EXHIBIT 99.7
UPDATED RISK FACTORS RELATED TO THE REIT CONVERSION AND MERGER
Risks Related to REIT Structure
While we expect that we are properly organized as a REIT in accordance with applicable law, we cannot guarantee that the IRS will find that we have qualified as a REIT.
We expect that we are organized in conformity with the requirements for qualification as a REIT under the Code beginning with our 2012 taxable year (we expect the REIT election to be effective from February 15, 2012, the date of our incorporation), and that our current and anticipated investments and plan of operation will enable us to meet and continue to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code. Investors should be aware, however, that the IRS or any court could take a position different from our own. Given the highly complex nature of the rules governing REITs, the ongoing importance of factual determinations, and the possibility of future changes in our circumstances, no assurance can be given that we will so qualify for any particular year.
Furthermore, our qualification and taxation as a REIT will depend on our satisfaction of certain asset, income, organizational, distribution, shareholder ownership and other requirements on a continuing basis. Our ability to satisfy the quarterly asset tests under applicable Code provisions and Treasury Regulations will depend in part upon the our board of directors’ good faith analysis of the fair market values of our assets, some of which are not susceptible to a precise determination. Our compliance with the REIT income and quarterly asset requirements also depends upon our ability to successfully manage the composition of our income and assets on an ongoing basis. While we believe that we will satisfy these tests, we cannot guarantee that this will be the case on a continuing basis.
If we fail to qualify as a REIT or fail to remain qualified as a REIT, we would be subject to federal income tax at corporate income tax rates and would not be able to deduct distributions to shareholders when computing our taxable income.
Prior to the consummation of the Merger and REIT Conversion, we were not treated as a REIT for federal income tax purposes. Following the consummation of the Merger and REIT Conversion, we expect that we are organized in conformity with the requirements for qualification as a REIT under the Code beginning with our 2012 taxable year. We expect the REIT election to be effective from February 15, 2012, the date of our incorporation. In order to qualify as a REIT, we plan to hold our non-qualifying REIT assets and conduct our non-qualifying REIT income activities in or through one or more taxable REIT subsidiaries (“TRS”).
If, in any taxable year, we fail to qualify for taxation as a REIT, and are not entitled to relief under the Code:
| • | we will not be allowed a deduction for distributions to stockholders in computing our taxable income; |
| • | we will be subject to federal and state income tax, including any applicable alternative minimum tax, on our taxable income at regular corporate rates; and |
| • | we would not be eligible to qualify as a REIT for the four taxable years following the year during which we were so disqualified. |
Any such corporate tax liability could be substantial and would reduce the amount of cash available for distributions to our stockholders, which in turn could have an adverse impact on the value of our common stock. This adverse impact could last for five or more years because, unless we are entitled to relief under certain statutory provisions, we will be taxed as a corporation, beginning in the year in which the failure occurs, and we will not be allowed to re-elect to be taxed as a REIT for the following four years.
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If we fail to qualify for taxation as a REIT, we may need to borrow funds or liquidate some investments to pay the additional tax liability. Were this to occur, funds available for investment would be reduced. REIT qualification involves the application of highly technical and complex provisions of the Code to our operations, as well as various factual determinations concerning matters and circumstances not entirely within our control. There are limited judicial or administrative interpretations of these provisions. Although we plan to operate in a manner consistent with the REIT qualification rules, we cannot assure you that we will so qualify or remain so qualified.
If we fail to make required distributions, we may be subject to federal corporate income tax.
Going forward, we intend to declare regular quarterly distributions, the amount of which will be determined, and is subject to adjustment, by our board of directors. To qualify and be taxed as a REIT, we will generally be required to distribute at least 90% of our REIT taxable income (determined without regard to the dividends paid deduction and excluding net capital gain) each year to our stockholders. Generally, we expect to distribute all or substantially all of our REIT taxable income. If our cash available for distribution falls short of our estimates, we may be unable to maintain the proposed quarterly distributions that approximate our taxable income, and may fail to qualify for taxation as a REIT. In addition, our cash flows from operations may be insufficient to fund required distributions as a result of differences in timing between the actual receipt of income and the recognition of income for federal income tax purposes, or the effect of nondeductible expenditures, such as capital expenditures, payments of compensation for which Section 162(m) of the Code denies a deduction, the creation of reserves or required debt service or amortization payments.
To the extent that we satisfy the 90% distribution requirement, but distribute less than 100% of our REIT taxable income, we will be subject to federal corporate income tax on our undistributed taxable income. In addition, we will be subject to a 4% nondeductible excise tax if the actual amount that we pay out to our stockholders for a calendar year is less than a minimum amount specified under the Code.
In addition, to qualify as a REIT, any C-corporation earnings and profits to which we succeed (such as by a deemed liquidation of a taxable corporate subsidiary) must be distributed as of the close of the taxable year in which the REIT accumulates or acquires such C-corporation’s earnings and profits. At a result, we would be required to distribute any earnings and profits acquired from any taxable corporate subsidiary liquidation prior to the close of the 2012 taxable year, though we do not expect that any such earnings and profits have been or will be acquired.
Because certain covenants in our future debt instruments may limit our ability to make required REIT distributions, we could be subject to taxation.
Our future debt instruments may include covenants that limit our ability to make required REIT distributions. If the limits set forth in these covenants prevent us from satisfying our REIT distribution requirements, we could fail to qualify for taxation as a REIT. If the limits set forth in these covenants do not jeopardize our qualification for taxation as a REIT but do nevertheless prevent us from distributing 100% of our REIT taxable income, we will be subject to federal corporate income tax, and potentially a nondeductible excise tax, on the retained amounts.
Because we will be required to satisfy numerous requirements imposed upon REITs, we may be required to borrow funds, sell assets, or raise equity on terms that are not favorable to us.
In order to meet the REIT distribution requirements and maintain our qualification and taxation as a REIT, we may need to borrow funds, sell assets or raise equity, even if the then-prevailing market conditions are not favorable for these borrowings, sales or offerings. Any insufficiency of our cash flows to cover our REIT distribution requirements could adversely impact our ability to raise short and long term debt, to sell assets, or to offer equity securities in order to fund distributions required to maintain our qualification and taxation as a REIT. Furthermore, the REIT distribution requirements may increase the financing we need to fund capital expenditures, future growth and expansion initiatives. This would increase our total leverage.
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In addition, if we fail to comply with certain asset ownership tests at the end of any calendar quarter, we must generally correct the failure within 30 days after the end of the calendar quarter or qualify for certain statutory relief provisions to avoid losing our REIT qualification. As a result, we may be required to liquidate otherwise attractive investments. These actions may reduce our income and amounts available for distribution to our stockholders.
Because the REIT rules require us to satisfy certain rules on an ongoing basis, our flexibility or ability to pursue otherwise attractive opportunities may be limited.
To qualify as a REIT for federal income tax purposes, we must continually satisfy tests concerning, among other things, the sources of our income, the nature and diversification of our assets, the amounts we distribute to our stockholders and the ownership of our common stock. Thus, compliance with these tests will require us to refrain from certain activities and may hinder our ability to make certain attractive investments, including the purchase of non-qualifying assets, the expansion of non-real estate activities, and investments in the businesses to be conducted by our TRSs, and to that extent limit our opportunities and our flexibility to change our business strategy. Furthermore, acquisition opportunities in domestic and international markets may be adversely affected if we need or require the target company to comply with some REIT requirements prior to closing. In addition, our conversion to a REIT may result in investor pressures not to pursue growth opportunities that are not immediately accretive.
To meet our annual distribution requirements, we may be required to distribute amounts that may otherwise be used for our operations, including amounts that may otherwise be invested in future acquisitions, capital expenditures or repayment of debt and it is possible that we might be required to borrow funds, sell assets or raise equity to fund these distributions, even if the then-prevailing market conditions are not favorable for these borrowings, sales or offerings.
Because the REIT provisions of the Code limit our ability to hedge effectively, the cost of our hedging may increase, and we may incur tax liabilities.
The REIT provisions of the Code limit our ability to hedge assets as well as liabilities which are not incurred to acquire or carry real estate. Generally, income from hedging transactions which have been properly identified for tax purposes and that we enter into to manage risk of interest rate changes with respect to borrowings made or to be made to acquire or carry real estate assets and income from certain currency hedging transactions related to our non-U.S. operations does not constitute “gross income” for purposes of the REIT gross income tests. To the extent that we enter into other types of hedging transactions, the income from those transactions is likely to be treated as non-qualifying income for purposes of the REIT gross income tests. As a result of these rules, we may need to limit our use of advantageous hedging techniques or implement those hedges through a TRS. This could increase the cost of our hedging activities because our TRSs could be subject to tax on income or gains resulting from hedges entered into by them or expose us to greater risks associated with changes in interest rates than we would otherwise want to bear. In addition, losses in any of our TRSs generally will not provide any tax benefit, except for being carried forward for use against future taxable income in the TRSs.
Because the REIT rules limit our ability to receive distributions from TRSs, our ability to fund distribution payments using cash generated through our TRSs may be limited.
Our ability to receive distributions from our TRSs is limited by the rules with which we must comply to maintain our status as a REIT. In particular, at least 75% of our gross income for each taxable year as a REIT must be derived from real estate-related sources, which principally includes gross income from the leasing of our communications sites and rental-related services. Consequently, no more than 25% of our gross income may consist of dividend income from our TRSs and other non-qualifying types of income. Thus, our ability to receive distributions from our TRSs may be limited, and may impact our ability to fund distributions to our stockholders using cash flows from our TRSs. Specifically, if our TRSs became highly profitable, we might become limited in our ability to receive net income from our TRSs in an amount required to fund distributions to our stockholders commensurate with that profitability.
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We intend to extensively use TRSs, which may cause us to fail to qualify as a REIT.
The net income of our TRSs is not required to be distributed to us, and income that is not distributed to us generally will not be subject to the REIT income distribution requirement. However, there may be limitations on our ability to accumulate earnings in our TRSs and the accumulation or reinvestment of significant earnings in our TRSs could result in adverse tax treatment. In particular, if the accumulation of cash in our TRSs causes the fair market value of our securities in our TRSs and certain other non-qualifying assets to exceed 25% of the fair market value of our assets, we would fail to qualify as a REIT.
Our ownership of our TRSs will be subject to limitations that could prevent us from growing our investment management business and our transactions with our TRSs could cause us to be subject to a 100% penalty tax on certain income or deductions if those transactions are not conducted on an arm’s-length basis.
Overall, no more than 25% of the value of a REIT’s assets may consist of stock or securities of one or more TRSs, and compliance with this limitation could limit our ability to grow our investment management business. In addition, the Code limits the deductibility of interest paid or accrued by a TRS to its parent REIT to assure that the TRS is subject to an appropriate level of corporate taxation. The Code also imposes a 100% excise tax on certain transactions between a TRS and its parent REIT that are not conducted on an arm’s-length basis. We will monitor the value of our respective investments in our TRSs for the purpose of ensuring compliance with TRS ownership limitations and will structure our transactions with our TRSs on terms that we believe are arm’s-length to avoid incurring the 100% excise tax described above. There can be no assurance, however, that we will be able to comply with the 25% TRS limitation or to avoid application of the 100% excise tax.
Because the our board of directors determines in its sole discretion the dividend on a quarterly basis, our cash distributions are not guaranteed and may fluctuate.
Our board of directors, in its sole discretion, will determine on a quarterly basis the amount of cash to be distributed to our stockholders based on a number of factors including, but not limited to, our results of operations, cash flow and capital requirements, economic conditions, tax considerations, borrowing capacity, applicable provisions of the Maryland General Corporation Law (“MGCL”) and other factors, including debt covenant restrictions that may impose limitations on cash payments, and future acquisitions and divestitures. Consequently, our distribution levels may fluctuate.
Because distributions payable by REITs generally do not qualify for reduced tax rates, the value of our common stock could be adversely affected.
Certain distributions payable by domestic or qualified foreign corporations to individuals, trusts and estates that are U.S. shareholders are currently eligible for federal income tax at a maximum rate of 15% and are scheduled to be taxed at ordinary income rates for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2012. Distributions payable by REITs, in contrast, generally are not eligible for the current reduced rates unless the distributions are attributable to dividends received by the REIT from other corporations which would be eligible for the reduced rates. The more favorable rates applicable to regular corporate distributions could cause investors who are individuals, trusts and estates to perceive investments in REITs to be relatively less attractive than investments in the stock of non-REIT corporations that pay distributions, which could adversely affect the value of the stock of REITs, including our common stock.
Even if we qualify as a REIT, certain of our business activities will be subject to corporate level income tax and foreign taxes, which will continue to reduce our cash flows, and we will have potential deferred and contingent tax liabilities.
Even if we qualify for taxation as a REIT, we may be subject to certain federal, state, local and foreign taxes on our income and assets, including alternative minimum taxes, taxes on any undistributed income, and state, local or foreign income, franchise, property and transfer taxes. In addition, we could in certain circumstances be required to pay an excise or penalty tax, which could be significant in amount, in order to utilize one or more relief provisions under the Code to maintain qualification for taxation as a REIT.
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Any TRS assets and operations would continue to be subject, as applicable, to federal and state corporate income taxes and to foreign taxes in the jurisdictions in which those assets and operations are located. Any of these taxes would decrease our earnings and our cash available for distributions to shareholders.
We will also be subject to a federal corporate level tax at the highest regular corporate rate (currently 35%) on all or a portion of the gain recognized from a sale of assets formerly held by any C-corporation that we acquire in a carry over basis transaction occurring within a specified period (generally, ten years) after we acquire such assets, to the extent the built-in gain based on the fair market value of those assets on the effective date of the REIT election is in excess of our then tax basis. The tax on subsequently sold assets will be based on the fair market value and built-in gain of those assets as of the beginning of our holding period. Gains from a sale of an asset occurring after the specified period ends will not be subject to this corporate level tax. We expect to have only a de minimis amount of assets subject to these corporate tax rules and do not expect to dispose of any significant assets subject to these corporate tax rules.
Because dividends received by non-U.S. shareholders are generally taxable, we may be required to withhold a portion of our distributions to such persons.
Ordinary dividends received by non-U.S. shareholders that are not effectively connected with the conduct of a United States trade or business generally are subject to United States withholding tax at a rate of 30%, unless reduced by an applicable income tax treaty. Additional rules will apply to any non-U.S. shareholders that will own more than 5% of our common stock with respect to certain capital gain distributions.
The ability of the our board of directors to revoke our REIT qualification, without stockholder approval, may cause adverse consequences to our stockholders.
Our charter provides that the board of directors may revoke or otherwise terminate the REIT election, without the approval of our stockholders, if it determines that it is no longer in our best interest to continue to qualify as a REIT. If we cease to be a REIT, we will not be allowed a deduction for dividends paid to stockholders in computing our taxable income, and we will be subject to federal income tax at regular corporate rates and state and local taxes, which may have adverse consequences on our total return to our stockholders.
Federal income tax laws governing REITs and related interpretations may change at any time and any such legislative or other actions affecting REITs could have a negative effect on us and our stockholders.
At any time, the federal income tax laws governing REITs or the administrative interpretations of those laws may be amended. Federal and state tax laws are constantly under review by persons involved in the legislative process, the IRS, the United States Department of the Treasury, and state taxing authorities. Changes to the tax laws, regulations and administrative interpretations, which may have retroactive application, could adversely affect us or our stockholders. We cannot predict with certainty whether, when, in what forms, or with what effective dates, the tax laws, regulations and administrative interpretations applicable to us or our stockholders may be changed. Accordingly, we cannot assure you that any such change will not significantly affect our ability to qualify for taxation as a REIT or the federal income tax consequences to you or us of such qualification.
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Risks Related to Our Business
Our charter and Maryland law contain provisions that may delay or prevent a change of control transaction.
Our charter contains 7.9% ownership limits. Our charter, subject to certain exceptions, authorizes our directors to take such actions as are necessary and desirable to limit any person to beneficial or constructive ownership of either (i) owning more than 7.9% in value or in number of shares, whichever is more restrictive, of the aggregate outstanding shares of our stock excluding any outstanding shares of our stock not treated as outstanding for federal income tax purposes or (ii) owning more than 7.9% in value or in number of shares, whichever is more restrictive, of our aggregate outstanding shares of common stock excluding any of our outstanding shares of common stock not treated as outstanding for federal income tax purposes. Our board of directors, in its sole discretion, may exempt a person from the ownership limits and our board of directors has granted the estate of Wm. Polk Carey an exemption to own up to 18.0% of our aggregate outstanding shares of common stock or any other outstanding class or series of our stock. However, our board of directors may not grant an exemption from the ownership limits to any person unless our board of directors obtains such representations, covenants and undertakings as our board of directors may deem appropriate in order to determine that granting the exemption would not result in losing our status as a REIT. Our board of directors may also increase or decrease the common stock ownership limit and/or the aggregate stock ownership limit so long as the change would not result in five or fewer persons beneficially owning more than 49.9% in value of our outstanding stock. The ownership limits and the other restrictions on ownership of our stock contained in our charter may delay or prevent a transaction or a change of control that might involve a premium price for our common stock or otherwise be in the best interests of our stockholders.
Our board of directors may modify our authorized shares of stock of any class or series and may create and issue a class or series of common stock or preferred stock without stockholder approval.
Our board of directors is empowered under our charter from time to time to amend our charter to increase or decrease the aggregate number of shares of our stock or the number of shares of stock of any class or series that we have authority to issue, and from time to time to classify any unissued shares of common stock or preferred stock and to or reclassify any previously classified, but unissued, shares of common stock or preferred stock into one or more classes or series of stock and to issue such shares of stock so classified or reclassified, without stockholder approval. Our board of directors may determine the relative rights, preferences and privileges of any class or series of common stock or preferred stock issued. As a result, we may issue series or classes of common stock or preferred stock with preferences, dividends, powers and rights, voting or otherwise, senior to the rights of holders of our common stock. The issuance of any such classes or series of common stock or preferred stock could also have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control transaction that might otherwise be in the best interests of our stockholders.
Certain provisions of Maryland law could inhibit changes in control.
Certain provisions of the MGCL may have the effect of inhibiting a third party from making a proposal to acquire us or impeding a change of control under circumstances that otherwise could provide our stockholders with the opportunity to realize a premium over the then-prevailing market price of our common stock, including:
| • | “business combination” provisions that, subject to limitations, prohibit certain business combinations between us and an “interested stockholder” (defined generally as any person who beneficially owns 10% or more of the voting power of our outstanding voting stock), or an affiliate thereof for five years after the most recent date on which the stockholder becomes an interested stockholder, and thereafter impose special appraisal rights and supermajority voting requirements on these combinations; and |
| • | “control share” provisions that provide that holders of “control shares” of our company (defined as voting shares which, when aggregated with all other shares owned or controlled by the stockholder, entitle the stockholder to exercise one of three increasing ranges of voting power in electing directors) acquired in a “control share acquisition” (defined as the direct or indirect acquisition of ownership or control of issued and outstanding “control shares”) have no voting rights except to the extent approved by our stockholders by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter, excluding all interested shares. |
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The statute permits various exemptions from its provisions, including business combinations that are exempted by the board of directors prior to the time that the “interested stockholder” becomes an interested stockholder. Our board of directors has, by resolution, exempted any business combination between us and any person who is an existing, or becomes in the future an, “interested stockholder.” Consequently, the five-year prohibition and the supermajority vote requirements will not apply to business combinations between us and any such person. As a result, such person may be able to enter into business combinations with us that may not be in the best interest of our stockholders, without compliance with the super-majority vote requirements and the other provisions of the statute. Additionally, this resolution may be altered, revoked or repealed in whole or in part at any time and we may opt back into the business combination provisions of the MGCL. If this resolution is revoked or repealed, the statute may discourage others from trying to acquire control of us and increase the difficulty of consummating any offer. In the case of the control share provisions of the MGCL, we have elected to opt out of these provisions of the MGCL pursuant to a provision in our bylaws.
Additionally, Title 3, Subtitle 8 of the MGCL, permits our board of directors, without stockholder approval and regardless of what is currently provided in our charter or our bylaws, to implement certain governance provisions, some of which (for example, a classified board) we do not currently have. These provisions may have the effect of inhibiting a third party from making an acquisition proposal for our company or of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of our company under circumstances that otherwise could provide the holders of our common stock with the opportunity to realize a premium over the then-current market price. Our charter, our Bylaws and Maryland law also contain other provisions that may delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change of control that might involve a premium price for our common stock or otherwise be in the best interests of our stockholders.
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