1,800,000 Shares American Realty Capital Properties, Inc. Common Stock UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

EX-1.1 2 v332926_ex1-1.htm EXHIBIT 1.1

 

 

1,800,000 Shares

 

American Realty Capital Properties, Inc.

 

Common Stock

 

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

January 24, 2013

LADENBURG THALMANN & CO. INC.

AEGIS CAPITAL CORP.

Maxim Group LLC

National Securities Corporation

As Representatives of the several Underwriters

 

c/o

Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc. 520 Madison Avenue, 9th Floor New York, New York 10022

 

AEGIS CAPITAL CORP.

810 Seventh Avenue, 11th Floor

New York, NY 10019

 

Maxim Group LLC

405 Lexington Avenue, 2nd Floor

New York, New York 10174

 

National Securities Corporation

120 Broadway, 27th Floor

New York, NY 10271

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

American Realty Capital Properties, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several underwriters named in Schedule A (the “Underwriters”) an aggregate of 1,800,000 shares of its common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Shares”). The 1,800,000 Shares to be sold by the Company are called the “Firm Shares.” In addition, the Company has granted to the Underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional 270,000 Shares as provided in Section 2. The additional 270,000 Shares to be sold by the Company pursuant to such option are collectively called the “Option Shares.” The Firm Shares and, if and to the extent such option is exercised, the Option Shares are collectively called the “Offered Shares.” Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc. (“Ladenburg”), Aegis Capital Corp., Maxim Group LLC and National Securities Corporation have agreed to act as the representatives of the several Underwriters (in such capacity, the “Representatives”) in connection with the offering and sale of the Offered Shares.

 

The Company conducts all of its business activities through ARC Properties Operating Partnership, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership of which the Company is the general partner (the “Operating Partnership”).

 

 

 

The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-182971), which contains a form of prospectus to be used in connection with the public offering and sale of the Offered Shares. Such registration statement, as amended, including the financial statements, exhibits and schedules thereto, in the form in which it was declared effective by the Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), including all documents incorporated by reference therein and any information deemed to be a part thereof at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act (“Rule 430A Information”), is called the “Registration Statement.” Such prospectus, in the form first used by the Underwriters to confirm sales of the Offered Shares or in the form first made available to the Underwriters by the Company to meet requests of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act, together with the free writing prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule B hereto (including any orally communicated pricing information), is called the “Prospectus.” Any registration statement filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act is called the “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement,” and from and after the date and time of filing of the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement the term “Registration Statement” shall include the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. As used herein, “Applicable Time” is 9:00 a.m. (New York time) on January 24, 2013. As used herein, “free writing prospectus” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, and each “Road Show” means a “bona fide electronic road show” as defined in Rule 433(h)(5) under the Securities Act that has been made without restriction to any person. As used herein, the terms “Registration Statement,” “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement” and “Prospectus” shall include the documents incorporated and deemed to be incorporated by reference therein. All references in this Underwriting Agreement (this “Agreement”) to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include the filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”) which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be. All references in this Agreement to (i) the Registration Statement, the 462(b) Registration Statement or any amendments or supplements to any of the foregoing, shall include any copy thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System (“EDGAR”) and (ii) the Prospectus shall be deemed to include the “electronic Prospectus” provided for use in connection with the offering of the Offered Shares as contemplated by Section 3(n) of this Agreement.

 

All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information that are “contained,” “included” or “stated” in the Registration Statement, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or the Prospectus (and all other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information that is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include the filing of any document under the Exchange Act that is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be.

 

Each of the Company and the Operating Partnership hereby confirms its agreements with the Underwriters as follows:

 

 

 

Section 1. Representations, Warranties and Covenants of the Company and the Operating Partnership. The Company and the Operating Partnership hereby represent and warrant to each Underwriter, as of the date of this Agreement, as of the First Closing Date (as hereinafter defined) and as of each Option Closing Date (as hereafter defined), if any, and covenants with each Underwriter, as follows:

 

(a) Compliance with Registration Requirements. The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission under the Securities Act. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement is in effect and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, are threatened by the Commission.

 

The Prospectus when filed complied in all material respects with the Securities Act and, if filed by electronic transmission pursuant to EDGAR (except as may be permitted by Regulation S-T under the Securities Act), were identical to the copies thereof delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offer and sale of the Offered Shares. Each of the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became effective and at all subsequent times, complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and did not and will not contain any 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. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, at the time they were filed with the Commission under the Exchange Act, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act. As of the Applicable Time, the Prospectus (including any Prospectus wrapper) did not, and at the time of each sale of the Offered Shares and at the First Closing Date, the Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented by the Company, if applicable, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. As of the Applicable Time, the Prospectus (including any Prospectus wrapper), together with each Road Show, if any, did not, and at the time of each sale of the Offered Shares and at the First Closing Date, the Prospectus, together with each Road Show, if any, as then amended or supplemented by the Company, if applicable, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Prospectus (including any Prospectus wrapper), as amended or supplemented, as of its date and at all subsequent times, did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The representations and warranties set forth in the three immediately preceding sentences do not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements thereto or any Road Show, made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by the Representatives expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Representatives to the Company consists of the information described in Section 9(b) below. There are no contracts or other documents required to be described in the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement which have not been described or filed as required.

 

The Company is not an “ineligible issuer” in connection with the offering of the Offered Shares pursuant to Rules 164, 405 and 433 under the Securities Act. Any free writing prospectus that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act has been, or will be, filed with the Commission in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act. Each free writing prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or that was prepared by or behalf of or used or referred to by the Company complies or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of Rule 433 under the Securities Act including timely filing with the Commission or retention where required and legending, and each such free writing prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Offered Shares did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts with or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein, that has not been superseded or modified. Except for the free writing prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule B hereto, and electronic road shows, if any, furnished to you before first use, the Company has not prepared, used or referred to, and will not, without your prior consent, prepare, use or refer to, any free writing prospectus.

 

 

 

(b) Offering Materials Furnished to Underwriters. The Company has delivered to the Representatives a complete copy of the Registration Statement, each amendment thereto and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and of each opinion, consent and certificate of experts filed as a part thereof, and conformed copies of the Registration Statement, each amendment thereto and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement (without exhibits) and the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, and any free writing prospectus reviewed and consented to by the Representatives, in such quantities and at such places as the Representatives have reasonably requested for each of the Underwriters.

 

(c) Distribution of Offering Material By the Company. The Company has not distributed and will not distribute, prior to the later of (i) the expiration or termination of the option granted to the several Underwriters in Section 2 and (ii) the completion of the Underwriters’ distribution of the Offered Shares, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Offered Shares other than the Prospectus, any free writing prospectus reviewed and consented to by the Representatives or the Registration Statement.

 

(d) The Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by, and is a valid and binding agreement of, the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as rights to indemnification hereunder may be limited by applicable law and except as the enforcement hereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors or by general equitable principles regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.

 

(e) Authorization of the Offered Shares. The Offered Shares have been duly authorized for issuance and sale pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and the issuance and sale of the Offered Shares is not subject to any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights to subscribe for or purchase the Offered Shares.

 

(f) No Applicable Registration or Other Similar Rights. There are no persons with registration or other similar rights to have any equity or debt securities registered for sale under the Registration Statement or included in the offering contemplated by this Agreement.

 

(g) No Material Adverse Change. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus, subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus: (i) there has been no material adverse change, or any development that could be expected to result in a material adverse change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, results of operations, properties, business affairs or business prospects, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, of the Company and its subsidiaries (including without limitation the Operating Partnership), considered as one entity (any such change is called a “Material Adverse Change”); (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries (including without limitation the Operating Partnership), considered as one entity, have not incurred any material liability or obligation, indirect, direct or contingent, not in the ordinary course of business nor entered into any material transaction or agreement not in the ordinary course of business; and (iii) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company (other than regular monthly cash dividends consistent with past practice) or, except for dividends paid to the Company or other subsidiaries, any of its subsidiaries on any class of capital stock or repurchase or redemption by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any class of capital stock.

 

 

 

(h) Independent Accountants. Grant Thornton LLP, who has expressed their opinion with respect to the financial statements (which term as used in this Agreement includes the related notes thereto) filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement and included in the Prospectus are (i) independent public or certified public accountants with respect to the Company as required by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and (ii) in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X.

 

(i) Preparation of the Financial Statements. The financial statements filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement and included in the the Prospectus present fairly the (A) financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries (including, without limitation, the Operating Partnership), (B) the consolidated financial position of ARC Income Properties, LLC and its subsidiaries and (C) the consolidated financial position of ARC Income Properties III, LLC and its subsidiary, as of and at the dates indicated and the results of their operations and cash flows for the periods specified. Such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved, except as may be expressly stated in the related notes thereto. No other financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus. The historical financial data set forth or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus fairly present the information set forth therein on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. The pro forma consolidated financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries and the related notes thereto included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus and in the Registration Statement present fairly the information contained therein, have been prepared in accordance with Article 11 of Regulation S-X with respect to pro forma financial statements and have been properly presented on the bases described therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein. No person who has been suspended or barred from being associated with a registered public accounting firm, or who has failed to comply with any sanction pursuant to Rule 5300 promulgated by the PCAOB, has participated in or otherwise aided the preparation of, or audited, the financial statements, supporting schedules or other financial data filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement and included in the Prospectus (it being agreed that the foregoing representation is made only to the Company’s knowledge with respect to any person that is not a director, officer or employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries).

 

(j) Company’s Accounting System. The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. There has not been and is no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and since the Company’s formation, there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or could materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

 

 

(k) Incorporation and Good Standing of the Company and its Subsidiaries. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has been duly incorporated or organized, as the case may be, and is validly existing as a corporation, partnership or limited liability company, as applicable, in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization and has the power and authority (corporate or other) to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and, in the case of the Company, to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement. Each of the Company and each subsidiary is duly qualified as a foreign corporation, partnership or limited liability company, as applicable, to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to be so qualified and in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change. All of the issued and outstanding capital stock or other equity or ownership interests of each subsidiary have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and, except as set forth in the Prospectus, are owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance or adverse claim. The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than (i) the subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21.1 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-4/A (File No. 333-185935) filed by the Company with the Commission on January 22, 2013 and (ii) such other entities omitted from Exhibit 21.1 which, when such omitted entities are considered in the aggregate as a single subsidiary, would not constitute a “significant subsidiary” within the meaning of Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X.

 

(l) Capitalization and Other Capital Stock Matters. The authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company is as set forth in the Prospectus (other than for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to employee benefit plans described in the Prospectus or upon the exercise of outstanding options described in the Prospectus). The Shares (including the Offered Shares) conform in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus. All of the issued and outstanding Shares have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable. None of the outstanding Shares was issued in violation of any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities of the Company. There are no authorized or outstanding options, warrants, preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other rights to purchase, or equity or debt securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, any capital stock of the Company or any of its subsidiaries other than those accurately described in the Prospectus. The description of the Company’s stock option, stock bonus and other stock plans or arrangements, and the options or other rights granted thereunder, set forth in the Prospectus accurately and fairly presents in all material respects the information required to be shown with respect to such plans, arrangements, options and rights.  

 

(m) Stock Exchange Listing. The Shares are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Shares under the Exchange Act or delisting the Shares from the Nasdaq Capital Market, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission or the Nasdaq Capital Market is contemplating terminating such registration or listing.

 

 

 

(n) Non-Contravention of Laws and Existing Instruments; No Further Authorizations or Approvals Required. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (i) in breach or violation of (A) its charter or by-laws, partnership agreement or operating agreement or similar organizational document, as applicable, (B) any applicable federal, state, local or foreign law, regulation or rule, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change, or (C) any applicable rule or regulation of any self-regulatory organization or other non-governmental regulatory authority (including, without limitation, the rules and regulations of the Nasdaq Capital Market) or (ii) in default (or, with the giving of notice or lapse of time, would be in default) (“Default”) under any indenture, mortgage, loan or credit agreement, note, contract, franchise, lease or other instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound (including, without limitation, any credit agreement, indenture, pledge agreement, security agreement or other instrument or agreement evidencing, guaranteeing, securing or relating to indebtedness of the Company or any of its subsidiaries), or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject (each, an “Existing Instrument”), except for such Defaults as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change. The Company’s execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the Prospectus and the issuance and sale of the Offered Shares (i) have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and will not result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws, partnership agreement or operating agreement or similar organizational document of the Company or any subsidiary, as applicable, (ii) will not conflict with or constitute a breach of, or Default or a Debt Repayment Triggering Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, or require the consent of any other party to, any Existing Instrument and (iii) will not result in any violation of any federal, state, local or foreign law, regulation or rule, administrative or court decree or any rule or regulation of any self-regulatory organization or other non-governmental regulatory authority (including, without limitation, the rules and regulations of the Nasdaq Capital Market) applicable to the Company or any subsidiary, except in the case of clause (ii), for those conflicts, breaches, defaults or Debt Repayment Triggering Events that would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change. No consent, approval, authorization or other order of, or registration or filing with, any court or other governmental or regulatory authority or agency, is required for the Company’s execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the Prospectus, except such as have been obtained or made by the Company and are in full force and effect under the Securities Act, applicable state securities or blue sky laws, the Nasdaq Capital Market and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). As used herein, a “Debt Repayment Triggering Event” means any event or condition which gives, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would give, the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

 

(o) No Material Actions or Proceedings. There are no legal or governmental actions, suits or proceedings pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened (i) against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries (including without limitation the Operating Partnership), (ii) which have as the subject thereof any officer or director of, or property owned or leased by, the Company or any of its subsidiaries (including without limitation the Operating Partnership) or (iii) relating to environmental or discrimination matters, where in any such case (A) there is a reasonable possibility that such action, suit or proceeding might be determined adversely to the Company, such subsidiary or such officer or director, (B) any such action, suit or proceeding, if so determined adversely, would be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change or adversely affect the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or (C) any such action, suit or proceeding is or would be material in the context of the sale of Shares. No material labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries (including without limitation the Operating Partnership) exists or, to the Company’s knowledge, is threatened or imminent.

 

 

 

(p) Intellectual Property Rights. The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess sufficient trademarks, trade names, patent rights, copyrights, domain names, licenses, approvals, trade secrets and other similar rights (collectively, “Intellectual Property Rights”) reasonably necessary to conduct their businesses as now conducted. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of infringement or conflict with asserted Intellectual Property Rights of others. The Company is not a party to or bound by any options, licenses or agreements with respect to the Intellectual Property Rights of any other person or entity that are required to be set forth in the Prospectus and are not described therein. None of the technology employed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries has been obtained or is being used by the Company or any of its subsidiaries in violation of any contractual obligation binding on the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of its or its subsidiaries’ officers, directors or employees or otherwise in violation of the rights of any persons, except for such violations that would not, individually or in the aggregate, be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.

 

(q) All Necessary Permits, etc. The Company and each subsidiary possess such valid and current certificates, authorizations, licenses or permits issued by the appropriate state, local, federal or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct their respective businesses, except where the failure so to possess would not individually or in the aggregate, be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change, and neither the Company nor any subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of, or non-compliance with, any such certificate, authorization, license or permit which, individually or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.

 

(r) Title to Properties. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Company and each of its subsidiaries has good and marketable title to all of the real and personal property and other assets reflected as owned in the financial statements referred to in Section 1(i) above (or elsewhere in the Prospectus), in each case free and clear of any security interests, mortgages, liens, encumbrances, equities, adverse claims and other defects, except such as do not materially and adversely affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such property by the Company or such subsidiary. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, none of the real property so owned by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (the “Real Property”) is subject to any options or rights of first refusal to purchase all or part of such real property or any interest therein. The real property, improvements, equipment and personal property held under lease by the Company or any subsidiary are held under valid and enforceable leases, with such exceptions as are not material and do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such real property, improvements, equipment or personal property by the Company or such subsidiary.

 

(s) No Violation of Laws Pertaining to Real Properties. None of the Company and each of its subsidiaries knows of any violation of any municipal, state or federal law, rule or regulation (including those pertaining to environmental matters) concerning any of the Real Property or any parts thereof, except for such violations which would not, individually or in the aggregate, materially and adversely affect the value of any such Real Property or the use or proposed use of any such Real Property by the Company, its subsidiaries or any tenant operators. No written notice of any condemnation of or zoning change affecting the Real Properties or any parts thereof has been received, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, that if consummated would, individually or in the aggregate, be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. Each of the Real Properties complies with all applicable zoning laws, ordinances, regulations, development agreements, reciprocal easement agreements and deed restrictions or other covenants in all material respects and, if and to the extent there is a failure to comply, such failure does not materially and adversely affect the value, use or proposed use of any of the Real Properties and will not result in a forfeiture or reversion of title.

 

 

(t) Tax Law Compliance. The Company and its subsidiaries have filed all necessary federal, state and foreign income and franchise tax returns and have paid all taxes required to be paid by any of them and, if due and payable, any related or similar assessment, fine or penalty levied against any of them. The Company has made adequate charges, accruals and reserves in the applicable financial statements referred to in Section 1(i) above in respect of all federal, state and foreign income and franchise taxes for all periods as to which the tax liability of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has not been finally determined. No subsidiary of the Company that is a limited partnership or limited liability company has made an election under Section 7701 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), to change its default classification for federal income tax purposes.

 

(u) Company Not an “Investment Company.” The Company is not, and will not be, either after receipt of payment for the Offered Shares or after the application of the proceeds therefrom as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the Prospectus, an “investment company” within the meaning of Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

(v) Insurance. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries are insured with policies in such amounts and with such deductibles and covering such risks as it reasonably deems adequate for its business, and the real property owned by the Company and its subsidiaries is appropriately insured by institutions it reasonably believes to be financially sound. The Company has no reason to believe that it or any subsidiary will not be able (i) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (ii) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not result in a Material Adverse Change.

 

(w) No Price Stabilization or Manipulation; Compliance with Regulation M. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor any of their respective directors, officers, affiliates or controlling persons has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that might cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares or any other “reference security” (as defined in Rule 100 of Regulation M under the Exchange Act (“Regulation M”)) whether to facilitate the sale or resale of the Offered Shares or otherwise, and has taken no action which would directly or indirectly violate Regulation M. The Company acknowledges that the Underwriters may engage in passive market making transactions in the Offered Shares on the Nasdaq Capital Market in accordance with Regulation M.

 

(x) Related Party Transactions. There are no business relationships or related-party transactions involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any other person required to be described in the Prospectus which have not been described as required in all material respects. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has extended or maintained credit, arranged for the extension of credit, or renewed any extension of credit, in the form of a personal loan, to or for any director or executive officer (or equivalent thereof) of the Company and/or such subsidiary except for such extensions of credit as are permitted by Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act.

 

(y) FINRA Matters. All of the information provided to the Underwriters or to counsel for the Underwriters by the Company, its officers and directors in connection with letters, filings or other supplemental information provided to FINRA pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110, 5121 or 5190 is true, complete and correct in all material respects.

 

 

(z) Parties to Lock-Up Agreements. Exhibit A hereto contains a true, complete and correct list of all directors and executive officers of the Company.

 

(aa) Statistical and Market-Related Data. The statistical, demographic and market-related data included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that (i) the Company has no reason to believe are unreliable or inaccurate or (ii) represent the Company’s good faith estimates that are made on the basis of data derived from such sources.

 

(bb) No Unlawful Contributions or Other Payments. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any employee or agent of the Company or any subsidiary, has made any contribution or other payment to any official of, or candidate for, any federal, state or foreign office in violation of any law or of the character required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

 

(cc) Disclosure Controls and Procedures; Deficiencies in or Changes to Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. The Company and its subsidiaries (including, without limitation, the Operating Partnership) have established and maintain disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)), which (i) are designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company, including its consolidated subsidiaries (including, without limitation, the Operating Partnership), is made known to the Company’s principal executive officer and its principal financial officer by others within those entities, particularly during the periods in which the periodic reports required under the Exchange Act are being prepared; (ii) have been evaluated by management of the Company for effectiveness as of the end of the Company’s most recent fiscal quarter; and (iii) are effective in all material respects to perform the functions for which they were established. The Company is not aware of (i) any significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information or (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. The Company is not aware of any change in its internal control over financial reporting that has occurred during its most recent fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

(dd) Compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley Act. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith, including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.

 

(ee) Compliance with Environmental Laws. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change, (i) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their requirements, and (iii) there are no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

 

 

(ff) ERISA Compliance. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries and any “employee benefit plan” (as defined under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (collectively, “ERISA”)) established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or their “ERISA Affiliates” (as defined below) are in compliance with ERISA, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change. “ERISA Affiliate” means, with respect to the Company or a subsidiary, any member of any group of organizations described in Sections 414(b),(c),(m) or (o) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (the “Code”) of which the Company or such subsidiary is a member. No “reportable event” (as defined under ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur with respect to any “employee pension benefit plan” (as defined under ERISA) established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates. No “employee pension benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates, if such “employee pension benefit plan” were terminated, would have any “amount of unfunded benefit liabilities” (as defined under ERISA). Neither the Company, its subsidiaries nor any of their ERISA Affiliates has incurred or reasonably expects to incur any liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any “employee pension benefit plan,” or (ii) Sections 412, 4971 or 4975 of the Code or (iii) Section 4980B of the Code as a result of a failure to comply with such section. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change, each “employee pension benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and nothing has occurred, whether by action or failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.

 

(gg) Brokers. Except as set forth in this Agreement or as otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus, there is no broker, finder or other party that is entitled to receive from the Company any brokerage or finder’s fee or other fee or commission as a result of any transactions contemplated by this Agreement (other than an amount equal to 0.50% of gross proceeds from the sale of the Offered Shares payable by the Company to Realty Capital Securities, LLC).

 

(hh) Dividend Restrictions. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus, no subsidiary of the Company is prohibited or restricted, directly or indirectly, from paying dividends to the Company, or from making any other distribution with respect to such subsidiary’s equity securities or from repaying to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company any amounts that may from time to time become due under any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any property or assets to the Company or to any other subsidiary, except as may be prohibited or restricted by law.

 

(ii) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that has resulted or would result in a violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA; and the Company and its subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, the Company’s affiliates have conducted their respective businesses in compliance with the FCPA.

 

 

(jj) Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are, and have been conducted at all times, in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all applicable jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar applicable rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

 

(kk) REIT Status. The Company is organized as and operates in conformity with the requirements for qualification and taxation as a “real estate investment trust” (a “REIT”) under Sections 856 through 860 of the Code; and the method of operation for the Company and its subsidiaries as described in the Prospectus will enable the Company to continue to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code.

 

(ll) OFAC. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of this offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

 

(mm) Registration Rights. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus, there are no persons with registration rights or other similar rights to have any securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise registered by the Company under the Securities Act.

 

(nn) Lending Relationship. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus, the Company (i) does not have any material lending or other relationship with any bank or lending affiliate of any Underwriter and (ii) does not intend to use any of the proceeds from the sale of Shares hereunder to repay any outstanding debt owed to any affiliate of any Underwriter.

 

(oo) Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no contracts or documents which are required to be described in the Registration Statement or to be filed as exhibits thereto which have not been so described and filed as required.

 

(pp) Operating Partnership.

 

(i) The Operating Partnership is a limited partnership duly formed and validly existing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with all requisite power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to carry out its obligations hereunder.

 

 

(ii) This Agreement is duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of the Operating Partnership and constitutes a valid and binding agreement of the Operating Partnership enforceable in accordance with its terms (except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws of the United States, any state or any political subdivision thereof which affect creditors’ rights generally or by equitable principles relating to the availability of remedies or except to the extent that the enforceability of the indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Agreement may be limited under applicable securities laws).

 

(iii) The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the performance hereunder by the Operating Partnership does not and will not conflict with, or result in a breach of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under: (i) the Operating Partnership’s or any of its subsidiaries’ agreement of limited partnership, or other organizational documents; (ii) any indenture, mortgage, stockholders’ agreement, voting trust, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Operating Partnership or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Operating Partnership or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties is bound except, for purposes of this clause (ii) only, for such conflicts, breaches or defaults that could not have or result in, individually or in the aggregate, (A) a material adverse effect on the condition, financial or otherwise, earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Operating Partnership, or (B) a Material Adverse Change; or (iii) any statute, rule or regulation or order of any court or other governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Operating Partnership or any of its properties. No consent, approval, authorization or order of any court or other governmental agency or body has been obtained nor is required for the performance of this Agreement by the Operating Partnership. The Operating Partnership is not in violation of its agreement of limited partnership or other organizational documents.

 

(iv) There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, now pending, or, to the knowledge of the Operating Partnership, threatened against or affecting the Operating Partnership.

 

(v) The Operating Partnership possesses such certificates, authorities or permits issued by the appropriate state, federal or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct the business now operated by it, other than those which the failure to possess or own would not have or result in, individually or in the aggregate, (A) a material adverse effect on the condition, financial or otherwise, earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Operating Partnership or (B) a Material Adverse Change, and the Operating Partnership has not received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authority or permit.

 

(qq) Interactive Data. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language incorporated by reference in the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in all material respects in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

 

Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries and delivered to the Representatives or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.

 

 

The Company acknowledges that the Underwriters and, for purposes of the opinions to be delivered pursuant to Section 6 hereof, counsel to the Company and counsel to the Underwriters, will rely upon the accuracy and truthfulness of the foregoing representations and hereby consents to such reliance.

 

Section 2. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of the Offered Shares.

 

(a) The Firm Shares. Upon the terms herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell to the several Underwriters an aggregate of 1,800,000 Firm Shares. On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, and upon the terms but subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Underwriters agree, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their names on Schedule A. The purchase price per Firm Share to be paid by the several Underwriters to the Company shall be $12.94 per share.

 

(b) The First Closing Date. Delivery of the Firm Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters and payment therefor shall be made at the offices of Ladenburg, 520 Madison Avenue, 9th Floor, New York, New York 10022 (or such other place as may be agreed to by the Company and the Representatives) at 9:00 a.m., New York time, on January 29, 2013, or such other time and date not later than 1:30 p.m., New York time, on January 30, 2013, as the Representatives shall designate by notice to the Company (the time and date of such closing are called the “First Closing Date”). The Company hereby acknowledges that the Representatives and the Company may mutually agree in writing to postpone the First Closing Date as originally scheduled or as contemplated by the provisions of Section 11.

 

(c) The Option Shares; Option Closing Date. In addition, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, and upon the terms but subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the several Underwriters to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to an aggregate of 270,000 Option Shares from the Company at the purchase price per share to be paid by the Underwriters for the Firm Shares. The option granted hereunder is for use by the Underwriters solely in covering any over-allotments in connection with the sale and distribution of the Firm Shares. The option granted hereunder may be exercised at any time and from time to time in whole or in part upon notice by the Representatives to the Company, which notice may be given at any time within 30 days from the date of this Agreement. Such notice shall set forth (i) the aggregate number of Option Shares as to which the Underwriters are exercising the option, (ii) the names and denominations in which the Option Shares are to be registered and (iii) the time, date and place for such purchase of Option Shares (which time and date may be simultaneous with, but not earlier than, the First Closing Date; and in the event that such time and date are simultaneous with the First Closing Date, the term “First Closing Date” shall refer to the time and date of delivery of the Firm Shares and such Option Shares). Any such time and date of delivery, if subsequent to the First Closing Date, is called an “Option Closing Date” and shall be determined by the Representatives and shall not be earlier than three nor later than five full business days after delivery of such notice of exercise. If any Option Shares are to be purchased, each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Option Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as the Representatives may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total number of Option Shares to be purchased as the number of Firm Shares set forth on Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares. The Representatives may cancel the option at any time prior to its expiration by giving written notice of such cancellation to the Company.

 

(d) Public Offering of the Offered Shares. The Representatives hereby advise the Company that the Underwriters intend to offer for sale to the public, initially on the terms set forth in the Prospectus, their respective portions of the Offered Shares as soon after this Agreement has been executed and the Registration Statement has been declared effective as the Representatives, in their sole judgment, have determined is advisable and practicable.

 

 

(e) Payment for the Offered Shares. Payment for the Offered Shares shall be made at the First Closing Date (and, if applicable, at each Option Closing Date) by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the order of the Company.

 

It is understood that the Representatives have been authorized, for their own accounts and the accounts of the several Underwriters, to accept delivery of and receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Firm Shares and any Option Shares the Underwriters have agreed to purchase. Ladenburg, individually and not as the Representatives of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment for any Offered Shares to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds shall not have been received by the Representatives by the First Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be, for the account of such Underwriter, but any such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from any of its obligations under this Agreement.

 

(f) Delivery of the Offered Shares. The Company shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), to the Representatives for the accounts of the several Underwriters the Firm Shares at the First Closing Date, against the irrevocable release of a wire transfer of immediately available funds for the amount of the purchase price therefor. The Company shall also deliver, or cause to be delivered, through the facilities of DTC, to the Representatives for the accounts of the several Underwriters, the Option Shares the Underwriters have agreed to purchase at the First Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be, against the irrevocable release of a wire transfer of immediately available funds for the amount of the purchase price therefor. The Offered Shares shall be registered in such names and denominations as the Representatives shall have requested at least two full business days prior to the First Closing Date (or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be). Subject to Section 11, time shall be of the essence, and delivery at the time and place specified in this Agreement is a further condition to the obligations of the Underwriters.

 

Section 3. Additional Covenants of the Company and the Operating Partnership. The Company and the Operating Partnership further covenant and agree with each Underwriter as follows:

 

(a) Delivery of Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Company shall furnish to you, without charge, as many copies of the Registration Statement, any amendments thereto and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) as the Representatives may reasonably request and for delivery to each other Underwriter a conformed copy of the Registration Statement, any amendments thereto and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and shall furnish to you in New York, New York, without charge, prior to 10:00 a.m., New York time, on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and during the period mentioned in Section 3(e) or 3(f) below, as many copies of the the Prospectus and any supplements and amendments thereto or to the Registration Statement as you may reasonably request.

 

(b) Representatives’ Review of Proposed Amendments and Supplements. Prior to amending or supplementing the Registration Statement (including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement) or the Prospectus, the Company shall furnish to the Representatives for review, a reasonable amount of time prior to the proposed time of filing or use thereof, a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement, and the Company shall not file or use any such proposed amendment or supplement without the Representatives’ consent (not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), and to file with the Commission within the applicable period specified in Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act any prospectus required to be filed pursuant to such Rule.

 

 

(c) Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company shall furnish to the Representatives for review, a reasonable amount of time prior to the proposed time of filing or use thereof, a copy of each proposed free writing prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto to be prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and the Company shall not file, use or refer to any proposed free writing prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto without the Representatives’ consent (not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed). The Company shall furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, or used by the Company, as such Underwriter may reasonably request. If at any time when a prospectus is required by the Securities Act (including, without limitation, pursuant to Rule 173(d)) to be delivered in connection with sales of the Offered Shares (but in any event if at any time through and including the First Closing Date) there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or, when taken together with the Registration Statement, included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company shall promptly amend or supplement such free writing prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict or so that the statements in such free writing prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at such subsequent time, not misleading, as the case may be; provided, however, that prior to amending or supplementing any such free writing prospectus, the Company shall furnish to the Representatives for review, a reasonable amount of time prior to the proposed time of filing or use thereof, a copy of such proposed amended or supplemented free writing prospectus and the Company shall not file, use or refer to any such amended or supplemented free writing prospectus without the Representatives’ consent (not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed).

 

(d) Filing of Underwriter Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company shall not take any action that would result in an Underwriter or the Company being required to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of the Underwriters that the Underwriters otherwise would not have been required to file thereunder.

 

(e) Securities Act Compliance. After the date of this Agreement, the Company shall promptly advise the Representatives in writing (i) of the receipt of any comments of, or requests for additional or supplemental information from, the Commission, (ii) of the time and date of any filing of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to any free writing prospectus or the Prospectus, (iii) of the time and date that any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement becomes effective and (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any free writing prospectus or the Prospectus, or of any proceedings to remove, suspend or terminate from listing or quotation the Shares from any securities exchange upon which they are listed for trading or included or designated for quotation, or of the threatening or initiation of any proceedings for any of such purposes. If the Commission shall enter any such stop order at any time, the Company will use its reasonable efforts to obtain the lifting of such order at the earliest possible moment. Additionally, the Company agrees that it shall comply with the provisions of Rule 424(b), Rule 433 and Rule 430A, as applicable, under the Securities Act and will use its commercially reasonable efforts to confirm that any filings made by the Company under such Rule 424(b) or Rule 433 are made in a timely manner.

 

 

(f) Amendments and Supplements to the Prospectus and Other Securities Act Matters. If any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus so that the Prospectus does not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if in the opinion of the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters it is otherwise necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, including the Securities Act, the Company agrees (subject to Section 3(b) and 3(c)) to promptly prepare, file with the Commission and furnish at its own expense to the Underwriters and to dealers, amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law including the Securities Act. Neither the Representatives’ consent to, or delivery of, any such amendment or supplement shall constitute a waiver of any of the Company’s obligations under Sections 3(b) or (c).

 

(g) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company shall cooperate with the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters to qualify or register the Offered Shares for sale under (or obtain exemptions from the application of) the state securities or blue sky laws or Canadian provincial securities laws of those jurisdictions designated by the Representatives, shall comply with such laws and shall continue such qualifications, registrations and exemptions in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Offered Shares. The Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to take any action that would subject it to general service of process in any such jurisdiction where it is not presently qualified or where it would be subject to taxation as a foreign corporation. The Company will advise the Representatives promptly of the suspension of the qualification or registration of (or any such exemption relating to) the Offered Shares for offering, sale or trading in any jurisdiction or any initiation or threat of any proceeding for any such purpose, and in the event of the issuance of any order suspending such qualification, registration or exemption, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the withdrawal thereof at the earliest possible moment.

 

(h) Use of Proceeds. The Company shall apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Offered Shares sold by it in the manner described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Prospectus.

 

(i) Transfer Agent. The Company shall engage and maintain, at its expense, a registrar and transfer agent for the Shares.

 

(j) Earnings Statement. As soon as practicable, but in any event no later than twelve months after the date of this Agreement, the Company will make generally available to its security holders and to the Representatives an earnings statement (which need not be audited) covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the date of this Agreement which shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

 

 

(k) Exchange Act Compliance. The Company shall file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15 of the Exchange Act in the manner and within the time periods required by the Exchange Act.

 

(l) Listing. The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to effect and maintain the listing of the Offered Shares on the Nasdaq Capital Market and to maintain the listing of the Shares on the Nasdaq Capital Market.

 

(m) Company to Provide Copy of the Prospectus in Form That May be Downloaded from the Internet. The Company shall cause to be prepared and delivered, at its expense, within one business day from the effective date of this Agreement, to the Representatives and the other Underwriters an “electronic Prospectus” to be used by the Underwriters in connection with the offering and sale of the Offered Shares. As used herein, the term “electronic Prospectus” means a form of Prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto, that meets each of the following conditions: (i) it shall be encoded in an electronic format, satisfactory to the Representatives, including, but not limited to, portable document format, or PDF, that may be transmitted electronically by the Representatives and the other Underwriters to offerees and purchasers of the Offered Shares; and (ii) it shall disclose the same information as the paper Prospectus, except to the extent that graphic and image material cannot be disseminated electronically, in which case such graphic and image material shall be replaced in the electronic Prospectus with a fair and accurate narrative description or tabular representation of such material, as appropriate. The Company hereby confirms that it has included or will include in the Prospectus filed pursuant to EDGAR or otherwise with the Commission and in the Registration Statement at the time it was declared effective an undertaking that, upon receipt of a request by an investor or his or her representative, the Company shall transmit or cause to be transmitted promptly, without charge, a paper copy of the Prospectus.

 

(n) Agreement Not to Offer or Sell Additional Shares. During the period commencing on and including the date hereof and ending on and including the 30th day following the date of the Prospectus (as the same may be extended as described below, the “Lock-up Period”), the Company will not, without the prior written consent of Ladenburg (which consent may be withheld at the sole discretion of Ladenburg), directly or indirectly, (i) sell (including, without limitation, any short sale), offer, contract or grant any option to sell, pledge, assign, transfer or establish an open “put equivalent position” within the meaning of Rule 16a-1(h) under the Exchange Act, or otherwise dispose of or transfer, or announce the offering of, or file any registration statement under the Securities Act in respect of, any Shares, options, rights or warrants to acquire Shares or securities exchangeable or exercisable for or convertible into Shares (other than as contemplated by this Agreement with respect to the Offered Shares), (ii) enter into any swap, hedge or similar arrangement or agreement that transfers in whole or in part, the economic risk of ownership of the Shares, or securities exchangeable or exercisable for or convertible into Shares currently or hereafter owned either of record or beneficially by the Company or (iii) publicly announce the intention to do any of the foregoing; provided, however, that the Company may issue (v) Shares sold pursuant to the Company's ‘‘at-the- market’’ equity program pursuant to a series of equity distribution agreements with multiple agents, each dated as of January 22, 2013, (w) Shares under the Company's dividend reinvestment plan, (x) Shares or options to purchase Shares, or issue Shares upon exercise of options, pursuant to any stock option, stock bonus or other stock plan or arrangement described in the Prospectus, (y) Shares in exchange for Operating Partnership units and (z) units of the Operating Partnership (which are redeemable or exchangeable for Shares) solely in conjunction with the acquisition of properties in the ordinary course of the Company’s business as described in the Prospectus (but not otherwise issued in conjunction with any financing or capital raising activity).

 

 

(o) Future Reports to the Representatives. During the period of five years hereafter the Company will furnish to Ladenburg at 520 Madison Avenue, 9th Floor, New York, New York, Attention: Equity Capital Markets and Syndicate: (i) as soon as practicable after the filing thereof, copies of each proxy statement, Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, Current Report on Form 8-K or other report filed by the Company with the Commission, FINRA or any securities exchange; and (ii) as soon as available, copies of any report or communication of the Company mailed generally to holders of its capital stock; provided that, in each case, the Company will be deemed to have furnished the foregoing documents as required by this Section to the extent they are filed with the Commission and publicly accessible on EDGAR.

 

(p) No Stabilization or Manipulation; Compliance with Regulation M. The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that might be reasonably expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares or any other reference security, whether to facilitate the sale or resale of the Offered Shares or otherwise, and the Company will, and shall cause each of its affiliates to, comply with all applicable provisions of Regulation M. If the limitations of Rule 102 of Regulation M (“Rule 102”) do not apply with respect to the Offered Shares or any other reference security pursuant to any exception set forth in Section (d) of Rule 102, then promptly upon notice from the Representatives (or, if later, at the time stated in the notice), the Company will, and shall cause each of its affiliates to, comply with Rule 102 as though such exception were not available but the other provisions of Rule 102 (as interpreted by the Commission) did apply.

 

(q) Existing Lock-Up Agreements. During the Lock-up Period, the Company will enforce all existing agreements (if any) between the Company and any of its security holders that prohibit the sale, transfer, assignment, pledge or hypothecation of any of the Company’s securities. In addition, the Company will direct the transfer agent to place stop transfer restrictions upon any such securities of the Company that are bound by any such existing “lock-up” agreements for the duration of the periods contemplated in such agreements, including, without limitation, “lock-up” agreements entered into by the Company’s officers and directors pursuant to Section 6(g).

 

Section 4. Payment of Expenses. The Company, whether or not the transactions contemplated hereunder are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, in accordance with the provisions of Section 12 hereunder, will pay all expenses incident to the performance of the Company’s obligations hereunder, which the parties acknowledge include expenses relating to: (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement and each amendment and supplement thereto, of each Prospectus and of each amendment and supplement thereto, and of this Agreement, (ii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the Offered Shares, (iii) the printing and delivery by the Representative of copies of the Prospectus and any amendments and supplements thereto, (iv) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing or qualification of the Shares for trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market and (v) the filing fees and expenses (including the Company’s counsel and accountants fees), if any, related to the filing and clearance of the transactions and related documentation with the Commission and FINRA. The Company will pay to the Representative upon execution of this Agreement all reasonable and customary expenses incurred by the Underwriters through the date hereof and incident to the negotiation and performance of the Underwriters’ obligations hereunder (“Reimbursable Expenses”), including fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters, consultant fees, travel and lodging expenses and any other fees and expenses incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, in all cases not to exceed $10,000 and, in addition, up to $10,000 for fees of counsel to the Underwriters related to the filing and clearance of the transactions and related documentation with FINRA (collectively, the “Expense Cap”). Reimbursable Expenses incurred by the Underwriters following the date hereof shall be invoiced to the Company in reasonable detail by the Representative and paid by the Company at the earlier of the Closing Date and ten (10) days after the delivery of such invoice to the Company; provided that all such post-signing reimbursements shall count toward and be subject to the Expense Cap.

 

 

Section 5. Covenant of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter severally and not jointly, covenants with the Company not to take any action that would result in the Company being required to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of such Underwriter that otherwise would not be required to be filed by the Company thereunder, but for the action of the Underwriter.

 

Section 6. Conditions of the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Offered Shares as provided herein on the First Closing Date and, with respect to the Option Shares, each Option Closing Date, shall be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company and the Operating Partnership set forth in Section 1 hereof as of the date hereof and as of the First Closing Date as though then made and, with respect to the Option Shares, as of each Option Closing Date as though then made, to the timely performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to each of the following additional conditions:

 

(a) Accountants’ Comfort Letters, etc. On the date hereof, the Representatives shall have received from Grant Thornton LLP, independent public or certified public accountants for the Company, a letter dated the date hereof addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, (i) containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountant’s “comfort letters” to underwriters, delivered according to Statement of Auditing Standards No. 72 (or any successor bulletin), with respect to the audited and unaudited financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement and each free writing prospectus, if any, and the Prospectus (and the Representatives shall have received an additional conformed copy of such accountants’ letter for each of the several Underwriters), and (ii) confirming that they are (A) independent public or certified public accountants as required by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and (B) in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X.

 

(b) Compliance with Registration Requirements; No Stop Order; No Objection from FINRA. For the period from and after effectiveness of this Agreement and prior to the First Closing Date and, with respect to the Option Shares, each Option Closing Date:

 

(i) the Company shall have filed the Prospectus with the Commission (including the information required by Rule 430A under the Securities Act) in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act; or the Company shall have filed a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement containing the information required by such Rule 430A, and such post-effective amendment shall have become effective;

 

(ii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, shall be in effect and no proceedings for such purpose shall have been instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission; and

 

(iii) FINRA shall have raised no objection to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements.

 

(c) No Material Adverse Change. For the period from and after the date of this Agreement and through and including the First Closing Date and, with respect to the Option Shares, each Option Closing Date, in the judgment of the Representatives there shall not have occurred any Material Adverse Change.

 

 

 

(d) Opinion of Counsel for the Company and the Operating Partnership. On each of the First Closing Date and each Option Closing Date the Representatives shall have received the opinion of:

 

(i) Proskauer Rose LLP, counsel for the Company, dated as of such Closing Date, and a supplemental “negative assurances” letter from such counsel, in substantially the forms attached hereto as Exhibit C and Exhibit D respectively (and the Representatives shall have received an additional signed copy of such counsel’s legal opinion and negative assurance letter for each of the several Underwriters);

 

(ii) Proskauer Rose LLP, counsel for the Company, dated as of such Closing Date, with respect to certain tax matters in connection with the issuance and sale of common stock, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit E, (and the Representatives shall have received an additional signed copy of such counsel’s legal opinion for each of the several Underwriters); and

 

(iii) Venable LLP, counsel for the Company, dated as of such Closing Date, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit F (and the Representatives shall have received an additional signed copy of such counsel’s legal opinion for each of the several Underwriters).

 

(e) Officers’ Certificate. On each of the First Closing Date and each Option Closing Date the Representatives shall have received a written certificate executed by the Chief Executive Officer or President and the Chief Financial Officer of each of the Company and the Operating Partnership, dated as of such Closing Date, to the effect set forth in subsections (b)(ii) of this Section 6, and further to the effect that:

 

(i) for the period from and including the date of this Agreement through and including such Closing Date, there has not occurred any Material Adverse Change;

 

(ii) the representations, warranties and covenants of the Company and the Operating Partnership set forth in Section 1 of this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made on and as of such Closing Date; and

 

(iii) each of the Company and the Operating Partnership has complied with all the agreements hereunder and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to such Closing Date.

 

(f) Bring-down Comfort Letter. On each of the First Closing Date and each Option Closing Date the Representatives shall have received from Grant Thornton LLP, independent public or certified public accountants for the Company, a letter dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished by them pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section 6, except that the specified date referred to therein for the carrying out of procedures shall be no more than three business days prior to the First Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be (and the Representatives shall have received an additional conformed copy of such accountants’ letter for each of the several Underwriters).

 

(g) Lock-Up Agreement from Certain Securityholders of the Company. On or prior to the date hereof, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives an agreement in the form of Exhibit B hereto from the persons listed on Exhibit A hereto, and such agreement shall be in full force and effect on each of the First Closing Date and each Option Closing Date.

 

 

 

(h) Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. In the event that a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement is filed in connection with the offering contemplated by this Agreement, such Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall have been filed with the Commission on the date of this Agreement and shall have become effective automatically upon such filing.

 

(i) Additional Documents. On or before each of the First Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters shall have received such information, documents and opinions as they may reasonably request for the purposes of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Offered Shares as contemplated herein, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations and warranties, or the satisfaction of any of the conditions or agreements, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company and the Operating Partnership in connection with the issuance and sale of the Offered Shares as contemplated herein and in connection with the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters.

 

If any condition specified in this Section 6 is not satisfied when and as required to be satisfied, this Agreement may be terminated by the Representatives by notice to the Company at any time on or prior to the First Closing Date and, with respect to the Option Shares, at any time on or prior to the applicable Option Closing Date, which termination shall be without liability on the part of any party to any other party, except that Section 4, Section 6, Section 8 and Section 9 shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.

 

Section 7. Reimbursement of Underwriters’ Expenses. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representatives pursuant to Section 6, Section 8, Section 11 or Section 12, or if the sale to the Underwriters of the Offered Shares on the First Closing Date is not consummated because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any agreement herein or to comply with any provision hereof, the Company agrees to reimburse the Representatives and the other Underwriters (other than any defaulting Underwriter in the case of a termination under Section 11), severally, upon demand for all out-of-pocket expenses that shall have been reasonably incurred by the Representatives and the Underwriters in connection with the proposed purchase and the offering and sale of the Offered Shares, including but not limited to fees and disbursements of counsel, printing expenses, travel expenses, postage, facsimile and telephone charges.

 

Section 8. Effectiveness of this Agreement. This Agreement shall not become effective until the later of (i) the execution of this Agreement by the parties hereto and (ii) notification by the Commission to the Company and the Representatives of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement under the Securities Act.

 

Section 9. Indemnification.

 

(a) Indemnification of the Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its officers, employees and agents, and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which such Underwriter or such officer, employee, agent or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation), insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, or any amendment thereto, including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the any Road Show or any free writing prospectus that the Company has used, referred to or filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Securities Act or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or (iii) any act or failure to act or any alleged act or failure to act by any Underwriter in connection with, or relating in any manner to, the Shares or the offering contemplated hereby, and which is included as part of or referred to in any loss, claim, damage, liability or action arising out of or based upon any matter covered by clause (i) or (ii) above; and to reimburse each Underwriter and each such officer, employee, agent and controlling person for any and all expenses (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Representatives) as such expenses are reasonably incurred by such Underwriter or such officer, employee, agent or controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action; provided, however, that the foregoing indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense to the extent, but only to the extent, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company by the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any Road Show, any such free writing prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Representatives to the Company consists of the information described in subsection (b) below. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 9(a) shall be in addition to any liabilities that the Company may otherwise have.

 

 

 

(b) Indemnification of the Company, its Directors and Officers. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which the Company, or any such director, officer or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written consent of such Underwriter), insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Road Show, any free writing prospectus that the Company has used, referred to or filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Securities Act or the Prospectus (or such amendment or supplement thereto), or arises out of or is 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, such Road Show, such free writing prospectus that the Company has used, referred to or filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Securities Act, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), in reliance upon and in conformity with written information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company by the Representatives expressly for use therein; and to reimburse the Company, or any such director, officer or controlling person for any legal and other expense reasonably incurred by the Company, or any such director, officer or controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action. The Company hereby acknowledges that the only information that the Representatives and the Underwriters have furnished to the Company expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any Road Show, any free writing prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Securities Act or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) are the statements set forth (A) in the first paragraph under the caption “Underwriting—Commissions and Discounts” and (B) the first sentence of the first paragraph and the second sentence in the second paragraph under the caption “Underwriting—Stabilization” in the Company’s Prospectus dated January 24, 2013 relating to the offering of the Offered Shares. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 9(b) shall be in addition to any liabilities that each Underwriter may otherwise have.

 

 

 

(c) Notifications and Other Indemnification Procedures. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 9 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under this Section 9, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof, but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party for contribution or otherwise than under the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 9 or to the extent it is not prejudiced as a proximate result of such failure. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party and such indemnified party seeks or intends to seek indemnity from an indemnifying party, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall elect, jointly with all other indemnifying parties similarly notified, by written notice delivered to the indemnified party promptly after receiving the aforesaid notice from such indemnified party, to assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party; provided, however, if the defendants in any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that a conflict may arise between the positions of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party in conducting the defense of any such action or that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, the indemnified party or parties shall have the right to select separate counsel to assume such legal defenses and to otherwise participate in the defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified party or parties. Upon receipt of notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of such indemnifying party’s election so to assume the defense of such action and approval by the indemnified party of counsel, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 9 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof unless (i) the indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel in accordance with the proviso to the preceding sentence (it being understood, however, that the indemnifying party shall not be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate counsel (together with local counsel), representing the indemnified parties who are parties to such action), which counsel (together with any local counsel) for the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Representatives (in the case of counsel for the indemnified parties referred to in Section 9(a) above) or by the Company (in the case of counsel for the indemnified parties referred to in Section 9(b) above)), (ii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of commencement of the action or (iii) the indemnifying party has authorized in writing the employment of counsel for the indemnified party at the expense of the indemnifying party, in each of which cases the fees and expenses of counsel shall be at the expense of the indemnifying party and shall be paid as they are incurred.

 

(d) Settlements. The indemnifying party under this Section 9 shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by Section 9(c) hereof, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement, compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in any pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity was or could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such action, suit or proceeding and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

 

 

Section 10. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 9 is for any reason held to be unavailable to or otherwise insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount paid or payable by such indemnified party, as incurred, as a result of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, from the offering of the Offered Shares pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Offered Shares pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total gross proceeds from the offering of the Offered Shares pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth on the front cover page of the Prospectus bear to the aggregate public offering price of the Offered Shares as set forth on such cover. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, on the one hand, or the Underwriters, on the other hand, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

 

The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 9(c), any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim. The provisions set forth in Section 9(c) with respect to notice of commencement of any action shall apply if a claim for contribution is to be made under this Section 10; provided, however, that no additional notice shall be required with respect to any action for which notice has been given under Section 9(c) for purposes of indemnification.

 

 

The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 10 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 in this Section 10.

 

Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 10, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter in connection with the Offered Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 10 are several, and not joint, in proportion to their respective underwriting commitments as set forth opposite their respective names on Schedule A. For purposes of this Section 10, each officer, employee and agent of an Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company with the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company.

 

Section 11. Default of One or More of the Several Underwriters. If, on the First Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or more of the several Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Offered Shares that it or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate number of Offered Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase does not exceed 10% of the aggregate number of the Offered Shares to be purchased on such date, the Representatives may make arrangements satisfactory to the Company for the purchase of such Offered Shares by other persons, including any of the Underwriters, but if no such arrangements are made by such Closing Date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, in the proportions that the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their respective names on Schedule A bears to the aggregate number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriters, or in such other proportions as may be specified by the Representatives with the consent of the non-defaulting Underwriters, to purchase the Offered Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date. If, on the First Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Offered Shares and the aggregate number of Offered Shares with respect to which such default occurs exceeds 10% of the aggregate number of Offered Shares to be purchased on such date, and arrangements satisfactory to the Representatives and the Company for the purchase of such Offered Shares are not made within 48 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 4, Section 7, Section 9 and Section 10 shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination. In any such case either the Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone the First Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be, but in no event for longer than seven days in order that the required changes, if any, to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or any other documents or arrangements may be effected.

 

As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” shall be deemed to include any person substituted for a defaulting Underwriter under this Section 11. Any action taken under this Section 11 shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.

 

 

Section 12. Termination of this Agreement. Prior to the purchase of the Firm Shares by the Underwriters on the First Closing Date this Agreement may be terminated by the Representatives by notice given to the Company if at any time (i) trading in any of the Company’s securities shall have been suspended or limited by the Commission or by the Nasdaq Capital Market, or trading in securities generally on either the Nasdaq Stock Market or the New York Stock Exchange shall have been suspended or limited, or minimum or maximum prices shall have been generally established on any of such stock exchanges by the Commission or FINRA; (ii) a general banking moratorium shall have been declared by any of federal or New York authorities; (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of national or international hostilities or any crisis or calamity, or any change in the United States or international financial markets, or any substantial change or development involving a prospective substantial change in United States’ or international political, financial or economic conditions, as in the judgment of the Representatives is material and adverse and makes it impracticable to market the Offered Shares in the manner and on the terms described in the Prospectus or to enforce contracts for the sale of securities; (iv) in the reasonable judgment of the Representatives there shall have occurred any Material Adverse Change; or (v) the Company shall have sustained a loss by strike, fire, flood, earthquake, accident or other calamity of such character as in the judgment of the Representatives may interfere materially with the conduct of the business and operations of the Company regardless of whether or not such loss shall have been insured. Any termination pursuant to this Section 12 shall be without liability on the part of (a) the Company to any Underwriter, except that the Company shall be obligated to reimburse the expenses of the Representatives and the Underwriters pursuant to Sections 4 and 7 hereof, (b) any Underwriter to the Company, or (c)  any party hereto to any other party except that the provisions of Section 9 and Section 10 shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.

 

Section 13. No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (a) the purchase and sale of the Offered Shares pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the public offering price of the Offered Shares and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other hand, (b) in connection with the offering contemplated hereby and the process leading to such transaction each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, or its stockholders, creditors, employees or any other party, (c) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company 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 on other matters) and no Underwriter has any obligation to the Company with respect to the offering contemplated hereby except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (d) the Underwriters and their respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company, and (e) the Underwriters have not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering contemplated hereby and the Company has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.

 

Section 14. Representations and Indemnities to Survive Delivery. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company, of its officers and of the several Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or the Company or any of its or their partners, officers or directors or any controlling person, as the case may be, and, anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, will survive delivery of and payment for the Offered Shares sold hereunder and any termination of this Agreement.

 

 

Section 15. Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be (i) mailed, (ii) hand delivered or (iii) telecopied or emailed, so long as receipt by the intended party is acknowledged by such party, to the parties hereto as follows:

 

If to the Representatives:

 

Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc.

520 Madison Avenue, 9^th Floor
New York, New York 10022

Facsimile: (212) 758-4939 

Email: ***@***

Attention: Steven Kaplan

 

Aegis Capital Corp.

810 Seventh Avenue, 11th Floor

New York, NY 10019

Facsimile: (212) 813-1047

Email: ***@***

Attention: Robert J. Eide

 

Maxim Group LLC

405 Lexington Avenue, 2nd Floor

New York, New York 10174

Facsimile: (212) 895-3783

Email: ***@***

Attention: Paul LaRosa

 

and:

 

National Securities Corporation

120 Broadway, 27th Floor

New York, NY 10271

Facsimile: (212) 380-2828 

Email: j ***@***

Attention: Jonathan Rich

 

with a copy to:

 

McDermott Will & Emery LLP

340 Madison Ave
New York, New York 10173-1922
Facsimile: (212)  ###-###-####

Email: ***@***

Attention: Stephen E. Older

 

If to the Company:

 

American Realty Capital Properties, Inc.

405 Park Avenue

New York, New York 10022

Facsimile: (212) 421-5799 

Email: ***@***

Attention: Edward M. Weil, Jr.

 

 

with a copy to:

 

Proskauer Rose LLP

Eleven Times Square

New York, New York 10036

Facsimile: (212)  ###-###-####

Email: ***@***

             ***@***

Attention: Peter M. Fass, Esq.

                   Steven L. Lichtenfeld, Esq.

 

If to the Operating Partnership:

 

ARC Properties Operating Partnership, L.P.
405 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10022
Facsimile No.: (212) 421-5799
Email: ***@***

Attention: Edward M. Weil, Jr.

 

with a copy to:

 

Proskauer Rose LLP
Eleven Times Square
New York, New York 10036
Facsimile No.: (212) 969-2900

Email: ***@***

            ***@***

Attention: Peter M. Fass, Esq.
                   Steven L. Lichtenfeld, Esq.

 

Any party hereto may change the address for receipt of communications by giving written notice to the others.

 

Section 16. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto, including any substitute Underwriters pursuant to Section 11 hereof, and to the benefit of the employees, agents, officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in Section 9 and Section 10, and in each case their respective successors, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder. The term “successors” shall not include any purchaser of the Offered Shares as such from any of the Underwriters merely by reason of such purchase.

 

Section 17. Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other Section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.

 

Section 18. Governing Law Provisions. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made and to be performed in such state. Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby may be instituted in the federal courts of the United States of America located in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York or the courts of the State of New York in each case located in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), and each party irrevocably submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to such party’s address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any court. The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

 

 

Section 19. General Provisions. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties to this Agreement and supersedes all prior written or oral and all contemporaneous oral agreements, understandings and negotiations with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each one of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Agreement by telecopier, facsimile or other electronic transmission (i.e., a “pdf” or “tif”) shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart hereof. This Agreement may not be amended or modified unless in writing by all of the parties hereto, and no condition herein (express or implied) may be waived unless waived in writing by each party whom the condition is meant to benefit. The Section headings herein are for the convenience of the parties only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation of this Agreement.

 

Each of the parties hereto acknowledges that it is a sophisticated business person who was adequately represented by counsel during negotiations regarding the provisions hereof, including, without limitation, the indemnification provisions of Section 9 and the contribution provisions of Section 10, and is fully informed regarding said provisions. Each of the parties hereto further acknowledges that the provisions of Sections 9 and 10 hereto fairly allocate the risks in light of the ability of the parties to investigate the Company, its affairs and its business in order to assure that adequate disclosure has been made in the Registration Statement, each Road Show, each free writing prospectus and the Prospectus (and any amendments and supplements thereto), as required by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.

 

[Signature pages follow]

 

 

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, kindly sign and return to the Company the enclosed copies hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts hereof, shall become a binding agreement in accordance with its terms.

 

	Very truly yours,
	AMERICAN REALTY CAPITAL PROPERTIES, INC.
	By:	/s/ Nicholas S. Schorsch
		Name: Nicholas S. Schorsch
		Title: Chief Executive Officer
	ARC PROPERTIES OPERATING PARTNERSHIP, L.P.
	By:	American Realty Capital Properties, Inc.,
		its General Partner
	By:	/s/ Nicholas S. Schorsch
		Name: Nicholas S. Schorsch
		Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

 

CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,

as of the date first above written:

 

Acting as Representatives of the

several Underwriters named in

the attached Schedule A.

 

LADENBURG THALMANN & CO. INC.

 

By /s/ Steven Kaplan                                
      Name: Steven Kaplan

      Title: Head of Capital Markets

 

MAXIM GROUP LLC

 

By /s/ Paul La Rosa                                  
    Name: Paul La Rosa

    Title: Executive Managing Director

 

NATIONAL SECURITIES CORPORATION

 

By /s/ Jonathan C. Rich                            
      Name: Jonathan C. Rich

      Title: Executive Vice President

 

AEGIS CAPITAL CORP.

 

By /s/ Kevin C. McKenna                        
      Name: Kevin C. McKenna

      Title: Chief Compliance Officer

 

SCHEDULE A

 

Underwriters		Number of Firm Shares
		to be Purchased
Aegis Capital Corp.			380,000
Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc.			980,000
Maxim Group LLC			220,000
National Securities Corporation			220,000
Total			1,800,000

 

SCHEDULE B

 

Schedule of Free Writing Prospectuses included in the Prospectus

 

None

 

EXHIBIT A

 

LIST OF PERSONS EXECUTING LOCK-UPS

 

Nicholas S. Schorsch
Edward M. Weil, Jr.
Brian S. Block
Peter M. Budko

Leslie D. Michelson

Walter P. Lomax, Jr.

Robin A. Ferracone

 

EXHIBIT B

 

___________ __, 2013

 

Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc.

 

As Representatives of the several Underwriters (the “Representatives”)

 

c/o

Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc. 520 Madison Avenue, 9th Floor New York, New York 10022

 

Aegis Capital Corp.

 810 Seventh Avenue, 11th Floor

New York, NY 10019

 

Maxim Group LLC

405 Lexington Avenue, 2nd Floor

New York, New York 10174

 

National Securities Corporation

120 Broadway, 27th Floor

 New York, NY 10271

 

RE:

American Realty Capital Properties, Inc. (the “Company”)

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

The undersigned is an owner of record or beneficially of certain shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (“Shares”) or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Shares. The Company proposes to carry out a public offering of Shares (the “Offering”) for which you will act as the Representatives of the underwriters. The undersigned recognizes that the Offering will be of benefit to the undersigned and will benefit the Company by, among other things, raising additional capital for acquisitions and general corporate purposes. The undersigned acknowledges that you and the other underwriters are relying on the representations and agreements of the undersigned contained in this letter agreement in carrying out the Offering and, at a subsequent date, entering into any underwriting arrangements with the Company with respect to the Offering.

 

In consideration of the foregoing, the undersigned hereby agrees that the undersigned will not, (and will cause any spouse or immediate family member of the spouse or the undersigned living in the undersigned’s household not to), without the prior written consent of Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc. (“Ladenburg”) (which consent may be withheld in their sole discretion), directly or indirectly, (i) sell, offer, contract or grant any option to sell (including without limitation any short sale), pledge, assign, transfer, establish an open “put equivalent position” within the meaning of Rule 16a-1(h) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise dispose of any Shares, options or warrants to acquire Shares, or securities exchangeable or exercisable for or convertible into Shares currently or hereafter owned either of record or beneficially (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) by the undersigned (or such spouse or family member) or their spouse or family members, (ii) enter into any swap, hedge or similar arrangement or agreement that transfers in whole or in part, the economic risk of ownership of the Shares, or securities exchangeable or exercisable for or convertible into Shares currently or hereafter owned either of record or beneficially (as so defined) by the undersigned (or such spouse or family member) or their spouse or family members or (iii) publicly announce an intention to do any of the foregoing, for a period commencing on the date hereof and continuing through the close of trading on the date 30 days after the date of the Prospectus (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement relating to the Offering to which the Company is a party (the “Underwriting Agreement”)) (the “Lock-up Period”); provided, that the foregoing restrictions shall not apply to (a) bona fide gifts, provided the recipient thereof agrees in writing with the Underwriters to be bound by the terms of this Lock-up Agreement and (b) dispositions to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned and/or the immediate family of the undersigned, provided that such trust agrees in writing with the Underwriters to be bound by the terms of this Lock-up Agreement; provided, however, that (i) in the case of transfers or dispositions pursuant to clause (a) above during the Lock-up Period, it shall be a condition to such transfer that (A) the transferee executes and delivers to Ladenburg an agreement stating that the transferee is receiving and holding the Shares subject to the provisions of this letter agreement, and there shall be no further transfer of such Shares, except in accordance with this letter agreement and (B) no public disclosure and no filing by any party to the transfer (donor, donee, transferor or transferee) under the Exchange Act shall be required nor shall be voluntarily made reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of the Shares in connection with such transfer or distribution (other than a filing on Form 5 made no earlier than five business days prior to the date such filing is required to be made) prior to the expiration of the Lock-up Period (as the same may be extended pursuant to the terms hereof), and (ii) in the case of transfers or dispositions pursuant to clause (b) above during the Lock-up Period, the undersigned (or the Company on behalf of the undersigned) notifies Ladenburg as soon as reasonably practicable but in any event at least two business days prior to any filing or other public announcement related to the proposed transfer or disposition. For purposes of this paragraph, “immediate family” shall mean the undersigned and the spouse, any lineal descendent, father, mother, brother or sister of the undersigned.

 

 

 

The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of Shares or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Shares held by the undersigned except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.

 

With respect to the Offering only, the undersigned waives any registration rights relating to registration under the Securities Act of any Shares owned either of record or beneficially by the undersigned or their spouse or family members, including any rights to receive notice of the Offering, if applicable.

 

This agreement is irrevocable and will be binding on the undersigned and the respective successors, heirs, personal representatives, and assigns of the undersigned.

 

The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this agreement. All authority herein conferred or agreed to be conferred and any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the successors, assigns, heirs or personal representatives of the undersigned.

 

This agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

 

 

	Very truly yours,
	Signature:
	Print Name:
	(and indicate capacity of person signing if
	signing as custodian, trustee, or on behalf
	of an entity)

 

 

EXHIBIT C

 

OPINION OF PROSKAUER ROSE LLP

 

EXHIBIT D

 

NEGATIVE ASSURANCE LETTER OF PROSKAUER ROSE LLP

 

EXHIBIT E

 

TAX OPINION OF PROSKAUER ROSE LLP

 

EXHIBIT F

 

OPINION OF VENABLE LLP