424B5 1 d171179d424b5.htm 424B5 424B5
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Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5)
Registration No. 333-251600

 

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

(To Prospectus dated January 5, 2021)

4,800,000 Shares

 

 

LOGO

6.625% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares of Beneficial Interest

(Liquidation Preference $25.00 Per Share)

 

 

We are offering 4,800,000 of our 6.625% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares of Beneficial Interest, $0.01 par value per share (the “Series A Preferred Shares”).

Distributions on the Series A Preferred Shares will be payable quarterly in arrears on the 15th day of January, April, July and October of each year (or, if not on a business day, on the next succeeding business day). The distribution rate is 6.625% per annum of the $25.00 liquidation preference, which is equivalent to $1.65625 per annum per Series A Preferred Share. The first distribution on the Series A Preferred Shares sold in this offering will be paid on October 15, 2021 (long first dividend period) and will be in the amount of $0.48307 per share.

We may not redeem the Series A Preferred Shares before June 30, 2026 except in limited circumstances to preserve our status as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) for federal income tax purposes and except as described below upon the occurrence of a Change of Control (as defined in “Description of the Series A Preferred Shares — Special Optional Redemption”). On and after June 30, 2026, we may, at our option, redeem the Series A Preferred Shares, in whole or from time to time in part, by paying $25.00 per share, plus any accrued and unpaid distributions to, but not including, the date of redemption. In addition, upon the occurrence of a Change of Control, the result of which is that neither our common shares of beneficial interest, $0.01 par value per share (“common shares”), nor the common securities of the acquiring or surviving entity (or American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) representing such securities) are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”), the NYSE American LLC (the “NYSE American”) or the NASDAQ Global Market (“NASDAQ”) or listed or quoted on a successor exchange or quotation system, we may, at our option, redeem the Series A Preferred Shares, in whole or in part and within 120 days on or after the first date on which such Change of Control occurred, by paying $25.00 per share, plus any accrued and unpaid distributions to, but not including, the date of redemption. If we exercise any of our redemption rights relating to the Series A Preferred Shares, the holders of Series A Preferred Shares will not have the conversion right described below. The Series A Preferred Shares have no maturity date and will remain outstanding indefinitely unless redeemed by us or converted in connection with a Change of Control by the holders of Series A Preferred Shares. Holders of shares of the Series A Preferred Shares will generally have no voting rights except for limited voting rights if we fail to pay distributions for six or more quarterly periods (whether or not consecutive) and in certain other circumstances.

Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control the result of which is that neither our common shares nor the common securities of the acquiring or surviving entity (or ADRs representing such securities) are listed on the NYSE, the NYSE American or NASDAQ or listed or quoted on a successor exchange or quotation system, each holder of Series A Preferred Shares will have the right (unless, prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date (as defined in “Description of the Series A Preferred Shares — Conversion Rights”), we have provided or provide notice of our election to redeem the Series A Preferred Shares) to convert some or all of the Series A Preferred Shares held by such holder on the Change of Control Conversion Date into a number of our common shares per Series A Preferred Share to be converted equal to the lesser of:

 

   

the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the sum of the $25.00 liquidation preference plus the amount of any accrued and unpaid distributions to, but not including, the Change of Control Conversion Date (unless the Change of Control Conversion Date is after a record date for a Series A Preferred Share distribution payment and prior to the corresponding Series A Preferred Share distribution payment date, in which case no additional amount for such accrued and unpaid distribution will be included in this sum) by (ii) the Common Share Price (as defined in “Description of the Series A Preferred Shares — Conversion Rights”); and

 

   

3.701 (the “Share Cap”), subject to certain adjustments;

subject, in each case, to provisions for the receipt of alternative consideration as described in this prospectus supplement.

The Series A Preferred Shares are subject to certain restrictions on ownership designed to preserve our qualification as a REIT for federal income tax purposes.

We have filed an application to list the Series A Preferred Shares on the NYSE under the symbol “CLDT-PA.” If the application is approved, we expect trading of the Series A Preferred Shares on the NYSE to commence within 30 days following the initial delivery of the Series A Preferred Shares.

 

 

Investing in the Series A Preferred Shares involves a high degree of risk. Before buying any Series A Preferred Shares, you should carefully read the discussion of material risks of investing in the Series A Preferred Shares under the heading “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-9 of this prospectus supplement and beginning on page 14 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020.

 

     Per
Share
     Total  

Public offering price(1)

   $ 25.00      $ 120,000,000  

Underwriting discount

   $ 0.7875      $ 3,780,000  

Proceeds to us, before expenses

   $ 24.2125      $ 116,220,000  

 

(1)

Plus accrued distributions, if any, from June 30, 2021.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The underwriters expect to deliver the Series A Preferred Shares on or about June 30, 2021.

 

 

 

Joint Book-Running Managers
Wells Fargo Securities   Barclays   BofA Securities   Citigroup

Joint Lead Managers        

BMO Capital Markets   Regions Securities LLC   Stifel   US Bancorp
Senior Co-Managers

 

B. Riley Securities   Janney Montgomery Scott

The date of this prospectus supplement is June 23, 2021.


Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Prospectus Supplement

 

     Page  

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

     S-iii  

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

     S-iv  

SUMMARY

     S-1  

RISK FACTORS

     S-9  

USE OF PROCEEDS

     S-12  

DESCRIPTION OF THE SERIES A PREFERRED SHARES

     S-13  

UNDERWRITING (CONFLICTS OF INTEREST)

     S-23  

LEGAL MATTERS

     S-27  

EXPERTS

     S-27  

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

     S-28  

Prospectus

 

     Page  

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

     1  

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

     2  

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

     3  

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

     4  

OUR COMPANY

     6  

RISK FACTORS

     7  

USE OF PROCEEDS

     11  

DESCRIPTION OF THE SECURITIES WE MAY OFFER

     11  

DESCRIPTION OF SHARES OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST

     11  

DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

     15  

DESCRIPTION OF UNITS

     16  

GLOBAL SECURITIES

     17  

CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF MARYLAND LAW AND OF OUR DECLARATION OF TRUST AND BYLAWS

     19  

MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

     25  

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

     55  

LEGAL MATTERS

     58  

EXPERTS

     58  

 

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You should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or any applicable free writing prospectus. We have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized any other person to provide you with different or additional information. If anyone provides you with different or additional information, you should not rely on it. This prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and any applicable free writing prospectus do not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to purchase, any securities in any jurisdiction where it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, any applicable free writing prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein or therein is accurate only as of their respective dates or on the date or dates which are specified in these documents. Our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

 

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

This document is in two parts. The first part is this prospectus supplement, which describes the specific terms of this offering and adds to and updates information contained in the accompanying prospectus. The second part, the accompanying prospectus, gives more general information, some of which does not apply to this offering.

To the extent the information contained in this prospectus supplement differs or varies from the information contained in the accompanying prospectus or the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement on or prior to the date of this prospectus supplement, the information in this prospectus supplement will supersede such information.

This prospectus supplement does not contain all of the information that is important to you. You should read the accompanying prospectus as well as the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. See “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference” in this prospectus supplement and “Where You Can Find More Information” in the accompanying prospectus. Unless otherwise indicated or the context requires otherwise, in this prospectus supplement, the terms “company,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer to Chatham Lodging Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust, and its subsidiaries, and references to our “operating partnership” refer to Chatham Lodging, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership for which we serve as the sole general partner.

 

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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, including the information incorporated by reference herein and therein, contain forward-looking statements. When used in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, in future filings with the SEC or in press releases or other written or oral communications, statements which are not historical in nature, including those containing words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “plan,” “continue,” “intend,” “should,” “may” or similar expressions, are intended to identify “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and, as such, may involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions. These forward-looking statements include information about possible or assumed future results of our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations, cash flow and plans and objectives. We 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 these safe harbor provisions. Statements regarding the following subjects, among others, are forward-looking by their nature:

 

   

our business and investment strategy;

 

   

our forecasted operating results;

 

   

completion of hotel acquisitions and dispositions;

 

   

completion of hotel developments;

 

   

our ability to obtain future financing arrangements;

 

   

our expected leverage levels;

 

   

our understanding of our competition;

 

   

market and lodging industry trends and expectations;

 

   

our investment in joint ventures;

 

   

anticipated capital expenditures; and

 

   

our ability to maintain our qualification as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

The forward-looking statements are based on our beliefs, assumptions and expectations of our future performance, taking into account all information available to us at the time the forward-looking statements are made. These beliefs, assumptions and expectations can change as a result of many possible events or factors, not all of which are known to us. If a change occurs, our business, prospects, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations may vary materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements. You should carefully consider these risks when you make an investment decision concerning our common shares. Additionally, the following factors could cause actual results to vary from our forward-looking statements:

 

   

the factors included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, including those set forth under the sections titled “Risk Factors” herein and in our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and in the other documents that we file with the SEC;

 

   

general volatility of the financial markets and the market price of our securities;

 

   

performance of the lodging industry in general;

 

   

business interruptions due to cyber attacks;

 

   

impacts on our business of a prolonged government shutdown;

 

   

decreased international travel because of geopolitical events, including terrorism, outbreaks of disease and current U.S. government policies;

 

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the ultimate geographic spread, severity and duration of pandemics such as the recent outbreak of the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, actions that may be taken by governmental authorities to contain or address the impact of such pandemics, and the potential negative impacts of such pandemics on the global economy and our financial condition and results of operations;

 

   

the timing of the development and administration of any effective cure or treatment for COVID-19;

 

   

changes in our business or investment strategy;

 

   

availability, terms and deployment of capital;

 

   

availability of and our ability to attract and retain qualified personnel;

 

   

our leverage levels;

 

   

our capital expenditures;

 

   

changes in our industry and the markets in which we operate, interest rates or the general U.S. or international economy;

 

   

our ability to maintain our qualification as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes; and

 

   

the degree and nature of our competition.

All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or any person acting on our behalf are qualified by the cautionary statements in this section. New risks and uncertainties arise over time and it is not possible to predict those events or how they may affect us. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or publicly release any revisions to forward-looking statements to reflect events, circumstances or changes in expectations after the date of this prospectus supplement.

 

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SUMMARY

The following summary highlights information contained elsewhere or incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. It may not contain all of the information that is important to you. Before making a decision to invest in our Series A Preferred Shares, you should read carefully this entire prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, including the risks set forth under the caption “Risk Factors” in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, which is incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. This summary is qualified in its entirety by the more detailed information and financial statements, including the notes thereto, appearing elsewhere or incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.

Our Company

We are an internally managed hotel investment company organized in October 2009 that invests in premium-branded upscale extended-stay and select-service hotels. As of March 31, 2021, we wholly owned 39 hotels with an aggregate of 5,900 rooms located in 15 states and the District of Columbia. As of March 31, 2021, we also held a 10.0% noncontrolling interest in a separate joint venture with affiliates of Colony Capital, Inc., which owns 48 hotels with an aggregate of 6,402 rooms (with all of the hotels owned by this joint venture being held in receivership by a third party receiver). Our current portfolio of wholly owned hotels includes upscale extended-stay hotels that operate under the Residence Inn by Marriott® brand and the Homewood Suites by Hilton® brand, as well as premium-branded select-service hotels that operate under the Courtyard by Marriott® brand, the Hampton Inn or Hampton Inn and Suites® brand, the SpringHill Suites by Marriott® brand, the Hilton Garden Inn by Hilton® brand, the Embassy Suites® by Hilton® brand, and the Hyatt Place® brand.

We are the sole general partner of our operating partnership. Substantially all of our assets are held by, and all of our operations are conducted through, our operating partnership.

Our principal executive offices are located at 222 Lakeview Avenue, Suite 200, West Palm Beach, Florida 33401. Our telephone number is (561) 802-4477. Our website is www.chathamlodgingtrust.com. Our website and the information contained therein or connected thereto do not constitute a part of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus.

Recent Developments

On June 15, 2021, we entered into a purchase and sale agreement to acquire two hotels located in Austin, Texas for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $71.2 million (the “Austin Acquisitions”), or approximately $264,750 per room. The hotels are comprised of a 132 room upscale extended-stay hotel and a 137 room upper midscale extended-stay hotel located adjacent to The Domain, which is a mixed-use development in Austin, Texas. Completion of the Austin Acquisitions is contingent upon satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including the completion of due diligence. If completed closing is expected during the third quarter of 2021.

We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering to repay indebtedness under our revolving credit facility. Borrowings under our revolving credit facility that we repay with net proceeds from this offering may be re-borrowed, subject to customary conditions. After using the net proceeds from this offering to repay indebtedness under our revolving credit facility, we intend to re-borrow funds under our revolving credit facility to fund the purchase price for the Austin Acquisitions. We cannot assure you, however, that we will complete the Austin Acquisitions on the terms described above or at all.



 

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To the extent we do not use the net proceeds of this offering to repay indebtedness under our revolving credit facility or fund the Austin Acquisitions, we intend to use the net proceeds of this offering for general business purposes, including, without limitation, funding our investment activity, repayment of indebtedness and working capital. See “Use of Proceeds.”


 

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The Offering

The following is a brief summary of certain terms of this offering. For a more complete description of the terms of the Series A Preferred Shares, see “Description of the Series A Preferred Shares” in this prospectus supplement and “Description of Shares of Beneficial Interest — Preferred Shares” in the accompanying prospectus.

 

Issuer

Chatham Lodging Trust

 

Securities Offered

4,800,000 Series A Preferred Shares. We reserve the right to reopen this series and issue additional Series A Preferred Shares either through public or private sales at any time.

 

Distributions

Holders of the Series A Preferred Shares will be entitled to receive cumulative cash distributions on the Series A Preferred Shares at the rate of 6.625% per annum of the $25.00 per share liquidation preference (equivalent to $1.65625 per annum per Series A Preferred Shares). Distributions on the Series A Preferred Shares will be payable quarterly in arrears on the 15th day of January, April, July and October of each year (or, if not on a business day, on the next succeeding business day). The first distribution on the Series A Preferred Shares sold in this offering will be paid on October 15, 2021 (long first dividend period) and will be in the amount of $0.48307 per share. Any distribution payable on the Series A Preferred Shares for any partial period will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months. Distributions on the Series A Preferred Shares will accrue whether or not we have earnings, whether or not there are assets legally available for the payment of distributions and whether or not distributions are authorized or declared.

 

No Maturity

The Series A Preferred Shares have no maturity date, and we are not required to redeem the Series A Preferred Shares. In addition, we are not required to set apart assets to redeem the Series A Preferred Shares. Accordingly, the Series A Preferred Shares will remain outstanding indefinitely unless we decide to redeem them or, under circumstances where the holders of Series A Preferred Shares have a conversion right, the holders of Series A Preferred Shares decide to convert them.

 

Optional Redemption

We may not redeem the Series A Preferred Shares prior to June 30, 2026, except as described below under “ — Special Optional Redemption” and in limited circumstances relating to our continuing qualification as a REIT. On and after June 30, 2026, we may, at our option, redeem the Series A Preferred Shares, in whole or from time to time in part, by paying $25.00 per share, plus any accrued and unpaid distributions to, but not including, the date of redemption.


 

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Special Optional Redemption

Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control (as defined below), we may, at our option, redeem the Series A Preferred Shares, in whole or in part and within 120 days on or after the first date on which such Change of Control occurred, by paying $25.00 per share, plus any accrued and unpaid distributions to, but not including, the date of redemption. If, prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date, we exercise any of our redemption rights relating to the Series A Preferred Shares (whether our optional redemption right or our special optional redemption right), the holders of Series A Preferred Shares will not have the conversion right described below.

 

  A “Change of Control” is when, after the original issuance of the Series A Preferred Shares, the following have occurred and are continuing:

 

   

the acquisition by any person, including any syndicate or group deemed to be a “person” under Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act, of beneficial ownership, directly or indirectly, through a purchase, merger or other acquisition transaction or series of purchases, mergers or other acquisition transactions of shares of our company entitling that person to exercise more than 50% of the total voting power of all shares of our company entitled to vote generally in elections of trustees (except that such person will be deemed to have beneficial ownership of all securities that such person has the right to acquire, whether such right is currently exercisable or is exercisable only upon the occurrence of a subsequent condition); and

 

   

following the closing of any transaction referred to in the bullet point above, neither we nor the acquiring or surviving entity has a class of common securities (or ADRs representing such securities) listed on the NYSE, the NYSE American or NASDAQ or listed or quoted on an exchange or quotation system that is a successor to the NYSE, the NYSE American or NASDAQ.

 

Conversion Rights

Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control, each holder of Series A Preferred Shares will have the right (unless, prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date, we have provided or provide notice of our election to redeem the Series A Preferred Shares) to convert some or all of the Series A Preferred Shares held by such holder on the Change of Control Conversion Date into a number of our common shares per Series A Preferred Share to be converted equal to the lesser of:

 

   

the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the sum of the $25.00 liquidation preference plus the amount of any accrued and unpaid distributions to, but not including, the Change of Control Conversion Date (unless the Change of Control Conversion Date is after a record date for a Series A Preferred Share distribution payment and prior to the corresponding Series A Preferred Share distribution payment date, in which case no additional amount for


 

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such accrued and unpaid distribution will be included in this sum) by (ii) the Common Share Price; and

 

   

3.701 (i.e., the Share Cap), subject to certain adjustments;

 

  subject, in each case, to provisions for the receipt of alternative consideration as described in this prospectus supplement.

 

  If we have provided or provide a redemption notice, whether pursuant to our special optional redemption right in connection with a Change of Control or our optional redemption right, holders of Series A Preferred Shares will not have any right to convert the Series A Preferred Shares in connection with the Change of Control Conversion Right and any Series A Preferred Shares subsequently selected for redemption that have been tendered for conversion will be redeemed on the related date of redemption instead of converted on the Change of Control Conversion Date.

 

  For definitions of “Change of Control Conversion Right,” “Change of Control Conversion Date” and “Common Share Price” and for a description of the adjustments and provisions for the receipt of alternative consideration that may be applicable to the Change of Control Conversion Right, see “Description of the Series A Preferred Shares — Conversion Rights.”

 

  Except as provided above in connection with a Change of Control, the Series A Preferred Shares are not convertible into or exchangeable for any other securities or property.

 

  Notwithstanding any other provision of the Series A Preferred Shares, no holder of the Series A Preferred Shares will be entitled to convert such shares into our common shares to the extent that receipt of such common shares would cause such holder (or any other person) to exceed the share ownership limits contained in our Declaration of Trust and the articles supplementary setting forth the terms of the Series A Preferred Shares. See “Description of Shares of Beneficial Interest — Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer” in the accompanying prospectus.

 

Liquidation Preference

If we liquidate, dissolve or wind up, the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares will have the right to receive $25.00 per share, plus any accrued and unpaid distributions to, but not including, the date of payment, before any payments are made to the holders of our common shares or any other shares of beneficial interest that rank junior to the Series A Preferred Shares. The rights of holders of Series A Preferred Shares to receive their liquidation preference would be subject to the proportionate rights of any other class or series of our equity securities ranking senior to or on parity with the Series A Preferred Shares as to liquidation. This includes any future parity equity securities that by their terms are on a parity with the Series A



 

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Preferred Shares with respect to the payment of distributions and the distribution of assets upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up (the “Parity Preferred Shares”).

 

Ranking

The Series A Preferred Shares rank with respect to payment of distributions and the distribution of assets upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up:

 

   

senior to our common shares and to any other of our equity securities that by their terms rank junior to the Series A Preferred Shares;

 

   

pari passu with Parity Preferred Shares, if any; and

 

   

junior to all of our existing and future indebtedness and any equity securities that by their terms rank senior to the Series A Preferred Shares.

 

Voting Rights

Holders of Series A Preferred Shares generally have no voting rights. However, if we do not pay distributions on the Series A Preferred Shares for six or more quarterly periods, whether or not consecutive, the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares, voting together as a single class with the holders of any other Parity Preferred Shares upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable, will be entitled to vote for the election of two additional trustees to serve on our Board of Trustees until we pay all distributions which we owe on the Series A Preferred Shares. In addition, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding Series A Preferred Shares is required for us to authorize, create or increase shares ranking senior to the Series A Preferred Shares or to amend our Declaration of Trust in a manner that materially and adversely affects the rights of the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares.

 

  Among other things, we may, without any vote of the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares, issue additional Series A Preferred Shares and Parity Preferred Shares.

 

Information Rights

During any period in which we are not subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and any Series A Preferred Shares are outstanding, we will (i) transmit by mail to all holders of Series A Preferred Shares as their names and addresses appear in our record books and without cost to such holders, copies of reports containing substantially the same information as would have appeared in the Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q that we would have been required to file with the SEC pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act if we were subject thereto (other than any exhibits that would have been required) and (ii) within 15 days following written request, supply copies of such reports to any prospective holder of the Series A Preferred Shares. We will mail (or otherwise provide) the reports to the holders of Series A Preferred Shares within 15 days


 

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after the respective dates by which we would have been required to file such reports with the SEC if we were subject to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

 

Proposed NYSE Symbol

We have filed an application to list the Series A Preferred Shares on the NYSE under the symbol “CLDT-PA.” If listing is approved, we expect trading to commence within 30 days after the initial delivery of the Series A Preferred Shares.

 

Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer

Our Declaration of Trust and the articles supplementary creating the Series A Preferred Shares contain restrictions on ownership and transfer, including provisions that limit to 9.8% the percentage ownership of the Series A Preferred Shares by any one person or group of affiliated persons. Our Declaration of Trust also limits to 9.8% the percentage ownership of our common shares by any one person or group of affiliated persons. These provisions may limit the ability of the holders of Series A Preferred Shares to convert their Series A Preferred Shares into our common shares. Our Board of Trustees may, in its sole discretion, exempt a person from the 9.8% ownership limit under certain circumstances.

 

Use of Proceeds

We estimate that the net proceeds of this offering, after deducting the underwriting discount and other estimated offering expenses payable by us, will be approximately $116.1 million. We will contribute the net proceeds of this offering to our operating partnership in exchange for preferred units. Our operating partnership intends to use the net proceeds from this offering to repay indebtedness under our revolving credit facility. Borrowings under our revolving credit facility that we repay with net proceeds from this offering may be re-borrowed, subject to customary conditions. After using the net proceeds from this offering to repay indebtedness under our revolving credit facility, we intend to re-borrow funds under our revolving credit facility to fund the purchase price for the Austin Acquisitions. See “Summary — Recent Developments.” To the extent our operating partnership does not use the net proceeds of this offering to repay indebtedness under our revolving credit facility or fund the Austin Acquisitions, we intend to use the net proceeds of this offering for general business purposes, including, without limitation, funding our investment activity, repayment of indebtedness and working capital. As of June 22, 2021, borrowings under our revolving credit facility totaled approximately $130.0 million, with interest on such borrowings of 3.0% and a maturity date of March 8, 2022.

 

  Pending application of the net proceeds, our operating partnership may invest the net proceeds in interest-bearing accounts and short-term, interest-bearing securities in a manner that is consistent with our intention to qualify for taxation as a REIT.


 

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  Affiliates of Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Barclays Capital Inc., BofA Securities, Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., BMO Capital Markets Corp., Regions Securities LLC and U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc. are lenders under our existing unsecured revolving credit facility and therefore may receive a portion of any net proceeds from this offering used for the repayment of borrowings under our unsecured revolving credit facility. See “Underwriting (Conflicts of Interest) — Conflicts of Interest” in this prospectus supplement. Certain affiliates of both Wells Fargo Securities, LLC and Barclays Capital Inc. may also act as lenders under mortgage loans on certain of our properties. To the extent that we use the net proceeds from this offering to repay amounts outstanding under our unsecured revolving credit facility or any applicable mortgage loans, those lenders will receive their pro rata portion of any of the proceeds from this offering that we use to repay any such amounts. See “Underwriting (Conflicts of Interest) — Conflicts of Interest” in this prospectus supplement

 

Conflicts of Interest

Affiliates of Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Barclays Capital Inc., BofA Securities, Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., BMO Capital Markets Corp., Regions Securities LLC and U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc. are lenders under our existing unsecured revolving credit facility. Certain affiliates of both Wells Fargo Securities, LLC and Barclays Capital Inc. may also act as lenders under mortgage loans on certain of our properties. Because at least 5% of the net offering proceeds, not including the underwriting discount, are intended to be used to reduce or retire a portion of the outstanding indebtedness under our revolving credit facility extended by affiliates of Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Barclays Capital Inc., BofA Securities, Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., BMO Capital Markets Corp., Regions Securities LLC and U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc., these underwriters are deemed to have a conflict of interest under Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) Rule 5121. Accordingly, this offering will be conducted in accordance with FINRA Rule 5121(a)(1)(B), since our common shares have a bona fide public market, as defined by FINRA Rule 5121(f)(3). See “Underwriting (Conflicts of Interest) – Conflicts of Interest” in this prospectus supplement.

 

Risk Factors

See “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-9 of this prospectus supplement and beginning on page 14 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, to read about certain risks you should consider before buying the Series A Preferred Shares.

 

Tax Consequences

Certain material federal income tax considerations of purchasing, owning and disposing of the Series A Preferred Shares are summarized under the heading “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” in the accompanying prospectus.


 

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RISK FACTORS

An investment in the Series A Preferred Shares involves a high degree of risk. In addition to other information in this prospectus supplement, you should carefully consider the following risks, the risks described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, as well as other information and data set forth in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein before making an investment decision with respect to the Series A Preferred Shares. The occurrence of any of these risks could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations, prospects and our ability to make cash distributions to holders of the Series A Preferred Shares, which could cause you to lose all or a significant portion of your investment in the Series A Preferred Shares. Some statements in this prospectus supplement, including statements in the following risk factors, constitute forward-looking statements. See “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” in the accompanying prospectus.

The Series A Preferred Shares are subordinate to our existing and future debt, and your interests could be diluted by the issuance of additional preferred shares and by other transactions.

The Series A Preferred Shares will rank junior to all of our existing and future debt and to other non-equity claims on us and our assets available to satisfy claims against us, including claims in bankruptcy, liquidation or similar proceedings. Agreements governing certain of our existing debt contain restrictions on our ability to pay distributions to preferred shareholders and repurchase or redeem preferred shares in certain circumstances, and agreements governing our future debt may include additional restrictions on our ability to pay distributions to preferred shareholders and repurchase or redeem preferred shares. Our Declaration of Trust currently authorizes the issuance of up to 100,000,000 preferred shares in one or more series. Prior to this offering, we have not issued any preferred shares. In addition, our Board of Trustees has the power under our Declaration of Trust to classify any of our unissued preferred shares and to reclassify any previously classified but unissued preferred shares of any series, from time to time, in one or more classes or series of preferred shares. We may also issue additional Series A Preferred Shares or additional preferred shares in the future which are on a parity with (or, upon the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding Series A Preferred Shares, senior to) the Series A Preferred Shares with respect to the payment of distributions and the distribution of assets upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up. The issuance of additional preferred shares on parity with or senior to the Series A Preferred Shares would dilute the interests of the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares, and any issuance of preferred shares senior to the Series A Preferred Shares or of additional indebtedness could affect our ability to pay distributions on, redeem or pay the liquidation preference on the Series A Preferred Shares. Other than the conversion right afforded to holders of Series A Preferred Shares that may occur in connection with a Change of Control as described under “Description of the Series A Preferred Shares — Conversion Rights” below, none of the provisions relating to the Series A Preferred Shares contain any provisions relating to or limiting our indebtedness or affording the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares protection in the event of a highly leveraged or other transaction, including a merger or the sale, lease or conveyance of all or substantially all our assets or business, that might adversely affect the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares, so long as the rights of the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares are not materially and adversely affected.

The Series A Preferred Shares have not been rated.

Our Series A Preferred Shares have not been rated by any nationally recognized statistical rating organization, which may negatively affect their market value and your ability to sell such shares. No assurance can be given, however, that one or more rating agencies might not independently determine to issue such a rating or that such a rating, if issued, would not adversely affect the market price of the Series A Preferred Shares. In addition, we may elect in the future to obtain a rating of the Series A Preferred Shares, which could adversely impact the market price of the Series A Preferred Shares. Ratings only reflect the views of the rating agency or agencies issuing the ratings and such ratings could be revised downward or withdrawn entirely at the discretion of the issuing rating agency if in its judgment circumstances so warrant. Any such downward revision or withdrawal of a rating could have an adverse effect on the market price of the Series A Preferred Shares.

 

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As a holder of Series A Preferred Shares, you will have extremely limited voting rights.

Your voting rights as a holder of Series A Preferred Shares will be limited. Our common shares are the only class of our securities that carry full voting rights. Voting rights for holders of Series A Preferred Shares exist primarily with respect to the ability to elect, together with holders of other Parity Preferred Shares, if any, two additional trustees to our Board of Trustees in the event that six or more quarterly distributions (whether or not consecutive) payable on the Series A Preferred Shares are in arrears, and with respect to voting on amendments to our Declaration of Trust or articles supplementary relating to the Series A Preferred Shares that materially and adversely affect the rights of the holders of Series A Preferred Shares or create additional classes or series of our shares that are senior to the Series A Preferred Shares. Other than the limited circumstances described in this prospectus supplement, holders of Series A Preferred Shares will not have any voting rights. See “Description of the Series A Preferred Shares — Voting Rights.”

The Change of Control conversion feature may not adequately compensate you, and the Change of Control conversion and redemption features of the Series A Preferred Shares may discourage a party from taking over our company or make it more difficult for a party to take over our company.

Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control the result of which is that neither our common shares nor the common securities of the acquiring or surviving entity (or ADRs representing such securities) are listed on the NYSE, the NYSE American or NASDAQ or listed or quoted on an exchange or quotation system that is a successor to the NYSE, the NYSE American or NASDAQ, holders of the Series A Preferred Shares will have the right (unless, prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date, we have provided or provide notice of our election to redeem the Series A Preferred Shares) to convert some or all of their Series A Preferred Shares into our common shares (or equivalent value of alternative consideration) and under these circumstances we will also have a special optional redemption right to redeem the Series A Preferred Shares. See “Description of the Series A Preferred Shares — Conversion Rights” and “— Special Optional Redemption.” Upon such a conversion, the holders will be limited to a maximum number of our common shares equal to the Share Cap multiplied by the number of Series A Preferred Shares converted. If the Common Share Price is less than $6.755 (which is approximately 50% of the per-share closing sale price of our common shares on June 22, 2021), subject to adjustment, the holders will receive a maximum of 3.701 of our common shares per Series A Preferred Share, which may result in a holder receiving value that is less than the liquidation preference of the Series A Preferred Shares. In addition, those features of the Series A Preferred Shares may have the effect of inhibiting a third party from making an acquisition proposal for our company or of delaying, deferring or preventing a Change of Control of our company under circumstances that otherwise could provide the holders of our common shares and Series A Preferred Shares with the opportunity to realize a premium over the then-current market price or that shareholders may otherwise believe is in their best interests.

There is no established trading market for the Series A Preferred Shares; listing on the NYSE does not guarantee a market for the Series A Preferred Shares and the market price and trading volume of the Series A Preferred Shares may fluctuate significantly.

The Series A Preferred Shares are a new issue of securities with no established trading market. We have filed an application to list the Series A Preferred Shares on the NYSE, but there can be no assurance that the NYSE will approve the Series A Preferred Shares for listing. Even if the NYSE approves the Series A Preferred Shares for listing, an active trading market on the NYSE for the Series A Preferred Shares may not develop or, if it does develop, may not last, in which case the market price of the Series A Preferred Shares could be materially and adversely affected. If an active trading market does develop on the NYSE, the Series A Preferred Shares may trade at prices lower than the initial public offering price. The market price of the Series A Preferred Shares would depend on many factors, including, but not limited to:

 

   

prevailing interest rates;

 

   

the market for similar securities;

 

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general economic and financial market conditions;

 

   

our issuance, as well as the issuance by our subsidiaries, of additional preferred equity or debt securities; and

 

   

our financial condition, cash flows, liquidity, results of operations, funds from operations and prospects.

We have been advised by the underwriters that they intend to make a market in the Series A Preferred Shares, but they are not obligated to do so and may discontinue market-making at any time without notice.

Increases in market interest rates may have an adverse effect on the market price of the Series A Preferred Shares.

One of the factors that will influence the market price of the Series A Preferred Shares will be the distribution yield on the Series A Preferred Shares (i.e., the annual distributions of the Series A Preferred Shares as a percentage of the market price of the Series A Preferred Shares) relative to market interest rates. An increase in market interest rates, which are currently at low levels relative to historical rates, may lead prospective purchasers of the Series A Preferred Shares to expect a higher distribution yield (and higher interest rates would likely increase our borrowing costs and potentially decrease funds available for distribution payments). Thus, higher market interest rates could cause the market price of the Series A Preferred Shares to decrease and reduce the amount of funds that are available and may be used to make distribution payments.

Our management team has broad discretion in the use of the net proceeds of this offering and, despite our efforts, we may invest or spend the proceeds of this offering in ways with which you may not agree or in ways which may not yield a significant return.

Our management will have broad discretion over the use of proceeds from this offering. We intend to use the net proceeds of this offering to repay indebtedness under our revolving credit facility or fund the Austin Acquisitions. To the extent we do not use the net proceeds of this offering to repay indebtedness under our revolving credit facility or fund the Austin Acquisitions, we intend to use the net proceeds of this offering for general business purposes, including, without limitation, funding our investment activity, repayment of indebtedness and working capital. If used for general business purposes, our management will have considerable discretion in the application of the net proceeds, and you will not have the opportunity, as part of your investment decision, to assess whether the proceeds are being used appropriately. As a result, the net proceeds from this offering may be used for general business purposes that do not increase our earnings.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We estimate that the net proceeds of this offering, after deducting the underwriting discount and other estimated offering expenses payable by us, will be approximately $116.1 million.

We will contribute the net proceeds of this offering to our operating partnership in exchange for preferred units. Our operating partnership intends to use the net proceeds from this offering to repay indebtedness under our revolving credit facility. Borrowings under our revolving credit facility that we repay with net proceeds from this offering may be re-borrowed, subject to customary conditions. After using the net proceeds from this offering to repay indebtedness under our revolving credit facility, we intend to re-borrow funds under our revolving credit facility to fund the purchase price for the Austin Acquisitions. See “Summary — Recent Developments.” To the extent our operating partnership does not use the net proceeds of this offering to repay indebtedness under our revolving credit facility or fund the Austin Acquisitions, we intend to use the net proceeds of this offering for general business purposes, including, without limitation, funding our investment activity, repayment of indebtedness and working capital. As of June 22, 2021, borrowings under our revolving credit facility totaled approximately $130.0 million, with interest on such borrowings of 3.0% and a maturity date of March 8, 2022.

Pending application of the net proceeds, our operating partnership may invest the net proceeds in interest-bearing accounts and short-term, interest-bearing securities in a manner that is consistent with our intention to qualify for taxation as a REIT.

Affiliates of Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Barclays Capital Inc., BofA Securities, Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., BMO Capital Markets Corp., Regions Securities LLC and U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc. are lenders under our existing unsecured revolving credit facility and therefore may receive a portion of any net proceeds from this offering used for the repayment of borrowings under our unsecured revolving credit facility. See “Underwriting (Conflicts of Interest) — Conflicts of Interest” in this prospectus supplement. Certain affiliates of both Wells Fargo Securities, LLC and Barclays Capital Inc. may also act as lenders under mortgage loans on certain of our properties. To the extent that we use the net proceeds from this offering to repay amounts outstanding under our unsecured revolving credit facility or any applicable mortgage loans, those lenders will receive their pro rata portion of any of the proceeds from this offering that we use to repay any such amounts. See “Underwriting (Conflicts of Interest) — Conflicts of Interest” in this prospectus supplement.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF THE SERIES A PREFERRED SHARES

This description of the Series A Preferred Shares supplements the description of the general terms and provisions of our shares of beneficial interest, including preferred shares, contained in the accompanying prospectus. You should consult that general description for further information.

General

We currently are authorized to issue up to 100,000,000 preferred shares in one or more series. Each series will have the designations, powers, preferences, rights, qualifications, limitations or restrictions as Maryland law may permit and our Board of Trustees may determine by adoption of applicable articles supplementary to our Declaration of Trust.

This summary of the terms and provisions of the Series A Preferred Shares is not complete. Our Board of Trustees will adopt articles supplementary designating the terms of the Series A Preferred Shares, and you may obtain a complete copy of the articles supplementary designating the Series A Preferred Shares by contacting us. In connection with this offering, we will file the articles supplementary with the SEC. Our Board of Trustees may, without notice to or the consent of the holders of Series A Preferred Shares, authorize the issuance and sale of additional Series A Preferred Shares from time to time.

We have filed an application to list the Series A Preferred Shares on the NYSE under the symbol “CLDT-PA.” If listing is approved, we expect trading to commence within 30 days after the initial delivery of the Series A Preferred Shares.

The transfer agent, registrar and distribution disbursement agent for the Series A Preferred Shares is Equiniti Trust Company d/b/a EQ Shareholder Services.

As of the date of this prospectus supplement, there are no preferred shares issued and outstanding.

Ranking

The Series A Preferred Shares rank senior to our common shares and to any other of our future equity securities that we may later authorize or issue that by their terms rank junior to the Series A Preferred Shares with respect to the payment of distributions and the distribution of assets in the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up. The Series A Preferred Shares rank pari passu with any Parity Preferred Shares, if any (i.e., any future equity securities that we may later authorize or issue that by their terms are on a parity with the Series A Preferred Shares) with respect to the payment of distributions and the distribution of assets in the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up. The Series A Preferred Shares rank junior to any equity securities that we may later authorize or issue that by their terms rank senior to the Series A Preferred Shares with respect to the payment of distributions and the distribution of assets in the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up. Any such authorization or issuance of such senior equity securities would require the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding Series A Preferred Shares. Any convertible debt securities that we may issue are not considered to be equity securities for these purposes. The Series A Preferred Shares rank junior to all of our existing and future indebtedness.

Distributions

Holders of the Series A Preferred Shares will be entitled to receive, when and as authorized by our Board of Trustees, out of assets legally available for the payment of distributions, cumulative cash distributions at the rate of 6.625% per annum of the $25.00 per share liquidation preference, equivalent to $1.65625 per annum per Series A Preferred Shares. Distributions on the Series A Preferred Shares will accumulate on a daily basis and be cumulative from and including the original date of issuance and be payable quarterly in arrears on the 15th day of

 

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January, April, July and October of each year (or, if not on a business day, on the next succeeding business day). The first distribution on the Series A Preferred Shares sold in this offering will be paid on October 15, 2021 (long first dividend period) and will be in the amount of $0.48307 per share. Distributions payable on the Series A Preferred Shares for any partial period will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months. We will pay distributions to holders of record as they appear in our share records at the close of business on the applicable record date, which will be the first day of the calendar month in which the applicable distribution payment date falls, or such other date as designated by our Board of Trustees for the payment of distributions that is not more than 90 days nor fewer than 10 days prior to the distribution payment date.

Our Board of Trustees will not authorize, and we will not pay, any distributions on the Series A Preferred Shares or set apart assets for the payment of distributions if the terms of any of our agreements, including agreements relating to our indebtedness, prohibit that authorization, payment or setting aside of assets or provide that the authorization, payment or setting aside of assets is a breach of or a default under that agreement, or if the authorization, payment or setting aside of assets is restricted or prohibited by law. We are and may in the future become a party to agreements that restrict or prevent the payment of distributions on, or the purchase or redemption of, our shares of beneficial interest. Under certain circumstances, these agreements could restrict or prevent the payment of distributions on or the purchase or redemption of Series A Preferred Shares. These restrictions may be indirect (for example, covenants requiring us to maintain specified levels of net worth or assets) or direct. We do not believe that these restrictions currently have any adverse impact on our ability to pay distributions on the Series A Preferred Shares.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, distributions on the Series A Preferred Shares will accrue whether or not we have earnings, whether or not there are assets legally available for the payment of distributions and whether or not distributions are authorized or declared. Accrued but unpaid distributions on the Series A Preferred Shares will not bear interest, and the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares will not be entitled to any distributions in excess of full cumulative distributions as described above. All of our distributions on Series A Preferred Shares, including any capital gain distributions, will be credited to the previously accrued distributions on the Series A Preferred Shares. We will credit any distribution made on Series A Preferred Shares first to the earliest accrued and unpaid distribution due.

We will not declare or pay any distributions, or set apart any assets for the payment of distributions (other than in common shares or other shares ranking junior to the Series A Preferred Shares as to distributions and upon liquidation), on our common shares or any other shares that rank on a parity with or junior to the Series A Preferred Shares as to distributions or upon liquidation, if any, or redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire our common shares or any other shares that rank on a parity with or junior to the Series A Preferred Shares as to distributions or upon liquidation, unless we also have declared and either paid or set apart for payment the full cumulative distributions on the Series A Preferred Shares for all past distribution periods. This restriction will not limit conversion into or exchange for any of our other shares ranking junior to the Series A Preferred Shares as to distributions and upon liquidation or our redemption, purchase or other acquisition of shares under incentive, benefit or share purchase plans for officers, trustees or employees or others performing or providing similar services or for the purposes of enforcing restrictions upon ownership and transfer of our equity securities contained in our Declaration of Trust in order to preserve our status as a REIT.

If we do not declare and either pay or set apart for payment the full cumulative distributions on the Series A Preferred Shares and all shares that rank on a parity with Series A Preferred Shares, the amount which we have declared will be allocated pro rata to the Series A Preferred Shares and to each parity series of shares so that the amount declared for each Series A Preferred Share and for each share of each parity series is proportionate to the accrued and unpaid distributions on those shares.

Liquidation Rights

In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares will be entitled to be paid out of our assets legally available for distribution to our shareholders (after payment or

 

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provision for payment of all of our debts and other liabilities) liquidating distributions in cash equal to a liquidation preference of $25.00 per share, plus any accrued and unpaid distributions to, but not including, the date of the payment. Holders of Series A Preferred Shares will be entitled to receive this liquidating distribution before we distribute any assets to holders of our common shares or any other shares of beneficial interest that rank junior to the Series A Preferred Shares. The rights of holders of Series A Preferred Shares to receive their liquidation preference would be subject to preferential rights of the holders of any series of shares that is senior to the Series A Preferred Shares. Written notice will be given to each holder of Series A Preferred Shares of any such liquidation no fewer than 30 days and no more than 60 days prior to the payment date. After payment of the full amount of the liquidating distribution to which they are entitled, the holders of Series A Preferred Shares will have no right or claim to any of our remaining assets. If we consolidate, merge or convert with or into any other entity, undergo a statutory share exchange, sell, lease, transfer or convey all or substantially all of our property or business, or engage in a statutory share exchange, we will not be deemed to have liquidated.

Redemption

We may not redeem the Series A Preferred Shares prior to June 30, 2026, except as described below under “— Special Optional Redemption” and “— Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer.” On and after June 30, 2026, upon no fewer than 30 days’ nor more than 60 days’ written notice, we may, at our option, redeem the Series A Preferred Shares, in whole or from time to time in part, by paying $25.00 per share, plus any accrued and unpaid distributions to, but not including, the date of redemption. Unless full cumulative distributions on all Series A Preferred Shares shall have been or contemporaneously are authorized and paid or authorized and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof set apart for payment for all past distribution periods, no Series A Preferred Shares shall be redeemed unless all outstanding Series A Preferred Shares are simultaneously redeemed.

We will give notice of redemption by mail to each holder of record of Series A Preferred Shares at the address shown on our share transfer books. A failure to give notice of redemption or any defect in the notice or in its mailing will not affect the validity of the redemption of any Series A Preferred Shares except as to the holder to whom notice was defective or not given. Each notice will state the following:

 

   

the redemption date;

 

   

the redemption price;

 

   

the number of Series A Preferred Shares to be redeemed;

 

   

the place or places where the certificates for the Series A Preferred Shares are to be surrendered for payment; and

 

   

that distributions on the Series A Preferred Shares to be redeemed will cease to accrue on such redemption date.

If we redeem fewer than all of the Series A Preferred Shares, the notice of redemption mailed to each shareholder will also specify the number of Series A Preferred Shares that we will redeem from each shareholder. In this case, we will determine the number of Series A Preferred Shares to be redeemed on a pro rata basis (as nearly as practicable without creating fractional shares) or by lot.

If we have given a notice of redemption and have set apart sufficient assets for the redemption in trust for the benefit of the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares called for redemption, then from and after the redemption date, those Series A Preferred Shares will be treated as no longer being outstanding, no further distributions will accrue and all other rights of the holders of those Series A Preferred Shares will terminate. The holders of those Series A Preferred Shares will retain their right to receive the redemption price for their shares and any accrued and unpaid distributions to, but not including, the redemption date.

The holders of Series A Preferred Shares at the close of business on a distribution record date will be entitled to receive the distribution payable with respect to the Series A Preferred Shares on the corresponding

 

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payment date notwithstanding the redemption of the Series A Preferred Shares between such record date and the corresponding payment date. Except as provided above, we will make no payment or allowance for unpaid distributions, whether or not in arrears, on Series A Preferred Shares to be redeemed.

The Series A Preferred Shares have no stated maturity and will not be subject to any sinking fund or mandatory redemption provisions, except as provided under “— Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer” below. In order to ensure that we continue to meet the requirements for qualification as a REIT, the Series A Preferred Shares will be subject to the restrictions on ownership and transfer in Article VII of our Declaration of Trust.

Subject to applicable law, we may purchase Series A Preferred Shares in the open market, by tender or by private agreement. We are permitted to return any Series A Preferred Shares that we reacquire to the status of authorized but unissued shares.

Special Optional Redemption

Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control, we may, at our option, redeem the Series A Preferred Shares, in whole or in part and within 120 days on or after the first date on which such Change of Control occurred, by paying $25.00 per share, plus any accrued and unpaid distributions to, but not including, the date of redemption. If, prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date, we have provided or provide notice of redemption with respect to Series A Preferred Shares (whether pursuant to our optional redemption right or our special optional redemption right), the holders of Series A Preferred Shares to which such notice of redemption relates will not have the conversion right described below under “— Conversion Rights” and such Series A Preferred Shares will instead be redeemed in accordance with such notice.

If we elect to redeem the Series A Preferred Shares upon a Change of Control, we will mail to you, if you are a record holder of Series A Preferred Shares, a notice of redemption no fewer than 30 days nor more than 60 days before the redemption date. We will send the notice to your address shown on our share transfer books. A failure to give notice of redemption or any defect in the notice or in its mailing will not affect the validity of the redemption of any Series A Preferred Shares except as to the holder to whom notice was defective or not given. Each notice will state the following:

 

   

the redemption date;

 

   

the redemption price;

 

   

the number of Series A Preferred Shares to be redeemed;

 

   

the place or places where the certificates for the Series A Preferred Shares are to be surrendered for payment, to the extent such shares are certificated;

 

   

that the Series A Preferred Shares are being redeemed pursuant to our special optional redemption right in connection with the occurrence of a Change of Control and a brief description of the transaction or transactions constituting such Change of Control;

 

   

that the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares to which the notice relates will not be able to tender such Series A Preferred Shares for conversion in connection with the Change of Control and each Series A Preferred Share tendered for conversion that is selected, prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date, for redemption will be redeemed on the related date of redemption instead of converted on the Change of Control Conversion Date; and

 

   

that distributions on the Series A Preferred Shares to be redeemed will cease to accumulate on such redemption date.

If we redeem fewer than all of the Series A Preferred Shares, the notice of redemption mailed to each shareholder will also specify the number of Series A Preferred Shares that we will redeem from each shareholder. In this case, we will determine the number of Series A Preferred Shares to be redeemed on a pro rata basis (as nearly as practicable without creating fractional shares) or by lot.

 

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If we have given a notice of redemption and have set apart sufficient assets for the redemption in trust for the benefit of the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares called for redemption, then from and after the redemption date, those Series A Preferred Shares will be treated as no longer being outstanding, no further distributions will accrue and all other rights of the holders of those Series A Preferred Shares will terminate. The holders of those Series A Preferred Shares will retain their right to receive the redemption price for their shares and any accrued and unpaid distributions to, but not including, the redemption date.

The holders of Series A Preferred Shares at the close of business on a distribution record date will be entitled to receive the distribution payable with respect to the Series A Preferred Shares on the corresponding payment date notwithstanding the redemption of the Series A Preferred Shares between such record date and the corresponding payment date. Except as provided above, we will make no payment or allowance for unpaid distributions, whether or not in arrears, on Series A Preferred Shares to be redeemed.

A “Change of Control” is when, after the original issuance of the Series A Preferred Shares, the following have occurred and are continuing:

 

   

the acquisition by any person, including any syndicate or group deemed to be a “person” under Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act, of beneficial ownership, directly or indirectly, through a purchase, merger or other acquisition transaction or series of purchases, mergers or other acquisition transactions of shares of our company entitling that person to exercise more than 50% of the total voting power of all shares of our company entitled to vote generally in elections of trustees (except that such person will be deemed to have beneficial ownership of all securities that such person has the right to acquire, whether such right is currently exercisable or is exercisable only upon the occurrence of a subsequent condition); and

 

   

following the closing of any transaction referred to in the bullet point above, neither we nor the acquiring or surviving entity has a class of common securities (or ADRs representing such securities) listed on the NYSE, the NYSE American or NASDAQ or listed or quoted on an exchange or quotation system that is a successor to the NYSE, the NYSE American or NASDAQ.

Conversion Rights

Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control, each holder of Series A Preferred Shares will have the right, unless, prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date, we have provided or provide notice of our election to redeem the Series A Preferred Shares as described under “— Redemption” or “— Special Optional Redemption” above, to convert some or all of the Series A Preferred Shares held by such holder (the “Change of Control Conversion Right”) on the Change of Control Conversion Date into a number of our common shares per Series A Preferred Share (the “Common Share Conversion Consideration”) equal to the lesser of:

 

   

the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the sum of the $25.00 liquidation preference plus the amount of any accrued and unpaid distributions to, but not including, the Change of Control Conversion Date (unless the Change of Control Conversion Date is after a record date for a Series A Preferred Share distribution payment and prior to the corresponding Series A Preferred Share distribution payment date, in which case no additional amount for such accrued and unpaid distribution will be included in this sum) by (ii) the Common Share Price; and

 

   

3.701 (i.e., the Share Cap), subject to the adjustments described below.

The Share Cap is subject to pro rata adjustments for any share splits (including those effected pursuant to a distribution of our common shares), subdivisions or combinations (in each case, a “Share Split”) with respect to our common shares as follows: the adjusted Share Cap as the result of a Share Split will be the number of our common shares that is equivalent to the product obtained by multiplying (i) the Share Cap in effect immediately prior to such Share Split by (ii) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of our common shares outstanding after giving effect to such Share Split and the denominator of which is the number of our common shares outstanding immediately prior to such Share Split.

 

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For the avoidance of doubt, subject to the immediately succeeding sentence, the aggregate number of our common shares (or equivalent Alternative Conversion Consideration (as defined below), as applicable) issuable in connection with the exercise of the Change of Control Conversion Right will not exceed 17,764,800 (or equivalent Alternative Conversion Consideration, as applicable) (the “Exchange Cap”). The Exchange Cap is subject to pro rata adjustments for any Share Splits on the same basis as the corresponding adjustment to the Share Cap and for additional issuances of Series A Preferred Shares in subsequent offerings, if any.

In the case of a Change of Control pursuant to which our common shares will be converted into cash, securities or other property or assets (including any combination thereof) (the “Alternative Form Consideration”), a holder of Series A Preferred Shares will receive upon conversion of such Series A Preferred Shares the kind and amount of Alternative Form Consideration which such holder would have owned or been entitled to receive upon the Change of Control had such holder held a number of our common shares equal to the Common Share Conversion Consideration immediately prior to the effective time of the Change of Control (the “Alternative Conversion Consideration,” and the Common Share Conversion Consideration or the Alternative Conversion Consideration, as may be applicable to a Change of Control, is referred to as the “Conversion Consideration”).

If the holders of our common shares have the opportunity to elect the form of consideration to be received in the Change of Control, the consideration that the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares will receive will be the form of consideration elected by the holders of our common shares who participate in the determination (based on the weighted average of elections) and will be subject to any limitations to which all holders of our common shares are subject, including, without limitation, pro rata reductions applicable to any portion of the consideration payable in the Change of Control.

We will not issue fractional common shares upon the conversion of the Series A Preferred Shares. Instead, we will pay the cash value of such fractional shares.

Within 15 days following the occurrence of a Change of Control, we will provide to holders of Series A Preferred Shares a notice of occurrence of the Change of Control that describes the resulting Change of Control Conversion Right. This notice will state the following:

 

   

the events constituting the Change of Control;

 

   

the date of the Change of Control;

 

   

the last date on which the holders of Series A Preferred Shares may exercise their Change of Control Conversion Right;

 

   

the method and period for calculating the Common Share Price;

 

   

the Change of Control Conversion Date;

 

   

that if, prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date, we have provided or provide notice of our election to redeem all or any portion of the Series A Preferred Shares, the holders will not be able to convert Series A Preferred Shares and such shares will be redeemed on the related redemption date, even if such shares have already been tendered for conversion pursuant to the Change of Control Conversion Right;

 

   

if applicable, the type and amount of Alternative Conversion Consideration entitled to be received per Series A Preferred Share;

 

   

the name and address of the paying agent and the conversion agent; and

 

   

the procedures that the holders of Series A Preferred Shares must follow to exercise the Change of Control Conversion Right.

We will issue a press release for publication on the Dow Jones & Company, Inc., Business Wire, PR Newswire or Bloomberg Business News (or, if these organizations are not in existence at the time of issuance of

 

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the press release, such other news or press organization as is reasonably calculated to broadly disseminate the relevant information to the public), or post notice on our website, in any event prior to the opening of business on the first business day following any date on which we provide the notice described above to the holders of Series A Preferred Shares.

To exercise the Change of Control Conversion Right, a holder of Series A Preferred Shares will be required to deliver, on or before the close of business on the Change of Control Conversion Date, the certificates (if any) evidencing Series A Preferred Shares to be converted, duly endorsed for transfer, together with a written conversion notice completed, to our transfer agent. The conversion notice must state:

 

   

the relevant Change of Control Conversion Date;

 

   

the number of Series A Preferred Shares to be converted; and

 

   

that the Series A Preferred Shares are to be converted pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Series A Preferred Shares.

The “Change of Control Conversion Date” is the date the Series A Preferred Shares are to be converted, which will be a business day that is no fewer than 20 days nor more than 35 days after the date on which we provide the notice described above to the holders of Series A Preferred Shares.

The “Common Share Price” will be: (i) the amount of cash consideration per common share, if the consideration to be received in the Change of Control by the holders of our common shares is solely cash; and (ii) the average of the closing prices for our common shares on the NYSE for the ten consecutive trading days immediately preceding, but not including, the effective date of the Change of Control, if the consideration to be received in the Change of Control by the holders of our common shares is other than solely cash.

Holders of Series A Preferred Shares may withdraw any notice of exercise of a Change of Control Conversion Right (in whole or in part) by a written notice of withdrawal delivered to our transfer agent prior to the close of business on the business day prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date. The notice of withdrawal must state:

 

   

the number of withdrawn Series A Preferred Shares;

 

   

if certificated Series A Preferred Shares have been issued, the certificate numbers of the withdrawn Series A Preferred Shares; and

 

   

the number of Series A Preferred Shares, if any, which remain subject to the conversion notice.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Series A Preferred Shares are held in global form, the conversion notice and/or the notice of withdrawal, as applicable, must comply with applicable procedures of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”).

Series A Preferred Shares as to which the Change of Control Conversion Right has been properly exercised and for which the conversion notice has not been properly withdrawn will be converted into the applicable Conversion Consideration in accordance with the Change of Control Conversion Right on the Change of Control Conversion Date, unless, prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date, we have provided or provide notice of our election to redeem such Series A Preferred Shares, whether pursuant to our optional redemption right or our special optional redemption right. If we elect to redeem Series A Preferred Shares that would otherwise be converted into the applicable Conversion Consideration on a Change of Control Conversion Date, such Series A Preferred Shares will not be so converted and the holders of such shares will be entitled to receive on the applicable redemption date $25.00 per share, plus any accrued and unpaid distributions thereon to, but not including, the redemption date.

We will deliver amounts owing upon conversion no later than the third business day following the Change of Control Conversion Date.

 

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In connection with the exercise of any Change of Control Conversion Right, we will comply with all federal and state securities laws and stock exchange rules in connection with any conversion of Series A Preferred Shares into our common shares. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Series A Preferred Shares, no holder of Series A Preferred Shares will be entitled to convert such Series A Preferred Shares for our common shares to the extent that receipt of such common shares would cause such holder (or any other person) to exceed the share ownership limits contained in our Declaration of Trust and the articles supplementary setting forth the terms of the Series A Preferred Shares, unless we provide an exemption from this limitation for such holder. See “— Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer” below.

These Change of Control conversion and redemption features may discourage a party from taking over our company or make it more difficult for a party to take over our company. See “Risk Factors — The Change of Control conversion feature may not adequately compensate you, and the Change of Control conversion and redemption features of the Series A Preferred Shares may discourage a party from taking over our company or make it more difficult for a party to take over our company.”

Except as provided above in connection with a Change of Control, the Series A Preferred Shares are not convertible into or exchangeable for any other securities or property.

Voting Rights

Holders of Series A Preferred Shares will have no voting rights, except as set forth below.

Whenever distributions on the Series A Preferred Shares are due but unpaid for six or more quarterly periods, whether or not consecutive (a “Preferred Distribution Default”), the number of trustees then constituting our Board of Trustees shall be increased by two and the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares, voting together as a single class with the holders of any other Parity Preferred Shares upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable, will be entitled to vote for the election of two additional trustees to serve on our Board of Trustees (the “Preferred Shares Trustees”) at a special meeting called by the holders of at least 33% of the outstanding Series A Preferred Shares or the holders of at least 33% of any such other class or series of Parity Preferred Shares so in arrears if the request is received 90 or more days before the next annual or special meeting of shareholders, or at the next annual or special meeting of shareholders, and at each subsequent annual or special meeting of shareholders until all distributions accumulated on the Series A Preferred Shares for the past distribution periods have been fully paid.

If and when all accumulated distributions in arrears on the Series A Preferred Shares shall have been paid in full, the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares shall be divested of the voting rights as described in this section (subject to revesting in the event of each and every Preferred Distribution Default) and, if all accumulated distributions in arrears have been paid in full on all other classes or series of Parity Preferred Shares upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable, the term of office of each Preferred Shares Trustee so elected shall terminate. Any Preferred Shares Trustee may be removed at any time with or without cause by the vote of, and shall not be removed otherwise than by the vote of, the holders of record of a majority of the outstanding Series A Preferred Shares when they have the voting rights set forth as described in this section (voting together as a single class with all other classes or series of Parity Preferred Shares upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable). So long as a Preferred Distribution Default shall continue, any vacancy in the office of a Preferred Shares Trustee may be filled by written consent of the Preferred Shares Trustee remaining in office or, if none remains in office, by a vote of the holders of record of a majority of the outstanding Series A Preferred Shares when they have the voting rights set forth in this section (voting together as a single class with all other classes or series of Parity Preferred Shares upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable). The Preferred Shares Trustees shall each be entitled to one vote per trustee on any matter.

 

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So long as any Series A Preferred Shares remain outstanding, we shall not, without the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the Series A Preferred Shares outstanding at the time: (i) authorize or create, or increase the authorized or issued amount of, any class or series of shares ranking senior to the Series A Preferred Shares with respect to payment of distributions or rights upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our company, or reclassify any authorized shares of our company into any such shares, or create, authorize or issue any obligations or security convertible into or evidencing the right to purchase any such shares; or (ii) amend, alter or repeal the provisions of our Declaration of Trust (including the articles supplementary), whether by merger, consolidation or otherwise, in each case in such a way that would materially and adversely affect any right, preference, privilege or voting power of the Series A Preferred Shares or holders thereof; provided, however, that with respect to the occurrence of any event set forth in (ii) above, so long as (a) the Series A Preferred Shares remain outstanding with the terms thereof materially unchanged, or (b) the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares receive equity securities with rights, preferences, privileges and voting powers substantially the same as those of the Series A Preferred Shares, then the occurrence of any such event shall not be deemed to materially and adversely affect the rights, privileges or voting powers of the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares. In addition, any increase in the amount of authorized Series A Preferred Shares or the creation or issuance, or increase in the amounts authorized, of any other equity securities ranking on a parity with or junior to the Series A Preferred Shares with respect to payment of distributions and the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our company, shall not be deemed to materially and adversely affect the rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers of the Series A Preferred Shares.

In any matter in which the Series A Preferred Shares are entitled to vote, each Series A Preferred Share will be entitled to one vote. If the holders of Series A Preferred Shares and another class or series of preferred shares are entitled to vote together as a single class on any matter, the Series A Preferred Shares and the shares of such other series will have one vote for each $25.00 of liquidation preference.

Information Rights

During any period in which we are not subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and any Series A Preferred Shares are outstanding, we will (i) transmit by mail to all holders of Series A Preferred Shares as their names and addresses appear in our record books and without cost to such holders, copies of reports containing substantially the same information as would have appeared in the Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q that we would have been required to file with the SEC pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act if we were subject thereto (other than any exhibits that would have been required) and (ii) within 15 days following written request, supply copies of such reports to any prospective holder of the Series A Preferred Shares. We will mail (or otherwise provide) the reports to the holders of Series A Preferred Shares within 15 days after the respective dates by which we would have been required to file such reports with the SEC if we were subject to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer

For information regarding restrictions on ownership and transfer of the Series A Preferred Shares, see “Description of Shares of Beneficial Interest — Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer” in the accompanying prospectus. The articles supplementary for the Series A Preferred Shares will provide that the ownership limitation described in the accompanying prospectus applies to ownership of Series A Preferred Shares as a separate class pursuant to Article VII of our Declaration of Trust, under which Series A Preferred Shares owned by a shareholder in excess of the ownership limit will be transferred to a charitable trust and may be purchased by us under certain circumstances. Our Board of Trustees may, in its sole discretion, exempt a person from the ownership limit, as described in “Description of Shares of Beneficial Interest — Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer” in the accompanying prospectus.

Ownership limits also apply to our common shares. See “Description of Shares of Beneficial Interest —Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer” in the accompanying prospectus. Notwithstanding any other provision

 

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of the Series A Preferred Shares, no holder of the Series A Preferred Shares will be entitled to convert any Series A Preferred Shares into our common shares to the extent that receipt of our common shares would cause such holder or any other person to exceed the ownership limits contained in our Declaration of Trust or in the articles supplementary for the Series A Preferred Shares.

Preemptive Rights

No holders of the Series A Preferred Shares shall, as the holders, have any preemptive rights to purchase or subscribe for our common shares or any other security of our company.

Book-Entry Procedures

The Series A Preferred Shares will only be issued in the form of global securities held in book-entry form. DTC or its nominee will be the sole registered holder of the Series A Preferred Shares. Owners of beneficial interests in the Series A Preferred Shares represented by the global securities will hold their interests pursuant to the procedures and practices of DTC. As a result, beneficial interests in any such securities will be shown on, and transfers will be effected only through, records maintained by DTC and its direct and indirect participants and any such interest may not be exchanged for certificated securities, except in limited circumstances. Owners of beneficial interests must exercise any rights in respect of other interests, including any right to convert or require repurchase of their interests in the Series A Preferred Shares, in accordance with the procedures and practices of DTC. Beneficial owners will not be holders and will not be entitled to any rights provided to the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares under the global securities or the articles supplementary. We and any of our agents may treat DTC as the sole holder and registered owner of the global securities.

DTC has advised us as follows: DTC is a limited-purpose trust company organized under the New York Banking Law, a “banking organization” within the meaning of the New York Banking Law, a member of the Federal Reserve System, a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code, and a “clearing agency” registered pursuant to the provisions of Section 17A of the Exchange Act. DTC facilitates the settlement of transactions amongst participants through electronic computerized book-entry changes in participants’ accounts, eliminating the need for physical movement of securities certificates. DTC’s participants include securities brokers and dealers, including the underwriters, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and other organizations, some of whom and/or their representatives own DTC. Access to DTC’s book-entry system is also available to others, such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a participant, either directly or indirectly.

The Series A Preferred Shares, represented by one or more global securities, will be exchangeable for certificated securities with the same terms only if:

 

   

DTC is unwilling or unable to continue as depositary or if DTC ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act and a successor depositary is not appointed by us within 90 days; or

 

   

we decide to discontinue use of the system of book-entry transfer through DTC (or any successor depositary).

Global Clearance and Settlement Procedures

Initial settlement for the Series A Preferred Shares will be made in immediately available funds. Secondary market trading among DTC’s Participants will occur in the ordinary way in accordance with DTC’s rules and will be settled in immediately available funds using DTC’s Same-Day Funds Settlement System.

 

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UNDERWRITING (CONFLICTS OF INTEREST)

Subject to the terms and conditions contained in an underwriting agreement among us, our operating partnership, and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, as the representative of the underwriters named below and joint book-running managers of this offering, we have agreed to sell to the underwriters, and the underwriters have agreed, severally, and not jointly, to purchase from us, the respective number of Series A Preferred Shares shown opposite their names below:

 

Underwriter

   Number of
Shares
 

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

     1,344,000  

Barclays Capital, Inc.

     576,000  

BofA Securities, Inc.

     576,000  

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

     576,000  

BMO Capital Markets Corp.

     360,000  

Regions Securities LLC

     360,000  

Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated

     360,000  

U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc.

     360,000  

B. Riley Securities, Inc.

     144,000  

Janney Montgomery Scott LLC

     144,000  
  

 

 

 

Total

     4,800,000  
  

 

 

 

The underwriting agreement provides that the obligation of the underwriters to purchase the shares included in the offering of shares to the public are subject to approval of certain legal matters by its counsel and to certain other conditions. The underwriters are obligated to purchase and accept delivery of all the shares if it purchases any of the shares offered for sale to the public.

Commissions and Discounts

The underwriters propose to offer some of the shares directly to the public at the public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus supplement and may offer some of the shares to dealers at the public offering price less a concession fee not to exceed $0.50 per share. The underwriters may allow, and dealers may re-allow a concession not to exceed $0.45 on sales to other dealers. After the initial offering of the shares to the public, the underwriters may change the public offering price and concessions. The offering of the shares by the underwriters is subject to receipt and acceptance and subject to the underwriters’ right to withdraw, cancel or modify offers to the public and reject any order in whole or in part.

The following table shows the per share and total public offering price, the underwriting discount and proceeds before expenses to us.

 

     Per Share      Total  

Public offering price(1)

   $ 25.00      $ 120,000,000  

Underwriting discount

   $ 0.7875      $ 3,780,000  

Proceeds to us, before expenses

   $ 24.2125      $ 116,220,000  

 

(1)    Plus

accrued distributions, if any, from June 30, 2021.

 

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We estimate that our total expenses for this offering, excluding the underwriting discount, will be $150,000, payable by us.

We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act and to contribute to payments the underwriters may be required to make in respect of any of those liabilities.

No Sales of Series A Preferred Shares

For a period of 30 days after the date of this prospectus supplement, we have agreed that we will not offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file with the SEC a registration statement under the Securities Act relating to Series A Preferred Shares or any securities that are substantially similar to the Series A Preferred Shares, or publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing or enter into swaps or similar arrangements having similar economic consequences without the prior written consent of the representatives of the underwriters. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to the shares sold in this offering and certain other issuances.

Settlement

We expect that delivery of the Series A Preferred Shares will be made to investors on or about June 30, 2021, which will be the fifth business day following the date of this prospectus supplement (such settlement being referred to as “T+5”). Under Rule 15c6-1 under the Exchange Act, trades in the secondary market are required to settle in two business days, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade Series A Preferred Shares before their delivery hereunder will be required, by virtue of the fact that the Series A Preferred Shares initially will settle T + 5, to specify an alternate settlement cycle at the time of any such trade to prevent a failed settlement. Purchasers of the Series A Preferred Shares who wish to trade the Series A Preferred Shares before their delivery hereunder should consult their own advisor.

New York Stock Exchange Listing

No market currently exists for the Series A Preferred Shares. We have filed an application to list the Series A Preferred Shares on the NYSE under the symbol “CLDT-PA.” If listing is approved, we expect trading to commence within 30 days after initial delivery of the Series A Preferred Shares.

Price Stabilization and Short Positions

In connection with the offering, the underwriters may purchase and sell shares of our Series A Preferred Shares in the open market. These transactions may include short sales and stabilizing transactions. Short sales involve syndicate sales of our Series A Preferred Shares in excess of the number of shares to be purchased by the underwriters in the offering, which creates a syndicate short position. Stabilizing transactions consist of certain bids for or purchases of shares made for the purpose of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the shares while the offering is in progress.

Any of these activities may have the effect of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the shares. They may also cause the price of the Series A Preferred Shares to be higher than the price that would otherwise exist in the open market in the absence of these transactions. The underwriters may conduct these transactions on the NYSE or in the over-the-counter market, or otherwise. If the underwriters commence any of these transactions, they may discontinue them at any time.

 

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Conflicts of Interest

The underwriters and certain of their respective affiliates have in the past provided, are currently providing and may in the future from time to time provide, financial advisory, commercial banking, investment banking, research, trading and transfer agent services to us or our subsidiaries, for which they have in the past received, and may currently or in the future receive, customary fees and expenses. Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Barclays Capital Inc., BofA Securities, Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., BMO Capital Markets Corp., Regions Securities LLC and Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated each act as an agent under our existing sales agreement.

Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated may pay an unaffiliated entity or its affiliate, who is also a lender under our unsecured revolving credit facility, a fee in connection with this offering.

In addition, in the ordinary course of their business activities, the underwriters and their respective affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (which may include bank loans and/or credit default swaps) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers. Such investments and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments of ours or our affiliates. If any of the underwriters or their affiliates has a lending relationship with us certain of those underwriters or their affiliates routinely hedge, and certain other of those underwriters or their affiliates may hedge, their credit exposure to us consistent with their customary risk management policies. A typical such hedging strategy would include the underwriters or their respective affiliates hedging such exposure by entering into transactions which consist of either the purchase of credit default swaps or the creation of short positions in our securities, including potentially the Series A Preferred Shares offered hereby. Any such credit default swaps or short positions could adversely affect future trading prices of the Series A Preferred Shares. The underwriters and their respective affiliates may also make investment recommendations and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or financial instruments and may hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in such securities and instruments.

Affiliates of Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Barclays Capital Inc., BofA Securities, Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., BMO Capital Markets Corp., Regions Securities LLC and U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc. are lenders under our existing unsecured revolving credit facility. Certain affiliates of both Wells Fargo Securities, LLC and Barclays Capital Inc. may also act as lenders under mortgage loans on certain of our properties. Because at least 5% of the net offering proceeds, not including the underwriting discount, are intended to be used to reduce or retire a portion of the outstanding indebtedness under our unsecured revolving credit facility extended by affiliates of Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Barclays Capital Inc., BofA Securities, Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., BMO Capital Markets Corp., Regions Securities LLC and U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc., these underwriters are deemed to have a conflict of interest under FINRA Rule 5121. Accordingly, this offering will be conducted in accordance with FINRA Rule 5121(a)(1)(B), since our common shares have a bona fide public market, as defined by FINRA Rule 5121(f)(3).

Selling Restrictions

Notice to Prospective Investors in Canada

The Series A Preferred Shares may be sold only to purchasers purchasing, or deemed to be purchasing, as principal that are accredited investors, as defined in National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions or subsection 73.3(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario), and are permitted clients, as defined in National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations. Any resale of the Series A Preferred Shares must be made in accordance with an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the prospectus requirements of applicable securities laws.

Securities legislation in certain provinces or territories of Canada may provide a purchaser with remedies for rescission or damages if this prospectus (including any amendment thereto) contains a misrepresentation, provided that the remedies for rescission or damages are exercised by the purchaser within the time limit prescribed by the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory. The purchaser should refer to any applicable provisions of the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory for particulars of these rights or consult with a legal advisor.

 

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Pursuant to section 3A.3 of National Instrument 33-105 Underwriting Conflicts (NI 33-105), the underwriters are not required to comply with the disclosure requirements of NI 33-105 regarding underwriter conflicts of interest in connection with this offering.

Prohibition of Sales to European Economic Area Retail Investors

The Series A Preferred Shares are not intended to be offered, sold or otherwise made available to and should not be offered, sold or otherwise made available to any retail investor in the European Economic Area (“EEA”). For these purposes, a retail investor means a person who is one (or more) of: (i) a retail client as defined in point (11) of Article 4(1) of Directive 2014/65/EU (as amended, “MiFID II”); (ii) a customer within the meaning of Directive 2016/97/EU (as amended, the “Insurance Distribution Directive”), where that customer would not qualify as a professional client as defined in point (10) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II; or (iii) not a qualified investor as defined in Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (the “Prospectus Regulation”). Consequently, no key information document required by Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014 (as amended, the “PRIIPs Regulation”) for offering or selling the Series A Preferred Shares or otherwise making them available to retail investors in the EEA has been prepared and therefore offering or selling the Series A Preferred Shares or otherwise making them available to any retail investor in the EEA may be unlawful under the PRIIPs Regulation.

Prohibition of Sales to United Kingdom Retail Investors

The Series A Preferred Shares are not intended to be offered, sold or otherwise made available to and should not be offered, sold or otherwise made available to any retail investor in the United Kingdom (“UK”). For these purposes, a retail investor means a person who is one (or more) of (i) a retail client, as defined in point (11) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (“EUWA”); (ii) a customer within the meaning of the provisions of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (“FSMA”) and any rules or regulations made under the FSMA to implement the Insurance Distribution Directive, where that customer would not qualify as a professional client, as defined in point (8) of Article 2(1) of Regulation (EU) No 600/2014 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the EUWA; or (iii) not a qualified investor as defined in article 2 of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the EUWA. Consequently, no key information document required by Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the EUWA (the “UK PRIIPs Regulation”) for offering or selling the Series A Preferred Shares or otherwise making them available to retail investors in the UK has been prepared and therefore offering or selling the Series A Preferred Shares or otherwise making them available to any retail investor in the UK may be unlawful under the UK PRIIPs Regulation.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

Certain legal matters in connection with this offering will be passed upon for us by Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP. Venable LLP, Baltimore, Maryland, will issue an opinion to us regarding certain matters of Maryland law, including the validity of the Series A Preferred Shares offered by this prospectus supplement. Certain legal matters will be passed upon for the Underwriters by Cooley LLP, New York, New York.

EXPERTS

The financial statements and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting (which is included in Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting) incorporated in this Prospectus by reference to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

 

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INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

SEC rules allow us to incorporate by reference information into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. Any information referred to in this way is considered part of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus from the date we file that document. Any reports filed by us with the SEC after the date of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and before the date that the offering of Series A Preferred Shares by means of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus is terminated will automatically update and, where applicable, supersede any information contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus or incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. We incorporate by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus the following documents or information filed with the SEC (other than, in each case, documents or information deemed to have been furnished and not filed in accordance with SEC rules):

 

   

our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, filed with the SEC on February 24, 2021;

 

   

our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2021, filed with the SEC on May 4, 2021;

 

   

the information specifically incorporated by reference into our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 from our Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A, filed on March 30, 2021;

 

   

our Current Reports on Form 8-K or 8-K/A, as applicable, filed with the SEC on January  5, 2021, February  25, 2021, March  5, 2021, March  15, 2021 and May 17, 2021; and

 

   

the description of our common shares included in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed with the SEC on April 14, 2010.

All documents that we file (but not those that we furnish) pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of the initial registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus and will automatically update and supersede the information in this prospectus and any previously filed documents. All documents that we file (but not those that we furnish) pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act on or after the date of this prospectus supplement and prior to the termination of the offering of any of the common shares covered under this prospectus supplement shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and will automatically update and supersede the information in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and any previously filed documents. Our filings with the SEC are also available to the public through the SEC’s Internet website www.sec.gov and through the NYSE, 11 Wall Street, New York, New York 10005, on which the Series A Preferred Shares will be listed if listing is approved.

We will provide without charge to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus is delivered, upon his or her written or oral request, a copy of any or all documents referred to above that have been or may be incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, excluding exhibits to those documents unless they are specifically incorporated by reference into those documents. Requests for those documents should be directed to us as follows: Chatham Lodging Trust, 222 Lakeview Avenue, Suite 200, West Palm Beach, Florida 33401, Attn: Chief Financial Officer, Telephone: (561) 802-4477.

 

 

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PROSPECTUS

 

LOGO

$500,000,000

Common Shares

Preferred Shares

Warrants

Units

 

 

We may offer, issue and sell from time to time, together or separately, in one or more series or classes, up to an aggregate of $500,000,000 of the securities described in this prospectus.

We will provide the specific terms of any securities we may offer in supplements to this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement carefully before you invest in these securities. This prospectus may not be used to offer and sell any securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement describing the amount of and terms of the offering of those securities.

We may offer and sell these securities to or through one or more underwriters, dealers or agents, or directly to purchasers on a continuous or delayed basis. We reserve the sole right to accept, and together with any underwriters, dealers and agents, reserve the right to reject, in whole or in part, any proposed purchase of securities. The names of any underwriters, dealers or agents involved in the sale of any securities, the specific manner in which they may be offered and any applicable commissions or discounts will be set forth in the prospectus supplement covering the sales of those securities.

Our common shares of beneficial interest, $0.01 par value per share, or our common shares, are listed on the New York Stock Exchange, or the NYSE, under the trading symbol “CLDT.” On December 21, 2020, the closing price of our common shares on the NYSE was $11.21 per share. We have not yet determined whether any of the other securities that may be offered by this prospectus will be listed on any exchange, inter-dealer quotation system or over-the-counter system. If we decide to seek a listing for any of those securities, that will be disclosed in a prospectus supplement.

We impose certain restrictions on the ownership and transfer of our shares of beneficial interest. You should read the information under the section entitled “Description of Shares of Beneficial Interest-Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer” in this prospectus for a description of these restrictions.

 

 

Investing in our securities involves risks. Before making a decision to invest in our securities, you should carefully read and consider the risks described under the caption “Risk Factors” beginning on page 7 herein, included in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other documents filed by us with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

The date of this prospectus is January 5, 2021


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page  

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

     1  

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

     2  

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

     3  

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

     4  

OUR COMPANY

     6  

RISK FACTORS

     7  

USE OF PROCEEDS

     11  

DESCRIPTION OF THE SECURITIES WE MAY OFFER

     11  

DESCRIPTION OF SHARES OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST

     11  

DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

     15  

DESCRIPTION OF UNITS

     16  

GLOBAL SECURITIES

     17  

CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF MARYLAND LAW AND OF OUR DECLARATION OF TRUST AND BYLAWS

     19  

MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

     25  

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

     55  

LEGAL MATTERS

     58  

EXPERTS

     58  

You should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement or any applicable free writing prospectus. We have not authorized any other person to provide you with different or additional information. If anyone provides you with different or additional information, you should not rely on it. This prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement do not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to purchase, any securities in any jurisdiction to or from any person to whom or from whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation in such jurisdiction. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement, any applicable free writing prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein or therein is accurate only as of their respective dates or on the date or dates which are specified in these documents. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.


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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a “shelf” registration statement that we have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC. By using a shelf registration statement, we may sell, at any time and from time to time, in one or more offerings, any combination of the securities described in this prospectus. The exhibits to our registration statement and documents incorporated by reference contain the full text of certain contracts and other important documents that we have summarized in this prospectus or that we may summarize in a prospectus supplement. Since these summaries may not contain all the information that you may find important in deciding whether to purchase the securities we offer, you should review the full text of these documents. The registration statement and the exhibits and other documents can be obtained from the SEC as indicated under the sections entitled “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Documents By Reference.”

This prospectus only provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer, which is not meant to be a complete description of each security. Each time we sell securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that contains specific information about the terms of those securities. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. If there is any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in the prospectus supplement. You should read carefully both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with the additional information described under the sections entitled “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Documents By Reference.”

Unless otherwise indicated or the context requires otherwise, in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement hereto, references to “our company,” “we,” “us” and “our” mean Chatham Lodging Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust, and its subsidiaries and references to our “operating partnership” mean Chatham Lodging, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership for which we serve as sole general partner.

 

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INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

SEC rules allow us to incorporate by reference information into this prospectus. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document. Any information referred to in this way is considered part of this prospectus from the date we file that document. Any reports filed by us with the SEC after the date of this prospectus and before the date that the offering of securities by means of this prospectus is terminated will automatically update and, where applicable, supersede any information contained in this prospectus or incorporated by reference into this prospectus. We incorporate by reference into this prospectus the following documents or information filed with the SEC (other than, in each case, documents or information deemed to have been furnished and not filed in accordance with SEC rules, including without limitation any information furnished pursuant to Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K):

 

   

our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019;

 

   

our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2020, June  30, 2020 and September 30, 2020;

 

   

the information specifically incorporated by reference into our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 from our Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed on March 27, 2020;

 

   

our current reports on Form 8-K or 8-K/A, as applicable, filed on February  25, 2020, March  6, 2020, March  26, 2020, May  6, 2020, May  7, 2020, May  13, 2020 and December 17, 2020; and

 

   

the description of our common shares included in our registration statement on Form 8-A filed on April 14, 2010.

All documents that we file (but not those that we furnish) pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, on or after the date of this prospectus and prior to the termination of the offering of any of the securities covered under this prospectus shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus and will automatically update and supersede the information in this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and any documents that we previously filed with the SEC.

We will provide without charge to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom this prospectus is delivered, upon his or her written or oral request, a copy of any or all documents referred to above that have been or may be incorporated by reference into this prospectus, excluding exhibits to those documents unless they are specifically incorporated by reference into those documents. Requests for those documents should be directed to us as follows: Chatham Lodging Trust, 222 Lakeview Avenue, Suite 200, West Palm Beach, Florida 33401, Attn: Chief Financial Officer, Telephone: (561) 802-4477.

 

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We are subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act, and, in accordance with those requirements, file reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. The SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy statements and other information regarding registrants, including us, that file such information electronically with the SEC. The address of the SEC’s website is http://www.sec.gov. Copies of these documents may be available on our website at www.chathamlodgingtrust.com. Our internet website and the information contained therein or connected thereto are not incorporated into this prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto.

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, with respect to the securities offered by this prospectus. This prospectus, which forms a part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement and its exhibits and schedules, certain parts of which may be omitted in accordance with the SEC’s rules and regulations. For further information about us and the securities, we refer you to the registration statement and to such exhibits and schedules. You may review a copy of the registration statement and its exhibits and schedules through the SEC’s website. Please be aware that statements in this prospectus referring to a contract or other document are summaries and you should refer to the exhibits that are part of the registration statement for a copy of the contract or other document.

 

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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus, including the information incorporated by reference in this prospectus, contains forward-looking statements. When used in this prospectus, in future filings with the SEC or in press releases or other written or oral communications, statements which are not historical in nature, including those containing words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “plan,” “continue,” “intend,” “should,” “may” or similar expressions, are intended to identify “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act, and, as such, may involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions. These forward-looking statements include information about possible or assumed future results of our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations, plans and objectives. Statements regarding the following subjects, among others, are forward-looking by their nature:

 

   

our business and investment strategy;

 

   

our forecasted operating results;

 

   

completion of hotel acquisitions and dispositions;

 

   

our ability to obtain future financing arrangements;

 

   

our expected leverage levels;

 

   

our understanding of our competition;

 

   

market and lodging industry trends and expectations;

 

   

our investment in joint ventures;

 

   

anticipated capital expenditures; and

 

   

our ability to maintain our qualification as a real estate investment trust, or REIT, for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

The forward-looking statements are based on our beliefs, assumptions and expectations of our future performance, taking into account all information available to us at the time the forward-looking statements are made. These beliefs, assumptions and expectations can change as a result of many possible events or factors, not all of which are known to us. If a change occurs, our business, prospects, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations may vary materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements. You should carefully consider these risks when you make an investment decision concerning our securities. Additionally, the following factors could cause actual results to vary from our forward-looking statements:

 

   

the factors included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, including those set forth under the sections titled “Risk Factors” herein and in our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and in the other documents that we file with the SEC;

 

   

general volatility of the financial markets and the market price of our securities;

 

   

performance of the lodging industry in general;

 

   

business interruptions due to cyber attacks;

 

   

impacts on our business of a prolonged government shutdown;

 

   

decreased international travel because of geopolitical events, including terrorism, outbreaks of disease and current U.S. government policies;

 

   

the ultimate geographic spread, severity and duration of pandemics such as the recent outbreak of the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, actions that may be taken by governmental authorities to contain or address the impact of such pandemics, and the potential negative impacts of such pandemics on the global economy and our financial condition and results of operations;

 

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the timing of the development and administration of any effective cure or treatment for COVID-19;

 

   

changes in our business or investment strategy;

 

   

availability, terms and deployment of capital;

 

   

availability of and our ability to attract and retain qualified personnel;

 

   

our leverage levels;

 

   

our capital expenditures

 

   

changes in our industry and the markets in which we operate, interest rates or the general U.S. or international economy;

 

   

our ability to maintain our qualification as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes; and

 

   

the degree and nature of our competition.

All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or any person acting on our behalf are qualified by the cautionary statements in this section. New risks and uncertainties arise over time and it is not possible to predict those events or how they may affect us. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or publicly release any revisions to forward-looking statements to reflect events, circumstances or changes in expectations after the date of this prospectus. Such forward-looking statements should be read in light of the risk factors identified in the “Risk Factors” section in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 as updated by our subsequent filings with the SEC under the Exchange Act, including our Quarterly Reports for the three months ended March 31, 2020, June 30, 2020 and September 30, 2020.

 

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OUR COMPANY

We are an internally managed hotel investment company organized in October 2009 that invests in premium-branded upscale extended-stay and select-service hotels. We currently own 39 hotels with an aggregate of 5,900 rooms located in 15 states and the District of Columbia. We also currently hold (i) a 10.3% noncontrolling interest in a joint venture with affiliates of Colony Capital, Inc. (“CLNY”), which owns 46 hotels with an aggregate of 5,948 rooms, and (ii) a 10.0% noncontrolling interest in a separate joint venture with affiliates of CLNY, which owns 48 hotels with an aggregate of 6,402 rooms (with all of the hotels owned by this joint venture being held in receivership by a third party receiver). Our current portfolio of wholly owned hotels includes upscale extended-stay hotels that operate under the Residence Inn by Marriott® brand and the Homewood Suites by Hilton® brand, as well as premium-branded select-service hotels that operate under the Courtyard by Marriott® brand, the Hampton Inn or Hampton Inn and Suites by Hilton® brand, the SpringHill Suites by Marriott® brand, the Hilton Garden Inn by Hilton® brand, the Embassy Suites® by Hilton® brand, and the Hyatt Place® brand.

We are the sole general partner of our operating partnership. Substantially all of our assets are held by, and all of our operations are conducted through, our operating partnership.

Our principal executive offices are located at 222 Lakeview Avenue, Suite 200, West Palm Beach, Florida 33401. Our telephone number is (561) 802-4477. Our website is www.chathamlodgingtrust.com. Our website and the information contained therein or connected thereto do not constitute a part of this prospectus.

 

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RISK FACTORS

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Before purchasing the securities offered by this prospectus you should carefully consider the risk factors incorporated by reference in this prospectus from our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, as well as the risks, uncertainties and additional information set forth in our reports filed with the SEC on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K and in the other documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus and our reports and other filings with the SEC in the future. For a description of these reports and documents, and information about where you can find them, see “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Documents By Reference” in this prospectus. Additional risks not presently known or that are currently deemed immaterial could also materially and adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations, business and prospects.

SUMMARY

Risks Related to Our Business

 

   

Our investment policies are subject to revision from time to time at our Board of Trustees’ discretion.

 

   

We depend on the efforts and expertise of our key executive officers whose continued service is not guaranteed.

 

   

We may be unable to successfully manage our growth.

 

   

Our future growth depends on obtaining new financing.

 

   

We may be unable to invest proceeds from offerings of our securities.

 

   

We must rely on third party management companies to operate our hotels in order to qualify as a REIT.

 

   

Our management agreements could adversely affect the sale or financing of hotel properties.

 

   

The management of the hotels in our portfolio is currently concentrated in one hotel management company.

 

   

Our franchisors could cause us to expend additional funds on upgraded operating standards.

 

   

Our franchisors may cancel or fail to renew our existing franchise licenses.

 

   

Fluctuations in our financial performance, capital expenditure requirements and excess cash flow could adversely affect our ability to make and maintain distributions to our shareholders.

 

   

Future debt service obligations could adversely affect our overall operating results or cash flow and may require us to liquidate our properties.

 

   

If we are unable to repay our debt obligations in the future, we may be forced to refinance debt or dispose of or encumber our assets, which could adversely affect distributions to shareholders.

 

   

Interest expense on our debt may limit our cash available to fund growth strategies and shareholder distributions.

 

   

Failure to hedge effectively against interest rate changes may adversely affect us.

 

   

Changes in the method pursuant to which the LIBOR rates are determined and potential phasing out of LIBOR after 2021 may affect our financial results.

 

   

Joint venture investments that we make could be adversely affected by our lack of decision-making authority, our reliance on joint venture partners’ financial condition and disputes between us and our joint venture partners.

 

   

It may be difficult for us to exit a joint venture after an impasse with our co-venturer.

 

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The Company does not have sole control of the JVs and may be required to contribute additional capital.

 

   

Our Operating Partnership acts as guarantor under certain debt obligations of the JVs.

 

   

We may from time to time make distributions to our shareholders in the form of our common shares, which could result in shareholders incurring tax liability without receiving sufficient cash to pay such tax.

 

   

Our conflict of interest policy may not be successful in eliminating the influence of future conflicts of interest that may arise between us and our trustees, officers and employees.

 

   

There may be conflicts of interest between us and affiliates owned by our Chief Executive Officer.

 

   

Hotel development is subject to timing, cost, and other risks.

 

   

The current COVID-19 pandemic had, and may continue to have, or a future pandemic could have, adverse effects on our financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and performance.

Risks Related to the Lodging Industry

 

   

The lodging industry has experienced significant declines in the past and failure of the lodging industry to exhibit improvement may adversely affect our ability to execute our business strategy.

 

   

Our ability to make distributions to our shareholders may be affected by operating risks in the lodging industry.

 

   

Competition for acquisitions may reduce the number of properties we can acquire.

 

   

Competition for guests may lower our hotels’ revenues and profitability.

 

   

The seasonality of the hotel industry may cause fluctuations in our quarterly revenues.

 

   

The cyclical nature of the lodging industry may adversely affect the return on our investments.

 

   

Due to our concentration therein, a downturn in the lodging industry would adversely affect our business.

 

   

The ongoing need for capital expenditures at our hotel properties may adversely affect our business.

 

   

The increasing use by consumers of Internet travel intermediaries and alternative lodging market places may adversely affect our profitability.

 

   

The need for business-related travel may be adversely affected by the use of business-related technology.

 

   

We and our hotel managers rely on information technology in our operations, and any material failure, inadequacy, interruption or security failure of that technology could harm our business.

 

   

Future terrorist attacks or changes in terror alert levels could adversely affect travel and hotel demand.

 

   

We may assume liabilities in connection with the acquisition of hotel properties, including unknown liabilities.

 

   

Uninsured and underinsured losses could adversely affect our operating results.

 

   

Noncompliance with environmental laws and governmental regulations could adversely affect our business.

 

   

Compliance with the ADA and other changes in governmental rules and regulations could substantially increase our cost of doing business and adversely affect our operating results.

 

   

The outbreak of widespread contagious disease, such as the Coronavirus, could reduce travel.

 

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General Risks Related to Real Estate Industry

 

   

Illiquidity of real estate investments could significantly impede our ability to respond to adverse changes in the performance of our hotel properties and adversely affect our financial condition.

 

   

Increases in our property taxes would adversely affect our ability to make distributions to our shareholders.

 

   

Our hotel properties may contain or develop harmful mold, which could lead to liabilities and remediation costs.

Risks Related to Our Organization and Structure

 

   

Our rights and the rights of our shareholders to take action against our trustees and officers are limited.

 

   

Provisions of Maryland law may limit the ability of a third party to acquire control of our Company.

 

   

Provisions of our declaration of trust may limit the ability of a third party to acquire control of our Company.

 

   

Failure to make required distributions would subject us to tax.

 

   

Failure to maintain our qualification as a REIT would subject us to federal income tax and potentially other taxes.

 

   

Our TRS Lessee structure subjects us to the risk of increased hotel operating expenses.

 

   

Our TRS structure increases our overall tax liability.

 

   

Our ownership of TRSs is limited and our transactions with our TRS will cause us to be subject to a 100% penalty tax on certain income or deductions if those transactions are not conducted on arm’s-length terms.

 

   

If our leases with our TRS Lessees are not respected as true leases for federal income tax purposes, we would fail to qualify as a REIT.

 

   

Dividends payable by REITs do not qualify for the reduced tax rates available for some dividends.

 

   

If our hotel managers do not qualify as “eligible independent contractors,” we would fail to qualify as a REIT.

 

   

Our ownership limitations may restrict or prevent you from engaging in certain transfers of our common shares.

 

   

Complying with REIT requirements may limit our ability to hedge effectively and cause us to incur tax liabilities.

 

   

The ability of our Board of Trustees to revoke our REIT qualification without shareholder approval may cause adverse consequences to our shareholders.

 

   

The ability of our Board of Trustees to change our major policies may not be in our shareholders’ interest.

 

   

If we fail to maintain an effective system of internal controls, we may not be able to accurately determine our financial results or prevent fraud. As a result, our investors could lose confidence in our reported financial information, which could harm our business and the market value of our common shares.

 

   

Complying with REIT requirements may cause us to forego otherwise attractive opportunities or liquidate otherwise attractive investments.

 

   

We may be subject to adverse legislative or regulatory tax changes.

 

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We have not established a minimum distribution payment level and we may be unable to generate sufficient cash flows from our operations to make distributions to our shareholders at any time in the future.

 

   

Our senior unsecured revolving credit facility may limit our ability to pay dividends on common shares.

 

   

The market price of our equity securities may vary substantially.

 

   

The number of shares available for future sale could adversely affect the market price of our common shares.

 

   

Future offerings of debt or equity securities ranking senior to our common shares or incurrence of debt (including under our credit facility) may adversely affect the market price of our common shares.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

Unless otherwise indicated in a prospectus supplement, we intend to use the net proceeds from the offering of securities under this prospectus for general corporate purposes, including funding our investment activity, repayment of indebtedness and working capital. We will contribute the net proceeds of any sale of securities pursuant to this prospectus to our operating partnership in exchange for additional common units of limited partnership interest in our operating partnership. Any further details relating to the use of the net proceeds from the offering of securities under this prospectus will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SECURITIES WE MAY OFFER

This prospectus contains summary descriptions of our common shares, preferred shares, warrants to purchase equity securities and units that we may offer from time to time. As further described in this prospectus, these summary descriptions are not meant to be complete descriptions of each security. The particular terms of any security will be described in the accompanying prospectus supplement and other offering material. The accompanying prospectus supplement may add, update or change the terms and conditions of the securities as described in this prospectus.

DESCRIPTION OF SHARES OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST

Although the following summary describes the material terms of our shares of beneficial interest, it is not a complete description of the Maryland REIT Law, or the MRL, the provisions of the Maryland General Corporation Law, or the MGCL, provisions applicable to a Maryland real estate investment trust or our declaration of trust and bylaws.

General

Our declaration of trust provides that we may issue up to 500,000,000 common shares, $0.01 par value per share, and 100,000,000 preferred shares of beneficial interest, $0.01 par value per share, or preferred shares. Our declaration of trust authorizes our board of trustees to amend our declaration of trust to increase or decrease the aggregate number of authorized shares or the number of shares of any class or series without shareholder approval.

Under the MRL, shareholders are not personally liable for the obligations of a real estate investment trust solely as a result of their status as shareholders.

Common Shares

The common shares we may offer from time to time, when issued, will be duly authorized, fully paid and nonassessable. Subject to the preferential rights, if any, of holders of any other class or series of shares of beneficial interest and to the provisions of our declaration of trust regarding the restrictions on ownership and transfer of our shares, holders of our common shares are entitled to receive distributions on such shares of beneficial interest out of assets legally available therefor if, as and when authorized by our board of trustees and declared by us, and the holders of our common shares are entitled to share ratably in our assets legally available for distribution to our shareholders in the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up after payment of or adequate provision for all of our known debts and liabilities.

Subject to the provisions of our declaration of trust regarding the restrictions on ownership and transfer of our shares and except as may otherwise be specified in the terms of any class or series of common shares, each outstanding common share entitles the holder to one vote on all matters submitted to a vote of

 

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shareholders, including the election of trustees, and, except as provided with respect to any other class or series of shares of beneficial interest, the holders of our common shares will possess the exclusive voting power. There is no cumulative voting in the election of our trustees, which means that the shareholders entitled to cast a majority of the votes entitled to be cast in the election of trustees can elect all of the trustees then standing for election, and the remaining shareholders will not be able to elect any trustees.

Holders of common shares have no preference, conversion, exchange, sinking fund, redemption or appraisal rights and have no preemptive rights to subscribe for any of our securities. Subject to the restrictions on ownership and transfer of shares contained in our declaration of trust and the terms of any other class or series of common shares, all of our common shares will have equal dividend, liquidation and other rights.

Preferred Shares

Our declaration of trust authorizes our board of trustees to authorize the issuance of preferred shares in one or more classes or series and may determine, with respect to any such class or series, the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions of the preferred shares of that class or series, including:

 

   

distribution rights;

 

   

conversion rights;

 

   

voting rights;

 

   

redemption rights and terms of redemptions; and

 

   

liquidation preferences

The preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications and terms and conditions of redemption of each class or series of preferred shares will be fixed by articles supplementary to our declaration of trust relating to such class or series.

The issuance of preferred shares could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control or other transaction that might involve a premium price for our common shares or otherwise be in the best interests of our shareholders. In addition, any preferred shares that we issue could rank senior to our common shares with respect to the payment of distributions, in which case we could not pay any distributions on our common shares until full distributions have been paid with respect to such preferred shares.

Power to Reclassify Our Unissued Shares of Beneficial Interest

Our declaration of trust authorizes our board of trustees to classify and reclassify any unissued common or preferred shares into other classes or series of shares of beneficial interest. Prior to the issuance of shares of each class or series, our board of trustees is required by the MRL and by our declaration of trust to set, subject to the provisions of our declaration of trust regarding the restrictions on ownership and transfer of shares of beneficial interest, the preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications and terms and conditions of redemption for each class or series. Therefore, our board of trustees could authorize the issuance of common shares or preferred shares that have priority over our common shares as to voting rights, dividends or upon liquidation or with terms and conditions that could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control or other transaction that might involve a premium price for our common shares or otherwise be in the best interests of our shareholders. As of December 22, 2020, no preferred shares are issued and outstanding.

 

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Power to Increase or Decrease Authorized Shares of Beneficial Interest and Issue Additional Common Shares and Preferred Shares

Our declaration of trust authorizes our board of trustees to amend our declaration of trust to increase or decrease the number of authorized shares of beneficial interest, to issue additional authorized but unissued common shares or preferred shares and to classify or reclassify unissued common shares or preferred shares and thereafter to issue such classified or reclassified shares of beneficial interest. The additional classes or series, as well as the common shares, will be available for issuance without further action by our shareholders, unless such action is required by applicable law or the rules of any stock exchange or automated quotation system on which our securities may be listed or traded. Although our board of trustees presently does not intend to do so, it could authorize us to issue a class or series that could, depending upon the terms of the particular class or series, delay, defer or prevent a change in control or other transaction that might involve a premium price for our common shares or otherwise be in the best interests of our shareholders.

Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer

For us to qualify as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, our shares of beneficial interest must be beneficially owned by 100 or more persons during at least 335 days of a taxable year of 12 months (other than the first year for which an election to be a REIT has been made) or during a proportionate part of a shorter taxable year. Also, not more than 50% of the value of our outstanding shares of beneficial interest may be owned, directly or indirectly, by five or fewer individuals (as defined in the Code to include certain entities) during the last half of a taxable year (other than the first year for which an election to be a REIT has been made).

Because our board of trustees believes it is at present in our best interests to qualify as a REIT, among other purposes, our declaration of trust, subject to certain exceptions, restricts the amount of our shares of beneficial interest that a person may beneficially or constructively own. Our declaration of trust provides that, subject to certain exceptions, no person may beneficially or constructively own more than 9.8% in value or in number of shares, whichever is more restrictive, of the outstanding shares of any class or series of our shares of beneficial interest.

Our declaration of trust also prohibits any person from (i) beneficially owning shares of beneficial interest to the extent that such beneficial ownership would result in our being “closely held” within the meaning of Section 856(h) of the Code (without regard to whether the ownership interest is held during the last half of the taxable year), (ii) transferring our shares of beneficial interest to the extent that such transfer would result in our shares of beneficial interest being beneficially owned by less than 100 persons (determined under the principles of Section 856(a)(5) of the Code), (iii) beneficially or constructively owning our shares of beneficial interest to the extent such beneficial or constructive ownership would cause us to constructively own ten percent or more of the ownership interests in a tenant (other than a taxable REIT subsidiary, or TRS) of our real property within the meaning of Section 856(d)(2)(B) of the Code or (iv) beneficially or constructively owning or transferring our shares of beneficial interest if such ownership or transfer would otherwise cause us to fail to qualify as a REIT under the Code, including, but not limited to, as a result of any hotel management companies failing to qualify as “eligible independent contractors” under the REIT rules of the Code. Any person who acquires or attempts or intends to acquire beneficial or constructive ownership of our shares of beneficial interest that will or may violate any of the foregoing restrictions on transferability and ownership, or any person who would have owned our shares of beneficial interest that resulted in a transfer of shares to a charitable trust, is required to give written notice immediately to us, or in the case of a proposed or attempted transaction, to give at least 15 days prior written notice, and provide us with such other information as we may request in order to determine the effect, if any, of such transfer on our status as a REIT. The foregoing restrictions on ownership and transfer will not apply if our board of trustees determines that it is no longer in our best interests to continue to qualify as a REIT or that such restriction is no longer required in order for us to qualify as a REIT.

 

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Our board of trustees, in its sole discretion, may prospectively or retroactively exempt a person from certain of the limits described in the paragraph above and may establish or increase an excepted holder percentage limit for such person. The person seeking an exemption must provide to our board of trustees such representations, covenants and undertakings as our board of trustees may deem appropriate in order to conclude that granting the exemption will not cause us to lose our status as a REIT. Our board of trustees may not grant such an exemption to any person if such exemption would result in our failing to qualify as a REIT. Our board of trustees may require a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service, or the IRS, or an opinion of counsel, in either case in form and substance satisfactory to the board of trustees, in its sole discretion, in order to determine or ensure our status as a REIT. Our board of trustees may impose such conditions or restrictions as it deems appropriate in connection with granting an exemption.

Any attempted transfer of our shares of beneficial interest which, if effective, would violate any of the restrictions described above will result in the number of shares causing the violation to be automatically transferred to a trust for the exclusive benefit of one or more charitable beneficiaries, except that any transfer that results in the violation of the restriction relating to our shares of beneficial interest being beneficially owned by fewer than 100 persons will be void ab initio . In either case, the proposed transferee will not acquire any rights in such shares. The automatic transfer will be deemed to be effective as of the close of business on the business day prior to the date of the purported transfer or other event that results in the transfer to the trust. Shares held in the trust will be issued and outstanding shares. The proposed transferee will not benefit economically from ownership of any shares held in the trust, will have no rights to dividends or other distributions and will have no rights to vote or other rights attributable to the shares held in the trust. The trustee of the trust will have all voting rights and rights to dividends or other distributions with respect to shares held in the trust. These rights will be exercised for the exclusive benefit of the charitable beneficiary. Any dividend or other distribution paid prior to our discovery that shares have been transferred to the trust will be paid by the recipient to the trustee upon demand. Any dividend or other distribution authorized but unpaid will be paid when due to the trustee. Any dividend or other distribution paid to the trustee will be held in trust for the charitable beneficiary. Subject to Maryland law, the trustee will have the authority (i) to rescind as void any vote cast by the proposed transferee prior to our discovery that the shares have been transferred to the trust and (ii) to recast the vote in accordance with the desires of the trustee acting for the benefit of the charitable beneficiary. However, if we have already taken irreversible trust action, then the trustee will not have the authority to rescind and recast the vote.

Within 20 days of receiving notice from us that shares of beneficial interest have been transferred to the trust, the trustee will sell the shares to a person designated by the trustee, whose ownership of the shares will not violate the above ownership and transfer restrictions. Upon the sale, the interest of the charitable beneficiary in the shares sold will terminate and the trustee will distribute the net proceeds of the sale to the proposed transferee and to the charitable beneficiary as follows. The proposed transferee will receive the lesser of (i) the price paid by the proposed transferee for the shares or, if the event causing the shares to be held in the trust did not involve a purchase of the shares at market price (as defined in our declaration of trust), the market price of the shares on day of the event causing the shares to be held in the trust and (ii) the price received by the trustee (net of any commission and other expenses of sale) from the sale or other disposition of the shares. The trustee may reduce the amount payable to the proposed transferee by the amount of dividends or other distributions paid to the proposed transferee and owed by the proposed transferee to the trustee. Any net sale proceeds in excess of the amount payable to the proposed transferee will be paid immediately to the charitable beneficiary. If, prior to our discovery that our shares have been transferred to the trust, the shares are sold by the proposed transferee, then (i) the shares shall be deemed to have been sold on behalf of the trust and (ii) to the extent that the proposed transferee received an amount for the shares that exceeds the amount he or she was entitled to receive, the excess shall be paid to the trustee upon demand.

In addition, shares of beneficial interest held in the trust will be deemed to have been offered for sale to us, or our designee, at a price per share equal to the lesser of (i) the price per share in the transaction that resulted in the transfer to the trust or, if the event causing the shares to be held in trust did not involve a

 

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purchase of the shares at market price, the market price of the shares on the day of the event causing the shares to be held in trust and (ii) the market price on the date we, or our designee, accept the offer, which we may reduce by the amount of dividends and other distributions paid to the proposed transferee and owed by the proposed transferee to the trustee. We will have the right to accept the offer until the trustee has sold the shares. Upon a sale to us, the interest of the charitable beneficiary in the shares sold will terminate and the trustee will distribute the net proceeds of the sale to the proposed transferee and the charitable beneficiary and any dividends or other distributions held by the trustee shall be paid to the charitable beneficiary.

If a transfer to a charitable trust, as described above, would be ineffective for any reason to prevent a violation of a restriction, the transfer that would have resulted in such violation will be void ab initio , and the proposed transferee shall acquire no rights in such shares.

Every owner of more than 5% (or such lower percentage as required by the Code or the regulations promulgated thereunder) of our shares of beneficial interest, within 30 days after the end of each taxable year, is required to give us written notice, stating his or her name and address, the number of shares of each class and series of our shares of beneficial interest that he or she beneficially owns and a description of the manner in which the shares are held. Each such owner is required to provide us with such additional information as we may request in order to determine the effect, if any, of his or her beneficial ownership on our status as a REIT and to ensure compliance with the ownership limits. In addition, each shareholder will upon demand be required to provide us with such information as we may request in good faith in order to determine our status as a REIT and to comply with the requirements of any taxing authority or governmental authority or to determine such compliance.

These ownership and transfer restrictions could delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change in control that might involve a premium price for our shares or otherwise be in the best interest of our shareholders.

Stock Exchange Listing

Our common shares are listed on the NYSE under the symbol “CLDT.”

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for our common shares is Equiniti Trust Company d/b/a EQ Shareholder Services.

DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

We may issue warrants to purchase our common shares or preferred shares. Warrants may be issued independently or together with any securities or may be attached to or separate from the securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into by us with a bank or trust company, as warrant agent, as specified in the applicable prospectus supplement. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders or beneficial owners of warrants.

We will describe the specific material terms of any warrants we may offer in the prospectus supplement relating to those warrants, which terms may include:

 

   

the title of the warrants;

 

   

the aggregate number of warrants;

 

   

the price or prices at which the warrants will be issued;

 

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the designation, amount and terms of the securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants;

 

   

any provisions for adjustment of the number of securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants or the exercise price of the warrants;

 

   

the designation and terms of the other securities, if any, with which the warrants are to be issued and the number of the warrants issued with each security;

 

   

if applicable, the date on and after which the warrants and the securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants will be separately transferable;

 

   

the price or prices at which the securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants may be purchased;

 

   

the minimum or maximum number of warrants which may be exercised at any one time;

 

   

the date on which the right to exercise the warrants shall commence and the date on which the right shall expire;

 

   

if appropriate, a discussion of any material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to the warrants;

 

   

information with respect to book-entry procedures, if applicable; and

 

   

any additional terms of the warrants, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exercise of the warrants.

Each warrant will entitle the holder of the warrant to purchase for cash the amount of common shares or preferred shares, as applicable, at the exercise price stated or determinable in the applicable prospectus supplement. Warrants may be exercised at any time up to the close of business on the expiration date shown in the applicable prospectus supplement, unless otherwise specified in such prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised warrants will become void. Warrants may be exercised as described in the applicable prospectus supplement. When the warrant holder makes the payment and properly completes and signs the warrant certificate at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent or any other office indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will, as soon as possible, forward the common shares or preferred shares, as applicable, that the warrant holder has purchased. If the warrant holder exercises the warrant for less than all of the warrants represented by the warrant certificate, we will issue a new warrant certificate for the remaining warrants.

Additionally, in order to enable us to maintain our qualification as a REIT, we may take certain actions to restrict ownership and transfer of our outstanding securities, including any warrants. The prospectus supplement related to the offering of any warrants will specify any additional ownership limitation relating to such warrants.

DESCRIPTION OF UNITS

This section describes some of the general terms and provisions applicable to units we may issue from time to time. We will describe the specific terms of a series of units and the applicable unit agreement in the applicable prospectus supplement. The following description and any description of the units in the applicable prospectus supplement may not be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to the terms and provisions of the applicable unit agreement. A form of the unit agreement reflecting the particular terms and provisions of a series of offered units will be filed with the SEC in connection with the offering and incorporated by reference in the registration statement and this prospectus.

We may issue units from time to time in such amounts and in as many distinct series as we determine. We will issue each series of units under a unit agreement to be entered into between us and a unit agent to be designated in the applicable prospectus supplement. When we refer to a series of units, we mean all units issued as part of the same series under the applicable unit agreement.

 

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We may issue units consisting of any combination of two or more securities described in this prospectus. Each unit will be issued so that the holder of the unit is also the holder of each security included in the unit. Thus, the holder of a unit will have the rights and obligations of a holder of each included security. The unit agreement under which a unit is issued may provide that the securities included in the unit may not be held or transferred separately, at any time or at any time before a specified date.

The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms of the units offered pursuant to it, including one or more of the following:

 

   

the designation and terms of the units and of the securities comprising the units, including whether and under what circumstances those securities may be held or transferred separately;

 

   

the aggregate number of, and the price at which we will issue, the units;

 

   

any provisions for the issuance, payment, settlement, transfer or exchange of the units or of the securities comprising the units;

 

   

whether the units will be issued in fully registered or global form;

 

   

the name of the unit agent;

 

   

a description of the terms of any unit agreement to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as unit agent, governing the units;

 

   

if appropriate, a discussion of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to the units; and

 

   

whether the units will be listed on any securities exchange.

Additionally, in order to enable us to maintain our qualification as a REIT, we may take certain actions to restrict ownership and transfer of our outstanding securities, including any units. The prospectus supplement related to the offering of any units will specify any additional ownership limitation relating to such units.

GLOBAL SECURITIES

We may issue some or all of our securities of any series as global securities. We will register each global security in the name of a depositary identified in the applicable prospectus supplement. The global securities will be deposited with a depositary or nominee or custodian for the depositary and will bear a legend regarding restrictions on exchanges and registration of transfer as discussed below.

As long as the depositary or its nominee is the registered holder of a global security, that person will be considered the sole owner and holder of the global security and the securities represented by it for all purposes under the securities. Except in limited circumstances, owners of a beneficial interest in a global security:

 

   

will not be entitled to have the global security or any securities represented by it registered in their names;

 

   

will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of certificated securities in exchange for the global security; and

 

   

will not be considered to be the owners or holders of the global security or any securities represented by it for any purposes under the securities or the indenture.

We will make all payments of principal and any premium and interest on a global security to the depositary or its nominee as the holder of the global security. The laws of some jurisdictions require that certain purchasers of securities take physical delivery of securities in definitive form. These laws may impair the ability to transfer beneficial interests in a global security.

 

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Ownership of beneficial interests in a global security will be limited to institutions having accounts with the depositary or its nominee, called “participants” for purposes of this discussion, and to persons that hold beneficial interests through participants. When a global security is issued, the depositary will credit on its book-entry, registration and transfer system the principal amounts of securities represented by the global security to the accounts of its participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in a global security will be shown only on, and the transfer of those ownership interests will be effected only through, records maintained by:

 

   

the depositary, with respect to participants’ interests; or

 

   

any participant, with respect to interests of persons held by the participants on their behalf.

Payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests held through the participants will be the responsibility of the participants. The depositary may from time to time adopt various policies and procedures governing payments, transfers, exchanges and other matters relating to beneficial interests in a global security. None of the following will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the depositary’s or any participant’s records relating to, or for payments made on account of, beneficial interests in a global security, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to those beneficial interests:

 

   

us or our affiliates;

 

   

the trustee under any indenture; or

 

   

any agent of any of the above.

 

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CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF MARYLAND LAW AND OF OUR DECLARATION OF TRUST AND BYLAWS

Although the following summary describes certain provisions of Maryland law and of our declaration of trust and bylaws as they are in effect, it is not a complete description of our declaration of trust and bylaws, copies of which are available from us upon request, or Maryland law. See “Where You Can Find More Information.”

Number of Trustees; Vacancies

Our declaration of trust and bylaws provide that the number of our trustees may be established by our board of trustees but may not be more than 15. Our declaration of trust also provides that, at such time as we have at least three independent trustees and a class of our common shares or preferred shares is registered under the Exchange Act, we elect to be subject to the provision of Subtitle 8 of Title 3 of the MGCL regarding the filling of vacancies on our board of trustees. Accordingly, except as may be provided by our board of trustees in setting the terms of any class or series of shares, any and all vacancies on our board of trustees may be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining trustees in office, even if the remaining trustees do not constitute a quorum, and any individual elected to fill such vacancy will serve for the remainder of the full term in which the vacancy occurred and until a successor is duly elected and qualifies.

Each member of our board of trustees is elected by our shareholders annually. A plurality of all votes cast on the matter at a meeting of shareholders at which a quorum is present is sufficient to elect a trustee. The presence in person or by proxy of shareholders entitled to cast a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast at a meeting constitutes a quorum.

Policy on Majority Voting

Our board of trustees has adopted a policy regarding the election of trustees in uncontested elections. Pursuant to the policy, in an uncontested election of trustees, any nominee who receives a greater number of votes affirmatively withheld from his or her election than votes for his or her election will, within two weeks following certification of the shareholder vote by our company, submit a written resignation offer to our board of trustees for consideration by our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will consider the resignation offer and, within 60 days following certification by our company of the shareholder vote with respect to such election, will make a recommendation to our board of trustees concerning the acceptance or rejection of the resignation offer. Our board of trustees will take formal action on the recommendation no later than 90 days following certification of the shareholder vote by our company. We will publicly disclose the decision of our board of trustees. Our board of trustees will also provide an explanation of the process by which the decision was made and, if applicable, its reason or reasons for rejecting the tendered resignation.

Removal of Trustees

Our declaration of trust provides that, subject to the rights of holders of any class or series of preferred shares, a trustee may be removed only for “cause,” and then only by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast generally in the election of trustees. For this purpose, “cause” means, with respect to any particular trustee, conviction of a felony or a final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction holding that such trustee caused demonstrable, material harm to us through bad faith or active and deliberate dishonesty. These provisions, when coupled with the exclusive power of our board of trustees to fill vacancies on our board of trustees, generally precludes shareholders from removing incumbent trustees except for “cause” and with a substantial affirmative vote and filling the vacancies created by such removal with their own nominees.

 

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Business Combinations

Under Maryland law, certain “business combinations” between a Maryland real estate investment trust and an interested shareholder or an affiliate of an interested shareholder are prohibited for five years after the most recent date on which the interested shareholder becomes an interested shareholder. These business combinations include a merger, consolidation, statutory share exchange, or, in circumstances specified in the statute, an asset transfer or issuance or reclassification of equity securities. An interested shareholder is defined as:

 

 

any person who beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, ten percent or more of the voting power of the real estate investment trust’s voting shares; or

 

 

an affiliate or associate of the real estate investment trust who, at any time within the two-year period prior to the date in question, was the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of ten percent or more of the voting power of the then outstanding voting shares of the real estate investment trust.

A person is not an interested shareholder under the statute if the board of trustees approved in advance the transaction by which the person otherwise would have become an interested shareholder. However, in approving a transaction, the board of trustees may provide that its approval is subject to compliance, at or after the time of approval, with any terms and conditions determined by the board.

After the five-year prohibition, any business combination between the Maryland real estate investment trust and an interested shareholder generally must be recommended by the board of trustees of the trust and approved by the affirmative vote of at least:

 

 

80% of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of outstanding voting shares of the real estate investment trust; and

 

 

two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of voting shares of the real estate investment trust other than shares held by the interested shareholder with whom or with whose affiliate the business combination is to be effected or held by an affiliate or associate of the interested shareholder.

These super majority approval requirements do not apply if the real estate investment trust’s common shareholders receive a minimum price, as defined under Maryland law, for their shares in the form of cash or other consideration in the same form as previously paid by the interested shareholder for its shares.

The statute permits various exemptions from its provisions, including business combinations that are exempted by the board of trustees before the time that the interested shareholder becomes an interested shareholder.

Pursuant to the statute, our board of trustees has by resolution exempted business combinations between us and any other person from these provisions of the MGCL, provided that the business combination is first approved by our board of trustees, including a majority of trustees who are not affiliates or associates of such person, and, consequently, the five year prohibition and the supermajority vote requirements will not apply to such business combinations. As a result, any person may be able to enter into business combinations with us that may not be in the best interests of our shareholders without compliance by us with the supermajority vote requirements and other provisions of the statute. This resolution, however, may be altered or repealed in whole or in part at any time. If this resolution is repealed, or our board of trustees does not otherwise approve a business combination, the statute may discourage others from trying to acquire control of us and increase the difficulty of consummating any offer.

Control Share Acquisitions

Maryland law provides that control shares of a Maryland real estate investment trust acquired in a control share acquisition have no voting rights except to the extent approved by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. Shares owned by the acquiror, by officers or by

 

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employees who are trustees of the trust are excluded from shares entitled to vote on the matter. Control shares are voting shares which, if aggregated with all other shares owned by the acquiror or in respect of which the acquiror is able to exercise or direct the exercise of voting power (except solely by virtue of a revocable proxy), would entitle the acquiror to exercise voting power in electing trustees within one of the following ranges of voting power:

 

 

one-tenth or more but less than one-third,

 

 

one-third or more but less than a majority, or

 

 

a majority or more of all voting power.

Control shares do not include shares the acquiring person is then entitled to vote as a result of having previously obtained shareholder approval or shares acquired directly from the real estate investment trust. A control share acquisition means the acquisition of control shares, subject to certain exceptions.

A person who has made or proposes to make a control share acquisition may compel the board of trustees of the trust to call a special meeting of shareholders to be held within 50 days of demand to consider the voting rights of the shares. The right to compel the calling of a special meeting is subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, including an undertaking to pay the expenses of the meeting. If no request for a meeting is made, the real estate investment trust may itself present the question at any shareholders meeting.

If voting rights are not approved at the meeting or if the acquiring person does not deliver an acquiring person statement as required by the statute, then the real estate investment trust may redeem for fair value any or all of the control shares, except those for which voting rights have previously been approved. The right of the real estate investment trust to redeem control shares is subject to certain conditions and limitations. Fair value is determined, without regard to the absence of voting rights for the control shares, as of the date of the last control share acquisition by the acquiror or of any meeting of shareholders at which the voting rights of the shares are considered and not approved. If voting rights for control shares are approved at a shareholders meeting and the acquiror becomes entitled to vote a majority of the shares entitled to vote, all other shareholders may exercise appraisal rights. The fair value of the shares as determined for purposes of appraisal rights may not be less than the highest price per share paid by the acquiror in the control share acquisition.

The control share acquisition statute does not apply (a) to shares acquired in a merger, consolidation or share exchange if the real estate investment trust is a party to the transaction, or (b) to acquisitions approved or exempted by the declaration of trust or bylaws of the real estate investment trust.

Our bylaws contain a provision exempting from the control share acquisition statute any and all acquisitions by any person of our shares. There is no assurance that such provision will not be amended or eliminated at any time in the future.

Subtitle 8

Subtitle 8 of Title 3 of the MGCL permits a Maryland real estate investment trust with a class of equity securities registered under the Exchange Act and at least three independent trustees to elect to be subject, by provision in its declaration of trust or bylaws or a resolution of its board of trustees and notwithstanding any contrary provision in the declaration of trust or bylaws, to any or all of five provisions:

 

 

a classified board;

 

 

a two-thirds vote of outstanding shares for removing a trustee;

 

 

a requirement that the number of trustees be fixed only by vote of the trustees;

 

 

a requirement that a vacancy on the board be filled only by the remaining trustees and for the remainder of the full term of the class of trustees in which the vacancy occurred; and

 

 

a majority requirement for the calling of a shareholder-requested special meeting of shareholders.

 

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We have elected to be subject to the provision of Subtitle 8 that requires that vacancies on our board may be filled only by the remaining trustees and for the remainder of the full term of the trusteeship in which the vacancy occurred. Through provisions in our declaration of trust and bylaws unrelated to Subtitle 8, we already (1) require the affirmative vote of the holders of not less than two-thirds of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter for the removal of any trustee from the board, which removal will be allowed only for cause, (2) vest in the board the exclusive power to fix the number of trusteeships and (3) provide that special meetings of our shareholders may only be called by our chairman, chief executive officer, president and board of trustees.

Meetings of Shareholders

Pursuant to our declaration of trust and bylaws, a meeting of our shareholders for the purpose of the election of trustees and the transaction of any business will be held annually on a date and at the time and place set by our board of trustees. In addition, our chairman, chief executive officer, president or board of trustees may call a special meeting of our shareholders.

Mergers; Extraordinary Transactions

Under the MRL, a Maryland real estate investment trust generally cannot merge with, or convert into, another entity unless advised by its board of trustees and approved by the affirmative vote of shareholders holding at least two-thirds of the shares entitled to vote on the matter unless a lesser percentage (but not less than a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter) is set forth in the trust’s declaration of trust. Our declaration of trust provides that these actions may be approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. Our declaration of trust also provides that we may sell or transfer all or substantially all of our assets if advised by our board of trustees and approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. However, many of our operating assets are held by our subsidiaries, and these subsidiaries may be able to sell all or substantially all of their assets or merge with another entity without the approval of our shareholders.

Amendment to Our Declaration of Trust and Bylaws

Under the MRL, a Maryland real estate investment trust generally cannot amend its declaration of trust unless advised by its board of trustees and approved by the affirmative vote of shareholders entitled to cast at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter unless a different percentage (but not less than a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter) is set forth in the trust’s declaration of trust.

Except for amendments to the provisions of our declaration of trust related to the removal of trustees and the vote required to amend the provision regarding amendments to the removal provisions itself (each of which require the affirmative vote of the holders of not less than two-thirds of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter) and certain amendments described in our declaration of trust that require only approval by our board of trustees, our declaration of trust may be amended only if advised by our board of trustees and approved by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.

Our board of trustees has the exclusive power to adopt, alter or repeal any provision of our bylaws and to make new bylaws.

Our Termination

Our declaration of trust provides for us to have a perpetual existence. Our termination must be approved by a majority of our entire board of trustees and the affirmative vote of the holders of not less than a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.

 

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Advance Notice of Trustee Nominations and New Business

Our bylaws provide that, with respect to an annual meeting of shareholders, nominations of individuals for election to our board of trustees at an annual meeting and the proposal of business to be considered by shareholders may be made only (1) pursuant to our notice of the meeting, (2) by or at the direction of our board of trustees or (3) by a shareholder of record both at the time of giving notice and at the time of the annual meeting who is entitled to vote at the meeting and has complied with the advance notice provisions set forth in our bylaws. Our bylaws currently require the shareholder generally to provide notice to the secretary containing the information required by our bylaws not less than 120 days nor more than 150 days prior to the first anniversary of the date of our proxy statement for the solicitation of proxies for election of trustees at the preceding year’s annual meeting.

With respect to special meetings of shareholders, only the business specified in our notice of meeting may be brought before the meeting. Nominations of individuals for election to our board of trustees at a special meeting may be made only (1) by or at the direction of our board of trustees or (2) provided that our board of trustees has determined that trustees will be elected at such meeting, by a shareholder of record at the time of giving notice and who is entitled to vote at the meeting in the election of each individual so nominated and has complied with the advance notice provisions set forth in our bylaws. Such shareholder may nominate one or more individuals, as the case may be, for election as a trustee if the shareholder’s notice containing the information required by our bylaws is delivered to the secretary not earlier than the 120th day prior to such special meeting and not later than 5:00 p.m., eastern time, on the later of (1) the 90th day prior to such special meeting or (2) the tenth day following the day on which public announcement is first made of the date of the special meeting and the proposed nominees of our board of trustees to be elected at the meeting.

Exclusive Forum

Our bylaws provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, Maryland, or, if that court does not have jurisdiction, the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, Baltimore Division, will be the sole and exclusive forum for (a) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (b) any action asserting a claim of breach of any duty owed by any of our trustees, officers or other employees to us or to our shareholders, (c) any action asserting a claim against us or any of our trustees, officers or other employees arising pursuant to any provision of the MRL, the MGCL (to the extent applicable to us) or our declaration of trust or bylaws or (d) any action asserting a claim against us or any of our trustees, officers or other employees that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine.

Anti-takeover Effect of Certain Provisions of Maryland Law and of Our Declaration of Trust and Bylaws

If the applicable exemption in our bylaws is repealed and the applicable resolution of our board of trustees is repealed, the control share acquisition provisions and the business combination provisions of the MGCL, respectively, as well as the provisions in our declaration of trust and bylaws, as applicable, on removal of trustees and the filling of trustee vacancies and the restrictions on ownership and transfer of shares of beneficial interest, together with the advance notice and shareholder-requested special meeting provisions of our bylaws, alone or in combination, could serve to delay, deter or prevent a transaction or a change in our control that might involve a premium price for holders of our common shares or otherwise be in their best interests.

Indemnification and Limitation of Trustees’ and Officers’ Liability

Maryland law permits a Maryland real estate investment trust to include in its declaration of trust a provision limiting the liability of its trustees and officers to the trust and its shareholders for money damages except for liability resulting from (a) actual receipt of an improper benefit or profit in money, property or

 

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services or (b) active or deliberate dishonesty established by a final judgment and is material to the cause of action. Our declaration of trust contains a provision which limits the liability of our trustees and officers to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law.

Our declaration of trust permits us and our bylaws obligate us, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law, to indemnify and to pay or reimburse reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding to (a) any present or former trustee or officer or (b) any individual who, while a trustee or officer and at our request, serves or has served another real estate investment trust, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or any other enterprise as a trustee, director, officer, partner, member or manager and who is made or is threatened to be made a party to the proceeding by reason of his or her service in any such capacity, from and against any claim or liability to which that individual may become subject or which that individual may incur by reason of his or her service in any such capacity and to pay or reimburse his or her reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding. Our declaration of trust and bylaws also permit us to indemnify and advance expenses to any person who served a predecessor of our company in any of the capacities described above and to any employee or agent of our company or a predecessor of our company. Maryland law requires us to indemnify a trustee or officer who has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any proceeding to which he or she is made a party by reason of his or her service in that capacity.

The MRL permits a Maryland real estate investment trust to indemnify and advance expenses to its trustees, officers, employees and agents to the same extent as permitted for directors and officers of Maryland corporations. The MGCL permits a Maryland corporation to indemnify its present and former directors and officers, among others, against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in connection with any proceeding to which they may be a party by reason of their service in those or other capacities unless it is established that (a) the act or omission of the director or officer was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding and (i) was committed in bad faith or (ii) was a result of active and deliberate dishonesty, (b) the director or officer actually received an improper personal benefit in money, property or services or (c) in the case of any criminal proceeding, the director or officer has reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful. However, a Maryland corporation may not indemnify for an adverse judgment in a suit by or in the right if the corporation or if the director or officer was adjudged to be liable on the basis that a personal benefit was improperly received, unless in either case a court orders indemnification and then only for expenses. The MGCL requires us, as a condition to advancing expenses, to obtain (a) a written affirmation by the trustee or officer of his or her good faith belief that he or she has met the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification and (b) a written statement by or on his or her behalf to repay the amount paid or reimbursed by us if it shall ultimately be determined that the standard of conduct was not met.

We have entered into indemnification agreements with our trustees and our executive officers providing for procedures for indemnification by us to the fullest extent permitted by law and advancements by us of certain expenses and costs relating to claims, suits or proceedings arising from their service to us.

REIT Qualification

Our declaration of trust provides that our board of trustees may revoke or otherwise terminate our REIT election, without approval of our shareholders, if it determines that it is no longer in our best interests to continue to qualify as a REIT.

 

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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

This section summarizes the material U.S. federal income tax considerations that you, as a securityholder, may consider relevant in the acquisition, ownership and disposition of our securities. Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP has acted as our counsel, has reviewed this summary, and is of the opinion that the discussion contained herein is accurate in all material respects. Because this section is a summary, it does not address all aspects of taxation that may be relevant to particular securityholders in light of their personal investment or tax circumstances, or to certain types of securityholders that are subject to special treatment under the U.S. federal income tax laws, such as:

 

 

insurance companies;

 

 

tax-exempt organizations (except to the limited extent discussed in “— Taxation of Tax-Exempt shareholders” below);

 

 

financial institutions or broker-dealers;

 

 

non-U.S. individuals, foreign partnerships, and foreign corporations (except to the limited extent discussed in “— Taxation of Non-U.S. Shareholders” below);

 

 

U.S. expatriates;

 

 

persons who mark-to-market our securities;

 

 

subchapter S corporations;

 

 

U.S. shareholders (as defined below) whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar;

 

 

regulated investment companies and REITs;

 

 

trusts and estates;

 

 

holders who receive our securities through the exercise of employee share options or otherwise as compensation;

 

 

persons holding our securities as part of a “straddle,” “hedge,” “conversion transaction,” “synthetic security” or other integrated investment;

 

 

persons subject to the alternative minimum tax provisions of the Code; and

 

 

persons holding our securities through a partnership or similar pass-through entity.

This summary assumes that shareholders hold our securities as capital assets for U.S. federal income tax purposes, which generally means property held for investment.

The statements in this section are not intended to be, and should not be construed as, tax advice. The statements in this section are based on the Code, current, temporary and proposed Treasury regulations, the legislative history of the Code, current administrative interpretations and practices of the IRS, and court decisions.

The reference to IRS interpretations and practices includes the IRS practices and policies endorsed in private letter rulings, which are not binding on the IRS except with respect to the taxpayer that receives the ruling. In each case, these sources are relied upon as they exist on the date of this discussion. Future legislation, Treasury regulations, administrative interpretations and court decisions could change current law or adversely affect existing interpretations of current law on which the information in this section is based. Any such change could apply retroactively. We have not received any rulings from the IRS concerning our qualification as a REIT. Accordingly, even if there is no change in the applicable law, no assurance can be provided that the statements made in the following discussion, which do not bind the IRS or the courts, will not be challenged by the IRS or will be sustained by a court if so challenged.

WE URGE YOU TO CONSULT YOUR TAX ADVISOR REGARDING THE SPECIFIC TAX CONSEQUENCES TO YOU OF THE PURCHASE, OWNERSHIP AND SALE OF OUR SECURITIES

 

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AND OF OUR ELECTION TO BE TAXED AS A REIT. SPECIFICALLY, YOU ARE URGED TO CONSULT YOUR TAX ADVISOR REGARDING THE FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, FOREIGN, AND OTHER TAX CONSEQUENCES OF SUCH PURCHASE, OWNERSHIP, SALE AND ELECTION, AND REGARDING POTENTIAL CHANGES IN APPLICABLE TAX LAWS.

Taxation of Our Company

We elected to be taxed as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes commencing with our short taxable year ended December 31, 2010. We believe that, commencing with such short taxable year, we have been organized and have operated in such a manner as to qualify for taxation as a REIT under the U.S. federal income tax laws, and we intend to continue to operate in such a manner, but no assurances can be given that we will operate in a manner so as to qualify or remain qualified as a REIT. This section discusses the laws governing the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a REIT and its shareholders. These laws are highly technical and complex.

In the opinion of Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, we qualified to be taxed as a REIT under the U.S. federal income tax laws for our taxable years ended December 31, 2016 through December 31, 2019 and our organization and current and proposed method of operation will enable us to continue to qualify as a REIT for our taxable year ending December 31, 2020 and thereafter. Investors should be aware that Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP’s opinion is based upon customary assumptions, is conditioned upon certain representations made by us as to factual matters, including representations regarding the nature of our assets and the conduct of our business, is not binding upon the IRS, or any court, and speaks as of the date issued. In addition, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP’s opinion is based on existing U.S. federal income tax law governing qualification as a REIT, which is subject to change either prospectively or retroactively. Moreover, our qualification and taxation as a REIT depend upon our ability to meet on a continuing basis, through actual annual operating results, certain qualification tests set forth in the U.S. federal tax laws. Those qualification tests involve the percentage of income that we earn from specified sources, the percentage of our assets that falls within specified categories, the diversity of ownership of our shares of beneficial interest, and the percentage of our earnings that we distribute. Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP will not review our compliance with those tests on a continuing basis. Accordingly, no assurance can be given that our actual results of operations for any particular taxable year will satisfy such requirements. Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP’s opinion does not foreclose the possibility that we may have to use one or more of the REIT savings provisions described below, which could require us to pay an excise or penalty tax (which could be material) in order to maintain our REIT qualification. For a discussion of the tax consequences of our failure to qualify as a REIT, see “— Failure to Qualify.”

If we qualify as a REIT, we generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the taxable income that we distribute to our shareholders. The benefit of that tax treatment is that it avoids the “double taxation,” or taxation at both the corporate and shareholder levels, that generally results from owning stock in a corporation. However, we will be subject to U.S. federal tax in the following circumstances:

 

 

We will pay U.S. federal income tax on any taxable income, including undistributed net capital gain, that we do not distribute to shareholders during, or within a specified time period after, the calendar year in which the income is earned.

 

 

We will pay income tax at the highest corporate rate on:

 

 

net income from the sale or other disposition of property acquired through foreclosure or after a default on a lease of the property (“foreclosure property”) that we hold primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business, and

 

 

other non-qualifying income from foreclosure property.

 

 

We will pay a 100% tax on net income from sales or other dispositions of property, other than foreclosure property, that we hold primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business.

 

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If we fail to satisfy one or both of the 75% gross income test or the 95% gross income test, as described below under “—Gross Income Tests,” and nonetheless continue to qualify as a REIT because we meet other requirements, we will pay a 100% tax on:

 

 

the gross income attributable to the greater of the amount by which we fail the 75% gross income test or the 95% gross income test, in either case, multiplied by

 

 

a fraction intended to reflect our profitability.

 

 

If we fail to distribute during a calendar year at least the sum of (i) 85% of our REIT ordinary income for the year, (ii) 95% of our REIT capital gain net income for the year, and (iii) any undistributed taxable income required to be distributed from earlier periods, we will pay a 4% nondeductible excise tax on the excess of the required distribution over the sum of (A) the amount we actually distributed plus (B) retained amounts on which corporate-level tax was paid by us.

 

 

We may elect to retain and pay income tax on our net long-term capital gain. In that case, a U.S. shareholder would be taxed on its proportionate share of our undistributed long-term capital gain (to the extent that we made a timely designation of such gain to the shareholders) and would receive a credit or refund for its proportionate share of the tax we paid.

 

 

We will be subject to a 100% excise tax on transactions with a taxable REIT subsidiary, or TRS, that are not conducted on an arm’s-length basis.

 

 

If we fail any of the asset tests, other than a de minimis failure of the 5% asset test, the 10% vote test or the 10% value test, as described below under “— Asset Tests,” as long as the failure was due to reasonable cause and not to willful neglect, we file a description of each asset that caused such failure with the IRS, and we dispose of the assets or otherwise comply with the asset tests within six months after the last day of the quarter in which we identify such failure, we will pay a tax equal to the greater of $50,000 or the highest U.S. federal income tax rate then applicable to U.S. corporations on the net income from the nonqualifying assets during the period in which we failed to satisfy the asset tests.

 

 

If we fail to satisfy one or more requirements for REIT qualification, other than the gross income tests and the asset tests, and such failure is due to reasonable cause and not to willful neglect, we will be required to pay a penalty of $50,000 for each such failure.

 

 

If we acquire any asset from a C corporation, or a corporation that generally is subject to full corporate-level tax, in a merger or other transaction in which we acquire a basis in the asset that is determined by reference either to the C corporation’s basis in the asset or to another asset, we will pay tax at the highest regular corporate rate applicable if we recognize gain on the sale or disposition of the asset during the five-year period after we acquire the asset provided no election is made for the transaction to be taxable on a current basis. The amount of gain on which we will pay tax is the lesser of:

 

 

the amount of gain that we recognize at the time of the sale or disposition, and

 

 

the amount of gain that we would have recognized if we had sold the asset at the time we acquired it.

 

 

We may be required to pay monetary penalties to the IRS in certain circumstances, including if we fail to meet record-keeping requirements intended to monitor our compliance with rules relating to the composition of a REIT’s shareholders, as described below in “— Recordkeeping Requirements.”

 

 

The earnings of our lower-tier entities that are subchapter C corporations, including TRSs, will be subject to federal corporate income tax.

In addition, we may be subject to a variety of taxes, including payroll taxes and state, local, and foreign income, property, and other taxes on our assets and operations. We could also be subject to tax in situations and on transactions not presently contemplated.

 

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Requirements for Qualification

A REIT is a corporation, trust, or association that meets each of the following requirements:

1. It is managed by one or more directors or trustees.

2. Its beneficial ownership is evidenced by transferable shares, or by transferable certificates of beneficial interest.

3. It would be taxable as a domestic corporation, but for the REIT provisions of the U.S. federal income tax laws.

4. It is neither a financial institution nor an insurance company subject to special provisions of the U.S. federal income tax laws.

5. At least 100 persons are beneficial owners of its shares or ownership certificates.

6. Not more than 50% in value of its outstanding shares or ownership certificates is owned, directly or indirectly, by five or fewer individuals, which the Code defines to include certain entities, during the last half of any taxable year.

7. It elects to be a REIT, or has made such election for a previous taxable year, and satisfies all relevant filing and other administrative requirements established by the IRS that must be met to elect and maintain REIT status.

8. It meets certain other qualification tests, described below, regarding the nature of its income and assets and the amount of its distributions to shareholders.

9. It uses a calendar year for U.S. federal income tax purposes and complies with the recordkeeping requirements of the U.S. federal income tax laws.

We must meet requirements 1 through 4, 7, 8 and 9 during our entire taxable year and must meet requirement 5 during at least 335 days of a taxable year of 12 months, or during a proportionate part of a taxable year of less than 12 months. If we comply with all the requirements for ascertaining the ownership of our outstanding shares in a taxable year and have no reason to know that we violated requirement 6, we will be deemed to have satisfied requirement 6 for that taxable year. For purposes of determining share ownership under requirement 6, an “individual” generally includes a supplemental unemployment compensation benefits plan, a private foundation, or a portion of a trust permanently set aside or used exclusively for charitable purposes. An “individual,” however, generally does not include a trust that is a qualified employee pension or profit sharing trust under the Code, and beneficiaries of such a trust will be treated as holding our shares in proportion to their actuarial interests in the trust for purposes of requirement 6.

Our declaration of trust provides restrictions regarding the transfer and ownership of our shares of beneficial interest. See “Description of Shares of Beneficial Interest — Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer.” We believe that we have issued sufficient shares of beneficial interest with sufficient diversity of ownership to allow us to satisfy requirements 5 and 6 above. The restrictions in our declaration of trust are intended (among other things) to assist us in continuing to satisfy requirements 5 and 6 described above. These restrictions, however, may not ensure that we will, in all cases, be able to satisfy such share ownership requirements. If we fail to satisfy these share ownership requirements, our qualification as a REIT may terminate.

In addition, we must satisfy all relevant filing and other administrative requirements established by the IRS that must be met to elect and maintain REIT status and comply with the record-keeping requirements of the Code and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

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Qualified REIT Subsidiaries. A corporation that is a “qualified REIT subsidiary” is not treated as a corporation separate from its parent REIT. All assets, liabilities, and items of income, deduction, and credit of a “qualified REIT subsidiary” are treated as assets, liabilities, and items of income, deduction, and credit of the REIT. A “qualified REIT subsidiary” is a corporation, other than a TRS, all of the stock of which is owned by a REIT. Thus, in applying the requirements described herein, any “qualified REIT subsidiary” that we own will be ignored, and all assets, liabilities, and items of income, deduction, and credit of such subsidiary will be treated as our assets, liabilities, and items of income, deduction, and credit.

Other Disregarded Entities and Partnerships. An unincorporated domestic entity, such as limited liability company, that has a single owner for U.S. federal income tax purposes generally is not treated as an entity separate from its owner for U.S. federal income tax purposes. An unincorporated domestic entity with two or more owners generally is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In the case of a REIT that is a partner in a partnership that has other partners, the REIT is treated as owning its proportionate share of the assets of the partnership and as earning its allocable share of the gross income of the partnership for purposes of the applicable REIT qualification tests. Thus, our proportionate share of the assets, liabilities, and items of income of our operating partnership and any other partnership, joint venture or limited liability company that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes in which we have acquired or will acquire an equity interest, directly or indirectly, are treated as our assets and gross income for purposes of applying the various REIT qualification requirements. Our proportionate share for purposes of the 10% value test (see “— Asset Tests”) is based on our proportionate interest in the equity interests and certain debt securities issued by the partnership. For all of the other asset and income tests, our proportionate share is based on our proportionate interest in the capital interests in the partnership.

We have control of our operating partnership and generally intend to control any subsidiary partnerships and limited liability companies, and we intend to operate them in a manner consistent with the requirements for our qualification as a REIT. We may from time to time be a limited partner or non-managing member in some of our partnerships and limited liability companies. For example, we own non-controlling interests in the NewINK JV and the Inland JV, but currently are a managing member of each of those entities. If a partnership or limited liability company in which we own an interest takes or expects to take actions that could jeopardize our status as a REIT or require us to pay tax, we may be forced to dispose of our interest in such entity. In addition, it is possible that a partnership or limited liability company could take an action that could cause us to fail a gross income or asset test, and that we would not become aware of such action in time to dispose of our interest in the partnership or limited liability company or take other corrective action on a timely basis. In that case, we could fail to qualify as a REIT unless we were entitled to relief, as described below.

Taxable REIT Subsidiaries. A REIT may own up to 100% of the capital stock of one or more TRSs. A TRS is a fully taxable corporation that may earn income that would not be qualifying income if earned directly by the parent REIT. The subsidiary and the REIT must jointly elect to treat the subsidiary as a TRS. A corporation (other than a REIT) of which a TRS directly or indirectly owns more than 35% of the voting power or value of the outstanding securities will automatically be treated as a TRS. However, an entity will not qualify as a TRS if it directly or indirectly operates or manages a lodging or health care facility or, generally, provides to another person under a franchise, license or otherwise, rights to any brand name under which any lodging facility or health care facility is operated, unless such rights are provided to an “eligible independent contractor” (as defined below under “— Gross Income Tests — Rents from Real Property”) to operate or manage a lodging facility or health care facility and such lodging facility or health care facility is either owned by the TRS or leased to the TRS by its parent REIT.

Additionally, a TRS that employs individuals working at a qualified lodging facility located outside the United States will not be considered to operate or manage a qualified lodging facility as long as an “eligible independent contractor” is responsible for the daily supervision and direction of such individuals on behalf of the TRS pursuant to a management agreement or similar service contract.

 

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We are not treated as holding the assets of a TRS or as receiving any income that the subsidiary earns. Rather, the stock issued by a TRS to us is an asset in our hands, and we treat the distributions paid to us from such TRS, if any, as dividend income. This treatment can affect our compliance with the gross income and asset tests. Because we do not include the assets and income of our TRSs in determining our compliance with the REIT requirements, we may use such entities to undertake indirectly activities that the REIT rules might otherwise preclude us from doing directly or through pass-through subsidiaries. Overall, no more than 20% (25% for taxable years beginning before January 1, 2018) of the value of a REIT’s assets may consist of stock or securities of one or more TRSs.

A domestic TRS will pay income tax at regular corporate rates on any income that it earns. In addition, the TRS rules limit the deductibility of interest paid or accrued by a TRS to its parent REIT to assure that the TRS is subject to an appropriate level of corporate taxation. In addition, overall limitations on the deductibility of net interest expense by businesses could apply to our TRSs. Further, the rules impose a 100% excise tax on transactions between a TRS and its parent REIT or the REIT’s tenants that are not conducted on an arm’s-length basis. We have one TRS, Chatham TRS Holding, Inc., whose wholly owned subsidiaries are the lessees of our wholly owned hotel properties.

We indirectly own our investment in the NewINK JV hotels and our investment in the Inland JV hotels through joint ventures owned through our operating partnership. All of the joint venture hotels are leased to lessee entities in which we indirectly own noncontrolling interests through our TRS holding company. We refer to those entities and the wholly owned subsidiaries of our TRS holding company that lease our wholly owned hotels as our “TRS lessees.” Those lessee entities have engaged eligible independent contractors to operate the hotels. As is the case with our wholly owned hotels, with respect to the joint venture hotels in which we own our investment through joint ventures owned through our operating partnership, our TRS holding company will pay U.S. federal income tax at regular corporate rates on its allocable share of income earned by the TRS lessees with respect to the hotels.

Gross Income Tests

We must satisfy two gross income tests annually to maintain our qualification as a REIT. First, at least 75% of our gross income for each taxable year must consist of defined types of income that we derive, directly or indirectly, from investments relating to real property or mortgages on real property or qualified temporary investment income. Qualifying income for purposes of that 75% gross income test generally includes:

 

 

rents from real property;

 

 

interest on debt secured by mortgages on real property, or on interests in real property (and interest on debt secured by mortgages on both real and personal property if the fair market value of such personal property does not exceed 15% of the total fair market value of all such property);

 

 

dividends or other distributions on, and gain from the sale of, shares in other REITs;

 

 

gain from the sale of real estate assets;

 

 

income and gain from foreclosure property; and

 

 

income derived from the temporary investment of new capital that is attributable to the issuance of our shares of beneficial interest or a public offering of our debt with a maturity date of at least five years and that we receive during the one-year period beginning on the date on which we received such new capital.

Although a debt instrument issued by a “publicly offered REIT” (i.e., a REIT that is required to file annual and periodic reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Exchange Act) is treated as a “real estate asset” for the asset tests, see “—Asset Tests,” the interest income and gain from the sale of such debt instruments is not treated as qualifying income for the 75% gross income test unless the debt instrument is secured by real property or an interest in real property.

 

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Second, in general, at least 95% of our gross income for each taxable year must consist of income that is qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test, other types of interest and dividends, gain from the sale or disposition of shares or securities, or any combination of these. Gross income from our sale of property that we hold primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business is excluded from both the numerator and the denominator in both gross income tests. In addition, income and gain from “hedging transactions,” as defined below in “—Hedging Transactions,” that are clearly and timely identified as such will be excluded from both the numerator and the denominator for purposes of the 75% and 95% gross income tests. In addition, certain foreign currency gains will be excluded from gross income for purposes of one or both of the gross income tests. See “— Foreign Currency Gain” herein. Finally, gross income attributable to cancellation of indebtedness will be excluded from both the numerator and denominator for purposes of both of the gross income tests. The following paragraphs discuss the specific application of the gross income tests to us.

Rents from Real Property. Rent that we receive from our real property will qualify as “rents from real property,” which is qualifying income for purposes of the 75% and 95% gross income tests, only if the following conditions are met:

 

 

First, the rent must not be based, in whole or in part, on the income or profits of any person, but may be based on a fixed percentage or percentages of receipts or sales.

 

 

Second, neither we nor a direct or indirect owner of 10% or more of our shares of beneficial interest may own, actually or constructively, 10% or more of a tenant from whom we receive rent, other than a TRS. If the tenant is a TRS and the property is a “qualified lodging facility,” such TRS may not directly or indirectly operate or manage such property. Instead, the property must be operated on behalf of the TRS by a person who qualifies as an “independent contractor” and who is, or is related to a person who is, actively engaged in the trade or business of operating lodging facilities for any person unrelated to us and the TRS.

 

 

Third, if the rent attributable to personal property leased in connection with a lease of real property is 15% or less of the total rent received under the lease, then the rent attributable to personal property will qualify as rents from real property. However, if the 15% threshold is exceeded, the rent attributable to personal property will not qualify as rents from real property.

 

 

Fourth, we generally must not operate or manage our real property or furnish or render services to our tenants, other than certain customary services provided to tenants through an “independent contractor” who is adequately compensated and from whom we do not derive revenue. Furthermore, we may own up to 100% of the stock of a TRS that may provide customary and noncustomary services to our tenants without tainting our rental income for the related properties. We need not provide services through an “independent contractor” or a TRS, but instead may provide services directly to our tenants, if the services are “usually or customarily rendered” in connection with the rental of space for occupancy only and are not considered to be provided for the tenants’ convenience. In addition, we may provide a minimal amount of services not described in the prior sentence to the tenants of a property, other than through an independent contractor or a TRS, as long as our income from the services (valued at not less than 150% of our direct cost of performing such services) does not exceed 1% of our income from the related property.

Our TRS lessees lease the land, buildings, improvements, furnishings and equipment comprising our hotel properties. In order for the rent paid under the leases to constitute “rents from real property,” the leases must be respected as true leases for U.S. federal income tax purposes and not treated as service contracts, joint ventures or some other type of arrangement. The determination of whether our leases are true leases depends on an analysis of all the surrounding facts and circumstances. In making such a determination, courts have considered a variety of factors, including the following:

 

 

the intent of the parties;

 

 

the form of the agreement;

 

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the degree of control over the property that is retained by the property owner (for example, whether the lessee has substantial control over the operation of the property or whether the lessee was required simply to use its best efforts to perform its obligations under the agreement); and

 

 

the extent to which the property owner retains the risk of loss with respect to the property (for example, whether the lessee bears the risk of increases in operating expenses or the risk of damage to the property) or the potential for economic gain with respect to the property.

In addition, the U.S. federal income tax law provides that a contract that purports to be a service contract or a partnership agreement is treated instead as a lease of property if the contract is properly treated as such, taking into account all relevant factors. Since the determination of whether a service contract should be treated as a lease is inherently factual, the presence or absence of any single factor may not be dispositive in every case.

We believe that our leases are structured so that they qualify as true leases for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Our belief is based on the following with respect to each lease:

 

 

our operating partnership or joint venture and the lessee intend for their relationship to be that of a lessor and lessee, and such relationship is documented by a lease agreement;

 

 

the lessee has the right to exclusive possession and use and quiet enjoyment of the hotels covered by the lease during the term of the lease;

 

 

the lessee bears the cost of, and is responsible for, day-to-day maintenance and repair of the hotels other than the cost of certain capital expenditures, and dictates through hotel managers that are eligible independent contractors, who work for the lessee during the terms of the lease, how the hotels are operated and maintained;

 

 

the lessee bears all of the costs and expenses of operating the hotels, including the cost of any inventory used in their operation, during the term of the lease, other than real estate and personal property taxes and the cost of certain furniture, fixtures and equipment, and certain capital expenditures;

 

 

the lessee benefits from any savings and bears the burdens of any increases in the costs of operating the hotels during the term of the lease;

 

 

in the event of damage or destruction to a hotel, the lessee is at economic risk because it bears the economic burden of the loss in income from operation of the hotels subject to the right, in certain circumstances, to terminate the lease if the lessor does not restore the hotel to its prior condition;

 

 

the lessee generally indemnifies the lessor against all liabilities imposed on the lessor during the term of the lease by reason of (A) injury to persons or damage to property occurring at the hotels or (B) the lessee’s use, management, maintenance or repair of the hotels;

 

 

the lessee is obligated to pay, at a minimum, substantial base rent for the period of use of the hotels under the lease;

 

 

the lessee stands to incur substantial losses or reap substantial gains depending on how successfully it, through the hotel managers, who work for the lessees during the terms of the leases, operates the hotels;

 

 

each lease that we have entered into, at the time we entered into it (or at any time that any such lease is subsequently renewed or extended) enables the tenant to derive a meaningful profit, after expenses and taking into account the risks associated with the lease, from the operation of the hotels during the term of its leases; and

 

 

upon termination of each lease, the applicable hotel is expected to have a substantial remaining useful life and substantial remaining fair market value.

We expect that the leases we enter into in the future with our TRS lessees will have similar features.

 

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Investors should be aware that there are no controlling Treasury regulations, published rulings or judicial decisions involving leases with terms substantially the same as our leases that discuss whether such leases constitute true leases for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If our leases are characterized as service contracts or partnership agreements, rather than as true leases, or disregarded altogether for tax purposes, part or all of the payments that our operating partnership and its subsidiaries receive from the TRS lessees may not be considered rent or may not otherwise satisfy the various requirements for qualification as “rents from real property.” In that case, we likely would not be able to satisfy either the 75% or 95% gross income test and, as a result, would lose our REIT status unless we qualify for relief, as described below under “— Failure to Satisfy Gross Income Tests.”

As described above, in order for the rent that we receive to constitute “rents from real property,” several other requirements must be satisfied. One requirement is that percentage rent must not be based in whole or in part on the income or profits of any person. Percentage rent, however, will qualify as “rents from real property” if it is based on percentages of receipts or sales and the percentages:

 

 

are fixed at the time the percentage leases are entered into;

 

 

are not renegotiated during the term of the percentage leases in a manner that has the effect of basing percentage rent on income or profits; and

 

 

conform with normal business practice.

More generally, percentage rent will not qualify as “rents from real property” if, considering the leases and all the surrounding circumstances, the arrangement does not conform with normal business practice, but is in reality used as a means of basing the percentage rent on income or profits.

Second, we must not own, actually or constructively, 10% or more of the shares or the assets or net profits of any lessee (a “related party tenant”), other than a TRS. The constructive ownership rules generally provide that, if 10% or more in value of our shares of beneficial interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by or for any person, we are considered as owning the shares owned, directly or indirectly, by or for such person. We anticipate that all of our hotels will be leased to TRSs. In addition, our declaration of trust prohibits transfers of our shares of beneficial interest that would cause us to own actually or constructively, 10% or more of the ownership interests in any non-TRS lessee. Based on the foregoing, we should never own, actually or constructively, 10% or more of any lessee other than a TRS. However, because the constructive ownership rules are broad and it is not possible to monitor continually direct and indirect transfers of our shares of beneficial interest, no absolute assurance can be given that such transfers or other events of which we have no knowledge will not cause us to own constructively 10% or more of a lessee (or a subtenant, in which case only rent attributable to the subtenant is disqualified) other than a TRS at some future date.

As described above, we may own up to 100% of the capital stock of one or more TRSs. A TRS is a fully taxable corporation that generally may engage in any business, including the provision of customary or noncustomary services to tenants of its parent REIT, except that a TRS may not directly or indirectly operate or manage any lodging facilities or health care facilities or provide rights to any brand name under which any lodging or health care facility is operated, unless such rights are provided to an “eligible independent contractor” to operate or manage a lodging or health care facility if such rights are held by the TRS as a franchisee, licensee, or in a similar capacity and such hotel is either owned by the TRS or leased to the TRS by its parent REIT. A TRS will not be considered to operate or manage a qualified lodging facility solely because the TRS directly or indirectly possesses a license, permit, or similar instrument enabling it to do so. Additionally, a TRS that employs individuals working at a qualified lodging facility outside the United States will not be considered to operate or manage a qualified lodging facility located outside of the United States, as long as an “eligible independent contractor” is responsible for the daily supervision and direction of such individuals on behalf of the TRS pursuant to a management agreement or similar service contract. However, rent that we receive from a TRS with respect to any property will qualify as “rents from real property” as long as the property is a “qualified lodging facility” and such property is operated on

 

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behalf of the TRS by a person from whom we derive no income who is adequately compensated, who does not, directly or through its shareholders, own more than 35% of our shares, taking into account certain ownership attribution rules, and who is, or is related to a person who is, actively engaged in the trade or business of operating “qualified lodging facilities” for any person unrelated to us and the TRS lessee (an “eligible independent contractor”). A “qualified lodging facility” is a hotel, motel or other establishment more than one-half of the dwelling units in which are used on a transient basis, unless wagering activities are conducted at or in connection with such facility by any person who is engaged in the business of accepting wagers and who is legally authorized to engage in such business at or in connection with such facility. A “qualified lodging facility” includes customary amenities and facilities operated as part of, or associated with, the lodging facility as long as such amenities and facilities are customary for other properties of a comparable size and class owned by other unrelated owners.

Our TRS lessees lease our hotel properties, which we believe constitute qualified lodging facilities. Our TRS lessees engage independent third-party hotel managers that qualify as “eligible independent contractors,” to operate the related hotels on behalf of such TRS lessees.

Third, the rent attributable to the personal property leased in connection with the lease of a hotel must not be greater than 15% of the total rent received under the lease. The rent attributable to the personal property contained in a hotel is the amount that bears the same ratio to total rent for the taxable year as the average of the fair market values of the personal property at the beginning and at the end of the taxable year bears to the average of the aggregate fair market values of both the real and personal property contained in the hotel at the beginning and at the end of such taxable year (the “personal property ratio”). To comply with this limitation, a TRS lessee may acquire furnishings, equipment and other personal property. With respect to each hotel in which the TRS lessee does not own the personal property, we believe either that the personal property ratio is less than 15% or that any rent attributable to excess personal property will not jeopardize our ability to qualify as a REIT. There can be no assurance, however, that the IRS would not challenge our calculation of a personal property ratio, or that a court would not uphold such assertion. If such a challenge were successfully asserted, we could fail to satisfy the 75% or 95% gross income test and thus potentially lose our REIT status.

Fourth, we generally cannot furnish or render services to the tenants of our hotels, or manage or operate our properties, other than through an independent contractor who is adequately compensated and from whom we do not derive or receive any income. Furthermore, our TRSs may provide customary and noncustomary services to our tenants without tainting our rental income from such properties. However, we need not provide services through an “independent contractor” or TRS but instead may provide services directly to our tenants, if the services are “usually or customarily rendered” in connection with the rental of space for occupancy only and are not considered to be provided for the tenants’ convenience. In addition, we may provide a minimal amount of “noncustomary” services to the tenants of a property, other than through an independent contractor or a TRS, as long as our income from the services does not exceed 1% of our income from the related property. We will not perform any services other than customary ones for our lessees, unless such services are provided through independent contractors or TRSs or would not otherwise jeopardize our tax status as a REIT.

If a portion of the rent that we receive from a hotel does not qualify as “rents from real property” because the rent attributable to personal property exceeds 15% of the total rent for a taxable year, the portion of the rent that is attributable to personal property will not be qualifying income for purposes of either the 75% or 95% gross income test. Thus, if such rent attributable to personal property, plus any other income that is nonqualifying income for purposes of the 95% gross income test, during a taxable year exceeds 5% of our gross income during the year, we would lose our REIT qualification. If, however, the rent from a particular hotel does not qualify as “rents from real property” because either (i) the percentage rent is considered based on the income or profits of the related lessee, (ii) the lessee either is a related party tenant or fails to qualify for the exception to the related party tenant rule for qualifying TRSs or (iii) we furnish noncustomary services to the tenants of the hotel, or manage or operate the hotel, other than through a qualifying independent contractor or a TRS, none of the rent from that hotel would qualify as “rents from

 

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real property.” In that case, we might lose our REIT qualification because we might be unable to satisfy either the 75% or 95% gross income test. In addition to the rent, the lessees will be required to pay certain additional charges. To the extent that such additional charges represent either (i) reimbursements of amounts that we are obligated to pay to third parties, such as a lessee’s proportionate share of a property’s operational or capital expenses, or (ii) penalties for nonpayment or late payment of such amounts, such charges should qualify as “rents from real property.” However, to the extent that such charges do not qualify as “rents from real property,” they instead may be treated as interest that qualifies for the 95% gross income test, but not the 75% gross income test, or they may be treated as nonqualifying income for purposes of both gross income tests. We believe that we have structured our leases in a manner that will enable us to satisfy the REIT gross income tests.

Interest. The term “interest” generally does not include any amount received or accrued, directly or indirectly, if the determination of such amount depends in whole or in part on the income or profits of any person. However, interest generally includes the following:

 

 

an amount that is based on a fixed percentage or percentages of receipts or sales; and

 

 

an amount that is based on the income or profits of a debtor, as long as the debtor derives substantially all of its income from the real property securing the debt from leasing substantially all of its interest in the property, and only to the extent that the amounts received by the debtor would be qualifying “rents from real property” if received directly by a REIT.

If a loan contains a provision that entitles a REIT to a percentage of the borrower’s gain upon the sale of the real property securing the loan or a percentage of the appreciation in the property’s value as of a specific date, income attributable to that loan provision will be treated as gain from the sale of the property securing the loan, which generally is qualifying income for purposes of both gross income tests.

We may invest opportunistically from time to time in mortgage debt and mezzanine loans when we believe our investment will allow us to acquire control of the related real estate. Interest on debt secured by a mortgage on real property or on interests in real property, including, for this purpose, discount points, prepayment penalties, loan assumption fees, and late payment charges that are not compensation for services, generally is qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test. However, if a loan is secured by real property and other property and the highest principal amount of a loan outstanding during a taxable year exceeds the fair market value of the real property securing the loan as of the date we agreed to acquire the loan or on the date we modify the loan (if the modification is treated as “significant” for tax purposes), a portion of the interest income from such loan will not be qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test, but will be qualifying income for purposes of the 95% gross income test. In the case of a loan that is secured by both real property and personal property, if the fair market value of such personal property does not exceed 15% of the total fair market value of all such property securing the loan, then the personal property securing the loan will be treated as real property for purposes of determining whether the interest on such loan is qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test. The portion of the interest income that will not be qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test will be equal to the portion of the principal amount of the loan that is not secured by real property — that is, the amount by which the loan exceeds the value of the real estate that is security for the loan. For purposes of this paragraph, however, under IRS guidance we do not need to redetermine the fair market value of the real property in connection with a loan modification that is occasioned by a borrower default or made at a time when we reasonably believe the modification to the loan will substantially reduce a significant risk of default on the original loan. In addition, in the case of a loan that is secured by both real property and personal property, if the fair market value of such personal property does not exceed 15% of the total fair market value of all such property securing the loan, then the personal property securing the loan will be treated as real property for purposes of determining whether the interest on such loan is qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test. To the extent we invest in any mortgage debt, we intend to do so in a manner that will enable us to continue to satisfy the gross income and asset tests.

 

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Mezzanine loans are loans secured by equity interests in an entity that directly or indirectly owns real property, rather than by a direct mortgage of the real property. IRS Revenue Procedure 2003-65 provides a safe harbor pursuant to which a mezzanine loan, if it meets each of the requirements contained in the Revenue Procedure, will be treated by the IRS as a real estate asset for purposes of the REIT asset tests described below, and interest derived from it will be treated as qualifying mortgage interest for purposes of the 75% gross income test. Although the Revenue Procedure provides a safe harbor on which taxpayers may rely, it does not prescribe rules of substantive tax law. Moreover, we anticipate that the mezzanine loans we will acquire may not meet all of the requirements for reliance on this safe harbor. To the extent we investment in any mezzanine loans, we intend to do so in manner that will enable us to continue to satisfy the gross income and asset tests.

Dividends. Our share of any dividends received from any corporation (including any TRS, but excluding any REIT) in which we own an equity interest will qualify for purposes of the 95% gross income test but not for purposes of the 75% gross income test. Our share of any dividends received from any other REIT in which we own an equity interest, if any, will be qualifying income for purposes of both gross income tests.

Prohibited Transactions. A REIT will incur a 100% tax on the net income (including foreign currency gain) derived from any sale or other disposition of property, other than foreclosure property, that the REIT holds primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business. We believe that none of our assets will be held primarily for sale to customers and that a sale of any of our assets will not be in the ordinary course of our business. Whether a REIT holds an asset “primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business” depends, however, on the facts and circumstances in effect from time to time, including those related to a particular asset. A safe harbor to the characterization of the sale of property by a REIT as a prohibited transaction and the 100% prohibited transaction tax is available if the following requirements are met:

 

 

the REIT has held the property for not less than two years;

 

 

the aggregate expenditures made by the REIT, or any partner of the REIT, during the two-year period preceding the date of the sale that are includable in the basis of the property do not exceed 30% of the selling price of the property;

 

 

either (i) during the year in question, the REIT did not make more than seven sales of property other than foreclosure property or sales to which section 1031 or 1033 of the Code applies, (ii) the aggregate adjusted bases of all such properties sold by the REIT during the year did not exceed 10% of the aggregate bases of all of the assets of the REIT at the beginning of the year, (iii) the aggregate fair market value of all such properties sold by the REIT during the year did not exceed 10% of the aggregate fair market value of all of the assets of the REIT at the beginning of the year, (iv)(a) the aggregate adjusted bases of all such properties sold by the REIT during the year did not exceed 20% of the aggregate adjusted bases of all property of the REIT at the beginning of the year and (b) the 3-year average percentage of properties sold by the REIT compared to all the REIT’s properties (measured by adjusted bases) taking into account the current and two prior years did not exceed 10% or (v)(a) the aggregate fair market value of all such properties sold by the REIT during the year did not exceed 20% of the aggregate fair market value of all property of the REIT at the beginning of the year and (b) the 3-year average percentage of properties sold by the REIT compared to all the REIT’s properties (measured by fair market value) taking into account the current and two prior years did not exceed 10%;

 

 

in the case of property not acquired through foreclosure or lease termination, the REIT has held the property for at least two years for the production of rental income; and

 

 

if the REIT has made more than seven sales of non-foreclosure property during the taxable year, substantially all of the marketing and development expenditures with respect to the property were made through an independent contractor from whom the REIT derives no income or a TRS.

 

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We will attempt to comply with the terms of the safe-harbor provision in the U.S. federal income tax laws prescribing when an asset sale will not be characterized as a prohibited transaction. We cannot assure you, however, that we can comply with the safe-harbor provision or that we will avoid owning property that may be characterized as property that we hold “primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business.” The 100% tax will not apply to gains from the sale of property that is held through a TRS or other taxable corporation, although such income will be taxed to the corporation at regular corporate income tax rates.

Foreclosure Property. We will be subject to tax at the maximum corporate rate on any income from foreclosure property, which includes certain foreign currency gains and related deductions, other than income that otherwise would be qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test, less expenses directly connected with the production of that income. However, gross income from foreclosure property will qualify under the 75% and 95% gross income tests. Foreclosure property is any real property, including interests in real property, and any personal property incident to such real property:

 

 

that is acquired by a REIT as the result of the REIT having bid on such property at foreclosure, or having otherwise reduced such property to ownership or possession by agreement or process of law, after there was a default or default was imminent on a lease of such property or on indebtedness that such property secured;

 

 

for which the related loan was acquired by the REIT at a time when the default was not imminent or anticipated; and

 

 

for which the REIT makes a proper election to treat the property as foreclosure property.

A REIT will not be considered to have foreclosed on a property where the REIT takes control of the property as a mortgagee-in-possession and cannot receive any profit or sustain any loss except as a creditor of the mortgagor. Property generally ceases to be foreclosure property at the end of the third taxable year following the taxable year in which the REIT acquired the property, or longer if an extension is granted by the Secretary of the Treasury. However, this grace period terminates and foreclosure property ceases to be foreclosure property on the first day:

 

 

on which a lease is entered into for the property that, by its terms, will give rise to income that does not qualify for purposes of the 75% gross income test, or any amount is received or accrued, directly or indirectly, pursuant to a lease entered into on or after such day that will give rise to income that does not qualify for purposes of the 75% gross income test;

 

 

on which any construction takes place on the property, other than completion of a building or any other improvement, where more than 10% of the construction was completed before default became imminent; or

 

 

which is more than 90 days after the day on which the REIT acquired the property and the property is used in a trade or business which is conducted by the REIT, other than through an independent contractor from whom the REIT itself does not derive or receive any income or a TRS.

Hedging Transactions. From time to time, we or our operating partnership may enter into hedging transactions with respect to one or more of our assets or liabilities. Our hedging activities may include entering into interest rate swaps, caps, and floors, options to purchase such items, and futures and forward contracts. Income and gain from “hedging transactions” will be excluded from gross income for purposes of both the 75% and 95% gross income tests provided we satisfy the identification requirements discussed below. A “hedging transaction” means any of (i) any transaction entered into in the normal course of our or our operating partnership’s trade or business primarily to manage the risk of interest rate changes, price changes, or currency fluctuations with respect to borrowings made or to be made, or ordinary obligations incurred or to be incurred, to acquire or carry real estate assets, (ii) any transaction entered into primarily to manage the risk of currency fluctuations with respect to any item of income or gain that would be qualifying income under the 75% or 95% gross income test (or any property which generates such income or gain) or (iii) any transaction entered into to “offset” a transaction described in (i) or (ii) if a portion of the hedged indebtedness is extinguished or the related property disposed of. We are required to clearly identify any

 

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such hedging transaction before the close of the day on which it was acquired or entered into and to satisfy other identification requirements. We intend to structure any hedging transactions in a manner that does not jeopardize our qualification as a REIT.

Foreign Currency Gain. Certain foreign currency gains will be excluded from gross income for purposes of one or both of the gross income tests. “Real estate foreign exchange gain” will be excluded from gross income for purposes of the 75% gross income test. Real estate foreign exchange gain generally includes foreign currency gain attributable to any item of income or gain that is qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test, foreign currency gain attributable to the acquisition or ownership of (or becoming or being the obligor under) obligations secured by mortgages on real property or on interests in real property and certain foreign currency gain attributable to certain “qualified business units” of a REIT. “Passive foreign exchange gain” will be excluded from gross income for purposes of the 95% gross income test. Passive foreign exchange gain generally includes real estate foreign exchange gain as described above, and also includes foreign currency gain attributable to any item of income or gain that is qualifying income for purposes of the 95% gross income test and foreign currency gain attributable to the acquisition or ownership of (or becoming or being the obligor under) obligations. Because passive foreign exchange gain includes real estate foreign exchange gain, real estate foreign exchange gain is excluded from gross income for purposes of both the 75% and 95% gross income tests. These exclusions for real estate foreign exchange gain and passive foreign exchange gain do not apply to any certain foreign currency gain derived from dealing, or engaging in substantial and regular trading, in securities. Such gain is treated as nonqualifying income for purposes of both the 75% and 95% gross income tests.

Failure to Satisfy Gross Income Tests. If we fail to satisfy one or both of the gross income tests for any taxable year, we nevertheless may qualify as a REIT for that year if we qualify for relief under certain provisions of the U.S. federal income tax laws. Those relief provisions are available if:

 

 

our failure to meet those tests is due to reasonable cause and not to willful neglect; and

 

 

following such failure for any taxable year, we file a schedule of the sources of our income in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the U.S. Treasury.

We cannot predict, however, whether in all circumstances we would qualify for the relief provisions. In addition, as discussed above in “— Taxation of Our Company,” even if the relief provisions apply, we would incur a 100% tax on the gross income attributable to the greater of the amount by which we fail the 75% gross income test or the 95% gross income test multiplied, in either case, by a fraction intended to reflect our profitability.

Asset Tests

To maintain our qualification as a REIT, we also must satisfy the following asset tests at the end of each quarter of each taxable year.

First, at least 75% of the value of our total assets must consist of:

 

 

cash or cash items, including certain receivables and money market funds and, in certain circumstances, foreign currencies;

 

 

government securities;

 

 

interests in real property, including leaseholds, options to acquire real property and leaseholds, and personal property to the extent such personal property is leased in connection with real property and rents attributable to such personal property are treated as “rents from real property” as a result of such rents not exceeding 15% of the total rent attributable to personal property and real property under such lease;

 

 

interests in mortgage loans secured by real property or real property and personal property if the fair market value of such personal property does not exceed 15% of the total fair market value of such property;

 

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stock in other REITs and debt instruments issued by “publicly offered REITs”; and

 

 

investments in stock or debt instruments during the one-year period following our receipt of new capital that we raise through equity offerings or public offerings of debt with at least a five-year term.

Second, of our investments not included in the 75% asset class, the value of our interest in any one issuer’s securities may not exceed 5% of the value of our total assets, or the 5% asset test.

Third, of our investments not included in the 75% asset class, we may not own more than 10% of the voting power of any one issuer’s outstanding securities, or the 10% vote test, or 10% of the total value of any one issuer’s outstanding securities, or the 10% value test.

Fourth, no more than 20% (25% for taxable years beginning before January 1, 2018) of the value of our total assets may consist of the securities of one or more TRSs.

Fifth, no more than 25% of the value of our total assets may consist of the securities of TRSs and other non-TRS taxable subsidiaries and other assets that are not qualifying assets for purposes of the 75% asset test, or the 25% securities test.

Sixth, no more than 25% of the value of our total assets may consist of debt instruments issued by “publicly offered REITs” to the extent not secured by real property or interests in real property.

For purposes of the 5% asset test, the 10% vote test and the 10% value test, the term “securities” does not include shares in another REIT, debt of a “publicly offered REIT,” equity or debt securities of a qualified REIT subsidiary or TRS, mortgage loans that constitute real estate assets, or equity interests in a partnership. The term “securities,” however, generally includes debt securities issued by a partnership or another REIT other than a “publicly offered REIT,” except that for purposes of the 10% value test, the term “securities” does not include:

 

 

“Straight debt” securities, which is defined as a written unconditional promise to pay on demand or on a specified date a sum certain in money if (i) the debt is not convertible, directly or indirectly, into equity, and (ii) the interest rate and interest payment dates are not contingent on profits, the borrower’s discretion or similar factors. “Straight debt” securities do not include any securities issued by a partnership or a corporation in which we or any controlled TRS (i.e., a TRS in which we own directly or indirectly more than 50% of the voting power or value of the stock) hold non-“straight debt” securities that have an aggregate value of more than 1% of the issuer’s outstanding securities. However, “straight debt” securities include debt subject to the following contingencies:

 

 

a contingency relating to the time of payment of interest or principal, as long as either (i) there is no change to the effective yield of the debt obligation, other than a change to the annual yield that does not exceed the greater of 0.25% or 5% of the annual yield, or (ii) neither the aggregate issue price nor the aggregate face amount of the issuer’s debt obligations held by us exceeds $1 million and no more than 12 months of unaccrued interest on the debt obligations can be required to be prepaid; and

 

 

a contingency relating to the time or amount of payment upon a default or prepayment of a debt obligation, as long as the contingency is consistent with customary commercial practice;

 

 

Any loan to an individual or an estate;

 

 

Any “section 467 rental agreement,” other than an agreement with a related party tenant;

 

 

Any obligation to pay “rents from real property”;

 

 

Certain securities issued by governmental entities;

 

 

Any security issued by a REIT;

 

 

Any debt instrument issued by an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes in which we are a partner to the extent of our proportionate interest in the equity and debt securities of the partnership; and

 

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Any debt instrument issued by an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes not described in the preceding bullet points if at least 75% of the partnership’s gross income, excluding income from prohibited transactions, is qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test described above in“— Gross Income Tests.”

For purposes of the 10% value test, our proportionate share of the assets of a partnership is our proportionate interest in any securities issued by the partnership, without regard to the securities described in the last two bullet points above.

As described above, we may, on a select basis, invest in mortgage loans and mezzanine loans. Although we expect that our investments in mezzanine loans generally will be treated as real estate assets, we anticipate that the mezzanine loans in which we invest may not meet all the requirements of the safe harbor in IRS Revenue Procedure 2003-65. Thus no assurance can be provided that the IRS will not challenge our treatment of mezzanine loans as real estate assets. Additionally, we expect that any investments in mortgage loans generally will be treated as real estate assets. However, for purposes of the asset tests, if the outstanding principal balance of a mortgage loan exceeds the fair market value of the real property (including, for loans secured by real property and personal property where the fair market value of the personal property is less than 15% of the total fair market value of all such property, such personal property) securing the loan, a portion of such loan likely will not be a qualifying real estate asset. Under Revenue Procedure 2014-51, the IRS has stated that it will not challenge a REIT’s treatment of a loan as being, in part, a real estate asset for purposes of the 75% asset test if the REIT treats the loan as being a qualifying real estate asset in an amount equal to the lesser of (i) the fair market value of the real property securing the loan on the date the REIT acquires the loan or (ii) the fair market value of the loan. It is unclear how the safe harbor in Revenue Procedure 2014-51 is affected by the recent legislative changes regarding the treatment of personal property securing a mortgage loan, which treat personal property as real property so long as no more than 15% of the fair market value of the property securing a loan is personal property. We intend to invest in mortgage loans and mezzanine loans in a manner that will enable us to continue to satisfy the asset and gross income test requirements.

We will monitor the status of our assets for purposes of the various asset tests and will manage our portfolio in order to comply at all times with such tests. If we fail to satisfy the asset tests at the end of a calendar quarter, we will not lose our REIT qualification if:

 

 

we satisfied the asset tests at the end of the preceding calendar quarter; and

 

 

the discrepancy between the value of our assets and the asset test requirements arose from changes in the market values of our assets and was not wholly or partly caused by the acquisition of one or more non-qualifying assets.

If we did not satisfy the condition described in the second item above, we still could avoid disqualification by eliminating any discrepancy within 30 days after the close of the calendar quarter in which it arose.

In the event that we violate the 5% asset test, the 10% vote test or the 10% value test described above, we will not lose our REIT qualification if (i) the failure is de minimis (up to the lesser of 1% of our assets or $10 million) and (ii) we dispose of assets or otherwise comply with the asset tests within six months after the last day of the quarter in which we identify such failure. In the event of a failure of any of the asset tests (other than de minimis failures described in the preceding sentence), as long as the failure was due to reasonable cause and not to willful neglect, we will not lose our REIT status if we (i) dispose of assets or otherwise comply with the asset tests within six months after the last day of the quarter in which we identify the failure, (ii) file a description of each asset causing the failure with the IRS and (iii) pay a tax equal to the greater of $50,000 or the highest corporate tax rate multiplied by the net income from the nonqualifying assets during the period in which we failed to satisfy the asset tests.

We believe that the assets that we hold will satisfy the foregoing asset test requirements. However, we have not obtained and will not obtain independent appraisals to support our conclusions as to the value of

 

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our assets and securities, or the real estate collateral for the mortgage or mezzanine loans that support our investments. Moreover, the values of some assets may not be susceptible to a precise determination. As a result, there can be no assurance that the IRS will not contend that our ownership of securities and other assets violates one or more of the asset tests applicable to REITs.

Distribution Requirements

Each taxable year, we must distribute dividends, other than capital gain dividends and deemed distributions of retained capital gain, to our shareholders in an aggregate amount at least equal to:

 

 

the sum of

 

 

90% of our “REIT taxable income,” computed without regard to the dividends paid deduction and our net capital gain or loss; and

 

 

90% of our after-tax net income, if any, from foreclosure property, minus

 

 

the excess of the sum of certain items of non-cash income over a specified percentage of our “REIT taxable income.”

We must pay such distributions in the taxable year to which they relate, or in the following taxable year if either (a) we declare the distribution before we timely file our U.S. federal income tax return for the year and pay the distribution on or before the first regular dividend payment date after such declaration or (b) we declare the distribution in October, November or December of the taxable year, payable to shareholders of record on a specified day in any such month, and we actually pay the dividend before the end of January of the following year. The distributions under clause (a) are taxable to the shareholders in the year in which paid, and the distributions in clause (b) are treated as paid on December 31st of the prior taxable year. In both instances, these distributions relate to our prior taxable year for purposes of the 90% distribution requirement.

If we cease to be a “publicly offered REIT,” then in order for our distributions to be counted as satisfying the annual distribution requirement for REITs and to provide us with the REIT-level tax deduction, such distributions must not have been “preferential dividends.” A dividend is not a preferential dividend if that distribution is (i) pro rata among all outstanding shares within a particular class and (ii) in accordance with the preferences among different classes of shares as set forth in our organizational documents.

We will pay U.S. federal income tax on taxable income, including net capital gain, that we do not distribute to shareholders. Furthermore, if we fail to distribute during a calendar year, or by the end of January following the calendar year in the case of distributions with declaration and record dates falling in the last three months of the calendar year, at least the sum of:

 

 

85% of our REIT ordinary income for such year,

 

 

95% of our REIT capital gain income for such year, and

 

 

any undistributed taxable income from prior periods,

we will incur a 4% nondeductible excise tax on the excess of such required distribution over the amounts we actually distribute.

We may elect to retain and pay income tax on the net long-term capital gain we receive in a taxable year. If we so elect, we will be treated as having distributed any such retained amount for purposes of the 4% nondeductible excise tax described above. We intend to make timely distributions sufficient to satisfy the annual distribution requirements and to avoid corporate income tax and the 4% nondeductible excise tax.

It is possible that, from time to time, we may experience timing differences between the actual receipt of income and actual payment of deductible expenses and the inclusion of that income and deduction of

 

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such expenses in arriving at our REIT taxable income. For example, we may not deduct recognized capital losses from our “REIT taxable income.” Further, it is possible that, from time to time, we may be allocated a share of net capital gain attributable to the sale of depreciated property that exceeds our allocable share of cash attributable to that sale. As a result of the foregoing, we may have less cash than is necessary to distribute taxable income sufficient to avoid corporate income tax and the excise tax imposed on certain undistributed income or even to meet the 90% distribution requirement. In such a situation, we may need to borrow funds or, if possible, pay taxable dividends of our shares of beneficial interest or debt securities.

We may satisfy the REIT annual distribution requirements by making taxable distributions of our shares of beneficial interest. The IRS has issued a revenue procedure authorizing publicly offered REITs to treat certain distributions that are paid partly in cash and partly in shares of beneficial interest as dividends that would satisfy the REIT annual distribution requirement and qualify for the dividends paid deduction for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Under IRS Revenue Procedure 2017-45, as a publicly offered REIT, as long as at least 20% of the total dividend is available in cash and certain other requirements are satisfied, the IRS will treat the shares distribution as a dividend (to the extent applicable rules treat such distribution as being made out of our earnings and profits). We currently do not intend to pay taxable dividends payable in cash and shares of beneficial interest.

Under certain circumstances, we may be able to correct a failure to meet the distribution requirement for a year by paying “deficiency dividends” to our shareholders in a later year. We may include such deficiency dividends in our deduction for dividends paid for the earlier year. Although we may be able to avoid income tax on amounts distributed as deficiency dividends, we will be required to pay interest to the IRS based upon the amount of any deduction we take for deficiency dividends.

Recordkeeping Requirements

We must maintain certain records in order to maintain our qualification as a REIT. In addition, to avoid a monetary penalty, we must request on an annual basis information from our shareholders designed to disclose the actual ownership of our outstanding shares of beneficial interest. We intend to comply with these requirements.

Failure to Qualify

If we fail to satisfy one or more requirements for REIT qualification, other than the gross income tests and the asset tests (for which the cure provisions are described above), we could avoid disqualification if our failure is due to reasonable cause and not to willful neglect and we pay a penalty of $50,000 for each such failure. In addition, there are relief provisions for a failure of the gross income tests and asset tests, as described in “—Gross Income Tests” and “— Asset Tests.”

If we fail to qualify as a REIT in any taxable year, and no relief provision applies, we would be subject to U.S. federal income tax on our taxable income at regular corporate rates. In calculating our taxable income in a year in which we fail to qualify as a REIT, we would not be able to deduct amounts paid out to shareholders. In fact, we would not be required to distribute any amounts to shareholders in that year. In such event, to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits, all distributions to shareholders would be taxable as dividend income. Subject to certain limitations, corporate shareholders might be eligible for the dividends received deduction and shareholders taxed at individual rates may be eligible for a reduced U.S. federal income tax rate on such dividends. Unless we qualified for relief under specific statutory provisions, we also would be disqualified from taxation as a REIT for the four taxable years following the year during which we ceased to qualify as a REIT. We cannot predict whether in all circumstances we would qualify for such statutory relief.

 

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Taxation of Taxable U.S. Shareholders

As used herein, the term “U.S. shareholder” means a beneficial owner of our shares of beneficial interest that for U.S. federal income tax purposes is:

 

 

a citizen or resident of the United States;

 

 

a corporation (including an entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any of its states or the District of Columbia;

 

 

an estate whose income is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or

 

 

any trust if (i) a U.S. court is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of such trust and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (ii) it has a valid election in place to be treated as a U.S. person.

If a partnership, entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds our common shares, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner in the partnership generally will depend on the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. If you are a partner in a partnership holding our shares, you are urged to consult your tax advisor regarding the consequences of the ownership and disposition of our shares by the partnership.

Taxation of U.S. Shareholders on Distributions on Our Shares. As long as we qualify as a REIT, a taxable U.S. shareholder generally must take into account as ordinary income distributions made out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits that we do not designate as capital gain dividends or retained long-term capital gain. For purposes of determining whether a distribution is made from our current or accumulated earnings and profits, our earnings and profits will be allocated first to our preferred share dividends and then to our common share dividends. A U.S. shareholder will not qualify for the dividends received deduction generally available to corporations.

Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, or TCJA, for taxable years beginning before January 1, 2026, individuals, trusts and estates may deduct a portion of certain pass-through income, including ordinary REIT dividends that are not “capital gain dividends” or “qualified dividend income,” subject to complex limitations.

Dividends paid to a U.S. shareholder generally will not qualify for a preferential tax rate for “qualified dividend income.” Qualified dividend income generally includes dividends paid to U.S. shareholders taxed at individual rates by domestic C corporations and certain qualified foreign corporations. Because we generally are not subject to U.S. federal income tax on the portion of our REIT taxable income distributed to our shareholders (see “—Taxation of Our Company” above), our dividends generally will not be eligible for a preferential tax rate on qualified dividend income. As a result, our ordinary REIT dividends will be taxed at the ordinary income tax rates for individuals. However, the preferential tax rate for qualified dividend income may apply to our ordinary REIT dividends (i) attributable to dividends received by us from non-REIT corporations, such as our TRS, and (ii) to the extent attributable to income upon which we have paid corporate income tax (e.g., to the extent that we distribute less than 100% of our taxable income). In general, to qualify for the reduced tax rate on qualified dividend income, a shareholder must hold our shares for more than 60 days during the 121-day period beginning on the date that is 60 days before the date on which our shares become ex-dividend.

A U.S. shareholder generally will take into account as long-term capital gain any distributions that we designate as capital gain dividends without regard to the period for which the U.S. shareholder has held our shares. We generally will designate our capital gain dividends as either from the sale or exchange of “section 1250 property,” or depreciable real property, or distributions from the sale or exchange of all other capital assets. See “—Capital Gains and Losses.” A corporate U.S. shareholder, however, may be required to treat a certain portion of its capital gain dividends as ordinary income.

We may elect to retain and pay income tax on the net long-term capital gain that we receive in a taxable year. In that case, to the extent that we designate such amount in a timely notice to such shareholder,

 

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a U.S. shareholder would be taxed on its proportionate share of our undistributed long-term capital gain. The U.S. shareholder would receive a credit for its proportionate share of the tax we paid. The U.S. shareholder would increase the basis in its shares of beneficial interest by the amount of its proportionate share of our undistributed long-term capital gain, minus its share of the tax we paid.

A U.S. shareholder will not incur tax on a distribution in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits if the distribution does not exceed the adjusted basis of the U.S. shareholder’s shares. Instead, the distribution will reduce the adjusted basis of such shares of beneficial interest. A U.S. shareholder will recognize a distribution in excess of both our current and accumulated earnings and profits and the U.S. shareholder’s adjusted tax basis in his or her shares of beneficial interest as long-term capital gain, or short-term capital gain if the shares of beneficial interest have been held for one year or less, assuming the shares of beneficial interest are a capital asset in the hands of the U.S. shareholder. In addition, if we declare a distribution in October, November or December of any year that is payable to a U.S. shareholder of record on a specified date in any such month, such distribution shall be treated as both paid by us and received by the U.S. shareholder on December 31 of such year, provided that we actually pay the distribution during January of the following calendar year.

Shareholders may not include in their individual income tax returns any of our net operating losses or capital losses. Instead, these losses generally are carried over by us for potential offset against our future income. Taxable distributions from us and gain from the disposition of our shares will not be treated as passive activity income and, therefore, shareholders generally will not be able to apply any “passive activity losses,” such as losses from certain types of limited partnerships in which the shareholder is a limited partner, against such income. In addition, taxable distributions from us and gain from the disposition of our shares generally will be treated as investment income for purposes of the investment interest limitations. We will notify shareholders after the close of our taxable year as to the portions of the distributions attributable to that year that constitute ordinary income, return of capital and capital gain.

Taxation of U.S. Shareholders on the Disposition of Our Shares. A U.S. shareholder who is not a dealer in securities generally must treat any gain or loss realized upon a taxable disposition of our shares as long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. shareholder has held our shares for more than one year and otherwise as short-term capital gain or loss. In general, a U.S. shareholder will realize gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between the sum of the fair market value of any property and the amount of cash received in such disposition and the U.S. shareholder’s adjusted tax basis. A shareholder’s adjusted tax basis generally will equal the U.S. shareholder’s acquisition cost, increased by the excess of net capital gains deemed distributed to the U.S. shareholder (discussed above) less tax deemed paid on such gains and reduced by any returns of capital. However, a U.S. shareholder must treat any loss upon a sale or exchange of shares held by such shareholder for six months or less as a long-term capital loss to the extent of capital gain dividends and any other actual or deemed distributions from us that such U.S. shareholder treats as long-term capital gain. All or a portion of any loss that a U.S. shareholder realizes upon a taxable disposition of our shares may be disallowed if the U.S. shareholder purchases other shares within 30 days before or after the disposition.

Capital Gains and Losses. A taxpayer generally must hold a capital asset for more than one year for gain or loss derived from its sale or exchange to be treated as long-term capital gain or loss, which generally entitles the taxpayer to a preferential rate on such gain. The tax rate on gain from the sale or exchange of “section 1250 property” applies to the lesser of the total amount of the gain or the accumulated depreciation on the Section 1250 property.

With respect to distributions that we designate as capital gain dividends and any retained capital gain that we are deemed to distribute, we generally may designate whether such a distribution is from the sale or exchange of “section 1250 property” or of other capital assets in order to determine which individual tax rate applies. The tax rate differential between capital gain and ordinary income for those taxpayers may be significant. In addition, the characterization of income as capital gain or ordinary income may affect the deductibility of capital losses. A non-corporate taxpayer may deduct capital losses not offset by capital gains against its ordinary income only up to a certain maximum annual amount. A non-corporate taxpayer may

 

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carry forward unused capital losses indefinitely. A corporate taxpayer must pay tax on its net capital gain at ordinary corporate rates. A corporate taxpayer may deduct capital losses only to the extent of capital gains, with unused losses being carried back three years and forward five years.

FATCA Withholding. Under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, or FATCA, a U.S. withholding tax will be imposed on dividends paid to certain U.S. shareholders who own our shares of beneficial interest through foreign accounts or foreign intermediaries if certain disclosure requirements related to U.S. accounts or ownership are not satisfied. We will not pay any additional amounts in respect of any amounts withheld.

Additional Medicare Tax. Certain U.S. shareholders, including individuals, estates and trusts, will be subject to an additional tax, which, for individuals, applies to the lesser of (i) “net investment income” or (ii) the excess of “modified adjusted gross income” over a certain threshold amount. “Net investment income” generally equals the taxpayer’s gross investment income reduced by the deductions that are allocable to such income. Investment income generally includes passive income such as interest, dividends, annuities, royalties, rents and capital gains. It is unclear whether the deduction that individuals may take with respect to ordinary dividends received from us is available to reduce the taxpayer’s gross investment income for these purposes.

Taxation of U.S. Shareholders on a Redemption of Preferred Shares. A redemption of preferred shares will be treated under section 302 of the Code as a distribution that is taxable as dividend income (to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and profits), unless the redemption satisfies certain tests set forth in section 302(b) of the Code enabling the redemption to be treated as a sale of the preferred shares (in which case the redemption will be treated in the same manner as a sale described above in “—Taxation of U.S. Shareholders on the Disposition of Our Shares”). The redemption will satisfy such tests if it (i) is “substantially disproportionate” with respect to the U.S. shareholder’s interest in our shares, (ii) results in a “complete termination” of the U.S. shareholder’s interest in all classes of our shares or (iii) is “not essentially equivalent to a dividend” with respect to the U.S. shareholder, all within the meaning of section 302(b) of the Code. In determining whether any of these tests have been met, shares considered to be owned by the U.S. shareholder by reason of certain constructive ownership rules set forth in the Code, as well as shares actually owned, generally must be taken into account. Because the determination as to whether any of the three alternative tests of section 302(b) of the Code described above will be satisfied with respect to any particular U.S. shareholder of preferred shares depends upon the facts and circumstances at the time that the determination must be made, prospective investors are urged to consult their tax advisors to determine such tax treatment. If a redemption of preferred shares does not meet any of the three tests described above, the redemption proceeds will be taxable as a dividend, as described above in “—Taxation of U.S. Shareholders on the Disposition of Our Shares.” In that case, a U.S. shareholder’s adjusted tax basis in the redeemed preferred shares will be transferred to such U.S. shareholder’s remaining shareholdings in our company. If the U.S. shareholder does not retain any of our shares, such basis could be transferred to a related person that holds our shares or it may be lost.

Under proposed Treasury regulations, if any portion of the amount received by a U.S. holder on a redemption of any class of our preferred shares is treated as a distribution with respect to our shares but not as a taxable dividend, then such portion will be allocated to all shares of the redeemed class held by the redeemed shareholder just before the redemption on a pro-rata, share-by-share, basis. The amount applied to each share will first reduce the redeemed U.S. shareholder’s basis in that share and any excess after the basis is reduced to zero will result in taxable gain. If the redeemed shareholder has different bases in its shares, then the amount allocated could reduce some of the basis in certain shares while reducing all the basis and giving rise to taxable gain in others. Thus, the redeemed U.S. shareholder could have gain even if such U.S. shareholder’s basis in all its shares of the redeemed class exceeded such portion.

The proposed Treasury regulations permit the transfer of basis in the redeemed preferred shares to the redeemed U.S. shareholder’s remaining, unredeemed preferred shares of the same class (if any), but not to any other class of shares held (directly or indirectly) by the redeemed U.S. shareholder. Instead, any

 

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unrecovered basis in the redeemed preferred shares would be treated as a deferred loss to be recognized when certain conditions are satisfied. The proposed Treasury regulations would be effective for transactions that occur after the date the regulations are published as final Treasury regulations. There can, however, be no assurance as to whether, when and in what particular form such proposed Treasury regulations will ultimately be finalized.

Taxation of U.S. Shareholders on a Conversion of Preferred Shares. Except as provided below, (i) a U.S. shareholder generally will not recognize gain or loss upon the conversion of preferred shares into our common shares, and (ii) a U.S. shareholder’s basis and holding period in our common shares received upon conversion generally will be the same as those of the converted preferred shares (but the basis will be reduced by the portion of adjusted tax basis allocated to any fractional share exchanged for cash). Any of our common shares received in a conversion that are attributable to accumulated and unpaid dividends on the converted preferred shares will be treated as a distribution that is potentially taxable as a dividend. Cash received upon conversion in lieu of a fractional share generally will be treated as a payment in a taxable exchange for such fractional share, and gain or loss will be recognized on the receipt of cash in an amount equal to the difference between the amount of cash received and the adjusted tax basis allocable to the fractional share deemed exchanged. This gain or loss will be long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. shareholder has held the preferred shares for more than one year at the time of conversion. U.S. shareholders are urged to consult with their tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of any transaction by which such holder exchanges common shares received on a conversion of preferred shares for cash or other property.

Taxation of Tax-Exempt Shareholders

Tax-exempt entities, including qualified employee pension and profit sharing trusts and individual retirement accounts, generally are exempt from U.S. federal income taxation. However, they are subject to taxation on their unrelated business taxable income, or UBTI. Although many investments in real estate generate UBTI, the IRS has issued a ruling that dividend distributions from a REIT to an exempt employee pension trust do not constitute UBTI so long as the exempt employee pension trust does not otherwise use the shares of beneficial interest in the REIT in an unrelated trade or business of the pension trust. Based on that ruling, amounts that we distribute to tax-exempt shareholders generally should not constitute UBTI. However, if a tax-exempt shareholder were to finance its acquisition of our shares with debt, a portion of the income that it receives from us would constitute UBTI pursuant to the “debt-financed property” rules. Moreover, social clubs, voluntary employee benefit associations, supplemental unemployment benefit trusts and qualified group legal services plans that are exempt from taxation under special provisions of the U.S. federal income tax laws are subject to different UBTI rules, which generally will require them to characterize distributions that they receive from us as UBTI. Finally, in certain circumstances, a qualified employee pension or profit sharing trust that owns more than 10% of our shares of beneficial interest must treat a percentage of the dividends that it receives from us as UBTI. Such percentage is equal to the gross income we derive from an unrelated trade or business, determined as if we were a pension trust, divided by our total gross income for the year in which we pay the dividends. That rule applies to a pension trust holding more than 10% of our shares of beneficial interest only if:

 

 

the percentage of our dividends that the tax-exempt trust must treat as UBTI is at least 5%;

 

 

we qualify as a REIT by reason of the modification of the rule requiring that no more than 50% of our shares of beneficial interest be owned by five or fewer individuals that allows the beneficiaries of the pension trust to be treated as holding our shares of beneficial interest in proportion to their actuarial interests in the pension trust; and

 

 

either:

 

 

one pension trust owns more than 25% of the value of our shares of beneficial interest; or

 

 

a group of pension trusts individually holding more than 10% of the value of our shares of beneficial interest collectively owns more than 50% of the value of our shares of beneficial interest.

 

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Taxation of Non-U.S. Shareholders

The term “non-U.S. shareholder” means a beneficial owner of our shares that is not a U.S. shareholder or a partnership (or entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes). The rules governing U.S. federal income taxation of nonresident alien individuals, foreign corporations, foreign partnerships, and other foreign shareholders are complex. This section is only a summary of such rules. We urge non-U.S. shareholders to consult their tax advisors to determine the impact of federal, state, and local income tax laws on the purchase, ownership and sale of our shares, including any reporting requirements.

Taxation of Non-U.S. Shareholders on Distributions on Our Shares. A non-U.S. shareholder that receives a distribution that is not attributable to gain from our sale or exchange of a “United States real property interest,” or USRPI, as defined below, and that we do not designate as a capital gain dividend or retained capital gain will recognize ordinary income to the extent that we pay such distribution out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits. A withholding tax on the gross amount of the distribution ordinarily will apply to such distribution unless an applicable tax treaty reduces or eliminates the tax. However, if a distribution is treated as effectively connected with the non-U.S. shareholder’s conduct of a U.S. trade or business (conducted through a United States permanent establishment, where applicable), the non-U.S. shareholder generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the distribution at graduated rates, in the same manner as U.S. shareholders are taxed with respect to such distribution, and a non-U.S. shareholder that is a corporation also may be subject to the branch profits tax with respect to that distribution. Except with respect to certain distributions attributable to the sale of USRPIs described below, we plan to withhold U.S. income tax at the applicable rate on the gross amount of any such distribution paid to a non-U.S. shareholder unless either:

 

 

a lower treaty rate applies and the non-U.S. shareholder files an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BENE, as applicable, evidencing eligibility for that reduced rate with us; or

 

 

the non-U.S. shareholder files an IRS Form W-8ECI with us claiming that the distribution is effectively connected income.

A non-U.S. shareholder will not incur tax on a distribution in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits if the excess portion of such distribution does not exceed the adjusted basis of its shares. Instead, the excess portion of such distribution will reduce the adjusted basis of such shares of beneficial interest. A non-U.S. shareholder will be subject to tax on a distribution that exceeds both our current and accumulated earnings and profits and the adjusted basis of its shares, if the non-U.S. shareholder otherwise would be subject to tax on gain from the sale or disposition of its shares, as described below. Because we generally cannot determine at the time we make a distribution whether the distribution will exceed our current and accumulated earnings and profits, we normally will withhold tax on the entire amount of any distribution at the same rate as we would withhold on a dividend. However, a non-U.S. shareholder may claim a refund of amounts that we withhold if we later determine that a distribution in fact exceeded our current and accumulated earnings and profits. In addition, because we generally cannot determine whether a non-U.S. shareholder is subject to tax on gain from the sale or disposition of our shares, we may withhold on any distribution that exceeds our current and accumulated earnings and profits.

For any year in which we qualify as a REIT, a non-U.S. shareholder will incur tax on distributions that are attributable to gain from our sale or exchange of a USRPI under the Foreign Investment in Real Property Act of 1980, or FIRPTA. A USRPI includes certain interests in real property and stock in certain corporations at least 50% of whose assets consist of USRPIs. Under FIRPTA, subject to exceptions discussed below, a non-U.S. shareholder is taxed on distributions attributable to gain from sales of USRPIs as if such gain were effectively connected with a U.S. business of the non-U.S. shareholder. A non-U.S. shareholder thus would be taxed on such a distribution at the normal capital gains rates applicable to U.S. shareholders, subject to applicable alternative minimum tax and a special alternative minimum tax in the case of a nonresident alien individual. A non- U.S. corporate shareholder not entitled to treaty relief or exemption also may be subject to the branch profits tax on such a distribution. We would be required to

 

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withhold on any distribution that we could designate as a capital gain dividend. A non-U.S. shareholder may receive a credit against its tax liability for the amount we withhold.

However, capital gain distributions on our shares that are attributable to our sale of real property will be treated as ordinary dividends rather than as gain from the sale of a USRPI, as long as (i)(a) the applicable class of our shares is regularly traded on an established securities market in the United States and (b) the non-U.S. shareholder did not own more than 10% of the applicable class of shares at any time during the one-year period preceding the distribution or (ii) the non-U.S. shareholder was treated as a “qualified shareholder” or “qualified foreign pension fund,” as discussed below. As a result, non-U.S. shareholders owning 10% or less of the applicable class of our shares generally will be subject to withholding tax on such capital gain distributions in the same manner as they are subject to withholding tax on ordinary dividends. We believe our common shares currently are treated as regularly traded on an established securities market in the United States. If the applicable class of shares is not regularly traded on an established securities market in the United States or the non-U.S. shareholder owned more than 10% of the applicable class of shares at any time during the one-year period preceding the distribution, capital gain distributions that are attributable to our sale of real property would be subject to tax under FIRPTA, as described in the preceding paragraph. In such case, we must withhold on any distribution that we could designate as a capital gain dividend. A non-U.S. shareholder may receive a credit against its tax liability for the amount we withhold. Moreover, if we are a “domestically controlled qualified investment entity,” and a non-U.S. shareholder disposes of the shares during the 30-day period preceding the ex-dividend date of a dividend, and such non-U.S. shareholder (or a person related to such non-U.S. shareholder) acquires or enters into a contract or option to acquire the shares within 61 days of the first day of the 30-day period described above, and any portion of such dividend payment would, but for the disposition, be treated as being subject to FIRPTA to such non-U.S. shareholder, then such non-U.S. shareholder shall be treated as having income subject to FIRPTA in an amount that, but for the disposition, would have been treated as income subject to FIRPTA.

Although the law is not clear on the matter, it appears that amounts we designate as retained capital gains in respect of our shares held by U.S. shareholders generally should be treated with respect to non-U.S. shareholders in the same manner as actual distributions by us of capital gain dividends. Under this approach, a non-U.S. shareholder would be able to offset as a credit against its U.S. federal income tax liability resulting from its proportionate share of the tax paid by us on such retained capital gains, and to receive from the IRS a refund to the extent of the non-U.S. shareholder’s proportionate share of such tax paid by us exceeds its actual U.S. federal income tax liability, provided that the non- U.S. shareholder furnishes required information to the IRS on a timely basis.

Taxation of Non-U.S. Shareholders on the Disposition of Our Shares. Non-U.S. shareholders could incur tax under FIRPTA with respect to gain realized upon a disposition of our shares if we are a United States real property holding corporation during a specified testing period. If at least 50% of a REIT’s assets are USRPIs, then the REIT will be a United States real property holding corporation. We believe that we are and will continue to be a United States real property holding corporation based on our asset mix and investment strategy. However, despite our status as a United States real property holding corporation, a non-U.S. shareholder generally would not incur tax under FIRPTA on gain from the sale of our shares if we are a “domestically controlled qualified investment entity.” A domestically controlled qualified investment entity includes a REIT in which, at all times during a specified testing period, less than 50% in value of its shares are held directly or indirectly by non-U.S. shareholders. We cannot assure you that this test will be met.

If the applicable class of our shares is regularly traded on an established securities market, an additional exception to the tax under FIRPTA is available with respect to that class of shares, even if we do not qualify as a domestically controlled qualified investment entity at the time the non-U.S. shareholder sells the shares. Under that exception, the gain from such a sale by such a non-U.S. shareholder will not be subject to tax under FIRPTA if:

 

 

the applicable class of our shares is treated as being regularly traded under applicable Treasury regulations on an established securities market; and

 

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the non-U.S. shareholder owned, actually or constructively, 10% or less of the applicable class of our shares at all times during a specified testing period.

As noted above, we believe that our common shares are currently treated as being regularly traded on an established securities market.

If the gain on the sale of our shares were taxed under FIRPTA, a non-U.S. shareholder would be taxed on that gain in the same manner as U.S. shareholders, subject to applicable alternative minimum tax and a special alternative minimum tax in the case of nonresident alien individuals. Furthermore, a non-U.S. shareholder generally will incur tax on gain not subject to FIRPTA if:

 

 

the gain is effectively connected with the non-U.S. shareholder’s U.S. trade or business, in which case the non-U.S. shareholder will be subject to the same treatment as U.S. shareholders with respect to such gain; or

 

 

the non-U.S. shareholder is a nonresident alien individual who was present in the U.S. for 183 days or more during the taxable year and has a “tax home” in the United States, in which case the non-U.S. shareholder will incur a 30% tax on his or her capital gains.

Qualified Shareholders. Subject to the exception discussed below, any distribution to a “qualified shareholder” who holds REIT shares directly or indirectly (through one or more partnerships) will not be subject to U.S. federal income taxation under FIRPTA and thus will not be subject to special withholding rules under FIRPTA. While a “qualified shareholder” generally will not be subject to FIRPTA withholding on REIT distributions, the portion of REIT distributions attributable to certain investors of a “qualified shareholder” (i.e., non-U.S. persons who hold interests in the “qualified shareholder” (other than interests solely as a creditor), and directly or indirectly hold more than 10% of the shares of such REIT (whether or not by reason of the investor’s ownership in the “qualified shareholder”)) may be subject to FIRPTA withholding. REIT distributions received by a “qualified shareholder” that are exempt from FIRPTA withholding may still be subject to regular U.S. withholding tax.

In addition, a sale of our shares by a “qualified shareholder” who holds such shares directly or indirectly (through one or more partnerships) generally will not be subject to U. S. federal income taxation under FIRPTA. As with distributions, the portion of amounts realized attributable to certain investors in a “qualified shareholder” (i.e., non-U.S. persons who hold interests in the “qualified shareholder” (other than interests solely as a creditor), and directly or indirectly hold more than 10% of the shares of such REIT (whether or not by reason of the investor’s ownership in the “qualified shareholder”)) may be subject to U.S. federal income taxation and FIRPTA withholding on a sale of our shares.

A “qualified shareholder” is a foreign person that (i) either is eligible for the benefits of a comprehensive income tax treaty which includes an exchange of information program and whose principal class of interests is listed and regularly traded on one or more recognized stock exchanges (as defined in such comprehensive income tax treaty), or is a foreign partnership that is created or organized under foreign law as a limited partnership in a jurisdiction that has an agreement for the exchange of information with respect to taxes with the United States and has a class of limited partnership units representing greater than 50% of the value of all the partnership units that is regularly traded on the NYSE or NASDAQ markets, (ii) is a qualified collective investment vehicle (defined below), and (iii) maintains records on the identity of each person who, at any time during the foreign person’s taxable year, is the direct owner of 5% or more of the class of interests or units (as applicable) described in (i), above.

A qualified collective investment vehicle is a foreign person that (i) would be eligible for a reduced rate of withholding under the comprehensive income tax treaty described above, even if such entity holds more than 10% of the shares of such REIT, (ii) is publicly traded, is treated as a partnership under the Code, is a withholding foreign partnership, and would be treated as a “United States real property holding corporation” if it were a domestic corporation, or (iii) is designated as such by the Secretary of the Treasury and is either (a) fiscally transparent within the meaning of section 894, or (b) required to include dividends in its gross income, but is entitled to a deduction for distributions to its investors.

 

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Qualified Foreign Pension Funds. Any distribution to a “qualified foreign pension fund” (or an entity all of the interests of which are held by a “qualified foreign pension fund”) who holds REIT shares directly or indirectly (through one or more partnerships) will not be subject to U.S. federal income taxation under FIRPTA and thus will not be subject to special withholding rules under FIRPTA. REIT distributions received by a “qualified foreign pension fund” that are exempt from FIRPTA withholding may still be subject to regular U.S. withholding tax. In addition, a sale of our shares by a “qualified foreign pension fund” that holds such shares directly or indirectly (through one or more partnerships) will not be subject to U.S. federal income taxation under FIRPTA.

A qualified foreign pension fund is any trust, corporation, or other organization or arrangement (i) which is created or organized under the law of a country other than the United States, (ii) which is established to provide retirement or pension benefits to participants or beneficiaries that are current or former employees (or persons designated by such employees) of one or more employers in consideration for services rendered, (iii) which does not have a single participant or beneficiary with a right to more than 5% of its assets or income, (iv) which is subject to government regulation and with respect to which annual information reporting about its beneficiaries is provided or otherwise made available to the relevant tax authorities in the country in which it is established or operates, and (v) with respect to which, under the laws of the country in which it is established or operates, (a) contributions to such organization or arrangement that would otherwise be subject to tax under such laws are deductible or excluded from the gross income of such entity or taxed at a reduced rate, or (b) taxation of any investment income of such organization or arrangement is deferred or such income is taxed at a reduced rate.

FATCA Withholding. A U.S. withholding tax will be imposed on dividends paid on our shares received by certain non-U.S. shareholders if certain disclosure requirements related to U.S. accounts or ownership are not satisfied. If payment of withholding taxes is required, non- U.S. shareholders that are otherwise eligible for an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. withholding taxes with respect to such dividends will be required to seek a refund from the IRS to obtain the benefit or such exemption or reduction. We will not pay any additional amounts in respect of any amounts withheld.

Taxation of Non-U.S. Shareholders on a Conversion of Preferred Shares. The conversion of our preferred shares into our common shares may be a taxable exchange for a non-U.S. shareholder if our preferred shares constitute a USRPI. Even if our preferred shares constitute a USRPI, provided our common shares also constitute a USRPI, a non-U.S. shareholder generally will not recognize gain or loss upon a conversion of preferred shares into our common shares so long as certain FIRPTA-related reporting requirements are satisfied. If our preferred shares constitute a USRPI and such requirements are not satisfied, however, a conversion will be treated as a taxable exchange of preferred shares for our common shares. Such a deemed taxable exchange will be subject to tax under FIRPTA at the rate of tax, including any applicable capital gains rates, that would apply to a U.S. shareholder of the same type (e.g., a corporate or a non-corporate shareholder, as the case may be) on the excess, if any, of the fair market value of such non-U.S. shareholder’s common shares received over such non-U.S. shareholder’s adjusted tax basis in its preferred shares. Collection of such tax will be enforced by a refundable withholding tax at a rate of 15% of the value of the common shares.

Non-U.S. shareholders are urged to consult with their tax advisors regarding the federal income tax consequences of any transaction by which such non-U.S. shareholder exchanges common shares of beneficial interest received on a conversion of preferred shares for cash or other property.

Taxation of Non-U.S. Shareholders on a Redemption of Preferred Shares. For a discussion of the treatment of a redemption of preferred shares, see “—Taxation of U.S. Shareholders on a Redemption of Preferred Shares.”

 

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Information Reporting Requirements and Backup Withholding, Shares Held Offshore

We will report to our shareholders and to the IRS the amount of distributions we pay during each calendar year, and the amount of tax we withhold, if any. Under the backup withholding rules, a shareholder may be subject to backup withholding with respect to distributions unless the holder:

 

 

is a corporation or qualifies for certain other exempt categories and, when required, demonstrates this fact; or

 

 

provides a taxpayer identification number, certifies as to no loss of exemption from backup withholding, and otherwise complies with the applicable requirements of the backup withholding rules.

A shareholder who does not provide us with its correct taxpayer identification number also may be subject to penalties imposed by the IRS. Any amount paid as backup withholding will be creditable against the shareholder’s income tax liability. In addition, we may be required to withhold a portion of capital gain distributions to any shareholders who fail to certify their non-foreign status to us.

Backup withholding generally will not apply to payments of dividends made by us or our paying agents, in their capacities as such, to a non-U.S. shareholder provided that the non-U.S. shareholder furnishes to us or our paying agent the required certification as to its non-U.S. status, such as providing a valid IRS Form W-8BEN, IRS Form W-8BEN-E, or IRS Form W-8ECI, or certain other requirements are met. Notwithstanding the foregoing, backup withholding may apply if either we or our paying agent has actual knowledge, or reason to know, that the holder is a U.S. person that is not an exempt recipient. Payments of the net proceeds from a disposition or a redemption effected outside the U.S. by a non-U.S. shareholder made by or through a foreign office of a broker generally will not be subject to information reporting or backup withholding. However, information reporting (but not backup withholding) generally will apply to such a payment if the broker has certain connections with the U.S. unless the broker has documentary evidence in its records that the beneficial owner is a non-U.S. shareholder and specified conditions are met or an exemption is otherwise established. Payment of the net proceeds from a disposition by a non-U.S. shareholder of our shares made by or through the U.S. office of a broker generally is subject to information reporting and backup withholding unless the non-U.S. shareholder certifies under penalties of perjury that it is not a U.S. person and satisfies certain other requirements, or otherwise establishes an exemption from information reporting and backup withholding.

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules may be refunded or credited against the shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability if certain required information is furnished to the IRS. Shareholders are urged consult their tax advisors regarding application of backup withholding to them and the availability of, and procedure for obtaining an exemption from, backup withholding.

Other Tax Consequences

Tax Aspects of Our Investments in Our Operating Partnership and Subsidiary Partnerships. Substantially all of our investments are owned indirectly through our operating partnership, which owns the hotel properties either directly or through certain subsidiaries. The following discussion summarizes certain U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to our direct or indirect investments in our operating partnership and any subsidiary partnerships or limited liability companies that we form or acquire (each individually a “Partnership” and, collectively, the “Partnerships”). The discussion does not cover state or local tax laws or any U.S. federal tax laws other than income tax laws.

Classification as Partnerships. We are entitled to include in our income our distributive share of each Partnership’s income and to deduct our distributive share of each Partnership’s losses only if such Partnership is classified for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a partnership (or an entity that is disregarded for U.S. federal income tax purposes if the entity is treated as having only one beneficial owner for U.S. federal income tax purposes) rather than as a corporation or an association taxable as a corporation.

 

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An unincorporated entity with at least two owners or members will be classified as a partnership, rather than as a corporation, for U.S. federal income tax purposes if it:

 

 

is treated as a partnership under the Treasury regulations relating to entity classification (the “check-the-box regulations”); and

 

 

is not a “publicly traded” partnership.

Under the check-the-box regulations, an unincorporated entity with at least two owners or members may elect to be classified either as an association taxable as a corporation or as a partnership. If such an entity fails to make an election, it generally will be treated as a partnership (or an entity that is disregarded for U.S. federal income tax purposes if the entity has only one owner or member) for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Each Partnership intends to be classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes and no Partnership will elect to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation under the check-the-box regulations.

A publicly traded partnership is a partnership whose interests are traded on an established securities market or are readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof. A publicly traded partnership will not, however, be treated as a corporation for any taxable year if, for each taxable year beginning after December 31, 1987 in which it was classified as a publicly traded partnership, 90% or more of the partnership’s gross income for such year consists of certain passive-type income, including real property rents, gains from the sale or other disposition of real property, interest, and dividends (the “90% passive income exception”). Treasury regulations (the “PTP regulations”) provide limited safe harbors from the definition of a publicly traded partnership. Pursuant to one of those safe harbors (the “private placement exclusion”), interests in a partnership will not be treated as readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof if (i) all interests in the partnership were issued in a transaction or transactions that were not required to be registered under the Securities Act and (ii) the partnership does not have more than 100 partners at any time during the partnership’s taxable year. In determining the number of partners in a partnership, a person owning an interest in a partnership, grantor trust or S corporation that owns an interest in the partnership is treated as a partner in such partnership only if (i) substantially all of the value of the owner’s interest in the entity is attributable to the entity’s direct or indirect interest in the partnership and (ii) a principal purpose of the use of the entity is to permit the partnership to satisfy the 100-partner limitation.

Each Partnership is expected to qualify for the private placement exclusion in the foreseeable future. Additionally, if our operating partnership were a publicly traded partnership, we believe that our operating partnership would have sufficient qualifying income to satisfy the 90% passive income exception and thus would continue to be taxed as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

We have not requested, and do not intend to request, a ruling from the IRS that the Partnerships will be classified as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If for any reason a Partnership were taxable as a corporation, rather than as a partnership, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, we likely would not be able to qualify as a REIT unless we qualified for certain relief provisions. See “— Gross Income Tests” and “— Asset Tests.” In addition, any change in a Partnership’s status for tax purposes might be treated as a taxable event, in which case we might incur tax liability without any related cash distribution. See “— Distribution Requirements.” Further, items of income and deduction of such Partnership would not pass through to its partners, and its partners would be treated as shareholders for tax purposes. Consequently, such Partnership would be required to pay income tax at corporate rates on its net income, and distributions to its partners would constitute dividends that would not be deductible in computing such Partnership’s taxable income.

Income Taxation of the Partnerships and their Partners

Partners, Not the Partnerships, Subject to Tax. A partnership is not a taxable entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Rather, we are required to take into account our allocable share of each Partnership’s

 

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income, gains, losses, deductions, and credits for any taxable year of such Partnership ending within or with our taxable year, without regard to whether we have received or will receive any distribution from such Partnership. However, the tax liability for adjustments to a Partnership’s tax returns made as a result of an audit by the IRS will be imposed on the Partnership itself in certain circumstances absent an election to the contrary.

Partnership Allocations. Although a partnership agreement generally will determine the allocation of income and losses among partners, such allocations will be disregarded for tax purposes if they do not comply with the provisions of the U.S. federal income tax laws governing partnership allocations. If an allocation is not recognized for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the item subject to the allocation will be reallocated in accordance with the partners’ interests in the partnership, which will be determined by taking into account all of the facts and circumstances relating to the economic arrangement of the partners with respect to such item. Each Partnership’s allocations of taxable income, gain, and loss are intended to comply with the requirements of the U.S. federal income tax laws governing partnership allocations.

Tax Allocations With Respect to Our Properties. Income, gain, loss, and deduction attributable to appreciated or depreciated property that is contributed to a partnership in exchange for an interest in the partnership must be allocated in a manner such that the contributing partner is charged with, or benefits from, respectively, the unrealized gain or unrealized loss associated with the property at the time of the contribution. The amount of such unrealized gain or unrealized loss (“built-in gain” or “built-in loss”) generally is equal to the difference between the fair market value of the contributed property at the time of contribution and the adjusted tax basis of such property at the time of contribution (a “book-tax difference”). Any property purchased by our operating partnership for cash initially will have an adjusted tax basis equal to its fair market value, resulting in no book-tax difference. In the future, however, our operating partnership may admit partners in exchange for a contribution of appreciated or depreciated property, resulting in book-tax differences. Such allocations are solely for U.S. federal income tax purposes and do not affect the book capital accounts or other economic or legal arrangements among the partners. The U.S. Treasury Department has issued regulations requiring partnerships to use a “reasonable method” for allocating items with respect to which there is a book-tax difference and outlining several reasonable allocation methods. Under certain available methods, the carryover basis of contributed properties in the hands of our operating partnership (i) could cause us to be allocated lower amounts of depreciation deductions for tax purposes than would be allocated to us if all contributed properties were to have a tax basis equal to their fair market value at the time of the contribution and (ii) in the event of a sale of such properties, could cause us to be allocated taxable gain in excess of the economic or book gain allocated to us as a result of such sale, with a corresponding benefit to the contributing partners. An allocation described in (ii) above might cause us to recognize taxable income in excess of cash proceeds in the event of a sale or other disposition of property, which might adversely affect our ability to comply with the REIT distribution requirements and may result in a greater portion of our distributions being taxed as dividends. We have not yet decided what method will be used to account for book tax differences for properties that may be acquired by our operating partnership in the future.

Basis in Partnership Interest. Our adjusted tax basis in our partnership interest in our operating partnership generally is equal to:

 

 

the amount of cash and the basis of any other property contributed by us to our operating partnership;

 

 

increased by our allocable share of our operating partnership’s income and our allocable share of indebtedness of our operating partnership; and

 

 

reduced, but not below zero, by our allocable share of our operating partnership’s loss and the amount of cash distributed to us, and by constructive distributions resulting from a reduction in our share of indebtedness of our operating partnership.

If the allocation of our distributive share of our operating partnership’s loss would reduce the adjusted tax basis of our partnership interest below zero, the recognition of such loss will be deferred until such time

 

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as the recognition of such loss would not reduce our adjusted tax basis below zero. To the extent that our operating partnership’s distributions, or any decrease in our share of the indebtedness of our operating partnership, which is considered a constructive cash distribution to the partners, reduce our adjusted tax basis below zero, such distributions will constitute taxable income to us. Such distributions and constructive distributions normally will be characterized as long-term capital gain.

Depreciation Deductions Available to Our Operating Partnership. To the extent that our operating partnership acquires its hotels in exchange for cash, its initial basis in such hotels for U.S. federal income tax purposes generally was or will be equal to the purchase price paid by our operating partnership. Our operating partnership’s initial basis in hotels acquired in exchange for units in our operating partnership should be the same as the transferor’s basis in such hotels on the date of acquisition by our operating partnership. Although the law is not entirely clear, our operating partnership generally will depreciate such depreciable hotel property for U.S. federal income tax purposes over the same remaining useful lives and under the same methods used by the transferors. Our operating partnership’s tax depreciation deductions will be allocated among the partners in accordance with their respective interests in our operating partnership, except to the extent that our operating partnership is required under the U.S. federal income tax laws governing partnership allocations to use a method for allocating tax depreciation deductions attributable to contributed properties that results in our receiving a disproportionate share of such deductions.

Partnership Audit Rules. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 changed the rules applicable to federal income tax audits of partnerships. Under these rules, among other changes and subject to certain exceptions, any audit adjustment to items of income, gain, loss, deduction or credit of a partnership (and any partner’s distributive share thereof) is determined, and taxes, interest or penalties attributable thereto are assessed and collected, at the partnership level, absent an election to the contrary. It is possible that these rules could result in Partnerships in which we directly or indirectly invest being required to pay additional taxes, interest and penalties as a result of an audit adjustment, and we, as a direct or indirect partner of these Partnerships, could be required to bear the economic burden of those taxes, interest, and penalties. Shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisors with respect to these changes and their potential impact on their investment in our shares of beneficial interest.

Sale of a Partnership’s Property

Generally, any gain realized by a Partnership on the sale of property held by the Partnership for more than one year will be long-term capital gain, except for any portion of such gain that is treated as depreciation or cost recovery recapture. Any gain or loss recognized by a Partnership on the disposition of contributed properties will be allocated first to the partners of the Partnership who contributed such properties to the extent of their built-in gain or loss on those properties for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The partners’ built-in gain or loss on such contributed properties will equal the difference between the partners’ proportionate share of the book value of those properties and the partners’ tax basis allocable to those properties at the time of the contribution, subject to certain adjustments. Any remaining gain or loss recognized by the Partnership on the disposition of the contributed properties, and any gain or loss recognized by the Partnership on the disposition of the other properties, will be allocated among the partners in accordance with their respective percentage interests in the Partnership.

Our share of any gain realized by a Partnership on the sale of any property held by the Partnership as inventory or other property held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of the Partnership’s trade or business will be treated as income from a prohibited transaction that is subject to a 100% penalty tax. Such prohibited transaction income also may have an adverse effect upon our ability to satisfy the income tests for REIT status. See “— Gross Income Tests.” We do not presently intend to acquire or hold or to allow any Partnership to acquire or hold any property that represents inventory or other property held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of our or such Partnership’s trade or business.

 

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Legislative or Other Actions Affecting REITs

The present U.S. federal income tax treatment of REITs may be modified, possibly with retroactive effect, by legislative, judicial or administrative action at any time. The REIT rules are constantly under review by persons involved in the legislative process and by the IRS and the U.S. Treasury Department which may result in statutory changes as well as revisions to regulations and interpretations. We cannot predict the long-term effect of any recent changes or any future law changes on REITs and their shareholders. Prospective shareholders are urged to consult with their tax advisors regarding the effect of potential changes to the federal tax laws on an investment in our shares.

State, Local, and Foreign Taxes

We and/or you may be subject to taxation by various states, localities and foreign jurisdictions, including those in which we or a shareholder transacts business, owns property or resides. The state, local and foreign tax treatment may differ from the U.S. federal income tax treatment described above. Consequently, you are urged to consult your own tax advisors regarding the effect of state, local and foreign tax laws upon an investment in our common shares.

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We may sell securities pursuant to this prospectus in one or more of the following ways from time to time:

 

   

through agents to the public or to investors;

 

   

to underwriters or dealers for resale to the public or to investors;

 

   

directly to agents;

 

   

directly to investors;

 

   

through a combination of any of these methods of sale; or

 

   

in any manner, as provided in the accompanying prospectus supplement.

We may also effect a distribution of the securities pursuant to this prospectus through the issuance of derivative securities, including without limitation, warrants, forward delivery contracts and the writing of options. In addition, the manner in which we may sell some or all of the securities covered by this prospectus includes, without limitation, through:

 

   

ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker or dealer solicits purchasers;

 

   

block trades in which the broker or dealer attempts to sell as agent, but may position and resell a portion of the block, as principal, in order to facilitate the transaction;

 

   

underwritten offerings;

 

   

purchases by a broker or dealer, as principal, and resale by the broker or dealer for its account;

 

   

ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which a broker solicits purchasers;

 

   

privately negotiated transactions;

 

   

any combination of these methods of sale; or

 

   

any other legal method.

We may also enter into hedging transactions. For example, we may:

 

   

enter into transactions with a broker-dealer or affiliate thereof in connection with which such broker-dealer or affiliate will engage in short sales of securities offered pursuant to this prospectus, in which case such broker-dealer or affiliate may use securities issued pursuant to this prospectus close out its short positions;

 

   

sell securities short and redeliver such shares to close out our short positions;

 

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enter into option or other types of transactions that require us to deliver securities to a broker-dealer or an affiliate thereof, who will then resell or transfer securities under this prospectus; or

 

   

loan or pledge securities to a broker-dealer or an affiliate thereof, who may sell the loaned securities or, in an event of default in the case of a pledge, sell the pledged securities pursuant to this prospectus.

We will set forth in a prospectus supplement the terms of the offering of securities, including:

 

   

the name or names of any agents or underwriters;

 

   

the purchase price of the securities being offered and the proceeds we will receive from the sale;

 

   

the terms of the securities offered;

 

   

any option under which underwriters or agents may purchase or place additional securities;

 

   

any agency fees or underwriting discounts and other items constituting agents’ or underwriters’ compensation;

 

   

any public offering price;

 

   

any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers; and

 

   

any securities exchanges on which such securities may be listed.

Agents

We may designate agents who agree to use their reasonable efforts to solicit purchases for the period of their appointment or to sell the securities being offered hereby on a continuing basis, unless otherwise provided in a prospectus supplement.

We may from time to time engage a broker-dealer to act as our offering agent for one or more offerings of our securities. If we reach agreement with an offering agent with respect to a specific offering, including the number of securities and any minimum price below which sales may not be made, then the offering agent will try to sell such common shares on the agreed terms. The offering agent could make sales in privately negotiated transactions and/or any other method permitted by law, including sales deemed to be an “at the market” offering as defined in Rule 415 promulgated under the Securities Act, including sales made directly on the NYSE, or sales made to or through a market maker other than on an exchange. The offering agent will be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act, with respect to any sales effected through an “at-the-market” offering.

Underwriters

If we use underwriters for a sale of securities, the underwriters will acquire the securities, and may resell the securities in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. The obligations of the underwriters to purchase the securities will be subject to the conditions set forth in the applicable underwriting agreement. We may change from time to time any public offering price and any discounts or concessions the underwriters allow or reallow or pay to dealers. We may use underwriters with whom we have a material relationship. We will describe in the prospectus supplement naming the underwriter the nature of any such relationship.

Institutional Purchasers

We may authorize underwriters, dealers or agents to solicit certain institutional investors, approved by us, to purchase our securities on a delayed delivery basis or pursuant to delayed delivery contracts provided for payment and delivery on a specified future date. These institutions may include commercial and savings banks, insurance companies, pension funds, investment companies and educational and charitable institutions. We will describe in the prospectus supplement details of any such arrangement, including the offering price and applicable sales commissions payable on such solicitations.

 

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Direct Sales

We may also sell securities directly to one or more purchasers without using underwriters or agents. Underwriters, dealers and agents that participate in the distribution of the securities may be underwriters as defined in the Securities Act and any discounts or commissions they receive from us and any profit on their resale of the securities may be treated as underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act. We will identify in the accompanying prospectus supplement any underwriters, dealers or agents and will describe their compensation. We may have agreements with the underwriters, dealers and agents to indemnify them against specified civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. Underwriters, dealers and agents may engage in transactions with or perform services for us in the ordinary course of their businesses from time to time.

Trading Markets and Listing of Securities

Unless otherwise specified in the accompanying prospectus supplement, each class or series of securities will be a new issue with no established trading market, other than our common shares. Our common shares are listed on the NYSE. We may elect to list any other class or series of securities on any exchange, but we are not obligated to do so. It is possible that one or more underwriters may make a market in a class or series of securities, but the underwriters will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. We cannot give any assurance as to the liquidity of the trading market for any of the securities.

Stabilization Activities

In accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act, underwriters may engage in over-allotment, stabilizing or short covering transactions or penalty bids in connection with an offering of our securities. Over-allotment transactions involve sales in excess of the offering size, which create a short position. Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum price. Short covering transactions involve purchases of the securities in the open market after the distribution is completed to cover short positions. Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a dealer when the securities originally sold by the dealer are purchased in a covering transaction to cover short positions. Those activities may cause the price of the securities to be higher than they would otherwise be. If commenced, the underwriters may discontinue any of the activities at any time.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the securities issued under this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP and, with respect to matters of Maryland law, by Venable LLP. In addition, the description of federal income tax consequences contained in the section of the prospectus entitled “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” is based on the opinion of Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP. The validity of any securities issued under this prospectus will be passed upon for any underwriters by counsel named in the applicable prospectus supplement.

EXPERTS

The financial statements and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting (which is included in Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting) incorporated in this Prospectus by reference to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

 

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4,800,000 Shares

 

 

LOGO

6.625% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares of Beneficial Interest

(Liquidation Preference $25.00 Per Share)

 

 

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

 

 

Joint Book-Running Managers

Wells Fargo Securities

Barclays

BofA Securities

Citigroup

Joint Lead Managers

BMO Capital Markets

Regions Securities LLC

Stifel

US Bancorp

Senior Co-Manages

B. Riley Securities

Janney Montgomery Scott

 

 

June 23, 2021