NOTE 15. RELATED PARTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY
We are externally managed by the Manager, a wholly owned subsidiary of CTO. Subsequent to the IPO, through September 30, 2022, CTO purchased an aggregate 134,221 shares of PINE common stock in the open market including (i) 126,133 shares purchased during the nine months ended September 30, 2022 for $2.3 million, or an average price per share of $17.83 and (ii) 8,088 shares purchased during the year ended December 31, 2021 for $0.1 million, or an average price per share of $17.65. As of September 30, 2022, CTO owns, in the aggregate, 1,223,854 OP Units and 950,011 shares of PINE common stock, inclusive of (i) 394,737 shares of common stock totaling $7.5 million issued in connection with the CTO Private Placement, (ii) 421,053 shares of common stock totaling $8.0 million issued in connection with the IPO, and (iii) 134,221 shares of common stock totaling $2.4 million purchased by CTO subsequent to the IPO. The aggregate 1,223,854 OP Units and 950,011 shares of PINE common stock held by CTO represent an investment totaling $35.3 million, or 16.0% of PINE’s outstanding equity, as of September 30, 2022.
Management Agreement
On November 26, 2019, the Operating Partnership and PINE entered into a management agreement with the Manager (the “Management Agreement”). Pursuant to the terms of the Management Agreement, our Manager manages, operates and administers our day-to-day operations, business and affairs, subject to the direction and supervision of the Board and in accordance with the investment guidelines approved and monitored by the Board. We pay our Manager a base management fee equal to 0.375% per quarter of our “total equity” (as defined in the Management Agreement and based on a 1.5% annual rate), calculated and payable in cash, quarterly in arrears.
Our Manager has the ability to earn an annual incentive fee based on our total stockholder return exceeding an 8% cumulative annual hurdle rate (the “Outperformance Amount”) subject to a high-water mark price. We would pay our Manager an incentive fee with respect to each annual measurement period in the amount of the greater of (i) $0.00 and (ii) the product of (a) 15% multiplied by (b) the Outperformance Amount multiplied by (c) the weighted average shares. No incentive fee was due for the year ended December 31, 2021.
The initial term of the Management Agreement will expire on November 26, 2024 and will automatically renew for an unlimited number of successive one-year periods thereafter, unless the agreement is not renewed or is terminated in accordance with its terms.
Our independent directors review our Manager’s performance and the management fees annually and, following the initial term, the Management Agreement may be terminated annually upon the affirmative vote of two-thirds of our independent directors or upon a determination by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of our common stock, based upon (i) unsatisfactory performance by the Manager that is materially detrimental to us or (ii) a determination that the management fees payable to our Manager are not fair, subject to our Manager’s right to prevent such termination due to unfair fees by accepting a reduction of management fees agreed to by two-thirds of our independent directors. We may also terminate the Management Agreement for cause at any time, including during the initial term, without the payment of any termination fee, with 30 days’ prior written notice from the Board. During the initial term of the Management Agreement, we may not terminate the Management Agreement except for cause.
We pay directly or reimburse our Manager for certain expenses, if incurred by our Manager. We do not reimburse any compensation expenses incurred by our Manager or its affiliates. Expense reimbursements to our Manager are made in cash on a quarterly basis following the end of each quarter. In addition, we pay all of our operating expenses, except those specifically required to be borne by our Manager pursuant to the Management Agreement.
The Company incurred management fee expenses totaling $0.9 million and $2.8 million during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, respectively. The Company also paid dividends on the common stock and OP Units owned by affiliates of the Manager in the amount of $0.6 million and $1.7 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, respectively. The Company incurred management fee expenses totaling $0.9 million and $2.3 million during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, respectively. The Company also paid dividends on the common stock and OP Units owned by affiliates of the Manager in the amount of $0.5 million and $1.7 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, respectively.