EQUITY

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2024

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.

In May 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 (collectively the “Managers”) and certain banks as 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 $200.0 million 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 years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 were as follows:

	2024	2023
Beginning shares of Common Stock outstanding	107,593,373	106,901,576
Common Unit redemptions	15,555	28,179
Grants under the Equity Plan (as defined below in Note 13 - Equity-Based Compensation)	1,242,868	875,055
Annual grants to independent directors	127,491	113,141
Performance share and other forfeitures	(398,970)	(140,549)
Shares acquired for employee withholding requirements	(144,654)	(184,029)
Ending shares of Common Stock outstanding	108,435,663	107,593,373

At December 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company had reserved 52,924,195 and 50,774,173 shares of Common Stock, respectively, for the issuance of Common Stock (i) upon the exercise of stock options, issuance of time-based restricted stock awards, issuance of performance-based restricted stock awards, grants of director stock awards, or other awards issued pursuant to our Equity Plan, (ii) upon redemption of Common Units, or (iii) under the 2022 ATM Program.

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 preferred shares (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 Preferred Shares 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 shares 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.