8-K

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): February 16, 2017

WHEELER REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Maryland	001-35713	45-2681082
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

2529 Virginia Beach Blvd., Suite 200

Virginia Beach, VA 23452

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (757) 627-9088

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligations of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

¨ 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))

ITEM 8.01 OTHER EVENTS.

On February 16, 2017, the Registrant issued a press release announcing the declaration of a monthly cash dividend of $0.0175 per share of common stock to shareholders of record on February 28, 2017. The Registrant expects to pay the dividend on or about March 31, 2017.

ITEM 9.01 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.

(a) Financial statement of businesses acquired.

Not applicable.

(b) Pro forma financial information.

Not applicable.

(c) Shell company transactions.

Not Applicable.

(d) Exhibits.

99.1 Press release dated February 16, 2017, announcing the payment, on or about March 31, 2017, of a monthly cash dividend of $0.0175 per share of common stock declared to shareholders of record on February 28, 2017.

SIGNATURE

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 thereunto duly authorized.

WHEELER REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST, INC.
By:	/s/ Jon S. Wheeler
	Jon S. Wheeler
	Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Dated: February 17, 2017

EXHIBIT INDEX

Number	Description of Exhibit
99.1	Press release dated February 16, 2017, announcing the payment, on or about March 31, 2017, of a monthly cash dividend of $0.0175 per share of common stock declared to shareholders of record on February 28, 2017.

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WHEELER REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST, INC. ANNOUNCES

MONTHLY CASH DIVIDEND

Virginia Beach, VA –February 16, 2017 – Wheeler Real Estate Investment Trust, Inc. (NASDAQ:WHLR) (“Wheeler” or the “Company”), a fully-integrated, self-managed commercial real estate investment company focused on acquiring and managing income-producing retail properties with a primary focus on grocery-anchored centers, today announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a $0.0175 per share monthly cash dividend for shareholders of record of the Company’s common stock on February 28, 2017, to be paid on or about March 31, 2017.

About Wheeler Real Estate Investment Trust, Inc.

Headquartered in Virginia Beach, VA, Wheeler Real Estate Investment Trust, Inc. is a fully-integrated, self-managed commercial real estate investment company focused on acquiring and managing income-producing retail properties with a primary focus on grocery-anchored centers. Wheeler’s portfolio contains well-located, potentially dominant retail properties in secondary and tertiary markets that generate attractive, risk-adjusted returns, with a particular emphasis on grocery-anchored retail centers.

Additional information about Wheeler Real Estate Investment Trust, Inc. can be found at the Company’s corporate website: www.whlr.us.

Forward-Looking Statement

This press release may contain “forward-looking” statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When the Company uses words such as “may,” “will,” “intend,” “should,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “project,” “estimate” or similar expressions that do not relate solely to historical matters, it is making forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results to differ materially from the Company’s expectations discussed in the forward-looking statements. For example, this press release states that the Company’s monthly dividend rate on the Company’s common stock is $0.0175 per share. A possible implication of this statement is that the Company will continuously pay monthly dividends on the Company’s common stock of $0.0175 per share, or $0.21 per share per year in the future. The Company’s dividend rates are set and may be reset from time to time by its Board of Directors. The Company’s Board of Directors will consider many factors when setting dividend rates, including the Company’s historical and projected income, normalized funds from operations, the then current and expected needs and availability of cash to pay the Company’s obligations, distributions which may be required to be paid to maintain the Company’s tax status as a real estate investment trust and other factors deemed relevant by the Board of Directors in its discretion. Accordingly, future dividend rates may be increased or decreased and there is no assurance as to the rate at which future dividends will be paid. For these reasons, among others, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements in this press release. Additional factors are discussed in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available for review at www.sec.gov.The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward‐looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof.

CONTACT:                      

Wheeler Real Estate Investment Trust, Inc.

Wilkes Graham    

Chief Financial Officer    

(757) 627-9088     

Wilkes@whlr.us    

Laura Nguyen                            

Director of Investor Relations                    

(757) 627-9088                            

Laura@whlr.us