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): July 30, 2021
WEINGARTEN REALTY INVESTORS
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Texas | 1-9876 | 74-1464203 |
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) | (Commission File Number) | (IRS Employer Identification No.) |
2600 Citadel Plaza Drive, Suite 125, Houston, Texas 77008
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (713) 866-6000
Not applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
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 (see General Instruction A.2. below):
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☒ | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
☐ | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
☐ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
☐ | 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:
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Title of Each Class |
| Trading Symbol(s) |
| Name of Each Exchange on Which Registered |
Common Shares of Beneficial Interest, $.03 par value | | WRI | | New York Stock Exchange |
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).
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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.
Commencing on July 30, 2021, Weingarten Realty Investors (the “Company”) commenced the distribution of a letter to certain shareholders of the Company requesting that shareholders vote on the proposals described in the proxy materials sent to shareholders on or about June 29, 2021 seeking their approval of the agreement and plan of merger, dated as of April 15, 2021, between the Company and Kimco Realty Corporation (“Kimco”) and related proposals. A copy of the letter is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated by reference herein.
Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits.
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Exhibit Number | Title | |
99.1 | ||
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104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document) | |
Forward Looking Statements
This communication contains certain “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. Kimco and the Company intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and include this statement for purposes of complying with the safe harbor provisions. Words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” “will,” “should,” “may,” “projects,” “could,” “estimates” or variations of such words and other similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements, which generally are not historical in nature, but not all forward-looking statements include such identifying words. Forward-looking statements regarding Kimco and the Company include, but are not limited to, statements related to the anticipated acquisition of the Company and the anticipated timing and benefits thereof; Kimco’s expected financing for the transaction; Kimco’s ability to deleverage and its projected target net leverage; and other statements that are not historical facts. These forward-looking statements are based on each of the companies’ current plans, objectives, estimates, expectations and intentions and inherently involve significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of these risks and uncertainties, which include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties associated with: Kimco’s and the Company’s ability to complete the acquisition on the proposed terms or on the anticipated timeline, or at all, including risks and uncertainties related to securing the necessary shareholder approvals and satisfaction of other closing conditions to consummate the acquisition; the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the definitive transaction agreement relating to the proposed transaction; risks related to diverting the attention of the Company and Kimco management from ongoing business operations; failure to realize the expected benefits of the acquisition; significant transaction costs and/or unknown or inestimable liabilities; the risk of shareholder litigation in connection with the proposed transaction, including resulting expense or delay; the risk that the Company’s business will not be integrated successfully or that such integration may be more difficult, time-consuming or costly than expected; Kimco’s ability to obtain the expected financing to consummate the acquisition; risks related to future opportunities and plans for the combined company, including the uncertainty of expected future financial performance and results of the combined company following completion of the acquisition; effects relating to the announcement of the acquisition or any further announcements or the consummation of the acquisition on the market price of Kimco’s common stock or the Company’s common shares; the possibility that, if Kimco does not
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achieve the perceived benefits of the acquisition as rapidly or to the extent anticipated by financial analysts or investors, the market price of Kimco common stock could decline; general adverse economic and local real estate conditions; the inability of major tenants to continue paying their rent obligations due to bankruptcy, insolvency or a general downturn in their business; local real estate conditions; increases in interest rates; foreign currency exchange rates; increases in operating costs and real estate taxes; changes in the dividend policy for Kimco common stock or preferred stock or Kimco’s ability to pay dividends; impairment charges; unanticipated changes in the company’s intention or ability to prepay certain debt prior to maturity and/or hold certain securities until maturity; pandemics or other health crises, such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); and other risks and uncertainties affecting Kimco and the Company, including those described from time to time under the caption “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in Kimco’s and the Company’s SEC filings and reports, including Kimco’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, and subsequent filings and reports by either company. Moreover, other risks and uncertainties of which Kimco or the Company are not currently aware may also affect each of the companies’ forward-looking statements and may cause actual results and the timing of events to differ materially from those anticipated. The forward-looking statements made in this communication are made only as of the date hereof or as of the dates indicated in the forward-looking statements, even if they are subsequently made available by Kimco or the Company on their respective websites or otherwise. Neither Kimco nor the Company undertakes any obligation to update or supplement any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, new information, future events, changes in its expectations or other circumstances that exist after the date as of which the forward-looking statements were made.
Important Additional Information and Where to Find It
In connection with the proposed merger, Kimco has filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-4 to register the shares of Kimco common stock to be issued in connection with the merger, which was declared effective by the SEC on June 25, 2021. The registration statement includes a joint proxy statement/prospectus which was sent on or about June 29, 2021 to the common stockholders of Kimco and the shareholders of the Company seeking their approval of their respective transaction-related proposals. Kimco and the Company also plan to file other documents with the SEC with respect to the proposed merger. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-4 AND THE RELATED JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THOSE DOCUMENTS AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED MERGER BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT KIMCO, THE COMPANY AND THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION.
Investors and security holders may obtain copies of these documents free of charge through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov or from Kimco at its website, www.kimcorealty.com, or from the Company at its website, www.weingarten.com. Documents filed with the SEC by Kimco will be available free of charge by accessing Kimco’s website at www.kimcorealty.com under the heading Investors or, alternatively, by directing a request to Kimco at IR@kimcorealty.com or 500 North Broadway Suite 201, Jericho, New York 11753, telephone: (866) 831-4297, and documents filed with the SEC by the Company will be available free of charge by accessing the Company’s website at www.weingarten.com under the heading Investors or, alternatively, by directing a request to the Company at ir@weingarten.com or 2600 Citadel Plaza Drive, Houston, TX 77008, telephone: (800) 298-9974.
Participants in the Solicitation
Kimco and the Company and certain of their respective directors and executive officers and other members of management and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the common stockholders of Kimco and the shareholders of the Company in respect of the proposed transaction under the rules of
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the SEC. Information about Kimco’s directors and executive officers is available in Kimco’s proxy statement dated March 17, 2021 for its 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Information about the Company’s directors and executive officers is available in the Company’s proxy statement dated March 15, 2021 for its 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. Other information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, is contained in the joint proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant materials filed with the SEC regarding the merger when they become available. Investors should read the joint proxy statement/prospectus carefully before making any voting or investment decisions. You may obtain free copies of these documents from Kimco or the Company using the sources indicated above.
No Offer or Solicitation
This communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act.
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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.
Date: July 30, 2021
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| WEINGARTEN REALTY INVESTORS | |
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| By: | /s/ Joe D. Shafer |
| | Joe D. Shafer |
| | Senior Vice President/ |
| | Chief Accounting Officer |
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