As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 26, 2016
Registration No. 333-
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
NEW YORK REIT, INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
Maryland | | 27-1065431 |
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization) | | (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
405 Park Avenue, 14th Floor
New York, New York 10022
(212) 415-6500
(Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number,
Including Area Code, of Registrant’s Principal Executive Offices)
Michael A. Happel
Chief Executive Officer and President
New York REIT, Inc.
405 Park Avenue, 14th Floor
New York, New York 10022
(212) 415-6500
(Name, Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number,
Including Area Code, of Agent For Service)
With copies to:
| | |
Peter M. Fass, Esq. Proskauer Rose LLP Eleven Times Square New York, New York 10036 Tel: (212) 969-3000 Fax: (212) 969-2900 | | Michael J. Choate, Esq. Proskauer Rose LLP Three First National Plaza 70 West Madison Chicago, Illinois 60602-4342 Tel: (312) 962-3567 Fax: (312) 962-3551 |
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement as determined by the registrant.
If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box.o
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box.x
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.o
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.o
If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box.x
If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box.o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
| | | | | | |
Large accelerated filerx | | Accelerated filero | | Non-accelerated filero | | Smaller reporting companyo |
(Do not check if a smaller reporting company) |
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE:
| | | | | | | | |
Title of each class of securities to be registered | | Amount to be registered | | Proposed maximum offering price per unit(1) | | Proposed aggregate maximum offering price(1) | | Amount of registration fee(1) |
Common Stock, $.01 par value per share | | | 3,452,764 | | | $ | 9.12 | | | $ | 31,489,207.70 | | | $ | 3,170.96 | |
| (1) | Estimated solely for the purpose of computing the amount of the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, based on the average of the high and low prices on September 21, 2016. |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PROSPECTUS
New York REIT, Inc.
3,452,764 Shares of Common Stock
This prospectus relates to the possible resale, from time to time, by the selling stockholders named in this prospectus of up to 3,452,764 shares of our common stock. Such shares of our common stock were issued or are issuable to the selling stockholders in exchange for an equal number of units of limited partnership interests, or OP Units, in New York Recovery Operating Partnership, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership of which we are the sole general partner, or our operating partnership.
We are registering the applicable shares of our common stock to provide the selling stockholders with freely tradable securities. The registration of the shares of our common stock covered by this prospectus does not necessarily mean that any shares of our common stock will be sold by the selling stockholders.
We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of the shares of common stock covered by this prospectus, but we have agreed to pay certain registration expenses relating to such shares of our common stock. The selling stockholders from time to time may offer and sell the shares held by them directly or through agents or broker-dealers on terms to be determined at the time of sale, as described in more detail in this prospectus.
Our common stock is listed on The New York Stock Exchange, or the NYSE, under the symbol “NYRT.” On September 23, 2016, the last reported sale price of our common stock on the NYSE was $9.29 per share.
Investing in our common stock involves risks. You should carefully read and consider “Risk Factors” included in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on September 26, 2016, on page 7 of this prospectus and in any related prospectus supplement before investing in our common stock.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this prospectus is September 26, 2016
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
You should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus or any applicable free writing prospectus. Neither we nor any of the selling stockholders have authorized any other person to provide you with different or additional information. If anyone provides you with different or additional information, you should not rely on it. This prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to purchase, any shares of common stock in any jurisdiction to or from any person to whom or for whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation in such jurisdiction. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus, any applicable free writing prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein or therein is accurate only as of their respective dates or on the date or dates which are specified in these documents. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.
i
TABLE OF CONTENTS
BASIS OF PRESENTATION
We use certain defined terms throughout this prospectus that have the following meanings:
| • | “Our company,” “we,” “us” and “our” refers to New York REIT, Inc., a Maryland corporation, and its consolidated subsidiaries, including, without limitation, our operating partnership (as defined below). |
| • | “Our operating partnership” refers to New York Recovery Operating Partnership, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, of which we are the sole general partner. |
| • | “Our sponsor” refers to American Realty Capital III, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and its affiliated companies. We are externally managed and advised by our advisor (as defined below), a wholly owned subsidiary of our sponsor, pursuant to the terms of an advisory agreement. |
| • | “Our advisor” refers to New York Recovery Advisors, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, our external advisor. |
1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
This prospectus is a part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, utilizing a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, certain selling stockholders may from time to time sell the shares of common stock described in this prospectus in one or more offerings. This prospectus includes important information about us, the selling stockholders, our common stock and other information you should know before investing. We encourage you to carefully read this prospectus as well as additional information described under “Where You Can Find More Information” on page 37 of this prospectus before investing in our common stock.
You should not consider any information in this prospectus to be investment, legal or tax advice. You should consult your own counsel, accountant and other advisors for legal, tax, business, financial and related advice regarding the purchase of our shares of common stock. We are not making any representation to you regarding the legality of an investment in our shares of common stock by you under applicable investment or similar laws.
2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INFORMATION CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus contains forward-looking statements. You can identify forward-looking statements by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “believes,” “expects,” “may,” “will,” “would,” “could,” “should,” “seeks,” “intends,” “plans,” “projects,” “estimates,” “anticipates,” “predicts,” or “potential” or the negative of these words and phrases or similar words or phrases. You can also identify forward-looking statements by discussions of strategy, plans or intentions. Statements regarding the following subjects may be impacted by a number of risks and uncertainties which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performances or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements:
| • | our board of directors has adopted a plan of liquidation, which is subject to stockholder approval. There can be no assurance that our stockholders will approve the plan of liquidation or that we will succeed in implementing the plan of liquidation; |
| • | the current terms of our existing credit facility with Capital One, National Association and the other lenders thereto, or the Credit Facility, prevent us from proceeding with the sale of all or substantially all our assets and other restrictions in the Credit Facility limit our ability to complete sales of the 12 assets included in the Credit Facility borrowing base, limit our ability to pay dividends beyond a certain level, and limit our ability to take other steps required to implement a plan of liquidation effectively. While we are currently seeking to obtain new financing to repay the Credit Facility, there can be no assurance that such financing will be available on a timely basis, on favorable terms or at all; |
| • | we have not yet commenced marketing assets pursuant to our plan of liquidation and there can be no assurance as to the timing and amount of proceeds of any such sales pursuant to the plan of liquidation or the amount or timing of such distributions; |
| • | we do not currently have sufficient funds to exercise our option, or the WWP Option, to purchase the balance of the equity interest in WWP Holdings, LLC, or Worldwide Plaza, that we do not own; |
| • | the existing loans encumbering the Worldwide Plaza property include provisions which could limit our ability to assume those loans upon the exercise of the WWP Option without lender consent could also indirectly limit our ability to sell assets prior to the exercise of the WWP Option due to the risk that our sale of assets prior to exercising the WWP Option could cause us not to meet the requirements for assuming the loans encumbering the Worldwide Plaza property without lender consent; |
| • | all of our executive officers are also officers, managers or holders of a direct or indirect interest in our advisor and other entities affiliated with AR Global Investments, LLC (the successor business to AR Capital, LLC, or AR Global); as a result, our executive officers, our advisor and its affiliates face conflicts of interest, including significant conflicts created by our advisor’s compensation arrangements with us and other investor entities advised by AR Global affiliates, and conflicts in allocating time among these entities and us, which could negatively impact our operating results; |
| • | we depend on tenants for our revenue, and, accordingly, our revenue is dependent upon the success and economic viability of our tenants; |
| • | we may not be able to achieve our rental rate incentives and our expenses could be greater, which may impact our results of operations; |
| • | our properties may be adversely affected by economic cycles and risks inherent to the New York metropolitan statistical area, especially New York City; |
| • | if the plan of liquidation is approved, we may not continue to pay monthly dividends; |
| • | we are obligated to pay fees, which may be substantial, to our advisor and its affiliates, including potentially fees payable upon the sale of properties; |
| • | we may fail to continue to qualify to be treated as a real estate investment trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes, or REIT; |
3
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| • | we may be adversely affected by changes in general economic, business and political conditions, including the possibility of intensified international hostilities, acts of terrorism, and changes in conditions of United States or international lending, capital and financing markets; and |
| • | the factors included in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and our Current Report on Form 8-K dated September 26, 2016, including those set forth under the headings “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” |
The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus reflect our beliefs, assumptions and expectations of our future performance, taking into account all information currently available to us. These beliefs, assumptions and expectations are subject to risks and uncertainties and can change as a result of many possible events or factors, not all of which are known to us. If a change occurs, our business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations may vary materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements. You should carefully consider these risks before you make an investment decision with respect to our securities.
For more information regarding risks that may cause our actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statements, see “Risk Factors.” We disclaim any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect changes in underlying assumptions or factors, new information, future events or other changes, except as required by law.
4
TABLE OF CONTENTS
THE COMPANY
We are a New York City focused REIT that seeks to provide stockholders with an opportunity to participate in one of the world’s most dynamic real estate markets by primarily owning income-producing commercial real estate in New York City.
We purchased our first property and commenced active operations in June 2010. As of June 30, 2016, we owned 19 properties located in New York City aggregating 3.3 million rentable square feet with occupancy of 93% and a weighted-average remaining lease term of 9.3 years. Our portfolio primarily consists of office and retail properties, which, as of June 30, 2016, represented 83% and 9%, respectively, of rentable square feet. We have acquired hotel and other types of real properties to diversify our portfolio. Properties other than office and retail spaces represented 8% of rentable square feet.
We were incorporated on October 6, 2009, as a Maryland corporation and elected and qualified to be taxed as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes beginning with the taxable year ended December 31, 2010. We generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income taxes on our taxable income to the extent that we annually distribute all of our REIT taxable income to stockholders and otherwise maintain our qualification as a REIT. Substantially all of our business is conducted through our operating partnership. We have no direct employees. We have retained the advisor to manage our affairs on a day-to-day basis.
You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus or incorporated by reference herein. No dealer, salesperson or other person is authorized to give any information or to represent anything not contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. If anyone provides you with different, inconsistent or unauthorized information or representations, you must not rely on them. This prospectus is an offer to sell only the securities offered herein, but only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. The information contained in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement is current only as of the date on the front of those documents.
Our principal executive offices are located at 405 Park Avenue, 14th Floor, New York, New York 10022. Our Investor Relations telephone number is (866) 802-0063. We maintain a website atwww.nyrt.com. Information on our website is not, and should not be interpreted to be, part of this prospectus.
5
TABLE OF CONTENTS
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
On August 21, 2016, our board of directors approved a plan of liquidation. The plan of liquidation is subject to approval by our stockholders. If our stockholders approve the plan of liquidation, we intend to attempt to convert all of our assets into cash, satisfy or resolve our remaining liabilities and obligations, including contingent liabilities and claims and costs associated with the liquidation of our company, and then file articles of dissolution. With input from the Eastdil Secured group of Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, we have estimated that the net proceeds that will be distributed to our stockholders over time from the plan of liquidation, including regular monthly dividends and taking into account debt repayment and estimated transaction costs, will be between $8.73 and $11.50 per share. The estimate is subject to certain assumptions, which are more fully described in our preliminary proxy statement which has been filed as an exhibit to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on September 26, 2016 and is incorporated herein by reference. There can be no assurance that our stockholders will approve the plan of liquidation, that the plan of liquidation will be completed on the terms currently contemplated, or that our stockholders will receive actual liquidating distributions within the estimated range, or at all. Amounts available for distribution to stockholders are dependent on a number of factors, including actual proceeds from the sale of our assets, fees and expenses incurred in connection with the sale of our assets, expenses incurred in the administration of our properties prior to disposition, our general administrative expenses, including contractual management fees paid to our advisor or any replacement advisor and other liabilities that may be incurred by us.
We are currently seeking to obtain new financing of approximately $760 million in order to repay the Credit Facility in full, to provide additional liquidity for the Company to exercise the WWP Option and to provide increased flexibility to sell assets and distribute the proceeds to stockholders. The new financing is expected to permit asset sales and provide for a release price to be paid upon closing of the asset sale which will be applied to prepay the outstanding principal amount of the new financing.
We have the right to exercise the WWP Option starting in January 2017 and intend to do so using, in part, the proceeds from this new financing.
There can be no assurance that such financing will be available on favorable terms, or at all.
The plan of liquidation generally prohibits us from engaging in any business activities, except for exercising the WWP Option and seeking this new financing.
6
TABLE OF CONTENTS
RISK FACTORS
Investing in our securities involves risks. Before purchasing the securities offered by this prospectus you should carefully consider the risks, uncertainties and additional information (i) set forth in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and any Current Reports on Form 8-K (including our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on September 26, 2016), which are incorporated, or deemed to be incorporated, by reference into this prospectus, and in the other documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus that we file with the SEC after the date of this prospectus and which are deemed incorporated by reference in this prospectus and (ii) contained in any applicable prospectus supplement. For a description of these reports and documents, and information about where you can find them, see “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Documents By Reference.” The risks and uncertainties in the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus are those that we currently believe may materially affect our company. Additional risks not presently known or that are currently deemed immaterial could also materially and adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations, business and prospects.
7
TABLE OF CONTENTS
USE OF PROCEEDS
The selling stockholders will receive all of the proceeds from the sale of shares of common stock under this prospectus. We will not receive any proceeds from these sales. The selling stockholders will pay any underwriting discounts and agent’s commissions and expenses they incur for brokerage, accounting, tax or legal services or any other expenses they incur in disposing of the shares. We will bear all other costs, fees and expenses incurred in effecting the registration of the shares covered by this prospectus. These may include, without limitation, all registration and filing fees, NYSE listing fees, fees and expenses of our counsel and accountants, and any blue sky fees and expenses.
8
TABLE OF CONTENTS
MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS
The following summary discusses the material U.S. federal income tax considerations associated with our qualification and taxation as a REIT, the acquisition, ownership and disposition of our shares of common stock and a liquidation pursuant to the plan of liquidation our stockholders will be asked to approve at a future special meeting. This discussion is based upon the Internal Revenue Code, or the Code, Treasury regulations promulgated under the Code, which we refer to as the Treasury Regulations, and reported judicial and administrative rulings and decisions in effect as of the date of this prospectus, all of which are subject to change, retroactively or prospectively, and to possibly differing interpretations. Any such change could affect the validity of this discussion.
This discussion does not address (i) U.S. federal taxes other than income taxes or (ii) state, local or non-U.S. taxes. In addition, this discussion does not purport to address the U.S. federal income or other tax considerations applicable to holders of our shares of common stock that are subject to special treatment under U.S. federal income tax law, including, for example:
| • | partnerships or entities treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes and investors therein, S corporations or other pass-through entities; |
| • | pension plans or other tax-exempt organizations, except to the extent discussed below; |
| • | “qualified foreign pension funds” or entities wholly owned by a qualified foreign pension fund; |
| • | dealers in securities or currencies; |
| • | traders in securities that elect to use a mark to market method of accounting; |
| • | persons that hold their common stock as part of a straddle, hedge, constructive sale or conversion transaction; |
| • | regulated investment companies; |
| • | certain U.S. expatriates; |
| • | persons whose “functional currency” is not the U.S. dollar; |
| • | persons who acquired our shares of common stock through the exercise of an employee stock option or otherwise as compensation; and |
| • | persons who are Non-U.S. Stockholders (as defined below), except to the extent discussed below. |
No ruling on the U.S. federal, state, or local tax considerations relevant to our operation or to the purchase, ownership or disposition of our shares, has been requested from the Internal Revenue Service, or the IRS, or other tax authority. No assurance can be given that the IRS would not assert, or that a court would not sustain, a position contrary to any of the tax consequences described below.
This summary is also based upon the assumption that the operation of our company, and of its subsidiaries and other lower-tier and affiliated entities, will in each case be in accordance with its applicable organizational documents or partnership agreements. This summary does not discuss the impact that U.S. state and local taxes and taxes imposed by Non-U.S. jurisdictions could have on the matters discussed in this summary. In addition, this summary assumes that security holders hold our common stock as a capital asset, which generally means as property held for investment.
Prospective investors are urged to consult their tax advisors in order to determine the U.S. federal, state, local, foreign and other tax consequences to them of the purchase, ownership and disposition of our shares, the tax treatment of a REIT and the effect of potential changes in the applicable tax laws.
9
TABLE OF CONTENTS
We have elected to be taxed as a REIT under the applicable provisions of the Code and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder commencing with our taxable year ended December 31, 2010. We intend to continue operating as a REIT so long as our board of directors determines that REIT qualification remains in our best interest. However, we cannot assure you that we will meet the applicable requirements under U.S. federal income tax laws, which are highly technical and complex.
In brief, a corporation that complies with the provisions in Code Sections 856 through 860, and qualifies as a REIT generally is not taxed on its net taxable income to the extent such income is currently distributed to stockholders, thereby completely or substantially eliminating the “double taxation” that a corporation and its stockholders generally bear together. However, as discussed in greater detail below, a corporation could be subject to U.S. federal income tax in some circumstances even if it qualifies as a REIT and would likely suffer adverse consequences, including reduced cash available for distribution to its stockholders, if it failed to qualify as a REIT.
Proskauer Rose LLP has acted as our tax counsel in connection with this registration statement. Proskauer Rose LLP is of the opinion that (i) commencing with our taxable year ended on December 31, 2010, we have been organized in conformity with the requirements for qualification as a REIT under the Code and our actual method of operation through the date hereof has enabled us to meet and, assuming that our election to be treated as a REIT is not either revoked or intentionally terminated, our proposed method of operation will enable us to continue to meet, the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code, and (ii) our operating partnership has been and will be taxed as a partnership and not an association or publicly traded partnership (within the meaning of Code Section 7704) subject to tax as a corporation, for U.S. federal income tax purposes beginning with its first taxable year. This opinion has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and is based and conditioned, in part, on various assumptions and representations as to factual matters and covenants made to Proskauer Rose LLP by us and based upon certain terms and conditions set forth in the opinion. Our qualification as a REIT depends upon our ability to meet, through operation of the properties we acquire and our investment in other assets, the applicable requirements under U.S. federal income tax laws. Proskauer Rose LLP has not reviewed these operating results for compliance with the applicable requirements under U.S. federal income tax laws. Therefore, we cannot assure you that our actual operating results allow us to satisfy the applicable requirements to qualify as a REIT under U.S. federal income tax laws in any taxable year.
General
The term “REIT taxable income” means the taxable income as computed for a corporation that is not a REIT:
| • | without the deductions allowed by Code Sections 241 through 247, and 249 (relating generally to the deduction for dividends received); |
| • | excluding amounts equal to: the net income from foreclosure property and the net income derived from prohibited transactions; |
| • | deducting amounts equal to: the net loss from foreclosure property, the net loss derived from prohibited transactions, the tax imposed by Code Section 857(b)(5) upon a failure to meet the 95% or the 75% gross income tests, the tax imposed by Code Section 856(c)(7)(C) upon a failure to meet the quarterly asset tests, the tax imposed by Code Section 856(g)(5) for otherwise avoiding REIT disqualification, and the tax imposed by Code Section 857(b)(7) on redetermined rents, redetermined deductions and excess interest; |
| • | deducting the amount of dividends paid under Code Section 561, computed without regard to the amount of the net income from foreclosure property (which is excluded from REIT taxable income); and |
| • | without regard to any change of annual accounting period pursuant to Code Section 443(b). |
In any year in which we qualify as a REIT and have a valid election in place, we will claim deductions for the dividends we pay to the stockholders, and therefore will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on that portion of our taxable income or capital gain which is distributed to our stockholders.
10
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Although we can eliminate or substantially reduce our U.S. federal income tax liability by maintaining our REIT qualification and paying sufficient dividends, we will be subject to U.S. federal tax in the following circumstances:
| • | We will be taxed at normal corporate rates on any undistributed REIT taxable income or net capital gain. |
| • | If we fail to satisfy either the 95% Gross Income Test or the 75% Gross Income Test (each of which is described below), but our failure is due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect, and we therefore maintain our REIT qualification, we will be subject to a tax equal to the product of (a) the amount by which we failed the 75% or 95% Gross Income Test (whichever amount is greater) multiplied by (b) a fraction intended to reflect our profitability. |
| • | We will be subject to an excise tax if we fail to currently distribute sufficient income. In order to make the “required distribution” with respect to a calendar year, we must distribute the sum of (1) 85% of our REIT ordinary income for the calendar year, (2) 95% of our REIT capital gain net income for the calendar year, and (3) the excess, if any, of the grossed up required distribution (as defined in the Code) for the preceding calendar year over the distributed amount for that preceding calendar year. Any excise tax liability would be equal to 4% of the difference between the amount required to be distributed under this formula and the amount actually distributed and would not be deductible by us. |
| • | We may be subject to the corporate “alternative minimum tax” on our items of tax preference, including any deductions of net operating losses. |
| • | If we have net income from prohibited transactions such income would be subject to a 100% tax. See “— REIT Qualification Tests — Prohibited Transactions.” |
| • | We will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the highest corporate rate on any non-qualifying income from foreclosure property, although we will not own any foreclosure property unless we make loans or accept purchase money notes secured by interests in real property and foreclose on the property following a default on the loan, or foreclose on property pursuant to a default on a lease. |
| • | If we fail to satisfy any of the REIT asset tests, as described below, other than a failure of the 5% or 10% REIT assets tests that does not exceed a statutory de minimis amount as described more fully below, but our failure is due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect and we nonetheless maintain our REIT qualification because of specified cure provisions, we will be required to pay a tax equal to the greater of $50,000 or the amount determined by multiplying the highest corporate tax rate (currently 35%) by the net income generated by the non-qualifying assets during the period in which we failed to satisfy the asset tests. |
| • | If we fail to satisfy any other provision of the Code that would result in our failure to continue to qualify as a REIT (other than a gross income or asset test requirement) and that violation is due to reasonable cause, we may retain our REIT qualification, but we will be required to pay a penalty of $50,000 for each such failure. |
| • | We may be required to pay monetary penalties to the IRS in certain circumstances, including if we fail to meet record-keeping requirements intended to monitor our compliance with rules relating to the composition of our stockholders. Such penalties generally would not be deductible by us. |
| • | If we acquire any asset from a corporation that is subject to full corporate-level U.S. federal income tax in a transaction in which our basis in the asset is determined by reference to the transferor corporation’s basis in the asset, and we recognize gain on the disposition of such an asset during the ten-year period beginning on the date we acquired such asset, then the excess of the fair market value as of the beginning of the applicable recognition period over our adjusted basis in such asset |
11
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| | at the beginning of such recognition period will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the highest regular corporate U.S. federal income tax rate. The results described in this paragraph assume that the non-REIT corporation will not elect, in lieu of this treatment, to be subject to an immediate tax when the asset is acquired by us. |
| • | A 100% tax may be imposed on transactions between us and a taxable REIT subsidiary, or “TRS,” that do not reflect arm’s-length terms. |
| • | The earnings of our subsidiaries that are C corporations, other than qualified REIT subsidiaries, including any subsidiary we may elect to treat as a TRS will generally be subject to U.S. federal corporate income tax. |
| • | We may elect to retain and pay income tax on our net capital gain. In that case, a stockholder would include his, her or its proportionate share of our undistributed net capital gain (to the extent we make a timely designation of such gain to the stockholder) in his, her or its income as long-term capital gain, would be deemed to have paid the tax that we paid on such gain, and would be allowed a credit for his, her or its proportionate share of the tax deemed to have been paid, and an adjustment would be made to increase the stockholder’s basis in our common stock. Stockholders that are U.S. corporations will also appropriately adjust their earnings and profits for the retained capital gain in accordance with Treasury Regulations to be promulgated. |
In addition, notwithstanding our qualification as a REIT, we and our subsidiaries may be subject to a variety of taxes, including state and local and foreign income, property, payroll and other taxes on our assets and operations. We could also be subject to tax in situations and on transactions not presently contemplated.
REIT Qualification Tests
Organizational Requirements. The Code defines a REIT as a corporation, trust or association:
| (1) | that is managed by one or more trustees or directors; |
| (2) | the beneficial ownership of which is evidenced by transferable shares or by transferable certificates of beneficial interest; |
| (3) | that would be taxable as a domestic corporation but for its qualification as a REIT; |
| (4) | that is neither a financial institution nor an insurance company; |
| (5) | that meets the gross income, asset and annual distribution requirements; |
| (6) | the beneficial ownership of which is held by 100 or more persons on at least 335 days in each full taxable year, proportionately adjusted for a short taxable year; |
| (7) | generally in which, at any time during the last half of each taxable year, no more than 50% in value of the outstanding stock is owned, directly or indirectly, by five or fewer individuals (as defined in the Code to include specified entities); |
| (8) | that makes an election to be taxable as a REIT for the current taxable year, or has made this election for a previous taxable year, which election has not been revoked or terminated, and satisfies all relevant filing and other administrative requirements established by the IRS that must be met to maintain qualification as a REIT; and |
| (9) | that uses a calendar year for U.S. federal income tax purposes. |
Organizational requirements (1) through (5) must be met during each taxable year for which REIT qualification is sought, while requirements (6) and (7) do not have to be met until after the first taxable year for which a REIT election is made. We have adopted December 31 as our year end, thereby satisfying requirement (9).
Ownership of Interests in Partnerships, Limited Liability Companies and Qualified REIT Subsidiaries. A REIT that is a partner in a partnership or a member in a limited liability company treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, will be deemed to own its proportionate share of the assets of the partnership or limited liability company, as the case may be, based on its interest in partnership capital, and
12
TABLE OF CONTENTS
will be deemed to be entitled to its proportionate share of the income of that entity. The assets and gross income of the partnership or limited liability company retain the same character in the hands of the REIT. Thus, our pro rata share of the assets and items of income of any partnership or limited liability company treated as a partnership or disregarded entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes in which we own an interest is treated as our assets and items of income for purposes of Asset Tests and Gross Income Tests (each as defined below).
We expect to control our subsidiary partnerships and limited liability companies and intend to operate them in a manner consistent with the requirements for our qualification as a REIT. If we become a limited partner or non-managing member in any partnership or limited liability company and such entity takes or expects to take actions that could jeopardize our qualification as a REIT or requires us to pay tax, we may be forced to dispose of our interest in such entity. In addition, it is possible that a partnership or limited liability company could take an action which could cause us to fail a Gross Income Test or Asset Test (each as defined below), and that we would not become aware of such action in time to dispose of our interest in the partnership or limited liability company or take other corrective action on a timely basis. In that case, we could fail to qualify as a REIT unless we were entitled to relief, as described below.
We may from time to time own certain assets through subsidiaries that we intend to be treated as “qualified REIT subsidiaries.” A corporation will qualify as our qualified REIT subsidiary if we own 100% of the corporation’s outstanding stock and do not elect with the subsidiary to treat it as a TRS, as described below. A qualified REIT subsidiary is not treated as a separate corporation, and all assets, liabilities and items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit of a qualified REIT subsidiary are treated as assets, liabilities and items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit of the parent REIT for purposes of the Asset Tests and Gross Income Tests (each as defined below). A qualified REIT subsidiary is not subject to U.S. federal income tax, but may be subject to state or local tax, and our ownership of the stock of a qualified REIT subsidiary will not violate the restrictions on ownership of securities, as described below under “— Asset Tests.” While we currently hold all of our investments through the operating partnership, we also may hold investments separately, through qualified REIT subsidiaries. Because a qualified REIT subsidiary must be wholly owned by a REIT, any such subsidiary utilized by us would have to be owned by us, or another qualified REIT subsidiary, and could not be owned by the operating partnership unless we own 100% of the equity interest in the operating partnership.
If a disregarded subsidiary ceases to be wholly owned by us (for example, if any equity interest in the subsidiary is acquired by a person other than us or another one of our disregarded subsidiaries), the subsidiary’s separate existence would no longer be disregarded for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Instead, it would have multiple owners and would be treated as either a partnership or a taxable corporation. Such an event could, depending on the circumstances, adversely affect our ability to satisfy the Asset Tests and Gross Income Tests, including the requirement that REITs generally may not own, directly or indirectly, more than 10% of the value or voting power of the outstanding securities of another corporation. See “— Asset Tests” and “— Income Tests.”
Ownership of Interests in TRSs. We currently own an interest in a TRS and may acquire securities in or form additional TRSs in the future. A TRS is a corporation other than a REIT in which a REIT directly or indirectly holds stock, and that has made a joint election with such REIT to be treated as a TRS. If a TRS owns more than 35% of the total voting power or value of the outstanding securities of another corporation, such other corporation will also be treated as a TRS. Other than some activities relating to lodging and health care facilities, a TRS generally may engage in any business, including investing in assets and engaging in activities that could not be held or conducted directly by us without jeopardizing our qualification as a REIT.
A TRS is subject to U.S. federal income tax as a regular C corporation. In addition, if certain tests regarding the TRS’s debt-to-equity ratio are not satisfied, a TRS generally may not deduct interest payments made in any year to an affiliated REIT to the extent that such payments exceed 50% of the TRS’s adjusted taxable income (as defined in the Code) for that year (although the TRS may carry forward to, and deduct in, a succeeding year the disallowed interest amount if the 50% test is satisfied in that year). A REIT’s ownership of securities of a TRS is not subject to the 5% or 10% asset tests described below. However, no more than
13
TABLE OF CONTENTS
25% (20% for taxable years beginning after December 31st, 2017) of the gross value of a REIT’s assets may be comprised of securities of one or more TRS. See “— Asset Tests.”
Share Ownership Requirements
The common stock and any other stock we issue must be held by a minimum of 100 persons (determined without attribution to the owners of any entity owning our stock) for at least 335 days in each full taxable year, proportionately adjusted for partial taxable years. In addition, we cannot be “closely-held,” which means that at all times during the second half of each taxable year, no more than 50% in value of our stock may be owned, directly or indirectly, by five or fewer individuals (determined by applying certain attribution rules under the Code to the owners of any entity owning our stock) as specifically defined for this purpose. However, these two requirements do not apply until after the first taxable year an entity elects REIT status.
Our charter contains certain provisions intended, among other purposes, to enable us to meet requirements (6) and (7) above. First, subject to certain exceptions, our charter provides that no person may beneficially or constructively own (applying certain attribution rules under the Code) more than 9.8% in value of the aggregate of our outstanding shares of capital stock and not more than 9.8% (in value or in number of shares, whichever is more restrictive) of any class or series of our shares of capital stock, as well as in certain other circumstances. See the section entitled “Description of Capital Stock — Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer” in this prospectus. Additionally, our charter also contains provisions requiring each holder of our shares to disclose, upon demand, constructive or beneficial ownership of shares as deemed necessary to comply with the requirements of the Code. Furthermore, stockholders failing or refusing to comply with our disclosure request will be required, under Treasury Regulations promulgated under the Code, to submit a statement of such information to the IRS at the time of filing their annual income tax returns for the year in which the request was made.
Asset Tests
At the close of each calendar quarter of the taxable year, we must satisfy four tests based on the composition of our assets, or the Asset Tests. After initially meeting the Asset Tests at the close of any quarter, we will not lose our qualification as a REIT for failure to satisfy the Asset Tests at the end of a later quarter solely due to changes in value of our assets. In addition, if the failure to satisfy the Asset Tests results from an acquisition during a quarter, the failure generally can be cured by disposing of non-qualifying assets within 30 days after the close of that quarter. We will continue to maintain adequate records of the value of our assets to ensure compliance with these tests and will act within 30 days after the close of any quarter as may be required to cure any noncompliance.
75% Asset Test. At least 75% of the value of our assets must be represented by “real estate assets,” cash, cash items (including receivables) and government securities, which we refer to as the 75% Asset Test. Real estate assets include (1) real property (including interests in real property and interests in mortgages on real property or on interests in real property), (2) shares in other qualifying REITs, (3) debt instruments issued by publicly offered REITs and (4) any property (not otherwise a real estate asset) attributable to the temporary investment of “new capital” in stock or a debt instrument, but only for the one-year period beginning on the date we received the new capital. Property will qualify as being attributable to the temporary investment of new capital if the money used to purchase the stock or debt instrument is received by us in exchange for our stock or in a public offering of debt obligations that have a maturity of at least five years. Assets that do not qualify for purposes of the 75% test are subject to the additional asset tests described below under “— 25% Asset Test.”
We are currently invested in the real properties described in our most recent annual report. In addition, we have invested and intend to invest funds not used to acquire properties in cash sources, “new capital” investments or other liquid investments which allow us to continue to qualify under the 75% Asset Test. Therefore, our investment in real properties should constitute “real estate assets” and should allow us to meet the 75% Asset Test.
25% Asset Test. Except as described below, the remaining 25% of our assets generally may be invested without restriction, which we refer to as the 25% Asset Test. However, if we invest in any securities that do not qualify under the 75% Asset Test, other than equity investments in qualified REIT subsidiaries and TRSs such securities may not exceed either (1) 5% of the value of our assets as to any one issuer; or (2) 10% of the
14
TABLE OF CONTENTS
outstanding securities by vote or value of any one issuer. In addition, not more than 25% of our assets may be invested in publicly offered REIT debt instruments that do not otherwise qualify as real estate assets under the 75% Asset Test. The 10% value test does not apply to certain “straight debt” and other excluded securities, as described in the Code, including but not limited to any loan to an individual or estate, any obligation to pay rents from real property and any security issued by a REIT. In addition, a partnership interest held by a REIT is not considered a “security” for purposes of the 10% value test; instead, the REIT is treated as owning directly its proportionate share of the partnership’s assets, which is based on the REIT’s proportionate interest in any securities issued by the partnership (disregarding for this purpose the general rule that a partnership interest is not a security), but excluding certain securities described in the Code.
For purposes of the 10% value test, “straight debt” means a written unconditional promise to pay on demand or on a specified date a sum certain in money if (i) the debt is not convertible, directly or indirectly, into stock, (ii) the interest rate and interest payment dates are not contingent on profits, the borrower’s discretion, or similar factors other than certain contingencies relating to the timing and amount of principal and interest payments, as described in the Code and (iii) in the case of an issuer that is a corporation or a partnership, securities that otherwise would be considered straight debt will not be so considered if we, and any of our “controlled TRSs” as defined in the Code, hold any securities of the corporate or partnership issuer that (a) are not straight debt or other excluded securities (prior to the application of this rule), and (b) have an aggregate value greater than 1% of the issuer’s outstanding securities (including, for the purposes of a partnership issuer, our interest as a partner in the partnership).
We believe that our holdings of real estate assets and other securities comply with the foregoing REIT asset requirements, and we intend to monitor compliance on an ongoing basis. We may make real estate related debt investments;provided, that the underlying real estate meets our criteria for direct investment. A real estate mortgage loan that we own generally will be treated as a real estate asset for purposes of the 75% Asset Test if, on the date that we acquire or originate the mortgage loan, the value of the real property securing the loan is equal to or greater than the principal amount of the loan. Certain mezzanine loans we make or acquire may qualify for the safe harbor in Revenue Procedure 2003-65, 2003-2 C.B. 336, pursuant to which certain loans secured by a first priority security interest in ownership interests in a partnership or limited liability company will be treated as qualifying assets for purposes of the 75% Asset Test and the 10% vote or value test. We may hold some mezzanine loans that do not qualify for that safe harbor. Furthermore, we may acquire distressed debt investments that require subsequent modification by agreement with the borrower. If the outstanding principal balance of a mortgage loan exceeds the fair market value of the real property securing the loan at the time we commit to acquire the loan, or agree to modify the loan in a manner that is treated as an acquisition of a new loan for U.S. federal income tax purposes, then a portion of such loan may not be a qualifying real estate asset. Under current law it is not clear how to determine what portion of such a loan will be treated as a qualifying real estate asset. Pursuant to IRS guidance, the IRS has stated that it will not challenge a REIT’s treatment of a loan as being in part a real estate asset if the REIT treats the loan as being a real estate asset in an amount that is equal to the lesser of the fair market value of the real property securing the loan, as of the date we committed to acquire or modify the loan, and the fair market value of the loan. However, uncertainties exist regarding the application of this guidance, particularly with respect to the proper treatment under the Asset Tests of mortgage loans acquired at a discount that increase in value following their acquisition, and no assurance can be given that the IRS would not challenge our treatment of such assets. While we intend to make such investments in such a manner as not to fail the asset tests described above, no assurance can be given that any such investments would not disqualify us as a REIT.
We may from time to time own 100% of the securities of one or more corporations that will elect, together with us, to be treated as our TRSs. So long as each of these companies qualifies as a TRS, we will not be subject to the 5% asset test, the 10% voting securities limitation or the 10% value limitation with respect to our ownership of their securities. We believe that the aggregate value of our TRSs will not exceed 25% of the aggregate value of our gross assets (and will not exceed 20% of the aggregate value of our gross assets for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017). No independent appraisals have been obtained to support these conclusions. In addition, there can be no assurance that the IRS will not disagree with our determinations of value.
15
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A REIT is able to cure certain asset test violations. As noted above, a REIT cannot own securities of any one issuer representing more than 5% of the total value of the REIT’s assets or more than 10% of the outstanding securities, by vote or value, of any one issuer. However, a REIT would not lose its REIT qualification for failing to satisfy these 5% or 10% asset tests in a quarter if the failure is due to the ownership of assets the total value of which does not exceed the lesser of (1) 1% of the total value of the REIT’s assets at the end of the quarter for which the measurement is done, and (2) $10 million; provided, that in either case the REIT either disposes of the assets within six months after the last day of the quarter in which the REIT identifies the failure (or such other time period prescribed by the Department of the Treasury, or the Treasury), or otherwise meets the requirements of those rules by the end of that period.
If a REIT fails to meet any of the asset test requirements for a quarter and the failure exceeds the de minimis threshold described above, then the REIT still would be deemed to have satisfied the requirements if (1) following the REIT’s identification of the failure, the REIT files a schedule with a description of each asset that caused the failure, in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Treasury; (2) the failure was due to reasonable cause and not to willful neglect; (3) the REIT disposes of the assets within six months after the last day of the quarter in which the identification occurred or such other time period as is prescribed by the Treasury (or the requirements of the rules are otherwise met within that period); and (4) the REIT pays a tax on the failure equal to the greater of (1) $50,000, or (2) an amount determined (under regulations) by multiplying (x) the highest rate of tax for corporations under Code Section 11, by (y) the net income generated by the assets that caused the failure for the period beginning on the first date of the failure and ending on the date the REIT has disposed of the assets (or otherwise satisfies the requirements).
Income Tests
For each calendar year, we must satisfy two separate tests based on the composition of our gross income, as defined under our method of accounting, or the Gross Income Tests.
75% Gross Income Test. At least 75% of our gross income for the taxable year (excluding gross income from prohibited transactions) must result from (1) rents from real property, (2) interest on obligations secured by mortgages on real property or on interests in real property, (3) gains from the sale or other disposition of real property (including interests in real property and interests in mortgages on real property) other than property held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of our trade or business, (4) dividends from other qualifying REITs and gain (other than gain from prohibited transactions) from the sale of shares of other qualifying REITs, (5) income from other specified investments relating to real property or mortgages thereon, and (6) for a limited time, temporary investment income (as described under the 75% Asset Test above). We refer to this requirement as the 75% Gross Income Test. We intend to invest funds not otherwise invested in real properties in cash sources or other liquid investments which will allow us to qualify under the 75% Gross Income Test.
95% Gross Income Test. At least 95% of our gross income (excluding gross income from prohibited transactions) for the taxable year must be derived from (1) sources that satisfy the 75% Gross Income Test, (2) dividends, (3) interest, or (4) gain from the sale or disposition of stock or other securities that are not assets held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of our trade or business. We refer to this requirement as the 95% Gross Income Test. It is important to note that dividends and interest on obligations not collateralized by an interest in real property qualify under the 95% Gross Income Test, but not under the 75% Gross Income Test. We intend to invest funds not otherwise invested in properties in cash sources or other liquid investments which will allow us to qualify under the 95% Gross Income Test.
Rents from Real Property. Income attributable to a lease of real property generally will qualify as “rents from real property” under the 75% Gross Income Test and the 95% Gross Income Test if such lease is respected as a true lease for U.S. federal income tax purposes (see “— Characterization of Property Leases”) and subject to the rules discussed below. Rent from a particular tenant will not qualify if we, or an owner of 10% or more of our stock, directly or indirectly, owns 10% or more of the voting stock or the total number of shares of all classes of stock in, or 10% or more of the assets or net profits of, the tenant (subject to certain exceptions). As described below, we expect that amounts received from TRSs we own or may form to facilitate our acquisition of “qualified lodging facilities” will satisfy the conditions of the exception for rents received from a TRS with the result that such amounts will be considered rents from real property. The
16
TABLE OF CONTENTS
portion of rent attributable to personal property rented in connection with real property will not qualify, unless the portion attributable to personal property is 15% or less of the total rent received under, or in connection with, the lease.
Generally, rent will not qualify if it is based in whole, or in part, on the income or profits of any person from the underlying property. However, rent will not fail to qualify if it is based on a fixed percentage (or designated varying percentages) of receipts or sales, including amounts above a base amount so long as the base amount is fixed at the time the lease is entered into, the provisions are in accordance with normal business practice and the arrangement is not an indirect method for basing rent on income or profits.
If a REIT operates or manages a property or furnishes or renders certain “impermissible services” to the tenants at the property, and the income derived from the services exceeds 1% of the total amount received by that REIT with respect to the property, then no amount received by the REIT with respect to the property will qualify as “rents from real property.” Impermissible services are services other than services “usually or customarily rendered” in connection with the rental of real property and not otherwise considered “rendered to the occupant.” For these purposes, the income that a REIT is considered to receive from the provision of “impermissible services” will not be less than 150% of the cost of providing the service. If the amount so received is 1% or less of the total amount received by us with respect to the property, then only the income from the impermissible services will not qualify as “rents from real property.” However, this rule generally will not apply if such services are provided to tenants through an independent contractor from whom we derive no revenue, or through a TRS. With respect to this rule, tenants will receive some services in connection with their leases of the real properties. Our intention is that the services we provide are those usually or customarily rendered in connection with the rental of space, and therefore, providing these services will not cause the rents received with respect to the properties to fail to qualify as rents from real property for purposes of the 75% Gross Income Test (and the 95% Gross Income Test described below). The board of directors intends to hire qualifying independent contractors or to utilize our TRSs to render services which it believes, after consultation with our tax advisors, are not usually or customarily rendered in connection with the rental of space.
In addition, we have represented that, with respect to our leasing activities, we will not (1) charge rent for any property that is based in whole or in part on the income or profits of any person (excluding rent based on a percentage of receipts or sales, as described above), (2) charge rent that will be attributable to personal property in an amount greater than 15% of the total rent received under the applicable lease, or (3) enter into any lease with a related party tenant.
Amounts received as rent from a TRS are not excluded from rents from real property by reason of the related party rules described above, if the activities of the TRS and the nature of the properties it leases meet certain requirements, and if at least 90% of the space at the property to which the rents relate is leased to third parties, and the rents paid by the TRS are substantially comparable to rents paid by our other tenants for comparable space. Generally, amounts received by us from TRSs with respect to any “qualified lodging facilities” we own will be considered rents from real property only if the following conditions are met:
| • | Each “qualified lodging facility” must not be managed or operated by us or the TRS to which it is leased, but rather must be managed or operated by an eligible independent contractor that qualifies for U.S. federal tax purposes as an independent contractor that is actively engaged in the trade or business of operating “qualified lodging facilities” for persons not related to us or the TRS. The test for such independent contractor’s eligibility is made at the time the independent contractor enters into a management agreement or other similar service contract with the TRS to operate the “qualified lodging facility”; |
| • | A “qualified lodging facility” includes a (i) hotel, (ii) motel or (iii) other establishment, more than one-half of the dwelling units in which are used on a transient basis. A dwelling unit is generally understood to be used on a transient basis if, for more than one half of the days in which such unit is used on a rental basis during a taxable year, it is used by a tenant or series of tenants each of whom uses the unit for less than thirty days; |
17
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| • | The TRS may not directly or indirectly provide to any person, under a franchise, license or otherwise, rights to any brand name under which any “qualified lodging facility” is operated, except with respect to an independent contractor in relation to facilities it manages for or leases from us; and |
| • | No wagering activities may be conducted at or in connection with our “qualified lodging facilities” by any person who is engaged in the business of accepting wagers and who is legally authorized to engage in such business. |
We expect that all “qualified lodging facilities” we acquire and lease to a TRS will be operated in accordance with these requirements with the result that amounts received from a TRS will be considered rents from real property. The TRSs will pay regular corporate tax rates on any income from the lease of our “qualified lodging facilities,” as well as any other income they earn. In addition, the TRS rules limit 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. Further, the rules impose a 100% excise tax on transactions between a TRS and its parent REIT or the REIT’s tenants whose terms are not on an arm’s-length basis.
Interest Income. It is possible that we will be paid interest on loans secured by real property. All interest income qualifies under the 95% Gross Income Test, and interest on loans secured by real property qualifies under the 75% Gross Income Test;provided, that in both cases, the interest does not depend, in whole or in part, on the income or profits of any person (excluding amounts based on a fixed percentage of receipts or sales). If a loan is secured by both real property and other property, the interest on it may nevertheless qualify under the 75% Gross Income Test. If we receive interest income with respect to a mortgage loan that is secured by both real property and other property, and the highest principal amount of the loan outstanding during a taxable year exceeds the fair market value of the real property on the date that we committed to acquire the loan, or agreed to modify the loan in a manner that is treated as an acquisition of a new loan for U.S. federal income tax purposes, then the interest income will be apportioned between the real property and the other collateral, and our income from the loan will qualify for purposes of the 75% Gross Income Test only to the extent that the interest is allocable to the real property. For purposes of the preceding sentence, however, pursuant to IRS guidance we do not need to re-determine the fair market value of real property in connection with a loan modification that is occasioned by a default or made at a time when we reasonably believe the modification to the loan will substantially reduce a significant risk of default on the original loan, and any such modification will not be treated as a prohibited transaction. All of our loans secured by real property will be structured so that the amount of the loan does not exceed the fair market value of the real property at the time of the loan commitment. Therefore, income generated through any investments in loans secured by real property should be treated as qualifying income under the 75% Gross Income Test.
Dividend Income. We may receive distributions from TRSs or other corporations that are not REITs or qualified REIT subsidiaries. These distributions are generally classified as dividends to the extent of the earnings and profits of the distributing corporation. Such distributions generally constitute qualifying income for purposes of the 95% Gross Income Test, but not the 75% Gross Income Test. Any dividends received by us from a REIT will be qualifying income for purposes of both the 95% and 75% Gross Income Tests.
We will monitor the amount of the dividend and other income from our TRSs and will take actions intended to keep this income, and any other non-qualifying income, within the limitations of the Gross Income Tests. Although we intend to take these actions to prevent a violation of the Gross Income Tests, we cannot guarantee that such actions will in all cases prevent such a violation.
Prohibited Transaction Income. Any gain that we realize on the sale of an asset (other than foreclosure property) held as inventory or otherwise held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business, either directly or through any subsidiary partnership or by a borrower that has issued a shared appreciation mortgage or similar debt instrument to us, will be treated as income from a prohibited transaction that is subject to a 100% penalty tax, unless certain safe harbor exceptions apply. Under existing law, whether an asset is held as inventory or primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business is a question of fact that depends on all the facts and circumstances surrounding the particular transaction. We intend to conduct our operations so that no asset owned by us will be held as inventory or primarily for sale
18
TABLE OF CONTENTS
to customers, and that a sale of any assets owned by us will not be in the ordinary course of business. However, the IRS may successfully contend that some or all of the sales made by us, our subsidiary partnerships, or by a borrower that has issued a shared appreciation mortgage or similar debt instrument to us are prohibited transactions. We would be required to pay the 100% penalty tax on our allocable share of the gains resulting from any such sales. The 100% tax will not apply to gains from the sale of assets that are held through a TRS, although such income will be subject to tax at regular U.S. federal corporate income tax rates.
Foreclosure Property. Foreclosure property is real property and any personal property incident to such real property (1) that is acquired by a REIT as a result of the REIT having bid on the property at foreclosure or having otherwise reduced the property to ownership or possession by agreement or process of law after there was a default (or default was imminent) on a lease of the property or a mortgage loan held by the REIT and secured by the property, (2) for which the related loan or lease was acquired by the REIT at a time when default was not imminent or anticipated and (3) for which such REIT makes a proper election to treat the property as foreclosure property. REITs generally are subject to tax at the maximum U.S. federal corporate tax rate (currently 35%) on any net income from foreclosure property, including any gain from the disposition of the foreclosure property, other than income that would otherwise be qualifying income for purposes of the 75% Gross Income Test. Any gain from the sale of property for which a foreclosure property election has been made will not be subject to the 100% tax on gains from prohibited transactions described above, even if the property would otherwise constitute inventory or dealer property in the hands of the selling REIT. If we believe we will receive any income from foreclosure property that is not qualifying income for purposes of the 75% Gross Income Test, we intend to elect to treat the related property as foreclosure property.
Satisfaction of the Gross Income Tests. Our share of income from the properties primarily will give rise to rental income and gains on sales of the properties, substantially all of which generally will qualify under the 75% Gross Income and 95% Gross Income Tests. However, we may establish a TRS in order to engage on a limited basis in acquiring and promptly reselling short- and medium-term lease assets for immediate gain. The gross income generated by our TRS would not be included in our gross income. However, any dividends from our TRS to us would be included in our gross income and qualify for the 95% Gross Income Test, but not the 75% Gross Income Test.
If we fail to satisfy either the 75% Gross Income or 95% Gross Income Tests for any taxable year, we may retain our qualification as a REIT for such year if we satisfy the IRS that (1) the failure was due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect, (2) we attach to our return a schedule describing the nature and amount of each item of our gross income, and (3) any incorrect information on such schedule was not due to fraud with intent to evade U.S. federal income tax. If this relief provision is available, we would remain subject to tax equal to the greater of the amount by which we failed the 75% Gross Income Test or the 95% Gross Income Test, as applicable, multiplied by a fraction meant to reflect our profitability.
Annual Distribution Requirements
In addition to the other tests described above, we are required to distribute dividends (other than capital gain dividends) to our stockholders each year in an amount at least equal to the excess of: (1) the sum of: (a) 90% of our REIT taxable income (determined without regard to the deduction for dividends paid and by excluding any net capital gain); and (b) 90% of the net income (after tax) from foreclosure property; less (2) the sum of some types of items of non-cash income. Whether sufficient amounts have been distributed is based on amounts paid in the taxable year to which they relate, or in the following taxable year if we: (1) declared a dividend before the due date of our tax return (including extensions); (2) distribute the dividend within the 12-month period following the close of the taxable year (and not later than the date of the first regular dividend payment made after such declaration); and (3) file an election with our tax return. Additionally, dividends that we declare in October, November or December in a given year payable to stockholders of record in any such month will be treated as having been paid on December 31st of that year so long as the dividends are actually paid during January of the following year.
For taxable years commencing prior to January 1, 2015, in order for distributions to have been counted towards satisfying the annual distribution requirements for REITs, and to provide us with a REIT-level tax deduction, the distributions must not have been “preferential dividends.” A dividend is not a preferential dividend if the distribution is (1) pro rata among all outstanding shares of stock within a particular class, and
19
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(2) in accordance with the preferences among different classes of stock as set forth in our organizational documents. If we fail to meet the annual distribution requirements as a result of an adjustment to our U.S. federal income tax return by the IRS, or under certain other circumstances, we may cure the failure by paying a “deficiency dividend” (plus penalties and interest to the IRS) within a specified period.
If we do not distribute 100% of our REIT taxable income, we will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the undistributed portion. We also will be subject to an excise tax if we fail to currently distribute sufficient income. In order to make the “required distribution” with respect to a calendar year and avoid the excise tax, we must distribute the sum of (1) 85% of our REIT ordinary income for the calendar year, (2) 95% of our REIT capital gain net income for the calendar year, and (3) the excess, if any, of the grossed up required distribution (as defined in the Code) for the preceding calendar year over the distributed amount for that preceding calendar year. Any excise tax liability would be equal to 4% of the difference between the amount required to be distributed and the amount actually distributed and would not be deductible by us.
We intend to pay sufficient dividends each year to satisfy the annual distribution requirements and avoid U.S. federal income and excise taxes on our earnings; however, it may not always be possible to do so. It is possible that we may not have sufficient cash or other liquid assets to meet the annual distribution requirements due to tax accounting rules and other timing differences. Other potential sources of non-cash taxable income include:
| • | “residual interests” in REMICs or taxable mortgage pools; |
| • | loans or mortgage-backed securities held as assets that are issued at a discount and require the accrual of taxable economic interest in advance of receipt in cash; and |
| • | loans on which the borrower is permitted to defer cash payments of interest, distressed loans on which we may be required to accrue taxable interest income even though the borrower is unable to make current servicing payments in cash, and debt securities purchased at a discount. |
We will closely monitor the relationship between our REIT taxable income and cash flow, and if necessary to comply with the annual distribution requirements, will attempt to borrow funds to fully provide the necessary cash flow or to pay dividends in the form of taxable in-kind distributions of property, including taxable stock dividends.
Failure to Qualify
If we fail to continue to qualify as a REIT in any taxable year, we may be eligible for relief provisions if the failures are due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect and if a penalty tax is paid with respect to each failure to satisfy the applicable requirements. If the applicable relief provisions are not available or cannot be met, we will not be able to deduct our dividends and will be subject to U.S. federal income tax (including any applicable alternative minimum tax) on our taxable income at regular corporate rates, thereby reducing cash available for distributions. In such event, all distributions to stockholders (to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits) will be taxable as ordinary dividend income. This “double taxation” results from our failure to continue to qualify as a REIT. Unless entitled to relief under specific statutory provisions, we will not be eligible to elect REIT qualification for the four taxable years following the year during which qualification was lost.
Recordkeeping Requirements
We are required to maintain records and request on an annual basis information from specified stockholders. These requirements are designed to assist us in determining the actual ownership of our outstanding stock and maintaining our qualification as a REIT.
Prohibited Transactions
As discussed above, we will be subject to a 100% U.S. federal income tax on any net income derived from “prohibited transactions.” Net income derived from prohibited transactions arises from the sale or exchange of property held for sale to customers in the ordinary course of our business which is not foreclosure property. The Code provides a safe harbor from this rule for the sale of property that:
| • | is a real estate asset under the 75% Asset Test; |
20
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| • | generally has been held for at least two years; |
| • | has aggregate expenditures which are includable in the basis of the property not in excess of 30% of the net selling price; |
| • | in some cases, was held for production of rental income for at least two years; |
| • | in some cases, substantially all of the marketing and development expenditures were made through an independent contractor; and |
| • | when combined with other sales in the year, either does not cause the REIT to have made more than seven sales of property during the taxable year (excluding sales of foreclosure property or in connection with an involuntary conversion), occurs in a year when the REIT disposes of less than 10% of its assets (measured by U.S. federal income tax basis or fair market value, and ignoring involuntary dispositions and sales of foreclosure property), or occurs in a year when the REIT disposes of less than 20% of its assets if the 3 year average adjusted basis or fair market value does not exceed 10%. |
Although we may eventually sell each of the properties, our primary intention in acquiring and operating the properties is the production of rental income and we do not expect to hold any property for sale to customers in the ordinary course of our business. The 100% tax will not apply to gains from the sale of property that is held through a TRS or other taxable corporation, although such income will be subject to tax in the hands of the corporation at regular corporate income tax rates. As a general matter, any condominium conversions we might undertake must satisfy these restrictions to avoid being “prohibited transactions,” which will limit the annual number of transactions. See “— Ownership of Interests in TRSs.”
Characterization of Property Leases
We have acquired and intend to acquire and own commercial properties subject to net leases. We have structured and currently intend to structure our leases so that they qualify as true leases for U.S. federal income tax purposes. For example, with respect to each lease, we generally expect that:
| • | our operating partnership and the lessee will intend for their relationship to be that of a lessor and lessee, and such relationship will be documented by a lease agreement; |
| • | the lessee will have the right to exclusive possession and use and quiet enjoyment of the properties covered by the lease during the term of the lease; |
| • | the lessee will bear the cost of, and will be responsible for, day-to-day maintenance and repair of the properties other than the cost of certain capital expenditures, and will dictate through the property managers, who will work for the lessee during the terms of the leases, and how the properties will be operated and maintained; |
| • | the lessee will bear all of the costs and expenses of operating the properties, including the cost of any inventory used in their operation, during the term of the lease, other than the cost of certain furniture, fixtures and equipment, and certain capital expenditures; |
| • | the lessee will benefit from any savings and will bear the burdens of any increases in the costs of operating the properties during the term of the lease; |
| • | in the event of damage or destruction to a property, the lessee will be at economic risk because it will bear the economic burden of the loss in income from operation of the properties subject to the right, in certain circumstances, to terminate the lease if the lessor does not restore the property to its prior condition; |
| • | the lessee will indemnify the lessor against all liabilities imposed on the lessor during the term of the lease by reason of (A) injury to persons or damage to property occurring at the properties or (B) the lessee’s use, management, maintenance or repair of the properties; |
| • | the lessee will be obligated to pay, at a minimum, substantial base rent for the period of use of the properties under the lease; |
21
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| • | the lessee will stand to incur substantial losses or reap substantial gains depending on how successfully it, through the property managers, who work for the lessees during the terms of the leases, operates the properties; |
| • | we expect that each lease that we enter into, at the time we enter into it (or at any time that any such lease is subsequently renewed or extended) will enable the tenant to derive a meaningful profit, after expenses and taking into account the risks associated with the lease, from the operation of the properties during the term of its leases; and |
| • | upon termination of each lease, the applicable property will be expected to have a remaining useful life equal to at least 20% of its expected useful life on the date the lease is entered into, and a fair market value equal to at least 20% of its fair market value on the date the lease was entered into. |
If, however, the IRS were to recharacterize our leases as service contracts, partnership agreements or otherwise, rather than true leases, or disregard the leases altogether for tax purposes, all or part of the payments that we receive from the lessees would not be considered rent and might not otherwise satisfy the various requirements for qualification as “rents from real property.” In that case, we would not be able to satisfy either the 75% or 95% Gross Income Tests and, as a result, could lose our REIT qualification.
Tax Consequences to the Company of Liquidating
If the plan of liquidation approved by our board of directors is approved by our stockholders, we expect to carry out the liquidation in a manner that will allow us to continue to meet the requirements for qualification as a REIT described herein until we have distributed all our assets to our stockholders, which may include the transfer of assets to a liquidating trust.
So long as we remain qualified as a REIT, any net gain that we realize from “prohibited transactions” will be subject to a 100% tax. As discussed above, “prohibited transactions” generally are sales of property held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business which is not foreclosure property. Whether a real estate asset is property held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business is a highly factual determination. However, if we were to exercise the WWP Option, and if we are to completely liquidate within 24 months of approval of the plan of liquidation by our stockholders, we could not meet the safe harbor described above with respect to the portion of the Worldwide Plaza property we acquired through the exercise of the WWP Option. Regardless of whether a transaction qualifies for the safe harbor, we believe, but cannot assure you, that all of our properties are held for investment and the production of rental income, should not be considered to be held for sale to customers in the ordinary course of our trade or business (including the portion of our interest in the Worldwide Plaza property acquired through the exercise of the WWP Option) and that none of the asset sales that we intend to make pursuant to the plan of liquidation should be subject to this tax. However, we cannot assure you that the IRS will not successfully challenge our position for purposes of applying the 100% tax.
Assuming we liquidate, distributions made pursuant to the plan of liquidation within the 24-month period after it is approved by our stockholders will be treated as dividends paid for purposes of computing our dividends paid deduction, but only to the extent of our earnings and profits, computed without regard to our capital losses, for the taxable year in which any such distributions are made. As a result, and provided that we continue to qualify as a REIT, we believe that we will not be subject to U.S. federal corporate income tax on gain recognized in connection with liquidating sales of our assets, nor will we be subject to U.S. federal corporate income tax on gains realized upon a liquidating distribution of any of our appreciated assets. However, as discussed above, we would be subject to tax at normal corporate rates upon any taxable income or capital gain not distributed as well as excise taxes if we do not meet certain distribution thresholds described above.
While we expect to continue to qualify as a REIT for the period prior during our liquidation until the final liquidating distribution has been made to our stockholders, which includes the transfer of assets to a liquidating trust, no assurance can be given that we will not lose or terminate our status as a REIT as a result of unforeseen circumstances. As discussed above, should we lose our status as a REIT, either inadvertently or because our board of directors deems such loss to be in the best interests of our stockholders, we would be taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes and would be liable for U.S. federal income
22
TABLE OF CONTENTS
taxes at corporate rates with respect to our entire net income from operations and any gain from liquidating sales and distributions of our assets for the taxable year in which our qualification as a REIT terminates and for any subsequent years.
Tax Aspects of Investments in Partnerships
General. We currently hold and anticipate holding direct or indirect interests in one or more partnerships, including the operating partnership. We operate as an Umbrella Partnership REIT, which is a structure whereby we own a direct interest in the operating partnership, and the operating partnership, in turn, owns the properties and may possibly own interests in other non-corporate entities that own properties. Such non-corporate entities would generally be organized as limited liability companies, partnerships or trusts and would either be disregarded for U.S. federal income tax purposes (if the operating partnership were the sole owner) or treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
The following is a summary of the U.S. federal income tax consequences of our investment in the operating partnership if the operating partnership is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. This discussion should also generally apply to any investment by us in a property partnership or other non-corporate entity.
A partnership (that is not a publicly traded partnership taxed as a corporation) is not subject to tax as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Rather, partners are allocated their allocable share of the items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit of the partnership, and are potentially subject to tax thereon, without regard to whether the partners receive any distributions from the partnership. We are required to take into account our allocable share of the foregoing items for purposes of the various REIT gross income and asset tests, and in the computation of our REIT taxable income and U.S. federal income tax liability. Further, there can be no assurance that distributions from the operating partnership will be sufficient to pay the tax liabilities resulting from an investment in the operating partnership.
Generally, an entity with two or more members formed as a partnership or limited liability company under state law will be taxed as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes unless it specifically elects otherwise. Because the operating partnership was formed as a partnership under state law, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the operating partnership will be treated as a partnership, if it has two or more partners, or a disregarded entity, if it is treated as having one partner. We intend that interests in the operating partnership (and any partnership invested in by the operating partnership) will fall within one of the “safe harbors” for the partnership to avoid being classified as a publicly traded partnership. However, our ability to satisfy the requirements of some of these safe harbors depends on the results of actual operations and accordingly no assurance can be given that any such partnership will at all times satisfy one of such safe harbors. We reserve the right to not satisfy any safe harbor. Even if a partnership is a publicly traded partnership, it generally will not be treated as a corporation if at least 90% of its gross income in each taxable year is from certain sources, which generally include rents from real property and other types of passive income. We believe that our operating partnership has had and will have sufficient qualifying income so that it would be taxed as a partnership, even if it were treated as a publicly traded partnership.
If for any reason the operating partnership (or any partnership invested in by the operating partnership) is taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the character of our assets and items of gross income would change, and as a result, we would most likely be unable to satisfy the applicable REIT requirements under U.S. federal income tax laws discussed above. In addition, any change in the status of any partnership may be treated as a taxable event, in which case we could incur a tax liability without a related cash distribution. Further, if any partnership was treated as a corporation, items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit of such partnership would be subject to corporate income tax, and the partners of any such partnership would be treated as stockholders, with distributions to such partners being treated as dividends.
Anti-abuse Treasury Regulations have been issued under the partnership provisions of the Code that authorize the IRS, in some abusive transactions involving partnerships, to disregard the form of a transaction and recast it as it deems appropriate. The anti-abuse regulations apply where a partnership is utilized in connection with a transaction (or series of related transactions) with a principal purpose of substantially reducing the present value of the partners’ aggregate U.S. federal tax liability in a manner inconsistent with
23
TABLE OF CONTENTS
the intent of the partnership provisions. The anti-abuse regulations contain an example in which a REIT contributes the proceeds of a public offering to a partnership in exchange for a general partnership interest. The limited partners contribute real property assets to the partnership, subject to liabilities that exceed their respective aggregate bases in such property. The example concludes that the use of the partnership is not inconsistent with the intent of the partnership provisions, and thus, cannot be recast by the IRS. However, the anti-abuse regulations are extraordinarily broad in scope and are applied based on an analysis of all the facts and circumstances. As a result, we cannot assure you that the IRS will not attempt to apply the anti-abuse regulations to us. Any such action could potentially jeopardize our qualification as a REIT and materially affect the tax consequences and economic return resulting from an investment in us.
Income Taxation of Partnerships and their Partners. Although a partnership agreement generally will determine the allocation of a partnership’s income and losses among the partners, such allocations may be disregarded for U.S. federal income tax purposes under Code Section 704(b) and the Treasury Regulations. If any allocation is not recognized for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the item subject to the allocation will be reallocated in accordance with the partners’ economic interests in the partnership. We believe that the allocations of taxable income and loss in the operating partnership agreement comply with the requirements of Code Section 704(b) and the Treasury Regulations.
In some cases, special allocations of net profits or net losses will be required to comply with the U.S. federal income tax principles governing partnership tax allocations. Additionally, pursuant to Code Section 704(c), income, gain, loss and deduction attributable to property contributed to the operating partnership in exchange for units must be allocated in a manner so that the contributing partner is charged with, or benefits from, the unrealized gain or loss attributable to the property at the time of contribution. The amount of such unrealized gain or loss is generally equal to the difference between the fair market value and the adjusted basis of the property at the time of contribution. These allocations are designed to eliminate book-tax differences by allocating to contributing partners lower amounts of depreciation deductions and increased taxable income and gain attributable to the contributed property than would ordinarily be the case for economic or book purposes. With respect to any property purchased by the operating partnership, such property generally will have an initial tax basis equal to its fair market value, and accordingly, Code Section 704(c) will not apply, except as described further below in this paragraph. The application of the principles of Code Section 704(c) in tiered partnership arrangements is not entirely clear. Accordingly, the IRS may assert a different allocation method than the one selected by the operating partnership to cure any book-tax differences. In certain circumstances, we create book-tax differences by adjusting the values of properties for economic or book purposes and generally the rules of Code Section 704(c) would apply to such differences as well.
For U.S. federal income tax purposes, our depreciation deductions generally will be computed using the straight-line method. Commercial buildings, structural components and improvements are generally depreciated over 40 years. Shorter depreciation periods apply to other properties. Some improvements to land are depreciated over 15 years. With respect to such improvements, however, taxpayers may elect to depreciate these improvements over 20 years using the straight-line method. For properties contributed to the operating partnership, depreciation deductions are calculated based on the transferor’s basis and depreciation method. Because depreciation deductions are based on the transferor’s basis in the contributed property, the operating partnership generally would be entitled to less depreciation than if the properties were purchased in a taxable transaction. The burden of lower depreciation generally will fall first on the contributing partner, but also may reduce the depreciation allocated to other partners.
Gain on the sale or other disposition of depreciable property is characterized as ordinary income (rather than capital gain) to the extent of any depreciation recapture. Buildings and improvements depreciated under the straight-line method of depreciation are generally not subject to depreciation recapture unless the property was held for less than one year. However, individuals, trusts and estates that hold shares either directly or through a pass-through entity may be subject to tax on the disposition on such assets at a rate of 25% rather than at the normal capital gains rate, to the extent that such assets have been depreciated.
Some expenses incurred in the conduct of the operating partnership’s activities may not be deducted in the year they were paid. To the extent this occurs, the taxable income of the operating partnership may exceed
24
TABLE OF CONTENTS
its cash receipts for the year in which the expense is paid. As discussed above, the costs of acquiring properties must generally be recovered through depreciation deductions over a number of years. Prepaid interest and loan fees, and prepaid management fees are other examples of expenses that may not be deducted in the year they were paid.
Taxation of U.S. Stockholders
Taxation of Taxable U.S. Stockholders. As long as we qualify as a REIT, distributions paid to our U.S. Stockholders out of current or accumulated earnings and profits (and not designated as capital gain dividends or qualified dividend income) will be ordinary income. Generally, for purposes of this discussion, a “U.S. Stockholder” is a person (other than a partnership or entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) that is, for U.S. federal income tax purposes:
| • | an individual citizen or resident of the United States for U.S. federal income tax purposes; |
| • | a corporation, or other entity taxable as a corporation, created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia; |
| • | an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or |
| • | a trust if (1) a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over its administration and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (2) the trust has a valid election in effect under current Treasury Regulations to be treated as a U.S. person. |
If a partnership or entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds our common stock, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner generally will depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. A partner of a partnership holding our common stock should consult its own tax advisor regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences to the partner of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of our stock by the partnership.
Distributions in excess of current and accumulated earnings and profits are treated first as a tax-deferred return of capital to the U.S. Stockholder, reducing the U.S. Stockholder’s tax basis in his, her or its shares of common stock by the amount of such distribution, and then as capital gain. Because our earnings and profits are reduced for depreciation and other non-cash items, it is possible that a portion of each distribution will constitute a tax-deferred return of capital. Additionally, because distributions in excess of earnings and profits reduce the U.S. Stockholder’s basis in our stock, this will increase the U.S. Stockholder’s gain, or reduce the U.S. Stockholder’s loss, on any subsequent sale of the stock.
Distributions that are designated as capital gain dividends will be taxed as long-term capital gain to the extent they do not exceed our actual net capital gain for the taxable year, without regard to the period for which the U.S. Stockholder that receives such distribution has held its stock. However, corporate stockholders may be required to treat up to 20% of some types of capital gain dividends as ordinary income. We also may decide to retain, rather than distribute, our net capital gain and pay any tax thereon. In such instances, U.S. Stockholders would include their proportionate shares of such gain in income as long-term capital gain, receive a credit on their returns for their proportionate share of our tax payments, and increase the tax basis of their shares of stock by the after-tax amount of such gain.
With respect to U.S. Stockholders who are taxed at the rates applicable to individuals, we may elect to designate a portion of our distributions paid to such U.S. Stockholders as “qualified dividend income.” A portion of a distribution that is properly designated as qualified dividend income is taxable to noncorporate U.S. Stockholders as capital gain;provided, that the U.S. Stockholder has held the common stock with respect to which the distribution is made for more than 60 days during the 121 day period beginning on the date that is 60 days before the date on which such common stock became ex-dividend with respect to the relevant distribution. The maximum amount of our distributions eligible to be designated as qualified dividend income for a taxable year is equal to the sum of:
| (1) | the qualified dividend income received by us during such taxable year from C corporations (including any TRSs); |
25
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| (2) | the excess of any “undistributed” REIT taxable income recognized during the immediately preceding year over the U.S. federal income tax paid by us with respect to such undistributed REIT taxable income; and |
| (3) | the excess of any income recognized during the immediately preceding year attributable to the sale of a built-in-gain asset that was acquired in a carry-over basis transaction from a non-REIT corporation or had appreciated at the time our REIT election became effective over the U.S. federal income tax paid by us with respect to such built-in gain. |
Generally, dividends that we receive will be treated as qualified dividend income for purposes of (1) above if the dividends are received from a regular, domestic C corporation, such as any TRSs, and specified holding period and other requirements are met.
Dividend income is characterized as “portfolio” income under the passive loss rules and cannot be offset by a stockholder’s current or suspended passive losses. Corporate stockholders cannot claim the dividends-received deduction for such dividends unless we lose our REIT qualification. Although U.S. Stockholders generally will recognize taxable income in the year that a distribution is received, any distribution that we declare in October, November or December of any year that is payable to a U.S. Stockholder of record on a specific date in any such month will be treated as both paid by us and received by the U.S. Stockholder on December 31st of the year it was declared even if paid by us during January of the following calendar year. Because we are not a pass-through entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes, U.S. Stockholders may not use any of our operating or capital losses to reduce their tax liabilities.
We have the ability to declare a large portion of a dividend in shares of our stock. As long as a portion of such dividend is paid in cash (which portion can be as low as 20%) and certain requirements are met, the entire distribution will be treated as a dividend for U.S. federal income tax purposes. As a result, U.S. Stockholders will be taxed on 100% of the dividend in the same manner as a cash dividend, even though most of the dividend was paid in shares of our stock. In general, any dividend on shares of our preferred stock will be taxable as a dividend, regardless of whether any portion is paid in stock.
In general, the sale of our common stock held for more than 12 months will produce long-term capital gain or loss. All other sales will produce short-term gain or loss. In each case, the gain or loss is equal to the difference between the amount of cash and fair market value of any property received from the sale and the U.S. Stockholder’s basis in the common stock sold. However, any loss from a sale or exchange of common stock by a U.S. Stockholder who has held such stock for six months or less generally will be treated as a long-term capital loss, to the extent that the U.S. Stockholder treated our distributions as long-term capital gain. The use of capital losses is subject to limitations.
Currently, the maximum tax rate applicable to individuals and certain other noncorporate taxpayers on net capital gain recognized on the sale or other disposition of shares is 20%, and the maximum marginal tax rate payable by them on dividends received from corporations that are subject to a corporate level of tax is reduced from the rate applicable on ordinary dividends to the rate applicable on net capital gain if certain holding period requirements are also satisfied. Except in limited circumstances, as discussed above with respect to “qualified dividend income,” this reduced tax rate will not apply to dividends paid by us.
Cost Basis Reporting. U.S. federal income tax information reporting rules may apply to certain transactions in our shares. Where such rules apply, the “cost basis” calculated for the shares involved will be reported to the IRS and to you. Generally these rules apply to all shares purchased. For “cost basis” reporting purposes, you may identify by lot the shares that you transfer or that are redeemed, but if you do not timely notify us of your election, we will identify the shares that are transferred or redeemed on a “first in/first out” basis.
Information reporting (transfer statements) on other transactions may also be required under these rules. Generally, these reports are made for certain transactions. Transfer statements are issued between “brokers” and are not issued to the IRS or to you.
Stockholders should consult their tax advisors regarding the consequences of these rules.
26
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Tax Consequences of the Liquidation to Taxable U.S. Stockholders. If our plan of liquidation is approved by our stockholders, liquidating distributions made by us will not be dividend income to U.S. Stockholders, notwithstanding our treatment of such distributions as dividends for purposes of computing our taxable income. Distributions in liquidation, including a U.S. Stockholder’s pro rata share of the fair market value of any assets that we transfer to a liquidating trust, will first reduce the tax basis of the U.S. Stockholder’s shares of our common stock and be non-taxable to that extent. Any further liquidating distributions will be taxable to a U.S. Stockholder as capital gain. If the sum of all liquidating distributions made to a U.S. Stockholder is less than the U.S. Stockholder’s tax basis in his, her or its shares of our common stock, the difference will constitute a capital loss to such U.S. Stockholder at the time the U.S. stockholder receives the final liquidating distribution, which will include our distribution of any remaining assets and liabilities to a liquidating trust. (See “— Tax Consequences of the Liquidating Trust” below.) Whether a U.S. Stockholder’s capital gain or loss will be long-term or short-term would be determined in the manner discussed above.
Taxation of Tax-Exempt Stockholders. U.S. tax-exempt entities, including qualified employee pension and profit sharing trusts and individual retirement accounts, generally are exempt from U.S. federal income taxation. However, they are subject to taxation on their unrelated business taxable income, or UBTI. While many investments in real estate may generate UBTI, the IRS has ruled that dividend distributions from a REIT to a tax-exempt entity do not constitute UBTI. Based on that ruling, our distributions to a U.S. Stockholder that is a domestic tax-exempt entity should not constitute UBTI unless such U.S. Stockholder borrows funds (or otherwise incurs acquisition indebtedness within the meaning of the Code) to acquire its shares of common stock, or the shares of common stock are otherwise used in an unrelated trade or business of the tax-exempt entity. Furthermore, part or all of the income or gain recognized with respect to our stock held by certain domestic tax-exempt entities including social clubs, voluntary employee benefit associations, supplemental unemployment benefit trusts and qualified group legal service plans (all of which are exempt from U.S. federal income taxation under Code Sections 501(c)(7), (9), (17) or (20)), may be treated as UBTI.
Special rules apply to the ownership of REIT shares by some tax-exempt pension trusts. If we would be “closely-held” (discussed above with respect to the share ownership tests) because the stock held by tax-exempt pension trusts was viewed as being held by the trusts rather than by their respective beneficiaries, tax-exempt pension trusts owning more than 10% by value of our stock may be required to treat a percentage of our dividends as UBTI. This rule applies if: (1) at least one tax-exempt pension trust owns more than 25% by value of our shares, or (2) one or more tax-exempt pension trusts (each owning more than 10% by value of our shares) hold in the aggregate more than 50% by value of our shares. The percentage treated as UBTI is our gross income (less direct expenses) derived from an unrelated trade or business (determined as if we were a tax-exempt pension trust) divided by our gross income from all sources (less direct expenses). If this percentage is less than 5%, however, none of the dividends will be treated as UBTI. Because of the restrictions in our charter regarding the ownership concentration of our common stock, we believe that a tax-exempt pension trust should not become subject to these rules. However, because our shares of common stock may be publicly traded, we can give no assurance of this.
Prospective tax-exempt purchasers should consult their own tax advisors and financial planners as to the applicability of these rules and consequences to their particular circumstances.
Tax Consequences of the Liquidation to Tax Exempt Stockholders. Liquidating distributions made by us generally will not be UBTI to a tax-exempt U.S. Stockholder that does not hold its shares of our common stock as “debt-financed property” within the meaning of the Code. However, tax-exempt U.S. Stockholders may recognize UBTI with respect to assets (if any) transferred to a liquidating trust; see “— Tax Consequences of the Liquidating Trust” below.
Backup Withholding and Information Reporting. We will report to our U.S. Stockholders and the IRS the amount of dividends paid during each calendar year and the amount of any tax withheld. Under the backup withholding rules, a U.S. Stockholder may be subject to backup withholding at the current rate of 28% with respect to dividends paid, unless the U.S. Stockholder (1) is a corporation or comes within other exempt categories and, when required, demonstrates this fact or (2) provides a taxpayer identification number or social
27
TABLE OF CONTENTS
security number, certifies under penalties of perjury that such number is correct and that such U.S. Stockholder is not subject to backup withholding and otherwise complies with applicable requirements of the backup withholding rules. A U.S. Stockholder that does not provide his, her or its correct taxpayer identification number or social security number may also be subject to penalties imposed by the IRS. In addition, we may be required to withhold a portion of capital gain distribution to any U.S. Stockholder who fails to certify its non foreign status.
Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules may be allowed as a refund or a credit against such U.S. Stockholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the required information is furnished to the IRS.
Taxation of Non-U.S. Stockholders
General. The rules governing the U.S. federal income taxation of Non-U.S. Stockholders are complex, and as such, only a summary of such rules is provided in this prospectus. Non-U.S. investors should consult with their own tax advisors and financial planners to determine the impact that U.S. federal, state and local income tax or similar laws will have on such investors as a result of an investment in our REIT. A “Non-U.S. Stockholder” means a person (other than a partnership or entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) that is not a U.S. Stockholder.
Distributions — In General. Distributions paid by us that are not attributable to gain from our sales or exchanges of United States real property interests, or USRPIs, and not designated by us as capital gain dividends will be treated as dividends of ordinary income to the extent that they are made out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits. Such dividends to Non-U.S. Stockholders are subject to 30% tax, unless an applicable tax treaty reduces or eliminates that tax, which is collected through withholding at the time the distribution is made. Under some treaties, however, lower rates generally applicable to dividends do not apply to dividends from REITs. If income from the investment in our shares of common stock is treated as effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Stockholder’s conduct of a U.S. trade or business, the Non-U.S. Stockholder generally will be subject to a tax at the graduated rates applicable to ordinary income, in the same manner as U.S. stockholders are taxed with respect to such dividends (and also may be subject to the 30% branch profits tax in the case of a stockholder that is a foreign corporation that is not entitled to any treaty exemption). In general, Non-U.S. Stockholders will not be considered to be engaged in a U.S. trade or business solely as a result of their ownership of our stock. Distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits will not be taxable to a stockholder to the extent they do not exceed the adjusted basis of the stockholder’s shares. Instead, they will reduce the adjusted basis of such shares. To the extent that such distributions exceed the adjusted basis of a Non-U.S. Stockholder’s shares, they will give rise to tax liability if the Non-U.S. Stockholder would otherwise be subject to tax on any gain from the sale or disposition of his shares, as described in the “Sales of Shares” portion of this Section below.
Distributions Attributable to Sale or Exchange of Real Property. Pursuant to the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act of 1980, or “FIRPTA,” distributions that are attributable to gain from our sales or exchanges of USRPIs will be taxed to a Non-U.S. Stockholder as if such gain were effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business. Non-U.S. Stockholders would thus be taxed at the normal capital gain rates applicable to U.S. Stockholders, and would be subject to applicable alternative minimum tax and a special alternative minimum tax in the case of nonresident alien individuals. Also, such dividends may be subject to a 30% branch profits tax in the hands of a corporate Non-U.S. Stockholder not entitled to any treaty exemption. However, generally, pursuant to FIRPTA, a capital gain dividend from a REIT is not treated as effectively connected income for a Non-U.S. Stockholder if and instead is treated and taxed as an ordinary dividend if (1) the distribution is received with respect to a class of stock that is regularly traded on an established securities market located in the United States; and (2) the Non-U.S. Stockholder does not own more than 10% of the class of stock at any time during the one year period ending on the date of such distribution. Distributions that qualify for this exception are subject to withholding tax in the manner described above as dividends of ordinary income. We anticipate that our shares of common stock will be “regularly traded” on an established securities market for the foreseeable future, although, no assurance can be given that this will be the case.
28
TABLE OF CONTENTS
U.S. Federal Income Tax Withholding on Distributions. For U.S. federal income tax withholding purposes, we generally will withhold tax at the rate of 30% on the gross amount of any distribution (other than distributions designated as capital gain dividends) made to a Non-U.S. Stockholder, unless the Non-U.S. Stockholder provides us with appropriate documentation (1) evidencing that such Non-U.S. Stockholder is eligible for an exemption or reduced rate under an applicable income tax treaty, generally an IRS Form W-8BEN (in which case we will withhold at the lower treaty rate) or (2) claiming that the dividend is effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Stockholder’s conduct of a trade or business within the U.S., generally an IRS Form W-8ECI (in which case we will not withhold tax). We are also generally required to withhold tax at the rate of 35% on the portion of any dividend to a Non-U.S. Stockholder that is or could be designated by us as a capital gain dividend, to the extent attributable to gain on a sale or exchange of an interest in U.S. real property. Such withheld amounts of tax do not represent actual tax liabilities, but rather, represent payments in respect of those tax liabilities described in the preceding two paragraphs. Therefore, such withheld amounts are creditable by the Non-U.S. Stockholder against its actual U.S. federal income tax liabilities, including those described in the preceding two paragraphs. The Non-U.S. Stockholder would be entitled to a refund of any amounts withheld in excess of such Non-U.S. Stockholder’s actual U.S. federal income tax liabilities, provided that the Non-U.S. Stockholder files applicable returns or refund claims with the IRS.
Sales of Shares. Gain recognized by a Non-U.S. Stockholder upon a sale of shares generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income taxation; provided, that: (1) such gain is not effectively connected with the conduct by such Non-U.S. Stockholder of a trade or business within the U.S.; (2) the Non-U.S. Stockholder is an individual and is not present in the U.S. for 183 days or more during the taxable year and certain other conditions apply; and (3) (A) our REIT is “domestically controlled,” which generally means that less than 50% in value of our shares continues to be held directly or indirectly by foreign persons during a continuous five year period ending on the date of disposition or, if shorter, during the entire period of our existence, or (B) our shares of common stock are “regularly traded” on an established securities market and the selling Non-U.S. Stockholder has not held more than 5% of our outstanding shares of common stock at any time during the five-year period ending on the date of the sale.
We believe that we qualify as “domestically controlled.” If we are not domestically controlled, a Non-U.S. Stockholder’s sale of shares of common stock would be subject to tax, unless the shares of common stock were regularly traded on an established securities market and the selling Non-U.S. Stockholder has not directly, or indirectly, owned during the five-year period ending on the date of sale more than 10% in value of our outstanding shares of common stock. We anticipate that our shares of common stock will be “regularly traded” on an established securities market for the foreseeable future, although no assurance can be given that this will be the case. If the gain on the sale of our shares of common stock were to be subject to U.S. federal income taxation, the Non-U.S. Stockholder would be subject to the same treatment as U.S. Stockholders with respect to such gain, and the purchaser of such shares of common stock may be required to withhold 15% of the gross purchase price.
If the proceeds of a disposition of common stock are paid by or through a U.S. office of a broker-dealer, the payment is generally subject to information reporting and to backup withholding unless the disposing Non-U.S. Stockholder certifies as to its name, address and non-U.S. status or otherwise establishes an exemption. Generally, U.S. information reporting and backup withholding will not apply to a payment of disposition proceeds if the payment is made outside the U.S. through a foreign office of a foreign broker-dealer. Under Treasury Regulations, if the proceeds from a disposition of common stock paid to or through a foreign office of a U.S. broker-dealer or a non-U.S. office of a foreign broker-dealer that is (1) a “controlled foreign corporation” for U.S. federal income tax purposes, (2) a person 50% or more of whose gross income from all sources for a three-year period was effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business, (3) a foreign partnership with one or more partners who are U.S. persons and who, in the aggregate, hold more than 50% of the income or capital interest in the partnership, or (4) a foreign partnership engaged in the conduct of a trade or business in the United States, then (A) backup withholding will not apply unless the broker-dealer has actual knowledge that the owner is not a Non-U.S. Stockholder, and (B) information reporting will not apply if the Non-U.S. Stockholder certifies its non-U.S. status and further certifies that it has not been, and at the time the certificate is furnished reasonably expects not to be, present in the United States
29
TABLE OF CONTENTS
for a period aggregating 183 days or more during each calendar year to which the certification pertains. Prospective foreign purchasers should consult their tax advisors and financial planners concerning these rules.
Tax Consequences of the Liquidation to Non-U.S. Stockholders. The IRS takes the position that, under FIRPTA, liquidating distributions by a REIT that are attributable to gain from the REIT’s sale or exchange of USRPIs (“FIRPTA distributions”) generally are taxable to Non-U.S. Stockholders as if such gain were effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business. Non-U.S. Stockholders thus would be taxed on FIRPTA distributions at the same capital gain rates applicable to U.S. Stockholders (subject to any applicable alternative minimum tax and special alternative minimum tax in the case of nonresident alien individuals). We generally will be required to withhold U.S. tax equal to 35% from any such FIRPTA distributions. The 35% tax withheld may be claimed by a Non-U.S. Stockholder as a credit against its reported U.S. federal income tax liability. In addition, corporate Non-U.S. Stockholders may be subject to a 30% branch profits tax on FIRPTA distributions made by us unless such corporate Non-U.S. Stockholder is entitled to treaty relief or other exemption. However, FIRPTA distributions made by us generally would not be treated as effectively connected income for a Non-U.S. Stockholder if (i) the FIRPTA distribution is received with respect to shares that are regularly traded on an established securities market located in the United States and (ii) the Non-U.S. Stockholder has not owned more than 10% of our shares of our common stock at any time during the one-year period ending on the date of the distribution.
Tax Consequences of the Liquidating Trust
If we have not disposed of all our assets within 24 months of the approval by our stockholders of the plan of liquidation, we intend to establish a liquidating trust to which we will transfer our unsold assets at the end of such 24 month period. A trust will be treated as a liquidating trust if it is organized for the primary purpose of liquidating and distributing the assets transferred to it, and if its activities are all reasonably necessary to and consistent with that purpose. Although neither the Code nor the Treasury Regulations provide any specific guidance as to the length of time a liquidating trust may last, the IRS’s ruling guidelines call for a term not to exceed three years, which period may be extended to cover the collection of installment obligations. If we establish a liquidating trust, we intend to comply with such IRS guidelines.
An entity classified as a liquidating trust generally is not subject to tax on any income or gain recognized by it. Instead, if you are a stockholder when a liquidating trust is established, you will be treated as the owner of your pro rata portion of each asset, including cash, received and held by the liquidating trust. Accordingly, you will be treated as having received a liquidating distribution equal to the amount of your share of the sum of any cash and the fair market value of any asset transferred to the liquidating trust, and will recognize gain at that time to the extent such amount is greater than your remaining tax basis in your shares of our common stock (as reduced by all prior liquidating distributions) notwithstanding that you may not currently receive a distribution of cash or any other assets with which to satisfy the resulting tax liability. You will recognize taxable gain or loss when all or part of your pro rata portion of an asset held by the liquidating trust is disposed of for an amount greater or less than the fair market value of such asset at the time it was transferred to the liquidating trust. In addition, you will be required to take into account in computing your taxable income, your pro rata share of each item of income, gain and loss of the liquidating trust, the character of which items will pass through to you.
The liquidating trustee will file tax returns for the liquidating trust, and will send to each stockholder holding an interest in the liquidating trust a separate statement setting forth the stockholder’s share of items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit. Each stockholder must report such items on its U.S. federal income tax return regardless of whether the liquidating trust makes current cash distributions. An individual U.S. Stockholder who itemizes deductions may be unable to deduct his or her pro rata share of fees and expenses of the liquidating trust for regular U.S. federal income tax purposes except to the extent that such amount, together with the U.S. Stockholder’s other miscellaneous itemized deductions, exceeds 2% of his or her adjusted gross income, and may be unable to deduct such expenses at all for alternative minimum tax purposes.
Because stockholders would be treated as owning their respective shares of the liquidating trust’s assets, they would be treated as directly engaging in the operations of the liquidating trust. As such, tax-exempt U.S. Stockholders holding interests in the liquidating trust may realize UBTI with respect to the trust’s
30
TABLE OF CONTENTS
operations, and Non-U.S. Stockholders may be considered to derive income that is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business. In that event, Non-U.S. Stockholders would be subject to U.S. federal income tax and, for corporate Non-U.S. Stockholders, branch profits tax. Accordingly, the liquidating trust will withhold 35% of any distributions made to Non-U.S. Stockholders. That amount will be creditable against the Non-U.S. Stockholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability. Tax-exempt U.S. Stockholders and Non-U.S. Stockholders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences that would apply to them if we were to transfer assets to a liquidating trust.
If the liquidating trust fails to qualify as such, the resulting tax consequences to the trust and the holders of trust interests will depend upon, among other things, the reasons for the trust’s failure to so qualify. If our board of directors avails itself of the use of a liquidating trust, it is anticipated that every effort will be made to ensure that the liquidating trust will be classified as such for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Medicare Tax
Certain net investment income earned by U.S. citizens and resident aliens and certain estates and trusts is subject to a 3.8% Medicare tax. Net investment income includes, among other things, dividends on and capital gains from the sale or other disposition of shares of stock. Holders of shares of our common stock should consult their tax advisors regarding the effect, if any, of this tax on their ownership and disposition of such shares.
Foreign Accounts
Withholding taxes may apply to certain types of payments made to “foreign financial institutions” (as specially defined in the Code) and certain other non-U.S. entities. A withholding tax of 30% generally will be imposed on dividends on, and gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of, our common stock paid to (a) a foreign financial institution (as the beneficial owner or an intermediary for the beneficial owners) unless such foreign financial institution agrees to verify, report and disclose its U.S. accountholders and meets certain other specified requirements or (b) a non-financial foreign entity (as the beneficial owner or an intermediary for the beneficial owner) unless such entity certifies that it does not have any substantial U.S. owners or furnishes identifying information regarding each substantial U.S. owner and such entity meets certain other specified requirements. Applicable Treasury Regulations provide that these rules will generally apply to payments of dividends on our common stock and generally will apply to payments of gross proceeds from a sale or other disposition of our common stock after December 31, 2018. We will not pay any additional amounts in respect of any amounts withheld. U.S. Stockholders and Non-U.S. Stockholders are encouraged to consult their tax advisors regarding the particular consequences to them of this legislation and guidance.
Other Tax Considerations
State, Local and Foreign Taxes. We and you may be subject to state, local or foreign taxation in various jurisdictions, including those in which we transact business or reside. Our and your state, local and foreign tax treatment may not conform to the U.S. federal income tax consequences discussed above. Any foreign taxes incurred by us would not pass through to stockholders as a credit against their U.S. federal income tax liability. You should consult your own tax advisors and financial planners regarding the effect of state, local and foreign tax laws on an investment in our shares of common stock.
Legislative Proposals. You should recognize that our and your present U.S. federal income tax treatment may be modified by legislative, judicial or administrative actions at any time, which may be retroactive in effect. The rules dealing with U.S. federal income taxation are constantly under review by Congress, the IRS and the Treasury Department, and statutory changes as well as promulgation of new regulations, revisions to existing statutes, and revised interpretations of established concepts occur frequently. We are not currently aware of any pending legislation that would materially affect our or your taxation as described in this prospectus. You should, however, consult your advisors concerning the status of legislative proposals that may pertain to a purchase of our shares of common stock.
31
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SELLING STOCKHOLDERS
The following table provides information regarding the selling stockholders and the number of shares of our common stock they may offer pursuant to this prospectus. We believe that the individual and entities named in the table have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares beneficially owned.
We are registering the shares of our common stock for resale by the selling stockholders listed below. William M. Kahane is a currently a member of our board, Michael A. Happel is currently our chief executive officer and Nicholas Radesca is currently our interim chief financial officer. Each of Messrs. Kahane, Happel and Radesca and the other selling stockholders is or has been a member, officer or employee of our advisor or its affiliates. The selling stockholders may from time to time offer for sale all, some or none of the shares of common stock shown in the following table. The information regarding shares beneficially owned after the offering assumes the sale of all shares offered by the selling stockholders.
For purposes of the table below, “beneficial ownership” is determined in accordance with Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act, pursuant to which a person or group of persons is deemed to have “beneficial ownership” of any shares that the person has the right to acquire within 60 days after August 24, 2016. For purposes of computing the percentage of outstanding common stock held by each person or group of persons named below, any shares that the person or persons has the right to acquire within 60 days after August 24, 2016 are deemed to be outstanding but are not deemed to be outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of any other person. As of August 24, 2016, there were 165,854,418 shares of common stock outstanding. SEC rules also generally attribute beneficial ownership of securities to persons who possess sole or shared voting power or investment power with respect to such securities. Except as otherwise indicated, all persons listed below have sole voting and investment power with respect to the shares beneficially owned by them, subject to applicable community property laws.
| | | | | | | | | | |
| | Immediately Prior to the Offering | | Immediately Following the Offering |
Name | | Shares Beneficially Owned(1) | | Percentage | | Shares Being Offered for Resale Under this Prospectus | | Shares Beneficially Owned(1) | | Percentage |
Nicholas S. Schorsch | | | 1,882,387 | (2) | | | 1.13 | % | | | 1,452,945 | | | | 429,442 | (2) | | | | * |
Shelley D. Schorsch | | | 245,861 | (3) | | | | * | | | 195,483 | | | | 50,378 | (3) | | | | * |
Peter M. Budko | | | 570,896 | (4) | | | | * | | | 425,204 | | | | 145,692 | (4) | | | | * |
Edward M. Weil, Jr. | | | 114,742 | (5) | | | | * | | | 91,230 | | | | 23,512 | (5) | | | | * |
William M. Kahane | | | 490,884 | (6) | | | | * | | | 350,544 | | | | 140,340 | (6) | | | | * |
Michael A. Happel | | | 869,347 | (7)(8) | | | | * | | | 826,347 | (7) | | | 43,000 | (8) | | | | * |
Nicholas Radesca | | | 52,225 | (9) | | | | * | | | 13,501 | | | | 38,724 | (9) | | | | * |
Brian S. Block | | | 98,112 | (10) | | | | * | | | 97,510 | | | | 602 | (10) | | | | * |
Total | | | 4,324,454 | | | | 2.59 | % | | | 3,452,764 | | | | 871,690 | | | | | * |
| (1) | Does not include limited partnership units of the operating partnership entitled “LTIP Units” issued to our advisor under the 2014 Advisor Multi-Year Outperformance Agreement, or the OPP. Under the terms of the OPP, subject to our advisor’s continued service through the vesting date, LTIP Units will vest 1/3 on each of April 15, 2017, April 15, 2018 and April 15, 2019. At the time our advisor’s average capital account balance with respect to an LTIP Unit is economically equivalent to the average capital account balance of an OP Unit, the LTIP Unit has been earned and it has been vested for 30 days, our advisor, in its sole discretion, will be entitled to convert such LTIP Unit into an OP Unit in accordance with the provisions of the limited partnership agreement of our operating partnership. Any earned and vested LTIP Units may be converted into OP Units, which may in turn be converted into shares of common stock, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the limited partnership agreement of our operating partnership. On April 15, 2014 our advisor was issued 8,880,579 LTIP Units under the OPP. On April 15, 2015, 367,059 LTIP Units were earned by our advisor under the terms of the OPP, and, on June 30, 2015, our advisor transferred, in accordance with the applicable requirements of the OPP, these earned LTIP Units pro rata to the ultimate members of our sponsor, representing all of the selling stockholders |
32
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| | other than Nicholas Radesca. On April 15, 2016, 805,679 LTIP Units were earned by our advisor under the terms of the OPP, and, on May 25, 2016, our advisor transferred, in accordance with the applicable requirements of the OPP, certain of these earned LTIP Units pro rata to the ultimate members of our sponsor and certain of these earned LTIP Units to Nicholas Radesca pursuant to his employment agreement with our advisor. Our sponsor, which owns and controls our advisor, is controlled by Messrs. Schorsch and Kahane. |
| (2) | Does not include 514,782 earned LTIP Units. |
| (3) | Does not include 69,260 earned LTIP Units. |
| (4) | Does not include 150,651 earned LTIP Units. |
| (5) | Does not include 32,324 earned LTIP Units. |
| (6) | Does not include 124,198 earned LTIP Units. Includes 24,000 unvested restricted shares of common stock. |
| (7) | Includes 826,347 OP Units, all of which are currently convertible into shares of our common stock or the cash value of a corresponding number of shares, at the election of the operating partnership, in accordance with the limited partnership agreement of the operating partnership. |
| (8) | Does not include 229,714 earned LTIP Units. |
| (9) | Does not include 24,170 earned LTIP Units. Includes 37,242 unvested restricted shares. |
| (10) | Does not include 27,639 earned LTIP Units. |
33
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
The selling stockholders may, from time to time, sell any or all of the shares of our common stock beneficially owned by them and offered hereby directly or through one or more underwriters, broker-dealers or agents. The selling stockholders will be responsible for any underwriting discounts or agent’s commissions. The common stock may be sold in one or more transactions at fixed prices, at prevailing market prices at the time of the sale, at varying prices determined at the time of sale, or at negotiated prices. The selling stockholders may use any one or more of the following methods when selling shares:
| • | on the NYSE or any other national securities exchange or quotation service on which the securities may be listed or quoted at the time of sale; |
| • | in the over-the-counter market; |
| • | in transactions otherwise than on these exchanges or systems or in the over-the-counter market; |
| • | through the writing of options, whether such options are listed on an options exchange or otherwise; |
| • | through ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker-dealer solicits purchasers; |
| • | through block trades in which the broker-dealer will attempt to sell the shares as agent but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction; |
| • | through purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by the broker-dealer for its account; |
| • | in an exchange distribution in accordance with the rules of the applicable exchange; |
| • | in privately negotiated transactions; |
| • | through the settlement of short sales; |
| • | a combination of any such methods of sale; and |
| • | any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law. |
The selling stockholders also may sell shares under Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, rather than under this prospectus.
In addition, the selling stockholders may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers which may engage in short sales of shares in the course of hedging the positions they assume with the selling stockholders. The selling stockholders also may sell shares short and deliver the shares to close out such short position. The selling stockholders also may enter into option or other transactions with broker-dealers that require the delivery by such broker-dealers of the shares, which shares may be resold thereafter pursuant to this prospectus.
Broker-dealers engaged by the selling stockholders may arrange for other broker-dealers to participate in sales. If the selling stockholders effect such transactions through underwriters, broker-dealers or agents, such underwriters, broker-dealers or agents may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the selling stockholders or commissions from purchasers of the shares of our common stock for whom they may act as agent or to whom they may sell as principal, or both (which discounts, concessions or commissions as to particular underwriters, broker-dealers or agents may be less than or in excess of those customary in the types of transactions involved).
The selling stockholders and any broker-dealers or agents that are involved in selling the shares may be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act in connection with such sales. In such event, any compensation received by such broker-dealers or agents and any profit on the resale of the shares purchased by them may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts under the Securities Act. While neither we nor any selling stockholder can presently estimate the amount of such compensation, if applicable, in compliance with the guidelines of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., or FINRA, the aggregate maximum discount, commission, agency fees or other items constituting underwriting compensation to be received by any FINRA member or independent broker-dealer will not exceed 8% of any offering pursuant to this prospectus or any prospectus supplement or pricing supplement, as the case may be.
34
TABLE OF CONTENTS
However, it is anticipated that the maximum commission or discount to be received in any particular offering of securities will be less than this amount.
We have agreed to indemnify the selling stockholders against certain liabilities, including liabilities arising under the Securities Act. The selling stockholders may agree to indemnify any agent, dealer or broker-dealer that participates in transactions involving sales of shares of common stock against certain liabilities, including liabilities arising under the Securities Act.
Because selling stockholders may be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act, the selling stockholders will be subject to the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act, which may include delivery through the facilities of the NYSE pursuant to Rule 153 under the Securities Act.
The selling stockholders will be subject to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, including Regulation M promulgated thereunder, which may limit the timing of purchases and sales of common stock by the selling stockholders and their affiliates.
Upon being notified by a selling stockholder that any material arrangement has been entered into with a broker-dealer or underwriter for the sale of shares of common stock through a block trade, special offering, exchange distribution or secondary distribution or a purchase by a broker or dealer, we will file a supplement to this prospectus, if required, pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, disclosing (i) the name of each such selling stockholder and of the participating broker-dealer(s) or underwriter(s), (ii) the number of shares of common stock involved, (iii) the price at which such shares were or will be sold, (iv) the commissions paid or to be paid or discounts or concessions allowed to such broker-dealer(s) or underwriter(s), where applicable, (v) that, as applicable, such broker-dealer(s) or underwriter(s) did not conduct any investigation to verify the information set out or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and (iv) other facts material to the transaction.
There can be no assurance that the selling stockholders will sell any or all of the shares of common stock registered pursuant to the registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part.
LEGAL MATTERS
Certain legal matters regarding certain U.S. federal income tax matters have been passed upon for us by Proskauer Rose LLP and the validity of the securities offered hereby and certain matters of Maryland law have been passed upon by Venable LLP. If the validity of any securities is also passed upon by counsel for the underwriters, dealers or agents of an offering of those securities, that counsel will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement.
EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements and schedule of New York REIT, Inc. and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 and for the years then ended, and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2015 have been incorporated by reference herein and in the registration statement in reliance upon the reports of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
The 2013 consolidated financial statements incorporated by reference in this prospectus and elsewhere in the registration statement have been so incorporated by reference in reliance upon the report of Grant Thornton LLP, independent registered public accountants, upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
35
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
SEC rules allow us to incorporate by reference information into this prospectus. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document. Any information referred to in this way is considered part of this prospectus from the date we file that document. Any reports filed by us with the SEC after the date of this prospectus and before the date that the offering of securities by means of this prospectus is terminated will automatically update and, where applicable, supersede any information contained in this prospectus or incorporated by reference into this prospectus. We incorporate by reference into this prospectus the following documents or information filed with the SEC (other than, in each case, documents or information deemed to have been furnished and not filed in accordance with SEC rules):
| • | our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 filed with the SEC on February 26, 2016; |
| • | our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2016 filed with the SEC on May 10, 2016; |
| • | our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2016 filed with the SEC on August 9, 2016; |
| • | our Current Reports on Forms 8-K and 8-K/A, as applicable, filed with the SEC on January 5, 2016, April 26, 2016, May 25, 2016, May 26, 2016, June 3, 2016, June 17, 2016, August 2, 2016, August 22, 2016, September 7, 2016 and September 26, 2016; and |
| • | the description of our common stock included in our registration statement on Form 8-A filed with the SEC on April 11, 2014. |
All documents that we file (but not those that we furnish) pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act on or after the date of this prospectus and prior to the termination of the offering of any of the securities covered under this prospectus shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus and will automatically update and supersede the information in this prospectus and any previously filed documents.
We will provide without charge to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom this prospectus is delivered, upon his, her or its written or oral request, a copy of any or all documents referred to above that have been or may be incorporated by reference into this prospectus, excluding exhibits to those documents unless they are specifically incorporated by reference into those documents. Requests for those documents should be directed to us as follows: New York REIT, Inc., 405 Park Avenue, 14th Floor, New York, New York 10022, Attn: Investor Relations Department; Telephone: (866) 902-0063.
36
TABLE OF CONTENTS
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We are subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act, and, in accordance with those requirements, file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Such reports, proxy statements and other information, as well as this registration statement and the exhibits and schedules thereto, can be inspected at the public reference room maintained by the SEC at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Copies of such materials may be obtained at prescribed rates. Information about the operation of the public reference facilities may be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. The SEC also maintains a website that contains reports, proxy statements and other information regarding registrants, including us, that file such information electronically with the SEC. The address of the SEC’s website iswww.sec.gov. Copies of these documents may be available on our website atwww.nyrt.com. Our internet website and the information contained therein or connected thereto are not incorporated into this prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto.
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act, with respect to the securities offered by this prospectus. This prospectus, which forms a part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement and its exhibits and schedules, certain parts of which are omitted in accordance with the SEC’s rules and regulations. For further information about us and the securities, we refer you to the registration statement and to such exhibits and schedules. You may review a copy of the registration statement at the SEC’s public reference room in Washington, D.C. and through the SEC’s website. Please be aware that statements in this prospectus referring to a contract or other document are summaries and you should refer to the exhibits that are part of the registration statement for a copy of the contract or document.
37
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART II INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 14. Other expenses of issuance and distribution
The following table sets forth the costs and expenses to be borne by the registrant in connection with the offering described in this registration statement.
| | |
SEC registration fee | | $ | 3,170.96 | |
Legal fees and expenses | | | 125,000 | |
Accounting fees and expenses | | | 115,000 | |
Miscellaneous expenses | | | 15,000 | |
Total expenses | | $ | 258,170.96 | |
Item 15. Indemnification of directors and officers
Maryland law permits a Maryland corporation to include in its charter a provision eliminating the liability of its directors and officers to the corporation and its stockholders for money damages except for liability resulting from (1) actual receipt of an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services or (2) active and deliberate dishonesty established by a final judgment as being material to the cause of action. Our charter contains a provision that eliminates such liability to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law. Our charter allows us to obligate ourselves to indemnify (a) any present or former director or officer or (b) any individual who, while a director or officer and, at our request, serves or has served another corporation, REIT, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise by reason of his or her service in such capacity. Our charter and bylaws also permit us to indemnify and advance expenses to any individual who served our predecessor in any of the capacities described above and any employee or agent of us or our predecessor.
The Maryland General Corporation Law, or the MGCL, requires a Maryland corporation (unless its charter provides otherwise, which our charter does not) to indemnify a director or officer who has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any proceeding to which he or she is made or threatened to be made a party by reason of his or her service in that capacity. The MGCL permits a corporation to indemnify its present and former directors and officers, among others, against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in connection with any proceeding to which they may be made or threatened to be made a party by reason of their service in those or other capacities unless it is established that (1) the act or omission of the director or officer was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding and (A) was committed in bad faith or (B) was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty, (2) the director or officer actually received an improper personal benefit in money, property or services, or (3) in the case of any criminal proceeding, the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful. However, under the MGCL, a Maryland corporation may not indemnify a director or officer for an adverse judgment in a suit by or in the right of the corporation or for a judgment of liability on the basis that a personal benefit was improperly received. A court may order indemnification if it determines that the director or officer is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification, even though the director or officer did not meet the prescribed standard of conduct or was adjudged liable on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received. However, indemnification for an adverse judgment in a suit by us or in our right, or for a judgment of liability on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received, is limited to expenses. In addition, the MGCL permits a Maryland corporation to advance reasonable expenses to a director or officer upon the corporation’s receipt of (1) a written affirmation by the director or officer of his good faith belief that he or she has met the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification by the corporation and (2) a written undertaking by him or her or on his or her behalf to repay the amount paid or reimbursed by the corporation if it is ultimately determined that the appropriate standard of conduct was not met.
II-1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Our charter authorizes us to obligate ourselves and our bylaws obligate us, to the fullest extent permitted by Maryland law in effect from time to time, to indemnify and, without requiring a preliminary determination of the ultimate entitlement to indemnification, pay or reimburse reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding to:
| • | any present or former director or officer who is made or threatened to be made a party to or witness in the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity; or |
| • | any individual who, while a director or officer of our company and at our request, serves or has served as a director, officer, member, manager, partner or trustee of another corporation, real estate investment trust, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise and who is made or threatened to be made a party to or witness in the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity. |
Our charter and bylaws also permit us to indemnify and advance expenses to any person who served a predecessor of ours in any of the capacities described above and to any employee or agent of our company or a predecessor of our company.
We have entered into an indemnification agreement with each of our directors and executive officers, and certain former directors and executive officers, providing for indemnification of such directors and executive officers consistent with the provisions of our charter.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling us pursuant to the foregoing provisions, we have been informed that, in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.
Item 16. Exhibits
The exhibit index at the end of this registration statement identifies the exhibits that are included in this registration statement and are incorporated herein by reference.
Item 17. Undertakings.
| (a) | The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes: |
| (1) | To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made of securities registered hereby, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement: |
| (i) | To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933; |
| (ii) | To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; |
| (iii) | To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement; |
provided,however, that paragraphs (i), (ii) and (iii) above do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in this registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.
II-2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| (2) | That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered herein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
| (3) | To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering. |
| (4) | That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser: |
| (i) | Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and |
| (ii) | Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(l)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof; provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date. |
| (5) | That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser: |
| (i) | Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424; |
| (ii) | Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant; |
| (iii) | The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and |
| (iv) | any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser. |
| (b) | The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be |
II-3
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| | deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
| (c) | Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. |
| (d) | The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to file an application for the purpose of determining eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the SEC under Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act. |
II-4
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York, State of New York, on this 26th day of September, 2016.
NEW YORK REIT, INC.
| By: | /s/ Michael A. Happel
Michael A. Happel Chief Executive Officer and President |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
| | | | |
Name | | Capacity | | Date |
/s/ Michael A. Happel
Michael A. Happel | | Chief Executive Officer and President (and Principal Executive Officer) | | September 26, 2016 |
/s/ Nicholas Radesca
Nicholas Radesca | | Interim Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer) | | September 26, 2016 |
/s/ Randolph C. Read
Randolph C. Read | | Non-Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors | | September 26, 2016 |
/s/ Robert H. Burns
Robert H. Burns | | Independent Director, Compensation Committee Chair | | September 26, 2016 |
/s/ William M. Kahane
William M. Kahane | | Director | | September 26, 2016 |
Keith Locker | | Independent Director | | |
/s/ James L. Nelson
James L. Nelson | | Independent Director, Conflicts Committee Chair | | September 26, 2016 |
/s/ P. Sue Perroty
P. Sue Perrotty | | Independent Director, Audit Committee Chair, Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee Chair | | September 26, 2016 |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Randolph C. Read or Michael A. Happel as his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign the Registration Statement for New York REIT, Inc. on Form S-3 and all pre- and post-effective amendments to the Registration Statement, and to file the same with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite or necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent and his substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
| | | | |
NAME | | CAPACITY | | DATE |
Keith Locker | | Independent Director | | |
/s/ James L. Nelson
James L. Nelson | | Independent Director | | September 26, 2016 |
/s/ Robert H. Burns
Robert H. Burns | | Independent Director | | September 26, 2016 |
/s/ P. Sue Perrotty
P. Sue Perrotty | | Independent Director | | September 26, 2016 |
/s/ Randolph C. Read
Randolph C. Read | | Non-Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors | | September 26, 2016 |
/s/ William M. Kahane
William M. Kahane | | Director | | September 26, 2016 |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXHIBIT INDEX
| | |
Exhibit No. | | Document |
3.1(1) | | Articles of Amendment and Restatement of New York REIT, Inc. |
3.2(2) | | Amended and Restated Bylaws of New York REIT, Inc. |
5.1 | | Opinion of Venable LLP as to the legality of the securities being registered |
8.1 | | Opinion of Proskauer Rose LLP as to certain tax matters |
23.1 | | Consent of KPMG LLP |
23.2 | | Consent of Grant Thornton LLP |
23.3 | | Consent of Venable LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1) |
23.4 | | Consent of Proskauer Rose LLP (included in Exhibit 8.1) |
24.1 | | Power of Attorney (included on the signature page) |
| (1) | Filed as an exhibit to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-8 filed with the SEC on July 11, 2014. |
| (2) | Filed as an exhibit to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on April 15, 2014. |