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Related Party Arrangements
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2020
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]  
Related Party Arrangements Related Party Arrangements
Management Agreement
On January 31, 2018, the Company and the OP entered into a management agreement (the “Management Agreement”) with the Manager, pursuant to which the Manager manages the Company’s assets and its day-to-day operations. The Manager is responsible for, among other matters, (1) the selection, origination, acquisition, management and sale of the Company’s portfolio investments, (2) the Company’s financing activities and (3) providing the Company with investment advisory services. The Manager is also responsible for the Company’s day-to-day operations and will perform (or will cause to be performed) such services and activities relating to the Company’s investments and business and affairs as may be appropriate. The Management Agreement requires the Manager to manage the Company’s business affairs in conformity with the investment guidelines and other policies that are approved and monitored by the Board of Directors. Each of the Company’s executive officers is also an employee of the Manager or its affiliates. The Manager’s role as Manager will be under the supervision and direction of the Company’s Board of Directors.
The initial term of the Management Agreement expires on the third anniversary of the Closing Date and will be automatically renewed for a one-year term each anniversary date thereafter unless earlier terminated as described below. The Company’s independent directors review the Manager’s performance and the fees that may be payable to the Manager annually and, following the initial term, the Management Agreement may be terminated if there has been an affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the Company’s independent directors determining that (1) there has been unsatisfactory performance by the Manager that is materially detrimental to the Company or (2) the compensation payable to the Manager, in the form of base management fees and incentive fees taken as a whole, or the amount thereof, is not fair to the Company, subject to the Manager’s right to prevent such termination due to unfair fees by accepting reduced compensation as agreed to by at least two-thirds of the Company’s independent directors. The Company must provide the Manager 180 days’ prior written notice of any such termination.
The Company may also terminate the Management Agreement for cause (as defined in the Management Agreement) at any time, including during the initial term, without the payment of any termination fee, with at least 30 days’ prior written notice from the Company’s Board of Directors. Unless terminated for cause, the Manager will be paid a termination fee as described below. The Manager may terminate the Management Agreement if the Company becomes required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act with such termination deemed to occur immediately before such event, in which case the Company would not be required to pay a termination fee. The Manager may decline to renew the Management Agreement by providing the Company with 180 days’ prior written notice, in which case the Company would not be required to pay a termination fee. The Manager may also terminate the Management Agreement with at least 60 days’ prior written notice if the Company breaches the Management Agreement in any material respect or otherwise is unable to perform its obligations thereunder and the breach continues for a period of 30 days after written notice to the Company, in which case the Manager will be paid a termination fee as described below.
In November 2019 the Manager, the Company and the OP amended and restated the Management Agreement to modify the “Core Earnings” definition, providing that “unrealized provisions for loan losses and real estate impairments” shall only be applied as exclusions from the definition of Core Earnings if approved by a majority of the independent directors of the Company. Such change became effective during the fourth quarter of 2019 and results in a reduction to Core Earnings which thereby reduces the annual management fee and any incentive fee paid by the Company due to accumulated unrealized provisions for loan losses and real estate impairments to date.
Fees to Manager
Base Management Fee
The base management fee payable to the Manager is equal to 1.5% of the Company’s stockholders’ equity (as defined in the Management Agreement), per annum (0.375% per quarter), payable quarterly in arrears in cash. For purposes of calculating the base management fee, the Company’s stockholders’ equity means: (a) the sum of (1) the net proceeds received by the Company (or, without duplication, the Company’s direct subsidiaries, such as the OP) from all issuances of the Company’s or such subsidiaries’ common and preferred equity securities since inception (allocated on a pro rata basis for such issuances during the calendar quarter of any such issuance), plus (2) the Company’s cumulative Core Earnings (as defined in the Management Agreement) from and after the Closing Date to the end of the most recently completed calendar quarter, less (b)(1) any distributions to the Company’s common stockholders (or owners of common equity of the Company’s direct subsidiaries, such as the OP, other than the Company or any of such subsidiaries), (2) any amount that the Company or any of the Company’s direct subsidiaries, such as the OP, have paid to (x) repurchase for cash the Company’s common stock or common equity securities of such subsidiaries or (y) repurchase or redeem for cash the Company’s preferred equity securities or preferred equity securities of such subsidiaries, in each case since the Closing Date and (3) any incentive fee (as described below) paid to the Manager since the Closing Date.
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, the total management fee expense incurred was $7.1 million and $22.2 million, respectively. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, the total management fee expense incurred was $11.4 million and $34.1 million, respectively. As of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, $7.2 million and $8.4 million, respectively, of unpaid management fee were included in due to related party in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets.
Incentive Fee
The incentive fee payable to the Manager is equal to the difference between (i) the product of (a) 20% and (b) the difference between (1) Core Earnings (as defined in the Management Agreement) for the most recent 12-month period (or the Closing Date if it has been less than 12 months since the Closing Date), including the current quarter, and (2) the product of (A) common equity (as defined in the Management Agreement) in the most recent 12-month period (or the Closing Date if it has been less than 12 months since the Closing Date), and (B) 7% per annum and (ii) the sum of any incentive fee paid to the Manager with respect to the first three calendar quarters of the most recent 12-month period (or the Closing Date if it has been less than 12 months since the Closing Date), provided, however, that no incentive fee is payable with respect to any calendar quarter unless Core Earnings (as defined in the Management Agreement) is greater than zero for the most recently completed 12 calendar quarters (or the Closing Date if it has been less than 12 calendar quarters since the Closing Date).
The Company did not incur any incentive fees during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019.
Reimbursements of Expenses
Reimbursement of expenses related to the Company incurred by the Manager, including legal, accounting, financial, due diligence and other services are paid on the Company’s behalf by the OP or its designee(s). The Company reimburses the Manager for the Company’s allocable share of the salaries and other compensation of the Company’s chief financial officer and certain of its affiliates’ non-investment personnel who spend all or a portion of their time managing the Company’s affairs, and the Company’s share of such costs are based upon the percentage of such time devoted by personnel of the Manager (or its affiliates) to the Company’s affairs. The Company may be required to pay the Company’s pro rata portion of rent, telephone, utilities, office furniture, equipment, machinery and other office, internal and overhead expenses of the Manager and its affiliates required for the Company’s operations.
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, the total reimbursements of expenses incurred by the Manager on behalf of the Company and reimbursable in accordance with the Management Agreement was $2.0 million and $7.1 million, respectively, and are included in administrative expense on the consolidated statements of operations. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, the total reimbursements of expenses incurred by the Manager on behalf of the Company and reimbursable in accordance with the Management Agreement was $2.5 million and $8.1 million, respectively. As of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, there were $2.0 million and $2.7 million, respectively, of unpaid expenses included in due to related party in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets.
Equity Plan Grants
In April 2020, the Company granted 143,000 shares to its chief executive officer, an employee of the Manager, under the 2018 Equity Incentive Plan (the "2018 Plan"). In March 2019, the Company granted 800,000 shares to the Manager and/or employees thereof under the 2018 Plan. In March 2018, the Company granted 978,946 shares to its non-independent directors, officers and the Manager and/or employees thereof under the 2018 Plan. 927,414 shares remain granted and unvested as of September 30, 2020. See Note 11, “Equity-Based Compensation” for further discussion on the 2018 Plan including shares issued to independent directors of the Company. In connection with these grants, the Company recognized share-based compensation expense of $1.3 million and $3.0 million to its Manager within administrative expense in the consolidated statement of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, respectively. The Company recognized share-based compensation expense of $2.8 million and $7.1 million to its Manager within administrative expense in the consolidated statement of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively.
Colony Capital, Inc. Internalization Discussions with the Company
As previously disclosed, the Company’s Board of Directors formed a special committee consisting exclusively of independent and disinterested directors (the “Special Committee”) to explore an internalization proposal made by Colony Capital as well as other strategic alternatives. Subsequently, due to ongoing uncertainty surrounding the duration and magnitude of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the global economy, on April 1, 2020, Colony Capital reported in Amendment No. 3 to Schedule 13D (filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission) that it has postponed any decision regarding a disposition of its management agreement with the Company until market conditions improve. The Special Committee has continued to explore alternatives but has been unable to negotiate mutually acceptable terms with Colony Capital. The Special Committee will continue to consider value-enhancing alternatives for the Company as opportunities arise.
Investment Activity
All investment acquisitions are approved in accordance with the Company’s investment and related party guidelines, which may include approval by either the audit committee or disinterested members of the Company’s Board of Directors. No investment by the Company will require approval under the related party transaction policy solely because such investment constitutes a co-investment made by and between the Company and any of its subsidiaries, on the one hand, and one or more investment vehicles formed, sponsored, or managed by an affiliate of the Manager on the other hand.
In July 2017, NorthStar II entered into a joint venture with an affiliate of the Manager to make a $60.0 million investment in a $180.0 million mezzanine loan which was originated by such affiliate of the Manager. The transaction was approved by NorthStar II’s board of directors, including all of its independent directors. The investment was purchased by the Company in connection with the Combination. In June 2018, the Company increased its commitment to $101.8 million in connection with the joint venture bifurcating the mezzanine loan into a mezzanine loan and a preferred equity investment. The Company’s interest in both the underlying mezzanine loan and preferred equity investment is 31.8%, and the affiliate entities own the remaining 68.2%. Both the underlying mezzanine loan and preferred equity investment carry a fixed 13.0% interest rate. This investment is recorded in investments in unconsolidated ventures in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets. In July 2019, the Company increased its commitment in the mezzanine loan from $101.8 million to $189.0 million. The Company’s interest in the upsized mezzanine loan is 45.2% and it carries a fixed 13.0% interest rate. During the three months ended June 30, 2020, the Company made its pro-rata share of two protective advances to the senior mortgage lender totaling $28.5 million. The Company placed this investment on nonaccrual status as of April 1, 2020. In September 2020 the Company’s mezzanine loan and preferred equity investment was converted into a mezzanine participation. See Note 4, “Investments in Unconsolidated Ventures,” for further information.
In May 2018, the Company acquired an $89.1 million (at par) preferred equity investment in an investment vehicle that owns a seven-property office portfolio located in the New York metropolitan area from an affiliate of the Company’s Manager. The affiliate has a 27.2% ownership interest in the borrower. The preferred equity investment carries a fixed 12.0% interest rate. This investment is recorded in loans and preferred equity held for investment, net in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets. In July 2020, the Company accepted a discounted payoff and recognized an impairment loss of $20.6 million. See Note 3, “Loans and Preferred Equity Held for Investment, net” for further information.
In July 2018, the Company acquired a $326.8 million Class A office campus located in Norway from an affiliate of the Company’s Manager. In connection with the purchase, the Company assumed senior mortgage financing from a private bond issuance of $197.7 million. The bonds have a five-year term remaining, and carry a fixed interest rate of 3.91%.
In July 2018, the Company entered into a joint venture to invest in a development project for land and a Grade A office building in Ireland. The Company agreed to invest up to $69.9 million of the $139.7 million total commitment. The Company co-
invested along with two affiliates of the Manager, with the Company owning 50.0% of the joint venture and the affiliate entities owning the remaining 50.0%. The joint venture invested in a senior mortgage loan of $66.7 million with a fixed interest rate of 12.5% and a maturity date of 3.5 years from origination and common equity.
In October 2018, the Company entered into a joint venture to invest in a mixed-use development project in Ireland. The Company agreed to invest up to $162.4 million of the $266.5 million total commitment. The Company co-invested along with two affiliates of the Manager, with the Company owning 61.0% of the joint venture and the affiliate entities owning the remaining 39.0%. The joint venture invested in a senior mortgage loan with a fixed interest rate of 15.0% and a maturity date of two years from origination. The Company placed this investment on nonaccrual status as of July 1, 2020. See Note 4, “Investments in Unconsolidated Ventures,” for further information.
In October 2018, the Company acquired a $20.0 million mezzanine loan from an affiliate of the Company’s Manager, secured by a pledge of an ownership interest in a luxury condominium development project located in New York, NY. The loan bears interest at 9.5% plus LIBOR. The borrower repaid the loan in February 2020.