UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20549

FORM 8-K

Current Report
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): July 12, 2021

MONMOUTH REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Maryland
 
001-33177
 
22-1897375
(State or other jurisdiction of Incorporation)
 
(Commission File Number)
 
(IRS Employer Identification No.)

101 Crawfords Corner Road, Suite 1405
Holmdel, NJ
 
07733
(Address of principal executive Offices)
 
(Zip Code)

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code) (732) 577-9996



(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instructions A.2. below):

☐
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

☒
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

☐
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

☐
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class
 
Trading Symbol(s)
 
Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock
 
MNR
 
New York Stock Exchange
6.125% Series C Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
 
MNR-PC
 
New York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company ☐

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. ☐

Item 8.01
Other Events.

On July 12, 2021, Monmouth Real Estate Investment Corporation (“Monmouth”), a Maryland corporation,  issued a press release announcing that it has received an unsolicited acquisition proposal from a large private investment firm primarily focused on global real estate. A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated by reference herein.

No Offer or Solicitation

This communication is not intended to and does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, sell or solicit any securities or any proxy, vote or approval in any jurisdiction pursuant to or in connection with the proposed merger or otherwise, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be deemed to be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

This communication is being made in respect of the proposed transaction involving Monmouth, Equity Commonwealth (“EQC”) and EQC Maple Industrial LLC (f/k/a RS18 LLC). In connection with the proposed transaction, Monmouth intends to file, and EQC has filed, a preliminary joint proxy/solicitation statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and Monmouth and EQC intend to file additional relevant materials with the SEC, including a definitive joint proxy/solicitation statement. This communication is not intended to be, and is not, a substitute for such filings or for any other document that Monmouth and/or EQC may file with the SEC in connection with the proposed merger. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING OR INVESTMENT DECISION, INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO CAREFULLY READ THE ENTIRE SOLICITATION STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS, AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THESE DOCUMENTS, CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT EQC, MONMOUTH AND THE PROPOSED MERGER. Investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the definitive joint proxy/solicitation statement and other documents filed with the SEC by Monmouth, when they become available, through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. In addition, investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the solicitation statement/prospectus and other documents filed with the SEC on Monmouth’s website at www.mreic.reit.

Participants in the Solicitation

Monmouth and certain of its directors and executive officers and other employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from Monmouth’s stockholders in connection with the proposed merger under the rules of the SEC. Investors may obtain information regarding the names, affiliations and interests of directors and executive officers of Monmouth in Monmouth’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for Monmouth’s fiscal year ended September 30, 2020, which was filed with the SEC on November 23, 2020, as well as in its other filings with the SEC. Other information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be contained in the solicitation statement/prospectus and other relevant materials to be filed with the SEC in respect of the proposed merger when they become available.

Forward-Looking Statements
 
Some of the statements contained in this Current Report on Form 8-K constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including, but not limited to, statements regarding consummating the merger and the timing thereof. Any forward-looking statements contained in this Current Report on Form 8-K are intended to be made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements relate to expectations, beliefs, projections, future plans and strategies, anticipated events or trends and similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential,” or the negative of these words and phrases or similar words or phrases which are predictions of or indicate future events or trends and which do not relate solely to historical matters. You can also identify forward-looking statements by discussions of strategy, plans or intentions.
 
The forward-looking statements contained in this Current Report on Form 8-K reflect Monmouth’s current views about future events and are subject to numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and changes in circumstances regarding EQC and Monmouth that may cause actual results to differ significantly from those expressed in any forward-looking statement, including, without limitation, (i) inability to complete the proposed merger because, among other reasons, one or more conditions to the closing of the proposed merger may not be satisfied or waived; (ii) uncertainty as to the timing of completion of the proposed merger; (iii) potential adverse effects or changes to relationships with EQC’s and/or Monmouth’s tenants, employees, service providers or other parties resulting from the announcement or completion of the proposed merger; (iv) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against the parties and others related to the Merger Agreement; (v) possible disruptions from the proposed merger that could harm EQC’s or Monmouth’s respective business, including current plans and operations; (vi) unexpected costs, charges or expenses resulting from the proposed merger; (vii) uncertainty of the expected financial performance of EQC following completion of the proposed merger, including the possibility that the benefits anticipated from the proposed merger will not be realized or will not be realized within the expected time period; (viii) legislative, regulatory and economic developments; and (ix) unpredictability and severity of catastrophic events, including, but not limited to, acts of terrorism, outbreak of war or hostilities and epidemics and pandemics, including COVID-19, as well as EQC’s or Monmouth’s management’s response to any of the aforementioned factors. Monmouth does not guarantee that the mergers and events described will happen as described (or that they will happen at all).  For a further discussion of other factors that could cause Monmouth’s future results to differ materially from any forward-looking statements, see the section entitled “Risk Factors” in Monmouth’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and in its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for subsequent quarters.
 
While forward-looking statements reflect Monmouth’s good faith beliefs, they are not guarantees of future performance. Monmouth disclaims any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect changes in underlying assumptions or factors, of new information, data or methods, future events or other changes.
 
Item 9.01.
Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits.

Exhibit No.
Description
Press Release dated July 12, 2021.

SIGNATURES

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 hereunto duly authorized.

 
Monmouth Real Estate Investment Corporation
     
Dated: July 13, 2021
By:
 /s/ Kevin S. Miller
   
Kevin S. Miller

 
Chief Financial Officer, its principal financial officer and principal accounting officer


Exhibit 99.1
 
FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION
 
MONMOUTH REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT CORPORATION ANNOUNCES RECEIPT OF UNSOLICITED ACQUISITION PROPOSAL

No Action Needs to Be Taken by Monmouth Shareholders at This Time
 
HOLMDEL, N.J., July 12, 2021 – Monmouth Real Estate Investment Corporation (NYSE: MNR), or Monmouth, today announced that it received an unsolicited acquisition proposal from a large private investment firm primarily focused on global real estate that participated in the strategic alternatives review process undertaken by Monmouth’s Board of Directors earlier this year and made a proposal to acquire Monmouth as part of that process. Under the terms of its new proposal, the investment firm is proposing to acquire 100% of the outstanding equity of Monmouth for net cash consideration of approximately $18.70 per share of Monmouth Common Stock, reflecting a stated per share purchase price of $19.51 per share, reduced by (i) the termination fee payable by Monmouth to Equity Commonwealth, or EQC, of approximately $62.2 million, or $0.63 per share, if Monmouth terminates the merger agreement it previously entered into with EQC in accordance with its terms to accept the new proposal and (ii) the $0.18 per share dividend on Monmouth’s common stock previously declared by Monmouth’s Board of Directors on July 1, 2021 and payable on or about September 15, 2021. On July 12, 2021, Monmouth’s common shares closed at $19.00 per share.

The new unsolicited proposal was accompanied by executed commitment letters from a global commercial bank with respect to the investment firm’s contemplated debt financing and an equity bridge, as well as a proposed form of merger agreement. The new proposal states that the investment firm has obtained all necessary internal approvals and has completed its due diligence.

On May 4, 2021, Monmouth announced that it had entered into a definitive merger agreement with EQC, pursuant to which EQC agreed to acquire Monmouth in an all-stock transaction, valued at approximately $3.4 billion, including the assumption of debt. The combined company is expected to have a pro forma equity market capitalization of approximately $5.5 billion.
 
Consistent with its fiduciary duties and in consultation with its financial and legal advisors, Monmouth’s Board of Directors is evaluating the new unsolicited proposal and has not made any determination as to what action to take in response to the proposal. Monmouth’s Board of Directors intends to respond to the proposal in due course and remains committed to acting in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders.
 
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and CS Capital Advisors, LLC are acting as financial advisors and Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP is serving as legal advisor to Monmouth.

About Monmouth
Monmouth Real Estate Investment Corporation, founded in 1968, is one of the oldest public equity REITs in the world. The Company specializes in single tenant, net-leased industrial properties, subject to long-term leases, primarily to investment grade tenants. Monmouth Real Estate Investment Corporation is a fully integrated and self-managed real estate company, whose property portfolio consists of 120 properties containing a total of approximately 24.5 million rentable square feet, geographically diversified across 31 states. The Company’s occupancy rate as of this date is 99.7%.
 
Forward-Looking Statements
Some of the statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including, but not limited to, statements regarding the merger with EQC. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release are intended to be made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements relate to expectations, beliefs, projections, future plans and strategies, anticipated events or trends and similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of forward looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential,” or the negative of these words and phrases or similar words or phrases which are predictions of or indicate future events or trends and which do not relate solely to historical matters. You can also identify forward looking statements by discussions of strategy, plans or intentions. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release reflect Monmouth’s current views about future events and are subject to numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and changes in circumstances that may cause actual results to differ significantly from those expressed in any forward looking statement. For a further discussion of other factors that could cause Monmouth’s future results to differ materially from any forward-looking statements, see the section entitled “Risk Factors” in Monmouth’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and in its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. While forward-looking statements reflect Monmouth’s good faith beliefs, they are not guarantees of future performance. Monmouth disclaims any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect changes in underlying assumptions or factors, of new information, data or methods, future events or other changes.
 
Participants in the Solicitation
Monmouth and certain of its directors and executive officers and other employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from Monmouth’s stockholders in connection with the proposed merger with EQC under the rules of the SEC. Investors may obtain information regarding the names, affiliations and interests of directors and executive officers of Monmouth in Monmouth’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for Monmouth’s fiscal year ended September 30, 2020, which was filed with the SEC on November 23, 2020, as well as in Monmouth’s other filings with the SEC. Other information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be contained in the proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant proxy materials filed with the SEC in respect of the proposed merger.
 
No Offer or Solicitation
This communication is not intended to and shall not constitute an offer to buy or sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any securities, or a solicitation of any vote or approval, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made, except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Additional Information and Where to Find It
In connection with the proposed merger with EQC, Monmouth intends to file a proxy statement/prospectus with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), which will be sent to the common stockholders of Monmouth seeking their approval of the proposed merger and the common stockholders of EQC seeking their approval of the issuance of EQC common stock in connection with the merger. Monmouth and EQC may also file other documents regarding the proposed merger with the SEC. This press release is not intended to be, and is not, a substitute for such filings or for any other document that Monmouth and/or EQC may file with the SEC in connection with the proposed merger. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING OR INVESTMENT DECISION, INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO CAREFULLY READ THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS, WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE, AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THESE DOCUMENTS, CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT MONMOUTH, EQC, AND THE PROPOSED MERGER. Investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the proxy statement/prospectus and other documents filed with the SEC by Monmouth, when they become available, through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. In addition, investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the proxy statement/prospectus and other documents filed with the SEC on Monmouth’s website at www.mreic.reit.
 
Contacts:
 
Investors
Becky Coleridge
(732) 577-9996
mreic@mreic.com
 
Media
Andrew Siegel / Amy Feng / Kara Brickman
Joele Frank
(212) 355-4449