UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
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If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of each class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||
| Item 8.01 | Other Events |
On February 18, 2021, Safehold Inc. (the “Company”), Safehold Operating Partnership LP (the “Operating Partnership”) and SFTY Manager LLC (the “Manager”) entered into an ATM Equity OfferingSM Sales Agreement (the “Sales Agreement”) with BofA Securities, Inc., Barclays Capital Inc., Berenberg Capital Markets LLC, Capital One Securities, Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Mizuho Securities USA LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Raymond James & Associates, Inc., SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc. and Truist Securities, Inc. (each, individually, an “Agent” and, collectively, the “Agents”), pursuant to which the Company may sell, from time to time, shares of its common stock, $0.01 par value per share (“Common Stock”), having an aggregate gross sales price of up to $250.0 million (the “Shares”), through or to the Agents. The Company may sell the Shares in amounts and at times to be determined by the Company from time to time but has no obligation to sell any of the Shares. Actual sales, if any, will depend on a variety of factors to be determined by the Company from time to time, including, among other things, market conditions, the trading price of the Common Stock, capital needs and determinations by the Company of the appropriate sources of its funding.
Any Shares sold in the offering will be issued pursuant to a prospectus supplement, dated February 18, 2021, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on February 18, 2021, and the accompanying base prospectus, dated February 18, 2021, forming part of the Company’s shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-253262, filed with the SEC on February 18, 2021. Sales of the Shares, if any, made pursuant to the Sales Agreement may be sold in negotiated transactions, including block trades, or transactions that are deemed to be “at the market” offerings as defined in Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), by means of ordinary brokers’ transactions at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, including sales made directly on the New York Stock Exchange, sales made to or through a market maker and sales made through other securities exchanges or electronic communications networks. The Sales Agreement provides that an Agent will be entitled to compensation that will not exceed, but may be lower than, 2.0% of the gross sales price of any of the Shares sold through it as Agent. Under the terms of the Sales Agreement, the Company may also sell Shares to one or more Agents, as principal, at a price agreed upon at the time of sale. If the Company sells Shares to any Agent(s) as principal, it will enter into a separate terms agreement with the Agent(s), setting forth the terms of such transaction. The Company intends to contribute any net proceeds from the sale of Shares to the Operating Partnership, which intends to use such net proceeds for general corporate purposes, which may include repaying or repurchasing indebtedness, making additional investments in ground leases and providing for working capital.
The Company and the Operating Partnership made certain customary representations, warranties and covenants concerning the Company, the Operating Partnership and the registration statement in the Sales Agreement and also agreed to indemnify the Agents against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. The foregoing description of the Sales Agreement does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, the form of Sales Agreement, which is attached hereto as Exhibit 1.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.
On February 18, 2021, Venable LLP delivered its legality opinion with respect to the Shares that may be issued pursuant to the Sales Agreement. A copy of the legality opinion is attached hereto as Exhibit 5.1.
This Current Report on Form 8-K shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction.
| Item 9.01 | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
| (d) | Exhibits |
| Exhibit 1.1 | ATM Equity OfferingSM Sales Agreement dated February 18, 2021 | |
| Exhibit 5.1 | Opinion of Venable LLP | |
| Exhibit 23.1 | Consent of Venable LLP (contained in opinion filed as Exhibit 5.1 hereto) | |
| Exhibit 104 | Cover Page Interactive File (the cover page tags are embedded with the Inline XBRL document) |
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
| Safehold Inc. | |||
| Date: | February 18, 2021 | By: | /s/ JEREMY FOX-GEEN |
| Jeremy Fox-Geen | |||
| Chief Financial Officer |
Exhibit 1.1
Safehold Inc.
Common Stock
($0.01 par value per share)
ATM EQUITY OFFERINGSM SALES AGREEMENT
February 18, 2021
BofA Securities, Inc.
Barclays Capital Inc.
Berenberg Capital Markets LLC
Capital One Securities, Inc.
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
Mizuho Securities USA LLC
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
Raymond James & Associates, Inc.
SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc.
Truist Securities, Inc.
c/o BofA Securities, Inc.
One Bryant Park
New York, New York 10036
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Safehold Inc., a Maryland corporation (including its predecessor before giving effect to the formation transactions that were consummated prior to or concurrently with the completion of its initial public offering, the “Company”), Safehold Operating Partnership LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “Operating Partnership,” and together with the Company, the “Transaction Entities”), and SFTY Manager LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Manager”), confirm their respective agreements with BofA Securities, Inc. (“BofAS”), Barclays Capital Inc. (“Barclays”), Berenberg Capital Markets LLC (“Berenberg”), Capital One Securities, Inc. (“Capital One”), Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“Citigroup”), Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC (“Goldman Sachs”), J.P. Morgan Securities LLC (“JPMorgan”), Mizuho Securities USA LLC (“Mizuho”), Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), Raymond James & Associates, Inc. (“Raymond James”), SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc. (“SMBC Nikko”) and Truist Securities, Inc. (“Truist”), as sales agents and/or principals (the “Agents”), subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, with respect to the issuance and sale by the Company from time to time to or through the Agents of shares (the “Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, $0.01 par value per share (the “Common Stock”), having an aggregate gross sales price of not to exceed $250,000,000, on the terms set forth in this ATM Equity OfferingSM Sales Agreement. The Company agrees that whenever it determines to sell Shares directly to an Agent as principal it will enter into a separate written Terms Agreement (each, a “Terms Agreement”), in substantially the form of Annex I hereto, relating to such sale in accordance with Section 2(k) hereof. References herein to “this Agreement” or to matters contained “herein” or “hereunder”, or words of similar import, mean this ATM Equity Offering SM Sales Agreement and any applicable Terms Agreement.
The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) an “automatic shelf registration statement”, as defined under Rule 405 (“Rule 405”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), on Form S-3 (File No. 333-253262), covering the public offering and sale of certain securities of the Company, including the Shares, under the 1933 Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “1933 Act Regulations”), which automatic shelf registration statement became effective under Rule 462(e) of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 462(e)”). The “Registration Statement”, as of any time, means such registration statement as amended by any post-effective amendments thereto at such time, including the exhibits and any schedules thereto at such time, the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein at such time pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to Rule 430B of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 430B”); provided, however, that the “Registration Statement” without reference to a time means such registration statement as amended by any post-effective amendments thereto as of the time of the first contract of sale for the Shares, which time shall be considered the “new effective date” of the Registration Statement with respect to the Shares within the meaning of paragraph (f)(2) of Rule 430B (“Rule 430B(f)(2)”), including the exhibits and schedules thereto at such time, the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein at such time pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to Rule 430B. The base prospectus filed as part of such automatic shelf registration statement, as amended in the form in which it has been filed most recently with the Commission in accordance with Section 3(b) or 3(c) hereof, including the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act, is referred to herein as the “Base Prospectus”. Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file a prospectus supplement relating to the Shares in accordance with the provisions of Rule 424(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 424(b)”). Such final prospectus supplement, as amended by the prospectus supplement filed most recently with the Commission in accordance with Section 3(b), 3(c) or 3(p) hereof, as the case may be, including the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act, is referred to herein as the “Prospectus Supplement”. The Base Prospectus, as amended by the Prospectus Supplement and any applicable pricing supplement thereto, in the form the Base Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement and any such pricing supplement are first furnished to the Agents for use in connection with the offering and sale of Shares, are collectively referred to herein as the “Prospectus.” For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (or any successor system) (“EDGAR”).
As used in this Agreement:
“Applicable Time” means, with respect to any offer and sale of Shares, the time immediately prior to the first contract of sale for such Shares, or such other time as agreed by the Company and the applicable Agent(s).
“General Disclosure Package” means each Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus, if any, issued prior to the Applicable Time, the most recent Prospectus filed with the Commission in accordance with Section 3(b), 3(c) or 3(p) hereof that is distributed to investors prior to the Applicable Time and the number of Shares and the initial offering price per Share, all considered together.
“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), including, without limitation, any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405) relating to the Shares that is (i) required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) a “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (iii) exempt from filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Shares or of the offering thereof that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).
“Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus approved by the Agents or, in the case of a specific offer and sale of Shares, the applicable Agent(s) pursuant to Section 3(l) hereof that is furnished to the Agents or such Agents, as the case may be, for general distribution to investors, as evidenced by communications between the Company and the Agents or such Agent(s), as the case may be.
“Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus.
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All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “contained,” “included,” “made,” “stated” or “referred to” (or other references of like import) in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include all such financial statements and schedules and other information incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, prior to the Applicable Time relating to the particular Shares; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include the filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “1934 Act Regulations”) incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, such preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, at or after the Applicable Time relating to the particular Shares.
Section 1. Representations and Warranties.
(a) Representations and Warranties by the Transaction Entities. Each of the Transaction Entities, jointly and severally, represents and warrants to the Agents at the date of this Agreement, each Registration Statement Amendment Date (as defined in Section 3(q) hereof), each Company Periodic Report Date (as defined in Section 3(p) hereof), each Company Earnings Report Date (as defined in Section 3(q) hereof), each Request Date (as defined in Section 3(q) hereof), each Applicable Time and each Settlement Date (as defined in Section 2(h) hereof) (collectively, a “Representation Date”), and agrees with the Agents, as follows:
(i) Compliance of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and Incorporated Documents. The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act. The Registration Statement is an automatic shelf registration statement under Rule 405 and the Shares have been and remain eligible for registration by the Company on such automatic shelf registration statement. Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto has become effective under the 1933 Act. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act, no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 401(g)(2)”) has been received by the Company, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes or pursuant to Section 8A of the 1933 Act have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of either of the Transaction Entities, contemplated. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information.
Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time of its effectiveness and as of each deemed effective date with respect to the Agents pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2), complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations. Each of any preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, at the time it was filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and is identical to the electronically transmitted copy thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus, when they became effective or at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations.
(ii) Accurate Disclosure. Neither the Registration Statement nor any amendment thereto, at its effective time or at any Settlement Date, contained, contains or will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. At each Applicable Time, neither (A) the General Disclosure Package nor (B) any individual Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto (including any prospectus wrapper), as of its issue date, at the time of any filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) or at any Settlement Date, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, at the time the Registration Statement became effective or when such documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, when read together with the other information in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, did not, do not and will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
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The representations and warranties in this Section 1(a)(ii) shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Transaction Entities by the Agents expressly for use therein. For purposes of this Agreement, the only information so furnished shall be the names of the Agents appearing in the first paragraph on the cover page of the Prospectus and in the General Disclosure Package (collectively, the “Agent Information”).
(iii) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. No Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, including any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein, that has not been superseded or modified. Any offer that is a written communication relating to the Shares made prior to the initial filing of the Registration Statement by the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this paragraph only, of Rule 163(c) of the 1933 Act Regulations) has been filed with the Commission in accordance with the exemption provided by Rule 163 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 163”) and otherwise complied with the requirements of Rule 163, including, without limitation, the legending requirement, to qualify such offer for the exemption from Section 5(c) of the 1933 Act provided by Rule 163.
(iv) Well-Known Seasoned Issuer. (A) At the time of filing of the Registration Statement, (B) at the time of the most recent amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the 1933 Act (whether such amendment was by post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act or form of prospectus), (C) at the time the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of Rule 163(c)) made any offer relating to the Shares in reliance on the exemption of Rule 163, (D) at the date of this ATM Equity Offering SM Sales Agreement and any Terms Agreement, and (E) at each Applicable Time, the Company was and is a “well-known seasoned issuer,” as defined in Rule 405.
(v) Company Not Ineligible Issuer. (A) At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, (B) at the earliest time thereafter that either Transaction Entity or other offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations) of the Shares, (C) at the date of this ATM Equity Offering SM Sales Agreement and any Terms Agreement and (D) at each Applicable Time, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405, without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an ineligible issuer.
(vi) Independent Accountants. The accountants who certified the financial statements and supporting schedules included or incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are independent public accountants with respect to the Transaction Entities as required by the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1934 Act, the 1934 Act Regulations and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.
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(vii) Financial Statements; Non-GAAP Financial Measures. The financial statements included or incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes, present fairly in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries at the dates indicated and the results of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries for the periods specified, and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods presented. The financial statements of the businesses or properties acquired or proposed to be acquired, if any, included or incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the information set forth therein, have been prepared in conformity with GAAP applied on a consistent basis and otherwise have been prepared in accordance with, in the case of businesses acquired or to be acquired, the applicable financial statement requirements of Rule 3-05 or, in the case of real estate operations acquired or to be acquired, Rule 3-14 of Regulation S-X. The supporting schedules, if any, present fairly in all material respects in accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated therein. The selected financial data and the summary financial information included or incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements included therein. Any pro forma financial statements and the related notes thereto included or incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the information shown therein, have been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines with respect to pro forma financial statements and have been properly compiled on the bases described therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein. Except as included or incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no historical or pro forma financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included or incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus under the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations. All disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, if any, or incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein, regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply in all material respects with Regulation G under the 1934 Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the 1933 Act, in each case to the extent applicable. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.
(viii) No Material Adverse Change. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, (A) there has been no material adverse change in or affecting the real properties owned or leased (as a tenant) by the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries (collectively, the “Properties”) taken as a whole or in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs, management or business prospects of the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”), (B) there have been no transactions entered into by either of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries, other than in the ordinary course of business, which are material with respect to the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, (C) there has been no liability or obligation, direct or contingent (including off-balance sheet obligations), which is material to the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, incurred by either of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries outside the ordinary course of their business and (D) except for regular quarterly dividends on the Common Stock, there has been no distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by either of the Transaction Entities on any class of its capital stock, in the case of the Company, any units of limited partnership interest, in the case of the Operating Partnership (“OP Units”), or other form of ownership interests, as applicable.
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(ix) Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Maryland and has all corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties, to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under, and to consummate the transactions contemplated in, this Agreement. The Company is duly qualified to transact business as a foreign entity and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(x) Good Standing of Subsidiaries. Each significant subsidiary of the Company (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X) (including, without limitation, the Operating Partnership) (each, a “Subsidiary” and, collectively, the “Subsidiaries”) has been duly organized or formed, as applicable, and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, organization or formation, has corporate, trust, partnership, limited liability company or similar power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business as a foreign entity and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, all of the issued and outstanding ownership interests in each Subsidiary of the Company (including, without limitation, all of the issued and outstanding OP Units) have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable, were issued in accordance with all applicable securities laws and are owned by the Company, directly or through wholly-owned subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity, and none of the outstanding ownership interests in any Subsidiary of the Company were issued in violation of any preemptive rights, resale rights, rights of first offer or refusal or other similar rights. The only subsidiaries of the Company are (A) the subsidiaries of the Company listed on Exhibit 21 to the Company’s most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, and (B) certain other subsidiaries which, considered in the aggregate as a single subsidiary, do not constitute a “significant subsidiary,” as defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X.
(xi) Capitalization. The authorized, issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are as set forth in the financial statements included or incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (except for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to this Agreement, pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or pursuant to the exercise of convertible or exchangeable securities or options referred to in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus). Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (i) no shares of capital stock of the Company are reserved for any purpose, (ii) there are no outstanding instruments convertible into or exchangeable for any shares of capital stock or any other ownership interest of the Company, and (iii) there are no outstanding options, rights (preemptive or otherwise) or warrants to purchase or subscribe for shares of capital stock or any other ownership interests of the Company. Each of (A) the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company, (B) all outstanding instruments convertible into or exchangeable for any capital stock or any other ownership interests of the Company and (C) all outstanding options, rights or warrants to purchase or subscribe for shares of capital stock or any other ownership interests of the Company has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable, was issued in accordance with all applicable securities laws and conforms in all material respects to all statements relating thereto in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and none of such outstanding shares of capital stock, instruments, options, rights or warrants were issued in violation of any preemptive rights, resale rights, rights of first offer or refusal or other similar rights.
(xii) No Equity Awards. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither of the Transaction Entities has granted to any person or entity a stock option or other equity-based award of or relating to Common Stock pursuant to an equity-based compensation plan or otherwise.
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(xiii) Authorization of this Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each of the Transaction Entities.
(xiv) Authorization and Description of Shares. The Shares have been duly authorized for issuance and sale by the Company pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to this Agreement against payment of the consideration set forth in this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and will not be subject to any preemptive rights, resale rights, rights of first offer or refusal or other similar rights. The Common Stock conforms in all material respects to all statements relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and such description conforms in all material respects to the rights set forth in the instruments defining the same. No holder of Shares will be subject to personal liability by reason of being such a holder.
(xv) Ownership and Description of OP Units. The First Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement of the Operating Partnership is in full force and effect. At each Settlement Date, the Company will contribute the proceeds from the sale of the Shares to the Operating Partnership in exchange for a number of OP Units equal to the number of Shares issued. All of the OP Units issued in exchange for the Shares have been duly authorized and, at each Settlement Date, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and will be owned by the Company free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity, and none of such OP Units will be issued in violation of any preemptive rights, resale rights, rights of first offer or refusal or other similar rights. The terms of the OP Units conform in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and such description conforms in all material respects to the rights set forth in the instruments defining the same. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (A) no OP Units are reserved for any purpose, (B) there are no outstanding securities convertible into or exchangeable for any OP Units or any other ownership interests of the Operating Partnership and (C) there are no outstanding options, rights (preemptive or otherwise) or warrants to purchase or subscribe for OP Units or any other ownership interests of the Operating Partnership.
(xvi) Registration Rights. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and properly waived or satisfied, there are no persons with registration rights or other similar rights to have any securities registered for sale pursuant to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or otherwise by either of the Transaction Entities under the 1933 Act or to have securities included as part of any offering of Shares.
(xvii) Absence of Violations, Defaults and Conflicts. Neither of the Transaction Entities nor any of their respective subsidiaries is (A) in violation of its charter, bylaws, certificate of limited partnership, limited partnership agreement, limited liability company agreement or other organizational document, (B) in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which either of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound or to which any of their respective Properties, assets or operations is subject (collectively, “Agreements and Instruments”), except for such defaults that would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (C) in violation of any law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any arbitrator, court, governmental agency or body, regulatory body, administrative agency or other authority, body or agency having jurisdiction over either of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries or their respective Properties, assets or operations (each, a “Governmental Entity”), except for such violations that would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including the issuance and sale of Shares and the use of the net proceeds from the sale thereof as described therein under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) and compliance by the Transaction Entities with their respective obligations hereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or limited partnership action, as applicable, and do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any of the Properties, assets or operations of either of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments (except for such conflicts, breaches, defaults, Repayment Events, liens, charges or encumbrances that would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such action result in any violation of (i) the provisions of the charter, bylaws, certificate of limited partnership, limited partnership agreement, limited liability company agreement or other organizational document, as applicable, of either of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries or (ii) any applicable law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any Governmental Entity, except in the case of clause (ii) only, for any such violation that would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. As used herein, a “Repayment Event” means any event or condition which gives the holder of any financing instrument (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such financing by either of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries.
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(xviii) Absence of Employees. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither of the Transaction Entities nor any of their respective subsidiaries has any employees, and neither of the Transaction Entities are aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of their tenants or subtenants, which, in either case, would, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xix) Absence of Proceedings. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any Governmental Entity pending, or, to the knowledge of either of the Transaction Entities, threatened, against or affecting the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries, which (A) is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the preliminary prospectus that is included in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (other than as disclosed therein), (B) would, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (C) would materially and adversely affect the Properties, assets or operations of the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement or the performance by the Transaction Entities of their respective obligations hereunder. The aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which any of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries is a party or of which any of their respective Properties, assets or operations is the subject which are not described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, would not singly or in the aggregate result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xx) Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no leases, contracts, franchises, indentures, mortgages, loan agreements, notes or other agreements or instruments that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the preliminary prospectus that is included in the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that have not been so described or filed as required.
(xxi) Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any Governmental Entity is necessary or required for the due authorization, execution, delivery or performance by either of the Transaction Entities of its respective obligations hereunder, for the offering, issuance, sale or delivery of Shares or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement, except such as have been already obtained or as may be required under the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the rules of the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”), the securities laws of any U.S. state or non-U.S. jurisdiction or the rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”).
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(xxii) Possession of Licenses and Permits. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries possess such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations (collectively, the “Governmental Licenses”) issued by the appropriate Governmental Entities under applicable law necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, except where the failure so to possess would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all of the Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. All of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except when the invalidity of the Governmental Licenses or the failure of the Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither of the Transaction Entities nor any of their respective subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any of the Governmental Licenses which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxiii) Title to Property. (A) The Transaction Entities and their subsidiaries will have good and marketable fee simple title to, or leasehold interest under a ground lease in, the Properties, in each case, free and clear of all security interests, mortgages, pledges, liens, encumbrances, claims or equities of any kind other than those that (1) are described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (2) do not, singly or in the aggregate, materially affect the value of such Property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such Property by the Transaction Entities and any of their respective subsidiaries; (B) each of the ground leases under which a Transaction Entity or one of its subsidiaries is a tenant relating to a Property are in full force and effect, with such exceptions as do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such Property by either of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries, and (1) no default or event of default has occurred under any such ground lease with respect to such Property and none of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries has received any notice of any event which, whether with or without the passage of time or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a default under such ground lease, except, in each case, for such defaults or events of default that would, not singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, and (2) none of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries has received any notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries under any of the ground leases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Transaction Entities and any of their respective subsidiaries to the continued possession of the leased premises under any such ground lease; (C) all security interests, mortgages, pledges, liens, encumbrances, claims or equities on any of the Properties that are required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus are disclosed therein; (D) except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Transaction Entities have no actual knowledge that any Property fails to comply with all applicable codes, laws and regulations (including, without limitation, building and zoning codes, laws and regulations and laws relating to access to such Property), except for such failures to comply that would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; (E) no mortgage or deed of trust encumbering any Property is convertible into ownership interests in a Transaction Entity or any of its subsidiaries; and (F) except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, none of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of either of the Transaction Entities, any lessee under a lease of any of the Properties to which a Transaction Entity or any of its subsidiaries is a party (as a landlord) (a “Lease”) is in default under any of the Leases and none of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries knows of any event which, whether with or without the passage of time or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a default under any of the Leases, except, in each case, for such defaults that would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxiv) Joint Venture Agreements. Each of the partnership agreements or limited liability company agreements to which either of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective Subsidiaries is a party has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each Transaction Entity or their respective Subsidiaries, as applicable, and constitutes the legal, valid and binding agreement thereof, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except, in each case, to the extent that enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights or remedies generally or by general equitable principles, and, with respect to equitable relief, the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding at law or in equity), and with respect to any indemnification provisions contained therein, except as rights under those provisions may be limited by applicable law or policies underlying such law. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, none of the Transaction Entities nor any of their respective subsidiaries is party to any material joint venture agreements with any unaffiliated third party.
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(xxv) Possession of Intellectual Property. The Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks, trade names or other intellectual property (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) reasonably necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, and neither of the Transaction Entities nor any of their respective subsidiaries has received any notice or is otherwise aware of any infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual Property or of any facts or circumstances which would render any Intellectual Property invalid or inadequate to protect the interest of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries therein, and which infringement or conflict (if the subject of any unfavorable decision, ruling or finding) or invalidity or inadequacy, singly or in the aggregate, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxvi) Environmental Laws. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or except as would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, (A) none of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries has given notice to any tenant under a Lease of a default by such tenant under such Lease arising from a violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products, asbestos-containing materials or mold (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”) or has actual knowledge of any such violation, (B) the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries have obtained all permits, authorizations and approvals under any applicable Environmental Laws required to be obtained by them under the Lease and are each in compliance with their requirements, and the Transaction Entities have no actual knowledge of any absence of, or non-compliance with, any permits, authorizations or approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws relating to any of the Properties, (C) there are no pending or threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigations or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the Transaction Entities, any of their respective subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Transaction Entities, any of the Properties, and (D) to the knowledge of the Transaction Entities, there are no events or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up or remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or Governmental Entity, against or affecting the Transaction Entities, any of their respective subsidiaries or any of the Properties relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws.
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(xxvii) Accounting Controls and Disclosure Controls. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain effective internal control over financial reporting (as defined under Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the 1934 Act Regulations) and a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that: (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; and (E) the interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus fairly present the information called for in all material respects and is prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (1) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (2) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially and adversely affected, or is reasonably likely to materially and adversely affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain an effective system of disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15 and Rule 15d-15 under the 1934 Act Regulations) that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the 1934 Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, and is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive officer or officers and principal financial officer or officers, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding disclosure.
(xxviii) Compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith, including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.
(xxix) Payment of Taxes. All U.S. federal, state, local and non-U.S. income tax returns of the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries required by law to be filed have been filed, and all taxes shown by such returns or otherwise assessed, which are due and payable, have been paid, except assessments against which appeals have been taken and as to which adequate reserves have been provided. The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries in respect of any tax liability for any years not finally determined are adequate to meet any assessments or re-assessments for additional tax for any years not finally determined, except to the extent of any inadequacy that would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxx) ERISA. No Transaction Entity sponsors, maintains, contributes to, has any liability with respect to, or could reasonably be expected to have any liability with respect to any “employee benefit plan” within the meaning of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (“ERISA”). No portion of the assets of either Transaction Entity constitutes “plan assets” for purposes of Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).
(xxxi) Business Insurance. The Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries carry or are entitled to the benefits of insurance, with financially sound and reputable insurers, in such amounts and covering such risks as is generally maintained by companies of established repute engaged in the same or similar business, and all such insurance is in full force and effect. Neither of the Transaction Entities has any reason to believe that it or any of their respective subsidiaries will not be able to (A) renew, if desired, its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (B) obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither of the Transaction Entities nor any of their respective subsidiaries has been denied any insurance coverage which it has sought or for which it has applied. The Transaction Entities, directly or indirectly, have obtained customary title insurance on their fee interests and/or leasehold interests, as the case may be, in each of the Properties.
(xxxii) Investment Company Act. Neither of the Transaction Entities is required, or upon the issuance and sale of the Shares as contemplated herein and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will be required, to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
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(xxxiii) Absence of Manipulation. Neither of the Transaction Entities nor any of their respective subsidiaries or other affiliates has taken or will take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed, or would be expected, to cause or result in, or which constitutes, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of any Shares or a violation of Regulation M under the 1934 Act.
(xxxiv) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. None of the Transaction Entities, any of their respective subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of either of the Transaction Entities, any director, officer, partner, agent, employee, affiliate that is under the management control of the Transaction Entities or their subsidiaries or other person acting on behalf of any of the Transaction Entities or the Manager or any of their respective subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”), or any other applicable anti-bribery laws, including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA. Each of the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of each of the Transaction Entities, their respective affiliates that are under the management control of the Transaction Entities or their subsidiaries have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and any other applicable anti-bribery laws and have instituted and maintain and enforce policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.
(xxxv) Money Laundering Laws. The operations of each of the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of (A) the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, (B) the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and (C) any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any Governmental Entity (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”). No action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Entity involving any of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of either of the Transaction Entities, threatened.
(xxxvi) OFAC. None of the Transaction Entities, any of their respective subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of either of the Transaction Entities, any director, officer, partner, agent, employee, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of any of the Transaction Entities or the Manager or any of their respective subsidiaries is an individual or entity (“Person”) currently the subject or target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the United States Government, including, without limitation, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor are the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions. The Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds from any sale of Shares, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiaries, joint venture partners or other Person, to fund any activities of or business with any Person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any Person (including any Person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions.
(xxxvii) Lending Relationship. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither of the Transaction Entities (i) has any material lending or other relationship with the Agents or any affiliate of an Agent or (ii) intends to use any of the proceeds from any sale of Shares to repay any outstanding debt owed to an Agent or any affiliate of an Agent.
(xxxviii) Statistical and Market-Related Data. Any statistical and market-related data included or incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes, after reasonable inquiry, to be reliable and accurate in all material respects and, to the extent required, the Company has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources.
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(xxxix) Actively-Traded Security. The Common Stock is an “actively-traded security” exempted from the requirements of Rule 101 of Regulation M under the 1934 Act by subsection (c)(1) of such rule.
(xl) Cybersecurity. (A) To the knowledge of the Company, there has been no security breach or incident, unauthorized access or disclosure, or other compromise of or relating to the Company or its subsidiaries information technology and computer systems, networks, hardware, software, data and databases (including the data and information of their respective customers, employees, suppliers, vendors and any third party data maintained, processed or stored by the Company and its subsidiaries, and any such data processed or stored by third parties on behalf of the Company and its subsidiaries), equipment or technology (collectively, “IT Systems and Data”) except for any such security breach or incident, unauthorized access or disclosure, or other compromise of the Company’s or its subsidiaries’ IT Systems and Data that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; (B) neither the Company nor its subsidiaries have been notified of, and each of them have no knowledge of any event or condition that could result in, any security breach or incident, unauthorized access or disclosure or other compromise to their IT Systems and Data and (C) the Company and its subsidiaries have implemented appropriate controls, policies, procedures, and technological safeguards to maintain and protect, in all material respects, the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of their IT Systems and Data reasonably consistent with industry standards and practices, or as required by applicable regulatory standards. The Company and its subsidiaries are presently in compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification, except where failure to be so in compliance would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(xli) Real Estate Investment Trust. The Company has made a timely election to be subject to tax as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) pursuant to Sections 856 through 860 of the Code for its taxable year ended December 31, 2017. Commencing with its taxable year ended December 31, 2017, the Company has been organized in conformity with the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code. The Company’s current organization and proposed method of operation, as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will enable the Company to continue to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code. All statements regarding the Company’s qualification and taxation as a REIT and descriptions of the Company’s current organization and proposed method of operation (inasmuch as they relate to the Company’s qualification and taxation as a REIT) set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are accurate and fair summaries of the legal or tax matters described therein in all material respects.
(xlii) Management Agreement. The Amended and Restated Management Agreement, dated as of January 2, 2019, including any amendments thereto (the “Management Agreement”), between the Transaction Entities and the Manager, has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by, and is a valid and legally binding agreement of, each of the Transaction Entities, enforceable against the Transaction Entities in accordance with its terms, except to the extent that enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles, and with respect to any indemnification provisions contained therein, except as rights under those provisions may be limited by applicable law or policies underlying such law.
(xliii) Exclusivity Agreement. The Exclusivity and Expense Reimbursement Agreement, dated as of June 27, 2017, including any amendments thereto (the “Exclusivity Agreement”), between the Transaction Entities and iStar Inc., has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by, and is a valid and legally binding agreement of, each of the Transaction Entities, enforceable against the Transaction Entities in accordance with its terms, except to the extent that enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles and public policy.
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(xliv) Prior Sales of Common Stock or OP Units. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not issued, sold or distributed, or agreed to issue, sell or distribute, any shares of Common Stock and the Operating Partnership has not issued, sold or distributed, or agreed to issue, sell or distribute, any OP Units.
(xlv) Approval of Listing. The Shares have been approved for listing on the NYSE, subject to official notice of issuance.
(xlvi) Distributions. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (A) the Company is not currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from making any distributions to its stockholders and (B) neither the Operating Partnership nor any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company is prohibited, directly or indirectly, from making any distributions, directly or indirectly, to the Company, from making any other distribution on any of its ownership interests, from repaying any of its loans or advances, including those made, directly or indirectly, by the Company, or from loaning or otherwise making funds available, directly or indirectly, to the Company.
(xlvii) Finder’s Fees. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not incurred any liability for any finder’s fees or similar payments in connection with the transactions contemplated in this Agreement, except as may otherwise exist with respect to the Agents pursuant to this Agreement.
(xlviii) Certain Relationships. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among either of the Transaction Entities, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders, partners, customers or suppliers of the Transaction Entities, on the other hand, which is required to be described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus which is not so described.
(b) Representations and Warranties by the Manager. The Manager represents and warrants to the Agents as of each Representation Date, and agrees with the Agents, as follows:
(i) Certain Information. The information provided by the Manager set forth under the heading “Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplemental Data—Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—Note 13—Related Party Transactions—Management Agreement” in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, is true and correct in all material respects. Neither the Manager nor any affiliate of the Manager has any plan or intention to materially alter its capital investment policy or investment allocation policy with respect to the Company as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(ii) Good Standing of the Manager. The Manager is a limited liability company duly organized and validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and has limited liability company power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and the Management Agreement; and the Manager is duly qualified as a foreign limited liability company to transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(iii) Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Manager.
(iv) Authorization of Management Agreement. The Management Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by, and is a valid and legally binding agreement of, the Manager, enforceable against the Manager in accordance with its terms, except to the extent that enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles, and with respect to any indemnification provisions contained therein, except as rights under those provisions may be limited by applicable law or policies underlying such law.
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(v) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts. The Manager is not in violation of its limited liability company agreement or other organizational documents or in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in Agreements and Instruments to which it is bound or by which it may be bound, or which any of its property, assets or operations is subject, except for such defaults that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Management Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and therein and in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and compliance by the Manager with its obligations hereunder and thereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary limited liability company action and do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property, assets or operations of the Manager pursuant to, its Agreements and Instruments (except for such conflicts, breaches, defaults, Repayment Events, liens, charges or encumbrances that would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such action result in any violation of (i) the provisions of the limited liability company agreement or other organizational documents of the Manager or (ii) any applicable law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any Governmental Entity, except in the case of clause (ii) only, for any such violation that would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(vi) Absence of Further Requirements. Except as have been made or obtained, no filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of any Governmental Entity is necessary or required for due authorization, execution and delivery by the Manager of the Management Agreement.
(vii) Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Manager possesses such Governmental Licenses issued by the appropriate Governmental Entities necessary for the Manager to perform its duties set forth in the Management Agreement, except where the failure so to possess would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Manager is in compliance with the terms and conditions of all of the Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. All of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except when the invalidity of the Governmental Licenses or the failure of the Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Manager has not received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any of the Governmental Licenses which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(viii) Absence of Proceedings. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any Governmental Entity pending, or, to the knowledge of the Manager, threatened, against or affecting the Manager which (A) would, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (B) would materially and adversely affect the consummation by the Manager of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement or the Management Agreement or the performance by the Manager of its obligations hereunder or thereunder. The aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the Manager is a party or of which any of its properties, assets or operations is the subject, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(ix) Employment; Noncompetition; Nondisclosure. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Manager has not been notified that any of its executive officers or key employees plans to terminate his or her employment with the Manager. Neither the Manager nor any executive officer or key employee of the Manager is subject to any noncompete, nondisclosure, confidentiality, employment, consulting or similar agreement that would be violated by the present or proposed business activities of the Company or the Manager as described in the Management Agreement, the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except for such violations that would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.
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(x) Internal Controls. The Manager operates a system of internal controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (A) transactions that may be effectuated by it on behalf of the Transaction Entities pursuant to its duties set forth in the Management Agreement will be executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization and (B) access to the Transaction Entities’ assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization.
(xi) Investment Advisers Act. The Manager is not prohibited by the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, or the rules and regulations thereunder, from performing the duties set forth in the Management Agreement and disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(xii) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. None of the Manager, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Manager, any director, officer, partner, agent, employee, affiliate that is under the management control of the Manager or its subsidiaries or other person acting on behalf of the Manager or any of its subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the FCPA or any other applicable anti-bribery laws, including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA. The Manager and its subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Manager, its affiliates that are under the management control of the Manager or its subsidiaries have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and any other applicable anti-bribery laws and have instituted and maintain and enforce policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.
(xiii) Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Manager and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable Money Laundering Laws. No action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Entity involving the Manager or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Manager, threatened.
(xiv) OFAC. None of the Manager, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Manager, any director, officer, partner, agent, employee, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Manager or any of its subsidiaries is a Person currently the subject or target of any Sanctions, nor are the Manager or any of its subsidiaries located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions. The Manager will not directly or indirectly use the net proceeds from any sale of Shares, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiaries, joint venture partners or other Person, to fund any activities of or business with any Person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any Person (including any Person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions.
(c) Officer’s Certificates. Any certificate signed by any officer or other representative of either of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries delivered to the Agents shall be deemed a representation and warranty by such Transaction Entity to each Agent as to the matters covered thereby. Any certificate signed by any officer or other representative of the Manager delivered to the Agents shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Manager to each Agent as to the matters covered thereby.
Section 2. Sale and Delivery of Shares.
(a) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Company agrees to issue and sell Shares through the applicable Agent(s) acting as sales agent or directly to the applicable Agent(s) acting as principal from time to time. Sales of the Shares, if any, through an Agent acting as sales agent or directly to an Agent acting as principal will be made by means of ordinary brokers’ transactions on the NYSE or otherwise at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices.
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(b) The Shares are to be sold to an Agent on an agented basis on any day (other than a day on which the NYSE is scheduled to close prior to its regular weekday closing time) (each, a “Trading Day”) on which (i) the Company has instructed such Agent to make such sales and (ii) the Transaction Entities and the Manager have satisfied or the Agent has waived the Transaction Entities’ and the Manager’s respective covenants and conditions specified in Sections 3, 4 and 6 hereof. On any Trading Day, the Company may sell Shares through only one Agent and, if it determines to do so, shall instruct the applicable Agent by telephone (confirmed promptly by telecopy or email, which confirmation will be promptly acknowledged by such Agent) as to the maximum number of Shares to be sold on such Trading Day and the minimum price per Share at which such Shares may be sold. Subject to the terms and conditions specified herein (including, without limitation, the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company and the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations, contained herein and the satisfaction of the additional conditions specified in Section 6 hereof), such Agent shall use its commercially reasonable efforts, consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable law and regulations, to sell all of the Shares so designated by the Company as sales agent in accordance with such instruction. On any Trading Day, the Company shall give at least one business day’s prior written notice by telecopy or email to the Agents as to any change of the Agent through whom sales of Shares as sales agent will be made. For the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing limitation shall not apply to sales solely to employees or security holders of the Company or its subsidiaries or to a trustee or other person acquiring Shares for the accounts of such persons in which any of the Agents are acting for the Company in a capacity other than as Agent under this Agreement. Each of the Company and the Agents acknowledge and agree that (A) there can be no assurance that any Agent will be successful in selling any Shares and (B) no Agent will incur any liability or obligation to the Company if they fail to sell Shares for any reason other than a failure to use its commercially reasonable efforts, consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable law and regulations, to sell such Shares as required by this Agreement.
(c) The Company or the Agent through whom the sale of Shares are to be made as sales agent on any Trading Day may, upon notice to the other party hereto by telephone (confirmed promptly by telecopy or email, which confirmation will be promptly acknowledged by the receiving party), suspend the offering of Shares with respect to which such Agent is acting as sales agent for any reason and at any time; provided, however, that such suspension shall not affect or impair the parties’ respective obligations with respect to the Shares sold, or with respect to Shares that the Company has agreed to sell, hereunder prior to the giving of such notice.
(d) The gross sales price of any Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement by the applicable Agent acting as sales agent of the Company shall be equal to, in the discretion of such Agent but subject to the specific instructions of the Company, the market price prevailing at the time of sale for the Shares sold by such Agent on the NYSE or otherwise, at prices related to prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices. The compensation payable to an Agent for sales of Shares with respect to which such Agent acts as sales agent shall be at a mutually agreed rate, not to exceed 2.0% of the gross sales price for such Shares. The remaining proceeds, after further deduction for any transaction fees, transfer taxes or similar taxes or fees imposed by any Governmental Entity or self-regulatory organization in respect of such sales, shall constitute the net proceeds to the Company for such sales (the “Net Proceeds”). The applicable Agent shall notify the Company as promptly as practicable if any deduction referenced in the preceding sentence will be made. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event the Company engages an Agent as sales agent for the sale of Shares that would constitute a “distribution” within the meaning of Rule 100 of Regulation M under the 1934 Act, the Company and such Agent will agree to compensation for such Agent that is customary for such sales.
(e) If acting as sales agent hereunder, the applicable Agent shall provide written confirmation to the Company following the close of trading on the NYSE on each Trading Day on which Shares are sold under this Agreement setting forth the number of Shares sold on such day, the aggregate gross sales proceeds of the Shares, the aggregate Net Proceeds to the Company and the aggregate compensation payable by the Company to such Agent with respect to such sales.
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(f) Under no circumstances shall the aggregate gross sales price or number, as the case may be, of Shares offered or sold pursuant to this Agreement, or which are the subject of instructions to an Agent as sales agent pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof, exceed the aggregate gross sales price or number, as the case may be, of Shares (i) referred to in the preamble paragraph of this Agreement, as reduced by prior sales of Shares under this Agreement, (ii) available for sale under the Registration Statement or (iii) duly authorized from time to time to be issued and sold under this Agreement by the Company or approved for listing on the NYSE. In addition, under no circumstances shall any Shares with respect to which an Agent acts as sales agent be offered or sold, or be the subject of instructions to an Agent as sales agent pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof, at a price lower than the minimum price therefor duly authorized from time to time by the Company and notified to the Agents in writing. The Agents shall have no responsibility for maintaining records with respect to Shares available for sale under the Registration Statement or for determining the aggregate gross sales price, number or minimum price of Shares duly authorized by the Company.
(g) If the exemptive provisions set forth in Rule 101(c)(1) of Regulation M under the 1934 Act are not satisfied with respect to the Company or the Shares, the Company shall promptly notify the Agents and future offers and sales of Shares through the Agents on an agented basis under this ATM Equity Offering SM Sales Agreement shall be suspended until that or other exemptive provisions have been satisfied in the judgment of each party.
(h) Settlement for sales of Shares will occur on the second business day that is also a Trading Day following the trade date on which such sales are made, unless another date shall be agreed to in writing by the Company and the applicable Agent(s) (each such day, a “Settlement Date”). On each Settlement Date for the sale of Shares through an Agent as sales agent, such Shares shall be delivered by the Company to such Agent in book-entry form to such Agent’s account at The Depository Trust Company against payment by such Agent of the Net Proceeds from the sale of such Shares in same day funds delivered to an account designated by the Company. If the Company shall default on its obligation to deliver Shares through an Agent as sales agent on any Settlement Date, the Company shall (i) indemnify and hold such Agent harmless against any loss, claim or damage arising from or as a result of such default by the Company and (ii) pay such Agent any commissions to which it would otherwise be entitled absent such default.
(i) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Company shall not offer or sell, or instruct an Agent to offer or sell, any Shares through an Agent as sales agent (and, by notice to the Agents given by telephone (confirmed promptly by telecopy or email), shall cancel any instructions for any such offer or sale of any Shares prior to the commencement of the periods referenced below), and the Agents shall not be obligated to make any such offer or sale of Shares, (i) during any period in which the Company is, or could reasonably be deemed to be, in possession of material non-public information or (ii) except as provided in Section 2(j) hereof, at any time during the period commencing on the business day prior to the time the Company issues a press release containing, or shall otherwise publicly announce, its earnings, revenues or other operating results for a fiscal period or periods (each, an “Earnings Announcement”) through and including the time that is 24 hours after the time that the Company files a Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or an Annual Report on Form 10-K (a “Filing Time”) that includes consolidated financial statements as of and for the same fiscal period or periods, as the case may be, covered by such Earnings Announcement.
(j) Notwithstanding clause (ii) of Section 2(i) hereof, if the Company wishes to offer or sell Shares to an Agent as sales agent at any time during the period from and including an Earnings Announcement through and including the corresponding Filing Time, the Company shall first (i) prepare and deliver to such Agent (with a copy to counsel for the Agents) a Current Report on Form 8-K that includes substantially the same financial and related information (together with management’s discussion and analysis thereof) that was included in such Earnings Announcement (other than any earnings projections and similar forward-looking data and officers’ quotations) (each, an “Earnings 8-K”), in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Agent, and, prior to its filing, obtain the written consent of such Agent to such filing (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), (ii) provide such Agent with the officers’ certificate, opinions and letters of counsel and accountants’ letter specified in Section 3(q), (r) and (s), respectively, hereof, (iii) afford such Agent the opportunity to conduct a due diligence review in accordance with Section 3(u) hereof prior to filing such Earnings 8-K and (iv) file such Earnings 8-K with the Commission. For purposes of clarity, the parties hereto agree that (A) the delivery of any officers’ certificate, opinion or letter of counsel or accountants’ letter pursuant to this Section 2(j) shall not relieve the Company from any of its obligations under this Agreement with respect to any Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or Annual Report on Form 10-K, as the case may be, including, without limitation, the obligation to deliver officers’ certificates, opinions and letters of counsel and accountants’ letters as provided in Section 3(q), (r) and (s), respectively, hereof, and (B) this Section 2(j) shall in no way affect or limit the operation of clause (i) of Section 2(i) hereof, which shall have independent application.
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(k) The Agents shall not have any obligation to purchase Shares as principal, whether from the Company or otherwise, unless the Company and the applicable Agent(s) agree as set forth below. Shares purchased from the Company by the applicable Agent(s), individually or in a syndicate, as principal shall be made in accordance with terms agreed upon between such Agent(s) and the Company as evidenced by a Terms Agreement. The applicable Agent(s)’ commitment to purchase Shares from the Company as principal shall be deemed to have been made on the basis of the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Transaction Entities and the Manager, and performance by the Transaction Entities and the Manager of their respective covenants and other obligations, herein contained and shall be subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth. At the time of each Terms Agreement, the applicable Agent(s) shall specify the requirements, if any, for the officers’ certificate, opinions and letters of counsel and accountants’ letter pursuant to Section 3(q), (r) and (s), respectively, hereof. In the event of a conflict between the terms of this ATM Equity OfferingSM Sales Agreement and a Terms Agreement, the terms of such Terms Agreement shall control.
Section 3. Covenants of the Company. Each of the Transaction Entities, jointly and severally, covenants with each Agent as follows:
(a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests. The Company, subject to Section 3(b) and 3(c) hereof, will comply with the requirements of Rule 430B, and will notify the Agents as soon as reasonably possible, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or any new registration statement relating to the Shares shall become effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus shall have been filed (other than an amendment or supplement providing solely for the determination of the terms of an offering of securities unless related to an offering of Shares, as to which the Company will only be obligated to notify the applicable Agent(s)), (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus, including any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein, or for additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto or any notice of objection to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) or of the issuance of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or of the suspension of the qualification of any Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the 1933 Act concerning the Registration Statement and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the 1933 Act in connection with any offering of Shares. In connection with a Terms Agreement, the Company will prepare and file with the Commission, subject to Section 3(c) hereof, a pricing supplement with respect to the offer and sale of Shares covered by such Terms Agreement. The Company will effect all filings required under Rule 424(b), in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop, prevention or suspension order and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof as soon as reasonably possible. In the event of any issuance of a notice of objection, by the Commission, the Company shall take all necessary action to permit offers and sales of Shares by or through the Agents, including, without limitation, amending the Registration Statement or filing a new shelf registration statement relating thereto. The Company shall pay the required Commission filing fees relating to the Shares prior to the time the initial Prospectus Supplement is filed with the Commission or the time any subsequent Prospectus Supplement that increases the gross offering price or number of Shares that may offered and sold under this Agreement from that referenced in the immediately preceding Prospectus Supplement filed with the Commission.
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(b) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company will comply with the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of sales of Shares as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Agents or counsel to the Company, to (i) amend the Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser or (iii) amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, including, without limitation, the filing of any document incorporated by reference therein, in order to comply with the requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1934 Act or the 1934 Act Regulations, the Company will promptly (A) give the Agents or, in the case of a an offer and sale of Shares to the applicable Agent(s) as principal, such Agent(s) written notice of such event or condition, (B) prepare any amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to comply with such requirements and, a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing or use, furnish the Agents or such Agent(s), as the case may be, with copies of any such amendment or supplement and (C) file with the Commission any such amendment or supplement and use its best efforts to have any amendment to the Registration Statement declared effective by the Commission as soon as practicable if the Company is no longer eligible to file an automatic shelf registration statement; provided, however, that the Company shall not file or use any such amendment or supplement to which the Agents or such Agent(s), as the case may be, or counsel for the Agents shall reasonably object.
(c) Filing or Use of Amendments and Supplements. The Company will give the Agents or, in the case of a an offer and sale of Shares to the applicable Agent(s) as principal, such Agent(s) written notice of its intention to file or use (i) any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (other than an amendment or supplement thereto relating solely to the offering of securities unless related to an offering of Shares), whether pursuant to the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act or otherwise, (ii) any new Prospectus Supplement that includes information in addition to the information referred to in Section 3(p) hereof or (iii) a pricing supplement disclosing the offer and sale of Shares covered by a Terms Agreement, will furnish the Agents or such Agent(s), as the case may be, with copies of any such document a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing or use, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Agents or such Agent(s), as the case may be, or counsel for the Agents shall reasonably object.
(d) Delivery of Registration Statements. The Company has furnished or will deliver to the Agents and counsel for the Agents, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein and documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts. The signed copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Agents and counsel for the Agents will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
(e) Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company will furnish to the Agents or, in the case of an offer and sale of Shares to the applicable Agent(s) as principal, such Agent(s), without charge, upon execution of this Agreement and thereafter during the period in which a prospectus is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 172”), would be) required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection with any offer or sale of Shares, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as the Agents or such Agent(s), as the case may be, may reasonably request. The Company will also furnish, upon request of the Agents or such Agent(s), as the case may be, copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) to each exchange or market on which sales of Shares were made as may be required by the rules and regulations of such exchange or market. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished in accordance with this Section will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
(f) Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period in which a prospectus is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection with any offer or sale of Shares, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the 1934 Act within the time periods prescribed by, and meeting the requirements of, the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations. Additionally, the Company shall report the use of the net proceeds from the sale of any Shares as may be required under the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations, including, if applicable, Rule 463 of the 1933 Act Regulations.
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(g) Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts, in cooperation with the Agents or, in the case of an offer and sale of Shares to the applicable Agent(s) as principal, such Agent(s) to qualify the Shares for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and non-U.S. jurisdictions as the Agents or such Agent(s), as the case may be, may, from time to time, designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required to complete the sale of the Shares contemplated by this Agreement; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.
(h) Rule 158. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the 1934 Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its securityholders an earnings statement for the purposes of, and to provide to the Agents the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act.
(i) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement in the manner specified in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under “Use of Proceeds.”
(j) Listing. The Company will use its reasonable best efforts to effect and maintain the listing of the Shares on, and satisfy the requirements of, the NYSE.
(k) Notice of Certain Actions. During each period commencing on the date on which the Company provides sales instructions to an Agent and ending after the close of business on the Settlement Date for the related transaction, the Company will not, without giving the Agents at least three business days’ prior written notice, (i) directly or indirectly offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or lend or otherwise transfer or dispose of any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock (including, without limitation, OP Units) or submit or file any registration statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any of the foregoing or publicly announce the intention to do any of the foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such swap, other agreement or transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of shares of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise, or publicly announce the intention to do any of the foregoing. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (A) the Shares to be sold hereunder, (B) any shares of Common Stock issued by the Company upon the exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion or exchange of a security or exercise of a preemptive right by an existing security holder, in each case outstanding or existing on the date hereof and disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (C) any shares of Common Stock, OP Units, LTIP Units, dividend equivalent rights or other equity based awards issued or options to purchase Common Stock granted pursuant to existing employee benefit plans of the Company disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including the filing of a registration statement on Form S-8 relating to such existing employee benefit plans of the Company), (D) OP Units, in the aggregate not to exceed 15% of the number of OP Units outstanding, issued in connection with the acquisition of property or assets, or (E) any shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to any non-employee director share plan or distribution reinvestment plan disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. Upon receipt of any written notice contemplated above, an Agent may suspend its activity under this Agreement for such period of time as deemed appropriate by such Agent.
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(l) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. The Transaction Entities agree that, unless they obtain the prior written consent of the applicable Agent(s), neither Transaction Entity will make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” or a portion thereof, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433. The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each such free writing prospectus consented to by the applicable Agent(s) as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and that it has compiled and will comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 433 with respect thereto, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. If at any time following the issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any preliminary prospectus or other prospectus deemed to be part thereof that has not been superseded or modified, or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the applicable Agent(s) and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.
(m) No Stabilization or Manipulation. Neither of the Transaction Entities nor any of their respective subsidiaries or other affiliates will take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed, or would reasonably be expected, to cause or result in, or which constitutes, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of any Shares or a violation of Regulation M under the 1934 Act.
(n) REIT Qualification. The Company will use its best efforts to continue to meet the requirements to qualify as a REIT under the Code until the Board of Directors of the Company determines that it is no longer in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders to qualify as a REIT.
(o) Compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Each of the Transaction Entities will comply in all material respects with all applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act that are in effect.
(p) Update of Activity under this Agreement. The Company shall disclose (i) in each Annual Report on Form 10-K or Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed by the Company in respect of any fiscal quarterly period (which, in the case of an Annual Report on Form 10-K, would mean the last quarterly period of the fiscal year) in which sales of Shares were made by or through an Agent under this Agreement (each date on which any such document or amendment thereto is filed, a “Company Periodic Report Date”), or (ii) to the extent required by applicable law and/or interpretations of the Commission, in Prospectus Supplements for each such fiscal quarterly period, the number of Shares sold by or through the Agents under this Agreement during such fiscal quarterly period and the net proceeds received by the Company and the aggregate compensation paid by the Company to the Agents with respect to such sales.
(q) Delivery of Future Officers’ Certificates. Upon commencement of the offering of Shares under this Agreement, (A) each time Shares are delivered to the applicable Agent(s) as principal on a Settlement Date, (B) promptly after each (i) date on which the Registration Statement shall be amended or a new registration statement relating to the Shares shall become effective or the Prospectus shall be amended or supplemented (other than (1) by an amendment or supplement providing solely for the determination of the terms of securities, including the Shares, (2) in connection with the filing of a Prospectus Supplement that contains solely the information referred to in Section 3(p) hereof, or (3) in connection with the filing of any Current Report on Form 8-K (other than an Earnings 8-K and any other Current Report on Form 8-K which contains financial statements, supporting schedules or other financial data, including any Current Report on Form 8-K under Item 2.02 of such form that is considered “filed” under the 1934 Act) (each such date, a “Registration Statement Amendment Date”), (ii) date on which an Earnings 8-K shall be filed with the Commission as contemplated by Section 2(j) hereof (a “Company Earnings Report Date”) and (iii) Company Periodic Report Date, and (C) promptly after each reasonable request by the Agents (each date of any such request by the Agents, a “Request Date”), the Company will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Agents or, in the case of clause (A) above, the applicable Agent(s) an officers’ certificate, dated such Settlement Date, such Registration Statement Amendment Date, such Company Earnings Report Date, such Company Periodic Report Date or such Request Date, as the case may be, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agents, or, in the case of clause (A) above, such Agent(s), as the case may be, to the effect that the statements contained in the officers’ certificate referred to in Section 6(f) hereof that was last furnished to the Agents or, in the case of clause (A) above, such Agent(s), as the case may be, are true and correct as of the date of such certificate as though made at and as of the date of such certificate (except that such statements shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented at the date of such certificate) or, in lieu of such certificate, a certificate of the same tenor as the certificate referred to in Section 6(f) hereof that, but modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented at the date of such certificate. As used in this Section 3(q), to the extent there shall be a sale of Shares on or following any Registration Statement Amendment Date, Company Earnings Report Date, Company Periodic Report Date or Request Date, “promptly” shall be deemed to be at or prior to the Applicable Time for such sale.
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The requirement to cause to be furnished officers’ certificates pursuant to this Section 3(q) shall be waived for any Registration Statement Amendment Date or Company Periodic Report Date occurring at a time at which the Company has not instructed any Agent to sell Shares as provided in Section 2(b), which waiver shall continue until the date on which the Company delivers such an instruction as provided in Section 2(b). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company subsequently decides to sell Shares following any Registration Statement Amendment Date or Company Periodic Report Date when the Company relied on such waiver and did not furnish or cause to be furnished to the Agents officers’ certificates pursuant to this Section 3(q), then before the Company instructs any Agent to sell any Shares or enters into any Terms Agreement with any Agent or Agents, the Company shall cause to be furnished to the Agents officers’ certificates pursuant to this Section 3(q) dated as of the date of delivery thereof.
(r) Delivery of Future Opinions and Letters of Counsel. Upon commencement of the offering of Shares under this Agreement, (A) each time Shares are delivered to the applicable Agent(s) as principal on a Settlement Date and (B) promptly after each Registration Statement Amendment Date, Company Earnings Report Date, Company Periodic Report Date or Request Date, the Company will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Agents or, in the case of clause (A) above, the applicable Agent(s), the written opinions and letters of each of counsel to the Company (who shall be reasonably acceptable to the Agents or, in the case of clause (A) above, such Agent(s), as the case may be,) and counsel to the Agents, dated such Settlement Date, such Registration Statement Amendment Date, such Company Earnings Report Date, such Company Periodic Report Date or such Request Date, as the case may be, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agents, or, in the case of clause (A) above, such Agent(s), as the case may be, of the same tenor as the respective opinions and letters referred to in Section 6(b), 6(c) and 6(d), as applicable, hereof but modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to the date of such opinion and letter or, in lieu of any such opinion and letter, counsel last furnishing such opinion and letter to the Agents or, in the case of clause (A) above, such Agent(s), as the case may be, shall furnish the Agents or, in the case of clause (A) above, such Agent(s), as the case may be, with a letter substantially to the effect that the Agents or, in the case of clause (A) above, such Agents, as the case may be, may rely on such counsel’s last opinion and letter to the same extent as though each were dated the date of such letter authorizing reliance (except that statements in such last opinion and letter shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to the date of such letter authorizing reliance). As used in this Section 3(r), to the extent there shall be a sale of Shares on or following any Registration Statement Amendment Date, Company Earnings Report Date, Company Periodic Report Date or Request Date, “promptly” shall be deemed to be at or prior to the Applicable Time for such sale.
The requirement to cause to be furnished the opinions and letters pursuant to this Section 3(r) shall be waived for any Registration Statement Amendment Date or Company Periodic Report Date occurring at a time at which the Company has not instructed any Agent to sell Shares as provided in Section 2(b), which waiver shall continue until the date on which the Company delivers such an instruction as provided in Section 2(b). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company subsequently decides to sell Shares following any Registration Statement Amendment Date or Company Periodic Report Date when the Company relied on such waiver and did not furnish or cause to be furnished to the Agents the opinions and letters pursuant to this Section 3(r), then before the Company instructs any Agent to sell any Shares or enters into any Terms Agreement with any Agent or Agents, the Company shall cause to be furnished to the Agents the opinions and letters pursuant to this Section 3(r) dated as of the date of delivery thereof.
(s) Delivery of Future Accountants’ Letters. Upon commencement of the offering of Shares under this Agreement, (A) each time Shares are delivered to the applicable Agent(s) as principal on a Settlement Date and (B) promptly after each Registration Statement Amendment Date, Company Earnings Report Date, Company Periodic Report Date or Request Date, the Company will cause its independent accountants to furnish to the Agents or, in the case of clause (A) above, the applicable Agent(s) a letter, dated such Settlement Date, such Registration Statement Amendment Date, such Company Earnings Report Date, such Company Periodic Report Date or such Request Date, as the case may be, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agents, or, in the case of clause (A) above, such Agent(s), as the case may be, of the same tenor as the letter referred to in Section 6(e) hereof but modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to the date of such letter. As used in this paragraph, to the extent there shall be a sale of Shares on or following any Registration Statement Amendment Date, Company Earnings Report Date, Company Periodic Report Date or Request Date, “promptly” shall be deemed to be at or prior to the Applicable Time for such sale.
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The requirement to cause to be furnished accountant letter(s) pursuant to this Section 3(s) shall be waived for any Registration Statement Amendment Date or Company Periodic Report Date occurring at a time at which the Company has not instructed any Agent to sell Shares as provided in Section 2(b), which waiver shall continue until the date on which the Company delivers such an instruction as provided in Section 2(b). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company subsequently decides to sell Shares following any Registration Statement Amendment Date or Company Periodic Report Date when the Company relied on such waiver and did not furnish or cause to be furnished to the Agents accountant letter(s) pursuant to this Section 3(s), then before the Company instructs any Agent to sell any Shares or enters into any Terms Agreement with any Agent or Agents, the Company shall cause to be furnished to the Agents accountant letter(s) pursuant to this Section 3(s) dated as of the date of delivery thereof.
(t) Trading in the Common Stock. The Company consents to the Agents trading in the Company’s Common Stock for their own account and for the account of their clients at the same time as sales of Shares occur pursuant to this Agreement.
(u) Due Diligence Review. The Company will cooperate with any due diligence review reasonably requested by the Agents or counsel for the Agents, fully and in a timely manner, in connections with offers and sales of Shares from time to time, including, without limitation, and upon reasonable notice, providing information and making available documents and appropriate corporate officers, during regular business hours and at the Company’s principal offices.
(v) Renewal Deadline. If, immediately prior to the third anniversary of the initial effective date of the Registration Statement (the “Renewal Deadline”), this Agreement is still in effect or any Shares purchased by an Agent as principal remain unsold, the Company will, prior to the Renewal Deadline, (i) promptly notify the Agents and (ii) promptly file, if it is eligible to do so, a new automatic shelf registration statement relating to the Shares, in a form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agents. If, at the time the Company intends to file such a new automatic shelf registration statement, it is not eligible to do so, the Company will, prior to the Renewal Deadline, (i) promptly notify the Agents, (ii) promptly file a new shelf registration statement on the proper form relating to the Shares, in a form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agents, (iii) use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such new shelf registration statement to be declared effective within 60 days after the Renewal Deadline and (iv) promptly notify the Agents of such effectiveness. The Company will take all other action reasonably necessary or appropriate to permit the offering and sale of the Shares to continue as contemplated in the expired Registration Statement. References herein to the “Registration Statement” shall include such new automatic shelf registration statement or such new shelf registration statement, as the case may be.
(w) Ceasing Eligibility For Use of Automatic Shelf Registration Statement Form. If, at any time, during the term of this Agreement or otherwise when Shares purchased by an Agent as principal remain unsold, the Company receives a notice from the Commission pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) or otherwise ceases to be eligible to use the automatic shelf registration statement form, the Company will (i) promptly notify the Agents, (ii) promptly file a new shelf registration statement or post-effective amendment on the proper form relating to such Shares, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agents, (iii) use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such new shelf registration statement or post-effective amendment to be declared effective as soon as practicable and (iv) promptly notify the Agents of such effectiveness. The Company will take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the offering and sale of the Shares to continue as contemplated in the Registration Statement that was the subject of the Rule 401(g)(2) notice or for which the Company has otherwise become ineligible. References herein to the “Registration Statement” shall include such new shelf registration statement or post-effective amendment, as the case may be.
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Section 4. Covenants of the Manager. The Manager covenants with each Agent and with the Transaction Entities that, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Shares is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Shares, it shall notify the Agents and the Transaction Entities of the occurrence of any material event respecting the Manager’s business, activities, affairs or operating or financial results or condition, and the Manager will forthwith supply such information to the Company as shall be necessary in the opinion of counsel to the Company and the Agents for the Company to prepare any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus so that, as so amended or supplemented, the same will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein (except in the case of the Registration Statement, in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser) not misleading.
Section 5. Payment of Expenses.
(a) Expenses. Each of the Transaction Entities, jointly and severally, agrees to pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of their obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits thereto) as originally filed and of each amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Agents of copies of any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and any costs associated with electronic delivery of any of the foregoing by the Agents to investors, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates for the Shares, including any stock or other transfer taxes and any stamp or other duties payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Shares to the Agents, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Company’s counsel, accountants and other advisors, (v) the qualification of the Shares under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(g) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Agents in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of the Blue Sky Survey and any supplement thereto, (vi) the fees and expenses of any transfer agent or registrar for the Shares, (vii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Shares, (viii) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Agents in connection with, the review by FINRA of the terms of sales of Shares (not to exceed $5,000), (ix) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Shares on the NYSE, (x) the costs and expenses (including, without limitation, any damages or other amounts payable in connection with legal or contractual liability) associated with the reforming of any contracts for the sale of Shares caused by a breach of the representation contained in the second sentence of Section 1(a)(ii) hereof and (xi) if the Company has not sold Shares with an aggregate gross sales price of at least $20,000,000 by August 18, 2022, the reasonable documented out-of-pocket expenses of the Agents, including the reasonable fees, disbursements and expenses of counsel for the Agents in connection with this Agreement and the Registration Statement and ongoing services in connection with the transactions contemplated hereunder, which amount shall not exceed $150,000.
Section 6. Conditions of Agents’ Obligations. The obligations of the Agents hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Transaction Entities and the Manager contained in Section 1(a) and Section 1(b) hereof, respectively, or in certificates of any officer or other representative of either of the Transaction Entities, the Manager or any of their respective subsidiaries delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof at each Representation Date, to the performance by the Transaction Entities and the Manager of their respective covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:
(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement and Filing of Prospectus. The Company shall have filed the Registration Statement with the Commission not earlier than three years prior to the date hereof and the Registration Statement became effective upon filing in accordance with Rule 462(e). The Company shall have filed with the Commission the Prospectus on or prior to the date of this Agreement and any subsequent Base Prospectus or Prospectus Supplement prior to any Applicable Time and related Settlement Date, as applicable, in each case in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b), and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, if any, in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 433. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act, no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) has been received by the Company, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes or pursuant to Section 8A of the 1933 Act have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of either of the Transaction Entities, contemplated. The Company shall have complied with any and all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission to the reasonable satisfaction of the Agents. The Company shall have paid the required Commission filing fees relating to the Shares as specified in Section 3(a) hereof.
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(b) Opinion of Counsel for the Transaction Entities and the Manager. (i) On the date of this ATM Equity OfferingSM Sales Agreement, the Agents shall have received the favorable written opinions and negative assurance letter of Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel to the Transaction Entities, dated such date, to the effect set forth in Exhibit A-1-1 and Exhibit A-1-2 hereto and to such further effect as the Agents may reasonably request. In giving such opinion, such counsel may rely upon the opinion of Venable LLP as to all matters governed by the laws of the State of Maryland. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, it has relied, to the extent it deems proper, upon certificates of officers and other representatives of the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries and certificates of public officials. (ii) On the date of this ATM Equity OfferingSM Sales Agreement, the Agents shall have received the favorable written opinion of Clifford Chance US LLP, counsel to the Manager, dated such date, to the effect set forth in Exhibit A-2 hereto and to such further effect as the Agents may reasonably request. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, it has relied, to the extent it deems proper, upon certificates of officers and other representatives of the Manager and their respective subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.
(c) Opinion of Maryland Counsel for the Company. On the date of this ATM Equity OfferingSM Sales Agreement, the Agents shall have received the favorable written opinion of Venable LLP, Maryland counsel to the Company, dated such date, to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto and to such further effect as the Agents may reasonably request.
(d) Opinion of Counsel for the Agents. On the date of this ATM Equity OfferingSM Sales Agreement, the Agents shall have received the favorable written opinion and negative assurance statement of Sidley Austin LLP, counsel for the Agents, dated such date, with respect to such matters as the Agents may reasonably request. In giving such opinion, such counsel may rely upon the opinion of Venable LLP as to all matters governed by the laws of the State of Maryland. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, it has relied, to the extent it deems proper, upon certificates of officers and other representatives of the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.
(e) Accountants’ Letter. On the date of this ATM Equity OfferingSM Sales Agreement, the Agents shall have received a letter from Deloitte & Touche LLP, dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Agents, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and other financial information included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto.
(f) Officers’ Certificate for the Company. On the date of this ATM Equity OfferingSM Sales Agreement, there shall not have been, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, any material adverse change in or affecting the Properties taken as a whole or in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs, management or business prospects of the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and the Agents shall have received a certificate of an executive officer of the Company and of the Principal Financial Officer or Chief Accounting Officer of the Company, dated such date, to the effect that (A) there has been no such material adverse change, (B) the representations and warranties of the Transaction Entities in this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made on and as of such date, (C) in connection with this ATM Equity OfferingSM Sales Agreement, the Transaction Entities have complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied on or prior to such date and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act, no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) has been received by the Transaction Entities, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to their knowledge, contemplated.
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(g) Principal Financial Officer’s Certificate. On the date of this ATM Equity OfferingSM Sales Agreement, the Agents shall have received a certificate of the Principal Financial Officer of the Company, dated such date, in the form attached as Exhibit C hereto, regarding certain financial and operating information of the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(h) Manager Officers’ Certificate. On the date of this ATM Equity OfferingSM Sales Agreement, the Agents shall have received a certificate of an executive officer of the Manager and of the Principal Financial Officer of the Manager, dated such date, to the effect that (i) the representations and warranties of the Manager in this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made on and as of such date and (ii) the Manager has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied on or prior to such date.
(i) Officer’s Certificate on Size of ATM Program. On the date of this ATM Equity OfferingSM Sales Agreement, the Company shall have furnished to the Agents a certificate of an executive officer of the Company, dated such date, in a form satisfactory to the Agents, stating the minimum gross sales price per share for sales of Shares pursuant to this Agreement and the maximum number of Shares that may be issued and sold pursuant to this Agreement or, alternatively, the maximum gross proceeds from such sales, as duly authorized by the Company’s board of directors or a duly authorized committee thereof, and specify the number of Shares that have been approved for listing in connection with the sale of Shares pursuant to this ATM Equity OfferingSM Sales Agreement, subject to official notice of issuance, on the NYSE.
(j) Listing. The Shares shall have been approved for listing, subject to official notice of issuance, on the NYSE.
(k) Additional Documents. On the date of this ATM Equity OfferingSM Sales Agreement, counsel for the Agents shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling them to render the opinions or make the statements requested by the Agents, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the covenants, obligations or conditions, contained herein; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares as contemplated herein shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Agents and counsel for the Agents.
(l) Termination of this ATM Equity OfferingSM Sales Agreement. If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this ATM Equity OfferingSM Sales Agreement may be terminated by the applicable Agent(s) by notice to the Company at any time, and any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except the provisions of Sections 1, 3(h), 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16 and 17 hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.
Section 7. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification of the Agents. Each of the Transaction Entities, jointly and severally, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Agent, its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 501(b) under the 1933 Act (each, an “Affiliate”)), its selling agents and each person, if any, who controls any Agent within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:
(i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in (A) any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or (B) any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of any offering of Shares (“Marketing Materials”), including any roadshow or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically), or the omission or alleged omission in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or in any Marketing Materials, as the case may be, of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
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(ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any Governmental Entity, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever, in each case arising out of or based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 7(d) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Transaction Entities; and
(iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Agents), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever arising out of or based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;
provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, or in any preliminary prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), in each case in reliance upon and in conformity with the Agent Information.
(b) Indemnification of Transaction Entities, Directors and Officers. Each Agent, severally and not jointly, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Transaction Entity, the Company’s directors, each of the Company’s officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls either of the Transaction Entities within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this Section, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, or in any preliminary prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), in each case in reliance upon and in conformity with the Agent Information.
(c) Actions Against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 7(a) hereof, counsel for the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Agents, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 7(b) hereof, counsel for the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Transaction Entities, as applicable. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action; provided, however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with the consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any Governmental Entity, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 7 or Section 8 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
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(d) Settlement Without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 7(a)(ii) effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.
Section 8. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 7 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Transaction Entities, on the one hand, and the applicable Agent(s), on the other hand, from the applicable offering of Shares pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Transaction Entities, on the one hand, and of the applicable Agent(s), on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.
The relative benefits received by the Transaction Entities, on the one hand, and the applicable Agent(s), on the other hand, in connection with the applicable offering of Shares pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering of Shares pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, on the one hand, bear to the total commissions or underwriting discounts received by the applicable Agent(s), on the other hand.
The relative fault of the Transaction Entities, on the one hand, and the applicable Agent(s), on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Transaction Entities or by the applicable Agent(s) and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The Transaction Entities and the Agents agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 8 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the applicable Agent(s) were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 8. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 8 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any Governmental Entity, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8, no Agent shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the total commissions or underwriting discounts received by such Agent in connection with Shares placed or underwritten by it for sale to the public.
No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
For purposes of this Section 8, each person, if any, who controls an Agent within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act and an Agent’s Affiliates and selling agents shall have the same rights to contribution as such Agent, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls either of the Transaction Entities within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Transaction Entities. The Agents’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 8 are several in proportion to the number of Shares placed or underwritten by it in the applicable offering.
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Section 9. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of either of the Transaction Entities, the Manager or any of their respective subsidiaries submitted pursuant hereto shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Agent or its affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling any Agent, or its officers or directors, or any person controlling either of the Transaction Entities and (ii) delivery of and payment for the applicable offering of Shares.
Section 10. Termination.
(a) This ATM Equity Offering SM Sales Agreement may be terminated for any reason, at any time, by either the Company or an Agent, as to itself, upon the giving of prior written notice to the other parties hereto.
(b) The applicable Agent(s) may terminate a Terms Agreement to which they are a party, at any time at or prior to the Settlement Date, (i) if there has been, in such judgment of such Agent(s), since the time of execution of such Terms Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material adverse change in or affecting the Properties taken as a whole or in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs, management or business prospects of the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, or (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of such Agent(s), impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the completion of the offering of Shares contemplated by such Terms Agreement or to enforce contracts for the sale of such Shares, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the Commission or the NYSE, or (iv) if trading generally on the NYSE or the NYSE American or in the Nasdaq Global Market has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by order of the Commission, FINRA or any other Governmental Entity, or (v) if a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States or with respect to the systems of Clearstream Banking, société anonyme, or Euroclear Bank, S.A./N.V., in Europe, or (vi) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either U.S. federal or New York authorities.
(c) If the Transaction Entities and two or more Agents enter into a Terms Agreement pursuant to which such Agents agree to purchase Shares from the Company as principal and one or more of such Agents shall fail at the Settlement Date to purchase the Shares which it or they are obligated to purchase (the “Defaulted Shares”), then the nondefaulting Agents shall have the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one of them or one or more other Agents or underwriters to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Shares in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; provided, however, that if such arrangements shall not have been completed within such 24-hour period, then:
(i) if the number of Defaulted Shares does not exceed 10% of the number of Shares to be so purchased by all of such Agents on the Settlement Date, the nondefaulting Agents shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions that their respective initial purchase obligation bears to the purchase obligations of all nondefaulting Agents; or
(ii) if the number of Defaulted Shares exceeds 10% of the number of Shares to be so purchased by all of such Agents on the Settlement Date, such Terms Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any nondefaulting Agent.
No action taken pursuant to this Section 10(c) shall relieve any defaulting Agent from liability in respect of its default. In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of such Terms Agreement, either the nondefaulting Agents or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Settlement Date for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements.
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(d) In the event of any termination under this Section 10, neither party will have any liability to the other party hereto, except that (i) the Agents shall be entitled to any commissions earned in accordance with Section 2(b) hereof, (ii) if at the time of termination (a) an Agent shall own any Shares purchased by it as principal or (b) an offer to purchase any Shares has been accepted by the Company but the Settlement Date has not occurred, the covenants set forth in Section 3 and 4 hereof shall remain in effect until such Shares are resold or so delivered, as the case may be, and (iii) the covenant set forth in Section 3(h) hereof, the provisions of Section 5 hereof, the indemnity and contribution agreements set forth in Sections 7 and 8 hereof, and the provisions of Sections 9, 10, 14, 15, 16 and 17 hereof shall remain in effect.
Section 11. Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Agents shall be directed, as applicable, to BofAS at One Bryant Park, New York, New York 10036, Attention: Christine Roemer, with a copy to ECM Legal, Barclays at 745 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019, Attention: Syndicate Registration (Fax: (646) 834-8133), Berenberg at 1251 Avenue of the Americas, 53rd Floor, New York, New York 10020, Attention: Equity Capital Markets Desk (Email: bcm-ecm@berenberg-us.com), Capital One at 201 St. Charles Avenue, Suite 1830, New Orleans, Louisiana 70170, Attention: Head of Sales, Citigroup at 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013, Attention: General Counsel (Fax: (646) 291-1469), Goldman Sachs at 200 West Street, New York, New York 10282-2198, Attention: Registration Department, JPMorgan at 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10179, Attention: Stephanie Little, Email: stephanie.y.little@jpmorgan.com, Mizuho at 320 Park Avenue, 12th Floor, New York, New York 10022, Attention: Equity Capital Markets Desk, Morgan Stanley at 1585 Broadway, 4th Floor, New York, New York 10036, Attention: Equity Syndicate Desk, with a copy to the Legal Department, Raymond James at 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, Florida 33716, Attention: General Counsel, Equity Capital Markets, SMBC Nikko at 277 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10172 (phone: 212-224-5497) and Truist at 3333 Peachtree Road, 11th Floor, Atlanta, Georgia 30326, Attention: Equity Syndicate Department (Fax: (404) 926-5995); and notices to the Transaction Entities or the Manager shall be directed to them at: c/o iStar Inc., 1114 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036, attention of Douglas Heitner, Chief Legal Officer (Fax: (212) 930-9494).
Section 12. No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. Each of the Transaction Entities and the Manager acknowledges and agrees that (a) each purchase and sale of Shares pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the respective initial public offering prices of Shares, if any, and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Transaction Entities and the Manager, on the one hand, and the applicable Agent(s), on the other hand, (b) the Agents have not assumed and will not assume any advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Transaction Entities or the Manager or any of its subsidiaries or other affiliates with respect to any offering of Shares or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether the applicable Agent(s) have advised or are currently advising either of the Transaction Entities or the Manager or any of its subsidiaries or other affiliates on other matters) or any other obligation to the Transaction Entities or the Manager except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (c) the Agents and their respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of either of the Transaction Entities or the Manager, and (d) the Agents have not provided any legal, accounting, financial, regulatory or tax advice to the Transaction Entities and the Manager or any other person or entity with respect to any offering of Shares and each of the Transaction Entities and the Manager has consulted its own respective legal, accounting, financial, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.
Section 13. Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes.
(a) In the event that any Agent that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Agent of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.
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(b) In the event that any Agent that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Agent becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Agent are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States
For purposes of this Section 13, a “BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k). “Covered Entity” means any of the following: (i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b); (ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or (iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b). “Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable. “U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
Section 14.Parties. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Agents, the Transaction Entities and the Manager and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the Agents, the Transaction Entities and the Manager and their respective successors and the affiliates, selling agents, controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in Sections 7 and 8 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Agents, the Transaction Entities and the Manager and their respective successors, and said affiliates, selling agents, controlling persons and officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Shares shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.
Section 15. Trial by Jury. Each of the Transaction Entities and the Manager (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders or unitholders, as applicable, and affiliates) and each of the Agents hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
Section 16. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF, THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO ITS CHOICE OF LAW PROVISIONS.
Section 17. Consent to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Immunity. Each of the Transaction Entities and the Manager and each of the Agents agrees that any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby shall be instituted in (i) the federal courts of the United States of America located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan or (ii) the courts of the State of New York located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), and irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any Specified Court, as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of the Specified Courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to a party’s address set forth in Section 11 hereof shall be effective service of process upon such party for any suit, action or proceeding brought in any Specified Court. Each of the Transaction Entities and the Manager and each of the Agents irrevocably and unconditionally waives any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waives and agrees not to plead or claim in any Specified Court that any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any Specified Court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.
Section 18. TIME. TIME SHALL BE OF THE ESSENCE OF THIS AGREEMENT. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.
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Section 19.Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other Section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.
Section 20. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement. Electronic signatures complying with the New York Electronic Signatures and Records Act (N.Y. State Tech. §§ 301-309), as amended from time to time, or other applicable law will be deemed original signatures for purposes of this Agreement. Transmission by telecopy, electronic mail or other transmission method of an executed counterpart of this Agreement will constitute due and sufficient delivery of such counterpart.
Section 21. Effect of Headings. The Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
[SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]
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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the Transaction Entities and the Manager a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement among the Agents, the Transaction Entities and the Manager in accordance with its terms.
| Very truly yours, | |||
| SAFEHOLD INC. | |||
| By: | /s/ Douglas B. Heitner | ||
| Name: | Douglas B. Heitner | ||
| Title: | Chief Legal Officer | ||
| Safehold Operating Partnership LP | |||
| By: Safehold OP GenPar LLC, as General Partner | |||
| By | /s/ Douglas B. Heitner | ||
| Name: | Douglas B. Heitner | ||
| Title: | Chief Legal Officer | ||
| SFTY MANAGER LLC | |||
| By: | /s/ Douglas B. Heitner | ||
| Name: | Douglas B. Heitner | ||
| Title: | Chief Legal Officer | ||
[Signature Page to ATM Sales Agreement]
Accepted as of the date hereof:
BofA Securities, Inc.
| By: | /s/ Chris Porter | |
| Name: Chris Porter | ||
| Title: Managing Director |
Barclays Capital Inc.
| By: | /s/ Victoria Hale | |
| Name: Victoria Hale | ||
| Title: Authorized Signatory |
Berenberg Capital Markets LLC
| By: | /s/ Zachary Brantly | |
| Name: Zachary Brantly | ||
| Title: Head of US Investment Banking |
| By: | /s/ Matthew Rosenblatt | |
| Name: Matthew Rosenblatt | ||
| Title: Chief Compliance Officer |
Capital One Securities, Inc.
| By: | /s/ Greg Steele | |
| Name: Greg Steele | ||
| Title: Managing Director |
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
| By: | /s/ Joao Sousa | |
| Name: Joao Sousa | ||
| Title: Vice President |
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC
| By: | /s/ CE Bluhm | |
| Name: CE Bluhm | ||
| Title: Managing Director |
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
| By: | /s/ Stephanie Little | |
| Name: Stephanie Little | ||
| Title: Executive Director |
Mizuho Securities USA LLC
| By: | /s/ J.T. Deignan | |
| Name: J.T. Deignan | ||
| Title: Managing Director |
[Signature Page to ATM Sales Agreement]
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
| By: | /s/ Mark Campbell | |
| Name: Mark Campbell | ||
| Title: Executive Director |
Raymond James & Associates, Inc.
| By: | /s/ Brad Butcher | |
| Name: Brad Butcher | ||
| Title: Managing Director |
SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc.
| By: | /s/ Michell Petropoulos | |
| Name: Michelle Petropoulos | ||
| Title: Managing Director |
Truist Securities, Inc.
| By: | /s/ Keith Carpenter | |
| Name: Keith Carpenter | ||
| Title: Director |
[Signature Page to ATM Sales Agreement]
Exhibit A-1-1
FORM OF OPINION OF COUNSEL TO THE TRANSACTION
ENTITIES
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 6(b)(i)
| A-1-1 |
Exhibit A-1-2
FORM OF TAX OPINION OF COUNSEL TO THE TRANSACTION ENTITIES
TO
BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION6(b)(i)
A-1-2
Exhibit A-2
FORM OF OPINION OF COUNSEL TO THE MANAGER
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 6(b)(ii)
| A-2-1 |
Exhibit B
FORM OF OPINION OF MARYLAND COUNSEL
TO THE COMPANY
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 6(c)
| B-1 |
Exhibit C
PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL OFFICER’S CERTIFICATE
OF SAFEHOLD INC.
| C-1 |
Annex I
Safehold Inc.
Common Stock
($0.01 par value per share)
TERMS AGREEMENT
[ADDRESS OF AGENT[S]]
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Safehold Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), Safehold Operating Partnership LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “Operating Partnership,” and together with the Company, the “Transaction Entities”), and SFTY Manager LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Manager”), confirm their respective agreements with [•] [and [•]] ([collectively,] the “Underwriter[s]”), on the basis of the representations and warranties, and subject to the terms and conditions, stated herein and in the ATM Equity OfferingSM Sales Agreement, dated February 18, 2021 (the “Sales Agreement”), among the Company, the Operating Partnership, the Manager and the agents party thereto, with respect to the issuance and sale by the Company to the Underwriter[s] as principal for resale, and the Underwriter[s] [severally] agree[s] to purchase from the Company, the shares of Common Stock specified in the Schedule A hereto (the “[Initial] Securities”) [, and to grant to the Underwriter[s] the option to purchase the additional shares of Common Stock specified in the Schedule A hereto (the “Option Securities”, and together with the Initial Securities, the “Securities”)]*,[in each case] * on the terms specified in Schedule A hereto. Capitalized terms but and not defined herein have the respective meanings ascribed thereto in the Sales Agreement.
[The Company grants an option to the Underwriter[s, severally and not jointly, ]to purchase up to an additional [l] Option Securities at the price per share set forth in Schedule A hereto, less an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Initial Securities but not payable on the Option Securities. The option hereby granted may be exercised for 30 days after the date hereof and may be exercised in whole or in part at any time from time to time upon notice by the Underwriter[s] to the Company setting forth the number of Option Securities as to which the [several] Underwriter[s] [is][are] then exercising the option and the time and date of payment and delivery for such Option Securities. Any such time and date of delivery (a “Date of Delivery”) shall be determined by the Underwriter[s], but shall not be later than seven full business days after the exercise of said option, nor in any event prior to the Settlement Date (as defined below). [If the option is exercised as to all or any portion of the Option Securities, each of the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, will purchase that proportion of the total number of Option Securities then being purchased which the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Initial Securities, subject, in each case, to such adjustments as [•] in its sole discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional shares.] For purposes of clarity, the parties hereto agree that the officers’ certificate, opinions and letter of counsel and accountants’ letter referred to in Section 3(q), (r) and (s), respectively, of the Sales Agreement are required to be delivered by or on behalf of the Transaction Entities on the Settlement Date.]*
Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for, the Initial Securities shall be made at the offices of Sidley Austin LLP, 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Underwriter[s] and the Company, at 9:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the second (or third, if the pricing occurs after 4:30 P.M. (New York City time) on any given day) business day after the date hereof (unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10(c) of the Sales Agreement), or such other time not later than ten business days after such date as shall be agreed upon by the Underwriter[s] and the Company (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called “Settlement Date”).
In addition, in the event that any or all of the Option Securities are purchased by the Underwriter[s], payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for, such Option Securities shall be made at the above-mentioned offices, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Underwriter[s] and the Company, on each Date of Delivery as specified in the notice from the Underwriter[s] to the Company.
| Annex A-1 |
Payment shall be made to the Company by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank account designated by the Company against delivery to the Underwriter[s for their respective accounts for the Securities to be purchased by them]. [It is understood that each Underwriter has authorized [•] as representative of the Underwriters, for its account, to accept delivery of, receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, which it has agreed to purchase. [•], individually and not as representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for the Initial Securities or the Option Securities, if any, to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received by the Settlement Date or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, but such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.]
Each of the provisions of the Sales Agreement not related solely to the Agent, as agent of the Company, is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and shall be deemed to be part of this Terms Agreement to the same extent as if each such provision had been set forth in full herein. Each of the representations and warranties set forth in the Sales Agreement shall be deemed to have been made at and as of the date of this Terms Agreement [and] [,] the Applicable Time [and any Date of Delivery].
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the Transaction Entities and the Manager a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement among the Underwriters, the Transaction Entities and the Manager in accordance with its terms.
THIS TERMS AGREEMENT AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO THIS TERMS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO ITS CHOICE OF LAW PROVISIONS.
| Very truly yours, | ||||||||||
| SAFEHOLD INC. | ||||||||||
| By: | ||||||||||
| Name: | ||||||||||
| Title: | ||||||||||
| Safehold Operating Partnership LP | ||||||||||
| By: Safehold OP GenPar LLC, as General Partner | ||||||||||
| By | ||||||||||
| Name: | ||||||||||
| Title: | ||||||||||
| SFTY MANAGER LLC | ||||||||||
| By: | ||||||||||
| Name: | ||||||||||
| Title: | ||||||||||
| Annex A-2 |
Accepted as of the date hereof:
[Underwriter[s]]
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
* Include only if the Underwriter[s][has][have] an option to purchase additional shares of Common Stock from the Company.
| Annex A-3 |
Exhibit 5.1
[LETTERHEAD OF VENABLE LLP]
February 18, 2021
Safehold Inc.
1114 Avenue of the Americas
39th Floor
New York, NY 10036
Re: Registration Statement on Form S-3
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have served as Maryland counsel to Safehold Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), in connection with certain matters of Maryland law arising out of the registration of the issuance and sale by the Company of shares (the “Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, $0.01 par value per share (the “Common Stock”), having an aggregate offering price of up to $250,000,000, covered by the above-referenced Registration Statement and all amendments thereto (collectively, the “Registration Statement”), filed by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The Shares are to be issued pursuant to the ATM Equity OfferingSM Sales Agreement, dated February 18, 2021 (the “Sales Agreement”), by and among the Company, Safehold Operating Partnership LP, a Delaware limited partnership and SFTY Manager LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and BofA Securities, Inc., Barclays Capital Inc., Berenberg Capital Markets LLC, Capital One Securities, Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Mizuho Securities USA LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Raymond James & Associates, Inc., SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc. and Truist Securities, Inc., in one or more transactions deemed to be “at the market” offerings.
In connection with our representation of the Company, and as a basis for the opinion hereinafter set forth, we have examined originals, or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of the following documents (hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Documents”):
1. The Registration Statement and the related form of prospectus included therein (the “Prospectus”), substantially in the form to be transmitted to the Commission under the Securities Act;
2. The Prospectus Supplement, dated as of the date hereof, in the form filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5) under the Securities Act;
Safehold Inc.
February 18, 2021
Page 2
3. The charter of the Company (the “Charter”), certified by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland (the “SDAT”);
4. The Bylaws of the Company (the “Bylaws”), certified as of the date hereof by an officer of the Company;
5. Resolutions (the “Resolutions”) adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”), relating to, among other matters, (i) the approval of the filing of the Registration Statement and issuance of the Shares and (ii) the delegation to designated officers of the Company (the “Authorized Officers”) of the power to determine the number and price of the Shares and certain other matters in connection with the registration, sale and issuance of the Shares, subject to the Resolutions, certified as of the date hereof by an officer of the Company;
6. The Sales Agreement;
7. A certificate of the SDAT as to the good standing of the Company, dated as of a recent date;
8. A certificate executed by an officer of the Company, dated as of the date hereof; and
9. Such other documents and matters as we have deemed necessary or appropriate to express the opinion set forth below, subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications stated herein.
In expressing the opinion set forth below, we have assumed the following:
1. Each individual executing any of the Documents, whether on behalf of such individual or another person, is legally competent to do so.
2. Each individual executing any of the Documents on behalf of a party (other than the Company) is duly authorized to do so.
3. Each of the parties (other than the Company) executing any of the Documents has duly and validly executed and delivered each of the Documents to which such party is a signatory, and such party’s obligations set forth therein are legal, valid and binding and are enforceable in accordance with all stated terms.
4. All Documents submitted to us as originals are authentic. The form and content of all Documents submitted to us as unexecuted drafts do not differ in any respect relevant to this opinion from the form and content of such Documents as executed and delivered. All Documents submitted to us as certified or photostatic copies conform to the original documents. All signatures on all Documents are genuine. All public records reviewed or relied upon by us or on our behalf are true and complete. All representations, warranties, statements and information contained in the Documents are true and complete. There has been no oral or written modification of, or amendment to, any of the Documents, and there has been no waiver of any provision of any of the Documents, by action or omission of the parties or otherwise.
Safehold Inc.
February 18, 2021
Page 3
5. The Shares will not be issued or transferred in violation of the restrictions or limitations contained in Article VII of the Charter.
6. The issuance of, and certain terms of, the Shares to be issued by the Company from time to time will be authorized and approved by the Board or a duly authorized committee thereof, or by the Authorized Officers, in accordance with and not in violation of the Maryland General Corporation Law, the Charter, the Bylaws and the Resolutions (with such approvals referred to hereinafter as the “Corporate Proceedings”) prior to the issuance thereof.
7. Upon the issuance of any Shares, the total number of shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding will not exceed the total number of shares of Common Stock that the Company is then authorized to issue under the Charter.
Based upon the foregoing and subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications stated herein, it is our opinion that:
1. The Company is a corporation duly incorporated and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the State of Maryland and is in good standing with the SDAT.
2. Upon the completion of all Corporate Proceedings relating to the Shares, the issuance of the Shares will be duly authorized and, when and if issued and delivered against payment therefor in accordance with the Sales Agreement, the Corporate Proceedings and any other Resolutions of the Board or any duly authorized committee thereof, the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
The foregoing opinion is limited to the laws of the State of Maryland and we do not express any opinion herein concerning federal laws or the laws of any other state. We express no opinion as to the applicability or effect of federal or state securities laws, including the securities laws of the State of Maryland, or as to federal or state laws regarding fraudulent transfers. To the extent that any matter as to which our opinion is expressed herein would be governed by the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Maryland, we do not express any opinion on such matter. The opinion expressed herein is subject to the effect of any judicial decision which may permit the introduction of parol evidence to modify the terms or the interpretation of agreements.
Safehold Inc.
February 18, 2021
Page 4
The opinion expressed herein is limited to the matters specifically set forth herein and no other opinion shall be inferred beyond the matters expressly stated. We assume no obligation to supplement this opinion if any applicable law changes after the date hereof or if we become aware of any fact that might change the opinion expressed herein after the date hereof.
This opinion is being furnished to you for your submission to the Commission as an exhibit to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K relating to the offering of the Shares (the “Current Report”), which is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement. We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Current Report and the said incorporation by reference and to the use of the name of our firm therein. In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required by Section 7 of the Securities Act.
| Very truly yours, | |
| /s/ Venable LLP |