ITEM 1. BUSINESS
The Company
Modiv is an internally-managed Maryland corporation that elected to qualify as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) for federal income tax purposes beginning with the year ended December 31, 2016. Modiv acquires, owns and manages a portfolio of single-tenant net-lease properties throughout the United States, with a focus on acquiring critical industrial manufacturing properties with long-term leases to tenants that fuel the national economy and strengthen the nation's supply chains. Modiv also owns non-core, legacy retail and office real estate properties, and is gradually reducing its office and retail exposure, subject to market conditions, with the goal of becoming a pure-play industrial manufacturing REIT. Modiv seeks to provide investors access to MOnthly DIVidends through a durable portfolio of real estate investments designed to generate both current income and long-term growth. Driven by an investor-first focus and an experienced and dedicated management team, Modiv leveraged its history as a real estate crowdfunding pioneer to create a $535 million real estate portfolio (unaudited, based on estimated fair value) of income-producing real estate as of December 31, 2022. Additionally, Modiv strives towards a “best-in-class” corporate governance structure through a board of directors and management team with decades of institutional real estate industry experience.
Modiv has been internally managed since its December 31, 2019 acquisition of the business of BrixInvest, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and Modiv’s former sponsor (“BrixInvest”), and merger with Rich Uncles Real Estate Investment Trust I (“REIT I”), as further described below.
As used herein, the terms “Modiv,” the “Company,” “we,” “our” and “us” refer to Modiv Inc. and, as required by context, Modiv Operating Partnership, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (our “Operating Partnership” or “Modiv OP”), and Katana Merger Sub, LP, a Delaware limited partnership and wholly-owned subsidiary of Modiv (“Merger Sub”), and their subsidiaries. Merger Sub was merged into Modiv OP on December 31, 2020, resulting in all of our real estate properties being owned by Modiv OP.
Our 7.375% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock, $0.001 par value per share (the “Series A Preferred Stock”), is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) under the symbol “MDV.PA” and has been trading since September 14, 2021.
Our Class C common stock, $0.001 par value per share (the “Class C Common Stock”), is also listed on the NYSE under the symbol “MDV” and has been trading since February 11, 2022. Prior to that date, there was no public trading market for our Class C Common Stock. Our initial listed offering (our “Listed Offering”) of our Class C Common Stock closed on February 15, 2022.
As of December 31, 2022, our real estate investment portfolio consisted of 46 properties located in 17 states consisting of 27 industrial properties, including our approximate 72.7% tenant-in-common interest in a Santa Clara industrial property (the “TIC Interest”), 12 retail properties and 7 office properties (including one held for sale). The net book value of our real estate investments as of December 31, 2022 was $425,963,908.
Details of our portfolio of 46 operating properties, including one office property held for sale and the TIC Interest, as of December 31, 2022 are as follows:
• 27 industrial properties, including the TIC Interest, which represented approximately 59% of the portfolio (expressed as a percentage of annual base rent for the next 12 months (“ABR”)), 12 retail properties, which represented approximately 20% of the portfolio, and 7 office properties (including one held for sale), which represented approximately 21% of the portfolio;
• Occupancy rate of 100%;
• Leased to 30 different commercial tenants doing business in 17 separate industries;
• Approximately 3.2 million square feet of aggregate leasable space, including the TIC Interest;
• An average leasable space per property of approximately 69,000 square feet; with approximately 94,000 square feet per industrial property; approximately 19,000 square feet per retail property; and approximately 57,000 square feet per office property (including one held for sale); and
• Outstanding mortgage notes payable balance of $44,515,009 for three properties, a credit facility term loan balance of $150,000,000 and credit facility revolver balance of $3,000,000.
As of December 31, 2022, all 46 operating properties in our portfolio are single-tenant net-lease properties and all 46 properties were leased, with a weighted average lease term (“WALT”), after reflecting lease extensions through the filing date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K and excluding rights to extend a lease at the option of the tenant, of approximately 11.9 years compared with a WALT of 6.3 years as of December 31, 2021.
As of December 31, 2022, we held an approximate 72.7% TIC Interest in a 91,740 square foot industrial property located in Santa Clara, California. The remaining approximately 27.3% of undivided interest in the Santa Clara property is held by Hagg Lane II, LLC (an approximate 23.4% interest) and Hagg Lane III, LLC (an approximate 3.9% interest). The manager of Hagg Lane II, LLC and Hagg Lane III, LLC became an independent member of our board of directors in December 2019 and retired from our board of directors in December 2021.
To date, we have invested primarily in single tenant, income-producing properties, leased to creditworthy tenants under long-term net leases. Although we are not limited as to the form our investments may take, our investments in real estate will primarily constitute acquiring fee title or interests in entities that own and operate real estate. We own and will make acquisitions of our real estate investments through special purpose limited liability companies which are wholly-owned subsidiaries of our Operating Partnership or indirectly through limited liability companies or limited partnerships, including through other REITs, or through investments in joint ventures, partnerships, tenants-in-common, co-tenancies or other co-ownership arrangements with other owners of properties through special purpose limited liability companies which are wholly-owned subsidiaries of our Operating Partnership.
We conduct substantially all of our business through our Operating Partnership, of which we are the sole general partner. Until December 31, 2019, our business was externally managed by Rich Uncles NNN REIT Operator, LLC, our former advisor, a former wholly-owned subsidiary of BrixInvest. Our former advisor managed our operations and our portfolio of core real estate properties and real estate-related assets and provided asset management and other administrative services pursuant to our second amended and restated advisory agreement with our former advisor. BrixInvest also served as the sponsor and advisor for REIT I, through December 31, 2019.
On December 31, 2019, pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger dated September 19, 2019 (the “Merger Agreement”), REIT I merged with and into Merger Sub, with Merger Sub surviving as our direct, wholly-owned subsidiary (the “Merger”). At such time, we issued 2,680,740 shares of Class C Common Stock to the stockholders of REIT I and the separate existence of REIT I ceased. In addition, on December 31, 2019, a self-management transaction was completed, whereby we, Modiv OP, BrixInvest and Daisho OP Holdings, LLC, a formerly wholly-owned subsidiary of BrixInvest (“Daisho”), effectuated a Contribution Agreement dated September 19, 2019 (the “Contribution Agreement”) pursuant to which we acquired substantially all of the assets of BrixInvest in exchange for 657,949.5 units of Class M limited partnership interest (the “Class M OP Units”) in Modiv OP (the “Self-Management Transaction”). As a result of the completion of the Merger and the Self-Management Transaction, we became self-managed.
Through December 31, 2021, we had sold 6,997,069 shares of Class C Common Stock, including 976,497 shares of Class C Common Stock sold under the distribution reinvestment plan (“DRP”) applicable to Class C Common Stock, for aggregate gross offering proceeds of $206,430,729, and 64,618 shares of Class S Common Stock, including 2,964 shares of Class S Common Stock sold under our DRP applicable to Class S Common Stock, for aggregate gross offering proceeds of $1,954,423.
On December 8, 2021, we filed with the SEC a Registration Statement on Form S-11 (File No. 333-261529), and, on February 9, 2022, we filed with the SEC Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form S-11, in connection with the Listed Offering of our Class C Common Stock, which became effective on February 10, 2022. The Listed Offering of our Class C Common Stock closed on February 15, 2022. In connection with the Listed Offering, we sold 40,000 shares of our Class C Common Stock at $25.00 per share to a major stockholder who was formerly a related party (see Note 9 to our accompanying consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for more details). In connection with our Listed Offering, each share of Class S Common Stock outstanding was converted into a share of Class C Common Stock.
On March 30, 2022, we filed a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-263985), and on May 27, 2022, we filed Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form S-3, to issue and sell from time to time, together or separately, the following securities at an aggregate public offering price that will not exceed $200,000,000: Class C Common Stock, preferred stock, warrants, rights and units. The Form S-3, as amended, became effective on June 2, 2022 and we filed a prospectus supplement for our at-the-market offering of up to $50,000,000 of our Class C Common Stock (the “ATM Offering”) on June 6, 2022. As of December 31, 2022, no shares have been issued in connection with our ATM Offering.
We intend to continue to qualify as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If we continue to meet the qualification requirements for taxation as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes, we generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the income that we distribute to our stockholders each year. If we fail to maintain our qualification for taxation as a REIT in any year, our income will be taxed at regular corporate rates, and we would be precluded from qualifying for taxation as a REIT for the four taxable years following the year during which we failed to qualify. Such an event could materially and adversely affect our net income and cash available for distribution to our stockholders.
The Operating Partnership Agreement, as Amended
On February 1, 2021, we, and certain of the limited partners of the Operating Partnership, entered into the Third Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement (the “Amended OP Agreement”), which amended and restated the Second Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement of the Operating Partnership dated December 31, 2019. We are the sole general partner of the Operating Partnership and, as of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, we own an approximate 73% interest in the Operating Partnership, and our limited partners own an approximate 27% interest in the Operating Partnership, comprised of Class M OP Units, units of Class P limited partnership interest (“Class P OP Units”), units of Class R limited partnership interest (“Class R OP Units”) and units of Class C limited partnership interest (“Class C OP Units”) in the Operating Partnership. Such Class M OP Units, Class P OP Units, Class R OP Units and Class C OP Units are described below and discussed further in Note 12 to our accompanying consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Class M OP Units
There were 657,949.5 Class M OP Units outstanding as of both December 31, 2022 and 2021. The Class M OP Units are non-voting, non-dividend accruing, and were not able to be transferred or exchanged prior to the one-year anniversary of the completion of the Self-Management Transaction. Following the one-year anniversary of the completion of the Self-Management Transaction, the Class M OP Units are convertible into Class C OP Units at a conversion rate of 1.6667 Class C OP Units for each one Class M OP Unit, subject to a reduction in the conversion ratio (which reduction may vary depending upon the amount of time held) if the exchange occurs prior to the four-year anniversary of the completion of the Self-Management Transaction. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, no Class M OP Units had been converted to Class C OP Units.
The Class M OP Units are eligible for an increase in the conversion ratio if we achieve both of the targets for assets under management (“AUM”) and adjusted funds from operations (“AFFO”) in a given year as set forth below:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Hurdles | | |
| AUM | | AFFO Per Share | | Class M |
| ($) | | ($) | | Conversion Ratio |
| Initial Conversion Ratio | | | | | 1:1.6667 |
| Fiscal Year 2021 | $ | 860,000,000 | | | $ | 1.770 | | | 1:1.9167 |
| Fiscal Year 2022 | $ | 1,175,000,000 | | | $ | 1.950 | | | 1:2.5000 |
| Fiscal Year 2023 | $ | 1,551,000,000 | | | $ | 2.100 | | | 1:3.0000 |
The hurdles for AUM and AFFO per share were not met for fiscal year 2022 or 2021, and we do not expect to meet both of the hurdles for 2023. Based on the current conversion ratio of 1.6667 Class C OP Units for each one Class M OP Unit, if a Class M OP Unit is converted on or after December 31, 2023, based on the NYSE closing share price of $12.00 on December 30, 2022, the last trading day of 2022, a Class M OP Unit would be valued at $20.00 (unaudited). This value does not reflect the early conversion rate or the future conversion enhancement ratio of the Class M OP Units, as discussed above, and the Class P OP Units, as discussed below.
Class P OP Units
There were 56,029 Class P OP Units outstanding as of both December 31, 2022 and 2021. The Class P OP Units are intended to be treated as “profits interests” in the Operating Partnership, which are non-voting, non-dividend accruing, and are not able to be transferred or exchanged prior to the earlier of (1) March 31, 2024, (2) a change of control (as defined in the Amended OP Agreement), or (3) the date of the employee’s involuntary termination (as defined in the relevant award agreement for the Class P OP Units) (collectively, the “Lockup Period”). Following the expiration of the Lockup Period, the Class P OP Units are convertible into Class C OP Units at a conversion ratio of 1.6667 Class C OP Units for each one Class P OP Unit; provided, however, that the foregoing conversion ratio shall be subject to increase on generally the same terms and conditions as the Class M OP Units, as set forth above.
On December 31, 2019, we issued a total of 56,029 Class P OP Units to Aaron S. Halfacre, our Chief Executive Officer and President, and Raymond J. Pacini, our Chief Financial Officer, including 26,318 Class P OP Units issued in exchange for Messrs. Halfacre's and Pacini's agreements to forfeit a similar number of restricted units in BrixInvest in connection with the Self-Management Transaction. The remaining 29,711 Class P OP Units were issued to both executives as a portion of their incentive compensation for 2020 in connection with their entry into restrictive covenant agreements. The 29,711 Class P OP Units were valued based on the estimated net asset value (“NAV”) per share of $30.48 (unaudited) when issued on December 31, 2019 and the expected minimum conversion ratio of 1.6667 Class C OP Units for each one Class P OP Unit, which resulted in a valuation of $1,509,319.
Under the Amended OP Agreement, the Class C OP Units will continue to be exchangeable for shares of our Class C Common Stock on a 1-for-1 basis, or for cash as solely determined by us.
Class R OP Units
On January 25, 2021, the board of directors approved the grant of Class R OP Units to all of our employees and there were 316,343 Class R OP Units outstanding as of December 31, 2022. All of the Class R OP Units granted are restricted from transfer, conversion or exchange until March 31, 2024 when they are then mandatorily convertible into Class C OP Units at a conversion ratio of one Class C OP Unit for each one Class R OP Unit, which conversion ratio can increase to 2.5 Class C OP Units for each one Class R OP Unit if the Company generates funds from operations of $1.05, or more, per weighted average fully-diluted share outstanding for the year ending December 31, 2023.
Class C OP Units
In connection with our January 18, 2022 acquisition of a KIA auto dealership property located on Interstate 405 in Carson, California, we issued 1,312,382 Class C OP Units, valued at $25.00 per unit, to the seller for approximately 47% of the property value.
Investment Objectives and Criteria and Policies With Respect to Certain Activities
Overview
Absent any change in our investment strategy, we intend to make future investments primarily in income-generating industrial manufacturing real estate throughout the United States and, to a lesser extent real estate-related investments, which may include real estate securities, through wholly-owned or majority-controlled subsidiaries. Such investments could arise from single asset transactions and/or portfolio mergers and acquisitions. We also own non-core, legacy retail and office real estate properties, and are gradually reducing our office and retail exposure, subject to market conditions, with the goal of becoming a pure-play industrial manufacturing REIT.
With respect to our real estate investments, we plan to continue to diversify our portfolio by corporate credit, physical geography, industry and lease duration with the goal of acquiring a portfolio of income-producing real estate investments that provide attractive and stable returns to our stockholders as well as potential capital appreciation in the value of our investments. Given our history of consolidating non-traded REITs and the mergers and acquisitions experience of our management team, we will consider acquisitions of, or majority investments in, listed and non-listed real estate companies or portfolios as an ancillary investment strategy.
Our investment objectives and policies may be amended or changed at any time by our board of directors without a vote of stockholders. Although we have no plans at this time to change any of our investment objectives described herein, our board of directors may change any and all such investment objectives, including our focus on the properties and investments described above, if it believes such changes are in the best interests of our stockholders. We intend to notify our stockholders of any change to our investment policies by disclosing such changes in a public filing such as a filing under the Exchange Act, as appropriate. We cannot assure you that our policies or investment objectives will be attained or that the value of our Class C Common Stock will not decrease.
Primary Investment Objectives
Our primary investment objectives are:
•to provide attractive growth in AFFO and sustainable cash distributions;
•to realize appreciation from proactive investment selection and management;
•to provide future opportunities for growth and value creation; and
•to provide an investment alternative for stockholders seeking to allocate a portion of their long-term investment portfolios to commercial real estate.
Purchases of properties in the near-term will be funded primarily with borrowings under our Credit Facility (defined below), proceeds from dispositions of office and retail properties, and cash on hand. In the long-term, we expect to sell additional shares of our Class C Common Stock, subject to market conditions and a recovery in the trading price of our Class C Common Stock. We are targeting leverage, over the long-term once we achieve scale, of 40% or lower of the aggregate fair value of our real estate properties plus our cash and cash equivalents; however, we will consider incurring higher leverage in the near-term if we identify attractive acquisition opportunities in advance of completing dispositions or raising additional equity. We expect the trend of onshoring manufacturing to accelerate and plan to focus future acquisitions on industrial manufacturing properties while reducing the number of office and retail properties, subject to market conditions and the availability of prices that we consider attractive. We can provide no assurance that we will achieve our investment objectives. See the Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors section of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Investment Strategy
Commercial Real Estate
In pursuit of our primary investment objectives, we seek to acquire a portfolio of income-generating commercial real estate investments in industrial manufacturing properties throughout the United States diversified by corporate credit, physical geography, industry and lease duration. While we are primarily focused on acquiring industrial manufacturing properties, we may also acquire other assets, including, without limitation, other industrial properties. We intend to acquire assets consistent with our acquisition philosophy by focusing primarily on properties leased to tenants at the time we acquire them, with strong financial statements and typically subject to long-term leases with defined rental rate increases.
We may also acquire assets with short-term leases or that require some amount of capital investment in order to be renovated or repositioned. We generally will limit investment in new developments on a standalone basis, but may consider development that is ancillary to an overall investment. Given our current focus on industrial manufacturing, we do not designate specific geography or industry allocations for the portfolio; rather, we intend to invest in industrial manufacturing properties where we see the best opportunities that support our investment objectives. We are in the process of increasing our asset allocation to the industrial sector and decreasing our allocation to the office and retail sectors.
We cannot assure our stockholders that any of the properties we acquire will result in the benefits discussed above. See Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors — General Risks Related to Investments in Real Estate and Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors — Risks Related to Investments in Single-Tenant Real Estate.
General Acquisition and Investment Policies
We seek to make investments that satisfy the primary investment objective of providing sustainable cash distributions to our preferred and common stockholders. In addition, because a significant factor in the valuation of income-producing real property is its potential for future appreciation, we anticipate that some properties we acquire may have the potential both for appreciation in value and for providing sustainable cash distributions to our preferred and common stockholders.
Although this is our current focus, we may make adjustments to our target portfolio based on real estate market conditions and investment opportunities. We will not forego an investment opportunity because it does not precisely fit our expected portfolio composition. We believe that we are most likely to meet our investment objectives through the careful selection of assets. When making an acquisition, we will emphasize the performance and risk characteristics of that investment, how that investment will fit with our portfolio-level performance objectives, the other assets in our portfolio and how the returns and risks of that investment compare to the returns and risks of available investment alternatives. Thus, our portfolio composition may vary from what we initially expect. We will attempt to construct a portfolio that produces stable and attractive returns by spreading risk across different real estate investments.
Our management team has substantial discretion with respect to the selection of specific properties. However, acquisition parameters are established by our board of directors and potential acquisitions outside of these parameters require approval by our board of directors, including a majority of our independent directors. In selecting a potential property for acquisition, we consider a number of factors, including, but not limited to, the following:
•tenant creditworthiness;
•lease terms, including length of lease term, scope of landlord responsibilities, if any, and frequency of contractual rental increases;
•projected demand in the area;
•proposed purchase price, terms and conditions;
•historical financial performance;
•a property’s physical location, visibility, curb appeal and access;
•construction quality and condition;
•potential for capital appreciation;
•demographics of the area, neighborhood growth patterns, economic conditions, and local market conditions;
•potential capital reserves required to maintain the property;
•potential for the construction of new properties in the area;
•evaluation of title and ability to obtain satisfactory title insurance;
•evaluation of any reasonable ascertainable risks such as environmental contamination; and
•replacement use of the property in the event of loss of existing tenant (limited special use properties).
There is no limitation on the number, size or type of properties that we may acquire or on the percentage of net offering proceeds that may be invested in any particular property type or single property. The number and mix of properties will depend upon real estate market conditions and other circumstances existing at the time of acquisition.
Creditworthiness of Tenants
In the course of making a real estate investment decision, we assess the creditworthiness of the tenant that leases the property we intend to purchase. Tenant creditworthiness is an important investment criterion, as it provides a barometer of relative risk of tenant default, but tenant creditworthiness analysis is just one element of due diligence which we perform when considering a property purchase, and the weight we ascribe to tenant creditworthiness is a function of the results of other elements of due diligence.
Some of the properties we intend to acquire may be leased to public companies or their subsidiaries. Many public companies have their creditworthiness analyzed by bond rating firms such as Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s. These firms issue credit rating reports which segregate public companies into what are commonly called “investment grade” companies and “non-investment grade” companies. We expect that our portfolio of properties will contain a mix of properties that are leased to investment grade public companies, non-investment grade public companies, and non-public companies (or individuals).
The creditworthiness of investment grade public companies is generally regarded as very high. As to prospective property acquisitions leased to other than investment grade tenants, we intend to analyze publicly available information and/or information regarding tenant creditworthiness provided by the sellers of such properties and then make a determination in each instance as to whether we believe the subject tenant has the financial fortitude to honor its lease obligations.
The majority of our leases entered into over the last 18 months require tenants to provide us with financial reports on a regular basis and we intend to analyze tenant creditworthiness on an ongoing basis, post-acquisition. However, many of our older legacy leases limit our ability as landlord to demand non-public tenant financial information on a recurring basis. It is our policy and practice, however, to monitor public announcements regarding our tenants, as applicable, and tenant payment histories.
Description of Leases
We expect to invest in industrial manufacturing real estate investments, which are primarily single tenant properties, with new leases negotiated in connection with sale and leaseback transactions or existing net leases. “Net” leases typically require tenants to pay all or a majority of the operating expenses, including real estate taxes, special assessments and sales and use taxes, utilities, insurance, common area maintenance charges, and building repairs related to the property, in addition to the lease payments. There are various forms of net leases, typically classified as triple-net or double-net. Under most commercial leases, tenants are obligated to pay a predetermined ABR. Most of the leases also will contain provisions that increase the amount of base rent payable at points during the lease term. Triple-net leases typically require the tenant to pay common area maintenance, insurance, and taxes associated with a property in addition to the base rent and percentage rent, if any. Double-net leases typically require the landlord to be responsible for structural and capital elements of the leased property. Full-service gross leases require the landlord to be responsible for all operating expenses of the property.
We anticipate that most of our acquisitions will have lease terms of 15+ years at the time of the property acquisition and we may acquire properties under which the lease term has partially expired. We also may acquire properties with shorter lease terms if the property is located in a desirable location, is difficult to replace, or has other significant favorable real estate attributes. Generally, the net leases require each tenant to procure, at its own expense, commercial general liability insurance, as well as property insurance covering the building for the full replacement value and naming the ownership entity and the lender, if applicable, as the additional insured on the policy. We may elect to obtain, to the extent commercially available, contingent liability and property insurance, flood insurance, environmental contamination insurance, as well as loss of rent insurance that covers one or more years of annual rent in the event of a rental loss. However, the coverage and amounts of our insurance policies may not be sufficient to cover our entire risk. Tenants are required to provide proof of insurance by furnishing a certificate of insurance to us on an annual basis. We will track and review the insurance certificates for compliance.
Our Borrowing Strategy and Policies
We may incur indebtedness in the form of bank borrowings, purchase money obligations to the sellers of properties, and publicly or privately placed debt instruments or financing from institutional investors or other lenders. We may obtain a credit facility or separate loans for each acquisition, or we may assume existing indebtedness. Our indebtedness may be unsecured or may be secured by mortgages or other interests in our properties. We may use borrowing proceeds to finance acquisitions of new properties, to pay for capital improvements, repairs or buildouts, to refinance existing indebtedness, to fund repurchases of our shares of common and/or preferred stock or to provide working capital. To the extent we borrow on a short-term basis, we may refinance such short-term debt into long-term, amortizing mortgages once a critical mass of properties has been acquired and to the extent such debt is available at terms that are more favorable than the existing debt.
Our primary borrowing mechanism is a $400,000,000 credit agreement (“Credit Agreement”) which provides a $150,000,000 revolving line of credit due in January 2026, which may be extended by up to 12 months subject to certain conditions (the “Revolver”), and a $250,000,000 term loan due in January 2027 (the “Term Loan” and together with the Revolver, the “Credit Facility”). The Revolver and the Term Loan are available for general corporate purposes, including, but not limited to, acquisitions, repayment of existing indebtedness and capital expenditures. The Credit Facility includes customary representations, warranties and covenants as described in Part I, Item 7. Liquidity and Capital Resources.
While our Credit Facility allows for borrowings of up to 60% of our borrowing base, we are targeting leverage of 40% or lower over the long-term once we achieve scale; however, we will consider higher leverage in the near-term if we identify attractive acquisition opportunities in advance of completing dispositions or raising additional equity.
We may re-evaluate and change our debt strategy and policies in the future without a stockholder vote. Factors that we could consider when re-evaluating or changing our debt strategy and policies include then-current economic and market conditions, the relative cost of debt and equity capital, any acquisition opportunities, the ability of our properties to generate sufficient cash flow to cover debt service requirements and other similar factors. Further, we may increase or decrease our ratio of debt to equity in connection with any change of our borrowing policies.
Acquisition Structure
Although we are not limited as to the form our investments may take, our investments in real estate will generally constitute acquiring fee title in real property or interests in entities that own and operate real estate. If we make investments in listed and non-listed real estate and real estate-related companies, such investments will generally involve acquiring the assets of, or a controlling interest (whether by the way of share purchase, merger, partnership, joint venture or otherwise) in such entities. We may also purchase real estate-related debt and equity securities in those limited instances where doing so is conducive to completing a merger or acquisition of another entity.
We will generally make acquisitions of our real estate investments directly through our Operating Partnership or indirectly through limited liability companies or limited partnerships (including through our TRS (as described below)), or through investments in joint ventures, partnerships, tenants-in-common, co-tenancies or other co-ownership arrangements with other owners of properties. See Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors — General Risks Related to Investments in Real Estate.
Real Property Investments
We will continually evaluate various target property investments and engage in discussions and negotiations with sellers regarding our potential purchase of properties. If we believe that a reasonable probability exists that we will acquire a significant property or portfolio of properties (a “Significant Property Acquisition”), we will disclose the pending material terms of the Significant Property Acquisition in an Annual Report on Form 10-K, a Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, or a Current Report on Form 8-K (a “Current Report”) after we have completed due diligence. We expect that this may occur following the signing of a purchase agreement for a Significant Property Acquisition and upon the satisfaction or expiration of major contingencies in any such purchase agreement, depending on the particular circumstances surrounding each potential investment. The disclosure will also describe any improvements proposed to be constructed thereon and other information that we consider appropriate for an understanding of the transaction. Further data will be made available after any pending Significant Property Acquisition is consummated, also by means of a Current Report, if appropriate. The disclosure of any proposed Significant Property Acquisition cannot be relied upon as an assurance that we will ultimately consummate such acquisition or that the information provided concerning the proposed acquisition will not change between the date of the Current Report and any actual purchase.
We expect to have adequate insurance coverage for all properties in which we invest. Most of our leases will require that our tenants procure insurance for both commercial general liability and property damage. In such instances, the policy will list us an additional insured. However, lease terms may provide that tenants are not required to, and we may decide not to, obtain any or adequate earthquake or similar catastrophic insurance coverage because the premiums are too high, even in instances where it may otherwise be available. See Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors – General Risks Related to Investments in Real Estate.
Conditions to Closing Acquisitions
We perform a diligence review on each property that we purchase. As part of this review, we obtain an environmental site assessment for each proposed acquisition (which at a minimum includes a Phase I environmental assessment). We will not close the purchase of any property unless we are generally satisfied with the environmental status of the property. We will also generally seek to condition our obligation to close the purchase of any investment on the delivery of certain documents from the seller. Such documents include, where available and appropriate:
•property surveys and site audits;
•building plans and specifications, if available;
•soil reports, seismic studies and flood zone studies, if available;
•licenses, permits, maps and governmental approvals;
•tenant leases and estoppel certificates;
•tenant financial statements and information, as permitted;
•historical financial statements and tax statement summaries of the properties;
•proof of marketable title, subject to such liens and encumbrances as are acceptable to us; and
•liability and title insurance policies.
Co-Ownership Real Estate Investments
We may acquire some of our properties in the form of a co-ownership, including but not limited to tenants-in-common and joint ventures. Among other reasons, we may want to acquire properties through a co-ownership structure with third parties in order to take advantage of growth opportunities for our portfolio. Co-ownership structures may also allow us to acquire an interest in a property without requiring that we fund the entire purchase price. In addition, certain properties may be available to us only through co-ownership structures. In determining whether to utilize a particular co-ownership structure, our management will evaluate the subject real property under the same criteria described elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. To the extent possible, we will attempt to obtain a right of first refusal or option to buy a property held by a co-ownership structure and allow such co-owners to exchange their interest for our Operating Partnership’s units or to sell their interest to us in its entirety.
Issuance of Senior Securities
Our charter authorizes our board of directors to designate and issue one or more classes or series of preferred stock without approval of our common stockholders and to establish the preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends and other distributions, qualifications and terms or conditions of repurchase of each class or series of preferred stock so issued. Therefore, our board of directors could authorize the issuance of additional shares of preferred stock with terms and conditions that could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control or other transaction that might involve a premium price for shares of our common stock or otherwise be in the best interests of our stockholders. The issuance of preferred stock could have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control. For more information regarding our preferred stock, including our Series A Preferred Stock, see Note 9 to our accompanying consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Disposition Policies
We generally intend to hold each property we acquire for an extended period. However, we may sell a property at any time if, in our judgment, the sale of the property is in the best interests of our stockholders. During the fourth quarter of 2021, we embarked on a strategic plan to reduce our exposure to office and retail properties and increase our WALT by acquiring industrial manufacturing properties with the majority of the lease terms having 15+ years in duration.
The determination of whether a particular property should be sold or otherwise disposed of will generally be made after consideration of relevant factors, including prevailing economic conditions, other investment opportunities and considerations specific to the condition, value and financial performance of the property.
We may sell assets to third parties or to affiliates. All transactions between us and an affiliate must be approved by a majority of our independent directors.
Affiliate Transaction Policy
Our independent directors will review and approve (by majority vote) all matters the board of directors believes may involve a conflict of interest and will approve all transactions between us and our affiliates.
Reporting Policy
We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. We intend to furnish our stockholders with annual reports containing consolidated financial statements certified by an independent public accounting firm. These and any of these future filings with the SEC are and will be available to the public free of charge over the Internet at our website at www.modiv.com or through the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. These filings are available promptly after we file them with, or furnish them to, the SEC.
Competitive Market Factors
The U.S. commercial real estate investment and leasing markets are competitive. We face competition from various entities for investment opportunities for prospective tenants and to retain our current tenants, including other REITs, pension funds, insurance companies, private equity and other investment funds and companies, partnerships and developers. Many of these entities have substantially greater financial resources than we do and may be able to accept more risk than we can prudently manage, including risks with respect to the creditworthiness of a tenant or the geographic location of their investments. Competition from these entities may reduce the number of suitable investment opportunities offered to us or increase the bargaining power of property owners seeking to sell. Further, as a result of their greater resources, those entities may have more flexibility than we do in their ability to offer rental concessions to attract and retain tenants. This could put pressure on our ability to maintain or raise rents and could adversely affect our ability to attract or retain tenants. As a result, our financial condition, results of operations, cash flow, ability to satisfy our debt service obligations and ability to pay distributions to our stockholders may be adversely affected.
Although we believe that we are well-positioned to compete effectively, there is significant competition in our market sector and there can be no assurance that we will compete effectively or that we will not encounter increased competition in the future that could limit our ability to conduct our business effectively.
Compliance with Federal, State and Local Environmental Law
Our business is subject to many laws and governmental regulations. Changes in these laws and regulations, or their interpretation by agencies and courts, occur frequently.
Americans with Disabilities Act
Our properties are subject to regulation under federal laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended (“ADA”), pursuant to which all public accommodations must meet certain federal requirements related to access and use by disabled persons. Although we believe that our properties substantially comply with present requirements of the ADA, we have not conducted an audit or investigation of all of our properties to determine our compliance. If one or more of our properties or future properties are not in compliance with the ADA, we might be required to take remedial action, which would require us to incur additional costs to bring the property into compliance. Failing to comply could result in the imposition of fines by the federal government or an award of damages to private litigants. In addition, a number of additional federal, state and local laws may require us to modify or restrict our ability to renovate our properties or properties we may purchase. Additional legislation could impose financial obligations or restrictions with respect to access by disabled persons. Although we believe that these costs will not have a material adverse effect on us, if required changes involve a greater amount of expenditures than we currently anticipate, our ability to make expected distributions could be adversely affected. See Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors — General Risks Related to Investments in Real Estate.
Environmental Matters
All real property and the operations conducted on real property are subject to federal, state and local laws, ordinances and regulations relating to environmental protection and human health and safety. These laws and regulations generally govern wastewater discharges, air emissions, the operation and removal of underground and above-ground storage tanks, the use, storage, treatment, transportation and disposal of solid and hazardous materials, the presence and release of hazardous substances and the remediation of any associated contamination.
Under various federal, state and local laws, ordinances and regulations, a current or previous owner or operator of real property may be held liable for the costs of removing or remediating hazardous or toxic substances. These laws often impose clean-up responsibility and liability without regard to whether the owner or operator was responsible for, or even knew of, the presence of the hazardous or toxic substances. The costs of investigating, removing or remediating these substances may be substantial, and the presence of these substances may adversely affect our ability to rent or sell properties or to borrow using the property as collateral and may expose us to liability resulting from any release of or exposure to these substances. If we arrange for the disposal or treatment of hazardous or toxic substances at another location, we may be liable for the costs of removing or remediating these substances at the disposal or treatment facility, whether or not the facility is owned or operated by us.
We may be subject to common law claims by third parties based on damages and costs resulting from environmental contamination emanating from a site that we own or operate. Certain environmental laws also impose liability in connection with the handling of or exposure to asbestos-containing materials, pursuant to which third parties may seek recovery from owners or operators of real properties for personal injury associated with asbestos-containing materials and other hazardous or toxic substances. We maintain a pollution insurance policy for some of our properties to insure against the potential liability of remediation and exposure risk. See Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors — General Risks Related to Investments in Real Estate.
Other Regulations
The properties we acquire will be subject to various federal, state and local regulatory requirements, such as zoning and state and local fire and life safety requirements. Failure to comply with these requirements could result in the imposition of fines by governmental authorities or awards of damages to private litigants. We intend to acquire properties that are in material compliance with all such regulatory requirements. However, we cannot assure investors that these requirements will not change or that new requirements will not be imposed which would require significant unanticipated expenditures and could have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
Industry Segments
Our current business consists of owning, managing, operating, leasing, acquiring, investing in and disposing of commercial real estate assets. All of our consolidated revenues are derived from our consolidated real estate properties. We internally evaluate operating performance on an individual property level and view all of our real estate assets as one industry segment, and, accordingly, all of our properties are aggregated into one reportable segment.
Major Tenants
The details of our top ten tenants, based on ABR, as of December 31, 2022 are as follows:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | S&P/ | | Lease | | | | | | Square | | |
| | | | | | Moody's | | Expiration | | | | ABR % | | Feet | | SF % |
| Tenant | | Location | | Sector | | Rating | | Date | | ABR | | Total | | (“SF”) | | Total |
| Trophy of Carson | | California | | Retail | | Not rated | | 1/31/2047 | | $ | 3,984,941 | | | 12 | % | | 72,623 | | | 2 | % |
| Lindsay | | Various | | Industrial | | Not rated | | 4/30/2047 | | 3,783,930 | | | 11 | | | 618,195 | | | 20 | |
| Costco Wholesale | | Washington | | Office | | A+/Aa3 | | 7/31/2025 | | 2,362,956 | | | 7 | | | 97,191 | | | 3 | |
| AvAir | | Arizona | | Industrial | | Not rated | | 12/31/2032 | | 2,318,570 | | | 7 | | | 162,714 | | | 5 | |
| 3M | | Illinois | | Industrial | | A+/A1 | | 7/31/2034 | | 1,856,419 | | | 6 | | | 410,400 | | | 13 | |
| Valtir | | Various | | Industrial | | Not rated | | 7/21/2037 & 7/31/2047 | | 1,814,847 | | | 5 | | | 293,612 | | | 9 | |
| Taylor Farms Foods | | Arizona | | Industrial | | Not rated | | 9/30/2033 | | 1,638,884 | | | 5 | | | 216,727 | | | 7 | |
| FUJIFILM Dimatix (a) | | California | | Industrial | | AA-/A2 | | 3/16/2026 | | 1,630,916 | | | 5 | | | 91,740 | | | 3 | |
| Cummins, Inc. | | Tennessee | | Office | | A+/A2 | | 2/29/2024 | | 1,520,789 | | | 4 | | | 87,230 | | | 3 | |
| Northrop Grumman | | Florida | | Industrial | | BBB+/Baa1 | | 5/31/2026 | | 1,274,437 | | | 4 | | | 107,419 | | | 3 | |
| Totals | | | | | | | | | | $ | 22,186,689 | | | 66 | % | | 2,157,851 | | | 68 | % |
(a) Reflects our approximate 72.7% TIC Interest.
See Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors – Risks Related to Our Business – We are subject to risks related to tenant concentration, and an adverse development with respect to a large tenant could materially and adversely affect us.
Employees
As of December 31, 2022, we had 12 total employees, all of which are full-time employees.
Principal Executive Offices
Effective December 16, 2022, we and our subsidiaries moved our principal executive offices to 200 S. Virginia Street, Reno, Nevada, 89501 from 120 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, California, 92660. Our telephone number and website address are (888) 686-6348 and http://www.Modiv.com, respectively, and are unchanged.
Available Information
Access to copies of our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, Proxy Statements and other filings with the SEC, including amendments to such filings, may be obtained free of charge from the following website, http://www.Modiv.com, and/or through a link to the SEC’s website, http://www.sec.gov. These filings are available promptly after we file them with, or furnish them to, the SEC.
ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
Risk Factor Summary
Our business, financial condition and results of operations are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties. Below is a summary of the principal factors that make an investment in our common stock speculative or risky. This summary does not address all of the risks that we face and should be read in conjunction with the full risk factors contained below in this “Risk Factors” section in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
•We are focused on future acquisitions of industrial manufacturing properties while reducing the number of office and retail properties in our portfolio, and therefore the prior performance of our real estate investments may not be indicative of our future results.
•Disruptions in the financial markets and uncertain economic conditions could adversely affect market rental rates, commercial real estate values and our ability to secure debt financing at interest rates acceptable to us or at all, to service future debt obligations, or to pay distributions to our stockholders.
•We have a substantial amount of indebtedness outstanding, which may expose us to the risk of default under our debt obligations.
•Increases in mortgage rates or changes in underwriting standards may make it difficult for us to finance or refinance properties, which could reduce the number of properties we can acquire, our cash flow from operations and the amount of cash available for distribution to our stockholders.
•Inflation and rising interest rates may adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.
•The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruption to our tenants' business operations and any future outbreak of other highly infectious or contagious diseases could materially and adversely impact or disrupt our business operations, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and performance.
•Our listing on the NYSE does not guarantee an active and liquid market for our Class C Common Stock, and the market price and trading volume of the shares of our Class C Common Stock may fluctuate significantly.
•Our Class C Common Stock is subordinate to our Series A Preferred Stock and our existing and future debt, and our common stockholders' interests could be diluted by the issuance of additional preferred stock, future offerings of debt securities, which could be senior to our common stock, or equity securities, and by other transactions.
•Failure to continue to qualify as a REIT would reduce our net earnings available for investment or distribution.
•Our real estate investments may include special use single-tenant properties that may be difficult to sell or re-lease upon tenant defaults or early terminations.
•Downturns relating to certain geographic regions, industries or business sectors may have a more significant adverse impact on our assets and our ability to pay distributions than if we had a more diversified investment portfolio.
•We are subject to risks related to tenant concentration, and an adverse development with respect to a large tenant could materially and adversely affect us.
•Our real estate properties and related intangible assets may be subject to impairment charges.
•We face significant competition for real estate investment opportunities, which may limit our ability to acquire suitable investments and achieve our investment objectives or pay distributions.
•Our financial condition and ability to make distributions may be adversely affected by the bankruptcy or insolvency of a tenant, a downturn in the business of a tenant or a tenant’s lease termination.
•Our charter and bylaws contain provisions, including restrictions on the ownership and transfer of our stock, that may delay, defer or prevent an acquisition of our common stock or a change in control.
•We have experienced losses in the past and we may experience additional losses in the future.
•Uninsured losses relating to real property could reduce our cash flow from operations and reduce the value of stockholders’ investment in us.
•We face risks associated with security breaches through cyber-attacks, cyber intrusions or otherwise, as well as other significant disruptions of our information technology networks and related systems.
•We may be subject to adverse legislative or regulatory tax changes.
Risks Related to an Investment in Our Class C Common Stock
Our listing on the NYSE does not guarantee an active and liquid market for our Class C Common Stock, and the market price and trading volume of the shares of our Class C Common Stock may fluctuate significantly.
Our Class C Common Stock only recently began trading on the NYSE, and we can provide no assurance an active and liquid trading market for the shares of our Class C Common Stock will be sustained. The market price and liquidity of our Class C Common Stock may be adversely affected by the absence of an active trading market. The market price for the shares of our Class C Common Stock may not equal or may exceed the price our stockholders pay for their shares.
The trading price for our Class C Common Stock may be influenced by many factors, including:
• general financial and economic market conditions and, in particular, developments related to market conditions for REITs and other real estate-related companies including the potential impact of inflation;
• low trading volume in our Class C Common Stock, which makes it difficult to attract institutional investors;
• our financial condition and performance;
• our ability to grow through property acquisitions or real estate-related investments, the terms and pace of any acquisitions we may make and the availability and terms of financing for those acquisitions;
• the financial condition of our tenants, including tenant bankruptcies or defaults;
• actual or anticipated quarterly fluctuations in our operating results and financial condition;
• the amount and frequency of our payment of dividends and other distributions;
• additional sales of equity securities, including Series A Preferred Stock, Class C Common Stock or any other equity interests, or the perception that additional sales may occur;
• the reputation of REITs and real estate investments generally and the attractiveness of REIT equity securities in comparison to other equity securities, and fixed income debt securities;
• uncertainty and volatility in the equity and credit markets;
• fluctuations in interest rates and exchange rates;
• changes in revenue or earnings estimates, if any, or publication of research reports and recommendations by financial analysts or actions taken by rating agencies with respect to our securities or those of other REITs;
• failure to meet analysts’ revenue or earnings estimates;
• strategic actions by us or our competitors, such as acquisitions or restructurings;
• the extent of investment in our Class C Common Stock by institutional investors;
• the extent of short-selling of our Class C Common Stock;
• failure to maintain our REIT status;
• changes in tax laws;
• additions and departures of key personnel;
• domestic and international economic factors unrelated to our performance including uncertainty and volatility resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and emergence and spread of variants, including any future variants and resistance to currently available vaccines, as well as the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine and the economic sanctions and other restrictive actions taken against Russia by the U.S. and other countries in response thereto, which have added to continuing concerns about supply chain disruptions, inflation and increased interest rates in the markets in which we operate; and
• the occurrence of any of the other risk factors presented in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including in this “Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors” section and under the caption “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”
Our possible failure to meet the continued listing requirements of the NYSE could result in a delisting of our Class C Common Stock.
If we fail to satisfy the continued listing requirements of the NYSE such as the corporate governance requirements or the minimum closing bid price requirement, the NYSE may take steps to delist our Class C Common Stock. Such a delisting would likely have a negative effect on the price of our Class C Common Stock and would impair our common stockholders’ ability to sell or purchase our Class C Common Stock when they wish to do so. In the event of a delisting, we can provide no assurance that any action taken by us to restore compliance with listing requirements would allow our Class C Common Stock to become listed again, stabilize the market price or improve the liquidity of our Class C Common Stock, prevent our Class C Common Stock from dropping below the NYSE minimum bid price requirement or prevent future non-compliance with NYSE’s listing requirements.
Our ability to pay dividends is limited by the requirements of Maryland law.
Our ability to pay dividends, in general and with respect to our Class C Common Stock specifically, is limited by the laws of Maryland. Under the Maryland General Corporation Law (the “MGCL”), we generally may not pay dividends if, after giving effect to the dividend payment, we would not be able to pay our debts as our debts become due in the usual course of business, or our total assets would be less than the sum of our total liabilities plus, unless our charter provides otherwise, the amount that would be needed, if we were dissolved at the time of the dividend payment, to satisfy the preferential rights upon dissolution of our stockholders whose preferential rights are superior to those receiving the dividend payment.
Dividends payable on our Class C Common Stock generally do not qualify for the reduced tax rates available for some dividends.
Currently, the maximum tax rate applicable to qualified dividend income payable to U.S. stockholders that are individuals, trusts and estates is 20% plus, to the extent applicable, the 3.8% surtax on net investment income. Dividends payable by REITs to these noncorporate stockholders, however, generally are not qualified dividends and therefore are not eligible for taxation at this reduced rate. However, through December 31, 2025, noncorporate stockholders may be entitled to deduct 20% of the ordinary dividends received from a REIT, which temporarily reduces the effective tax rate on these dividends to a maximum tax rate of 29.6% (not including the 3.8% surtax on net investment income) for those years. The more favorable rates applicable to regular corporate qualified dividends could cause investors who are individuals, trusts and estates to perceive investments in REITs to be relatively less attractive than investments in the stocks of non-REIT corporations that pay dividends, which could adversely affect the value of the shares of REITs, including our stock. Tax rates could be changed in future legislation.
Our Class C Common Stock is subordinate to our Series A Preferred Stock and our existing and future debt, and our common stockholders' interests could be diluted by the issuance of additional preferred stock, future offerings of debt securities, which could be senior to our common stock, or equity securities, and by other transactions.
Our Class C Common Stock will rank junior to all Series A Preferred Stock and our existing and future debt and to other non-equity claims on us and our assets available to satisfy claims against us, including claims in bankruptcy, liquidation or similar proceedings. Our Credit Facility includes, and our future debt may include, restrictions on our ability to pay dividends to common stockholders, including holders of Class C Common Stock. As of December 31, 2022, there were 2,000,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock issued and outstanding. In addition, our board of directors has the power under our charter to classify any of our unissued shares of preferred stock, and to reclassify any of our previously classified but unissued shares of preferred stock of any class or series, from time to time, in one or more series of preferred stock.
In the future, we may attempt to increase our capital resources by offering debt or equity securities, including medium term notes, senior or subordinated notes and classes of preferred or common stock. Debt securities or shares of preferred stock will generally be entitled to receive interest payments or distributions, both current and in connection with any liquidation or sale, prior to the holders of our common stock. We are not required to offer any such additional debt or equity securities to existing common stockholders on a preemptive basis. Therefore, offerings of common stock or other equity securities may dilute the holdings of our existing stockholders. Future offerings of debt or equity securities, or the perception that such offerings may occur, may reduce the market price of our common stock and/or the distributions that we pay with respect to our common stock. Because we may generally issue any such debt or equity securities in the future without obtaining the consent of our stockholders, our stockholders will bear the risk of our future offerings reducing the market price of our common stock and diluting their proportionate ownership.
Further, in connection with the January 2022 acquisition of a KIA auto dealership property, as discussed herein, the seller received Class C OP Units as a portion of the purchase price. The holder of the Class C OP Units may require the redemption of all or a portion of these units for cash or, at our option as the general partner of the Operating Partnership, shares of Class C Common Stock (the “Class C OP Unit Redemption”). If we determine to satisfy the Class C OP Unit Redemption with shares of Class C Common Stock, such holder of Class C OP Units will be entitled to receive one share of Class C Common Stock for each Class C OP Unit, subject to adjustment. As a result, our stockholders will be diluted by the issuance of Class C Common Stock in connection with the Class C OP Unit Redemption, which could have a material adverse impact on the market price of our common stock.
The future issuance or sale of additional shares of our Class C Common Stock could adversely affect the trading price of our Class C Common Stock.
Future issuances or sales of substantial numbers of shares of our Class C Common Stock in the public market or the perception that issuances or sales might occur, could adversely affect the per share trading price of our Class C Common Stock. The per share trading price of our Class C Common Stock may decline significantly upon the sale or offering of additional shares of our Class C Common Stock. Because we have a large number of stockholders and our shares of common stock have not been listed on a national securities exchange until recently, there may be significant pent-up demand to sell our shares.
Our distributions to stockholders may change, which could adversely affect the market price of our Class C Common Stock.
All distributions will be at the sole discretion of our board of directors and will depend upon our actual and projected financial condition, results of operations, cash flows, liquidity and funds from operations, maintenance of our REIT qualification and such other matters as our board of directors may deem relevant from time to time. We may not be able to make distributions in the future or may need to fund such distributions from external sources, as to which no assurances can be given. In addition, we may choose to retain operating cash flow for investment purposes, working capital reserves or other purposes, and these retained funds, although increasing the value of our underlying assets, may not correspondingly increase the market price of our Class C Common Stock. Our failure to meet the market’s expectations with regard to future cash distributions likely would adversely affect the market price of our Class C Common Stock.
Increases in market interest rates may result in a decrease in the value of our Class C Common Stock.
One of the factors that may influence the price of our Class C Common Stock will be the distribution rate on the Class C Common Stock (as a percentage of the price of our Class C Common Stock) relative to market interest rates. If market interest rates rise, prospective purchasers of shares of our Class C Common Stock may expect a higher distribution rate. Higher interest rates would not, however, result in more funds being available for distribution and, in fact, would likely increase our borrowing costs and might decrease our funds available for distribution. We therefore may not be able, or we may not choose, to provide a higher distribution rate. As a result, prospective purchasers may decide to purchase other securities rather than our Class C Common Stock, which would reduce the demand for, and result in a decline in the market price of, our Class C Common Stock.
Risks Related to Our Business
We are focused on future acquisitions of industrial manufacturing properties while reducing the number of office and retail properties in our portfolio, and therefore the prior performance of our real estate investments may not be indicative of our future results.
We were incorporated in the State of Maryland on May 15, 2015 and during the fourth quarter of 2021, we embarked on a strategic plan to reduce our exposure to office and retail properties and invest primarily in industrial manufacturing real estate properties. We also may seek to acquire listed and non-listed real estate companies or portfolios. As of December 31, 2022, we owned 46 properties, including one tenant-in-common real estate investment (an approximate 72.7% interest in a 91,740 square foot industrial property located in Santa Clara, California). Because we are focused on future acquisitions of industrial manufacturing properties while reducing the number of office and retail properties in our portfolio, the prior performance of our real estate investments or real estate investment programs, particularly those in place prior to the fourth quarter of 2021, may not be indicative of our future results.
Investors should consider our prospects in light of the risks, uncertainties and difficulties frequently encountered by companies that are, like us, in their early stage of operations or have recently shifted investment objectives. To be successful in this market, we must, among other things:
•identify and acquire investments that further our investment objectives;
•increase awareness of our brand within the investment products market;
•retain qualified personnel to manage our day-to-day operations; and
•respond to competition for our targeted real estate properties and other investments as well as for potential investors.
We cannot guarantee that we will succeed in achieving these goals, and our failure to do so could cause our investors to lose money.
Failure to continue to qualify as a REIT would reduce our net earnings available for investment or distribution.
Our continued qualification as a REIT will depend upon our ability to meet requirements regarding our organization and ownership, distribution of our income, the nature and diversification of our income and assets and other tests imposed by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”), on a continuing basis. Our ability to satisfy the asset tests depends upon our analysis of the characterization and fair market values of our assets, some of which are not susceptible to a precise determination, and for which we may not obtain independent appraisals. Our compliance with the REIT income and quarterly asset requirements also depends upon our ability to successfully manage the composition of our income and assets on an ongoing basis. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) will not contend that our assets or income cause a violation of the REIT requirements under the Internal Revenue Code. If we fail to qualify as a REIT in any taxable year, we will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on our taxable income at corporate rates, and distributions to our stockholders would no longer be deductible by us in computing our taxable income. Any resulting corporate tax liability could be substantial and would reduce the amount of cash available for investment or distribution to our stockholders, and we might be required to borrow funds or liquidate some investments in order to pay the applicable tax. Unless we were entitled to relief under certain Internal Revenue Code provisions, we would also generally be disqualified from re-electing to be taxed as a REIT for the four taxable years following the year in which we lost our REIT status.
We face risks associated with security breaches through cyber-attacks, cyber intrusions or otherwise, as well as other significant disruptions of our information technology (“IT”) networks and related systems.
The risk of a security breach or disruption, particularly through cyber-attack or cyber intrusion, including by computer hackers, foreign governments and cyber terrorists, has generally increased as the number, intensity and sophistication of attempted attacks and intrusions from around the world have increased. Our website, www.modiv.com, our IT networks and related systems are essential to the operation of our business and our ability to perform day-to-day operations. Although we make efforts to maintain the security and integrity of these types of IT networks and related systems, and we have implemented various measures to manage the risk of a security breach or disruption, there can be no assurance that our security efforts and measures will be effective or that attempted security breaches or disruptions would not be successful or damaging. Even the most well protected information, networks, systems and facilities remain potentially vulnerable because the techniques used in such attempted security breaches evolve and generally are not recognized until launched against a target, and in some cases are designed not to be detected and, in fact, may not be detected. Accordingly, we may be unable to anticipate these techniques or to implement adequate security barriers or other preventative measures, and thus it is impossible for us to entirely mitigate this risk.
A security breach or other significant disruption involving our IT networks and related systems could:
•disrupt the proper functioning of our networks and systems and therefore our operations;
•result in misstated financial reports, violations of loan covenants and/or missed reporting deadlines to the SEC;
•result in our inability to properly monitor our compliance with the rules and regulations regarding our qualification as a REIT;
•result in the unauthorized access to, and destruction, loss, theft, misappropriation or release of, proprietary, confidential, sensitive or otherwise valuable information of ours or others, which others could use to compete against us, or which could expose us to damage claims by third-parties for disruptive, destructive or otherwise harmful purposes and outcomes;
•require significant management attention and resources to remedy any damages that result;
•subject us to claims for breach of contract, damages, credits, penalties or termination of leases or other agreements;
•result in the unauthorized release of our stockholders’ private, personal information such as addresses, social security numbers and bank account information; and/or
•damage our reputation among investors.
Any or all of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
We face significant competition for real estate investment opportunities, which may limit our ability to acquire suitable investments and achieve our investment objectives or pay distributions.
We face competition from various entities for real estate investment opportunities, including other REITs, pension funds, banks and insurance companies, private equity and other investment funds, and companies, partnerships and developers. Many of these entities have substantially greater financial resources than we do and may be able to accept more risk than we can prudently manage, including risks with respect to the creditworthiness of a tenant or the geographic location of their investments. Competition from these entities may reduce the number of suitable investment opportunities offered to us or increase the bargaining power of property owners seeking to sell. Additionally, disruptions and dislocations in the credit markets could impact the cost and availability of debt to finance real estate investments, which is a key component of our acquisition strategy. A downturn in the credit markets and a potential lack of available debt could limit our ability to pursue suitable investment opportunities and create a competitive advantage for other entities that have greater financial resources than we do. In addition, the number of entities and the amount of funds competing for suitable investments may increase. If we acquire investments at higher prices and/or by using less-than-ideal capital structures, our returns will be lower and the value of our respective assets may not appreciate or may decrease significantly below the amount we paid for such assets. If such events occur, our stockholders may experience a lower return on their investment.
If we are unable to complete acquisitions of suitable investments, we may not be able to achieve our investment objectives or pay distributions.
Our ability to achieve our investment objectives and to pay distributions depends upon our performance in the acquisition of investments, including the determination of any financing arrangements. We expect to continue to invest, directly or indirectly through investments in affiliated and non-affiliated entities, in industrial manufacturing real estate properties. We may also seek to acquire listed or non-listed real estate and real estate-related companies or portfolios.
Our investors must rely entirely on our management abilities and the oversight of our board of directors. We can give no assurance that we will be successful in obtaining suitable investments on financially attractive terms or that we will achieve our objectives. In the event we are unable to timely locate suitable investments, we may be unable or limited in our ability to pay distributions and we may not be able to meet our investment objectives.
Disruptions in the financial markets and uncertain economic conditions could adversely affect market rental rates, commercial real estate values and our ability to secure debt financing at interest rates acceptable to us or at all, to service future debt obligations, or to pay distributions to our stockholders.
Currently, both the investing and leasing environments are highly competitive. While there has been an increase in the amount of capital flowing into the U.S. real estate markets, which resulted in an increase in real estate values in certain markets, the uncertainty regarding the economic environment has made businesses reluctant to make long-term commitments or changes in their business plans. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant disruptions in financial markets, supply chains, inflation, uncertainty about how the economy will perform and the extent to which employees working from home will return to the office. In addition, the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine and the economic sanctions and other restrictive actions taken against Russia by the U.S. and other countries in response thereto has further disrupted global financial markets and affect macroeconomic conditions.
Volatility in global markets and changing political environments can cause fluctuations in the performance of the U.S. commercial real estate markets. Economic slowdowns of large economies outside the United States are likely to negatively impact growth of the U.S. economy. Political uncertainties both home and abroad may discourage business investment in real estate and other capital spending. Possible future declines in rental rates and expectations of future rental concessions, including free rent to renew tenants early, to retain tenants who are up for renewal or to attract new tenants may result in decreases in cash flows from investment properties. Increases in the cost of financing due to higher interest rates may cause difficulty in refinancing debt obligations prior to maturity at terms as favorable as the terms of existing indebtedness. Market conditions can change quickly, potentially negatively impacting the value of real estate investments. Management continuously reviews our investment and debt financing strategies to optimize our portfolio and the cost of our debt exposure.
We plan to rely on debt financing to finance our real estate properties and we may have difficulty refinancing some of our debt obligations prior to or at maturity, or we may not be able to refinance these obligations at terms as favorable as the terms of our current indebtedness and we also may be unable to obtain additional debt financing on attractive terms or at all. If we are not able to refinance our current indebtedness on attractive terms at the various maturity dates, we may be forced to dispose of some of our assets.
The debt market remains sensitive to the macro environment, such as Federal Reserve policy, market sentiment or regulatory factors affecting the banking and commercial mortgage-backed securities industries, significant increases in inflation, the outbreak of hostilities between Russia and Ukraine and the COVID-19 pandemic. We may experience more stringent lending criteria, which may affect our ability to finance certain property acquisitions or refinance any debt at maturity. Additionally, for properties for which we are able to obtain financing, the interest rates and other terms on such loans may be unacceptable.
Disruptions in the financial markets and uncertain economic conditions could adversely affect the values of our investments. Furthermore, declining economic conditions could negatively impact commercial real estate fundamentals and result in lower occupancy, lower rental rates and declining values in our real estate portfolio, which could have the following negative effects on us:
1. the values of our investments in commercial properties could decrease below the amounts paid for such investments; and/or
2. revenues from our properties could decrease due to fewer tenants and/or lower rental rates, making it more difficult for us to pay distributions or meet our debt service obligations on debt financing.
All of these factors could reduce stockholders’ return and decrease the value of an investment in us.
Our real estate properties and related intangible assets may be subject to impairment charges.
We routinely evaluate our real estate properties and related intangible assets for impairment indicators. The judgment regarding the existence of impairment indicators is based on factors such as market conditions, tenant performance and lease structure. For example, the early termination of, or default under, a lease by a tenant may lead to an impairment charge. Furthermore, as we reposition our portfolio by selling some of our legacy office and retail properties with short lease terms, such pending sales could lead to potential impairment charges depending on the final selling price. If we determine that an impairment has occurred, we would be required to make a downward adjustment to the net carrying value of the property or related intangible assets, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations in the period in which the impairment charge is recorded. Negative developments in the real estate market may cause management to reevaluate the business and macro-economic assumptions used in its impairment analysis. Changes in management’s assumptions based on actual results may have a material impact on our financial statements.
Downturns relating to certain geographic regions, industries or business sectors may have a more significant adverse impact on our assets and our ability to pay distributions than if we had a more diversified investment portfolio.
While we intend to diversify our portfolio of investments by geography, investment size and investment risk, we are not required to observe specific diversification criteria. Therefore, our investments may at times be concentrated in a limited number of geographic locations, or secured by assets concentrated in a limited number of geographic locations. To the extent that our portfolio is concentrated in limited geographic regions, industries or business sectors, downturns relating generally to such region, industry or business sector may result in defaults on a number of our investments within a short time period, which may reduce our net income and the value of our common stock and accordingly limit our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders. As a result of our January 2022 acquisition of a KIA auto dealership property in Carson, California and the December 2019 Merger with REIT I, as of December 31, 2022, 13 of our 46 operating properties, including our approximate 72.7% TIC Interest, are located in California, which makes the performance of our properties highly dependent on the health of the California economy.
Any adverse economic or real estate developments in our markets could adversely affect our operating results and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders.
We are subject to risks related to tenant concentration, and an adverse development with respect to a large tenant could materially and adversely affect us.
Trophy of Carson, LLC, which leases a KIA auto dealership property in Carson, California, which we acquired in January 2022, is our largest tenant, representing approximately 12% of our ABR as of December 31, 2022. As a result, our financial performance depends significantly on the revenues generated from this tenant and, in turn, its financial condition. Although we expect to increase tenant diversification over time, our portfolio has two tenants that in the aggregate contribute approximately 23% of our ABR, with Lindsay representing 11% of our ABR as of December 31, 2022. In the future, we may experience additional tenant and industry concentrations. In the event that one of these tenants, or another tenant that occupies a significant portion of our properties or whose lease payments represent a significant portion of our rental revenue, were to experience financial weakness or file for bankruptcy, it could have a material adverse effect on us.
The loss of or the inability to retain key executive officers could delay or hinder implementation of our investment strategies, which could limit our ability to make distributions and decrease the value of an investment in our shares.
Our success depends to a significant degree upon the contributions of Messrs. Aaron Halfacre, Ray Pacini, Bill Broms and John Raney, our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Investment Officer and Chief Legal Officer, respectively, each of whom would be difficult to replace. Neither we nor our affiliates have employment agreements with these individuals. If any of these persons were to cease their association with us, we may be unable to find suitable replacements and our operating results could suffer as a result. We believe that our future success depends, in large part, upon our ability to retain our highly skilled managerial, financial and operational professionals. Competition for such professionals is intense, and we may be unsuccessful in retaining such skilled professionals. If we lose or are unable to obtain the services of highly skilled professionals, our ability to implement our investment strategies could be delayed or hindered.
Our rights and the rights of our stockholders to take action against our directors and officers are limited.
Maryland law provides that a director has no liability in the capacity as a director if he or she performs his or her duties in good faith, in a manner he or she reasonably believes to be in the company’s best interests and with the care that an ordinarily prudent person in a like position would use under similar circumstances. As permitted by Maryland law, our charter limits the liability of our directors and officers and our stockholders for money damages, except for liability resulting from:
• actual receipt of an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services; or
• a final judgment based on a finding of active and deliberate dishonesty by the director or officer that was material to the cause of action adjudicated.
In addition, our charter requires us to indemnify our directors and officers for actions taken by them in those capacities and to pay or reimburse their reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law, and we have entered into indemnification agreements with our directors and executive officers. As a result, we and our stockholders may have more limited rights against our directors and officers than might otherwise exist under common law. Accordingly, in the event that any of our directors or officers are exculpated from, or indemnified against, liability but whose actions impede our performance, our stockholders’ ability to recover damages from that director or officer will be limited.
We may change our targeted investments without stockholder consent.
We intend to focus future investments in industrial manufacturing real estate properties and reduce the number of office and retail properties in our portfolio; however, we may make adjustments to our target portfolio based on real estate market conditions and investment opportunities, and we may change our targeted investments and investment guidelines at any time without the consent of our stockholders, which could result in our making investments that are different from, and possibly riskier than, the investments described in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. A change in our targeted investments or investment guidelines may increase our exposure to interest rate risk, default risk and real estate market fluctuations, all of which could adversely affect the value of our common stock and our ability to make distributions to our stockholders. We will not forgo an investment opportunity because it does not precisely fit our expected portfolio composition. We believe that we are most likely to meet our investment objectives through the careful selection and underwriting of assets. When making an acquisition, we will analyze the performance and risk characteristics of that investment, how that investment will fit with our portfolio-level performance objectives, the other assets in our portfolio and how the returns and risks of that investment compare to the returns and risks of available investment alternatives. Thus, our portfolio composition may vary from our initial expectations. However, we will attempt to continue to construct a portfolio that produces stable and attractive returns by spreading risk across different real estate investments.
We have experienced losses in the past and we may experience additional losses in the future.
Historically, we have experienced net losses (calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”)) and we may not be profitable or realize growth in the value of our investments. Many of our losses can be attributed to depreciation and amortization, as well as interest expense and general and administrative expenses. Accordingly, we may not generate cash flows sufficient to pay distributions to stockholders or meet our debt service obligations. For a further discussion of our operational history and the factors affecting our losses, see “Part II, Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our accompanying consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto.
Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure
Our charter and bylaws contain provisions that may delay, defer or prevent an acquisition of our common stock or a change in control.
Our charter and bylaws contain a number of provisions, the exercise or existence of which could delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change in control that might involve a premium price for our stockholders.
• Our Charter Contains Restrictions on the Ownership and Transfer of Our Stock. In order for us to qualify as a REIT, no more than 50% of the value of outstanding shares of our stock may be owned, beneficially or constructively, by five or fewer individuals at any time during the last half of each taxable year other than the first year for which we elect to be taxed as a REIT. Subject to certain exceptions, our charter prohibits any stockholder from owning beneficially or constructively more than 9.8% in value or in number of shares, whichever is more restrictive, of the outstanding shares of our common stock, or 9.8% in value of the aggregate of the outstanding shares of all classes or series of our stock. We refer to these restrictions collectively as the “ownership limits.” The constructive ownership rules under the Internal Revenue Code are complex and may cause the outstanding stock owned by a group of related individuals or entities to be deemed to be constructively owned by one individual or entity. As a result, the acquisition of less than 9.8% of our outstanding Class C Common Stock or the outstanding shares of all classes or series of our stock by an individual or entity could cause that individual or entity or another individual or entity to own constructively in excess of the relevant ownership limits. Our charter also prohibits any person from owning shares of our stock that could result in our being “closely held” under Section 856(h) of the Internal Revenue Code or otherwise cause us to fail to qualify as a REIT. Any attempt to own or transfer shares of our Class C Common Stock or of any of our other capital stock in violation of these restrictions may result in the shares being automatically transferred to a charitable trust or may be void. These ownership limits may prevent a third-party from acquiring control of us if our board of directors does not grant an exemption from the ownership limits, even if our stockholders believe the change in control is in their best interests.
• Our Board of Directors Has the Power to Cause Us to Issue Additional Shares of Our Stock Without Stockholder Approval. Our charter authorizes us to issue additional authorized but unissued shares of common or preferred stock. In addition, our board of directors may, without stockholder approval, amend our charter to increase the aggregate number of our shares of common stock or the number of shares of stock of any class or series that we have authority to issue and classify or reclassify any unissued shares of common or preferred stock and set the preferences, rights and other terms of the classified or reclassified shares. As a result, our board of directors may establish a class or series of shares of common or preferred stock that could delay or prevent a transaction or a change in control that might involve a premium price for our shares of common stock or otherwise be in the best interests of our stockholders.
Our stockholders’ investment return may be reduced if we are required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).
Neither we nor any of our subsidiaries currently intend to register as investment companies under the Investment Company Act. If we or our subsidiaries were obligated to register as investment companies, we would have to comply with a variety of substantive requirements under the Investment Company Act that impose, among other things:
•limitations on capital structure;
•restrictions on specified investments;
•prohibitions on transactions with affiliates; and
•compliance with reporting, record keeping, voting, proxy disclosure and other rules and regulations that would significantly increase our operating expenses.
Under the relevant provisions of Section 3(a)(1) of the Investment Company Act, an investment company is any issuer that:
•is or holds itself out as being engaged primarily, or proposes to engage primarily, in the business of investing, reinvesting or trading in securities (the “primarily engaged test”); or
•is engaged or proposes to engage in the business of investing, reinvesting, owning, holding or trading in securities and owns or proposes to acquire “investment securities” having a value exceeding 40% of the value of such issuer’s total assets (exclusive of U.S. government securities and cash items) on an unconsolidated basis (the “40% test”). “Investment securities” excludes U.S. government securities and securities of majority-owned subsidiaries that are not themselves investment companies and are not relying on the exception from the definition of investment company under Section 3(c)(1) or Section 3(c)(7) (relating to private investment companies).
We believe that neither we nor our Operating Partnership will be required to register as an investment company based on the following analysis. With respect to the 40% test, the entities through which we and our Operating Partnership intend to own our assets will be majority-owned subsidiaries that are not themselves investment companies and are not relying on the exceptions from the definition of investment company under Section 3(c)(1) or Section 3(c)(7).
With respect to the primarily engaged test, we and our Operating Partnership are holding companies and do not intend to invest or trade in securities ourselves. Rather, through the majority-owned subsidiaries of our Operating Partnership, we and our Operating Partnership are primarily engaged in the non-investment company businesses of these subsidiaries, namely the business of purchasing or otherwise acquiring real estate and real estate-related assets.
We believe that most of the subsidiaries of our Operating Partnership will be able to rely on Section 3(c)(5)(c) of the Investment Company Act for an exception from the definition of an investment company (any other subsidiaries of our Operating Partnership should be able to rely on the exceptions for private investment companies pursuant to Section 3(c)(1) and Section 3(c)(7) of the Investment Company Act). As reflected in no-action letters, the SEC staff’s position on Section 3(c)(5)(c) generally requires that an issuer maintain at least 55% of its assets in “mortgages and other liens on and interests in real estate,” or qualifying assets; at least 80% of its assets in qualifying assets plus real estate-related assets; and no more than 20% of the value of its assets in other than qualifying assets and real estate-related assets, which we refer to as miscellaneous assets. To constitute a qualifying asset under this 55% requirement, a real estate interest must meet various criteria based on no-action letters. We expect that each of the subsidiaries of our Operating Partnership relying on Section 3(c)(5)(c) will invest at least 55% of its assets in qualifying assets, and approximately an additional 25% of its assets in other types of real estate-related assets. We expect to rely on guidance published by the SEC staff or on our analyses of guidance published with respect to types of assets to determine which assets are qualifying real estate assets and real estate-related assets.
To maintain compliance with the Investment Company Act, our subsidiaries may be unable to sell assets we would otherwise want them to sell and may need to sell assets we would otherwise wish them to retain. In addition, our subsidiaries may have to acquire additional assets that they might not otherwise have acquired or may have to forgo opportunities to make investments that we would otherwise want them to make and would be important to our investment strategy. Moreover, the SEC or its staff may issue interpretations with respect to various types of assets that are contrary to our views and current SEC staff interpretations are subject to change, which increases the risk of non-compliance and the risk that we may be forced to make adverse changes to our portfolio. In this regard, we note that in 2011 the SEC issued a concept release indicating that the SEC and its staff were reviewing interpretive issues relating to Section 3(c)(5)(c) and soliciting views on the application of Section 3(c)(5)(c) to companies engaged in the business of acquiring mortgages and mortgage-related instruments. If we were required to register as an investment company but failed to do so, we would be prohibited from engaging in our business and criminal and civil actions could be brought against us. In addition, our contracts would be unenforceable unless a court required enforcement and a court could appoint a receiver to take control of us and liquidate our business.
Rapid changes in the values of our assets may make it more difficult for us to maintain our qualification as a REIT or our exception from the definition of an investment company under the Investment Company Act.
If the market value or income potential of our qualifying real estate assets changes as compared to the market value or income potential of our non-qualifying assets, or if the market value or income potential of our assets that are considered “real estate-related assets” under the Investment Company Act or REIT qualification tests changes as compared to the market value or income potential of our assets that are not considered “real estate-related assets” under the Investment Company Act or REIT qualification tests, whether as a result of increased interest rates, prepayment rates or other factors, we may need to modify our investment portfolio in order to maintain our REIT qualification or exception from the definition of an investment company. If the decline in asset values or income occurs quickly, this may be especially difficult, if not impossible, to accomplish. This difficulty may be exacerbated by the illiquid nature of many of the assets that we may own. We may have to make investment decisions that we otherwise would not make absent REIT and Investment Company Act considerations.
If we are unable to obtain funding for future capital needs, cash distributions to our stockholders and the value of our investments could decline.
When tenants do not renew their leases or otherwise vacate their space, we will often need to expend substantial funds for improvements to the vacated space in order to attract replacement tenants. Even when tenants do renew their leases, we may agree to make improvements to their space as part of our negotiations. If we need additional capital in the future to improve or maintain our properties or for any other reason, we may have to obtain funding from sources other than our cash flow from operations or proceeds from our DRP, such as borrowings or future equity offerings. These sources of funding may not be available on attractive terms, or at all. If we cannot procure additional funding for capital improvements, our investments may generate lower cash flows or decline in value, or both, which would limit our ability to make distributions to our stockholders and could reduce the value of our stockholders’ investment in us.
Certain provisions of Maryland law may limit the ability of a third-party to acquire control of us.
Certain provisions of the MGCL may have the effect of inhibiting a third-party from acquiring us or of impeding a change of control under circumstances that otherwise could provide our common stockholders with the opportunity to realize a premium over the then-prevailing market price of such shares, including:
• “business combination” provisions that, subject to limitations, prohibit certain business combinations between an “interested stockholder” (defined generally as any person who beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 10% or more of the voting power of our outstanding shares of voting stock or an affiliate or associate of ours who, at any time within the two-year period immediately prior to the date in question, was the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of 10% or more of the voting power of the then-outstanding stock of the corporation) or an affiliate of any interested stockholder for a period of five years after the most recent date on which the stockholder becomes an interested stockholder, and thereafter imposes two super-majority stockholder voting requirements on these combinations; and
• “control share” provisions that provide that holders of “control shares” of the company (defined as voting shares of stock that, if aggregated with all other shares of stock owned or controlled by the acquirer, would entitle the acquirer to exercise one of three increasing ranges of voting power in electing directors) acquired in a “control share acquisition” (defined as the direct or indirect acquisition of issued and outstanding “control shares”) have no voting rights except to the extent approved by our stockholders by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter, excluding all interested shares.
Our bylaws contain a provision exempting from the Maryland Control Share Acquisition Act any and all acquisitions by any person of shares of our stock. This bylaw provision may be amended or eliminated at any time in the future.
Additionally, Title 3, Subtitle 8 of the MGCL permits our board of directors, without stockholder approval and regardless of what is currently provided in our charter or bylaws, to implement certain takeover defenses, such as a classified board, some of which we do not have.
Our bylaws designate the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, Maryland as the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by our stockholders and provide that claims relating to causes of action under the Securities Act may only be brought in federal district courts, which could limit stockholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers or employees and could discourage lawsuits against us and our directors, officers and employees.
Our bylaws generally provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, Maryland (or in certain circumstances, the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, Northern Division) shall be the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by our stockholders with respect to our Company, our directors, our officers or our employees. This choice of forum provision will not apply to suits brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, or any other claim for which federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction. Furthermore, our bylaws provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for the resolution of any claim arising under the Securities Act.
These exclusive forum provisions may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that the stockholder believes is favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers or employees, which may discourage meritorious claims from being asserted against us and our directors, officers and employees. Alternatively, if a court were to find this provision of our bylaws inapplicable to, or unenforceable in respect of, one or more of the specified types of actions or proceedings, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such matters in other jurisdictions, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. For example, under the Securities Act, federal courts have concurrent jurisdiction over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Securities Act, and investors cannot waive compliance with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. In addition, the exclusive forum provisions described above do not apply to any actions brought under the Exchange Act.
The change of control conversion and redemption features of the Series A Preferred Stock may make it more difficult for a party to acquire us or discourage a party from seeking to acquire us.
Upon the occurrence of a change of control, holders of Series A Preferred Stock will, under certain circumstances, have the right to convert some of or all their shares of Series A Preferred Stock into shares of our Class C Common Stock (or equivalent value of alternative consideration) and under these circumstances we will also have a change of control redemption right to redeem shares of Series A Preferred Stock. Upon exercise of this conversion right, the holders will be limited to a maximum number of shares of our Class C Common Stock pursuant to a predetermined ratio. These features of the Series A Preferred Stock may have the effect of discouraging a third party from seeking to acquire us or of delaying, deferring or preventing a change of control under circumstances that otherwise could provide the holders of our Class C Common Stock and Series A Preferred Stock with the opportunity to realize a premium over the then-current market price or that stockholders may otherwise believe is in their best interests.
We are subject to risks relating to litigation and regulatory liability.
We face legal risks in our businesses, including risks related to the securities laws and regulations across various state and federal jurisdictions.
We may in the future become subject to claims and litigation alleging violations of the securities laws or other related claims, which could harm our business and require us to incur significant costs. Significant litigation costs could impact our ability to comply with certain financial covenants under our Credit Agreement. We are generally obliged, to the extent permitted by law, to indemnify our current and former directors and officers who are named as defendants in these types of lawsuits. Regardless of the outcome, litigation may require significant attention from management and could result in significant legal expenses, settlement costs or damage awards that could have a material impact on our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.
General Risks Related to Investments in Real Estate
Pandemics or other health crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the emergence of any future variants, may adversely affect our business and/or operations, our tenants’ financial condition and the profitability of our retail and office properties.
Our business and/or operations and the businesses of our tenants could be materially and adversely affected by the risks, or the public perception of the risks, related to a pandemic or other health crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the emergence of any future variants. The profitability of our retail properties depends, in part, on the willingness of customers to visit our tenants’ businesses. The risk, or public perception of the risk, of a pandemic or media coverage of infectious diseases could cause employees or customers to avoid our properties, which could adversely affect foot traffic to our tenants’ businesses and our tenants’ ability to adequately staff their businesses.
Similarly, the potential effects of quarantined employees of office tenants may adversely impact their businesses and affect their ability to pay rent on a timely basis. Temporary closures of businesses and the resulting remote working arrangements for personnel in response to the COVID-19 pandemic or any future pandemic or outbreak of a highly infectious or contagious disease or fear of such pandemics or outbreaks may result in long-term changed work practices that could negatively impact us and our business. For example, the increased adoption of and familiarity with remote work practices could result in decreased demand for office space. If this trend was to continue or accelerate, our office tenants may elect to not renew their leases, or to renew them for less space than they currently occupy, which could increase vacancy rates at our office properties and decrease rental income. The increase in remote work practices may continue in a post-pandemic environment, even in the suburban markets and markets with lower demand in which we primarily operate. The need to reconfigure leased office space, either in response to the pandemic or to tenants' needs, may impact space requirements and also may require us to spend increased amounts for tenant improvements. If substantial office space reconfiguration is required, a tenant may explore other office space and find it more advantageous to relocate than to renew its lease and renovate the existing space. If so, our business, operating results, financial condition and prospects may be materially adversely impacted.
Furthermore, the prevalence of employees working from home has reduced demand for office space and increased office vacancy rates.
Economic, market and regulatory changes that impact the real estate market generally may decrease the value of our investments and weaken our operating results.
Our operating results and the performance of the properties we acquire are subject to the risks typically associated with real estate, any of which could decrease the value of our investments and could weaken our operating results, including:
1. downturns in national, regional and local economic conditions;
2. competition from other commercial developments;
3. adverse local conditions, such as oversupply or reduction in demand for commercial buildings and changes in real estate zoning laws that may reduce the desirability of real estate in an area;
4. vacancies, changes in market rental rates and the need to periodically repair, renovate and re-let space;
5. changes in interest rates and the availability of permanent mortgage financing, which may render the sale of a property or loan difficult or unattractive;
6. changes in tax (including real and personal property tax), real estate, environmental and zoning laws;
7. material failures, inadequacy, interruptions or security failures of the technology on which our operations rely;
9. natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes and floods;
10. acts of war or terrorism, including the consequences of terrorist attacks or the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine and the economic sanctions and other restrictive actions taken against Russia by the U.S. and other countries in response thereto;
11. a pandemic or other public health crisis (such as the COVID-19 virus outbreak);
12. the potential for uninsured or underinsured property losses; and
13. periods of high inflation, high interest rates and tight money supply.
Any of the above factors, or a combination thereof, could result in a decrease in our cash flow from operations and a decrease in the value of our investments, which would have an adverse effect on our operations, on our ability to pay distributions to stockholders and on the value of stockholders’ investment.
We may finance properties which have debt with prepayment penalties, which may prohibit us from selling a property, or may require us to maintain specified debt levels for a period of years on some properties.
Prepayment provisions are provisions that generally prohibit repayment of a loan balance for a certain number of years following the origination date of a loan unless a prepayment penalty is paid at the time of repayment. Such provisions are typically provided by the terms of the agreement underlying a loan. Prepayment provisions could materially restrict us from selling or otherwise disposing of or refinancing properties. These provisions would affect our ability to turn our investments into cash and thus affect cash available for distributions to stockholders.
Prepayment provisions may prohibit us from reducing the outstanding indebtedness with respect to any properties, refinancing such indebtedness on a non-recourse basis at maturity, or increasing the amount of indebtedness with respect to such properties.
Prepayment provisions could impair our ability to take actions during the prepayment period that would otherwise be in our stockholders' best interests and, therefore, may have an adverse impact on the value of the shares, relative to the value that would result if the prepayment provisions did not exist. In particular, prepayment provisions could preclude us from participating in major transactions that could result in a disposition of our assets or a change in control even though that disposition or change in control might be in our stockholders' best interests.
We intend to purchase properties with (or enter into, as necessary) long-term leases with tenants, which may not result in fair market rental rates over time.
We intend to purchase properties with (or enter into as necessary) long-term leases with tenants. These leases would provide for rent to increase over time; however, if we do not accurately judge the potential for increases in market rental rates, we may set the terms of these long-term leases at levels such that, even after contractual rent increases, the rent under our long-term leases is less than then-current market rates.
Further, we may have no ability to terminate those leases or to adjust the rent to then-prevailing market rates. As a result, our cash available for distribution could be lower than if we did not purchase properties with, or enter into, long-term leases.
We depend on tenants for our revenue generated by our real estate investments and, accordingly, our revenue generated by our real estate investments and our ability to make distributions to our stockholders are dependent upon the success and economic viability of our tenants and our ability to retain and attract tenants. Non-renewals, terminations or lease defaults could reduce our net income and limit our ability to make distributions to our stockholders.
The success of our real estate investments materially depends upon the financial stability of the tenants leasing the properties we own. The inability of a single major tenant or a significant number of smaller tenants to meet their rental obligations would significantly lower our net income. A non-renewal after the expiration of a lease term, termination or default by a tenant on its lease payments to us would cause us to lose the revenue associated with such lease and require us to find an alternative source of revenue to meet mortgage payments and prevent a foreclosure if the property is subject to a mortgage. In the event of a tenant default or bankruptcy, we may experience delays in enforcing our rights as landlord of a property and may incur substantial costs in protecting our investment and re-leasing the property. Tenants may have the right to terminate their leases upon the occurrence of certain customary events of default and, in other circumstances, may not renew their leases or, because of market conditions, may only be able to renew their leases on terms that are less favorable to us than the terms of their initial leases. Further, some of our assets may be outfitted to suit the particular needs of the tenants. We may have difficulty replacing the tenants of these properties if the outfitted space limits the types of businesses that could lease that space without major renovation. If a tenant does not renew, terminates or defaults on a lease, we may be unable to lease the property for the rent previously received or sell the property without incurring a loss. These events could cause us to reduce distributions to stockholders.
Excluding the property leased to Gap for which the lease expired on February 28, 2023 and is in escrow and scheduled to be sold by the end of March 2023, we have two leases (one industrial and one office) scheduled to expire in the next 12 months, which comprise an aggregate of 163,230 leasable square feet and represent approximately 5.1% of projected ABR from properties owned as of December 31, 2022. Our inability to renew or re-lease our space could adversely impact our financial condition, results of operations, cash flow and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders.
Actions of our potential future tenants-in-common could reduce the returns on tenants-in-common investments and decrease our stockholders’ overall return.
We may enter into tenants-in-common or other joint ownership structures with third parties to acquire properties and other assets. For example, we own an approximate 72.7% TIC Interest in an individual property leased to Fujifilm Dimatix. Such investments may involve risks not otherwise present with other methods of investment, including, for example, the following risks:
• our co-owner in an investment could become insolvent or bankrupt;
• our co-owner may at any time have economic or business interests or goals that are or that become inconsistent with our business interests or goals;
• our co-owner may be in a position to block or take action contrary to our instructions or requests or contrary to our policies or objectives; or
• disputes between us and our co-owner may result in litigation, arbitration, buyout or partition that would increase our expenses and prevent our officers and directors from focusing their time and effort on our operations.
While we intend that any co-ownership investment that we enter into will be subject to a co-ownership contractual arrangement that will address some or all of the above issues, any of the above might still subject a property to liabilities in excess of those contemplated and thus reduce our returns on that investment and the value of stockholders' investment in us.
Costs imposed pursuant to laws and governmental regulations may reduce our net income and our cash available for distribution to our stockholders.
Real property and the operations conducted on real property are subject to federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to protection of the environment and human health. We could be subject to liability in the form of fines, penalties or damages for noncompliance with these laws and regulations. These laws and regulations generally govern wastewater discharges, air emissions, the operation and removal of underground and above-ground storage tanks, the use, storage, treatment, transportation and disposal of solid and hazardous materials, the remediation of contamination associated with the release or disposal of solid and hazardous materials, the presence of toxic building materials and other health and safety-related concerns.
Some of these laws and regulations may impose joint and several liability on the tenants, owners or operators of real property for the costs to investigate or remediate contaminated properties, regardless of fault, whether the contamination occurred prior to purchase, or whether the acts causing the contamination were legal. Activities of our tenants, the condition of properties at the time we buy them, operations in the vicinity of our properties, such as the presence of underground storage tanks, or activities of unrelated third parties may affect our properties.
The presence of hazardous substances, or the failure to properly manage or remediate these substances, may hinder our ability to sell, rent or pledge such property as collateral for future borrowings. Any material expenditures, fines, penalties or damages we must pay will reduce our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders and could seriously harm our operating results and financial condition.
The costs of defending against claims of environmental liability, of complying with environmental regulatory requirements, of remediating any contaminated property or of paying personal injury or other damage claims could reduce our cash available for distribution to our stockholders.
Under various federal, state and local environmental laws, ordinances and regulations, a current or previous real property owner or operator may be liable for the cost of removing or remediating hazardous or toxic substances on, under or in such property. These costs could be substantial. Such laws often impose liability whether or not the owner or operator knew of, or was responsible for, the presence of such hazardous or toxic substances. Environmental laws also may impose liens on property or restrictions on the manner in which property may be used or businesses may be operated, and these restrictions may require substantial expenditures or prevent us from entering into leases with prospective tenants that may be impacted by such laws. Environmental laws provide for sanctions for noncompliance and may be enforced by governmental agencies or, in certain circumstances, by private parties. Certain environmental laws and common law principles could be used to impose liability for the release of and exposure to hazardous substances, including asbestos-containing materials and lead-based paint. Third parties may seek recovery from real property owners or operators for personal injury or property damage associated with exposure to released hazardous substances and governments may seek recovery for natural resource damage. The costs of defending against claims of environmental liability, of complying with environmental regulatory requirements, of remediating any contaminated property, or of paying personal injury, property damage or natural resource damage claims could reduce our cash available for distribution to our stockholders.
We intend that most if not all of our real estate acquisitions be subject to Phase I environmental assessments prior to the time they are acquired; however, such assessments may not provide complete environmental histories due, for example, to limited available information about prior operations at the properties or other gaps in information at the time we acquire the property. A Phase I environmental assessment is an initial environmental investigation to identify potential environmental liabilities associated with the current and past uses of a given property. If any of our properties were found to contain hazardous or toxic substances after our acquisition, the value of our investment could decrease below the amount paid for such investment.
Uninsured losses relating to real property could reduce our cash flow from operations and reduce the value of stockholders’ investment in us.
Our properties are generally subject to leases that require tenants thereunder to be financially responsible for property liability and casualty insurance, and we expect that most of the properties we acquire will be structured in this manner. However, there are types of losses, generally catastrophic in nature, such as losses due to pandemics such as the COVID-19 pandemic, wars, acts of terrorism, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, pollution or environmental matters that are uninsurable and/or for which the tenants are not contractually obligated to provide insurance. In such instances, we may be required to provide other financial support, either through financial assurances or self-insurance, to cover potential losses.
We may not have adequate coverage for such losses. If any of our properties incur a casualty loss that is not fully insured, the value of our assets will be reduced by any such uninsured loss, which will reduce the value of stockholders' investment in us. In addition, other than any working capital reserve and other reserves we may establish, we have limited sources of funding to repair or reconstruct any uninsured property.
Inflation and rising interest rates may adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.
During 2022, inflation in the United States accelerated and, as of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, is currently expected to continue at an elevated level in the near-term. Rising inflation may have an adverse impact on our Credit Facility and general and administrative expenses, as these costs could increase at a rate higher than our rental and other revenue. The U.S. Federal Reserve has significantly raised interest rates to combat inflation and restore price stability and, as of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, it is expected that rates will continue to rise in 2023. As a result, to the extent our exposure to increases in interest rates is not eliminated through interest rate swaps or other protection agreements, such increases may result in higher debt service costs, which will adversely affect our cash flows. Inflation may also have an adverse effect on consumer spending, which could impact our tenants’ revenues and, in turn, their demand for space and future extensions of their leases.
New accounting pronouncements could adversely affect our operating results or the reported financial performance of our tenants.
Accounting policies and methods are fundamental to how we record and report our financial condition and results of operations. Uncertainties posed by various initiatives of accounting standard-setting by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) and the SEC, which create and interpret applicable accounting standards for U.S. companies, may change the financial accounting and reporting standards or their interpretation and application of these standards that govern the preparation of our financial statements. Similarly, these changes could have a material impact on our tenants’ reported financial condition or results of operations, credit ratings and preferences regarding leasing real estate.
Risks Related to Investments in Single-Tenant Real Estate
Our current properties will depend upon a single-tenant for their rental income, and our financial condition and ability to make distributions may be adversely affected by the bankruptcy or insolvency of a tenant, a downturn in the business of a tenant or a tenant’s lease termination.
While we are focused on future acquisitions of industrial manufacturing properties, we expect that most of our properties will be occupied by only one tenant or will derive a majority of their rental income from one tenant and, therefore, the success of those properties will be materially dependent on the financial stability of such tenants. Lease payment defaults by tenants could cause us to reduce the amount of distributions we pay. A default of a tenant on its lease payments to us and the potential resulting vacancy would cause us to lose the revenue from the property and force us to find an alternative source of revenue to meet any mortgage payment and prevent a foreclosure if the property is subject to a mortgage. In the event of a default, we may experience delays in enforcing our rights as landlord and may incur substantial costs in protecting our investment and re-letting the property. If a lease is terminated or an existing tenant elects not to renew a lease upon its expiration, there is no assurance that we will be able to lease the property for the rent previously received or sell the property without incurring a loss. A default by a tenant, the failure of a guarantor to fulfill its obligations or other premature termination of a lease, or a tenant’s election not to extend a lease upon its expiration, could have an adverse effect on our financial condition and our ability to pay distributions.
If a tenant declares bankruptcy, we may be unable to collect balances due under relevant leases, which could harm our operating results and financial condition.
Any of our tenants, or any guarantor of a tenant’s lease obligations, could be subject to a bankruptcy proceeding pursuant to Title 11 of the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Such a bankruptcy filing would bar all efforts by us to collect pre-bankruptcy debts from these entities or their properties, including any work performed by contactors that could result in mechanics liens on our property, unless we receive an enabling order from the bankruptcy court. Post-bankruptcy debts would be paid currently. If a lease is assumed, all pre-bankruptcy balances owing under it must be paid in full. If a lease is rejected by a tenant in bankruptcy, we would have a general unsecured claim for damages. If a lease is rejected, it is unlikely we would receive any payments from the tenant because our claim is capped at the rent reserved under the lease, without acceleration, for the greater of one year or 15% of the remaining term of the lease, but not greater than three years, plus rent already due but unpaid. This claim could be paid only in the event funds were available, and then only in the same percentage as that realized on other unsecured claims. If mechanics liens are filed on our property, we could be required to pay the amounts owed to contractors if they are not paid by the tenant in order to avoid a foreclosure.
A tenant or lease guarantor bankruptcy could delay efforts to collect past due balances under the relevant leases, and could ultimately preclude full collection of these sums. Such an event could cause a decrease or cessation of rental payments that would mean a reduction in our cash flow and the amount available for distributions to stockholders. In the event of a bankruptcy, we cannot assure stockholders that the tenant or its trustee will assume our lease. If a given lease, or guaranty of a lease, is not assumed, our cash flow and the amounts available for distributions to stockholders may be adversely affected. Further, our lenders may have a first priority claim to any recovery under the leases, any guarantees and any credit support, such as security deposits and letters of credit.
Net leases may not result in fair market lease rates over time.
We expect most of our rental income to come from net leases. Net leases typically contain: (i) longer lease terms; (ii) fixed rental rate increases during the primary term of the lease; and (iii) fixed rental rates for initial renewal options, and, thus, there is an increased risk that these contractual lease terms will fail to result in fair market rental rates if fair market rental rates increase at a greater rate than the fixed rental rate increases.
Our real estate investments may include special use single-tenant properties that may be difficult to sell or re-lease upon tenant defaults or early lease terminations.
We focus our investments on commercial properties, a number of which will be special use, single-tenant properties. With these properties, if the current lease is terminated or not renewed, we may be required to renovate the property or to make rent concessions in order to lease the property to another tenant or sell the property. In addition, in the event we are forced to sell the property, we may have difficulty selling it to a party other than the tenant or borrower due to the special purpose for which the property may have been designed. These and other limitations may affect our ability to sell or re-lease properties and adversely affect returns to stockholders.
If a sale-leaseback transaction is recharacterized in a tenant’s bankruptcy proceeding, our financial condition could be adversely affected.
We often enter into sale-leaseback transactions, whereby we purchase a property and then lease the same property back to the person from whom we purchased it. In the event of the bankruptcy of a tenant, a transaction structured as a sale-leaseback may be recharacterized as either a financing or a joint venture, either of which outcomes could adversely affect our business. If the sale-leaseback were recharacterized as a financing, we might not be considered the owner of the property, and as a result would have the status of a creditor in relation to the tenant. In that event, we would no longer have the right to sell or encumber our ownership interest in the property. Instead, we would have a claim against the tenant for the amounts owed under the lease, with the claim arguably secured by the property. The tenant/debtor might have the ability to propose a plan to restructure the term, interest rate and amortization schedule of its outstanding balance. If confirmed by the bankruptcy court, we could be bound by the new terms, and prevented from foreclosing our lien on the property. If the sale-leaseback were recharacterized as a joint venture, our lessee and we could be treated as co-venturers with regard to the property. As a result, we could be held liable, under some circumstances, for debts incurred by the lessee relating to the property. Either of these outcomes could adversely affect our cash flow and the amount available for distributions to stockholders.
Risks Associated with Debt Financing
We have a substantial amount of indebtedness outstanding, which may expose us to the risk of default under our debt obligations.
We are targeting leverage, over the long-term once we achieve scale, of 40% or lower of the aggregate fair value of our real estate properties plus our cash and cash equivalents; however, we will consider incurring higher leverage in the near-term if we identify attractive acquisition opportunities in advance of completing dispositions or raising additional equity. Our board of directors has approved our maximum leverage ratio of 55% of the aggregate fair value of our real estate properties plus our cash and cash equivalents. As of December 31, 2022, our leverage ratio was 38%.
We may exceed the 55% limit only if any excess borrowing is approved by a majority of our independent directors and is disclosed to our stockholders in our next quarterly report, along with justification for such excess. There is no limitation on the amount we may borrow for the purchase of any single asset, and our charter and bylaws do not limit the amount or percentage of indebtedness, funded or otherwise, that we may incur. Our board of directors may alter or eliminate our current policy on borrowing at any time without stockholder approval. Further, our Credit Facility allows for borrowings up to 60% of our borrowing base; however, we are targeting leverage of 40% over the long-term and do not plan to allow our leverage ratio to exceed 55% in order to minimize the interest rate payable on the Revolver and Term Loan.
Additionally, we may provide full or partial guarantees of mortgage debt incurred by our subsidiaries that own the mortgaged properties. Under these circumstances, we will be responsible to the lender for satisfaction of the debt if it is not paid by our subsidiary. If any mortgages contain cross-collateralization or cross-default provisions, a default on a single property could affect multiple properties.
We may utilize repurchase agreements as a component of our financing strategy. Repurchase agreements economically resemble short-term, variable-rate financing and usually require the maintenance of specific loan-to-collateral value ratios. If the market value of the assets subject to a repurchase agreement declines, we may be required to provide additional collateral or make cash payments to maintain the required loan-to-collateral value ratios. If we are unable to provide such collateral or cash repayments, we may lose our economic interest in the underlying assets.
Our use of indebtedness could have important consequences to us. For example, it could: (1) result in the acceleration of a significant amount of debt for non-compliance with the terms of such debt or, if such debt contains cross-default or cross-acceleration provisions, other debt; (2) result in the loss of assets, including individual properties or portfolios, due to foreclosure or sale on unfavorable terms, which could create taxable income without accompanying cash proceeds; (3) materially impair our ability to borrow unused amounts under existing financing arrangements or to obtain additional financing or refinancing on favorable terms or at all; (4) require us to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flow to paying principal and interest on our indebtedness, reducing the cash flow available to fund our business, to make distributions, including those necessary to maintain our REIT qualification, or to use for other purposes; (5) increase our vulnerability to an economic downturn; (6) limit our ability to withstand competitive pressures; or (7) reduce our flexibility to respond to changing business and economic conditions.
Secured indebtedness exposes us to the possibility of foreclosure on our ownership interests in pledged properties.
Incurring mortgage and other secured indebtedness increases our risk of loss of our ownership interests in the pledged property because defaults thereunder, and the inability to refinance such indebtedness, may result in foreclosure action initiated by lenders. Following the closing of our Credit Facility on January 18, 2022, four of our 46 properties were encumbered with mortgages. Incurring mortgage debt increases the risk of loss of a property since defaults on indebtedness secured by a property may result in lenders initiating foreclosure actions. In that case, we could lose the property securing the loan that is in default, thus reducing the value of our stockholders’ investment. For tax purposes, a foreclosure on any of our properties will be treated as a sale of the property for a purchase price equal to the outstanding balance of the debt secured by the mortgage. If the outstanding balance of the loan secured by the mortgage exceeds our tax basis in the property, we will recognize taxable income on foreclosure, but we would not receive any cash proceeds. We have and may in the future give full or partial guarantees to lenders of mortgage loans to the entities that own our properties. When we give a guaranty on behalf of an entity that owns one of our properties, we will be responsible to the lender for satisfaction of the loan if it is not paid by such entity. If any mortgage contains cross-collateralization or cross-default provisions, a default on a single property could affect multiple properties. If any of our properties are foreclosed upon due to a default, our ability to pay cash distributions to our stockholders may be adversely affected.
Covenants in the Credit Facility and our mortgages may restrict our operating activities and adversely affect our financial condition.
The Credit Facility and our mortgage loans contain, and future debt agreements may contain, financial and/or operating covenants, including, among other things, certain coverage ratios, borrowing base requirements, net worth requirements and limitations on our ability to make distributions. These covenants may limit our operational flexibility and acquisition and disposition activities. Moreover, if any of the covenants in these debt agreements are breached and not cured within the applicable cure period, we could be required to repay the debt immediately, even in the absence of a payment default.
Increases in mortgage rates or changes in underwriting standards may make it difficult for us to finance or refinance properties, which could reduce the number of properties we can acquire, our cash flow from operations and the amount of cash available for distribution to our stockholders.
If mortgage debt is unavailable at reasonable rates, we may not be able to finance the purchase of properties. If we place mortgage debt on a property, we run the risk of being unable to refinance part or all of the debt when it becomes due or of being unable to refinance on favorable terms. If interest rates are higher when we refinance properties subject to mortgage debt, our income could be reduced. We may be unable to refinance or may only be able to partly refinance properties if underwriting standards, including loan to value ratios and yield requirements, among other requirements, are stricter than when we originally financed the properties. If any of these events occurs, our cash flow could be reduced and/or we might have to pay down existing mortgages. This, in turn, would reduce cash available for distribution to our stockholders, could cause us to require additional capital and may hinder our ability to raise capital by issuing more stock or by borrowing more money.
We may not be able to access financing sources on attractive terms, which could adversely affect our ability to execute our business plan.
We may finance our assets over the long-term through a variety of means, including repurchase agreements, credit facilities, issuances of commercial mortgage-backed securities and other structured financings. Our ability to execute this strategy will depend on various conditions in the markets for financing in this manner that are beyond our control, including lack of liquidity and greater credit spreads. We cannot be certain that these markets will remain an efficient source of long-term financing for our assets. If our strategy is not viable, we will have to find alternative forms of long-term financing for our assets, as secured revolving credit facilities and repurchase agreements may not accommodate long-term financing. This could subject us to more recourse indebtedness and the risk that debt service on less efficient forms of financing would require a larger portion of our cash flow, thereby reducing cash available for distribution to our stockholders and funds available for operations as well as for future business opportunities.
To hedge against interest rate fluctuations, we may use derivative financial instruments that may be costly and ineffective.
From time to time, we may use derivative financial instruments to hedge exposures to changes in interest rates on loans secured by our assets. Derivative instruments may include interest rate swap contracts, interest rate cap or floor contracts, futures or forward contracts, options or repurchase agreements. Our actual hedging decisions will be determined in light of the facts and circumstances existing at the time of the hedge and may differ from our currently anticipated hedging strategy. There is no assurance that our hedging strategy will achieve our objectives. We may be subject to costs, such as transaction fees or breakage costs, if we terminate these arrangements.
To the extent that we use derivative financial instruments to hedge against interest rate fluctuations, we will be exposed to credit risk, basis risk and legal enforceability risks. In this context, credit risk is the failure of the counterparty to perform under the terms of the derivative contract. If the fair value of a derivative contract is positive, the counterparty owes us, which creates credit risk for us. Basis risk occurs when the index upon which the contract is based is more or less variable than the index upon which the hedged asset or liability is based, thereby making the hedge less effective. Legal enforceability risks encompass general contractual risks including the risk that the counterparty will breach the terms of, or fail to perform its obligations under, the derivative contract. There is a risk that counterparties could fail, shut down, file for bankruptcy or be unable to pay out contracts. The failure of a counterparty that holds collateral that we post in connection with an interest rate swap agreement could result in the loss of that collateral.
Variable rate indebtedness would subject us to interest rate risk, and could cause our debt service obligations to increase significantly.
As of February 28, 2023, amounts outstanding under the Credit Facility, as adjusted by swap agreements, bear interest at fixed rates. However, in the future, we may incur additional indebtedness that bears interest at variable rates. Variable rate borrowings expose us to increased interest expense in a rising interest rate environment. If interest rates were to increase, our debt service obligations on variable rate indebtedness would increase even though the amount borrowed remained the same, which could adversely affect our cash flows and cash available for distribution to our stockholders.
Changes in the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) could adversely affect the amount of interest that accrues on SOFR-linked instruments.
Our Credit Facility includes floating rates based, in part, on SOFR. Because SOFR is published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (“FRBNY”) based on data received from other sources, we have no control over its determination, calculation or publication. There can be no assurance that SOFR will not be discontinued or fundamentally altered in a manner that is materially adverse to the interests of debtors in SOFR-linked instruments. If the manner in which SOFR is calculated is changed, that change may result in a change in the amount of interest that accrues on any SOFR-linked instruments. In addition, the interest rate on SOFR-linked instruments may for any day not be adjusted for any modification or amendments to SOFR for that day that the FRBNY may publish if the interest rate for that day has already been determined prior to such determination. There is no assurance that changes in SOFR could not have a material adverse effect on the yield on, value of, and market for SOFR-linked instruments.
Further, SOFR is a relatively new interest rate, and the FRBNY or any successor, as administrator of SOFR, may make methodological or other changes that could change the value of SOFR, including changes related to the methodology by which SOFR is calculated, eligibility criteria applicable to the transactions used to calculate SOFR or timing related to the publication of SOFR. If the manner in which SOFR is calculated is changed, the change may result in an increase in the amount of interest payable on loans we owe from the lenders. The administrator of SOFR may withdraw, modify, suspend or discontinue the calculation or dissemination of SOFR in its sole discretion and without notice, and has no obligation to consider the interests of lenders in calculating, withdrawing, modifying, amending, suspending or discontinuing SOFR.
Federal Income Tax Risks
Failure to qualify as a REIT would subject us to U.S. federal income tax, which would reduce the cash available for distribution to our stockholders.
We expect to operate in a manner that will allow us to continue to qualify as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, the federal income tax laws governing REITs are extremely complex, and interpretations of the federal income tax laws governing qualification as a REIT are limited. Qualifying as a REIT requires us to meet various tests regarding the nature of our assets and our income, the ownership of our outstanding stock, and the amount of our distributions on an ongoing basis. 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, including the tax treatment of certain investments we may make, and the possibility of future changes in our circumstances, no assurance can be given that we will so qualify for any particular year. If we fail to qualify as a REIT in any calendar year and we do not qualify for certain statutory relief provisions, we would be required to pay U.S. federal income tax on our taxable income. We might need to borrow money or sell assets to pay that tax. Our payment of income tax would decrease the amount of our income available for distribution to our stockholders. Furthermore, if we fail to maintain our qualification as a REIT, we no longer would be required to distribute substantially all of our REIT taxable income to our stockholders. Unless we were to qualify for certain statutory relief provisions, we would be disqualified from re-electing to be taxed as a REIT for the four taxable years following the year during which qualification was lost.
In addition, as a result of the Merger, if REIT I is determined to have lost its REIT status or not qualified as a REIT prior to the Merger, we will face serious tax consequences that would substantially reduce cash available for distribution, including cash available to pay dividends to our stockholders, because:
1. REIT I would be subject to U.S. federal income tax on its net income at regular corporate rates for the years it did not qualify for taxation as a REIT (and, for such years, would not be allowed a deduction for dividends paid to stockholders in computing its taxable income);
2. REIT I could be subject to the federal alternative minimum tax (for tax years beginning before December 31, 2017) and possibly increased state and local taxes for such periods;
3. we would inherit any such liability, including any interest and penalties that have accrued on such federal income tax liabilities;
4. if we were considered a “successor corporation” under the Internal Revenue Code and applicable Treasury Regulations, we could not elect to be taxed as a REIT until the fifth taxable year following the year during which REIT I was disqualified; and
5. for up to 5 years following re-election of REIT status, upon a taxable disposition of an asset owned as of such re-election, we could be subject to corporate level tax with respect to any built-in gain inherent in such asset at the time of re-election.
Moreover, if REIT I failed to qualify as a REIT prior to the Merger, but we nevertheless qualified as a REIT, in the event of a taxable disposition of a former REIT I asset during the five years following the Merger, we would be subject to corporate tax with respect to any built-in gain inherent in such asset as of the Merger. The failure of REIT I to qualify as a REIT prior to the Merger could impair our ability to remain qualified as a REIT, could impair our business and ability to raise capital, and would materially adversely affect the value of our stock.
Certain of our business activities are potentially subject to the prohibited transaction tax, which could decrease the value of our stockholders’ investment in us.
The U.S. federal income tax provisions applicable to REITs provide that any gain realized by a REIT on the sale of property held as inventory or other property held primarily for sale to tenants in the ordinary course of business is treated as income from a “prohibited transaction” that is subject to a 100% excise tax. Our ability to dispose of a property during the first few years following its acquisition is restricted to a substantial extent as a result of these rules. Whether property is inventory or otherwise held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business depends on the particular facts and circumstances surrounding each property. Properties we own, directly or through any subsidiary entity, including our Operating Partnership, but generally excluding our taxable REIT subsidiaries, may, depending on how we conduct our operations, be treated as inventory or property held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business. Any taxes we pay would reduce our cash available for distribution to our stockholders. Our concern over paying the prohibited transactions tax may cause us to forgo disposition opportunities that would otherwise be advantageous if we were not a REIT.
Even if we qualify as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes, we may nonetheless be subject to tax in certain circumstances that reduce our cash flow and our ability to make distributions to our stockholders.
Even if we qualify as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes, we may be subject to some federal, state and local taxes on our income or property. For example:
1. In order to qualify as a REIT, we must distribute annually at least 90% of our REIT taxable income to stockholders (which is determined without regard to the dividends-paid deduction or net capital gain). To the extent that we satisfy the distribution requirement but distribute less than 100% of our REIT taxable income, we will be subject to U.S. federal corporate income tax on the undistributed income.
2. We will be subject to a 4% nondeductible excise tax on the amount, if any, by which distributions we pay in any calendar year are less than the sum of 85% of our ordinary income, 95% of our capital gain net income and 100% of our undistributed income from prior years.
3. If we elect to treat property that we acquire in connection with certain leasehold terminations as “foreclosure property,” we may avoid the 100% tax on the gain from a resale of that property, but the income from the sale or operation of that property may be subject to corporate income tax at the highest applicable rate.
4. As discussed above, if we sell an asset, other than foreclosure property, that we hold primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business, our gain would be subject to the 100% “prohibited transaction” tax unless such sale were made by one of our taxable REIT subsidiaries or the sale met certain “safe harbor” requirements under the Internal Revenue Code.
REIT distribution requirements could adversely affect our ability to execute our business plan.
We generally must distribute annually at least 90% of our REIT taxable income, subject to certain adjustments and excluding any net capital gain, in order for U.S. federal corporate income tax not to apply to earnings that we distribute. To the extent that we satisfy this distribution requirement but distribute less than 100% of our REIT taxable income, we will be subject to U.S. federal corporate income tax on our undistributed REIT taxable income. In addition, we will be subject to a 4% nondeductible excise tax if the actual amount that we pay out to our stockholders in a calendar year is less than a minimum amount specified under federal tax laws. We intend to make distributions to our stockholders to comply with the REIT requirements of the Internal Revenue Code.
From time to time, we may generate taxable income greater than our income for financial reporting purposes, or our taxable income may be greater than our cash flow available for distribution to stockholders. If we do not have other funds available in these situations we could be required to borrow funds, sell investments at disadvantageous prices or find another alternative source of funds to make distributions sufficient to enable us to pay out enough of our taxable income to satisfy the REIT distribution requirements and to avoid corporate income tax and the 4% excise tax in a particular year. These alternatives could increase our costs or reduce our equity. Thus, compliance with the REIT requirements may hinder our ability to operate solely on the basis of maximizing profits.
Re-characterization of sale-leaseback transactions may cause us to lose our REIT status.
We may purchase properties and lease them back to the sellers of such properties. We would characterize such a sale-leaseback transaction as a “true lease,” which treats the lessor as the owner of the property for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In the event that any sale-leaseback transaction is challenged by the IRS and re-characterized as a financing transaction or loan for U.S. federal income tax purposes, deductions for depreciation and cost recovery relating to such property would be disallowed. If a sale-leaseback transaction were so re-characterized, we might fail to satisfy the REIT qualification “asset tests” or the “income tests” and, consequently, lose our REIT status effective with the year of re-characterization. Alternatively, such a re-characterization could cause the amount of our REIT taxable income to be recalculated, which might also cause us to fail to meet the distribution requirement for a taxable year and thus lose our REIT status.
To maintain our REIT status, we may be forced to forgo otherwise attractive business or investment opportunities, which may delay or hinder our ability to meet our investment objectives and reduce our stockholders’ investment in us.
To continue to qualify as a REIT, we must satisfy certain tests on an ongoing basis concerning, among other things, the sources of our income, nature of our assets and the amounts we distribute to our stockholders. We may be required to make distributions to stockholders at times when it would be more advantageous to reinvest cash in our business or when we do not have funds readily available for distribution. Compliance with the REIT requirements may hinder our ability to operate solely on the basis of maximizing profits and reduce the value of our stockholders’ investment.
Dividends on, and gains recognized on the sale of, our shares by a tax-exempt stockholder may be subject to U.S. federal income tax as unrelated business taxable income.
If (1) we are a “pension-held REIT,” (2) a tax-exempt stockholder has incurred (or is deemed to have incurred) debt to purchase or hold our shares, (3) a holder of shares is a certain type of tax-exempt stockholder, or (4) we directly or indirectly acquire a residual interest in certain mortgage loan securitization structures (i.e., a “taxable mortgage pool” or a residual interest in a real estate mortgage investment conduit (“REMIC”)), dividends on, and gains recognized on the sale of, shares by such tax-exempt stockholder may be subject to U.S. federal income tax as unrelated business taxable income under the Internal Revenue Code.
Complying with REIT requirements may force us to liquidate otherwise attractive investments.
To continue to qualify as a REIT, we must ensure that at the end of each calendar quarter, at least 75% of the value of our assets consists of cash, cash items, government securities and qualified REIT real estate assets, including investments in certain mortgage loans and residential and commercial mortgage-backed securities. The remainder of our investment in securities (other than government securities and qualified real estate assets) generally cannot include more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any one issuer or more than 10% of the total value of the outstanding securities of any one issuer. In addition, in general, no more than 5% of the value of our assets (other than government securities and qualified real estate assets) can consist of the securities of any one issuer, and no more than 20% of the value of our total assets can be represented by securities of one or more taxable REIT subsidiaries. If we fail to comply with these requirements at the end of any calendar quarter, we must correct the failure within 30 days after the end of the calendar quarter or qualify for certain statutory relief provisions to avoid losing our REIT qualification and suffering adverse tax consequences. As a result, we may be required to liquidate from our portfolio otherwise attractive investments. These actions could have the effect of reducing our income and amounts available for distribution to our stockholders.
Liquidation of assets may jeopardize our REIT qualification.
To continue to qualify as a REIT, we must comply with requirements regarding our assets and our sources of income. If we are compelled to liquidate our investments to repay obligations to our lenders, we may be unable to comply with these requirements, ultimately jeopardizing our qualification as a REIT, or we may be subject to a 100% tax on any resultant gain if we sell assets that are treated as dealer property or inventory.
Characterization of any repurchase agreements we enter into to finance our investments as sales for tax purposes rather than as secured lending transactions would adversely affect our ability to qualify as a REIT.
We may enter into repurchase agreements with a variety of counterparties to achieve our desired amount of leverage for the assets in which we invest. When we enter into a repurchase agreement, we generally sell assets to our counterparty to the agreement and receive cash from the counterparty. The counterparty is obligated to resell the assets back to us at the end of the term of the transaction. We believe that for U.S. federal income tax purposes we will be treated as the owner of the assets that are the subject of repurchase agreements and that the repurchase agreements will be treated as secured lending transactions notwithstanding that such agreement may transfer record ownership of the assets to the counterparty during the term of the agreement. It is possible, however, that the IRS could successfully assert that we did not own these assets during the term of the repurchase agreements, in which case we could fail to qualify as a REIT if tax ownership of these assets was necessary for us to meet the income and/or asset tests.
Complying with REIT requirements may limit our ability to hedge effectively.
The REIT provisions of the Internal Revenue Code may limit our ability to hedge our assets and operations. Under these provisions, any income that we generate from transactions intended to hedge our interest rate, inflation and/or currency risks will be excluded from gross income for purposes of the REIT 75% and 95% gross income tests if the instrument hedges (i) interest rate risk on liabilities incurred to carry or acquire real estate or (ii) risk of currency fluctuations with respect to any item of income or gain that would be qualifying income under the REIT 75% or 95% gross income tests, and such instrument is properly identified under applicable Treasury Regulations. Income from hedging transactions that do not meet these requirements will generally constitute nonqualifying income for purposes of both the REIT 75% and 95% gross income tests. As a result of these rules, we may have to limit our use of hedging techniques that might otherwise be advantageous, which could result in greater risks associated with interest rate or other changes than we would otherwise incur.
Ownership limitations may restrict change of control or business combination opportunities which our stockholders might believe to be in their best interest.
In order for us to qualify as a REIT for each taxable year, no more than 50% in value of our outstanding capital stock may be owned, directly or indirectly, by five or fewer individuals during the last half of any calendar year. “Individuals” for this purpose include natural persons, and some entities such as private foundations. To preserve our REIT qualification, among other purposes, our charter generally prohibits any person from directly or indirectly owning more than 9.8% in value or in number of shares, whichever is more restrictive, of the outstanding shares of our common stock, or 9.8% in value of the aggregate of the outstanding shares of all classes or series of our stock. This ownership limitation could have the effect of discouraging a takeover or other transaction which our stockholders might believe to be otherwise in their best interests.
Our ownership of and relationship with our taxable REIT subsidiaries will be limited and a failure to comply with the limits would jeopardize our REIT status and may result in the application of a 100% excise tax.
We may own one or more taxable REIT subsidiaries. A taxable REIT subsidiary may earn income that would not be qualifying income if earned directly by the parent REIT. Both the subsidiary and the REIT must jointly elect to treat the subsidiary as a taxable REIT subsidiary. A corporation of which a taxable REIT subsidiary directly or indirectly owns more than 35% of the voting power or value of the stock will automatically be treated as a taxable REIT subsidiary. Overall, no more than 20% of the value of a REIT’s assets may consist of stock or securities of one or more taxable REIT subsidiaries. A domestic taxable REIT subsidiary will pay federal, state and local income tax at regular corporate rates on any income that it earns. In addition, the taxable REIT subsidiary rules limit the deductibility of interest paid or accrued by a taxable REIT subsidiary to its parent REIT to assure that the taxable REIT subsidiary is subject to an appropriate level of corporate taxation. The rules also impose a 100% excise tax on certain transactions between a taxable REIT subsidiary and its parent REIT that are not conducted on an arm’s-length basis. We cannot assure our stockholders that we will be able to comply with the 20% value limitation on ownership of taxable REIT subsidiary stock and securities on an ongoing basis so as to maintain REIT status or to avoid application of the 100% excise tax imposed on certain non-arm’s length transactions.
We may be subject to adverse legislative or regulatory tax changes.
At any time, the federal income tax laws or regulations governing REITs or the administrative interpretations of those laws or regulations may be amended. We cannot predict when or if any new federal income tax law, regulation or administrative interpretation, or any amendment to any existing federal income tax law, regulation or administrative interpretation, will be adopted, promulgated or become effective and any such law, regulation or interpretation may take effect retroactively. We and our stockholders could be adversely affected by any such change in, or any new, federal income tax law, regulation or administrative interpretation.
In particular, on December 22, 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”) was signed into law. The Tax Act includes sweeping changes to U.S. tax laws and represents the most significant change to the Internal Revenue Code since 1986. In addition to reducing corporate and individual tax rates, the Tax Act eliminates or restricts various deductions. Most of the changes applicable to individuals are temporary and apply only to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, and before January 1, 2026. The Tax Act also makes numerous large and small changes to the tax rules that do not affect the REIT qualification rules directly, but may otherwise affect us or our stockholders. In addition, recently enacted legislation intended to support the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”), made technical corrections, or temporary modifications, to certain of the provisions of the Tax Act. Additional changes to tax laws were enacted as part of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (the “IRA”). Many of the material provisions of the IRA exempt REITs. There may also be future changes in U.S. federal tax laws, regulations, rules, and judicial and administrative interpretations applicable to us, our business and our tenants, the effect of which cannot be predicted. While the changes in the Tax Act, the CARES Act and the IRA generally appear to be favorable with respect to REITs, the extensive changes to non-REIT provisions in the Internal Revenue Code may have unanticipated effects on us or our stockholders.
Additional changes to the tax laws are likely to continue to occur, and we cannot assure stockholders that any such changes will not adversely affect their taxation, the investment in the shares or the market value or the resale potential of our properties. Prospective stockholders are urged to consult with their own tax advisor with respect to the impact of recent legislation, including the Tax Act, on their investment in the shares and the status of legislative, regulatory or administrative developments and proposals and their potential effect on an investment in our shares.
Dividends paid by REITs are generally not eligible for the reduced rates for qualified dividends and therefore could cause investors who are individuals, trusts and estates to perceive investments in REITs to be relatively less attractive than investments in the shares of non-REIT corporations that pay dividends, which could adversely affect the value of the shares of REITs, including our shares.
Currently, the maximum tax rate applicable to qualified dividend income payable to U.S. stockholders that are individuals, trusts and estates is 20%. Dividends payable by REITs, however, generally are not eligible for the reduced rates for qualified dividends and are taxed at ordinary income rates (but under the Tax Act, U.S. stockholders that are individuals, trusts and estates generally may deduct 20% of ordinary dividends from a REIT for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, and before January 1, 2026). Although this does not adversely affect the taxation of REITs or dividends payable by REITs, the more favorable rates applicable to regular corporate qualified dividends could cause investors who are individuals, trusts and estates to perceive investments in REITs to be relatively less attractive than investments in the shares of non-REIT corporations that pay dividends, which could adversely affect the value of the shares of REITs, including our shares.
Dividend income received in respect of our shares and gain from the sale of our shares could be treated as effectively connected income.
Subject to certain exceptions, distributions received from us will be treated as dividends of ordinary income to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and profits. Such dividends ordinarily will be subject to U.S. withholding tax at a 30% rate, or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty, unless the distributions are treated as “effectively connected” with the conduct by the non-U.S. stockholder of a U.S. trade or business. Pursuant to the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act of 1980 (“FIRPTA”), capital gain distributions attributable to sales or exchanges of U.S. real property interests (“USRPIs”) generally will be taxed to a non-U.S. stockholder as if such gain were effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business. However, a capital gain distribution will not be treated as effectively connected income if (1) the distribution is received with respect to a class of shares that is regularly traded on an established securities market located in the United States and (2) the non-U.S. stockholder does not own more than 10% of the class of our shares at any time during the one-year period ending on the date the distribution is received. We anticipate that our common stock will be “regularly traded” on the NYSE. Non-U.S. stockholders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the application of these rules.
Gain recognized by a non-U.S. stockholder upon the sale or exchange of our shares generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income taxation unless such shares constitute a USRPI within the meaning of FIRPTA. Our shares will not constitute a USRPI so long as we are a “domestically-controlled qualified investment entity.” A domestically-controlled qualified investment entity includes a REIT if at all times during a specified testing period, less than 50% in value of such REIT’s shares is held directly or indirectly by non-U.S. stockholders. There can be no assurances that we will be a domestically-controlled qualified investment entity.
Even if we do not qualify as a domestically-controlled qualified investment entity at the time a non-U.S. stockholder sells or exchanges our shares, gain arising from such a sale or exchange would not be subject to U.S. taxation under FIRPTA as a sale of a USRPI if: (1) our shares are “regularly traded,” as defined by applicable Treasury Regulations, on an established securities market, and (2) such non-U.S. stockholder owned, actually and constructively, 10% or less of our shares at any time during the five-year period ending on the date of the sale. As noted above, we anticipate that our common stock will be “regularly traded” on the NYSE. We encourage our non-U.S. stockholders to consult an independent tax advisor to determine the tax consequences applicable to them.
If our Operating Partnership fails to maintain its status as a partnership, its income may be subject to taxation, which would reduce the cash available for distribution to stockholders and likely result in a loss of our REIT status.
We intend to maintain the status of our Operating Partnership as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, if the IRS were to successfully challenge the status of the Operating Partnership as a partnership for such purposes, it would be taxable as a corporation. In such event, this would reduce the amount of distributions that the Operating Partnership could make to us. This would also likely result in our losing REIT status, and, if so, becoming subject to a corporate level tax on our own income. This would substantially reduce any cash available to pay distributions. In addition, if any of the partnerships or limited liability companies through which the Operating Partnership owns its properties, in whole or in part, loses its characterization as a partnership or limited liability company, as applicable, and is otherwise not disregarded for U.S. federal income tax purposes, it would be subject to taxation as a corporation, thereby reducing distributions to the Operating Partnership. Such a recharacterization of an underlying property owner could also threaten our ability to maintain our status as a REIT.
Risks Related to the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Our Business
Measures intended to prevent the spread of COVID-19 have disrupted our ability to operate our business.
In response to the outbreak of COVID-19 and the federal and state mandates implemented to control its spread, most of our employees are working remotely. If our employees are unable to work effectively as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, including because of illness, quarantines, office closures, ineffective remote work arrangements or technology failures or limitations, our operations would be adversely impacted. Further, remote work arrangements may increase the risk of cybersecurity incidents, data breaches or cyber-attacks, which could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations, due to, among other things, the loss of proprietary data, interruptions or delays in the operation of our business, damage to our reputation and any government imposed penalty.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruption to our tenants' business operations and any future outbreak of other highly infectious or contagious diseases could materially and adversely impact or disrupt our business operations, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and performance.
The COVID-19 pandemic, including the spread of variants and the emergence of any future variants including resistance of variants to currently available vaccines, has had, and any other pandemics in the future could have, repercussions across regional, national and global economies and financial markets. The outbreak of COVID-19 in the United States and in many countries adversely impacted global economic activity and contributed to significant volatility and negative pressure in the financial markets. Many countries, including the United States, responded by instituting quarantines for some period of time, mandating business and school closures and restrictions on their re-openings, banning group gatherings and restricting travel, among others.
Certain states and cities, including where we own properties, also reacted by instituting quarantines, restrictions on travel, “shelter in place” rules and restrictions to only essential businesses that may continue to operate. As a result, the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted almost every industry directly or indirectly, including the real estate industry in which we and our tenants operate. Non-renewal of leases by our tenants due to reduced demand for office space, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, any other pandemic in the future or otherwise, could reduce our cash flows, which could impact our ability to continue paying distributions to our stockholders at expected levels, or at all.