8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): April 1, 2021

American Finance Trust, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

Maryland	001-38597	90-0929989
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

650 Fifth Avenue, 30^th Floor
New York, New York 10019

(Address, including zip code, of Principal Executive Offices)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (212) 415-6500

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

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class:	Trading Symbol(s)	Name of each exchange on which registered:
Class A Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share	AFIN	The Nasdaq Global Select Market
7.50% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock, $0.01 par value per share	AFINP	The Nasdaq Global Select Market
7.375% Series C Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock, $0.01 par value per share	AFINO	The Nasdaq Global Select Market
Preferred Stock Purchase Rights		The Nasdaq Global Select Market

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company ¨

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨

Item 7.01. Regulation FD Disclosure.

Common Stock Dividend

On April 1, 2021, American Finance Trust, Inc. (the “Company”) issued a press release announcing the declaration of a dividend of $0.2125 per share payable on April 15, 2021 to holders of record of shares of the Company’s Class A common stock at the close of business on April 12, 2021.

A copy of the press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K. Such press release shall not be deemed “filed” for any purpose, including for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that Section. The information in Item 7.01, including Exhibit 99.1, shall not be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, regardless of any general incorporation language in such filing.

The statements in this Current Report on Form 8-K that are not historical facts may be forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause the outcome to be materially different. In addition, words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “expects,” “estimates,” “projects,” “plans,” “intends,” “may,” “would” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside of the Company’s control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from the results contemplated by the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include the potential adverse effects of the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, including actions taken to contain or treat COVID-19, on the Company, the Company’s tenants and the global economy and financial markets and that the information about rent collections may not be indicative of any future period, as well as those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 filed on February 25, 2021 and all other filings with the SEC after that date, as such risks, uncertainties and other important factors may be updated from time to time in the Company's subsequent reports. Further, forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect changed assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events or changes to future operating results over time, unless required by law.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

Exhibit No	Description
99.1	Press Release dated April 1, 2021
104	Cover Page Interactive Data File - the cover page XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

	AMERICAN FINANCE TRUST, INC.
Date: April 1, 2021	By:	/s/ Edward M. Weil, Jr.
		Edward M. Weil, Jr.
		Chief Executive Officer and President

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

American Finance Trust
Announces Common Stock Dividend for Second Quarter 2021

NEW YORK – April 1, 2021 - American Finance Trust, Inc. (Nasdaq: AFIN/ AFINP / AFINO) (“AFIN”) announced today that it intends to continue to pay dividends on its shares of Class A common stock at an annualized rate of $0.85 per share or $0.2125 per share on a quarterly basis. AFIN anticipates paying dividends authorized by its board of directors on its shares of Class A common stock on a quarterly basis in arrears on the 15th day of the first month following the end of each fiscal quarter (unless otherwise specified) to Class A common stock holders of record on the record date for such payment.

Accordingly, AFIN declared a dividend of $0.2125 per share of Class A common stock payable on April 15, 2021 to Class A common stock holders of record at the close of business on April 12, 2021.

About American Finance Trust, Inc.

American Finance Trust, Inc. (Nasdaq: AFIN) is a publicly traded real estate investment trust listed on the Nasdaq focused on acquiring and managing a diversified portfolio of primarily service-oriented and traditional retail and distribution related commercial real estate properties in the U.S. Additional information about AFIN can be found on its website at www.americanfinancetrust.com.

Important Notice

The statements in this press release that are not historical facts may be forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause the outcome to be materially different. In addition, words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “expects,” “estimates,” “projects,” “plans,” “intends,” “may,” “would” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside of AFIN’s control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from the results contemplated by the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include the potential adverse effects of the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, including actions taken to contain or treat COVID-19, on AFIN, AFIN’s tenants and the global economy and financial markets and that the information about rent collections may not be indicative of any future period, as well as those set forth in the Risk Factors section of AFIN’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 filed on February 25, 2021 and all other filings with the SEC after that date, as such risks, uncertainties and other important factors may be updated from time to time in AFIN’s subsequent reports. Further, forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and AFIN undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect changed assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events or changes to future operating results over time, unless required by law.

Contacts:

Investor Relations

investorrelations@americanfinancetrust.com

(866) 902-0063

XML

Cover	Apr. 01, 2021
Document Information [Line Items]
Document Type	8-K
Amendment Flag	false
Document Period End Date	Apr. 01, 2021
Entity File Number	001-38597
Entity Registrant Name	American Finance Trust, Inc.
Entity Central Index Key	0001568162
Entity Tax Identification Number	90-0929989
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	MD
Entity Address, Address Line One	650 Fifth Avenue
Entity Address, Address Line Two	30th Floor
Entity Address, City or Town	New York
Entity Address, State or Province	NY
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	10019
City Area Code	212
Local Phone Number	415-6500
Written Communications	false
Soliciting Material	false
Pre-commencement Tender Offer	false
Pre-commencement Issuer Tender Offer	false
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Common Stock [Member]
Document Information [Line Items]
Title of 12(b) Security	Class A Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share
Trading Symbol	AFIN
Security Exchange Name	NASDAQ
Series A Preferred Stock [Member]
Document Information [Line Items]
Title of 12(b) Security	7.50% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock, $0.01 par value per share
Trading Symbol	AFINP
Security Exchange Name	NASDAQ
Series C Preferred Stock [Member]
Document Information [Line Items]
Title of 12(b) Security	7.375% Series C Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock, $0.01 par value per share
Trading Symbol	AFINO
Security Exchange Name	NASDAQ
Preferred Stock Purchase Rights [Member]
Document Information [Line Items]
Title of 12(b) Security	Preferred Stock Purchase Rights
No Trading Symbol Flag	true
Security Exchange Name	NASDAQ