ITEM 1A – RISK FACTORS

The following risk factors address the material risks concerning our business. If any of the risks discussed in this report were to occur, our business, prospects, financial condition, results of operation and our ability to service our debt and make distributions to our shareholders could be materially and adversely affected and the market price per share of our stock could decline significantly. Some statements in this report, including statements in the following risk factors, constitute forward-looking statements. Please refer to the section entitled “Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”

Real Estate Industry Risks

Our business and financial results are affected by local real estate conditions in areas where we own properties. We may be affected adversely by general economic conditions and local real estate conditions. For example, an oversupply of industrial properties in a local area or a decline in the attractiveness of our properties to tenants and potential tenants could have a negative effect on us.

Other factors that may affect general economic conditions or local real estate conditions include but are not limited to:

We may be unable to compete with our larger competitors and other alternatives available to tenants or potential tenants of our properties . The real estate business is highly competitive. We compete for properties with other real estate investors and purchasers, including other real estate investment trusts, limited partnerships, syndications and private investors, some of whom may have greater financial resources, revenues and geographical diversity than we have. Furthermore, we compete for tenants with other property owners. All of our industrial properties are subject to significant local competition. We also compete with a wide variety of institutions and other investors for capital funds necessary to support our investment activities and asset growth. To the extent that we are unable to effectively compete in the marketplace, our business may be adversely affected.

We are subject to significant regulation that inhibits our activities and may increase our costs . Local zoning and use laws, environmental statutes and other governmental requirements may restrict expansion, rehabilitation and reconstruction activities. These regulations may prevent us from taking advantage of economic opportunities. Legislation such as the Americans with Disabilities Act may require us to modify our properties at a substantial cost and noncompliance could result in the imposition of fines or an award of damages to private litigants. Future legislation may impose additional requirements. We may incur additional costs to comply with any future requirements.

Our investments are concentrated in the industrial distribution sector and our business would be adversely affected by an economic downturn in that sector . Our investments in real estate assets are primarily concentrated in the industrial distribution sector. This concentration may expose us to the risk of economic downturns in this sector to a greater extent than if our business activities included a more significant portion of other sectors of the real estate industry.

Risks Associated with Our Properties

We may be unable to renew or extend leases or re-let space as leases expire . While we seek to invest in well-located, modern, single tenant, industrial buildings, leased to investment-grade tenants or their subsidiaries on long-term net leases, a number of our properties are subject to short-term leases. When a lease expires, a tenant may elect not to renew or extend it. We may not be able to re-let the property on similar terms, if we are able to re-let the property at all. The terms of renewal, extension or re-lease (including the cost of required renovations and/or concessions to tenants) may be less favorable to us than the prior lease. If we are unable to re-let all or a substantial portion of our properties, or if the rental rates upon such re-letting are significantly lower than expected rates, our cash generated before debt repayments and capital expenditures and our ability to make expected distributions, may be adversely affected. We have established an annual budget for renovation and re-letting expenses that we believe is reasonable in light of each property’s operating history and local market characteristics. However, this budget may not be sufficient to cover these expenses.

Our business is substantially dependent on FedEx Corporation . FDX, together with its subsidiaries, is our largest tenant, consisting of 58 separate stand-alone leases located in 24 different states as of September 30, 2017. As of September 30, 2017, the Company had approximately 18,790,000 square feet of property, of which approximately 9,391,000 square feet, or 50%, were leased to FDX and its subsidiaries (7% from FDX and 43% from FDX subsidiaries). Rental and reimbursement revenue from FDX and its subsidiaries is approximately 60% (7% from FDX and 53% from FDX subsidiaries) of total rental and reimbursement revenue for fiscal 2017. No other tenant accounted for 5% or more of the Company’s total Rental and Reimbursement revenue for fiscal 2017. As a result of this concentration, our business, financial condition and results of operations, including the amount of cash available for distribution to our stockholders, could be adversely affected if we are unable to do business with FDX or FDX reduces its business with us or FDX and its subsidiaries were to become unable to make lease payments because of a downturn in its business or otherwise.

FDX is a publicly-owned company and financial information related to this entity is available at the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov. FDX is rated “BBB” by S&P Global Ratings (www.standardandpoors.com) and is rated “Baa2” by Moody’s (www.moodys.com), which are both considered “Investment Grade” ratings. The references in this report to the SEC’s website, S&P Global Ratings’ website and Moody’s website are not intended to and do not include or incorporate by reference into this report the information of FDX, S&P Global Ratings or Moody’s on such websites.

We are subject to risks involved in single tenant leases . We focus our acquisition activities on real properties that are net-leased to single tenants. Therefore, the financial failure of, or other default by, a single tenant under its lease is likely to cause a significant reduction in the operating cash flow generated by the property leased to that tenant and might decrease the value of that property. In addition, we will be responsible for 100% of the operating costs following a vacancy at a single tenant building.

We may be affected negatively by tenant financial difficulties and leasing delays . At any time, a tenant may experience a downturn in its business that may weaken its financial condition. Similarly, a general decline in the economy may result in a decline in the demand for space at our industrial properties. As a result, our tenants may delay lease commencement, fail to make rental payments when due, or declare bankruptcy. Any such event could result in the termination of that tenant’s lease and losses to us.

We receive a substantial portion of our income as rents under long-term leases. If tenants are unable to comply with the terms of their leases because of rising costs or falling revenues, we, in our sole discretion, may deem it advisable to modify lease terms to allow tenants to pay a lower rental rate or a smaller share of operating costs, taxes and insurance. If a tenant becomes insolvent or bankrupt, we cannot be sure that we could recover the premises from the tenant promptly or from a trustee or debtor-in-possession in any bankruptcy proceeding relating to the tenant. We also cannot be sure that we would receive rent in the proceeding sufficient to cover our expenses with respect to the premises. If a tenant becomes bankrupt, the federal bankruptcy code will apply and, in some instances, may restrict the amount and recoverability of our claims against the tenant. A tenant’s default on its obligations to us for any reason could adversely affect our financial condition and the cash we have available for distribution.

We may be unable to sell properties when appropriate because real estate investments are illiquid. Real estate investments generally cannot be sold quickly and, therefore, will tend to limit our ability to vary our property portfolio promptly in response to changes in economic or other conditions. In addition, the Code may limit our ability to sell our properties. The inability to respond promptly to changes in the performance of our property portfolio could adversely affect our financial condition and ability to service debt and make distributions to our shareholders.

Environmental liabilities could affect our profitability . We face possible environmental liabilities. Environmental laws today can impose liability on a previous owner or operator of a property that owned or operated the property at a time when hazardous or toxic substances were disposed on, or released from, the property. A conveyance of the property, therefore, does not relieve the owner or operator from liability. As a current or former owner and operator of real estate, we may be required by law to investigate and clean up hazardous substances released at or from the properties we currently own or operate or have in the past owned or operated. We may also beliable to the government or to third parties for property damage, investigation costs and cleanup costs. In addition, some environmental laws create a lien on the contaminated site in favor of the government for damages and costs the government incurs in connection with the contamination. Contamination may adversely affect our ability to sell or lease real estate or to borrow using the real estate as collateral. We are not aware of any environmental liabilities relating to our investment properties which would have a material adverse effect on our business, assets, or results of operations. However, we cannot assure you that environmental liabilities will not arise in the future and that such liabilities will not have a material adverse effect on our business, assets or results of operation.

Actions by our competitors may decrease or prevent increases in the occupancy and rental rates of our properties . We compete with other owners and operators of real estate, some of which own properties similar to ours in the same submarkets in which our properties are located. If our competitors offer space at rental rates below current market rates or below the rental rates we currently charge our tenants, we may lose potential tenants, and we may be pressured to reduce our rental rates below those we currently charge in order to retain tenants when our tenants’ leases expire. As a result, our financial condition, cash flow and cash available for distribution, the market price of our preferred and common stock and our ability to satisfy our debt service obligations could be materially and adversely affected.

Coverage under our existing insurance policies may be inadequate to cover losses . Weather conditions and natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, droughts, fires and other environmental conditions can harm our business operations. We generally maintain insurance policies related to our business, including casualty, general liability and other policies, covering our business operations, employees and assets. However, we would be required to bear all losses that are not adequately covered by insurance. In addition, there are certain losses that are not generally insured because it is not economically feasible to insure against them, including losses due to riots or acts of war. If an uninsured loss or a loss in excess of insured limits were to occur with respect to one or more of our properties, then we could lose the capital we invested in the properties, as well as the anticipated future revenue from the properties and, in the case of debt, which is with recourse to us, we would remain obligated for any mortgage debt or other financial obligations related to the properties. Although we believe that our insurance programs are adequate, we cannot assure you that we will not incur losses in excess of our insurance coverage, or that we will be able to obtain insurance in the future at acceptable levels and reasonable costs.

We may be unable to acquire properties on advantageous terms or acquisitions may not perform as we expect. We have acquired individual properties and intend to continue to do so. However, we may be unable to acquire any of the properties that we may identify as potential acquisition opportunities in the future. Our acquisition activities and their success are subject to the following risks:

Financing Risks

We face inherent risks associated with our debt incurrence . We finance a portion of our investments in properties and marketable securities through the incurrence of debt. We are subject to the risks normally associated with debt financing, including the risk that our cash flow will be insufficient to meet required payments of principal and interest. In addition, debt creates other risks, including:

We mortgage our properties, which subjects us to the risk of foreclosure in the event of non-payment. We mortgage many of our properties to secure payment of indebtedness and, if we are unable to meet mortgage payments, the property could be foreclosed upon or transferred to the mortgagee with a consequent loss of income and asset value. A foreclosure of one or more of our properties could adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations, cash flow, and ability to service debt and make distributions and the market price of our preferred and common stock.

We face risks related to “balloon payments” and refinancings. Certain mortgages will have significant outstanding principal balances on their maturity dates, commonly known as “balloon payments.” There can be no assurance that we will have the funds available to fund the balloon payment or that we will be able to refinance the debt on favorable terms or at all. To the extent we cannot either pay off or refinance this debt on favorable terms or at all, we may be forced to dispose of properties on disadvantageous terms or pay higher interest rates, either of which could have an adverse impact on our financial performance and ability to service debt and make distributions.

We face risks associated with our dependence on external sources of capital . In order to qualify as a REIT, we are required each year to distribute to our shareholders at least 90% of our REIT taxable income, and we are subject to tax on our income to the extent it is not distributed. Because of this distribution requirement, we may not be able to fund all future capital needs from cash retained from operations. As a result, to fund capital needs, we rely on third-party sources of capital, which we may not be able to obtain on favorable terms, if at all. Our access to third-party sources of capital depends upon a number of factors, including (i) general market conditions; (ii) the market’s perception of our growth potential; (iii) our current and potential future earnings and cash distributions; and (iv) the market price of our capital stock. Additional debt financing may substantially increase our debt-to-total capitalization ratio. Additional equity issuances may dilute the holdings of our current shareholders.

We may become more highly leveraged, resulting in increased risk of default on our obligations and an increase in debt service requirements which could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations and our ability to pay distributions . We have incurred, and may continue to incur, indebtedness in furtherance of our activities . Our governing documents do not limit the amount of indebtedness we may incur. Accordingly, our Board of Directors may authorize us to incur additional debt and would do so, for example, if it were necessary to maintain our status as a REIT. We could therefore become more highly leveraged, resulting in an increased risk of default on our obligations and an increase in debt service requirements which could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations and our ability to pay distributions to shareholders.

Fluctuations in interest rates could materially affect our financial results. Because a portion of our debt bears interest at variable rates, increases in interest rates could materially increase our interest expense. If the United States Federal Reserve increases short-term interest rates, this may have a significant upward impact on shorter-term interest rates, including the interest rates that our variable rate debt is based upon. Potential future increases in interest rates and credit spreads may increase our interest expense and therefore negatively affect our financial condition and results of operations, and reduce our access to the debt or equity capital markets.

Covenants in our loan documents could limit our flexibility and adversely affect our financial condition . The terms of our various credit agreements and other indebtedness require us to comply with a number of customary financial and other covenants, such as maintaining debt service coverage and leverage ratios and maintaining insurance coverage. These covenants may limit our flexibility in our operations, and breaches of these covenants could result in defaults under the instruments governing the applicable indebtedness even if we had satisfied our payment obligations. If we were to default under credit agreements or other debt instruments, our financial condition could be adversely affected.

Risks Related to our Status as a REIT

If our leases are not respected as true leases for federal income tax purposes, we would fail to qualify as a REIT. To qualify as a REIT, we must, among other things, satisfy two gross income tests, under which specified percentages of our gross income must be passive income, such as rent. For the rent paid pursuant to our leases to qualify for purposes of the gross income tests, the leases must be respected as true leases for federal income tax purposes and not be treated as service contracts, joint ventures or some other type of arrangement. The determination of whether a lease is a true lease depends upon an analysis of all the surrounding facts and circumstances. We believe that our leases will be respected as true leases for federal income tax purposes. However, there can be no assurance that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will agree with this view. If the leases are not respected as true leases for federal income tax purposes, we would not be able to satisfy either of the two gross income tests applicable to REITs, and we could lose our REIT status.

Failure to make required distributions would subject us to additional tax. In order to qualify as a REIT, we must, among other requirements, distribute, each year, to our shareholders at least 90 percent of our taxable income, excluding net capital gains. To the extent that we satisfy the 90 percent distribution requirement, but distribute less than 100 percent of our taxable income, we will be subject to federal corporate income tax on our undistributed income. In addition, we will incur a 4 percent nondeductible excise tax on the amount, if any, by which our distributions (or deemed distributions) and the amounts of income retained on which we have paid corporate income tax in any year are less than the sum of:

To the extent we pay out in excess of 100 percent of our taxable income for any tax year, we may be able to carry forward such excess to subsequent years to reduce our required distributions for purposes of the 4 percent excise tax in such subsequent years. We intend to pay out our income to our shareholders in a manner intended to satisfy the 90 percent distribution requirement. Differences in timing between the recognition of income and the related cash receipts, the effects of non-deductible capital expenditures, the creation of reserves or the effect of required debt amortization payments could require us to borrow money or sell assets (potentially during unfavorable market conditions) to pay out enough of our taxable income to satisfy the 90 percent distribution requirement and to avoid corporate income tax.

We may not have sufficient cash available from operations to pay distributions, and, therefore, distributions may be made from borrowings. The actual amount and timing of distributions will be determined by our Board of Directors in its discretion and typically will depend on the amount of cash available for distribution, which will depend on items such as current and projected cash requirements, limitations on distributions imposed by law or our financing arrangements and tax considerations. As a result, we may not have sufficient cash available from operations to pay distributions as required to maintain our status as a REIT. Therefore, we may need to borrow funds to make sufficient cash distributions in order to maintain our status as a REIT, which may cause us to incur additional interest expense as a result of an increase in borrowed funds for the purpose of paying distributions.

We may be required to pay a penalty tax upon the sale of a property. The federal income tax provisions applicable to REITs provide that any gain realized by a REIT on the sale of property, other than foreclosure property, held as inventory or other property held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business is treated as income from a “prohibited transaction” that is subject to a 100 percent penalty tax. Under current law, unless a sale of real property qualifies for a safe harbor, the question of whether the sale of real estate or other property constitutes the sale of property held primarily for sale to customers is generally a question of the facts and circumstances regarding a particular transaction. It is our intent that we and our subsidiaries will hold the interests in the real estate for investment with a view to long-term appreciation, engage in the business of acquiring and owning real estate, and make occasional sales as are consistent with our investment objectives. We do not intend to engage in prohibited transactions. We cannot assure you, however, that we will only make sales that satisfy the requirements of the safe harbors or that the IRS will not successfully assert that one or more of such sales are prohibited transactions. The 100% tax will not apply to gains from the sale of property that is held through a taxable REIT subsidiary or other taxable corporation, although such income will be subject to tax in the hands of the corporation at regular U.S. federal income tax rates.

We may be adversely affected if we fail to qualify as a REIT . If we fail to qualify as a REIT, we will not be allowed to deduct distributions to shareholders in computing our taxable income and will be subject to federal income tax, including any applicable alternative minimum tax, at regular corporate rates and possibly increased state and local taxes. In addition, we might be barred from qualification as a REIT for the four years following disqualification. The additional tax incurred at regular corporate rates would reduce significantly the cash flow available for distribution to shareholders and for debt service. Furthermore, we would no longer be required to make any distributions to our shareholders as a condition to REIT qualification. Any distributions to shareholders would be taxable as ordinary income to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits, although such dividend distributions would be subject to a top federal income tax rate of 20% (and potentially a Medicare tax of 3.8%), provided applicable requirements of the Internal Revenue Code are satisfied. Corporate distributees, however, may be eligible for the dividends received deduction on the distributions, subject to limitations under the Code.

To qualify as a REIT, we must comply with certain highly technical and complex requirements . We cannot be certain we have complied, and will always be able to comply, with the requirements to qualify as a REIT because there are few judicial and administrative interpretations of these provisions. In addition, facts and circumstances that may be beyond our control may affect our ability to continue to qualify as a REIT. We cannot assure you that new legislation, regulations, administrative interpretations or court decisions will not change the tax laws significantly with respect to our qualification as a REIT or with respect to the federal income tax consequences of qualification. We believe that we have qualified as a REIT since our inception and intend to continue to qualify as a REIT. However, we cannot assure you that we are qualified or will remain qualified.

There is a risk of changes in the tax law applicable to real estate investment trusts . Because the IRS, the United States Treasury Department and Congress frequently review federal income tax legislation, we cannot predict whether, when or to what extent new federal tax laws, regulations, interpretations or rulings will be adopted. Any of such legislative action may prospectively or retroactively modify our tax treatment and, therefore, may adversely affect taxation of us and/or our investors. You are urged to consult with your tax advisor with respect to the status of legislative, regulatory, judicial or administrative developments and proposals and their potential effect on an investment in our securities.

We may be unable to comply with the strict income distribution requirement applicable to REITs . As noted above, to maintain qualification as a REIT under the Code, a REIT must annually distribute to its shareholders at least 90% of its REIT taxable income, excluding the dividends paid deduction and net capital gains. This requirement limits our ability to accumulate capital. We may not have sufficient cash or other liquid assets to meet the 90% distribution requirements. Difficulties in meeting the 90% distribution requirement might arise due to competing demands for our funds or to timing differences between tax reporting and cash receipts and disbursements, because income may have to be reported before cash is received, because expenses may have to be paid before a deduction is allowed, because deductions may be disallowed or limited or because the IRS may make a determination that adjusts reported income. In those situations, we might be required to borrow funds or sell properties on adverse terms in order to meet the 90% distribution requirement and interest and penalties could apply which could adversely affect our financial condition. If we fail to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement, we would cease to be taxed as a REIT.

Notwithstanding our status as a REIT, we are subject to various federal, state and local taxes on our income and property . For example, we will be taxed at regular corporate rates on any undistributed taxable income, including undistributed net capital gains; provided, however, that properly designated undistributed capital gains will effectively avoid taxation at the shareholder level. We may be subject to other federal income taxes and may also have to pay some state income or franchise taxes because not all states treat REITs in the same manner as they are treated for federal income tax purposes. In addition, any taxable REIT subsidiary that we may form will be subject to regular corporate federal, state and local taxes. Any of these taxes would decrease cash available for distributions to stockholders.

Other Risks

We may not be able to access adequate cash to fund our business. Our business requires access to adequate cash to finance our operations, distributions, capital expenditures, debt service obligations, development and redevelopment costs and property acquisition costs, if any. We expect to generate the cash to be used for these purposes primarily with operating cash flow, borrowings under secured and unsecured term loans, proceeds from sales of strategically identified assets and, when market conditions permit, through the issuance of debt and equity securities from time to time. We may not be able to generate sufficient cash to fund our business, particularly if we are unable to renew or extend leases, lease vacant space or re-lease space as leases expire according to expectations.

We are dependent on key personnel. Our executive and other senior officers have a significant role in our success. Our ability to retain our management group or to attract suitable replacements should any members of the management group leave is dependent on the competitive nature of the employment market. The loss of services from key members of the management group or a limitation in their availability could adversely affect our financial condition and cash flow. Further, such a loss could be negatively perceived in the capital markets.

We may amend our business policies without shareholder approval . Our Board of Directors determines our growth, investment, financing, capitalization, borrowing, operations and distributions policies. In addition, our charter provides that our Board of Directors may revoke or otherwise terminate our REIT election, without the approval of our shareholders, if it determines that it is no longer in our best interest to continue to qualify as a REIT. Although our Board of Directors has no present intention to amend or reverse any of these policies, they may be amended or revised without notice to shareholders. Accordingly, shareholders may not have control over changes in our policies. We cannot assure you that changes in our policies will serve fully the interests of all shareholders.

The market value of our preferred and common stock could decrease based on our performance and market perception and conditions . The market value of our preferred and common stock may be based primarily upon the market’s perception of our growth potential and current and future cash dividends, and may be secondarily based upon the real estate market value of our underlying assets. The market price of our preferred and common stock is influenced by their respective distributions relative to market interest rates. Rising interest rates may lead potential buyers of our stock to expect a higher distribution rate, which could adversely affect the market price of our stock. In addition, rising interest rates could result in increased expense, thereby adversely affecting cash flow and our ability to service our indebtedness and pay distributions.

There are restrictions on the ownership and transfer of our capital stock . To maintain our qualification as a REIT under the Code, no more than 50% in value of our outstanding capital stock may be owned, actually or by attribution, by five or fewer individuals, as defined in the Code to also include certain entities, during the last half of a taxable year. Accordingly, our charter contains provisions restricting the ownership and transfer of our capital stock. These restrictions may discourage a tender offer or other transaction, or a change in management or of control of us that might involve a premium price for our common stock or preferred stock or that our shareholders otherwise believe to be in their best interests, and may result in the transfer of shares acquired in excess of the restrictions to a trust for the benefit of a charitable beneficiary and, as a result, the forfeiture by the acquirer of the benefits of owning the additional shares.

Our earnings are dependent, in part, upon the performance of our investment portfolio . As permitted by the Code, we invest in and own marketable securities of other REITs, which we generally limit to no more than approximately 10% of our undepreciated assets (which is our total assets excluding accumulated depreciation). To the extent that the value of those investments declines or those investments do not provide an attractive return, our earnings and cash flow could be adversely affected.

We are subject to restrictions that may impede our ability to effect a change in control . Certain provisions contained in our charter and bylaws and certain provisions of Maryland law may have the effect of discouraging a third party from making an acquisition proposal for us and thereby inhibit a change in control. These provisions include the following:

We cannot assure you that we will be able to pay distributions regularly. Our ability to pay distributions in the future is dependent on our ability to operate profitably and to generate cash from our operations and the operations of our subsidiaries and is subject to limitations under our financing arrangements and Maryland law. Under the Maryland General Corporation Law, or the MGCL, a Maryland corporation generally may not make a distribution if, after giving effect to the distribution, the corporation would not be able to pay its debts as the debts became due in the usual course of business, or the corporation’s total assets would be less than the sum of its total liabilities plus, unless the charter permits otherwise, the amount that would be needed if the corporation were to be dissolved at the time of the distribution to satisfy the preferential rights upon dissolution of stockholders whose preferential rights on dissolution are superior to those receiving the distribution. Accordingly, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to pay distributions on a regular quarterly basis in the future.

Future terrorist attacks and military conflicts could have a material adverse effect on general economic conditions, consumer confidence and market liquidity. Among other things, it is possible that interest rates may be affected by these events. An increase in interest rates may increase our costs of borrowing, leading to a reduction in our earnings. Terrorist acts could also result in significant damages to, or loss of, our properties. We and our tenants may be unable to obtain adequate insurance coverage on acceptable economic terms for losses resulting from acts of terrorism. Our lenders may require that we carry terrorism insurance even if we do not believe this insurance is necessary or cost effective. We may also be prohibited under the applicable lease from passing all or a portion of the cost of such insurance through to the tenant. Should an act of terrorism result in an uninsured loss or a loss in excess of insured limits, we could lose capital invested in a property, as well as the anticipated future revenues from a property, while remaining obligated for any mortgage indebtedness or other financial obligations related to the property. Any loss of these types could adversely affect our financial condition.

Disruptions in the financial markets could affect our ability to obtain financing on reasonable terms and have other adverse effects on us and the market price of our capital stock. Over the last several years, the United States stock and credit markets have experienced significant price volatility, dislocations and liquidity disruptions, which have caused market prices of many stocks and debt securities to fluctuate substantially and the spreads on prospective debt financing to widen considerably. Continued uncertainty in the stock and credit markets may negatively impact our ability to access additional financing at reasonable terms, which may negatively affect our ability to acquire properties and otherwise pursue our investment strategy. A prolonged downturn in the stock or credit markets may cause us to seek alternative sources of potentially less attractive financing, and may require us to adjust our investment strategy accordingly. These types of events in the stock and credit markets may make it more difficult or costly for us to raise capital through the issuance of the common stock, preferred stock or debt securities. The potential disruptions in the financial markets may have a material adverse effect on the market value of the common stock and preferred stock and the return we receive on our properties and investments, as well as other unknown adverse effects on us or the economy in general.

We are subject to risks arising from litigation. We may become involved in litigation. Litigation can be costly, and the results of litigation are often difficult to predict. We may not have adequate insurance coverage or contractual protection to cover costs and liability in the event we are sued, and to the extent we resort to litigation to enforce our rights, we may incur significant costs and ultimately be unsuccessful or unable to recover amounts we believe are owed to us. We may have little or no control of the timing of litigation, which presents challenges to our strategic planning.

Dividends on our capital stock do not qualify for the reduced tax rates available for some dividends. Income from “qualified dividends” payable to U.S. stockholders that are individuals, trusts and estates are generally subject to tax at preferential rates. Dividends payable by REITs, however, generally are not eligible for the preferential tax rates applicable to qualified dividend income. Although these rules do not adversely affect our taxation or the dividends payable by us, to the extent that the preferential rates continue to apply to regular corporate qualified dividends, investors who are individuals, trusts and estates may perceive an investment in us to be relatively less attractive than an investment in the stock of a non-REIT corporation that pays dividends, which could materially and adversely affect the value of the shares of, and per share trading price of, our capital stock.