EQUITY

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2022

Equity [Abstract]

EQUITY

EQUITY

Common Stock

The Company is authorized to issue up to 500,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.01 par value per share (the "Common Stock").  Each outstanding share of our Common Stock entitles the holder to one vote on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders, including the election of directors and, except as may be provided with respect to any other class or series of stock, the holders of such shares possess the exclusive voting power.

On May 9, 2022, the Company and the Operating Partnership entered into an equity distribution agreement (the “Equity Distribution Agreement”) with a group of underwriters as sales agents for the Company, principals and/or, with certain exceptions, forward sellers (in any such capacity, each a “Manager” and, collectively, the “Managers”) and certain banks as forward purchasers (in such capacity, each a “Forward Purchaser” and, collectively, the “Forward Purchasers”), providing for the offer and sale of shares of the Company’s Common Stock, having a maximum aggregate offering price of up to $200,000,000 through or to the Managers, as the Company’s sales agents or, if applicable, as forward sellers, or directly to the Managers, as principals (the “2022 ATM Program”). To date, we have not sold any shares of our Common Stock under the 2022 ATM Program.

Changes in Common Stock during the six months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021 were as follows:

	For the Six Months Ended June 30,
	2022	2021
Beginning common shares outstanding	106,337,724	105,708,787
Common Unit redemptions	—	2,500
Grants under the Equity Plan	735,371	860,910
Annual grants to independent directors	84,889	60,546
Performance share and other forfeitures	(3,173)	(60,823)
Shares retained for employee tax withholding requirements	(260,800)	(155,605)
Ending common shares outstanding	106,894,011	106,416,315

Preferred Stock

The Company is authorized to issue up to 100,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.01 par value per share, of which 89,600,000 is currently undesignated, 6,400,000 shares have been designated as 6.25% Series E Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (the "Series E preferred shares") and 4,000,000 shares have been designated as 5.875% Series F Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (the "Series F preferred shares").

The Company's outstanding shares of preferred stock (collectively, “Preferred Shares”) rank senior to our Common Stock and on parity with each other with respect to the payment of dividends and distributions of assets in the event of a liquidation, dissolution, or winding up. The Preferred Shares do not have any maturity date and are not subject to mandatory redemption or sinking fund requirements. The Company may not redeem the Series E or Series F preferred shares prior to November 13, 2022 and August 12, 2026, respectively, except in limited circumstances relating to the Company’s continuing qualification as a REIT or in connection with certain changes in control. After those dates, the Company may, at its option, redeem the applicable Preferred Shares, in whole or from time to time in part, by payment of $25 per share, plus any accumulated, accrued and unpaid distributions up to, but not including, the date of redemption. If the Company does not exercise its rights to redeem the Preferred Shares upon certain changes in control, the holders of the Preferred Shares have the right to convert some or all of their shares into a number of the Company’s Common Stock based on a defined formula, subject to a share cap, or alternative consideration. The share cap on each Series E preferred share is 3.1686 shares of Common Stock and each Series F preferred share is 5.8275 shares of Common Stock, all subject to certain adjustments.

The Company pays dividends at an annual rate of $1.5625 for each Series E preferred share and $1.46875 for each Series F preferred share. Dividend payments are made quarterly in arrears on or about the last day of February, May, August and November of each year.