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TABLE OF CONTENTS
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 4, 2015
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20549
FORM S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
DOUGLAS EMMETT, INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
Maryland (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
20-3073047 (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
808 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 200
Santa Monica, California 90401
(310) 255-7700
(Address, Including Zip Code and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Registrant's Principal Executive Offices)
Theodore E. Guth
Chief Financial Officer
808 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 200
Santa Monica, California 90401
(310) 255-7700
(Name, Address, Including Zip Code and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)
Copy to: | ||
Ben D. Orlanski, Esq. Katherine J. Blair, Esq. Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP 11355 West Olympic Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90064 (310) 312-4000 (310) 312-4224 Facsimile |
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:
From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement.
If the only securities being registered on this form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. o
If any of the securities being registered on this form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box. o
If this form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. o
If this form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. o
If this form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ý
If this form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer" and "smaller reporting company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer ý | Accelerated filer o | Non-accelerated filer o (Do not check if a smaller reporting company) |
Smaller reporting company o |
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
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Title of Each Class of Securities to be Registered |
Amount to be Registered/Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Unit/Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price(1)(2)(3) |
Amount of Registration Fee(1)(2)(3) |
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Common stock, par value $0.01 per share |
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Preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share |
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Depositary shares representing preferred stock(4) |
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Warrants or other Rights |
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Stock Purchase Contracts |
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Units(5) |
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Pursuant to Rule 415(a)(6), this registration statement in part registers shares of common stock having an aggregate offering price of $300,000,000 covered by a prospectus supplement filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5) on September 13, 2012 to the prospectus dated September 13, 2012 included in the Registration Statement (No. 333-183879) filed on September 13, 2012 (the "Prior Registration Statement"), all of which remain unsold. Douglas Emmett, Inc. previously paid filing fees of $34,380.00 in connection with the offer and sale of the unsold shares of common stock covered by the Prior Registration Statement. The registration fees paid in connection with the offer and sale of the unsold shares of common stock covered by the Prior Registration Statement will continue to be applied to the unsold shares of common stock registered hereby. In accordance with Rule 415(a)(6), the offering of the unsold shares of common stock under the Prior Registration Statement will be terminated upon the effectiveness of this Registration Statement.
The registrant is filing this registration statement to replace the Prior Registration Statement, which is expiring pursuant to Rule 415(a)(5) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. In accordance with Rule 415(a)(6), effectiveness of this registration statement will be deemed to terminate the Prior Registration Statement.
Douglas Emmett, Inc.
Common Stock
Preferred Stock
Depositary Shares
Warrants or Other Rights
Stock Purchase Contracts
Units
We may from time to time offer to sell the securities listed above. The preferred stock, warrants, rights and stock purchase contracts may be convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of our common or preferred stock or other securities of ours or debt or equity securities of one or more other entities. The shares of preferred stock may either be sold separately or represented by depositary shares. The shares of preferred stock may be convertible into shares of common stock and/or into shares of preferred stock of another series.
We may offer and sell these securities to or through one or more underwriters, dealers and agents or directly to purchasers, on a continuous or delayed basis.
This prospectus describes some of the general terms that may apply to these securities and the general manner in which they may be offered. The specific terms of any securities to be offered, and the specific manner in which they may be offered, will be described in a supplement to this prospectus.
You should consider the discussion regarding our risk factors included under the heading "Risk Factors" on page 1 of this prospectus before investing our securities.
Our shares of common stock are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "DEI". Where applicable, a prospectus supplement will contain information on any listing on a securities exchange of securities covered by that prospectus supplement.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Prospectus dated August 4, 2015.
You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement or incorporated by reference in these documents. No dealer, salesperson or other person is authorized to give any information or to represent anything not contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or the accompanying prospectus supplement. If anyone provides you with different, inconsistent or unauthorized information or representations, you must not rely on them. This prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement are an offer to sell only the securities offered by these documents, but only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. The information contained in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement is current only as of the date on the front of those documents.
Douglas Emmett is required to file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC. You may read and copy any documents filed by us at the SEC's public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the public reference room. Our filings with the SEC are also available to the public through the SEC's Internet site at http://www.sec.gov.
We have filed a registration statement on Form S-3 with the SEC relating to the securities covered by this prospectus. This prospectus is a part of the registration statement and does not contain all of the information in the registration statement. Whenever a reference is made in this prospectus to a contract or other document, please be aware that the reference is only a summary and that you should refer to the exhibits that are a part of the registration statements for a copy of the contract or other document. You may review a copy of the registration statements at the SEC's public reference room in Washington, D.C., as well as through the SEC's Internet site.
The SEC's rules allow us to "incorporate by reference" information into this prospectus. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document. Any information referred to in this way is considered part of this prospectus from the date we file that document. Any reports filed by us with the SEC after the date of this prospectus and before the date that the offering of the securities by means of this prospectus is terminated will automatically update and, where applicable, supersede any information contained in this prospectus or incorporated by reference in this prospectus.
We incorporate by reference into this prospectus the following documents or information filed with the SEC (other than, in each case, documents or information deemed to have been furnished and not filed in accordance with SEC rules):
We will provide without charge to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom this prospectus is delivered, upon his or her written or oral request, a copy of any or all documents referred to above which have been or may be incorporated by reference into this prospectus, excluding exhibits to those documents unless they are specifically incorporated by reference into those documents. You can request those documents from our corporate secretary, 808 Wilshire Boulevard, 2nd Floor, Santa Monica, California, 90401, telephone (310) 255-7700. Alternatively, copies of these documents may be available on our website (www.douglasemmett.com). Any other documents available on our website are not incorporated by reference into this prospectus.
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We have included discussions of cautionary factors describing risks relating to our business and an investment in our securities in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, which is incorporated by reference into this prospectus. See "Available Information" for an explanation of how to get a copy of this report. Additional risks related to our securities may also be described in a prospectus supplement. Before purchasing our securities, you should carefully consider the risk factors we describe in any prospectus supplement or in any report incorporated by reference into this prospectus or such prospectus supplement, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, or any Annual Report on Form 10-K or Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q that is incorporated by reference into this prospectus or such prospectus supplement after the date of this prospectus. Although we discuss key risks in those risk factor descriptions, additional risks not currently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial also may impair our business. Our subsequent filings with the SEC may contain amended and updated discussions of significant risks. We cannot predict future risks or estimate the extent to which they may affect our financial performance.
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus, including the documents incorporated by reference in it, contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (Securities Act), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (Exchange Act). These statements may be made directly in this document or they may be made part of this document by reference to other documents filed with the SEC, which is known as "incorporation by reference." You can find many (but not all) of these statements by looking for words such as "approximates," "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "estimates," "intends," "plans," "would," "may" or other similar expressions in this prospectus or the documents incorporated by reference.
We claim the protection of the safe harbor contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We caution investors that any forward-looking statements presented in this prospectus or the documents incorporated by reference, or those which we may make orally or in writing from time to time, are based on our beliefs and assumptions, as well as information currently available to us. Such statements are based on assumptions and the actual outcome will be affected by known and unknown risks, trends, uncertainties and factors that are beyond our control or ability to predict. Although we believe that our assumptions are reasonable, they are not guarantees of future performance and some will inevitably prove to be incorrect. As a result, our actual future results can be expected to differ from our expectations, and those differences may be material. Accordingly, investors should use caution in relying on past forward-looking statements, which are based on known results and trends at the time they are made, to anticipate future results or trends.
Some of the risks and uncertainties that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements include the following:
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This prospectus and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or any person acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. We do not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions to our forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the dates that such statements are made.
For more information on the uncertainty of forward-looking statements, see "Risk Factors" in our Annual Reports on Form 10-K and, to the extent applicable, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and any applicable prospectus supplement.
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Douglas Emmett, Inc. is a fully integrated, self-administered and self-managed Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT). We are one of the largest owners and operators of high-quality office and multifamily properties located in premier submarkets in California and Hawaii. We focus on owning, acquiring and operating a substantial share of top-tier office properties and premier multifamily communities in neighborhoods that possess significant supply constraints, high-end executive housing and key lifestyle amenities. We intend to increase our market share in our existing submarkets of Los Angeles County and Honolulu, and may selectively enter into other submarkets with similar characteristics where we believe we can gain significant market share.
Through our interest in Douglas Emmett Properties, LP (our operating partnership) and its subsidiaries, including our investments in our unconsolidated institutional real estate funds (Funds), we own or partially own, manage, lease, acquire and develop real estate, consisting primarily of office and multifamily properties. As of March 31, 2015, we owned a consolidated portfolio of 54 office properties (including ancillary retail space) and 10 multifamily properties, as well as the fee interests in two parcels of land subject to ground leases from which we earn ground rent income. Alongside our consolidated portfolio, we also manage and own equity interests in our Funds which, at March 31, 2015, owned eight additional office properties, for a combined 62 office properties in our total portfolio. We manage these eight properties alongside our consolidated portfolio; therefore we present our office portfolio statistics on a total portfolio basis, with a combined 62 Class A office properties totaling approximately 15.5 million square feet. All of our properties are concentrated in nine premier Los Angeles County submarketsBrentwood, Olympic Corridor, Century City, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Westwood, Sherman Oaks/Encino, Warner Center/Woodland Hills and Burbank, as well as in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Our principal executive offices are located at 808 Wilshire Boulevard, 2nd Floor, Santa Monica, California, 90401, and our telephone number is (310) 255-7700. We maintain a web site at www.douglasemmett.com. The information contained on or that may be obtained from our web site is not, and shall not be deemed to be, a part of this prospectus. Our common stock is currently traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "DEI."
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CONSOLIDATED RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO COMBINED
FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERENCE DIVIDEND REQUIREMENTS
We will disclose or incorporate by reference in the related prospectus supplement a ratio of combined fixed charges and preference dividends to earnings in connection with the registration of preference equity securities.
As will be more fully described in the applicable prospectus supplement, we intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of securities for general corporate purposes or other uses. These other uses may include, among others, the funding of acquisitions or the repayment of indebtedness.
The following summary of the material terms of the stock of our company in this section does not purport to be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to our charter and Amended and Restated Bylaws (as amended and restated, the "bylaws") copies of which we have previously filed with the SEC and which we incorporate by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. See "Available Information."
General. Our charter provides that we may issue up to 750,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.01 par value per share, and 200,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.01 par value per share. Our charter authorizes our board of directors to amend our charter to increase or decrease the aggregate number of authorized shares or the number of authorized shares of any class or series without common stockholder approval. As of May 1, 2015, 145,862,757 shares of our common stock were issued and outstanding. Under Maryland law, our stockholders generally are not liable for our debts or obligations.
We believe that the power of our board of directors to increase the number of authorized shares of stock, authorize us to issue additional authorized but unissued shares of our common stock or preferred stock and to classify or reclassify unissued shares of our common stock or preferred stock and thereafter to cause us to issue such classified or reclassified shares of stock provides us with increased flexibility in structuring possible future financings and acquisitions and in meeting other needs which might arise. Shares of additional classes or series of stock, as well as additional shares of common stock, will be available for issuance without further action by our stockholders, unless stockholder consent is required by applicable law, the terms of any class or series of our stock or the rules of any stock exchange or automated quotation system on which our securities may be listed or traded. Although our board of directors does not intend to do so, it could authorize us to issue a class or series of stock that could, depending upon the terms of the particular class or series, delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change of control of our company that might involve a premium price for holders of our common stock or otherwise be in their best interest.
Description of Common Stock. All shares of our common stock covered by this prospectus will be, upon issuance, duly authorized, fully paid and nonassessable. Subject to the preferential rights of any other class or series of our stock and to the provisions of our charter regarding the restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock, holders of shares of our common stock are entitled to receive dividends on such stock if, as and when authorized by our board of directors out of assets legally available therefor and declared by us and to share ratably in the assets of our company legally available for distribution to our stockholders in the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, after payment of or adequate provision for all known debts and liabilities of our company.
Subject to the provisions of our charter regarding the restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock discussed below and except as may otherwise be specified in the terms of any class or series of stock, each outstanding share of our common stock entitles the holder to one vote on all matters
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submitted to a vote of stockholders, including the election of directors and, except as provided with respect to any other class or series of stock, the holders of such shares will possess the exclusive voting power. There is no cumulative voting in the election of our directors, which means that the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of our common stock can elect all of the directors then standing for election by our common stockholders and the holders of the remaining shares will not be able to elect any directors.
Holders of shares of our common stock have no preference, conversion, exchange, sinking fund, redemption or appraisal rights and have no preemptive rights to subscribe for any securities of our company. Subject to the provisions of our charter regarding the restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock, shares of our common stock will have equal dividend, liquidation and other rights.
Under the Maryland General Corporation Law, or MGCL, a Maryland corporation generally cannot dissolve, amend its charter, merge, consolidate, convert, sell all or substantially all of its assets or engage in a statutory share exchange unless the action is approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter, unless a lesser percentage (but not less than a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter) is set forth in the corporation's charter. Our charter provides for approval of such matters by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast at least two-thirds of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter, except that amendments to our charter (other than any amendment to the provisions of our charter regarding director removal, the approval of extraordinary transactions and the vote required to amend such provisions, which must be approved by the affirmative vote of at least two thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on such amendments) may be approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast a majority of the votes entitled to be cast on the amendment.
Our charter authorizes our board of directors to reclassify any unissued shares of our common stock into other classes or series of classes of stock and to establish the number of shares in each class or series and to set the preferences, conversion and other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends and other distributions, qualifications and terms or conditions of redemption for each such class or series.
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Computershare Trust Company, N.A.
Description of Preferred Stock. Our charter authorizes our board of directors to classify any unissued shares of preferred stock and to reclassify any previously classified but unissued shares of any class or series. Prior to issuance of shares of each class or series, our board of directors is required by the MGCL and our charter to set, subject to the provisions of our charter regarding the restrictions on ownership and transfer of stock, the preferences, conversion and other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends and other distributions, qualifications and terms and conditions of redemption for each such class or series. Thus, our board of directors could authorize the issuance of shares of a class or series of preferred stock with terms and conditions which could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a transaction or a change of control of our company that might involve a premium price for holders of our common stock or otherwise be in their best interest. As of the date hereof, no shares of preferred stock are outstanding and we have no present plans to issue any preferred stock.
If we offer convertible preferred stock, such stock will be convertible into shares of our common stock or other securities. With respect to any convertible preferred stock (referred to herein as preferred stock) we may choose to offer, the specific designation and terms and conditions will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to the preferred stock offered, including the following terms. Each time that we issue a new series of preferred stock, we will file with the SEC and the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland articles supplementary which will state the designation, preferences, conversion and other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends and other distributions, qualifications and terms and conditions of redemption of that class or
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series of preferred stock. The articles supplementary for the class or series of preferred stock will contain the full legal text of the applicable matters described in this section and our prospectus supplement relating to the preferred stock. See "Available Information" above for information on how to obtain copies of the articles supplementary. The terms of the preferred stock in the articles supplementary will include some or all of the following:
The prospectus supplement relating to any class or series preferred stock we issue will, to the extent appropriate, describe any applicable material U.S. federal income tax consequences of the ownership of such stock.
Description of Depositary Shares. We may, at our option, elect to offer depositary shares, which represent receipts for fractional interests in shares of preferred stock rather than full shares of preferred stock. If we offer depositary shares, depositary receipts for depositary shares, each of which will represent a fraction of a share of a particular class or series of preferred stock, will be issued as
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described below. The prospectus supplement relating to any series of depositary shares will state the fraction of a share of preferred stock represented by each depositary share.
The description below of the material provisions of the deposit agreement and of the depositary shares and depositary receipts is only a summary and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the forms of deposit agreement and depositary receipts relating to each series of the depositary shares that have been or will be filed with the SEC at or before the time of the offering or sale of a series of depositary shares. The particular terms of depositary shares representing fractional interests in any particular class or series of preferred stock and, to the extent appropriate, any applicable material U.S. federal income tax consequences of the ownership of depositary shares, will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement, which will supplement the information in this prospectus.
The shares of any class or series of preferred stock represented by depositary shares will be deposited under a deposit agreement between us and the depositary. Subject to the deposit agreement, each owner of a depositary share will be entitled, in proportion to the applicable fraction of a share of preferred stock represented by the depositary share, to all of the preferences, conversion and other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends and other distributions, qualifications and terms and conditions of redemption of the preferred stock represented by the depositary share.
Dividends and Other Distributions. The depositary will distribute all cash dividends and other cash distributions received in respect of the preferred stock to the record holders of depositary shares relating to the preferred stock in proportion to the numbers of depositary shares owned by the holders.
If we make a distribution other than in cash, the depositary will distribute property received by it to the record holders of depositary shares in an equitable manner, unless the depositary determines that it is not feasible to make the distribution, in which case the depositary may sell the property and distribute the net proceeds from the sale to the holders.
Withdrawal of Shares of Underlying Preferred Stock. Upon surrender of depositary receipts at the corporate trust office of the depositary, unless the related depositary shares have previously been called for redemption or converted into excess shares or otherwise, each depositary receipt holder will be entitled to delivery at the depositary's corporate trust office, to or upon the holder's order, of the number of whole or fractional shares of the class or series of preferred stock and any money or other property represented by the depositary shares evidenced by the depositary receipts. Holders of depositary receipts will be entitled to receive whole or fractional shares of the related class or series of preferred stock on the basis of the fraction of a share of preferred stock represented by each depositary share as specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, but holders of the shares of preferred stock will not be entitled to receive depositary shares representing shares of preferred stock after exchanging the depositary shares for shares of preferred stock. If the depositary receipts delivered by the holder evidence a number of depositary shares in excess of the number of depositary shares representing the number of shares of preferred stock to be withdrawn, the depositary will deliver to the holder at the same time a new depositary receipt evidencing the excess number of depositary shares.
Redemption of Depositary Shares. If a class or series of preferred stock represented by depositary shares is subject to redemption, the depositary shares will be redeemed from the proceeds received by the depositary resulting from the redemption, in whole or in part, of the class or series of preferred stock held by the depositary. The redemption price per depositary share will be equal to the applicable fraction of the redemption price per share payable with respect to the class or series of preferred stock. Whenever we redeem preferred stock held by the depositary, the depositary will redeem as of the same redemption date the number of depositary shares representing the redeemed preferred stock. If fewer than all of the depositary shares are to be redeemed, the depositary shares to be redeemed will be selected by lot, proportionately or by any other equitable method as may be determined by the depositary.
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Voting the Underlying Preferred Stock. Upon receipt of notice of any meeting at which the holders of the preferred stock of any class or series represented by depository shares are entitled to vote, the depositary will mail the information contained in the notice of meeting to the record holders of the depositary shares relating to the class or series of preferred stock. Each record holder of these depositary shares on the record date will be entitled to instruct the depositary as to the exercise of the voting rights pertaining to the amount of the preferred stock represented by the holder's depositary shares. The record date for voting the depositary shares will be the same as the record date for voting the preferred stock. The depositary will endeavor, insofar as practicable, to vote the amount of the preferred stock represented by the depositary shares in accordance with the instructions, and we will take all reasonable action deemed necessary by the depositary in order to enable the depositary to do so. The depositary will abstain from voting the preferred stock to the extent it does not receive specific instructions from the holder of depositary shares representing those shares of preferred stock.
Amendment and Termination of the Deposit Agreement. We and the depositary may amend the form of depositary receipt evidencing the depositary shares and any provision of the deposit agreement at any time. However, any amendment that materially and adversely alters the rights of the holders of depositary shares will not be effective unless the holders of at least a majority of the depositary shares then outstanding approve the amendment. The deposit agreement will only terminate if (a) all outstanding depositary shares have been redeemed or (b) there has been a final distribution in respect of the preferred stock in connection with any liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of our company and that distribution has been distributed to the holders of the related depositary shares.
Charges of Depositary. We will pay all transfer and other taxes and governmental charges arising solely from the existence of the depositary arrangements. We will pay charges of the depositary in connection with the initial deposit of the preferred stock and issuance of depositary receipts, all withdrawals of preferred stock by owners of depositary shares and any redemption of the preferred stock. Holders of depositary receipts will pay other transfer and other taxes and governmental charges and any other charges expressly provided in the deposit agreement to be for their account.
Resignation and Removal of Depositary. The depositary may resign at any time by delivering to us notice of its election to do so, and we may at any time remove the depositary. The resignation or removal will take effect upon the appointment of a successor depositary and its acceptance of the appointment. The successor depositary must be appointed within 60 days after delivery of the notice of resignation or removal and must be a bank or trust company having its principal office in the United States and having a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000.
Restrictions on Ownership. In order to safeguard us against an inadvertent loss of REIT status, the deposit agreement, the declaration of trust and/or our charter will contain provisions restricting the ownership and transfer of depositary shares. These restrictions will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Reports; Liability of Depositary and Douglas Emmett. The depositary will forward all reports and communications from us that are delivered to it and that we are required or otherwise determine to furnish to the holders of the preferred stock.
Neither the depositary nor Douglas Emmett will be liable if it is prevented or delayed by law or any circumstance beyond its control in performing its obligations under the deposit agreement. Our obligations and the obligations of the depositary under the deposit agreement will be limited to performance in good faith of their duties under the deposit agreement, and neither we nor they will be obligated to prosecute or defend any legal proceeding in respect of any depositary shares or preferred stock unless satisfactory indemnity is furnished. The depositary may rely upon written advice of counsel or accountants, or information provided by persons presenting preferred stock for deposit, holders of depositary shares or other persons believed to be competent and on documents believed to be genuine.
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Transfer Restrictions and Ownership Limitations Applicable to our Equity Securities. In order for us to qualify as a REIT under the Code, our stock must be beneficially owned by 100 or more persons during at least 335 days of a taxable year of 12 months (other than the first year for which an election to be a REIT has been made) or during a proportionate part of a shorter taxable year. Also, not more than 50% of the value of the outstanding shares of stock may be owned, directly or indirectly, by five or fewer individuals (as defined in the Code to include certain entities such as private foundations) at any time during the last half of a taxable year (other than the first year for which an election to be a REIT has been made).
Our charter contains restrictions on the ownership and transfer of our stock. The relevant sections of our charter provide that, subject to the exceptions described below, no person or entity may beneficially own, or be deemed to own by virtue of the applicable constructive ownership provisions of the Code, more than 5.0% in value of the aggregate of our outstanding shares of stock or more than 5.0% in value or number of shares, whichever is more restrictive, of the outstanding shares of our common stock. We refer to these restrictions as the "ownership limits." A person or entity that, but for the ownership limits and the other restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock described below, would have beneficially or constructively owned shares of our stock and, if appropriate in the context, any person or entity that would have been the record owner of such shares, is referred to as a "purported transferee."
The beneficial and constructive ownership rules under the Code are complex and may cause stock owned actually, beneficially or constructively by a group of related individuals and/or entities to be owned beneficially or constructively by one individual or entity. As a result, the acquisition of less than 5.0% in value of our outstanding stock or less than 5.0% of the value or number of shares of our common stock (or the acquisition of an interest in an entity that owns, actually or constructively, our stock) by an individual or entity, could, nevertheless cause that individual or entity, or another individual or entity, to own beneficially or constructively in excess of 5.0% in value of our outstanding stock or 5.0% of the value or number of our outstanding common stock and thereby subject such stock to the applicable ownership limits.
Our board of directors may, in its sole discretion, prospectively or retroactively, waive the ownership limits with respect to a particular stockholder and establish a different limit on ownership by the stockholder if it determines, based on certain representations and undertakings it must obtain from the stockholder, that:
The stockholder seeking the waiver must also agree that any violation or attempted violation of these undertakings will result in stock being automatically transferred to a charitable trust as described below. As a condition of such waiver, our board of directors may also require an opinion of counsel or Internal Revenue Service, or IRS, ruling satisfactory to our board of directors with respect to preserving our REIT status.
In connection with a waiver of an ownership limit or at any other time, our board of directors may, in its sole discretion, decrease one or both of the ownership limits for one or more persons and entities; provided, however, that the decreased ownership limit will not be effective for any person or
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entity whose percentage ownership of our stock is in excess of such decreased ownership limit until such time as such person or entity's percentage ownership of our stock equals or falls below the decreased ownership limit, but any further acquisition of our stock in excess of such percentage ownership of our stock will be in violation of the ownership limit. Additionally, the new ownership limit may not allow five or fewer stockholders to beneficially own more than 49.9% in value of our outstanding stock or otherwise cause us to fail to qualify as a REIT.
Our charter provisions further prohibit:
Any person who acquires or attempts or intends to acquire beneficial or constructive ownership of shares of our stock that will or may violate any of the foregoing restrictions on transferability and ownership must give notice immediately to us or, in the case of a proposed or attempted transaction, give at least 15 days prior notice, and provide us with such other information as we may request in order to determine the effect of such transfer on our status as a REIT. The foregoing restrictions on transferability and ownership will not apply if our board of directors determines that it is no longer in our best interests to attempt to qualify, or to continue to qualify, as a REIT or that compliance is no longer required in order for us to qualify as a REIT.
Pursuant to our charter, if any purported transfer of our stock or any other event would otherwise result in any person violating the ownership limits or such other limit as established by our board of directors or would result in our being "closely held" under Section 856(h) of the Code (without regard to whether the interest is held during the last half of a taxable year) or otherwise failing to qualify as a REIT, then that number of shares in excess of the ownership limit or causing us to be "closely held" or otherwise to fail to qualify as a REIT (rounded to the nearest whole share) will be automatically transferred to, and held by, a trust for the exclusive benefit of one or more charitable organizations selected by us. The purported transferee will have no rights in shares of our stock held by the trustee. The automatic transfer will be effective as of the close of business on the business day prior to the date of the violative transfer or other event that results in a transfer to the trust. Any dividend or other distribution paid to the purported transferee, prior to our discovery that the shares had been automatically transferred to a trust as described above, must be repaid to the trustee upon demand for distribution to the beneficiary of the trust. If the transfer to the trust as described above is not automatically effective, for any reason, to prevent violation of the applicable ownership limit or our being "closely held" or otherwise failing to qualify as a REIT, then our charter provides that the purported transfer of the shares will be void. If any transfer would result in shares of our stock being beneficially owned by fewer than 100 persons (determined without reference to any rules of attribution), then any such purported transfer will be void and of no force or effect and the intended transferee will acquire no rights in the shares.
Shares of our stock transferred to the trustee are deemed to be offered for sale to us or our designee at a price per share equal to the lesser of (i) the price paid by the purported transferee for the shares (or, if the purported transferee did not give value in connection with the transaction that resulted in the transfer of such shares to the trust, for example, in the case of a devise or gift, the last sale price reported on the NYSE on the trading day of the event that resulted in the transfer of such shares of our stock to the trust) and (ii) the market price on the date we accept, or our designee accepts, such offer. We have the right to accept such offer until the trustee has sold the shares of our
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stock held in the trust pursuant to the clauses discussed below. Upon a sale to us, the interest of the charitable beneficiary in the shares sold terminates and the trustee must distribute the net proceeds of the sale to the purported transferee and any dividends or other distributions held by the trustee with respect to such stock will be paid to the charitable beneficiary.
If we do not buy the shares, the trustee must, within 20 days of receiving notice from us of the transfer of shares to the trust, sell the shares to a person or entity designated by the trustee who could own the shares without violating the ownership limits or the other restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock described above. After that, the trustee must distribute to the purported transferee an amount equal to the lesser of (i) the price paid by the purported transferee or owner for the shares (or, in the event of a devise or gift, the last sale price reported on the NYSE on the trading day of the event that resulted in the transfer of such shares of our stock to the trust) and (ii) the sales proceeds (net of commissions and other expenses of sale) received by the trust for the shares. Any net sales proceeds in excess of the amount payable to the purported transferee will be immediately paid to the charitable beneficiary, together with any dividends or other distributions thereon. In addition, if prior to discovery by us that shares of our stock have been transferred to a trust, such shares of stock are sold by a purported transferee, then such shares will be deemed to have been sold on behalf of the trust and, to the extent that the purported transferee received an amount for or in respect of such shares that exceeds the amount that such purported transferee was entitled to receive, such excess amount must be paid to the trustee upon demand. The purported transferee has no rights in the shares held by the trustee.
The trustee shall be designated by us and must be unaffiliated with us and with any purported transferee. Prior to the sale of any shares by the trust, the trustee will receive, in trust for the beneficiary, all dividends and other distributions paid by us with respect to the shares, and may also exercise all voting rights with respect to the shares.
Subject to Maryland law, effective as of the date that the shares have been transferred to the trust, the trustee has the authority, at the trustee's sole discretion:
However, if we have already taken irreversible corporate action, then the trustee may not rescind and recast the vote.
In addition, if our board of directors or any duly authorized committee determines in good faith that a proposed transfer would violate the restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock set forth in our charter, our board of directors or such committee will take such action as it deems advisable to refuse to give effect to or to prevent such transfer, including, but not limited to, causing us to redeem shares of common stock or preferred stock, refusing to give effect to the transfer on our books or instituting proceedings to enjoin the transfer.
Any owner of 5% or more (or such lower percentage as required by the Code or applicable Treasury Regulations) of the outstanding shares of our common stock must, on request, provide us with a completed questionnaire containing certain information regarding their ownership of such shares and must, on request, disclose to us such information as we may request in order to determine the effect, if any, of such stockholder's beneficial ownership of shares of our stock on our status as a REIT and to ensure compliance with the ownership limits. In addition, any person or entity that is a beneficial owner or constructive owner of shares of our stock and any person or entity (including the stockholder of record) who is holding shares of our stock for a beneficial owner or constructive owner must, on request, disclose to us in writing such information as we may request in order to determine our status as a REIT or to comply, or determine our compliance, with the requirements of any governmental or taxing authority.
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All certificates representing shares of our stock bear a legend referring to the restrictions described above.
These restrictions on ownership and transfer could delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change of control of our company that might involve a premium price for our common stock or otherwise be in the best interest of our stockholders.
DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS OR OTHER RIGHTS
Please note that in this section entitled "Description of Warrants or Other Rights," references to "holders" mean those who own warrants or other rights registered in their own names, on the books that we or any applicable trustee or warrant or rights agent maintain for this purpose, and not those who own beneficial interests in warrants or rights registered in street name or in warrants or rights issued in book-entry form through one or more depositaries. Owners of beneficial interests in warrants or rights should also read the section entitled "Legal Ownership and Book-Entry Issuance."
This section outlines some of the provisions of each warrant or rights agreement pursuant to which warrants or rights may be issued, the warrants or rights, and any warrant or rights certificates. This information may not be complete in all respects and is qualified entirely by reference to any warrant agreement or rights agreement with respect to the warrants or rights of any particular series. The specific terms of any series of warrants or rights will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. If so described in the prospectus supplement, the terms of that series of warrants or rights may differ from the general description of terms presented below.
We may issue warrants or other rights. We may issue these securities in such amounts or in as many distinct series as we wish. This section summarizes the terms of these securities that apply generally. Most of the financial and other specific terms of any such series of securities will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. Those terms may vary from the terms described here.
When we refer to a series of securities in this section, we mean all securities issued as part of the same series under any applicable agreement or other instrument. When we refer to the applicable prospectus supplement, we mean the prospectus supplement describing the specific terms of the security you purchase. The terms used in the applicable prospectus supplement generally will have the meanings described in this prospectus, unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Warrants. We may issue warrants, options or similar instruments for the purchase of our preferred stock, common stock, depositary shares or units. We refer to these collectively as "warrants." Warrants may be issued independently or together with preferred stock, common stock, depositary shares or units, and may be attached to or separate from those securities.
Rights. We may also issue rights, on terms to be determined at the time of sale, for the purchase or sale of, or whose cash value or stream of cash payments is determined by reference to the occurrence or non-occurrence of any event or circumstance or performance, level or value of one or more of the following:
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We refer to each property described above as a "right property."
We may satisfy our obligations, if any, and the holder of a right may satisfy its obligations, if any, with respect to any rights by delivering, among other things:
The applicable prospectus supplement will describe what we may deliver to satisfy our obligations, if any, and what the holder of a right may deliver to satisfy its obligations, if any, with respect to any rights.
Agreements. Each series of warrants or rights may be evidenced by certificates and may be issued under a separate agreement or other instrument to be entered into between us and a bank that we select as agent with respect to such series. The warrant or rights agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the warrant or rights agreement or any warrant or rights certificates and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any warrant or rights holders. Copies of the forms of agreements and the forms of certificates representing the warrants or rights will be filed with the SEC near the date of filing of the applicable prospectus supplement with the SEC. Because the following is a summary of certain provisions of the forms of agreements and certificates, it does not contain all information that may be important to you. You should read all the provisions of the agreements and the certificates once they are available. Warrants or rights in book-entry form will be represented by a global security registered in the name of a depositary, which will be the holder of all the securities represented by the global security. Those who own beneficial interests in a global security will do so through participants in the depositary's system, and the rights of these indirect owners will be governed solely by the applicable procedures of the depositary and its participants. We describe book-entry securities under "Legal Ownership and Book-Entry Issuance."
General Terms of Warrants or Rights. The prospectus supplement relating to a series of warrants or rights will identify the name and address of the warrant or rights agent, if any. The prospectus supplement will describe the terms of the series of warrants or rights in respect of which this prospectus is being delivered, including:
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Warrant or rights certificates may be exchanged for new certificates of different denominations and may be presented for transfer of registration and, if exercisable for other securities or other property, may be exercised at the warrant or rights agent's corporate trust office or any other office indicated in the prospectus supplement. If the warrants or rights are not separately transferable from any securities with which they were issued, an exchange may take place only if the certificates representing the related securities are also exchanged. Prior to exercise of any warrant or right exercisable for other securities or other property, warrant or rights holders will not have any rights as holders of the underlying securities, including the right to receive any principal, premium, interest, dividends, or payments upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up or to exercise any voting rights.
Exercise of Warrants or Rights. If any warrant or right is exercisable for other securities or other property, the following provisions will apply. Each such warrant or right may be exercised at any time up to any expiration date and time mentioned in the prospectus supplement relating to those warrants or rights as may otherwise be stated in the prospectus supplement. After the close of business on any applicable expiration date, unexercised warrants or rights will become void.
Warrants or rights may be exercised by delivery of the certificate representing the securities to be exercised, or in the case of global securities, as described below under "Legal Ownership and Book-Entry Issuance," by delivery of an exercise notice for those warrants or rights, together with certain information, and payment to any warrant or rights agent in immediately available funds, as provided in the prospectus supplement, of the required purchase amount, if any. Upon receipt of payment and the properly executed certificate or exercise notice at the office indicated in the prospectus supplement, we will, within the time period in the relevant agreement, issue and deliver the securities or other property purchasable upon such exercise. If fewer than all of the warrants or rights represented by such certificates are exercised, a new certificate will be issued for the remaining amount of warrants or rights. The warrant or rights holder will be required to pay any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer involved in the issuance of the underlying securities or property.
If mentioned in the prospectus supplement, securities may be surrendered as all or part of the exercise price for warrants or rights.
Preferred Stock, Depositary Shares and Common Stock Warrant Adjustment. In the case of warrants or rights to purchase preferred stock, common stock or depositary shares the exercise price payable and the number of shares of common stock purchasable upon warrant exercise may be adjusted in certain events. The terms and conditions on which adjustments may be made will be set forth in the warrant or rights certificate and the applicable prospectus supplement. Such description will include information about:
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The prospectus supplement will describe which, if any, of these provisions shall apply to a particular series of warrants or rights. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, no adjustment in the number of shares purchasable upon warrant or right exercise will be required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% of such number and no fractional shares will be issued upon warrant or right exercise, but we will pay the cash value of any fractional shares otherwise issuable.
Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets. Any agreement with respect to warrants or rights will provide that we are generally permitted to merge or consolidate with another corporation or other entity. Any such agreement will also provide that we are permitted to sell our assets substantially as an entirety to another corporation or other entity. With regard to any series of securities, however, we may not take any of these actions unless all of the following conditions are met:
Enforcement by Holders of Warrants or Rights. Any warrant or rights agent for any series of warrants or rights will act solely as our agent under the relevant agreement and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for any warrant or rights holder.
A single bank or trust company may act as agent for more than one issue of securities. Any such agent will have no duty or responsibility in case we default in performing our obligations under the relevant agreement or warrant or right, including any duty or responsibility to initiate any legal proceedings or to make any demand upon us. Any warrant or rights holder may, without the agent's consent or consent of any other securityholder, enforce by appropriate legal action its right to exercise any warrant or right exercisable for any property.
Replacement of Certificates. We will replace any destroyed, lost, stolen or mutilated warrant or rights certificate upon delivery to us and any applicable agent of satisfactory evidence of the ownership of that certificate and of its destruction, loss, theft or mutilation, and (in the case of mutilation) surrender of that certificate to us or any applicable agent, unless we have, or the agent has, received notice that the certificate has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser. That warrant or rights holder will also be required to provide indemnity satisfactory to us and the relevant warrant or rights agent before a replacement certificate will be issued.
Title. We, any warrant or rights agents for any series of warrants or rights and any of their agents may treat the registered holder of any certificate as the absolute owner of the warrants or rights evidenced by that certificate for any purpose and as the person entitled to exercise the rights attaching to such warrants or rights so requested, despite any notice to the contrary. See "Legal Ownership and Book-Entry Issuance."
DESCRIPTION OF STOCK PURCHASE CONTRACTS
Please note that in this section entitled "Description of Stock Purchase Contracts," references to "holders" mean those who own stock purchase contracts registered in their own names, on the books that we or our agent maintain for this purpose, and not those who own beneficial interests in stock purchase contracts registered in street name or in stock purchase contracts issued in book-entry form through one or
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more depositaries. Owners of beneficial interests in the stock purchase contracts should read the section below entitled "Legal Ownership and Book-Entry Issuance."
This section outlines some of the provisions of the stock purchase contracts, the stock purchase contract agreement and the pledge agreement. This information is not complete in all respects and is qualified entirely by reference to the stock purchase contract agreement and pledge agreement with respect to the stock purchase contracts of any particular series. The specific terms of any series of stock purchase contracts will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. If so described in a prospectus supplement, the specific terms of any series of stock purchase contracts may differ from the general description of terms presented below.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, we may issue stock purchase contracts, including contracts obligating holders to purchase from us and us to sell to the holders, a specified number of shares of common stock, preferred stock, depositary shares or other security or property at a future date or dates. Alternatively, the stock purchase contracts may obligate us to purchase from holders, and obligate holders to sell to us, a specified or varying number of shares of common stock, preferred stock, depositary shares or other security or property. The consideration per share of common stock or preferred stock or per depositary share or other security or property may be fixed at the time the stock purchase contracts are issued or may be determined by a specific reference to a formula set forth in the stock purchase contracts. The stock purchase contracts may provide for settlement by delivery by us or on our behalf of shares of the underlying security or property or, they may provide for settlement by reference or linkage to the value, performance or trading price of the underlying security or property.
The stock purchase contracts may be issued separately or as part of stock purchase units consisting of a stock purchase contract and debt securities, preferred stock or debt obligations of third parties, including U.S. Treasury securities, other stock purchase contracts or common stock, or other securities or property, securing the holders' obligations to purchase or sell, as the case may be, the common stock or the preferred stock under the stock purchase contracts. The stock purchase contracts may require us to make periodic payments to the holders of the stock purchase units or vice versa, and such payments may be unsecured or prefunded on some basis and may be paid on a current or on a deferred basis. The stock purchase contracts may require holders to secure their obligations thereunder in a specified manner and may provide for the prepayment of all or part of the consideration payable by holders in connection with the purchase of the underlying security or other property pursuant to the stock purchase contracts.
The securities related to the stock purchase contracts may be pledged to a collateral agent for our benefit pursuant to a pledge agreement to secure the obligations of holders of stock purchase contracts to purchase the underlying security or property under the related stock purchase contracts. The rights of holders of stock purchase contracts to the related pledged securities will be subject to our security interest therein created by the pledge agreement. No holder of stock purchase contracts will be permitted to withdraw the pledged securities related to such stock purchase contracts from the pledge arrangement except upon the termination or early settlement of the related stock purchase contracts or in the event other securities, cash or property is made subject to the pledge agreement in lieu of the pledged securities, if permitted by the pledge agreement, or as otherwise provided in the pledge agreement. Subject to such security interest and the terms of the stock purchase contract agreement and the pledge agreement, each holder of a stock purchase contract will retain full beneficial ownership of the related pledged securities.
Except as described in the applicable prospectus supplement, the collateral agent will, upon receipt of distributions on the pledged securities, distribute such payments to us or the stock purchase contract agent, as provided in the pledge agreement. The purchase agent will in turn distribute payments it receives as provided in the stock purchase contract agreement.
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This section outlines some of the provisions of the units and the unit agreements. This information may not be complete in all respects and is qualified entirely by reference to the unit agreement with respect to the units of any particular series. The specific terms of any series of units will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. If so described in a particular supplement, the specific terms of any series of units may differ from the general description of terms presented below.
Please note that in this section entitled "Description of Units," references to "holders" mean those who own units registered in their own names, on the books that we or our agent maintain for this purpose, and not those who own beneficial interests in units registered in street name or in units issued in book-entry form through one or more depositaries. Owners of beneficial interests in the units should read the section below entitled "Legal Ownership and Book-Entry Issuance."
We may issue units comprised of shares of common stock, shares of preferred stock, stock purchase contracts, warrants, rights and other securities in any combination. Each unit will be issued so that the holder of the unit is also the holder of each security included in the unit. Thus, the holder of a unit will have the rights and obligations of a holder of each included security. The unit agreement under which a unit is issued may provide that the securities included in the unit may not be held or transferred separately, at any time or at any time before a specified date.
The applicable prospectus supplement may describe:
The provisions described in this section, as well as those described under "Description of Warrants or Other Rights," "Description of Stock Purchase Contracts," "Description of StockCommon Stock" and "Description of StockPreferred Stock" will apply to the securities included in each unit, to the extent relevant.
CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF MARYLAND LAW AND OF OUR CHARTER AND BYLAWS
The following summary of certain provisions of Maryland law and of our charter and bylaws does not purport to be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to Maryland law and our charter and bylaws, copies of which we have previously filed with the SEC and which we incorporate by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. See "Available Information."
Our Board of Directors. Our charter and bylaws provide that the number of directors of our company may be established only by our board of directors but may not be fewer than the minimum number permitted under the MGCL or, unless our bylaws are amended, more than 15. Except as may be provided by our board of directors in setting the terms of any class or series of preferred stock, any vacancy may be filled only by a vote of a majority of the remaining directors, even if the remaining directors do not constitute a quorum. Any director elected to fill a vacancy shall serve for the
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remainder of the full term of the class in which the vacancy occurred and until a successor is elected and qualifies.
Each of our directors is elected by our stockholders to serve until the next annual meeting and until his or her successor is duly elected and qualifies by a plurality of the votes cast in the election of directors. Holders of shares of our common stock will have no right to cumulative voting in the election of directors. Consequently, subject to the right of holders of one or more classes or series of our stock to elect one or more directors, at each annual meeting of stockholders, the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of our common stock will be able to elect all of our directors.
Removal of Directors. Our charter provides that a director may be removed only for cause (as defined in our charter) and only by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast generally in the election of directors. This provision, when coupled with the exclusive power of our board of directors to fill vacant directorships, precludes stockholders from removing directors except upon the existence of cause for removal and a substantial affirmative vote and filling the vacancies created by such removal with their own nominees before the next annual meeting of stockholders.
Business Combinations. Under the MGCL, certain "business combinations" (including a merger, consolidation, share exchange or, in certain circumstances, an asset transfer or issuance or reclassification of equity securities) between a Maryland corporation and an interested stockholder (defined as any person who beneficially owns 10% or more of the voting power of the corporation's shares or an affiliate or associate of the corporation who, at any time within the two-year period prior to the date in question, was the beneficial owner of 10% or more of the voting power of the then-outstanding voting stock of the corporation), or an affiliate of an interested stockholder are prohibited for five years after the most recent date on which the interested stockholder becomes an interested stockholder. A person is not an interested stockholder under the statute if the corporation's board of directors approved in advance the transaction by which the person otherwise would have become an interested stockholder. Our board of directors may provide that its approval is subject to compliance with any terms and conditions determined by it.
Any such business combination entered into after the five-year prohibition must be recommended by the board of directors of such corporation and approved by the affirmative vote of at least (a) 80% of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of outstanding shares of voting stock of the corporation and (b) two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of voting stock of the corporation other than shares held by the interested stockholder with whom (or with whose affiliate) the business combination is to be effected, unless, among other conditions, the corporation's common stockholders receive a minimum price (as defined in the MGCL) for their shares and the consideration is received in cash or in the same form as previously paid by the interested stockholder for its shares.
These provisions of the MGCL do not apply, however, to business combinations that are approved or exempted by a board of directors prior to the time that the interested stockholder becomes an interested stockholder. Our board of directors has elected to opt out of the business combination provisions of the MGCL; however, our board of directors may elect to opt in to such provisions at any time.
Control Share Acquisitions. The MGCL provides that holders of "control shares" of a Maryland corporation acquired in a "control share acquisition" have no voting rights with respect to such shares except to the extent approved at a special meeting by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter, excluding shares of stock in a corporation in respect of which any of the following persons is entitled to exercise or direct the exercise of the voting power of shares of stock of the corporation in the election of directors: (i) a person who makes or proposes to make a control share acquisition, (ii) an officer of the corporation or (iii) an employee of the corporation who is also a director of the corporation. "Control shares" are issued and outstanding voting shares of stock which, if
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aggregated with all other such shares of stock previously acquired by the acquiror or in respect of which the acquiror is able to exercise or direct the exercise of voting power (except solely by virtue of a revocable proxy), would entitle the acquiror to exercise voting power in electing directors within one of the following ranges of voting power: (i) one-tenth or more but less than one-third, (ii) one-third or more but less than a majority or (iii) a majority or more of all voting power. Control shares do not include shares the acquiring person is then entitled to vote as a result of having previously obtained stockholder approval or shares acquired directly from the corporation. A "control share acquisition" means the acquisition of issued and outstanding control shares, subject to certain exceptions.
A person who has made or proposes to make a control share acquisition, upon satisfaction of certain conditions (including an undertaking to pay expenses), may compel a Maryland corporation to call a special meeting of stockholders to be held within 50 days of demand to consider the voting rights of the shares. If no request for a meeting is made, the corporation may itself present the question at any stockholders meeting.
If voting rights are not approved at the meeting or if the acquiring person does not deliver an acquiring person statement as required by the statute, then, subject to certain conditions and limitations, the corporation may redeem any or all of the control shares (except those for which voting rights have previously been approved) for fair value determined, without regard to the absence of voting rights for the control shares, as of the date of the last control share acquisition by the acquiror or of any meeting of stockholders at which the voting rights of such shares are considered and not approved. If voting rights for control shares are approved at a stockholders meeting and the acquiror becomes entitled to vote a majority of the shares entitled to vote, all other stockholders may exercise appraisal rights. The fair value of the shares as determined for purposes of such appraisal rights may not be less than the highest price per share paid by the acquiror in the control share acquisition.
The control share acquisition statute does not apply (a) to shares acquired in a merger, consolidation or share exchange if the corporation is a party to the transaction or (b) to acquisitions approved or exempted by the charter or bylaws of the corporation.
Our bylaws contain a provision exempting from the control share acquisition statute any and all acquisitions by any person of our common stock. However, the board of directors can, at any time, elect to have these provisions of the MGCL apply to our company by amending our bylaws. There can be no assurance that such provision will not be amended or eliminated at any time in the future.
Subtitle 8. Title 3, Subtitle 8 of the MGCL permits a Maryland corporation with a class of equity securities registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and at least three independent directors to elect to be subject, by provision in its charter or bylaws or a resolution of its board of directors and notwithstanding any contrary provision in the charter or bylaws, to any of (1) a classified board of directors, (2) a two-thirds vote requirement for removing a director, (3) a requirement that the number of directors be fixed only by vote of the directors, (4) a requirement that a vacancy on the board of directors be filled only by the remaining directors and for the remainder of the full term of the class of directors in which the vacancy occurred or (5) a majority requirement for the calling of a special meeting of stockholders. Pursuant to Subtitle 8, we have elected to provide that vacancies on our board of directors may be filled only by the remaining directors and for the remainder of the full term of the directorship in which the vacancy occurred. Through provisions in our charter and bylaws unrelated to Subtitle 8, we already require a two-thirds vote for the removal of any director from the board of directors, vest in our board of directors the exclusive power to fix the number of directorships and require, unless called by the chairman of our board of directors, our president, our chief executive officer or our board of directors, the request of holders of a majority of outstanding shares entitled to vote at the meeting to call a special meeting. Our board of directors is not currently classified. In the future, our board of directors may elect, without stockholder approval, to classify our board of directors by electing to be subject to the relevant provision of Subtitle 8.
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Interested Director and Officer Transactions. Pursuant to the MGCL, a contract or other transaction between us and a director or between us and any other corporation or other entity in which any of our directors is a director or has a material financial interest is not void or voidable solely on the grounds of such common directorship or interest, the presence of such director at the meeting at which the contract or transaction is authorized, approved or ratified or the counting of the director's vote in favor thereof, if:
Furthermore, under Delaware law (where our operating partnership is formed), the general partner has a fiduciary duty to our operating partnership and, consequently, such transactions also are subject to the duties of care and loyalty that our general partner owes to limited partners in our operating partnership (to the extent such duties have not been eliminated pursuant to the terms of the partnership agreement). We have adopted a policy which requires that all contracts and transactions between us, our operating partnership or any of our subsidiaries, on the one hand, and any of our directors or executive officers or any entity in which such director or executive officer is a director or has a material financial interest, on the other hand, must be approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of the disinterested directors on our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, even if less than a quorum. Where appropriate in the judgment of the disinterested directors, our board of directors may obtain a fairness opinion or engage independent counsel to represent the interests of non-affiliated security holders, although our board of directors will have no obligation to do so.
Amendment to Our Charter. Our charter (other than its provisions on removal of directors, the vote required to approve extraordinary transactions and the vote required to amend such provisions) generally may be amended only if such amendment is declared advisable by our board of directors and approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. The provisions of our charter relating to the removal of directors, the vote required to approve extraordinary transactions and the vote required to amend such provisions may be amended only if such amendment is declared advisable by our board of directors and approved by the affirmative vote of the stockholders entitled to cast not less than two-thirds of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.
Extraordinary Transactions. We generally may not merge or consolidate with or into another company, sell all or substantially all of our assets (including our assets and our subsidiaries' assets taken as a whole), engage in a statutory share exchange, convert into another form of entity or engage in similar transactions outside the ordinary course of business unless the transaction is declared advisable by our board of directors and approved by the affirmative vote of the stockholders entitled to cast not less than two-thirds of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. However, many of our operating assets are held by the operating partnership and other subsidiaries of us, and these subsidiaries may be able to merge or sell all or substantially all of their assets without the approval of our stockholders.
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Dissolution of Our Company. The dissolution of our company must be declared advisable by a majority of our entire board of directors and approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast not less than two-thirds of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.
Advance Notice of Director Nominations and New Business. Our bylaws provide that:
Anti-takeover Effect of Certain Provisions of Maryland Law and of Our Charter and Bylaws. The provisions of our charter relating to the removal of directors, the restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock and the advance notice provisions of our bylaws could delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change of control of our company that might involve a premium price for holders of our common stock or otherwise be in their best interest. Likewise, if our company's board of directors were to opt into the business combination provisions of the MGCL, the classified board provision of Subtitle 8 or if the provision in the bylaws opting out of the control share acquisition provisions of the MGCL were rescinded, these provisions of the MGCL could have similar anti-takeover effects.
Ownership Limit. Our charter provides that, subject to the exceptions described above, no person or entity may beneficially own, or be deemed to own by virtue of the applicable constructive ownership provisions of the Code, more than 5.0% in value of the aggregate of our outstanding shares of stock or more than 5.0% in value or number of shares, whichever is more restrictive, of the outstanding shares of our common stock. We refer to these restrictions as the "ownership limits." In addition, no person may beneficially or constructively own shares of our stock that would result in us being "closely held" under Section 856(h) of the Code (without regard to whether the interest is held during the last half of any taxable year) or otherwise fail to qualify as a REIT and no person may transfer shares of our stock if as a result of such transfer, our stock would be beneficially owned by fewer than 100 persons. For a fuller description of this restriction and the constructive ownership rules, see "Description of StockTransfer Restrictions and Ownership Limitations Applicable to our Equity Securities."
Exclusive Forum. Our bylaws provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, Maryland, or, if that court does not have jurisdiction, the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, Baltimore Division, will be the sole and exclusive forum for (a) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (b) any action asserting a claim of breach of any duty owed by any of our directors, officers or other employees to us or to our stockholders, (c) any action asserting a claim against us or any of our directors, officers or other employees arising pursuant to any provision of the MGCL or our charter or bylaws or (d) any
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action asserting a claim against us or any of our directors, officers or other employees that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine.
Indemnification and Limitation of Directors' and Officers' Liability. The MGCL permits a Maryland corporation to include in its charter a provision eliminating the liability of its directors and officers to the corporation and its stockholders for money damages, except for liability resulting from actual receipt of an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services or active and deliberate dishonesty that is established by a final judgment and is material to the cause of action. Our charter contains such a provision which eliminates such liability to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law.
Our charter authorizes us, and our bylaws require us, to the maximum extent that Maryland law in effect from time to time permits, to indemnify any present or former director and officer or any individual who, while a director or officer of our company and at our request, serves or has served another corporation, real estate investment trust, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise as a director, officer, member, manager, partner or trustee, from and against any claim or liability to which that individual may become subject or which that individual may incur by reason of his or her service in any such capacity and to pay or reimburse his or her reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding without requiring a preliminary determination of the ultimate entitlement to indemnification.
Our charter and bylaws also permit us to indemnify and advance expenses to any person who served a predecessor of ours in any of the capacities described above and to any employee or agent of our company or a predecessor of our company.
The MGCL requires a Maryland corporation (unless its charter provides otherwise, which our charter does not) to indemnify a director or officer who has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any proceeding to which he or she is made or threatened to be made a party by reason of his or her service in that capacity. The MGCL permits a Maryland corporation to indemnify its present and former directors and officers, among others, against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in connection with any proceeding to which they may be made or are threatened to be made a party by reason of their service in those or other capacities unless it is established that:
However, under the MGCL, a Maryland corporation may not indemnify for an adverse judgment in a suit by or in the right of the corporation or for a judgment of liability on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received, unless in either case a court orders indemnification and then only for expenses.
In addition, the MGCL permits a Maryland corporation to advance reasonable expenses to a director or officer upon the corporation's receipt of:
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The partnership agreement of our operating partnership provides that we, as the special limited partner, and our officers and directors are indemnified to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law. We have also entered into indemnification agreements with each of our executive officers and directors that obligate us to indemnify them to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law.
Insofar as the foregoing provisions permit indemnification of directors, officers or persons controlling us for liability arising under the Securities Act, we have been informed that in the opinion of the SEC, this indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
LEGAL OWNERSHIP AND BOOK-ENTRY ISSUANCE
In this section, we describe special considerations that will apply to registered securities issued in globali.e., book-entryform. First we describe the difference between legal ownership and indirect ownership of registered securities. Then we describe special provisions that apply to global securities.
Who Is the Legal Owner of a Registered Security? Each share of common or preferred stock and each depositary share in registered form will be represented either by a certificate issued in definitive form to a particular investor or by one or more global securities representing the entire issuance of securities. We refer to those who have securities registered in their own names, on the books that we or any agent maintain for this purpose, as the "holders" of those securities. These persons are the legal holders of the securities. We refer to those who, indirectly through others, own beneficial interests in securities that are not registered in their own names as indirect owners of those securities. As we discuss below, indirect owners are not legal holders, and investors in securities issued in book-entry form or in street name will be indirect owners.
Book-Entry Owners. We expect to issue shares of preferred stock and depositary shares in book-entry form only. We may also issue common stock in book-entry form. This means those securities will be represented by one or more global securities registered in the name of a financial institution that holds them as depositary on behalf of other financial institutions that participate in the depositary's book-entry system. These participating institutions, in turn, hold beneficial interests in the securities on behalf of themselves or their customers.
Under each applicable agreement, only the person in whose name a security is registered is recognized as the holder of that security. Consequently, for securities issued in global form, we will recognize only the depositary as the holder of the securities and we will make all payments on the securities, including deliveries of common or preferred stock in exchange for exchangeable debt securities, to the depositary. The depositary passes along the payments it receives to its participants, which in turn pass the payments along to their customers who are the beneficial owners. The depositary and its participants do so under agreements they have made with one another or with their customers; they are not obligated to do so under the terms of the securities.
As a result, investors will not own securities directly. Instead, they will own beneficial interests in a global security, through a bank, broker or other financial institution that participates in the depositary's book-entry system or holds an interest through a participant. As long as the securities are issued in global form, investors will be indirect owners, and not holders, of the securities.
Street Name Owners. In the future we may terminate a global security or issue securities initially in non-global form. In these cases, investors may choose to hold their securities in their own names or in street name. Securities held by an investor in street name would be registered in the name of a
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bank, broker or other financial institution that the investor chooses, and the investor would hold only a beneficial interest in those securities through an account he or she maintains at that institution.
For securities held in street name, we will recognize only the intermediary banks, brokers and other financial institutions in whose names the securities are registered as the holders of those securities and we will make all payments on those securities, including deliveries of common or preferred stock in exchange for exchangeable debt securities, to them. These institutions pass along the payments they receive to their customers who are the beneficial owners, but only because they agree to do so in their customer agreements or because they are legally required to do so. Investors who hold securities in street name will be indirect owners, not holders, of those securities.
Legal Holders. Our obligations and the obligations, if any, of any other third parties employed by us or any agents, run only to the holders of the securities. We do not have obligations to investors who hold beneficial interests in global securities, in street name or by any other indirect means. This will be the case whether an investor chooses to be an indirect owner of a security or has no choice because we are issuing the securities only in global form.
For example, once we make a payment or give a notice to the holder, we have no further responsibility for that payment or notice even if that holder is required, under agreements with depositary participants or customers or by law, to pass it along to the indirect owners but does not do so. Similarly, if we want to obtain the approval of the holders for any purposee.g., to amend our charterwe would seek the approval only from the holders, and not the indirect owners, of the relevant securities. Whether and how the holders contact the indirect owners is up to the holders.
When we refer to "you" in this section of the prospectus, we mean those who invest in the securities being offered by this prospectus, whether they are the holders or only indirect owners of those securities. When we refer to "your securities" in this section of the prospectus, we mean the securities in which you will hold a direct or indirect interest.
Special Considerations for Indirect Owners. If you hold securities through a bank, broker or other financial institution, either in book-entry form or in street name, you should check with your own institution to find out:
What Is a Global Security? A global security is issued in book-entry form only. Each security issued in book-entry form will be represented by a global security that we deposit with and register in the name of one or more financial institutions or clearing systems, or their nominees, which we select. A financial institution or clearing system that we select for any security for this purpose is called the "depositary" for that security. A security will usually have only one depositary but it may have more.
Each series of these securities will have one or more of the following as the depositaries:
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The depositaries named above may also be participants in one another's systems. Thus, for example, if DTC is the depositary for a global security, investors may hold beneficial interests in that security through Euroclear or Clearstream, as DTC participants. The depositary or depositaries for your securities will be named in your prospectus supplement; if none is named, the depositary will be DTC.
A global security may represent one or any other number of individual securities. Generally, all securities represented by the same global security will have the same terms. We may, however, issue a global security that represents multiple securities of the same kind that have different terms and are issued at different times. We call this kind of global security a master global security. Your prospectus supplement will indicate whether your securities are represented by a master global security.
A global security may not be transferred to or registered in the name of anyone other than the depositary or its nominee, unless special termination situations arise. We describe those situations below under "Holder's Option to Obtain a Non-Global Security; Special Situations When a Global Security Will Be Terminated". As a result of these arrangements, the depositary, or its nominee, will be the sole registered owner and holder of all securities represented by a global security, and investors will be permitted to own only indirect interests in a global security. Indirect interests must be held by means of an account with a broker, bank or other financial institution that in turn has an account with the depositary or with another institution that does. Thus, an investor whose security is represented by a global security will not be a holder of the security, but only an indirect owner of an interest in the global security.
If the prospectus supplement for a particular security indicates that the security will be issued in global form only, then the security will be represented by a global security at all times unless and until the global security is terminated. We describe the situations in which this can occur below under "Holder's Option to Obtain a Non-Global Security; Special Situations When a Global Security Will Be Terminated". If termination occurs, we may issue the securities through another book-entry clearing system or decide that the securities may no longer be held through any book-entry clearing system.
Special Considerations for Global Securities. As an indirect owner, an investor's rights relating to a global security will be governed by the account rules of the depositary and those of the investor's financial institution or other intermediary through which it holds its interest (e.g., Euroclear or Clearstream, if DTC is the depositary), as well as general laws relating to securities transfers. We do not recognize this type of investor or any intermediary as a holder of securities and instead deal only with the depositary that holds the global security.
If securities are issued only in the form of a global security, an investor should be aware of the following:
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Holder's Option to Obtain a Non-Global Security; Special Situations When a Global Security Will Be Terminated. If we issue any series of securities in book-entry form but we choose to give the beneficial owners of that series the right to obtain non-global securities, any beneficial owner entitled to obtain non-global securities may do so by following the applicable procedures of the depositary, any transfer agent or registrar for that series and that owner's bank, broker or other financial institution through which that owner holds its beneficial interest in the securities. For example, in the case of a global security representing preferred stock or depositary shares, a beneficial owner will be entitled to obtain a non-global security representing its interest by making a written request to the transfer agent or other agent designated by us. If you are entitled to request a non-global certificate and wish to do so, you will need to allow sufficient lead time to enable us or our agent to prepare the requested certificate.
In addition, in a few special situations described below, a global security will be terminated and interests in it will be exchanged for certificates in non-global form representing the securities it represented. After that exchange, the choice of whether to hold the securities directly or in street name will be up to the investor. Investors must consult their own banks or brokers to find out how to have their interests in a global security transferred on termination to their own names, so that they will be holders. We have described the rights of holders and street name investors above under "Who Is the Legal Owner of a Registered Security?"
The special situations for termination of a global security are as follows:
If a global security is terminated, only the depositary, and not we, is responsible for deciding the names of the institutions in whose names the securities represented by the global security will be registered and, therefore, who will be the holders of those securities.
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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS
The following is a general summary of certain material U.S. federal income tax considerations regarding our election to be taxed as a REIT and the acquisition, ownership and disposition of our capital stock. Supplemental U.S. federal income tax considerations relevant to the ownership of the securities offered by this prospectus may be provided in the prospectus supplement that relates to those securities. For purposes of this discussion, references to "Douglas Emmett" "we," "our," and "us" mean only Douglas Emmett, Inc., and do not include any of its subsidiaries, except as otherwise indicated. This summary is for general information only and is not tax advice. The information in this summary is based on:
in each case, as of the date of this prospectus. In addition, the administrative interpretations and practices of the IRS include its practices and policies as expressed in private letter rulings that are not binding on the IRS except with respect to the particular taxpayers who requested and received those rulings. The sections of the Code and the corresponding Treasury Regulations that relate to qualification and taxation as a REIT are highly technical and complex. The following discussion sets forth certain material aspects of the sections of the Code that govern the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a REIT and its stockholders. This summary is qualified in its entirety by the applicable Code provisions, the Treasury Regulations, and administrative and judicial interpretations thereof. Future legislation, Treasury Regulations, administrative interpretations and practices and/or court decisions may adversely affect the tax considerations described in this discussion. Any such change could apply retroactively to transactions preceding the date of the change. We have not requested and do not intend to request a ruling from the IRS that we qualify as a REIT, and the statements in this prospectus are not binding on the IRS or any court. Thus, we can provide no assurance that the tax considerations contained in this discussion will not be challenged by the IRS or will be sustained by a court if challenged by the IRS. This summary does not discuss any state, local or non-U.S. tax consequences, or any tax consequences arising under any U.S. federal tax other than the income tax, associated with the purchase, ownership, or disposition of our capital stock or our election to be taxed as a REIT.
You are urged to consult your tax advisor regarding the tax consequences to you of:
Taxation of Our Company
General. We elected to be taxed as a REIT under Sections 856 through 860 of the Code, commencing with our taxable year ended December 31, 2006. We believe that we have been organized and have operated in a manner that has allowed us to qualify for taxation as a REIT under the Code commencing with such taxable year, and we intend to continue to be organized and operate in this
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manner. However, qualification and taxation as a REIT depend upon our ability to meet the various qualification tests imposed under the Code, including through actual annual operating results, asset composition, distribution levels and diversity of stock ownership. Accordingly, no assurance can be given that we have been organized and have operated, or will continue to be organized and operate, in a manner so as to qualify or remain qualified as a REIT. See "Failure to Qualify."
Latham & Watkins LLP has acted as our tax counsel in connection with this prospectus and our election to be taxed as a REIT. Latham & Watkins LLP has rendered an opinion to us to the effect that, commencing with our taxable year ended December 31, 2006, we have been organized and have operated in conformity with the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code, and our proposed method of operation will enable us to continue to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code. It must be emphasized that this opinion was based on various assumptions and representations as to factual matters, including representations made by us in a factual certificate provided by one of our officers. In addition, this opinion was based upon our factual representations set forth in this prospectus. Moreover, our qualification and taxation as a REIT depend upon our ability to meet the various qualification tests imposed under the Code, which are discussed below, including through actual annual operating results, asset composition, distribution levels and diversity of stock ownership, the results of which have not been and will not be reviewed by Latham & Watkins LLP. Accordingly, no assurance can be given that our actual results of operation for any particular taxable year have satisfied or will satisfy those requirements. Further, the anticipated U.S. federal income tax treatment described in this discussion may be changed, perhaps retroactively, by legislative, administrative or judicial action at any time. Latham & Watkins LLP has no obligation to update its opinion subsequent to the date of such opinion.
Provided we qualify for taxation as a REIT, we generally will not be required to pay U.S. federal corporate income taxes on our REIT taxable income that is currently distributed to our stockholders. This treatment substantially eliminates the "double taxation" that ordinarily results from investment in a C corporation. A C corporation is a corporation that is generally required to pay income tax at the corporate level. Double taxation generally means income taxation that occurs once at the corporate level when income is earned and once again at the stockholder level when the income is distributed. We will, however, be required to pay U.S. federal income tax as follows:
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we fail to satisfy the 75% gross income test and (B) the amount by which we fail to satisfy the 95% gross income test, multiplied by (2) a fraction intended to reflect our profitability.
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Requirements for Qualification as a REIT. The Code defines a REIT as a corporation, trust or association:
(1) that is managed by one or more trustees or directors;
(2) that issues transferable shares or transferable certificates to evidence its beneficial ownership;
(3) that would be taxable as a domestic corporation, but for special Code provisions applicable to REITs;
(4) that is not a financial institution or an insurance company within the meaning of the Code;
(5) that is beneficially owned by 100 or more persons;
(6) not more than 50% in value of the outstanding stock of which is owned, actually or constructively, by five or fewer individuals, including certain specified entities, during the last half of each taxable year; and
(7) that meets other tests, described below, regarding the nature of its income and assets and the amount of its distributions.
The Code provides that conditions (1) to (4), inclusive, must be met during the entire taxable year and that condition (5) must be met during at least 335 days of a taxable year of 12 months, or during a proportionate part of a taxable year of less than 12 months. Conditions (5) and (6) do not apply until after the first taxable year for which an election is made to be taxed as a REIT. For purposes of condition (6), the term "individual" includes a supplemental unemployment compensation benefit plan, a private foundation or a portion of a trust permanently set aside or used exclusively for charitable purposes, but generally does not include a qualified pension plan or profit sharing trust.
We believe that we have been organized, have operated and have issued sufficient shares of capital stock with sufficient diversity of ownership to allow us to satisfy conditions (1) through (7) inclusive, during the relevant time periods. In addition, our charter provides for restrictions regarding the ownership and transfer of our shares which are intended to assist us in continuing to satisfy the share ownership requirements described in conditions (5) and (6) above. A description of the share ownership and transfer restrictions relating to our outstanding capital stock is contained in the discussion in this prospectus under the heading "Description of StockTransfer Restrictions and Ownership Limitations Applicable to our Equity Securities." These restrictions, however, may not ensure that we will, in all cases, be able to satisfy the share ownership requirements described in conditions (5) and (6) above. If we fail to satisfy these share ownership requirements, except as provided in the next two sentences, our status as a REIT will terminate. If, however, we comply with the rules contained in applicable Treasury Regulations that require us to ascertain the actual ownership of our shares and we do not know, or would not have known through the exercise of reasonable diligence, that we failed to meet the requirement described in condition (6) above, we will be treated as having met this requirement. Moreover, if our failure to satisfy the share ownership requirements is
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due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect, we may retain our REIT qualification but will be required to pay a penalty of $50,000 for each such failure. See "Failure to Qualify."
In addition, we may not maintain our status as a REIT unless our taxable year is the calendar year. We have and will continue to have a calendar taxable year.
Ownership of Interests in Partnerships, Limited Liability Companies and Qualified REIT Subsidiaries. We own and operate one or more properties through partnerships and limited liability companies, including the operating partnership. In the case of a REIT that is a partner in a partnership or a member in a limited liability company treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, Treasury Regulations provide that the REIT will be deemed to own its proportionate share of the assets of the partnership or limited liability company, as the case may be, based on its interest in partnership capital, subject to special rules relating to the 10% asset test described below. Also, the REIT will be deemed to be entitled to its proportionate share of the income of that entity. The assets and gross income of the partnership or limited liability company retain the same character in the hands of the REIT for purposes of Section 856 of the Code, including satisfying the gross income tests and the asset tests. Thus, our pro rata share of the assets and items of income of our operating partnership, including our operating partnership's share of these items of any partnership or limited liability company treated as a partnership or disregarded entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes in which it owns an interest, is treated as our assets and items of income for purposes of applying the requirements described in this discussion, including the gross income and asset tests described below. A brief summary of the rules governing the U.S. federal income taxation of partnerships and limited liability companies is set forth below in "Tax Aspects of the Operating Partnership, the Subsidiary Partnerships and the Limited Liability Companies."
We have direct control of our operating partnership and, through our operating partnership, control of its subsidiary partnerships and limited liability companies, and we intend to operate them in a manner consistent with the requirements for our qualification as a REIT. If we or our operating partnership become a limited partner or non-managing member in any partnership or limited liability company and such entity takes or expects to take actions that could jeopardize our status as a REIT or require us to pay tax, we may be forced to dispose of our interest in such entity. In addition, it is possible that a partnership or limited liability company could take an action which could cause us to fail a gross income or asset test, and that we would not become aware of such action in time to dispose of our interest in the partnership or limited liability company or take other corrective action on a timely basis. In that case, we could fail to qualify as a REIT unless we were entitled to relief, as described below.
We may from time to time own and operate certain properties through subsidiaries that we intend to be treated as "qualified REIT subsidiaries" under the Code. A corporation will qualify as our qualified REIT subsidiary if we own 100% of the corporation's outstanding stock and do not elect with the subsidiary to treat it as a "taxable REIT subsidiary," as described below. A qualified REIT subsidiary is not treated as a separate corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and all assets, liabilities and items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit of a qualified REIT subsidiary are treated as assets, liabilities and items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit of the parent REIT for all purposes under the Code, including all REIT qualification tests. Thus, in applying the U.S. federal tax requirements described in this discussion, any qualified REIT subsidiaries we own are ignored, and all assets, liabilities and items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit of such corporations are treated as our assets, liabilities and items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit. A qualified REIT subsidiary is not subject to U.S. federal income tax, and our ownership of the stock of a qualified REIT subsidiary will not violate the restrictions on ownership of securities, as described below under "Asset Tests."
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Ownership of Interests in Subsidiary REITs. Until March 30, 2012, we owned an interest in Douglas Emmett Fund X REIT, Inc., or Fund X REIT, which elected to be taxed as a REIT under Sections 856 through 860 of the Code commencing with its initial taxable year ended December 31, 2008. Fund X REIT was dissolved on March 30, 2012. We own an interest in DEI X Partnership REIT, LP, or DEI X REIT, which has elected to be taxed as a corporation and as a REIT under Sections 856 through 860 of the Code commencing with its initial taxable year ended December 31, 2010. We refer to DEI X REIT and, until March 30, 2012, Fund X REIT as our Subsidiary REITs. Provided that each of our Subsidiary REITs qualifies as a REIT, our interests in each of such Subsidiary REITs will be treated as qualifying real estate assets for purposes of the REIT asset tests and any dividend income or gains derived by us from such Subsidiary REITs will generally be treated as income that qualifies for purposes of the REIT gross income tests. To qualify as a REIT, each of our Subsidiary REITs must independently satisfy the various REIT qualification requirements described in this summary. If any Subsidiary REIT were to fail to qualify as a REIT, and certain relief provisions do not apply, it would be treated as a regular taxable corporation and its income would be subject to U.S. federal income tax. In addition, a failure of any Subsidiary REIT to qualify as a REIT would have an adverse effect on our ability to comply with the REIT income and asset tests, and thus our ability to qualify as a REIT.
Ownership of Interests in Taxable REIT Subsidiaries. We currently own interests in two taxable REIT subsidiaries, and may acquire interests in additional taxable REIT subsidiaries in the future. A taxable REIT subsidiary is a corporation other than a REIT in which a REIT directly or indirectly holds stock, and that has made a joint election with such REIT to be treated as a taxable REIT subsidiary. If a taxable REIT subsidiary owns more than 35% of the total voting power or value of the outstanding securities of another corporation, such other corporation will also be treated as a taxable REIT subsidiary. Other than some activities relating to lodging and health care facilities, a taxable REIT subsidiary may generally engage in any business, including the provision of customary or non-customary services to tenants of its parent REIT. We believe that the office and multifamily properties we operate and continue to operate are not and will not be treated as lodging or health care facilities for this purpose. A taxable REIT subsidiary is subject to U.S. federal income tax as a regular C corporation. In addition, a taxable REIT subsidiary may be prevented from deducting interest on debt funded directly or indirectly by its parent REIT if certain tests regarding the taxable REIT subsidiary's debt to equity ratio and interest expense are not satisfied. A REIT's ownership of securities of a taxable REIT subsidiary is not subject to the 5% or 10% asset test described below. See "Asset Tests."
Income Tests. We must satisfy two gross income requirements annually to maintain our qualification as a REIT. First, in each taxable year we must derive directly or indirectly at least 75% of our gross income (excluding gross income from prohibited transactions, certain hedging transactions, and certain foreign currency gains) from investments relating to real property or mortgages on real property, including "rents from real property," interest on obligations adequately secured by mortgages on real property, and certain types of temporary investments. Second, in each taxable year we must derive at least 95% of our gross income (excluding gross income from prohibited transactions, certain hedging transactions, and certain foreign currency gains) from the real property investments described above or dividends, interest and gain from the sale or disposition of stock or securities, or any combination of the foregoing. For these purposes, the term "interest" generally does not include any amount received or accrued, directly or indirectly, if the determination of all or some of the amount depends in any way on the income or profits of any person. However, an amount received or accrued generally will not be excluded from the term "interest" solely by reason of being based on a fixed percentage or percentages of receipts or sales.
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Rents we receive from a tenant will qualify as "rents from real property" for the purpose of satisfying the gross income requirements described above only if all of the following conditions are met:
We generally do not intend, and as the sole stockholder of the general partner of our operating partnership, do not intend to permit our operating partnership, to take actions we believe will cause us to fail to satisfy the rental conditions described above. However, we may intentionally fail to satisfy some of these conditions to the extent we determine, based on the advice of our tax counsel, that the
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failure will not jeopardize our tax status as a REIT. In addition, with respect to the limitation on the rental of personal property, we have not obtained appraisals of the real property and personal property leased to tenants. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the IRS will not disagree with our determinations of value of such property.
Income we receive that is attributable to the rental of parking spaces at the properties generally will constitute rents from real property for purposes of the gross income tests if certain services provided with respect to the parking spaces are performed by independent contractors from whom we derive no revenue, either directly or indirectly, or by a taxable REIT subsidiary, and certain other conditions are met. We believe that the income we receive that is attributable to parking spaces meets these tests and, accordingly, constitutes rents from real property for purposes of the gross income tests.
From time to time, we may enter into hedging transactions with respect to one or more of our assets or liabilities. Our hedging activities may include entering into interest rate swaps, caps, and floors, options to purchase these items, and futures and forward contracts. Income from a hedging transaction entered into after July 30, 2008, including gain from the sale or disposition of such a transaction, that is clearly identified as a hedging transaction as specified in the Code will not constitute gross income and thus will be exempt from the 75% and 95% gross income tests. The term "hedging transaction," as used above, generally means any transaction we enter into in the normal course of our business primarily to manage risk of (1) interest rate changes or fluctuations with respect to borrowings made or to be made by us to acquire or carry real estate assets, or (2) currency fluctuations with respect to an item of qualifying income under the 75% or 95% gross income test. To the extent that we do not properly identify such transactions as hedges or we hedge with other types of financial instruments, the income from those transactions is not likely to be treated as qualifying income for purposes of the gross income tests. We intend to structure any hedging transactions in a manner that does not jeopardize our status as a REIT.
To the extent our taxable REIT subsidiaries pay dividends, we generally will derive our allocable share of such dividend income through our interest in our operating partnership. Such dividend income will qualify under the 95%, but not the 75%, gross income test.
We will monitor the amount of the dividend and other income from our taxable REIT subsidiaries and will take actions intended to keep this income, and any other nonqualifying income, within the limitations of the gross income tests. Although we expect these actions will be sufficient to prevent a violation of the gross income tests, we cannot guarantee that such actions will in all cases prevent such a violation.
If we fail to satisfy one or both of the 75% or 95% gross income tests for any taxable year, we may nevertheless qualify as a REIT for the year if we are entitled to relief under certain provisions of the Code. We generally may make use of the relief provisions if:
It is not possible, however, to state whether in all circumstances we would be entitled to the benefit of these relief provisions. For example, if we fail to satisfy the gross income tests because nonqualifying income that we intentionally accrue or receive exceeds the limits on nonqualifying income, the IRS could conclude that our failure to satisfy the tests was not due to reasonable cause. If these relief provisions do not apply to a particular set of circumstances, we will not qualify as a REIT. As discussed above in "Taxation of Our CompanyGeneral," even if these relief provisions apply, and we retain our status as a REIT, a tax would be imposed with respect to our nonqualifying income.
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We may not always be able to comply with the gross income tests for REIT qualification despite periodic monitoring of our income.
Prohibited Transaction Income. Any gain that we realize on the sale of property held as inventory or otherwise held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business, including our share of any such gain realized by our operating partnership, either directly or through its subsidiary partnerships and limited liability companies, will be treated as income from a prohibited transaction that is subject to a 100% penalty tax, unless certain safe harbor exceptions apply. This prohibited transaction income may also adversely affect our ability to satisfy the gross income tests for qualification as a REIT. Under existing law, whether property is held as inventory or primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business is a question of fact that depends on all the facts and circumstances surrounding the particular transaction. We and our operating partnership intend to hold our properties for investment with a view to long-term appreciation, to engage in the business of acquiring, developing and owning properties and to make occasional sales of the properties as are consistent with our investment objectives. We do not intend, and do not intend to permit our operating partnership or its subsidiary partnerships or limited liability companies, to enter into any sales that are prohibited transactions. However, the IRS may successfully contend that some or all of the sales made by our operating partnership or its subsidiary partnerships or limited liability companies are prohibited transactions. We would be required to pay the 100% penalty tax on our allocable share of the gains resulting from any such sales.
Penalty Tax. Any redetermined rents, redetermined deductions or excess interest we generate will be subject to a 100% penalty tax. In general, redetermined rents are rents from real property that are overstated as a result of any services furnished to any of our tenants by a taxable REIT subsidiary of ours, and redetermined deductions and excess interest represent any amounts that are deducted by a taxable REIT subsidiary of ours for amounts paid to us that are in excess of the amounts that would have been deducted based on arm's length negotiations. Rents we receive will not constitute redetermined rents if they qualify for certain safe harbor provisions contained in the Code.
We believe that, in all instances in which a taxable REIT subsidiary of ours provides services to our tenants, the fees paid to our taxable REIT subsidiaries for such services are at arm's-length rates, although the fees paid may not satisfy the safe-harbor provisions described above. These determinations are inherently factual, and the IRS has broad discretion to assert that amounts paid between related parties should be reallocated to clearly reflect their respective incomes. If the IRS successfully made such an assertion, we would be required to pay a 100% penalty tax on the excess of an arm's-length fee for tenant services over the amount actually paid.
Asset Tests. At the close of each calendar quarter of our taxable year, we must also satisfy certain tests relating to the nature and diversification of our assets. First, at least 75% of the value of our total assets, including assets held by our qualified REIT subsidiaries and our allocable share of the assets held by the operating partnership and its subsidiary partnerships and limited liability companies, must be represented by real estate assets, cash, cash items and U.S. government securities. For purposes of this test, the term "real estate assets" generally means real property (including interests in real property and interests in mortgages on real property) and shares (or transferable certificates of beneficial interest) in other REITs, as well as any stock or debt instrument attributable to the investment of the proceeds of a stock offering or a public offering of debt with a term of at least five years, but only for the one-year period beginning on the date the REIT receives such proceeds.
Second, not more than 25% of the value of our total assets may be represented by securities (including securities of one or more taxable REIT subsidiaries), other than those securities includable in the 75% asset test.
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Third, of the investments included in the 25% asset class, and except for investments in other REITs, our qualified REIT subsidiaries and taxable REIT subsidiaries, the value of any one issuer's securities may not exceed 5% of the value of our total assets, and we may not own more than 10% of the total vote or value of the outstanding securities of any one issuer except, in the case of the 10% value test, securities satisfying the "straight debt" safe-harbor or securities issued by a partnership that itself would satisfy the 75% income test if it were a REIT. Certain types of securities we may own are disregarded as securities solely for purposes of the 10% value test, including, but not limited to, any loan to an individual or an estate, any obligation to pay rents from real property and any security issued by a REIT. In addition, solely for purposes of the 10% value test, the determination of our interest in the assets of a partnership or limited liability company in which we own an interest will be based on our proportionate interest in any securities issued by the partnership or limited liability company, excluding for this purpose certain securities described in the Code.
Fourth, not more than 25% of the value of our total assets may be represented by the securities of one or more taxable REIT subsidiaries. We currently own stock of subsidiary corporations that have elected, together with us, to be treated as our taxable REIT subsidiaries. So long as each of these companies qualifies as a taxable REIT subsidiary, we will not be subject to the 5% asset test, the 10% voting securities limitation or the 10% value limitation with respect to our ownership of their stock. We may acquire securities in other taxable REIT subsidiaries in the future. We believe that the aggregate value of our securities in our taxable REIT subsidiaries has not exceeded, and in the future will not exceed, 25% of the aggregate value of our gross assets. With respect to each issuer in which we currently own an interest that does not qualify as a REIT, a qualified REIT subsidiary or a taxable REIT subsidiary, we believe that our ownership of the securities of any such issuer has complied with the 25% value limitation, the 5% value limitation, the 10% voting securities limitation and the 10% value limitation. No independent appraisals have been obtained to support these conclusions. In addition, there can be no assurance that the IRS will not disagree with our determinations of value.
The asset tests must be satisfied at the close of each calendar quarter of our taxable year in which we (directly or through our operating partnership or through our subsidiary partnerships and limited liability companies) acquire securities in the applicable issuer, and also at the close of each calendar quarter in which we increase our ownership of securities of such issuer (including as a result of an increase in our interest in our operating partnership or in any subsidiary partnerships and limited liability companies). For example, our indirect ownership of securities of each issuer will increase as a result of our capital contributions to our operating partnership or as limited partners exercise their redemption/exchange rights. Accordingly, after initially meeting the asset tests at the close of any quarter, we will not lose our status as a REIT for failure to satisfy the asset tests at the end of a later quarter solely by reason of changes in asset values. If we fail to satisfy an asset test because we acquire securities or other property during a quarter (including as a result of an increase in our interest in our operating partnership or in any subsidiary partnerships and limited liability companies), we may cure this failure by disposing of sufficient nonqualifying assets within 30 days after the close of that quarter. We believe that we have maintained, and we intend to maintain, adequate records of the value of our assets to ensure compliance with the asset tests. If we fail to cure any noncompliance with the asset tests within the 30-day cure period, we would cease to qualify as a REIT unless we are eligible for certain relief provisions discussed below.
Certain relief provisions may be available to us if we discover a failure to satisfy the asset tests described above after the 30 day cure period. Under these provisions, we will be deemed to have met the 5% and 10% asset tests if the value of our nonqualifying assets (i) does not exceed the lesser of (a) 1% of the total value of our assets at the end of the applicable quarter or (b) $10,000,000, and (ii) we dispose of the nonqualifying assets or otherwise satisfy such tests within (a) six months after the last day of the quarter in which the failure to satisfy the asset tests is discovered or (b) the period of time prescribed by Treasury Regulations to be issued. For violations of any of the asset tests due to
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reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect and that are, in the case of the 5% and 10% asset tests, in excess of the de minimis exception described above, we may avoid disqualification as a REIT after the 30 day cure period by taking steps including (i) the disposition of sufficient nonqualifying assets, or the taking of other actions, which allow us to meet the asset tests within (a) six months after the last day of the quarter in which the failure to satisfy the asset tests is discovered or (b) the period of time prescribed by Treasury Regulations to be issued, (ii) paying a tax equal to the greater of (a) $50,000 or (b) the highest corporate tax rate multiplied by the net income generated by the nonqualifying assets, and (iii) disclosing certain information to the IRS.
Although we believe we have satisfied the asset tests described above and plan to take steps to ensure that we satisfy such tests for any quarter with respect to which retesting is to occur, there can be no assurance that we will always be successful, or will not require a reduction in our operating partnership's overall interest in an issuer (including in a taxable REIT subsidiary). If we fail to cure any noncompliance with the asset tests in a timely manner, and the relief provisions described above are not available, we would cease to qualify as a REIT.
Annual Distribution Requirements. To maintain our qualification as a REIT, we are required to distribute dividends, other than capital gain dividends, to our stockholders in an amount at least equal to the sum of:
For these purposes, our "REIT taxable income" is computed without regard to the dividends paid deduction and our net capital gain. In addition, for purposes of this test, non-cash income means income attributable to leveled stepped rents, original issue discount on purchase money debt, cancellation of indebtedness, or a like-kind exchange that is later determined to be taxable.
In addition, our "REIT taxable income" will be reduced by any taxes that we are required to pay on any gain we recognize from the disposition of any asset we acquired from a corporation which is or has been a C corporation in a transaction in which our tax basis in the asset is less than the fair market value of the asset, in each case determined as of the date on which we acquired the asset (such as the assets we acquired from Douglas Emmett Realty Advisors and Douglas, Emmett and Company in connection with our formation transactions), within the ten-year period following our acquisition of such asset. See "Taxation of Our CompanyGeneral."
We generally must pay, or be treated as paying, the distributions described above in the taxable year to which they relate. At our election, a distribution will be treated as paid in a taxable year if it is declared before we timely file our tax return for such year and paid on or before the first regular dividend payment after such declaration, provided such payment is made during the 12-month period following the close of such year. These distributions are treated as received by our stockholders in the year in which paid. This is so even though these distributions relate to the prior year for purposes of the 90% distribution requirement. In order to be taken into account for purposes of our distribution requirement, the amount distributed must not be preferentiali.e., every stockholder of the class of stock to which a distribution is made must be treated the same as every other stockholder of that class, and no class of stock may be treated other than according to its dividend rights as a class. To the extent that we do not distribute all of our net capital gain, or distribute at least 90%, but less than 100%, of our "REIT taxable income," as adjusted, we will be required to pay tax on the undistributed amount at regular corporate tax rates. We believe that we have made, and we intend to continue to make, timely distributions sufficient to satisfy these annual distribution requirements and to minimize our corporate tax obligations. In this regard, the partnership agreement of our operating partnership authorizes the
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general partner of our operating partnership to take such steps as may be necessary to cause the operating partnership to distribute to its partners an amount sufficient to permit us to meet these distribution requirements and to minimize our corporate tax obligation.
We expect that our REIT taxable income will be less than our cash flow because of depreciation and other non-cash charges included in computing REIT taxable income. Accordingly, we anticipate that we generally will have sufficient cash or liquid assets to enable us to satisfy the distribution requirements described above. However, from time to time, we may not have sufficient cash or other liquid assets to meet these distribution requirements due to timing differences between the actual receipt of income and actual payment of deductible expenses, and the inclusion of income and deduction of expenses in determining our taxable income. In addition, we may decide to retain our cash, rather than distribute it, in order to repay debt or for other reasons. If these timing differences occur, we may borrow funds to pay dividends or pay dividends in the form of taxable stock dividends in order to meet the distribution requirements, while preserving our cash.
Under certain circumstances, we may be able to rectify an inadvertent failure to meet the 90% distribution requirement for a year by paying "deficiency dividends" to our stockholders in a later year, which may be included in our deduction for dividends paid for the earlier year. Thus, we may be able to avoid being taxed on amounts distributed as deficiency dividends, subject to the 4% excise tax described below. However, we will be required to pay interest to the IRS based upon the amount of any deduction claimed for deficiency dividends. While the payment of a deficiency dividend will apply to a prior year for purposes of our REIT distribution requirements, it will be treated as an additional distribution to our stockholders in the year such dividend is paid.
Furthermore, we will be required to pay a 4% excise tax to the extent we fail to distribute during each calendar year at least the sum of 85% of our ordinary income for such year, 95% of our capital gain net income for the year and any undistributed taxable income from prior periods. Any ordinary income and net capital gain on which this excise tax is imposed for any year is treated as an amount distributed during that year for purposes of calculating such tax.
For purposes of the 90% distribution requirement and excise tax described above, dividends declared during the last three months of the taxable year, payable to stockholders of record on a specified date during such period and paid during January of the following year, will be treated as paid by us and received by our stockholders on December 31 of the year in which they are declared.
Like-Kind Exchanges. We may dispose of properties in transactions intended to qualify as like-kind exchanges under the Code. Such like-kind exchanges are intended to result in the deferral of gain for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The failure of any such transaction to qualify as a like-kind exchange could require us to pay U.S. federal income tax, possibly including the 100% prohibited transaction tax, depending on the facts and circumstances surrounding the particular transaction.
Failure to Qualify
If we discover a violation of a provision of the Code that would result in our failure to qualify as a REIT, certain specified cure provisions may be available to us. Except with respect to violations of the gross income tests and asset tests (for which the cure provisions are described above), and provided the violation is due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect, these cure provisions generally impose a $50,000 penalty for each violation in lieu of a loss of REIT status. If we fail to satisfy the requirements for taxation as a REIT in any taxable year, and the relief provisions do not apply, we will be required to pay tax, including any applicable alternative minimum tax, on our taxable income at regular corporate rates. Distributions to stockholders in any year in which we fail to qualify as a REIT will not be deductible by us, and we will not be required to distribute any amounts to our stockholders. As a result, we anticipate that our failure to qualify as a REIT would reduce the cash available for distribution by us to our stockholders. In addition, if we fail to qualify as a REIT, all distributions to
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stockholders will be taxable as regular corporate dividends to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits. In such event, corporate distributees may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction. In addition, non-corporate stockholders, including individuals, may be eligible for the preferential tax rates on qualified dividend income. Unless entitled to relief under specific statutory provisions, we would also be ineligible to elect to be treated as a REIT for the four taxable years following the year for which we lost our qualification. It is not possible to state whether in all circumstances we would be entitled to this statutory relief.
Tax Aspects of the Operating Partnership, the Subsidiary Partnerships and the Limited Liability Companies
General. Substantially all of our investments are held indirectly through the operating partnership. In addition, the operating partnership holds certain of its investments indirectly through subsidiary partnerships and limited liability companies that, unless they otherwise elect to be taxed as corporations that are either taxable REIT subsidiaries of ours or REITs, we believe have been, and will continue to be, treated as partnerships or disregarded entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In general, entities that are treated as partnerships or disregarded entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes are "pass-through" entities which are not required to pay U.S. federal income tax. Rather, partners or members of such entities are allocated their shares of the items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit of the partnership or limited liability company, and generally are required to pay tax on this income, without regard to whether they receive a distribution from the partnership or limited liability company. We will include in our income our share of these partnership and limited liability company items for purposes of the various gross income tests, in the computation of our REIT taxable income and for purposes of the REIT distribution requirements. Moreover, for purposes of the asset tests, we will include our pro rata share of assets held by the operating partnership, including its share of its subsidiary partnerships and limited liability companies, based on our capital interests in each such entity. See "Taxation of Our Company."
Entity Classification. Our interests in the operating partnership and its subsidiary partnerships and limited liability companies involve special tax considerations, including the possibility that the IRS might challenge the status of these entities as partnerships (or disregarded entities). For example, an entity that would otherwise be classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes may nonetheless be taxable as a corporation if it is a "publicly traded partnership" and certain other requirements are met. A partnership or limited liability company would be treated as a publicly traded partnership if its interests are traded on an established securities market or are readily tradable on a secondary market or a substantial equivalent thereof, within the meaning of applicable Treasury Regulations.
If units in our operating partnership would otherwise be viewed as readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof, interests in our operating partnership may nonetheless be viewed as not readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof if the sum of the percentage interests in capital or profits of our operating partnership transferred during any taxable year of our operating partnership does not exceed 2% of the total interests in our operating partnership's capital or profits, subject to certain exceptions. For purpose of this 2% trading restriction, our interests in our operating partnership are excluded from the determination of the percentage interests in capital or profits of our operating partnership. In addition, this 2% trading restriction does not apply to transfers by a limited partner in one or more transactions during any 30-day period representing in the aggregate more than 2% of the total interests in our operating partnership's capital or profits. As the sole stockholder of the general partner of our operating partnership, we have the authority to cause the general partner to take any steps we determine necessary or appropriate to prevent any trading of interests in our operating partnership that would cause our operating
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partnership to become a publicly traded partnership, including any steps necessary to ensure compliance with this 2% trading restriction.
If our operating partnership or any subsidiary partnership or limited liability company were to be treated as a publicly traded partnership, it would be taxable as a corporation unless it qualified for the statutory "90% qualifying income exception." Under that exception, a publicly traded partnership is not subject to corporate-level tax if 90% or more of its gross income consists of dividends, interest, "rents from real property" (as that term is defined for purposes of the rules applicable to REITs, with certain modifications), gain from the sale or other disposition of real property, and certain other types of qualifying income. However, if any such entity did not qualify for this exception or was otherwise taxable as a corporation, it would be required to pay an entity-level tax on its income. In this situation, the character of our assets and items of gross income would change and could prevent us from satisfying the REIT asset tests and possibly the REIT income tests. See "Taxation of Our CompanyAsset Tests" and "Income Tests." This, in turn, could prevent us from qualifying as a REIT. See "Failure to Qualify" for a discussion of the effect of our failure to meet these tests. In addition, a change in the tax status of our operating partnership or a subsidiary partnership or limited liability company might be treated as a taxable event. If so, we might incur a tax liability without any related cash payment. We believe the operating partnership and each of its other partnerships and limited liability companies (other than any partnership or limited liability company that has elected to be taxed as a corporation and is either a REIT or a taxable REIT subsidiary of ours) will be classified as partnerships or disregarded entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and we do not anticipate that the operating partnership or any subsidiary partnership or limited liability company will be treated as a publicly traded partnership that is taxable as a corporation.
Allocations of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction. A partnership or limited liability company agreement will generally determine the allocation of income and losses among partners or members, provided such allocations comply with the provisions of Section 704(b) of the Code and the related Treasury Regulations. Generally, Section 704(b) of the Code and the related Treasury Regulations require that partnership and limited liability company allocations respect the economic arrangement of the partners or members.
The partnership agreement of the operating partnership provides for preferred distributions of cash and preferred allocations of income to the holders of any preferred units it may issue from time to time. Upon any issuance of shares of our preferred stock for cash or other consideration, we will contribute the net proceeds or other consideration from such issuance to the operating partnership in exchange for preferred units with similar terms. In general, all remaining items of income and loss will be allocated to the holders of common units in proportion to the number of common units held by each such unitholder.
If an allocation of partnership income or loss does not comply with the requirements of Section 704(b) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder, the item subject to the allocation will be reallocated in accordance with the partners' or members' interests in the partnership or limited liability company. This reallocation will be determined by taking into account all of the facts and circumstances relating to the economic arrangement of the partners or members with respect to such item. The operating partnership's allocations of taxable income and loss are intended to comply with the requirements of Section 704(b) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder.
Tax Allocations With Respect to the Properties. Under Section 704(c) of the Code, income, gain, loss and deduction attributable to appreciated or depreciated property that is contributed to a partnership or limited liability company in exchange for an interest in the partnership or limited liability company, must be allocated in a manner so that the contributing partner or member is charged with the unrealized gain or benefits from the unrealized loss associated with the property at the time of the contribution. The amount of the unrealized gain or unrealized loss generally is equal to the
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difference between the fair market value or book value and the adjusted tax basis of the contributed property at the time of contribution, as adjusted from time to time. These allocations are solely for U.S. federal income tax purposes and do not affect the book capital accounts or other economic or legal arrangements among the partners or members.
The operating partnership was formed by way of contributions of appreciated property (i.e., property having an adjusted tax basis less than its fair market value at the time of contribution). In addition, the operating partnership may, from time to time, acquire interests in property in exchange for interests in the operating partnership. In that case, the tax basis of these property interests will generally carry over to the operating partnership, notwithstanding their different book (i.e., fair market) value (this difference is referred to as a book-tax difference). The partnership agreement of our operating partnership requires that income and loss allocations with respect to these properties be made in a manner consistent with Section 704(c) of the Code. Treasury Regulations issued under Section 704(c) of the Code provide partnerships with a choice of several methods of accounting for book-tax differences. Depending on the method we choose in connection with any particular contribution, the carryover basis of each of the contributed interests in the properties in the hands of the operating partnership (i) could cause us to be allocated lower amounts of depreciation deductions for tax purposes than would be allocated to us if any of the contributed properties were to have a tax basis equal to its respective fair market value at the time of the contribution and (ii) could cause us to be allocated taxable gain in the event of a sale of such contributed interests or properties in excess of the economic or book income allocated to us as a result of such sale, with a corresponding benefit to the other partners in our operating partnership. An allocation described in clause (ii) above might cause us or the other partners to recognize taxable income in excess of cash proceeds in the event of a sale or other disposition of property, which might adversely affect our ability to comply with the REIT distribution requirements. See "Taxation of Our CompanyRequirements for Qualification as a REIT" and "Annual Distribution Requirements."
Any property acquired by the operating partnership in a taxable transaction will initially have a tax basis equal to its fair market value, and Section 704(c) of the Code generally will not apply.
Tax Considerations for Holders of Our Capital Stock
The following summary describes the material U.S. federal income tax consequences to you of acquiring, owning and disposing of our capital stock. This summary assumes you hold shares of our capital stock as "capital assets" (generally, property held for investment within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code). It does not address all the tax consequences that may be relevant to you in light of your particular circumstances, including the impact of the Medicare contribution tax on net investment income. In addition, this discussion does not address the tax consequences relevant to persons who receive special treatment under the U.S. federal income tax law, except where specifically noted. Holders receiving special treatment include, without limitation:
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If you are considering purchasing our capital stock, you should consult your tax advisor concerning the application of U.S. federal income tax laws to your particular situation as well as any consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of our capital stock arising under the laws of any state, local or non-U.S. taxing jurisdiction.
When we use the term "U.S. stockholder," we mean a holder of shares of our capital stock who, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is:
If you hold shares of our capital stock and are not a U.S. stockholder, you are a "non-U.S. stockholder."
If a partnership or other entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds shares of our capital stock, the tax treatment of a partner generally will depend on the status of the partner and on the activities of the partnership. Partners of partnerships holding shares of our capital stock are encouraged to consult their tax advisors.
Taxation of Taxable U.S. Stockholders
Distributions Generally. Distributions out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits will be treated as dividends and, other than with respect to capital gain dividends and certain amounts which have previously been subject to corporate level tax, as discussed below, will be taxable to our taxable U.S. stockholders as ordinary income when actually or constructively received. See "Tax Rates" below. As long as we qualify as a REIT, these distributions will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction in the case of U.S. stockholders that are corporations or, except to the extent provided in "Tax Rates" below, the preferential rates on qualified dividend income applicable to non-corporate U.S. stockholders, including individuals. For purposes of determining whether distributions to our stockholders are out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, our
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earnings and profits will be allocated first to our outstanding preferred stock, if any, and then to our outstanding common stock.
To the extent that we make distributions on our capital stock in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits allocable to such stock, these distributions will be treated first as a tax-free return of capital to a U.S. stockholder. This treatment will reduce the U.S. stockholder's adjusted tax basis in such shares of stock by the amount of the distribution, but not below zero. Distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits and in excess of a U.S. stockholder's adjusted tax basis in its shares will be taxable as capital gain. Such gain will be taxable as long-term capital gain if the shares have been held for more than one year. Dividends we declare in October, November, or December of any year and which are payable to a stockholder of record on a specified date in any of these months will be treated as both paid by us and received by the stockholder on December 31 of that year, provided we actually pay the dividend on or before January 31 of the following year. U.S. stockholders may not include in their own income tax returns any of our net operating losses or capital losses.
U.S. stockholders that receive taxable stock dividends, including dividends partially payable in our capital stock and partially payable in cash, would be required to include the full amount of the dividend (i.e., the cash and the stock portion) as ordinary income (subject to limited exceptions) to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as described above. The amount of any dividend payable in our capital stock generally is equal to the amount of cash that could have been received instead of the capital stock. Depending on the circumstances of a U.S. stockholder, the tax on the distribution may exceed the amount of the distribution received in cash, in which case such U.S. stockholder would have to pay the tax using cash from other sources. If a U.S. stockholder sells the capital stock it received in connection with a taxable stock dividend in order to pay this tax and the proceeds of such sale are less than the amount required to be included in income with respect to the stock portion of the dividend, such U.S. stockholder could have a capital loss with respect to the stock sale that could not be used to offset such dividend income. A U.S. stockholder that receives capital stock pursuant to a distribution generally has a tax basis in such capital stock equal to the amount of cash that could have been received instead of such capital stock as described above, and has a holding period in such capital stock that begins on the day immediately following the payment date for the distribution.
Capital Gain Dividends. Dividends that we properly designate as capital gain dividends will be taxable to our taxable U.S. stockholders as a gain from the sale or disposition of a capital asset held for more than one year, to the extent that such gain does not exceed our actual net capital gain for the taxable year. U.S. stockholders that are corporations may, however, be required to treat up to 20% of certain capital gain dividends as ordinary income.
If we properly designate any portion of a dividend as a capital gain dividend, then, except as otherwise required by law, we presently intend to allocate a portion of the total capital gain dividends paid or made available to holders of all classes of our stock for the year to the holders of each class of our common stock and preferred stock (if and when issued) in proportion to the amount that our total dividends, as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes, paid or made available to the holders of such stock for the year bears to the total dividends, as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes, paid or made available to holders of all classes of our stock for the year. In addition, except as otherwise required by law, we may make a similar allocation with respect to any undistributed long term capital gains which are to be included in our stockholders' long term capital gains, based on the allocation of the capital gain amount which would have resulted if those undistributed long term capital gains had been distributed as "capital gain dividends" by us to our stockholders.
Retention of Net Capital Gains. We may elect to retain, rather than distribute as a capital gain dividend, all or a portion of our net capital gains. If we make this election, we would pay tax on our
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retained net capital gains. In addition, to the extent we so elect, our earnings and profits (determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes) would be adjusted accordingly, and a U.S. stockholder generally would:
Passive Activity Losses and Investment Interest Limitations. Distributions we make and gain arising from the sale or exchange by a U.S. stockholder of our shares will not be treated as passive activity income. As a result, U.S. stockholders generally will not be able to apply any "passive losses" against this income or gain. A U.S. stockholder may elect to treat capital gain dividends, capital gains from the disposition of our capital stock and income designated as qualified dividend income, described in "Tax Rates" below, as investment income for purposes of computing the investment interest limitation, but in such case, the stockholder will be taxed at ordinary income rates on such amount. Other distributions made by us, to the extent they do not constitute a return of capital, generally will be treated as investment income for purposes of computing the investment interest limitation.
Dispositions of Our Capital Stock. Except as described below under "Redemption or Repurchase by Us," if a U.S. stockholder sells or disposes of shares of our capital stock, it will recognize gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes in an amount equal to the difference between the amount of cash and the fair market value of any property received on the sale or other disposition and the U.S. stockholder's adjusted basis in the shares. This gain or loss, except as provided below, will be a long-term capital gain or loss if the holder has held such capital stock for more than one year. However, if a U.S. stockholder recognizes a loss upon the sale or other disposition of capital stock that it has held for six months or less, after applying certain holding period rules, the loss recognized will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent the U.S. stockholder received distributions from us which were required to be treated as long-term capital gains.
Redemption or Repurchase by Us. A redemption or repurchase of shares of our capital stock will be treated under Section 302 of the Code as a distribution taxable as a dividend to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits at ordinary income rates unless the redemption or repurchase satisfies one of the tests set forth in Section 302(b) of the Code and is therefore treated as a sale or exchange of the redeemed or repurchased shares. The redemption or repurchase will be treated as a sale or exchange if it:
all within the meaning of Section 302(b) of the Code.
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In determining whether any of these tests has been met, shares of capital stock, including common stock and other equity interests in us, considered to be owned by the U.S. stockholder by reason of certain constructive ownership rules set forth in the Code, as well as shares of our capital stock actually owned by the U.S. stockholder, must generally be taken into account. Because the determination as to whether any of the alternative tests of Section 302(b) of the Code will be satisfied with respect to the U.S. stockholder depends upon the facts and circumstances at the time that the determination must be made, U.S. stockholders are advised to consult their tax advisors to determine such tax treatment.
If a redemption or repurchase of shares of our stock is treated as a distribution taxable as a dividend, the amount of the distribution will be measured by the amount of cash and the fair market value of any property received. See "Distributions Generally." A U.S. stockholder's adjusted basis in the redeemed or repurchased shares of the stock for tax purposes generally will be transferred to its remaining shares of our capital stock, if any. If a U.S. stockholder owns no other shares of our capital stock, under certain circumstances, such basis may be transferred to a related person or it may be lost entirely. Proposed Treasury Regulations issued in 2009, if enacted in their current form, would affect the basis recovery rules described above. It is not clear whether these proposed regulations will be enacted in their current form or at all. Prospective investors should consult their tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of a redemption or repurchase of our capital stock.
If a redemption or repurchase of shares of our stock is not treated as a distribution taxable as a dividend, it will be treated as a taxable sale or exchange in the manner described under "Dispositions of Our Capital Stock."
Tax Rates. The maximum tax rate for non-corporate taxpayers for capital gains, including certain "capital gain dividends," is generally 20% (although depending on the characteristics of the assets which produced these gains and on designations which we may make, certain capital gain dividends may be taxed at a 25% rate). Capital gain dividends will only be eligible for the rates described above to the extent they are properly designated by the REIT as "capital gain dividends." In addition, U.S. stockholders that are corporations may be required to treat up to 20% of some capital gain dividends as ordinary income. The maximum tax rate for non-corporate taxpayers for income that the REIT properly designates as "qualified dividend income" is generally 20%. However, dividends payable by REITs are not eligible for the 20% tax rate on qualified dividend income, except to the extent that certain holding requirements have been met and the REIT's dividends are attributable to dividends received from taxable corporations (such as its taxable REIT subsidiaries) or to income that was subject to tax at the corporate/REIT level (for example, if the REIT distributed taxable income that it retained and paid tax on in the prior taxable year).
In addition, certain U.S. stockholders that are individuals, estates or trusts must pay an additional 3.8% tax on, among other things, dividends on and capital gains from the sale or other disposition of stock. U.S. stockholders should consult their tax advisors regarding the effect, if any, of these rules on their ownership and disposition of our capital stock.
Foreign Accounts. Certain payments made to "foreign financial institutions" in respect of accounts of U.S. stockholders at such financial institutions may be subject to withholding at a rate of 30%. U.S. stockholders should consult their tax advisors regarding the effect, if any, of these rules on their ownership and disposition of our capital stock. See "Taxation of Non-U.S. StockholdersForeign Accounts."
Information Reporting and Backup Withholding. We are required to report to our U.S. stockholders and the IRS the amount of dividends paid during each calendar year, and the amount of any tax withheld. Under the backup withholding rules, a stockholder may be subject to backup withholding with respect to dividends paid unless the holder is a corporation or comes within certain other exempt categories and, when required, demonstrates this fact, or provides a taxpayer
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identification number, certifies as to no loss of exemption from backup withholding, and otherwise complies with applicable requirements of the backup withholding rules. A U.S. stockholder that does not provide us with its correct taxpayer identification number may also be subject to penalties imposed by the IRS. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amount paid as backup withholding will be creditable against the stockholder's U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the required information is timely furnished to the IRS. In addition, we may be required to withhold a portion of capital gain distributions to any stockholders who fail to certify their non-foreign status. See "Taxation of Non-U.S. Stockholders."
Taxation of Tax-Exempt Stockholders
Dividend income from us and gain arising upon a sale of our shares of capital stock generally will not be unrelated business taxable income, or UBTI, to a tax-exempt stockholder, except as described below. All or a portion of such dividend income will be UBTI if a tax-exempt stockholder holds its shares as "debt-financed property" within the meaning of the Code, and all or a portion of such gain will be UBTI if a tax-exempt stockholder holds its shares as debt-financed property or as inventory or property held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of the trade or business of the tax-exempt stockholder. Generally, "debt-financed property" is property the acquisition or holding of which was financed through a borrowing by the tax-exempt stockholder.
For tax-exempt stockholders that are social clubs, voluntary employee benefit associations, supplemental unemployment benefit trusts, or qualified group legal services plans exempt from U.S. federal income taxation under Sections 501(c)(7), (c)(9), (c)(17) or (c)(20) of the Code, respectively, income from an investment in our shares will constitute UBTI unless the organization is able to properly claim a deduction for amounts set aside or placed in reserve for specific purposes so as to offset the income generated by its investment in our shares. These prospective investors should consult their tax advisors concerning these "set aside" and reserve requirements.
Notwithstanding the above, however, a portion of the dividends paid by a "pension-held REIT" may be treated as UBTI as to certain trusts that hold more than 10%, by value, of the interests in the REIT. A REIT will not be a "pension-held REIT" if it is able to satisfy the "not closely held" requirement without relying on the "look-through" exception with respect to certain trusts or if such REIT is not "predominantly held" by "qualified trusts." As a result of restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock contained in our charter, we do not expect to be classified as a "pension-held REIT," and as a result, the tax treatment described above should be inapplicable to our stockholders. However, because our capital stock is (and, we anticipate, will continue to be) publicly traded, we cannot guarantee that this will always be the case.
Taxation of Non-U.S. Stockholders
The following discussion addresses the rules governing U.S. federal income taxation of the purchase, ownership and disposition of our capital stock by non-U.S. stockholders. These rules are complex, and no attempt is made herein to provide more than a brief summary of such rules. Accordingly, the discussion does not address all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation and does not address state, local or non-U.S. tax consequences that may be relevant to a non-U.S. stockholder in light of its particular circumstances. We urge non-U.S. stockholders to consult their tax advisors to determine the impact of U.S. federal, state, local and non-U.S. income tax laws on the purchase, ownership and disposition of shares of our capital stock, including any tax return filing and other reporting requirements.
Distributions Generally. Distributions (including any taxable stock dividends) that are neither attributable to gains from sales or exchanges by us of United States real property interests, or USRPIs, nor designated by us as capital gain dividends (except as described below) will be treated as dividends
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of ordinary income to the extent that they are made out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits. Such distributions ordinarily will be subject to withholding of U.S. federal income 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 (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, the non-U.S. stockholder maintains a permanent establishment in the United States to which such dividends are attributable). Under certain treaties, however, lower withholding rates generally applicable to dividends do not apply to dividends from a REIT. Certain certification and disclosure requirements must be satisfied to be exempt from withholding under the effectively connected income exemption. Dividends that are treated as effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business generally will not be subject to withholding but will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net basis at graduated rates, in the same manner as dividends paid to U.S. stockholders are subject to U.S. federal income tax. Any such dividends received by a non-U.S. stockholder that is a corporation may also be subject to an additional branch profits tax at a 30% rate (applicable after deducting U.S. federal income taxes paid on such effectively connected income) or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty.
Except as otherwise provided below, we expect to withhold U.S. federal income tax at the rate of 30% on any distributions made to a non-U.S. stockholder unless:
Distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits will not be taxable to a non-U.S. stockholder to the extent that such distributions do not exceed the adjusted tax basis of the stockholder's capital stock, but rather will reduce the adjusted tax basis of such stock. To the extent that such distributions exceed the non-U.S. stockholder's adjusted tax basis in such capital stock, they will give rise to gain from the sale or exchange of such stock, the tax treatment of which is described below.
For withholding purposes, because we generally cannot determine at the time we make a distribution whether the distribution will exceed our current and accumulated earnings and profits, we expect to treat all distributions as made out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits. However, amounts withheld may be refundable if it is subsequently determined that the distribution was, in fact, in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits, provided that certain conditions are met.
Capital Gain Dividends and Distributions Attributable to a Sale or Exchange of United States Real Property Interests. Distributions to a non-U.S. stockholder that we properly designate as capital gain dividends, other than those arising from the disposition of a USRPI, generally should not be subject to U.S. federal income taxation, unless:
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case the nonresident alien individual will be subject to a 30% tax on the individual's capital gains (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty), which may be offset by U.S. source capital losses of such non-U.S. stockholder (even though the individual is not considered a resident of the United States), provided the non-U.S. stockholder has timely filed U.S. federal income tax returns with respect to such losses.
Pursuant to the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act, which is referred to as "FIRPTA," distributions to a non-U.S. stockholder that are attributable to gain from sales or exchanges by us of USRPIs, whether or not designated as capital gain dividends, will cause the non-U.S. stockholder to be treated as recognizing such gain as income effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business. Non-U.S. stockholders would generally be taxed at the same rates applicable to U.S. stockholders, subject to any applicable alternative minimum tax. We also will be required to withhold and to remit to the IRS 35% (or 20% to the extent provided in Treasury Regulations) of any distribution to non-U.S. stockholders that is designated as a capital gain dividend or, if greater, 35% of any distribution to non-U.S. stockholders that could have been designated as a capital gain dividend. Distributions subject to FIRPTA may also be subject to a 30% branch profits tax in the hands of a non-U.S. stockholder that is a corporation. The amount withheld is creditable against the non-U.S. stockholder's U.S. federal income tax liability. However, any distribution with respect to any class of stock that is "regularly traded" on an established securities market located in the United States is not subject to FIRPTA, and therefore, not subject to the 35% U.S. withholding tax described above, if the non-U.S. stockholder did not own more than 5% of such class of stock at any time during the one-year period ending on the date of the distribution. Instead, such distributions generally will be treated as ordinary dividend distributions and subject to withholding in the manner described above with respect to ordinary dividends.
Retention of Net Capital Gains. Although the law is not clear on the matter, it appears that amounts we designate as retained net capital gains in respect of the capital stock held by stockholders generally should be treated with respect to non-U.S. stockholders in the same manner as actual distributions of capital gain dividends. Under this approach, the non-U.S. stockholders would be able to offset as a credit against their U.S. federal income tax liability resulting from their proportionate share of the tax that we paid on such retained net capital gains and to receive from the IRS a refund to the extent their proportionate share of such tax that we paid exceeds their actual U.S. federal income tax liability. If we were to designate any portion of our net capital gain as retained net capital gain, a non-U.S. stockholder should consult its tax advisor regarding the taxation of such retained net capital gain.
Sale of Our Capital Stock. Except as described below under "Redemption or Repurchase by Us," gain recognized by a non-U.S. stockholder upon the sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of our capital stock generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income taxation unless such stock constitutes a USRPI. In general, stock of a domestic corporation that constitutes a "U.S. real property holding corporation," or USRPHC, will constitute a USRPI. We believe that we are a USRPHC. Our capital stock, however, 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 in which at all times during a specified testing period less than 50% in value of its stock is held directly or indirectly by non-U.S. persons. We believe, but cannot guarantee, that we are a "domestically controlled qualified investment entity." Because our capital stock is (and, we anticipate, will continue to be) publicly traded, no assurance can be given that we will continue to be a "domestically controlled qualified investment entity."
Notwithstanding the foregoing, gain from the sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of our capital stock not otherwise subject to FIRPTA will be taxable to a non-U.S. stockholder if either (a) the investment in our capital stock is treated as effectively connected with the non-U.S. stockholder's U.S. trade or business (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, the non-U.S.
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stockholder maintains a permanent establishment in the United States to which such gain is attributable) or (b) the non-U.S. stockholder is a nonresident alien individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year and certain other conditions are met. In addition, even if we are a domestically controlled qualified investment entity, upon disposition of our stock (subject to the 5% exception applicable to "regularly traded" stock described above), a non-U.S. stockholder may be treated as having gain from the sale or other taxable disposition of a USRPI if the non-U.S. stockholder (1) disposes of our stock within a 30-day period preceding the ex-dividend date of a distribution, any portion of which, but for the disposition, would have been treated as gain from the sale or exchange of a USRPI and (2) acquires, or enters into a contract or option to acquire, or is deemed to acquire, other shares of that stock during the 61-day period beginning with the first day of the 30-day period described in clause (1). The preceding sentence shall not apply to a non-U.S. stockholder if the non-U.S. stockholder did not own more than 5% of the stock at any time during the one-year period ending on the date of the distribution described in clause (1) of the preceding sentence and the class of stock is "regularly traded," as defined by applicable Treasury Regulations. Non-U.S. stockholders should contact their tax advisors regarding the tax consequences of any sale, exchange, or other taxable disposition of our capital stock.
Even if we do not qualify as a "domestically controlled qualified investment entity" at the time a non-U.S. stockholder sells our stock, gain arising from the sale or other taxable disposition by a non-U.S. stockholder of such stock would not be subject to U.S. federal income taxation under FIRPTA as a sale of a USRPI if:
If gain on the sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of our capital stock were subject to taxation under FIRPTA, the non-U.S. stockholder would be required to file a U.S. federal income tax return and would be subject to regular U.S. federal income tax with respect to such gain in the same manner as a taxable U.S. stockholder (subject to any applicable alternative minimum tax and a special alternative minimum tax in the case of nonresident alien individuals). In addition, if the sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of our capital stock were subject to taxation under FIRPTA, and if shares of our capital stock were not "regularly traded" on an established securities market, the purchaser of such capital stock generally would be required to withhold and remit to the IRS 10% of the purchase price. If amounts withheld on a sale, redemption, repurchase, or exchange of our capital stock exceed the non-U.S. stockholder's substantive tax liability resulting from such disposition, such excess may be refunded or credited against such non-U.S. stockholder's U.S. federal income tax liability, provided that the required information is provided to the IRS on a timely basis. Amounts withheld on any such sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of our capital stock may not satisfy a non-U.S. stockholder's entire tax liability under FIRPTA, and such non-U.S. stockholder remains liable for the timely payment of any remaining tax liability.
Redemption or Repurchase by Us. A redemption or repurchase of shares of our stock will be treated under Section 302 of the Code as a distribution (and taxable as a dividend to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits) unless the redemption or repurchase satisfies one of the tests set forth in Section 302(b) of the Code and is therefore treated as a sale or exchange of the redeemed or repurchased shares. See "Taxation of Taxable U.S. StockholdersRedemption or Repurchase by Us." If the redemption or repurchase of shares is treated as a distribution, the amount of the distribution will be measured by the amount of cash and the fair market value of any property received. See "Taxation of Non-U.S. StockholdersDistributions Generally." If the redemption or
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repurchase of shares is not treated as a distribution, it will be treated as a taxable sale or exchange in the manner described under "Taxation of Non-U.S. StockholdersSale of Our Capital Stock."
Information Reporting and Backup Withholding Tax. Generally, we must report annually to the IRS the amount of dividends paid to a non-U.S. stockholder, such stockholder's name and address, and the amount of tax withheld, if any. A similar report is sent to the non-U.S. stockholder. Pursuant to tax treaties or other agreements, the IRS may make its reports available to tax authorities in the non-U.S. stockholder's country of residence.
Payments of dividends or of proceeds from the disposition of stock made to a non-U.S. stockholder may be subject to information reporting and backup withholding unless such stockholder establishes an exemption, for example, by properly certifying its non-U.S. status on an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E or another appropriate version of IRS Form W-8. Notwithstanding the foregoing, backup withholding and information reporting may apply if either we have or our paying agent has actual knowledge, or reason to know, that a non-U.S. stockholder is a U.S. person.
Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Rather, the U.S. federal income tax liability of persons subject to backup withholding will be reduced by the amount of tax withheld. If withholding results in an overpayment of taxes, a refund or credit may be obtained, provided that the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.
Foreign Accounts
Withholding taxes may be imposed under Sections 1471 to 1474 of the Code (such Sections commonly referred to as the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, or "FATCA") on certain types of payments made to non-U.S. financial institutions and certain other non-U.S. entities. Specifically, a 30% withholding tax may be imposed on dividends on, or gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of, our capital stock paid to a "foreign financial institution" or a "non-financial foreign entity" (each as defined in the Code), unless (i) the foreign financial institution undertakes certain diligence and reporting obligations, (ii) the non-financial foreign entity either certifies it does not have any "substantial United States owners" (as defined in the Code) or furnishes identifying information regarding each substantial United States owner, or (iii) the foreign financial institution or non-financial foreign entity otherwise qualifies for an exemption from these rules. If the payee is a foreign financial institution and is subject to the diligence and reporting requirements in clause (i) above, it must enter into an agreement with the U.S. Department of the Treasury requiring, among other things, that it undertake to identify accounts held by certain "specified United States persons" or "United States-owned foreign entities" (each as defined in the Code), annually report certain information about such accounts, and withhold 30% on certain payments to non-compliant foreign financial institutions and certain other account holders. Foreign financial institutions located in jurisdictions that have an intergovernmental agreement with the United States governing FATCA may be subject to different rules.
Under the applicable Treasury Regulations, withholding under FATCA generally applies to payments of dividends on our capital stock and will apply to payments of gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of such stock on or after January 1, 2017.
U.S. stockholders and prospective investors should consult their tax advisors regarding the potential application of withholding under FATCA to their investment in our capital stock.
Other Tax Consequences
State, local and non-U.S. income tax laws may differ substantially from the corresponding U.S. federal income tax laws, and this discussion does not purport to describe any aspect of the tax laws of any state, local or non-U.S. jurisdiction, or any U.S. federal tax other than the income tax. You should consult your tax advisor regarding the effect of state, local, non-U.S., and other tax laws with respect to our tax treatment as a REIT and an investment in our capital stock.
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We may sell the securities to one or more underwriters for public offering and sale by them or may sell the securities to investors directly or through agents or dealers, directly to one or more purchasers or through a combination of any of these methods of sale, or in any manner, as provided in the applicable prospectus supplement. The securities that we distribute by any of these methods may be sold to the public, in one or more transactions, at a fixed price or prices that may be changed, at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to prevailing market prices, or at negotiated prices. We will identify the specific plan of distribution, including any underwriters, dealers, agents or direct purchasers and their compensation, in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Underwriters may offer and sell the securities at a fixed price or prices that may be changed, at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to prevailing market prices, or at negotiated prices. We also may, from time to time, authorize broker-dealers, acting as our agents, to offer and sell the securities upon the terms and conditions described in the related prospectus supplement. Underwriters or agents may receive compensation from us in the form of discounts or commissions and may also receive commissions from purchasers of the securities. Underwriters may sell the securities to or through dealers, and the dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the underwriters, agents and/or commissions, which may be changed from time to time, from the purchasers.
Any underwriting compensation we pay to underwriters or agents in connection with the offering of the securities, and any discounts, concessions or commissions allowed by underwriters to participating dealers, will be set forth in the related prospectus supplement. Dealers and agents participating in the distribution of the securities may be deemed to be underwriters, and any discounts and commissions received by them and any profit realized by them on resale of the securities may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions under the applicable securities laws. Underwriters, dealers and agents may be entitled, under agreements entered into with us, to indemnification against and contribution toward certain civil liabilities, including any liabilities under the applicable securities laws.
We may enter into derivative transactions with third parties, or sell securities not covered by this prospectus to third parties in privately negotiated transactions. If the applicable prospectus supplement indicates, in connection with those derivatives, the third parties may sell securities covered by this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, including in short sale transactions. If so, the third party may use securities pledged by us or borrowed from us or others to settle those sales or to close out any related open borrowings of stock, and may use securities received from us in settlement of those derivatives to close out any related open borrowings of stock. The third party in such sale transactions will be an underwriter and will be identified in the applicable prospectus supplement or a post-effective amendment.
Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, any securities issued under this prospectus will be new issues of securities with no established trading market. Any underwriters or agents to or through whom we sell securities for public offering and sale may make a market in the securities, but the underwriters or agents will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. We do not know how liquid the trading market for any of our securities will be.
To facilitate the offering of any offered securities, certain persons participating in the offering may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain, or otherwise affect the price of such offered securities. These transactions may include over-allotment, syndicate covering transactions and stabilizing transactions. Over-allotment involves sales of securities in excess of the principal amount of securities to be purchased by the underwriters in an offering, which creates a short position for the underwriters. Covering transactions involve purchases of the securities in the open market after the distribution has
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been completed in order to cover short positions. Stabilizing transactions consist of certain bids or purchases of securities made for the purpose of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the securities while the offering is in progress. Any of these activities may have the effect of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the securities being offered. They may also cause the price of the securities being offered to be higher than the price that otherwise would exist in the open market in the absence of these transactions. These transactions may be conducted in the over-the-counter market or otherwise. These transactions may be discontinued at any time.
Certain of the underwriters, dealers or agents and their associates may engage in transactions with, and perform services for, us and our affiliates in the ordinary course of business for which they may receive customary fees and expenses.
Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, the validity of any securities we issue under this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Venable LLP, Baltimore, Maryland. In addition, the description of material federal income tax consequences contained in this prospectus under the heading "Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" is based upon the opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP, Los Angeles, California.
The consolidated financial statements of Douglas Emmett, Inc. appearing in Douglas Emmett, Inc.'s Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2014 including the schedule appearing therein, and the effectiveness of Douglas Emmett, Inc.'s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2014, have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their reports thereon included therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such financial statements are, and audited financial statements to be included in subsequently filed documents will be, incorporated herein in reliance upon the reports of Ernst & Young LLP pertaining to such financial statements (to the extent covered by consents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission) given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
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PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.
The following is a statement of expenses (all of which are estimated) in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities being registered, other than underwriting compensation:
SEC registration fee |
$ | * | ||
Printing and engraving expense |
+ | |||
Legal fees and disbursements |
+ | |||
Accounting fees and disbursements |
+ | |||
Transfer Agent's, Depositary's and Trustee's fees and disbursements |
+ | |||
Blue Sky fees and expenses |
+ | |||
Miscellaneous (including listing and rating agency fees) |
+ | |||
Total |
$ | + |
Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
The MGCL permits a Maryland corporation to include in its charter a provision eliminating the liability of its directors and officers to the corporation and its stockholders for money damages except for liability resulting from actual receipt of an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services or active and deliberate dishonesty that is established by a final judgment and is material to the cause of action. Our charter contains such a provision which eliminates such liability to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law.
Our charter authorizes us, and our bylaws require us, to the maximum extent that Maryland law in effect from time to time permits, to indemnify any present or former director or officer and any individual who, while a director or officer of our company and at our request, serves or has served another corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise as a director, officer, partner or trustee, from and against any claim or liability to which that individual may become subject or which that individual may incur by reason of his or her service in any such capacity and to pay or reimburse his or her reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding without requiring a preliminary determination of the ultimate entitlement to indemnification.
The MGCL requires a Maryland corporation (unless its charter provides otherwise, which our charter does not) to indemnify a director or officer who has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any proceeding to which he or she is made or threatened to be made a party by reason of his or her service in that capacity. The MGCL permits a Maryland corporation to indemnify its present and former directors and officers, among others, against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in connection with any proceeding to which they may be made or are threatened to be made a party by reason of their service in those or other capacities unless it is established that:
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However, under the MGCL, a Maryland corporation may not indemnify for an adverse judgment in a suit by or in the right of the corporation or for a judgment of liability on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received, unless in either case a court orders indemnification and then only for expenses.
In addition, the MGCL permits a Maryland corporation to advance reasonable expenses to a director or officer upon the corporation's receipt of:
We have entered into indemnification agreements with each of our executive officers and directors whereby we indemnify such executive officers and directors to the fullest extent permitted by Maryland law against all expenses and liabilities, subject to limited exceptions. These indemnification agreements also provide that upon an application for indemnity by an executive officer or director to a court of appropriate jurisdiction, such court may order us to indemnify such executive officer or director.
In addition, our directors and officers are indemnified for specified liabilities and expenses pursuant to the partnership agreement of the partnership.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, the registrant has been informed that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is therefore unenforceable.
See the Exhibit Index which is incorporated herein by reference.
(a) The undersigned registrants hereby undertake:
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the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in the effective registration statement; and
provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(i)(iii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrants pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.
The undersigned registrants undertake that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrants pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to
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sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrants will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer to sell such securities to such purchaser:
(b) Each undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of such registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein by such registrant, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrants pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrants have been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrants will, unless in the opinion of their counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question of whether such indemnification by them is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
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Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Santa Monica, California on this 4th day of August, 2015.
DOUGLAS EMMETT, INC., a Maryland corporation |
||||
By: |
/s/ JORDAN L. KAPLAN Jordan L. Kaplan President and Chief Executive Officer |
Each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Jordan Kaplan and Theodore Guth, and each of them, his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement (and to any registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462 under the Securities Act of 1933), and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature
|
Title
|
Date
|
||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
By: | /s/ JORDAN L. KAPLAN Jordan L. Kaplan |
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer) | August 4, 2015 | |||
By: |
/s/ THEODORE E. GUTH Theodore E. Guth |
Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer) |
August 4, 2015 |
|||
By: |
/s/ MONA GISLER Mona Gisler |
Chief Accounting Officer (Principal Accounting Officer) |
August 4, 2015 |
|||
By: |
/s/ DAN A. EMMETT Dan A. Emmett |
Chairman of the Board |
August 4, 2015 |
Signature
|
Title
|
Date
|
||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
By: | /s/ KENNETH M. PANZER Kenneth M. Panzer |
Chief Operating Officer and Director | August 4, 2015 | |||
By: |
/s/ LESLIE E. BIDER Leslie E. Bider |
Director |
August 4, 2015 |
|||
By: |
/s/ WILLIAM E. SIMON, JR., William E. Simon, Jr., |
Director |
August 4, 2015 |
|||
By: |
/s/ THOMAS E. O'HERN Thomas E. O'Hern |
Director |
August 4, 2015 |
|||
By: |
/s/ CHRISTOPHER H. ANDERSON Christopher H. Anderson |
Director |
August 4, 2015 |
|||
By: |
/s/ DR. DAVID T. FEINBERG Dr. David T. Feinberg |
Director |
August 4, 2015 |
|||
By: |
/s/ VIRGINIA MCFERRAN Virginia McFerran |
Director |
August 4, 2015 |
Exhibit No. | Exhibit | ||
---|---|---|---|
1.1 | * | Form of Underwriting Agreement | |
4.1 |
(1) |
Articles of Amendment and Restatement |
|
4.2 |
(2) |
Certificate of Correction to Articles of Amendment and Restatement |
|
4.3 |
(3) |
Amended and Restated Bylaws |
|
4.1 |
(4) |
Form of Certificate of Common Stock |
|
4.2 |
* |
Form of Certificate of Preferred Stock |
|
4.3 |
* |
Form of Deposit Agreement |
|
4.4 |
* |
Form of Depositary Receipts |
|
4.5 |
* |
Form of Warrant |
|
4.6 |
* |
Form of Rights Agreement |
|
4.7 |
* |
Form of Stock Purchase Contract Agreement |
|
4.8 |
* |
Form of Pledge Agreement |
|
4.8 |
* |
Form of Unit Agreement |
|
5.1 |
Opinion of Venable, LLP |
||
8.1 |
Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP |
||
12 |
* |
Statement regarding computation of ratios |
|
23.1 |
Consent of Ernst & Young LLP |
||
23.2 |
Consent of Venable, LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1) |
||
23.3 |
Consent of Latham & Watkins LLP (included in Exhibit 8.1) |
||
24.1 |
Power of Attorney (included on the signature page of the Registration Statement) |