As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 31, 2018

Registration No. 333-         

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

SPIRIT MTA REIT

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Maryland   82-6712510

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

2727 North Harwood Street

Suite 300

Dallas, Texas 75201

(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

Spirit MTA REIT and Spirit MTA REIT, L.P. 2018 Incentive Award Plan

(Full title of the plan)

 

 

Ricardo Rodriguez

Chief Executive Officer

Spirit MTA REIT

2727 North Harwood Street

Suite 300

Dallas, Texas 75201

(Name and address of agent for service)

(972) 476-1900

(Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

 

Copy to:

Julian T.H. Kleindorfer, Esq.

Lewis W. Kneib, Esq.

Latham & Watkins LLP

355 South Grand Avenue

Los Angeles, California 90071

(213) 485-1234

 

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” or a “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12-b2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer      Accelerated filer  
Non-accelerated filer   ☒ (Do not check if smaller reporting company.)    Smaller reporting company  
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.    ☐

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

Title of securities

to be registered

 

Amount

to be

registered(1)(2)

 

Proposed

maximum

offering price

per share(3)

 

Proposed

maximum

aggregate

offering price(3)

  Amount of
registration fee(3)

Common Shares of Beneficial Interest, $0.01 par value

  3,645,000   $9.15   $33,351,750   $4,152.29

 

 

(1) Pursuant to Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), this registration statement shall also cover any additional shares of the registrant’s common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.01 per share, of Spirit MTA REIT(“Common Shares”) that become issuable under the Spirit MTA REIT and Spirit MTA REIT, L.P. 2018 Incentive Award Plan (the “Plan”) by reason of any stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization or similar transaction effected without the registrant’s receipt of consideration that would increase the number of outstanding Common Shares.
(2) Covers 3,645,000 shares of Common Shares available for issuance under the Plan.
(3) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rules 457(c) and 457(h) of the Securities Act and computed on the basis of the average of the high and low sales prices per Common Share in the “when-issued” trading market as reported on The New York Stock Exchange on May 30, 2018.

 

 

 


INTRODUCTION

This Registration Statement on Form S-8 (this “Registration Statement”) is filed by Spirit MTA REIT (referred to herein as “our,” “we”, “us” or the “Company”) relating to 3,645,000 Common Shares issuable to our eligible employees, trustees and consultants and to our manager, Spirit Realty, L.P., under the Plan.

PART I

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(A) PROSPECTUS

We are not filing or including in this Registration Statement the information called for in Part I of Form S-8 (by incorporation by reference or otherwise) in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”). The documents containing the information specified in Part I of Form S-8 will be delivered to the participants in the Plan as specified by Rule 428(b)(1) under the Securities Act.

PART II

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

 

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference

The Commission allows us to incorporate by reference the information we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is an important part of this Registration Statement, and information that we file later with the Commission will automatically update and supersede this information. We incorporate by reference the following documents we filed with the Commission:

 

  (a) our effective registration statement on Form 10, as amended (File No. 001-38414), filed with the Commission under Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), on May 4, 2018 (the “Form 10”);

 

  (b) our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on May 14 and May 21, 2018; and

 

  (c) the description of our Common Shares contained in the Form 10, including any amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description.

In addition, all documents subsequently filed by us with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents with the Commission. We are not, however, incorporating by reference any documents or portions thereof, whether specifically listed above or filed in the future, that are not deemed “filed” with the Commission, including our compensation committee report and performance graph or any information furnished pursuant to Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K or certain exhibits furnished pursuant to Item 9.01 of Form 8-K. Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained in this Registration Statement, or in any subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement, modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.

 

Item 4. Description of Securities

Not applicable.

 

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel

Not applicable.


Item 6. Indemnification of Trustees and Officers

Maryland law permits a Maryland real estate investment trust to include in its declaration of trust a provision limiting the liability of its trustees and officers to the real estate investment trust and its shareholders for money damages except for liability resulting from actual receipt of an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services or active and deliberate dishonesty that is established by a final judgment adverse to the trustee or officer and is material to the cause of action. Our declaration of trust contains such a provision that eliminates such liability to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law.

Maryland law permits a Maryland real estate investment trust to indemnify and advance expenses to its trustees and officers to the same extent as is permitted for directors and officers of a Maryland corporation under the Maryland General Corporate Law (“MGCL”).

MGCL requires a Maryland corporation (unless its charter provides otherwise, which our declaration of trust does not) to indemnify a director or officer who has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any proceeding to which he or she is made or threatened to be made a party by reason of his or her service in that capacity. The MGCL permits a Maryland corporation to indemnify its present and former directors and officers, among others, against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in connection with any proceeding to which they may be made or are threatened to be made a party by reason of their service in those or other capacities unless it is established that:

 

    the act or omission of the director or officer was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding and:

 

    was committed in bad faith; or
    was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty;

 

    the director or officer actually received an improper personal benefit in money, property or services; or

 

    in the case of any criminal proceeding, the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful.

However, under the MGCL, a Maryland corporation may not indemnify a director or officer for an adverse judgment in a suit by or in the right of the corporation or if the director or officer was adjudged liable on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received, unless in either case a court orders indemnification and then only for expenses. A court may order indemnification if it determines that the director or officer is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification, even though the director or officer did not meet the prescribed standard of conduct or was adjudged liable on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received.

In addition, the MGCL permits a Maryland corporation to advance reasonable expenses to a director or officer upon the corporation’s receipt of:

 

    a written affirmation by the director or officer of his or her good faith belief that he or she has met the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification by the corporation; and

 

    a written undertaking, which may be unsecured, by the director or officer or on the director’s or officer’s behalf to repay the amount paid if it shall ultimately be determined that the standard of conduct has not been met.

Our declaration of trust authorizes us to obligate our Company and our bylaws obligate us, to the fullest extent permitted by Maryland law in effect from time to time, to indemnify and to pay or reimburse reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding without requiring a preliminary determination of the trustee’s or officer’s ultimate entitlement to indemnification to:

 

    any individual who is a present or former trustee or officer who is made or threatened to be made a party to the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity; or

 

    any individual who, while a trustee or officer of our Company and at our request, serves or has served as a director, officer, partner, member, manager, trustee, employee or agent of another corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or any other enterprise and who is made or threatened to be made a party to the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity.


Our declaration of trust and bylaws also permit us, with the approval of our board of trustees, to indemnify and advance expenses to any person who served a predecessor of ours in any of the capacities described above and to any employee or agent of our Company or a predecessor of our Company.

We have entered or expect to enter into customary indemnification agreements with each of our trustees and executive officers that obligate us to indemnify them to the maximum extent permitted under Maryland law. The agreements require us to indemnify the trustees or executive officer, or the indemnitee, against all judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement and all expenses actually and reasonably incurred by the indemnitee or on his or her behalf in connection with a proceeding unless (and only to the extent) it is established that (a) the act or omission of the indemnitee was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding and (i) was committed in bad faith or (ii) was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty, (b) the indemnitee actually received an improper personal benefit in money, property or services or (c) in the case of any criminal proceeding, the indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful. The indemnitee will not be entitled to indemnification if it is established that one of the prohibitions on indemnification under Maryland law exists. In addition, the indemnification agreements require us to advance reasonable expenses incurred by the indemnitee within ten days of the receipt by us of a statement from the indemnitee requesting the advance, provided the statement evidences the expenses and is accompanied by:

 

    a written affirmation of the indemnitee’s good faith belief that he or she has met the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification; and

 

    a written undertaking by or on behalf of the indemnitee to repay the amount if it is ultimately determined that the standard of conduct was not met.

The indemnification agreements also provide for procedures for the determination of entitlement to indemnification, including requiring that such determination be made by independent counsel after a change in control of us.

We obtained an insurance policy under which our trustees and executive officers will be insured, subject to the limits of the policy, against certain losses arising from claims made against such trustees and officers by reason of any acts or omissions covered under such policy in their respective capacities as trustees or officers, including certain liabilities under the Securities Act.

 

Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed

Not applicable.

 

Item 8. Exhibits

 

Exhibit
No.
  

Description

  4.1*    Articles of Amendment and Restatement of Spirit MTA REIT
  4.2*    Amended and Restated Bylaws of Spirit MTA REIT
  5.1*    Opinion of Ballard Spahr LLP
23.1*    Consent of Ballard Spahr LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)
23.2*    Consent of Ernst & Young LLP for Spirit MTA REIT
24.1*    Power of Attorney (included on the signature page of this Registration Statement)
99.1*    Spirit MTA REIT and Spirit MTA REIT, L.P. 2018 Incentive Award Plan

 

* Filed herewith.


Item 9. Undertakings

(1) We hereby undertake:

 

  (a) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

(i) To include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective Registration Statement; and

(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any material change to such information in the Registration Statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(i) and (a)(ii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by us pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.

(b) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof; and

(c) To remove from registration by means of post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

(2) We hereby undertake that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of our annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(3) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to our directors, officers and controlling persons pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, we have been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by us of expenses incurred or paid by our director, officer or controlling person in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, we will, unless in the opinion of counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Dallas, State of Texas, on this 31 st day of May, 2018.

 

SPIRIT MTA REIT
By:   /s/ Ricardo Rodriguez
  Name: Ricardo Rodriguez
  Title: Chief Executive Officer, President and Chief Financial Officer

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below does hereby constitute and appoint Ricardo Rodriguez, with full power to act without the other, such person’s true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign this Registration Statement, and any and all amendments thereto, and to file the same, with exhibits and schedules thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing necessary or desirable to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Name

  

Title

 

Date

/s/ Jackson Hsieh

Jackson Hsieh

  

Trustee, Chairman of the Board

  May 31, 2018

/s/ Steven G. Panagos

Steven G. Panagos

  

Trustee

  May 31, 2018

/s/ Steven H. Shepsman

Steven H. Shepsman

  

Trustee

  May 31, 2018

/s/ Richard J. Stockton

Richard J. Stockton

  

Trustee

  May 31, 2018

/s/ Thomas J. Sullivan

Thomas J. Sullivan

  

Trustee

  May 31, 2018

Exhibit 4.1

SPIRIT MTA REIT

ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT AND RESTATEMENT

SPIRIT MTA REIT, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the “Trust”), hereby certifies to the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland (the “SDAT”) that:

FIRST :     The Trust desires to and does hereby amend and restate in its entirety the declaration of trust of the Trust (the “Declaration of Trust”) as currently in effect and as hereinafter amended.

SECOND :     The following provisions are all the provisions of the Declaration of Trust currently in effect, as hereinafter amended:

ARTICLE I

FORMATION; ENTITY STATUS

The Trust is a real estate investment trust within the meaning of Title 8 of the Corporations and Associations Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, as amended from time to time (“Title 8”). The Trust shall not be deemed to be a general partnership, limited partnership, joint venture, joint stock company, limited liability company or corporation but nothing herein shall preclude the Trust from being treated for tax purposes as an entity that is disregarded as separate from its owner or an association under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) and the applicable Treasury regulations.

ARTICLE II

NAME

The name of the Trust is:

Spirit MTA REIT

Under circumstances in which the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board of Trustees” or “Board”) determines that the use of the name of the Trust is not practicable, the Trust may use any other designation or name for the Trust.


ARTICLE III

PURPOSES AND POWERS

Section 3.1     Purposes . The purposes for which the Trust is formed are to invest in and to acquire, hold, manage, administer, control and dispose of property and to engage in any other lawful act or activity. Such purposes may, without limitation or obligation, include, at such time as the Board of Trustees so determines, engaging in business as a real estate investment trust under Sections 856 through 860 of the Code (a “REIT”).

Section 3.2     Powers . The Trust shall have all of the powers granted to real estate investment trusts by Title 8 and any and all other powers which are not inconsistent with law and are appropriate to promote and attain the purposes set forth in the Declaration of Trust.

ARTICLE IV

RESIDENT AGENT

The name of the resident agent of the Trust in the State of Maryland is The Corporation Trust Incorporated, 2405 York Road, Suite 201, Lutherville-Timonium, Maryland 21093-2264. The resident agent is a Maryland corporation. The Trust may have such offices or places of business within or outside the State of Maryland as the Board of Trustees may from time to time determine.

ARTICLE V

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Section 5.1     Powers . Subject to Article I hereof and any express limitations contained in the Declaration of Trust or in the Bylaws of the Trust, as amended (the “Bylaws”), (a) the business and affairs of the Trust shall be managed under the direction of the Board of Trustees and (b) the Board shall have full, exclusive and absolute power, control and authority over any and all property of the Trust. The Board may take any action as in its sole judgment and discretion is necessary or appropriate to conduct the business and affairs of the Trust. The Declaration of Trust shall be construed with the presumption in favor of the grant of power and authority to the Board. Any construction of the Declaration of Trust or determination made in good faith by the Board concerning its powers and authority hereunder shall be conclusive. The enumeration and definition of particular powers of the Trustees included in the Declaration of Trust or in the Bylaws shall in no way be construed or deemed by inference or otherwise in any manner to exclude or limit the powers conferred upon the Board or the Trustees under the general laws of the State of Maryland or any other applicable laws.

Subject to the provisions of any class of Shares (as defined herein) then outstanding, the Board, without any action by the shareholders of the Trust, shall have and may exercise, on behalf of the Trust, without limitation, the power to elect to cause the Trust to be a REIT; to elect to have the Trust treated as an association taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income and other applicable tax purposes; to terminate the status of the Trust as a REIT (if the

 

2


Trust becomes qualified as a REIT); to determine that compliance with any restrictions or limitations on ownership and transfers of shares of the Trust’s beneficial interest set forth in Article VII of the Declaration of Trust is no longer required in order for the Trust to qualify as a REIT; to adopt, amend and repeal Bylaws to the extent provided therein; to elect officers in the manner prescribed in the Bylaws; to solicit proxies from holders of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust; and to do any other acts and deliver any other documents necessary or appropriate to the foregoing powers.

Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in this Declaration of Trust or in the Bylaws, the Trust, the Board of Trustees and the officers of the Trust shall, and are authorized to, take such actions as in the Board of Trustees’ sole judgment and discretion are desirable to operate in a manner that would permit the Trust, if it so elects, to qualify as a REIT and maintain such qualification.

Section 5.2     Number . The number of Trustees of the Trust (hereinafter each a “Trustee” and together, the “Trustees”) initially shall be five (5), which number may be increased or decreased pursuant to the Bylaws of the Trust. The Trustees shall be elected at each annual meeting of shareholders in the manner provided in the Bylaws or, in order to fill any vacancy on the Board of Trustees, in the manner provided in the Bylaws. The names of the Trustees who shall serve until the first annual meeting of shareholders and until their successors are duly elected and qualify are:

Jackson Hsieh    

Steven Shepsman

Steven Panagos

Richard Stockton

Thomas Sullivan

These Trustees may increase the number of Trustees and fill any vacancy, whether resulting from an increase in the number of Trustees or otherwise, on the Board of Trustees prior to the first annual meeting of shareholders in the manner provided in the Bylaws. It shall not be necessary to list in the Declaration of Trust the names and addresses of any Trustees hereinafter elected.

The Trust elects, at such time as it becomes eligible under Section 3-802 of the Maryland General Corporation Law (the “MGCL”) to make the election provided for under Section 3-804(c) of the MGCL, that, except as may be provided by the Board of Trustees in setting the terms of any class or series of stock, any and all vacancies on the Board of Trustees may be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining Trustees in office, even if the remaining Trustees do not constitute a quorum, and any Trustee elected to fill a vacancy shall serve for the remainder of the full term of the trusteeship in which such vacancy occurred and until a successor is duly elected and qualifies.

Section 5.3     Term . The Trustees shall be elected at each annual meeting of the shareholders and shall serve until the next annual meeting of the shareholders and until their successors are duly elected and qualify, subject, however, in the case of Trustees to be elected by the holders of one or more classes or series of Shares, to the provisions of such classes or series. Trustees need not be shareholders.

 

3


Section 5.4     Removal . Subject to the rights of holders of one or more classes or series of Preferred Shares (as defined below) to elect or remove one or more Trustees, any Trustee, or the entire Board of Trustees, may be removed from office at any time, but only for cause and then only by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast generally in the election of Trustees. For the purpose of this paragraph, “cause” shall mean, with respect to any particular Trustee, conviction of a felony or a final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction holding that such Trustee caused demonstrable, material harm to the Trust through bad faith or active and deliberate dishonesty.

Section 5.5     Advisor Agreements . The Board of Trustees may authorize the execution and performance by the Trust of one or more agreements with any person, corporation, association, company, trust, partnership (limited or general) or other organization whereby, subject to the supervision and control of the Board of Trustees, any such other person, corporation, association, company, trust, partnership (limited or general) or other organization shall render or make available to the Trust managerial, investment, advisory and/or related services, office space and other services and facilities (including, if deemed advisable by the Board of Trustees, the management or supervision of the investments of the Trust) upon such terms and conditions as may be provided in such agreement or agreements (including, if deemed fair and equitable by the Board of Trustees, the compensation payable thereunder by the Trust).

Section 5.6     Determinations by Board of Trustees . The determination as to any of the following matters, made in good faith by or pursuant to the direction of the Board of Trustees consistent with the Declaration of Trust, shall be final and conclusive and shall be binding upon the Trust and every holder of Shares: the amount of the net income of the Trust for any period and the amount of assets at any time legally available for the payment of dividends, redemption of its Shares or the payment of other distributions on its Shares; the amount of paid-in surplus, net assets, other surplus, annual or other cash flow, funds from operations, net profit, net assets in excess of capital, undivided profits or excess of profits over losses on sales of assets; the amount, purpose, time of creation, increase or decrease, alteration or cancellation of any reserves or charges and the propriety thereof (whether or not any obligation or liability for which such reserves or charges shall have been created shall have been paid or discharged); any interpretation of the terms, preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers or rights, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications or terms or conditions of redemption of any class or series of Shares of the Trust; the fair value, or any sale, bid or asked price to be applied in determining the fair value, of any asset owned or held by the Trust or of any Shares of the Trust; the number of Shares of any class of the Trust; any matter relating to the acquisition, holding and disposition of any assets by the Trust; or any other matter relating to the business and affairs of the Trust or required or permitted by applicable law, the Declaration of Trust or Bylaws or otherwise to be determined by the Board of Trustees.

 

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ARTICLE VI

SHARES OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST

Section 6.1     Authorized Shares . The beneficial interest of the Trust shall be divided into shares of beneficial interest (the “Shares”). The Trust has authority to issue 750,000,000 common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Shares”), and 20,000,000 preferred shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.01 per share (“Preferred Shares”), of which 6,000,000 are classified and designated as “10% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares of Beneficial Interest” (the “Series A Preferred Shares”) having the preferences, conversion and other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends, qualifications, terms and conditions of redemption and other terms and conditions set forth on Exhibit A attached hereto which is incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof. The aggregate par value of all the authorized Shares having par value is $7,700,000. If shares of one class are classified or reclassified into shares of another class pursuant to this Article VI, the number of authorized shares of the former class shall be automatically decreased and the number of shares of the latter class shall be automatically increased, in each case by the number of shares so classified or reclassified, so that the aggregate number of shares of all classes that the Trust has authority to issue shall not be more than the total number of shares set forth in the second sentence of this paragraph. The Board of Trustees, without any action by the shareholders of the Trust, may amend the Declaration of Trust from time to time to increase or decrease the aggregate number of Shares or the number of Shares of any class or series that the Trust has authority to issue.

Section 6.2     Common Shares . Subject to the provisions of Article VII and except as may otherwise be specified in the Declaration of Trust, the Common Shares shall be identical and shall entitle the holders thereof to the same rights and privileges with respect thereto. Each Common Share shall entitle the holder thereof to one vote on each matter upon which holders of Common Shares are entitled to vote. The Board of Trustees may reclassify any unissued Common Shares from time to time into one or more classes or series of Shares.

Section 6.3     Preferred Shares . The Board of Trustees may classify any unissued Preferred Shares and reclassify any previously classified but unissued Preferred Shares of any series from time to time, in one or more series of Shares.

Section 6.4     Classified or Reclassified Shares . Prior to issuance of classified or reclassified Shares of any class or series, the Board of Trustees by resolution shall (a) designate that class or series to distinguish it from all other classes and series of Shares; (b) specify the number of Shares to be included in the class or series; (c) set, subject to the provisions of Article VII and subject to the express terms of any class or series of Shares outstanding at the time, the preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications and terms and conditions of redemption for each class or series; and (d) cause the Trust to file articles supplementary with the SDAT. Any of the terms of any class or series of Shares set pursuant to clause (c) of this Section 6.4 may be made dependent upon facts ascertainable outside the Declaration of Trust (including the occurrence of any event, including a determination or action by the Trust or any other person or body) and may vary among holders thereof, provided that the manner in which such facts or variations shall operate upon the terms of such class or series of Shares is clearly and expressly set forth in the articles supplementary filed with the SDAT.

 

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Section 6.5     Authorization by Board of Share Issuance . The Board of Trustees, without approval of the shareholders of the Trust, may authorize the issuance from time to time of Shares of any class or series, whether now or hereafter authorized, or securities or rights convertible into Shares of any class or series, whether now or hereafter authorized, for such consideration (whether in cash, property, past or future services, obligation for future payment or otherwise) as the Board of Trustees may deem advisable (or without consideration in the case of a Share split or Share dividend), subject to such restrictions or limitations, if any, as may be set forth in the Declaration of Trust or the Bylaws of the Trust.

Section 6.6     Dividends and Distributions . The Board of Trustees may from time to time authorize and declare to shareholders such dividends or distributions, in cash or other assets of the Trust or in securities of the Trust or from any other source as the Board of Trustees in its discretion shall determine. If the Board of Trustees causes the Trust to elect to be a REIT, the Board of Trustees shall endeavor to declare and pay such dividends and distributions as shall be necessary for the Trust to qualify as a REIT; however, shareholders shall have no right to any dividend or distribution unless and until authorized and declared by the Board. The exercise of the powers and rights of the Board of Trustees pursuant to this Section 6.6 shall be subject to the provisions of any class or series of Shares at the time outstanding. Notwithstanding any other provision in the Declaration of Trust, if the Board of Trustees causes the Trust to elect to be a REIT, no determination shall be made by the Board of Trustees nor shall any transaction be entered into by the Trust which would cause any Shares or other beneficial interest in the Trust not to constitute “transferable shares” or “transferable certificates of beneficial interest” under Section 856(a)(2) of the Code or, unless the Trust is a “publicly offered REIT” within the meaning of Section 562(c)(2) of the Code, which would cause any distribution to constitute a preferential dividend as described in Section 562(c) of the Code.

Section 6.7     General Nature of Shares . All Shares shall be personal property entitling the shareholders only to those rights provided in the Declaration of Trust. The shareholders shall have no interest in the property of the Trust and shall have no right to compel any partition, division, dividend or distribution of the Trust or of the property of the Trust. The death of a shareholder shall not terminate the Trust. The Trust is entitled to treat as shareholders only those persons in whose names Shares are registered as holders of Shares on the beneficial interest ledger of the Trust.

Section 6.8     Consideration for the Issuance of Shares . The consideration for the issuance of Shares, and convertible securities, warrants, or options of the Trust, may consist in whole or in part of: (i) money; (ii) tangible or intangible property; (iii) labor or services actually performed for the Trust; (iv) a promissory note or other obligation for future payment in money; or (v) contracts for labor or services to be performed, including but not limited to, contracts or agreements providing management or administrative services to the Trust.

Section 6.9     Fractional Shares . The Trust may, without the consent or approval of any shareholder, issue fractional Shares, eliminate a fraction of a Share by rounding up or down to a full Share, arrange for the disposition of a fraction of a Share by the person entitled to it, or pay cash for the fair value of a fraction of a Share.

 

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Section 6.10     Declaration and Bylaws . The rights of all shareholders and the terms of all Shares are subject to the provisions of the Declaration of Trust and the Bylaws of the Trust.

ARTICLE VII

RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER AND OWNERSHIP OF SHARES

Section 7.1     Definitions . For the purpose of this Article VII, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

Aggregate Share Ownership Limit . The term “Aggregate Share Ownership Limit” shall mean not more than 9.8% in value of the aggregate of the outstanding Equity Shares, subject to adjustment from time to time by the Board of Trustees in accordance with Section 7.2.8, excluding any such outstanding Equity Shares which are not treated as outstanding for federal income tax purposes. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of determining the percentage ownership of Equity Shares by any Person, Equity Shares that are treated as Beneficially Owned or Constructively Owned by such Person shall be deemed outstanding. The value of the outstanding Equity Shares shall be determined by the Board of Trustees in good faith, which determination shall be conclusive for all purposes hereof.

Beneficial Ownership . The term “Beneficial Ownership” shall mean ownership of Equity Shares by a Person, whether the interest in the Equity Shares is held directly or indirectly (including by a nominee), and shall include interests that are actually owned or would be treated as owned through the application of Section 544 of the Code, as modified by Sections 856(h)(1)(B) and 856(h)(3) of the Code. The terms “Beneficial Owner,” “Beneficially Own,” “Beneficially Owns” and “Beneficially Owned” shall have the correlative meanings.

Business Day . The term “Business Day” shall mean any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, that is neither a legal holiday nor a day on which banking institutions in New York City are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close.

Charitable Beneficiary . The term “Charitable Beneficiary” shall mean one or more beneficiaries of the Charitable Trust as determined pursuant to Section 7.3.6, provided that each such organization must be described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Code and contributions to each such organization must be eligible for deduction under each of Sections 170(b)(1)(A), 2055 and 2522 of the Code.

Charitable Trust . The term “Charitable Trust” shall mean any trust provided for in Section 7.3.1.

Charitable Trustee . The term “Charitable Trustee” shall mean the Person unaffiliated with the Trust and any Prohibited Owner, that is appointed by the Trust to serve as trustee of the Charitable Trust.

 

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Common Share Ownership Limit . The term “Common Share Ownership Limit” shall mean 9.8% (in value or in number of shares, whichever is more restrictive, and subject to adjustment from time to time by the Board of Trustees in accordance with Section 7.2.8) of the aggregate of the outstanding Common Shares of the Trust, excluding any such outstanding Common Shares which are not treated as outstanding for federal income tax purposes. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of determining the percentage ownership of Common Shares by any Person, Common Shares that are treated as Beneficially Owned or Constructively Owned by such Person shall be deemed to be outstanding. The number and value of outstanding Common Shares of the Trust shall be determined by the Board of Trustees in good faith, which determination shall be conclusive for all purposes hereof.

Constructive Ownership . The term “Constructive Ownership” shall mean ownership of Equity Shares by a Person, whether the interest in the Equity Shares is held directly or indirectly (including by a nominee), and shall include interests that are actually owned or would be treated as owned through the application of Section 318(a) of the Code, as modified by Section 856(d)(5) of the Code. The terms “Constructive Owner,” “Constructively Own,” “Constructively Owns” and “Constructively Owned” shall have the correlative meanings.

Equity Shares . The term “Equity Shares” shall mean all classes or series of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust, including, without limitation, Common Shares and Preferred Shares.

Excepted Holder . The term “Excepted Holder” shall mean a shareholder of the Trust for whom an Excepted Holder Limit is created by the Board of Trustees pursuant to Section 7.2.7.

Excepted Holder Limit . The term “Excepted Holder Limit” shall mean for each Excepted Holder, the percentage limit established by the Board of Trustees for such Excepted Holder pursuant to Section 7.2.7, which limit may be expressed, in the discretion of the Board of Trustees, as one or more percentages and/or numbers of Equity Shares, and may apply with respect to one or more classes of Equity Shares or to all classes of Equity Shares in the aggregate, provided that the affected Excepted Holder agrees to comply with any requirements established by the Board of Trustees pursuant to Section 7.2.7 and subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 7.2.8.

Individual . The term “Individual” means an individual, a trust qualified under Section 401(a) or 501(c)(17) of the Code, a portion of a trust permanently set aside for or to be used exclusively for the purposes described in Section 642(c) of the Code, or a private foundation within the meaning of Section 509(a) of the Code, provided that, except as set forth in Section 856(h)(3)(A)(ii) of the Code, a trust described in Section 401(a) of the Code and exempt from tax under Section 501(a) of the Code shall be excluded from this definition.

Initial Date . The term “Initial Date” shall mean the earlier of (i) the close of business on the date on which Spirit Realty Capital, Inc., a Maryland corporation (“SRC”), distributes 100% of the Common Shares of the Trust held by SRC to the holders of shares of common stock, $0.01 par value per share, of SRC after such distribution is completed or (ii) such other date as determined by the Board of Trustees in its sole discretion.

 

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Market Price . The term “Market Price” on any date shall mean, with respect to any class or series of outstanding Equity Shares, the Closing Price for such Equity Shares on such date. The “Closing Price” on any date shall mean the last sale price for such Equity Shares, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, for such Equity Shares, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the NYSE or, if such Equity Shares are not listed or admitted to trading on the NYSE, as reported on the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which such Equity Shares are listed or admitted to trading or, if such Equity Shares are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price, or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the principal automated quotation system on which such Equity Shares are quoted, or if such Equity Shares are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in such Equity Shares selected by the Board of Trustees or, in the event that no trading price is available for such Equity Shares, the fair market value of the Equity Shares, as determined in good faith by the Board of Trustees.

NYSE . The term “NYSE” shall mean the New York Stock Exchange.

Person . The term “Person” shall mean an Individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, estate, trust, association, joint stock company or other entity.

Prohibited Owner . The term “Prohibited Owner” shall mean, with respect to any purported Transfer, any Person who, but for the provisions of Section 7.2.1, would Beneficially Own or Constructively Own Equity Shares, and if appropriate in the context, shall also mean any Person who would have been the record owner of the shares that the Prohibited Owner would have so owned.

Restriction Termination Date . The term “Restriction Termination Date” shall mean the first day after the Initial Date on which the Board of Trustees determines pursuant to Section 5.1 of the Declaration of Trust that it is no longer in the best interests of the Trust to attempt to, or continue to, qualify as a REIT or that compliance with the restrictions and limitations on Beneficial Ownership, Constructive Ownership and Transfers of Equity Shares set forth herein is no longer required in order for the Trust to qualify as a REIT.

Transfer . The term “Transfer” shall mean any issuance, sale, transfer, gift, assignment, devise or other disposition, as well as any other event that causes any Person to acquire, or change its level of, Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership, or any agreement to take any such actions or cause any such events, of Equity Shares or the right to vote or receive dividends on Equity Shares, including (a) the granting or exercise of any option (or any disposition of any option), (b) any disposition of any securities or rights convertible into or exchangeable for Equity Shares or any interest in Equity Shares or any exercise of any such conversion or exchange right and (c) Transfers of interests in other entities that result in changes in Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of Equity Shares; in each case, whether voluntary or involuntary, whether owned of record, Beneficially Owned or Constructively Owned and whether by operation of law or otherwise. The terms “Transferring” and “Transferred” shall have the correlative meanings.

 

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Section 7.2     Equity Shares .

 

  7.2.1 Ownership Limitations . During the period commencing on the Initial Date and prior to the Restriction Termination Date, but subject to Section 7.4:

 

  (a) Basic Restrictions .

 

  (i) (1) No Person, other than an Excepted Holder, shall Beneficially Own or Constructively Own Equity Shares in excess of the Aggregate Share Ownership Limit, (2) no Person, other than an Excepted Holder, shall Beneficially Own or Constructively Own Common Shares in excess of the Common Share Ownership Limit and (3) no Excepted Holder shall Beneficially Own or Constructively Own Equity Shares in excess of the Excepted Holder Limit for such Excepted Holder.

 

  (ii) No Person shall Beneficially or Constructively Own Equity Shares to the extent that such Beneficial or Constructive Ownership of Equity Shares could result in the Trust (or any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Trust that intends to qualify as a REIT) (A) being “closely held” within the meaning of Section 856(h) of the Code (without regard to whether the ownership interest is held during the last half of a taxable year), or (B) otherwise failing to qualify as a REIT (including but not limited to Beneficial or Constructive Ownership that could result in the Trust Constructively Owning an interest in a tenant that is described in Section 856(d)(2)(B) of the Code if the income derived by the Trust from such tenant, taking into account any other income of the Trust that would not qualify under the gross income requirements of Section 856(c) of the Code, would cause the Trust to fail to satisfy any of such gross income requirements).

 

  (iii) Any Transfer of Equity Shares that, if effective, would result in the Equity Shares being beneficially owned by fewer than 100 Persons (determined under the principles of Section 856(a)(5) of the Code) shall be void ab initio , and the intended transferee shall acquire no rights in such Equity Shares.

 

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Without limitation of the application of any other provision of this Article VII, it is expressly intended that the restrictions on ownership and Transfer described in this Section 7.2.1 of Article VII shall apply to restrict the rights of any members or partners in limited liability companies or partnerships to exchange their interest in such entities for Equity Shares of the Trust.

 

  (b) Transfer in Trust . If any Transfer of Equity Shares (whether or not such Transfer is the result of a transaction entered into through the facilities of the NYSE or any other national securities exchange or automated inter-dealer quotation system) occurs which, if effective, would result in any Person Beneficially Owning or Constructively Owning Equity Shares in violation of Section 7.2.1(a)(i) or (ii):

 

  (i) then that number of Equity Shares, the Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of which otherwise would cause such Person to violate Section 7.2.1(a)(i) or (ii) (rounded up to the nearest whole share) shall be automatically transferred to a Charitable Trust for the benefit of a Charitable Beneficiary, as described in Section 7.3, effective as of the close of business on the Business Day prior to the date of such Transfer, and such Person shall acquire no rights in such shares; or

 

  (ii) if the transfer to the Charitable Trust described in clause (i) of this sentence would not be effective for any reason to prevent the violation of Section 7.2.1(a)(i) or (ii), then the Transfer of that number of Equity Shares that otherwise would cause any Person to violate Section 7.2.1(a)(i) or (ii) shall be void ab initio , and the intended transferee shall acquire no rights in such Equity Shares.

 

  (iii)

In determining which Equity Shares are to be transferred to a Charitable Trust in accordance with this Section 7.2.1(b) and Section 7.3 hereof, shares shall be so transferred to a Charitable Trust in such manner as minimizes the aggregate value of the shares that are transferred to the Charitable Trust (except as provided in Section 7.2.6) and, to the extent not inconsistent therewith, on a pro rata basis (unless otherwise determined by the Board of Trustees in its sole and absolute discretion). To the extent that, upon a transfer of Equity Shares pursuant to this Section 7.2.1(b), a violation of any provision of Section 7.2.1(a) would nonetheless occur or be continuing (as, for example, where the ownership of Equity Shares by a single Charitable Trust would result in the Equity Shares being Beneficially Owned (determined under the principles of Section 856(a)(5) of the Code) by fewer than 100 Persons), then Equity Shares shall be transferred to that number of

 

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  Charitable Trusts, each having a Charitable Trustee and a Charitable Beneficiary or Beneficiaries that are distinct from those of each other Charitable Trust, such that there is no violation of any provision of Section 7.2.1(a) hereof.

 

  7.2.2 Remedies for Breach . If the Board of Trustees shall at any time determine in good faith that a Transfer or other event has taken place that results in a violation of Section 7.2.1 or that a Person intends or has attempted to acquire Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of any Equity Shares in violation of Section 7.2.1 (whether or not such violation is intended), the Board of Trustees or a committee thereof shall take such action as it deems advisable, in its sole and absolute discretion, to refuse to give effect to or to prevent such Transfer or other event, including, without limitation, causing the Trust to redeem shares, refusing to give effect to such Transfer on the books of the Trust or instituting proceedings to enjoin such Transfer or other event; provided, however, that any Transfer or attempted Transfer or other event in violation of Section 7.2.1 shall automatically result in the transfer to the Charitable Trust described above, or, where applicable, such Transfer (or other event) shall be void ab initio as provided above irrespective of any action (or non-action) by the Board of Trustees or a committee thereof.

 

  7.2.3 Notice of Restricted Transfer . Any Person who acquires or attempts or intends to acquire Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of Equity Shares that will or may violate Section 7.2.1(a) or any Person who would have owned Equity Shares that resulted in a transfer to the Charitable Trust pursuant to the provisions of Section 7.2.1(b) shall immediately give written notice to the Trust of such event or, in the case of such a proposed or attempted transaction, give at least 15 days prior written notice, and shall provide to the Trust such other information as the Trust may request in order to determine the effect, if any, of such Transfer on the Trust’s status as a REIT.

 

  7.2.4 Owners Required To Provide Information . From the Initial Date and prior to the Restriction Termination Date, each Person who is a Beneficial Owner or Constructive Owner of Equity Shares and each Person (including the shareholder of record) who is holding Equity Shares for a Beneficial or Constructive Owner shall, on demand, provide to the Trust in writing such information as the Trust may request in order to determine the effect, if any, of such Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership on the Trust’s status as a REIT and to ensure compliance with the Aggregate Share Ownership Limit, the Common Share Ownership Limit and the other restrictions set forth herein, and to comply with requirements of any taxing authority or governmental authority or to determine such compliance.

 

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  7.2.5 Remedies Not Limited . Subject to Section 5.1 of the Declaration of Trust, nothing contained in this Section 7.2 shall limit the authority of the Board of Trustees to take such other action as it deems necessary or advisable to protect the Trust and the interests of its shareholders in preserving the Trust’s status as a REIT.

 

  7.2.6 Ambiguity . In the case of an ambiguity in the application of any of the provisions of this Article VII, including Section 7.2, Section 7.3, or any definition contained in Section 7.1 or any defined term used in this Article VII but defined elsewhere in the Declaration of Trust, the Board of Trustees shall have the power to determine the application of the provisions of this Article VII with respect to any situation based on the facts known to it. In the event Section 7.2 or Section 7.3 requires an action by the Board of Trustees and the Declaration of Trust fails to provide specific guidance with respect to such action, the Board of Trustees shall have the power to determine the action to be taken so long as such action is not contrary to the provisions of Section 7.1, Section 7.2 or Section 7.3.

 

  7.2.7 Exceptions .

 

  (a) Subject to Section 7.2.1(a)(ii), the Board of Trustees, subject to the Trustees’ duties under applicable law, may exempt (prospectively or retroactively) a Person from the Aggregate Share Ownership Limit and/or the Common Share Ownership Limit, as the case may be, and, if necessary, shall establish or increase an Excepted Holder Limit for such Person, if the Board of Trustees determines, based on such representations, covenants and undertakings from such Person to the extent required by the Board of Trustees, and as are necessary or prudent to ascertain, as determined by the Board of Trustees in its sole discretion, that such exemption could not cause or permit:

 

  (i) five or fewer Individuals to Beneficially Own more than 49% in value of the outstanding Equity Shares (taking into account the then current Common Share Ownership Limit and Aggregate Share Ownership Limit, any then existing Excepted Holder Limits, and the Excepted Holder Limit of such Person); or

 

  (ii)

the Trust to Constructively Own an interest in any tenant of the Trust or any tenant of any entity directly or indirectly owned, in whole or in part, by the Trust (for this purpose, the Board of Trustees may determine in its sole and absolute discretion that a tenant shall not be treated as a tenant of the Trust if (a) the Trust could not Constructively Own more than a 9.9% interest (that is described in Section

 

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  856(d)(2)(B) of the Code) in any such tenant; or (b) the Trust (directly, or through an entity directly or indirectly owned, in whole or in part, by the Trust) derives (and is expected to continue to derive) a sufficiently small amount of revenue from such tenant such that, in the opinion of the Board of Trustees, rent from such tenant would not adversely affect the Trust’s ability to qualify as a REIT).

 

  (b) Prior to granting any exception pursuant to Section 7.2.7(a), the Board of Trustees may require a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service, or an opinion of counsel, in either case in form and substance satisfactory to the Board of Trustees in its sole and absolute discretion, as it may deem necessary or advisable in order to determine or ensure the Trust’s status as a REIT. Notwithstanding the receipt of any ruling or opinion, the Board of Trustees may impose such conditions or restrictions as it deems appropriate in connection with granting such exception.

 

  (c) Subject to Section 7.2.1(a)(ii), an underwriter which participates in a public offering or a private placement of Equity Shares (or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Equity Shares) may Beneficially Own or Constructively Own Equity Shares (or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Equity Shares) in excess of the Common Share Ownership Limit, the Aggregate Share Ownership Limit, or both such limits, but only to the extent necessary to facilitate such public offering or private placement.

 

  (d) The Board of Trustees may only reduce the Excepted Holder Limit for an Excepted Holder: (1) with the written consent of such Excepted Holder at any time, or (2) pursuant to the terms and conditions of the agreements and undertakings entered into with such Excepted Holder in connection with the establishment of the Excepted Holder Limit for that Excepted Holder. No Excepted Holder Limit shall be reduced to a percentage that is less than the Common Share Ownership Limit or the Aggregate Share Ownership Limit, as applicable.

 

  7.2.8

Increase or Decrease in Aggregate Share Ownership and Common Share Ownership Limits . Subject to Section 7.2.1(a)(ii) and the rest of this Section 7.2.8, the Board of Trustees may, in its sole and absolute discretion, from time to time increase or decrease the Common Share Ownership Limit and/or the Aggregate Share Ownership Limit for one or more Persons; provided, however, that a decreased Common Share Ownership Limit and/or Aggregate Share Ownership Limit will not be effective for any Person who Beneficially Owns or Constructively Owns, as applicable, Equity Shares in excess of such decreased Common Share Ownership Limit and/or Aggregate Share Ownership Limit at the time

 

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  such limit is decreased, until such time as such Person’s Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of Equity Shares, as applicable, equals or falls below the decreased Common Share Ownership Limit and/or Aggregate Share Ownership Limit, but any further acquisition of Equity Shares or increased Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of Equity Shares, during the period that such decreased Common Share Ownership Limit and/or Aggregate Share Ownership Limit is not effective with respect to such Person, will be in violation of the Common Share Ownership Limit and/or Aggregate Share Ownership Limit and, provided further, that the new Common Share Ownership Limit and/or Aggregate Share Ownership Limit (taking into account any then existing Excepted Holder Limits to the extent appropriate as determined by the Trust) would not allow five or fewer Persons to Beneficially Own more than 49% in value of the outstanding Equity Shares.

 

  7.2.9 Legend . Each certificate representing Equity Shares, if any, shall bear substantially the following legend:

THE SHARES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON BENEFICIAL AND CONSTRUCTIVE OWNERSHIP AND TRANSFER FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE TRUST’S MAINTENANCE OF ITS STATUS AS A REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST UNDER THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986, AS AMENDED (THE “CODE”). SUBJECT TO CERTAIN FURTHER RESTRICTIONS AND EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY PROVIDED IN THE TRUST’S DECLARATION OF TRUST, (I) NO PERSON MAY BENEFICIALLY OR CONSTRUCTIVELY OWN THE TRUST’S COMMON SHARES IN EXCESS OF THE COMMON SHARE OWNERSHIP LIMIT UNLESS SUCH PERSON IS AN EXCEPTED HOLDER (IN WHICH CASE THE EXCEPTED HOLDER LIMIT SHALL BE APPLICABLE); (II) NO PERSON MAY BENEFICIALLY OR CONSTRUCTIVELY OWN EQUITY SHARES OF THE TRUST IN EXCESS OF THE AGGREGATE SHARE OWNERSHIP LIMIT, UNLESS SUCH PERSON IS AN EXCEPTED HOLDER (IN WHICH CASE THE EXCEPTED HOLDER LIMIT SHALL BE APPLICABLE); (III) NO PERSON MAY BENEFICIALLY OR CONSTRUCTIVELY OWN EQUITY SHARES THAT WOULD RESULT IN THE TRUST (OR ANY DIRECT OR INDIRECT SUBSIDIARY OF THE TRUST THAT INTENDS TO QUALIFY AS A REIT) BEING “CLOSELY HELD” UNDER SECTION 856(H) OF THE CODE OR OTHERWISE CAUSE THE TRUST (OR ANY SUCH SUBSIDIARY) TO FAIL TO QUALIFY AS A REIT; AND (IV) NO PERSON MAY TRANSFER EQUITY SHARES IF SUCH TRANSFER WOULD RESULT IN THE EQUITY SHARES OF THE TRUST BEING OWNED BY FEWER THAN 100 PERSONS. ANY PERSON WHO BENEFICIALLY OR CONSTRUCTIVELY OWNS OR ATTEMPTS TO BENEFICIALLY OR CONSTRUCTIVELY OWN EQUITY SHARES WHICH CAUSE OR WILL CAUSE A PERSON TO BENEFICIALLY OR CONSTRUCTIVELY OWN EQUITY SHARES IN EXCESS OR IN VIOLATION OF THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS MUST

 

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IMMEDIATELY NOTIFY THE TRUST. IF ANY OF THE RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER OR OWNERSHIP SET FORTH IN (I) THROUGH (III) ABOVE ARE VIOLATED, THE EQUITY SHARES REPRESENTED HEREBY WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY TRANSFERRED TO A CHARITABLE TRUSTEE OF A CHARITABLE TRUST FOR THE BENEFIT OF ONE OR MORE CHARITABLE BENEFICIARIES. IN ADDITION, THE TRUST MAY TAKE OTHER ACTIONS, INCLUDING REDEEMING SHARES UPON THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SPECIFIED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES IN ITS SOLE AND ABSOLUTE DISCRETION IF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES DETERMINES THAT OWNERSHIP OR A TRANSFER OR OTHER EVENT MAY VIOLATE THE RESTRICTIONS DESCRIBED ABOVE. FURTHERMORE, UPON THE OCCURRENCE OF CERTAIN EVENTS, ATTEMPTED TRANSFERS IN VIOLATION OF THE RESTRICTIONS DESCRIBED ABOVE MAY BE VOID AB INITIO . ALL CAPITALIZED TERMS IN THIS LEGEND HAVE THE MEANINGS DEFINED IN THE DECLARATION OF TRUST OF THE TRUST, AS THE SAME MAY BE AMENDED FROM TIME TO TIME, A COPY OF WHICH, INCLUDING THE RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER AND OWNERSHIP, WILL BE FURNISHED TO EACH HOLDER OF EQUITY SHARES OF THE TRUST ON REQUEST AND WITHOUT CHARGE. REQUESTS FOR SUCH A COPY MAY BE DIRECTED TO THE SECRETARY OF THE TRUST AT ITS PRINCIPAL OFFICE.

Instead of the foregoing legend, a certificate may state that the Trust will furnish a full statement about certain restrictions on ownership and transfer of the shares to a shareholder on request and without charge.

Section 7.3     Transfer of Equity Shares in Trust .

 

  7.3.1 Ownership in Trust . Upon any purported Transfer or other event described in Section 7.2.1(b) that would result in a transfer of Equity Shares to a Charitable Trust, such Equity Shares shall be deemed to have been transferred to the Charitable Trustee as trustee of a Charitable Trust for the exclusive benefit of one or more Charitable Beneficiaries. Such transfer to the Charitable Trustee shall be deemed to be effective as of the close of business on the Business Day prior to the purported Transfer or other event that results in the transfer to the Charitable Trust pursuant to Section 7.2.1(b). The Charitable Trustee shall be appointed by the Trust and shall be a Person unaffiliated with the Trust and any Prohibited Owner. Each Charitable Beneficiary shall be designated by the Trust as provided in Section 7.3.6.

 

  7.3.2

Status of Shares Held by the Charitable Trustee . Equity Shares held by the Charitable Trustee shall be issued and outstanding Equity Shares of the Trust. The Prohibited Owner shall have no rights in the shares held by the Charitable Trustee. The Prohibited Owner shall not benefit economically from ownership of any shares held in trust by the Charitable Trustee, shall

 

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  have no rights to dividends or other distributions and shall not possess any rights to vote or other rights attributable to the shares held in the Charitable Trust. The Prohibited Owner shall have no claim, cause of action, or any other recourse whatsoever against the purported transferor of such Equity Shares.

 

  7.3.3 Dividend and Voting Rights . The Charitable Trustee shall have all voting rights and rights to dividends or other distributions with respect to Equity Shares held in the Charitable Trust, which rights shall be exercised for the exclusive benefit of the Charitable Beneficiary. Any dividend or other distribution paid prior to the discovery by the Trust that the Equity Shares have been transferred to the Charitable Trustee shall be paid by the recipient of such dividend or other distribution to the Charitable Trustee upon demand and any dividend or other distribution authorized but unpaid shall be paid when due to the Charitable Trustee. Any dividend or distribution so paid to the Charitable Trustee shall be held in trust for the Charitable Beneficiary. The Prohibited Owner shall have no voting rights with respect to shares held in the Charitable Trust and, subject to Maryland law, effective as of the date that the Equity Shares have been transferred to the Charitable Trustee, the Charitable Trustee shall have the authority (at the Charitable Trustee’s sole and absolute discretion) (i) to rescind as void any vote cast by a Prohibited Owner prior to the discovery by the Trust that the Equity Shares have been transferred to the Charitable Trustee and (ii) to recast such vote in accordance with the desires of the Charitable Trustee acting for the benefit of the Charitable Beneficiary; provided, however, that if the Trust has already taken irreversible corporate action, then the Charitable Trustee shall not have the authority to rescind and recast such vote. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article VII, until the Trust has received notification that Equity Shares have been transferred into a Charitable Trust, the Trust shall be entitled to rely on its share transfer and other shareholder records for purposes of preparing lists of shareholders entitled to vote at meetings, determining the validity and authority of proxies and otherwise conducting votes of shareholders.

 

  7.3.4

Sale of Shares by Charitable Trustee . Within 20 days of receiving notice from the Trust that Equity Shares have been transferred to the Charitable Trust, the Charitable Trustee of the Charitable Trust shall sell the shares held in the Charitable Trust to a Person or Persons, designated by the Charitable Trustee, whose ownership of the shares will not violate the ownership limitations set forth in Section 7.2.1(a). Upon such sale, the interest of the Charitable Beneficiary in the shares sold shall terminate and the Charitable Trustee shall distribute the net proceeds of the sale to the Prohibited Owner and to the Charitable Beneficiary as provided in this Section 7.3.4. The Prohibited Owner shall receive the lesser of (1) the price paid by the Prohibited Owner for the shares or, if the Prohibited Owner did not give value for the shares in connection with the event

 

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  causing the shares to be held in the Charitable Trust (e.g., in the case of a gift, devise or other such transaction), the Market Price of the shares on the day of the event causing the shares to be held in the Charitable Trust and (2) the price per share received by the Charitable Trustee (net of any commissions and other expenses of sale) from the sale or other disposition of the shares held in the Charitable Trust. The Charitable Trustee shall reduce the amount payable to the Prohibited Owner by the amount of dividends and other distributions which have been paid to the Prohibited Owner and are owed by the Prohibited Owner to the Charitable Trustee pursuant to Section 7.3.3 of this Article VII. Any net sales proceeds in excess of the amount payable to the Prohibited Owner shall be immediately paid to the Charitable Beneficiary. If, prior to the discovery by the Trust that Equity Shares have been transferred to the Charitable Trustee, such shares are sold by a Prohibited Owner, then (i) such shares shall be deemed to have been sold on behalf of the Charitable Trust and (ii) to the extent that the Prohibited Owner received an amount for such shares that exceeds the amount that such Prohibited Owner was entitled to receive pursuant to this Section 7.3.4, such excess shall be paid to the Charitable Trustee upon demand.

 

  7.3.5 Purchase Right in Equity Shares Transferred to the Charitable Trustee . Equity Shares transferred to the Charitable Trustee shall be deemed to have been offered for sale to the Trust, or its designee, at a price per share equal to the lesser of (i) the price per share in the transaction that resulted in such transfer to the Charitable Trust (or, in the case of a gift, devise or other transaction, the Market Price at the time of such gift, devise or other transaction) and (ii) the Market Price on the date the Trust, or its designee, accepts such offer. The Trust shall reduce the amount payable to the Prohibited Owner by the amount of dividends and distributions which has been paid to the Prohibited Owner and are owed by the Prohibited Owner to the Charitable Trustee pursuant to Section 7.3.3 of this Article VII. The Trust shall pay the amount of such reduction to the Charitable Trustee for the benefit of the Charitable Beneficiary. The Trust shall have the right to accept such offer until the Charitable Trustee has sold the shares held in the Charitable Trust pursuant to Section 7.3.4. Upon such a sale to the Trust, the interest of the Charitable Beneficiary in the shares sold shall terminate and the Charitable Trustee shall distribute the net proceeds of the sale to the Prohibited Owner.

 

  7.3.6

Designation of Charitable Beneficiaries . By written notice to the Charitable Trustee, the Trust shall designate one or more nonprofit organizations to be the Charitable Beneficiary of the interest in the Charitable Trust such that the Equity Shares held in the Charitable Trust would not violate the restrictions set forth in Section 7.2.1(a) in the hands of such Charitable Beneficiary. Neither the failure of the Trust to make such designation nor the failure of the Trust to appoint the Charitable Trustee before the automatic transfer provided for in Section 7.2.1(b)(i)

 

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  shall make such transfer ineffective, provided that the Trust thereafter makes such designation and appointment. The designation of a nonprofit organization as a Charitable Beneficiary shall not entitle such nonprofit organization to continue to serve in such capacity and the Trust may, in its sole discretion, designate a different nonprofit organization as the Charitable Beneficiary at any time and for any or no reason, provided, however, that if a Charitable Beneficiary was designated at the time the Equity Shares were placed in the Charitable Trust, such Charitable Beneficiary shall be entitled to the rights set forth in herein with respect to such Equity Shares, unless and until the Trust opts to purchase such shares.

Section 7.4     NYSE Transactions . Nothing in this Article VII shall preclude the settlement of any transaction entered into through the facilities of the NYSE or any other national securities exchange or automated inter-dealer quotation system. The fact that the settlement of any transaction occurs shall not negate the effect of any other provision of this Article VII and any transferee in such a transaction shall be subject to all of the provisions and limitations set forth in this Article VII.

Section 7.5     Enforcement . The Trust is authorized specifically to seek equitable relief, including injunctive relief, to enforce the provisions of this Article VII.

Section 7.6     Non-Waiver . No delay or failure on the part of the Trust or the Board of Trustees in exercising any right hereunder shall operate as a waiver of any right of the Trust or the Board of Trustees, as the case may be, except to the extent specifically waived in writing.

Section 7.7     Severability . If any provision of this Article VII or any application of any such provision is determined to be invalid by any federal or state court having jurisdiction over the issues, the validity of the remaining provisions shall not be affected and other applications of such provisions shall be affected only to the extent necessary to comply with the determination of such court.

ARTICLE VIII

SHAREHOLDERS

Section 8.1     Meetings . There shall be an annual meeting of the shareholders, to be held on proper notice at such time and convenient location as shall be determined by or in the manner prescribed in the Bylaws, for the election of the Trustees, if required, and for the transaction of any other business within the powers of the Trust. Except as otherwise provided in the Declaration of Trust, special meetings of shareholders may be called in the manner provided in the Bylaws. If there are no Trustees, the officers of the Trust shall promptly call a special meeting of the shareholders entitled to vote for the election of successor Trustees. Any meeting may be adjourned and reconvened as the Trustees determine or as provided in the Bylaws.

 

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Section 8.2     Voting Rights . Subject to the provisions of any class or series of Shares then outstanding, the shareholders shall be entitled to vote only on the following matters: (a) election of Trustees as provided in Section 5.3 and the removal of Trustees as provided in Section 5.4; (b) amendment of the Declaration of Trust as provided in Section 10.3 or amendment of the Bylaws to the extent provided therein; (c) termination of the Trust as provided in Section 12.2; (d) merger or consolidation of the Trust, or the sale or disposition of substantially all of the assets of the Trust (the “Trust Property”), as provided in Article XI; and (e) such other matters with respect to which the Board of Trustees has adopted a resolution declaring that a proposed action is advisable and directing that the matter be submitted to the shareholders for approval or ratification. Except with respect to the foregoing matters, no action taken by the shareholders at any meeting shall in any way bind the Board of Trustees.

Section 8.3     Preemptive and Appraisal Rights . Except as may be provided by the Board of Trustees in setting the terms of classified or reclassified Shares pursuant to Section 6.4, or as may otherwise be provided by contract, no holder of Shares shall, as such holder, (a) have any preemptive right to purchase or subscribe for any additional Shares of the Trust or any other security of the Trust which it may issue or sell or (b) have any right to require the Trust to pay him the fair value of his Shares in an appraisal or similar proceeding.

Section 8.4     Extraordinary Actions . Except as specifically provided in Section 5.4 (relating to removal of Trustees) and in Article X (relating to certain amendments of the Declaration of Trust of the Trust), notwithstanding any provision of law permitting or requiring any action to be taken or approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of a greater number of votes, any such action shall be effective and valid if declared advisable by the Board of Trustees and taken or approved by the affirmative vote of holders of Shares entitled to cast a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.

ARTICLE IX

LIABILITY LIMITATION, INDEMNIFICATION

AND TRANSACTIONS WITH THE TRUST

Section 9.1     Limitation of Shareholder Liability . No shareholder shall be liable for any debt, claim, demand, judgment or obligation of any kind of, against or with respect to the Trust by reason of his being a shareholder, nor shall any shareholder be subject to any personal liability whatsoever, in tort, contract or otherwise, to any person in connection with the property or the affairs of the Trust by reason of his being a shareholder.

Section 9.2     Limitation of Trustee and Officer Liability . To the maximum extent that Maryland law in effect from time to time permits limitation of the liability of trustees and officers of a real estate investment trust, no Trustee or officer of the Trust shall be liable to the Trust or to any shareholder for money damages. Neither the amendment nor repeal of this Section 9.2, nor the adoption or amendment of any other provision of the Declaration of Trust inconsistent with this Section 9.2, shall apply to or affect in any respect the applicability of the preceding sentence with respect to any act or failure to act which occurred prior to such amendment, repeal or adoption. In the absence of any Maryland statute limiting the liability of trustees and officers of a Maryland real estate investment trust for money damages in a suit by or

 

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on behalf of the Trust or by any shareholder, no Trustee or officer of the Trust shall be liable to the Trust or to any shareholder for money damages except to the extent that (a) the Trustee or officer actually received an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services, for the amount of the benefit or profit in money, property or services actually received; or (b) a judgment or other final adjudication adverse to the Trustee or officer is entered in a proceeding based on a finding in the proceeding that the Trustee’s or officer’s action or failure to act was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty and was material to the cause of action adjudicated in the proceeding.

Section 9.3     Indemnification . The Trust shall have the power, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law in effect from time to time, to obligate itself to indemnify, and to pay or reimburse reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding to, (a) any individual who is a present or former Trustee or officer of the Trust and who is made or threatened to be made a party to the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity or (b) any individual who, while a Trustee or officer of the Trust and at the request of the Trust, serves or has served as a director, officer, partner, member, manager, trustee, employee or agent of another corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or any other enterprise from and against any claim or liability to which such person may become subject or which such person may incur by reason of his or her service in such capacity. The Trust shall have the power, with the approval of the Board of Trustees, to provide such indemnification and advancement of expenses to a person who served a predecessor of the Trust in any of the capacities described in (a) or (b) above and to any employee or agent of the Trust or a predecessor of the Trust.

Section 9.4     Transactions Between the Trust and its Trustees, Officers, Employees and Agents . Subject to any express restrictions in the Declaration of Trust or adopted by the Trustees in the Bylaws or by resolution, the Trust may enter into any contract or transaction of any kind with any person, including any Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust or any person affiliated with a Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust, whether or not any of them has a financial interest in such transaction.

ARTICLE X

AMENDMENTS

Section 10.1     General . The Trust reserves the right from time to time to make any amendment to the Declaration of Trust, now or hereafter authorized by law, including any amendment altering the terms or contract rights, as expressly set forth in the Declaration of Trust, of any Shares. All rights and powers conferred by the Declaration of Trust on shareholders, Trustees and officers are granted subject to this reservation. An amendment to the Declaration of Trust (a) shall be signed and acknowledged by at least a majority of the Trustees, or an officer duly authorized by at least a majority of the Trustees, (b) shall be filed for record as provided in Section 13.5 and (c) shall become effective as of the later of the time the SDAT accepts the amendment for record or the time established in the amendment, not to exceed 30 days after the amendment is accepted for record. All references to the Declaration of Trust shall include all amendments thereto.

 

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Section 10.2     By Trustees . The Trustees may amend the Declaration of Trust from time to time, in the manner provided by Title 8, without any action by the shareholders, to qualify as a REIT under the Code or as a real estate investment trust under Title 8 and as otherwise provided in the Declaration of Trust.

Section 10.3     By Shareholders . Subject to the provisions of any class or series of Shares then outstanding, except (a) as provided in Section 10.2, (b) for amendments to Section 5.4 or the next sentence of the Declaration of Trust or (c) where approval of the shareholders is not required by Title 8 or by a specific provision of the Declaration of Trust or would not be required if the Trust were a Maryland corporation, any amendment to the Declaration of Trust shall be valid only if declared advisable by the Board of Trustees and approved by the affirmative vote of holders of shares entitled to cast a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. However, any amendment to Section 5.4 or to this sentence of the Declaration of Trust shall be valid only if declared advisable by the Board of Trustees and approved by the affirmative vote of holders of shares entitled to cast at least of two-thirds of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.

ARTICLE XI

MERGER, CONSOLIDATION OR SALE OF TRUST PROPERTY

Subject to the provisions of any class or series of Shares at the time outstanding, the Trust may (a) merge the Trust with or into another entity, (b) consolidate the Trust with one or more other entities into a new entity or (c) sell, lease, exchange or otherwise transfer all or substantially all of the Trust Property.

ARTICLE XII

DURATION AND TERMINATION OF TRUST

Section 12.1     Duration . The Trust shall continue perpetually unless terminated pursuant to Section 12.2 or pursuant to any applicable provision of Title 8.

Section 12.2     Termination .

Section 12.2.1    Subject to the provisions of any class or series of Shares at the time outstanding, after approval by a majority of the entire Board of Trustees, the Trust may be terminated at any meeting of shareholders by the affirmative vote of a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. Upon the termination of the Trust:

(a)    The Trust shall carry on no business except for the purpose of winding up its affairs.

(b)    The Trustees shall proceed to wind up the affairs of the Trust and all of the powers of the Trustees under the Declaration of Trust shall continue, including the powers to fulfill or discharge the Trust’s contracts, collect its assets, sell, convey, assign, exchange, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or any part of the remaining property of the Trust to one or more persons at public or private sale for consideration which may consist in whole or in part of cash, securities, or other property of any kind, discharge or pay its liabilities, and do all other acts appropriate to liquidate its business.

 

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(c)    After paying or adequately providing for the payment of all liabilities, and upon receipt of such releases, indemnities and agreements as the Trustees deem necessary for their protection, the Trust may distribute the remaining property of the Trust among the shareholders of the Trust so that, after payment in full or the setting apart for payment of such preferential amounts, if any, to which the holders of any Shares at the time outstanding shall be entitled, the remaining property of the Trust shall, subject to any participating or similar rights of Shares at the time outstanding, be distributed ratably among the holders of Common Shares at the time outstanding.

Section 12.2.2    After termination of the Trust, the liquidation of its business and the distribution to the shareholders of the Trust as herein provided, a majority of the Trustees shall execute and file with the Trust’s records a document certifying that the Trust has been duly terminated, and the Trustees shall be discharged from all liabilities and duties hereunder, and the rights and interests of all shareholders of the Trust shall cease.

ARTICLE XIII

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 13.1     Governing Law . The Declaration of Trust is executed by the undersigned Trustees and delivered in the State of Maryland with reference to the laws thereof, and the rights of all parties and the validity, construction and effect of every provision hereof shall be subject to and construed according to the laws of the State of Maryland without regard to conflicts of laws provisions thereof.

Section 13.2     Reliance by Third Parties . Any certificate shall be final and conclusive as to any person dealing with the Trust if executed by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Trust or a Trustee, and if certifying to: (a) the number or identity of Trustees, officers of the Trust or shareholders; (b) the due authorization of the execution of any document; (c) the action or vote taken, and the existence of a quorum, at a meeting of the Board of Trustees or shareholders; (d) a copy of the Declaration of Trust or of the Bylaws as a true and complete copy as then in force; (e) an amendment to the Declaration of Trust; (f) the termination of the Trust; or (g) the existence of any fact relating to the affairs of the Trust. No purchaser, lender, transfer agent or other person shall be bound to make any inquiry concerning the validity of any transaction purporting to be made by the Trust on its behalf or by any officer, employee or agent of the Trust.

Section 13.3     Severability .

Section 13.3.1    The provisions of the Declaration of Trust are severable, and if the Board of Trustees shall determine, with the advice of counsel, that any one or more of such provisions (the “Conflicting Provisions”) are in conflict with the Code, Title 8 or other applicable federal or state laws, the Conflicting Provisions, to the extent of the conflict, shall be deemed never to have constituted a part of the Declaration of Trust, even without any

 

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amendment of the Declaration of Trust pursuant to Article X and without affecting or impairing any of the remaining provisions of the Declaration of Trust or rendering invalid or improper any action taken or omitted prior to such determination. No Trustee shall be liable for making or failing to make such a determination. In the event of any such determination by the Board of Trustees, the Board shall amend the Declaration of Trust in the manner provided in Section 10.2.

Section 13.3.2    If any provision of the Declaration of Trust shall be held invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such holding shall apply only to the extent of any such invalidity or unenforceability and shall not in any manner affect, impair or render invalid or unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction or any other provision of the Declaration of Trust in any jurisdiction.

Section 13.4     Construction . In the Declaration of Trust, unless the context otherwise requires, words used in the singular or in the plural include both the plural and singular and words denoting any gender include all genders. The title and headings of different parts are inserted for convenience and shall not affect the meaning, construction or effect of the Declaration of Trust. In defining or interpreting the powers and duties of the Trust and its Trustees and officers, reference may be made by the Trustees or officers, to the extent appropriate and not inconsistent with the Code or Title 8, to Titles 1 through 3 of the Corporations and Associations Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland. In furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, in accordance with the provisions of Title 3, Subtitles 6 and 7, of the Corporations and Associations Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, the Trust shall be included within the definition of “corporation” for purposes of such provisions.

Section 13.5     Recordation . The Declaration of Trust and any amendment hereto shall be filed for record with the SDAT and may also be filed or recorded in such other places as the Trustees deem appropriate, but failure to file for record the Declaration of Trust or any amendment hereto in any office other than in the State of Maryland shall not affect or impair the validity or effectiveness of the Declaration of Trust or any amendment hereto. A restated Declaration of Trust shall, upon filing, be conclusive evidence of all amendments contained therein and may thereafter be referred to in lieu of the original Declaration of Trust and the various amendments thereto.

Section 13.6     Maryland Anti-Takeover Statutes . Notwithstanding any other provision of the Declaration of Trust or the Bylaws: (i) the Trust expressly elects not to be governed by the provisions of Section 3-602 of the MGCL, in whole or in part, as to any Business Combination between the Trust and any Interested Stockholder or any Affiliate of an Interested Stockholder (as such terms are defined in Section 3-601 of the MGCL) of the Trust, and any such Business Combination shall be exempted from the provisions of Section 3-602 of the MGCL; and (ii) the Trust is prohibited from electing to be subject to Section 3-803 of the MGCL unless such election is first approved by the shareholders of the Trust by the affirmative vote of a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.

 

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THIRD :     The foregoing amendment to, and restatement of, the Declaration of Trust has been duly advised by the Board of Trustees and approved by the shareholders of the Trust as required by law.

FOURTH :     The name and address of the Trust’s current resident agent is as set forth in Article IV of the foregoing amendment and restatement of the Declaration of Trust.

FIFTH :     The number of Trustees of the Trust and the names of those Trustees currently in office are set forth in Section 5.2 of Article V of the foregoing amendment and restatement of the Declaration of Trust.

SIXTH :     These Articles of Amendment and Restatement shall become effective as of the later of (i) the time the SDAT accepts these Articles of Amendment and Restatement for record, or (ii) 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on May 31, 2018.

SEVENTH :     The undersigned President of the Trust acknowledges these Articles of Amendment and Restatement to be the trust act of the Trust and, as to all matters or facts required to be verified under oath, the undersigned President of the Trust acknowledges that to the best of his knowledge, information, and belief, these matters and facts are true in all material respects and that this statement is made under the penalties for perjury.

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Trust has caused these Articles of Amendment and Restatement to be signed in its name and on its behalf by its President and attested to by its Secretary as of the 31 st day of May, 2018.

 

ATTEST:      

SPIRIT MTA REIT

/s/ Jay Young

         By:   

/s/ Ricardo Rodriguez

Name:    Jay Young          Name:    Ricardo Rodriguez
Title:    Secretary          Title:    Chief Executive Officer and President

 


EXHIBIT A

SPIRIT MTA REIT

Terms and Conditions of the 10% Series A Cumulative

Redeemable Preferred Shares of Beneficial Interest

The designation, number of shares, preferences, conversion and other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends and other distributions, transfers, qualifications, terms and conditions of redemption and other terms and conditions of the separate series of Preferred Shares of Spirit MTA REIT, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the “Trust”) designated as the 10.0% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares of Beneficial Interest are as follows:

Section 1. Designation and Number . A series of Preferred Shares, designated the “10.0% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares of Beneficial Interest” (the “ Series A Preferred Shares ”), is hereby established. The number of Series A Preferred Shares initially shall be 6,000,000.

Section 2. Rank . The Series A Preferred Shares will, with respect to dividend rights and rights upon voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Trust, rank: (a) senior to all classes or series of the Trust’s common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.01 per share (“ Common Shares ”), and all classes or series of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust now or hereafter authorized, issued or outstanding expressly designated as ranking junior to the Series A Preferred Shares as to dividend rights and rights upon voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Trust; (b) on parity with any class or series of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust expressly designated as ranking on parity with the Series A Preferred Shares as to dividend rights and rights upon voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Trust; and (c) junior to any class or series of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust expressly designated as ranking senior to the Series A Preferred Shares as to dividend rights and rights upon voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Trust. The term “shares of beneficial interest” does not include convertible or exchangeable debt securities, which will rank senior to the Series A Preferred Shares prior to conversion or exchange. The Series A Preferred Shares will also rank junior in right of payment to the Trust’s existing and future debt obligations.

Section 3. Dividends .

(a) Subject to the preferential rights of the holders of any class or series of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust ranking senior to the Series A Preferred Shares as to dividends, the holders of shares of the Series A Preferred Shares shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if authorized by the Board of Trustees and declared by the Trust, out of funds legally available for the payment of dividends, cumulative cash dividends at the rate of 10.0% per annum of the $25.00 liquidation preference per Series A Preferred Share (equivalent to a fixed annual amount of $2.50 per Series A Preferred Share). Such dividends shall accrue and be cumulative from and including the first date on which any Series A Preferred Shares are issued (the “ Original Issue Date ”) and shall be payable quarterly in arrears on each Dividend Payment Date (as defined below), commencing June 30, 2018; provided, however, that if any Dividend Payment Date is not a Business Day (as defined below), then the dividend which would otherwise have been payable on such Dividend Payment Date may be paid, at the Trust’s option, on either the immediately preceding Business Day or the next succeeding Business Day, except that, if such Business Day is in the next succeeding calendar year, such payment shall be

 

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made on the immediately preceding Business Day, in each case with the same force and effect as if paid on such Dividend Payment Date, and no interest or additional dividends or other sums shall accrue on the amount so payable from such Dividend Payment Date to such next succeeding Business Day. The amount of any dividend payable on the Series A Preferred Shares for any partial Dividend Period (as defined below) shall be prorated and computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months. Dividends will be payable to holders of record as they appear in the shareholder records of the Trust at the close of business on the applicable Dividend Record Date (as defined below). Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained herein, each outstanding Series A Preferred Share shall be entitled to receive a dividend with respect to any Dividend Record Date equal to the dividend paid with respect to each other Series A Preferred Share that is outstanding on such date. “ Dividend Record Date ” shall mean the date designated by the Board of Trustees for the payment of dividends that is not more than 35 or fewer than 10 days prior to the applicable Dividend Payment Date. “ Dividend Payment Date ” shall mean the last calendar day of each March, June, September and December, commencing on June 30, 2018. “ Dividend Period ” shall mean the respective periods commencing on and including the first day of January, April, July and October of each year and ending on, and including, the last day of March, June, September and December (other than the initial Dividend Period, which shall commence on the Original Issue Date and end on and include June 30, 2018, and other than the Dividend Period during which any Series A Preferred Shares shall be redeemed pursuant to Section 5 or Section 6 hereof, which shall end on and include the day preceding the redemption date with respect to the Series A Preferred Shares being redeemed).

The term “ Business Day ” shall mean each day, other than a Saturday or a Sunday, which is not a day on which banking institutions in New York, New York are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close.

(b) Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares shall accrue whether or not the Trust has earnings, whether or not there are funds legally available for the payment of such dividends, and whether or not such dividends are authorized or declared.

(c) Except as provided in Section 3(d) below, no dividends shall be declared and paid or declared and set apart for payment, and no other distribution of cash or other property may be declared and made, directly or indirectly, on or with respect to, any Common Shares or any other class or series of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust ranking, as to dividends, on parity with or junior to the Series A Preferred Shares (other than a dividend paid in Common Shares or in any other class or series of shares of beneficial interest ranking junior to the Series A Preferred Shares as to payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon the Trust’s liquidation, dissolution or winding up) for any period, nor shall any Common Shares or any other class or series of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust ranking, as to payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon the Trust’s liquidation, dissolution or winding up, on parity with or junior to the Series A Preferred Shares be redeemed, purchased or otherwise acquired for any consideration, nor shall any funds be paid or made available for a sinking fund for the redemption of such shares, and no other distribution of cash or other property may be made, directly or indirectly, on or with respect thereto by the Trust (except by conversion into or exchange for other class or series of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust ranking junior to the Series A Preferred Shares as to payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon the Trust’s liquidation, dissolution or winding up, and except for the acquisition of shares made pursuant to the provisions of Article VII of the Declaration of Trust or Section 9 hereof), unless full cumulative dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares for all past Dividend Periods shall have been or contemporaneously are (i) declared and paid in cash or (ii) declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof in cash is set apart for such payment.

 

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(d) When dividends are not paid in full (or a sum sufficient for such full payment is not so set apart) on the Series A Preferred Shares and any other class or series of shares of beneficial interest ranking, as to dividends, on parity with the Series A Preferred Shares, all dividends declared upon the Series A Preferred Shares and each such other class or series of shares of beneficial interest ranking, as to dividends, on parity with the Series A Preferred Shares shall be declared pro rata so that the amount of dividends declared per Series A Preferred Share and such other class or series of shares of beneficial interest shall in all cases bear to each other the same ratio that accrued dividends per share on the Series A Preferred Shares and such other class or series of shares of beneficial interest (which shall not include any accrual in respect of unpaid dividends on such other class or series of shares of beneficial interest for prior Dividend Periods if such other class or series of shares of beneficial interest does not have a cumulative dividend) bear to each other. No interest, or sum of money in lieu of interest, shall be payable in respect of any dividend payment or payments on the Series A Preferred Shares which may be in arrears.

(e) Holders of Series A Preferred Shares shall not be entitled to any dividend, whether payable in cash, property or shares of beneficial interest, in excess of full cumulative dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares as provided herein. Any dividend payment made on the Series A Preferred Shares shall first be credited against the earliest accrued but unpaid dividends due with respect to such shares which remain payable. Accrued but unpaid dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares will accumulate as of the Dividend Payment Date on which they first become payable.

Section 4. Liquidation Preference .

(a) Upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Trust, before any distribution or payment shall be made to holders of Common Shares or any other class or series of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust ranking, as to rights upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Trust, junior to the Series A Preferred Shares, the holders of Series A Preferred Shares shall be entitled to be paid out of the assets of the Trust legally available for distribution to its shareholders, after payment of or provision for the debts and other liabilities of the Trust and, subject to compliance with section 7(f)(i) of these Articles Supplementary, any class or series of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust ranking, as to rights upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Trust, senior to the Series A Preferred Shares, a liquidation preference of $25.00 per share, plus an amount equal to any accrued and unpaid dividends (whether or not authorized or declared) up to but excluding the date of payment. In the event that, upon such voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up, the available assets of the Trust are insufficient to pay the full amount of the liquidating distributions on all outstanding Series A Preferred Shares and the corresponding amounts payable on all shares of other classes or series of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust ranking, as to rights upon the Trust’s liquidation, dissolution or winding up, on parity with the Series A Preferred Shares in the distribution of assets, then the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares and each such other class or series of shares of beneficial interest ranking, as to rights upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up, on parity with the Series A Preferred Shares shall share ratably in any such distribution of assets in proportion to the full liquidating distributions to which they would otherwise be respectively entitled. Written notice of any such voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Trust, stating the payment date or dates when, and the place or places where, the amounts distributable in such circumstances shall be payable, shall be given by first class mail, postage pre-paid, not fewer than 30 or more than 60 days prior to the payment date stated therein, to each record holder of Series A Preferred Shares at the respective addresses of such holders as the same shall appear on the share transfer records of the Trust.

 

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After payment of the full amount of the liquidating distributions to which they are entitled, the holders of Series A Preferred Shares will have no right or claim to any of the remaining assets of the Trust. The consolidation or merger of the Trust with or into any other corporation, trust or entity, or the voluntary sale, lease, transfer or conveyance of all or substantially all of the property or business of the Trust, shall not be deemed to constitute a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Trust.

(b) In determining whether a distribution (other than upon voluntary or involuntary liquidation), by dividend, redemption or other acquisition of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust or otherwise, is permitted under Maryland law, amounts that would be needed, if the Trust were to be dissolved at the time of the distribution, to satisfy the preferential rights upon dissolution of holders of Series A Preferred Shares shall not be added to the Trust’s total liabilities.

Section 5. Redemption .

(a) Series A Preferred Shares shall not be redeemable prior to May 31, 2023 except as set forth in Section 6 hereof or to preserve the status of the Trust as a REIT (as defined in Section 9(a) hereof) for United States federal income tax purposes. In addition, the Series A Preferred Shares shall be subject to the provisions of Section 9 hereof pursuant to which Series A Preferred Shares owned by a shareholder in excess of the Series A Ownership Limit (as defined in Section 9(a) hereof) shall automatically be transferred to a Trust (as defined in Section 9(a) hereof) for the exclusive benefit of a Charitable Beneficiary (as defined in Section 9(a) hereof).

(b) On and after May 31, 2023, the Trust, at its option, upon not fewer than 30 or more than 60 days’ written notice, may redeem the Series A Preferred Shares, in whole or in part, at any time or from time to time, for cash at a redemption price of $25.00 per share, plus all accrued and unpaid dividends (whether or not authorized or declared) thereon up to but not including the date fixed for redemption, without interest, to the extent the Trust has funds legally available therefor (the “ Redemption Right ”). If fewer than all of the outstanding Series A Preferred Shares are to be redeemed, the Series A Preferred Shares to be redeemed shall be redeemed pro rata (as nearly as may be practicable without creating fractional shares) or by lot as determined by the Trust. If redemption is to be by lot and, as a result, any holder of Series A Preferred Shares would have actual ownership, Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership (each as defined in Section 9(a) hereof) in excess of the Series A Ownership Limit, the Aggregate Share Ownership Limit (as defined in Section 9(a) hereof), or such other limit as permitted by the Board of Trustees or a committee thereof pursuant to Section 9(b)(vii) hereof, because such holder’s Series A Preferred Shares were not redeemed, or were only redeemed in part, then, except as otherwise provided in the Declaration of Trust, the Trust shall redeem the requisite number of Series A Preferred Shares of such holder such that no holder will hold an amount of Series A Preferred Shares in excess of the applicable ownership limit, subsequent to such redemption. Holders of Series A Preferred Shares to be redeemed shall surrender such Series A Preferred Shares at the place, or in accordance with the book-entry procedures, designated in such notice and shall be entitled to the redemption price of $25.00 per share and any accrued and unpaid dividends payable upon such redemption following such surrender. If (i) notice of redemption of any Series A Preferred Shares has been given (in the case of a redemption of the Series A Preferred Shares other than to preserve the status of the Trust as a REIT), (ii) the funds necessary for such redemption have been set aside by the Trust in trust for the benefit of the holders of any Series A Preferred Shares so called for redemption, and (iii) irrevocable instructions have been given to pay the redemption price and all accrued and unpaid dividends, then from and after the redemption date, dividends shall cease to accrue on such Series A Preferred Shares, such Series A Preferred Shares shall no longer be deemed outstanding, and all rights of the holders of such shares shall terminate, except the right to receive the redemption price plus any accrued and unpaid dividends payable upon such redemption, without interest. So long as full

 

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cumulative dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares for all past Dividend Periods shall have been or contemporaneously are (i) declared and paid in cash, or (ii) declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof in cash is set apart for payment, nothing herein shall prevent or restrict the Trust’s right or ability to purchase, from time to time, either at a public or a private sale, all or any part of the Series A Preferred Shares at such price or prices as the Trust may determine, subject to the provisions of applicable law, including the repurchase of Series A Preferred Shares in open-market transactions duly authorized by the Board of Trustees.

(c) The Trust may, at any time, redeem any or all of the Series A Preferred Shares to preserve the status of the Trust as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes, in which case such redemption shall be made in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in this Section 5 of these Articles Supplementary. If the Trust calls for redemption of any Series A Preferred Shares pursuant to and in accordance with this Section 5(c), then the redemption price for such shares will be an amount in cash equal to $25.00 per share together with all accrued and unpaid dividends to but excluding the dated fixed for redemption.

(d) Unless full cumulative dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares for all past Dividend Periods shall have been or contemporaneously are (i) declared and paid in cash, or (ii) declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof in cash is set apart for payment, no Series A Preferred Shares shall be redeemed pursuant to the Redemption Right or Special Optional Redemption Right (defined below) unless all outstanding Series A Preferred Shares are simultaneously redeemed, and the Trust shall not purchase or otherwise acquire directly or indirectly any Series A Preferred Shares or any class or series of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust ranking, as to payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Trust, on parity with or junior to the Series A Preferred Shares (except by conversion into or exchange for shares of beneficial interest of the Trust ranking, as to payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Trust, junior to the Series A Preferred Shares); provided , however , that the foregoing shall not prevent the purchase of Series A Preferred Shares, or any other class or series of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust ranking, as to payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Trust, on parity with or junior to the Series A Preferred Shares, by the Trust in accordance with the terms of Sections 5(c) and 9 of these Articles Supplementary or otherwise, in order to ensure that the Trust remains qualified as a REIT for United States federal income tax purposes, or the purchase or acquisition of Series A Preferred Shares pursuant to a purchase or exchange offer made on the same terms to holders of all outstanding Series A Preferred Shares.

(e) Notice of redemption pursuant to the Redemption Right will be mailed by the Trust, postage prepaid, not fewer than 30 or more than 60 days prior to the redemption date, addressed to the respective holders of record of the Series A Preferred Shares to be redeemed at their respective addresses as they appear on the transfer records of the Trust. No failure to give or defect in such notice shall affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any Series A Preferred Shares except as to the holder to whom such notice was defective or not given. In addition to any information required by law or by the applicable rules of any exchange upon which the Series A Preferred Shares may be listed or admitted to trading, each such notice shall state: (i) the redemption date; (ii) the redemption price; (iii) the number of Series A Preferred Shares to be redeemed; (iv) the place or places where the certificates, if any, representing Series A Preferred Shares are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price; (v) procedures for surrendering noncertificated Series A Preferred Shares for payment of the redemption price; (vi) that dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares to be redeemed will cease to accumulate on such redemption date; and (vii) that payment of the redemption price and any accumulated and unpaid

 

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dividends will be made upon presentation and surrender of such Series A Preferred Shares. If fewer than all of the Series A Preferred Shares held by any holder are to be redeemed, the notice mailed to such holder shall also specify the number of Series A Preferred Shares held by such holder to be redeemed. Notwithstanding anything else to the contrary in these Articles Supplementary, the Trust shall not be required to provide notice to the holder of Series A Preferred Shares in the event such holder’s Series A Preferred Shares are redeemed in accordance with Sections 5(c) and 9 of these Articles Supplementary to preserve the Trust’s status as a REIT.

(f) If a redemption date falls after a Dividend Record Date and on or prior to the corresponding Dividend Payment Date, each holder of Series A Preferred Shares at the close of business of such Dividend Record Date shall be entitled to the dividend payable on such shares on the corresponding Dividend Payment Date notwithstanding the redemption of such shares on or prior to such Dividend Payment Date, and each holder of Series A Preferred Shares that surrenders its shares on such redemption date will be entitled to the dividends accruing after the end of the Dividend Period to which such Dividend Payment Date relates up to but excluding the redemption date. Except as provided herein, the Trust shall make no payment or allowance for unpaid dividends, whether or not in arrears, on Series A Preferred Shares for which a notice of redemption has been given.

(g) All Series A Preferred Shares redeemed or repurchased pursuant to this Section 5, or otherwise acquired in any other manner by the Trust, shall be retired and shall be restored to the status of authorized but unissued Preferred Shares, without designation as to series or class.

(h) The Series A Preferred Shares shall have no stated maturity and shall not be subject to any sinking fund or mandatory redemption; provided , however , that the Series A Preferred Shares owned by a shareholder in excess of the applicable ownership limit shall be subject to the provisions of this Section 5 and Section 9 of these Articles Supplementary.

Section 6. Special Optional Redemption by the Trust .

(a) Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control (as defined below), the Trust will have the option upon written notice mailed by the Trust, postage pre-paid, no fewer than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the redemption date and addressed to the holders of record of the Series A Preferred Shares to be redeemed at their respective addresses as they appear on the share transfer records of the Trust, to redeem the Series A Preferred Shares, in whole or in part within 120 days after the first date on which such Change of Control occurred, for cash at $25.00 per share plus accrued and unpaid dividends, if any, to, but not including, the redemption date (“ Special Optional Redemption Right ”). No failure to give such notice or any defect thereto or in the mailing thereof shall affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any Series A Preferred Shares except as to the holder to whom notice was defective or not given. If, prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date (as defined below), the Trust has provided or provides notice of redemption with respect to the Series A Preferred Shares (whether pursuant to the Redemption Right or the Special Optional Redemption Right), the holders of Series A Preferred Shares will not have the conversion right described below in Section 8 of these Articles Supplementary.

A “ Change of Control ” is when, after the original issuance of the Series A Preferred Shares, the following have occurred and are continuing:

(i) the acquisition by any person, including any syndicate or group deemed to be a “person” under Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”), of beneficial ownership, directly or indirectly, through a purchase, merger or other acquisition transaction or series of purchases, mergers or other acquisition transactions of shares of the Trust

 

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entitling that person to exercise more than 50% of the total voting power of all shares of beneficial interest of the Trust entitled to vote generally in the election of the Trust’s trustees (except that such person will be deemed to have beneficial ownership of all securities that such person has the right to acquire, whether such right is currently exercisable or is exercisable only upon the occurrence of a subsequent condition); and

(ii) following the closing of any transaction referred to in (i) above, neither the Trust nor the acquiring or surviving entity has a class of common securities (or American Depositary Receipts representing such securities) listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the “ NYSE ”), the NYSE American (the “ NYSE American ”), or the NASDAQ Stock Market (“ NASDAQ ”), or listed or quoted on an exchange or quotation system that is a successor to the NYSE, the NYSE American or NASDAQ.

(b) In addition to any information required by law or by the applicable rules of any exchange upon which the Series A Preferred Shares may be listed or admitted to trading, such notice shall state: (i) the redemption date; (ii) the redemption price; (iii) the number of Series A Preferred Shares to be redeemed; (iv) the place or places where the certificates, if any, representing Series A Preferred Shares are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price; (v) procedures for surrendering noncertificated Series A Preferred Shares for payment of the redemption price; (vi) that dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares to be redeemed will cease to accumulate on the redemption date; (vii) that payment of the redemption price and any accumulated and unpaid dividends will be made upon presentation and surrender of such Series A Preferred Shares; (viii) that the Series A Preferred Shares are being redeemed pursuant to the Special Optional Redemption Right in connection with the occurrence of a Change of Control and a brief description of the transaction or transactions constituting such Change of Control; and (ix) that holders of the Series A Preferred Shares to which the notice relates will not be able to tender such Series A Preferred Shares for conversion in connection with the Change of Control and each Series A Preferred Share tendered for conversion that is selected, prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date, for redemption will be redeemed on the related redemption date instead of converted on the Change of Control Conversion Date. If fewer than all of the Series A Preferred Shares held by any holder are to be redeemed, the notice mailed to such holder shall also specify the number of Series A Preferred Shares held by such holder to be redeemed.

If fewer than all of the outstanding Series A Preferred Shares are to be redeemed, the Series A Preferred Shares to be redeemed shall be redeemed pro rata (as nearly as may be practicable without creating fractional shares) or by lot as determined by the Trust. If such redemption pursuant to the Special Optional Redemption Right is to be by lot and, as a result, any holder of Series A Preferred Shares would have actual ownership, Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership in excess of the Series A Ownership Limit, the Aggregate Share Ownership Limit, or such limit as permitted by the Board of Trustees or a committee thereof pursuant to Section 9(b)(vii) hereof, because such holder’s Series A Preferred Shares were not redeemed, or were only redeemed in part then, except as otherwise provided in the Declaration of Trust, the Trust shall redeem the requisite number of Series A Preferred Shares of such holder such that no holder will hold an amount of Series A Preferred Shares in excess of the applicable ownership limit, subsequent to such redemption.

(c) If the Trust has given a notice of redemption pursuant to the Special Optional Redemption Right and has set aside sufficient funds for the redemption in trust for the benefit of the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares called for redemption, then from and after the redemption date, those Series A Preferred Shares will be treated as no longer being outstanding, no further dividends will accrue and all other rights of the holders of those Series A Preferred Shares will terminate. The holders of those Series A Preferred Shares will retain their right to receive the redemption price for their shares and any accrued and unpaid dividends to, but not including, the redemption date, without interest. So

 

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long as full cumulative dividends on the Series A Preferred Shares for all past Dividend Periods shall have been or contemporaneously are (i) declared and paid in cash, or (ii) declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof in cash is set apart for payment, nothing herein shall prevent or restrict the Trust’s right or ability to purchase, from time to time, either at a public or a private sale, all or any part of the Series A Preferred Shares at such price or prices as the Trust may determine, subject to the provisions of applicable law, including the repurchase of Series A Preferred Shares in open-market transactions duly authorized by the Board of Trustees.

(d) The holders of Series A Preferred Shares at the close of business on a Dividend Record Date will be entitled to receive the dividend payable with respect to the Series A Preferred Shares on the corresponding Dividend Payment Date notwithstanding the redemption of the Series A Preferred Shares pursuant to the Special Optional Redemption Right between such Dividend Record Date and the corresponding Dividend Payment Date or the Trust’s default in the payment of the dividend due. Except as provided herein, the Trust shall make no payment or allowance for unpaid dividends, whether or not in arrears, on Series A Preferred Shares for which a notice of redemption pursuant to the Special Optional Redemption Right has been given.

(e) All Series A Preferred Shares redeemed or repurchased pursuant to this Section 6, or otherwise acquired in any other manner by the Trust, shall be retired and shall be restored to the status of authorized but unissued Preferred Shares, without designation as to series or class.

Section 7. Voting Rights .

(a) Holders of the Series A Preferred Shares shall not have any voting rights, except as set forth in this Section 7.

(b) Whenever dividends on any Series A Preferred Shares shall be in arrears for six or more consecutive or non-consecutive quarterly periods (a “ Preferred Dividend Default ”), the holders of such Series A Preferred Shares (voting separately as a class together with holders of all other classes or series of Preferred Shares of the Trust ranking on parity with the Series A Preferred Shares with respect to payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon the Trust’s liquidation, dissolution or winding up and upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable (“ Parity Preferred ”)) shall be entitled to vote for the election of a total of two additional trustees of the Trust (the “ Preferred Trustees ”) until all dividends accumulated on such Series A Preferred Shares and Parity Preferred for the past Dividend Periods shall have been fully paid. In such case, the entire Board of Trustees will be increased by two trustees.

(c) The Preferred Trustees will be elected by a plurality of the votes cast in the election for a one-year term and each Preferred Trustee will serve until his or her successor is duly elected and qualifies or until such Preferred Trustee’s right to hold the office terminates, whichever occurs earlier, subject to such Preferred Trustee’s earlier death, disqualification, resignation or removal. The election will take place at (i) either (A) a special meeting called in accordance with Section 7(d) below if the request is received more than 90 days before the date fixed for the Trust’s next annual or special meeting of shareholders or (B) the next annual or special meeting of shareholders if the request is received within 90 days of the date fixed for the Trust’s next annual or special meeting of shareholders, and (ii) at each subsequent annual meeting of shareholders, or special meeting held in place thereof, until all such dividends in arrears on the Series A Preferred Shares and each such class or series of outstanding Parity Preferred have been paid in full. A dividend in respect of Series A Preferred Shares shall be considered timely made if made within two Business Days after the applicable Dividend Payment Date if at the time of such late payment date there shall not be any prior quarterly Dividend Periods in respect of which full dividends were not timely made at the applicable Dividend Payment Date.

 

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(d) At any time when such voting rights shall have vested, a proper officer of the Trust shall call or cause to be called, upon written request of holders of record of at least 10% of the outstanding Series A Preferred Shares and Parity Preferred, a special meeting of the holders of Series A Preferred Shares and each class or series of Parity Preferred by mailing or causing to be mailed to such holders a notice of such special meeting to be held not fewer than ten or more than 45 days after the date such notice is given. The record date for determining holders of the Series A Preferred Shares and Parity Preferred entitled to notice of and to vote at such special meeting will be the close of business on the third Business Day preceding the day on which such notice is mailed. At any such annual or special meeting, all of the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares and Parity Preferred, by plurality vote, voting together as a single class without regard to class or series will be entitled to elect two trustees on the basis of one vote per $25.00 of liquidation preference to which such Series A Preferred Shares and Parity Preferred are entitled by their terms (excluding amounts in respect of accumulated and unpaid dividends) and not cumulatively. The holder or holders of one-third of the Series A Preferred Shares and Parity Preferred voting as a single class then outstanding, present in person or by proxy, will constitute a quorum for the election of the Preferred Trustees except as otherwise provided by law. Notice of all meetings at which holders of the Series A Preferred Shares and the Parity Preferred shall be entitled to vote will be given to such holders at their addresses as they appear in the transfer records. At any such meeting or adjournment thereof in the absence of a quorum, subject to the provisions of any applicable law, a majority of the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares and Parity Preferred voting as a single class present in person or by proxy shall have the power to adjourn the meeting for the election of the Preferred Trustees, without notice other than an announcement at the meeting, until a quorum is present. If a Preferred Dividend Default shall terminate after the notice of a special meeting has been given but before such special meeting has been held, the Trust shall, as soon as practicable after such termination, mail or cause to be mailed notice of such termination to holders of the Series A Preferred Shares and the Parity Preferred that would have been entitled to vote at such special meeting.

(e) If and when all accumulated dividends on such Series A Preferred Shares and all classes or series of Parity Preferred for the past Dividend Periods shall have been fully paid, the right of the holders of Series A Preferred Shares and the Parity Preferred to elect such additional two trustees shall immediately cease (subject to revesting in the event of each and every Preferred Dividend Default), and the term of office of each Preferred Trustee so elected shall terminate and the entire Board of Trustees shall be reduced accordingly. Any Preferred Trustee may be removed at any time with or without cause by the vote of, and shall not be removed otherwise than by the vote of, the holders of record of a majority of the outstanding Series A Preferred Shares and the Parity Preferred entitled to vote thereon when they have the voting rights set forth in Section 7(b) hereof (voting as a single class). So long as a Preferred Dividend Default shall continue, any vacancy in the office of a Preferred Trustee may be filled by written consent of the Preferred Trustee remaining in office, or if none remains in office, by a vote of the holders of record of a majority of the outstanding Series A Preferred Shares when they have the voting rights described above (voting as a single class with all other classes or series of Parity Preferred). Each of the Preferred Trustees shall be entitled to one vote on any matter.

(f) So long as any Series A Preferred Shares remain outstanding, the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of two-thirds of the Series A Preferred Shares and each other class or series of Parity Preferred outstanding at the time, given in person or by proxy, either in writing or at a meeting (voting together as a single class) will be required to: (i) authorize, create or issue, or increase the number of authorized or issued shares of, any class or series of shares of beneficial interest ranking senior to the Series A Preferred Shares with respect to payment of dividends or the distribution of assets

 

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upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Trust (collectively, “ Senior Shares of Beneficial Interest ”) or reclassify any authorized shares of beneficial interest of the Trust into such shares of beneficial interest, or create, authorize or issue any obligation or security convertible into or evidencing the right to purchase any such Senior Shares of Beneficial Interest; or (ii) amend, alter or repeal the provisions of the Declaration of Trust, including the terms of the Series A Preferred Shares, whether by merger, consolidation, transfer or conveyance of all or substantially all of its assets or otherwise (an “ Event ”), so as to materially and adversely affect any right, preference, privilege or voting power of the Series A Preferred Shares; provided however , with respect to the occurrence of any of the Events set forth in (ii) above, so long as the Series A Preferred Shares remain outstanding with the terms thereof materially unchanged, taking into account that, upon the occurrence of an Event set forth in (ii) above, the Trust may not be the surviving entity, the occurrence of such Event shall not be deemed to materially and adversely affect such rights, preferences, privileges or voting power of Series A Preferred Shares, and in such case such holders shall not have any voting rights with respect to the occurrence of any of the Events set forth in (ii) above. In addition, if the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares receive the greater of the full trading price of the Series A Preferred Shares on the date of an Event set forth in (ii) above or the $25.00 liquidation preference per share of the Series A Preferred Shares pursuant to the occurrence of any of the Events set forth in (ii) above, then such holders shall not have any voting rights with respect to the Events set forth in (ii) above. If any Event set forth in (ii) above would materially and adversely affect the rights, preferences, privileges or voting powers of the Series A Preferred Shares disproportionately relative to other classes or series of Parity Preferred, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding shares of the Series A Preferred Shares, voting separately as a class, will also be required. Holders of Series A Preferred Shares shall not be entitled to vote with respect to (A) any increase in the total number of authorized Common Shares or Preferred Shares of the Trust, or (B) any increase in the number of authorized Series A Preferred Shares or the creation or issuance of any other class or series of shares of beneficial interest, or (C) any increase in the number of authorized shares of any other class or series of shares of beneficial interest, in each case referred to in clause (A), (B) or (C) above ranking on parity with or junior to the Series A Preferred Shares with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Trust. Except as set forth herein, holders of the Series A Preferred Shares shall not have any voting rights with respect to, and the consent of the holders of the Series A Preferred Shares shall not be required for, the taking of any corporate action, including an Event, regardless of the effect that such corporate action or Event may have upon the powers, preferences, voting power or other rights or privileges of the Series A Preferred Shares.

(g) The foregoing voting provisions of this Section 7 shall not apply if, at or prior to the time when the act with respect to which such vote would otherwise be required shall be effected, all outstanding Series A Preferred Shares shall have been redeemed or called for redemption upon proper notice pursuant to these Articles Supplementary, and sufficient funds, in cash, shall have been deposited in trust to effect such redemption.

(h) In any matter in which the Series A Preferred Shares may vote (as expressly provided herein), each Series A Preferred Share shall be entitled to one vote per $25.00 of liquidation preference.

Section 8. Conversion . The Series A Preferred Shares are not convertible into or exchangeable for any other property or securities of the Trust, except as provided in this Section 8.

(a) Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control, each holder of Series A Preferred Shares (other than Spirit Realty Capital, Inc. or one or more of its affiliates, collectively, the “ Specified Holder ”) shall have the right, unless, prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date, the Trust has provided or provides notice of its election to redeem the Series A Preferred Shares pursuant to the

 

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Redemption Right or Special Optional Redemption Right, to convert some or all of the Series A Preferred Shares held by such holder (the “ Change of Control Conversion Right ”) on the Change of Control Conversion Date into a number of Common Shares per Series A Preferred Share to be converted (the “ Common Shares Conversion Consideration ”) equal to the lesser of (A) the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the sum of (x) the $25.00 liquidation preference per Series A Preferred Share to be converted plus (y) the amount of any accrued and unpaid dividends to, but not including, the Change of Control Conversion Date (unless the Change of Control Conversion Date is after a Dividend Record Date and prior to the corresponding Dividend Payment Date, in which case no additional amount for such accrued and unpaid dividends will be included in such sum) by (ii) the Common Share Price (as defined herein) and (B) 3.3333 (the “ Share Cap ”), subject to the immediately succeeding paragraph.

The Share Cap is subject to pro rata adjustments for any share splits (including those effected pursuant to a distribution of the Common Shares), subdivisions or combinations (in each case, a “ Share Split ”) with respect to the Common Shares as follows: the adjusted Share Cap as the result of a Share Split shall be the number of Common Shares that is equivalent to the product obtained by multiplying (i) the Share Cap in effect immediately prior to such Share Split by (ii) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding after giving effect to such Share Split and the denominator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately prior to such Share Split.

For the avoidance of doubt, subject to the immediately succeeding sentence, the aggregate number of Common Shares (or equivalent Alternative Conversion Consideration (as defined below), as applicable) issuable in connection with the exercise of the Change of Control Conversion Right shall not exceed 19,999,800 Common Shares (or equivalent Alternative Conversion Consideration, as applicable) (the “ Exchange Cap ”). The Exchange Cap is subject to pro rata adjustments for any Share Splits on the same basis as the corresponding adjustment to the Share Cap.

In the case of a Change of Control pursuant to which Common Shares shall be converted into cash, securities or other property or assets (including any combination thereof) (the “ Alternative Form Consideration ”), a holder of Series A Preferred Shares shall receive upon conversion of such Series A Preferred Shares the kind and amount of Alternative Form Consideration which such holder would have owned or been entitled to receive upon the Change of Control had such holder held a number of Common Shares equal to the Common Shares Conversion Consideration immediately prior to the effective time of the Change of Control (the “ Alternative Conversion Consideration ”; and the Common Shares Conversion Consideration or the Alternative Conversion Consideration, as may be applicable to a Change of Control, shall be referred to herein as the “ Conversion Consideration ”).

In the event that holders of Common Shares have the opportunity to elect the form of consideration to be received in the Change of Control, the Conversion Consideration will be deemed to be the kind and amount of consideration actually received by holders of a majority of the Common Shares that voted for such an election (if electing between two types of consideration) or holders of a plurality of the Common Shares that voted for such an election (if electing between more than two types of consideration), as the case may be, and will be subject to any limitations to which all holders of Common Shares are subject, including, without limitation, pro rata reductions applicable to any portion of the consideration payable in the Change of Control.

The “ Change of Control Conversion Date ” shall be a Business Day set forth in the notice of Change of Control provided in accordance with Section 8(c) below that is no less than 20 days nor more than 35 days after the date on which the Trust provides such notice pursuant to Section 8(c).

 

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The “ Common Shares Price ” shall be (i) if the consideration to be received in the Change of Control by the holders of Common Shares is solely cash, the amount of cash consideration per Common Share or (ii) if the consideration to be received in the Change of Control by holders of Common Shares is other than solely cash (x) the average of the closing sale prices per Common Share (or, if no closing sale price is reported, the average of the closing bid and ask prices or, if more than one in either case, the average of the average closing bid and the average closing ask prices) for the ten consecutive trading days immediately preceding, but not including, the effective date of the Change of Control as reported on the principal U.S. securities exchange on which the Common Shares are then traded, or (y) the average of the last quoted bid prices for the Common Shares in the over-the-counter market as reported by Pink Sheets LLC or similar organization for the ten consecutive trading days immediately preceding, but not including, the effective date of the Change of Control, if the Common Shares are not then listed for trading on a U.S. securities exchange.

(b) No fractional Common Shares shall be issued upon the conversion of Series A Preferred Shares. In lieu of fractional shares, holders shall be entitled to receive the cash value of such fractional shares based on the Common Shares Price.

(c) Within 15 days following the occurrence of a Change of Control, a notice of occurrence of the Change of Control, describing the resulting Change of Control Conversion Right, shall be delivered to the holders of record of the Series A Preferred Shares at their addresses as they appear on the Trust’s share transfer records and notice shall be provided to the Trust’s transfer agent. No failure to give such notice or any defect thereto or in the mailing thereof shall affect the validity of the proceedings for the conversion of any Series A Preferred Shares except as to the holder to whom notice was defective or not given. Each notice shall state: (i) the events constituting the Change of Control; (ii) the date of the Change of Control; (iii) the last date on which the holders of Series A Preferred Shares may exercise their Change of Control Conversion Right; (iv) the method and period for calculating the Common Shares Price; (v) the Change of Control Conversion Date; (vi) that if, prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date, the Trust has provided or provides notice of its election to redeem all or any portion of the Series A Preferred Shares, the holder will not be able to convert Series A Preferred Shares designated for redemption and such Series A Preferred Shares shall be redeemed on the related redemption date, even if they have already been tendered for conversion pursuant to the Change of Control Conversion Right; (vii) if applicable, the type and amount of Alternative Conversion Consideration entitled to be received per Series A Preferred Share; (viii) the name and address of the paying agent and the conversion agent; and (ix) the procedures that the holders of Series A Preferred Shares must follow to exercise the Change of Control Conversion Right.

(d) The Trust shall issue a press release for publication on the Dow Jones & Company, Inc., Business Wire, PR Newswire or Bloomberg Business News (or, if such organizations are not in existence at the time of issuance of such press release, such other news or press organization as is reasonably calculated to broadly disseminate the relevant information to the public), or post notice on the Trust’s website, in any event prior to the opening of business on the first Business Day following any date on which the Trust provides notice pursuant to Section 8(c) above to the holders of Series A Preferred Shares.

(e) In order to exercise the Change of Control Conversion Right, a holder of Series A Preferred Shares shall be required to deliver, on or before the close of business on the Change of Control Conversion Date, the certificates (if any) representing the Series A Preferred Shares to be converted, duly endorsed for transfer, together with a written conversion notice completed, to the Trust’s transfer agent. Such notice shall state: (i) the relevant Change of Control Conversion Date; (ii) the number of Series A Preferred Shares to be converted; and (iii) that the Series A Preferred Shares are to be

 

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converted pursuant to the applicable provisions of these Articles Supplementary. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Series A Preferred Shares are held in global form, such notice shall comply with applicable procedures of The Depository Trust Company (“ DTC ”).

(f) Holders of Series A Preferred Shares may withdraw any notice of exercise of a Change of Control Conversion Right (in whole or in part) by a written notice of withdrawal delivered to the Trust’s transfer agent prior to the close of business on the Business Day prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date. The notice of withdrawal must state: (i) the number of withdrawn Series A Preferred Shares; (ii) if certificated Series A Preferred Shares have been issued, the certificate numbers of the shares of withdrawn Series A Preferred Shares; and (iii) the number of Series A Preferred Shares, if any, which remain subject to the conversion notice. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Series A Preferred Shares are held in global form, the notice of withdrawal shall comply with applicable procedures of DTC.

(g) Series A Preferred Shares as to which the Change of Control Conversion Right has been properly exercised and for which the conversion notice has not been properly withdrawn shall be converted into the applicable Conversion Consideration in accordance with the Change of Control Conversion Right on the Change of Control Conversion Date, unless, prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date, the Trust has provided or provides notice of its election to redeem such Series A Preferred Shares, whether pursuant to its Redemption Right or Special Optional Redemption Right. If the Trust elects to redeem Series A Preferred Shares that would otherwise be converted into the applicable Conversion Consideration on a Change of Control Conversion Date, such Series A Preferred Shares shall not be so converted and the holders of such shares shall be entitled to receive on the applicable redemption date $25.00 per share, plus any accrued and unpaid dividends thereon to, but not including, the redemption date.

(h) The Trust shall deliver the applicable Conversion Consideration no later than the third Business Day following the Change of Control Conversion Date.

(i) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, no holder of Series A Preferred Shares will be entitled to convert such Series A Preferred Shares into Common Shares to the extent that receipt of such Common Shares would cause the holder of such Common Shares (or any other person) to have actual ownership, Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership (each as defined in Article VII of the Declaration of Trust) of Common Shares of the Trust in excess of the Common Share Ownership Limit (as defined in Article VII of the Declaration of Trust), the Aggregate Share Ownership Limit (as defined in Article VII of the Declaration of Trust), or such other limit as permitted by the Board of Trustees or a committee thereof pursuant to Section 7.2.7 of the Declaration of Trust.

Section 9. Restrictions on Transfer and Ownership of Shares .

(a) Definitions . For the purposes of Section 5 and this Section 9 of these Articles Supplementary, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

Aggregate Share Ownership Limit ” has the meaning set forth in Article VII of the Declaration of Trust.

Beneficial Ownership ” shall mean ownership of Series A Preferred Shares by a Person, whether the interest in the Series A Preferred Shares is held directly or indirectly (including by a nominee), and shall include interests that are actually owned or would be treated as owned through the application of

 

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Section 544 of the Code, as modified by Sections 856(h)(1)(B) and 856(h)(3) of the Code. The terms “Beneficial Owner,” “Beneficially Own,” “Beneficially Owns” and “Beneficially Owned” shall have the correlative meanings.

Business Day ” has the meaning set forth in Article VII of the Declaration of Trust.

Charitable Beneficiary ” shall mean one or more beneficiaries of the Charitable Trust as determined pursuant to Section 9(c)(vi), provided that each such organization must be described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Code and contributions to each such organization must be eligible for deduction under each of Sections 170(b)(1)(A), 2055 and 2522 of the Code.

Charitable Trust ” shall mean any trust provided for in Section 9(c)(i).

Charitable Trustee ” shall mean the Person unaffiliated with the Trust and any Prohibited Owner, that is appointed by the Trust to serve as trustee of the Charitable Trust.

Code ” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or any successor statute.

Constructive Ownership ” shall mean ownership of Series A Preferred Shares by a Person, whether the interest in the Series A Preferred Shares is held directly or indirectly (including by a nominee), and shall include interests that are actually owned or would be treated as owned through the application of Section 318(a) of the Code, as modified by Section 856(d)(5) of the Code. The terms “Constructive Owner,” “Constructively Own,” “Constructively Owns” and “Constructively Owned” shall have the correlative meanings.

Equity Shares ” has the meaning set forth in Article VII of the Declaration of Trust.

Excepted Holder ” shall mean a shareholder of the Trust for whom an Excepted Holder Limit is created by the Board of Trustees pursuant to Section 9(b)(vii).

Excepted Holder Limit ” shall mean for each Excepted Holder, the percentage limit established by the Board of Trustees for such Excepted Holder pursuant to Section 9(b)(vii), which limit may be expressed, in the discretion of the Board of Trustees, as one or more percentages and/or numbers of Equity Shares, and may apply with respect to one or more classes of Equity Shares or to all classes of Equity Shares in the aggregate, provided that the affected Excepted Holder agrees to comply with any requirements established by the Board of Trustees pursuant to Section 9(b)(vii) and subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 9(b)(viii).

Individual ” means an individual, a trust qualified under Section 401(a) or 501(c)(17) of the Code, a portion of a trust permanently set aside for or to be used exclusively for the purposes described in Section 642(c) of the Code, or a private foundation within the meaning of Section 509(a) of the Code, provided that, except as set forth in Section 856(h)(3)(A)(ii) of the Code, a trust described in Section 401(a) of the Code and exempt from tax under Section 501(a) of the Code shall be excluded from this definition.

Initial Date ” has the meaning set forth in Article VII of the Declaration of Trust.

Market Price ” on any date shall mean, with respect to the Series A Preferred Shares, the Closing Price for the Series A Preferred Shares on such date. The “ Closing Price ” on any date shall mean the last sale price for the Series A Preferred Shares, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, for the Series A Preferred Shares, in

 

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either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the NYSE or, if the Series A Preferred Shares is not listed or admitted to trading on the NYSE, as reported on the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the Series A Preferred Shares is listed or admitted to trading or, if the Series A Preferred Shares is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price, or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the principal automated quotation system on which the Series A Preferred Shares is quoted, or if the Series A Preferred Shares is not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Series A Preferred Shares selected by the Board of Trustees or, in the event that no trading price is available for the Series A Preferred Shares, the fair market value of the Series A Preferred Shares, as determined in good faith by the Board of Trustees.

NYSE ” shall mean the New York Stock Exchange.

Person ” shall mean an Individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, estate, trust, association, joint stock company or other entity.

Prohibited Owner ” shall mean, with respect to any purported Transfer, any Person who, but for the provisions of Section 9(b)(i), would Beneficially Own or Constructively Own Series A Preferred Shares, and if appropriate in the context, shall also mean any Person who would have been the record owner of the shares that the Prohibited Owner would have so owned.

REIT ” shall mean a real estate investment trust under Sections 856 through 860 of the Code.

Restriction Termination Date ” shall mean the first day after the Initial Date on which the Board of Trustees determines pursuant to Section 5.1 of the Declaration of Trust that it is no longer in the best interests of the Trust to attempt to, or continue to, qualify as a REIT or that compliance with the restrictions and limitations on Beneficial Ownership, Constructive Ownership and Transfers of Series A Preferred Shares set forth herein is no longer required in order for the Trust to qualify as a REIT.

Series A Ownership Limit ” shall mean 9.8% (in value or in number of shares, whichever is more restrictive, and subject to adjustment from time to time by the Board of Trustees in accordance with Section 9(b)(viii)) of the aggregate of the outstanding Series A Preferred Shares, excluding any such outstanding Series A Preferred Shares which are not treated as outstanding for federal income tax purposes. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of determining the percentage ownership of Series A Preferred Shares by any Person, Series A Preferred Shares that are treated as Beneficially Owned or Constructively Owned by such Person shall be deemed to be outstanding. The number and value of outstanding Series A Preferred Shares of the Trust shall be determined by the Board of Trustees in good faith, which determination shall be conclusive for all purposes hereof.

Transfer ” shall mean any issuance, sale, transfer, gift, assignment, devise or other disposition, as well as any other event that causes any Person to acquire, or change its level of, Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership, or any agreement to take any such actions or cause any such events, of Series A Preferred Shares or the right to vote or receive dividends on Series A Preferred Shares, including (a) the granting or exercise of any option (or any disposition of any option), (b) any disposition of any securities or rights convertible into or exchangeable for Series A Preferred Shares or any interest in Series A Preferred Shares or any exercise of any such conversion or exchange right and (c) Transfers of interests in other entities that result in changes in Beneficial Ownership or Constructive

 

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Ownership of Series A Preferred Shares; in each case, whether voluntary or involuntary, whether owned of record, Beneficially Owned or Constructively Owned and whether by operation of law or otherwise. The terms “Transferring” and “Transferred” shall have the correlative meanings.

(b) Series A Preferred Shares .

(i) Ownership Limitations . During the period commencing on the Initial Date and prior to the Restriction Termination Date, but subject to Section 9(d):

(A) Basic Restrictions .

(i) The Series A Preferred Shares constitute a class or series of Preferred Shares, and Preferred Shares constitute Equity Shares of the Trust. Therefore, the Series A Preferred Shares, being Equity Shares, shall be subject to the Aggregate Share Ownership Limit applicable with respect to Equity Shares generally and all other restrictions and limitations on the Transfer and ownership of Equity Shares set forth in the Declaration of Trust and applicable to Equity Shares. In addition, (1) no Person, other than an Excepted Holder, shall Beneficially Own or Constructively Own Series A Preferred Shares in excess of the Series A Ownership Limit and (2) no Excepted Holder shall Beneficially Own or Constructively Own Series A Preferred Shares in excess of the Excepted Holder Limit for such Excepted Holder.

(ii) No Person shall Beneficially or Constructively Own Series A Preferred Shares to the extent that, taking into account other Equity Shares of the Trust Beneficially or Constructively Owned by such Person, such Beneficial or Constructive Ownership of Series A Preferred Shares could result in the Trust (or any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Trust that intends to qualify as a REIT) (A) being “closely held” within the meaning of Section 856(h) of the Code (without regard to whether the ownership interest is held during the last half of a taxable year), or (B) otherwise failing to qualify as a REIT (including but not limited to Beneficial or Constructive Ownership that could result in the Trust Constructively Owning an interest in a tenant that is described in Section 856(d)(2)(B) of the Code if the income derived by the Trust from such tenant, taking into account any other income of the Trust that would not qualify under the gross income requirements of Section 856(c) of the Code, would cause the Trust to fail to satisfy any of such gross income requirements).

(iii) Any Transfer of Series A Preferred Shares that, if effective, would result in the Equity Shares being beneficially owned by fewer than 100 Persons (determined under the principles of Section 856(a)(5) of the Code) shall be void ab initio , and the intended transferee shall acquire no rights in such Series A Preferred Shares.

Without limitation of the application of any other provision of this Section 9, it is expressly intended that the restrictions on ownership and Transfer described in this Section 9(b)(i) shall apply to restrict the rights of any members or partners in limited liability companies or partnerships to exchange their interest in such entities for Equity Shares of the Trust.

(B) Transfer in Trust . If any Transfer of Series A Preferred Shares (whether or not such Transfer is the result of a transaction entered into through the facilities of the NYSE or any other national securities exchange or automated inter-dealer quotation system) occurs which, if effective, would result in any Person Beneficially Owning or Constructively Owning Series A Preferred Shares in violation of Section 9(b)(i)(A)(i) or (ii):

 

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(i) then that number of shares of the Series A Preferred Shares, the Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of which otherwise would cause such Person to violate Section 9(b)(i)(A)(i) or (ii) (rounded up to the nearest whole share) shall be automatically transferred to a Charitable Trust for the benefit of a Charitable Beneficiary, as described in Section 9(c), effective as of the close of business on the Business Day prior to the date of such Transfer, and such Person shall acquire no rights in such shares; or

(ii) if the transfer to the Charitable Trust described in clause (i) of this sentence would not be effective for any reason to prevent the violation of Section 9(b)(i)(A)(i) or (ii), then the Transfer of that number of Series A Preferred Shares that otherwise would cause any Person to violate Section 9(b)(i)(A)(i) or (ii) shall be void ab initio , and the intended transferee shall acquire no rights in such Series A Preferred Shares.

(iii) In determining which Series A Preferred Shares are to be transferred to a Charitable Trust in accordance with this Section 9(b)(i)(B) and Section 9(c) hereof, shares shall be so transferred to a Charitable Trust in such manner as minimizes the aggregate value of the shares that are transferred to the Charitable Trust (except as provided in Section 9(b)(vi) and, to the extent not inconsistent therewith, on a pro rata basis (unless otherwise determined by the Board of Trustees in its sole and absolute discretion). To the extent that, upon a transfer of Series A Preferred Shares pursuant to this Section 9(b)(i)(B), a violation of any provision of Section 9(b)(i)(A) would nonetheless occur or be continuing (as, for example, where the ownership of Series A Preferred Shares by a single Charitable Trust would result in the Equity Shares being Beneficially Owned (determined under the principles of Section 856(a)(5) of the Code) by fewer than 100 Persons), then Series A Preferred Shares shall be transferred to that number of Charitable Trust, each having a Charitable Trustee and a Charitable Beneficiary or Beneficiaries that are distinct from those of each other Charitable Trust, such that there is no violation of any provision of Section 9(b)(i)(A) hereof.

(ii) Remedies for Breach . If the Board of Trustees shall at any time determine in good faith that a Transfer or other event has taken place that results in a violation of Section 9(b)(i) or that a Person intends or has attempted to acquire Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of any Series A Preferred Shares in violation of Section 9(b)(i) (whether or not such violation is intended), the Board of Trustees or a committee thereof shall take such action as it deems advisable, in its sole and absolute discretion, to refuse to give effect to or to prevent such Transfer or other event, including, without limitation, causing the Trust to redeem shares, refusing to give effect to such Transfer on the books of the Trust or instituting proceedings to enjoin such Transfer or other event; provided, however , that any Transfer or attempted Transfer or other event in violation of Section 9(b)(i) shall automatically result in the transfer to the Charitable Trust described above, or, where applicable, such Transfer (or other event) shall be void ab initio as provided above irrespective of any action (or non-action) by the Board of Trustees or a committee thereof.

(iii) Notice of Restricted Transfer . Any Person who acquires or attempts or intends to acquire Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of Series A Preferred Shares that will or may violate Section 9(b)(i)(A) or any Person who would have owned Series A Preferred Shares that resulted in a transfer to the Charitable Trust pursuant to the provisions of Section 9(b)(i)(B) shall immediately give written notice to the Trust of such event or, in the case of such a proposed or attempted transaction, give at least 15 days prior written notice, and shall provide to the Trust such other information as the Trust may request in order to determine the effect, if any, of such Transfer on the Trust’s status as a REIT.

 

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(iv) Owners Required To Provide Information . From the Initial Date and prior to the Restriction Termination Date, each Person who is a Beneficial Owner or Constructive Owner of Series A Preferred Shares and each Person (including the shareholder of record) who is holding Series A Preferred Shares for a Beneficial or Constructive Owner shall, on demand, provide to the Trust in writing such information as the Trust may request in order to determine the effect, if any, of such Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership on the Trust’s status as a REIT and to ensure compliance with the Aggregate Share Ownership Limit, the Series A Ownership Limit and the other restrictions set forth in these Articles Supplementary or in the Declaration of Trust, and to comply with requirements of any taxing authority or governmental authority or to determine such compliance.

(v) Remedies Not Limited . Subject to Section 5.1 of the Declaration of Trust, nothing contained in this Section 9(b) shall limit the authority of the Board of Trustees to take such other action as it deems necessary or advisable to protect the Trust and the interests of its shareholders in preserving the Trust’s status as a REIT.

(vi) Ambiguity . In the case of an ambiguity in the application of any of the provisions of this Section 9, including Section 9(b) Section 9(c), or any definition contained in Section 9(a) or any defined term used in this Section 9 but defined elsewhere in these Articles Supplementary or the Declaration of Trust, the Board of Trustees shall have the power to determine the application of the provisions of this Section 9 with respect to any situation based on the facts known to it. In the event Section 9(b) or Section 9(c) requires an action by the Board of Trustees and these Articles Supplementary and the Declaration of Trust fail to provide specific guidance with respect to such action, the Board of Trustees shall have the power to determine the action to be taken so long as such action is not contrary to the provisions of Section 9(a), Section 9(b) or Section 9(c).

(vii) Exceptions .

(A) Subject to Section 9(b)(i)(A)(ii), the Board of Trustees, subject to the trustees’ duties under applicable law, may exempt (prospectively or retroactively) a Person from the Aggregate Share Ownership Limit and/or the Series A Ownership Limit, as the case may be, and, if necessary, shall establish or increase an Excepted Holder Limit for such Person, if the Board of Trustees determines, based on such representations, covenants and undertakings from such Person to the extent required by the Board of Trustees, and as are necessary or prudent to ascertain, as determined by the Board of Trustees in its sole discretion, that such exemption could not cause or permit:

(i) five or fewer Individuals to Beneficially Own more than 49% in value of the outstanding Equity Shares (taking into account the then current Series A Ownership Limit, Common Share Ownership Limit and Aggregate Share Ownership Limit, any then existing Excepted Holder Limits, and the Excepted Holder Limit of such Person); or

(ii) the Trust to Constructively Own an interest in any tenant of the Trust or any tenant of any entity directly or indirectly owned, in whole or in part, by the Trust (for this purpose, the Board of Trustees may determine in its sole and absolute discretion that a tenant shall not be treated as a tenant of the Trust if (a) the Trust could not Constructively Own more than a 9.9% interest (that is described in Section 856(d)(2)(B) of the Code) in any such tenant; or (b) the Trust (directly, or through an entity directly or indirectly owned, in whole or in part, by the Trust) derives (and is expected to continue to derive) a sufficiently small amount of revenue from such tenant such that, in the opinion of the Board of Trustees, rent from such tenant would not adversely affect the Trust’s ability to qualify as a REIT).

 

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(B) Prior to granting any exception pursuant to Section 9(b)(vii)(A), the Board of Trustees may require a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service, or an opinion of counsel, in either case in form and substance satisfactory to the Board of Trustees in its sole and absolute discretion, as it may deem necessary or advisable in order to determine or ensure the Trust’s status as a REIT. Notwithstanding the receipt of any ruling or opinion, the Board of Trustees may impose such conditions or restrictions as it deems appropriate in connection with granting such exception.

(C) Subject to Section 9(b)(i)(A)(ii), an underwriter which participates in a public offering or a private placement of Series A Preferred Shares (or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Series A Preferred Shares) may Beneficially Own or Constructively Own Series A Preferred Shares (or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Series A Preferred Shares) in excess of the Series A Ownership Limit, the Aggregate Share Ownership Limit, or both such limits, but only to the extent necessary to facilitate such public offering or private placement.

(D) The Board of Trustees may only reduce the Excepted Holder Limit for an Excepted Holder: (1) with the written consent of such Excepted Holder at any time, or (2) pursuant to the terms and conditions of the agreements and undertakings entered into with such Excepted Holder in connection with the establishment of the Excepted Holder Limit for that Excepted Holder. No Excepted Holder Limit shall be reduced to a percentage that is less than the Series A Ownership Limit or the Aggregate Share Ownership Limit, as applicable.

(viii) Increase or Decrease in Series A Ownership Limit . Subject to Section 9(b)(i)(A)(ii) and the rest of this Section 9(b)(vii), the Board of Trustees may, in its sole and absolute discretion, from time to time increase or decrease the Series A Ownership Limit for one or more Persons; provided, however, that a decreased Series A Ownership Limit will not be effective for any Person who Beneficially Owns or Constructively Owns, as applicable, Series A Preferred Shares in excess of such decreased Series A Ownership Limit at the time such limit is decreased, until such time as such Person’s Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of Series A Preferred Shares, as applicable, equals or falls below the decreased Series A Ownership Limit, but any further acquisition of Series A Preferred Shares or increased Beneficial Ownership or Constructive Ownership of Series A Preferred Shares, during the period that such decreased Series A Ownership Limit is not effective with respect to such Person, will be in violation of the Series A Ownership Limit and, provided further, that the new Series A Ownership Limit (taking into account any then existing Excepted Holder Limits to the extent appropriate as determined by the Trust) would not allow five or fewer Persons to Beneficially Own more than 49% in value of the outstanding Equity Shares.

(ix) Legend . Each certificate representing Series A Preferred Shares, if any, shall bear substantially the following legend, in addition to any other legend that may be required in order to comply with applicable federal and state laws:

THE SHARES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON BENEFICIAL AND CONSTRUCTIVE OWNERSHIP AND TRANSFER FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE TRUST’S MAINTENANCE OF ITS STATUS AS A REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST UNDER THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986, AS AMENDED (THE “CODE”). SUBJECT TO CERTAIN FURTHER RESTRICTIONS AND EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY PROVIDED IN THE ARTICLES SUPPLEMENTARY FOR THE SERIES A PREFERRED SHARES, (I) NO PERSON MAY BENEFICIALLY OR CONSTRUCTIVELY OWN THE TRUST’S SERIES A PREFERRED SHARES IN EXCESS OF THE SERIES A OWNERSHIP LIMIT UNLESS SUCH PERSON IS AN EXCEPTED HOLDER (IN WHICH CASE THE EXCEPTED HOLDER LIMIT SHALL BE APPLICABLE); (II) NO PERSON MAY BENEFICIALLY OR CONSTRUCTIVELY OWN EQUITY

 

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SHARES (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, SERIES A PREFERRED SHARES) OF THE TRUST IN EXCESS OF THE AGGREGATE SHARE OWNERSHIP LIMIT, UNLESS SUCH PERSON IS AN EXCEPTED HOLDER (IN WHICH CASE THE EXCEPTED HOLDER LIMIT SHALL BE APPLICABLE); (III) NO PERSON MAY BENEFICIALLY OR CONSTRUCTIVELY OWN SERIES A PREFERRED SHARES THAT, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT OTHER EQUITY SHARES OF THE TRUST BENEFICIALLY OR CONSTRUCTIVELY OWNED BY SUCH PERSON, WOULD RESULT IN THE TRUST (OR ANY DIRECT OR INDIRECT SUBSIDIARY OF THE TRUST THAT INTENDS TO QUALIFY AS A REIT) BEING “CLOSELY HELD” UNDER SECTION 856(H) OF THE CODE OR OTHERWISE CAUSE THE TRUST (OR SUCH SUBSIDIARY) TO FAIL TO QUALIFY AS A REIT; AND (IV) NO PERSON MAY TRANSFER SERIES A PREFERRED SHARES IF SUCH TRANSFER WOULD RESULT IN THE EQUITY SHARES OF THE TRUST BEING OWNED BY FEWER THAN 100 PERSONS. ANY PERSON WHO BENEFICIALLY OR CONSTRUCTIVELY OWNS OR ATTEMPTS TO BENEFICIALLY OR CONSTRUCTIVELY OWN SERIES A PREFERRED SHARES WHICH CAUSES OR WILL CAUSE A PERSON TO BENEFICIALLY OR CONSTRUCTIVELY OWN SERIES A PREFERRED SHARES IN EXCESS OR IN VIOLATION OF THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS MUST IMMEDIATELY NOTIFY THE TRUST. IF ANY OF THE RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER OR OWNERSHIP SET FORTH IN (I) THROUGH (III) ABOVE ARE VIOLATED, THE SERIES A PREFERRED SHARES IN EXCESS OR IN VIOLATION OF THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY TRANSFERRED TO A CHARITABLE TRUSTEE OF A CHARITABLE TRUST FOR THE BENEFIT OF ONE OR MORE CHARITABLE BENEFICIARIES. IN ADDITION, THE TRUST MAY TAKE OTHER ACTIONS, INCLUDING REDEEMING SHARES UPON THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SPECIFIED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES IN ITS SOLE AND ABSOLUTE DISCRETION IF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES DETERMINES THAT OWNERSHIP OR A TRANSFER OR OTHER EVENT MAY VIOLATE THE RESTRICTIONS DESCRIBED ABOVE. FURTHERMORE, UPON THE OCCURRENCE OF CERTAIN EVENTS, ATTEMPTED TRANSFERS IN VIOLATION OF THE RESTRICTIONS DESCRIBED ABOVE MAY BE VOID AB INITIO . ALL CAPITALIZED TERMS IN THIS LEGEND HAVE THE MEANINGS DEFINED IN THE ARTICLES SUPPLEMENTARY FOR THE SERIES A PREFERRED SHARES, AS THE SAME MAY BE AMENDED FROM TIME TO TIME, A COPY OF WHICH, INCLUDING THE RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER AND OWNERSHIP, WILL BE FURNISHED TO EACH HOLDER OF SERIES A PREFERRED SHARES OF THE TRUST ON REQUEST AND WITHOUT CHARGE. REQUESTS FOR SUCH A COPY MAY BE DIRECTED TO THE SECRETARY OF THE TRUST AT ITS PRINCIPAL OFFICE.

Instead of the foregoing legend, a certificate may state that the Trust will furnish a full statement about certain restrictions on ownership and transfer of the shares to a shareholder on request and without charge.

(c) Transfer of Series A Preferred Shares in Trust .

(i) Ownership in Trust . Upon any purported Transfer or other event described in Section 9(b)(i)(B) that would result in a transfer of Series A Preferred Shares to a Charitable Trust, such

 

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Series A Preferred Shares shall be deemed to have been transferred to the Charitable Trustee as trustee of a Charitable Trust for the exclusive benefit of one or more Charitable Beneficiaries. Such transfer to the Charitable Trustee shall be deemed to be effective as of the close of business on the Business Day prior to the purported Transfer or other event that results in the transfer to the Charitable Trust pursuant to Section 9(b)(i)(B). The Charitable Trustee shall be appointed by the Trust and shall be a Person unaffiliated with the Trust and any Prohibited Owner. Each Charitable Beneficiary shall be designated by the Trust as provided in Section 9(c)(vi).

(ii) Status of Shares Held by the Charitable Trustee . Series A Preferred Shares held by the Charitable Trustee shall be issued and outstanding Series A Preferred Shares of the Trust. The Prohibited Owner shall have no rights in the shares held by the Charitable Trustee. The Prohibited Owner shall not benefit economically from ownership of any shares held in trust by the Charitable Trustee, shall have no rights to dividends or other distributions and shall not possess any rights to vote or other rights attributable to the shares held in the Charitable Trust. The Prohibited Owner shall have no claim, cause of action, or any other recourse whatsoever against the purported transferor of such Series A Preferred Shares.

(iii) Dividend and Voting Rights . The Charitable Trustee shall have all voting rights and rights to dividends or other distributions with respect to Series A Preferred Shares held in the Charitable Trust, which rights shall be exercised for the exclusive benefit of the Charitable Beneficiary. Any dividend or other distribution paid prior to the discovery by the Trust that the Series A Preferred Shares have been transferred to the Charitable Trustee shall be paid by the recipient of such dividend or other distribution to the Charitable Trustee upon demand and any dividend or other distribution authorized but unpaid shall be paid when due to the Charitable Trustee. Any dividend or distribution so paid to the Charitable Trustee shall be held in trust for the Charitable Beneficiary. The Prohibited Owner shall have no voting rights with respect to shares held in the Charitable Trust and, subject to Maryland law, effective as of the date that the Series A Preferred Shares have been transferred to the Charitable Trustee, the Charitable Trustee shall have the authority (at the Charitable Trustee’s sole and absolute discretion) (i) to rescind as void any vote cast by a Prohibited Owner prior to the discovery by the Trust that the Series A Preferred Shares have been transferred to the Charitable Trustee and (ii) to recast such vote in accordance with the desires of the Charitable Trustee acting for the benefit of the Charitable Beneficiary; provided, however, that if the Trust has already taken irreversible corporate action, then the Charitable Trustee shall not have the authority to rescind and recast such vote. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 9, until the Trust has received notification that Series A Preferred Shares have been transferred into a Charitable Trust, the Trust shall be entitled to rely on its share transfer and other shareholder records for purposes of preparing lists of shareholders entitled to vote at meetings, determining the validity and authority of proxies and otherwise conducting votes of shareholders.

(iv) Sale of Shares by Trustee . Within 20 days of receiving notice from the Trust that Series A Preferred Shares have been transferred to the Charitable Trust, the Charitable Trustee of the Charitable Trust shall sell the shares held in the Charitable Trust to a Person or Persons, designated by the Charitable Trustee, whose ownership of the shares will not violate the ownership limitations set forth in Section 9(b)(i)(A). Upon such sale, the interest of the Charitable Beneficiary in the shares sold shall terminate and the Charitable Trustee shall distribute the net proceeds of the sale to the Prohibited Owner and to the Charitable Beneficiary as provided in this Section 9(c)(iv). The Prohibited Owner shall receive the lesser of (1) the price paid by the Prohibited Owner for the shares or, if the Prohibited Owner did not give value for the shares in connection with the event causing the shares to be held in the Charitable Trust ( e.g. , in the case of a gift, devise or other such transaction), the Market Price of the shares on the day of the event causing the shares to be held in the Charitable Trust and (2) the price per

 

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share received by the Charitable Trustee (net of any commissions and other expenses of sale) from the sale or other disposition of the shares held in the Charitable Trust. The Charitable Trustee shall reduce the amount payable to the Prohibited Owner by the amount of dividends and other distributions which have been paid to the Prohibited Owner and are owed by the Prohibited Owner to the Charitable Trustee pursuant to Section 9(c)(iii). Any net sales proceeds in excess of the amount payable to the Prohibited Owner shall be immediately paid to the Charitable Beneficiary. If, prior to the discovery by the Trust that Series A Preferred Shares have been transferred to the Charitable Trustee, such shares are sold by a Prohibited Owner, then (i) such shares shall be deemed to have been sold on behalf of the Charitable Trust and (ii) to the extent that the Prohibited Owner received an amount for such shares that exceeds the amount that such Prohibited Owner was entitled to receive pursuant to this Section 9(c)(iv), such excess shall be paid to the Charitable Trustee upon demand.

(v) Purchase Right in Series A Preferred Shares Transferred to the Charitable Trustee . Series A Preferred Shares transferred to the Charitable Trustee shall be deemed to have been offered for sale to the Trust, or its designee, at a price per share equal to the lesser of (i) the price per share in the transaction that resulted in such transfer to the Charitable Trust (or, in the case of a gift, devise or other transaction, the Market Price at the time of such gift, devise or other transaction) and (ii) the Market Price on the date the Trust, or its designee, accepts such offer. The Trust shall reduce the amount payable to the Prohibited Owner by the amount of dividends and distributions which has been paid to the Prohibited Owner and are owed by the Prohibited Owner to the Charitable Trustee pursuant to Section 9(c)(iii). The Trust shall pay the amount of such reduction to the Charitable Trustee for the benefit of the Charitable Beneficiary. The Trust shall have the right to accept such offer until the Charitable Trustee has sold the shares held in the Charitable Trust pursuant to Section 9(c)(iv). Upon such a sale to the Trust, the interest of the Charitable Beneficiary in the shares sold shall terminate and the Charitable Trustee shall distribute the net proceeds of the sale to the Prohibited Owner.

(vi) Designation of Charitable Beneficiaries . By written notice to the Charitable Trustee, the Trust shall designate one or more nonprofit organizations to be the Charitable Beneficiary of the interest in the Charitable Trust such that the Series A Preferred Shares held in the Charitable Trust would not violate the restrictions set forth in Section 9(b)(i)(A) in the hands of such Charitable Beneficiary. Neither the failure of the Trust to make such designation nor the failure of the Trust to appoint the Charitable Trustee before the automatic transfer provided for in Section 9(b)(i)(B)(i) shall make such transfer ineffective, provided that the Trust thereafter makes such designation and appointment. The designation of a nonprofit organization as a Charitable Beneficiary shall not entitle such nonprofit organization to continue to serve in such capacity and the Trust may, in its sole discretion, designate a different nonprofit organization as the Charitable Beneficiary at any time and for any or no reason, provided, however, that if a Charitable Beneficiary was designated at the time the Series A Preferred Shares were placed in the Charitable Trust, such Charitable Beneficiary shall be entitled to the rights set forth in herein with respect to such Series A Preferred Shares, unless and until the Trust opts to purchase such shares.

(d) NYSE Transactions . Nothing in this Section 9 shall preclude the settlement of any transaction entered into through the facilities of the NYSE or any other national securities exchange or automated inter-dealer quotation system. The fact that the settlement of any transaction occurs shall not negate the effect of any other provision of this Section 9 and any transferee in such a transaction shall be subject to all of the provisions and limitations set forth in this Section 9.

(e) Enforcement . The Trust is authorized specifically to seek equitable relief, including injunctive relief, to enforce the provisions of this Section 9.

 

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(f) Non-Waiver . No delay or failure on the part of the Trust or the Board of Trustees in exercising any right hereunder shall operate as a waiver of any right of the Trust or the Board of Trustees, as the case may be, except to the extent specifically waived in writing.

(g) Severability . If any provision of this Section 9 or any application of any such provision is determined to be invalid by any federal or state court having jurisdiction over the issues, the validity of the remaining provisions shall not be affected and other applications of such provisions shall be affected only to the extent necessary to comply with the determination of such court.

(h) Applicability of Section  9 . The provisions set forth in this Section 9 shall apply to the Series A Preferred Shares notwithstanding any contrary provisions of the Series A Preferred Shares provided for elsewhere in these Articles Supplementary.

Section 10. No Conversion Rights . The Series A Preferred Shares shall not be convertible into or exchangeable for any other property or securities of the Trust or any other entity, except as otherwise provided herein.

Section 11. Record Holders . The Trust and its transfer agent may deem and treat the record holder of any Series A Preferred Shares as the true and lawful owner thereof for all purposes, and neither the Trust nor its transfer agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.

Section 12. No Maturity or Sinking Fund . The Series A Preferred Shares have no maturity date, and no sinking fund has been established for the retirement or redemption of Series A Preferred Shares; provided , however , that the Series A Preferred Shares owned by a shareholder in excess of the Series A Ownership Limit or Aggregate Share Ownership Limit shall be subject to the provisions of Section 5 and Section 9 of these Articles Supplementary.

Section 13. Exclusion of Other Rights . The Series A Preferred Shares shall not have any preferences or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications or terms or conditions of redemption other than expressly set forth in the Declaration of Trust and these Articles Supplementary.

Section 14. Headings of Subdivisions . The headings of the various subdivisions hereof are for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of any of the provisions hereof.

Section 15. Severability of Provisions . If any preferences or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications or terms or conditions of redemption of the Series A Preferred Shares set forth in the Declaration of Trust and these Articles Supplementary are invalid, unlawful or incapable of being enforced by reason of any rule of law or public policy, all other preferences or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications or terms or conditions of redemption of Series A Preferred Shares set forth in the Declaration of Trust which can be given effect without the invalid, unlawful or unenforceable provision thereof shall, nevertheless, remain in full force and effect and no preferences or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications or terms or conditions of redemption of the Series A Preferred Shares herein set forth shall be deemed dependent upon any other provision thereof unless so expressed therein.

Section 16. No Preemptive Rights . No holder of Series A Preferred Shares shall be entitled to any preemptive rights to subscribe for or acquire any unissued shares of beneficial interest of the Trust (whether now or hereafter authorized) or securities of the Trust convertible into or carrying a right to subscribe to or acquire shares of beneficial interest of the Trust.

 

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Section 17. Provision of Financial Information . Whether or not it is subject to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, the Trust will, to the extent permitted under the Exchange Act, file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ SEC ”) the annual reports, quarterly reports and other documents that the Trust would have been required to file with the SEC pursuant to such Section 13 or 15(d) if it were so subject, such documents to be filed with the SEC on or prior to the respective dates (the “ Required Filing Dates ”) by which the Trust would have been required so to file such documents if it were so subject. The Trust will also in any event (1) within 15 days of each Required Filing Date transmit by mail or electronic transmittal to all holders, as their names and addresses appear in the security register, without cost to such holders, copies of the annual reports, quarterly reports and other documents that the Trust is required to file or would have been required to file with the SEC pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act if it were subject to such sections, provided that the foregoing transmittal requirement will be deemed satisfied if the foregoing reports and documents are available on the SEC’s EDGAR system or on the Trust’s website within the applicable time period specified above, and (2) if filing such documents with the SEC is not permitted under the Exchange Act, promptly upon written request and payment of the reasonable cost of duplication and delivery, supply copies of such documents to any prospective holder.

Section 18. Offer to Purchase .

(a)     For so long as any Series A Preferred Shares are held by the Specified Holder, upon the occurrence of an Offer to Purchase Event (as defined below), the Trust must offer to purchase the Series A Preferred Shares held by the Specified Holder within thirty (30) days after the first date on which such Offer to Purchase Event occurred at a purchase price equal to $25.00 per share, plus any accrued and unpaid dividends to, but not including, the payment date. If, prior to the Offer to Purchase Date (as defined below), the Trust exercises any of its redemption rights relating to the Series A Preferred Shares (whether its Redemption Right or its Special Optional Redemption Right), the Trust will not have the obligation to make the offer to purchase described in this Section 18 with respect to the shares called for redemption.

An “Offer to Purchase Event” means the occurrence of any of the following events: (i) a Change of Control, (ii) the merger, consolidation, sale of all or substantially all of the assets (which for the avoidance of doubt shall include a sale of all or substantially all of the assets comprising Master Trust A) or other similar transaction of the Trust (including through its subsidiaries) with or into any other person in conjunction with which or within 12 months following the closing of which the asset management agreement, dated as of May 31, 2018, between the Trust and Spirit Realty, L.P. is terminated, (iii) during any period of two consecutive years, individuals who, at the beginning of such period, constitute the Board of Trustees together with any new trustee(s) (other than a trustee designated by a person who entered into an agreement with the Trust to effect a transaction described in the preceding clauses (i) or (ii) of this definition) whose election by the Board of Trustees or nomination for election by the Trust’s shareholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the trustees then still in office who either were trustees at the beginning of the two-year period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute a majority thereof, or (iv) the approval by the shareholders of the Trust of a liquidation or dissolution of the Trust.

The “ Offer to Purchase Date ” is the date the Series A Preferred Shares are tendered to the Trust for purchase, which will be a Business Day that is no fewer than two days nor more than 30 days after the date on which the Trust provides notice to the Specified Holder of its offer to purchase.

 

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(b)    The Trust will not be required to make an offer to purchase the Series A Preferred Shares held by the Specified Holder upon an Offer to Purchase Event if a related person of the Trust within the meaning of Section 351(g)(2) of the Code makes an offer to purchase the Series A Preferred Shares held by the Specified Holder in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements set forth in these Articles Supplementary applicable to an offer to purchase made by the Trust and purchases all the Series A Preferred Shares tendered for purchase by the Specified Holder. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in these Articles Supplementary, an offer to purchase may be made in advance of an Offer to Purchase Event and conditioned upon the consummation of such Offer to Purchase Event, if a definitive agreement is in place for the Offer to Purchase Event at the time the offer to purchase is made.

(c)    If the terms of any indebtedness of the Trust prohibit the Trust from making an offer to purchase the Series A Preferred Shares held by the Specified Holder or from purchasing the Series A Preferred Shares tendered for purchase pursuant thereto, within sixty (60) days following an Offer to Purchase Event, the Trust covenants to (i) repay in full all such indebtedness or (ii) obtain the requisite consent under such indebtedness to permit the purchase of the Series A Preferred Shares held by the Specified Holder as described in this Section 18. The Trust must first comply with the covenant described in this Section 18 before it will be required to purchase the Series A Preferred Shares held by the Specified Holder in the event of an Offer to Purchase Event.

(d)    The Trust’s obligation to make the offer to purchase described in this Section 18 may be waived, in whole or in part, by the Specified Holder in the Specified Holder’s sole and absolute discretion.

 

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Exhibit 4.2

SPIRIT MTA REIT

AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

ARTICLE I

OFFICES

Section 1. PRINCIPAL OFFICE . The principal office of Spirit MTA REIT (the “ Trust ”) in the State of Maryland shall be located at such place as the Board of Trustees may designate.

Section 2. ADDITIONAL OFFICES . The Trust may have additional offices, including a principal executive office, at such places as the Board of Trustees may from time to time determine or the business of the Trust may require.

ARTICLE II

MEETINGS OF SHAREHOLDERS

Section 1. PLACE . All meetings of shareholders shall be held at the principal executive office of the Trust or at such other place as shall be set in accordance with these Bylaws and stated in the notice of the meeting.

Section 2. ANNUAL MEETING . An annual meeting of shareholders for the election of trustees and the transaction of any business within the powers of the Trust shall be held on the date and at the time and place set by the Board of Trustees. Failure to hold an annual meeting does not invalidate the Trust’s existence or affect any otherwise valid acts of the Trust.

Section 3. SPECIAL MEETINGS .

 

  (a) General . Each of the chairman of the board, chief executive officer, president and Board of Trustees may call a special meeting of shareholders. Except as provided in subsection (b)(4) of this Section 3, a special meeting of shareholders shall be held on the date and at the time and place set by the chairman of the board, chief executive officer, president or Board of Trustees, whoever has called the meeting. Subject to subsection (b) of this Section 3, a special meeting of shareholders shall also be called by the secretary of the Trust to act on any matter that may properly be considered at a meeting of shareholders upon the written request of shareholders entitled to cast not less than a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on such matter at such meeting.

 

  (b) Shareholder-Requested Special Meetings .

 

  (1)

Any shareholder of record seeking to have shareholders request a special meeting shall, by sending written notice to the secretary (the “ Record Date Request Notice ”) by registered mail, return receipt requested, request the Board of Trustees to fix a record date to determine the shareholders entitled to request a special meeting (the “ Request Record Date ”). The Record Date Request Notice shall set forth the purpose of the meeting and the matters proposed to be acted on at it, shall be signed by one or more


  shareholders of record as of the date of signature (or their agents duly authorized in a writing accompanying the Record Date Request Notice), shall bear the date of signature of each such shareholder (or such agent) and shall set forth all information relating to each such shareholder and each matter proposed to be acted on at the meeting that would be required to be disclosed in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the election of trustees in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or would otherwise be required in connection with such a solicitation, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A (or any successor provision) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “ Exchange Act ”). Upon receiving the Record Date Request Notice, the Board of Trustees may fix a Request Record Date. The Request Record Date shall not precede and shall not be more than ten days after the close of business on the date on which the resolution fixing the Request Record Date is adopted by the Board of Trustees. If the Board of Trustees, within ten days after the date on which a valid Record Date Request Notice is received, fails to adopt a resolution fixing the Request Record Date, the Request Record Date shall be the close of business on the tenth day after the first date on which a Record Date Request Notice is received by the secretary.

 

  (2) In order for any shareholder to request a special meeting to act on any matter that may properly be considered at a meeting of shareholders, one or more written requests for a special meeting (collectively, the “ Special Meeting Request ”) signed by shareholders of record (or their agents duly authorized in a writing accompanying the request) as of the Request Record Date entitled to cast not less than a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on such matter at such meeting (the “ Special Meeting Percentage ”) shall be delivered to the secretary. In addition, the Special Meeting Request shall (a) set forth the purpose of the meeting and the matters proposed to be acted on at it (which shall be limited to those lawful matters set forth in the Record Date Request Notice received by the secretary), (b) bear the date of signature of each such shareholder (or such agent) signing the Special Meeting Request, (c) set forth (i) the name and address, as they appear in the Trust’s books, of each shareholder signing such request (or on whose behalf the Special Meeting Request is signed), (ii) the class, series and number of all shares of beneficial interest of the Trust which are owned (beneficially or of record) by each such shareholder and (iii) the nominee holder for, and number of, shares of beneficial interest of the Trust owned beneficially but not of record by such shareholder, (d) be sent to the secretary by registered mail, return receipt requested, and (e) be received by the secretary within 60 days after the Request Record Date. Any requesting shareholder (or agent duly authorized in a writing accompanying the revocation of the Special Meeting Request) may revoke his, her or its request for a special meeting at any time by written revocation delivered to the secretary.

 

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  (3) The secretary shall inform the requesting shareholders of the reasonably estimated cost of preparing and mailing or delivering the notice of the meeting (including the Trust’s proxy materials). The secretary shall not be required to call a special meeting upon shareholder request and such meeting shall not be held unless, in addition to the documents required by paragraph (2) of this Section 3(b), the secretary receives payment of such reasonably estimated cost prior to the preparation and mailing or delivery of such notice of the meeting.

 

  (4) In the case of any special meeting called by the secretary upon the request of shareholders (a “ Shareholder-Requested Meeting ”), such meeting shall be held at such place, date and time as may be designated by the Board of Trustees; provided, however, that the date of any Shareholder-Requested Meeting shall be not more than 90 days after the record date for such meeting (the “ Meeting Record Date ”); and provided further that if the Board of Trustees fails to designate, within ten days after the date that a valid Special Meeting Request is actually received by the secretary (the “ Delivery Date ”), a date and time for a Shareholder-Requested Meeting, then such meeting shall be held at 2:00 p.m., local time, on the 90th day after the Meeting Record Date or, if such 90th day is not a Business Day (as defined below), on the first preceding Business Day; and provided further that in the event that the Board of Trustees fails to designate a place for a Shareholder-Requested Meeting within ten days after the Delivery Date, then such meeting shall be held at the principal executive office of the Trust. In fixing a date for a Shareholder-Requested Meeting, the Board of Trustees may consider such factors as it deems relevant, including, without limitation, the nature of the matters to be considered, the facts and circumstances surrounding any request for the meeting and any plan of the Board of Trustees to call an annual meeting or a special meeting. In the case of any Shareholder-Requested Meeting, if the Board of Trustees fails to fix a Meeting Record Date that is a date within 30 days after the Delivery Date, then the close of business on the 30th day after the Delivery Date shall be the Meeting Record Date. The Board of Trustees may revoke the notice for any Shareholder-Requested Meeting in the event that the requesting shareholders fail to comply with the provisions of paragraph (3) of this Section 3(b).

 

  (5)

If written revocations of the Special Meeting Request have been delivered to the secretary and the result is that shareholders of record (or their agents duly authorized in writing), as of the Request Record Date, entitled to cast less than the Special Meeting Percentage have delivered, and not revoked, requests for a special meeting on the matter to the secretary: (i) if the notice of meeting has not already been delivered, the secretary shall refrain from delivering the notice of the meeting and send to all requesting shareholders who have not revoked such requests written notice of any revocation of a request for a special meeting on the matter, or (ii) if the notice of meeting has been delivered and if the secretary first sends to all

 

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  requesting shareholders who have not revoked requests for a special meeting on the matter written notice of any revocation of a request for the special meeting and written notice of the Trust’s intention to revoke the notice of the meeting or for the chairman of the meeting to adjourn the meeting without action on the matter, (A) the secretary may revoke the notice of the meeting at any time before ten days before the commencement of the meeting or (B) the chairman of the meeting may call the meeting to order and adjourn the meeting without acting on the matter. Any request for a special meeting received after a revocation by the secretary of a notice of a meeting shall be considered a request for a new special meeting.

 

  (6) The chairman of the board, chief executive officer, president or Board of Trustees may appoint regionally or nationally recognized independent inspectors of elections to act as the agent of the Trust for the purpose of promptly performing a ministerial review of the validity of any purported Special Meeting Request received by the secretary. For the purpose of permitting the inspectors to perform such review, no such purported Special Meeting Request shall be deemed to have been received by the secretary until the earlier of (i) five Business Days after actual receipt by the secretary of such purported request and (ii) such date as the independent inspectors certify to the Trust that the valid requests received by the secretary represent, as of the Request Record Date, shareholders of record entitled to cast not less than the Special Meeting Percentage. Nothing contained in this paragraph (6) shall in any way be construed to suggest or imply that the Trust or any shareholder shall not be entitled to contest the validity of any request, whether during or after such five Business Day period, or to take any other action (including, without limitation, the commencement, prosecution or defense of any litigation with respect thereto, and the seeking of injunctive relief in such litigation).

 

  (7) For purposes of these Bylaws, “ Business Day ” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

Section 4. NOTICE . Not less than ten nor more than 90 days before each meeting of shareholders, the secretary shall give notice of such meeting to each shareholder entitled to vote at such meeting and to each shareholder not entitled to vote who is entitled to notice of the meeting, notice in writing or by electronic transmission stating the time and place of the meeting and, in the case of a special meeting or as otherwise may be required by any statute, the purpose for which the meeting is called. Such notice may be delivered by mail, by presenting it to such shareholder personally, by leaving it at the shareholder’s residence or usual place of business, by electronic transmission or by any other means permitted by Maryland law. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be given when deposited in the United States mail addressed to the shareholder at the shareholder’s address as it appears on the records of the Trust, with postage thereon prepaid. If transmitted electronically, such notice shall be deemed to be given when

 

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transmitted to the shareholder by an electronic transmission to any address or number of the shareholder at which the shareholder receives electronic transmissions. The Trust may give a single notice to all shareholders who share an address, which single notice shall be effective as to any shareholder at such address, unless a shareholder objects to receiving such single notice or revokes a prior consent to receiving such single notice. Failure to give notice of any meeting to one or more shareholders, or any irregularity in such notice, shall not affect the validity of any meeting fixed in accordance with this Article II or the validity of any proceedings at any such meeting.

Subject to Section 11(a) of this Article II, any business of the Trust may be transacted at an annual meeting of shareholders without being specifically designated in the notice, except such business as is required by any statute to be stated in such notice. No business shall be transacted at a special meeting of shareholders except as specifically designated in the notice. The Trust may postpone or cancel a meeting of shareholders by making a Public Announcement (as defined in Section 11(c)(3) of this Article II) of such postponement or cancellation prior to the meeting. Notice of the date, time and place to which the meeting is postponed shall be given not less than ten days prior to such date and otherwise in the manner set forth in this section.

Section 5. ORGANIZATION AND CONDUCT . Every meeting of shareholders shall be conducted by an individual appointed by the Board of Trustees to be chairman of the meeting or, in the absence of such appointment or appointed individual, by the chairman of the board or, in the case of a vacancy in the office or absence of the chairman of the board, by one of the following officers present at the meeting in the following order: the vice chairman of the board, if there is one, the chief executive officer, the president, the vice presidents in their order of rank and seniority, the secretary or, in the absence of such officers, a chairman chosen by the shareholders by the vote of a majority of the votes cast by shareholders present in person or by proxy. The secretary, or, in the secretary’s absence, an assistant secretary, or, in the absence of both the secretary and assistant secretaries, an individual appointed by the Board of Trustees or, in the absence of such appointment, an individual appointed by the chairman of the meeting shall act as secretary. In the event that the secretary presides at a meeting of shareholders, an assistant secretary, or, in the absence of all assistant secretaries, an individual appointed by the Board of Trustees or the chairman of the meeting, shall record the minutes of the meeting. The order of business and all other matters of procedure at any meeting of shareholders shall be determined by the chairman of the meeting. The chairman of the meeting may prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and take such action as, in the discretion of the chairman and without any action by the shareholders, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting, including, without limitation, (a) restricting admission to the time set for the commencement of the meeting; (b) limiting attendance at the meeting to shareholders of record of the Trust, their duly authorized proxies and such other individuals as the chairman of the meeting may determine; (c) limiting participation at the meeting on any matter to shareholders of record of the Trust entitled to vote on such matter, their duly authorized proxies and other such individuals as the chairman of the meeting may determine; (d) limiting the time allotted to questions or comments; (e) determining when and for how long the polls should be opened and when the polls should be closed; (f) maintaining order and security at the meeting; (g) removing any shareholder or any other individual who refuses to comply with meeting procedures, rules or guidelines as set forth by the chairman of the meeting; (h) concluding a meeting or recessing or adjourning the meeting to a later date and time and at a place announced at the meeting; and complying with any state

 

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and local laws and regulations concerning safety and security. Unless otherwise determined by the chairman of the meeting, meetings of shareholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure.

Section 6. QUORUM; ADJOURNMENTS . At any meeting of shareholders, the presence in person or by proxy of shareholders entitled to cast a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast at such meeting on any matter shall constitute a quorum; but this section shall not affect any requirement under any statute or the declaration of trust of the Trust (the “ Declaration of Trust ”) for the vote necessary for the approval of any matter. If, however, such quorum is not established at any meeting of the shareholders, the chairman of the meeting may adjourn the meeting sine die or from time to time to a date not more than 120 days after the original record date without notice other than announcement at the meeting. At such adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall be present, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally notified.

The shareholders present either in person or by proxy, at a meeting which has been duly called and at which a quorum has been established, may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal from the meeting of enough shareholders to leave fewer than would be required to establish a quorum.

Section 7. VOTING .

 

  (a) A majority of the votes cast at a meeting of shareholders duly called and at which a quorum is present shall be sufficient to take or authorize action upon any matter which may properly come before the meeting, except as otherwise provided in this Section 7 with respect to the election of trustees, unless more than a majority of the votes cast is specifically required by statute, by the Declaration of Trust or by these Bylaws. Unless otherwise provided by statute or by the Declaration of Trust, each outstanding share, regardless of class, shall be entitled to one vote on each matter submitted to a vote at a meeting of shareholders. Voting on any question or in any election may be via voice unless the Chairman of the meeting shall order that voting be by ballot or otherwise.

 

  (b)

Except as otherwise provided in the Declaration of Trust with respect to trustees to be elected by the holders of any class or series of preferred shares of the Trust and in the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws with respect to the filling of vacancies on the Board of Trustees, each trustee shall be elected by a majority of the votes cast with respect to such trustee at any meeting of shareholders duly called and at which a quorum is present and trustees are to be elected; provided, however, that the trustees shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast at a meeting of the shareholders duly called and at which a quorum is present and trustees are to be elected if, in connection with such meeting (i) the Secretary of the Trust shall have received one or more notices that a shareholder has nominated or proposes to nominate a person or persons for election as a trustee, which notice(s) purports to be in compliance with the advance notice requirements set forth in Section 11 of Article II of these Bylaws, irrespective of whether the Board of Trustees thereafter determines that any such notice(s) is not in compliance with such requirements, and (ii) as of the fourteenth (14th) day

 

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  preceding the date on which notice of such meeting of the shareholders is first mailed or otherwise given in accordance with applicable law to the shareholders of the Trust, such nomination or proposed nomination has not been withdrawn by such shareholder and would thereby cause the number of nominees and proposed nominees to exceed the number of trustees to be elected at such meeting, as determined by the Secretary of the Trust, irrespective of whether such nomination or proposed nomination is thereafter withdrawn by such shareholder (a “ Contested Election ”). If the trustees are to be elected by a plurality of the votes cast pursuant to the provisions of the immediately preceding sentence, shareholders shall not be permitted to vote “against” any one or more nominees but shall only be permitted to vote “for” one or more nominees or withhold their votes with respect to one or more nominees. For purposes hereof, a majority of the votes cast means the number of votes cast “for” a trustee nominee must exceed the number of votes cast “against” that trustee nominee, with abstentions and broker non-votes not counted as a vote cast either “for” or “against” that trustee nominee.

 

  (c) In the election of trustees, each share may be voted for as many individuals as there are trustees to be elected and for whose election the shares are entitled to vote, without any right to cumulative voting.

 

  (d)

If, in any election of trustees of the Trust which is not a Contested Election, an incumbent trustee does not receive a majority of the votes cast and therefore is not re-elected, such incumbent trustee shall promptly tender his or her resignation as a trustee, subject to acceptance thereof by the Board, for consideration by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board of Trustees. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will promptly consider any such tendered resignation and will make a recommendation to the Board of Trustees as to whether such tendered resignation should be accepted or rejected, or whether other action should be taken with respect to such offer to resign. Any incumbent trustee whose tendered resignation is under consideration may not participate in any deliberation or vote of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee or the Board of Trustees regarding such tendered resignation. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and the Board of Trustees may consider any factors they deem relevant in deciding whether to accept, reject or take other action with respect to any such tendered resignation. Within ninety (90) days after the date on which certification of the shareholder vote on the election of trustees is made, the Board of Trustees will publicly disclose its decision and rationale regarding whether to accept, reject or take other action with respect to the tendered resignation in a press release, a periodic or current report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission or by other public announcement. If any trustee’s tendered resignation is not accepted by the Board of Trustees, such trustee will continue to serve until the next annual meeting of shareholders and until his or her successor is elected and qualified or his or her earlier death, retirement, resignation or removal. If any trustee’s tendered resignation is accepted by the Board of Trustees, then such trustee will thereupon cease to be a trustee of the Trust, and the Board of Trustees,

 

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  in its sole discretion, may fill the resulting vacancy under the provisions of the Declaration of Trust, Article III, Section 11 of these Bylaws and applicable law or may decrease the size of the Board of Trustees pursuant to the provisions of Article III, Section 2 of these Bylaws.

Section 8. PROXIES . A holder of record of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust may cast votes in person or by proxy executed by the shareholder or by the shareholder’s duly authorized agent in any manner permitted by law. Such proxy or evidence of authorization of such proxy shall be filed with the secretary before or at the meeting. No proxy shall be valid more than eleven months after its date unless otherwise provided in the proxy.

Section 9. VOTING OF SHARES BY CERTAIN HOLDERS . Shares of the Trust registered in the name of a corporation, partnership, trust or other entity, if entitled to be voted, may be voted by the president or a vice president, general partner, managing member or trustee thereof, as the case may be, or a proxy appointed by any of the foregoing individuals, unless some other person who has been appointed to vote such shares pursuant to a bylaw or a resolution of the governing body of such corporation or other entity or agreement of the partners of a partnership presents a certified copy of such bylaw, resolution or agreement, in which case such person may vote such shares. Any trustee or fiduciary may vote shares registered in the name of such person in the capacity of such trustee or fiduciary, either in person or by proxy.

Shares of beneficial interest of the Trust directly or indirectly owned by it shall not be voted at any meeting and shall not be counted in determining the total number of outstanding shares entitled to be voted at any given time, unless they are held by it in a fiduciary capacity, in which case they may be voted and shall be counted in determining the total number of outstanding shares at any given time.

The Board of Trustees may adopt by resolution a procedure by which a shareholder may certify in writing to the Trust that any shares of beneficial interest registered in the name of the shareholder are held for the account of a specified person other than the shareholder. The resolution shall set forth the class of shareholders who may make the certification, the purpose for which the certification may be made, the form of certification and the information to be contained in it; if the certification is with respect to a record date, the time after the record date within which the certification must be received by the Trust; and any other provisions with respect to the procedure which the Board of Trustees considers necessary or desirable. On receipt by the Trust of such certification, the person specified in the certification shall be regarded as, for the purposes set forth in the certification, the holder of record of the specified shares in place of the shareholder who makes the certification.

Section 10. INSPECTORS . The Board of Trustees or the chairman of the meeting, in advance of or at any meeting, may, but need not, appoint one or more inspectors for the meeting and any successor to an inspector. The inspectors, if any, shall (a) determine the number of shares of beneficial interest represented at the meeting, in person or by proxy, and the validity and effect of proxies, (b) receive and tabulate all votes, ballots or consents, (c) report such tabulation to the chairman of the meeting, (d) hear and determine all challenges and questions arising in connection with the right to vote and (e) do such acts as are proper to fairly conduct the election or vote. Each such report shall be in writing and signed by the inspector or by a majority of them if there is more than one inspector acting at such meeting. If there is more than one

 

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inspector, the report of a majority shall be the report of the inspectors. The report of the inspector or inspectors on the number of shares represented at the meeting and the results of the voting shall be prima facie evidence thereof.

Section 11. ADVANCE NOTICE OF SHAREHOLDER NOMINEES FOR TRUSTEE AND OTHER SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS .

 

  (a) Annual Meetings of Shareholders .

 

  (1) At an annual meeting of shareholders, only such business shall be conducted as shall have been properly brought before the meeting. To be properly brought before an annual meeting, business must be brought pursuant to the Trust’s notice of meeting, (ii) by or at the direction of the Board of Trustees or (iii) by any shareholder of the Trust who (A) was a shareholder of record (and, if such nomination or other business is proposed at the request of any beneficial owner, at the request of a beneficial owner who was the beneficial owner of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust) both at the time of giving of notice by the shareholder as provided for in this Section 11(a) of this Article II and at the time of the annual meeting, (B) is entitled to vote at the meeting in the election of each individual so nominated or on any such other business and (C) has complied with this Section 11(a) of this Article II. Except for proposals properly made pursuant to, and in accordance with, Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act, and included in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the Board of Trustees, the foregoing clause (iii) shall be the exclusive means for a shareholder to propose business to be brought before an annual meeting of shareholders.

 

  (2)

For any nomination or other business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a shareholder pursuant to Section 11(a)(1)(iii) of this Article II, (i) the shareholder must have (A) given timely notice (as defined below) thereof in writing and in proper form to the secretary, (B) provided any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 11 of this Article II and (ii) such other business must otherwise be a proper matter for action by the shareholders. To be timely, a shareholder’s notice shall set forth all information required under this Section 11 of this Article II and shall be delivered to the secretary at the principal executive office of the Trust not earlier than the 150th day nor later than 5:00 p.m., Texas local time, on the 120th day prior to the first anniversary of the date of the proxy statement (as defined in Section 11(c)(3) of this Article II) for the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that in connection with the Trust’s first annual meeting or in the event that the date of the annual meeting is advanced or delayed by more than 30 days from the first anniversary of the date of the preceding year’s annual meeting, notice by the shareholder to be timely must be so delivered not earlier than the 150th day prior to the date of such annual meeting and not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the later of the 120th day prior to the date of such annual meeting, as

 

9


  originally convened, or the tenth day following the day on which Public Announcement of the date of such meeting is first made. The Public Announcement of a postponement or adjournment of an annual meeting shall not commence a new time period for the giving of a shareholder’s notice as described above.

 

  (3) To be in proper form, such shareholder’s notice to the secretary shall set forth:

 

  (i) as to each individual whom the shareholder proposes to nominate for election or reelection as a trustee (each, a “ Proposed Nominee ”), all information relating to the Proposed Nominee that would be required to be disclosed in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the election of the Proposed Nominee as a trustee in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or would otherwise be required in connection with such solicitation, in each case pursuant to, and in accordance with, Regulation 14A (or any successor provision) under the Exchange Act and the rules thereunder (including the Proposed Nominee’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a trustee if elected);

 

  (ii) as to any business that the shareholder proposes to bring before the meeting, (A) a reasonably detailed description of such business, the shareholder’s reasons for proposing such business at the meeting and any material interest in such business of such shareholder or any Shareholder Associated Person (as defined below), individually or in the aggregate, including any anticipated benefit to the shareholder or the Shareholder Associated Person therefrom, (B) the text of the proposal or business (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration) and (C) a reasonably detailed description of all agreements, arrangements and understandings (I) between or among the shareholder and/or any of the Shareholder Associated Persons or (II) between or among the shareholder and/or any of the Shareholder Associated Persons, on the one hand, and any other person or entity (including their names), on the other hand, in connection with the proposal of such business by such shareholder;

 

  (iii) as to the shareholder giving the notice, any Proposed Nominee and any Shareholder Associated Person,

 

  (A)

the class, series and number of all shares of beneficial interest or other securities of the Trust or any affiliate thereof (collectively, the “Trust securities”), if any, which are owned (beneficially or of record) by such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person, the date on which each such Company security was acquired

 

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  and the investment intent of such acquisition, and any short interest (including any opportunity to profit or share in any benefit from any decrease in the price of such shares or other security) in any Trust securities of any such person,

 

  (B) the nominee holder for, and number of, any Trust securities owned beneficially but not of record by such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person,

 

  (C)

(I) any derivative, swap or other transaction or series of transactions engaged in, directly or indirectly, by such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person, the purpose or effect of which is to give such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person economic risk similar to ownership of shares or units of any Trust securities, including due to the fact that the value of such derivative, swap or other transactions are determined by reference to the price, value or volatility of any shares or units of any Trust securities, or which derivative, swap or other transactions provide, directly or indirectly, the opportunity to profit from any increase in the price or value of shares or units of any Trust securities (“ Synthetic Equity Interests ”), which Synthetic Equity Interests shall be disclosed without regard to whether (x) the derivative, swap or other transactions convey any voting rights in such shares or units to such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person, (y) the derivative, swap or other transactions are required to be, or are capable of being, settled through delivery of such shares or units or (z) such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person may have entered into other transactions that hedge or mitigate the economic effect of such derivative, swap or other transactions, (II) any proxy (other than a revocable proxy or consent given in response to a solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act by way of a solicitation statement filed on Schedule 14A), agreement, arrangement, understanding or relationship pursuant to which such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person has or shares a right to vote any shares or units of any Trust securities, (III) any agreement, arrangement, understanding or relationship, including any repurchase or similar so- called “share borrowing” agreement or arrangement, engaged in, directly or indirectly, by such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person, the purpose or effect of which is to mitigate loss to, reduce the economic risk (of

 

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  ownership or otherwise) of shares or units of any Trust securities by, manage the risk of price changes for, or increase or decrease the voting power of, such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person with respect to the shares or units of any Trust securities, or which provides, directly or indirectly, the opportunity to profit from any decrease in the price or value of the shares or units of any Trust securities (“ Short Interests ”), (IV) any rights to dividends on the shares or units of any Trust securities owned beneficially by such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person that are separated or separable from the underlying Trust securities, (V) any performance-related fees (other than an asset based fee) that such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person is entitled to based on any increase or decrease in the price or value of shares or units of any Trust securities, or any Synthetic Equity Interests or Short Interests, if any, (VI) (x) if such shareholder is not a natural person, the identity of the natural person or persons associated with such shareholder responsible for the formulation of and decision to propose the business to be brought before the meeting or nominate any such Proposed Nominee (such person or persons, the “ Responsible Person ”), the manner in which such Responsible Person was selected, any fiduciary duties owed by such Responsible Person to the equity holders or other beneficiaries of such shareholder and any Shareholder Associated Person, the qualifications and background of such Responsible Person and any material interests or relationships of such Responsible Person that are not shared generally by any other record or beneficial holder of the shares or units of any Trust securities and that reasonably could have influenced the decision of such shareholder to propose such business to be brought before the meeting or nominate any such Proposed Nominee, and (y) if such shareholder or any Shareholder Associated Person is a natural person, the qualifications and background of such natural person and any material interests or relationships of such natural person that are not shared generally by any other record or beneficial holder of the shares or units of any Trust securities and that reasonably could have influenced the decision of such shareholder to propose such business to be brought before the meeting or nominate any such Proposed Nominee, (VII) any significant equity interests or any Synthetic Equity Interests or Short Interests in any principal competitor of the Trust held by such

 

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  shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person, (VIII) any direct or indirect interest of such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person in any contract with the Trust, any affiliate of the Trust or any principal competitor of the Trust (including, in any such case, any employment agreement, collective bargaining agreement or consulting agreement), (IX) any pending or threatened litigation in which such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person is a party or material participant involving the Trust or any of its trustees or officers, or any affiliate of the Trust, (X) any material transaction occurring during the prior twelve months between such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person, on the one hand, and the Trust, any affiliate of the Trust or any principal competitor of the Trust, on the other hand, (XI) a summary of any material discussions regarding the business proposed to be brought before the meeting or the nomination or identify of the Proposed Nominee (x) between or among any shareholder, any Proposed Nominee and any Shareholder Associated Person or (y) between or among any shareholder, any Proposed Nominee or any Shareholder Associated Person and any other record or beneficial holder of the shares or units of any Trust securities (including their names) and (XII) any other information relating to such shareholder and any Shareholder Associated Person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies or consents by such shareholder and any Shareholder Associated Person in support of the business proposed to be brought before the meeting or the election of any Proposed Nominee pursuant to, and in accordance with, Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (I) and (XII) are referred to as “ Disclosable Interests ”); provided, however, that the Disclosable Interests shall not include any such disclosures with respect to the ordinary course business activities of any broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee solely as a result of being the shareholder directed to prepare and submit the notice required by these Bylaws on behalf of a beneficial owner,

 

  (D)

Without limiting the foregoing, any other substantial interest, direct or indirect (including, without limitation, any existing or prospective commercial, business or contractual relationship with the Trust), by security

 

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  holdings or otherwise, of such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person, in the Trust or any affiliate thereof, other than an interest arising from the ownership of Trust securities where such shareholder, Proposed Nominee or Shareholder Associated Person receives no extra or special benefit not shared on a pro rata basis by all other holders of the same class or series, provided, however, that Disclosable Interests shall not include any such disclosures with respect to the ordinary course business activities of any broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee solely as a result of being the shareholder directed to prepare and submit the notice required by these Bylaws on behalf of a beneficial owner, and

 

  (E) a description of all direct and indirect compensation and other material monetary agreements, arrangements and understandings during the past three years, and any other material relationships, between or among the shareholder and/or any Shareholder Associated Person, on the one hand, and each Proposed Nominee, his or her respective affiliates and associates and any other persons with whom such Proposed Nominee (or any of his or her respective affiliates and associates) is Acting in Concert, on the other hand, including, without limitation, all information that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404 under Regulation S-K if such shareholder and any Shareholder Associated Person were the “registrant” for purposes of such rule and the Proposed Nominee were a trustee or executive officer of such registrant (the disclosures to be made pursuant to this paragraph are referred to as “ Nominee Information ”);

 

  (iv) as to the shareholder giving the notice, any Shareholder Associated Person with an interest or ownership referred to in Sections 11(a)(3)(ii) or (iii) of this Article II and any Proposed Nominee,

 

  (A) the name and address of such shareholder, as they appear on the Trust’s share ledger, and the current name and business address, if different, of each such Shareholder Associated Person and any Proposed Nominee, and

 

  (B) the investment strategy or objective, if any, of such shareholder and each such Shareholder Associated Person who is not an individual and a copy of the prospectus, offering memorandum or similar document, if any, provided to investors or potential investors in such shareholder and each such Shareholder Associated Person;

 

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  (v) the name and address of any person who contacted or was contacted by the shareholder giving the notice or any Shareholder Associated Person about the Proposed Nominee or other business proposal prior to the date of such shareholder’s notice; and

 

  (vi) to the extent known by the shareholder giving the notice, the name and address of any other shareholder supporting the nominee for election or reelection as a trustee or the proposal of other business on the date of such shareholder’s notice.

 

  (4) Such shareholder’s notice shall, with respect to any Proposed Nominee, be accompanied by (i) a certificate executed by the Proposed Nominee certifying that such Proposed Nominee (A) will serve as a trustee of the Trust if elected, (B) is not and will not become a party to (I) any agreement, arrangement or understanding with, and has not given any commitment or assurance to, any person or entity as to how such Proposed Nominee, if elected as a trustee of the Trust, will act or vote on any issue or question (a “ Voting Commitment ”) that has not been disclosed to the Trust or (II) any Voting Commitment that could limit or interfere with such Proposed Nominee’s ability to comply, if elected as a trustee of the Trust, with such Proposed Nominee’s duties under applicable law, (C) is not, and will not become a party to, any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity other than the Trust with respect to any direct or indirect compensation, reimbursement or indemnification in connection with service or action as a trustee that has not been disclosed to the Trust and (D) would be in compliance, if elected as a trustee of the Trust, and will comply with applicable publicly disclosed corporate governance, conflict of interest, confidentiality, share ownership and trading policies and guidelines of the Trust; and (ii) an attached completed Proposed Nominee questionnaire (which questionnaire shall be provided by the Trust, upon request, to the shareholder providing the notice and shall include all information relating to the Proposed Nominee that would be required to be disclosed in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the election of the Proposed Nominee as a trustee in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or would otherwise be required in connection with such solicitation, in each case pursuant to, and in accordance with, Regulation 14A (or any successor provision) under the Exchange Act and the rules thereunder, or would be required pursuant to the rules of any national securities exchange on which any securities of the Trust are listed or over-the-counter market on which any securities of the Trust are traded).

 

  (5)

Notwithstanding anything in this Section 11(a) of this Article II to the contrary, in the event that the number of trustees to be elected to the Board of Trustees is increased, and there is no Public Announcement of such action at least 130 days prior to the first anniversary of the date of the proxy statement (as defined in Section 11(c)(3) of this Article II) for the

 

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  preceding year’s annual meeting, a shareholder’s notice required by this Section 11(a) of this Article II shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for any new positions created by such increase, if it shall be delivered to the secretary at the principal executive office of the Trust not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the tenth day following the day on which such Public Announcement is first made by the Trust.

 

  (6) For purposes of this Section 11, “ Shareholder Associated Person ” of any shareholder shall mean (i) any person acting in concert with such shareholder, (ii) any beneficial owner of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust owned of record or beneficially by such shareholder (other than a shareholder that is a depositary) and (iii) any person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such shareholder or such Shareholder Associated Person.

 

  (b) Special Meetings of Shareholders . Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of shareholders as shall have been brought before the meeting pursuant to the Trust’s notice of meeting. Nominations of individuals for election to the Board of Trustees may be made at a special meeting of shareholders at which trustees are to be elected only (i) by or at the direction of the Board of Trustees, or (ii) provided that the special meeting has been called in accordance with Section 3(a) of this Article II for the purpose of electing trustees, by any shareholder of the Trust who is a shareholder of record (and, if such nomination is proposed at the request of any beneficial owner, at the request of a beneficial owner who was the beneficial owner of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust) both at the time of giving of notice provided for in this Section 11 of this Article II and at the time of the special meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting in the election of each individual so nominated and who has complied with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 11 of this Article II. In the event the Trust calls a special meeting of shareholders for the purpose of electing one or more individuals to the Board of Trustees, any shareholder may nominate an individual or individuals (as the case may be) for election as a trustee as specified in the Trust’s notice of meeting, if the shareholder’s notice, containing the information required by Section 11(a)(3) of this Article II, shall be delivered to the secretary at the principal executive office of the Trust not earlier than the 120th day prior to such special meeting and not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time on the later of the 90th day prior to such special meeting or the tenth day following the day on which Public Announcement is first made of the date of the special meeting and of the nominees proposed by the Board of Trustees to be elected at such meeting. The Public Announcement of a postponement or adjournment of a special meeting shall not commence a new time period for the giving of a shareholder’s notice as described above.

 

  (c) General .

 

  (1)

If information submitted pursuant to this Section 11 of this Article II by any shareholder proposing a nominee for election as a trustee

 

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  or any proposal for other business at a meeting of shareholders shall be inaccurate in any material respect, such information may be deemed not to have been provided in accordance with this Section 11 of this Article II. Any such shareholder shall notify the Trust of any inaccuracy or change (within two Business Days of becoming aware of such inaccuracy or change) in any such information. Upon written request by the secretary or the Board of Trustees, any such shareholder shall provide, within five Business Days of delivery of such request (or such other period as may be specified in such request), (A) written verification, satisfactory, in the discretion of the Board of Trustees or any authorized officer of the Trust, to demonstrate the accuracy of any information submitted by the shareholder pursuant to this Section 11 of this Article II, and (B) a written update of any information submitted by the shareholder pursuant to this Section 11 of this Article II as of an earlier date. If a shareholder fails to provide such written verification or written update within such period, the information as to which written verification or a written update was requested may be deemed not to have been provided in accordance with this Section 11 of this Article II.

 

  (2) Only such individuals who are nominated in accordance with this Section 11 of this Article II shall be eligible for election by shareholders as trustees, and only such business shall be conducted at a meeting of shareholders as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with this Section 11 of this Article II. The chairman of the meeting shall have the power to determine whether a nomination or any other business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made or proposed, as the case may be, in accordance with this Section 11 of this Article II.

 

  (3) For purposes of this Section 11, “the date of the proxy statement” shall have the same meaning as “the date of the company’s proxy statement released to shareholders” as used in Rule 14a-8(e) promulgated under the Exchange Act, as interpreted by the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. “ Public Announcement ” shall mean disclosure (i) in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press, Business Wire, PR Newswire or other widely circulated news or wire service or (ii) in a document publicly filed by the Trust with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act.

 

  (4)

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 11 of this Article II, a shareholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of state law and of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in

 

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  this Section 11 of this Article II. Nothing in this Section 11 of this Article II shall be deemed to affect any right of a shareholder to request inclusion of a proposal in, or the right of the Trust to omit a proposal from, the Trust’s proxy statement pursuant to, and in accordance with, Rule 14a-8 (or any successor provision) under the Exchange Act. Nothing in this Section 11 of this Article II shall require disclosure of revocable proxies received by the shareholder or Shareholder Associated Person pursuant to a solicitation of proxies after the filing of an effective Schedule 14A by such shareholder or Shareholder Associated Person pursuant to, and in accordance with, Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act.

Section 12. CONTROL SHARE ACQUISITION ACT . Notwithstanding any other provision of the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws, Title 3, Subtitle 7 of the Maryland General Corporation Law, or any successor statute (the “ MGCL ”), shall not apply to any acquisition by any person of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust. This section may be repealed, in whole or in part, at any time, whether before or after an acquisition of control shares and, upon such repeal, may, to the extent provided by any successor bylaw, apply to any prior or subsequent control share acquisition.

Section 13. TELEPHONIC MEETINGS . The Board of Trustees or chairman of the meeting may permit one or more shareholders to participate in a meeting of shareholders by means of a conference telephone or other communications equipment if all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other at the same time. Participation in a meeting by these means constitutes presence in person at the meeting.

ARTICLE III

TRUSTEES

Section 1. GENERAL POWERS . The business and affairs of the Trust shall be managed under the direction of its Board of Trustees.

Section 2. NUMBER, TENURE AND RESIGNATIONS . At any regular meeting or at any special meeting called for that purpose, a majority of the entire Board of Trustees may establish, increase or decrease the number of trustees, provided that the number thereof shall never be less than one nor more than 15, and further provided that the tenure of office of a trustee shall not be affected by any decrease in the number of trustees. Any trustee of the Trust may resign at any time by delivering his or her resignation to the Board of Trustees, the chairman of the board or the secretary. Any resignation shall take effect immediately upon its receipt or at such later time specified in the resignation. The acceptance of a resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective unless otherwise stated in the resignation.

Section 3. ANNUAL AND REGULAR MEETINGS . An annual meeting of the Board of Trustees shall be held immediately after and at the same place as the annual meeting of shareholders, no notice other than this Bylaw being necessary. In the event such meeting is not so held, the meeting may be held at such time and place as shall be specified in a notice given as hereinafter provided for special meetings of the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees may provide, by resolution, the time and place for the holding of regular meetings of the Board of Trustees without other notice than such resolution.

 

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Section 4. SPECIAL MEETINGS . Special meetings of the Board of Trustees may be called by or at the request of the chairman of the board, the chief executive officer, the president or a majority of the trustees then in office. The person or persons authorized to call special meetings of the Board of Trustees may fix any place as the place for holding any special meeting of the Board of Trustees called by them. The Board of Trustees may provide, by resolution, the time and place for the holding of special meetings of the Board of Trustees without other notice than such resolution.

Section 5. NOTICE . Notice of any special meeting of the Board of Trustees shall be delivered personally or by telephone, electronic mail, facsimile transmission, courier or United States mail to each trustee at his or her business or residence address. Notice by personal delivery, telephone, electronic mail or facsimile transmission shall be given at least 24 hours prior to the meeting. Notice by United States mail shall be given at least three days prior to the meeting. Notice by courier shall be given at least two days prior to the meeting. Telephone notice shall be deemed to be given when the trustee or his or her agent is personally given such notice in a telephone call to which the trustee or his or her agent is a party. Electronic mail notice shall be deemed to be given upon transmission of the message to the electronic mail address given to the Trust by the trustee. Facsimile transmission notice shall be deemed to be given upon completion of the transmission of the message to the number given to the Trust by the trustee and receipt of a completed answer-back indicating receipt. Notice by United States mail shall be deemed to be given when deposited in the United States mail properly addressed, with postage thereon prepaid. Notice by courier shall be deemed to be given when deposited with or delivered to a courier properly addressed. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any annual, regular or special meeting of the Board of Trustees need be stated in the notice, unless specifically required by statute or these Bylaws.

Section 6. QUORUM . A majority of the trustees shall constitute a quorum for transaction of business at any meeting of the Board of Trustees, provided that, if less than a majority of such trustees is present at such meeting, a majority of the trustees present may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice, and provided further that if, pursuant to applicable law, the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws, the vote of a majority or other percentage of a particular group of trustees is required for action, a quorum must also include a majority or such other percentage of such group.

The trustees present at a meeting which has been duly called and at which a quorum has been established may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal from the meeting of enough trustees to leave fewer than required to establish a quorum.

Section 7. VOTING . The action of a majority of the trustees present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the action of the Board of Trustees, unless the concurrence of a greater proportion is required for such action by applicable law, the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws. If enough trustees have withdrawn from a meeting to leave fewer than required to establish a quorum, but the meeting is not adjourned, the action of the majority of that number of trustees necessary to constitute a quorum at such meeting shall be the action of the Board of Trustees, unless the concurrence of a greater proportion is required for such action by applicable law, the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws.

 

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Section 8. ORGANIZATION . At each meeting of the Board of Trustees, the chairman of the board or, in the absence of the chairman, the vice chairman of the board, if any, shall act as chairman of the meeting. In the absence of both the chairman and vice chairman of the board, the chief executive officer or, in the absence of the chief executive officer, the president or, in the absence of the president, a trustee chosen by a majority of the trustees present, shall act as chairman of the meeting. The secretary or, in his or her absence, an assistant secretary, or, in the absence of the secretary and all assistant secretaries, an individual appointed by the chairman of the meeting, shall act as secretary of the meeting.

Section 9. TELEPHONE MEETINGS . Trustees may participate in a meeting by means of a conference telephone or other communications equipment if all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other at the same time. Participation in a meeting by these means shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.

Section 10. CONSENT BY TRUSTEES WITHOUT A MEETING . Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Trustees may be taken without a meeting, if a consent in writing or by electronic transmission to such action is given by each trustee and is filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Trustees.

Section 11. VACANCIES . If for any reason any or all of the trustees cease to be trustees, such event shall not terminate the Trust or affect these Bylaws or the powers of the remaining trustees hereunder. Until such time as the Trust becomes subject to Section 3-804(c) of the MGCL, any vacancy on the Board of Trustees for any cause other than an increase in the number of trustees may be filled by a majority of the remaining trustees, even if such majority is less than a quorum; any vacancy in the number of trustees created by an increase in the number of trustees may be filled by a majority vote of the entire Board of Trustees; and any individual so elected as trustee shall serve until the next annual meeting of shareholders and until his or her successor is elected and qualifies. At such time as the Trust becomes subject to Section 3-804(c) of the MGCL and except as may be provided by the Board of Trustees in setting the terms of any class or series of preferred shares, any vacancy on the Board of Trustees may be filled only by a majority of the remaining trustees, even if the remaining trustees do not constitute a quorum. Any trustee elected to fill a vacancy shall serve for the remainder of the full term of the trusteeship in which the vacancy occurred and until a successor is elected and qualifies.

Section 12. COMPENSATION . Trustees shall not receive any stated salary for their services as trustees but, by resolution of the Board of Trustees, may receive compensation per year and/or per meeting and/or per visit to real property or other facilities owned or leased by the Trust and for any service or activity they performed or engaged in as trustees. Trustees may be reimbursed for expenses of attendance, if any, at each annual, regular or special meeting of the Board of Trustees or of any committee thereof and for their expenses, if any, in connection with each property visit and any other service or activity they perform or engage in as trustees; but nothing herein contained shall be construed to preclude any trustees from serving the Trust in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor.

 

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Section 13. RELIANCE . Each trustee and officer of the Trust shall, in the performance of his or her duties with respect to the Trust, be entitled to rely on any information, opinion, report or statement, including any financial statement or other financial data, prepared or presented by an officer or employee of the Trust whom the trustee or officer reasonably believes to be reliable and competent in the matters presented, by a lawyer, certified public accountant or other person, as to a matter which the trustee or officer reasonably believes to be within the person’s professional or expert competence, or, with respect to a trustee, by a committee of the Board of Trustees on which the trustee does not serve, as to a matter within its designated authority, if the trustee reasonably believes the committee to merit confidence.

Section 14. RATIFICATION . The Board of Trustees or the shareholders may ratify and make binding on the Trust any action or inaction by the Trust or its officers to the extent that the Board of Trustees or the shareholders could have originally authorized the matter. Moreover, any action or inaction questioned in any shareholders’ derivative proceeding or any other proceeding on the ground of lack of authority, defective or irregular execution, adverse interest of a trustee, officer or shareholder, non-disclosure, miscomputation, the application of improper principles or practices of accounting or otherwise, may be ratified, before or after judgment, by the Board of Trustees or by the shareholders, and if so ratified, shall have the same force and effect as if the questioned action or inaction had been originally duly authorized, and such ratification shall be binding upon the Trust and its shareholders and shall constitute a bar to any claim or execution of any judgment in respect of such questioned action or inaction.

Section 15. CERTAIN RIGHTS OF TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS . A trustee who is not also an officer of the Trust shall have no responsibility to devote his or her full time to the affairs of the Trust. Any trustee or officer, in his or her personal capacity or in a capacity as an affiliate, employee, or agent of any other person, or otherwise, may have business interests and engage in business activities similar to, in addition to or in competition with those of or relating to the Trust.

ARTICLE IV

COMMITTEES

Section 1. NUMBER, TENURE AND QUALIFICATIONS . The Board of Trustees may appoint from among its members an Executive Committee, an Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee, a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and one or more other committees, composed of one or more trustees, to serve at the pleasure of the Board of Trustees. The exact composition of each committee, including the total number of trustees and the number of Independent Trustees on each such committee, shall at all times comply with the listing requirements and rules and regulations of the New York Stock Exchange, as modified or amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, as modified or amended from time to time. For purposes of this section, “Independent Trustee” shall have the definition set forth in Section 303A.01 of the New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual, as amended from time to time, or such superseding definition as is hereafter promulgated by the New York Stock Exchange.

Section 2. POWERS . The Board of Trustees may delegate to committees appointed under Section 1 of this Article IV any of the powers of the Board of Trustees, except as prohibited by law.

 

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Section 3. MEETINGS . Notice of committee meetings shall be given in the same manner as notice for special meetings of the Board of Trustees. A majority of the members of the committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the committee. The act of a majority of the committee members present at a meeting shall be the act of such committee. The Board of Trustees may designate a chairman of any committee, and such chairman or, in the absence of a chairman, any two members of any committee (if there are at least two members of the committee) may fix the time and place of its meeting unless the Board shall otherwise provide. In the absence of any member of any such committee, the members thereof present at any meeting, whether or not they constitute a quorum, may appoint another trustee to act in the place of such absent member.

Section 4. TELEPHONE MEETINGS . Members of a committee of the Board of Trustees may participate in a meeting by means of a conference telephone or other communications equipment if all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other at the same time. Participation in a meeting by these means shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.

Section 5. CONSENT BY COMMITTEES WITHOUT A MEETING . Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of a committee of the Board of Trustees may be taken without a meeting, if a consent in writing or by electronic transmission to such action is given by each member of the committee and is filed with the minutes of proceedings of such committee.

Section 6. VACANCIES . Subject to the provisions hereof, the Board of Trustees shall have the power at any time to change the membership of any committee, to fill any vacancy, to designate an alternate member to replace any absent or disqualified member or to dissolve any such committee.

ARTICLE V

OFFICERS

Section 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS . The officers of the Trust shall include a president, a secretary and a treasurer and may include a chairman of the board, a vice chairman of the board, a chief executive officer, one or more vice presidents, a chief operating officer, a chief financial officer, one or more assistant secretaries and one or more assistant treasurers. In addition, the Board of Trustees may from time to time elect such other officers with such powers and duties as it shall deem necessary or desirable. The officers of the Trust shall be elected annually by the Board of Trustees, except that the chief executive officer or president may from time to time appoint one or more vice presidents, assistant secretaries and assistant treasurers or other officers. Each officer shall serve until his or her successor is elected and qualifies or until his or her death, or his or her resignation or removal in the manner hereinafter provided. Any two or more offices except president and vice president may be held by the same person. Election of an officer or agent shall not of itself create contract rights between the Trust and such officer or agent.

Section 2. REMOVAL AND RESIGNATION . Any officer or agent of the Trust may be removed, with or without cause, by the Board of Trustees if in its judgment the best interests of the Trust would be served thereby, but such removal shall be without prejudice to the contract rights, if any, of the person so removed. Any officer of the Trust may resign at any time by delivering his or her resignation to the Board of Trustees, the chairman of the board, the chief

 

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executive officer, the president or the secretary. Any resignation shall take effect immediately upon its receipt or at such later time specified in the resignation. The acceptance of a resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective unless otherwise stated in the resignation. Such resignation shall be without prejudice to the contract rights, if any, of the Trust.

Section 3. VACANCIES . A vacancy in any office may be filled by the Board of Trustees for the balance of the term.

Section 4. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER . The Board of Trustees may designate a chief executive officer. In the absence of such designation, the chairman of the board shall be the chief executive officer of the Trust. The chief executive officer shall have general responsibility for implementation of the policies of the Trust, as determined by the Board of Trustees, and for the management of the business and affairs of the Trust. He or she may execute any deed, mortgage, bond, contract or other instrument, except in cases where the execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by the Board of Trustees or by these Bylaws to some other officer or agent of the Trust or shall be required by law to be otherwise executed; and in general shall perform all duties incident to the office of chief executive officer and such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Trustees from time to time.

Section 5. CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER . The Board of Trustees may designate a chief operating officer. The chief operating officer shall have the responsibilities and duties as determined by the Board of Trustees or the chief executive officer.

Section 6. CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER . The Board of Trustees may designate a chief financial officer. The chief financial officer shall have the responsibilities and duties as determined by the Board of Trustees or the chief executive officer.

Section 7. CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD . The Board of Trustees may designate from among its members a chairman of the board, who shall not, solely by reason of these Bylaws, be an officer of the Trust. The Board of Trustees may designate the chairman of the board as an executive or non-executive chairman. The chairman of the board shall preside over the meetings of the Board of Trustees. The chairman of the board shall perform such other duties as may be assigned to him or her by the Board of Trustees.

Section 8. PRESIDENT . In the absence of a chief executive officer, the president shall in general supervise and control all of the business and affairs of the Trust. In the absence of a designation of a chief operating officer by the Board of Trustees, the president shall be the chief operating officer. He or she may execute any deed, mortgage, bond, contract or other instrument, except in cases where the execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by the Board of Trustees or by these Bylaws to some other officer or agent of the Trust or shall be required by law to be otherwise executed; and in general shall perform all duties incident to the office of president and such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Trustees from time to time.

Section 9. VICE PRESIDENTS . In the absence of the president or in the event of a vacancy in such office, the vice president (or in the event there be more than one vice president, the vice presidents in the order designated at the time of their election or, in the absence of any designation, then in the order of their election) shall perform the duties of the president and when so acting shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the president; and

 

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shall perform such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to such vice president by the chief executive officer, the president or the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees may designate one or more vice presidents as executive vice president, senior vice president, or vice president for particular areas of responsibility.

Section 10. SECRETARY . The secretary shall (a) keep the minutes of the proceedings of the shareholders, the Board of Trustees and committees of the Board of Trustees in one or more books provided for that purpose; (b) see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws or as required by law; (c) be custodian of the corporate records and of the seal of the Trust; (d) keep a register of the post office address of each shareholder which shall be furnished to the secretary by such shareholder; (e) have general charge of the share transfer books of the Trust; and (f) in general perform such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him or her by the chief executive officer, the president or the Board of Trustees.

Section 11. TREASURER . The treasurer shall have the custody of the funds and securities of the Trust, shall keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Trust, shall deposit all moneys and other valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the Trust in such depositories as may be designated by the Board of Trustees and in general perform such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him or her by the chief executive officer, the president or the Board of Trustees. In the absence of a designation of a chief financial officer by the Board of Trustees, the treasurer shall be the chief financial officer of the Trust.

The treasurer shall disburse the funds of the Trust as may be ordered by the Board of Trustees, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements, and shall render to the president and Board of Trustees, at the regular meetings of the Board of Trustees or whenever it may so require, an account of all his or her transactions as treasurer and of the financial condition of the Trust.

Section 12. ASSISTANT SECRETARIES AND ASSISTANT TREASURERS . The assistant secretaries and assistant treasurers, in general, shall perform such duties as shall be assigned to them by the secretary or treasurer, respectively, or by the chief executive officer, the president or the Board of Trustees.

Section 13. COMPENSATION . The cash compensation and cash incentive compensation of the officers shall be fixed from time to time by Spirit Realty, L.P. (together with its permitted assignees, the “ Manager ”), the Trust’s manager under the asset management agreement, dated May 31, 2018, by and between the Trust and the Manager, as amended from time to time. The equity compensation of the officers shall be fixed from time to time under the authority of the Board of Trustees and no officer shall be prevented from receiving such compensation by reason of the fact that he or she is also a trustee.

ARTICLE VI

CONTRACTS, LOANS, CHECKS AND DEPOSITS

Section 1. CONTRACTS . The Board of Trustees may authorize any officer or agent to enter into any contract or to execute and deliver any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Trust and such authority may be general or confined to specific instances. Any agreement, deed, mortgage, lease or other document shall be valid and binding upon the Trust when duly authorized or ratified by action of the Board of Trustees and executed by an authorized person.

 

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Section 2. CHECKS AND DRAFTS . All checks, drafts or other orders for the payment of money, notes or other evidences of indebtedness issued in the name of the Trust shall be signed by such officer or agent of the Trust in such manner as shall from time to time be determined by the Board of Trustees.

Section 3. DEPOSITS . All funds of the Trust not otherwise employed shall be deposited or invested from time to time to the credit of the Trust in such banks, trust companies or other depositories as the Board of Trustees, the chief executive officer, the president, the chief financial officer, or any other officer designated by the Board of Trustees may determine.

ARTICLE VII

SHARES

Section 1. CERTIFICATES . Except as may be otherwise provided by the Board of Trustees, shareholders of the Trust are not entitled to certificates representing the shares of beneficial interest held by them. In the event that the Trust issues shares of beneficial interest represented by certificates, such certificates shall be in such form as prescribed by the Board of Trustees or a duly authorized officer, shall contain any statements and information required by Maryland law and shall be signed by the officers of the Trust in any manner permitted by Maryland law. In the event that the Trust issues shares of beneficial interest without certificates, to the extent then required by Maryland law, the Trust shall provide to the record holders of such shares a written statement of the information required by Maryland law to be included on share certificates. There shall be no differences in the rights and obligations of shareholders based on whether or not their shares are represented by certificates.

Section 2. TRANSFERS . All transfers of shares of beneficial interest shall be made on the books of the Trust, by the holder of the shares, in person or by his or her attorney, in such manner as the Board of Trustees or any officer of the Trust may prescribe and, if such shares are certificated, upon surrender of certificates duly endorsed. The issuance of a new certificate upon the transfer of certificated shares is subject to the determination of the Board of Trustees that such shares shall no longer be represented by certificates. Upon the transfer of any uncertificated shares, to the extent then required by Maryland law, the Trust shall provide to the record holders of such shares a written statement of the information required by Maryland law to be included on share certificates.

The Trust shall be entitled to treat the holder of record of any share of stock as the holder in fact thereof and, accordingly, shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or on the part of any other person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise expressly provided by the laws of the State of Maryland.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, transfers of shares of any class or series of shares will be subject in all respects to the Declaration of Trust and all of the terms and conditions contained therein.

 

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Section 3. REPLACEMENT CERTIFICATE . Any officer of the Trust may direct a new certificate or certificates to be issued in place of any certificate or certificates theretofore issued by the Trust alleged to have been lost, destroyed, stolen or mutilated, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate to be lost, destroyed, stolen or mutilated; provided, however, if such shares have ceased to be certificated, no new certificate shall be issued unless requested in writing by such shareholder and the Board of Trustees has determined that such certificates may be issued. Unless otherwise determined by an officer of the Trust, the owner of such lost, destroyed, stolen or mutilated certificate or certificates, or his or her legal representative, shall be required, as a condition precedent to the issuance of a new certificate or certificates, to give the Trust a bond in such sums as it may direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against the Trust.

Section 4. FIXING OF RECORD DATE . The Board of Trustees may set, in advance, a record date for the purpose of determining shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of shareholders or determining shareholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or the allotment of any other rights, or in order to make a determination of shareholders for any other proper purpose. Such date, in any case, shall not be prior to the close of business on the day the record date is fixed and shall be not more than 90 days and, in the case of a meeting of shareholders, not less than ten days, before the date on which the meeting or particular action requiring such determination of shareholders of record is to be held or taken.

When a record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to notice of and to vote at any meeting of shareholders has been set as provided in this section, such record date shall continue to apply to the meeting if adjourned or postponed, except if the meeting is adjourned or postponed to a date more than 120 days after the record date originally fixed for the meeting, in which case a new record date for such meeting may be determined as set forth herein.

Section 5. SHARE LEDGER . The Trust shall maintain at its principal office or at the office of its counsel, accountants or transfer agent, an original or duplicate share ledger containing the name and address of each shareholder and the number of shares of each class held by such shareholder.

Section 6. FRACTIONAL SHARES; ISSUANCE OF UNITS . The Board of Trustees may authorize the Trust to issue fractional shares or authorize the issuance of scrip, all on such terms and under such conditions as it may determine. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws, the Board of Trustees may issue units consisting of different securities of the Trust. Any security issued in a unit shall have the same characteristics as any identical securities issued by the Trust, except that the Board of Trustees may provide that for a specified period securities of the Trust issued in such unit may be transferred on the books of the Trust only in such unit.

ARTICLE VIII

ACCOUNTING YEAR

The Board of Trustees shall have the power, from time to time, to fix the fiscal year of the Trust by a duly adopted resolution.

 

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ARTICLE IX

DISTRIBUTIONS

Section 1. AUTHORIZATION . Dividends and other distributions upon the shares of the Trust may be authorized by the Board of Trustees, subject to the provisions of law and the Declaration of Trust. Dividends and other distributions may be paid in cash, property or shares of the Trust, subject to the provisions of law and the Declaration of Trust.

Section 2. CONTINGENCIES . Before payment of any dividends or other distributions, there may be set aside out of any assets of the Trust available for dividends or other distributions such sum or sums as the Board of Trustees may from time to time, in its absolute discretion, think proper as a reserve fund for contingencies, for equalizing dividends or other distributions, for repairing or maintaining any property of the Trust or for such other purpose as the Board of Trustees shall determine, and the Board of Trustees may modify or abolish any such reserve.

ARTICLE X

INVESTMENT POLICY

Subject to the provisions of the Declaration of Trust, the Board of Trustees may from time to time adopt, amend, revise or terminate any policy or policies with respect to investments by the Trust as it shall deem appropriate in its sole discretion.

ARTICLE XI

SEAL

Section 1. SEAL . The Board of Trustees may authorize the adoption of a seal by the Trust. The seal shall contain the name of the Trust and the year of its formation and the words “Formed Maryland.” The Board of Trustees may authorize one or more duplicate seals and provide for the custody thereof.

Section 2. AFFIXING SEAL . Whenever the Trust is permitted or required to affix its seal to a document, it shall be sufficient to meet the requirements of any law, rule or regulation relating to a seal to place the word “(SEAL)” adjacent to the signature of the person authorized to execute the document on behalf of the Trust.

ARTICLE XII

INDEMNIFICATION AND ADVANCE OF EXPENSES

To the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law in effect from time to time, the Trust shall indemnify and, without requiring a preliminary determination of the ultimate entitlement to indemnification, shall pay or reimburse reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding to (a) any individual who is a present or former trustee or officer of the Trust and who is made or threatened to be made a party to the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity or (b) any individual who, while a trustee or officer of the Trust and at the request of the Trust, serves or has served as a director, officer, partner, member, manager, trustee, employee or agent of another corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise and who is made or threatened to be made a party to the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity. The rights to indemnification and advance of expenses provided by the Declaration of Trust and

 

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these Bylaws shall vest immediately upon election of a trustee or officer. The Trust may, with the approval of its Board of Trustees, provide such indemnification and advance for expenses to an individual who served a predecessor of the Trust in any of the capacities described in (a) or (b) above and to any employee or agent of the Trust or a predecessor of the Trust. The indemnification and payment or reimbursement of expenses provided in these Bylaws shall not be deemed exclusive of or limit in any way other rights to which any person seeking indemnification or payment or reimbursement of expenses may be or may become entitled under any bylaw, resolution, insurance, agreement or otherwise.

Neither the amendment nor repeal of this Article, nor the adoption or amendment of any other provision of the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws inconsistent with this Article, shall apply to or affect in any respect the applicability of the preceding paragraph of this Article XII with respect to any act or failure to act which occurred prior to such amendment, repeal or adoption.

ARTICLE XIII

FORUM FOR ADJUDICATION OF DISPUTES

Unless the Trust consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Trust, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of any duty owed by any present or former trustee or officer or other employee or shareholder of the Trust to the Trust or the Trust’s shareholders or any standard of conduct applicable to the trustees of the Trust, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Maryland REIT Law, the MGCL, the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws, or (iv) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine shall be the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, Maryland or, if that Court does not have jurisdiction, the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, Baltimore Division, in all cases subject to the court’s having personal jurisdiction over the indispensible parties named as defendants. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of beneficial interest of the Trust shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Article XIII.

ARTICLE XIV

WAIVER OF NOTICE

Whenever any notice of a meeting is required to be given pursuant to the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws or pursuant to applicable law, a waiver thereof in writing or by electronic transmission, given by the person or persons entitled to such notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to the giving of such notice. Neither the business to be transacted at nor the purpose of any meeting need be set forth in the waiver of notice of such meeting, unless specifically required by statute. The attendance of any person at any meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except where such person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business on the ground that the meeting has not been lawfully called or convened.

 

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ARTICLE XV

AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS

The Board of Trustees shall have the power to adopt, alter or repeal any provision of these Bylaws and to make new Bylaws. In addition, the shareholders of the Trust may alter or repeal any provision of these Bylaws and adopt new Bylaws if any such alteration, repeal or adoption is approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.

ARTICLE XVI

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 1. SEVERABILITY . If any provision of the Bylaws shall be held invalid or unenforceable in any respect, such holding shall apply only to the extent of any such invalidity or unenforceability and shall not in any manner affect, impair or render invalid or unenforceable any other provision of the Bylaws in any jurisdiction.

Section 2. VOTING STOCK IN OTHER COMPANIES . Stock of other corporations or associations, registered in the name of the Trust, may be voted by the chief executive officer, the president, a vice-president, or a proxy appointed by any of them. The Board of Trustees, however, may by resolution appoint some other person to vote such shares, in which case such person shall be entitled to vote such shares upon the production of a certified copy of such resolution.

Section 3. EXECUTION OF DOCUMENTS . A person who holds more than one office in the Trust may not act in more than one capacity to execute, acknowledge, or verify an instrument required by law to be executed, acknowledged, or verified by more than one officer.

Section 4. SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS PLAN . The Trust shall seek shareholder approval prior to its adoption of a Rights Plan unless the Board of Trustees determines that, under the circumstances existing at the time, it is in the best interests of the shareholders to adopt a Rights Plan without delay. If a Rights Plan is adopted or extended by the Board of Trustees without prior stockholder approval, such plan must provide that it will expire unless ratified by the shareholders within 12 months of adoption or extension. As used in this section, the term “Rights Plan” refers generally to any plan providing for the distribution of preferred shares, rights, warrants, options or debt instruments to the shareholders of the Trust, designed to assist the Board of Trustees in the exercise of its duties in connection with actual or potential unsolicited takeover proposals or significant share accumulations by conferring certain rights to shareholders upon the occurrence of a “triggering event” such as a tender offer or third-party acquisition of a specified percentage of shares. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in these Bylaws, this Section 4 may not be altered, amended or repealed except by the shareholders of the Trust by the affirmative vote of a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.

 

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Exhibit 5.1

 

LOGO

 

 

300 East Lombard Street, 18th Floor

Baltimore, MD 21202-3268

TEL 410.528.5600

FAX 410.528.5650

www.ballardspahr.com

May 31, 2018

Spirit MTA REIT

2727 North Harwood Street

Suite 300

Dallas, Texas 75201

 

  Re: Spirit MTA REIT, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the “Company”) – Registration Statement on Form S-8 to be filed on or about the date hereof relating to 3,645,000 common shares (the “Shares”) of beneficial interest, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Shares”), of the Company to be issued subsequent to the date hereof under the Spirit MTA REIT and Spirit MTA REIT, L.P. 2018 Incentive Award Plan (the “Plan”)

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as Maryland real estate investment trust counsel to the Company in connection with the registration of the Shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), by the Company pursuant to the Registration Statement on Form S-8 to be filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on or about the date hereof (the “Registration Statement”). You have requested our opinion with respect to the matters set forth below.

In our capacity as Maryland real estate investment counsel to the Company and for purposes of this opinion, we have examined the following documents (hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Documents”):

 

  (i) the declaration of trust of the Company (the “Declaration of Trust”) represented by the Declaration of Trust filed with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland (the “Department”) on November 15, 2017, Articles Supplementary filed with the Department on May 31, 2018 and Articles of Amendment and Restatement filed with the Department on May 31, 2018;

 

  (ii) the Bylaws of the Company, adopted as of November 15, 2017, and the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company, adopted as of May 31, 2018 (collectively, the “Bylaws”);


BALLARD SPAHR LLP

Spirit MTA REIT

May 31, 2018

Page 2

 

  (iii) resolutions adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Company (the “Board of Trustees”) as of November 15, 2017, May 1, 2018 and May 31, 2018 (collectively, the “Trustees’ Resolutions”);

 

  (iv) resolutions adopted by the sole common shareholder of the Company as of May 31, 2018 (the “Shareholder Resolutions”);

 

  (v) the Plan;

 

  (vi) the Registration Statement, in substantially the form to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the Act;

 

  (vii) a status certificate of the Department, dated as of a recent date, to the effect that the Company is duly incorporated and existing under the laws of the State of Maryland;

 

  (viii) a certificate executed by an officer of the Company, dated as of the date hereof (the “Officer’s Certificate”), to the effect that, among other things, the Declaration of Trust, the Bylaws, the Trustees’ Resolutions and the Shareholder Resolutions are true, correct and complete, have not been rescinded or modified and are in full force and effect on the date of the Officer’s Certificate, and certifying, among other things, as to the manner of adoption of the Trustees’ Resolutions and the Shareholder Resolutions; and

 

  (ix) such other documents and matters as we have deemed necessary and appropriate to render the opinions set forth in this letter, subject to the limitations, assumptions, and qualifications noted below.

In reaching the opinions set forth below, we have assumed the following:

 

  (a) each person executing any of the Documents on behalf of any party (other than the Company) is duly authorized to do so;

 

  (b) each natural person executing any of the Documents is legally competent to do so;

 

  (c)

all Documents submitted to us as originals are authentic; the form and content of any Documents submitted to us as unexecuted drafts do not, and will 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, facsimile or photostatic copies conform to the original document; all signatures of parties on all of the Documents are genuine; all public records reviewed or relied upon by us or on our behalf

 


BALLARD SPAHR LLP

Spirit MTA REIT

May 31, 2018

Page 3

 

  are accurate and complete; all statements and information contained in the Documents are true and complete; and there has been no 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;

 

  (d) all certificates (including the Officer’s Certificate) submitted to us are true and correct, both when made and as of the date hereof;

 

  (e) none of the Shares will be issued or transferred in violation of the provisions of the Declaration of Trust relating to restrictions on ownership and transfer of shares of beneficial interest of the Company; and

 

  (f) upon each issuance of any of the Shares subsequent to the date hereof, the total number of Common Shares of the Company issued and outstanding, after giving effect to such issuance of such Shares, will not exceed the total number of Common Shares that the Company is authorized to issue under the Declaration of Trust.

Based on our review of the foregoing and subject to the assumptions and qualifications set forth herein, it is our opinion that, as of the date of this letter:

 

  (1) The Company has been duly formed and is validly existing as a real estate investment trust under the laws of the State of Maryland and is in good standing with the Department.

 

  (2) The Shares have been generally authorized for issuance pursuant to the Plan and if, as and when the Shares are issued subsequent to the date hereof either as awards of restricted shares or upon the exercise of options, or in respect of dividend equivalent awards, share payment awards, restricted share unit awards, performance share awards or other equity-based incentive awards, in each case pursuant to due authorization by the Board of Trustees or a properly appointed committee thereof to which the Board of Trustees has delegated the requisite power and authority, in exchange for the consideration therefor, all in accordance with, and subject to, the terms and conditions of the Plan and the awards of restricted shares, options, dividend equivalent awards, share payment awards, restricted share unit awards, performance share awards or other equity-based incentive awards relating to such Shares, such Shares will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

The opinions presented herein are limited to the laws of the State of Maryland and we do not express any opinion herein concerning any laws other than the laws of the State of Maryland. We express no opinion as to the applicability or effect of any federal or state

 


BALLARD SPAHR LLP

Spirit MTA REIT

May 31, 2018

Page 4

 

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.

This opinion letter is issued as of the date hereof and is necessarily limited to laws now in effect and facts and circumstances presently existing and brought to our attention. We assume no obligation to supplement this opinion letter if any applicable laws change after the date hereof, or if we become aware of any facts or circumstances that now exist or that occur or arise in the future and may change the opinions expressed herein after the date hereof.

We consent to your filing this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and further consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the applications to securities commissioners for the various states of the United States for registration of the Shares. 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 Act.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Ballard Spahr LLP

 

Exhibit 23.2

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement (Form S-8) pertaining to the Spirit MTA REIT and Spirit MTA REIT, L.P. 2018 Incentive Award Plan of our report dated March 5, 2018, with respect to the combined financial statements and schedules of the Predecessor Entities included in the Registration Statement of Spirit MTA REIT, as amended (No. 001-38414), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

We also consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement (Form S-8) pertaining to the Spirit MTA REIT and Spirit MTA REIT, L.P. 2018 Incentive Award Plan of our report dated March 5, 2018, with respect to the balance sheet of Spirit MTA REIT included in the Registration Statement of Spirit MTA REIT, as amended (No. 001-38414), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

Dallas, Texas

May 31, 2018

Exhibit 99.1

SPIRIT MTA REIT

AND SPIRIT MTA REIT, L.P.

2018 INCENTIVE AWARD PLAN

ARTICLE 1.

PURPOSE

The purpose of the Spirit MTA REIT and Spirit MTA REIT, L.P. 2018 Incentive Award Plan (the “ Plan ”) is to promote the success and enhance the value of Spirit MTA REIT, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the “ Company ”) and Spirit MTA REIT, L.P. (the “ Partnership ”) by linking the individual interests of Employees, Consultants and Trustees to those of the Company’s shareholders and by providing such individuals with an incentive for outstanding performance to generate superior returns to the Company’s shareholders. The Plan is further intended to provide flexibility to the Company, the Partnership and their Affiliates in their ability to motivate, attract, and retain the services of those individuals upon whose judgment, interest, and special effort the successful conduct of the Company’s and the Partnership’s operation is largely dependent.

ARTICLE 2.

DEFINITIONS AND CONSTRUCTION

Wherever the following terms are used in the Plan they shall have the meanings specified below, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The singular pronoun shall include the plural where the context so indicates.

2.1 “ Administrator ” shall mean the entity that conducts the general administration of the Plan as provided in Article 11 hereof. With reference to the duties of the Administrator under the Plan which have been delegated to one or more persons pursuant to Section 11.6 hereof, or which the Board has assumed, the term “Administrator” shall refer to such person(s) unless the Committee or the Board has revoked such delegation or the Board has terminated the assumption of such duties.

2.2 “ Affiliate ” shall mean, (i) the Partnership, and (ii) with respect to any Person, (a) any Parent or any Subsidiary, (b) any other Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with such Person, (c) any executive officer, general partner or managing member of such Person, (d) any member of the board of directors or board of managers (or bodies performing similar functions) of such Person, and (e) any legal entity for which such Person acts as an executive officer, general partner or managing member.

2.3 “ Applicable Accounting Standards ” shall mean Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in the United States, International Financial Reporting Standards or such other accounting principles or standards as may apply to the Company’s financial statements under United States federal securities laws from time to time.


2.4 “ Applicable Law ” shall mean any applicable law, including without limitation, (a) provisions of the Code, the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and any rules or regulations thereunder; (b) corporate, securities, tax or other laws, statutes, rules, requirements or regulations, whether federal, state, local or foreign; and (c) rules of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Shares are listed, quoted or traded.

2.5 “ Award ” shall mean an Option, a Restricted Share award, a Performance Award, a Dividend Equivalent award, a Share Payment award, a Restricted Share Unit award, a Performance Share award, an Other Incentive Award, an LTIP Unit award or a Share Appreciation Right, which may be awarded or granted under the Plan.

2.6 “ Award Agreement ” shall mean any written notice, agreement, contract or other instrument or document evidencing an Award, including through electronic medium, which shall contain such terms and conditions with respect to an Award as the Administrator shall determine, consistent with the Plan.

2.7 “ Board ” shall mean the Board of Trustees of the Company.

2.8 “ Change in Control ” shall mean the occurrence of any of the following events:

(a) A transaction or series of transactions whereby any “person” or related “group” of “persons” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) (other than the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company) directly or indirectly acquires beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of securities of the Company possessing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the Company’s securities outstanding immediately after such acquisition; or

(b) During any period of two (2) consecutive years, individuals who, at the beginning of such period, constitute the Board together with any new trustee(s) (other than a trustee designated by a person who shall have entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in the preceding Section 2.8(a) or the succeeding Section 2.8(c)) whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s shareholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the trustees then still in office who either were trustees at the beginning of the two (2)-year period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute a majority thereof; or

(c) The consummation by the Company (whether directly involving the Company or indirectly involving the Company through one or more intermediaries) of (A) a merger, consolidation, reorganization, or business combination, (B) a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets in any single transaction or series of related transactions or (C) the acquisition of assets or stock of another entity, in each case, other than a transaction:

(i) Which results in the Company’s voting securities outstanding immediately before the transaction continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the Company or the person that, as a result of the transaction, controls, directly or indirectly, the Company or owns, directly or indirectly, all or substantially all of the Company’s assets or otherwise succeeds to the business of the Company

 

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(the Company or such person, the “ Successor Entity ”)) directly or indirectly, at least a majority of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity’s outstanding voting securities immediately after the transaction, and following which the Successor Entity continues to own all or substantially all the assets that the Company owned immediately before the transaction and succeeds to its business, and

(ii) after which no person or group beneficially owns voting securities representing fifty percent (50%) or more of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity; provided, however, that no person or group shall be treated for purposes of this Section 2.8(c)(ii) as beneficially owning fifty percent (50%) or more of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity solely as a result of the voting power held in the Company prior to the consummation of the transaction; or

(d) Approval by the Company’s shareholders of a liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Change in Control constitutes a payment event with respect to any Award (or any portion of an Award) that provides for the deferral of compensation that is subject to Section 409A of the Code, to the extent required to avoid the imposition of additional taxes under Section 409A of the Code, the transaction or event described in subsection (a), (b) or (c) with respect to such Award (or portion thereof) shall only constitute a Change in Control for purposes of the payment timing of such Award if such transaction also constitutes a “change in control event,” as defined in Section 409A of the Code. Consistent with the terms of this Section 2.8, the Administrator shall have full and final authority to determine conclusively whether a Change in Control of the Company has occurred pursuant to the above definition, the date of the occurrence of such Change in Control and any incidental matters relating thereto.

2.9 “ Code ” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, together with the regulations and official guidance promulgated thereunder, whether issued prior or subsequent to the grant of any Award.

2.10 “ Committee ” shall mean the Compensation Committee of the Board, or another committee or subcommittee of the Board described in Article 11 hereof.

2.11 “ Common Shares ” shall mean the common shares of beneficial interest of the Company, par value $0.01 per share.

2.12 “ Company ” shall mean Spirit MTA REIT, a Maryland real estate investment trust.

2.13 “ Consultant ” shall mean any consultant or advisor of the Company, the Manager or any of their respective Affiliates.

2.14 “ Dividend Equivalent ” shall mean a right to receive the equivalent value (in cash or Shares) of dividends paid on Shares, awarded under Section 8.2 hereof.

 

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2.15 “ DRO ” shall mean a “domestic relations order” as defined by the Code or Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time, or the rules thereunder.

2.16 “ Effective Date ” shall mean the date on which the Plan is adopted by the Board.

2.17 “ Eligible Person ” shall mean any Employee, Consultant or Non-Employee Trustee, as determined by the Administrator. In addition, the Manager and its Affiliates each shall constitute an Eligible Person for purposes of Awards granted hereunder, which may in turn issue Awards to Employees, Consultants or Non-Employee Trustees of the Manager or any of its Affiliates.

2.18 “ Employee ” shall mean any officer or other employee (within the meaning of Section 3401(c) of the Code) of the Company, the Manager or their respective Affiliates.

2.19 “ Equity Restructuring ” shall mean a nonreciprocal transaction between the Company and its shareholders, such as a share dividend, share split, spin-off, rights offering or recapitalization through a large, nonrecurring cash dividend, that affects the number or kind of Shares (or other securities of the Company) or the share price of Common Shares (or other securities) and causes a change in the per share value of the Common Shares underlying outstanding share-based Awards.

2.20 “ Exchange Act ” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.

2.21 “ Expiration Date ” shall have the meaning provided in Section 12.1 hereof.

2.22 “ Fair Market Value ” shall mean, as of any given date, the value of a Share determined as follows:

(a) If the Common Shares are (i) listed on any established securities exchange (such as the New York Stock Exchange, the NASDAQ Global Market and the NASDAQ Global Select Market), (ii) listed on any national market system or (iii) listed, quoted or traded on any automated quotation system, its Fair Market Value shall be the closing sales price for a Share as quoted on such exchange or system for such date or, if there is no closing sales price for a Share on the date in question, the closing sales price for a Share on the last preceding date for which such quotation exists, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable;

(b) If the Common Shares are not listed on an established securities exchange, national market system or automated quotation system, but the Common Shares are regularly quoted by a recognized securities dealer, its Fair Market Value shall be the mean of the high bid and low asked prices for such date or, if there are no high bid and low asked prices for a Share on such date, the high bid and low asked prices for a Share on the last preceding date for which such information exists, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable; or

 

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(c) If the Common Shares are neither listed on an established securities exchange, national market system or automated quotation system nor regularly quoted by a recognized securities dealer, its Fair Market Value shall be established by the Administrator in good faith.

2.23 “ Greater Than 10% Shareholder” shall mean an individual then-owning (within the meaning of Section 424(d) of the Code) more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of shares of the Company or any “parent corporation” or “subsidiary corporation” (as defined in Sections 424(e) and 424(f) of the Code, respectively).

2.24 “ Incentive Stock Option ” shall mean an Option that is intended to qualify as an incentive stock option and conforms to the applicable provisions of Section 422 of the Code.

2.25 “ LTIP Unit ” shall mean, to the extent authorized by the Partnership Agreement, a unit of the Partnership that is granted pursuant to Section 8.7 hereof and is intended to constitute a “profits interest” within the meaning of the Code.

2.26 “ Management Agreement ” shall mean that certain Asset Management Agreement, dated [______], 2018, by and between the Company and the Manager.

2.27 “ Manager ” shall mean Spirit Realty, L.P. or a Subsidiary of Spirit Realty, L.P.

2.28 “ Non-Employee Trustee ” shall mean a Trustee of the Company who is not an Employee of the Company, the Manager or their respective Affiliates.

2.29 “ Non-Qualified Stock Option ” shall mean an Option that is not an Incentive Stock Option or which is designated as an Incentive Stock Option but does not meet the applicable requirements of Section 422 of the Code.

2.30 “ Option ” shall mean a right to purchase Shares at a specified exercise price, granted under Article 5 hereof. An Option shall be either a Non-Qualified Stock Option or an Incentive Stock Option; provided , however , that Options granted to Non-Employee Trustees and Consultants shall only be Non-Qualified Stock Options.

2.31 “ Other Incentive Award ” shall mean an Award denominated in, linked to or derived from Shares or value metrics related to Shares, granted pursuant to Section 8.6 hereof.

2.32 “ Parent ,” with respect to an entity (the “ Subject Entity ”), shall mean any other entity, whether domestic or foreign, in an unbroken chain of entities ending with the Subject Entity (including the Company, the Partnership or the Manager) if each of the entities other than the Subject Entity beneficially owns, at the time of the determination, securities or interests representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of securities or interests in one of the other entities in such chain.

2.33 “ Participant ” shall mean a person or entity who has been granted an Award pursuant to the Plan.

2.34 “ Partnership ” shall mean Spirit MTA REIT, L.P.

 

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2.35 “ Partnership Agreement ” shall mean the Agreement of Limited Partnership of Spirit MTA REIT, L.P., as the same may be amended, modified or restated from time to time.

2.36 “ Performance Award ” shall mean an Award that is granted under Section 8.1 hereof.

2.37 “ Performance Criteria ” shall mean the criteria (and adjustments) that the Committee selects for an Award for purposes of establishing the Performance Goal or Performance Goals for a Performance Period, determined as follows:

(a) The Performance Criteria that may be used to establish Performance Goals include but are not limited to the following: (i) net earnings (either before or after one or more of the following: (A) interest, (B) taxes, (C) depreciation, (D) amortization, and (E) non-cash equity-based compensation expense); (ii) gross or net sales or revenue; (iii) net income (either before or after taxes); (iv) adjusted net income; (v) operating earnings or profit; (vi) cash flow (including, but not limited to, operating cash flow and free cash flow); (vii) return on assets; (viii) return on capital; (ix) return on shareholders’ equity; (x) total shareholder return; (xi) return on sales; (xii) gross or net profit or operating margin; (xiii) costs; (xiv) funds from operations; (xv) expenses; (xvi) working capital; (xvii) earnings per share; (xviii) adjusted earnings per share; (xix) price per Share; (xx) regulatory body approval for commercialization of a product; (xxi) implementation or completion of critical projects; (xxii) market share; (xxiii) economic value; (xxiv) debt levels or reduction; (xxv) sales-related goals; (xxvi) comparisons with other stock market indices; (xxvii) operating efficiency; (xxviii) employee satisfaction; (xxix) financing and other capital raising transactions; (xxx) recruiting and maintaining personnel; and (xxxi) year-end cash, any of which may be measured either in absolute terms for the Company or any operating unit of the Company or as compared to any incremental increase or decrease or as compared to results of a peer group or to market performance indicators or indices.

(b) The Administrator may, in its sole discretion, provide that one or more objectively determinable adjustments shall be made to one or more of the Performance Goals. Such adjustments may include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following: (i) items related to a change in Applicable Accounting Standards; (ii) items relating to financing activities; (iii) expenses for restructuring or productivity initiatives; (iv) other non-operating items; (v) items related to acquisitions; (vi) items attributable to the business operations of any entity acquired by the Company during the Performance Period; (vii) items related to the sale or disposition of a business or segment of a business; (viii) items related to discontinued operations that do not qualify as a segment of a business under Applicable Accounting Standards; (ix) items attributable to any share dividend, share split, combination or exchange of shares occurring during the Performance Period; (x) any other items of significant income or expense which are determined to be appropriate adjustments; (xi) items relating to unusual or extraordinary corporate transactions, events or developments, (xii) items related to amortization of acquired intangible assets; (xiii) items that are outside the scope of the Company’s core, on-going business activities; (xiv) items related to acquired in-process research and development; (xv) items relating to changes in tax laws; (xvi) items relating to major licensing or partnership arrangements; (xvii) items relating to asset impairment charges; (xviii) items relating to gains or losses for litigation, arbitration and contractual settlements; or (xix) items relating to any other unusual or nonrecurring events or changes in Applicable Law, Applicable Accounting Standards or business conditions.

 

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2.38 “ Performance Goals ” shall mean, for a Performance Period, one or more goals established in writing by the Administrator for the Performance Period based upon one or more Performance Criteria. Depending on the Performance Criteria used to establish such Performance Goals, the Performance Goals may be expressed in terms of overall performance of the Company, the Partnership, any Subsidiary, any division or business unit thereof or an individual.

2.39 “ Performance Period ” shall mean one or more periods of time, which may be of varying and overlapping durations, as the Administrator may select, over which the attainment of one or more Performance Goals will be measured for the purpose of determining a Participant’s right to, vesting of, and/or the payment of, an Award.

2.40 “ Performance Share ” shall mean a contractual right awarded under Section 8.5 hereof to receive a number of Shares or the cash value of such number of Shares based on the attainment of specified Performance Goals or other criteria determined by the Administrator.

2.41 “ Permitted Transferee ” shall mean, with respect to a Participant, any “family member” of the Participant, as defined under the General Instructions to Form S-8 Registration Statement under the Securities Act or any successor Form thereto, or any other transferee specifically approved by the Administrator, after taking into account Applicable Law.

2.42 “ Plan ” shall mean this Spirit MTA REIT 2018 Incentive Award Plan, as it may be amended from time to time.

2.43 “ Program ” shall mean any program adopted by the Administrator pursuant to the Plan containing the terms and conditions intended to govern a specified type of Award granted under the Plan and pursuant to which such type of Award may be granted under the Plan.

2.44 “ Public Trading Date ” shall mean the first date upon which the Common Shares are listed (or approved for listing) upon notice of issuance on any securities exchange or designated (or approved for designation) upon notice of issuance as a national market security on an interdealer quotation system.

2.45 “ REIT ” shall mean a real estate investment trust within the meaning of Sections 856 through 860 of the Code.

2.46 “ Restricted Shares ” shall mean an award of Shares made under Article 7 hereof that is subject to certain restrictions and may be subject to risk of forfeiture.

2.47 “ Restricted Share Unit ” shall mean a contractual right awarded under Section 8.4 hereof to receive in the future a Share or the cash value of a Share.

2.48 “ Securities Act ” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

2.49 “ Share Limit ” shall have the meaning provided in Section 3.1(a) hereof.

 

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2.50 “ Shares ” shall mean Common Shares.

2.51 “ Share Appreciation Right ” shall mean a share appreciation right granted under Article 9 hereof.

2.52 “ Share Payment ” shall mean a payment in the form of Shares awarded under Section 8.3 hereof.

2.53 “ Subsidiary ,” with respect to an entity (the “ Subject Entity ”), shall mean (a) a corporation, association or other business entity of which fifty percent (50%) or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of capital stock is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Subject Entity (including the Company, the Partnership or the Manager) and/or by one or more Subsidiaries, (b) any partnership or limited liability company of which fifty percent (50%) or more of the equity interests are owned, directly or indirectly, by the Subject Entity (including the Company, the Partnership or the Manager) and/or by one or more Subsidiaries, and (c) any other entity not described in clauses (a) or (b) above of which fifty percent (50%) or more of the ownership and the power (whether voting interests or otherwise), pursuant to a written contract or agreement, to direct the policies and management or the financial and the other affairs thereof, are owned or controlled by the Subject Entity (including the Company, the Partnership or the Manager) and/or by one or more Subsidiaries.

2.54 “ Substitute Award ” shall mean an Award granted under the Plan in connection with a corporate transaction, such as a merger, combination, consolidation or acquisition of property or stock, in any case, upon the assumption of, or in substitution for, an outstanding equity award previously granted by a company or other entity that is a party to such transaction; provided , however , that in no event shall the term “Substitute Award” be construed to refer to an award made in connection with the cancellation and repricing of an Option or Share Appreciation Right.

2.55 “ Successor Entity ” shall have the meaning provided in Section 2.8(c)(i) hereof.

2.56 “ Termination of Service ” shall mean, unless otherwise determined by the Administrator:

(a) As to a Consultant, the time when the engagement of a Participant as a Consultant is terminated for any reason, with or without cause, including, without limitation, by resignation, discharge, death or retirement, but excluding terminations where the Consultant simultaneously commences or remains in employment and/or service as an Employee and/or Trustee with the Company, the Manager or any of their respective Affiliates.

(b) As to a Non-Employee Trustee, the time when a Participant who is a Non-Employee Trustee ceases to be a Trustee for any reason, including, without limitation, a termination by resignation, failure to be elected, death or retirement, but excluding terminations where the Participant simultaneously commences or remains in employment and/or service as an Employee and/or Consultant with the Company, the Manager or any of their respective Affiliates.

 

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(c) As to an Employee, the time when the employment relationship between a Participant and the Company, the Manager or any of their respective Affiliates, is terminated for any reason, including, without limitation, a termination by resignation, discharge, death, disability or retirement, but excluding terminations where the Participant simultaneously commences or remains in service as an Employee, Consultant and/or Trustee with the Company, the Manager or any of their respective Affiliates.

(d) As to the Manager, the time when the engagement of the Manager by the Company is terminated for any reason.

The Administrator, in its sole discretion, shall determine the effect of all matters and questions relating to any Termination of Service, including, without limitation, whether a Termination of Service has occurred, whether any Termination of Service resulted from a discharge for cause and whether any particular leave of absence constitutes a Termination of Service; provided , however , that, with respect to Incentive Stock Options, unless the Administrator otherwise provides in the terms of any Program, Award Agreement or otherwise, or as otherwise required by Applicable Law, a leave of absence, change in status from an employee to an independent contractor or other change in the employee-employer relationship shall constitute a Termination of Service only if, and to the extent that, such leave of absence, change in status or other change interrupts employment for the purposes of Section 422(a)(2) of the Code.    For purposes of the Plan, a Participant’s employee-employer relationship or consultancy relationship shall be deemed to be terminated in the event that the Affiliate employing or contracting with such Participant ceases to remain an Affiliate following any merger, sale of shares or other corporate transaction or event (including, without limitation, a spin-off).

2.57 “ Trustee ” shall mean a member of the board of trustees (or similar governing body) of the Company, the Manager or any of their respective Affiliates.

2.58 “ Trustee Limit ” shall mean the limits applicable to Awards granted to Non-Employee Trustees under the Plan, as set forth in Section 3.3 hereof.

ARTICLE 3.

SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN

3.1 Number of Shares .

(a) Subject to Section 3.1(b) and Section 12.2 hereof, the aggregate number of Shares which may be issued or transferred pursuant to Awards under the Plan is 3,645,000 (the “ Share Limit ”). In order that the applicable regulations under the Code relating to Incentive Stock Options be satisfied, the maximum number of Shares that may be issued under the Plan upon the exercise of Incentive Stock Options shall be 3,645,000. Subject to Section 12.2 hereof, each LTIP Unit issued pursuant to an Award shall count as one Share for purposes of calculating the aggregate number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan as set forth in this Section 3.1(a) and for purposes of calculating the Trustee Limit set forth in Section 3.3 hereof.

 

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(b) If any Shares subject to an Award are forfeited or expire or such Award is settled for cash (in whole or in part), the Shares subject to such Award shall, to the extent of such forfeiture, expiration or cash settlement, again be available for future grants of Awards under the Plan and shall be added back to the Share Limit in the same number of Shares as were debited from the Share Limit in respect of the grant of such Award (as may be adjusted in accordance with Section 12.2 hereof). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the following Shares shall not be added back to the Share Limit and will not be available for future grants of Awards: (i) Shares tendered by a Participant or withheld by the Company in payment of the exercise price of an Option; (ii) Shares tendered by the Participant or withheld by the Company to satisfy any tax withholding obligation with respect to an Award; (iii) Shares subject to a Share Appreciation Right that are not issued in connection with the share settlement of the Share Appreciation Right on exercise thereof; and (iv) Shares purchased on the open market with the cash proceeds from the exercise of Options. Any Shares repurchased by the Company under Section 7.4 hereof at the same price paid by the Participant so that such Shares are returned to the Company will again be available for Awards. The payment of Dividend Equivalents in cash in conjunction with any outstanding Awards shall not be counted against the Shares available for issuance under the Plan. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 3.1(b), no Shares may again be optioned, granted or awarded if such action would cause an Incentive Stock Option to fail to qualify as an incentive stock option under Section 422 of the Code.

(c) Substitute Awards shall not reduce the Shares authorized for grant under the Plan, except to the extent required by reason of Section 422 of the Code. Additionally, to the extent permitted by Applicable Law, in the event that a company acquired by the Company or any of its Affiliates, or with which the Company or any of its Affiliates combines, has shares available under a pre-existing plan approved by its shareholders and not adopted in contemplation of such acquisition or combination, the shares available for grant pursuant to the terms of such pre-existing plan (as adjusted, to the extent appropriate, using the exchange ratio or other adjustment or valuation ratio or formula used in such acquisition or combination to determine the consideration payable to the holders of common shares of the entities party to such acquisition or combination) may be used for Awards under the Plan and shall not reduce the Shares authorized for grant under the Plan; provided , however , that Awards using such available shares shall not be made after the date awards or grants could have been made under the terms of the pre-existing plan, absent the acquisition or combination, and shall only be made to individuals who were not employed by or providing services to the Company or its Affiliates immediately prior to such acquisition or combination.

3.2 Shares Distributed . Any Shares distributed pursuant to an Award may consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued Common Shares or Common Shares purchased on the open market.

3.3 Non-Employee Trustee Award Limit . Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in the Plan or in any other agreement, plan, policy or program regarding Non-Employee Trustee compensation, the sum of any cash compensation and the aggregate grant date fair value (determined as of the date of the grant under Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718, or any successor thereto) of all equity-based Awards granted during any calendar year to a Non-Employee Trustee for services as a Non-Employee Trustee shall not exceed $750,000 (the “ Trustee Limit ”).

 

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ARTICLE 4.

GRANTING OF AWARDS

4.1 Participation. The Administrator may, from time to time, select from among all Eligible Persons, those to whom one or more Awards shall be granted and shall determine the nature and amount of each Award, which shall not be inconsistent with the requirements of the Plan. No Eligible Person shall have any right to be granted an Award pursuant to the Plan.

4.2 Award Agreement . Each Award shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement stating the terms and conditions applicable to such Award, consistent with the requirements of the Plan and any applicable Program.

4.3 Limitations Applicable to Section  16 Persons . Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, with respect to any Award granted or awarded to any individual who is then subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, the Plan, any applicable Program and the applicable Award Agreement shall be subject to any additional limitations set forth in any applicable exemptive rule under Section 16 of the Exchange Act (including Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act and any amendments thereto) that are requirements for the application of such exemptive rule, and such additional limitations shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into such Award to the extent permitted by Applicable Law.

4.4 At-Will Service . Nothing in the Plan or in any Program or Award Agreement hereunder shall confer upon any Participant any right to continue as an Employee, Trustee, Consultant or other service provider of the Company, the Manager or any of their respective Affiliates, or shall interfere with or restrict in any way the rights of the Company, the Manager or any Affiliate thereof, which rights are hereby expressly reserved, to discharge any Participant at any time for any reason whatsoever, with or without cause, and with or without notice, or to terminate or change all other terms and conditions of any Participant’s employment or engagement, except to the extent expressly provided otherwise in a written agreement between the Participant and the Company, the Manager or such Affiliate.

4.5 Foreign Participants . Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan or an applicable Program to the contrary, in order to comply with the laws in other countries in which the Company, the Manager or any of their respective Affiliates operate or have Employees, Non-Employee Trustees or Consultants, or in order to comply with the requirements of any foreign securities exchange or Applicable Law, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, shall have the power and authority to: (a) determine which Affiliates shall be covered by the Plan; (b) determine which Eligible Persons outside the United States are eligible to participate in the Plan; (c) modify the terms and conditions of any Award granted to Eligible Persons outside the United States to comply with applicable foreign laws or listing requirements of any such foreign securities exchange; (d) establish subplans and modify exercise procedures and other terms and procedures, to the extent such actions may be necessary or advisable; provided , however , that no such subplans and/or modifications shall increase the Share Limit or the Trustee Limit contained

 

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in Sections 3.1 and 3.3 hereof, respectively; and (e) take any action, before or after an Award is made, that it deems advisable to obtain approval or comply with any necessary local governmental regulatory exemptions or approvals or listing requirements of any such foreign securities exchange. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Administrator may not take any actions hereunder, and no Awards shall be granted, that would violate Applicable Law.

4.6 Stand-Alone and Tandem Awards . Awards granted pursuant to the Plan may, in the sole discretion of the Administrator, be granted either alone, in addition to, or in tandem with, any other Award granted pursuant to the Plan. Awards granted in addition to or in tandem with other Awards may be granted either at the same time as or at a different time from the grant of such other Awards.

ARTICLE 5.

GRANTING OF OPTIONS

5.1 Granting of Options to Eligible Persons . The Administrator is authorized to grant Options to Eligible Persons from time to time, in its sole discretion, on such terms and conditions as it may determine which shall not be inconsistent with the Plan.

5.2 Qualification of Incentive Stock Options . No Incentive Stock Option shall be granted to any person who is not an Employee of the Company or any “parent corporation” or “subsidiary corporation” of the Company (as defined in Sections 424(e) and 424(f) of the Code, respectively). No person who qualifies as a Greater Than 10% Stockholder may be granted an Incentive Stock Option unless such Incentive Stock Option conforms to the applicable provisions of Section 422 of the Code. Any Incentive Stock Option granted under the Plan may be modified by the Administrator, with the consent of the Participant, to disqualify such Option from treatment as an “incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the Code. To the extent that the aggregate fair market value of stock with respect to which “incentive stock options” (within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code, but without regard to Section 422(d) of the Code) are exercisable for the first time by a Participant during any calendar year under the Plan and all other plans of the Company or any “parent corporation” or “subsidiary corporation” of the Company (as defined in Section 424(e) and 424(f) of the Code, respectively) exceeds one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), the Options shall be treated as Non-Qualified Stock Options to the extent required by Section 422 of the Code. The rule set forth in the preceding sentence shall be applied by taking Options and other “incentive stock options” into account in the order in which they were granted and the fair market value of stock shall be determined as of the time the respective options were granted. In addition, to the extent that any Options otherwise fail to qualify as Incentive Stock Options, such Options shall be treated as Nonqualified Stock Options. Any interpretations and rules under the Plan with respect to Incentive Stock Options shall be consistent with the provisions of Section 422 of the Code.

5.3 Option Exercise Price . The exercise price per Share subject to each Option shall be set by the Administrator, but shall not be less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date the Option is granted (or, as to Incentive Stock Options, on the date the Option is modified, extended or renewed for purposes of Section 424(h) of the Code). In addition, in the case of Incentive Stock Options granted to a Greater Than 10% Shareholder, such price shall not be less than one hundred ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date the Option is granted (or the date the Option is modified, extended or renewed for purposes of Section 424(h) of the Code).

 

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5.4 Option Term . The term of each Option shall be set by the Administrator in its sole discretion; provided , however , that the term shall not be more than ten (10) years from the date the Option is granted, or five (5) years from the date an Incentive Stock Option is granted to a Greater Than 10% Shareholder. The Administrator shall determine the time period, including the time period following a Termination of Service, during which the Participant has the right to exercise the vested Options, which time period may not extend beyond the stated term of the Option. Except as limited by the requirements of Section 409A or Section 422 of the Code, the Administrator may extend the term of any outstanding Option, and may extend the time period during which vested Options may be exercised, in connection with any Termination of Service of the Participant, and may amend any other term or condition of such Option relating to such a Termination of Service.

5.5 Option Vesting .

(a) The terms and conditions pursuant to which an Option vests in the Participant and becomes exercisable shall be determined by the Administrator and set forth in the applicable Award Agreement. Such vesting may be based on service with the Company, the Manager or any of their respective Affiliates, any of the Performance Criteria, or any other criteria selected by the Administrator. At any time after the grant of an Option, the Administrator may, in its sole discretion and subject to whatever terms and conditions it selects, accelerate the vesting of the Option.

(b) No portion of an Option which is unexercisable at a Participant’s Termination of Service shall thereafter become exercisable, except as may be otherwise provided by the Administrator either in an applicable Program, the applicable Award Agreement or by action of the Administrator following the grant of the Option.

5.6 Substitute Awards . Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Article 5 to the contrary, in the case of an Option that is a Substitute Award, the price per Share of the Shares subject to such Option may be less than the Fair Market Value per share on the date of grant, provided , however , that the exercise price of any Substitute Award shall be determined in accordance with the applicable requirements of Sections 424 and 409A of the Code.

5.7 Substitution of Share Appreciation Rights . The Administrator may, in its sole discretion, substitute an Award of Share Appreciation Rights for an outstanding Option at any time prior to or upon exercise of such Option; provided , however , that such Share Appreciation Rights shall be exercisable with respect to the same number of Shares for which such substituted Option would have been exercisable, and shall also have the same exercise price and remaining term as the substituted Option.

 

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ARTICLE 6.

EXERCISE OF OPTIONS

6.1 Partial Exercise . An exercisable Option may be exercised in whole or in part. However, an Option shall not be exercisable with respect to fractional shares and the Administrator may require that, by the terms of the Option, a partial exercise must be with respect to a minimum number of Shares.

6.2 Manner of Exercise . All or a portion of an exercisable Option shall be deemed exercised upon delivery of all of the following to the Secretary of the Company, or such other person or entity designated by the Administrator, or his, her or its office, as applicable:

(a) A written or electronic notice complying with the applicable rules established by the Administrator stating that the Option, or a portion thereof, is exercised. The notice shall be signed by the Participant or other person then entitled to exercise the Option or such portion of the Option;

(b) Such representations and documents as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, deems necessary or advisable to effect compliance with Applicable Law. The Administrator may, in its sole discretion, also take such additional actions as it deems appropriate to effect such compliance including, without limitation, placing legends on share certificates and issuing stop-transfer notices to agents and registrars;

(c) In the event that the Option shall be exercised pursuant to Section 10.3 hereof by any person or persons other than the Participant, appropriate proof of the right of such person or persons to exercise the Option, as determined in the sole discretion of the Administrator; and

(d) Full payment of the exercise price and applicable withholding taxes to the share administrator of the Company for the Shares with respect to which the Option, or portion thereof, is exercised, in a manner permitted by the Administrator in accordance with Sections 10.1 and 10.2 hereof.

6.3 Notification Regarding Disposition . The Participant shall give the Company prompt written or electronic notice of any disposition of Shares acquired by exercise of an Incentive Stock Option which occurs within (a) two (2) years after the date of granting (including the date the Option is modified, extended or renewed for purposes of Section 424(h) of the Code) of such Option to such Participant, or (b) one (1) year after the date of transfer of such Shares to such Participant.

 

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ARTICLE 7.

RESTRICTED SHARES

7.1 Award of Restricted Shares .

(a) The Administrator is authorized to grant Restricted Shares to Eligible Persons, and shall determine the terms and conditions, including the restrictions applicable to each award of Restricted Shares, which terms and conditions shall not be inconsistent with the Plan or any applicable Program, and may impose such conditions on the issuance of such Restricted Shares as it deems appropriate.

(b) The Administrator shall establish the purchase price, if any, and form of payment for Restricted Shares; provided , however , that if a purchase price is charged, such purchase price shall be no less than the par value of the Shares to be purchased, unless otherwise permitted by Applicable Law. In all cases, legal consideration shall be required for each issuance of Restricted Shares to the extent required by Applicable Law.

7.2 Rights as Shareholders . Subject to Section 7.4 hereof, upon issuance of Restricted Shares, the Participant shall have, unless otherwise provided by the Administrator, all the rights of a shareholder with respect to said shares, subject to the restrictions in an applicable Program or in the applicable Award Agreement, including the right to receive all dividends and other distributions paid or made with respect to the shares; provided , however , that, in the sole discretion of the Administrator, any extraordinary distributions with respect to the shares shall be subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 7.3 hereof. In addition, any dividends paid with respect to shares of Restricted Shares subject to performance-based vesting shall be subject to (and payable only upon the attainment of) the same vesting conditions applicable to the underlying performance-based vesting Restricted Shares.

7.3 Restrictions . All shares of Restricted Shares (including any shares received by Participants thereof with respect to shares of Restricted Shares as a result of share dividends, share splits or any other form of recapitalization) shall, in the terms of an applicable Program or the applicable Award Agreement, be subject to such restrictions and vesting requirements as the Administrator shall provide. Such restrictions may include, without limitation, restrictions concerning voting rights and transferability and such restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such times and pursuant to such circumstances or based on such criteria as selected by the Administrator, including, without limitation, criteria based on the Participant’s continued employment, trusteeship or consultancy with the Company, the Performance Criteria, Company or Affiliate performance, individual performance or other criteria selected by the Administrator. By action taken after the Restricted Shares is issued, the Administrator may, on such terms and conditions as it may determine to be appropriate, accelerate the vesting of such Restricted Shares by removing any or all of the restrictions imposed by the terms of any Program or by the applicable Award Agreement. Restricted Shares may not be sold or encumbered until all restrictions are terminated or expire.

 

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7.4 Repurchase or Forfeiture of Restricted Shares . If no purchase price was paid by the Participant for the Restricted Shares, upon a Termination of Service, the Participant’s rights in unvested Restricted Shares then subject to restrictions shall lapse, and such Restricted Shares shall be surrendered to the Company and cancelled without consideration. If a purchase price was paid by the Participant for the Restricted Shares, upon a Termination of Service the Company shall have the right to repurchase from the Participant the unvested Restricted Shares then-subject to restrictions at a cash price per share equal to the price paid by the Participant for such Restricted Shares or such other amount as may be specified in an applicable Program or the applicable Award Agreement. The Administrator in its sole discretion may provide that, upon certain events, including without limitation a Change in Control, the Participant’s death, retirement or disability, any other specified Termination of Service or any other event, the Participant’s rights in unvested Restricted Shares shall not terminate, such Restricted Shares shall vest and cease to be forfeitable and, if applicable, the Company shall cease to have a right of repurchase.

7.5 Certificates for Restricted Shares . Restricted Shares granted pursuant to the Plan may be evidenced in such manner as the Administrator shall determine. Certificates or book entries evidencing shares of Restricted Shares must include an appropriate legend referring to the terms, conditions, and restrictions applicable to such Restricted Shares, and the Company may, in its sole discretion, retain physical possession of any share certificate until such time as all applicable restrictions lapse.

ARTICLE 8.

PERFORMANCE AWARDS; DIVIDEND EQUIVALENTS; SHARE PAYMENTS; RESTRICTED SHARE UNITS; PERFORMANCE SHARES; OTHER INCENTIVE AWARDS; LTIP UNITS

8.1 Performance Awards .

(a) The Administrator is authorized to grant Performance Awards to any Eligible Person. The value of Performance Awards may be linked to any one or more of the Performance Criteria or other specific criteria determined by the Administrator, in each case on a specified date or dates or over any period or periods determined by the Administrator.

(b) Without limiting Section 8.1(a) hereof, the Administrator may grant Performance Awards to any Eligible Person in the form of a cash bonus payable upon the attainment of objective Performance Goals, or such other criteria, whether or not objective, which are established by the Administrator, in each case on a specified date or dates or over any period or periods determined by the Administrator.

8.2 Dividend Equivalents .

(a) Subject to Section 8.2(b) hereof, Dividend Equivalents may be granted by the Administrator, either alone or in tandem with another Award, based on dividends declared on the Common Shares, to be credited as of dividend payment dates during the period between the date the Dividend Equivalents are granted to a Participant and the date such Dividend Equivalents terminate or expire, as determined by the Administrator. Such Dividend Equivalents shall be converted to cash or additional Shares by such formula and at such time and subject to such limitations as may be determined by the Administrator.

 

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(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) no Dividend Equivalents shall be payable with respect to Options or Share Appreciation Rights and (ii) any Dividend Equivalents that may become payable with respect to Awards subject to performance-based vesting shall be subject to (and payable only upon the attainment of) the same vesting conditions applicable to the underlying performance-based vesting Award.

8.3 Share Payments . The Administrator is authorized to make one or more Share Payments to any Eligible Person. The number or value of Shares of any Share Payment shall be determined by the Administrator and may be based upon one or more Performance Criteria or any other specific criteria, including service to the Company, the Manager or any of their respective Affiliates, determined by the Administrator. Share Payments may, but are not required to be made in lieu of base salary, bonus, fees or other cash compensation otherwise payable to such Eligible Person.

8.4 Restricted Share Units . The Administrator is authorized to grant Restricted Share Units to any Eligible Person. The number and terms and conditions of Restricted Share Units shall be determined by the Administrator. The Administrator shall specify the date or dates on which the Restricted Share Units shall become fully vested and nonforfeitable, and may specify such conditions to vesting as it deems appropriate, including conditions based on one or more Performance Criteria or other specific criteria, including service to the Company, the Manager or any of their respective Affiliates, in each case, on a specified date or dates or over any period or periods, as determined by the Administrator. The Administrator shall specify, or may permit the Participant to elect, the conditions and dates upon which the Shares underlying the Restricted Share Units shall be issued, which dates shall not be earlier than the date as of which the Restricted Share Units vest and become nonforfeitable and which conditions and dates shall be consistent with the applicable provisions of Section 409A of the Code or an exemption therefrom. On the distribution dates, the Company shall issue to the Participant one unrestricted, fully transferable Share (or the Fair Market Value of one such Share in cash) for each vested and nonforfeitable Restricted Share Unit.

8.5 Performance Share Awards . Any Eligible Person selected by the Administrator may be granted one or more Performance Share awards which shall be denominated in a number of Shares and the vesting of which may be linked to any one or more Performance Criteria, other specific performance criteria (in each case on a specified date or dates or over any period or periods determined by the Administrator) and/or time-vesting or other criteria, as determined by the Administrator.

8.6 Other Incentive Awards . The Administrator is authorized to grant Other Incentive Awards to any Eligible Person, which Awards may cover Shares or the right to purchase Shares or have a value derived from the value of, or an exercise or conversion privilege at a price related to, or that are otherwise payable in or based on, Shares, shareholder value or shareholder return, in each case, on a specified date or dates or over any period or periods determined by the Administrator. Other Incentive Awards may be linked to any one or more Performance Criteria or any other specific performance criteria determined appropriate by the Administrator. Other Incentive Awards may be paid in cash, Shares, or a combination of cash and Shares, as determined by the Administrator.

 

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8.7 LTIP Units . The Administrator is authorized to grant LTIP Units in such amount and subject to such terms and conditions as may be determined by the Administrator; provided , however , that LTIP Units may only be issued to a Participant for the performance of services to or for the benefit of the Partnership (a) in the Participant’s capacity as a partner of the Partnership, (b) in anticipation of the Participant becoming a partner of the Partnership, or (c) as otherwise determined by the Administrator, provided that the LTIP Units are intended to constitute “profits interests” within the meaning of the Code, including, to the extent applicable, Revenue Procedure 93-27, 1993-2 C.B. 343 and Revenue Procedure 2001-43, 2001-2 C.B. 191. The Administrator shall specify the conditions and dates upon which the LTIP Units shall vest and become nonforfeitable. LTIP Units shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the Partnership Agreement and such other restrictions, including restrictions on transferability, as the Administrator may impose. These restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such times, pursuant to such circumstances, in such installments, or otherwise, as the Administrator determines at the time of the grant of the Award or thereafter.

8.8 Other Terms and Conditions . All applicable terms and conditions of each Award described in this Article 8, including without limitation, as applicable, the term, vesting conditions and exercise/purchase price applicable to the Award, shall be set by the Administrator in its sole discretion, provided , however , that the value of the consideration paid by a Participant for an Award shall not be less than the par value of a Share, unless otherwise permitted by Applicable Law.

8.9 Exercise upon Termination of Service . Awards described in this Article 8 are exercisable or distributable, as applicable, only while the Participant is an Employee, Trustee or Consultant (or, in the case of Awards granted to the Manager or its Affiliates, while the Manager or such Affiliate is providing services to the Company or its Affiliates), as applicable. The Administrator, however, in its sole discretion may provide that such Award may be exercised or distributed subsequent to a Termination of Service as provided under an applicable Program, Award Agreement, payment deferral election and/or in certain events, including without limitation, a Change in Control, the Participant’s death, retirement or disability or any other specified Termination of Service.

ARTICLE 9.

SHARE APPRECIATION RIGHTS

9.1 Grant of Share Appreciation Rights .

(a) The Administrator is authorized to grant Share Appreciation Rights to Eligible Persons from time to time, in its sole discretion, on such terms and conditions as it may determine consistent with the Plan.

 

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(b) A Share Appreciation Right shall entitle the Participant (or other person entitled to exercise the Share Appreciation Right pursuant to the Plan) to exercise all or a specified portion of the Share Appreciation Right (to the extent then-exercisable pursuant to its terms) and to receive from the Company an amount determined by multiplying the difference obtained by subtracting the exercise price per Share of the Share Appreciation Right from the Fair Market Value on the date of exercise of the Share Appreciation Right by the number of Shares with respect to which the Share Appreciation Right shall have been exercised, subject to any limitations the Administrator may impose. Except as described in Section 9.1(c) hereof, the exercise price per Share subject to each Share Appreciation Right shall be set by the Administrator, but shall not be less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value on the date the Share Appreciation Right is granted.

(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of Section 9.1(b) hereof to the contrary, in the case of a Share Appreciation Right that is a Substitute Award, the price per share of the shares subject to such Share Appreciation Right may be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value per share on the date of grant; provided , however , that the exercise price of any Substitute Award shall be determined in accordance with the applicable requirements of Sections 424 and 409A of the Code.

9.2 Share Appreciation Right Vesting .

(a) The Administrator shall determine the period during which the Participant shall vest in a Share Appreciation Right and have the right to exercise such Share Appreciation Rights (subject to Section 9.4 hereof) in whole or in part. Such vesting may be based on service with the Company, the Manager or any of their respective Affiliates, any of the Performance Criteria or any other criteria selected by the Administrator. At any time after grant of a Share Appreciation Right, the Administrator may, in its sole discretion and subject to whatever terms and conditions it selects, accelerate the period during which the Share Appreciation Right vests.

(b) No portion of a Share Appreciation Right which is unexercisable at Termination of Service shall thereafter become exercisable, except as may be otherwise provided by the Administrator either in an applicable Program or Award Agreement or by action of the Administrator following the grant of the Share Appreciation Right.

9.3 Manner of Exercise . All or a portion of an exercisable Share Appreciation Right shall be deemed exercised upon delivery of all of the following to the share administrator of the Company, or such other person or entity designated by the Administrator, or his, her or its office, as applicable:

(a) A written or electronic notice complying with the applicable rules established by the Administrator stating that the Share Appreciation Right, or a portion thereof, is exercised. The notice shall be signed by the Participant or other person then-entitled to exercise the Share Appreciation Right or such portion of the Share Appreciation Right;

(b) Such representations and documents as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, deems necessary or advisable to effect compliance with all applicable provisions of the Securities Act and any other federal, state or foreign securities laws or regulations. The Administrator may, in its sole discretion, also take whatever additional actions it deems appropriate to effect such compliance;

 

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(c) In the event that the Share Appreciation Right shall be exercised pursuant to this Section 9.3 by any person or persons other than the Participant, appropriate proof of the right of such person or persons to exercise the Share Appreciation Right; and

(d) Full payment of the applicable withholding taxes to the share administrator of the Company for the Shares with respect to which the Share Appreciation Rights, or portion thereof, are exercised, in a manner permitted by the Administrator in accordance with Sections 10.1 and 10.2 hereof.

9.4 Share Appreciation Right Term . The term of each Share Appreciation Right shall be set by the Administrator in its sole discretion; provided , however , that the term shall not be more than ten (10) years from the date the Share Appreciation Right is granted. The Administrator shall determine the time period, including the time period following a Termination of Service, during which the Participant has the right to exercise the vested Share Appreciation Rights, which time period may not extend beyond the expiration date of the Share Appreciation Right term. Except as limited by the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, the Administrator may extend the term of any outstanding Share Appreciation Right, and may extend the time period during which vested Share Appreciation Rights may be exercised, in connection with any Termination of Service of the Participant, and may amend any other term or condition of such Share Appreciation Right relating to such a Termination of Service.

ARTICLE 10.

ADDITIONAL TERMS OF AWARDS

10.1 Payment . The Administrator shall determine the methods by which payments by any Participant with respect to any Awards granted under the Plan shall be made, including, without limitation: (a) cash or check, (b) Shares (including Shares issuable pursuant to the exercise, vesting or payment of the Award) held for such period of time as may be required by the Administrator in order to avoid adverse accounting consequences, in each case, having a Fair Market Value on the date of delivery equal to the aggregate payments required, (c) delivery of a written or electronic notice that the Participant has placed a market sell order with a broker with respect to Shares then-issuable upon exercise or vesting of an Award, and that the broker has been directed to pay a sufficient portion of the net proceeds of the sale to the Company in satisfaction of the aggregate payments required; provided , however , that payment of such proceeds is then made to the Company upon settlement of such sale, or (d) other form of legal consideration acceptable to the Administrator. The Administrator shall also determine the methods by which Shares shall be delivered or deemed to be delivered to Participants. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, no Participant who is a Trustee or an “executive officer” of the Company within the meaning of Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act shall be permitted to make payment with respect to any Awards granted under the Plan, or continue any extension of credit with respect to such payment with a loan from the Company or a loan arranged by the Company in violation of Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act.

 

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10.2 Tax Withholding . The Company, the Manager and their respective Affiliates shall have the authority and the right to deduct or withhold, or require a Participant to remit to the Company or an Affiliate, an amount sufficient to satisfy federal, state, local and foreign taxes (including the Participant’s social security, Medicare and any other employment tax obligation) required by law to be withheld with respect to any taxable event concerning a Participant arising in connection with any Award. The Administrator may in its sole discretion and in satisfaction of the foregoing requirement, or in satisfaction of such additional withholding obligations as a Participant may have elected or agreed, allow a Participant to satisfy such obligations by any payment means described in Section 10.1 hereof, including without limitation, by allowing such Participant to elect to have the Company or an Affiliate withhold Shares otherwise issuable under an Award (or allow the surrender of Shares). The number of Shares which may be so withheld or surrendered shall be limited to the number of Shares which have a fair market value on the date of withholding or repurchase no greater than the aggregate amount of such liabilities based on the maximum statutory withholding rates in the applicable jurisdictions for federal, state, local and foreign income tax and payroll tax purposes that are applicable to such taxable income. The Administrator shall determine the fair market value of the Shares, consistent with applicable provisions of the Code, for tax withholding obligations due in connection with a broker-assisted cashless Option or Share Appreciation Right exercise involving the sale of Shares to pay the Option or Share Appreciation Right exercise price or any tax withholding obligation.

10.3 Transferability of Awards .

(a) Except as otherwise provided in Section 10.3(b), (c) or (d) hereof:

(i) No Award under the Plan may be sold, pledged, assigned or transferred in any manner other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution or, subject to the consent of the Administrator, pursuant to a DRO, unless and until such Award has been exercised, or the Shares underlying such Award have been issued, and all restrictions applicable to such Shares have lapsed;

(ii) No Award or interest or right therein shall be liable for or otherwise subject to the debts, contracts or engagements of the Participant or his successors in interest or shall be subject to disposition by transfer, alienation, anticipation, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, assignment or any other means whether such disposition be voluntary or involuntary or by operation of law by judgment, levy, attachment, garnishment or any other legal or equitable proceedings (including bankruptcy) unless and until such Award has been exercised, or the Shares underlying such Award have been issued, and all restrictions applicable to such Shares have lapsed, and any attempted disposition of an Award prior to the satisfaction of these conditions shall be null and void and of no effect, except to the extent that such disposition is permitted by clause (i) of this provision; and

(iii) During the lifetime of the Participant, only the Participant may exercise an Award (or any portion thereof) granted to him under the Plan, unless it has been disposed of pursuant to a DRO; after the death of the Participant, any exercisable portion of an Award may, prior to the time when such portion becomes unexercisable under the Plan or the applicable Program or Award Agreement, be exercised by his personal representative or by any person empowered to do so under the deceased Participant’s will or under the then-applicable laws of descent and distribution.

 

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(b) Subject to Section 12.8 hereof, Awards granted to the Manager or its Affiliates may be transferred by such entity to an Employee or Trustee of the Manager or any of its Affiliates, subject to such terms, conditions and requirements (if any) as may be determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, any Award so transferred shall be subject to the terms and conditions set forth in Section 10.3(c) below.

(c) Notwithstanding Section 10.3(a) hereof, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may determine to permit a Participant or a Permitted Transferee of such Participant to transfer an Award other than an Incentive Stock Option (unless such Incentive Stock Option is to become a Non-Qualified Stock Option) to any one or more Permitted Transferees of such Participant, subject to the following terms and conditions: (i) an Award transferred to a Permitted Transferee shall not be assignable or transferable by the Permitted Transferee (other than to another Permitted Transferee of the applicable Participant) other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution; (ii) an Award transferred to a Permitted Transferee shall continue to be subject to all the terms and conditions of the Award as applicable to the original Participant (other than the ability to further transfer the Award); and (iii) the Participant (or transferring Permitted Transferee) and the Permitted Transferee shall execute any and all documents requested by the Administrator, including without limitation, documents to (A) confirm the status of the transferee as a Permitted Transferee, (B) satisfy any requirements for an exemption for the transfer under applicable federal, state and foreign securities laws and (C) evidence the transfer. In addition, and further notwithstanding Section 10.3(a) hereof, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may determine to permit a Participant to transfer Incentive Stock Options to a trust that constitutes a Permitted Transferee if, under Section 671 of the Code and applicable state law, the Participant is considered the sole beneficial owner of the Incentive Stock Option while it is held in the trust.

(d) Notwithstanding Section 10.3(a) hereof, a Participant may, in the manner determined by the Administrator, designate a beneficiary to exercise the rights of the Participant and to receive any distribution with respect to any Award upon the Participant’s death. A beneficiary, legal guardian, legal representative, or other person claiming any rights pursuant to the Plan is subject to all terms and conditions of the Plan and any Program or Award Agreement applicable to the Participant, except to the extent the Plan, the Program and the Award Agreement otherwise provide, and to any additional restrictions deemed necessary or appropriate by the Administrator. If the Participant is married or a domestic partner in a domestic partnership qualified under Applicable Law and resides in a “community property” state, a designation of a person other than the Participant’s spouse or domestic partner, as applicable, as his or her beneficiary with respect to more than fifty percent (50%) of the Participant’s interest in the Award shall not be effective without the prior written or electronic consent of the Participant’s spouse or domestic partner. If no beneficiary has been designated or survives the Participant, payment shall be made to the person entitled thereto pursuant to the Participant’s will or the laws of descent and distribution. Subject to the foregoing, a beneficiary designation may be changed or revoked by a Participant at any time provided the change or revocation is delivered to the Administrator in writing prior to the Participant’s death.

 

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(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the transfer of any Award shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the Management Agreement and the Partnership Agreement.

10.4 Conditions to Issuance of Shares .

(a) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, neither the Company nor its Affiliates shall be required to issue or deliver any certificates or make any book entries evidencing Shares pursuant to the exercise of any Award, unless and until the Administrator has determined, with advice of counsel, that the issuance of such Shares is in compliance with Applicable Law, and the Shares are covered by an effective registration statement or applicable exemption from registration. In addition to the terms and conditions provided herein, the Administrator may require that a Participant make such reasonable covenants, agreements, and representations as the Administrator, in its discretion, deems advisable in order to comply with any such Applicable Law.

(b) All Share certificates delivered pursuant to the Plan and all Shares issued pursuant to book entry procedures are subject to any stop-transfer orders and other restrictions as the Administrator deems necessary or advisable to comply with Applicable Law. The Administrator may place legends on any Share certificate or book entry to reference restrictions applicable to the Shares.

(c) The Administrator shall have the right to require any Participant to comply with any timing or other restrictions with respect to the settlement, distribution or exercise of any Award, including a window-period limitation, as may be imposed in the sole discretion of the Administrator.

(d) No fractional Shares shall be issued and the Administrator shall determine, in its sole discretion, whether cash shall be given in lieu of fractional Shares or whether such fractional Shares shall be eliminated by rounding down.

(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, unless otherwise determined by the Administrator or required by Applicable Law, the Company and/or its Affiliates may, in lieu of delivering to any Participant certificates evidencing Shares issued in connection with any Award, record the issuance of Shares in the books of the Company (or, as applicable, its transfer agent or share plan administrator).

10.5 Forfeiture and Claw-Back Provisions .

(a) Pursuant to its general authority to determine the terms and conditions applicable to Awards under the Plan, the Administrator shall have the right to provide, in the terms of Awards made under the Plan, or to require a Participant to agree by separate written or electronic instrument, that: (i) any proceeds, gains or other economic benefit actually or constructively received by the Participant upon any receipt or exercise of the Award, or upon the receipt or resale of any Shares underlying the Award, must be paid to the Company, and (ii) the Award shall terminate and any unexercised portion of the Award (whether or not vested) shall be forfeited, if (x) a Termination of Service occurs prior to a specified date, or within a specified time period following receipt or exercise of the Award, (y) the Participant at any time, or during a specified time period, engages in any activity in competition with the Company, or which is inimical, contrary or harmful to the interests of the Company, as further defined by the Administrator or (z) the Participant incurs a Termination of Service for cause; and

 

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(b) All Awards (including any proceeds, gains or other economic benefit actually or constructively received by a Participant upon any receipt or exercise of any Award or upon the receipt or resale of any Shares underlying the Award) shall be subject to the applicable provisions of any claw-back policy implemented by the Company, whether implemented prior to or after the grant of such Award, including without limitation, any claw-back policy adopted to comply with the requirements of Applicable Law, including without limitation the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder, to the extent set forth in such claw-back policy and/or in the applicable Award Agreement.

10.6 Prohibition on Repricing . Subject to Section 12.2 hereof, the Administrator shall not, without the approval of the shareholders of the Company, authorize the amendment of any outstanding Option or Share Appreciation Right to reduce its price per share, or cancel any Option or Share Appreciation Right in exchange for cash or another Award when the Option or Share Appreciation Right price per share exceeds the Fair Market Value of the underlying Shares.

10.7 Cash Settlement . Without limiting the generality of any other provision of the Plan, the Administrator may provide, in an Award Agreement or subsequent to the grant of an Award, in its discretion, that any Award may be settled in cash, Shares or a combination thereof.

10.8 Leave of Absence . Unless the Administrator provides otherwise, vesting of Awards granted hereunder shall be suspended during any unpaid leave of absence. A Participant shall not cease to be considered an Employee, Non-Employee Trustee or Consultant, as applicable, in the case of any (a) leave of absence approved by the employing entity, (b) transfer between locations of the Company or between the Company, the Manager and any of their respective Affiliates or any successor thereof, or (c) change in status (Employee to Trustee, Employee to Consultant, etc.), provided that such change does not affect the specific terms applying to the Participant’s Award.

10.9 Terms May Vary Between Awards . The terms and conditions of each Award shall be determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion and the Administrator shall have complete flexibility to provide for varied terms and conditions as between any Awards, whether of the same or different Award type and/or whether granted to the same or different Participants (in all cases, subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan).

10.10 Acceleration on Death or Disability . Except as may otherwise be provided in an applicable Award Agreement, in the event that the Participant experiences a Termination of Service due to the Participant’s death or disability (whether a “disability” exists to be reasonably determined by the Administrator), any Awards held by the Participant shall automatically vest in full and, if applicable, become exercisable; provided , that with respect to any Award that vests and/or is earned based on the achievement of Performance Goals, such Award shall vest and be deemed earned as to the target number of Shares subject to such Award (and no additional Shares subject to such Award shall vest or become payable thereafter).

 

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ARTICLE 11.

ADMINISTRATION

11.1 Administrator . Unless the Board has otherwise theretofore delegated the administration of the Plan to a Committee as set forth herein, prior to the Public Trading Date, the Board shall administer the Plan. Effective as of the Public Trading Date, the Committee (or another committee or a subcommittee of the Board assuming the functions of the Committee under the Plan) shall administer the Plan (except as otherwise permitted herein) and, unless otherwise determined by the Board, shall consist solely of two or more Non-Employee Trustees appointed by and holding office at the pleasure of the Board, each of whom is intended to qualify as a “non-employee director” as defined by Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act and an “independent director” under the rules of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Shares are listed, quoted or traded, in each case, to the extent required under such provision; provided , however , that any action taken by the Committee shall be valid and effective, whether or not members of the Committee at the time of such action are later determined not to have satisfied the requirements for membership set forth in this Section 11.l or otherwise provided in the Company’s charter or Bylaws or any charter of the Committee. Except as may otherwise be provided in any charter of the Committee, appointment of Committee members shall be effective upon acceptance of appointment, Committee members may resign at any time by delivering written or electronic notice to the Board, and vacancies in the Committee may only be filled by the Board. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (a) the full Board, acting by a majority of its members in office, shall conduct the general administration of the Plan with respect to Awards granted to Non-Employee Trustees of the Company and (b) the Board or Committee may delegate its authority hereunder to the extent permitted by Section 11.6 hereof.

11.2 Duties and Powers of Administrator . It shall be the duty of the Administrator to conduct the general administration of the Plan in accordance with its provisions. The Administrator shall have the power to interpret the Plan and all Programs and Award Agreements, and to adopt such rules for the administration, interpretation and application of the Plan and any Program as are not inconsistent with the Plan, to interpret, amend or revoke any such rules and to amend any Program or Award Agreement provided that the rights or obligations of the holder of the Award that is the subject of any such Program or Award Agreement are not affected adversely by such amendment, unless the consent of the Participant is obtained or such amendment is otherwise permitted under Section 12.13 hereof. Any such grant or award under the Plan need not be the same with respect to each Participant. Any such interpretations and rules with respect to Incentive Stock Options shall be consistent with the provisions of Section 422 of the Code. In its sole discretion, the Board may at any time and from time to time exercise any and all rights and duties of the Committee under the Plan except with respect to matters which under Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act, or the rules of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Shares are listed, quoted or traded are required to be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee.

 

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11.3 Action by the Administrator . Unless otherwise established by the Board, in the Company’s charter or Bylaws or in any charter of the Administrator or as required by Applicable Law, a majority of the Administrator shall constitute a quorum and the acts of a majority of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is present, and acts approved in writing by all members of the Administrator in lieu of a meeting, shall be deemed the acts of the Administrator. Each member of the Administrator is entitled to, in good faith, rely or act upon any report or other information furnished to that member by any officer or other employee of the Company or any Affiliate, the Company’s independent certified public accountants, or any executive compensation consultant or other professional retained by the Company to assist in the administration of the Plan.

11.4 Authority of Administrator . Subject to any specific designation in the Plan and Applicable Law, the Administrator has the exclusive power, authority and sole discretion to:

(a) Designate Eligible Persons (including the Manager or its Affiliates) to receive Awards;

(b) Determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to each Eligible Person;

(c) Determine the number of Awards to be granted and the number of Shares to which an Award will relate;

(d) Determine the terms and conditions of any Award granted pursuant to the Plan, including, but not limited to, the exercise price, grant price, or purchase price, any performance criteria, any restrictions or limitations on the Award, any schedule for vesting, lapse of forfeiture restrictions or restrictions on the exercisability of an Award, and accelerations or waivers thereof, and any provisions related to non-competition and recapture of gain on an Award, based in each case on such considerations as the Administrator in its sole discretion determines;

(e) Determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances an Award may be settled in, or the exercise price of an Award may be paid in cash, Shares, other Awards, or other property, or an Award may be canceled, forfeited, or surrendered;

(f) Prescribe the form of each Award Agreement, which need not be identical for each Participant;

(g) Determine as between the Company, the Partnership and any Affiliate which entity will make payments with respect to an Award, consistent with applicable securities laws and other Applicable Law;

(h) Decide all other matters that must be determined in connection with an Award;

(i) Establish, adopt, or revise any Program, rules and regulations as it may deem necessary or advisable to administer the Plan;

 

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(j) Interpret the terms of, and any matter arising pursuant to, the Plan, any Program or any Award Agreement; and

(k) Make all other decisions and determinations that may be required pursuant to the Plan or as the Administrator deems necessary or advisable to administer the Plan.

11.5 Decisions Binding . The Administrator’s interpretation of the Plan, any Awards granted pursuant to the Plan, any Program, any Award Agreement and all decisions and determinations by the Administrator with respect to the Plan are final, binding, and conclusive on all parties.

11.6 Delegation of Authority . To the extent permitted by Applicable Law, the Board or Committee may from time to time delegate to a committee of one or more members of the Board or one or more officers of the Company the authority to grant or amend Awards or to take other administrative actions pursuant to this Article 11; provided , however , that in no event shall an officer of the Company be delegated the authority to grant Awards to, or amend Awards held by, the following individuals: (a) individuals who are subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act or (b) officers of the Company (or Trustees) to whom authority to grant or amend Awards has been delegated hereunder; provided , further , that any delegation of administrative authority shall only be permitted to the extent it is permissible under other Applicable Law. Any delegation hereunder shall be subject to the restrictions and limits that the Board or Committee specifies at the time of such delegation, and the Board may at any time rescind the authority so delegated or appoint a new delegatee. At all times, the delegatee appointed under this Section 11.6 shall serve in such capacity at the pleasure of the Board or the Committee, as applicable, and the Board or the Committee may abolish any committee at any time and re-vest in itself any previously delegated authority.

ARTICLE 12.

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

12.1 Amendment, Suspension or Termination of the Plan . Except as otherwise provided in this Section 12.1, the Plan may be wholly or partially amended or otherwise modified, suspended or terminated at any time or from time to time by the Board. However, without approval of the Company’s shareholders given within twelve (12) months before or after the action by the Administrator, no action of the Administrator may, except as provided in Section 12.2 hereof, (i) increase the Share Limit or the Trustee Limit, (ii) authorize the amendment of any outstanding Option or Share Appreciation Right to reduce its price per share, or (iii) cancel any Option or Share Appreciation Right in exchange for cash or another Award when the Option or Share Appreciation Right price per share exceeds the Fair Market Value of the underlying Shares. Except as provided in Section 12.13 hereof, no amendment, suspension or termination of the Plan shall, without the consent of the Participant, impair any rights or obligations under any Award theretofore granted or awarded, unless the Award itself otherwise expressly so provides. No Awards may be granted or awarded during any period of suspension or after termination of the Plan, and in no event may any Award be granted under the Plan after the tenth (10 th ) anniversary of the Effective Date (the “ Expiration Date ”). Any Awards that are outstanding on the Expiration Date, or the date of termination of the Plan (if earlier), shall remain in force according to the terms of the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement.

 

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12.2 Changes in Common Shares or Assets of the Company, Acquisition or Liquidation of the Company and Other Corporate Events .

(a) In the event of any share dividend, share split, combination or exchange of shares, merger, consolidation or other distribution (other than normal cash dividends) of Company assets to shareholders, or any other change affecting the shares of the Company’s shares or the share price of the Company’s shares other than an Equity Restructuring, the Administrator may make equitable adjustments, if any, to reflect such change with respect to (i) the aggregate number and kind of shares that may be issued under the Plan (including, but not limited to, adjustments of the Share Limit and the Trustee Limit); (ii) the number and kind of Shares (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards; (iii) the terms and conditions of any outstanding Awards (including, without limitation, any applicable performance targets or criteria with respect thereto); and/or (iv) the grant or exercise price per share for any outstanding Awards under the Plan.

(b) In the event of any transaction or event described in Section 12.2(a) hereof or any unusual or nonrecurring transactions or events affecting the Company, any Affiliate, or the financial statements of the Company or any Affiliate, or of changes in Applicable Law or Applicable Accounting Standards, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, and on such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate, either by the terms of the Award or by action taken prior to the occurrence of such transaction or event, is hereby authorized to take any one or more of the following actions whenever the Administrator determines that such action is appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan or with respect to any Award under the Plan, to facilitate such transactions or events or to give effect to such changes in laws, regulations or principles:

(i) To provide for either (A) termination of any such Award in exchange for an amount of cash and/or other property, if any, equal to the amount that would have been attained upon the exercise of such Award or realization of the Participant’s rights (and, for the avoidance of doubt, if as of the date of the occurrence of the transaction or event described in this Section 12.2, the Administrator determines in good faith that no amount would have been attained upon the exercise of such Award or realization of the Participant’s rights, then such Award may be terminated by the Company without payment) or (B) the replacement of such Award with other rights or property selected by the Administrator in its sole discretion having an aggregate value not exceeding the amount that could have been attained upon the exercise of such Award or realization of the Participant’s rights had such Award been currently exercisable or payable or fully vested;

(ii) To provide that such Award be assumed by the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, or shall be substituted for by similar options, rights or awards covering the stock of the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, with appropriate adjustments as to the number and kind of shares and prices;

 

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(iii) To make adjustments in the number and type of securities subject to outstanding Awards and Awards which may be granted in the future and/or in the terms, conditions and criteria included in such Awards (including the grant or exercise price, as applicable);

(iv) To provide that such Award shall be exercisable or payable or fully vested with respect to all securities covered thereby, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan or an applicable Program or Award Agreement; and

(v) To provide that the Award cannot vest, be exercised or become payable after such event.

(c) In connection with the occurrence of any Equity Restructuring, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Sections 12.2(a) and 12.2(b) hereof:

(i) The number and type of securities subject to each outstanding Award and the exercise price or grant price thereof, if applicable, shall be equitably adjusted; and/or

(ii) The Administrator shall make such equitable adjustments, if any, as the Administrator in its discretion may deem appropriate to reflect such Equity Restructuring with respect to the aggregate number and kind of shares that may be issued under the Plan (including, but not limited to, adjustments to the Share Limit, the Trustee Limit).

The adjustments provided under this Section 12.2(c) shall be nondiscretionary and shall be final and binding on the affected Participant and the Company.

(d) Except as may otherwise be provided in any applicable Award Agreement or other written agreement entered into between the Company (or an Affiliate) and a Participant, if a Change in Control occurs and a Participant’s outstanding Awards are not continued, converted, assumed, or replaced by the surviving or successor entity in such Change in Control, then immediately prior to the Change in Control such outstanding Awards, to the extent not continued, converted, assumed, or replaced, shall become fully vested and exercisable, and all forfeiture, repurchase and other restrictions on such Awards shall lapse. Upon, or in anticipation of, a Change in Control, the Administrator may cause any and all Awards outstanding hereunder to terminate at a specific time in the future, including but not limited to the date of such Change in Control, and shall give each Participant the right to exercise such Awards during a period of time as the Administrator, in its sole and absolute discretion, shall determine. For the avoidance of doubt, if the value of an Award that is terminated in connection with this Section 12.2(d) is zero or negative at the time of such Change in Control, such Award shall be terminated upon the Change in Control without payment of consideration therefor.

(e) The Administrator may, in its sole discretion, include such further provisions and limitations in any Award, agreement or certificate, as it may deem equitable and in the best interests of the Company that are not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan.

 

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(f) Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, no adjustment or action described in this Section 12.2 or in any other provision of the Plan shall be authorized (i) to the extent that such adjustment or action would cause the Plan to violate Section 422(b)(1) of the Code and (ii) with respect to any Award to the extent such adjustment or action would result in short-swing profits liability under Section 16 of the Exchange Act or violate the exemptive conditions of Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act.

(g) The existence of the Plan, any Program, any Award Agreement and/or any Award granted hereunder shall not affect or restrict in any way the right or power of the Company, the shareholders of the Company or any Affiliate to make or authorize any adjustment, recapitalization, reorganization or other change in the Company’s or such Affiliate’s capital structure or its business, any merger or consolidation of the Company or any Affiliate, any issue of shares or of options, warrants or rights to purchase shares or of bonds, debentures, preferred or prior preference shares whose rights are superior to or affect the Common Shares, the securities of any Affiliate or the rights thereof or which are convertible into or exchangeable for Common Shares or securities of any Affiliate, or the dissolution or liquidation of the Company or any Affiliate, or any sale or transfer of all or any part of its assets or business, or any other corporate act or proceeding, whether of a similar character or otherwise.

(h) No action shall be taken under this Section 12.2 which shall cause an Award to fail to comply with Section 409A of the Code or an exemption therefrom, in either case, to the extent applicable to such Award, unless the Administrator determines any such adjustments to be appropriate.

(i) In the event of any pending share dividend, share split, combination or exchange of shares, merger, consolidation or other distribution (other than normal cash dividends) of Company assets to shareholders, or any other change affecting the Shares or the share price of the Common Shares including any Equity Restructuring, for reasons of administrative convenience, the Company in its sole discretion may refuse to permit the exercise of any Award during a period of thirty (30) days prior to the consummation of any such transaction.

12.3 Approval of Plan by Shareholders . The Plan shall be submitted for the approval of the Company’s shareholders within twelve (12) months after the date of the Board’s initial adoption of the Plan. If the Plan is not approved by shareholders within twelve (12) months after its adoption by the Board, then the Plan shall be of no force or effect.

12.4 No Shareholders Rights . Except as otherwise provided herein or in an applicable Program or Award Agreement, a Participant shall have none of the rights of a shareholder with respect to Shares covered by any Award until the Participant becomes the record owner of such Shares.

12.5 Paperless Administration . In the event that the Company establishes, for itself or using the services of a third party, an automated system for the documentation, granting or exercise of Awards, such as a system using an internet website or interactive voice response, then the paperless documentation, granting or exercise of Awards by a Participant may be permitted through the use of such an automated system.

 

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12.6 Section  83(b) Election . No Participant may make an election under Section 83(b) of the Code with respect to any Award under the Plan without the consent of the Administrator, which the Administrator may grant (prospectively or retroactively) or withhold in its sole discretion. If, with the consent of the Administrator, a Participant makes an election under Section 83(b) of the Code to be taxed with respect to the Restricted Shares as of the date of transfer of the Restricted Shares rather than as of the date or dates upon which the Participant would otherwise be taxable under Section 83(a) of the Code, the Participant shall be required to deliver a copy of such election to the Company promptly after filing such election with the Internal Revenue Service.

12.7 Grant of Awards to Certain Employees or Consultants . The Company, the Partnership, the Manager and any Affiliate of the Company, the Partnership or the Manager may provide through the establishment of a formal written policy or otherwise for the method by which Shares or other securities of the Company or the Partnership may be issued and by which such Shares or other securities and/or payment therefor may be exchanged or contributed among such entities, or may be returned upon any forfeiture of Shares or other securities by the Participant, for the purpose of ensuring that the relationship between the Company and its Affiliates remain at arm’s-length.

12.8 REIT Status . The Plan shall be interpreted and construed in a manner consistent with the Company’s status as a REIT. No Award shall be granted or awarded, and with respect to any Award granted under the Plan, such Award shall not vest, be exercisable or be settled:

(a) to the extent that the grant, vesting, exercise or settlement of such Award could cause the Participant or any other person to be in violation of the Common Share Ownership Limit or the Aggregate Share Ownership Limit (each as defined in the Company’s charter, as amended from time to time) or any other provision of Section 7.2 of the Company’s charter; or

(b) if, in the discretion of the Administrator, the grant, vesting, exercise or settlement of such Award could impair the Company’s status as a REIT;

(c) if, in the discretion of the Administrator, the grant, vesting, exercise or settlement of such Award could impair the Partnership’s status as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

12.9 Effect of Plan upon Other Compensation Plans . The adoption of the Plan shall not affect any other compensation or incentive plans in effect for the Company or any Affiliate. Nothing in the Plan shall be construed to limit the right of the Company or any Affiliate: (a) to establish any other forms of incentives or compensation for Employees, Trustees or Consultants of the Company or any Affiliate or for Employees or Trustees of the Manager or any Affiliate or (b) to grant or assume options or other rights or awards otherwise than under the Plan in connection with any proper corporate purpose including without limitation, the grant or assumption of options in connection with the acquisition by purchase, lease, merger, consolidation or otherwise, of the business, stock or assets of any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, firm or association.

 

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12.10 Compliance with Laws . The Plan, the granting and vesting of Awards under the Plan, the issuance and delivery of Shares and LTIP Units and the payment of money under the Plan or under Awards granted or awarded hereunder are subject to compliance with all Applicable Law and to such approvals by any listing, regulatory or governmental authority as may, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, be necessary or advisable in connection therewith. Any securities delivered under the Plan shall be subject to such restrictions, and the person acquiring such securities shall, if requested by the Company, provide such assurances and representations to the Company as the Company may deem necessary or desirable to assure compliance with all Applicable Law. To the extent permitted by Applicable Law, the Plan and Awards granted or awarded hereunder shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such Applicable Law.

12.11 Titles and Headings, References to Sections of the Code or Exchange Act . The titles and headings of the sections in the Plan are for convenience of reference only and, in the event of any conflict, the text of the Plan, rather than such titles or headings, shall control. References to sections of the Code or the Exchange Act shall include any amendment or successor thereto.

12.12 Governing Law . The Plan and any Programs or Award Agreements hereunder shall be administered, interpreted and enforced under the internal laws of the State of Maryland without regard to conflicts of laws thereof.

12.13 Section  409A . To the extent that the Administrator determines that any Award granted under the Plan is subject to Section 409A of the Code, the Plan, the Program pursuant to which such Award is granted and the Award Agreement evidencing such Award shall incorporate the terms and conditions required by Section 409A of the Code. In that regard, to the extent any Award under the Plan or any other compensatory plan or arrangement is subject to Section 409A of the Code, and such Award or other amount is payable on account of a Participant’s Termination of Service (or any similarly defined term), then (a) such Award or amount shall only be paid to the extent such Termination of Service qualifies as a “separation from service” as defined in Section 409A of the Code, and (b) if such Award or amount is payable to a “specified employee” as defined in Section 409A of the Code then to the extent required in order to avoid a prohibited distribution under Section 409A of the Code, such Award or other compensatory payment shall not be payable prior to the earlier of (i) the expiration of the six-month period measured from the date of the Participant’s Termination of Service, or (ii) the date of the Participant’s death. To the extent applicable, the Plan, the Program and any Award Agreements shall be interpreted in accordance with Section 409A of the Code. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, in the event that following the Effective Date the Administrator determines that any Award may be subject to Section 409A of the Code, the Administrator may (but is not obligated to), without a Participant’s consent, adopt such amendments to the Plan and the applicable Program and Award Agreement or adopt other policies and procedures (including amendments, policies and procedures with retroactive effect), or take any other actions, that the Administrator determines are necessary or appropriate to (A) exempt the Award from Section 409A of the Code and/or preserve the intended tax treatment of the benefits provided with respect to the Award, or (B) comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code and thereby avoid the application of any penalty taxes under Section 409A of the Code. The Company makes no representations or warranties as to the tax treatment of any

 

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Award under Section 409A of the Code or otherwise. The Company shall have no obligation under this Section 12.13 or otherwise to take any action (whether or not described herein) to avoid the imposition of taxes, penalties or interest under Section 409A of the Code with respect to any Award and shall have no liability to any Participant or any other person if any Award, compensation or other benefits under the Plan are determined to constitute non-compliant, “nonqualified deferred compensation” subject to the imposition of taxes, penalties and/or interest under Section 409A of the Code.

12.14 No Rights to Awards . No Eligible Person or other person shall have any claim to be granted any Award pursuant to the Plan, and neither the Company nor the Administrator is obligated to treat Eligible Persons, Participants or any other persons uniformly.

12.15 Unfunded Status of Awards . The Plan is intended to be an “unfunded” plan for incentive compensation. With respect to any payments not yet made to a Participant pursuant to an Award, nothing contained in the Plan or any Program or Award Agreement shall give the Participant any rights that are greater than those of a general creditor of the Company or any Affiliate.

12.16 Indemnification . To the extent allowable pursuant to Applicable Law and the Company’s charter and Bylaws, each member of the Board and any officer or other employee to whom authority to administer any component of the Plan is delegated shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company from any loss, cost, liability, or expense that may be imposed upon or reasonably incurred by such member in connection with or resulting from any claim, action, suit, or proceeding to which he or she may be a party or in which he or she may be involved by reason of any action or failure to act pursuant to the Plan and against and from any and all amounts paid by him or her in satisfaction of judgment in such action, suit, or proceeding against him or her; provided , however , that he or she gives the Company an opportunity, at its own expense, to handle and defend the same before he or she undertakes to handle and defend it on his or her own behalf. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such persons may be entitled pursuant to the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or any power that the Company may have to indemnify them or hold them harmless.

12.17 Relationship to other Benefits . No payment pursuant to the Plan shall be taken into account in determining any benefits under any pension, retirement, savings, profit sharing, group insurance, welfare or other benefit plan of the Company or any Affiliate except to the extent otherwise expressly provided in writing in such other plan or an agreement thereunder.

12.18 Expenses . The expenses of administering the Plan shall be borne by the Company and its Affiliates.

* * * * *

I hereby certify that the foregoing Plan was duly adopted by the Board of Trustees of Spirit MTA REIT on May 1, 2018.

 

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* * * * *

I hereby certify that the foregoing Plan was approved by the shareholders of Spirit MTA REIT on May 31, 2018.

Executed on this 31st day of May, 2018.

 

/s/ Jay Young

 

Corporate Secretary

 

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