of future advisory votes by stockholders on the compensation of our named executive officers. The votes you are entitled to cast will be cast in the discretion of the proxy holder on any other matter that may properly come before the meeting or any adjournmentsadjournment or postponementspostponement thereof.
By signing the proxy, you acknowledge receipt of the Notice of the Annual Meeting of Stockholders and of the accompanying Proxy Statement, the terms of each of which are incorporated by reference, and you revoke all prior proxies and appoint Michael R. Pfeiffer and Gary M. Malino,Sumit Roy, and each of them as your proxies with full power of substitution in each of them, to attend the Annual Meeting and all adjournmentsany adjournment or postponementspostponement thereof, to cast on your behalf all votes that you are entitled to cast on the matters shown on the reverse side and any other matters which may properly come before the Annual Meeting and all adjournmentsany adjournment or postponementspostponement thereof and otherwise to represent you at the Annual Meeting and all adjournmentsany adjournment or postponementspostponement thereof with all powers possessed by you, if personally present. Important Notice Regarding
Address Changes/Comments:
(If you noted any Address Changes/Comments above, please mark corresponding box on the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Annual Meeting: The Notice and Proxy Statement and Annual Report are available at www.proxyvote.com. reverse side.)
Continued and to be signed on reverse side M67503-P48613

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