HST Host Hotels and Resorts Inc

MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

The following is a discussion of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences and other material tax considerations relating to our company and to the holders of our common stock. The discussion set forth herein is not intended to be, and should not be construed as, tax advice. As used in this section only, references to the terms “company,” “we,” “our,” and “us” mean only Host Inc., and not its subsidiaries, except as otherwise indicated. We have not sought and will not seek an advance ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) regarding any matter discussed in this section. This discussion is based upon the Internal Revenue Code, the Treasury regulations, rulings and other 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 will not assert, or that a court will not sustain, a position contrary to any of the tax consequences described below. This discussion also is based upon the assumption that we will operate our company and its subsidiaries in accordance with their applicable organizational documents and in the manner that we have represented. This discussion does not address the actual material U.S. federal income tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of our common stock to any particular holder, which depend on that stockholder’s particular tax circumstances. In addition, this discussion does not discuss any state, local or non-U.S. tax consequences, or any tax consequences arising under any federal tax other than the income tax, associated with the ownership or disposition of our common stock or our election to be taxed as a REIT.

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. You are urged to consult your tax advisor regarding the tax consequences to you of:

U.S. Federal Income Taxation of the Company

General

We are the sole general partner of Host L.P. and hold approximately 99% of its outstanding partnership interests as of March 31, 2022. We made an election to be treated as a REIT, effective for our taxable year beginning January 1, 1999. We believe that we have been organized and have operated in a manner that has permitted us to qualify as a REIT from the effective date of our REIT election. We own, through Host L.P., 100% of the outstanding common stock and 28.6% of the outstanding preferred stock of an entity that also has elected to be treated as a REIT. This entity is subject to the same REIT qualification requirements and other limitations described herein that apply to us.

The law firm of Hogan Lovells US LLP (“Hogan Lovells”) has acted as our REIT tax counsel in connection with the filing of the registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part. In that capacity, Hogan Lovells has rendered an opinion to us to the effect that we have been organized and have operated in conformity with the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT, effective for each of our taxable years ended December 31, 1999, through and including December 31, 2021, and that our current organization and current and intended method of operation will enable us to continue to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code for the current taxable year and thereafter. It must be emphasized that the opinion of Hogan Lovells is based on various assumptions relating to our organization and operation, is conditioned upon factual representations and covenants made by our management regarding our organization,

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assets, income, the present and future conduct of our business operations, and other items regarding our ability to meet the various requirements for qualification as a REIT, and assumes that such representations and covenants are accurate and complete and that we will take no action inconsistent with our qualification as a REIT. While we intend to continue to operate so that we will qualify as a REIT, given the highly complex nature of the rules governing REITs, the ongoing importance of factual determinations, and the possibility of future changes in our circumstances, no assurance can be given by Hogan Lovells or by us that we will qualify as a REIT for any particular year. The opinion of Hogan Lovells is expressed as of the date issued. Hogan Lovells has no obligation to advise us or our stockholders of any subsequent change in the matters stated, represented or assumed, or of any subsequent change in the applicable law. You should be aware that opinions of counsel are not binding on the IRS, and no assurance can be given that the IRS will not challenge the conclusions set forth in such opinions. Hogan Lovells’ opinion does not foreclose the possibility that we may have to utilize one or more of the REIT savings provisions discussed below, which could require us to pay an excise or penalty tax (which tax could be significant in amount) in order for us to maintain our REIT qualification. Qualification and taxation as a REIT depend on our ability to meet, on a continuing basis, through actual operating results, distribution levels, and diversity of stock and asset ownership, various qualification requirements imposed upon REITs by the Internal Revenue Code, our compliance with which will not be reviewed by Hogan Lovells. In addition, our ability to qualify as a REIT may depend in part upon the operating results, organizational structure and entity classification for U.S. federal income tax purposes of certain entities in which we invest, which entities will not have been reviewed by Hogan Lovells. Our ability to qualify as a REIT also requires that we satisfy certain asset tests, some of which depend upon the fair market value of assets that we own directly or indirectly. 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 such requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT.

Provided that we qualify to be taxed as a REIT, generally we will 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 REIT taxable income that currently is distributed to our stockholders. This treatment substantially eliminates the “double taxation” at the corporate and stockholder levels that generally results from an investment in a C corporation. A “C corporation” is a corporation that generally is required to pay tax at the corporate level. Double taxation means taxation once at the corporate level when income is earned and once again at the stockholder level when the income, net of corporate income taxes paid, is distributed thereto. In general, the income that we generate is taxed only at the stockholder level upon a distribution of dividends by us to holders of our common stock.

U.S. stockholders (as defined herein) generally will be subject to taxation on dividends distributed by us (other than designated capital gain dividends and “qualified dividend income”) at tax rates applicable to ordinary income, instead of at lower capital gain rates. For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026, generally, U.S. stockholders that are individuals, trusts or estates may deduct 20% of the aggregate amount of ordinary dividends distributed by us, subject to certain limitations. Capital gain dividends and qualified dividend income will continue to be subject to a maximum tax rate of 23.8% (which tax rate takes into account the maximum capital gain tax rate of 20% and the 3.8% Medicare tax on net investment income, described below under “—Medicare Tax on Net Investment Income”). See “—U.S. Federal Income Taxation of Stockholders—Taxation of Taxable U.S. Stockholders—Distributions Generally.”

Any net operating losses, foreign tax credits and other tax attributes generated or incurred by us generally do not pass through to our stockholders, subject to special rules for certain items such as the undistributed but designated capital gain that we recognize. See “—U.S. Federal Income Taxation of Stockholders—Taxation of Taxable U.S. Stockholders—Distributions Generally.”

Even if we qualify to be taxed as a REIT, we nonetheless will be subject to U.S. federal income tax in the following circumstances:

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In addition, we and our subsidiaries may be subject to a variety of taxes, including payroll taxes and state, local and foreign income, property, gross receipts and other taxes on our assets and operations. We also could be subject to tax in other situations and on transactions not presently contemplated. Under the terms of its partnership agreement, Host L.P. is responsible for paying, or reimbursing us for the payment of, our tax liabilities (and any interest and penalties associated therewith), except for taxes imposed on us because of our failure to qualify as a REIT or to distribute to our stockholders an amount equal to our taxable income.

Requirements for Qualification as a REIT

The Internal Revenue Code defines a REIT as a corporation, trust or association:

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) need not be met during a corporation’s initial tax year as a REIT. 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. However, a trust that is a qualified trust under Internal Revenue Code Section 401(a) generally is not considered an individual, and beneficiaries of a qualified trust are treated as holding stock of a REIT in proportion to their actual interests in the trust for purposes of condition (6) above.

To monitor compliance with the stock ownership requirements, we generally are required to maintain records regarding the actual ownership of our stock. To do so, we must demand written statements each year from the record holders of 5% or more of our stock pursuant to which the record holders must disclose the actual

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owners of the stock (i.e., the persons required to include our dividends in their gross income). We must maintain a list of those persons failing or refusing to comply with this demand as part of our records. We could be subject to monetary penalties if we fail to comply with these record-keeping requirements. If such record holder fails or refuses to comply with the demands, such record holder will be required by Treasury regulations to submit a statement with such record holder’s tax return disclosing such record holder’s actual ownership of our stock and other information. We have complied, and currently intend to continue to comply, with these requirements.

We believe that we have been organized, have operated and have issued sufficient shares of stock with sufficient diversity of ownership to allow us to satisfy conditions (1) through (10). Our charter provides restrictions regarding the ownership and transfers of our stock, which are intended to assist us in satisfying the stock ownership requirements described in conditions (5) and (6) above. These restrictions, however, do not ensure that we previously have satisfied, and may not ensure that we will, in all cases, be able to continue to satisfy, such stock ownership requirements. If we fail to satisfy these requirements, except as provided in the next sentence, our status as a REIT will terminate. If, however, we comply with the demand and record-keeping requirements described in the previous paragraph and we do not know, or would not have known through the exercise of reasonable diligence, that we failed to meet the requirement described in condition (6), we will be treated as having satisfied this requirement. See “—Failure to Qualify as a REIT.”

Effect of Subsidiary Entities

Ownership of Partnerships, Limited Liability Companies and Qualified REIT Subsidiaries

If we are a partner in an entity that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, Treasury regulations provide that we are deemed to own our proportionate share of the partnership’s assets, and to earn our proportionate share of the partnership’s income, for purposes of the asset and gross income tests applicable to REITs. Our proportionate share of a partnership’s assets and income is based on our capital interest in the partnership (except that for purposes of the 10% value asset test, described below, our proportionate share of the partnership’s assets is based on our proportionate interest in the equity and certain debt securities issued by the partnership). In addition, the assets and gross income of the partnership are deemed to retain the same character in our hands. Thus, our proportionate share of the assets and items of income of Host L.P. and any subsidiaries treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes will be treated as our assets and items of income for purposes of applying the REIT requirements. A summary of the rules governing the U.S. federal income taxation of partnerships and their partners is provided below in “—Tax Aspects of Host L.P. and Our Other Subsidiary Partnerships.” As the sole general partner of Host L.P., we have direct control over it and indirect control over the subsidiaries in which Host L.P. or a subsidiary has a controlling interest. We currently intend to operate these entities in a manner consistent with the requirements for our qualification as a REIT.

If we own a corporate subsidiary that is a “qualified REIT subsidiary” (“QRS”), that QRS generally is disregarded for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and its assets, liabilities and items of income, deduction and credit are treated as our assets, liabilities and items of income, deduction and credit, including for purposes of the gross income and asset tests applicable to REITs. A QRS is any corporation other than a TRS that is directly or indirectly wholly-owned by a REIT. Other entities that are wholly-owned by us, including single member limited liability companies that have not elected to be taxed as corporations for U.S. federal income tax purposes, also generally are disregarded as separate entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes, including for purposes of the REIT income and asset tests. Disregarded subsidiaries, along with any partnerships in which we hold an equity interest, sometimes are referred to herein as “pass-through subsidiaries.”

In the event that our 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), the subsidiary’s separate existence no longer would be disregarded for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Instead, the subsidiary would have multiple owners and would be treated either as a partnership or as a taxable corporation. Such an event could, depending on the circumstances, adversely affect our ability to satisfy the various asset and gross income requirements applicable

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to REITs, including the requirement that REITs generally may not own, directly or indirectly, more than 10% of the securities of another corporation unless it is a TRS, a QRS or another REIT. See “—Gross Income Tests” and “—Asset Tests.”

Ownership of Subsidiary REITs

We own one subsidiary REIT. We believe that this subsidiary REIT is organized and has operated and will continue to operate in a manner to permit it to qualify for taxation as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes from and after the effective date of its REIT election. However, if this subsidiary REIT were to fail to qualify as a REIT, then (i) the subsidiary REIT would become subject to U.S. federal corporate income tax, as described herein, see “—Failure to Qualify as a REIT” below, and (ii) our equity interest in such subsidiary REIT would cease to be a qualifying real estate asset for purposes of the 75% asset test and would become subject to the 5% asset test, the 10% voting stock asset test, and the 10% value asset test generally applicable to our ownership in corporations other than REITs, QRSs and TRSs. See “—Asset Tests” below. If the subsidiary REIT were to fail to qualify as a REIT, it is possible that we would not meet the 10% voting stock asset test and the 10% value asset test with respect to our indirect interest in such entity, in which event we would fail to qualify as a REIT, unless we could avail ourselves of certain relief provisions. We made a “protective” TRS election with respect to the subsidiary REIT and may implement other protective arrangements intended to avoid such an outcome if the subsidiary REIT fails to qualify as a REIT, but there can be no assurance that such “protective” elections and other arrangements will be effective to avoid the resulting adverse consequences to us. Moreover, even if the “protective” TRS election with respect to the subsidiary REIT were to be effective in the event of the failure of the subsidiary REIT to qualify as a REIT, because of the significant value attributable to the subsidiary REIT, there could be no assurance that we would not fail to satisfy the requirement that not more than 20% of the value of our total assets may be represented by the securities of one or more TRSs. In this event, we would fail to qualify as a REIT unless we could avail ourselves or the subsidiary REIT could avail itself of certain relief provisions.

Ownership of Taxable REIT Subsidiaries

A TRS is an entity that is taxable as a corporation in which a REIT owns, directly or indirectly, an equity interest, including stock, and that elects with the REIT to be treated as a TRS under the Internal Revenue Code. If a TRS owns, directly or indirectly, securities representing more than 35% of the vote or value of a subsidiary corporation, that subsidiary also will be treated as a TRS. A TRS is a C corporation subject to U.S. federal corporate income tax rates (currently 21%). The gross income and assets of our TRSs are not attributable to us for purposes of satisfying the REIT income and asset test requirements.

A TRS must not directly or indirectly operate or manage a lodging or health care facility or, generally, provide to another person, under a franchise, license or otherwise, rights to any brand name under which any lodging facility or health care facility is operated. Although a TRS may not operate or manage a lodging facility, it may lease or own such a facility so long as the facility is a “qualified lodging facility” and such facility is operated on behalf of the TRS by an “eligible independent contractor.” A “qualified lodging facility” generally is a hotel at which no authorized gambling activities are conducted, and includes the customary amenities and facilities operated as part of, or associated with, the hotel. “Customary amenities” must be customary for other properties of a comparable size and class owned by other owners unrelated to the REIT. An “eligible independent contractor” is an independent contractor that, at the time a management agreement is entered into with a TRS to operate a “qualified lodging facility,” is actively engaged in the trade or business of operating “qualified lodging facilities” for a person or persons unrelated to either the TRS or any REITs with which the TRS is affiliated. A hotel management company that otherwise would qualify as an “eligible independent contractor” with regard to a TRS of a REIT will not so qualify if the hotel management company and/or one or more actual or constructive owners of 10% or more of the hotel management company actually or constructively own more than 35% of the REIT, or one or more actual or constructive owners of more than 35% of the hotel management company own 35% or more of the REIT (determined with respect to a REIT whose stock is regularly traded on an established

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securities market by taking into account only the stock held by persons owning, directly or indirectly, more than 5% of the outstanding stock of the REIT and, if the stock of the eligible independent contractor is publicly-traded, more than 5% of the publicly-traded stock of the eligible independent contractor). We believe, and currently intend to take all steps reasonably practicable to ensure, that none of our TRSs has engaged or will engage in “operating” or “managing” our hotels and that the hotel management companies engaged to operate and manage hotels leased to or owned by our TRSs have qualified and continue to qualify as “eligible independent contractors” with regard to those TRSs.

In addition to the restrictions discussed above, current restrictions imposed on TRSs are intended to ensure that such entities will be subject to appropriate levels of U.S. federal corporate income taxation. First, in certain circumstances a TRS may not be able to deduct interest paid or accrued by it for U.S. federal income tax purposes. See “—Interest Deduction Limitation” below. Our TRSs make substantial interest payments to us, and there can be no assurance that the limitation on interest deductions applicable to TRSs will not apply to such interest payments, resulting in an increase in the corporate income tax liability of such TRSs. Second, the rules impose a 100% excise tax on transactions between a TRS and its parent REIT that are not conducted on an arm’s-length basis. Our TRSs make substantial payments to us, including rental payments pursuant to the hotel leases and other payments. There can be no assurance that the IRS might not seek to impose the 100% excise tax on a portion of the rental and other payments received by us from, expenses deducted by, or service income imputed to, our TRSs. While we believe that the arrangements with our TRSs reflect arm’s-length terms, these determinations inherently are factual, and the IRS has broad discretion to assert that amounts paid between related parties should be reallocated to reflect accurately their respective incomes.

Because of the restrictions applicable to the income, assets and activities of a REIT, we may need to conduct certain business activities in one or more TRSs. These business activities include alternative uses of real estate, such as the development and/or sale of timeshare or condominium units or certain parcels of developed land. As discussed below under “—Asset Tests,” the aggregate value of all of our TRSs may not exceed 20% of the value of our total assets.

Gross Income Tests

To qualify as a REIT, we must satisfy two gross income requirements on an annual basis. First, at least 75% of our gross income for each taxable year must be derived from investments relating to real property or mortgages on real property, including:

Second, at least 95% of our gross income in each taxable year must be derived from some combination of income that qualifies under the 75% gross income test described above, as well as (1) other dividends, (2) interest and (3) gain from the sale or disposition of stock or securities, in either case, not held for sale to customers.

For purposes of one or both of the 75% and 95% gross income tests, the following items of income are excluded from the computation of gross income: (1) gross income from prohibited transactions; (2) certain foreign currency gain; and (3) income and gain from certain hedging transactions. See “—Income from Hedging Transactions,” “—Foreign Currency Gain,” and “—Prohibited Transactions Tax,” below.

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Rents from Real Property

Currently, rents paid pursuant to the leases of our hotels to our TRSs, together with gain from the sale of hotels and interest received from the TRSs, constitute substantially all of our gross income. Rents received by us will qualify as “rents from real property” in satisfying the gross income requirements described above only if the following conditions are met:

Because we lease substantially all our properties to our TRSs, we generally do not provide services to our tenants.

In order for the rent paid pursuant to the leases with our TRSs to constitute “rents from real property,” the leases must be respected as true leases for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Accordingly, the leases cannot be treated as service contracts, joint ventures or some other type of arrangement. The determination of whether the leases are true leases for U.S. federal income tax purposes depends upon an analysis of all the relevant facts and circumstances. In making such a determination, courts have considered a variety of factors, including the following:

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In addition, Section 7701(e) of the Internal Revenue Code provides that a contract that purports to be a service contract or a partnership agreement is treated instead as a lease of property if the contract properly is treated as such, taking into account all relevant factors. Since the determination of whether a service contract should be treated as a lease inherently is factual, the presence or absence of any single factor may not be dispositive in every case.

Our leases have been structured with the intent to qualify as true leases for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, this determination inherently is a question of fact, and we cannot assure you that the IRS will not assert successfully a contrary position. If the leases were recharacterized as service contracts or partnership agreements, rather than true leases, or disregarded altogether for U.S. federal income tax purposes, all or part of the payments that we receive from the TRSs would not be considered rent or would not otherwise satisfy the various requirements for qualification as “rents from real property.” In that case, we likely would not be able to satisfy either the 75% or 95% gross income tests and, as a result, would lose our REIT status.

As indicated above, “rents from real property” must not be based in whole or in part on the income or profits of any person. Except with regard to the lease of the Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa and any other leases that we acknowledge will not qualify as producing “rents from real property,” each of our leases provides for periodic payments of a specified base rent plus, to the extent that it exceeds the base rent, additional rent which is calculated based upon the gross sales of the hotel subject to the lease, plus certain other amounts. Payments made pursuant to these leases should qualify as “rents from real property” since generally they are based on either fixed dollar amounts or on specified percentages of gross sales that are fixed at the time the leases are entered into. The foregoing assumes that the leases have not been and will not be renegotiated during their term in a manner that has the effect of basing either the percentage rent or the base rent on income or profits. The foregoing also assumes that the leases are not in reality used as a means of basing rent on income or profits. More generally, the rent payable under the leases will not qualify as “rents from real property” if, considering the leases and all of the relevant circumstances, the arrangement does not conform with normal business practices. We have not renegotiated, and currently do not intend to renegotiate, the percentages used to determine the percentage rent during the terms of the leases in a manner that has had or will have the effect of basing rent on income or profits. In addition, we believe that the rental provisions and other terms of the leases conform with normal business practices and generally are not intended to be used as a means of basing rent on income or profits. Furthermore, currently we intend that, with respect to properties that we acquire in the future, we will not charge rent for any property that is based in whole or in part on the income or profits of any person, except by reason of being based on a fixed percentage of gross sales, as described above.

As noted above, under the Internal Revenue Code, if a lease provides for the rental of both real and personal property and the portion of the rent attributable to personal property is 15% or less of the total rent due under the lease, then all rent paid pursuant to such lease qualifies as “rents from real property.” If, however, a lease provides for the rental of both real and personal property, and the portion of the rent attributable to personal property exceeds 15% of the total rent due under the lease, then no portion of the rent that is attributable to personal property will qualify as “rents from real property.” The amount of rent attributable to personal property is the amount which bears the same ratio to total rent for the taxable year as the average of the fair market value of the personal property at the beginning and end of the year bears to the average of the aggregate fair market value of both the real and personal property at the beginning and end of such year. We believe that, with respect to each of our leases that includes a lease of items of personal property, either the amount of rent attributable to

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personal property with respect to such lease will not exceed 15% of the total rent due under the lease (determined under the law in effect for the applicable period), or, with respect to leases where the rent attributable to personal property constitutes non-qualifying income, such amounts, when taken together with all other non-qualifying gross income, will not jeopardize our status as a REIT. Each such lease permits the lessor to take certain steps, including requiring the lessee to purchase certain furniture, fixtures and equipment or to lease such property from a third party, including a TRS, if necessary to ensure that all of the rent attributable to personal property with respect to such lease will qualify as “rents from real property.”

Interest Income

Interest generally will be non-qualifying gross income for purposes of the 75% or 95% gross income tests if it depends in whole or in part on the income or profits of any person. However, interest based on a fixed percentage or percentages of receipts or sales still may qualify under the gross income tests. We receive interest income from our TRSs and from third parties, which will constitute qualifying gross income for purposes of the 95% gross income test, but not necessarily for purposes of the 75% gross income test. We do not expect that the interest income from these sources will affect our ability to satisfy the requirements of the 75% gross income test.

Dividend Income

We receive distributions from our TRSs or other corporations that are not REITs or QRSs. These distributions generally are treated as dividend income to the extent of the earnings and profits of the distributing corporation. We also may recognize capital gain with respect to our investments in our TRSs or such other corporations. Such dividend income or capital gain will constitute qualifying gross income for purposes of the 95% gross income test, but not for purposes of the 75% gross income test. We do not expect that these amounts will affect our ability to satisfy the requirements of the 75% gross income test. Any dividends that we receive from a REIT, or capital gain recognized in connection with an investment in a REIT, will be qualifying gross income for purposes of both the 95% and 75% gross income tests.

Income from Hedging Transactions

From time to time, we may enter into hedging transactions with respect to one or more of our assets or liabilities. Any such hedging transactions could take a variety of forms, including the use of derivative instruments such as interest rate swap or cap agreements, option agreements, and futures or forward contracts. Gross income of a REIT, including gross income from a pass-through subsidiary, arising from “clearly identified” hedging transactions that are entered into in order to manage the risk of interest rate or price changes with respect to borrowings, including gain from the disposition of such hedging transactions, to the extent the hedging transactions hedge indebtedness incurred, or to be incurred, by the REIT to acquire or carry real estate assets, will not be treated as gross income for purposes of either the 75% or the 95% gross income tests. Gross income of a REIT arising from hedging transactions that are entered into in order to manage the risk of currency fluctuations will not be treated as gross income for purposes of either the 75% gross income test or the 95% gross income test, provided that the transaction is “clearly identified” as specified in the Internal Revenue Code. Gross income from, and gain from the termination of, “clearly identified” hedges entered into in connection with the termination of a hedging transaction described in the two immediately preceding sentences, where the property or indebtedness that was the subject of the prior hedging transaction was extinguished or disposed of, also will be excluded from gross income for purposes of the 75% gross income test and the 95% gross income test. To the extent that we hedge with other types of financial instruments or in other situations, the resultant gross income will be treated as gross income that does not qualify under the gross income tests unless the hedge meets certain requirements, and we elect to integrate it with a specified asset and to treat the integrated position as a synthetic debt instrument. We intend to structure any hedging transactions in a manner that does not jeopardize our qualification as a REIT, although this determination depends on an analysis of the facts and circumstances concerning each hedging transaction.

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Foreign Currency Gain

“Real estate foreign exchange gain” is excluded from the 75% gross income test and “passive foreign exchange gain” is excluded from the 95% gross income test. “Real estate foreign exchange gain” means (i) foreign currency gain attributable (without duplication) to (A) an item of gross income or gain to which the 75% gross income test applies, (B) the acquisition or ownership of obligations secured by mortgages on real property or on interests in real property or (C) becoming or being the obligor under obligations secured by mortgages on real property or interests in real property or (ii) foreign currency gain attributable to a “qualified business unit” (“QBU”) of the REIT under Section 987 of the Internal Revenue Code, provided the QBU itself satisfies both the 75% gross income test and the 75% asset test described below under “—Asset Tests.” “Passive foreign exchange gain” is (without duplication) real estate foreign exchange gain, foreign currency gain attributable to an item of income or gain to which the 95% gross income test applies, foreign currency gain attributable to the acquisition or ownership of obligations secured by mortgages on real property or on interests in real property, or foreign currency gain attributable to becoming or being the obligor under obligations secured by mortgages on real property or on interests in real property.

Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income

Section 951A of the Internal Revenue Code requires us to include in gross income the “global intangible low-taxed income” (“GILTI”) determined with respect to certain of our foreign corporate subsidiaries, regardless of whether any distributions actually are made by such subsidiaries. GILTI generally is equal to the excess, if any, of our pro rata share of the net income (as specially determined for this purpose, taking into account a number of modifications) of those foreign corporate subsidiaries over a deemed 10% return with respect to certain tangible investments made by such foreign subsidiaries. Any GILTI recognized by us will not qualify for the 75% gross income test but will qualify for the 95% gross income test. We intend to manage the operations of our foreign corporate subsidiaries, and our ownership of stock of such subsidiaries so as to avoid realizing income that would cause us to fail to satisfy the 75% gross income test.

Prohibited Transactions Tax

Net income that we derive from a prohibited transaction is excluded from gross income solely for purposes of the 75% and 95% gross income tests and is subject to a 100% tax. Any foreign currency gain (as defined in Section 988(b)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code) recognized in connection with a prohibited transaction will be taken into account in determining the amount of income subject to the 100% tax. The term “prohibited transaction” generally includes a sale or other disposition of property (other than foreclosure property, as discussed below) that we hold primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business. Under existing law, whether property is held “primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business” depends on the particular facts and circumstances. We currently intend that we will hold our hotels for investment with a view to long-term appreciation, engage in the business of acquiring and owning hotels, and make sales of hotels consistent with our investment objectives. No assurance can be given that any of the hotels or other property that we sell will not be treated as property held for sale to customers, or that we can comply with certain safe-harbor provisions of the Internal Revenue Code that would prevent such treatment. The 100% tax does not apply to gain from the sale of property that is owned by a TRS or by another taxable C corporation, although such income will be subject to tax in the hands of the C corporation at U.S. federal corporate income tax rates.

Income from Foreclosure Property

We generally will be subject to tax at the maximum U.S. federal corporate income tax rate (currently 21%) on any net income from foreclosure property, including any gain from the disposition of the foreclosure property and any foreign currency gain, other than income that constitutes qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test (other than by reason of such income being income or gain from foreclosure property).

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Foreclosure property is real property and any personal property incident to such real property (1) that we acquire as the result of having bid on the property at foreclosure, or having otherwise reduced the property to ownership or possession by agreement or process of law, after a default (or upon imminent default) on a lease of the property or a mortgage loan held by us and secured by the property, (2) for which we acquired the related loan or lease at a time when default was not imminent or anticipated and (3) with respect to which we made a proper election to treat the property as foreclosure property. 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 gain from prohibited transactions described above, even if the property otherwise would constitute inventory or dealer property. If an unrelated third party lessee defaults under a lease, we are permitted to lease the related hotel to a TRS, in which case the hotel would not become foreclosure property. To the extent that we receive any income from property described in clause (1) above that does not qualify for purposes of the 75% gross income test, we intend to make an election to treat the related property as foreclosure property if the election is available (which may not be the case with respect to acquired “distressed loans”).

Failure to Satisfy the Gross Income Tests

We intend to continue to monitor our sources of gross income, including any non-qualifying gross income received by us, and manage the ownership of our assets so as to ensure our compliance with the 75% and 95% gross income tests. If we fail to satisfy one or both of the 75% or 95% gross income tests for any taxable year, we still may qualify as a REIT for such year if we are entitled to relief under applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code. These relief provisions generally will be available if (1) our failure to meet these tests was due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect and (2) following our identification of the failure to meet the 75% and/or 95% gross income tests for any taxable year, we file a schedule with the IRS setting forth a description of each item of our gross income that satisfies the gross income tests for such taxable year in accordance with Treasury regulations. It is not possible to state whether we would be entitled to the benefit of these relief provisions in all circumstances. As discussed above under “—General,” even where these relief provisions apply, the Internal Revenue Code imposes a tax, which could be significant in amount, based upon the profit attributable to the amount by which we fail to satisfy the particular gross income test.

Asset Tests

At the close of each calendar quarter, we must satisfy the following tests relating to the nature of our assets:

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For purposes of the asset tests, a REIT is not treated as owning the stock of a QRS or an equity interest in any entity treated as a partnership or disregarded for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Instead, a REIT is treated as owning its proportionate share of the assets held by such entity. Solely for purposes of the 10% value asset test, the determination of our interest in the assets of an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes in which we own an interest will be based on our proportionate interest in any securities issued by the partnership, excluding for this purpose certain securities described in the Internal Revenue Code.

The 10% value asset test does not apply to certain “straight debt” and other excluded securities, as described in the Internal Revenue Code, including (1) loans to individuals or estates, (2) obligations to pay rents from real property, (3) rental agreements described in Section 467 of the Internal Revenue Code (generally, obligations related to deferred rental payments, other than with respect to transactions with related party tenants), (4) securities issued by other REITs, (5) certain securities issued by a state, the District of Columbia, a foreign government, or a political subdivision of any of the foregoing, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and (6) any other arrangement as determined by the IRS. In addition, (1) a REIT’s interest as a partner in a partnership is not considered a security for purposes of the 10% value asset 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 partnership’s gross income is derived from sources that would qualify for the 75% gross income test referenced above; 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 a partnership to the extent of the REIT’s interest as a partner in the partnership.

For purposes of the 10% value asset 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 borrower’s 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 TRSs” (as defined in the Internal Revenue Code), hold 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 issuer’s outstanding securities (including, for purposes of a partnership issuer, our interest as a partner in the partnership).

We intend to continue to maintain adequate records of the value of our assets in order to ensure compliance with the asset tests and to take any available actions within 30 days after the close of any quarter as may be required to cure any non-compliance with the asset tests. See “—Failure to Satisfy the Asset Tests.” We likely will not obtain independent appraisals to support our conclusions concerning the values of some or all of our assets. We do not intend to seek an IRS ruling as to the classification of our properties for purposes of the REIT asset tests. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the IRS will not contend that our assets or our interest in other securities will not cause a violation of the REIT asset test requirements.

Failure to Satisfy the Asset Tests

The asset tests must be satisfied not only on the last day of the calendar quarter in which we, directly or through pass-through subsidiaries, acquire securities in the applicable issuer, but also on the last day of the calendar quarter in which we increase our ownership of securities in such issuer, including as a result of increasing our interest in pass-through subsidiaries. An example of such an acquisition would be an increase in

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our interest in Host L.P. as a result of the exercise of a limited partner’s redemption right relating to units in Host L.P. or an additional capital contribution to Host L.P. of proceeds from an offering of stock by us. 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 of asset values (including a failure caused solely by a change in the foreign currency exchange rate used to value a foreign asset). If we fail to satisfy the asset tests because we acquire assets during a quarter, we can cure this failure by disposing of sufficient non-qualifying assets or acquiring sufficient qualifying assets within 30 days after the close of such quarter. We intend to continue to maintain adequate records of the value of our assets to ensure compliance with the asset tests and to take any available action within 30 days after the close of any quarter as may be required to cure any non-compliance with the asset tests. Although we plan to take steps to ensure that we satisfy such tests for any quarter with respect to which testing is done, there can be no assurance that such steps always will be successful. If we fail to timely cure any non-compliance with the asset tests, we would cease to qualify as a REIT, unless we satisfy certain relief provisions.

The failure to satisfy the 5% asset test, or the 10% vote or value asset tests, can be remedied even after the 30-day cure period under certain circumstances. Specifically, if we fail these 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) in order to cure such a violation that does not exceed the lesser of 1% of the value of our assets at the end of the relevant quarter or $10 million. If we fail any of the other asset tests or our failure of the 5% and 10% asset tests results in a violation 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 disposing 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), paying a tax equal to the greater of $50,000 or the highest U.S. federal corporate income tax rate (currently 21%) multiplied by the net income generated by the non-qualifying assets during the period in which we failed to satisfy the asset test, and filing, in accordance with applicable Treasury regulations, a schedule with the IRS that describes the assets that caused us to fail to satisfy the asset test(s). We intend to take advantage of any and all relief provisions that are available to us in order to cure any violation of the asset tests applicable to REITs. In certain circumstances, utilization of such provisions could result in us being required to pay an excise or penalty tax, which tax could be significant in amount.

Annual Distribution Requirements

In order to qualify as a REIT, we are required to pay dividends, other than capital gain dividends, to our stockholders in an amount at least equal to:

For purposes of this test, “non-cash income” means income attributable to (1) leveled stepped rents, (2) original issue discount included in our taxable income without the receipt of cash, (3) cancellation of indebtedness or (4) a like-kind exchange that later is determined to be taxable.

We generally must make dividend payments in the taxable year to which they relate. Dividend payments may be made in the following year in two circumstances. First, we may declare a dividend in October, November or December of any year with a record date in one of such months if we pay the dividend on or before January 31 of the following year. Such dividends are treated both as paid by us and received by our stockholders on December 31 of the year in which they are declared. Second, dividend payments for the current year may be

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made in the following year if they are declared before we timely file our tax return for the current year and if they are made with or before the first regular dividend payment after such declaration. These dividends are taxable to our stockholders in the year in which paid, even though they relate to our prior taxable year for purposes of the 90% distribution requirement.

In order for distributions to be counted as satisfying the annual distribution requirement for REITs, and to provide REITs with a REIT-level dividends paid deduction, the distributions must not be “preferential dividends.” A distribution is not a preferential dividend if the distribution is (1) pro rata among all outstanding shares of stock within a particular class and (2) in accordance with the preferences among different classes of stock as set forth in the REIT’s organizational documents. This requirement does not apply to publicly offered REITs, including us, with respect to distributions made in tax years beginning after 2014, but may continue to apply to our subsidiary REIT (although subsidiary REITs have been considered “publicly offered” under certain circumstances).

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 U.S. federal corporate income tax rates on the retained portion. We may elect to retain, rather than distribute, some or all of our net long-term capital gain and pay tax on such gain. In this case, we could elect for our stockholders to include their proportionate share of such undistributed long-term capital gain in their taxable income, and for them to receive a corresponding credit for their share of the U.S. federal corporate income tax that we pay thereon. Our stockholders would then increase the adjusted tax basis of their stock by the difference between (1) the amount of capital gain dividends that we designated and that they included in their taxable income, and (2) the tax that we paid on their behalf with respect to that capital gain. Alternatively, we could pay tax on such long-term capital gain and not adopt the credit regime discussed herein.

To the extent that, in the future, we may have available net operating losses carried forward from prior tax years, such losses may reduce the amount of dividends that we must pay in order to comply with the REIT distribution requirements. Such losses, however, (1) generally will not affect the character, in the hands of our stockholders, of any dividends that actually are made as ordinary dividends or capital gain; and (2) cannot be passed through or used by our stockholders. See “—U.S. Federal Income Taxation of Our Stockholders—Taxation of Taxable U.S. Stockholders—Distributions Generally.” Under amendments made by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (“TCJA”) to Section 172 of the Internal Revenue Code, our deduction for any net operating loss carryforwards arising from losses we incur in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 is limited to 80% of our annual REIT taxable income (determined without regard to the deduction for dividends paid), and any unused portion of such losses may not be carried back, but may be carried forward indefinitely.

If we fail to distribute during each calendar year at least the sum of (1) 85% of our ordinary income for such year, (2) 95% of our capital gain net income for such year and (3) any undistributed net taxable income from prior periods, we will be subject to a nondeductible 4% excise tax on the excess of such required distribution over the sum of (a) the amount actually distributed and (b) the amount of income we retained and on which we paid U.S. federal corporate income tax.

We currently intend to make timely dividends sufficient to satisfy the annual distribution requirements. Host L.P.’s partnership agreement authorizes us, as general partner, to take such steps as may be necessary to cause Host L.P. to distribute to its partners an amount sufficient to permit us to meet these distribution requirements. Our subsidiary REIT intends to use consent dividends, in addition to cash dividends, in order to satisfy all or a portion of its distribution requirements.

The calculation of REIT taxable income includes deductions for noncash expenses, such as depreciation. Accordingly, we anticipate that generally we will have sufficient cash or liquid assets to enable us to satisfy the distribution requirements described above. However, from time to time, we may not have sufficient cash or other liquid assets to meet these distribution requirements due to timing differences between the actual receipt of cash and the actual payment of deductible expenses, and the inclusion of income and deduction of expenses for

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purposes of determining our annual taxable income. Further, under amendments to Section 451 of the Internal Revenue Code made by the TCJA, subject to certain exceptions, we must accrue income for U.S. federal income tax purposes no later than the time at which such income is taken into account in our financial statements, which could create additional differences between REIT taxable income and the receipt of cash attributable to such income. In addition, Section 162(m) of the Code places a per employee limit of $1 million on the amount of compensation that a publicly held corporation (including a REIT, beginning in 2021) may deduct in any one year with respect to its chief executive officer and certain other highly compensated executive officers. We also may decide to retain our cash, rather than distribute it, to repay debt, acquire assets, or for other reasons. If these timing differences occur, we may borrow funds to pay dividends or pay dividends through the distribution of other property (including shares of our stock) in order to meet the distribution requirements, while preserving our cash. Alternatively, subject to certain conditions and limitations, we may declare a taxable dividend payable in cash or stock at the election of each stockholder, where the aggregate amount of cash available to be distributed with respect to such dividend must be at least 20% of the total dividend, and may be subject to other limitations. In such case, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, taxable stockholders receiving such dividends will be required to include the full amount (both the cash and stock component) of the dividend as ordinary taxable income to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits.

We may be able to rectify a failure to meet the distribution requirements for a particular tax year by paying “deficiency dividends” to stockholders 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 REIT qualification or being taxed on amounts distributed as deficiency dividends. We will be required to pay interest to the IRS based on the amount of any deduction taken for deficiency dividends.

We calculate our REIT taxable income based upon the conclusion that the lessor is the owner of the hotels for U.S. federal income tax purposes. As a result, we expect that the depreciation deductions with respect to the hotels owned by the lessors will reduce our REIT taxable income. This conclusion is consistent with the conclusion above that the TRS leases for our hotels have been and will continue to be treated as true leases for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If, however, the IRS were to challenge successfully this position, in addition to failing in all likelihood the 75% and 95% gross income tests described above, we also might be deemed retroactively to have failed to meet the REIT distribution requirements and would have to rely on the payment of a “deficiency dividend” in order to retain REIT status.

Interest Deduction Limitation

Commencing in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, Section 163(j) of the Internal Revenue Code limits the deductibility of net interest expense paid or accrued on debt properly allocable to a trade or business to 30% of “adjusted taxable income,” subject to certain exceptions. Any amount paid or accrued in excess of the limitation is carried forward and may be deducted in a subsequent year, again subject to the 30% limitation. Adjusted taxable income is determined without regard to certain deductions, including those for net interest expense, net operating loss carryforwards and, for taxable years beginning before January 1, 2022, depreciation, amortization and depletion. Provided the taxpayer makes a timely election (which is irrevocable), the 30% limitation does not apply to a trade or business involving real property development, redevelopment, construction, reconstruction, rental, operation, acquisition, conversion, disposition, management, leasing or brokerage, within the meaning of Section 469(c)(7)(C) of the Internal Revenue Code. If this election is made, depreciable real property (including certain improvements) held by the relevant trade or business must be depreciated under the alternative depreciation system under the Internal Revenue Code, which generally is less favorable than the generally applicable system of depreciation under the Internal Revenue Code. In general, while there is limited authority that specifically addresses the leasing of hotels, we believe that the leasing of our hotels to our TRSs should constitute a real property trade or business, and we may elect not to have the interest deduction limitation apply to that trade or business. If we do not make the election or if the election is determined not to be available with respect to all or certain of our business activities, the new interest deduction limitation could result in us having more REIT taxable income and thus increase the amount of distributions we must make

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in order to comply with the REIT distribution requirements and avoid incurring U.S. federal corporate income tax. The activities conducted by our TRSs will constitute a real property trade or business and the election to avoid the application of the 30% limitation will be available to such entities.

Like-Kind Exchanges

We may dispose of hotels in transactions intended to qualify as like-kind exchanges under Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code. Such like-kind exchanges are intended to result in the deferral of gain for U.S. federal corporate income tax purposes. The failure of any such transaction to qualify as a like-kind exchange could require us to pay U.S. federal corporate income tax, including the built-in gains tax and possibly including the 100% prohibited transaction tax, depending on the facts and circumstances of the particular transaction. Effective for exchanges completed after December 31, 2017 (subject to certain transition rules), the preferential tax treatment applicable to like-kind exchanges is limited to exchanges of real property not held primarily for sale. Previously, the like-kind exchange provisions also applied to personal property not held primarily for sale. Accordingly, for exchanges completed after December 31, 2017, gain from exchanges of personal property and intangible property will not qualify for deferral under Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code.

Record-Keeping Requirements

We are required to maintain records and request on an annual basis information from specified stockholders. These requirements are designed to assist us in determining the actual ownership of our outstanding stock and in maintaining our qualification as a REIT. Failure to comply therewith could result in monetary fines.

Failure to Qualify as a REIT

If we fail to satisfy one or more requirements for REIT qualification other than the gross income or asset tests, we could avoid disqualification if our failure is due to reasonable cause and not to willful neglect and we pay a penalty of $50,000 for each such failure. Relief provisions are available for failures of the gross income tests and asset tests, as described above in “—Gross Income Tests” and “—Asset Tests.”

If we fail to qualify for taxation as a REIT in any taxable year, and the relief provisions described above do not apply, we would be subject to tax on our taxable income at U.S. federal corporate income tax rates. We would be unable to deduct distributions to our stockholders in any year in which we are not a REIT, nor would we be required to make distributions in such a year. As a result, we anticipate that our failure to qualify as a REIT would reduce the funds available for distribution by us to our stockholders. In addition, if we fail to qualify as a REIT, all distributions to our common stockholders would be taxable to such stockholders as dividends to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits (as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes). Such dividends paid to U.S. holders of our common stock that are individuals, trusts and estates may be taxable at preferential income tax rates (i.e., the 23.8% maximum U.S. federal rate for capital gain, which rate takes into account the maximum capital gain tax rate of 20% and the 3.8% Medicare tax on net investment income, described below under “—Medicare Tax on Net Investment Income”) for qualified dividends. Such dividends, however, would not be eligible for the 20% deduction on “qualified” REIT dividends allowed by Section 199A of the Internal Revenue Code generally available to U.S. holders of our common stock that are individuals, trusts or estates for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026. In addition, subject to the limitations of the Internal Revenue Code, corporate distributees may be eligible for the dividends received deduction. Unless we are entitled to relief under specific statutory provisions, we also would be disqualified from re-electing to be taxed as a REIT for the four taxable years following the year during which we lose our qualification. It is not possible to state whether, in all circumstances, we will be entitled to this statutory relief.

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Tax Aspects of Host L.P. and Our Other Subsidiary Partnerships

General

Substantially all our hotels are owned indirectly through Host L.P., which owns these hotels either directly or through certain subsidiaries (including through our subsidiary REIT). This discussion focuses on the tax aspects of our ownership of hotels through partnerships and entities, such as limited liability companies, that are treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes. 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 potentially are subject to tax thereon, without regard to whether the partners receive a distribution from the partnership. We include in our gross income our proportionate share of partnership items for purposes of the gross income tests and in the computation of our REIT taxable income. Moreover, for purposes of the REIT asset tests, we include our proportionate share of assets held through Host L.P. and those of its subsidiaries that either are disregarded as separate entities or treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes. See “—Effect of Subsidiary Entities—Ownership of Partnerships, Limited Liability Companies and Qualified REIT Subsidiaries” above.

Entity Classification

If Host L.P. or any non-corporate subsidiary were treated as an association, the entity would be taxable as a corporation and, therefore, would be subject to U.S. federal corporate income tax on its taxable income. In such a situation, the character of our assets and items of gross income would change and could preclude us from qualifying as a REIT (see “—Asset Tests” and “—Gross Income Tests” above).

We assume for purposes of this discussion that Host L.P. and all its subsidiaries (other than our TRSs and our subsidiary REIT) are classified as partnerships or disregarded as separate entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Pursuant to Treasury regulations under Section 7701 of the Internal Revenue Code, a partnership will be treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes unless it elects to be treated as a corporation or is treated as a corporation because it is a “publicly traded partnership.”

Neither Host L.P. nor any of its non-corporate subsidiaries that are not a TRS has elected or will elect to be treated as a corporation. Therefore, subject to the disclosure below, Host L.P. and each such subsidiary will be treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes (or, if such an entity only has one partner or member, a disregarded entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes).

Pursuant to Section 7704 of the Internal Revenue Code, a partnership that does not elect to be treated as a corporation nevertheless will be treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes if it is a “publicly traded partnership” and it does not derive at least 90% of its gross income from certain specified sources of “qualifying income” within the meaning of that section. A “publicly traded partnership” is any partnership (i) the interests of which are traded on an established securities market, or (ii) the interests of which are readily tradable on a “secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof.” Host L.P. units currently are not and in the future will not be traded on an established securities market. There is a significant risk, however, that the Host L.P. units could be considered readily tradable on the substantial equivalent of a secondary market. In that event, Host L.P. could be treated as a “publicly traded partnership,” but even then it only would be taxable as a corporation if less than 90% of its gross income were to constitute “qualifying income.” Treasury regulations under Section 7704 of the Internal Revenue Code set forth certain “safe harbors” under which interests will not be treated as “readily tradable on a secondary market (or the substantial equivalent thereof)” within the meaning of Section 7704 of the Internal Revenue Code (the “Safe Harbors”).

“Qualifying income,” for purposes of the “qualifying income” exception, generally is real property rents and other types of passive income. We believe that Host L.P. has had and will continue to have sufficient qualifying gross income so that it would be taxed as a partnership even if it were considered a publicly traded partnership. The gross income requirements applicable to us in order for us to qualify as a REIT under the Internal Revenue

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Code and the definition of qualifying income under the publicly traded partnership rules are very similar. Although differences exist between these two gross income tests, we do not believe that these differences would cause Host L.P. not to satisfy the 90% gross income test applicable to publicly traded partnerships.

If Host L.P. were taxable as a corporation, most, if not all, of the tax consequences described herein would be inapplicable. In particular, we would not qualify as a REIT because the value of our ownership interest in Host L.P. would exceed 5% of our assets and we would be considered to hold more than 10% of the voting securities (and more than 10% of the value of the outstanding securities) of another corporation (see “—Asset Tests” above). In this event, the value of our stock could be materially adversely affected (see “—Failure to Qualify as a REIT” above).

Except with regard to the exercise of the right to redeem Host L.P. units and certain “permitted transfers” (generally among related individuals or entities) under Host L.P.’s partnership agreement, no limited partner may transfer Host L.P. units without our prior written consent, as general partner of Host L.P., which consent may be withheld in our sole discretion. Host L.P.’s partnership agreement provides that we will take such actions, if any, that are reasonably necessary or appropriate to prevent Host L.P. from being classified as a publicly traded partnership and, except as provided otherwise in the partnership agreement, to permit Host L.P. to insure that at least one of the Safe Harbors is met. We may exercise our authority, as general partner, under the partnership agreement to impose limitations on the right to redeem Host L.P. units only to the extent that outside tax counsel provides to us an opinion to the effect that, in the absence of such limitation or restriction, there is a significant risk that Host L.P. will be treated as a publicly traded partnership and, by reason thereof, taxable as a corporation. These limitations, if imposed, could adversely affect the holders of Host L.P. units.

Partnership Tax Allocations

A partnership agreement generally will determine the allocation of income and loss among partners. However, such allocations will be disregarded for U.S. federal income tax purposes if they do not comply with the provisions of Section 704(b) of the Internal Revenue Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder. Generally, Section 704(b) of the Internal Revenue Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder require that partnership allocations respect the economic arrangement of the partners.

If an allocation is not recognized for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the item subject to the allocation will be reallocated in accordance with the partners’ interests in the partnership, which 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. The allocations of taxable income and loss provided for in Host L.P.’s partnership agreement and the partnership agreements and operating agreements of its non-corporate subsidiaries are intended to comply with the requirements of Section 704(b) of the Internal Revenue Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

Tax Allocations with Respect to our Hotels

Pursuant to Section 704(c) of the Internal Revenue Code, income, gain, loss and deduction attributable to appreciated or depreciated property, such as our hotels, that is contributed to a partnership in exchange for an interest therein must be allocated in a manner such that the contributing partner is charged with, or benefits from, the difference between the adjusted tax basis and the fair market value of such property at the time of contribution. This difference is known as built-in gain or built-in loss. Host L.P.’s partnership agreement requires that such allocations be made in a manner consistent with Section 704(c) of the Internal Revenue Code. In general, the partners of Host L.P., including us, who contribute appreciated assets with built-in gain are allocated depreciation deductions for U.S. federal income tax purposes that are lower than such deductions would be if determined on a pro rata basis. Thus, the carryover basis of the contributed assets in the hands of Host L.P. may cause us to be allocated lower depreciation and other deductions, and therefore effectively to be allocated more income, which might adversely affect our ability to comply with the REIT distribution requirements and/or cause

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a higher proportion of our distributions to our stockholders to be taxed as dividends. See “—Annual Distribution Requirements” above.

In addition, in the event of the disposition of any of the contributed hotels with built-in gain, all gain attributable thereto but not to exceed the amount of the built-in gain generally will be allocated to the contributing partners, even though the proceeds of such sale would be distributed proportionately among all the partners and could be retained by us rather than distributed to our stockholders. Thus, if Host L.P. were to sell a hotel with built-in gain that was contributed to Host L.P. by our predecessors or by us, generally we would be allocated all the gain attributable to the contributed hotel, not to exceed the amount of the built-in gain, which amount could exceed the economic, or “book,” income allocated to us as a result of such sale. Such an allocation might cause us to recognize taxable income in excess of cash proceeds, which might adversely affect our ability to comply with the REIT distribution requirements. It should be noted that, as the general partner of Host L.P., we will determine whether or not to sell a hotel that we contributed to Host L.P.

We and Host L.P. generally use the traditional method (with a provision for a curative allocation of gain on sale to the extent prior allocations of depreciation with respect to a specific hotel were limited by the “ceiling rule” applicable under the traditional method) to account for built-in gain with respect to the hotels contributed to Host L.P. in connection with our conversion from a C corporation to a REIT. This method generally is a more favorable method for accounting for built-in gain from the perspective of those partners, including us, who received Host L.P. units in exchange for property with a low adjusted tax basis relative to its fair market value at the time of the REIT conversion and is a less favorable method from the perspective of those partners who contributed cash or “high basis” assets to Host L.P., including us to the extent we contribute cash to Host L.P.

Any property purchased by Host L.P. initially will have an adjusted tax basis equal to its fair market value, and Section 704(c) of the Internal Revenue Code will not apply in that case.

IRS Audits of Partnership Entities

Under the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, liability is imposed on the partnership (rather than its partners) for adjustments to reported partnership taxable income resulting from audits or other tax proceedings. The liability can include an imputed underpayment of tax, calculated by using the highest marginal U.S. federal income tax rate, as well as interest and penalties on such imputed underpayment of tax. Using certain rules, a partnership may be able to transfer these liabilities to its partners. In the event any adjustments are imposed by the IRS on the taxable income reported by Host L.P. or any of our subsidiary partnerships, we intend to utilize the rules to the extent possible to allow us to transfer any liability with respect to such adjustments to the partners of Host L.P. and our subsidiary partnerships who should properly bear such liability. However, there is no assurance that we will qualify under those rules or that we will have the authority to use those rules under the operating agreements for our subsidiary partnerships.

U.S. Federal Income Taxation of Our Stockholders

The following discussion describes the material U.S. federal income tax consequences to you of owning and disposing of our common stock. This summary does not address state, local or non-U.S. tax consequences.

This discussion assumes that you hold shares of our common stock as “capital assets” (generally, property held for investment within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Internal Revenue Code). This discussion is not intended to constitute, and should not be construed as, tax advice and does not purport to discuss all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be important to a particular investor in light of its investment or tax circumstances, or to investors subject to special tax rules, including:

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For purposes of this discussion, a U.S. stockholder is a beneficial owner of our common stock that for U.S. federal income tax purposes is:

If an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds our common 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 common stock by the partnership.

If you hold shares of our common stock and are not a U.S. stockholder or an entity or arrangement that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, you are a non-U.S. stockholder.

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Taxation of Taxable U.S. Stockholders

This section summarizes the U.S. federal income taxation of U.S. stockholders that are not tax-exempt organizations.

Distributions Generally

The dividends that we pay to our taxable U.S. stockholders out of current or accumulated earnings and profits that we do not designate as capital gain dividends or as qualified dividend income will be taken into account by stockholders as ordinary income when actually or constructively received. As long as we qualify as a REIT, these dividends will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction for U.S. stockholders that are 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. Except for dividends that we designate as qualified dividend income, dividends received from REITs are not eligible to be taxed at the preferential qualified dividend income tax rates currently available to individual U.S. stockholders who receive dividends from taxable C corporations. However, under Section 199A of the Internal Revenue Code, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and prior to January 1, 2026, U.S. stockholders that are individuals, trusts or estates may deduct 20% of the aggregate amount of ordinary dividends distributed by us, subject to certain limitations.

Distributions from us in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits will not be taxable to a U.S. stockholder to the extent that they do not exceed the adjusted tax basis of the U.S. stockholder’s shares of stock in respect of which the distributions were made. Rather, the distributions will reduce the adjusted tax basis of these shares. To the extent that such distributions exceed the adjusted tax basis of a U.S. stockholder’s shares of stock, the U.S. stockholder generally must include such distributions in income as long-term capital gain if the stock has been held for more than one year, or short-term capital gain if the stock has been held for one year or less. In addition, any dividend that we declare in October, November or December of any year and that is payable to a stockholder of record on a specified date in any such month will be treated as both paid by us and received by the stockholder on December 31 of such year, provided that we actually pay the dividend before January 31 of the following calendar year.

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 we must make in order to comply with the REIT distribution requirements. See “U.S. Federal Income Taxation of the Company—Annual Distribution Requirements.” Such losses, however, are not passed through to U.S. stockholders and may not be used to offset income of U.S. stockholders from other sources on their income tax returns. Such losses do not affect the character of any distributions that we make, which generally are subject to tax in the hands of U.S. stockholders to the extent that we have current or accumulated earnings and profits.

Capital Gain Dividends

We may elect to designate distributions of our net capital gain as “capital gain dividends.” Distributions that we designate as capital gain dividends generally will be taxed to U.S. stockholders as long-term capital gain, without regard to the period during which the U.S. stockholder that receives such distribution has held its stock, to the extent that such gain does not exceed our actual net capital gain for the taxable year. Designations made by us only will be effective to the extent that they comply with Revenue Ruling 89-81, which requires that distributions made to different classes of stock be composed proportionately of dividends of a particular type. If we designate any portion of a dividend as a capital gain dividend, a U.S. stockholder will receive an IRS Form 1099-DIV indicating the amount that will be taxable to the U.S. stockholder as capital gain. Corporate U.S. stockholders may be required to treat up to 20% of some capital gain dividends as ordinary income.

We may elect to retain and pay taxes on some or all of our net long term capital gain. If so elected, U.S. stockholders will be treated as having received, solely for U.S. federal income tax purposes, our undistributed

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capital gain, as well as a corresponding credit for taxes that we paid on such undistributed capital gain. The U.S. stockholder will increase the tax basis of its stock by the difference between the amount of capital gain included in its income and the amount of tax it is deemed to have paid. Our earnings and profits, and the earnings and profits of U.S. stockholders that are corporations, will be adjusted for the undistributed capital gain in accordance with Treasury regulations to be prescribed by the IRS. See “—Annual Distribution Requirements.” Otherwise, we could elect to retain and pay tax on our long-term capital gain without executing the credit regime discussed herein.

We will classify portions of any designated capital gain dividend or undistributed capital gain either as:

The maximum amount of dividends that we may designate as capital gain and as “qualified dividend income” (discussed below) with respect to any taxable year may not exceed the dividends actually paid by us with respect to such year, including dividends paid by us in the succeeding tax year that relate back to the prior tax year for purposes of determining our dividends paid deduction.

Qualified Dividend Income

With respect to U.S. stockholders who are taxed at the rates applicable to individuals, we may designate a portion of our distributions paid to such U.S. stockholders as “qualified dividend income.” A portion of a distribution that is properly designated as qualified dividend income is taxable to non-corporate U.S. stockholders as capital gain, provided that the U.S. stockholder 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:

Generally, dividends that we receive will be treated as qualified dividend income for purposes of the first bullet above if (1) the dividends are received from (a) a U.S. C corporation (other than a REIT or a “regulated investment company” under Section 851(a) of the Internal Revenue Code), (b) any TRS we may form or (c) a “qualifying foreign corporation,” and (2) specified holding period and other requirements are met. If we designate any portion of a dividend as qualified dividend income, a U.S. stockholder will receive an IRS Form 1099-DIV indicating the amount thereof.

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Passive Activity Losses and Investment Interest Limitations

Distributions made by us and gain arising from the sale or exchange by a U.S. stockholder of our common stock will not be treated as passive activity income. As a result, U.S. stockholders 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. stockholder that elects to treat capital gain dividends, capital gain 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. We intend to notify U.S. stockholders regarding the portions of distributions for each year that constitute ordinary income, qualified dividend income, return of capital, unrecaptured Section 1250 gain and capital gain in compliance with the applicable IRS guidance.

Dispositions of Our Common Stock

In general, a U.S. stockholder 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. stockholder’s adjusted tax basis in the common stock at the time of the disposition. In general, a U.S. stockholder’s adjusted tax basis will equal the U.S. stockholder’s acquisition cost, increased by the net capital gain deemed distributed to the U.S. stockholder (discussed above), less the tax deemed paid thereon and return of capital distributions.

In general, capital gain recognized by individuals, trusts or estates upon the sale or disposition of our common stock will be subject to a maximum U.S. federal income tax rate of up to 23.8% (which tax rate takes into account the maximum capital gain tax rate of 20% and the 3.8% Medicare tax on net investment income, described below) if the stock is held for more than one year, and will be taxed at ordinary income tax rates (of up to 40.8% for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026, which tax rate takes into account the maximum ordinary income tax rate of 37% and the 3.8% Medicare tax on net investment income, described below) if the stock is held for one year or less. Gain recognized by stockholders that are corporations is subject to U.S. federal corporate income tax at a maximum rate of 21%, effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, whether or not such gain is classified as long-term capital gain. The IRS has the authority to prescribe, but has not yet prescribed, Treasury regulations that would apply a capital gain tax rate of 25% (which is higher than the long-term capital gain tax rate for non-corporate U.S. stockholders) to all or a portion of capital gain recognized by a non-corporate U.S. stockholder on the sale of shares of our common stock that would correspond to a stockholder’s share of our “unrecaptured Section 1250 gain.” U.S. stockholders should consult with their tax advisors with respect to their capital gain tax liability.

A capital loss recognized by a U.S. stockholder upon the disposition of our common stock that has been held for more than one year at the time of disposition will be considered a long-term capital loss, which loss generally is available only to offset capital gain of the stockholder, but not ordinary income (except in the case of individuals, who may offset up to $3,000 of ordinary income each year with such long-term capital loss). In addition, any loss upon a sale or exchange of our common stock by a U.S. stockholder who has held the stock for six months or less, after applying holding period rules, will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of distributions that we make that are required to be treated by the U.S. stockholder as long-term capital gain.

Medicare Tax on Net Investment Income

Certain U.S. stockholders that are individuals, estates or trusts are required to pay an additional 3.8% tax on “net investment income” (or, in the case of an estate or trust, on “undistributed net investment income”) which includes, among other things, dividends on, and gain from the sale or other disposition of, shares of REIT stock. In the case of an individual, the tax will be 3.8% of the lesser of the individual’s net investment income or the excess of the individual’s modified adjusted gross income over an amount equal to (1) $250,000, in the case of a

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married individual filing a joint return or a surviving spouse, (2) $125,000, in the case of a married individual filing a separate return or (3) $200,000 in the case of a single individual. The temporary 20% deduction allowed by Section 199A of the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to ordinary REIT dividends received by non-corporate taxpayers is allowed only for purposes of Chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code and, thus, apparently is not allowed as a deduction allocable to such dividends for purposes of determining the amount of net investment income subject to the 3.8% Medicare tax, which is imposed under Chapter 2A of the Internal Revenue Code. U.S. stockholders should consult their tax advisors regarding this tax on net investment income.

Information Reporting Requirements and Backup Withholding

We will report to our stockholders and to the IRS the amount of dividends we pay during each calendar year and the amount of tax we withhold therefrom, if any. Generally, dividend payments are not subject to withholding; however, they may be subject to backup withholding. A stockholder may be subject to backup withholding at a rate of 24% with respect to dividends, unless the holder:

A stockholder who does not provide us with its correct taxpayer identification number also may be subject to penalties imposed by the IRS. Any amount paid as backup withholding will be creditable against the stockholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability. In addition, we may be required to withhold a portion of any capital gain dividends paid to any stockholders who fail to certify their non-foreign status to us. For a discussion of the backup withholding rules as applied to non-U.S. stockholders, see “—Taxation of Non-U.S. Stockholders.”

Taxation of Tax-Exempt U.S. Stockholders

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. Such entities, however, may be subject to taxation on their unrelated business taxable income (“UBTI”). While some investments in real estate may generate UBTI, the IRS has ruled that dividend distributions from a REIT to a tax-exempt entity generally do not constitute UBTI. Based on that ruling, and provided that (1) a tax-exempt stockholder 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 U.S. tax-exempt stockholder) and (2) our common stock is not otherwise used in an unrelated trade or business, dividend income from us and gain from the sale of our common stock generally should not give rise to UBTI to a U.S. tax-exempt stockholder.

Tax-exempt U.S. stockholders that are social clubs, voluntary employee benefit associations, and supplemental unemployment benefit trusts exempt from U.S. federal income taxation under Sections 501(c)(7), (c)(9) or (c)(17)) of the Internal Revenue Code, respectively, or single parent title-holding corporations exempt under Section 501(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code whose income is payable to any of the aforementioned tax-exempt organizations, are subject to different UBTI rules. These rules generally require such stockholders to characterize distributions from us as UBTI unless the organization is able to claim properly a deduction for amounts set aside or placed in reserve for certain purposes so as to offset the income generated by its investment in our common stock. These stockholders should consult with their own tax advisors concerning these set aside and reserve requirements.

In certain circumstances, a pension trust (1) that is described in Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code, (2) that is tax exempt under Section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code and (3) that owns more than 10%

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of our common stock, could be required to treat a percentage of our dividends as UBTI, if we are a “pension-held REIT.” We will not be a pension-held REIT unless:

As a result of restrictions on the ownership and transfer of our common stock contained in our charter, we do not expect to be classified as a “pension-held REIT” and, as a result, the tax treatment described above should be inapplicable to our stockholders. However, because our common stock is publicly traded, we cannot guarantee that this always will be the case.

Tax-exempt U.S. stockholders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal, state, local and foreign income and other tax consequences of owning our common stock.

Taxation of Non-U.S. Stockholders

The following is a discussion of rules governing the U.S. federal income taxation of the ownership and disposition of our common stock by non-U.S. stockholders. For purposes of this summary, a “non-U.S. stockholder” is a beneficial owner of our common stock that is not a U.S. stockholder (as defined above under “U.S. Federal Income Taxation of Our Stockholders”) or an entity that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. These rules are complex, and no attempt is made herein to provide more than a brief summary of such rules. Accordingly, this discussion does not address all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation, and we urge non-U.S. stockholders to consult with their tax advisors regarding the effect of U.S. federal, state, local and non-U.S. income tax laws on the ownership and disposition of our common stock.

Distributions Generally

As described in the discussion below, distributions made by us with respect to our common stock will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as:

This discussion assumes that our common stock will continue to be considered regularly traded on an established securities market for purposes of the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act of 1980 (“FIRPTA”) provisions described below. If our common stock no longer is regularly traded on an established securities market, the tax consequences described below would differ materially.

Ordinary Income Dividends

A distribution made by us to a non-U.S. stockholder will be treated as an ordinary income dividend if the distribution is paid from our earnings and profits and:

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In general, non-U.S. stockholders will not be considered to be engaged in a U.S. trade or business solely as a result of their ownership of our common stock. In cases where the dividend income from a non-U.S. stockholder’s investment in our common stock is, or is treated as, effectively connected with the non-U.S. stockholder’s conduct of a U.S. trade or business, the non-U.S. stockholder generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at graduated tax rates, in the same manner as U.S. stockholders are taxed with respect to such dividends. Such income generally must be reported on a U.S. income tax return filed by or on behalf of the non-U.S. stockholder. The income also may be subject to the 30% branch profits tax in the case of a non-U.S. stockholder that is a corporation.

Generally, we will withhold and remit to the IRS 30% of our dividend distributions (including distributions that later may be determined to have been paid in excess of current and accumulated earnings and profits) that could not be treated as FIRPTA gain distributions with respect to the non-U.S. stockholder (and that are not deemed to be capital gain dividends for purposes of the FIRPTA withholding rules described below) unless:

Tax treaties may reduce the withholding obligations with respect to our distributions. Under most tax treaties, however, taxation rates below 30% that are applicable to ordinary income dividends from U.S. corporations may not apply to ordinary income dividends from a REIT or may apply only if the REIT meets certain additional requirements. If the amount of tax withheld with respect to a distribution to a non-U.S. stockholder exceeds the non-U.S. stockholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability with respect to the distribution, the non-U.S. stockholder may file for a refund of such excess from the IRS.

Return of Capital Distributions

Unless (A) our common stock constitutes a USRPI, as described in “—Dispositions of Our Common Stock” below or (B) either (1) the non-U.S. stockholder’s investment in our common stock is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business conducted by such non-U.S. stockholder (in which case the non-U.S. stockholder will be subject to the same treatment as U.S. stockholders with respect to such gain) or (2) the non-U.S. stockholder 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. stockholder will be subject to a 30% tax on the individual’s net capital gain for the year), distributions that we make which are not dividends from our earnings and profits and are not FIRPTA gain distributions will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax. If we cannot determine at the time a distribution is made whether or not the distribution will exceed our current and accumulated earnings and profits, the distribution will be subject to withholding at the rate applicable to ordinary income dividends. The non-U.S. stockholder may seek a refund from the IRS of any amounts withheld if it subsequently is 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 that we make in excess of the sum of (1) the non-U.S. stockholder’s proportionate share of our earnings and profits and (2) the non-U.S. stockholder’s tax basis in its stock, will be taxed under FIRPTA at the rate of tax, including any applicable capital gain tax rates, that would apply to a U.S. stockholder of the same type (e.g., an individual or a corporation, as the case

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may be), and, if our common shares were not “regularly traded” on an established securities market, the collection of the tax would be enforced by a refundable withholding tax at a tax rate of 15% of the amount by which the distribution exceeds the non-U.S. stockholder’s share of our earnings and profits.

Capital Gain Dividends

Subject to the discussion below under the section titled “—FIRPTA Distributions,” a distribution made by us to a non-U.S. stockholder will be treated as long-term capital gain if the distribution is made from our current or accumulated earnings and profits, the distribution is attributable to our net capital gain (other than from the sale of a USRPI) and we timely designate the distribution as a capital gain dividend.

Long-term capital gain that a non-U.S. stockholder is deemed to receive from a capital gain dividend that is not attributable to the sale of a USRPI generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax in the hands of the non-U.S. stockholder unless:

FIRPTA Distributions

From time to time, some of our distributions may be of amounts attributable to gain from the sale or exchange of USRPIs. Subject to the discussion below regarding “qualified shareholders” and “qualified foreign pension funds,” under FIRPTA, such distributions to a non-U.S. stockholder generally will be subject to the taxation and withholding regime applicable to ordinary income dividends only if (1) dividends are received with respect to a class of stock that is “regularly traded” on a domestic “established securities market,” both as defined by applicable Treasury regulations, and (2) the non-U.S. stockholder does not own more than 10% of that class of stock at any time during the one-year period ending on the date of distribution. If both of these conditions are satisfied, qualifying non-U.S. stockholders will not be subject to FIRPTA withholding or reporting with respect to such dividends, and will not be required to pay branch profits tax. Instead, these dividends will be subject to U.S. federal income tax and withholding as ordinary dividends, currently at a 30% tax rate, unless reduced by applicable treaty. Although there can be no assurance in this regard, we believe that our common stock is “regularly traded” on a domestic “established securities market” within the meaning of applicable Treasury regulations; however, we can provide no assurance that our common stock is or will continue to be “regularly traded” on a domestic “established securities market” in future taxable years.

Except as discussed above, for any year in which we qualify as a REIT, subject to the discussion below regarding “qualified shareholders” and “qualified foreign pension funds,” under FIRPTA, distributions that are attributable to gain from the sale or exchange of a USRPI are taxed to a non-U.S. stockholder as if these distributions were gains effectively connected with a trade or business in the U.S. conducted by the non-U.S. stockholder. A non-U.S. stockholder that does not qualify for the special rule discussed in the immediately preceding paragraph will be taxed on these amounts at the income tax rates applicable to a U.S. stockholder and will be required to file a U.S. federal income tax return reporting these amounts. If such a non-U.S. stockholder is a corporation, it also may be required to pay the 30% branch profits tax under Section 884 of the Internal Revenue Code in respect of these amounts. We or other applicable withholding agents will be required to withhold from distributions to such non-U.S. stockholders, and to remit to the IRS 21% of the amount treated as gain from the sale or exchange of USRPIs. The amount of any tax so withheld is creditable against the non-U.S. stockholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, and the non-U.S. stockholder may file for a refund from the IRS of any amount of tax that is withheld in excess of that tax liability.

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Qualified Shareholders

Subject to the exception discussed below, any distribution to a “qualified shareholder” who holds REIT stock directly (or indirectly through one or more partnerships) will not be subject to U.S. tax under FIRPTA with respect to that REIT stock and thus will not be subject to the withholding tax rules under FIRPTA. If a foreign investor in a “qualified shareholder” directly or indirectly, whether or not by reason of such investor’s ownership interest in the “qualified shareholder,” holds more than 10% of the stock of the REIT, then a portion of the REIT stock held by the “qualified shareholder” (based on the foreign investor’s percentage ownership of the “qualified shareholder”) will be treated as a USRPI in the hands of the “qualified shareholder” and will be subject to FIRPTA.

A “qualified shareholder” is a foreign person that (i) either is eligible for the benefits of a comprehensive income tax treaty with the United States which includes an exchange of information program and whose principal class of interests is listed and regularly traded on one or more recognized stock exchanges (as defined in such comprehensive income tax treaty), or is a foreign partnership that is created or organized under foreign law as a limited partnership in a jurisdiction that has an agreement for the exchange of information with respect to taxes with the United States and has a class of limited partnership units representing greater than 50% of the value of all the partnership units that are regularly traded on the NYSE or NASDAQ markets, (ii) is a “qualified collective investment vehicle” (defined below), and (iii) maintains records on the identity of each person who, at any time during the foreign person’s taxable year, is the direct owner of 5% or more of the class of interests or units (as applicable) described in (i), above.

A “qualified collective investment vehicle” is a foreign person that (i) would be eligible for a reduced rate of withholding under the comprehensive income tax treaty described above, even if such entity holds more than 10% of the stock of such REIT, (ii) is publicly traded, is treated as a partnership under the Internal Revenue Code, is a withholding foreign partnership, and would be treated as a USRPHC if it were a domestic corporation, or (iii) is designated as such by the Secretary of the Treasury and is either (a) fiscally transparent within the meaning of Section 894 of the Internal Revenue Code, or (b) required to include dividends in its gross income, but is entitled to a deduction for distributions to its investors.

Qualified Foreign Pension Funds

Any distribution to a “qualified foreign pension fund” or an entity all of the interests of which are held by a “qualified foreign pension fund” who holds REIT stock directly (or indirectly through one or more partnerships) will not be subject to U.S. tax under FIRPTA and thus will not be subject to the withholding tax rules under FIRPTA.

A qualified foreign pension fund is any trust, corporation, or other organization or arrangement (A) which is created or organized under the law of a country other than the United States, (B) which is established (i) by such country (or one or more political subdivisions thereof) to provide retirement or pension benefits to participants or beneficiaries that are current or former employees (including self-employed individuals) or persons designated by such employees, as a result of services rendered by such employees to their employers or (ii) by one or more employers to provide retirement or pension benefits to participants or beneficiaries that are current or former employees (including self-employed individuals) or persons designated by such employees in consideration for services rendered by such employees to such employers, (C) which does not have a single participant or beneficiary with a right to more than 5% of its assets or income, (D) which is subject to government regulation and with respect to which annual information about its beneficiaries is provided, or is otherwise available, to the relevant tax authorities in the country in which it is established or operates, and (E) with respect to which, under the laws of the country in which it is established or operates, (i) contributions to such organization or arrangement that would otherwise be subject to tax under such laws are deductible or excluded from the gross income of such entity or arrangement or taxed at a reduced rate, or (ii) taxation of any investment income of such organization or arrangement is deferred or such income is excluded from the gross income of such entity or arrangement or is taxed at a reduced rate.

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Undistributed Capital Gain

Although the law is not entirely clear on the matter, it appears that amounts designated by us as undistributed capital gain in respect of our common stock that is held by non-U.S. stockholders generally should be treated in the same manner as actual distributions by us of capital gain dividends. Under this approach, the non-U.S. stockholder would be able to offset as a credit against its U.S. federal income tax liability resulting therefrom, its proportionate share of the tax paid by us on the undistributed capital gain treated as long-term capital gain to the non-U.S. stockholder, and receive from the IRS a refund to the extent its proportionate share of the tax paid by us were to exceed the non-U.S. stockholder’s actual U.S. federal income tax liability on such long-term capital gain. If we were to designate any portion of our net capital gain as undistributed capital gain, a non-U.S. stockholder should consult its tax advisors regarding taxation of such undistributed capital gain.

Dispositions of Our Common Stock

Unless shares of our common stock constitute a USRPI, a sale of our common stock by a non-U.S. stockholder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income taxation under FIRPTA.

Generally, subject to the discussion below regarding dispositions by “qualified shareholders” and “qualified foreign pension funds,” with respect to any particular non-U.S. stockholder, our common stock will constitute a USRPI only if each of the following three statements is true.

A sale of our shares by a “qualified shareholder” or a “qualified foreign pension fund” that holds our shares directly (or indirectly through one or more partnerships) will not be subject to U.S. federal income taxation under FIRPTA. However, if a foreign investor in a “qualified shareholder” directly or indirectly, whether or not by reason of such investor’s ownership interest in the “qualified shareholder,” holds more than 10% of the stock of a REIT, then a portion of the REIT stock held by the “qualified shareholder” (based on the foreign investor’s percentage ownership of the “qualified shareholder”) will be treated as a USRPI in the hands of the “qualified shareholder” and will be subject to FIRPTA.

Specific wash sale rules applicable to sales of stock in a domestically-controlled qualified investment entity could result in gain recognition, taxable under FIRPTA, upon the sale of our common stock even if we are a domestically-controlled qualified investment entity. These rules would apply if a non-U.S. stockholder (1) disposes of our common stock within a 30-day period preceding the ex-dividend date of a distribution, any portion of which, but for the disposition, would have been taxable to such non-U.S. stockholder as gain from the sale or exchange of a USRPI, (2) acquires, or enters into a contract or option to acquire, other common stock during the 61-day period that begins 30 days prior to such ex-dividend date and (3) if our common stock is “regularly traded” on an established securities market in the United States, such non-U.S. stockholder has owned

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more than 10% of our outstanding common stock at any time during the one-year period ending on the date of such distribution.

If gain on the sale of our common stock were subject to taxation under FIRPTA, the non-U.S. stockholder would be required to file a U.S. federal income tax return and would be subject to the same treatment as a U.S. stockholder with respect to such gain, subject to the applicable alternative minimum tax and a special alternative minimum tax in the case of non-resident alien individuals, and, if our common shares were not “regularly traded” on an established securities market, the purchaser of the stock generally would be required to withhold 15% of the purchase price and remit such amount to the IRS.

Gain from the sale of our common stock that otherwise would not be subject to FIRPTA will nonetheless be taxable in the United States to a non-U.S. stockholder as follows: (1) if the non-U.S. stockholder’s investment in our common stock is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business conducted by such non-U.S. stockholder, the non-U.S. stockholder will be subject to the same treatment as a U.S. stockholder with respect to such gain or (2) if the non-U.S. stockholder is a nonresident alien individual who was present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year and has a “tax home” in the United States, the nonresident alien individual will be subject to a 30% tax on the individual’s capital gain.

Backup Withholding and Information Reporting

The sale of our common stock by a non-U.S. stockholder through a non-U.S. office of a broker generally will not be subject to information reporting or backup withholding. The sale generally is subject to the same information reporting applicable to sales through a U.S. office of a U.S. or foreign broker if the sale of common stock is effected at a non-U.S. office of a broker that is:

Backup withholding generally does not apply if the broker does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that you are a U.S. person and the applicable documentation requirements are satisfied. Generally, a non-U.S. stockholder satisfies the information reporting requirements by providing us with Form W-8BEN or an acceptable substitute. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts that we withhold under the backup withholding rules will be refunded or credited against the non-U.S. stockholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability if certain required information is furnished to the IRS. The application of information reporting and backup withholding varies depending on the stockholder’s particular circumstances and, therefore, a non-U.S. stockholder is advised to consult its tax advisor regarding applicable information reporting and backup withholding requirements.

Other Tax Considerations

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. We cannot give you any assurances as to whether, or in what form, any legislative proposals affecting REITs or their stockholders will be enacted.

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Changes to the U.S. federal income tax laws and interpretations thereof, possibly with retroactive effect, could adversely affect an investment in our common stock. Taxpayers should consult with their tax advisors regarding the effect of potential changes to the U.S. federal income tax laws and interpretations on their particular circumstances.

Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act

Withholding at a rate of 30% generally will be required in certain circumstances on dividends in respect of our common stock held by or through certain foreign financial institutions (including investment funds), unless such institution (i) enters into, and complies with, an agreement with the IRS to report, on an annual basis, information with respect to interests in, and accounts maintained by, the institution that are owned by certain U.S. persons and by certain non-U.S. entities that are wholly or partially owned by U.S. persons and to withhold on certain payments, or (ii) if required under an intergovernmental agreement between the U.S. and an applicable foreign country, reports such information to its local tax authority, which will exchange such information with the U.S. authorities. An intergovernmental agreement between the U.S. and an applicable foreign country, or other guidance, may modify these requirements. Accordingly, the entity through which our common stock is held will affect the determination of whether such withholding is required. Similarly, in certain circumstances, dividends in respect of our common stock held by an investor that is a non-financial foreign entity that does not qualify under certain exemptions generally will be subject to withholding at a rate of 30%, unless such entity either (i) certifies that such entity does not have any “substantial U.S. owners” or (ii) provides certain information regarding the entity’s “substantial U.S. owners,” which we will in turn provide to the IRS. Under these withholding tax rules, the failure to comply with additional certification, information reporting and other specified requirements could result in withholding tax being imposed on payments of dividends and sales proceeds to U.S. stockholders (as defined above) who own shares of our common stock through foreign accounts or foreign intermediaries and certain non-U.S. stockholders. Investors should consult their tax advisors regarding the possible implications of these rules on their investment in our common stock.

State, Local and Foreign Taxes

We, our subsidiaries and/or our stockholders 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. We own properties located in numerous U.S. and foreign jurisdictions, and may be required to file tax returns in some or all of those jurisdictions. Our state, local and foreign tax treatment and the state, local and foreign tax treatment of our stockholders may not conform to the U.S. federal income tax treatment discussed above. Prospective stockholders 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 common stock.

Tax Shelter Reporting

If a holder of our common stock recognizes a loss as a result of a transaction with respect to our common stock of at least (1) $2 million or more in a single taxable year or $4 million or more in a combination of taxable years, for a stockholder that is an individual, S corporation, trust or a partnership with at least one non-corporate partner or (2) $10 million or more in a single taxable year or $20 million or more in a combination of taxable years, for a stockholder that is either a corporation or a partnership with only corporate partners, such stockholder may be required to file a disclosure statement with the IRS on Form 8886. Direct holders of portfolio securities are in many cases exempt from this reporting requirement, but holders of REIT securities currently are not exempt. The fact that a loss is reportable under these Treasury regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer’s treatment of the loss is proper. The Internal Revenue Code imposes significant penalties for failure to comply with these requirements. Stockholders should consult their tax advisors concerning any possible disclosure obligation with respect to the receipt or disposition of our common stock, or transactions that we might undertake directly or indirectly. Moreover, stockholders should be aware that we and other participants in the transactions in which we are involved (including their advisors) might be subject to disclosure or other requirements pursuant to these regulations.

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