Glimcher Realty Trust 7.5% Series H Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares of Beneficial Interest (Liquidation Preference of $25.00) _________________ Underwriting Agreement

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 1, 2012

 

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC,

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith

c/o Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

301 S. College Street

Charlotte, NC 28202

 

c/o Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith

Incorporated

One Bryant Park

New York, NY 10036

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Glimcher Realty Trust, a Maryland real estate investment trust (the “Company”), which is a limited partner of Glimcher Properties Limited Partnership, a Delaware limited partnership (the “Partnership”), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell to the Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”) an aggregate of 3,600,000 shares (the “Firm Shares”) and, at the election of the Representatives, up to 400,000 additional shares to cover over-allotments (the “Optional Shares”) of 7.5% Series H Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares of Beneficial Interest, par value $0.01 per share (the “Preferred Stock”), of the Company (the Firm Shares and the Optional Shares that the Underwriters elect to pursuant to Section 2 hereof being collectively called the “Shares”). References throughout this Agreement to “subsidiaries” shall include the Partnership. References throughout this Agreement to “you” or “your” shall refer to Wells Fargo Securities, LLC and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, as representatives of the several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto.

 

 

1.           The Company and the Partnership, jointly and severally, represent and warrant to, and agree with, each of the Underwriters that:

 

(a)           A registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-172462) (the “Initial Registration Statement”) in respect of the Shares has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”); the Initial Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, each in the form heretofore delivered to you and, excluding exhibits to the Initial Registration Statement, but including all documents incorporated by reference in the prospectus included therein, to you for each of the other Underwriters have been declared effective by the Commission in such form; other than a registration statement, if any, increasing the size of the offering (a “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement”), filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), which became effective upon filing, no other document with respect to the Initial Registration Statement or document incorporated by reference therein has heretofore been filed, or transmitted for filing, with the Commission (other than prospectuses filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Act, each in the form heretofore delivered to the Representatives); and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Initial Registration Statement, any post-effective amendment thereto or any part thereof or the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission (the base prospectus filed as part of the Initial Registration Statement, in the form in which it has most recently been filed with the Commission on or prior to the date of this Agreement relating to the Shares, is hereinafter called the “Basic Prospectus”; any preliminary prospectus (including any preliminary prospectus supplement) relating to the Shares filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act is hereinafter called a “Preliminary Prospectus”; the various parts of the Initial Registration Statement and the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, including all exhibits thereto and including any prospectus supplement relating to the Shares that is filed with the Commission and deemed by virtue of Rule 430B under the Act to be part of the Initial Registration Statement at the time it became effective, each as amended at the time such part of the Initial Registration Statement became effective or such part of the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, became or hereafter becomes effective, are hereinafter collectively called the “Registration Statement”; the Basic Prospectus, as amended and supplemented immediately prior to the Applicable Time (as defined in Section 1(c) hereof), is hereinafter called the “Pricing Prospectus”; the form of the final prospectus relating to the Shares filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof is hereinafter called the “Prospectus”; any reference herein to the Basic Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3, as of the date of such prospectus; any reference to any amendment or supplement to the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, any prospectus supplement relating to the Shares filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act and any documents filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and incorporated therein, in each case after the date of the Basic Prospectus, such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be; any reference to any amendment to the Registration Statement shall be deemed to refer to and include any annual report of the Company filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the effective date of the Registration Statement that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement; and any “issuer free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 433 under the Act relating to the Shares is hereinafter called an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”);

 

 

(b)           No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and did not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by an Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein;

 

(c)           For the purposes of this Agreement, the “Applicable Time” is 11:40 a.m. (Eastern time) on the date of this Agreement. The Pricing Prospectus as supplemented by the final term sheet prepared and filed pursuant to Section 5(a) hereof and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, taken together (the “Pricing Disclosure Package”), as of the Applicable Time, did not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Schedule II(a) hereto does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus and each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as supplemented by and taken together with the Pricing Prospectus as of the Applicable Time, did not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to statements or omissions made in an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by an Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein;

 

(d)           The documents incorporated by reference in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and none of such documents contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Prospectus or any further amendment or supplement thereto, when such documents become effective or are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by an Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein; and no such documents were filed with the Commission since the Commission’s close of business on the business day immediately prior to the date of this Agreement and prior to the execution of this Agreement, except as set forth on Schedule II(b) hereto;

 

 

(e)           The Registration Statement conforms, and the Prospectus and any further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and do not and will not, as of the applicable effective date as to each part of the Registration Statement and as of the applicable filing date as to the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by an Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein;

 

(f)           Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Prospectus any material loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus; and, since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Pricing Prospectus, there has not been any change greater than 5%, in the aggregate, in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the general affairs, management, financial position, shareholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as whole, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus;

 

(g)           The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as are described in the Pricing Prospectus or such as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries; and any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company and its subsidiaries;

 

(h)           The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a real estate investment trust in good standing under the laws of the State of Maryland, with power and authority (trust and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Pricing Prospectus, and has been duly qualified as a foreign entity for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties or conducts any business so as to require such qualification, or is subject to no material liability or disability by reason of the failure to be so qualified in any such jurisdiction; and each subsidiary of the Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation or other entity in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization;

 

(i)           The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Pricing Prospectus and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and conform to the description of the Preferred Stock contained in the Pricing Prospectus and Prospectus; all of the issued shares of capital stock or other equity interests of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and (except (i) where such shares or interests have been or currently serve as collateral that is pledged to secure property level mortgage debt or financing, (ii) where a subsidiary is a joint venture vehicle and partially-owned by a joint venture partner of the Company and (iii) as otherwise set forth in the Pricing Prospectus) are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims; and all of the issued partnership interests of the Partnership have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable. The Articles Supplementary designating the rights and preferences of the Preferred Stock (the “Articles Supplementary”) will be in full force and effect on or prior to the Time of Delivery and have been filed with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland and will comply with applicable legal requirements. The terms of the Shares will conform in all material respects to all statements relating thereto contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package and Prospectus and such description will conform in all material respects to the rights set forth in the Articles Supplementary;

 

(j)           The issuance of the Shares has been duly and validly authorized by the Company. When issued and delivered against payment therefor in accordance with this Agreement, the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and none of the Shares will have been issued in violation of preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company, and will conform to the descriptions thereof in the Pricing Disclosure Package and Prospectus; and the Common Shares of Beneficial Interest, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Shares”) issuable upon conversion of the Preferred Stock have been duly and validly authorized by the Company and reserved for issuance upon conversion of the Preferred Stock and, upon issuance thereof upon conversion of the Preferred Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable;

 

(k)          Except as has been disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus and Prospectus, the issuance of the Shares and Common Shares issuable upon conversion thereof will not cause any holder of any shares of capital stock of the Company, securities of the Company convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for capital stock of the Company or options, warrants or other rights to purchase capital stock or any other securities of the Company to have any right to acquire any securities of the Company;

 

(l)           The Company will have applied to have the Shares and the Common Shares issuable upon conversion thereof approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange prior to the Time of Delivery; the Company is in compliance with the rules and regulations of the New York Stock Exchange, including without limitation, the requirements for continued listing of the Common Shares on New York Stock Exchange, and there are no actions, suits or proceedings pending, threatened or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated, and the Company has not received any notice from the New York Stock Exchange, regarding the revocation of such or otherwise regarding the delisting of the Common Shares from the New York Stock Exchange;

 

 

(m)         This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the Partnership and is a valid, binding and enforceable obligation of the Company and the Partnership;

 

(n)          None of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will violate or result in a violation of Section 7 of the Exchange Act, or any regulation promulgated thereunder, including, without limitation, Regulations T, U, and X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System;

 

(o)          Prior to the date hereof, neither the Company nor any of its affiliates (including the Partnership) has taken any action which is designed to or which has constituted or which might have been expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company in connection with the offering of the Shares;

 

(p)          The issue and sale of the Shares, the issuance of the Common Shares upon conversion thereof, and the compliance by the Company with this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the Declaration of Trust, Bylaws, certificate of limited partnership, partnership agreement or similar organization documents of the Company or its subsidiaries or (iii) result in a violation of any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties, except in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) for conflicts, breaches or violations that would not, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably expected to have a material adverse change in or affect the general affairs, management, financial position, shareholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Effect”); and no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body is required for the issue and sale of the Shares or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement except such as have been obtained under the Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters;

 

(q)          Other than as set forth in the Pricing Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject, which, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others;

 

(r)           Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its Declaration of Trust, Bylaws, certificate of limited partnership, partnership agreement or similar organizational documents or (ii) in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound, except, in the case of clause (ii), for such defaults which would not, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

 

(s)          The statements set forth in the Pricing Prospectus and Prospectus under the captions “Description of Capital Shares”, “Description of Common Shares” and “Description of the Series H Preferred Shares”, insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the Common Shares and the Preferred Stock, under the caption “Taxation” and under the captions “Certain Provisions of Maryland Law and Our Declaration of Trust and Amended and Restated Bylaws”, and “Underwriting”, insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein, are accurate, complete and fair summaries, in all material respects, of the matters referred to therein;

 

(t)           Neither the Company nor the Partnership is and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof, will be an “investment company”, as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”);

 

(u)          At the earliest time after the filing of the Initial Registration Statement that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the Act) of the Shares, the Company was not an “ineligible issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the Act;

 

(v)          BDO USA, LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, and have audited the Company’s internal control over financial reporting and management’s assessment thereof, are independent registered public accountants as required by the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder;

 

(w)          The Company maintains a system of internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act) that complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act and has been designed by the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer, or under their supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The Company’s internal control over financial reporting is effective and the Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting;

 

(x)           Since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Prospectus, there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting;

 

(y)           The Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act; such disclosure controls and procedures have been designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company and its subsidiaries is made known to the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer by others within those entities; and such disclosure controls and procedures are effective;

 

 

(z)           Other than as set forth in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, the property, assets and operations of the Company and its subsidiaries comply in all material respects with all applicable federal, state and local law, rule, order, decree, judgment, injunction, license, permit and regulation relating to environmental matters (the "Environmental Laws”); to the knowledge of the Company, none of the property, assets or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries is the subject of any federal, state or local investigation evaluating whether any remedial action is needed to respond to a release into the environment of any substance regulated by, or form the basis of liability under, any Environmental Laws (a "Hazardous Material"), or is in contravention of any Environmental Law that would have a Material Adverse Effect; neither the Company nor any subsidiary has received any notice or claim, nor are there pending or, to the Company's knowledge, threatened lawsuits against them with respect to violations of an Environmental Law or in connection with the release of any Hazardous Material into the environment that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and neither the Company nor any subsidiary has any contingent liability in connection with any release of Hazardous Material into the environment, that is material with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

 

(aa)         The Company has qualified to be taxed as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) pursuant to Sections 856 through 860 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), for each of its taxable years from its inception through the most recently completed taxable year, the Company intends to operate in a manner which allows the Company to continue to meet the requirements for taxation as a REIT under the Code and the Company’s present and contemplated organization, ownership, method of operation, assets and income, taking into account the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein, are such that the Company will so qualify for the current taxable year and in future taxable years; and

 

(bb)         The Company and its subsidiaries have paid all federal, state, local and foreign taxes and filed all tax returns required to be paid or filed through the date hereof; there is no tax deficiency that has been, or could reasonably be expected to be, asserted against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets.

 

2.           Subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, (a) the Company agrees to issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at a purchase price per share of $24.2125, the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto and (b) in the event and to the extent that the Underwriters shall exercise the election to purchase Optional Shares as provided below, the Company agrees to issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the purchase price per share set forth in clause (a) of this Section 2, that portion of the number of Optional Shares as to which such election shall have been exercised (to be adjusted by you so as to eliminate fractional shares) determined by multiplying such number of Optional Shares by a fraction, the numerator of which is the maximum number of Optional Shares which such Underwriter is entitled to purchase as set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto and the denominator of which is the maximum number of Optional Shares that all of the Underwriters are entitled to purchase hereunder.

 

 

 

3.           Upon the authorization by you of the release of the Shares, the several Underwriters propose to offer the Shares for sale upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus.

 

4.           (a)           The Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter hereunder, in definitive form, and in such authorized denominations and registered in such names as Wells Fargo Securities, LLC may request upon at least forty-eight hours’ prior notice to the Company shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Company to Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), for the account of such Underwriter, against payment by or on behalf of such Underwriter of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of Federal (same-day) funds to the account specified by the Company to Wells Fargo Securities, LLC at least forty-eight hours in advance. The Company will cause the certificates representing the Shares to be made available for checking and packaging at least twenty-four hours prior to the Time of Delivery (as defined below) at the office of DTC or its designated custodian (the “Designated Office”). The time and date of such delivery and payment shall be, with respect to the Firm Shares, 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on August 10, 2012 or such other time and date as Wells Fargo Securities, LLC and the Company may agree upon in writing, and, with respect to the Optional Shares, 9:30 a.m., New York time, on the date specified by Wells Fargo Securities, LLC of the Underwriters’ election to purchase such Optional Shares, or such other time and date as Wells Fargo Securities, LLC and the Company may agree upon in writing. Such time and date for delivery of the Firm Shares is herein called the “First Time of Delivery”, such time and date for delivery of the Optional Shares, if not the First Time of Delivery, is herein called the “Second Time of Delivery”, and each such time and date for delivery is herein called a “Time of Delivery”.

 

(b)           The documents to be delivered at each Time of Delivery by or on behalf of the parties hereto pursuant to Section 8 hereof, including the cross-receipt for the Shares and any additional documents requested by the Underwriters pursuant to Section 8(i) hereof, will be delivered at the offices of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, 125 Broad Street, New York, New York 10004 (the “Closing Location”), and the Shares will be delivered at the Designated Office, all at such Time of Delivery. A meeting will be held at the Closing Location at 6:00 p.m., New York City time, on the New York Business Day next preceding such Time of Delivery, at which meeting the final drafts of the documents to be delivered pursuant to the preceding sentence will be available for review by the parties hereto. For the purposes of this Section 4, “New York Business Day” shall mean each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not a day on which banking institutions in New York are generally authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

 

5.           The Company and the Partnership, jointly and severally, agree with each of the Underwriters:

 

(a)           To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by you and to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act not later than the Commission’s close of business on the second business day following the date of this Agreement or such earlier time as may be required under the Act; to make no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus or the Prospectus prior to the last Time of Delivery which shall be reasonably disapproved by you promptly after reasonable notice thereof; to advise you, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus has been filed and to furnish you with copies thereof; to prepare a final term sheet, containing solely a description of the Shares, in a form set forth in Schedule III and to file such term sheet pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act within the time required by such Rule; to file promptly all other material required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act; within the time required by such Rule; to file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and for so long as the delivery of a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) is required in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares; to advise you, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or other prospectus in respect of the Shares, of the suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose, or of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or for additional information; and, in the event of the issuance of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or other prospectus or suspending any such qualification, to promptly use its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of such order;

 

(b)           Promptly from time to time to take such action as you may reasonably request to qualify the Shares for offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as you may request and to comply with such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of the Shares, provided that in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign entity or to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction or to subject itself to taxation in any jurisdiction if it is not otherwise so subject;

 

 

(c)           Prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the New York Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and from time to time, to furnish the Underwriters with written and electronic copies of the Prospectus in New York City in such quantities as you may reasonably request, and, if the delivery of a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) is required at any time prior to the expiration of nine months after the time of issue of the Prospectus in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares and if at such time any event shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary during such same period to amend or supplement the Prospectus or to file under the Exchange Act any document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus in order to comply with the Act or the Exchange Act, to notify you and upon your request to file such document and to prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter and to any dealer in securities as many written and electronic copies as you may from time to time reasonably request of an amended Prospectus or a supplement to the Prospectus which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; and in case any Underwriter is required to deliver a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) in connection with sales of any of the Shares at any time nine months or more after the time of issue of the Prospectus, upon your request but at the expense of such Underwriter, to prepare and deliver to such Underwriter as many written and electronic copies as you may request of an amended or supplemented Prospectus complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act;

 

(d)           To make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than sixteen months after the effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c) under the Act), an earnings statement of the Company and its subsidiaries (which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (including, at the option of the Company, Rule 158);

 

(e)           During the period beginning from the date hereof and continuing to and including the date 30 days after the date of the Prospectus, not to offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, grant any option to purchase, make any short sale or otherwise dispose, except as provided hereunder, of any securities of the Company that are substantially similar to the Shares, including but not limited to any options or warrants to purchase shares of Preferred Stock or any securities that are convertible into or exchangeable for, or that represent the right to receive, Preferred Stock or any such substantially similar securities (other than pursuant to employee stock option plans existing on, or upon the conversion or exchange of convertible or exchangeable securities outstanding as of, the date of this Agreement), without your prior written consent; provided that the Company shall be permitted to redeem outstanding shares of its 8.75% Series F Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares and its 8.125% Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package;

 

(f)           If the Company elects to rely upon Rule 462(b), the Company shall file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in compliance with Rule 462(b) by 10:00 p.m., Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement, and the Company shall at the time of filing either pay the Commission the filing fee for the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or give irrevocable instructions for the payment of such fee pursuant to Rule 111(b) under the Act;

 

(g)           Upon request of any Underwriter, to furnish, or cause to be furnished, to such Underwriter an electronic version of the Company’s trademarks, servicemarks and corporate logo for use on the website, if any, operated by such Underwriter for the purpose of facilitating the on-line offering of the Shares (the “License”); provided, however, that the License shall be used solely for the purpose described above, is granted without any fee and may not be assigned or transferred;

 

 

(h)           To use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Shares in the manner specified in the Pricing Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds”; and

 

(i)           To use its best efforts to list, subject to notice of issuance, the Shares on the New York Stock Exchange and to effect and maintain the listing of the Common Shares issuable upon conversion of the Preferred Stock on the New York Stock Exchange.

 

(j)           To reserve and keep available at all times the full number of Common Shares issuable upon conversion of the Shares as authorized but unissued Common Shares.

 

6.           (a)           The Company represents and agrees that, without the prior consent of the Representatives, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute a “free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 405 under the Act; each Underwriter represents and agrees that, without the prior consent of the Company and the Representatives, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute a free writing prospectus; any such free writing prospectus the use of which has been consented to by the Company and the Representatives is listed on Schedule II hereto;

 

(b)           The Company has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 under the Act applicable to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing with the Commission or retention where required and legending; and

 

(c)           The Company agrees that if at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus any event occurred or occurs as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus would conflict with the information in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then prevailing, not misleading, the Company will give prompt notice thereof to the Representatives and, if requested by the Representatives, will prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or other document which will correct such conflict, statement or omission; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions in an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by an Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein.

 

 

7.           The Company and the Partnership, jointly and severally, covenant and agree with the several Underwriters that the Company will pay or cause to be paid the following: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel and accountants in connection with the registration of the Shares under the Act and all other expenses in connection with the preparation, printing, reproduction and filing of the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers; (ii) the cost of printing or producing any Agreement among Underwriters, this Agreement, any Blue Sky Memorandum, closing documents (including any compilations thereof) and any other documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Shares; (iii) all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Shares for offering and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 5(b) hereof, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky survey(s); (iv) any filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with, any required review by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority of the terms of the sale of the Shares; (v) the cost of preparing certificates for the Shares; (vi) the cost and charges of any transfer agent or registrar or dividend disbursing agent; (vii) all fees and expenses in connection with listing the Shares on the Exchange; and (viii) all other costs and expenses incurred by the Company or any of its subsidiaries incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section. It is understood, however, that, except as provided in this Section, and Sections 9 and 12 hereof, the Underwriters will pay all of their own costs and expenses, including the fees of their counsel, transfer taxes on resale of any of the Shares by them, and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.

 

8.           The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder, as to the Shares to be delivered at each Time of Delivery, shall be subject, in their discretion, to the condition that all representations and warranties and other statements of the Company and the Partnership herein are, at and as of such Time of Delivery, true and correct, the condition that the Company and the Partnership shall have performed all of their obligations hereunder theretofore to be performed, and the following additional conditions:

 

(a)           The Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by the rules and regulations under the Act and in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof; the final term sheet contemplated by Section 5(a) hereof, and any other material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time period prescribed for such filings by Rule 433; if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 462(b) under the Act, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall have become effective by 10:00 p.m., Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof shall have been issued and no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission; no stop order suspending or preventing the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been initiated or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission; and all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission shall have been complied with to your reasonable satisfaction;

 

(b)           Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, shall have furnished to you such written opinion or opinions, dated such Time of Delivery, and such counsel shall have received such papers and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters;

 

(c)           Squire Sanders (US) LLP, securities counsel for the Company, McDonald Hopkins L.L.C., tax counsel for the Company, and internal counsel for the Company shall have furnished to you their written opinions, dated as of such Time of Delivery, in form and substance satisfactory to you, to the effect set forth on Annex II(a);

 

 

(d)           On the date of the Prospectus at a time prior to the execution of this Agreement, at 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on the effective date of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement filed subsequent to the date of this Agreement and also at each Time of Delivery, BDO USA, LLP shall have furnished to you a letter or letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof, in form and substance satisfactory to you (the executed copy of the letter delivered prior to the execution of this Agreement is attached as Annex I(a) hereto and a form of letter to be delivered on the effective date of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, and as of the Time of Delivery, is attached as Annex I(b) hereto);

 

(e)           (i) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries shall have sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Prospectus any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus, and (ii) since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Pricing Prospectus there shall not have been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the general affairs, management, financial position, shareholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i) or (ii), is in your judgment so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus;

 

(f)           On or after the Applicable Time (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded the Company’s debt securities or preferred shares by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization”, as that term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Act, and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, with possible negative implications, its rating of any of the Company’s debt securities or preferred shares;

 

(g)           On or after the Applicable Time there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) a suspension or material limitation in trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange; (ii) a suspension or material limitation in trading in the Company’s securities on the New York Stock Exchange; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities declared by either Federal or New York State authorities or a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States; (iv) the outbreak or escalation of hostilities involving the United States or the declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war or (v) the occurrence of any other calamity or crisis or any change in financial, political or economic conditions in the United States or elsewhere, if the effect of any such event specified in clause (iv) or (v) in your judgment makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Shares being delivered at such Time of Delivery on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus;

 

 

(h)          The Shares at the Time of Delivery shall have been duly listed, subject to notice of issuance, on the New York Stock Exchange;

 

(i)           The Company shall have filed the Articles Supplementary with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland;

 

(j)           The Company shall have complied with the provisions of Section 5(c) hereof with respect to the furnishing of prospectuses on the New York Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement; and

 

(k)          The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to you at such Time of Delivery certificates of officers of the Company satisfactory to you as to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company and the Partnership herein at and as of such Time of Delivery, as to the performance by the Company of all of its obligations hereunder to be performed at or prior to such Time of Delivery, as to the matters set forth in subsections (a) and (e) of this Section and as to such other matters as you may reasonably request.

 

9.           (a)           The Company and the Partnership, jointly and severally, will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter and the directors, officers, employees, affiliates and agents of each Underwriter against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which they or any of them may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse each such indemnified party for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company and the Partnership shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein.

 

(b)           Each Underwriter will indemnify and hold harmless the Company against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein; and will reimburse the Company for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred.

 

 

(c)           Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under such subsection. In case any such action shall be brought against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and, after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by such indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. No indemnifying party shall, without the written consent of the indemnified party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified party is an actual or potential party to such action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes an unconditional release of the indemnified party from all liability arising out of such action or claim and (ii) does not include any statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

 

(d)           If the indemnification provided for in this Section 9 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Partnership on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Shares. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law or if the indemnified party failed to give the notice required under subsection (c) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company and the Partnership on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company and the Partnership on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company, the Partnership and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this subsection (d) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this subsection (d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters' obligations in this subsection (d) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.

 

 

(e)           The obligations of the Company and the Partnership under this Section 9 shall be in addition to any liability which the Company and the Partnership may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Act and each broker-dealer affiliate of any Underwriter; and the obligations of the Underwriters under this Section 9 shall be in addition to any liability which the respective Underwriters may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each officer and director of the Company and to each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Act.

 

10.           (a)           If any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to purchase the Shares which it has agreed to purchase hereunder at each Time of Delivery, you may in your discretion arrange for you or another party or other parties to purchase such Shares on the terms contained herein. If within thirty-six hours after such default by any Underwriter you do not arrange for the purchase of such Shares, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of thirty-six hours within which to procure another party or other parties satisfactory to you to purchase such Shares on such terms. In the event that, within the respective prescribed periods, you notify the Company that you have so arranged for the purchase of such Shares, or the Company notifies you that it has so arranged for the purchase of such Shares, you or the Company shall have the right to postpone such Time of Delivery for a period of not more than seven days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any other documents or arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which in your opinion may thereby be made necessary. The term “Underwriter” as used in this Agreement shall include any person substituted under this Section with like effect as if such person had originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such Shares.

 

(b)           If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by you and the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate number of such Shares which remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate number of all the Shares to be purchased at such Time of Delivery, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the number of Shares which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder at such Time of Delivery and, in addition, to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase its pro rata share (based on the number of Shares which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Shares of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.

 

(c)           If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by you and the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate number of such Shares which remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate number of all the Shares to be purchased at such Time of Delivery, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in subsection (b) above to require non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters, then this Agreement (or, with respect to the Second Time of Delivery, the obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and of the Company to sell the Optional Shares) shall thereupon terminate, without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company, except for the expenses to be borne by the Company and the Underwriters as provided in Section 7 hereof and the indemnity and contribution agreements in Section 9 hereof; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.

 

11.           The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company and the Partnership and the several Underwriters, as set forth in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any controlling person of any Underwriter, or the Company, or any officer or director or controlling person of the Company, and shall survive delivery of and payment for the Shares.

 

12.           If this Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to Section 10 hereof, the Company and the Partnership shall not then be under any liability to any Underwriter except as provided in Sections 7 and 9 hereof; but, if for any other reason, any Shares are not delivered by or on behalf of the Company as provided herein, the Company and the Partnership will reimburse the Underwriters through you for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses approved in writing by you, including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel, incurred by the Underwriters in making preparations for the purchase, sale and delivery of the Shares not so delivered, but the Company and the Partnership shall then be under no further liability to any Underwriter except as provided in Sections 7 and 9 hereof.

 

 

13.           In all dealings hereunder, you shall act on behalf of each of the Underwriters, and the parties hereto shall be entitled to act and rely upon any statement, request, notice or agreement on behalf of any Underwriter made or given by you.

 

All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in writing, and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to you as the representatives at Wells Fargo Securities, LLC at 301 S. College Street, 6th Floor, Charlotte, NC 28202, Attention: Transaction Management, Facsimile: 704 ###-###-#### and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, 50 Rockefeller Center, NY 1-050-12-02, New York, NY 10020, Attention: High Grade Transaction Management/Legal, Facsimile: 646 ###-###-####; and if to the Company or the Partnership shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to the address of the Company set forth in the Registration Statement, Attention: Secretary; provided, however, that any notice to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 9(c) hereof shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to such Underwriter at its address set forth in its Underwriters' Questionnaire, or telex constituting such Questionnaire, which address will be supplied to the Company by you upon request. Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect upon receipt thereof.

 

In accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the underwriters are required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies their respective clients, including the Company, which information may include the name and address of their respective clients, as well as other information that will allow the underwriters to properly identify their respective clients.

 

14.           This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure solely to the benefit of, the Underwriters, the Company, the Partnership and, to the extent provided in Sections 8 and 10 hereof, the officers and directors of the Company and each person who controls the Company or any Underwriter, and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and no other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. No purchaser of any of the Shares from any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason merely of such purchase.

 

15.           Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement. As used herein, the term “business day” shall mean any day when the Commission’s office in Washington, D.C. is open for business.

 

16.           The Company and the Partnership acknowledge and agree that (i) the purchase and sale of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement is an arm's-length commercial transaction between the Company and the Partnership, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other, (ii) in connection therewith and with the process leading to such transaction each Underwriter is acting solely as a principal and not the agent or fiduciary of the Company or the Partnership, (iii) no Underwriter has assumed an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company or the Partnership with respect to the offering contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company or the Partnership on other matters) or any other obligation to the Company or the Partnership except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement and (iv) the Company and the Partnership have consulted their own legal and financial advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate. The Company and the Partnership agree that they will not claim that the Underwriters, or any of them, has rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owes a fiduciary or similar duty to the Company or the Partnership, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.

 

 

17.           This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) among the Company, the Partnership and the Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof.

 

18.           THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY MATTERS RELATED TO THIS TRANSACTION SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICT OF LAWS THAT WOULD RESULT IN THE APPLICATION OF ANY LAW OTHER THAN THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. The Company and the Partnership agree that any suit or proceeding arising in respect of this agreement or our engagement will be tried exclusively in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York or, if that court does not have subject matter jurisdiction, in any state court located in The City and County of New York and the Company and the Partnership agree to submit to the jurisdiction of, and to venue in, such courts.

 

19.           The Company, the Partnership and each of the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

20.           Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Company and the Partnership are authorized to disclose to any persons U.S. federal and state tax treatment and tax structure of the potential transaction and all materials of any kind (including tax opinions and other tax analyses) provided to the Company and the Partnership relating to that treatment and structure, without the Underwriters imposing any limitation of any kind. However, any information relating to the tax treatment and tax structure shall remain confidential (and the foregoing sentence shall not apply) to the extent necessary to enable any person to comply with securities laws. For this purpose, “tax structure” is limited to any facts that may be relevant to that treatment."

 

21.           This Agreement may be executed by any one or more of the parties hereto in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such respective counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.

 

 

22.           This Agreement and all documents, agreements, understandings and arrangements relating hereto have been executed by the undersigned in his/her capacity as an officer or trustee of the Company, which has been formed as a Maryland real estate investment trust pursuant to an Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust of the Company dated as of November 1, 1993, as amended, and not individually, and neither the trustees, officers or shareholders of the Company nor the trustees, directors, officers or shareholders of any subsidiary or affiliate of the Company shall be bound or have any personal liability hereunder or thereunder. You shall look solely to the assets of the Company or the Partnership for satisfaction of any liability of the Company or the Partnership in respect of this Agreement and will not seek recourse or commence any action against any of the trustees, officers, agents or shareholders of the Company or any of the trustees, directors, agents, officers or shareholders of any subsidiary or affiliate of the Company, or any of their personal assets for the performance or payment of any obligation hereunder or thereunder.

 

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and return to us five counterparts hereof, and upon the acceptance hereof by you, on behalf of each of the Underwriters, this letter and such acceptance hereof shall constitute a binding agreement among each of the Underwriters, the Company and the Partnership. It is understood that your acceptance of this letter on behalf of each of the Underwriters is pursuant to the authority set forth in a form of Agreement among Underwriters, the form of which shall be submitted to the Company for examination upon request, but without warranty on your part as to the authority of the signers thereof.

 

 

 

Underwriter		Number of Firm Shares to be Purchased				Maximum Number of Optional Shares Which May Be Purchased
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC			2,088,000				232,000
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated			720,000				80,000
Raymond James & Associates, Inc.			360,000				40,000
Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated			360,000				40,000
The Huntington Investment Company			36,000				4,000
KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc.			36,000				4,000
Total			3,600,000				4,000,000

 

(a)           Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses:

 

Final Pricing Terms, dated August 1, 2012, for 3,600,000 shares of 7.5% Series H Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares of Beneficial Interest, filed with the Commission by the Company pursuant to Rule 433 under the Securities Act

 

(b)           Additional Documents Incorporated by Reference:

 

None.

 

 

 

7.5% Series H Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares of Beneficial Interest

(Liquidation Preference $25.00 per Share)

 

 

Issuer:	Glimcher Realty Trust (“GRT”)
Security:	7.5% Series H Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares of Beneficial Interest (Liquidation Preference $25.00 per Share)
Number of Shares:	3,600,000 shares (4,000,000 shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is to purchase additional shares is exercised in full)
Over-allotment Option:	400,000 shares
Public Offering Price:	$25.00 per share
Underwriting Discount:	$0.7875 per share; $2,835,000 ($3,150,000 if the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares is exercised in full)
Net Proceeds (before expenses):	$87,165,000 ($96,850,000 if the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares is exercised in full)
Maturity:	Perpetual (unless redeemed by GRT on or after August 10, 2017 or pursuant to its Special Optional Redemption Right or converted by a holder pursuant to the Conversion Right).
Trade Date:	August 1, 2012
Settlement Date:	August 10, 2012 (T+7)
Liquidation Preference:	$25.00, plus accrued and unpaid distributions
Distribution Rate:	7.5% per annum of the $25.00 per share liquidation preference (equivalent to $1.875 per annum per share), accruing from August 10, 2012
Distribution Payment Dates:	On or about January 15, April 15, July 15 and October 15 of each year, commencing October 15, 2012.
Optional Redemption:	GRT may not redeem the Series H Preferred Shares prior to August 10, 2017, except in limited circumstances to preserve its status as a REIT and pursuant to the special optional redemption provision described below under “Special Optional Redemption.”   GRT may, at its option, redeem the Series H Preferred Shares at any time after August 10, 2017, in whole or from time to time in part, for cash at a redemption price of $25.00 per share, plus accrued and unpaid distributions to, but not including, the date of redemption.

Special Optional Redemption:	Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control (as defined in the preliminary prospectus supplement dated July 31, 2012), GRT, at its option, may redeem the Series H Preferred Shares, in whole or in part and within 120 days after the first date on which such Change of Control occurred, by paying $25.00 per share, plus any accrued and unpaid distributions to, but not including, the date of redemption. If, prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date, GRT exercises any of its redemption rights relating to the Series H Preferred Shares (whether our optional redemption right or our special optional redemption right), the holders of Series H Preferred Shares will not be permitted to exercise the conversion right described below in respect of their shares called for redemption.
Conversion Rights:	Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control, each holder of Series H Preferred Shares will have the right (unless, prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date (as defined in the preliminary prospectus supplement dated July 31, 2012), GRT has provided or provides notice of its election to redeem the Series H Preferred Shares) to convert some or all of the Series H Preferred Shares held by such holder on the Change of Control Conversion Date into a number of GRT’s common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.01 per share, per Series H Preferred Share to be converted equal to the lesser of:   ·      the quotient obtained by dividing (1) the sum of the $25.00 liquidation preference plus the amount of any accrued and unpaid distributions to, but not including, the Change of Control Conversion Date (unless the Change of Control Conversion Date is after a record date for a Series H Preferred Shares distribution payment and prior to the corresponding Series H Preferred Shares distribution payment date, in which case no additional amount for such accrued and unpaid distributions will be included in this sum) by (2) the Common Share Price; and   ·      4.9900 (i.e., the Share Cap), subject to certain adjustments;   subject, in each case, to provisions for the receipt of alternative consideration as described in the preliminary prospectus supplement dated July 31, 2012.
Joint Book-Running Managers:	Wells Fargo Securities, LLC Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith                      Incorporated
Co-Managers:	Raymond James & Associates, Inc. Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated The Huntington Investment Company KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc.

Listing/Symbol:	The Issuer intends to file an application to list the Series H Preferred Shares on the NYSE under the symbol “GRTPRH”. If the application is approved, trading of the Series G Preferred Shares on the NYSE is expected to commence within 30 days after the date of initial delivery of the Series H Preferred Shares.
CUSIP/ISIN:	379302508 / US3793025087

Capitalized terms used but not defined in this term sheet are defined in the preliminary prospectus supplement dated July 31, 2012. The issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) and a preliminary prospectus supplement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) for the offering to which this communication relates.  Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement, the preliminary prospectus supplement and other documents the issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the issuer and this offering.  You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC web site at www.sec.gov.  Alternatively, the issuer, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send you the prospectus and preliminary prospectus supplement if you request it by calling Wells Fargo Securities, LLC toll-free at ###-###-#### or Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated toll-free at ###-###-####.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(i)           The Company is organized and validly existing as a trust in good standing under the laws of the State of Maryland, with power and authority (trust and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus; the Partnership is organized and validly existing as a limited partnership in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with power and authority (partnership and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus;

 

(ii)          The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Prospectus; and the Shares have been duly and validly authorized and, when issued and delivered against payment therefor as provided in the Underwriting Agreement, will be duly and validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable and none of the Shares will have been issued in violation of preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company and will conform to the description of the Preferred Stock in the Pricing Disclosure Package and Prospectus;

 

(iii)         To the best of such counsel’s knowledge and other than as set forth in the Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject which are required to be disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus (other than as stated therein), or which would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and to the best of such counsel’s knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others;

 

(iv)         This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company;

 

(v)          The issue and sale of the Shares being delivered at the Time of Delivery and the compliance by the Company with this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated will not (a) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument known to such counsel to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, except for conflicts or breaches that would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect or (b) result in any violation of the provisions of the Declaration of Trust, Bylaws, certificate of limited partnership, partnership agreement or similar organizational documents of the Company or its significant subsidiaries (as defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X) or any statute or any order, rule or regulation known to such counsel of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its significant subsidiaries (as defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X) or any of their properties;

 

 

(vi)         No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body is required for the issue and sale of the Shares or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except such as have been obtained under the Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters;

 

(vii)        The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the captions “Description of Capital Shares”, “Description of Common Shares” and “Description of Preferred Shares”, insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the Common Shares and the Preferred Stock, and under the captions “Certain Provisions of Maryland Law and of our Declaration of Trust and Amended and Restated Bylaws”, and “Underwriting”, insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein, are accurate, complete and fair summaries, in all material respects, of the matters referred to therein;

 

(viii)       The Company and the Partnership are not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof, will not be an “investment company”, as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act; and

 

(ix)          The Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any further amendments and supplements thereto, as applicable, made by the Company prior to such Time of Delivery (other than the financial statements and related schedules therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder; the documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus or any further amendment or supplement thereto, made by the Company prior to the Time of Delivery (other than the financial statements and related schedules therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion), when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

 

 

Such counsel shall also have furnished to the Underwriters a written statement, addressed to the Underwriters and dated as of the Time of Delivery, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect that such counsel has acted as counsel to the Company in connection with the preparation of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, and in the course of preparation of those documents such counsel has participated in conferences with representatives of the Company and with representatives of BDO USA, LLP and based upon such counsel’s examination of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference therein, such counsel’s investigations made in connection with the preparation of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference therein and such counsel’s participation in the conferences referred to above, such counsel has no reason to believe (i) that any part of the Registration Statement, or any further amendment thereto made by the Company prior to such Time of Delivery (other than the financial statements and related schedules therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion), when such part or amendment became effective, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (ii) that the Pricing Prospectus, as of the Applicable Time, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or (iii) that, as of its date and as of such Time of Delivery, the Prospectus or any further amendment or supplement thereto made by the Company prior to such Time of Delivery (other than the financial statements and related schedules therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) contained or contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and they do not know of any amendment to the Registration Statement required to be filed or of any contracts or other documents of a character required to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or required to be incorporated by reference into the Prospectus or required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus or the Prospectus which are not filed or incorporated by reference or described as required.

 

 

(i)           The Company has qualified to be taxed as a REIT pursuant to Sections 856 through 860 of the Code, for each of its taxable years commencing with its taxable year ended 1994 through its most recently completed taxable year;

 

(ii)          The Company's present organization, ownership, method of operation, assets and income, taking into account the consummation of the transactions contemplated in the Prospectus, are such that the Company will so qualify for the current taxable year; and

 

(iii)         The statements contained in the Registration Statement under the caption “United States Federal Income Taxation of the Company” and the Prospectus under the heading “Supplemental United States Income Taxation of the Company” fairly summarize the U.S. federal income tax law that is likely to be material to an investor of the Company.

 

 

 

(i)           To the best of such counsel’s knowledge and other than as set forth in the Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or the Partnership is a party or of which any property of the Company or the Partnership is the subject which are required to be disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus (other than as stated therein), or which would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and to the best of such counsel’s knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others;

 

(ii)          This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the Partnership;

 

(iii)         The Company has been duly qualified as a foreign entity for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties or conducts any business so as to require such qualification, or is subject to no material liability or disability by reason of the failure to be so qualified in any such jurisdiction (such counsel being entitled to rely in respect of the opinion in this clause upon opinions of local counsel and in respect of matters of fact upon certificates of officers of the Company, provided that such counsel shall state that they believe that both you and they are justified in relying upon such opinions and certificates);

 

(iv)         The Partnership and the Company have been duly organized and are validly existing and are in good standing under the laws of their respective jurisdiction of organization; and all of the issued shares of capital stock or other equity interests of the Partnership have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable, and (except as otherwise set forth in the Prospectus) are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims (such counsel being entitled to rely in respect of the opinion in this clause upon opinions of local counsel and in respect of matters of fact upon certificates of officers of the Company or sole general partner of the Partnership, provided that such counsel shall state that they believe that both you and they are justified in relying upon such opinions and certificates);

 

(v)          All of the issued equity interests of the Partnership that are directly or indirectly owned by the Company are owned free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims;

 

(vi)         The issue and sale of the Shares being delivered at the Time of Delivery and the compliance by the Company with this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument known to such counsel to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, except for conflicts or breaches that would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and

 

 

(vii)        Neither the Company nor the Partnership is in violation of its Declaration of Trust, Bylaws, certificate of limited partnership, partnership agreement or similar organizational documents or, to such counsel’s knowledge, in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound, except for violations or defaults that would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Such counsel shall also have furnished to the Underwriters a written statement, addressed to the Underwriters and dated as of the Time of Delivery, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect that such counsel has acted as counsel to the Company in connection with the preparation of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, and in the course of preparation of those documents such counsel has participated in conferences with representatives of the Company and with representatives of BDO USA, LLP and based upon such counsel’s examination of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference therein, such counsel’s investigations made in connection with the preparation of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference therein and such counsel’s participation in the conferences referred to above, such counsel has no reason to believe (i) that any part of the Registration Statement, or any further amendment thereto made by the Company prior to such Time of Delivery (other than the financial statements and related schedules therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion), when such part or amendment became effective, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (ii) that the Pricing Prospectus, as of the Applicable Time, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or (iii) that, as of its date and as of such Time of Delivery, the Prospectus or any further amendment or supplement thereto made by the Company prior to such Time of Delivery (other than the financial statements and related schedules therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) contained or contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and they do not know of any amendment to the Registration Statement required to be filed or of any contracts or other documents of a character required to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or required to be incorporated by reference into the Prospectus or required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus or the Prospectus which are not filed or incorporated by reference or described as required.