UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): August 27, 2020
American Finance Trust, Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
| Maryland | | 001-38597 | | 90-0929989 |
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) | | (Commission File Number) | | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
650 Fifth Avenue, 30th Floor
New York, New York 10019 |
(Address, including zip code, of Principal Executive Offices) Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (212) 415-6500 |
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
| ¨ | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
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| ¨ | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
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| ¨ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
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| ¨ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Securities registered pursuant to section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of each class: | | Trading Symbol(s) | | Name of each exchange on which registered: |
| Class A Common Stock, $0.01 par value | | AFIN | | The Nasdaq Global Select Market |
| 7.50% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock, $0.01 par value | | AFINP | | The Nasdaq Global Select Market |
| Preferred Stock Purchase Rights | | true | | The Nasdaq Global Select Market |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company ¨
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨
Item 8.01. Other Events.
Common Stock Dividend Policy
On August 27, 2020, the board of directors of American Finance Trust, Inc. (the “Company”) approved a change in the Company’s Class A common stock dividend policy. Consistent with its peers, the Company anticipates paying future dividends authorized by its board of directors on its shares of Class A common stock on a quarterly basis in arrears on the 15th day of the first month following the end of each fiscal quarter (unless otherwise specified) to Class A common stock holders of record on the record date for such payment.
This change will affect the frequency of dividend payments only, and will have no impact on the Company’s annualized dividend rate on its Class A common stock of $0.85 or on the previously announced monthly dividend declaration payable on September 15, 2020 to Class A common stock holders of record at the close of business on September 8, 2020.
The statements in this Current Report on Form 8-K that are not historical facts may be forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause the outcome to be materially different. In addition, words such as “may,” “will,” “seeks,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “plans,” “intends,” “should” or similar expressions indicate a forward-looking statement, although not all forward-looking statements include these words. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside of the Company’s control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from the results contemplated by the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include the potential adverse effects of the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, including actions taken to contain or treat COVID-19, on the Company, the Company’s tenants and the global economy and financial markets and that the information about rent collections may not be indicative of any future period, as well as those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 filed on February 27, 2020, the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2020 filed on May 7, 2020, the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2020 filed on August 6, 2020 and all other filings filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission after that date. Further, forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect changed assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events or changes to future operating results over time, unless required by law.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| | AMERICAN FINANCE TRUST, INC. |
| | | |
| | By: | /s/ Edward M. Weil, Jr. |
| | | Edward M. Weil, Jr. |
| | | Chief Executive Officer and President (Principal Executive Officer) |
Dated: August 28, 2020
