In 2020, our stockholders approved an amendment to our Articles of Incorporation that increased the number of authorized shares from 1.0 billion to 2.0 billion shares of common stock. At December 31, 2020, 2.1 billion shares were authorized to be issued by the Parent, of which 2.0 billion shares represent common stock and 0.1 billion shares represent preferred stock. Our board of directors (the “Board”) may, without stockholder approval, classify or reclassify any unissued shares of our stock from time to time by setting or changing the preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to distributions, qualifications and terms or conditions of redemption of such shares.

In 2020, we entered into a new at-the-market program that allows us to sell up to $1.5 billion in aggregate gross sales proceeds of shares of common stock through twenty designated agents. These agents earn a fee of up to 2% of the gross sales price per share of common stock as agreed to on a transaction-by-transaction basis. We have not issued any shares of common stock under this new program.

On February 4, 2020, we issued 106.7 million common shares in the Liberty Transaction. On August 22, 2018, we issued 96.2 million common shares in the DCT Transaction. See Note 3 for more detail on these transactions.

Under the 2020 Long-Term Incentive Plan, certain of our employees and outside directors are able to participate in equity-based compensation plans. See Note 12 for additional information on equity-based compensation plans.

In 2020, the Board of Directors authorized a new share purchase program for the repurchase of outstanding shares of our common stock on the open market or in privately negotiated transactions for an aggregate purchase price of up to $1.0 billion. In 2020, we repurchased and retired 0.5 million shares of common stock for an aggregate price of $34.8 million at a weighted average price of $64.66 per share on the open market.

In 2020, we repurchased approximately 0.1 million shares of Series Q preferred stock and recognized a loss of $2.3 million, which primarily represented the difference between the repurchase price and the carrying value of the preferred stock, net of original issuance costs.

At December 31, 2020 and 2019 our Series Q preferred stock outstanding had a dividend rate of 8.54% and will be redeemable at our option on or after November 13, 2026. Holders have, subject to certain conditions, limited voting rights and all holders are entitled to receive cumulative preferential dividends based on liquidation preference. The dividends are payable quarterly when, and if, they have been declared by the Board, out of funds legally available for the payment of dividends.

For us to qualify as a REIT, five or fewer individuals may not own more than 50% of the value of our outstanding stock at any time during the last half of our taxable year. Therefore, our charter restricts beneficial ownership (or ownership generally attributed to a person under the REIT rules), by a person, or persons acting as a group, of issued and outstanding common and preferred stock that would cause that person to own or be deemed to own more than 9.8% (by value or number of shares, whichever is more restrictive) of our issued and outstanding capital stock. Furthermore, subject to certain exceptions, no person shall at any time directly or indirectly acquire ownership of more than 25% of any of the preferred stock. These provisions assist us in protecting and preserving our REIT status and protect the interests of stockholders in takeover transactions by preventing the acquisition of a substantial block of outstanding shares of stock.

Shares of stock owned by a person or group of people in excess of these limits are subject to redemption by us. The provision does not apply where a majority of the Board, in its sole and absolute discretion, waives such limit after determining that our status as a REIT for federal income tax purposes will not be jeopardized.

To comply with the REIT requirements of the IRC, we are generally required to make common and preferred stock dividends (other than capital gain distributions) to our stockholders in amounts that together at least equal (i) the sum of (a) 90% of our “REIT taxable income” computed without regard to the dividends paid deduction and net capital gains and (b) 90% of the net income (after tax), if any, from foreclosure property, minus (ii) certain excess noncash income. Our common stock distribution policy is to distribute a percentage of our cash flow that ensures that we will meet the distribution requirements of the IRC and that allows us to also retain cash to meet other needs, such as capital improvements and other investment activities.

The taxability of our dividends for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 are presented below. The taxability of dividends paid in 2020 was based on management’s estimates as our tax return for the year ended December 31, 2020 has not been filed. As the statute of limitations is generally three years, our tax returns for certain years remain subject to examination and consequently the taxability of the dividends is subject to change.

The following summarizes the taxability of our common and preferred stock dividends for the years ended December 31:

	2020 ⁽¹⁾		2019		2018
Common Stock:
Ordinary income	$	2.12	$	2.08	$	1.34
Qualified dividend		0.00		0.00		0.03
Capital gains		0.20		0.04		0.55
Total distribution	$	2.32	$	2.12	$	1.92
Preferred Stock – Series Q:
Ordinary income	$	3.96	$	4.00	$	2.98
Qualified dividend		0.02		0.01		0.06
Capital gains		0.29		0.26		1.23
Total dividend	$	4.27	$	4.27	$	4.27

Common stock dividends are characterized for federal income tax purposes as ordinary income, qualified dividend, capital gains, non-taxable return of capital or a combination of the four. Common stock dividends that exceed our current and accumulated earnings and profits (calculated for tax purposes) constitute a return of capital rather than a dividend and generally reduce the stockholder’s basis in the common stock. To the extent that a dividend exceeds both current and accumulated earnings and profits and the stockholder’s basis in the common stock, it will generally be treated as a gain from the sale or exchange of that stockholder’s common stock. At the beginning of each year, we notify our stockholders of the taxability of the common stock dividends paid during the preceding year.

Pursuant to the terms of our preferred stock, we are restricted from declaring or paying any dividend with respect to our common stock unless and until all cumulative dividends with respect to the preferred stock have been paid and sufficient funds have been set aside for dividends that have been declared for the relevant dividend period with respect to the preferred stock.