e424b5
Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5)
Registration No: 333-169104
8,700,000 Shares
Invesco Mortgage Capital Inc.
Common Stock
We are offering 8,700,000 shares of our common stock as described in this prospectus
supplement and the accompanying prospectus.
Our common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange, or NYSE, under the symbol IVR.
The closing price of our common stock on the NYSE on
December 14, 2010 was $23.47 per share.
The underwriters may also purchase up to an additional 1,305,000 shares of our common stock
from us at the public offering price, less the underwriting discount, within 30 days after the date
of this prospectus supplement to cover over-allotments, if any.
To assist us in maintaining our qualification as a real estate investment trust, or REIT, for
federal income tax purposes, no person may own more than 9.8% by value or number of shares,
whichever is more restrictive, of our outstanding shares of common stock, unless our board of
directors waives this limitation.
Investing in our common stock involves risk. See the risks set forth under the heading
Item 1A. Risk Factors beginning on page 14 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2009 and the risks set forth under the heading Item 1A. Risk Factors beginning on
page 38 of our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2010 and beginning on
page 41 of our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2010.
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Per Share |
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Total |
Public offering price |
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$ |
22.30 |
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$ |
194,010,000 |
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Underwriting discounts and commissions |
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$ |
0.892 |
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$ |
7,760,400 |
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Proceeds, before expenses, to us |
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$ |
21.408 |
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$ |
186,249,600 |
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Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission 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
shares will be ready for delivery on or about December 20, 2010.
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BofA Merrill Lynch
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Wells Fargo Securities |
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Credit Suisse
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Morgan Stanley
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The
date of this prospectus supplement is December 15, 2010.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
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S-ii |
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S-iii |
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S-1 |
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S-4 |
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S-4 |
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S-6 |
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S-11 |
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S-11 |
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PROSPECTUS
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54 |
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54 |
You should rely only on the information contained in this document or to which we have
referred you. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with information that is different.
This document may only be used where it is legal to sell these securities. The information in this
document may only be accurate on the date of this document.
S-i
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
This prospectus supplement is a supplement to the accompanying prospectus that is also a part
of this document. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are part of a
registration statement on Form S-3 that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or
SEC or Commission, using a shelf registration process. This prospectus supplement contains
specific information about us and the terms on which we are offering and selling shares of our
common stock. To the extent that any statement made in this prospectus supplement is inconsistent
with statements made in the prospectus, the statements made in the prospectus will be deemed
modified or superseded by those made in this prospectus supplement. To the extent any information or data in
any documents filed by the Company and incorporated
by reference herein is inconsistent with prior information or data previously provided by the Company, the
information or data in the previously filed document shall be deemed modified or superseded by the
subsequent information or data. Before you purchase shares of
our common stock, you should carefully read this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus
and the registration statement, together with the documents incorporated by reference in this
prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.
When used in this prospectus, the terms company, issuer, we, our, and us refer to
Invesco Mortgage Capital Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries, unless otherwise specified. Our
Manager refers to Invesco Advisers, Inc., a Delaware corporation, our external manager. Invesco
refers to Invesco Ltd., together with its consolidated subsidiaries (other than us), which is the
indirect parent company of our Manager.
S-ii
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
We make forward-looking statements in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus
and other filings we make with the SEC within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, or the Exchange Act, and such statements are intended to be covered by the safe harbor
provided by the same. Forward-looking statements are subject to substantial risks and
uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and are generally beyond our control. These
forward-looking statements include information about possible or assumed future results of our
business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations, plans and objectives. When we use
the words believe, expect, anticipate, estimate, plan, continue, intend, should,
may or similar expressions, we intend to identify forward-looking statements. Statements
regarding the following subjects, among others, may be forward-looking:
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use of proceeds of this offering; |
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our business and investment strategy; |
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our investment portfolio; |
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our projected operating results; |
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the impact of any deficiencies in foreclosure practices of third parties and
related delays in the foreclosure process; |
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actions and initiatives of the U.S. government and changes to U.S. government
policies, including the recently enacted Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer
Protection Act and our ability to respond to and comply with such actions,
initiatives and changes; |
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our ability to obtain additional financing arrangements; |
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financing and advance rates for our target assets; |
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our expected leverage; |
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general volatility of the securities markets in which we invest; |
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our expected investments; |
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interest rate mismatches between our target assets and our borrowings used to fund
such investments; |
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changes in interest rates and the market value of our target assets; |
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changes in prepayment rates on our target assets; |
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effects of hedging instruments on our target assets; |
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rates of default or decreased recovery rates on our target assets; |
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modifications to whole loans or loans underlying securities; |
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the degree to which our hedging strategies may or may not protect us from interest
rate volatility; |
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changes in governmental regulations, tax law and rates, and similar matters; |
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our ability to maintain our qualification as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax
purposes; |
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our ability to maintain our exclusion from the definition of investment company
under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended; |
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availability of investment opportunities in mortgage-related, real estate-related
and other securities; |
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availability of qualified personnel; |
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estimates relating to our ability to continue to make distributions to our
shareholders in the future; |
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our understanding of our competition; and |
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market trends in our industry, interest rates, real estate values, the debt
securities markets or the general economy. |
The forward-looking statements are based on our beliefs, assumptions and expectations of our
future performance, taking into account all information currently available to us. You should not
place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. These beliefs, assumptions and
expectations can change as a result of many possible events or factors, not all of which are known
to us. Some of these factors are described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2009 and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2010,
June 30, 2010 and September 30, 2010, all of which documents are incorporated by reference in this
prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, under the headings Summary, Risk
Factors, Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
and Business. If a change occurs, our business, financial condition, liquidity and results of
operations may vary materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements. Any
forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made. New risks and
uncertainties arise over time, and it is not possible for us to predict those events or how they
may affect us. Except as required by law, we are not obligated to, and do not intend to, update or
revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise.
S-iii
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT SUMMARY
This summary highlights selected information about us. It may not contain all the information
that may be important to you in deciding whether to invest in our common stock. You should read
this entire prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, together with the information
incorporated by reference, including the risk factors, financial data and related notes, before
making an investment decision.
Our Company
Invesco Mortgage Capital Inc. is a Maryland corporation focused on investing in, financing and
managing residential and commercial mortgage-backed securities and mortgage loans. We invest in
residential mortgage-backed securities for which a U.S. government agency or a federally chartered
corporation guarantees payments of principal and interest on the securities, or Agency RMBS. In
addition, we invest in residential mortgage-backed securities that are not issued or guaranteed by
a U.S. government agency, or non-Agency RMBS, commercial mortgage-backed securities, or CMBS, and
residential and commercial mortgage loans. We generally finance our Agency RMBS, non-Agency RMBS
and CMBS through repurchase agreement financing. We have also financed, and may do so again in the
future, our investments in CMBS with private financing sources. We have also financed our
investments in certain non-Agency RMBS, CMBS and residential and commercial mortgage loans by
contributing capital to one of the legacy securities public-private investment funds that receive
financing under the U.S. governments Public-Private Investment Program established and managed by
our Manager or one of its affiliates, or the Invesco PPIP Fund, which, in turn, invests in our
target assets. We are externally managed and advised by Invesco Advisers, Inc., a Delaware
corporation and an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Invesco Ltd., an independent global
investment company listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: IVZ).
We have elected to be taxed as a REIT for federal income tax purposes beginning with our
taxable year ended December 31, 2009 and we intend to continue to be taxed as a REIT. To assist us
in maintaining our qualification as a REIT, shareholders are generally restricted from owning more
than 9.8% by value or number of shares, whichever is more restrictive, of our outstanding shares of
common stock. Different ownership limits apply to Invesco Ltd. and its direct and indirect
subsidiaries, including but not limited to Invesco Advisers, Inc. and Invesco Investments (Bermuda)
Ltd. In addition, our charter contains various other restrictions on the ownership and transfer of
our common stock. See Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer in the accompanying prospectus.
Our principal offices are located at 1555 Peachtree Street, NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30309, and
our telephone number at that address is (404) 892-0896. Our website is located at
http://www.invescomortgagecapital.com. The information contained on our website is not part of this
prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus.
Recent Developments
On
December 14, 2010, our board of directors declared a dividend of $0.97 per share for the fourth quarter of
2010. The dividend represents our estimate of undistributed taxable earnings. The dividend will be
paid on January 27, 2011 to shareholders of record on December 31, 2010 and therefore, investors in
this offering who are shareholders of record on December 31,
2010 will be entitled to receive this dividend.
On October 13, 2010, we completed a public offering of 13,800,000 shares of our common stock
at $20.75 per share, or the October 2010 Offering. Our net proceeds were approximately $274.7
million. We used the proceeds to purchase Agency RMBS, non-Agency RMBS, CMBS and certain
residential and commercial mortgage loans and to invest in the Invesco PPIP Fund, in each case
subject to our investment guidelines and to the extent consistent with maintaining our REIT
qualification.
S-1
The Offering
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Common stock offered by us (1)
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8,700,000 shares |
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Common stock outstanding after this offering
(1)
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48,549,190 shares |
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Use of Proceeds
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Our net proceeds from
the sale of the common
stock will be approximately
$186.1 million,
after deducting
underwriting discounts
and estimated offering
expenses. If the
underwriters
over-allotment option is
exercised in full, our
net proceeds from the
offering will be
approximately
$214.0 million,
after deducting
underwriting discounts
and estimated offering
expenses. We plan to use
all of the net proceeds
from this offering to
purchase Agency RMBS,
non-Agency RMBS, CMBS and
certain residential and
commercial mortgage loans
and to invest in the
Invesco PPIP Fund, in
each case subject to our
investment guidelines and
to the extent consistent
with maintaining our REIT
qualification and other general corporate purposes. In
determining the
allocation of net
proceeds from this
offering among various
asset classes, we will
consider market
opportunities presented
at the time we deploy
proceeds. We believe
that current market
conditions present
favorable opportunities
in the Agency RMBS
market, and, if those
opportunities continue to
exist at the time that we
deploy net proceeds from this offering, we
may allocate a greater
percent of the net
proceeds to purchase
Agency RMBS than we
historically have
allocated to Agency RMBS
in our portfolio as a
whole. We also believe
that current market
conditions may support an
opportunity to purchase
non-Agency RMBS using two
to three times leverage,
as compared to the one to
two times leverage for
our current non-Agency
RMBS. Our Manager will
make the final
determinations as to the
percentage of our equity
that will be invested in,
as well as the
appropriate amounts of
leverage that we maintain
in respect of, each of
our target assets and
asset classes. Our
Managers determinations
will depend upon then
prevailing market
conditions and may change
over time in response to
opportunities available
in different interest
rate, economic and credit
environments. Until
appropriate assets can be
identified, our Manager
may decide to use the net
proceeds to pay off our
short-term debt or invest
the net proceeds in
interest-bearing
short-term investments,
including funds which are
consistent with our REIT
election. These
investments are expected
to provide a lower net
return than we seek to
achieve from our target
assets. Prior to the time
we have fully used the
net proceeds of this
offering to acquire our
target assets, we may
fund our quarterly
distributions out of such
net proceeds. |
S-2
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Distribution Policy
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We intend to continue to
make regular quarterly
distributions to holders
of our common stock in an
amount equal to at least
90% of our taxable
income. United States federal
income tax law generally
requires that a REIT
distribute annually at
least 90% of its REIT
taxable income,
determined without regard
to the deduction for
dividends paid and
excluding net capital
gains, and that it pay
tax at regular corporate
rates on its
undistributed taxable
income.
Any distributions we make
are at the discretion of
our board of directors
and depend upon, among
other things, our actual
results of operations.
These results and our
ability to continue to
pay distributions will be
affected by various
factors, including the
net interest and other
income from our
portfolio, our operating
expenses and any other
expenditures. |
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New York Stock Exchange symbol
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IVR |
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Risk Factors
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Investing in our common
stock involves a high
degree of risk. You
should carefully read and
consider the information
set forth under the
headings Item 1A. Risk
Factors beginning on
page 14 of our Annual
Report on Form 10-K for
the year ended December
31, 2009 and Item 1A.
Risk Factors beginning
on page 38 of our
Quarterly Report on Form
10-Q for the quarter
ended June 30, 2010 and
beginning on page 41 of
our Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q for the quarter
ended September 30, 2010
and all other information
in this prospectus
supplement and the
accompanying prospectus
before investing in our
common stock. |
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(1) |
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We have granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to 1,305,000 additional
shares of our common stock. Unless otherwise indicated, all amounts in this prospectus
supplement assume no exercise of the underwriters option. |
S-3
USE OF PROCEEDS
Our net
proceeds from the sale of the common stock will be approximately
$186.1 million, after
deducting underwriting discounts and estimated offering expenses. If the underwriters
over-allotment option is exercised in full, our net proceeds from the offering will be
approximately $214.0 million, after deducting underwriting discounts and estimated offering
expenses.
We plan to use all of the net proceeds from this offering to purchase Agency RMBS, non-Agency
RMBS, CMBS and certain residential and commercial mortgage loans and
to invest in the Invesco PPIP
Fund, in each case subject to our investment guidelines and to the extent consistent with
maintaining our REIT qualification and other general corporate
purposes. In determining the allocation of net proceeds from this
offering among various asset classes, we will consider market opportunities presented at the time
we deploy proceeds. We believe that current market conditions present favorable opportunities in
the Agency RMBS market, and, if those opportunities continue to exist at the time that we deploy
net proceeds from this offering, we may allocate a greater percent of the net proceeds to purchase Agency RMBS than we
historically have allocated to Agency RMBS in our portfolio as a whole. We also believe that
current market conditions may support an opportunity to purchase non-Agency RMBS using two to three
times leverage, as compared to the one to two times leverage for our current non-Agency RMBS.
Our Manager will make the final determinations as to the percentage of our equity that will be
invested in, as well as the appropriate amounts of leverage that we maintain in respect of, each of
our target assets and asset classes. Our Managers determinations will depend upon then prevailing
market conditions and may change over time in response to opportunities available in different
interest rate, economic and credit environments. Until appropriate assets can be identified, our
Manager may decide to use the net proceeds to pay off our short-term debt or invest the net
proceeds in interest-bearing short-term investments, including funds which are consistent with our
REIT election. These investments are expected to provide a lower net return than we seek to achieve
from our target assets. Prior to the time we have fully used the net proceeds of this offering to
acquire our target assets, we may fund our quarterly distributions out of such net proceeds.
S-4
CAPITALIZATION
The following table sets forth our capitalization at
September 30, 2010 (1) on an actual basis, (2) as adjusted to reflect our sale of 13,800,000 shares of common stock in the October
2010 Offering and (3) as further adjusted to give effect to the
sale of 8,700,000 shares of our
common stock in this offering at the offering price of $22.30 per share, after deducting the
underwriting discount and estimated offering expenses. You should read this table together with our
consolidated financial statements and the related notes incorporated by reference in this
prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.
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As of September 30, 2010 |
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(Dollars in thousands) |
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As Adjusted for the |
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October 2010 |
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As Further Adjusted |
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Actual |
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Offering |
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for this Offering(1) |
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Shareholders equity: |
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Common stock, par value $0.01 per share; 450,000,000
shares authorized,
and 26,046,767 shares issued and
outstanding, actual and 39,847,682
shares outstanding, as adjusted, and
48,549,190 shares outstanding, as
further adjusted(2) |
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$ |
260 |
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$ |
398 |
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$ |
485 |
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Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share; 50,000,000
shares authorized
and 0 shares issued and outstanding,
actual and 0 shares outstanding, as
adjusted and 0 shares outstanding, as further adjusted |
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Additional paid in capital |
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514,423 |
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788,981 |
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974,944 |
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Accumulated other comprehensive income |
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10,511 |
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10,511 |
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10,511 |
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Retained Earnings |
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771 |
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771 |
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771 |
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Total shareholders equity |
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$ |
525,965 |
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$ |
800,661 |
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$ |
986,711 |
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Noncontrolling interests |
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31,113 |
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31,113 |
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31,113 |
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Total capitalization |
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$ |
557,078 |
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$ |
831,774 |
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$ |
1,017,824 |
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(1) |
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Does not include the underwriters option to purchase up to 1,305,000 additional shares. |
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(2) |
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Includes 1,503 shares issued under our director compensation plan and 5 shares
from our Dividend Reinvestment and Share Purchase Plan issued in November 2010. |
S-5
UNDERWRITING
Subject to the terms and conditions of the underwriting agreement, the underwriters named
below, through their representatives Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Wells
Fargo Securities, LLC, have severally agreed to purchase from us the following respective number of
shares of common stock at a public offering price less the underwriting discounts and commissions
set forth on the cover page of this prospectus supplement:
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Number of |
Underwriter |
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Shares |
Merrill
Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated |
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3,480,000 |
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Wells Fargo Securities, LLC |
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3,480,000 |
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Credit
Suisse Securities (USA) LLC |
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870,000 |
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Morgan
Stanley & Co. Incorporated |
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870,000 |
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Total |
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8,700,000 |
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The underwriting agreement provides that the obligations of the several underwriters to
purchase the shares of common stock offered hereby are subject to certain conditions precedent and
that the underwriters will purchase all of the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus
supplement, other than those covered by the over-allotment option described below, if any of these
shares are purchased.
We have been advised by the representatives of the underwriters that the underwriters propose
to offer the shares of common stock to the public at the public offering price set forth on the
cover of this prospectus supplement and to dealers at a price that represents a concession not in
excess of $0.53 per share under the public offering price. After the initial public offering, the representatives of the underwriters may change
the offering price and other selling terms.
We have granted to the underwriters an option, exercisable not later than 30 days after the
date of this prospectus supplement, to purchase up to 1,305,000 additional shares of common stock
at the public offering price less the underwriting discounts and commissions set forth on the cover
page of this prospectus supplement. The underwriters may exercise this option only to cover
over-allotments made in connection with the sale of the common stock offered by this prospectus
supplement. To the extent that the underwriters exercise this option, each of the underwriters will
become obligated, subject to conditions, to purchase approximately the same percentage of these
additional shares of common stock as the number of shares of common stock to be purchased by it in
the above table bears to the total number of shares of common stock offered by this prospectus
supplement. We will be obligated to sell these additional shares of common stock to the
underwriters to the extent the option is exercised. If any additional shares of common stock are
purchased, the underwriters will offer the additional shares on the same terms as those on which
the shares are being offered.
The underwriting discounts and commissions per share are equal to the public offering price
per share of common stock less the amount paid by the underwriters to us per share of common stock.
We have agreed to pay the underwriters the following discounts and commissions, assuming either no
exercise or full exercise by the underwriters of the underwriters over-allotment option:
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Total Fees |
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Without Exercise |
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With Full Exercise |
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Fee per |
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of the Over- |
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of the Over- |
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Share |
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Allotment Option |
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Allotment Option |
Discounts and commissions |
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$ |
0.892 |
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$ |
7,760,400 |
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$ |
8,924,460 |
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In addition, we estimate that our share of the total expenses of this offering, excluding
underwriting discounts and commissions, will be approximately $200,000.
S-6
We and our operating partnership have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against some
specified types of liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, and to contribute
to payments the underwriters may be required to make in respect of any of these liabilities.
We, each of our directors and executive officers, our Manager and certain officers of our
Manager and Invesco Investments (Bermuda) Ltd. have agreed not to offer, sell, contract to sell or
otherwise dispose of or hedge, or enter into any transaction that is designed to, or could be
expected to, result in the disposition of any shares of our common stock or other securities
convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for shares of our common stock or derivatives of
our common stock owned by us or any of these persons prior to this offering for a period of 60 days
after the date of this prospectus supplement without the prior written consent of Merrill Lynch,
Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC. However, each of our
directors and executive officers and certain officers of our Manager may transfer or dispose of our
shares during this 60-day lock-up period in the case of gifts or for estate planning purposes
where the donee agrees to a similar lock-up agreement for the remainder of the 60-day lock-up
period. In addition, we may issue shares pursuant to our Dividend Reinvestment and Share Purchase
Plan during this 60-day lock-up period.
In the event that either (1) during the last 17 days of the 60-day lock-up period described
in the preceding paragraph, we release earnings results or material news or a material event
relating to us occurs, or (2) prior to the expiration of the 60-day lock-up period, we announce
that we will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the
60-day lock-up period, then, in either case, the expiration of the 60-day lock-up period will
be extended to the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the date of the release of the
earnings results or the occurrence of the material news or event, as applicable, unless Merrill
Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC waive, in writing, such
an extension.
There are no agreements between Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated or Wells
Fargo Securities, LLC and any of our shareholders or affiliates releasing them from these lock-up
agreements prior to the expiration of the 60-day lock-up period.
In connection with the offering, the underwriters may purchase and sell shares of our common
stock in the open market. These transactions may include short sales, purchases to cover positions
created by short sales and stabilizing transactions.
Short sales involve the sale by the underwriters of a greater number of shares than they are
required to purchase in the offering. Covered short sales are sales made in an amount not greater
than the underwriters option to purchase additional shares of common stock from us in the
offering. The underwriters may close out any covered short position by either exercising their
option to purchase additional shares or purchasing shares in the open market. In determining the
source of shares to close out the covered short position, the underwriters will consider, among
other things, the price of shares available for purchase in the open market as compared to the
price at which they may purchase shares through the over-allotment option.
Naked short sales are any sales in excess of the over-allotment option. The underwriters must
close out any naked short position by purchasing shares in the open market. A naked short position
is more likely to be created if underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on
the price of the shares in the open market prior to the completion of the offering.
Stabilizing transactions consist of various bids for or purchases of our common stock made by
the underwriters in the open market prior to the completion of the offering.
The underwriters may impose a penalty bid. This occurs when a particular underwriter repays to
the other underwriters a portion of the underwriting discount received by it because the
representatives of the underwriters have repurchased shares sold by or for the account of that
underwriter in stabilizing or short covering transactions.
Purchases to cover a short position and stabilizing transactions may have the effect of
preventing or slowing a decline in the market price of our common stock. Additionally, these
purchases, along with the imposition of the penalty bid, may stabilize, maintain or otherwise
affect the market price of our common stock. As a result, the
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price of our common stock may be higher than the price that might otherwise exist in the open
market. These transactions may be effected on the NYSE or otherwise.
A prospectus in electronic format may be made available on web sites maintained by one or more
underwriters. Other than the prospectus in electronic format, the information on any underwriters
web site and any information contained in any other web site maintained by an underwriter is not
part of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus.
In
the ordinary course of their businesses, the underwriters and their
respective affiliates may engage in
financial transactions with, and perform investment banking, lending, asset management and/or
financial advisory services for us and/or our affiliates (including, but not limited to Invesco and
our Manager). They receive customary fees and reimbursements of expenses for these transactions and
services.
In addition, in the ordinary course of their various 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 (including bank
loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers and such investment and
securities activities may involve our securities and/or instruments.
We have entered into master repurchase agreements and/or interest rate swap agreements with
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and/or its
affiliates, Wells Fargo
Securities, LLC and/or its affiliates, Credit Suisse Securities (USA)
LLC and/or its affiliates and Morgan
Stanley & Co. Incorporated and/or its affiliates, in each case for the financing of our acquisitions of
Agency, non-Agency RMBS and CMBS and hedging of interest rate volatility.
No action has been taken in any jurisdiction (except in the U.S.) that would permit a public
offering of the shares of common stock, or the possession, circulation or distribution of this
prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or any other material relating to us or the
shares of common stock in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. Accordingly,
the shares of common stock may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, and none of this
prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or any other offering material or advertisements
in connection with the shares of common stock may be distributed or published, in or from any
country or jurisdiction except in compliance with any applicable rules and regulations of any such
country or jurisdiction.
Each of the underwriters may arrange to sell shares of common stock offered hereby in certain
jurisdictions outside the U.S., either directly or through affiliates, where they are permitted to
do so. In that regard, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC may arrange to sell shares in certain
jurisdictions through an affiliate, Wells Fargo Securities International Limited, or WFSIL. WFSIL
is a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of Wells Fargo & Company and an affiliate of Wells Fargo
Securities, LLC. WFSIL is a U.K. incorporated investment firm regulated by the Financial Services
Authority. Wells Fargo Securities is the trade name for certain corporate and investment banking
services of Wells Fargo & Company and its affiliates, including Wells Fargo Securities, LLC and
WFSIL.
Notice to Prospective Investors in the EEA
In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area which has implemented the
Prospectus Directive (each, a Relevant Member State) an offer to the public of any securities
which are the subject of the offering contemplated by this Prospectus (the Shares) may not be
made in that Relevant Member State except that an offer to the public in that Relevant Member State
of any shares may be made at any time under the following exemptions under the Prospectus
Directive, if they have been implemented in that Relevant Member State:
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to legal entities which are authorised or regulated to operate in the financial
markets or, if not so authorised or regulated, whose corporate purpose is solely to
invest in securities; |
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to any legal entity which has two or more of (1) an average of at least 250
employees during the last financial year; (2) a total balance sheet of more than
43,000,000 and (3) an annual net turnover of more than 50,000,000, as shown in its
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by the Managers to fewer than 100 natural or legal persons (other than
qualified investors as defined in the Prospectus Directive) subject to obtaining the
prior consent of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated for any such offer;
or |
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in any other circumstances falling within Article 3(2) of the Prospectus
Directive, |
provided that no such offer of shares shall result in a requirement for the publication by Invesco
Mortgage Capital Inc. or any manager of a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus
Directive.
Any person making or intending to make any offer of securities within the EEA should only do
so in circumstances in which no obligation arises for us or any of the underwriters to produce a
prospectus for such offer. Neither we nor the underwriters have authorized, nor do they authorize,
the making of any offer of securities through any financial intermediary, other than offers made by
the underwriters which constitute the final offering of securities contemplated in this Prospectus.
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For the purposes of this provision, the expression an offer to the public in relation to any
shares in any Relevant Member State means the communication in any form and by any means of
sufficient information on the terms of the offer and any shares to be offered so as to enable an
investor to decide to purchase any shares, as the same may be varied in that Member State by any
measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that Member State and the expression Prospectus
Directive means Directive 2003/71/EC and includes any relevant implementing measure in each
Relevant Member State.
Each person in a Relevant Member State who receives any communication in respect of, or who
acquires any securities under, the offer of securities contemplated by this prospectus will be
deemed to have represented, warranted and agreed to and with us and each underwriter that:
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it is a qualified investor within the meaning of the law in that Relevant
Member State implementing Article 2(1)(e) of the Prospectus Directive; and |
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in the case of any securities acquired by it as a financial intermediary, as
that term is used in Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive, (i) the securities
acquired by it in the offering have not been acquired on behalf of, nor have they been
acquired with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in any Relevant Member State
other than qualified investors (as defined in the Prospectus Directive), or in
circumstances in which the prior consent of the representatives has been given to the
offer or resale; or (ii) where securities have been acquired by it on behalf of persons
in any Relevant Member State other than qualified investors, the offer of those
securities to it is not treated under the Prospectus Directive as having been made to
such persons. |
In addition, in the United Kingdom, this document is being distributed only to, and is
directed only at, and any offer subsequently made may only be directed at persons who are
qualified investors (as defined in the Prospectus Directive) (i) who have professional experience
in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19 (5) of the Financial Services and
Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the Order) and/or (ii) who are
high net worth companies (or persons to whom it may otherwise be lawfully communicated) falling
within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as
relevant persons). This document must not be acted on or relied on in the United Kingdom by
persons who are not relevant persons. In the United Kingdom, any investment or investment activity
to which this document relates is only available to, and will be engaged in with, relevant persons.
Notice to Prospective Investors in Switzerland
We have not and will not register with the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority
(FINMA) as a foreign collective investment scheme pursuant to Article 119 of the Federal Act on
Collective Investment Scheme of 23 June 2006, as amended (CISA), and accordingly the securities
being offered pursuant to this Prospectus have not and will not be approved, and may not be
licenseable, with FINMA. Therefore, the securities have not been authorized for distribution by
FINMA as a foreign collective investment scheme pursuant to Article 119 CISA and the securities
offered hereby may not be offered to the public (as this term is defined in Article 3 CISA) in or
from Switzerland. The securities may solely be offered to qualified investors, as this term is
defined in Article 10 CISA, and in the circumstances set out in Article 3 of the Ordinance on
Collective Investment Scheme of 22 November 2006, as amended (CISO), such that there is no public
offer. Investors, however, do not benefit from protection under CISA or CISO or supervision by
FINMA. This Prospectus and any other materials relating to the securities are strictly personal
and confidential to each offeree and do not constitute an offer to any other person. This
Prospectus may only be used by those qualified investors to whom it has been handed out in
connection with the offer described herein and may neither directly or indirectly be distributed or
made available to any person or entity other than its recipients. It may not be used in connection
with any other offer and shall in particular not be copied and/or distributed to the public in
Switzerland or from Switzerland. This Prospectus does not constitute an issue prospectus as that
term is understood pursuant to Article 652a and/or 1156 of the Swiss Federal Code of Obligations.
We have not applied for a listing of the securities on the SIX Swiss Exchange or any other
regulated securities market in Switzerland, and consequently, the information presented in this
Prospectus does not necessarily comply with the information standards set out in the listing rules
of the SIX Swiss Exchange and corresponding prospectus schemes annexed to the listing rules of the
SIX Swiss Exchange.
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Notice to Prospective Investors in the Dubai International Financial Centre
This offering memorandum relates to an Exempt Offer in accordance with the Offered Securities
Rules of the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA). This offering memorandum is intended for
distribution only to persons of a type specified in the Offered Securities Rules of the DFSA. It
must not be delivered to, or relied on by, any other person. The DFSA has no responsibility for
reviewing or verifying any documents in connection with Exempt Offers. The DFSA has not approved
this offering memorandum nor taken steps to verify the information set forth herein and has no
responsibility for the offering memorandum. The securities to which this offering memorandum
relates may be illiquid and/or subject to restrictions on their resale. Prospective purchasers of
the securities offered should conduct their own due diligence on the securities. If you do not
understand the contents of this offering memorandum you should consult an authorized financial
advisor.
S-10
LEGAL MATTERS
Certain legal matters relating to this offering will be passed upon for us by Alston & Bird
LLP, Atlanta, Georgia. Certain legal matters relating to this offering will be passed upon for the
underwriters by Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, New York, New York. As to certain matters
of Maryland law, Alston & Bird LLP may rely on the opinion of Venable LLP, Baltimore, Maryland.
EXPERTS
The financial statements incorporated by reference in this prospectus and elsewhere in the
registration statement have been incorporated by reference in reliance upon the report of Grant
Thornton LLP, independent registered public accountants, upon the authority of said firm as experts
in accounting and auditing.
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PROSPECTUS
Invesco Mortgage Capital Inc.
$1,000,000,000
Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Depositary Shares, Warrants,
Shareholder Rights, Debt Securities and Units
By this prospectus, we may offer, from time to time:
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shares of our common stock, |
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shares of our preferred stock, |
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depositary shares representing shares of our preferred stock, |
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warrants to purchase shares of our common stock, preferred stock or depositary shares, |
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rights issuable to our shareholders to purchase shares of our common stock or preferred
stock, to purchase warrants exercisable for shares of our common stock or preferred stock,
or to purchase units consisting of two or more of the foregoing, |
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debt securities, which may consist of debentures, notes, or other types of debt, and |
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units consisting of two or more of the foregoing. |
We will provide specific terms of each issuance of these securities in supplements to this
prospectus. We may offer and sell these securities to or through one or more underwriters, dealers
and agents, or directly to purchasers, on a continuous or delayed basis. In addition, selling
securityholders may sell these securities, from time to time, on terms described in the applicable
prospectus supplement. You should read this prospectus and any supplement carefully before you
decide to invest. This prospectus may not be used to consummate sales of these securities unless it
is accompanied by a prospectus supplement.
The New York Stock Exchange, or NYSE, lists our common stock under the symbol IVR.
To assist us in qualifying as a real estate investment trust, or REIT, for federal income tax
purposes, no person may own more than 9.8% by value or number of shares, whichever is more
restrictive, of our outstanding shares of common stock, unless our board of directors waives this
limitation.
Our principal office is located at Two Peachtree Pointe, 1555 Peachtree Street N.E., Atlanta,
Georgia 30309. Our telephone number is (404) 892-0896.
Investing in our securities involves risk. You should carefully consider the information referred
to under the heading Risk Factors beginning on page 4 before you invest.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or
disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any
representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this prospectus is September 10, 2010.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS |
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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS |
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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION |
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INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE |
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INVESCO MORTGAGE CAPITAL INC. |
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RISK FACTORS |
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USE OF PROCEEDS |
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RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES |
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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK |
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DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES |
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DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS |
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DESCRIPTION OF SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS |
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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES |
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DESCRIPTION OF UNITS |
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RESTRICTIONS ON OWNERSHIP AND TRANSFER |
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CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE MARYLAND GENERAL
CORPORATION LAW AND OUR CHARTER AND BYLAWS |
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U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS |
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SELLING SECURITYHOLDERS |
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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION |
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LEGAL MATTERS |
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EXPERTS |
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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, or SEC or Commission, using a shelf registration process. Under this shelf
registration process, we may sell the securities described in this prospectus in one or more
offerings. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer.
Each time we offer to sell securities, we will provide a supplement to this prospectus that will
contain specific information about the terms of that offering. The prospectus supplement may also
add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. It is important for you to consider
the information contained in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with additional
information described under the heading Where You Can Find More Information.
You should rely only on the information incorporated by reference or set forth in this
prospectus or the applicable prospectus supplement. We have not authorized anyone else to provide
you with additional or different information. You should not assume that the information in this
prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement or any other offering material is accurate as of
any date other than the dates on the front of those documents.
When used in this prospectus, the terms company, issuer, we, our, and us refer to
Invesco Mortgage Capital Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries, unless otherwise specified.
Invesco refers to Invesco Ltd., together with its consolidated subsidiaries (other than us),
which is the indirect parent company of Invesco Advisers, Inc. (formerly Invesco Institutional
(N.A.), Inc.), our external manager.
1
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
We make forward-looking statements in this prospectus and other filings we make with the SEC
within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act,
and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, and such
statements are intended to be covered by the safe harbor provided by the same. Forward-looking
statements are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to
predict and are generally beyond our control. These forward-looking statements include information
about possible or assumed future results of our business, financial condition, liquidity, results
of operations, plans and objectives. When we use the words believe, expect, anticipate,
estimate, plan, continue, intend, should, may or similar expressions, we intend to
identify forward-looking statements. Statements regarding the following subjects, among others, may
be forward-looking:
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use of proceeds of this offering; |
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our business and investment strategy; |
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our investment portfolio; |
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our projected operating results; |
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actions and initiatives of the U.S. government and changes to U.S. government
policies; |
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our ability to obtain additional financing arrangements; |
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financing and advance rates for our target assets; |
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our expected leverage; |
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general volatility of the securities markets in which we invest; |
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our expected investments; |
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interest rate mismatches between our target assets and our borrowings used to fund
such investments; |
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changes in interest rates and the market value of our target assets; |
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changes in prepayment rates on our target assets; |
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effects of hedging instruments on our target assets; |
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rates of default or decreased recovery rates on our target assets; |
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modifications to whole loans or loans underlying securities; |
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the degree to which our hedging strategies may or may not protect us from interest
rate volatility; |
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changes in governmental regulations, tax law and rates, and similar matters; |
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our ability to qualify as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes; |
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our ability to maintain our exclusion from the definition of investment company
under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended; |
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availability of investment opportunities in mortgage-related, real estate-related
and other securities; |
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availability of qualified personnel; |
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estimates relating to our ability to continue to make distributions to our
shareholders in the future; |
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our understanding of our competition; and |
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market trends in our industry, interest rates, real estate values, the debt
securities markets or the general economy. |
The forward-looking statements are based on our beliefs, assumptions and expectations of our
future performance, taking into account all information currently available to us. You should not
place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. These beliefs, assumptions and
expectations can change as a result of many possible events or factors, not all of which are known
to us. Some of these factors are described in this prospectus in the information referred to under
the heading Risk Factors. If a change occurs, our business, financial condition, liquidity and
results of operations may vary materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements.
Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made. New risks and
uncertainties arise over time, and it is not possible for us to predict those events or how they
may affect us. Except as required by law, we are not obligated to, and do not intend to, update or
revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise.
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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the
SEC. The public may read and copy any materials we file with the SEC at the SECs Public Reference
Room at 100 F Street, N.E, Washington, D.C. 20549. The public may obtain information on the
operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. The SEC maintains an
Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information
regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC. The address of that site is
http://www.sec.gov. Our common stock is listed on the NYSE under the symbol IVR, and all
such reports, proxy statements and other information filed by us with the NYSE may be inspected at
the NYSEs offices at 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005. Finally, we maintain an Internet
site where you can find additional information. The address of our Internet site is
http://www.invescomortgagecapital.com. All internet addresses provided in this prospectus
or in any accompanying prospectus supplement are for informational purposes only and are not
intended to be hyperlinks. In addition, the information on our Internet site, or any other Internet
site described herein, is not a part of, and is not incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by
reference in, this prospectus or any accompanying prospectus supplement or other offering
materials.
We have filed a registration statement, of which this prospectus is a part, covering the
securities offered hereby. As allowed by SEC rules, this prospectus does not contain all of the
information set forth in the registration statement and the exhibits thereto. We refer you to the
registration statement and the exhibits thereto for further information. This prospectus is
qualified in its entirety by such other information.
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
The SECs rules allow us to incorporate by reference information into this prospectus, which
means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed
separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is deemed to be part of this
prospectus from the date of filing those documents. Any reports filed by us with the SEC on or
after the date of this prospectus will automatically update and, where applicable, supersede any
information contained in this prospectus or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. We have
filed the documents listed below with the SEC under the Exchange Act, and these documents are
incorporated herein by reference (other than information in such documents that is furnished and
not deemed to be filed):
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Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009, filed on March 24,
2010, and Amendment No. 1 thereto on Form 10-K/A, filed on April 29, 2010; |
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Our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2010, filed on May
14, 2010, and for the quarter ended June 30, 2010, filed on August 13, 2010; |
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Our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on May 12, 2010; and |
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The description of our common stock included in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A
dated June 18, 2009. |
All documents we file pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act on or
after the date of this prospectus and prior to the termination of the offering of the securities to
which this prospectus relates (other than information in such documents that is furnished and not
deemed to be filed) shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus and to be
part hereof from the date of filing of those documents. All documents we file pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of the initial registration statement
that contains this prospectus and prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement shall be
deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus and to be part hereof from the date of
filing those documents.
We will provide to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a copy of this
prospectus is delivered, a copy of any or all of the information that has been incorporated by
reference in this prospectus but not delivered with this prospectus (other than the exhibits to
such documents which are not specifically incorporated by reference therein); we will provide this
information at no cost to the requester upon written or oral request to Office of the Secretary,
Invesco Mortgage Capital Inc., Two Peachtree Pointe, 1555 Peachtree Street N.E., Atlanta, Georgia
30309; Tel.: (404) 892-0896; E-mail: company.secretary@invescomortgagecapital.com.
3
INVESCO MORTGAGE CAPITAL INC.
Invesco Mortgage Capital Inc. is a Maryland corporation focused on investing in, financing and
managing residential and commercial mortgage-backed securities and mortgage loans. We invest in
residential mortgage-backed securities for which a U.S. government agency or a federally chartered
corporation guarantees payments of principal and interest on the securities. In addition, we invest
in residential mortgage-backed securities that are not issued or guaranteed by a U.S. government
agency, commercial mortgage-backed securities and mortgage loans. We generally finance our agency
and non-agency residential mortgage-backed securities through repurchase agreement financing. We
have financed our investments in commercial mortgage-backed securities with financings under the
U.S. governments Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility. We have also financed, and may do so
again in the future, our investments in commercial mortgage-backed securities with private
financing sources. We have also financed our investments in certain non-agency residential
mortgage-backed securities, commercial mortgage-backed securities and residential and commercial
mortgage loans by contributing capital to one or more of the legacy securities public-private
investment funds that receive financing under the U.S. governments Public-Private Investment
Program. We are externally managed and advised by Invesco Advisers, Inc., a Delaware corporation
and an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Invesco Ltd., an independent global investment company
listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: IVZ).
We intend to elect and qualify to be taxed as a real estate investment trust for U.S. federal
income tax purposes, commencing with our taxable year ended December 31, 2009. To assist us in
qualifying as a real estate investment trust, among other purposes, shareholders are generally
restricted from owning more than 9.8% by value or number of shares, whichever is more restrictive,
of our outstanding shares of common stock. Different ownership limits apply to Invesco Ltd. and its
direct and indirect subsidiaries, including but not limited to Invesco Advisers, Inc. and Invesco
Investments (Bermuda) Ltd. In addition, our charter contains various other restrictions on the
ownership and transfer of our common stock. See Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer.
RISK FACTORS
Investing in our securities involves risks. You should carefully consider the risks described
under Risk Factors in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent Quarterly
Reports on Form 10-Q (which descriptions are incorporated by reference herein), as well as the
other information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or in any prospectus
supplement hereto before making a decision to invest in our securities. See Where You Can Find
More Information, above.
USE OF PROCEEDS
Unless otherwise indicated in an accompanying prospectus supplement, we intend to use the net
proceeds from the sale of the securities offered by this prospectus and the related accompanying
prospectus supplement for the purchase of mortgage-backed securities and for general corporate
purposes. Unless otherwise indicated in an accompanying prospectus supplement, we will not receive
any proceeds from the sale of securities by selling securityholders.
RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
Our ratio of earnings to fixed charges for each of the periods indicated is as follows:
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Six
Months
Ended
June 30, 2010 |
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Year Ended December 31, |
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2009 |
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2008 |
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2007 |
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2006 |
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Ratio of earnings to fixed charges
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4.3x
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4.3x
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N/A
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N/A
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N/A |
4
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
The following is a summary of the rights and preferences of our capital stock. While we
believe that the following description covers the material terms of our capital stock, the
description may not contain all of the information that is important to you. We encourage you to
read carefully this entire prospectus, our charter and bylaws and the other documents we refer to
for a more complete understanding of our capital stock. Copies of our charter and bylaws are listed
as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. See Where You Can
Find More Information.
General
Our charter provides that we may issue up to 450,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.01
par value per share, and 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.01 par value per share. Our
charter authorizes our board of directors to amend our charter to increase or decrease the
aggregate number of authorized shares of stock or the number of shares of stock of any class or
series without shareholder approval. Under Maryland law, shareholders are not generally liable for
our debts or obligations.
Shares of Common Stock
All shares of common stock offered by this prospectus will be duly authorized, validly
issued, fully paid and nonassessable. Subject to the preferential rights of any other class or
series of shares of stock and to the provisions of our charter regarding the restrictions on
ownership and transfer of shares of stock, holders of shares of common stock are entitled to
receive dividends on such shares of common stock out of assets legally available therefor if, as
and when authorized by our board of directors and declared by us, and the holders of our shares of
common stock 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 our known debts and liabilities.
The shares of common stock that we are offering will be issued by us and do not represent
any interest in or obligation of Invesco or any of its affiliates. Further, the shares are not a
deposit or other obligation of any bank, are not an insurance policy of any insurance company and
are not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or FDIC, any other
governmental agency or any insurance company. The shares of common stock will not benefit from any
insurance guarantee association coverage or any similar protection.
Subject to the provisions of our charter regarding the restrictions on ownership and
transfer of shares of stock and except as may otherwise be specified in the terms of any class or
series of shares of common stock, each outstanding share of common stock entitles the holder to one
vote on all matters submitted to a vote of shareholders, including the election of directors, and,
except as provided with respect to any other class or series of shares of stock, the holders of
such shares of common stock will possess the exclusive voting power. There is no cumulative voting
in the election of our board of directors, which means that the holders of a majority of the
outstanding shares of common stock can elect all of the directors then standing for election, and
the holders of the remaining shares will not be able to elect any directors.
Holders of shares of common stock have no preference, conversion, exchange, sinking fund
or redemption rights, have no preemptive rights to subscribe for any securities of our company and
generally have no appraisal rights unless our board of directors determines that appraisal rights
apply, with respect to all or any classes or series of stock, to one or more transactions occurring
after the date of such determination in connection with which holders of such shares would
otherwise be entitled to exercise appraisal rights. Subject to the provisions of our charter
regarding the restrictions on ownership and transfer of shares of stock, shares of common stock
will have equal dividend, liquidation and other rights.
Under the Maryland General Corporation Law, or MGCL, a Maryland corporation generally cannot
dissolve, amend its charter, merge with another entity, sell or transfer all or substantially all
of its assets or engage in similar transactions outside the ordinary course of business unless
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 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 corporations charter. Our
charter provides that these matters (other than certain amendments to the provisions of our charter
related to the removal of directors and the restrictions on ownership and transfer of our shares of
stock) may be approved by a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.
5
Power to Reclassify Our Unissued Shares of Stock
Our charter authorizes our board of directors to classify and reclassify any unissued
shares of common or preferred stock into other classes or series of shares of stock. Prior to
issuance of shares of each class or series, our board of directors is required by Maryland law and
by our charter to set, subject to our charter restrictions on ownership and transfer of shares of
stock, the terms, preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations
as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications and terms or conditions of redemption for
each class or series. Therefore, our board of directors could authorize the issuance of shares of
common or preferred stock 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 shares of common stock or otherwise be in the best interest of our shareholders. No shares
of preferred stock are presently outstanding, and we have no present plans to issue any shares of
preferred stock.
Power to Increase or Decrease Authorized Shares of Stock and Issue Additional Shares of Common and Preferred Stock
We believe that the power of our board of directors to amend our charter to increase or
decrease the number of authorized shares of stock or the number of shares of stock of any class or
series that we have authority to issue, to issue additional authorized but unissued shares of
common or preferred stock and to classify or reclassify unissued shares of common or preferred
stock and thereafter to issue such classified or reclassified shares of stock will provide us with
increased flexibility in structuring possible future financings and acquisitions and in meeting
other needs that might arise. The additional classes or series, as well as the shares of common
stock, 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 directors 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 shares of common stock or otherwise be in
the best interest of our shareholders.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our shares of common stock is Mellon Investor
Services LLC.
Shares of Preferred Stock
The following description sets forth general terms and provisions of the preferred stock
to which any prospectus supplement may relate. The statements below describing the preferred stock
are in all respects subject to and qualified in their entirety by reference to our charter, as
amended and restated, bylaws, as amended and restated, and any articles supplementary to our
charter, designating terms of a series of preferred stock. The preferred stock, when issued, will
be validly issued, fully paid, and non-assessable. Because our board of directors has the power to
establish the preferences, powers and rights of each series of preferred stock, our board of
directors may afford the holders of any series of preferred stock preferences, powers and rights,
voting or otherwise, senior to the rights of common shareholders.
The rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions of each series of preferred stock will be
fixed by the articles supplementary to our charter relating to the series. A prospectus supplement,
relating to each series, will specify the terms of the preferred stock, as follows:
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the title and stated value of the preferred stock; |
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the voting rights of the preferred stock, if applicable; |
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the preemptive rights of the preferred stock, if applicable; |
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the restrictions on alienability of the preferred stock, if applicable; |
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the number of shares offered, the liquidation preference per share and the offering
price of the shares; |
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liability to further calls or assessment of the preferred stock, if applicable; |
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the dividend rate(s), period(s) and payment date(s) or method(s) of calculation
applicable to the preferred stock; |
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the date from which dividends on the preferred stock will accumulate, if applicable; |
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the procedures for any auction and remarketing for the preferred stock; |
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the provision for a sinking fund, if any, for the preferred stock; |
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the provision for and any restriction on redemption, if applicable, of the preferred
stock; |
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the provision for and any restriction on repurchase, if applicable, of the preferred
stock; |
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any listing of the preferred stock on any securities exchange; |
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the terms and provisions, if any, upon which the preferred stock will be convertible
into common stock, including the conversion price (or manner of calculation) and conversion
period; |
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the terms under which the rights of the preferred stock may be modified, if applicable; |
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any other specific terms, preferences, rights, limitations or restrictions of the
preferred stock; |
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a discussion of certain material federal income tax considerations applicable to the
preferred stock; |
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the relative ranking and preferences of the preferred stock as to dividend rights and
rights upon the liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of our affairs; |
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any limitation on issuance of any series of preferred stock ranking senior to or on a
parity with the series of preferred stock as to dividend rights and rights upon the
liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of our affairs; and |
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any limitations on direct or beneficial ownership and restrictions on transfer of the
preferred stock, in each case as may be appropriate to preserve our qualification as a
REIT. |
DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES
General
We may issue depositary shares, each of which would represent a fractional interest of a share
of a particular series of preferred stock. We will deposit shares of preferred stock represented by
depositary shares under a separate deposit agreement among the company, a preferred stock
depositary and the holders of the depositary shares. Subject to the terms of the deposit agreement,
each owner of a depositary share will possess, in proportion to the fractional interest of a share
of preferred stock represented by the depositary share, all the rights and preferences of the
preferred stock represented by the depositary shares.
Depositary receipts will evidence the depositary shares issued pursuant to the deposit
agreement. Immediately after the company issues and delivers preferred stock to a preferred stock
depositary, the preferred stock depositary will issue the depositary receipts.
Dividends and Other Distributions
The depositary will distribute all cash dividends on the preferred stock to the record holders
of the depositary shares. Holders of depositary shares generally must file proofs, certificates and
other information and pay charges and expenses of the depositary in connection with distributions.
If a distribution on the preferred stock is other than in cash and it is feasible for the
depositary to distribute the property it receives, the depositary will distribute the property to
the record holders of the depositary shares. If such a distribution is not feasible, the
depositary, with our approval, may sell the property and distribute the net proceeds from the sale
to the holders of the depositary shares.
7
Withdrawal of Stock
Unless we have previously called the underlying preferred stock for redemption or the holder
of the depositary shares has converted such shares, a holder of depositary shares may surrender
them at the corporate trust office of the depositary in exchange for whole or fractional shares of
the underlying preferred stock together with any money or other property represented by the
depositary shares. Once a holder has exchanged the depositary shares, the holder may not redeposit
the preferred stock and receive depositary shares again. If a depositary receipt presented for
exchange into preferred stock represents more shares of preferred stock than the number to be
withdrawn, the depositary will deliver a new depositary receipt for the excess number of depositary
shares.
Redemption of Depositary Shares
Whenever we redeem shares of preferred stock held by a depositary, the depositary will redeem
the corresponding amount of depositary shares with funds it receives from us for the preferred
stock. The depositary will notify the record holders of the depositary shares to be redeemed not
less than 30 days nor more than 60 days before the date fixed for redemption at the holders
addresses appearing in the depositarys books. The redemption price per depositary share will be
equal to the applicable fraction of the redemption price and any other amounts payable with respect
to the preferred stock. If we intend to redeem less than all of the underlying preferred stock, we
and the depositary will select the depositary shares to be redeemed on as nearly a pro rata basis
as practicable without creating fractional depositary shares or by any other equitable method
determined by us that preserves our REIT status.
On the redemption date:
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all dividends relating to the shares of preferred stock called for redemption will
cease to accrue; |
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we and the depositary will no longer deem the depositary shares called for
redemption to be outstanding; and |
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all rights of the holders of the depositary shares called for redemption will
cease, except the right to receive any money payable upon the redemption and any
money or other property to which the holders of the depositary shares are entitled
upon redemption. |
Voting of the Preferred Stock
When a depositary receives notice regarding a meeting at which the holders of the underlying
preferred stock have the right to vote, it will mail that information to the holders of the
depositary shares. Each record holder of depositary shares on the record date may then instruct the
depositary to exercise its voting rights for the amount of preferred stock represented by that
holders depositary shares. The depositary will vote in accordance with these instructions. The
depositary will abstain from voting to the extent it does not receive specific instructions from
the holders of depositary shares. A depositary will not be responsible for any failure to carry out
any instruction to vote, or for the manner or effect of any vote, as long as any action or
non-action is in good faith and does not result from negligence or willful misconduct of the
depositary.
Liquidation Preference
In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, a holder of depositary shares will
receive the fraction of the liquidation preference accorded each share of underlying preferred
stock represented by the depositary share.
Conversion of Preferred Stock
Depositary shares will not themselves be convertible into common stock or any other securities
or property of the company. However, if the underlying preferred stock is convertible, holders of
depositary shares may surrender them to the depositary with written instructions to convert the
preferred stock represented by their depositary shares into whole shares of common stock, other
shares of our preferred stock or other shares of stock, as applicable. Upon receipt of these
instructions and any amounts payable in connection with a conversion, we will convert the preferred
stock using the same procedures as those provided for delivery of preferred stock. If a holder of
depositary shares converts only part of its depositary shares, the depositary will issue a new
depositary receipt for any depositary shares not converted. We will not issue fractional shares of
common stock upon conversion. If a conversion will result in the issuance of a fractional share, we
will pay an amount in cash equal to the value of the fractional interest based upon the closing
price of the common stock on the last business day prior to the conversion.
8
Amendment and Termination of a Deposit Agreement
The company and the depositary may amend any form of depositary receipt evidencing depositary
shares and any provision of a deposit agreement. However, unless the existing holders of at least
two-thirds of the applicable depositary shares then outstanding have approved the amendment, we and
the depositary may not make any amendment that:
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would materially and adversely alter the rights of the holders of depositary shares; or |
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would be materially and adversely inconsistent with the rights granted to the
holders of the underlying preferred stock. |
Subject to exceptions in the deposit agreement and except in order to comply with the
law, no amendment may impair the right of any holders of depositary shares to surrender their
depositary shares with instructions to deliver the underlying preferred stock and all money and
other property represented by the depositary shares. Every holder of outstanding depositary shares
at the time any amendment becomes effective who continues to hold the depositary shares will be
deemed to consent and agree to the amendment and to be bound by the amended deposit agreement.
We may terminate a deposit agreement upon not less than 30 days prior written notice to the
depositary if:
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the termination is necessary to preserve our REIT status; or |
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a majority of each series of preferred stock affected by the termination consents
to the termination. |
Upon a termination of a deposit agreement, holders of the depositary shares may surrender
their depositary shares and receive in exchange the number of whole or fractional shares of
preferred stock and any other property represented by the depositary shares. If we terminate a
deposit agreement to preserve our status as a REIT, then we will use our best efforts to list the
preferred stock issued upon surrender of the related depositary shares on a national securities
exchange.
In addition, a deposit agreement will automatically terminate if:
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we have redeemed all underlying preferred stock subject to the agreement; |
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a final distribution of the underlying preferred stock in connection with any
liquidation, dissolution or winding up has occurred, and the depositary has
distributed the distribution to the holders of the depositary shares; or |
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each share of the underlying preferred stock has been converted into other capital
stock of the company not represented by depositary shares. |
Expenses of a Preferred Stock Depositary
We will pay all transfer and other taxes and governmental charges and expenses arising in
connection with a deposit agreement. In addition, we will generally pay the fees and expenses of a
depositary in connection with the performance of its duties. However, holders of depositary shares
will pay the fees and expenses of a depositary for any duties requested by the holders that the
deposit agreement does not expressly require the depositary to perform.
Resignation and Removal of Depositary
A depositary may resign at any time by delivering to us notice of its election to resign. We
may also remove a depositary at any time. Any resignation or removal will take effect upon the
appointment of a successor depositary. We will appoint a successor depositary within 60 days after
delivery of the notice of resignation or removal. The successor must be a bank or trust company
with its principal office in the U.S. and have a combined capital and surplus of at least $50
million.
Miscellaneous
The depositary will forward to the holders of depositary shares any reports and communications
from us with respect to the underlying preferred stock.
Neither the depositary nor the company will be liable if any law or any circumstances beyond
their control prevent or delay them from performing their obligations under a deposit agreement.
The obligations of the company and a depositary under a deposit agreement will be limited to
performing their duties in good faith and without negligence in regard to voting of preferred
stock, gross negligence or willful misconduct. Neither the company nor a
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depositary must prosecute
or defend any legal proceeding with respect to any depositary shares or the underlying preferred
stock unless they are furnished with satisfactory indemnity.
The company and any depositary may rely on the written advice of counsel or accountants, or
information provided by persons presenting shares of preferred stock for deposit, holders of
depositary shares or other persons they believe in good faith to be competent, and on documents
they believe in good faith to be genuine and signed by a proper party.
In the event a depositary receives conflicting claims, requests or instructions from us and
any holders of depositary shares, the depositary will be entitled to act on the claims, requests or
instructions received from us.
Depositary
The prospectus supplement will identify the depositary for the depositary shares.
Listing of the Depositary Shares
The applicable prospectus supplement will specify whether or not the depositary shares will be
listed on any securities exchange.
DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS
This section describes the general terms and provisions of the warrants that we may offer by
this prospectus. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the specific terms of the
warrants then offered, and the terms and provisions described in this section will apply only to
the extent not superseded by the terms of the applicable prospectus supplement.
We may issue warrants for the purchase of common stock, preferred stock, depository shares,
debt securities, other securities or any combination of these securities. Securities warrants may
be issued independently or together with any other securities offered by this prospectus and any
accompanying prospectus supplement and may be attached to or separate from such other securities.
Each issuance of the warrants will be issued under a separate securities warrant agreement to be
entered into by us and a bank or trust company, as securities warrant agent, all as set forth in
the prospectus supplement relating to the particular issue of offered warrants. Each issue of
warrants will be evidenced by warrant certificates. The securities warrant agent will act solely as
an agent of ours in connection with the securities warrant certificates and will not assume any
obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holder of securities warrant
certificates or beneficial owners of warrants.
If we offer warrants pursuant to this prospectus in the future, the applicable prospectus
supplement will describe the terms of such warrants, including the following, where applicable:
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the offering price at which we will issue the warrants; |
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the total number of warrants; |
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any applicable anti-dilution provisions to adjust the number of shares to be delivered
upon exercise of warrants to purchase common stock; |
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the designation and terms of the securities with which the warrants are being offered,
if any, the number of the warrants being offered with each security, and the number of
shares purchasable upon exercise of the warrants; |
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the price at which investors may purchase the underlying securities purchasable upon
exercise of the warrants, as well as related adjustment provisions affecting that exercise
price; |
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the date on and after which the warrants and any related securities will be
transferable separately; |
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the dates on which the right to exercise the warrants shall commence and expire; |
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federal income tax considerations; and |
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any other material terms of the warrants. |
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Prior to the exercise of their warrants, holders of warrants exercisable for debt securities will
not have any of the rights of holders of the debt securities purchasable upon the exercise and will
not be entitled to payments of principal (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on the debt
securities purchasable upon the exercise. Prior to the exercise of their warrants, holders of
warrants exercisable for shares of preferred stock, common stock or for depositary shares will not
have any rights of holders of the preferred stock, common stock or depositary shares purchasable
upon the exercise and will not be entitled to dividend payments, if any, or voting rights of the
preferred stock, common stock or depositary shares purchasable upon the exercise.
DESCRIPTION OF SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS
This section describes the general terms and provisions of the rights to purchase certain of
our securities that we may issue to holders of our securities by this prospectus. The applicable
prospectus supplement will describe the specific terms of the rights then issued, and the terms and
provisions described in this section will apply only to the extent not superseded by the terms of
the applicable prospectus supplement.
We may issue, as a dividend at no cost, to holders of record of our securities or any class or
series thereof on the applicable record date, rights to purchase shares of our common stock or
preferred stock, warrants, units or other securities. In this prospectus, we refer to such rights
as shareholder rights. If shareholders rights are so issued to existing holders of securities,
each shareholder right will entitle the registered holder thereof to purchase the securities
issuable upon exercise of the rights pursuant to the terms set forth in the applicable prospectus
supplement.
If shareholder rights are issued, the applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms
of such shareholder rights, including the following where applicable:
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record date; |
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subscription price; |
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subscription agent; |
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aggregate number of shares of preferred stock, shares of common stock, warrants, units
or other securities purchasable upon exercise of such shareholder rights and, in the case
of shareholder rights for preferred stock or warrants exercisable for preferred stock, the
designation, aggregate number, and terms of the class or series of preferred stock
purchasable upon exercise of such shareholder rights or warrants; |
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the date on which the right to exercise such shareholder rights shall commence and the
expiration date on which such right shall expire; |
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federal income tax considerations; and |
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other material terms of such shareholder rights. |
Prior to the exercise of their shareholder rights, holders of shareholder rights exercisable for
debt securities will not have any of the rights of holders of the debt securities purchasable upon
the exercise and will not be entitled to payments of principal (or premium, if any) or interest, if
any, on the debt securities purchasable upon the exercise. Prior to the exercise of their
shareholder rights, holders of shareholder rights exercisable for shares of preferred stock, common
stock or for depositary shares will not have any rights of holders of the preferred stock, common
stock or depositary shares purchasable upon the exercise and will not be entitled to dividend
payments, if any, or voting rights of the preferred stock, common stock or depositary shares
purchasable upon the exercise.
DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
General
The following description of the terms of our senior debt securities and subordinated debt
securities, together, referred to as the debt securities, sets forth certain general terms and
provisions of the debt securities to which any prospectus supplement may relate. Unless otherwise
noted, the general terms and provisions of our debt securities discussed below apply to both our
senior debt securities and our subordinated debt securities. Our debt securities may be issued from
time to time in one or more series. The particular terms of any series of debt securities and the
extent to which the general provisions may apply to a particular series of debt securities will be
described in the prospectus supplement relating to that series.
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The senior debt securities will be issued under an indenture between us and a Senior Indenture
Trustee, referred to as the senior indenture. The subordinated debt securities will be issued under
an indenture between us and a Subordinated Indenture Trustee, referred to as the subordinated
indenture and, together with the senior indenture, the indentures. The Senior Indenture Trustee and
the Subordinated Indenture Trustee are both referred to, individually, as the Trustee. The senior
debt securities will constitute our unsecured and unsubordinated obligations and the subordinated
debt securities will constitute our unsecured and subordinated obligations. A detailed description
of the subordination provisions is provided below under the caption Ranking and
SubordinationSubordination. In general, however, if we declare bankruptcy, holders of the senior
debt securities will be paid in full before the holders of subordinated debt securities will
receive anything.
The statements set forth below are brief summaries of certain provisions contained in the
indentures, which summaries do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their entirety by
reference to the indentures, which are filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which
this prospectus forms a part. Terms used herein that are otherwise not defined shall have the
meanings given to them in the indentures. Such defined terms shall be incorporated herein by
reference.
The indentures will not limit the amount of debt securities that may be issued under the
applicable indenture, and debt securities may be issued under the applicable indenture up to the
aggregate principal amount that may be authorized from time to time by us. Any such limit
applicable to a particular series will be specified in the prospectus supplement relating to that
series.
The prospectus supplement relating to any series of debt securities in respect of which this
prospectus is being delivered will contain the following terms, among others, for each such series
of debt securities:
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the designation and issue date of the debt securities; |
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the date or dates on which the principal amount of the debt securities is payable; |
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the rate or rates (or manner of calculation thereof), if any, per annum at which the
debt securities will bear interest, if any, the date or dates from which interest will
accrue and the interest payment date or dates for the debt securities; |
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any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the debt securities which may be
authenticated and delivered under the applicable indenture; |
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the period or periods within which, the redemption price or prices or the repayment
price or prices, as the case may be, at which, and the terms and conditions upon which, the
debt securities may be redeemed at the issuing companys option or the option of the holder
of such debt securities; |
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the obligation, if any, of the issuing company to purchase the debt securities pursuant
to any sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the option of a holder of such debt
securities and the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the
terms and conditions upon which such debt securities will be purchased, in whole or in
part, pursuant to such obligation; |
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if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof, the
denominations in which the debt securities will be issuable; |
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provisions, if any, with regard to the conversion or exchange of the debt securities, at
the option of the holders of such debt securities or the issuing company, as the case may
be, for or into new securities of a different series, common stock or other securities; |
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if other than U.S. dollars, the currency or currencies or units based on or related to
currencies in which the debt securities will be denominated and in which payments of
principal of, and any premium and interest on, such debt securities shall or may be
payable; |
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if the principal of (and premium, if any) or interest, if any, on the debt securities
are to be payable, at the election of the issuing company or a holder of such debt
securities, in a currency (including a composite currency) other than that in which such
debt securities are stated to be payable, the period or periods within which, and the terms
and conditions upon which, such election may be made; |
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if the amount of payments of principal of (and premium, if any) or interest, if any, on
the debt securities may be determined with reference to an index based on a currency
(including a composite currency) other than that in which such debt securities are stated
to be payable, the manner in which such amounts shall be determined; |
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provisions, if any, related to the exchange of the debt securities, at the option of the
holders of such debt securities, for other securities of the same series of the same
aggregate principal amount or of a different authorized series or different authorized
denomination or denominations, or both; |
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the portion of the principal amount of the debt securities, if other than the principal
amount thereof, which shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity
thereof as more fully described under the section Events of Default, Notice and Waiver
below; |
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whether the debt securities will be issued in the form of global securities and, if so,
the identity of the depositary with respect to such global securities; |
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if the debt securities will be guaranteed, the terms and conditions of such guarantees
and provisions for the accession of the guarantors to certain obligations under the
applicable indenture; |
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with respect to subordinated debt securities only, the amendment or modification of the
subordination provisions in the subordinated indenture with respect to the debt securities;
and |
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any other specific terms. |
We may issue debt securities of any series at various times and we may reopen any series for
further issuances from time to time without notice to existing holders of securities of that
series.
Some of the debt securities may be issued as original issue discount debt securities. Original
issue discount debt securities bear no interest or bear interest at below-market rates. These are
sold at a discount below their stated principal amount. If we issue these securities, the
prospectus supplement relating to such series of debt securities will describe any special tax,
accounting or other information which we think is important. We encourage you to consult with your
own tax and financial advisors on these important matters.
Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to such series of
debt securities, the covenants contained in the indentures will not provide special protection to
holders of debt securities if we enter into a highly leveraged transaction, recapitalization or
restructuring.
Unless otherwise set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to such series of debt
securities, interest on outstanding debt securities will be paid to holders of record on the date
that is 15 days prior to the date such interest is to be paid or, if not a business day, the next
preceding business day. Unless otherwise specified in the prospectus supplement, debt securities
will be issued in fully registered form only. Unless otherwise specified in the prospectus
supplement, the principal amount of the debt securities will be payable at the corporate trust
office of the Trustee in New York, New York. The debt securities may be presented for transfer or
exchange at such office unless otherwise specified in the prospectus supplement, subject to the
limitations provided in the applicable indenture, without any service charge, but we may require
payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charges payable in connection
therewith.
Ranking and Subordination
General
The subordinated debt securities and the related guarantees will effectively rank junior in
right of payment to any of our or the guarantors current and future secured obligations to the
extent of the value of the assets securing such obligations. The debt securities and the guarantees
will be effectively subordinated to all existing and future liabilities, including indebtedness and
trade payables, of our non-guarantor subsidiaries. Unless otherwise set forth in the prospectus
supplement relating to such series of debt securities, the indentures will not limit the amount of
unsecured indebtedness or other liabilities that can be incurred by our non-guarantor subsidiaries.
Ranking of Debt Securities
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The senior debt securities described in this prospectus will be unsecured, senior obligations
of the issuing company and will rank equally with the issuing companys other unsecured and
unsubordinated obligations. Any guarantees of the senior debt securities will be unsecured and
senior obligations of each of the guarantors, and will rank equally with all other unsecured and
unsubordinated obligations of such guarantors. The subordinated debt securities will be unsecured,
subordinated obligations and any guarantees of the subordinated debt securities will be unsecured
and subordinated obligations of each of the guarantors.
Subordination
If issued, the indebtedness evidenced by the subordinated debt securities will be subordinate
to the prior payment in full of all our Senior Indebtedness (as defined below). During the
continuance beyond any applicable grace period of any default in the payment of principal, premium,
interest or any other payment due on any of our Senior Indebtedness, we may not make any payment of
principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on the subordinated debt securities. In addition,
upon any payment or distribution of our assets upon any dissolution, winding up, liquidation or
reorganization, the payment of the principal of, or premium, if any, and interest on the
subordinated debt securities will be subordinated to the extent provided in the subordinated
indenture in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all our Senior Indebtedness. Because
of this subordination, if we dissolve or otherwise liquidate, holders of our subordinated debt
securities may receive less, ratably, than holders of our Senior Indebtedness. The subordination
provisions do not prevent the occurrence of an event of default under the subordinated indenture.
The subordination provisions also apply in the same way to any guarantor with respect to the
Senior Indebtedness of such guarantor.
The term Senior Indebtedness of a person means with respect to such person the principal of,
premium, if any, interest on, and any other payment due pursuant to any of the following, whether
outstanding on the date of the subordinated indenture or incurred by that person in the future:
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all of the indebtedness of that person for borrowed money, including any indebtedness
secured by a mortgage or other lien which is (1) given to secure all or part of the
purchase price of property subject to the mortgage or lien, whether given to the vendor of
that property or to another lender, or (2) existing on property at the time that person
acquires it; |
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all of the indebtedness of that person evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or other
similar instruments sold by that person for money; |
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all of the lease obligations which are capitalized on the books of that person in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; |
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all indebtedness of others of the kinds described in the first two bullet points above
and all lease obligations of others of the kind described in the third bullet point above,
in each case, that the person, in any manner, assumes or guarantees or that the person in
effect guarantees through an agreement to purchase, whether that agreement is contingent or
otherwise; and |
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all renewals, extensions or refundings of indebtedness of the kinds described in the
first, second or fourth bullet point above and all renewals or extensions of leases of the
kinds described in the third or fourth bullet point above; |
unless, in the case of any particular indebtedness, lease, renewal, extension or refunding, the
instrument or lease creating or evidencing it or the assumption or guarantee relating to it
expressly provides that such indebtedness, lease, renewal, extension or refunding is not superior
in right of payment to the subordinated debt securities. Our senior debt securities, and any
unsubordinated guarantee obligations of ours or any guarantor to which we and the guarantors are a
party, including the guarantors guarantees of our debt securities and other indebtedness for
borrowed money, constitute Senior Indebtedness for purposes of the subordinated indenture.
Pursuant to the subordinated indenture, the subordinated indenture may not be amended, at any
time, to alter the subordination provisions of any outstanding subordinated debt securities without
the consent of the requisite holders of each outstanding series or class of Senior Indebtedness (as
determined in accordance with the instrument governing such Senior Indebtedness) that would be
adversely affected thereby.
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Consolidation, Merger, Conveyance or Transfer on Certain Terms
Except as described in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to such debt securities,
we will not consolidate with or merge into any other entity or convey or transfer our properties
and assets substantially as an entirety to any entity, unless:
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the entity formed by such consolidation or into which we are merged or the entity that
acquires by conveyance or transfer our properties and assets substantially as an entirety
shall be organized and existing under the laws of the U.S. or any State or the District of
Columbia, and will expressly assume, by supplemental indenture, executed and delivered to
the Trustee, in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, the due and punctual payment
of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on all the debt securities and the
performance of every covenant of the applicable indenture (as supplemented from time to
time) on our part to be performed or observed; |
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immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no Event of Default (as defined
below), and no event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an Event
of Default, shall have happened and be continuing; and |
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we have delivered to the Trustee an officers certificate and an opinion of counsel
each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance or transfer and such supplemental
indenture comply with the requirements set forth in paragraphs (1) and (2) above and that
all conditions precedent relating to such transaction have been complied with. |
Upon any consolidation or merger, or any conveyance or transfer of our properties and assets
substantially as an entirety as set forth above, the successor person formed by such consolidation
or into which we are merged or to which such conveyance or transfer is made shall succeed to, and
be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of ours under the applicable indenture
with the same effect as if such successor had been named in the applicable indenture. In the event
of any such conveyance or transfer, we, as the predecessor, shall be discharged from all
obligations and covenants under the applicable indenture and the debt securities issued under such
indenture and may be dissolved, wound up or liquidated at any time thereafter.
Certain Covenants
Any covenants pertaining to a series of debt securities will be set forth in a prospectus
supplement relating to such series of debt securities.
Except as described in the prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement relating to
such series of debt securities, the indentures and the debt securities do not contain any covenants
or other provisions designed to afford holders of debt securities protection in the event of a
recapitalization or highly leveraged transaction involving us.
Certain Definitions
The following are certain of the terms defined in the indentures:
GAAP means generally accepted accounting principles as such principles are in effect in the
U.S. as of the date of the applicable indenture.
Significant Subsidiary means any Subsidiary which would be a significant subsidiary as
defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X, promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act, as in effect on
the date of the applicable indenture.
Subsidiary means, with respect to any person, any corporation more than 50% of the voting
stock of which is owned directly or indirectly by such person, and any partnership, association,
joint venture or other entity in which such person owns more than 50% of the equity interests or
has the power to elect a majority of the board of directors or other governing body.
Optional Redemption
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Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, we may redeem any of the
debt securities as a whole at any time or in part from time to time, at our option, on at least 15
days, but not more than 45 days, prior notice mailed to the registered address of each holder of
the debt securities to be redeemed, at respective redemption prices equal to the greater of:
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100% of the principal amount of the debt
securities to be redeemed, and |
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the sum of the present values of the Remaining Scheduled Payments (as defined below)
discounted to the redemption date, on a semi-annual basis, assuming a 360 day year
consisting of twelve 30 day months, at the Treasury Rate (as defined below) plus the
number, if any, of basis points specified in the applicable
prospectus supplement; |
plus, in each case, accrued interest to the date of redemption that has not been paid, such
redemption price referred to as the Redemption Price.
Comparable Treasury Issue means, with respect to the debt securities, the U.S. Treasury
security selected by an Independent Investment Banker as having a maturity comparable to the
remaining term, or the Remaining Life, of the debt securities being redeemed that would be
utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing
new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the Remaining Life of such debt
securities.
Comparable Treasury Price means, with respect to any redemption date for the debt
securities: (1) the average of two Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for that redemption date,
after excluding the highest and lowest of four such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations; or (2) if
the Trustee obtains fewer than four Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all
quotations obtained by the Trustee.
Independent Investment Banker means one of the Reference Treasury Dealers, to be appointed
by us.
Reference Treasury Dealer means four primary U.S. Government securities dealers to be
selected by us.
Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer
and any redemption date, the average, as determined by the Trustee, of the bid and asked prices for
the Comparable Treasury Issue, expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount,
quoted in writing to the Trustee by such Reference Treasury Dealer at 3:00 p.m., New York City
time, on the third business day preceding such redemption date.
Remaining Scheduled Payments means, with respect to each debt security to be redeemed, the
remaining scheduled payments of the principal thereof and interest thereon that would be due after
the related redemption date but for such redemption; provided, however, that, if such redemption
date is not an interest payment date with respect to such debt security, the amount of the next
succeeding scheduled interest payment thereon will be deemed to be reduced by the amount of
interest accrued thereon to such redemption date.
Treasury Rate means, with respect to any redemption date for the debt securities: (1) the
yield, under the heading which represents the average for the immediately preceding week, appearing
in the most recently published statistical release designated H.15(519) or any successor
publication which is published weekly by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and
which establishes yields on actively traded U.S. Treasury debt securities adjusted to constant
maturity under the caption Treasury Constant Maturities, for the maturity corresponding to the
Comparable Treasury Issue; provided that if no maturity is within three months
before or after the maturity date for the debt securities, yields for the two published maturities
most closely corresponding to the Comparable Treasury Issue will be determined and the Treasury
Rate will be interpolated or extrapolated from those yields on a straight line basis, rounding to
the nearest month; or (2) if that release, or any successor release, is not published during the
week preceding the calculation date or does not contain such yields, the rate per annum equal to
the semiannual equivalent yield to maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue, calculated using a
price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal
to the Comparable Treasury Price for that redemption date. The Treasury Rate will be calculated on
the third business day preceding the redemption date.
On and after the redemption date, interest will cease to accrue on the debt securities or any
portion thereof called for redemption, unless we default in the payment of the Redemption Price,
and accrued interest. On or before
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the redemption date, we shall deposit with a paying agent, or the applicable Trustee, money
sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of and accrued interest on the debt securities to be
redeemed on such date. If we elect to redeem less than all of the debt securities of a series, then
the Trustee will select the particular debt securities of such series to be redeemed in a manner it
deems appropriate and fair.
Defeasance
Except as otherwise set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to such series of debt
securities, each indenture will provide that we, at our option,
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will be discharged from any and all obligations in respect of any series of debt
securities (except in each case for certain obligations to register the transfer or
exchange of debt securities, replace stolen, lost or mutilated debt securities, maintain
paying agencies and hold monies for payment in trust), or |
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need not comply with any restrictive covenants described in a prospectus supplement
relating to such series of debt securities, the guarantors will be released from the
guarantees and certain Events of Default (other than those arising out of the failure to
pay interest or principal on the debt securities of a particular series and certain events
of bankruptcy, insolvency and reorganization) will no longer constitute Events of Default
with respect to such series of debt securities, |
in each case, if we deposit with the Trustee, in trust, money or the equivalent in securities of
the government which issued the currency in which the debt securities are denominated or government
agencies backed by the full faith and credit of such government, or a combination thereof, which
through the payment of interest thereon and principal thereof in accordance with their terms will
provide money in an amount sufficient to pay all the principal (including any mandatory sinking
fund payments) of, and interest on, such series on the dates such payments are due in accordance
with the terms of such series.
To exercise any such option, we are required, among other things, to deliver to the Trustee an
opinion of counsel to the effect that the deposit and related defeasance would not cause the
holders of such series to recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes and, in
the case of a discharge pursuant to clause (a) above, accompanied by a ruling to such effect
received from or published by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, or IRS.
In addition, we are required to deliver to the Trustee an officers certificate stating that
such deposit was not made by us with the intent of preferring the holders over other creditors of
ours or with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding creditors of ours or
others.
Events of Default, Notice and Waiver
Except as otherwise set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to such series of debt
securities, each indenture will provide that, if an Event of Default specified therein with respect
to any series of debt securities issued thereunder shall have happened and be continuing, either
the Trustee thereunder or the holders of 33-1/3% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding
debt securities of such series (or 33-1/3% in aggregate principal amount of all outstanding debt
securities under such indenture, in the case of certain Events of Default affecting all series of
debt securities issued under such indenture) may declare the principal of all the debt securities
of such series to be due and payable.
Except as otherwise set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to such series of debt
securities, an Event of Default in respect of any series will be defined in the indentures as
being any one of the following events:
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default for 30 days in payment of
any interest installment with respect to such series; |
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default in payment of principal of, or premium, if any, on, or any sinking or purchase
fund or analogous obligation with respect to, debt securities of such series when due at
their stated maturity, by declaration or acceleration, when called for redemption or
otherwise; |
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default for 90 days after written notice to us by the Trustee thereunder or by holders
of 331/3% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of such series in
the performance, or breach, of any covenant or warranty pertaining to debt securities of
such series; and |
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certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency and reorganization with respect to us or any
Significant Subsidiary of ours which is organized under the laws of the U.S. or any
political sub-division thereof or the entry of an order ordering the winding up or
liquidation of our affairs. |
Each indenture will provide that the Trustee thereunder will, within 90 days after the
occurrence of a default with respect to the debt securities of any series issued under such
indenture, give to the holders of the debt securities of such series notice of all uncured and
unwaived defaults known to it; provided, however, that, except in the case of default in the
payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any of the debt securities of
such series, the Trustee will be protected in withholding such notice if it in good faith
determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the holders of the debt
securities of such series. The term default for the purpose of this provision means any event
which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect
to debt securities of such series.
Each indenture will contain provisions entitling the Trustee under such indenture, subject to
the duty of the Trustee during an Event of Default to act with the required standard of care, to be
indemnified to its reasonable satisfaction by the holders of the debt securities before proceeding
to exercise any right or power under the applicable indenture at the request of holders of such
debt securities.
Each indenture will provide that the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of
the outstanding debt securities of any series issued under such indenture may direct the time,
method and place of conducting proceedings for remedies available to the Trustee or exercising any
trust or power conferred on the Trustee in respect of such series, subject to certain conditions.
Except as otherwise set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the debt securities, in
certain cases, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of
any series may waive, on behalf of the holders of all debt securities of such series, any past
default or Event of Default with respect to the debt securities of such series except, among other
things, a default not theretofore cured in payment of the principal of, or premium, if any, or
interest, if any, on any of the senior debt securities of such series or payment of any sinking or
purchase fund or analogous obligations with respect to such senior debt securities.
Each indenture will include a covenant that we will file annually with the Trustee a
certificate of no default or specifying any default that exists.
Modification of the Indentures
Except as set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the debt securities, we and the
Trustee may, without the consent of the holders of the debt securities issued under the indenture
governing such debt securities, enter into indentures supplemental to the applicable indenture for,
among others, one or more of the following purposes:
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to evidence the succession of another person to us or to a guarantor, if any, and the
assumption by such successor of our or the guarantors obligations under the applicable
indenture and the debt securities of any series; |
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to add to our covenants or those of any guarantor, if any, or to surrender any of our
rights or powers or those of any guarantor for the benefit of the holders of debt
securities of any or all series issued under such indenture; |
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to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision in the applicable
indenture which may be inconsistent with any other provision therein, or to make any other
provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under such indenture; |
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to add to the applicable indenture any provisions that may be expressly permitted by
the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, or the TIA, excluding the provisions referred
to in Section 316(a)(2) of the TIA as in effect at the date as of which the applicable
indenture was executed or any corresponding provision in any similar federal statute
hereafter enacted; |
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to establish the form or terms of any series of debt securities to be issued under the
applicable indenture, to provide for the issuance of any series of debt securities and/or
to add to the rights of the holders of debt securities; |
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to evidence and provide for the acceptance of any successor Trustee with respect to one
or more series of debt securities or to add or change any of the provisions of the
applicable indenture as shall be necessary to facilitate the administration of the trusts
thereunder by one or more trustees in accordance with the applicable indenture; |
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to provide any additional Events of Default; |
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to provide for uncertificated securities in addition to or in place of certificated
securities; provided that the uncertificated securities are issued in registered form for
certain federal tax purposes; |
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to provide for the terms and conditions of converting those debt securities that are
convertible into common stock or another such similar security; |
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to secure any series of debt securities; |
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to add guarantees in respect of any series or all of the debt securities; |
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to make any change necessary to comply with any requirement of the SEC in connection
with the qualification of the applicable indenture or any supplemental indenture under the
TIA; and |
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to make any other change that does not adversely affect the rights of the holders of
the debt securities. |
No supplemental indenture for the purpose identified in clauses (2), (3) or (5) above may be
entered into if to do so would adversely affect the rights of the holders of debt securities of any
series issued under the same indenture in any material respect.
Except as set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to such series of debt securities,
each indenture will contain provisions permitting us and the Trustee under such indenture, with the
consent of the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of all
series issued under such indenture to be affected voting as a single class, to execute supplemental
indentures for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing or eliminating any of the
provisions of the applicable indenture or modifying the rights of the holders of the debt
securities of such series to be affected, except that no such supplemental indenture may, without
the consent of the holders of affected debt securities, among other things:
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change the maturity of the principal of, or the maturity of any premium on, or any
installment of interest on, any such debt security, or reduce the principal amount or the
interest or any premium of any such debt securities, or change the method of computing the
amount of principal or interest on any such debt securities on any date or change any place
of payment where, or the currency in which, any debt securities or any premium or interest
thereon is payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such
payment on or after the maturity of principal or premium, as the case may be; |
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reduce the percentage in principal amount of any such debt securities the consent of
whose holders is required for any supplemental indenture, waiver of compliance with certain
provisions of the applicable indenture or certain defaults under the applicable indenture; |
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modify any of the provisions of the applicable indenture related to (i) the requirement
that the holders of debt securities issued under such indenture consent to certain
amendments of the applicable indenture, (ii) the waiver of past defaults and (iii) the
waiver of certain covenants, except to increase the percentage of holders required to make
such amendments or grant such waivers; or |
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impair or adversely affect the right of any holder to institute suit for the enforcement
of any payment on, or with respect to, such senior debt securities on or after the maturity
of such debt securities. |
In addition, the subordinated indenture will provide that we may not make any change in the
terms of the subordination of the subordinated debt securities of any series in a manner adverse in
any material respect to the
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holders of any series of subordinated debt securities without the consent of each holder of
subordinated debt securities that would be adversely affected.
The Trustee
The Trustee shall be named in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Governing Law
The indentures will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of
New York.
Global Securities
We may issue debt securities through global securities. A global security is a security,
typically held by a depositary, that represents the beneficial interests of a number of purchasers
of the security. If we do issue global securities, the following procedures will apply.
We will deposit global securities with the depositary identified in the prospectus supplement.
After we issue a global security, the depositary will credit on its book-entry registration and
transfer system the respective principal amounts of the debt securities represented by the global
security to the accounts of persons who have accounts with the depositary. These account holders
are known as participants. The underwriters or agents participating in the distribution of the
debt securities will designate the accounts to be credited. Only a participant or a person who
holds an interest through a participant may be the beneficial owner of a global security. Ownership
of beneficial interests in the global security will be shown on, and the transfer of that ownership
will be effected only through, records maintained by the depositary and its participants.
We and the Trustee will treat the depositary or its nominee as the sole owner or holder of the
debt securities represented by a global security. Except as set forth below, owners of beneficial
interests in a global security will not be entitled to have the debt securities represented by the
global security registered in their names. They also will not receive or be entitled to receive
physical delivery of the debt securities in definitive form and will not be considered the owners
or holders of the debt securities.
Principal, any premium and any interest payments on debt securities represented by a global
security registered in the name of a depositary or its nominee will be made to the depositary or
its nominee as the registered owner of the global security. None of us, the Trustee or any paying
agent will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or
payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in the global security or maintaining,
supervising or reviewing any records relating to the beneficial ownership interests.
We expect that the depositary, upon receipt of any payments, will immediately credit
participants accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial
interests in the principal amount of the global security as shown on the depositarys records. We
also expect that payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in the global security
will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is the case with the
securities held for the accounts of customers registered in street names, and will be the
responsibility of the participants.
If the depositary is at any time unwilling or unable to continue as depositary and a successor
depositary is not appointed by us within 90 days, we will issue registered securities in exchange
for the global security. In addition, we may at any time in our sole discretion determine not to
have any of the debt securities of a series represented by global securities. In that event, we
will issue debt securities of that series in definitive form in exchange for the global securities.
DESCRIPTION OF UNITS
We may issue units consisting of one or more of the other securities that may be offered under
this prospectus, in any combination. Units may also include debt obligations of a third party.
These units may be issuable as, and for a specified period of time may be transferable only as, a
single security, rather than as the separate constituent securities comprising such units. The
statements made in this section relating to the units are summaries only and are not complete. When
we issue units, we will provide the specific terms of the units in a
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prospectus supplement. To the extent the information contained in the prospectus supplement
differs from this summary description, you should rely on the information in the prospectus
supplement.
When we issue units, we will provide in a prospectus supplement the following terms of the
units being issued when applicable:
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the title of any series of units; |
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identification and description of the separate constituent securities comprising the
units; |
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the price or prices at which the units will be issued; |
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the date, if any, on and after which the constituent securities comprising the units
will be separately transferable; |
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information with respect to any book-entry procedures; |
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a discussion of any material or special U.S. federal income tax consequences applicable
to an investment in the units; and |
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any other material terms of the units and their constituent securities. |
RESTRICTIONS ON OWNERSHIP AND TRANSFER
In order for us to qualify as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or
the Internal Revenue Code, our shares of stock must be 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 the outstanding shares of stock may be owned, directly or indirectly, by five
or fewer individuals (as defined in the Internal Revenue 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).
Our charter contains restrictions on the ownership and transfer of our shares of common stock
and other outstanding shares of stock. The relevant sections of our charter provide that, subject
to the exceptions described below, no person or entity may own, or be deemed to own, by virtue of
the applicable constructive ownership provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, more than 9.8% by
value or number of shares, whichever is more restrictive, of our outstanding shares of common stock
(the common share ownership limit), or 9.8% by value or number of shares, whichever is more
restrictive, of our outstanding capital stock (the aggregate share ownership limit). We refer to
the common share ownership limit and the aggregate share ownership limit collectively as the
ownership limits. In addition, different ownership limits will apply to Invesco. These ownership
limits, which our board of directors has determined will not jeopardize our REIT qualification,
will allow Invesco to hold up to 25% of our outstanding common stock or up to 25% of our
outstanding capital stock. A person or entity that becomes subject to the ownership limits by
virtue of a violative transfer that results in a transfer to a trust, as set forth below, is
referred to as a purported beneficial transferee if, had the violative transfer been effective,
the person or entity would have been a record owner and beneficial owner or solely a beneficial
owner of our shares of stock, or is referred to as a purported record transferee if, had the
violative transfer been effective, the person or entity would have been solely a record owner of
our shares of stock.
The constructive ownership rules under the Internal Revenue Code are complex and may cause
shares of stock owned actually or constructively by a group of related individuals and/or entities
to be owned constructively by one individual or entity. As a result, the acquisition of less than
9.8% by value or number of shares, whichever is more restrictive, of our outstanding shares of
common stock, or 9.8% by value or number of shares, whichever is more restrictive, of our
outstanding capital stock (or the acquisition of an interest in an entity that owns, actually or
constructively, our shares of stock by an individual or entity), could, nevertheless, cause that
individual or entity, or another individual or entity, to own constructively in excess of 9.8% by
value or number of shares, whichever is more restrictive, of our outstanding shares of common
stock, or 9.8% by value or number of shares, whichever is more restrictive, of our outstanding
capital stock and thereby subject the shares of common stock or total shares of stock to the
applicable ownership limits.
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Our board of directors may, in its sole discretion, exempt a person (prospectively or
retroactively) from the above-referenced ownership limits. However, the board of directors may not
exempt any person whose ownership of our outstanding stock would result in our being closely held
within the meaning of Section 856(h) of the Internal Revenue Code or otherwise would result in our
failing to qualify as a REIT. In order to be considered by the board of directors for exemption, a
person also must not own, directly or indirectly, an interest in one of our tenants (or a tenant of
any entity which we own or control) that would cause us to own, directly or indirectly, more than a
9.9% interest in the tenant. The person seeking an exemption must represent to the satisfaction of
our board of directors that it will not violate these two restrictions. The person also must agree
that any violation or attempted violation of these restrictions will result in the automatic
transfer to a trust of the shares of stock causing the violation. As a condition of its waiver, our
board of directors may require an opinion of counsel or the IRS ruling satisfactory to our board of
directors with respect to our qualification as a REIT.
In connection with the waiver of the ownership limits or at any other time, our board of
directors may from time to time increase or decrease the ownership limits for all other persons and
entities; provided, however, that any decrease may be made only prospectively as to existing
holders; and provided further that the ownership limits may not be increased if, after giving
effect to such increase, five or fewer individuals could own or constructively own in the
aggregate, more than 49.9% in value of the shares then outstanding. Prior to the modification of
the ownership limits, our board of directors may require such opinions of counsel, affidavits,
undertakings or agreements as it may deem necessary or advisable in order to determine or ensure
our qualification as a REIT. Reduced ownership limits will not apply to any person or entity whose
percentage ownership in our shares of common stock or total shares of stock, as applicable, is in
excess of such decreased ownership limits until such time as such persons or entitys percentage
of our shares of common stock or total shares of stock, as applicable, equals or falls below the
decreased ownership limits, but any further acquisition of our shares of common stock or total
shares of stock, as applicable, in excess of such percentage ownership of our shares of common
stock or total shares of stock will be in violation of the ownership limits.
Our charter provisions further prohibit:
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any person from beneficially or constructively owning, applying certain attribution
rules of the Internal Revenue Code, our shares of stock that would result in our being
closely held under Section 856(h) of the Internal Revenue Code or otherwise cause us
to fail to qualify as a REIT; and |
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any person from transferring our shares of stock if such transfer would result in
our shares of stock being beneficially owned by fewer than 100 persons (determined
without reference to any rules of attribution). |
Any person who acquires or attempts or intends to acquire beneficial or constructive ownership
of our shares of stock that will or may violate any of the foregoing restrictions on
transferability and ownership will be required to give written notice immediately to us (or, in the
case of a proposed or attempted acquisition, to give at least 15 days prior written notice to us)
and provide us with such other information as we may request in order to determine the effect of
such transfer on our qualification as a REIT. The foregoing provisions on transferability and
ownership will not apply if our board of directors determines that it is no longer in our best
interests to attempt to qualify, or to continue to qualify, as a REIT.
Pursuant to our charter, if any transfer of our shares of stock would result in our shares of
stock being beneficially owned by fewer than 100 persons, such transfer will be null and void and
the intended transferee will acquire no rights in such shares. In addition, if any purported
transfer of our shares of stock or any other event would otherwise result in any person violating
the ownership limits or such other limit established by our board of directors or in our being
closely held under Section 856(h) of the Internal Revenue Code or otherwise failing to qualify as
a REIT, then that number of shares (rounded up to the nearest whole share) that would cause us to
violate such restrictions will be automatically transferred to, and held by, a trust for the
exclusive benefit of one or more charitable organizations selected by us and the intended
transferee will acquire no rights in such shares. The automatic transfer will be effective as of
the close of business on the business day prior to the date of the violative transfer or other
event that results in a transfer to the trust. Any dividend or other distribution paid to the
purported record transferee, prior to our discovery that the shares had been automatically
transferred to a trust as described above, must be repaid to the trustee upon demand for
distribution to the beneficiary by the trust. If the transfer to the trust as described above is
not automatically effective, for any reason, to prevent violation of the applicable ownership
limits or our being closely held under Section 856(h) of the Internal Revenue Code or otherwise
failing to qualify as a REIT, then our charter provides that the transfer of the shares will be
void.
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Shares of stock transferred to the trustee are deemed offered for sale to us, or our designee,
at a price per share equal to the lesser of (1) the price paid by the purported record transferee
for the shares (or, if the event that resulted in the transfer to the trust did not involve a
purchase of such shares of stock at market price, the last reported sales price reported on the
NYSE (or other applicable exchange) on the day of the event which resulted in the transfer of such
shares of stock to the trust) and (2) the market price on the date we, or our designee, accepts
such offer. We may reduce the amount payable to the purported record transferee, however, by the
amount of any dividends or other distributions paid to the purported record transferee on the
shares and owed by the purported record transferee to the trustee. We have the right to accept such
offer until the trustee has sold the shares of stock held in the trust pursuant to the clauses
discussed below. Upon a sale to us, the interest of the charitable beneficiary in the shares sold
terminates, the trustee must distribute the net proceeds of the sale to the purported record
transferee and any dividends or other distributions held by the trustee with respect to such shares
of stock will be paid to the charitable beneficiary.
If we do not buy the shares, the trustee must, within 20 days of receiving notice from us of
the transfer of shares to the trust, sell the shares to a person or entity designated by the
trustee who could own the shares without violating the ownership limits or such other limit as
established by our board of directors. After that, the trustee must distribute to the purported
record transferee an amount equal to the lesser of (1) the price paid by the purported record
transferee for the shares (or, if the event which resulted in the transfer to the trust did not
involve a purchase of such shares at market price, the last reported sales price reported on the
NYSE (or other applicable exchange) on the day of the event which resulted in the transfer of such
shares of stock to the trust) and (2) the sales proceeds (net of commissions and other expenses of
sale) received by the trust for the shares. The trustee may reduce the amount payable to the
purported record transferee by the amount of dividends and other distributions paid to the
purported record transferee and owed by the purported record transferee to the trustee. Any net
sales proceeds in excess of the amount payable to the purported record transferee will be
immediately paid to the beneficiary, together with any dividends or other distributions thereon. In
addition, if prior to discovery by us that shares of stock have been transferred to a trust, such
shares of stock are sold by a purported record transferee, then such shares will be deemed to have
been sold on behalf of the trust and to the extent that the purported record transferee received an
amount for or in respect of such shares that exceeds the amount that such purported record
transferee was entitled to receive, such excess amount will be paid to the trustee upon demand. The
purported beneficial transferee or purported record transferee has no rights in the shares held by
the trustee.
The trustee will be designated by us and will be unaffiliated with us and with any purported
record transferee or purported beneficial transferee. Prior to the sale of any shares by the trust,
the trustee will receive, in trust for the beneficiary, all dividends and other distributions paid
by us with respect to the shares held in trust and may also exercise all voting rights with respect
to the shares held in 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
of stock 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.
Subject to Maryland law, effective as of the date that the shares have been transferred to the
trust, the trustee will have the authority, at the trustees sole discretion:
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to rescind as void any vote cast by a purported record transferee prior to our
discovery that the shares have been transferred to the trust; and |
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to recast the vote in accordance with the desires of the trustee acting for the
benefit of the beneficiary of the trust. |
However, if we have already taken irreversible action, then the trustee may not rescind and
recast the vote.
In addition, if our board of directors or other permitted designees determine in good faith
that a proposed transfer would violate the restrictions on ownership and transfer of our shares of
stock set forth in our charter, our board of directors or other permitted designees will take such
action as it deems or they deem advisable to refuse to give effect to or to prevent such transfer,
including, but not limited to, causing us to redeem the shares of stock, refusing to give effect to
the transfer on our books or instituting proceedings to enjoin the transfer.
Every owner of 5% or more (or such lower percentage as required by the Internal Revenue Code
or the regulations promulgated thereunder) of our stock, within 30 days after the end of each
taxable year, is required to give us written notice, stating his name and address, the number of
shares of each class and series of our stock which
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he beneficially owns and a description of the manner in which the shares are held. Each such
owner shall provide us with such additional information as we may request in order to determine the
effect, if any, of his beneficial ownership on our status as a REIT and to ensure compliance with
the ownership limits. In addition, each shareholder shall 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 limits could delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change in control that
might involve a premium price for the common stock or otherwise be in the best interest of the
shareholders.
CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE MARYLAND GENERAL
CORPORATION LAW AND OUR CHARTER AND BYLAWS
The following description of the terms of our charter, bylaws and of certain provisions
of Maryland law is only a summary. For a complete description, we refer you to the MGCL, our
charter and our bylaws. Copies of our charter and bylaws constitute exhibits to the registration
statement of which this prospectus is a part. See Where You Can Find More Information.
Our Board of Directors
Our charter and bylaws provide that the number of directors we have may be established by our
board of directors but our current bylaws provide that such number may not be more than 15.
Pursuant to Title 3 of Subtitle 8 of the MGCL, our charter and bylaws currently provide that except
as may be provided by the board of directors in setting the terms of any class or series of
preferred stock, any vacancy may be filled only by a majority of the remaining directors, even if
the remaining directors do not constitute a quorum. Any individual elected to fill such vacancy
will serve for the remainder of the full term of the directorship in which the vacancy occurred and
until a successor is duly elected and qualifies.
Each of our directors is elected by our common shareholders to serve until the next annual
meeting and until his or her successor is duly elected and qualifies. Holders of shares of common
stock will have no right to cumulative voting in the election of directors. Consequently, at each
annual meeting of shareholders, the holders of a majority of the shares of common stock entitled to
vote will be able to elect all of our directors.
Removal of Directors
Our charter provides that subject to the rights of holders of one or more classes or series of
preferred stock to elect or remove one or more directors, a director may be removed only for cause
and by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the votes of shareholders entitled to be cast
generally in the election of directors. Cause means, with respect to any particular director, a
conviction of a felony or a final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction holding that such
director caused demonstrable, material harm to us through bad faith or active and deliberate
dishonesty. This provision, when coupled with the exclusive power of our board of directors to fill
vacancies on our board of directors, precludes shareholders from (1) removing incumbent directors
except upon a substantial affirmative vote and with cause and (2) filling the vacancies created by
such removal with their own nominees.
Business Combinations
Under the MGCL, certain business combinations (including a merger, consolidation, share
exchange or, in certain circumstances, an asset transfer or issuance or reclassification of equity
securities) between a Maryland corporation and an interested shareholder (defined generally as any
person who beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 10% or more of the voting power of the
corporations voting stock or an affiliate or associate of the corporation who, at any time within
the two-year period prior to the date in question, was the beneficial owner of 10% or more of the
voting power of the then outstanding stock of the corporation) or an affiliate of such an
interested shareholder are prohibited for five years after the most recent date on which the
interested shareholder becomes an interested shareholder. Thereafter, any such business combination
must be recommended by the board of directors of such corporation and approved by the affirmative
vote of at least 80% of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of outstanding voting shares of
stock of the corporation and two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of voting
shares of stock of the corporation other than shares held by the interested shareholder with whom
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(or with whose affiliate) the business combination is to be effected or held by an affiliate
or associate of the interested shareholder, unless, among other conditions, the corporations
common shareholders receive a minimum price (as defined in the MGCL) for their shares and the
consideration is received in cash or in the same form as previously paid by the interested
shareholder for its shares. A person is not an interested shareholder under the statute if the
board of directors approved in advance the transaction by which the person otherwise would have
become an interested shareholder. Our board of directors may provide that its approval is subject
to compliance with any terms and conditions determined by it.
These provisions of the MGCL do not apply, however, to business combinations that are approved
or exempted by a board of directors prior to the time that the interested shareholder becomes an
interested shareholder. Pursuant to the statute, our board of directors has by resolution exempted
business combinations between us and any person, provided that such business combination is first
approved by our board of directors (including a majority of our directors who are not affiliates or
associates of such person). Consequently, the five-year prohibition and the supermajority vote
requirements will not apply to business combinations between us and any person described above. As
a result, any person described above may be able to enter into business combinations with us that
may not be in the best interest of our shareholders without compliance by our company with the
supermajority vote requirements and other provisions of the statute.
Should our board of directors opt back into the statute or otherwise fail to approve a
business combination, the business combination statute may discourage others from trying to acquire
control of us and increase the difficulty of consummating any offer.
Control Share Acquisitions
The MGCL provides that control shares of a Maryland corporation acquired in a control share
acquisition have no voting rights except to the extent approved at a special meeting of
shareholders by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter,
excluding shares of stock in a corporation in respect of which any of the following persons is
entitled to exercise or direct the exercise of the voting power of such shares in the election of
directors: (1) a person who makes or proposes to make a control share acquisition, (2) an officer
of the corporation or (3) an employee of the corporation who is also a director of the corporation.
Control shares are voting shares of stock which, if aggregated with all other such shares of
stock previously acquired by the acquirer, or in respect of which the acquirer is able to exercise
or direct the exercise of voting power (except solely by virtue of a revocable proxy), would
entitle the acquirer to exercise voting power in electing directors within one of the following
ranges of voting power: (A) one-tenth or more but less than one-third; (B) one-third or more but
less than a majority; or (C) a majority or more of all voting power. Control shares do not include
shares that the acquiring person is then entitled to vote as a result of having previously obtained
shareholder approval. 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, upon satisfaction of
certain conditions (including an undertaking to pay expenses and making an acquiring person
statement as described in the MGCL), may compel our board of directors to call a special meeting
of shareholders to be held within 50 days of demand to consider the voting rights of the shares. If
no request for a meeting is made, the corporation 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, subject to certain conditions and
limitations, the corporation may redeem any or all of the control shares (except those for which
voting rights have previously been approved) for fair value 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 acquirer or of any meeting of shareholders at which the voting rights of such
shares are considered and not approved. If voting rights for control shares are approved at a
shareholders meeting and the acquirer 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 such appraisal rights may not be less than the highest price per share
paid by the acquirer in the control share acquisition.
The control share acquisition statute does not apply to (1) shares acquired in a merger,
consolidation or share exchange if the corporation is a party to the transaction or (2)
acquisitions approved or exempted by the charter or bylaws of the corporation.
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Our bylaws contain a provision exempting from the control share acquisition statute any and
all acquisitions by any person of our shares of stock. 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 corporation with a class of equity
securities registered under the Exchange Act and at least three independent directors to elect to
be subject, by provision in its charter or bylaws or a resolution of its board of directors and
notwithstanding any contrary provision in the charter or bylaws, to any or all of five provisions:
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a classified board; |
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a two-thirds vote requirement for removing a director; |
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a requirement that the number of directors be fixed only by vote of the directors; |
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a requirement that a vacancy on the board be filled only by the remaining directors
in office and for the remainder of the full term of the class of directors in which the
vacancy occurred; and |
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a majority requirement for the calling of a special meeting of shareholders. |
Without our having elected to be subject to Subtitle 8, our charter and bylaws 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 director from the board, which removal
will be allowed only for cause, (2) vest in the board the exclusive power to fix the number of
directorships and (3) require, unless called by our Chairman of the board, Chief Executive Officer
or President or the board of directors, the written request of shareholders entitled to cast not
less than a majority of all votes entitled to be cast at such a meeting to call a special meeting.
Meetings of Shareholders
Pursuant to our bylaws, a meeting of our shareholders for the election of directors and the
transaction of any business will be held annually on a date and at the time set by our board of
directors beginning with our 2010 annual meeting of shareholders. In addition, the Chairman of our
board of directors, Chief Executive Officer, President or board of directors may call a special
meeting of our shareholders. Subject to the provisions of our bylaws, a special meeting of our
shareholders will also be called by our Secretary upon the written request of the shareholders
entitled to cast not less than a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast at the meeting.
Amendment to Our Charter and Bylaws
Except for amendments related to removal of directors and the restrictions on ownership and
transfer of our shares of stock (each of which must be declared advisable by our board of directors
and approved by the affirmative vote of shareholders entitled to cast not less than two-thirds of
all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter) and those amendments permitted to be made without
shareholder approval under the MGCL, our charter may be amended only if the amendment is declared
advisable by our board of directors and approved by the affirmative vote of shareholders entitled
to cast not less than a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.
Our board of directors has the exclusive power to adopt, alter or repeal any provision of our
bylaws and to make new bylaws.
Dissolution of Our Company
The dissolution of our company must be declared advisable by a majority of our entire board of
directors and approved by the affirmative vote of shareholders entitled to cast not less than a
majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.
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Advance Notice of Director 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 directors 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 directors or (3) by a shareholder who is a shareholder of record both at the time
of giving the notice required by our bylaws and at the time of the meeting, who is entitled to vote
at the meeting and who has complied with the advance notice provisions set forth in our bylaws.
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
directors may be made only (1) pursuant to our notice of the meeting, (2) by or at the direction of
our board of directors or (3) provided that our board of directors has determined that directors
will be elected at such meeting, by a shareholder who is a shareholder of record both at the time
of giving the notice required by our bylaws and at the time of the meeting, who is entitled to vote
at the meeting and who has complied with the advance notice provisions set forth in our bylaws.
Anti-takeover Effect of Certain Provisions of Maryland Law and of Our Charter and Bylaws
Our charter and bylaws and Maryland law contain provisions that may delay, defer or prevent a
change in control or other transaction that might involve a premium price for our shares of common
stock or otherwise be in the best interests of our shareholders, including business combination
provisions, restrictions on transfer and ownership of our stock and advance notice requirements for
director nominations and shareholder proposals. Likewise, if the provision in the bylaws opting out
of the control share acquisition provisions of the MGCL were rescinded or if we were to opt in to
the classified board or other provisions of Subtitle 8, these provisions of the MGCL could have
similar anti-takeover effects.
Limitation and Indemnification of Directors and Officers Liability
Maryland law permits a Maryland corporation to include in its charter a provision limiting the
liability of its directors and officers to the corporation and its shareholders for money damages
except for liability resulting from actual receipt of an improper benefit or profit in money,
property or services or active and deliberate dishonesty established by a final judgment as being
material to the cause of action. Our charter contains such a provision that eliminates such
liability to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law.
The MGCL requires us (unless our charter provides otherwise, which our charter does not) to
indemnify a director or officer who has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense
of any proceeding to which he is made or threatened to be made a party by reason of his service in
that capacity. The MGCL permits a 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 made or threatened
to be made a party by reason of their service in those or other capacities unless it is established
that:
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the act or omission of the director or officer was material to the matter giving
rise to the proceeding and (1) was committed in bad faith or (2) was the result of
active and deliberate dishonesty; |
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the director or officer actually received an improper personal benefit in money,
property or services; or |
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in the case of any criminal proceeding, the director or officer had reasonable cause
to believe that the act or omission was unlawful. |
However, under the MGCL, a Maryland corporation may not indemnify for an adverse judgment in a
suit by or in the right of the corporation or for a judgment of liability on the basis that
personal benefit was improperly received, unless in either case a court orders indemnification and
then only for expenses.
In addition, the MGCL permits a corporation to advance reasonable expenses to a director or
officer upon the corporations receipt of:
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a written affirmation by the director or officer of his or her good faith belief
that he or she has met the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification by the
corporation; and |
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a written undertaking by the director or officer or on the directors or officers
behalf to repay the amount paid or reimbursed by the corporation if it is ultimately
determined that the director or officer did not meet the standard of conduct. |
Our charter authorizes us to obligate ourselves and our bylaws obligate us, to the maximum
extent permitted by Maryland law in effect from time to time, to indemnify and, without requiring a
preliminary determination of the ultimate entitlement to indemnification, pay or reimburse
reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding to:
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any present or former director or officer who is made or threatened to be made a
party to the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity; or |
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any individual who, while a director or officer of our company and at our request,
serves or has served another corporation, REIT, partnership, joint venture, trust,
employee benefit plan, limited liability company or any other enterprise as a director,
officer, partner or trustee of such corporation, REIT, partnership, joint venture,
trust, employee benefit plan, limited liability company or other enterprise and who is
made or threatened to be made a party to the proceeding by reason of his or her service
in that capacity. |
Our charter and bylaws also permit us to indemnify and advance expenses to any person who
served a predecessor of ours in any of the capacities described above and to any employee or agent
of our company or a predecessor of our company.
Insofar as the foregoing provisions permit indemnification of directors, officers or persons
controlling us for liability arising under the Securities Act, we have been informed that, in the
opinion of the SEC, this indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities
Act and is therefore unenforceable.
REIT Qualification
Our charter provides that our board of directors 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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U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS
The following is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations
relating to our qualification and taxation as a REIT and the acquisition, holding, and disposition
of our common stock. For purposes of this section, references to we, our, us or our company
mean only Invesco Mortgage Capital Inc. and not our subsidiaries or other lower-tier entities,
except as otherwise indicated. This summary is based upon the Internal Revenue Code, the Treasury
Regulations, current administrative interpretations and practices of the IRS (including
administrative interpretations and practices expressed in private letter rulings which are binding
on the IRS only with respect to the particular taxpayers who requested and received those rulings)
and judicial decisions, all as currently in effect and all of which are subject to differing
interpretations or to change, possibly with retroactive effect. No assurance can be given that the
IRS would not assert, or that a court would not sustain, a position contrary to any of the tax
consequences described below. No advance ruling has been or will be sought from the IRS regarding
any matter discussed in this summary. The summary is also based upon the assumption that the
operation of our company, and of its subsidiaries and other lower-tier and affiliated entities,
including the operating partnership, will, in each case, be in accordance with its applicable
organizational documents. This summary is for general information only, and does not purport to
discuss all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be important to a particular
shareholder in light of its investment or tax circumstances or to shareholders subject to special
tax rules, such as:
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U.S. expatriates; |
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persons who mark-to-market our common stock; |
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subchapter S corporations; |
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U.S. shareholders (as defined below) whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar; |
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financial institutions; |
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insurance companies; |
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broker-dealers; |
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regulated investment companies, or RICs; |
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trusts and estates; |
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holders who receive our common stock through the exercise of employee stock options or
otherwise as compensation; |
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persons holding our common stock as part of a straddle, hedge, conversion
transaction, synthetic security or other integrated investment; |
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persons subject to the alternative minimum tax provisions of the Internal Revenue Code; |
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persons holding their interest through a partnership or similar pass-through entity; |
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persons holding a 10% or more (by vote or value) beneficial interest in us; and,
except to the extent discussed below; |
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tax-exempt organizations; and |
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non-U.S. shareholders (as defined below). |
This summary assumes that shareholders will hold our common stock as capital assets,
which generally means as property held for investment.
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THE U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX TREATMENT OF HOLDERS OF OUR COMMON STOCK DEPENDS IN SOME
INSTANCES ON DETERMINATIONS OF FACT AND INTERPRETATIONS OF COMPLEX PROVISIONS OF U.S. FEDERAL
INCOME TAX LAW FOR WHICH NO CLEAR PRECEDENT OR AUTHORITY MAY BE AVAILABLE. IN ADDITION, THE TAX
CONSEQUENCES OF HOLDING OUR COMMON STOCK TO ANY PARTICULAR SHAREHOLDER WILL DEPEND ON THE
SHAREHOLDERS PARTICULAR TAX CIRCUMSTANCES. YOU ARE URGED TO CONSULT YOUR TAX ADVISOR REGARDING THE
U.S. FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, AND NON-U.S. INCOME AND OTHER TAX CONSEQUENCES TO YOU, IN LIGHT OF
YOUR PARTICULAR INVESTMENT OR TAX CIRCUMSTANCES, OF ACQUIRING, HOLDING, AND DISPOSING OF OUR COMMON
STOCK.
Taxation of Our Company in General
We intend to elect to be taxed as a REIT under Sections 856 through 860 of the Internal
Revenue Code, commencing with our taxable year ended December 31, 2009. We believe that we have
been organized and have operated, and we intend to continue to operate in a manner that allows us
to qualify for taxation as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code.
Qualification and taxation as a REIT depends on our ability to meet, on a continuing
basis, through actual results of operations, distribution levels, diversity of share ownership and
various qualification requirements imposed upon REITs by the Internal Revenue Code. Our ability to
qualify as a REIT also requires that we satisfy certain asset and income tests, some of which
depend upon the fair market values of assets directly or indirectly owned by us or which serve as
security for loans made by us. Such values may not be susceptible to a precise determination.
Accordingly, no assurance can be given that the actual results of our operations for any taxable
year will satisfy the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT.
Taxation of REITs in General
As indicated above, qualification and taxation as a REIT depends upon our ability to
meet, on a continuing basis, various qualification requirements imposed upon REITs by the Internal
Revenue Code. The material qualification requirements are summarized below, under Requirements
for Qualification as a REIT. While we believe that we will operate so that we qualify as a REIT,
no assurance can be given that the IRS will not challenge our qualification as a REIT or that we
will be able to operate in accordance with the REIT requirements in the future. See Failure to
Qualify.
Provided that we qualify as a REIT, we will generally be entitled to a deduction for
dividends that we pay and, therefore, will not be subject to U.S. federal corporate income tax on
our net taxable income that is currently distributed to our shareholders. This treatment substantially eliminates the double
taxation at the corporate and shareholder levels that results generally from investment in a
corporation. Rather, income generated by a REIT generally is taxed only at the shareholder level,
upon a distribution of dividends by the REIT.
For tax years through 2010, U.S. shareholders (as defined below) who are individuals are
generally taxed on corporate dividends at a maximum rate of 15% (the same as long-term capital
gains), thereby substantially reducing, though not completely eliminating, the double taxation that
has historically applied to corporate dividends.
With limited exceptions, however, dividends received by individual U.S. shareholders from
us or from other entities that are taxed as REITs will continue to be taxed at rates applicable to
ordinary income, which will be as high as 35% through 2010. Net operating losses, foreign tax
credits and other tax attributes of a REIT generally do not pass through to the shareholders of the
REIT, subject to special rules for certain items, such as capital gains, recognized by REITs. See
Taxation of Taxable U.S. Shareholders.
Even if we qualify for taxation as a REIT, however, we will be subject to U.S. federal
income taxation as follows:
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We will be taxed at regular corporate rates on any undistributed income, including
undistributed net capital |
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gains. |
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We may be subject to the alternative minimum tax on our items of tax preference, if any. |
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If we have net income from prohibited transactions, which are, in general, sales or other
dispositions of property held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of
business, other than foreclosure property, such income will be subject to a 100% tax. See
Prohibited Transactions and Foreclosure Property below. |
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If we elect to treat property that we acquire in connection with a foreclosure of a
mortgage loan or from certain leasehold terminations as foreclosure property, we may
thereby avoid (1) the 100% tax on gain from a resale of that property (if the sale would
otherwise constitute a prohibited transaction) and (2) the inclusion of any income from
such property not qualifying for purposes of the REIT gross income tests discussed below,
but the income from the sale or operation of the property may be subject to corporate
income tax at the highest applicable rate (currently 35%). |
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If we fail to satisfy the 75% gross income test or the 95% gross income test, as
discussed below, but nonetheless maintain our qualification as a REIT because other
requirements are met, we will be subject to a 100% tax on an amount equal to (1) the
greater of (A) the amount by which we fail the 75% gross income test or (B) the amount by
which we fail the 95% gross income test, as the case may be, multiplied by (2) a fraction
intended to reflect our profitability. |
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If we fail to satisfy any of the REIT asset tests, as described below, other than a
failure of the 5% or 10% asset tests that do not exceed a statutory de minimis amount as
described more fully below, but our failure is due to reasonable cause and not due to
willful neglect and we nonetheless maintain our REIT qualification because of specified
cure provisions, we will be required to pay a tax equal to the greater of $50,000 or the
highest corporate tax rate (currently 35%) of the net income generated by the
nonqualifying assets during the period in which we failed to satisfy the asset tests. |
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If we fail to satisfy any provision of the Internal Revenue Code that would result in our
failure to qualify as a REIT (other than a gross income or asset test requirement) and
the violation is due to reasonable cause, we may retain our REIT qualification but we
will be required to pay a penalty of $50,000 for each such failure. |
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If we fail to distribute during each calendar year at least the sum of (1) 85% of our
REIT ordinary income for such year, (2) 95% of our REIT capital gain net income for such
year and (3) any undistributed taxable income from prior periods (or the required
distribution), we will be subject to a 4% excise tax on the excess of the required
distribution over the sum of (A) the amounts actually distributed (taking into account
excess distributions from prior years), plus (B) retained amounts on which income tax is
paid at the corporate level. |
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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 our
shareholders, as described below in Requirements for
Qualification as a REIT. |
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A 100% excise tax may be imposed on some items of income
and expense that are directly or constructively paid
between us and any TRSs we may own if and to the extent
that the IRS successfully adjusts the reported amounts of
these items. |
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If we acquire appreciated assets from a corporation that is
not a REIT in a transaction in which the adjusted tax basis
of the assets in our hands is determined by reference to
the adjusted tax basis of the assets in the hands of the
non-REIT corporation, we will be subject to tax on such
appreciation at the highest corporate income tax rate then
applicable if we subsequently recognize gain on a
disposition of any such assets during the 10-year period
following their acquisition from the non-REIT corporation.
The results described in this paragraph assume that the
non-REIT corporation will not elect, in lieu of this
treatment, to be subject to an immediate tax when the asset
is acquired by us. |
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We will generally be subject to tax on the portion of any
excess inclusion income derived from an investment in
residual interests in real estate mortgage investment
conduits or REMICs to the extent our stock is held by
specified tax-exempt organizations not subject to tax on
unrelated business taxable income. Similar rules will apply
if we own an equity interest in a taxable mortgage pool
through a subsidiary REIT of our operating |
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partnership. To
the extent that we own a REMIC residual interest or a
taxable mortgage pool through a TRS, we will not be subject
to this tax. |
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We may elect to retain and pay income tax on our net
long-term capital gain. In that case, a shareholder would
include its proportionate share of our undistributed
long-term capital gain (to the extent we make a timely
designation of such gain to the shareholder) in its income,
would be deemed to have paid the tax that we paid on such
gain, and would be allowed a credit for its proportionate
share of the tax deemed to have been paid, and an
adjustment would be made to increase the shareholders
basis in our common stock. |
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We may have subsidiaries or own interests in other
lower-tier entities that are subchapter C corporations, the
earnings of which could be subject to U.S. federal
corporate income tax. |
In addition, we may be subject to a variety of taxes other than U.S. federal income tax,
including payroll taxes and state, local, and foreign income, franchise property and other taxes.
We could also be subject to tax in situations and on transactions not presently contemplated.
Requirements for Qualification as a REIT
The Internal Revenue Code defines a REIT as a corporation, trust or association:
(1) that is managed by one or more trustees or directors;
(2) the beneficial ownership of which is evidenced by transferable shares or by
transferable certificates of beneficial interest;
(3) that would be taxable as a domestic corporation but for the special Internal Revenue
Code provisions applicable to REITs;
(4) that is neither a financial institution nor an insurance company subject to specific
provisions of the Internal Revenue Code;
(5) the beneficial ownership of which is held by 100 or more persons 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;
(6) in which, during the last half of each taxable year, not more than 50% in value of the
outstanding stock is owned, directly or indirectly, by five or fewer individuals (as defined in
the Internal Revenue Code to include specified entities);
(7) which meets other tests described below, including with respect to the nature of its
income and assets and the amount of its distributions; and
(8) that makes an election to be a REIT for the current taxable year or has made such an
election for a previous taxable year that has not been terminated or revoked.
The Internal Revenue Code provides that conditions (1) through (4) must be met during the
entire taxable year, and that condition (5) must be met during at least 335 days of a taxable year
of 12 months, or during a proportionate part of a shorter taxable year. Conditions (5) and (6) do
not need to be satisfied for the first taxable year for which an election to become a REIT has been
made. Our charter provides restrictions regarding the ownership and transfer of its shares, which
are intended to assist in satisfying the share ownership requirements described in conditions (5)
and (6) above. For purposes of condition (6), an individual generally includes a supplemental
unemployment compensation benefit plan, a private foundation or a portion of a trust permanently
set aside or used exclusively for charitable purposes, but does not include a qualified pension
plan or profit sharing trust.
Our charter contains restrictions on ownership or transfer of our stock that are designed
to ensure that we satisfy the share ownership requirements. In addition, to monitor compliance with
the share ownership requirements, we are generally required to maintain records regarding the
actual ownership of our shares. To do so, we must demand written statements each year from the
record holders of significant percentages of our shares of stock, in which the record holders are
to disclose the actual owners of the shares (i.e., the persons required to include in gross
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income the dividends paid by us). A list of those persons failing or refusing to comply with
this demand must be maintained as part of our records. Failure by us to comply with these
record-keeping requirements could subject us to monetary penalties. If we satisfy these
requirements and after exercising reasonable diligence would not have known that condition (6) is
not satisfied, we will be deemed to have satisfied such condition. A shareholder that fails or
refuses to comply with the demand is required by Treasury Regulations to submit a statement with
its tax return disclosing the actual ownership of the shares and other information.
In addition, a corporation generally may not elect to become a REIT unless its taxable
year is the calendar year. We satisfy this requirement.
Effect of Subsidiary Entities
Ownership of Partner Interests
In the case of a REIT that is a partner in an entity that is treated as a partnership for
U.S. federal income tax purposes, Treasury Regulations provide that the REIT is deemed to own its
proportionate share of the partnerships assets and to earn its proportionate share of the
partnerships gross income based on its pro rata share of capital interests in the partnership for
purposes of the asset and gross income tests applicable to REITs, as described below. However,
solely for purposes of the 10% value test, described below, the determination of a REITs interest
in partnership assets will be based on the REITs proportionate interest in any securities issued
by the partnership, excluding for these purposes, certain securities as described in the Internal
Revenue Code. In addition, the assets and gross income of the partnership generally are deemed to
retain the same character in the hands of the REIT. Thus, our proportionate share of the assets and
items of income of partnerships in which we own an equity interest (including our interest in our
operating partnership and its equity interests in lower-tier partnerships) is treated as assets and
items of income of our company for purposes of applying the REIT requirements described below.
Consequently, to the extent that we directly or indirectly hold a preferred or other equity
interest in a partnership, the partnerships assets and operations may affect our ability to
qualify as a REIT, even though we may have no control or only limited influence over the
partnership. A summary of certain rules governing the U.S. federal income taxation of partnerships
and their partners is provided below in Tax Aspects of Ownership of Equity Interests in
Partnerships.
Disregarded Subsidiaries
If a REIT owns a corporate subsidiary that is a qualified REIT subsidiary, that
subsidiary is disregarded for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and all assets, liabilities and
items of income, deduction and credit of the subsidiary are treated as assets, liabilities and
items of income, deduction and credit of the REIT itself, including for purposes of the gross
income and asset tests applicable to REITs, as summarized below. A qualified REIT subsidiary is any
corporation, other than a TRS, that is wholly owned by a REIT, by other disregarded subsidiaries of
the REIT or by a combination of the two. Single member limited liability companies that are wholly
owned by a REIT are also generally disregarded as separate entities for U.S. federal income tax
purposes, including for purposes of the REIT gross income and asset tests. Disregarded
subsidiaries, along with partnerships in which we hold an equity interest, are sometimes referred
to herein as pass-through subsidiaries.
In the event that a disregarded subsidiary ceases to be wholly owned by us (for example,
if any equity interest in the subsidiary is acquired by a person other than us or another
disregarded subsidiary of us), the subsidiarys separate existence would no longer be disregarded
for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Instead, it would have multiple owners and would be treated
as either a partnership or a taxable corporation. Such an event could, depending on the
circumstances, adversely affect our ability to satisfy the various asset and gross income tests
applicable to REITs, including the requirement that REITs generally may not own, directly or
indirectly, more than 10% of the value or voting power of the outstanding securities of another
corporation. See Asset Tests and Gross Income Tests.
Taxable REIT Subsidiaries
A REIT, in general, may jointly elect with a subsidiary corporation, whether or not
wholly owned, to treat the subsidiary corporation as a TRS. We generally may not own more than 10%
of the securities of a taxable corporation, as measured by voting power or value, unless we and
such corporation elect to treat such corporation as a TRS. The separate existence of a TRS or other
taxable corporation, unlike a disregarded subsidiary as discussed above, is not ignored for U.S.
federal income tax purposes. Accordingly, such an entity would generally be subject
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to corporate income tax on its earnings, which may reduce the cash flow generated by us and
our subsidiaries in the aggregate and our ability to make distributions to our shareholders.
A REIT is not treated as holding the assets of a TRS or other taxable subsidiary
corporation or as receiving any income that the subsidiary earns. Rather, the stock issued by the
subsidiary is an asset in the hands of the REIT, and the REIT generally recognizes as income the
dividends, if any, that it receives from the subsidiary. This treatment can affect the gross income
and asset test calculations that apply to the REIT, as described below.
Because a parent REIT does not include the assets and income of such subsidiary
corporations in determining the parents compliance with the REIT requirements, such entities may
be used by the parent REIT to undertake indirectly activities that the REIT rules might otherwise
preclude it from doing directly or through pass-through subsidiaries or render commercially
unfeasible (for example, activities that give rise to certain categories of income such as
non-qualifying hedging income or inventory sales). We may hold certain assets in one or more TRSs,
subject to the limitation that securities in TRSs may not represent more than 25% of our assets. In
general, we intend that loans that we acquire with an intention of selling in a manner that might
expose us to a 100% tax on prohibited transactions will be acquired by a TRS. If dividends are
paid to us by one or more TRSs we may own, then a portion of the dividends that we distribute to
shareholders who are taxed at individual rates generally will be eligible for taxation at
preferential qualified dividend income tax rates rather than at ordinary income rates. See
Taxation of Taxable U.S. Shareholders and Annual Distribution Requirements.
Certain restrictions imposed on TRSs are intended to ensure that such entities will be
subject to appropriate levels of U.S. federal income taxation. First, a TRS may not deduct interest
payments made in any year to an affiliated REIT to the extent that the TRSs net interest expense
exceeds, generally, 50% of the TRSs adjusted taxable income for that year (although the TRS may
carry forward to, and deduct in, a succeeding year the disallowed interest amount if the 50% test
is satisfied in that year). In addition, if amounts are paid to a REIT or deducted by a
TRS due to transactions between a REIT, its tenants and/or the TRS, that exceed the amount that
would be paid to or deducted by a party in an arms-length transaction, the REIT generally will be
subject to an excise tax equal to 100% of such excess.
Gross Income Tests
In order to maintain our qualification as a REIT, we annually must satisfy two gross
income tests. First, at least 75% of our gross income for each taxable year, excluding gross income
from sales of inventory or dealer property in prohibited transactions and certain hedging
transactions, must be derived from investments relating to real property or mortgages on real
property, including rents from real property, dividends received from and gains from the
disposition of other shares of REITs, interest income derived from mortgage loans secured by real
property (including certain types of RMBS and CMBS), and gains from the sale of real estate assets,
as well as income from certain kinds of temporary investments. Second, at least 95% of our gross
income in each taxable year, excluding gross income from prohibited transactions and certain
hedging transactions, must be derived from some combination of income that qualifies under the 75%
gross income test described above, as well as other dividends, interest, and gain from the sale or
disposition of stock or securities, which need not have any relation to real property.
For purposes of the 75% and 95% gross income tests, a REIT is deemed to have earned a
proportionate share of the income earned by any partnership, or any limited liability company
treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, in which it owns an interest, which
share is determined by reference to its capital interest in such entity, and is deemed to have
earned the income earned by any qualified REIT subsidiary.
Interest Income
Interest income constitutes qualifying mortgage interest for purposes of the 75% gross
income test to the extent that the obligation upon which such interest is paid is secured by a
mortgage on real property. If we receive interest income with respect to a mortgage loan that is
secured by both real property and other property and the highest principal amount of the loan
outstanding during a taxable year exceeds the fair market value of the real property on the date
that we acquired the mortgage loan, the interest income will be apportioned between the real
property and the other property, and our income from the arrangement will qualify for purposes of
the 75% gross income test only to the extent that the interest is allocable to the real property.
Even if a loan is not secured by real property or is undersecured, the income that it generates may
nonetheless qualify for purposes of the 95% gross income test.
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We intend to invest in RMBS and CMBS that are either pass-through certificates or CMOs as
well as mortgage loans and mezzanine loans. We expect that the RMBS and CMBS will be treated either
as interests in a grantor trust or as interests in a REMIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes and
that all interest income from our RMBS and CMBS will be qualifying income for the 95% gross income
test. In the case of mortgage-backed securities treated as interests in grantor trusts, we would be
treated as owning an undivided beneficial ownership interest in the mortgage loans held by the
grantor trust. The interest on such mortgage loans would be qualifying income for purposes of the
75% gross income test to the extent that the obligation is secured by real property, as discussed
above. In the case of RMBS or CMBS treated as interests in a REMIC, income derived from REMIC
interests will generally be treated as qualifying income for purposes of the 75% and 95% gross
income tests. If less than 95% of the assets of the REMIC are real estate assets, however, then
only a proportionate part of our interest in the REMIC and income derived from the interest will
qualify for purposes of the 75% gross income test. In addition, some REMIC securitizations include
imbedded interest swap or cap contracts or other derivative instruments that potentially could
produce non-qualifying income for the holder of the related REMIC securities. Among the assets we
may hold are certain mezzanine loans secured by equity interests in a pass-through entity that
directly or indirectly owns real property, rather than a direct mortgage on the real property.
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
(described above). Although the Revenue Procedure provides a safe harbor on which taxpayers may
rely, it does not prescribe rules of substantive tax law. The mezzanine loans that we acquire may
not meet all of the requirements for reliance on this safe harbor. Hence, there can be no assurance
that the IRS will not challenge the qualification of such assets as real estate assets for purposes
of the REIT asset tests (described below) or the interest generated by these loans as qualifying
income under the 75% gross income test (described above). To the extent we make corporate mezzanine
loans, such loans will not qualify as real estate assets and interest income with respect to such
loans will not be qualifying income for the 75% gross income test (described above).
We believe that substantially all of our income from our mortgage-related securities
generally will be qualifying income for purposes of the REIT gross income tests. However, to the
extent that we own non-REMIC CMOs or other debt instruments secured by mortgage loans (rather than
by real property), the interest income received with respect to such securities generally will be
qualifying income for purposes of the 95% gross income test, but not the 75% gross income test. In
addition, the loan amount of a mortgage loan that we own may exceed the value of the real property
securing the loan. In that case, income from the loan will be qualifying income for purposes of the
95% gross income test, but the interest attributable to the amount of the loan that exceeds the
value of the real property securing the loan will not be qualifying income for purposes of the 75%
gross income test.
We may purchase Agency RMBS through TBAs and may recognize income or gains from the
disposition of those TBAs through dollar roll transactions. There is no direct authority with
respect to the qualifications of income or gains from dispositions of TBAs as gains from the sale
of real property (including interests in real property and interests in mortgages on real property)
or other qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test. We will not treat these items
as qualifying for purposes of the 75% gross income test unless we receive advice of our counsel
that such income and gains should be treated as qualifying for purposes of the 75% gross income
test. As a result, our ability to enter into TBAs could be limited. Moreover, even if we were to
receive advice of counsel as described in the preceding sentence, it is possible that the IRS could
assert that such income is not qualifying income. In the event that such income were determined not
to be qualifying for the 75% gross income test, we could be subject to a penalty tax or we could
fail to qualify as a REIT if such income when added to any other non-qualifying income exceeded 25%
of our gross income.
Dividend Income
We may receive distributions from TRSs or other corporations that are not REITs or
qualified REIT subsidiaries. These distributions are generally classified as dividend income to the
extent of the earnings and profits of the distributing corporation. Such distributions generally
constitute qualifying income for purposes of the 95% gross income test, but not the 75% gross
income test. Any dividends received by us from a REIT is qualifying income in our hands for
purposes of both the 95% and 75% gross income tests.
Hedging Transactions
We may enter into hedging transactions with respect to one or more of our assets or
liabilities. Hedging transactions could take a variety of forms, including interest rate swap
agreements, interest rate cap agreements,
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options, futures contracts, forward rate agreements or similar financial instruments. Except
to the extent provided by Treasury Regulations, any income from a hedging transaction we enter into
(1) in the normal course of our business primarily to manage risk of interest rate or 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, which is clearly identified as
specified in Treasury Regulations before the close of the day on which it was acquired, originated,
or entered into, or (2) primarily to manage risk of currency fluctuations with respect to any item
of income or gain that would be qualifying income under the 75% or 95% income tests which is
clearly identified as such before the close of the day on which it was acquired, originated, or
entered into, will not constitute gross income for purposes of the 75% or 95% gross income test. To
the extent that we enter into other types of hedging transactions, the income from those
transactions is likely to be treated as non-qualifying income for purposes of both of the 75% and
95% gross income tests. We intend to structure any hedging transactions in a manner that
does not jeopardize our qualification as a REIT.
Rents from Real Property
We currently do not intend to acquire real property with the proceeds of this offering.
However, to the extent that we own real property or interests therein, rents we receive qualify as
rents from real property in satisfying the gross income tests described above, only if several
conditions are met, including the following. If rent attributable to personal property leased in
connection with real property is greater than 15% of the total rent received under any particular
lease, then all of the rent attributable to such personal property will not qualify as rents from
real property. The determination of whether an item of personal property constitutes real or
personal property under the REIT provisions of the Internal Revenue Code is subject to both legal
and factual considerations and is therefore subject to different interpretations.
In addition, in order for rents received by us to qualify as rents from real property,
the rent must not be based in whole or in part on the income or profits of any person. However, an
amount will not be excluded from rents from real property solely by being based on a fixed
percentage or percentages of sales or if it is based on the net income of a tenant which derives
substantially all of its income with respect to such property from subleasing of substantially all
of such property, to the extent that the rents paid by the subtenants would qualify as rents from
real property, if earned directly by us. Moreover, for rents received to qualify as rents from
real property, we generally must not operate or manage the property or furnish or render certain
services to the tenants of such property, other than through an independent contractor who is
adequately compensated and from which we derive no income or through a TRS. We are permitted,
however, to perform services that are usually or customarily rendered in connection with the
rental of space for occupancy only and are not otherwise considered rendered to the occupant of the
property. In addition, we may directly or indirectly provide non-customary services to tenants of
our properties without disqualifying all of the rent from the property if the payment for such
services does not exceed 1% of the total gross income from the property. In such a case, only the
amounts for non-customary services are not treated as rents from real property, and the provision
of the services does not disqualify the related rent.
Rental income will qualify as rents from real property only to the extent that we do not
directly or constructively own, (1) in the case of any tenant which is a corporation, stock
possessing either 10% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled
to vote, or 10% or more of the total value of shares of all classes of stock of such tenant, or (2)
in the case of any tenant which is not a corporation, an interest of 10% or more in the assets or
net profits of such tenant.
Failure to Satisfy the Gross Income Tests
We intend to monitor our sources of income, including any non-qualifying income received
by us, so as to ensure our compliance with the gross income tests. If we fail to satisfy one or
both of the 75% or 95% gross income tests for any taxable year, we may still qualify as a REIT for
the year if we are entitled to relief under applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code.
These relief provisions will generally be available if the failure of our company to meet these
tests was due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect and, following the identification
of such failure, we set forth a description of each item of our gross income that satisfies the
gross income tests in a schedule for the taxable year filed in accordance with the Treasury
Regulations. It is not possible to state whether we would be entitled to the benefit of these
relief provisions in all circumstances. If these relief provisions are inapplicable to a particular
set of circumstances involving us, we will not qualify as a REIT. As discussed above under
Taxation of REITs in General, even where these relief provisions apply, a tax would be imposed
upon the profit attributable to the amount by which we fail to satisfy the particular gross income
test.
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Phantom Income
Due to the nature of the assets in which we will invest, we may be required to recognize
taxable income from certain of our assets in advance of our receipt of cash flow on or proceeds
from disposition of such assets, and we may be required to report taxable income in early periods
that exceeds the economic income ultimately realized on such assets.
We may acquire debt instruments in the secondary market for less than their face amount.
The discount at which such debt instruments are acquired may reflect doubts about their ultimate
collectability rather than current market interest rates. The amount of such discount will
nevertheless generally be treated as market discount for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Market
discount on a debt instrument generally accrues on the basis of the constant yield to maturity of
the debt instrument, based generally on the assumption that all future payments on the debt
instrument will be made. Accrued market discount is reported as income when, and to the extent
that, any payment of principal on the debt instrument is made. In the case of residential mortgage
loans, principal payments are ordinarily made monthly, and consequently, accrued market discount
may have to be included in income each month as if the debt instrument were assured of ultimately
being collected in full. If we collect less on the debt instrument than our purchase price plus any
market discount we had previously reported as income, we may not be able to benefit from any
offsetting loss deductions in a subsequent taxable year.
Some of the mortgage-backed securities that we purchase will likely have been issued with
original issue discount, or OID. We will be required to accrue OID based on a constant yield method
and income will accrue on the debt instrument based on the assumption that all future payments on
such mortgage-backed securities will be made. If such mortgage-backed securities turn out not to be
fully collectible, an offsetting loss deduction will only become available in a later year when
uncollectability is provable.
In addition, we may acquire distressed debt investments that are subsequently modified by
agreement with the borrower. If the amendments to the outstanding debt are significant
modifications under applicable Treasury Regulations, the modified debt may be considered to have
been reissued to us at a gain in a debt-for-debt exchange with the borrower. In that event, we may
be required to recognize income to the extent that principal amount of the modified debt exceeds
our adjusted tax basis in the unmodified debt, and we would hold the modified loan with a cost
basis equal to its principal amount for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
In the event that any mortgage-related assets acquired by us are delinquent as to
mandatory principal and interest payments, or in the event a borrower with respect to a particular
debt instrument acquired by us encounters financial difficulty rendering it unable to pay stated
interest as due, we may nonetheless be required to continue to recognize the unpaid interest as
taxable income.
Due to each of these potential differences between income recognition or expense
deduction and cash receipts or disbursements, there is a significant risk that we may have
substantial taxable income in excess of cash available for distribution. In that event, we may need
to borrow funds or take other action to satisfy the REIT distribution requirements for the taxable
year in which this phantom income is recognized. See Annual Distribution Requirements.
Asset Tests
At the close of each calendar quarter, we must satisfy four tests relating to the nature
of our assets. First, at least 75% of the value of our total assets must be represented by some
combination of real estate assets, cash, cash items, U.S. government securities and, under some
circumstances, stock or debt instruments purchased with new capital. For this purpose, real estate
assets include interests in real property, such as land, buildings, leasehold interests in real
property, stock of other corporations that qualify as REITs and certain kinds of RMBS, CMBS and
mortgage loans. Regular or residual interest in REMICs are generally treated as a real estate
asset. If, however, less than 95% of the assets of a REMIC consists of real estate assets
(determined as if we held such assets), we will be treated as owning our proportionate share of the
assets of the REMIC. In the case of interests in grant or trusts, we will be treated as owning an
undivided beneficial interest in the mortgage loans held by the grantor trust. Assets that do not
qualify for purposes of the 75% test are subject to the additional asset tests described below.
Second, the value of any one issuers securities owned by us may not exceed 5% of the value of our
gross assets. Third, we may not own more than 10% of any one issuers outstanding
securities, as measured by either voting power or value. Fourth, the aggregate value of all
securities of TRSs held by us may not exceed 25% of the value of our gross assets.
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The 5% and 10% asset tests do not apply to securities of TRSs and qualified REIT
subsidiaries. The 10% value test does not apply to certain straight debt and other excluded
securities, as described in the Internal Revenue Code, including but not limited to any loan to an
individual or an estate, any obligation to pay rents from real property and any security issued by
a REIT. In addition, (1) a REITs interest as a partner in a partnership is not considered a
security for purposes of applying the 10% value test; (2) any debt instrument issued by a
partnership (other than straight debt or other excluded security) will not be considered a security
issued by the partnership if at least 75% of the partnerships gross income is derived from sources
that would qualify for the 75% REIT gross income test; and (3) any debt instrument issued by a
partnership (other than straight debt or other excluded security) will not be considered a security
issued by the partnership to the extent of the REITs interest as a partner in the partnership.
For purposes of the 10% value test, straight debt means a written unconditional promise
to pay on demand on a specified date a sum certain in money if (1) the debt is not convertible,
directly or indirectly, into stock, (2) the interest rate and interest payment dates are not
contingent on profits, the borrowers discretion, or similar factors other than certain
contingencies relating to the timing and amount of principal and interest payments, as described in
the Internal Revenue Code and (3) in the case of an issuer which is a corporation or a partnership,
securities that otherwise would be considered straight debt will not be so considered if we, and
any of our controlled taxable REIT subsidiaries as defined in the Internal Revenue Code, hold any
securities of the corporate or partnership issuer which (A) are not straight debt or other excluded
securities (prior to the application of this rule), and (B) have an aggregate value greater than 1%
of the issuers outstanding securities (including, for the purposes of a partnership issuer, our
interest as a partner in the partnership).
We may hold certain mezzanine loans that do not qualify for the safe harbor in Revenue
Procedure 2003-65 discussed above pursuant to which certain loans secured by a first priority
security interest in equity interests in a pass-through entity that directly or indirectly own real
property will be treated as qualifying assets for purposes of the 75% real estate asset test and
therefore not be subject to the 10% vote or value test. In addition such mezzanine loans may not
qualify as straight debt securities or for one of the other exclusions from the definition of
securities for purposes of the 10% value test. We intend to make any such investments in such a
manner as not to fail the asset tests described above.
We may hold certain participation interests, including B Notes, in mortgage loans and
mezzanine loans originated by other lenders. B Notes are interests in underlying loans created by
virtue of participations or similar agreements to which the originators of the loans are parties,
along with one or more participants. The borrower on the underlying loan is typically not a party
to the participation agreement. The performance of this investment depends upon the performance of
the underlying loan and, if the underlying borrower defaults, the participant typically has no
recourse against the originator of the loan. The originator often retains a senior position in the
underlying loan and grants junior participations which absorb losses first in the event of a
default by the borrower. We generally expect to treat our participation interests as qualifying
real estate assets for purposes of the REIT asset tests and interest that we derive from such
investments as qualifying mortgage interest for purposes of the 75% gross income test discussed
above. The appropriate treatment of participation interests for U.S. federal income tax purposes is
not entirely certain, however, and no assurance can be given that the IRS will not challenge our
treatment of our participation interests. In the event of a determination that such participation
interests do not qualify as real estate assets, or that the income that we derive from such
participation interests does not qualify as mortgage interest for purposes of the REIT asset and
income tests, we could be subject to a penalty tax, or could fail to qualify as a REIT.
After initially meeting the asset tests at the close of any quarter, we will not lose our
qualification as a REIT for failure to satisfy the asset tests at the end of a later quarter solely
by reason of changes in asset values. If we fail to satisfy the asset tests because we acquire
securities during a quarter, we can cure this failure by disposing of sufficient non-qualifying
assets within 30 days after the close of that quarter. If we fail the 5% asset test, or the 10%
vote or value asset tests at the end of any quarter and such failure is not cured within
30 days thereafter, we may dispose of sufficient assets (generally within six months after the last
day of the quarter in which our identification of the failure to satisfy these asset tests
occurred) to cure such a violation that does not exceed the lesser of 1% of our assets at the end
of the relevant quarter or $10,000,000. If we fail any of the other asset tests or our failure of
the 5% and 10% asset tests is in excess of the de minimis amount described above, as long as such
failure was due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect, we are permitted to avoid
disqualification as a REIT, after the 30-day cure period, by taking steps including the disposition
of sufficient assets to meet the asset test (generally within six months after the last day of the
quarter in which our identification of the failure to satisfy the REIT asset test occurred) and
paying a tax equal to the greater of $50,000 or the highest corporate income tax rate (currently
35%)
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of the net income generated by the non-qualifying assets during the period in which we failed
to satisfy the asset test.
We expect that the assets and mortgage-related securities that we own generally will be
qualifying assets for purposes of the 75% asset test. However, to the extent that we own non-REMIC
CMOs or other debt instruments secured by mortgage loans (rather than by real property) or secured
by non-real estate assets, or debt securities issued by C corporations that are not secured by
mortgages on real property, those securities may not be qualifying assets for purposes of the 75%
asset test. We may purchase Agency RMBS through TBAs. There is no direct authority with respect to
the qualification of TBAs as real estate assets or Government securities for purposes of the 75%
asset test and we will not treat TBAs as such unless we receive advice of our counsel that TBAs
should be treated as qualifying assets for purposes of the 75% asset test. As a result, our ability
to purchase TBAs could be limited. Moreover, even if we were to receive advice of counsel as
described in the preceding sentence, it is possible that the IRS could assert that TBAs are not
qualifying assets in which case we could be subject to a penalty tax or fail to qualify as a REIT
if such assets, when combined with other non-real estate assets exceeds 25% of our gross assets.
We believe that our holdings of securities and other assets will be structured in a
manner that will comply with the foregoing REIT asset requirements and intend to monitor compliance
on an ongoing basis. Moreover, values of some assets may not be susceptible to a precise
determination and are subject to change in the future. Furthermore, the proper classification of an
instrument as debt or equity for U.S. federal income tax purposes may be uncertain in some
circumstances, which could affect the application of the REIT asset tests. Accordingly, there can
be no assurance that the IRS will not contend that our interests in subsidiaries or in the
securities of other issuers (including REIT issuers) cause a violation of the REIT asset tests.
In addition, we intend to enter into repurchase agreements under which we will nominally
sell certain of our assets to a counterparty and simultaneously enter into an agreement to
repurchase the sold assets. We believe that we will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes
as the owner of the assets that are the subject of any such agreement notwithstanding that we may
transfer record ownership of the assets to the counterparty during the term of the agreement. It is
possible, however, that the IRS could assert that we did not own the assets during the term of the
repurchase agreement, in which case we could fail to qualify as a REIT.
Annual Distribution Requirements
In order to qualify as a REIT, we are required to distribute dividends, other than
capital gain dividends, to our shareholders in an amount at least equal to:
(a) the sum of:
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90% of our REIT taxable income (computed without regard to our deduction for
dividends paid and our net capital gains); and |
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90% of the net income (after tax), if any, from foreclosure property (as described
below); minus |
(b) the sum of specified items of non-cash income that exceeds a percentage of our
income.
These distributions must be paid in the taxable year to which they relate or in the following
taxable year if such distributions are declared in October, November or December of the taxable
year, are payable to shareholders of record on a specified date in any such month and are actually
paid before the end of January of the following year. Such distributions are treated as both paid
by us and received by each shareholder on December 31 of the year in which they are declared. In
addition, at our election, a distribution for a taxable year may be declared before we timely file
our tax return for the year and be paid with or before the first regular dividend payment after
such declaration, provided that such payment is made during the 12-month period following the close
of such taxable year. These distributions are taxable to our shareholders in the year in which
paid, even though the distributions relate to our prior taxable year for purposes of the 90%
distribution requirement.
In order for distributions to be counted towards our distribution requirement and to give
rise to a tax deduction by us, they must not be preferential dividends. A dividend is not a
preferential dividend if it is pro rata among all outstanding shares of stock within a particular
class and is in accordance with the preferences among different classes of stock as set forth in
our organizational documents.
To the extent that we distribute at least 90%, but less than 100%, of our REIT taxable
income, as adjusted, we will be subject to tax at ordinary corporate tax rates on the retained
portion. In addition, we may elect to retain, rather than distribute, our net long-term capital
gains and pay tax on such gains. In this case, we could elect to have
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our shareholders include their proportionate share of such undistributed long-term capital
gains in income and receive a corresponding credit for their proportionate share of the tax paid by
us. Our shareholders would then increase the adjusted basis of their stock in us by the difference
between the designated amounts included in their long-term capital gains and the tax deemed paid
with respect to their proportionate shares.
If we fail to distribute during each calendar year at least the sum of (1) 85% of our
REIT ordinary income for such year, (2) 95% of our REIT capital gain net income for such year and
(3) any undistributed taxable income from prior periods, we will be subject to a 4% excise tax on
the excess of such required distribution over the sum of (x) the amounts actually distributed
(taking into account excess distributions from prior periods) and (y) the amounts of income
retained on which we have paid corporate income tax. We intend to make timely distributions so that
we are not subject to the 4% excise tax.
It is possible that we, from time to time, may not have sufficient cash to meet the
distribution requirements due to timing differences between (1) the actual receipt of cash,
including receipt of distributions from our subsidiaries and (2) the inclusion of items in income
by us for U.S. federal income tax purposes. For example, we may acquire assets, including debt
instruments requiring us to accrue OID or recognize market discount income that generate taxable
income in excess of economic income or in advance of the receipt of corresponding cash flow. See
Gross Income Tests Phantom Income. In addition, we may be required under the terms of
certain indebtedness to use cash received from interest payments to make principal payments on such
indebtedness. In the event that such timing differences occur, in order to meet the distribution
requirements, it might be necessary to arrange for short-term, or possibly long-term, borrowings or
to pay dividends in the form of taxable stock dividends. We may be able to rectify a failure to
meet the distribution requirements for a year by paying deficiency dividends to shareholders in a
later year, which may be included in our deduction for dividends paid for the earlier year. In this
case, we may be able to avoid losing our qualification as a REIT or being taxed on amounts
distributed as deficiency dividends. However, we will be required to pay interest and a penalty
based on the amount of any deduction taken for deficiency dividends.
Recordkeeping Requirements
We are required to maintain records and request on an annual basis information from
specified shareholders. These requirements are designed to assist us in determining the actual
ownership of our outstanding stock and maintaining our qualifications as a REIT.
Prohibited Transactions
Net income we derive from a prohibited transaction (including any foreign currency gain,
as defined in Section 988(b)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code, minus any foreign currency loss, as
defined in Section 988(b)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code) is subject to a 100% tax. The term
prohibited transaction generally includes a sale or other disposition of property (other than
foreclosure property) that is held as inventory or primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary
course of a trade or business by a REIT, by a lower-tier partnership in which the REIT holds an
equity interest or by a borrower that has issued a shared appreciation mortgage or similar debt
instrument to the REIT. We intend to conduct our operations so that no asset owned by us or our
pass-through subsidiaries will be held as inventory or primarily for sale to customers and that a
sale of any assets owned by us directly or through a pass-through subsidiary will not be in the
ordinary course of business. However, whether property is held as inventory or primarily for sale
to customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business depends on the particular facts and
circumstances. No assurance can be given that any particular asset in which we hold a direct or
indirect interest will not be treated as property held as inventory or primarily for sale to
customers or that certain safe harbor provisions of the Internal Revenue Code that prevent such
treatment will apply. 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 subject to tax in the
hands of the corporation at regular corporate income tax rates.
Foreclosure Property
Foreclosure property is real property and any personal property incident to such real
property (1) that is acquired by a REIT as a result of the REIT having bid on the property at
foreclosure or having otherwise reduced the property to ownership or possession by agreement or
process of law after there was a default (or default was imminent) on a lease of the property or a
mortgage loan held by the REIT and secured by the property, (2) for which the related loan or lease
was acquired by the REIT at a time when default was not imminent or anticipated and (3) for which
such REIT makes a proper election to treat the property as foreclosure property. REITs generally
are
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subject to tax at the maximum corporate rate (currently 35%) on any net income from
foreclosure property, including any gain from the disposition of the foreclosure property, other
than income that would otherwise be qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test.
Any gain from the sale of property for which a foreclosure property election has been made will not
be subject to the 100% tax on gains from prohibited transactions described above, even if the
property would otherwise constitute inventory or dealer property in the hands of the selling REIT.
We do not anticipate that we will receive any income from foreclosure property that is not
qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test, but if we do receive any such income,
we intend to elect to treat the related property as foreclosure property.
Taxable Mortgage Pools and Excess Inclusion Income
An entity, or a portion of an entity, may be classified as a taxable mortgage pool, or
TMP, under the Internal Revenue Code if:
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substantially all of its assets consist of debt obligations or interests in debt
obligations; |
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more than 50% of those debt obligations are real estate mortgages or interests in
real estate mortgages as of specified testing dates, |
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the entity has issued debt obligations (liabilities) that have two or more
maturities; and |
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the payments required to be made by the entity on its debt obligations
(liabilities) bear a relationship to the payments to be received by the entity on
the debt obligations that it holds as assets. |
Under regulations issued by the U.S. Treasury Department, if less than 80% of the assets
of an entity (or a portion of an entity) consist of debt obligations, these debt obligations are
considered not to comprise substantially all of its assets, and therefore the entity would not be
treated as a TMP. Our financing and securitization arrangements may give rise to TMPs, with the
consequences as described below.
Where an entity, or a portion of an entity, is classified as a TMP, it is generally treated as
a taxable corporation for federal income tax purposes. In the case of a REIT, or a portion of a
REIT, or a disregarded subsidiary of a REIT, that is a TMP, however, special rules apply. The TMP
is not treated as a corporation that is subject to corporate income tax, and the TMP classification
does not directly affect the tax status of the REIT. Rather, the consequences of the TMP
classification would, in general, except as described below, be limited to the shareholders of the
REIT.
A portion of the REITs income from the TMP arrangement, which might be non-cash accrued
income, could be treated as excess inclusion income. Under recently issued IRS guidance, the
REITs excess inclusion income, including any excess inclusion income from a residual interest in a
REMIC, must be allocated among its shareholders in proportion to dividends paid. The REIT is
required to notify shareholders of the amount of excess inclusion income allocated to them. A
shareholders share of excess inclusion income:
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cannot be offset by any net operating losses otherwise available to the
shareholder; |
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is subject to tax as unrelated business taxable income in the hands of most types
of shareholders that are otherwise generally exempt from federal income tax; and |
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results in the application of U.S. federal income tax withholding at the maximum
rate (30%), without reduction for any otherwise applicable income tax treaty or other
exemption, to the extent allocable to most types of foreign shareholders. |
Under recently issued IRS guidance, to the extent that excess inclusion income is
allocated to a tax-exempt shareholder of a REIT that is not subject to unrelated business income
tax (such as a government entity or charitable remainder trust), the REIT may be subject to tax on
this income at the highest applicable corporate tax rate (currently 35%). In that case, the REIT
could reduce distributions to such shareholders by the amount of such tax paid by the REIT
attributable to such shareholders ownership. Treasury regulations provide that such a reduction in
distributions does not give rise to a preferential dividend that could adversely affect the REITs
compliance with its distribution requirements. The manner in which excess inclusion income is
calculated, or would be allocated to shareholders, including allocations among shares of different
classes of stock, is not clear under current law. As required by IRS guidance, we intend to make
such determinations using a reasonable method. Tax-exempt investors, foreign investors and
taxpayers with net operating losses should carefully consider the tax consequences described above,
and are urged to consult their tax advisors.
If our operating partnership or another subsidiary partnership of ours that we do not
wholly own, directly or through one or more disregarded entities, were a TMP, the foregoing rules
would not apply. Rather, the partnership that is a TMP would be treated as a corporation for
federal income tax purposes. In addition, this characterization
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would alter our income and asset test calculations, and could adversely affect our compliance
with those requirements. We intend to monitor the structure of any TMPs in which we have an
interest to ensure that they will not adversely affect our status as a REIT.
Failure to Qualify
In the event that we violate a provision of the Internal Revenue Code that would result
in our failure to qualify as a REIT, other than a violation under the gross income or asset tests
described above (for which other specified relief provisions are available), we may nevertheless
continue to qualify as a REIT under specified relief provisions available to us to avoid such
disqualification if the violation is due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect, and we
pay a penalty of $50,000 for each failure to satisfy a requirement for qualification as a REIT .
This cure provision reduces the instances that could lead to our disqualification as a REIT for
violations due to reasonable cause. If we fail to qualify for taxation as a REIT in any taxable
year and none of the relief provisions of the Internal Revenue Code apply, we will be subject to
tax, including any applicable alternative minimum tax, on our taxable income at regular corporate
rates. Distributions to our shareholders in any year in which we are not a REIT will not be
deductible by us, nor will they be required to be made. In this situation, to the extent of current
and accumulated earnings and profits, and, subject to limitations of the Internal Revenue Code,
distributions to our shareholders will generally be taxable in the case of our shareholders who are
individual U.S. shareholders (as defined below), at a maximum rate of 15% through 2010, and
dividends in the hands of our corporate U.S. shareholders may be eligible for the dividends
received deduction. Unless we are entitled to relief under the specific statutory provisions, we
will also be disqualified from re-electing to be taxed as a REIT for the four taxable years
following a year during which qualification was lost. It is not possible to state whether, in all
circumstances, we will be entitled to statutory relief.
Tax Aspects of Ownership of Equity Interests in Partnerships
General
We may hold assets through entities that are classified as partnerships for U.S. federal
income tax purposes, including our interest in our operating partnership and any equity interests
in lower-tier partnerships. In addition, it is generally expected that Legacy Loan PPIFs or Legacy
Securities PPIFs will be structured as limited partnerships or limited liability companies that are
taxable as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Assuming this is the case, it is
anticipated that the rules described in Effect of Subsidiary Entities and the following
paragraph will apply to any investments we make in such entities.
In general, partnerships are pass-through entities that are not subject to U.S. federal
income tax. Rather, partners are allocated their proportionate shares of the items of income, gain,
loss, deduction and credit of a partnership, and are subject to tax on these items without regard
to whether the partners receive a distribution from the partnership. We will include in our income
our proportionate share of these partnership items for purposes of the various REIT income tests,
based on our capital interest in such partnership, and in the computation of our REIT taxable
income. Moreover, for purposes of the REIT asset tests, we will include our proportionate share of
assets held by subsidiary partnerships, based on our capital interest in such partnerships (other
than for purposes of the 10% value test, for which the determination of our interest in partnership
assets will be based on our proportionate interest in any securities issued by the partnership
excluding, for these purposes, certain excluded securities as described in the Internal Revenue
Code). Consequently, to the extent that we hold an equity interest in a partnership, the
partnerships assets and operations may affect our ability to qualify as a REIT, even though we may
have no control, or only limited influence, over the partnership.
Entity Classification
The ownership by us of equity interests in partnerships, including our operating
partnership, involves special tax considerations, including the possibility of a challenge by the
IRS of the status of a partnership as a partnership, as opposed to an association taxable as a
corporation, for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Because it is likely that at least half of our
operating partnerships investments will be mortgage loans and the operating partnership intends to
use leverage to finance the investments, the taxable mortgage pool rules potentially could apply to
the operating partnership. However, the operating partnership does not intend on incurring any
indebtedness, the payments on which bear a relationship to payments (including payments at
maturity) received by the operating partnership from its investments. Accordingly, the operating
partnership does not believe it will be an obligor under debt obligations with two or more
maturities, the payments on which bear a relationship to payments on the operating partnerships
debt investments, and, therefore, the operating partnership does not believe that it will be
classified as a taxable
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mortgage pool. If our operating partnership or any subsidiary partnership were treated as an
association for U.S. federal income tax purposes, it would be taxable as a corporation and,
therefore, could be subject to an entity-level tax on its income. In such a situation, the
character of our assets and items of our gross income would change and would preclude us from
satisfying the REIT asset tests (particularly the tests generally preventing a REIT from owning
more than 10% of the voting securities, or more than 10% of the value of the securities, of a
corporation) or the gross income tests as discussed in Asset Tests and Gross Income Tests
above, and in turn would prevent us from qualifying as a REIT. See Failure to
Qualify, above, for a discussion of the effect of our failure to meet these tests for a taxable
year.
In addition, any change in the status of any of our subsidiary partnerships for tax
purposes might be treated as a taxable event, in which case we could have taxable income that is
subject to the REIT distribution requirements without receiving any cash.
Tax Allocations with Respect to Partnership Properties
The partnership agreement of our operating partnership generally provides that items of
operating income and loss will be allocated to the holders of units in proportion to the number of
units held by each holder. If an allocation of partnership income or loss does not comply with the
requirements of Section 704(b) of the Internal Revenue Code and the Treasury Regulations
thereunder, the item subject to the allocation will be reallocated in accordance with the partners
interests in the partnership. This reallocation 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. Our operating partnerships allocations of income and loss are intended to comply with
the requirements of Section 704(b) of the Internal Revenue Code and the Treasury Regulations
promulgated under this section of the Internal Revenue Code. Under the Internal Revenue Code and
the Treasury Regulations, 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 for tax purposes in a manner such that the contributing partner is
charged with, or benefits from, the unrealized gain or unrealized loss associated with the property
at the time of the contribution. The amount of the unrealized gain or unrealized loss is generally
equal to the difference between the fair market value of the contributed property and the adjusted
tax basis of such property at the time of the contribution, or a book-tax difference. Such
allocations are solely for U.S. federal income tax purposes and do not affect partnership capital
accounts or other economic or legal arrangements among the partners. To the extent that any of our
subsidiary partnerships acquires appreciated (or depreciated) properties by way of capital
contributions from its partners, allocations would need to be made in a manner consistent with
these requirements.
Taxation of Taxable U.S. Shareholders
This section summarizes the taxation of U.S. shareholders that are not tax-exempt
organizations. For these purposes, a U.S. shareholder is a beneficial owner of our common stock
that for U.S. federal income tax purposes is:
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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 U.S. or of a
political subdivision thereof (including the District of Columbia); |
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an estate whose income is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of
its source; or |
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any trust if (1) 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 (2) it has a valid election in
place to be treated as a U.S. person. |
If an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes
holds our stock, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner generally will depend upon the
status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. A partner of a partnership holding our
common stock should consult its own tax advisor regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences
to the partner of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of our stock by the partnership.
New Unearned Income Medicare Tax
Under the recently enacted Healthcare and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, amending
the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, high-income U.S. individuals, estates, and trusts
will be subject to an additional 3.8% tax on net investment income in tax years beginning
after December 31, 2012. For these purposes, net investment income includes dividends and gains
from sales of stock. In the case of an individual, the tax will be
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3.8% of the lesser of the individuals net investment income or the excess of the individuals
modified adjusted gross income over $250,000 in the case of a married individual filing a joint
return or a surviving spouse, $125,000 in the case of a married individual filing a separate
return, or $200,000 in the case of a single individual.
Distributions
Provided that we qualify as a REIT, distributions made to U.S. shareholders out of our
current and accumulated earnings and profits that are not designated as capital gain dividends will
generally be taken into account by U.S. shareholders as ordinary dividend income and will not be
eligible for the dividends received deduction for corporations. In determining the extent to which
a distribution with respect to our common stock constitutes a dividend for U.S. federal income tax
purposes, our earnings and profits will be allocated first to distributions with respect to our
preferred stock, if any, and then to our common stock. Dividends received from REITs are generally
not eligible to be taxed at the preferential qualified dividend income rates applicable to
individual U.S. shareholders who receive dividends from taxable subchapter C corporations.
Distributions from us that we designate as capital gain dividends will be taxed to U.S.
shareholders as long-term capital gains to the extent that they do not exceed our actual net
capital gain for the taxable year, without regard to the period for which the U.S. shareholder has
held its stock. To the extent that we elect under the applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue
Code to retain our net capital gains, U.S. shareholders will be treated as having received, for
U.S. federal income tax purposes, our undistributed capital gains as well as a corresponding credit
for taxes paid by us on such retained capital gains. U.S. shareholders will increase their adjusted
tax basis in our common stock by the difference between their allocable share of such retained
capital gain and their share of the tax paid by us. Corporate U.S. shareholders may be required to
treat up to 20% of some capital gain dividends as ordinary income. Long-term capital gains are
generally taxable at maximum federal rates of 15% (through 2010) in the case of U.S. shareholders
who are individuals, and 35% for corporations. Capital gains attributable to the sale of
depreciable real property held for more than 12 months are subject to a 25% maximum U.S. federal
income tax rate for individual U.S. shareholders, to the extent of previously claimed depreciation
deductions.
Distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits will not be
taxable to a U.S. shareholder to the extent that they do not exceed the adjusted tax basis of the
U.S. shareholders shares in respect of which the distributions were made, but rather will reduce
the adjusted tax basis of these shares. To the extent that such distributions exceed the adjusted
tax basis of an individual U.S. shareholders shares, they will be included in income as long-term
capital gain, or short-term capital gain if the shares have been held for one year or less. Any
dividend declared by us in October, November or December of any year and payable to a U.S.
shareholder of record on a specified date in any such month will be treated as both paid by us and
received by the U.S. shareholder on December 31 of such year, provided that the dividend is
actually paid by us before the end of January of the following calendar year.
With respect to U.S. shareholders who are taxed at the rates applicable to individuals,
we may elect to designate a portion of our distributions paid to such U.S. shareholders as
qualified dividend income. A portion of a distribution that is properly designated as qualified
dividend income is taxable to non-corporate U.S. shareholders as capital gain, provided that the
U.S. shareholder has held the common stock with respect to which the distribution is made for more
than 60 days during the 121-day period beginning on the date that is 60 days before the date on
which such common stock became ex-dividend with respect to the relevant distribution. The maximum
amount of our distributions eligible to be designated as qualified dividend income for a taxable
year is equal to the sum of:
(a) the qualified dividend income received by us during such taxable year from non-REIT C
corporations (including any TRS in which we may own an interest);
(b) the excess of any undistributed REIT taxable income recognized during the immediately
preceding year over the U.S. federal income tax paid by us with respect to such undistributed REIT
taxable income; and
(c) the excess of any income recognized during the immediately preceding year
attributable to the sale of a built-in-gain asset that was acquired in a carry-over basis
transaction from a non-REIT C corporation over the U.S. federal income tax paid by us with respect
to such built-in gain.
Generally, dividends that we receive will be treated as qualified dividend income for purposes
of (a) above if the dividends are received from a domestic C corporation (other than a REIT or a
RIC), any TRS we may form, or a
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qualifying foreign corporation and specified holding period requirements and other
requirements are met. We do not anticipate that a substantial portion of our dividends will be
qualified dividends.
To the extent that we have available net operating losses and capital losses carried
forward from prior tax years, such losses may reduce the amount of distributions that must be made
in order to comply with the REIT distribution requirements. See Taxation of Our Company in
General and Annual Distribution Requirements. Such losses, however, are not passed through to
U.S. shareholders and do not offset income of U.S. shareholders from other sources, nor do they
affect the character of any distributions that are actually made by us, which are generally subject
to tax in the hands of U.S. shareholders to the extent that we have current or accumulated earnings
and profits.
Dispositions of Our Common Stock
In general, a U.S. shareholder will realize gain or loss upon the sale, redemption or
other taxable disposition of our common stock 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. shareholders adjusted tax basis in the common stock at the time of the disposition. In
general, a U.S. shareholders adjusted tax basis will equal the U.S. shareholders acquisition
cost, increased by the excess of net capital gains deemed distributed to the U.S. shareholder
(discussed above) less tax deemed paid on it and reduced by the amount of distributions that are
treated as returns of capital. In general, capital gains recognized by individuals and other
non-corporate U.S. shareholders upon the sale or disposition of shares of our common stock will be
subject to a maximum U.S. federal income tax rate of 15% for taxable years through 2010, if our
common stock is held for more than 12 months, and will be taxed at ordinary income rates (of up to
35% through 2010) if our common stock is held for 12 months or less. Gains recognized by U.S.
shareholders that are corporations are subject to U.S. federal income tax at a maximum rate of 35%,
whether or not classified as long-term capital gains. The IRS has the authority to prescribe, but
has not yet prescribed, regulations that would apply a capital gain tax rate of 25% (which is
generally higher than the long-term capital gain tax rates for non-corporate holders) to a portion
of capital gain realized by a non-corporate holder on the sale of REIT stock or depositary shares
that would correspond to the REITs unrecaptured Section 1250 gain.
Holders are advised to consult with their tax advisors with respect to their capital gain
tax liability. Capital losses recognized by a U.S. shareholder upon the disposition of our common
stock held for more than one year at the time of disposition will be considered long-term capital
losses, and are generally available only to offset capital gain income of the U.S. shareholder but
not ordinary income (except in the case of individuals, who may offset up to $3,000 of ordinary
income each year). In addition, any loss upon a sale or exchange of shares of our common stock by a
U.S. shareholder who has held the shares for six months or less, after applying holding period
rules, will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of distributions received from us
that were required to be treated by the U.S. shareholder as long-term capital gain.
Passive Activity Losses and Investment Interest Limitations
Distributions made by us and gain arising from the sale or exchange by a U.S. shareholder
of our common stock will not be treated as passive activity income. As a result, U.S. shareholders
will not be able to apply any passive losses against income or gain relating to our common stock.
Distributions made by us, to the extent they do not constitute a return of capital, generally will
be treated as investment income for purposes of computing the investment interest limitation. A
U.S. shareholder that elects to treat capital gain dividends, capital gains from the
disposition of stock or qualified dividend income as investment income for purposes of the
investment interest limitation will be taxed at ordinary income rates on such amounts.
Taxation of Tax-Exempt U.S. Shareholders
U.S. 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. The IRS
has ruled that dividend distributions from a REIT to a tax-exempt entity do not constitute UBTI.
Based on that ruling, and provided that (1) a tax-exempt U.S. shareholder has not held our common
stock as debt financed property within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code (i.e., where the
acquisition or holding of the property is financed through a borrowing by the tax-exempt
shareholder), (2) our common stock is not otherwise used in an unrelated trade or business and (3)
we do not hold an asset that gives rise to excess inclusion income distributions from us and
income from the sale of our common stock
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generally should not give rise to UBTI to a tax-exempt
U.S. shareholder. As previously noted, we expect to engage in transactions that would result in a portion of our dividend income being considered excess
inclusion income, and accordingly, it is likely that a portion of our dividends received by a
tax-exempt shareholder will be treated as UBTI.
Tax-exempt U.S. shareholders that are social clubs, voluntary employee benefit
associations, supplemental unemployment benefit trusts, and qualified group legal services plans
exempt from U.S. federal income taxation under Sections 501(c)(7), (c)(9), (c)(17) and (c)(20) of
the Internal Revenue Code, respectively, are subject to different UBTI rules, which generally will
require them to characterize distributions from us as UBTI.
In certain circumstances, a pension trust (1) that is described in Section 401(a) of the
Internal Revenue Code, (2) is tax exempt under Section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code, and (3)
that owns more than 10% of our stock could be required to treat a percentage of the dividends from
us as UBTI if we are a pension-held REIT. We will not be a pension-held REIT unless (1) either
(A) one pension trust owns more than 25% of the value of our stock, or (B) a group of pension
trusts, each individually holding more than 10% of the value of our stock, collectively owns more
than 50% of such stock; and (2) we would not have qualified as a REIT but for the fact that Section
856(h)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code provides that stock owned by such trusts shall be treated,
for purposes of the requirement that not more than 50% of the value of the outstanding stock of a
REIT is owned, directly or indirectly, by five or fewer individuals (as defined in the Internal
Revenue Code to include certain entities), as owned by the beneficiaries of such trusts. Certain
restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock should generally prevent a tax-exempt entity
from owning more than 10% of the value of our stock or us from becoming a pension-held REIT.
Tax-exempt U.S. shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the U.S.
federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences of owning our stock.
Taxation of Non-U.S. Shareholders
The following is a summary of certain U.S. federal income tax consequences of the
acquisition, ownership and disposition of our common stock applicable to non-U.S. shareholders of
our common stock. For purposes of this summary, a non-U.S. shareholder is a beneficial owner of our
common stock that is not a U.S. shareholder or an entity that is treated as a partnership for U.S.
federal income tax purposes. The discussion is based on current law and is for general information
only. It addresses only selective and not all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation.
Ordinary Dividends
The portion of dividends received by non-U.S. shareholders payable out of our earnings
and profits that are not attributable to gains from sales or exchanges of U.S. real property
interests and which are not effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the non-U.S.
shareholder will generally be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at the rate of 30%, unless
reduced or eliminated by an applicable income tax treaty. Under some treaties, however, lower rates
generally applicable to dividends do not apply to dividends from REITs. In addition, any
portion of the dividends paid to non-U.S. shareholders that are treated as excess inclusion income
will not be eligible for exemption from the 30% withholding tax or a reduced treaty rate. As
previously noted, we expect to engage in transactions that result in a portion of our dividends
being considered excess inclusion income, and accordingly, it is likely that a portion of our
dividend income will not be eligible for exemption from the 30% withholding rate or a reduced
treaty rate.
In general, non-U.S. shareholders will not be considered to be engaged in a U.S. trade or
business solely as a result of their ownership of our stock. In cases where the dividend income
from a non-U.S. shareholders investment in our common stock is, or is treated as, effectively
connected with the non-U.S. shareholders conduct of a U.S. trade or business, the non-U.S.
shareholder generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at graduated rates, in the same
manner as U.S. shareholders are taxed with respect to such dividends, and may also be subject to
the 30% branch profits tax on the income after the application of the income tax in the case of a
non-U.S. shareholder that is a corporation.
Non-Dividend Distributions
Unless (1) our common stock constitutes a U.S. real property interest, or USRPI or (2)
either (A) the non-U.S. shareholders investment in our common stock is effectively connected with
a U.S. trade or business conducted by such non-U.S. shareholder (in which case the non-U.S.
shareholder will be subject to the same treatment as
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U.S. shareholders with respect to such gain)
or (B) 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 U.S. (in which case the
non-U.S. shareholder will be subject to a 30% tax on the individuals net capital gain for the
year), distributions by us which are not dividends out of our earnings and profits will not be
subject to U.S. federal income tax. If it cannot be determined at the time at which a distribution
is made whether or not the distribution will exceed current and accumulated earnings and profits,
the distribution will be subject to withholding at the rate applicable to dividends. However, the
non-U.S. shareholder may seek a refund from the IRS of any amounts withheld if it is subsequently
determined that the distribution was, in fact, in excess of our current and accumulated earnings
and profits. If our common stock constitutes a USRPI, as described below, distributions by us in
excess of the sum of our earnings and profits plus the non-U.S. shareholders adjusted tax basis in
our common stock will be taxed under the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act of 1980, or
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., an individual or a corporation, as the case may be), and the
collection of the tax will be enforced by a refundable withholding at a rate of 10% of the amount
by which the distribution exceeds the shareholders share of our earnings and profits.
Capital Gain Dividends
Under FIRPTA, a distribution made by us to a non-U.S. shareholder, to the extent
attributable to gains from dispositions of USRPIs held by us directly or through pass-through
subsidiaries (or USRPI capital gains), will be considered effectively connected with a U.S. trade
or business of the non-U.S. shareholder and will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the rates
applicable to U.S. shareholders, without regard to whether the distribution is designated as a
capital gain dividend. In addition, we will be required to withhold tax equal to 35% of the amount
of capital gain dividends to the extent the dividends constitute USRPI capital gains. Distributions
subject to FIRPTA may also be subject to a 30% branch profits tax in the hands of a non-U.S. holder
that is a corporation. However, the 35% withholding tax will not apply to any capital gain dividend
with respect to any class of our stock which is regularly traded on an established securities
market located in the U.S. if the non-U.S. shareholder did not own more than 5% of such class of
stock at any time during the taxable year. Instead any capital gain dividend will be treated as a
distribution subject to the rules discussed above under Taxation of Non-U.S. Shareholders
Ordinary Dividends. Also, the branch profits tax will not apply to such a distribution. A
distribution is not a USRPI capital gain if we held the underlying asset solely as a creditor,
although the holding of a shared appreciation mortgage loan would not be solely as a creditor.
Capital gain dividends received by a non-U.S. shareholder from a REIT that are not USRPI capital
gains are generally not subject to U.S. federal income or withholding tax, unless either (1) the
non-U.S. shareholders investment in our common stock is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or
business conducted by such non-U.S. shareholder (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 (2) 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 U.S. (in which case the non-U.S. shareholder
will be subject to a 30% tax on the individuals net capital gain for the year).
Dispositions of Our Common Stock
Unless our common stock constitutes a USRPI, a sale of the stock by a non-U.S.
shareholder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income taxation under FIRPTA. The stock
will not be treated as a USRPI if less than 50% of our assets throughout a prescribed testing
period consist of interests in real property located within the U.S., excluding, for this purpose,
interests in real property solely in a capacity as a creditor. We do not expect that more than 50%
of our assets will consist of interests in real property located in the U.S.
Even if our shares of common stock otherwise would be a USRPI under the foregoing test,
our shares of common stock will not constitute a USRPI if we are a domestically controlled REIT. A
domestically controlled REIT is a REIT in which, at all times during a specified testing period
(generally the lesser of the five year period ending on the date of disposition of our shares of
common stock or the period of our existence), less than 50% in value of its outstanding shares of
common stock is held directly or indirectly by non-U.S. shareholders. We believe we will be a
domestically controlled REIT and, therefore, the sale of our common stock should not be subject to
taxation under FIRPTA. However, because our stock will be widely held, we cannot assure our
investors that we will be a domestically controlled REIT. Even if we do not qualify as a
domestically controlled REIT, a non-U.S. shareholders sale of our common stock nonetheless will
generally not be subject to tax under FIRPTA as a sale of a USRPI, provided that (1) our common
stock owned is of a class that is regularly traded, as defined by the applicable Treasury
Regulation, on an established securities market, and (2) the selling non-U.S. shareholder owned,
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actually or constructively, 5% or less of our outstanding stock of that class at all times during a
specified testing period.
If gain on the sale of our common stock were subject to taxation under FIRPTA, the
non-U.S. shareholder would be subject to the same treatment as a U.S. shareholder with respect to
such gain, subject to applicable alternative minimum tax and a special alternative minimum tax in
the case of non-resident alien individuals, and the purchaser of the stock could be required to
withhold 10% of the purchase price and remit such amount to the IRS.
Gain from the sale of our common stock that would not otherwise be subject to FIRPTA will
nonetheless be taxable in the U.S. to a non-U.S. shareholder in two cases: (1) if the non-U.S.
shareholders investment in our common stock is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business
conducted by such non-U.S. shareholder, the non-U.S. shareholder will be subject to the same
treatment as a U.S. shareholder with respect to such gain, or (2) if 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 U.S., the nonresident alien individual will be subject to a 30%
tax on the individuals capital gain.
Recent Changes in U.S. Federal Income Tax Withholding
Recently enacted U.S. federal income tax legislation imposes withholding taxes on certain
types of payments made after December 31, 2012 to foreign financial institutions and certain
other non-U.S. entities. The withholding tax of 30% would apply to dividends and the gross
proceeds of a disposition of our stock paid to certain foreign entities unless various information
reporting requirements are satisfied. For these purposes, a foreign financial institution
generally is defined as any non-U.S. entity that (i) accepts deposits in the ordinary course of a
banking or similar business, (ii) is engaged in the business of holding financial assets for the
account of others, or (iii) is engaged or holds itself out as being engaged primarily in the
business of investing, reinvesting, or trading in securities, partnership interest, commodities, or
any interest in such assets. Prospective investors are encouraged to consult their tax advisors
regarding the implications of this legislation on their investment in our stock, as well as the
status of any related federal regulations.
Backup Withholding and Information Reporting
We will report to our U.S. shareholders and the IRS the amount of dividends paid during
each calendar year and the amount of any tax withheld. Under the backup withholding rules, a U.S.
shareholder may be subject to backup withholding with respect to dividends paid unless the holder
is a corporation or comes within other exempt categories and, when required, demonstrates this fact
or provides a taxpayer identification number or social security number, certifies as to no loss of
exemption from backup withholding and otherwise complies with applicable requirements of the backup
withholding rules. A U.S. shareholder that does not provide his or her correct taxpayer
identification number or social security number may also be subject to penalties imposed by the
IRS. In addition, we may be required to withhold a portion of capital gain distribution to any U.S.
shareholder who fails to certify their non-foreign status.
We must report annually to the IRS and to each non-U.S. shareholder the amount of
dividends paid to such holder and the tax withheld with respect to such dividends, regardless
of whether withholding was required. Copies of the information returns reporting such
dividends and withholding may also be made available to the tax authorities in the country in which
the non-U.S. shareholder resides under the provisions of an applicable income tax treaty. A
non-U.S. shareholder may be subject to backup withholding unless applicable certification
requirements are met.
Payment of the proceeds of a sale of our common stock within the U.S. is subject to both
backup withholding and information reporting unless the beneficial owner certifies under penalties
of perjury that it is a non-U.S. shareholder (and the payor does not have actual knowledge or
reason to know that the beneficial owner is a U.S. person) or the holder otherwise establishes an
exemption. Payment of the proceeds of a sale of our common stock conducted through certain U.S.
related financial intermediaries is subject to information reporting (but not backup withholding)
unless the financial intermediary 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.
Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under the backup
withholding rules may be allowed as a refund or a credit against such holders U.S. federal income
tax liability provided the required information is furnished to the IRS.
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State, Local and Foreign Taxes
We and our shareholders may be subject to state, local or foreign taxation in various
jurisdictions, including those in which we or they transact business, own property or reside. The
state, local or foreign tax treatment of our company and our shareholders may not conform to the
U.S. federal income tax treatment discussed above. Any foreign taxes incurred by us would not pass
through to shareholders as a credit against their U.S. federal income tax liability. Prospective
shareholders should consult their tax advisors regarding the application and effect of state, local
and foreign income and other tax laws on an investment in our companys common stock.
Legislative or Other Actions Affecting REITs
The rules dealing with U.S. federal income taxation are constantly under review by
persons involved in the legislative process and by the IRS and the U.S. Treasury Department. No
assurance can be given as to whether, when, or in what form, U.S. federal income tax laws
applicable to us and our shareholders may be enacted, possibly with retroactive effect. Changes to
the U.S. federal income tax laws and interpretations of U.S. federal income tax laws could
adversely affect an investment in our shares of common stock.
Several of the tax considerations described above are subject to a sunset provision. The
sunset provisions generally provide that for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2010,
certain provisions that are currently in the Code will revert back to a prior version of those
provisions. These provisions include provisions related to the reduced maximum U.S. federal income
tax rate for long-term capital gains of 15% (rather than 20%) for taxpayers taxed at individual
rates, the application of the 15% U.S. federal income tax rate for qualified dividend income, and
certain other tax rate provisions described herein. The impact of this reversion generally is not
discussed above. Consequently, prospective shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisors
regarding the effect of sunset provisions on an investment in our common stock.
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SELLING SECURITYHOLDERS
Selling securityholders are persons or entities that, directly or indirectly, have acquired or
will from time to time acquire from us common stock, preferred stock, depositary shares, warrants,
shareholder rights, debt securities or units, as applicable, in various private transactions. Such
selling securityholders may be parties to registration rights agreements with us, or we otherwise
may have agreed or will agree to register their securities for resale. The initial purchasers of
our securities, as well as their transferees, pledgees, donees or successors, all of whom we refer
to as selling securityholders, may from time to time offer and sell the securities pursuant to
this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement.
We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of the securities by the selling
securityholders, but in certain cases we may pay fees and expenses relating to the registration or
an offering of such securities, such as registration and filing fees, fees and expenses for
complying with federal and state securities laws and NYSE rules and regulations, and fees and
expenses incurred in connection with a listing, if any, of any of the securities on any securities
exchange or association.
The selling securityholders may offer for sale all or some portion of the securities that they
hold. To the extent that any of the selling securityholders are brokers or dealers, they are deemed
to be, under interpretations of the SEC, underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act.
The applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the name of each of the selling
securityholders, the number and classes of our securities beneficially owned by such selling
securityholders that are covered by such prospectus supplement, the amount to be offered for the
securityholders account, and the amount and (if one percent or more) the percentage of the class
to be owned by such securityholder after completion of the offering. The applicable prospectus
supplement will also disclose whether any of the selling securityholders has held any position or
office with, has been employed by or otherwise has had a material relationship with us during the
three years prior to the date of the prospectus supplement.
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
We and any selling securityholders may sell the securities offered by this prospectus from
time to time in one or more transactions, including without limitation:
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A distribution of the securities offered by this prospectus may also be effected through the
issuance of derivative securities, including without limitation, warrants, exchangeable securities,
forward delivery contracts and the writing of options.
In addition, the manner in which we or any selling securityholders may sell some or all of the
securities covered by this prospectus includes, without limitation, through:
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a block trade in which a broker-dealer will attempt to sell as agent, but may position or
resell a portion of the block, as principal, in order to facilitate the transaction; |
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purchases by a broker-dealer, as principal, and resale by the broker-dealer for its
account; |
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ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which a broker solicits purchasers; or |
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privately negotiated transactions. |
We may also enter into hedging transactions. For example, we may:
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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 pursuant to this
prospectus, in which case such broker-dealer or affiliate may use common stock received from
us to close out its short positions; |
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sell securities short and redeliver such securities to close out our short positions; |
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enter into option or other types of transactions that require us to deliver common stock
to a broker-dealer or an affiliate thereof, who will then resell or transfer the common stock
under this prospectus; or |
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loan or pledge the common stock to a broker-dealer or an affiliate thereof, who may sell
the loaned shares or, in an event of default in the case of a pledge, sell the pledged shares
pursuant to this prospectus. |
In addition, we may enter into derivative or hedging transactions with third parties, or sell
securities not covered by this prospectus to third parties in privately negotiated transactions. In
connection with such a transaction, the third parties may sell securities covered by and pursuant
to this prospectus and an applicable prospectus supplement or pricing supplement, as the case may
be. If so, the third party may use securities borrowed from us or others to settle such sales and
may use securities received from us to close out any related short positions. We may also loan or
pledge securities covered by this prospectus and an applicable prospectus supplement to third
parties, 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 and the applicable prospectus supplement or
pricing supplement, as the case may be.
A prospectus supplement with respect to each series of securities will state the terms of the
offering of the securities, including:
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the name or names of any underwriters or agents and the amounts of securities underwritten
or purchased by each of them, if any; |
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the public offering price or purchase price of the securities and the net proceeds to be
received by us or the selling securityholders from the sale; |
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any delayed delivery arrangements; |
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any underwriting discounts or agency fees and other items constituting underwriters or
agents compensation; |
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any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers; and |
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any securities exchange on which the securities may be listed. |
The offer and sale of the securities described in this prospectus by us, the underwriters, any
selling securityholders, or the third parties described above may be effected from time to time in
one or more transactions, including privately negotiated transactions, either:
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at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed; |
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at market prices prevailing at the time of sale; |
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at prices related to the prevailing market prices; or |
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at negotiated prices. |
General
Any public offering price and any discounts, commissions, concessions or other items
constituting compensation allowed or reallowed or paid to underwriters, dealers, agents or
remarketing firms may be changed from time to time. Underwriters, dealers, agents and remarketing
firms that participate in the distribution of the offered securities may be underwriters as
defined in the Securities Act. Any discounts or commissions they receive from us and any profits
they receive on the resale of the offered securities may be treated as underwriting
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discounts and commissions under the Securities Act. We will identify any underwriters, agents
or dealers and describe their commissions, fees or discounts in the applicable prospectus
supplement or pricing supplement, as the case may be.
At-the-Market Offerings
If we reach an agreement with an underwriter on a placement, including the number of shares of
common stock to be offered in the placement and any minimum price below which sales may not be
made, such underwriter would agree to use its commercially reasonable efforts, consistent with its
normal trading and sales practices, to try to sell such shares on such terms. Underwriters 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, sales made directly on the NYSE, the existing trading market for our common stock,
or sales made to or through a market maker other than on an exchange. The name of any such
underwriter or agent involved in the offer and sale of our common stock, the amounts underwritten,
and the nature of its obligations to take our common stock will be described in the applicable
prospectus supplement.
Underwriters and Agents
If underwriters are used in a sale, they will acquire the offered securities for their own
account. The underwriters may resell the offered securities in one or more transactions, including
negotiated transactions. These sales may be made at a fixed public offering price or prices, which
may be changed, at market prices prevailing at the time of the sale, at prices related to such
prevailing market price or at negotiated prices. We may offer the securities to the public through
an underwriting syndicate or through a single underwriter. The underwriters in any particular
offering will be identified in the applicable prospectus supplement or pricing supplement, as the
case may be.
Unless otherwise specified in connection with any particular offering of securities, the
obligations of the underwriters to purchase the offered securities will be subject to certain
conditions contained in an underwriting agreement that we will enter into with the underwriters at
the time of the sale to them. The underwriters will be obligated to purchase all of the securities
of the series offered if any of the securities are purchased, unless otherwise specified in
connection with any particular offering of securities. Any initial offering price and any discounts
or concessions allowed, reallowed or paid to dealers may be changed from time to time.
We may designate agents to sell the offered securities. Unless otherwise specified in
connection with any particular offering of securities, the agents will agree to use their best
efforts to solicit purchases for the period of their appointment. We may also sell the offered
securities to one or more remarketing firms, acting as principals for their own accounts or as
agents for us. These firms will remarket the offered securities upon purchasing them in accordance
with a redemption or repayment pursuant to the terms of the offered securities. A prospectus
supplement or pricing supplement, as the case may be, will identify any remarketing firm and will
describe the terms of its agreement, if any, with us and its compensation.
In connection with offerings made through underwriters or agents, we may enter into agreements
with such underwriters or agents pursuant to which we receive our outstanding securities in
consideration for the securities being offered to the public for cash. In connection with these
arrangements, the underwriters or agents may also sell securities covered by this prospectus to
hedge their positions in these outstanding securities, including in short sale transactions. If so,
the underwriters or agents may use the securities received from us under these arrangements to
close out any related open borrowings of securities.
Dealers
We may sell the offered securities to dealers as principals. We may negotiate and pay dealers
commissions, discounts or concessions for their services. The dealer may then resell such
securities to the public either at varying prices to be determined by the dealer or at a fixed
offering price agreed to with us at the time of resale. Dealers engaged by us may allow other
dealers to participate in resales.
Direct Sales
We may choose to sell the offered securities directly. In this case, no underwriters or agents
would be involved.
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Institutional Purchasers
We may authorize agents, dealers or underwriters to solicit certain institutional investors to
purchase offered securities on a delayed delivery basis pursuant to delayed delivery contracts
providing for payment and delivery on a specified future date. The applicable prospectus supplement
or pricing supplement, as the case may be will provide the details of any such arrangement,
including the offering price and commissions payable on the solicitations.
We will enter into such delayed contracts only with institutional purchasers that we approve.
These institutions may include commercial and savings banks, insurance companies, pension funds,
investment companies and educational and charitable institutions.
Indemnification; Other Relationships
We may have agreements with agents, underwriters, dealers and remarketing firms to indemnify
them against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. Agents,
underwriters, dealers and remarketing firms, and their affiliates, may engage in transactions with,
or perform services for, us in the ordinary course of business. This includes commercial banking
and investment banking transactions.
Market Making, Stabilization and Other Transactions
There is currently no market for any of the offered securities other than the shares of common
stock, which are listed on the NYSE. If the offered securities are traded after their initial
issuance, they may trade at a discount from their initial offering price, depending upon prevailing
interest rates, the market for similar securities and other factors. While it is possible that an
underwriter could inform us that it intended to make a market in the offered securities, such
underwriter would not be obligated to do so, and any such market making could be discontinued at
any time without notice. Therefore, no assurance can be given as to whether an active trading
market will develop for the offered securities. We have no current plans for listing of the offered
securities (other than the common stock) on any securities exchange; any such listing with respect
to any particular securities will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement or pricing
supplement, as the case may be.
In connection with any offering of common stock, the underwriters may purchase and sell common
stock in the open market. These transactions may include short sales, syndicate covering
transactions and stabilizing transactions. Short sales involve syndicate sales of common stock in
excess of the number of shares to be purchased by the underwriters in the offering, which creates a
syndicate short position. Covered short sales are sales of shares made in an amount up to the
number of shares represented by the underwriters over-allotment option. In determining the source
of shares to close out the covered syndicate short position, the underwriters will consider, among
other things, the price of shares available for purchase in the open market as compared to the
price at which they may purchase shares through the over-allotment option. Transactions to close
out the covered syndicate short involve either purchases of the common stock in the open market
after the distribution has been completed or the exercise of the over-allotment option. The
underwriters may also make naked short sales of shares in excess of the over-allotment option.
The underwriters must close out any naked short position by purchasing common stock in the open
market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that
there may be downward pressure on the price of the shares in the open market after pricing that
could adversely affect investors who purchase in the offering. Stabilizing transactions consist of
bids for or purchases of shares in the open market while the offering is in progress for the
purpose of pegging, fixing or maintaining the price of the securities.
In connection with any offering, the underwriters may also engage in penalty bids. Penalty
bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a syndicate member when the
securities originally sold by the syndicate member are purchased in a syndicate covering
transaction to cover syndicate short positions. Stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering
transactions and penalty bids may cause the price of the securities to be higher than it would be
in the absence of the transactions. The underwriters may, if they commence these transactions,
discontinue them at any time.
Fees and Commissions
In compliance with the guidelines of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or FINRA,
the aggregate maximum discount, commission or agency fees or other items constituting underwriting
compensation to be received by any FINRA member or independent broker-dealer will not exceed 8% of
any offering pursuant to this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement or pricing
supplement, as the case may be; however, it is
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anticipated that the maximum commission or discount to be received in any particular offering
of securities will be significantly less than this amount.
LEGAL MATTERS
Legal matters in connection with this offering, including the validity of the offered
securities, are being passed upon for us by Alston & Bird LLP.
EXPERTS
The financial statements incorporated by reference in this prospectus and elsewhere in the
registration statement have been incorporated by reference in reliance upon the report of Grant
Thornton LLP, independent registered public accountants, upon the authority of said firm as experts
in accounting and auditing in giving said report.
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8,700,000 Shares
Invesco Mortgage Capital Inc.
Common Stock
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
BofA Merrill Lynch
Wells Fargo Securities
Credit
Suisse
Morgan
Stanley
December 15, 2010