ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
There are many risks and uncertainties that can affect our future business, financial performance or share price. Many of these are beyond our control. A description follows of some of the important factors that could have a material negative impact on our future business, operating results, financial condition or share price. This discussion includes a number of forward-looking statements. You should refer to the description of the qualifications and limitations on forward-looking statements in the first paragraph under Item 7 "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" of this Form 10-K.
Risks Related to Our Investments in Real Estate and the U.S. Energy Infrastructure Sector
Risks Related to Our Two Largest Investments
The Grand Isle Gathering System and the Pinedale LGS constitute the largest components of our leased infrastructure real property assets and associated lease revenues and will materially impact the results of our business.
The Grand Isle Gathering System represented approximately 32 percent of our total assets as of December 31, 2019, and the lease under the Grand Isle Lease Agreement with the EGC Tenant represented approximately 47 percent of our total revenue for the year ended December 31, 2019. The Pinedale LGS represented approximately 26 percent of our total assets as of December 31, 2019, and the lease payments under the Pinedale Lease Agreement with Ultra Wyoming represented approximately 31 percent of our total revenue for the year ended December 31, 2019. Accordingly, the financial condition of these tenants and related parent guarantors and the ability and willingness of each to satisfy their obligations under the respective lease agreements and guaranties will have an ongoing material impact on our results of operations, ability to service our indebtedness and ability to make distributions.
EGC, the corporate parent and guarantor of the obligations of EGC Tenant under the Grand Isle Lease Agreement and certain entities affiliated with it filed for bankruptcy on April 14, 2016. The EGC Tenant did not file for bankruptcy. On December 13, 2016, EGC announced the confirmation of its Plan of Reorganization by the bankruptcy court and, effective December 30, 2016, EGC emerged from its bankruptcy reorganization under the successor company name Energy XXI Gulf Coast, Inc., and we entered into related agreements effective December 30, 2016 pursuant to which the new EGC entity succeeded to the rights and obligations of pre-bankruptcy EGC under the original purchase agreement for the GIGS and as guarantor of the obligations of our tenant under the Grand Isle Lease Agreement. All payments due to us from the EGC Tenant were timely paid throughout the bankruptcy proceedings. EGC subsequently was acquired by an affiliate of Cox Oil, effective October 18, 2018.
Ultra Wyoming, the lessee of the Pinedale LGS, as well as Ultra Petroleum and Ultra Resources, the guarantors of Ultra Wyoming's obligations as tenant under the Pinedale Lease Agreement, each filed for bankruptcy on April 29, 2016. During the bankruptcy proceedings, Ultra Wyoming agreed to accept our lease without amendment, which was approved by the bankruptcy court on November 28, 2016. On March 14, 2017 the bankruptcy court approved Ultra Petroleum's Plan of Reorganization, and on April 12, 2017, the company announced its successful emergence from bankruptcy. All payments due to us under the Pinedale LGS lease were paid timely throughout the bankruptcy proceedings.
Despite their emergence from bankruptcy, Ultra Petroleum and, prior to its October 2018 acquisition by Cox Oil, EGC, have disclosed a number of risks related to their business in their respective filings with the SEC. A complete discussion of the risks related to Ultra Petroleum's business can be found in its Exchange Act reports filed with the SEC (NASDAQ: UPL through August 7, 2019; OTCQX: UPLC beginning August 8, 2019). Prior to the filing by EGC of a Form 15 with the SEC on October 29, 2018, following its acquisition by an affiliate of Cox Oil, to suspend its SEC reporting obligations, EGC had also disclosed a discussion of risks related to its business in the Exchange Act reports that EGC had filed with the SEC as a public reporting company (NASDAQ: EGC). Since EGC ceased to be a public reporting company on and after such date, it has not disclosed any updates to such risks following the Cox Oil acquisition.
We are subject to the risk of EGC Tenant and Ultra Wyoming transferring their obligations under the Grand Isle Lease Agreement and the Pinedale Lease Agreement, respectively.
Under the terms of the Grand Isle Lease Agreement and the terms of the Pinedale Lease Agreement, both the EGC Tenant and Ultra Wyoming may transfer their respective rights and obligations under the Grand Isle Lease Agreement and the Pinedale Lease Agreement at any time, subject to certain conditions. We thus bear the risk that EGC Tenant will transfer its rights and obligations under the Grand Isle Lease Agreement, or that Ultra Wyoming will transfer its rights and obligations under the Pinedale Lease Agreement, in each case to a third party whose creditworthiness may not be on par with that of our current tenant, which could inhibit such transferee's ability to make timely lease payments under the Grand Isle Lease Agreement or the Pinedale Lease Agreement (as applicable), or increase the likelihood that a downturn in the business of such transferee could give rise to a default under the applicable lease agreement. The occurrence of either of these events could have a material adverse impact on our business and financial condition.
Additional Risks Related to Our Real Estate and Energy Infrastructure Investments
Our focus on the energy infrastructure sector will subject us to more risks than if we were broadly diversified.
Because we specifically focus on the energy infrastructure sector, investments in our common stock may present more risks than if we were broadly diversified over numerous sectors of the economy. Therefore, a downturn in the U.S. energy infrastructure sector would have a larger impact on our assets and performance than on a company that does not concentrate in one sector of the economy. The energy infrastructure sector can be significantly affected by the supply of and demand for specific products and services; the supply and demand for crude oil, natural gas, and other energy commodities; the price of crude oil, natural gas, and other energy commodities; exploration, production and other capital expenditures; government regulation; world and regional events, politics and economic conditions.
Production declines and volume decreases could be caused by various factors, including decreased access to capital or loss of economic incentive to drill and complete wells, depletion of resources, catastrophic events affecting production, labor difficulties, political events, OPEC actions, environmental proceedings, increased regulations, equipment failures and unexpected maintenance problems, failure to obtain necessary permits, unscheduled outages, unanticipated expenses, inability to successfully carry out new construction or acquisitions, import or export supply and demand disruptions, or increased competition from alternative energy sources.
We are subject to risks involved in single tenant leases.
A significant portion of our acquisition activities are focused on real properties that are triple-net leased to single tenants. Therefore, the financial failure of, or other default by, a single tenant under its lease: (i) is likely to cause a significant reduction in the operating cash flow generated by the property leased to that tenant, (ii) might decrease the value of that property, and (iii) could expose us to 100 percent of all applicable operating costs.
In addition, if we determine that a renewal of a lease with any present or future tenant of any of our energy infrastructure assets is not in the best interests of our stockholders, if a tenant determines it no longer wishes to be the tenant under a lease upon its expiration, if we desire to terminate a lease as a result of a breach of that lease by the tenant or if we lose any tenant as a result of such tenant's bankruptcy, then in each circumstance we would need to identify a new tenant for the lease. We may not be able to identify a new tenant, as interest in leasing certain of our assets would be dependent on ownership of an interest in nearby mineral rights. In addition, any new tenant would need to be a qualified and reputable operator of such energy infrastructure assets with the wherewithal and capability of acting as our tenant. There is no assurance that we would be able to identify a tenant that meets these criteria, or that we could enter into a new lease with any such tenant on terms that are as favorable as the lease terms that were in place with the prior tenant.
We may be unable to identify and complete acquisitions of real property assets.
Our ability to identify and complete acquisitions of real property assets on favorable terms and conditions are subject to the following risks:
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we may be unable to acquire a desired asset because of competition from other investors with significant capital, including both publicly traded and non-traded REITs and institutional investment funds;
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competition from other investors may significantly increase the purchase price of a desired real property asset or result in less favorable terms;
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we may not complete the acquisition of a desired real property asset even if we have signed an agreement to acquire such real property asset because such agreements are subject to customary conditions to closing, including completion of due diligence investigations to our satisfaction; and
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we may be unable to finance acquisitions of real property assets on favorable terms or at all.
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Net leases may not result in fair market lease rates over time.
We expect a large portion of our future income to come from net leases. Net leases typically have longer lease terms and, thus, there is an increased risk that if market rental rates increase in future years, the rates under our net leases will be less than fair market rental rates during those years. As a result, our income and distributions could be lower than they would otherwise be if we did not engage in net leases. We often will seek to include a clause in each lease that provides increases in rent over the term of the lease, as well as participating features based on increases in the tenant's utilization of the underlying asset, but there can be no assurance we will be successful in obtaining such a clause.
If a tenant declares bankruptcy and such action results in a rejection of the lease, or if the sale-leaseback transaction is challenged as a fraudulent transfer or re-characterized in the lessee company's bankruptcy proceeding, our business, financial condition and cash flows could be adversely affected.
We enter into sale-leaseback transactions, whereby we purchase an energy infrastructure property and then simultaneously lease the same property back to the seller. If a lessee company declares bankruptcy, our business could be adversely affected by one or both of the following:
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A sale-leaseback transaction may be re-characterized by a bankruptcy court as either a disguised financing transaction or a functional joint venture. If the sale-leaseback were re-characterized as a financing transaction, we might not be considered the owner of the subject property and, as a result, we should have the status of a secured creditor of the lessee company with regard to the subject property, assuming the securitization measures we take as described below are respected by the bankruptcy court. In that event, we would no longer have the right to sell or encumber our ownership interest in the property. Instead, we would have a claim against the lessee company for the amounts owed under the lease. Although we believe each of our lease agreements constitutes a true lease that should not be subject to recharacterization, there is no guaranty
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that a bankruptcy court would agree. In the event of recharacterization, our claim under a lease agreement would either be secured or unsecured. As a preventative measure, we take steps to create and perfect a security interest in property made the subject of our lease agreements to ensure that our claim against the bankrupt lessee would be secured in the event of a recharacterization, but such attempts could be subject to challenge by the debtor or creditors and there is no assurance that a court would find our claim to be secured. The bankrupt lessee under this scenario might have the ability to restructure the terms, interest rate and amortization schedule of its outstanding balance owed under the lease. If approved by the bankruptcy court, we could be bound by the new terms, and prevented from foreclosing any lien on the property, so long as the lessee adhered to the new terms. If the sale-leaseback were re-characterized as a joint venture under applicable, non-bankruptcy law, we and the lessee company could be treated as co-venturers with regard to the property. As a result, we could be held liable, under some circumstances, for debts incurred by the lessee company relating to the property.
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A lessee could either assume, assign or reject a lease in a bankruptcy case. The bankrupt lessee is required to make rent payments to us during its bankruptcy until it rejects the commercial real property lease (for leases that are personal property leases, the lessee need not make rental payments that arise from the petition date until 60 days after the order for relief is entered in the bankruptcy case). If the lessee assumes the lease, the bankrupt debtor must pay or “cure” all existing monetary defaults under the lease. Further, the lease can only be assumed “as is”. The bankruptcy court would not be able to change the rental amount or any other lease provision that could financially impact us. However, if the lessee rejects the lease, the facility would be returned to us. If a lease is rejected, we may not be able to identify a new tenant, as interest in leasing certain of our assets would be dependent on ownership of an interest in nearby mineral rights. In addition, any new tenant would need to be a qualified reputable operator of such energy infrastructure assets with the wherewithal and capability of acting as our tenant. There is no assurance that we would be able to identify a tenant that meets these criteria, or that we could enter into a new lease with any such tenant on terms that are as favorable as the lease terms that were in place with the prior tenant. If we were able to re-lease the affected facility to a new tenant only on unfavorable terms or after a significant delay, we could lose some or all of the revenue from that facility for an extended period of time. Further, if the lease agreement is rejected, our claim against the lessee and/or parent guarantor could be, in some courts, subject to a statutory cap under section 502(b)(6) of the Bankruptcy Code to the extent the lease agreement is deemed to be a lease for real property rather than a lease for personal property. Such cap generally limits the amount of a claim for lease-based damages in the event of a termination of a commercial real property lease to the greater of one year's rent or 15 percent of the rent reserved for the remaining lease term, not to exceed 3 years. There is a national split of authority as to whether a rejection of such a lease equates a termination, so the outcome will depend on where the bankrupt lessee files its bankruptcy. We believe that any of our lease agreements would be characterized as real property leases rather than personal property leases, though a court could hold to the contrary.
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Energy infrastructure companies are and will be subject to extensive regulation because of their participation in the energy infrastructure sector, which could adversely impact the business and financial performance of our tenants and the value of our assets.
Companies in the energy infrastructure sector are subject to significant federal, state and local government regulation in virtually every aspect of their operations, including how facilities are constructed, maintained and operated, environmental and safety controls, and the prices they may charge for the products and services they provide. Various governmental authorities have the power to enforce compliance with these regulations and the permits issued under them, and violators are subject to administrative, civil and criminal penalties, including civil fines, injunctions or both. Stricter laws, regulations or enforcement policies could be enacted in the future that likely would increase compliance costs, which could adversely affect the business and financial performance of our tenants in the energy infrastructure sector and the value or quality of our assets.
Costs of complying with governmental laws and regulations, including those relating to environmental matters, may adversely affect our income and the cash available for distribution to our stockholders.
We have invested, and expect to continue to invest, in real property assets, which are subject to laws and regulations relating to the protection of the environment and human health and safety. These laws and regulations generally govern the gathering, storage, handling, and transportation of petroleum and other hazardous substances, the emission and discharge of materials into the environment, including wastewater discharges and air emissions, the operation and removal of underground and aboveground storage tanks, the generation, use, storage, treatment, transportation and disposal of solid and hazardous materials and wastes, and the remediation of any contamination associated with such disposals. We own assets related to the storage and distribution of oil and gas, natural gas and natural gas liquids, and storage and throughput of crude oil, which are subject to all of the inherent hazards and risks normally incidental to such assets, such as fires, well site blowouts, cratering and explosions, pipe and other equipment and system failures, uncontrolled flows of oil, gas or well fluids, formations with abnormal pressures, environmental risks and hazards such as gas leaks, oil spills and pipeline ruptures and discharges of toxic gases. Environmental laws and regulations may impose joint and several liability on tenants, owners or operators for the costs to investigate or remediate contaminated properties, regardless of fault or whether the acts causing the contamination were legal. This liability could be substantial. Moreover, if one or more of
these hazards occur, there can be no assurance that a response will be adequate to limit or reduce any resulting damage. In addition, the presence of hazardous substances, or the failure to properly remediate these substances, may adversely affect our ability to sell, rent or pledge such property as collateral for future borrowings. We also may be required to comply with various local, state and federal fire, health, life-safety and similar regulations.
Local, state and federal laws in this area are constantly evolving. Compliance with new or more stringent laws or regulations, or stricter interpretation of existing laws, may impose material environmental liability and/or require material expenditures by us to avoid such liability. Further, our tenant companies' operations, the existing condition of land when we buy it or operations in the vicinity of our properties (each of which could involve the presence of underground storage tanks), or activities of unrelated third parties may affect our properties. We intend to monitor these laws and take commercially reasonable steps to protect ourselves from the impact of these laws, including, where deemed necessary, obtaining environmental assessments of properties that we acquire. In addition, any such assessment that we do obtain may not reveal all environmental liabilities or whether a prior owner of a property created a material environmental condition not known to us and may not offer any protection against liability for known or unknown environmental conditions.
Failure to comply with applicable environmental, health, and safety laws and regulations may result in the assessment of sanctions, including administrative, civil or criminal fines or penalties, permit revocations, and injunctions limiting or prohibiting some or all of the operations at our facilities. Any material compliance expenditures, fines, or damages we must pay could materially and adversely affect our business, assets or results of operations and, consequently, would reduce our ability to make distributions.
Regulation of greenhouse gases and climate change could have a negative impact on our and our tenants' businesses.
We cannot predict with certainty the rate at which climate change is occurring. However, scientific studies have suggested that emissions of certain gases, commonly referred to as greenhouse gases ("GHGs") and including carbon dioxide and methane, may be contributing to warming of the earth's atmosphere and other climatic changes. In response to such studies, the issue of the effect of GHG emissions on climate change, in particular emissions from fossil fuels, is attracting increasing attention worldwide. We are aware of the increasing focus of local, state, national and international regulatory bodies on GHG emissions and climate change issues. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") has adopted rules requiring GHG reporting and permitting, and the United States Congress and EPA may consider additional legislation or regulations that could ultimately require new, modified, and reconstructed facilities, and/or existing facilities, to meet emission standards by installing control technologies, adopting work practices, or otherwise reducing GHG emissions. Although it is not possible at this time to predict whether proposed legislation or regulations will be adopted, any such future laws and regulations could result in increased compliance costs or additional operating restrictions that could adversely impact our energy infrastructure assets as well as the businesses of our tenants and customers. If we or our tenants are unable to recover or pass through a significant level of the costs related to complying with any such future climate change and GHG regulatory requirements, it could have a material adverse impact on our or our tenants' business, financial condition and results of operations. Further, to the extent financial markets view climate change and GHG emissions as a financial risk, this could negatively impact our cost of or access to capital. Climate change and GHG regulation could also reduce the demand for hydrocarbons and, ultimately, demand for utilization of our energy infrastructure assets related to the production and distribution of hydrocarbons. Finally, it should be noted that studies suggest that increasing concentrations of GHGs in the Earth's atmosphere may produce climate changes that have significant physical effects, such as increased frequency and severity of hurricanes and other storms, floods and related climatic events. If any such effects were to occur, they could have an adverse effect on our assets and operations, particularly an offshore asset such as the GIGS.
Our operations, as well as those of our tenants, are subject to operational hazards and unforeseen interruptions. If a significant accident or event occurs that results in a business interruption or shutdown for which we or our tenant operators are not adequately insured, such operations and our financial results could be materially adversely affected.
Our assets are subject to many hazards inherent in the transmission of energy products and provision of related services, including:
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aging infrastructure, mechanical or other performance problems;
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damage to pipelines, facilities and related equipment caused by tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, fires and other natural disasters, explosions and acts of terrorism;
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inadvertent damage from third parties, including from construction, farm and utility equipment;
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leaks of natural gas and other hydrocarbons or losses of natural gas as a result of the malfunction of equipment or facilities;
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environmental hazards, such as natural gas leaks, product and waste spills, pipeline and tank ruptures, and unauthorized discharges of products, wastes and other pollutants into the surface and subsurface environment, resulting in environmental pollution; and explosions.
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These risks could result in substantial losses due to personal injury and/or loss of life, severe damage to and destruction of property and equipment and pollution or other environmental damage and may result in curtailment or suspension of our or our tenants' related operations or services. A natural disaster or other hazard affecting the areas in which we or our tenants operate could have a material adverse effect on our operations and the financial results of our business.
Both we and our tenants depend on certain key customers for a significant portion of our respective revenues. The loss of any such key customers could result in a decline in our business.
Both we and our tenants are subject to risks of loss resulting from nonperformance by customers. We depend on certain key customers for a significant portion of our revenues, particularly operating revenues from MoGas. Our tenants are similarly dependent on revenues from key customers to support their operations and ability to make lease payments to us. The loss of all or even a portion of the contracted volumes of such customers, as a result of competition, creditworthiness, inability to negotiate extensions or replacements of contracts or otherwise, could have a material adverse effect on the business, financial condition and results of operations of us or our tenants (as applicable), unless we or they are able to contract for comparable volumes from other customers at favorable rates.
We are exposed to the credit risk of our tenants and customers and our credit risk management may not be adequate to protect against such risk.
We are subject to the risk of loss resulting from nonpayment and/or nonperformance by our tenants and customers. Our credit procedures and policies may not be adequate to fully eliminate such credit risk. If we fail to adequately assess the creditworthiness of existing or future tenants or customers, unanticipated deterioration in their creditworthiness and any resulting increase in nonpayment and/or nonperformance by them and inability to re-market the resulting capacity, or re-lease the underlying assets, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. We may not be able to effectively re-market such capacity, or re-lease such assets, during and after bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings involving a tenant or customer.
Our assets and operations, as well as those of our tenants and other investees and customers, can be affected by extreme weather patterns and other natural phenomena.
Our assets and operations, as well as those of our tenants and other investees and customers, can be adversely affected by floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, landslides, tornadoes and other natural phenomena and weather conditions, including extreme or unseasonable temperatures, making it more difficult for us to realize the historic rates of return associated with our assets and operations. These events also could result in significant volatility in the supply of energy and power, which might create fluctuations in commodity prices and earnings of companies in the energy infrastructure sector. A significant disruption in our operations or those of our tenants, investees or customers, or a significant liability for which we or any affected tenant or investee is not fully insured, could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition. Moreover, extreme weather events could adversely impact the valuation of our energy infrastructure assets.
The operation of our energy infrastructure assets could be adversely affected if third-party pipelines, railroads or other facilities interconnected to our facilities become partially or fully unavailable.
Our facilities, as well as those of our tenants, may connect to other pipelines, railroads or facilities owned by third parties. Both we and our tenants depend upon third-party pipelines and other facilities that provide delivery options to and from such facilities. For example, MoGas' pipeline interconnects, directly or indirectly, with most major interstate pipelines in the eastern portion of the U.S. and a significant number of intrastate pipelines. Because we do not own these third-party facilities, their continuing operation is not within our control. Accordingly, these pipelines and other facilities may become unavailable, or available only at a reduced capacity. If these pipeline connections were to become unavailable to us or our tenants for current or future volumes of products due to repairs, damage, lack of capacity or any other reason, our ability, or the ability of our tenants, to operate efficiently and continue shipping products to end markets could be restricted, thereby reducing revenues. Likewise, if any of these third-party pipelines or facilities becomes unable to transport any products distributed or transported through our or our tenants' facilities, our or our tenants' business, results of operations and financial condition could be adversely affected, which could adversely affect our ability to make cash distributions to our stockholders.
The relative illiquidity of our real property and energy infrastructure asset investments may interfere with our ability to sell our assets when we desire.
Investments in real property and energy infrastructure assets are relatively illiquid compared to other investments. Accordingly, we may not be able to sell such assets when we desire or at prices acceptable to us in response to changes in economic or other conditions. This could substantially reduce the funds available for satisfying our obligations and for distribution to our stockholders.
Additional Risks Related to the Grand Isle Gathering System and Grand Isle Lease Agreement
The ongoing refusal of EGC and Cox Oil to provide financial statements to us in accordance with the terms of the Grand Isle Lease Agreement has adversely impacted the use of our effective registration statements on Form S-3 and Form S-8 to register the offer and sale of securities. The lack of EGC financial statement information has also limited our ability to issue registered common stock to participants in our dividend reinvestment plan and to use our common stock as a component of compensation for our independent directors. The refusal by EGC and Cox Oil will also either prevent or make more costly our efforts to raise future capital if we are unable to use our universal shelf registration statement on Form S-3.
Under applicable SEC rules, an issuer loses the privilege of using "short form" Form S-3 or Form S-8 registration statements to offer and sell securities unless it has timely filed all periodic and other reports required to be filed under the Exchange Act after the initial filing of such a registration statement. As described elsewhere in this Report, EGC and Cox Oil have refused to provide the financial statement information concerning EGC required to be filed by us pursuant to SEC Regulation S-X, as described in Section 2340 of the SEC Financial Reporting Manual. We believe that EGC and Cox Oil are required to provide us with this information, for inclusion in our SEC reports, pursuant to the terms of the Grand Isle Lease Agreement. The refusal of EGC and Cox Oil to provide these financial statements has adversely impacted our ability to use our currently effective shelf registration statements on Form S-3. In addition, we do not expect that the SEC will declare effective any registration statement that we file on any other form in connection with an offering so long as we remain unable to amend our Annual Reports on Form 10-K for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 to include the required financial statements of EGC. These circumstances will either prevent or make more costly our efforts to raise future capital through the issuance of our equity and debt securities on a rapid basis. This action by EGC and Cox Oil could also have a negative impact on executing potential acquisitions or other transactions in a timely and efficient manner. While we may be able to raise additional capital through bank financing, private placement transactions or other means, these alternatives could increase both our financing costs and the amount of time required to complete a transaction, and there is no guarantee that we would succeed in raising the additional capital required on a timely basis.
Our dividend reinvestment plan is registered under the Securities Act pursuant to a Form S-3D. As previously disclosed in our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on April 24, 2019, as a result of the refusal by EGC and Cox Oil to provide financial information, we have suspended our dividend reinvestment plan and currently are paying quarterly common stock dividends entirely in cash. Furthermore, the issuance of common stock to our independent directors as a portion of their compensation is registered under the Securities Act pursuant to a Form S-8. We have similarly suspended the issuance of these registered shares under the Company's Director Compensation Plan as a result of our inability to file the required EGC financial statements.
We have engaged in dialogue with the staff of the SEC in an effort to shorten the period during which we do not use these registration statements. We do not expect this period to be shortened until the EGC financial statement information has been received and filed. There is no assurance that we will be successful in obtaining such relief.
Requirements imposed by the BOEM and BSEE related to the decommissioning, plugging, and abandonment of offshore facilities could significantly impact our cost of owning the Grand Isle Gathering System, which could have a material adverse impact on our financial condition and ability to make distributions to our stockholders.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (the "BOEM") issued guidance effective October 15, 2010, following the Deepwater Horizon accident, that effectively established a more stringent regimen for the timely decommissioning of what is known as "idle iron"-wells, platforms and pipelines that are no longer producing or serving exploration or support functions related to an operator's lease-in the Gulf of Mexico ("GOM"). This guidance includes decommissioning requirements providing that pipelines, platforms or other facilities, which would include various components of the Grand Isle Gathering System, that are no longer useful for operations must be removed within five years of the cessation of operations, or as otherwise specified therein. A higher than normal level of decommissioning activity in the GOM at a time when the Grand Isle Gathering System is decommissioned may result in increased demand for salvage contractors and equipment, which in turn could result in increased estimates of plugging, abandonment and removal costs related to these regulatory asset retirement obligations.
To cover these asset retirement obligations, the BOEM generally requires that Outer Continental Shelf ("OCS") lessees, pipeline right-of-way holders and other facility owners demonstrate financial strength and reliability according to regulations or post bonds or other acceptable assurances that such obligations will be satisfied. In July 2016, the BOEM issued a new Notice to Lessees ("NTL") with an effective date of September 12, 2016, requiring additional security for decommissioning activities. The BOEM announced on June 22, 2017 that, pending its review of the NTL, the implementation timeline would be indefinitely extended, subject to certain exceptions. At this time it remains uncertain when or if the new NTL will be implemented. The cost of these bonds or assurances can be substantial and could increase under the BOEM's latest policies, depending on the outcome of the Trump administration's review during the extended implementation period. There is no assurance that such bonds or assurances can be obtained in all cases. While EGC historically has satisfied these requirements with respect to its ownership and operation of the Grand Isle Gathering System, and the terms of the Grand Isle Lease Agreement require EGC to continue to do so, given continued volatility in commodity
prices and the unwillingness of the surety companies to post bonds without the requisite collateral from operators such as EGC, there is no assurance that EGC will be able to continue to satisfy the demands for additional collateral for its current bonds or comply with any new supplemental bonding requirements. If EGC were financially unable to satisfy these requirements, Grand Isle Corridor, LP, as the owner of the Grand Isle Gathering System, would be required to do so. There can be no assurance that we would be able to meet any such increased bonding requirements. Under some circumstances, the BOEM may require any of our or our lessee's operations on federal leases, rights-of-way or facilities to be suspended or terminated. Any such suspension or termination could materially adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations. In addition, the BOEM can require supplemental bonding from operators for decommissioning, plugging, and abandonment liabilities if financial strength and reliability criteria are not met. If EGC is unable to fund any such supplemental bonding requirements and our subsidiary were required to bear the cost as owner of the Grand Isle Gathering System, such cost could have a material adverse impact on our financial condition and ability to make distributions to our stockholders.
The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement ("BSEE") administers regulations governing blowout preventer systems and well control for oil and gas and sulfur operations on the OCS; lease term requirements for continuing operations; and production safety systems. BSEE regulations also require offshore oil and gas lessees and owners of operating rights to submit summaries of their actual expenditures for decommissioning pipelines and wells, platforms, and other facilities on the OCS. These regulations may require capital expenditures and other compliance costs and could result in liability for non-compliance.
Failure to comply with these laws and regulations may trigger a variety of administrative, civil and criminal enforcement measures, including the assessment of monetary penalties, the imposition of remedial requirements and the issuance of orders enjoining future operations. In addition, increases in penalty amounts and limits of liability for damages to reflect inflation and/or increases in the CPI may result in increased exposure to EGC and its indirect parent, Cox Oil. EGC and Cox Oil may be unable to recover some or all of the resulting costs through insurance or increased revenues, which could have a material adverse effect on its business, results of operations and financial condition.
Additional Risks Related to Our Ownership and Operation of MoGas or Other Assets
Our operation of assets such as those at MoGas is subject to extensive regulation, including those relating to environmental matters, which may adversely affect our income and the cash available for distribution.
In addition to the regulations discussed above and pipeline safety regulations discussed below, MoGas' operations, as well as those of assets we may acquire and operate in the future, are subject to extensive federal, regional, state and local environmental laws including, for example, the Clean Air Act (CAA), the Clean Water Act (CWA), the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the Oil Pollution Act (OPA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and analogous state and local laws. These laws and their implementing regulations may restrict or impact such business activities in many ways, including requiring the acquisition of permits or other approvals to conduct regulated activities, limiting emissions and discharges of pollutants, restricting the manner in which it disposes of wastes, requiring remedial action to remove or mitigate contamination, requiring capital expenditures to comply with pollution control or workplace safety requirements, and imposing substantial liabilities for pollution resulting from its operations. In addition, the regulations implementing these laws are constantly evolving, and the potential impact of recent regulatory actions is unclear. For instance, the EPA adopted final rules establishing new source performance standards for methane emissions from new, modified, or reconstructed oil and gas sources, although a rule proposing reconsideration of these amendments has been proposed. Compliance with new or more stringent laws or regulations, or stricter interpretation of existing laws, may require material expenditures by MoGas, and likewise may require material expenditures at other facilities or systems we may acquire and operate.
Failure to comply with these laws and regulations may trigger a variety of administrative, civil and criminal enforcement measures, including the assessment of monetary penalties, the imposition of remedial requirements and the issuance of orders enjoining future operations. In addition, increases in penalty amounts and limits of liability for damages to reflect inflation and/or increases in the CPI may result in increased exposure to operations such as MoGas. The operator of any such assets may be unable to recover some or all of the resulting costs through insurance or increased revenues, which could have a material adverse effect on its business, results of operations and financial condition.
The PLR grants us the ability to own and to operate storage facilities, pipelines, and oil platforms and to have assurance that the payments we receive are treated as rent from real property for purposes of our qualification as a REIT. To the extent we acquire and operate any such asset, we will be exposed to risks similar to those described above and to which MoGas is exposed. In addition, oil platforms located off the coast of the United States are subject to additional regulatory scrutiny by BOEM and BSEE, as is described above for our Grand Isle Gathering System.
MoGas' natural gas transmission operations, and related customer revenue agreements, are subject to regulation by FERC.
MoGas' business operations are subject to regulation by FERC, including the types and terms of services MoGas may offer to its customers, construction of new facilities, expansion of current facilities, creation, modification or abandonment of services or facilities, record keeping and relationships with affiliated companies. Compliance with these requirements can be costly and burdensome and FERC action in any of these areas could adversely affect MoGas' ability to compete for business, construct new facilities, expand current facilities, offer new services, recover the full cost of operating its pipelines or earn its authorized rate of return. This regulatory oversight can result in longer lead times or additional costs to develop and complete any future project than competitors that are not subject to FERC's regulations. To the extent we, in reliance on the PLR, acquire and operate other facilities or systems, those facilities or systems may similarly be subject to FERC regulatory oversight.
In addition, the rates MoGas can charge for its natural gas transmission operations are regulated by FERC pursuant to the Natural Gas Act of 1938 ("NGA") as follows:
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MoGas may only charge rates that have been determined to be just and reasonable by FERC, subject to a prescribed maximum and minimum, and is prohibited from unduly preferring or unreasonably discriminating against any person with respect to its rates or terms and conditions of service.
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MoGas' existing rates may be challenged in a proceeding before FERC, which may reduce MoGas' rates if FERC finds the rates are not just and reasonable or are unduly preferential or unduly discriminatory. Proposed rate increases may be challenged by protest and allowed to go into effect subject to refund. Even if a rate increase is permitted by FERC to become effective, the rate increase may not be adequate.
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To the extent MoGas' costs increase in an amount greater than its revenues increase, or there is a lag between MoGas' cost increases and its ability to file for and obtain rate increases, MoGas' operating results would be negatively affected.
Should FERC find that MoGas has failed to comply with all applicable FERC-administered statutes, rules, regulations, and orders, or with the terms of MoGas' tariffs on file with FERC, MoGas could be subject to substantial penalties and fines. Under the Energy Policy Act of 2005 ("EPAct 2005"), FERC has civil penalty authority under the NGA and Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978 ("NGPA") to impose penalties for violations of up to approximately $1.3 million per day for each violation, to revoke existing certificate authority and to order disgorgement of profits associated with any violation.
On May 31, 2018, MoGas filed a general rate case with FERC seeking a change in its rates to (i) recover increases in capital, operating and maintenance expenditures incurred; (ii) mitigate the revenue impact from the substantial decrease in volumes due to the loss of a firm transportation agreement with a St. Louis natural gas marketing entity; (iii) mitigate the substantial decrease in revenue from the negotiated rate charged to MoGas' largest customer; and (iv) reflect changes in the corporate income tax rate associated with the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. MoGas' filing proposed an increase in MoGas' revenue requirement of approximately $8.7 million.
The proposed rates went into effect on December 1, 2018. On August 22, 2019, the FERC approved a settlement agreed to by MoGas and all intervenors in the rate case to provide maximum annual transportation rates that equate to approximately $14.8 million, effective September 1, 2019. As a result of the approved and effective settlement, MoGas has begun to refund the difference between the filed rates and the settlement rates. In conjunction with the settlement, MoGas entered into 5-year firm transportation service agreements with its customers in exchange for modest discounts to its maximum transportation rates. The agreements, which amend prior year-to-year agreements, extend the termination date for the existing firm transportation service agreements to December 31, 2023.
We cannot give any assurance regarding potential future regulations under which MoGas will operate its natural gas transmission business, or the effect that any changes in such future regulations, or in MoGas' agreements with its customers following December 31, 2023, could have on MoGas' business, financial condition and results of operations.
Once the five-year rate agreements described above expire, revenues of MoGas' business with its customers other than Spire will once again be generated under agreements that are subject to cancellation on an annual basis.
Once the term of MoGas' current firm transportation services pricing arrangement with its customers other than its largest customer, Spire, expire on December 31, 2023, revenues for MoGas' business with such other customers will once again be generated under transportation agreements which renew automatically on a year-to-year basis, but will be subject to cancellation by the customer or MoGas on 365 days' notice. When that occurs, if MoGas is unable to succeed in replacing any agreements canceled by its customers or itself that account for a significant portion of its revenues, or in renegotiating such agreements on terms substantially as favorable as the existing agreements, MoGas could suffer a material reduction in its revenues, financial results and cash flows. The maintenance or replacement of agreements with MoGas' customers at rates sufficient to maintain current or projected revenues and cash flows ultimately depends on a number of factors beyond its control, including competition from other pipelines, the proximity of supplies
to the markets, and the price of, and demand for, natural gas. In addition, changes in state regulation of local distribution companies may cause them to exercise their cancellation rights in order to turn back their capacity when the agreements expire.
Pipeline safety integrity programs and repairs may impose significant costs and liabilities on MoGas or other operating assets we may acquire.
Regulations administered by the Federal Office of Pipeline Safety within the U.S. Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration ("PHMSA") require pipeline operators to develop integrity management programs to comprehensively evaluate certain areas along their pipelines and to take additional measures to protect certain pipeline segments. As an operator, MoGas is, and any other systems or facilities we may acquire and operate in reliance on the PLR are likely to be, required to:
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perform ongoing assessments of pipeline or asset integrity;
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identify and characterize applicable threats to pipeline or asset segments that could impact a high consequence area;
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improve data collection, integration and analysis;
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repair and remediate the pipeline or asset as necessary; and
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implement preventative and mitigating actions.
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MoGas is required to maintain pipeline integrity testing programs that are intended to assess pipeline integrity. Any repair, remediation, preventative or mitigating actions could require significant capital and operating expenditures. The regulations implementing these laws are constantly evolving; pursuant to its reauthorization under the Protecting our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety Act of 2016 (the "PIPES Act"), PHMSA has adopted rules implementing its emergency order authority over pipelines, revising federal pipeline safety regulations related to underground natural gas storage facilities, and imposing additional requirements on the transportation of natural gas and hazardous liquids by pipeline, including more stringent standards for plastic pipe. In October 2019, PHMSA issued final rules amending pipeline safety regulations governing both hazardous liquid pipelines and gas transmission pipelines. These rules extend reporting, inspections, integrity assessment, leak detection, and in-line inspection requirements to include additional pipeline segments, including certain pipeline segments outside high consequence areas. PHMSA also issued a final rule adopting enhanced emergency order procedures implementing certain emergency order authority conferred on the Secretary by the PIPES Act. No further action has been taken on the notice of proposed rulemaking to harmonize the hazardous materials regulations with international regulations and standards. Compliance with new or more stringent laws or regulations, or stricter interpretation of existing laws, could significantly increase compliance costs. Should MoGas fail to comply with the Federal Office of Pipeline Safety's rules and related regulations and orders, it could be subject to significant penalties and fines, including potential future increases in applicable penalty amounts to reflect inflation, which could have a material adverse effect on MoGas' business, results of operations and financial condition. PHMSA also may apply to other systems at facilities that we, in reliance on the PLR, may acquire and operate in the future.
MoGas competes with other pipelines.
The principal elements of competition among pipelines are availability of capacity, rates, terms of service, access to supplies, flexibility, and reliability of service. Additionally, FERC's policies promote competition in natural gas markets by increasing the number of natural gas transmission options available to MoGas' customer base. Any current or future pipeline system or other form of transmission that delivers natural gas into the areas that MoGas serves could offer transmission services that are more desirable to shippers than those MoGas provides because of price, location, facilities or other factors. Increased competition could reduce the volumes of product MoGas transports, result in a reduction in the rates MoGas is able to negotiate with its customers, or cause customers to choose to ship their product on a different competing pipeline. Any one of these consequences could have a material adverse impact on MoGas, or on the operations of any other pipeline owned by the Company. These competitive considerations also could intensify the negative impact of factors that adversely affect the demand for MoGas' services, such as adverse economic conditions, weather, higher fuel costs and taxes or other regulatory actions that increase the cost, or limit the use, of products MoGas transports.
Risks Related to Our Financing Arrangements
Our indebtedness could have important consequences, including impairing our ability to obtain additional financing or pay future distributions, as well as subjecting us to the risk of foreclosure on any mortgaged properties in the event of non-payment of the related debt.
As of December 31, 2019, we had outstanding consolidated indebtedness of approximately $156.0 million. Our leverage could have important consequences. For example, it could:
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result in the acceleration of a significant amount of debt for non-compliance with the terms of such debt or, if such debt contains cross-default or cross-acceleration provisions, other debt;
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materially impair our ability to borrow undrawn amounts under existing financing arrangements or to obtain additional financing or refinancing on favorable terms or at all;
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require us to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flow to paying principal and interest on our indebtedness, thereby reducing the cash flow available to fund our business, to pay distributions, including those necessary to maintain REIT qualification, or to use for other purposes;
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increase our vulnerability to economic downturns;
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limit our ability to withstand competitive pressures; or
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reduce our flexibility to respond to changing business and economic conditions.
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It is also important to note that our variable rate indebtedness under the CorEnergy Credit Facility and the Mowood/Omega Revolver use LIBOR as a benchmark for establishing the rate. LIBOR is the subject of recent national, international and other regulatory guidance and proposals for reform. These reforms and other pressures may cause LIBOR to disappear entirely or to perform differently than in the past. The consequences of these developments cannot be entirely predicted, but could include an increase in the cost of our variable rate indebtedness.
In July 2017, the Financial Conduct Authority, the authority that regulates LIBOR, announced it intends to stop compelling banks to submit rates for the calculation of LIBOR after 2021. The Alternative Reference Rates Committee ("ARRC") has proposed that the Secured Overnight Financing Rate ("SOFR") is the rate that represents best practice as the alternative to USD-LIBOR for use in derivatives and other financial contracts that are currently indexed to USD-LIBOR. ARRC has proposed a paced market transition plan to SOFR from USD-LIBOR and organizations are currently working on industry wide and company specific transition plans as it relates to derivatives and cash markets exposed to USD-LIBOR. There is no guarantee that a transition from LIBOR to an alternative will not result in financial market disruptions, significant increases in benchmark rates, or financing costs to borrowers. We have material contracts that are indexed to USD-LIBOR and we are monitoring this activity and evaluating the related risks.
Further, we expect to mortgage many of our properties to secure payment of indebtedness. If we are unable to meet mortgage payments, such failure could result in the loss of assets due to foreclosure and transfer to the mortgagee or sale on unfavorable terms with a consequent loss of income and asset value. A foreclosure of one or more of our properties could create taxable income without accompanying cash proceeds, and could adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations, cash flow, and ability to service debt and make distributions and the market price of our stock.
We face risks associated with our dependence on external sources of capital.
In order to qualify as a REIT, we are required each year to distribute to our stockholders at least 90 percent of our REIT taxable income, and we will be subject to tax on our income to the extent it is not distributed. Because of this distribution requirement, we may not be able to fund all future capital needs from cash retained from operations. As a result, to fund capital needs, we must rely on third-party sources of capital, which we may not be able to obtain on favorable terms, if at all. Our access to third-party sources of capital depends upon a number of factors, including (i) general market conditions; (ii) the market's perception of our growth potential; (iii) our current and potential future earnings and cash distributions; and (iv) the market price of our capital stock. Additional debt financing may substantially increase our debt-to-total capitalization ratio. Additional equity issuances may dilute the holdings of our current stockholders.
Covenants in our loan documents could limit our flexibility and adversely affect our financial condition.
The terms of our various credit agreements and other indebtedness require us to comply with a number of customary financial and other covenants, such as maintaining debt service coverage and leverage ratios and maintaining insurance coverage. These covenants may limit our flexibility in our operations, and breaches of these covenants could result in defaults under the instruments governing the applicable indebtedness even if we had satisfied our payment obligations. If we were to default under credit agreements or other debt instruments, our financial condition would be adversely affected.
We face risks related to "balloon payments" and refinancings.
Certain of our mortgages will have significant outstanding principal balances on their maturity dates, commonly known as "balloon payments." There can be no assurance that we will be able to refinance the debt on favorable terms or at all. To the extent we cannot refinance this debt on favorable terms or at all, we may be forced to dispose of properties on disadvantageous terms or pay higher interest rates, either of which would have an adverse impact on our financial performance and ability to service debt and make distributions.
Risks Related to Our Convertible Notes
We expect that the trading price of the Convertible Notes will be significantly affected by the price of our common stock, which may be volatile.
The market price of our common stock, as well as the general level of interest rates and our credit quality, will likely significantly affect the market price of the Convertible Notes. This may result in significantly greater volatility in the trading price of the Convertible Notes than would be expected for nonconvertible debt securities we may issue.
We cannot predict whether the price of our common stock or interest rates will rise or fall. The market price of our common stock will be influenced by our operating results and prospects and by economic, financial, regulatory and other factors. General market conditions, including the level of, and fluctuations in, the trading prices of stocks generally, could affect the price of our common stock.
Holders who receive shares of our common stock upon the conversion of their Convertible Notes will be subject to the risk of volatile and depressed market prices of our common stock. There can be no assurances that the market price of our common stock will not fall in the future. A decrease in the market price of our common stock would likely adversely impact the trading price of the Convertible Notes.
The Convertible Notes are structurally subordinated to all liabilities of our existing or future subsidiaries.
Holders of the Convertible Notes do not and will not have any claim as a creditor against any of our present or future subsidiaries. Indebtedness and other liabilities, including trade payables, whether secured or unsecured, of those subsidiaries are structurally senior to our obligations to holders of the Convertible Notes. In the event of a bankruptcy, liquidation, reorganization or other winding up of any of our subsidiaries, such subsidiaries will pay the holders of their debts, holders of any equity interests, including fund investors, and their trade creditors before they will be able to distribute any of their assets to us (except to the extent we have a claim as a creditor of such subsidiary). Any right that we have to receive any assets of any of the subsidiaries upon the bankruptcy, liquidation, reorganization or other winding up of those subsidiaries, and the consequent rights of holders of Convertible Notes to realize proceeds from the sale of any of those subsidiaries' assets, will be effectively structurally subordinated to the claims of those subsidiaries' creditors, including trade creditors and holders of any preferred equity interests of those subsidiaries.
The Convertible Notes are solely the obligations of the Company and are not guaranteed by any of our subsidiaries; whereas, our operations are conducted through, and substantially all of our consolidated assets are held by, our subsidiaries.
The Convertible Notes are our obligations exclusively and are not guaranteed by any of our operating subsidiaries. Substantially all of our consolidated assets are held by our subsidiaries. Accordingly, our ability to service our debt, including the Convertible Notes, depends on the results of operations of our subsidiaries and upon the ability of such subsidiaries to provide us with cash, whether in the form of dividends, loans or otherwise, to pay amounts due on our obligations, including the Convertible Notes. Our subsidiaries are separate and distinct legal entities and have no obligation, contingent or otherwise, to make payments on the Convertible Notes or to make any funds available for that purpose. In addition, dividends, loans or other distributions to us from such subsidiaries may be subject to contractual and other restrictions set forth in our current and future debt instruments and are subject to other business considerations.
Servicing our debt requires a significant amount of cash, and we may not have sufficient cash flow from our business to pay our substantial debt.
Our ability to make scheduled payments of the principal of, to pay interest on or to refinance our indebtedness, including the Convertible Notes, depends on our future performance, which is subject to economic, financial, competitive and other factors beyond our control. Our business may not continue to generate cash flow from operations in the future sufficient to service our debt and make necessary capital expenditures. If we are unable to generate such cash flow, we may be required to adopt one or more alternatives, such as selling assets, restructuring debt or obtaining additional equity capital on terms that may be onerous or highly dilutive. Our ability to refinance our indebtedness will depend on the capital markets and our financial condition at such time. We may not be able to engage in any of these activities or engage in these activities on desirable terms, which could result in a default on our debt obligations.
Regulatory actions may adversely affect the trading price and liquidity of the Convertible Notes.
Current and future regulatory actions and other events may adversely affect the trading price and liquidity of the Convertible Notes. We expect that many investors in, and potential purchasers of, the Convertible Notes will employ, or seek to employ, a convertible arbitrage strategy with respect to the Convertible Notes. Investors would typically implement such a strategy by selling short the common stock underlying the Convertible Notes and dynamically adjusting their short position while continuing to hold the
Convertible Notes. Investors may also implement this type of strategy by entering into swaps on our common stock in lieu of or in addition to short selling the common stock.
The SEC and other regulatory and self-regulatory authorities have implemented various rules and taken certain actions, and may in the future adopt additional rules and take other actions, which may impact those engaging in short selling activity involving equity securities (including our common stock). Such rules and actions include Rule 201 of SEC Regulation SHO, the adoption by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. and the national securities exchanges of a "Limit Up-Limit Down" program, the imposition of market-wide circuit breakers that halt trading of securities for certain periods following specific market declines, and the implementation of certain regulatory reforms required by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010. Any governmental or regulatory action that restricts the ability of investors in, or potential purchasers of, the Convertible Notes to effect short sales of our common stock, borrow our common stock or enter into swaps on our common stock could adversely affect the trading price and the liquidity of the Convertible Notes.
We may still incur substantially more debt or take other actions which would intensify the risks discussed above.
We and our subsidiaries may be able to incur substantial additional debt in the future, subject to the restrictions contained in our debt instruments, some of which may be secured debt. We are not restricted under the terms of the Indentures governing the Convertible Notes from incurring additional debt, securing existing or future debt, recapitalizing our debt or taking a number of other actions that are not limited by the terms of the Indentures governing the Convertible Notes that could have the effect of diminishing our ability to make payments on the Convertible Notes when due. Our existing credit facilities restrict our ability to incur additional indebtedness, including secured indebtedness, but we may be able to obtain waivers of such restrictions or may not be subject to such restrictions under the terms of any subsequent indebtedness.
We may not have the ability to raise the funds necessary to repurchase the Convertible Notes upon a fundamental change.
Holders of the Convertible Notes have the right, at their option, to require us to repurchase for cash all of their Convertible Notes, or any portion of the principal thereof that is equal to $1,000, or a multiple of $1,000, upon the occurrence of a fundamental change, as set forth in the Indentures, at a fundamental change repurchase price equal to 100 percent of the principal amount of the Convertible Notes to be repurchased, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon to (but excluding) the fundamental change repurchase date. However, we may not have enough available cash or be able to obtain financing at the time we are required to make repurchases of Convertible Notes surrendered therefor. Our failure to repurchase Convertible Notes at a time when the repurchase is required by the Indentures would constitute a default under the Indentures. A default under the Indentures or the fundamental change itself could also lead to a default under agreements governing our existing or future indebtedness. If the repayment of the related indebtedness were to be accelerated after any applicable notice or grace periods, we may not have sufficient funds to repay the indebtedness and repurchase the Convertible Notes or make cash payments upon conversions thereof. Our ability to repurchase the Convertible Notes may also be limited by law or by regulatory authority.
Future sales of shares of our common stock or equity-linked securities in the public market, or the perception that they could occur, may depress the market price for our common stock and adversely impact the trading price of the Convertible Notes.
We may, in the future, sell additional shares of our common stock or equity-linked securities to raise capital. Sales of substantial amounts of additional shares of common stock or equity-linked securities, shares that may be sold by stockholders and shares of common stock underlying the Convertible Notes as well as sales of shares that may be issued in connection with future acquisitions or for other purposes, including to finance our operations and business strategy, or the perception that such sales could occur, may have an adverse effect on the trading price of the Convertible Notes and prevailing market prices for our common stock and our ability to raise additional capital in the financial markets at a time and price favorable to us. The price of our common stock could also be affected by possible sales of our common stock by investors who view the Convertible Notes as a more attractive means of equity participation in our company and by hedging or arbitrage trading activity that we expect will develop involving our common stock.
We have also reserved a substantial amount of shares of our common stock in connection with the Convertible Notes, the issuance of which will dilute the ownership interests of existing stockholders. Any sales in the public market of the common stock issuable upon such issuance or conversion could adversely affect prevailing market prices of our common stock.
We are unable to predict the effect that sales, or the perception that our shares may be available for sale, will have on the prevailing market price of our common stock and the trading price of the Convertible Notes.
Holders of Convertible Notes are not entitled to any rights with respect to our common stock, but are subject to all changes made with respect to our common stock.
Holders of Convertible Notes are not entitled to any rights with respect to our common stock (including, without limitation, voting rights and rights to receive any dividends or other distributions on our common stock) prior to the conversion date with respect to any Convertible Notes they surrender for conversion, but are subject to all changes affecting our common stock. For example, if an amendment is proposed to our charter or bylaws requiring stockholder approval and the record date for determining the stockholders of record entitled to vote on the amendment occurs prior to the conversion date related to a holder's conversion of its notes, then such holder will not be entitled to vote on the amendment, although such holder will nevertheless be subject to any changes affecting our common stock.
The Convertible Notes are not protected by restrictive covenants.
The Indentures governing the Convertible Notes do not contain any financial or operating covenants or restrictions on the payments of dividends, the incurrence of indebtedness or the issuance or repurchase of securities by us or any of our subsidiaries. The Indentures contain no covenants or other provisions to afford protection to holders of the Convertible Notes in the event of a fundamental change or other corporate transaction involving us except in limited circumstances as set forth in the Indentures. For example, events such as leveraged recapitalizations, refinancings, restructurings or acquisitions initiated by us may not constitute a fundamental change requiring us to repurchase the Convertible Notes. In the event of any such events, the holders of the Convertible Notes would not have the right to require us to repurchase the Convertible Notes, even though each of these transactions could increase the amount of our indebtedness, or otherwise adversely affect our capital structure or any credit ratings, thereby adversely affecting the trading price of the Convertible Notes.
The adjustment to the conversion rate for 7.00% Convertible Notes converted in connection with a Make-Whole Adjustment Event may not adequately compensate the holders for any lost value of their 7.00% Convertible Notes as a result of such transaction.
If a "Make-Whole Adjustment Event" (as defined in the Indenture for the 7.00% Convertible Notes) occurs, under certain circumstances, we will increase the conversion rate by a number of additional shares of our common stock for 7.00% Convertible Notes converted in connection with such Make-Whole Adjustment Event. The increase in the conversion rate will be determined based on the date on which the specified corporate transaction becomes effective and the price paid (or deemed to be paid) per share of our common stock in such transaction, all as set forth in the Indenture for the 7.00% Convertible Notes. The adjustment to the conversion rate for 7.00% Convertible Notes converted in connection with a make-whole fundamental change may not adequately compensate the holders for any lost value of their 7.00% Convertible Notes as a result of such transaction. In addition, if the price of our common stock in the transaction is greater than $45.00 per share or less than $30.00 per share (in each case, subject to adjustment), no additional shares will be added to the conversion rate. Moreover, in no event will the conversion rate per $1,000 principal amount of 7.00% Convertible Notes as a result of this adjustment exceed 33.3333 shares, subject to adjustments in the same manner as the conversion rate under the terms of the Indenture for the 7.00% Convertible Notes.
Our obligation to increase the conversion rate upon the occurrence of a make-whole fundamental change could be considered a penalty, in which case the enforceability thereof would be subject to general principles of reasonableness and equitable remedies.
The increase in the conversion rate for 5.875% Convertible Notes converted in connection with a make-whole fundamental change or notice of redemption may not adequately compensate the holders for any lost value of their 5.875% Convertible Notes as a result of such make-whole fundamental change or redemption.
If a make-whole fundamental change occurs prior to the maturity date or if we deliver a notice of redemption, under certain circumstances as described in the Indenture for the 5.875% Convertible Notes, we will increase the conversion rate by a number of additional shares of our common stock for 5.875% Convertible Notes converted in connection with such make-whole fundamental change or notice of redemption. The increase in the conversion rate will be determined based on the date on which the specified corporate transaction that constitutes a make-whole fundamental change becomes effective or the date we deliver a notice of redemption and the price paid (or deemed to be paid) per share of our common stock in the make-whole fundamental change or the average of the last reported sale prices of our common stock over the five consecutive trading day period ending on, and including, the trading day immediately preceding the date of the notice of redemption (such average, the “redemption price”), as described in the Indenture for the 5.875% Convertible Notes. The increase in the conversion rate for 5.875% Convertible Notes converted in connection with a make-whole fundamental change or notice of redemption may not adequately compensate the holders for any lost value of their 5.875% Convertible Notes as a result of such transaction or redemption. In addition, if the price per share of our common stock paid (or deemed to be paid) in the transaction or the redemption price, as applicable, is greater than $65.00 per share or less than $44.25 per share (in each case, subject to adjustment), no additional shares will be added to the conversion rate. Moreover, in no event will the conversion rate per $1,000 principal amount of 5.875% Convertible Notes as a result of this adjustment exceed
22.5998 shares of our common stock, subject to adjustments in the same manner as the conversion rate as set forth under the terms of the Indenture for the 5.875% Convertible Notes.
Our obligation to increase the conversion rate or 5.875% Convertible Notes converted in connection with a make-whole fundamental change or notice of redemption could be considered a penalty, in which case the enforceability thereof would be subject to general principles of reasonableness and equitable remedies.
The conversion rate of the Convertible Notes may not be adjusted for all dilutive events.
The conversion rate of the Convertible Notes is subject to adjustment for certain events, including, but not limited to, the issuance of certain stock dividends on our common stock, the issuance of certain rights or warrants, subdivisions, combinations, distributions of capital stock, indebtedness, or assets, cash dividends and certain issuer tender or exchange offers. However, the conversion rate will not be adjusted for other events, such as a third-party tender or exchange offer or an issuance of our common stock or derivative instruments for cash or an exercise or conversion of any derivative instrument, that may adversely affect the trading price of the Convertible Notes or our common stock. An event that adversely affects the value of the Convertible Notes may occur, and that event may not result in an adjustment to the conversion rate.
Some significant restructuring transactions and significant changes in the composition of our board may not constitute a fundamental change, in which case we would not be obligated to offer to repurchase the Convertible Notes.
Upon the occurrence of a fundamental change, holders of Convertible Notes have the right to require us to repurchase their Convertible Notes. However, the fundamental change provisions of the Indentures do not afford protection to holders of Convertible Notes in the event of other transactions that could adversely affect the Convertible Notes. For example, transactions such as leveraged recapitalizations, refinancings, restructurings, or acquisitions initiated by us may not constitute a fundamental change requiring us to repurchase the Convertible Notes. In the event of any such transaction, the holders would not have the right to require us to repurchase the Convertible Notes, even though each of these transactions could increase the amount of our indebtedness, or otherwise adversely affect our capital structure or any credit ratings, thereby adversely affecting the holders of Convertible Notes.
In addition, absent the occurrence of a fundamental change, changes in the composition of our Board of Directors will not provide holders with the right to require us to repurchase the Convertible Notes or to an increase in the conversion rate upon conversion.
We have not registered the 5.875% Convertible Notes or the common stock issuable upon conversion of the 5.875% Convertible Notes which will limit the holders ability to resell them.
The 5.875% Convertible Notes and the shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of the 5.875% Convertible Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act or any state securities laws. Unless the 5.875% Convertible Notes and the shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of the 5.875% Convertible Notes have been registered, the 5.875% Convertible Notes and such shares may not be transferred or resold except in a transaction exempt from or not subject to the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. We do not intend to file a registration statement for the resale of the 5.875% Convertible Notes and the common stock into which the 5.875% Convertible Notes are convertible.
An active trading market may not develop for the Convertible Notes or, if it develops, may not be maintained or be liquid.
We do not intend to apply to list the Convertible Notes on any securities exchange or to arrange for quotation on any automated dealer quotation system. The underwriters in our public offering of the 7.00% Convertible Notes or the initial purchasers of the 5.875% Convertible Notes may cease their market-making of the respective Convertible Notes at any time without notice. In addition, the liquidity of the trading market in the Convertible Notes, and the market price quoted for the Convertible Notes, may be adversely affected by changes in the overall market for this type of security and by changes in our financial performance or prospects or in the prospects for companies in our industry generally. As a result, an active trading market may not develop for the Convertible Notes. If an active trading market does not develop or is not maintained, the market price and liquidity of the Convertible Notes may be adversely affected. In that case holders of the Convertible Notes may not be able to sell their Convertible Notes at a particular time or they may not be able to sell their Convertible Notes at a favorable price.
The liquidity of the trading market, if any, and future trading prices of the Convertible Notes will depend on many factors, including, among other things, the market price of our common stock, prevailing interest rates, our financial condition, results of operations, business, prospects and credit quality relative to our competitors, the market for similar securities and the overall securities market. The liquidity of the trading market of the Convertible Notes may be adversely affected by unfavorable changes in any of these factors, some of which are beyond our control and others of which would not affect debt that is not convertible into capital stock. Historically, the market for convertible debt has been subject to disruptions that have caused volatility in prices of securities similar to the Convertible Notes. Market volatility could materially and adversely affect the Convertible Notes, regardless of our financial condition, results of operations, business, prospects or credit quality.
The Convertible Notes are not rated. Any adverse rating of the Convertible Notes may cause their trading price to fall.
We do not intend to seek a rating on the Convertible Notes. However, if a rating service were to rate the Convertible Notes and if such rating service were to lower its rating on the Convertible Notes below the rating initially assigned to the Convertible Notes or otherwise announces its intention to put the Convertible Notes on credit watch or to withdraw the rating, the trading price of the Convertible Notes could decline.
Upon conversion of the Convertible Notes, holders may receive less valuable consideration than expected because the value of our common stock may decline after they exercise their conversion right.
Under the Convertible Notes, a converting holder will be exposed to fluctuations in the value of our common stock during the period from the date such holder surrenders Convertible Notes for conversion until the date we settle our conversion obligation. We will be required to deliver the shares of our common stock, together with cash for any fractional shares, on the third business day following the relevant conversion date; and for any conversion that occurs on or after the record date for the payment of interest on the Convertible Notes at the maturity date, we will be required to deliver shares on the maturity date. Accordingly, if the price of our common stock decreases during this period, the value of the shares that the holders receive will be adversely affected and would be less than the conversion value of the Convertible Notes on the conversion date.
Conversion of the Convertible Notes may dilute the ownership interest of existing stockholders, including holders who had previously converted their Convertible Notes.
To the extent we issue shares of our common stock upon conversion of the Convertible Notes, the conversion of some or all of the Convertible Notes will dilute the ownership interests of existing stockholders. Any sales in the public market of shares of our common stock issuable upon such conversion of the Convertible Notes could adversely affect prevailing market prices of our common stock. In addition, the existence of the Convertible Notes may encourage short selling by market participants because the conversion of the Convertible Notes could be used to satisfy short positions, or anticipated conversion of the Convertible Notes into shares of our common stock could depress the price of our common stock.
Provisions of the Convertible Notes could discourage an acquisition of us by a third party.
Certain provisions of the Indentures and the Convertible Notes could make it more difficult or more expensive for a third party to acquire us. Upon the occurrence of certain transactions constituting a fundamental change under the Indentures, holders of the Convertible Notes will have the right, at their option, to require us to repurchase all or a portion of their Convertible Notes. We may also be required to increase the conversion rate upon conversion or provide for conversion into the acquirer's capital stock in the event of certain fundamental changes. In addition, the Indentures and the Convertible Notes prohibit us from engaging in certain mergers or acquisitions unless, among other things, the surviving entity assumes our obligations under the Convertible Notes and the Indentures.
Holders of the Convertible Notes may be subject to tax if we make or fail to make certain adjustments to the conversion rate of the Convertible Notes even though they do not receive a corresponding cash distribution.
The conversion rate of the Convertible Notes is subject to adjustment in certain circumstances, including the payment of cash dividends. If the conversion rate is adjusted as a result of a distribution that is taxable to our common stockholders, such as a cash dividend, holders of Convertible Notes may be deemed to have received a dividend subject to U.S. federal income tax without the receipt of any cash. In addition, a failure to adjust (or to adjust adequately) the conversion rate after an event that increases the proportionate interest in us could be treated as a deemed taxable dividend to holders of the Convertible Notes. If, pursuant to the terms of the Indentures, a make-whole fundamental change occurs on or prior to the maturity date, under some circumstances, we will increase the conversion rate for Convertible Notes converted in connection with the make-whole fundamental change. Such increase may also be treated as a distribution subject to U.S. federal income tax as a dividend. For a non-U.S. holder of the Convertible Notes, any deemed dividend may be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at a 30 percent rate, or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable treaty, which may be set off against subsequent payments on the Convertible Notes.
Because the Convertible Notes were initially issued in book-entry form, holders must rely on the Depository Trust Company's ("DTC") procedures to receive communications relating to the Convertible Notes and exercise their rights and remedies.
We initially issued the Convertible Notes in the form of one or more global notes registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee of DTC. Beneficial interests in global notes will be shown on, and transfers of global notes will be effected only through, the records maintained by DTC. Except in limited circumstances, we will not issue certificated notes. Accordingly, if the holders own a beneficial interest in a global note, then they will not be considered an owner or holder of the Convertible Notes. Instead, DTC or its nominee will be the sole holder of global notes. Unlike persons who have certificated notes registered in their names, owners of beneficial interests in global notes will not have the direct right to act on our solicitations for consents or requests for waivers or other actions from holders. Instead, those beneficial owners will be permitted to act only to the extent that they have received appropriate proxies
to do so from DTC or, if applicable, a DTC participant. The applicable procedures for the granting of these proxies may not be sufficient to enable owners of beneficial interests in global notes to vote on any requested actions on a timely basis. In addition, notices and other communications relating to the Convertible Notes will be sent to DTC. We expect DTC to forward any such communications to DTC participants, which in turn would forward such communications to indirect DTC participants. But we can make no assurances that holders will timely receive any such communications.
Risks Related to Our Preferred Stock
An active trading market for our depositary shares may not be maintained.
Our depositary shares, each of which represents 1/100th of a share of our Series A Preferred Stock, are listed on the NYSE; however, we can provide no assurance that an active trading market on the NYSE for the depositary shares may be maintained. As a result, the ability to transfer or sell the depositary shares and any trading price of the depositary shares could be adversely affected.
The market price of the depositary shares representing interests in our Series A Preferred Stock may be adversely affected by the future incurrence of debt or issuance of preferred stock by the Company.
In the future, we may increase our capital resources by making offerings of debt securities and preferred stock of the Company and other borrowings by the Company. The debt securities, preferred stock (if senior to our Series A Preferred Stock) and borrowings of the Company are senior in right of payment to our Series A Preferred Stock, and all payments (including dividends, principal and interest) and liquidating distributions on such securities and borrowings could limit our ability to pay dividends or make other distributions to the holders of depositary shares representing interests in our Series A Preferred Stock.
Because our decision to issue securities and make borrowings in the future will depend on market conditions and other factors, some of which may be beyond our control, we cannot predict or estimate the amount, timing or nature of our future offerings or borrowings. Thus, holders of the depositary shares representing interests in Series A Preferred Stock bear the risk of our future offerings or borrowings reducing the market price of the depositary shares representing interests in our Series A Preferred Stock.
A holder of depositary shares representing interests in the Series A Preferred Stock has extremely limited voting rights.
The voting rights of a holder of depositary shares are limited. Our common stock is the only class of our securities that carries full voting rights. Voting rights for holders of depositary shares exist primarily with respect to (i) the ability to elect (together with the holders of other series of preferred stock on parity with the Series A Preferred Stock, if any) two additional directors to our Board of Directors in the event that six quarterly dividends (whether or not declared or consecutive) payable on the Series A Preferred Stock are in arrears, (ii) voting on amendments to our Charter, including the articles supplementary creating our Series A Preferred Stock (in some cases voting together with the holders of Parity Preferred Stock as a single class) that materially and adversely affect the rights of the holders of depositary shares representing interests in the Series A Preferred Stock and (iii) the creation of additional classes or series of our stock that are senior to the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to the payment of dividends or distributions of assets upon our liquidation, in each case, provided that in any event adequate provision for redemption has not been made. Other than certain limited circumstances, holders of depositary shares do not have any voting rights.
The Change of Control conversion feature of Series A Preferred Stock may not adequately compensate the holders, and the Change of Control conversion and redemption features of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock underlying the depositary shares may make it more difficult for a party to take over the Company or discourage a party from taking over the Company.
Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control (as defined in the Articles Supplementary for Series A Preferred Stock), holders of the depositary shares representing interests in our Series A Preferred Stock will have the right (unless, prior to the Change of Control Conversion Date (as defined in the Articles Supplementary for Series A Preferred Stock), we have provided notice of our election to redeem the depositary shares either pursuant to our optional redemption right or our special optional redemption right) to convert some or all of their depositary shares into shares of our common stock (or equivalent value of Alternative Conversion Consideration). Upon such a conversion, the maximum number of shares of common stock that holders of depositary shares will receive for each depositary share converted will be limited to the Share Cap. These features of the Series A Preferred Stock may have the effect of inhibiting a third party from making an acquisition proposal for the Company or of delaying, deferring or preventing a Change of Control of the Company under circumstances that otherwise could provide the holders of our common stock and Series A Preferred Stock with the opportunity to realize a premium over the then-current market price or that stockholders may otherwise believe is in their best interests.
The market price of the depositary shares could be substantially affected by various factors.
The market price of the depositary shares will depend on many factors, which may change from time to time, including:
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Prevailing interest rates, increases in which may have an adverse effect on the market price of the depositary shares representing interests in our Series A Preferred Stock;
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The market for similar securities issued by other REITs;
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General economic and financial market conditions;
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The financial condition, performance and prospects of us, our tenants and our competitors;
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Any rating assigned by a rating agency to the depositary shares;
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Changes in financial estimates or recommendations by securities analysts with respect to us, our competitors or our industry; and
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Actual or anticipated variations in our quarterly operating results and those of our competitors.
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In addition, over the last several years, prices of equity securities in the U.S. trading markets have been experiencing extreme price fluctuations. As a result of these and other factors, investors holding our depositary shares may experience a decrease, which could be substantial and rapid, in the market price of the depositary shares, including decreases unrelated to our financial condition, performance or prospects. Likewise, in the event that the depositary shares become convertible and are converted into shares of our common stock, holders of our common stock issued upon such conversion may experience a similar decrease, which also could be substantial and rapid, in the market price of our common stock.
Risks Related to REIT Qualification and Federal Income Tax Laws
We have elected to be taxed as a REIT for fiscal 2013 and subsequent years, but the IRS may challenge our qualification as a REIT.
We have elected to be a REIT for federal income tax purposes. In order to qualify as a REIT, a substantial percentage of our income must be derived from, and our assets consist of, real estate assets, and, in certain cases, other investment property. We have acquired and managed investments which satisfy the REIT tests. Whether a particular investment is considered a real estate asset for such purposes depends upon the facts and circumstances of the investment. Due to the factual nature of the determination, the IRS may challenge whether any particular investment will qualify as a real estate asset or realize income which satisfies the REIT income tests. In determining whether an investment is a real property asset, we will look at the Code and the IRS's interpretation of the Code in regulations, published rulings, private letter rulings and other guidance. In the case of a private letter ruling issued to another taxpayer, we would not be able to bind the IRS to the holding of such ruling. If the IRS successfully challenges our qualification as a REIT, we may not be able to achieve our objectives and the value of our stock may decline. As a REIT, our distributions from earnings and profits will be treated as ordinary income and a return of capital, and generally will not qualify as qualified dividend income ("QDI").
Fluctuations in the fair market value of the assets that we own and that are owned by our taxable REIT subsidiaries may adversely affect our continued qualification as a REIT.
We have to satisfy the asset tests at the end of each quarter. Although fluctuations in the fair market value of our assets should not adversely affect our qualification as a REIT, we must satisfy the asset tests immediately after effecting the REIT acquisition of any asset. Thus, we may be limited in our ability to purchase certain assets depending upon the potential fluctuations in the fair market value of our direct and indirect assets. As fair market value determinations are factual, risks exist as to the fair market determination.
Although we believe that the Grand Isle Gathering System and Pinedale LGS constitute real estate assets under the REIT provisions of the Code, that belief is not binding on the IRS or any court and does not guarantee our qualification as a REIT.
On August 31, 2016, the IRS issued final regulations to define real property under the REIT provisions, which provide that interests in real estate include inherently permanent structures such as pipelines and certain related assets. The qualifying real estate assets in the energy infrastructure sector include electric transmission and distribution systems, pipeline systems, and storage and terminaling systems, among others. We believe that substantially all of the Grand Isle Gathering System and Pinedale LGS constitute real estate assets under the REIT provisions consistent with the final regulations and certain private letter rulings. We have not obtained any private letter rulings with respect to the Grand Isle Gathering System. We have received a private letter ruling and certain other confirmation from the IRS that certain Pinedale LGS assets qualify as real property for REIT purposes. If the Grand Isle Gathering System or Pinedale LGS does not constitute a real estate asset for federal income tax purposes, we would likely fail to continue to qualify as a REIT. If that should occur, it likely would prevent us from achieving our business objectives and could cause the value of our stock to decline.
Failure to qualify as a REIT would have significant adverse consequences to us and the value of our common stock.
Beginning with our fiscal year ended December 31, 2013, we believe our income and investments have allowed us to meet the income and asset tests necessary for us to qualify for REIT status and we have elected to be taxed as a REIT for fiscal years 2013 through 2019. Qualification as a REIT involves the application of highly technical and complex provisions of the Internal Revenue Code as
to which there may only be limited judicial and administrative interpretations and involves the determination of facts and circumstances not entirely within our control. Future legislation, new regulations, administrative interpretations or court decisions may significantly change the tax laws or the application of the tax laws with respect to qualification as a REIT for federal income tax purposes or the federal income tax consequences of such qualification. Accordingly, we cannot assure you that we will be organized or will operate to qualify as a REIT for future fiscal years. If, with respect to any taxable year, we fail to qualify as a REIT, we would not be allowed to deduct distributions to stockholders in computing our taxable income. After our initial election and qualification as a REIT, if we later failed to so qualify and we were not entitled to relief under the relevant statutory provisions, we would also be disqualified from treatment as a REIT for four subsequent taxable years. If we fail to qualify as a REIT, corporate-level income tax would apply to our taxable income at regular corporate rates. As a result, the amount available for distribution to holders of equity securities would be reduced for the year or years involved, and we would no longer be required to make distributions. In addition, our failure to qualify as a REIT could impair our ability to expand our business and raise capital, and it could adversely affect the value of our common stock.
As a REIT, failure to make required distributions would subject us to federal corporate income tax.
In order to remain qualified for taxation as a REIT, we also are generally required to distribute at least 90 percent of our REIT taxable income (determined without regard to the dividends paid deduction and excluding net capital gain) each year, or in limited circumstances, the following year, to our stockholders. Beginning with our fiscal year ended December 31, 2013, we believe we have satisfied these requirements. While the amount, timing and form of any future distributions will be determined, and will be subject to adjustment, by our Board of Directors, we generally expect to distribute all or substantially all of our REIT taxable income. If our cash available for distribution falls short of our estimates, we may be unable to maintain distributions that approximate our REIT taxable income and may fail to remain qualified for taxation as a REIT. In addition, our cash flows from operations may be insufficient to fund required distributions as a result of differences in timing between the actual receipt of income and the payment of expenses and the recognition of income and expenses for federal income tax purposes, or the effect of nondeductible expenditures, such as capital expenditures, payments of compensation for which Section 162(m) of the Code denies a deduction, interest expense deductions limited by Section 163(j) of the Code, the creation of reserves or required debt service or amortization payments.
To the extent that we satisfy the 90 percent distribution requirement but distribute less than 100 percent of our REIT taxable income, we will be subject to federal corporate income tax on our undistributed taxable income. In addition, we will be subject to a 4 percent nondeductible excise tax on our undistributed taxable income to the extent the actual amount that we distribute to our stockholders for a calendar year is less than the minimum distribution amount specified under the Code.
Ownership limitation provisions in our charter may delay or prevent certain transactions in our shares, and could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a transaction or change of control of our Company.
To maintain our qualification as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes, among other purposes, our charter includes provisions designed to ensure that not more than 50 percent in value of our outstanding stock may be owned, directly or indirectly, by or for five or fewer individuals (as defined in the Internal Revenue Code to include certain entities such as private foundations) at any time during the last half of any taxable year. Subject to the exceptions described below, our charter generally prohibits any person (as defined under the Internal Revenue Code to include certain entities) from actually owning or being deemed to own by virtue of the applicable constructive ownership provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, (i) more than 9.8 percent (in value or in number of shares, whichever is more restrictive) of the issued and outstanding shares of our common stock or (ii) more than 9.8 percent in value of the aggregate of the outstanding shares of all classes and series of our stock, in each case, excluding any shares of our stock not treated as outstanding for federal income tax purposes. We refer to these restrictions as the "ownership limitation provisions." Our charter further prohibits any person from beneficially or constructively owning shares of our capital stock that would result in us being "closely held" under Section 856(h) of the Code or otherwise failing to qualify as a REIT. Our charter also provides that any transfer of shares of our capital stock which would, if effective, result in our capital stock being beneficially owned by fewer than 100 persons (as determined pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code) shall be void ab initio and the intended transferee shall acquire no rights in such shares. These ownership limitation provisions may prevent or delay individual transactions in our stock that would trigger such provisions, and also could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control and, as a result, could adversely affect our stockholders' ability to realize a premium for their shares of common stock. However, our Board of Directors may waive the ownership limitation provisions with respect to a particular stockholder and establish different ownership limitation provisions for such stockholder. In granting such waiver, our Board of Directors may also require the stockholder receiving such waiver to make certain representations, warranties and covenants related to our ability to qualify as a REIT.
Ownership limitations in our charter may impair the ability of holders to convert Convertible Notes into our common stock.
In order to assist us in maintaining our qualification as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes, among other purposes, our charter restricts ownership of more than 9.8 percent (in value or in number, whichever is more restrictive) of our outstanding shares of common stock, or 9.8 percent in value of our outstanding capital stock, subject to certain exceptions. Notwithstanding any other
provision of the Convertible Notes or the Indentures, no holder of Convertible Notes will be entitled to receive common stock following conversion of such Convertible Notes to the extent that receipt of such common stock would cause such holder (after application of certain constructive ownership rules) to exceed the ownership limit contained in our charter. We will not be able to deliver our common stock, even if we would otherwise choose to do so, to any holder of Convertible Notes if the delivery of our common stock would cause that holder to exceed the ownership limits described above.
Complying with REIT requirements may affect our profitability and may force us to liquidate or forgo otherwise attractive investments.
To qualify as a REIT, we must continually satisfy tests concerning, among other things, the nature and diversification of our assets, the sources of our income and the amounts we distribute to our stockholders. We may be required to liquidate or forgo otherwise attractive investments in order to satisfy the asset and income tests or to qualify under certain statutory relief provisions. We may also be required to make distributions to stockholders at disadvantageous times or when we do not have funds readily available for distribution. As a result, having to comply with the distribution requirement could cause us to sell assets in adverse market conditions, borrow on unfavorable terms or distribute amounts that would otherwise be invested in future acquisitions, capital expenditures or repayment of debt. Accordingly, satisfying the REIT requirements could materially and adversely affect us.
As a REIT, re-characterization of sale-leaseback transactions may cause us to lose our REIT status.
We intend to purchase certain properties and simultaneously lease those same properties back to the sellers. While we will use our best efforts to structure any such sale-leaseback transaction so that the lease will be characterized as a "true lease," thereby allowing us to be treated as the owner of the property for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the IRS could challenge such characterization. In the event that any sale-leaseback transaction is recharacterized as a financing transaction or loan for U.S. federal income tax purposes, deductions for depreciation and cost recovery relating to such property would be disallowed. If a sale-leaseback transaction were so recharacterized, we might fail to satisfy the REIT qualification "asset tests" or the "income tests" and, consequently, lose our REIT status effective with the year of re-characterization. Alternatively, the amount of our REIT taxable income could be recalculated which might also cause us to fail to meet the distribution requirement for a taxable year.
As a REIT, we are required to make distributions, other than capital gain distributions, to our stockholders each year in the amount of at least 90 percent of our REIT taxable income in order to deduct distributions to our stockholders. As a result, we will continue to need additional capital to make new investments. If additional funds are unavailable or not available on favorable terms, our ability to make new investments will be impaired.
As a REIT, we are required to distribute at least 90 percent of our REIT taxable income in order to deduct distributions to our stockholders, and as such we expect to continue to require additional capital to make new investments or carry existing investments. We may acquire additional capital from the issuance of securities senior to our common stock, including additional borrowings or other indebtedness or the issuance of additional securities. We may also acquire additional capital through the issuance of additional equity. However, we may not be able to raise additional capital in the future on favorable terms or at all. Unfavorable economic conditions could increase our funding costs, limit our access to the capital markets or result in a decision by lenders not to extend credit to us. We may issue debt securities, other instruments of indebtedness or preferred stock, and we may borrow money from banks or other financial institutions, which we refer to collectively as "senior securities." As a result of issuing senior securities, we will also be exposed to typical risks associated with leverage, including increased risk of loss. If we issue preferred securities which will rank "senior" to our common stock in our capital structure, the holders of such preferred securities may have separate voting rights and other rights, preferences or privileges more favorable than those of our common stock, and the issuance of such preferred securities could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a transaction or a change of control that might involve a premium price for security holders or otherwise be in our best interest.
To the extent our ability to issue debt or other senior securities is constrained, we will depend on issuances of additional common stock to finance new investments. If we raise additional funds by issuing more of our common stock or senior securities convertible into, or exchangeable for, our common stock, the percentage ownership of our stockholders at that time would decrease, and you may experience dilution.
If we acquire C corporations in the future, we may inherit material tax liabilities and other tax attributes from such acquired corporations, and we may be required to distribute earnings and profits.
From time to time we may acquire C corporations or assets of C corporations in transactions in which the basis of the corporations' assets in our hands is determined by reference to the basis of the assets in the hands of the acquired corporations, or carry-over basis transactions.
In the case of assets we acquire from a C corporation in a carry-over basis transaction, if we dispose of any such asset in a taxable transaction (including by deed in lieu of foreclosure) during the five-year period beginning on the date of the carry-over basis transaction, then we will be required to pay tax at the highest regular corporate tax rate on the gain recognized to the extent of the
excess of (1) the fair market value of the asset over (2) our adjusted tax basis in the asset, in each case determined as of the date of the carry-over basis transaction. Any taxes we pay as a result of such gain would reduce the amount available for distribution to our stockholders. The imposition of such tax may require us to forgo an otherwise attractive disposition of any assets we acquire from a C corporation in a carry-over basis transaction, and as a result may reduce the liquidity of our portfolio of investments. In addition, in such a carry-over basis transaction, we could potentially succeed to any tax liabilities and earnings and profits of any acquired C corporation. To qualify as a REIT, we must distribute any non-REIT earnings and profits by the close of the taxable year in which such transaction occurs. If the IRS were to determine that we acquired non-REIT earnings and profits from a corporation that we failed to distribute prior to the end of the taxable year in which the carry-over basis transaction occurred, we could avoid disqualification as a REIT by paying a "deficiency dividend." Under these procedures, we generally would be required to distribute any such non-REIT earnings and profits to our stockholders within 90 days of the determination and pay a statutory interest charge at a specified rate to the IRS. Such a distribution would be in addition to the distribution of REIT taxable income necessary to satisfy the REIT distribution requirement and may require that we borrow funds to make the distribution even if the then-prevailing market conditions are not favorable for borrowings. In addition, payment of the statutory interest charge could materially and adversely affect us.
Legislative or other actions affecting REITs could have a negative effect on us.
The rules dealing with federal, state and local income taxation are constantly under review by persons involved in the legislative process and by the IRS and the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Changes to the tax laws, with or without retroactive application, could materially and adversely affect our investors or us. On December 22, 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was signed into law by the U.S. President. Although we are not aware of any provision in the final tax reform legislation or any pending tax legislation that would adversely affect our ability to qualify as a REIT, we cannot predict how future changes in the tax laws might affect our investors or us. New legislation, Treasury Regulations, administrative interpretations or court decisions could significantly and negatively affect our ability to qualify as a REIT or the income tax consequences of such qualification.
Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure and Governance
Corridor may serve as a manager to other entities, which may create conflicts of interest not in the best interest of us or our stockholders.
Corridor's services under the Management Agreement are not exclusive, and, while it currently does not have any contractual arrangement to do so, it is free to furnish the same or similar services to other entities, including businesses that may directly or indirectly compete with us so long as its services to us are not impaired by the provision of such services to others. Corridor and its members may have obligations to other entities, the fulfillment of which might not be in the best interests of us or our stockholders.
We will be dependent upon key personnel of Corridor for our future success.
We have entered into a management agreement with Corridor to provide full management services to us for real property asset investments. We will be dependent on the diligence, expertise and business relationships of the management of Corridor to implement our strategy of acquiring real property assets. The departure of one or more investment professionals of Corridor could have a material adverse effect on our ability to implement this strategy and on the value of our common stock. There can be no assurance that we will be successful in implementing our strategy.
In addition to the ownership limit provisions discussed above, certain provisions of our charter and of Maryland law may limit the ability of stockholders to control our policies and effect a change of control of our Company.
Our charter authorizes our Board of Directors to amend our charter to increase or decrease the aggregate number of authorized shares of stock, to authorize us to issue additional shares of our common stock or preferred stock and to classify or reclassify unissued shares of our common stock or preferred stock and thereafter to authorize us to issue such classified or reclassified shares of stock. We believe that these provisions in our charter provide us with increased flexibility in structuring possible future financings and acquisitions and in meeting other needs that might arise. The additional classes or series, as well as the additional authorized shares of stock, will be available for issuance without further action by our stockholders, unless such action is required by applicable law or the rules of any stock exchange or automated quotation system on which our securities may be listed or traded. Although our Board of Directors does not currently intend to do so, it could authorize us to issue a class or series of stock that could, depending upon the terms of the particular class or series, delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change of control of our company that might involve a premium price for holders of our common stock or that our common stockholders otherwise believe to be in their best interests.
Provisions of the Maryland General Corporation Law and our charter and bylaws could deter takeover attempts and have an adverse impact on the price of our common stock.
The following considerations related to provisions of Maryland General Corporation Law, and of our charter and bylaws, may have the effect of discouraging, delaying or making difficult a change in control of our Company or the removal of our incumbent directors:
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We are subject to the Business Combination Act of the Maryland General Corporation Law. However, pursuant to the statute, our Board of Directors has adopted a resolution exempting us from the Maryland Business Combination Act for any business combination between us and any person to the extent that such business combination receives the prior approval of our Board of Directors.
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Our bylaws exempt from the Maryland Control Share Acquisition Act acquisitions of stock by any person. If we amend our bylaws to repeal the exemption from the Maryland Control Share Acquisition Act, the Maryland Control Share Acquisition Act also may make it more difficult to obtain control of our Company.
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As described above, our charter includes a share ownership limit and other restrictions on ownership and transfer of shares, in each such case designed, among other purposes, to preserve our status as a REIT, which may have the effect of precluding an acquisition of control of us without the approval of our Board of Directors.
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Under our charter, our Board of Directors is divided into three classes serving staggered terms, which may make it more difficult for a hostile bidder to acquire control of us.
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Our charter contains a provision whereby we have elected to be subject to the provisions of Title 3, Subtitle 8 of the Maryland General Corporation Law relating to the filling of vacancies on our Board of Directors. Further, through provisions in our charter and bylaws unrelated to Subtitle 8, we (1) require a two-thirds vote for the removal of any director from the board, which removal must be for cause, (2) vest in the board the exclusive power to fix the number of directors, subject to limitations set forth in our charter and bylaws, (3) have a classified Board of Directors and (4) require that, unless a special meeting of stockholders is called by the chairman of our Board of Directors, our chief executive officer, our president or our Board of Directors, such a special meeting may be called to consider and vote on any matter that may properly be considered at a meeting of stockholders only at the request of stockholders entitled to cast not less than a majority of all votes entitled to be cast on a matter at such meeting.
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In addition, our Board of Directors may, without stockholder action, authorize the issuance of shares of stock in one or more classes or series, including preferred stock. Our Board of Directors also may, without stockholder action, amend our charter to increase the number of shares of stock of any class or series that we have authority to issue.
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Our bylaws include advance notice provisions, governing stockholders' director nominations or proposal of other business to be considered at an annual meeting of our stockholders, requiring the continuous ownership by the stockholder(s) putting forth any such nominee or proposal of at least one percent (1 percent) of our outstanding shares for a minimum period of at least three years prior to the date of such nomination or proposal and through the date of the related annual meeting (including any adjournment or postponement thereof), each as specified in the bylaws.
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Our bylaws designate certain Maryland courts as the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by our stockholders, which could limit our stockholders' ability to obtain a judicial forum that our stockholders believe is favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers or employees.
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The existence of these provisions, among others, may have a negative impact on the price of our common stock and may discourage third party bids for ownership of our Company. These provisions may prevent any premiums being offered to you for our common stock.
Our ability to pay dividends is limited by the requirements of Maryland law.
Our ability to pay dividends on our common stock and Series A Preferred Stock is limited by the laws of Maryland. Under the Maryland General Corporation Law, a Maryland corporation generally may not make a distribution if, after giving effect to the distribution, the corporation would not be able to pay its debts as the debts become due in the usual course of business, or the corporation's total assets would be less than the sum of its total liabilities plus, unless the corporation's charter provides otherwise, the amount that would be needed, if the corporation were dissolved at the time of the distribution, to satisfy the preferential rights upon dissolution of stockholders whose preferential rights are superior to those receiving the distribution. Accordingly, we may not make a distribution on our common stock and the Series A Preferred Stock if, after giving effect to the distribution, we would not be able to pay our debts as they become due in the usual course of business or our total assets would be less than the sum of our total liabilities plus, unless the terms of such class or series provide otherwise, the amount that would be needed to satisfy the preferential rights upon dissolution of the holders of any shares of any class or series of preferred stock then outstanding, if any, with preferences senior to those of our common stock and the Series A Preferred Stock.
Additional Risks to Our Stockholders
Our use of leverage increases the risk of investing in our securities and will increase the costs borne by common stockholders.
Our use of leverage through the issuance of any preferred stock or debt securities, and any additional borrowings or other transactions involving indebtedness (other than for temporary or emergency purposes) are or would be considered "senior securities" and create risks. Leverage may adversely affect common stockholders. If the return on securities acquired with borrowed funds or other leverage proceeds does not exceed the cost of the leverage, the use of leverage could cause us to lose money.
Our issuance of senior securities involves offering expenses and other costs, including interest payments, which are borne indirectly by our common stockholders. Fluctuations in interest rates could increase interest or dividend payments on our senior securities, and could reduce cash available for distribution on common stock. Increased operating costs, including the financing cost associated with any leverage, may reduce our total return to common stockholders.
Rating agency guidelines applicable to any senior securities may impose asset coverage requirements, dividend limitations, voting right requirements (in the case of the senior equity securities), and restrictions on our portfolio composition and our use of certain investment techniques and strategies. The terms of any senior securities or other borrowings may impose additional requirements, restrictions and limitations that are more stringent than those required by a rating agency that rates outstanding senior securities. These requirements may have an adverse effect on us and may affect our ability to pay distributions on common stock and preferred stock. To the extent necessary, we may redeem our senior securities to maintain the required asset coverage. Doing so may require that we liquidate investments at a time when it would not otherwise be desirable to do so.
In addition, lenders from whom we may borrow money or holders of our debt securities may have fixed dollar claims on our assets that are superior to the claims of our stockholders, and we have granted, and may in the future grant, a security interest in our assets in connection with our debt. In the case of a liquidation event, those lenders or note holders would receive proceeds before our stockholders. If the value of our assets increases, then leveraging would cause the book value of our common stock to increase more than it otherwise would have had we not leveraged. Conversely, if the value of our assets decreases, leveraging would cause the book value of our common stock to decline more than it otherwise would have had we not leveraged. Similarly, any increase in our revenue in excess of interest expense on our borrowed funds would cause our net income to increase more than it would without the leverage. Any decrease in our revenue would cause our net income to decline more than it would have had we not borrowed funds and could negatively affect our ability to make distributions on our common stock. Our ability to service any debt that we incur will depend largely on our financial performance and the performance of our investments and will be subject to prevailing economic conditions and competitive pressures.
We cannot assure you that we will be able to pay dividends regularly.
Our ability to pay dividends in the future is dependent on our ability to operate profitably and to generate cash from our operations and the operations of our subsidiaries. We cannot guarantee that we will be able to pay dividends on a regular quarterly basis in the future. Furthermore, any new shares of common stock issued will substantially increase the cash required to continue to pay cash dividends at current levels. Any common stock or preferred stock that may in the future be issued to finance acquisitions, upon exercise of stock options or otherwise, would have a similar effect.
Future sales of shares of our common stock may depress its market price.
We may, in the future, sell additional shares of our common stock to raise capital. Sales of substantial amounts of additional shares of common stock, shares that may be sold by stockholders, shares of common stock underlying the Convertible Notes and shares issuable upon exercise of outstanding options as well as sales of shares that may be issued in connection with future acquisitions or for other purposes, including to finance our operations and business strategy, or the perception that such sales could occur, may have an adverse effect on prevailing market prices for our common stock and our ability to raise additional capital in the financial markets at a time and price favorable to us. The price of our common stock could also be affected by possible sales of our common stock by investors who view the Convertible Notes as a more attractive means of equity participation in our company and by hedging or arbitrage trading activity that we expect will develop involving our common stock.
Risk Related to Terrorism and Cybersecurity
A terrorist attack, act of cyber-terrorism or armed conflict could harm our business.
Terrorist activities, anti-terrorist efforts and other armed conflicts involving the U.S., whether or not targeted at our assets or those of our tenants, investees or customers, could adversely affect the U.S. and global economies and could prevent us from meeting our financial and other obligations. Both we and our tenants and investees could experience loss of business, delays or defaults in payments from customers or disruptions of supplies and markets if domestic and global utilities or other energy infrastructure companies are direct targets or indirect casualties of an act of terror or war. Additionally, both we and our tenants and other investees rely on financial
and operational computer systems to process information critically important for conducting various elements of our respective businesses. Any act of cyber-terrorism or other cyber-attack resulting in a failure of our computer systems, or those of our tenants, customers, suppliers or others with whom we do business, could materially disrupt our ability to operate our respective businesses and could result in a financial loss to the Company and possibly do harm to our reputation. Accordingly, terrorist activities and the threat of potential terrorist activities (including cyber-terrorism) and any resulting economic downturn could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. Any such events also might result in increased volatility in national and international financial markets, which could limit our access to capital or increase our cost of obtaining capital.
Some losses related to our real property assets, including, among others, losses related to potential terrorist activities, may not be covered by insurance and would adversely impact distributions to stockholders.
Our leases will generally require the tenant companies to carry comprehensive liability and casualty insurance on our properties comparable in amounts and against risks customarily insured against by other companies engaged in similar businesses in the same geographic region as our tenant companies. We believe the required coverage will be of the type, and amount, customarily obtained by an owner of similar properties. However, there are some types of losses, such as catastrophic acts of nature, acts of war or riots, for which we or our tenants cannot obtain insurance at an acceptable cost. If there is an uninsured loss or a loss in excess of insurance limits, we could lose both the revenues generated by the affected property and the capital we have invested in the property if our tenant company fails to pay us the casualty value in excess of such insurance limit, if any, or to indemnify us for such loss. This would in turn reduce the amount of income available for distributions. We would, however, remain obligated to repay any secured indebtedness or other obligations related to the property. Since September 11, 2001, the cost of insurance protection against terrorist acts has risen dramatically. The cost of coverage for acts of terrorism is currently mitigated by the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2019 ("TRIPRA"), which extended such program through December 31, 2027. Under TRIPRA, the amount of terrorism-related insurance losses triggering the federal insurance threshold has been increasing gradually from its initial level of $100 million for acts occurring in 2015 to $160 million for acts occurring in 2018, with $180 million being the applicable threshold for acts occurring in 2019 and finally increasing to $200 million for 2020. Additionally, the bill increases insurers' co-payments for losses exceeding their deductibles, from 15 percent in 2015 to 16 percent beginning January 1, 2016, and increasing in annual one percent steps thereafter until reaching 20 percent for 2020. Each of these changes may have the effect of increasing the cost to insure against acts of terrorism for property owners, such as the Company, notwithstanding the other provisions of TRIPRA. Further, if TRIPRA is not continued beyond 2027 or is significantly modified, we may incur higher insurance costs and experience greater difficulty in obtaining insurance that covers terrorist-related damages. Our tenants may also have similar difficulties. There can be no assurance our tenant companies will be able to obtain terrorism insurance coverage, or that any coverage they do obtain will adequately protect our properties against loss from terrorist attack.
We face risks associated with security breaches through cyber attacks, cyber intrusions or otherwise, as well as other significant disruptions of our information technology (IT) networks and related systems.
We rely on information technology systems and network infrastructure, including the Internet, to process transmit and store electronic information and to manage or support a variety of our business processes, including financial transactions and maintenance of records. These systems and infrastructure are essential to the operation of our business and our ability to perform day-to-day operations and, in some cases, may be critical to the operations of certain of our tenants. Cyber attacks targeting our infrastructure could result in a full or partial disruption of our operations, as well as those of our tenants. Although we make efforts to maintain the security and integrity of our IT networks and related systems, and we have implemented various measures to manage the risk of a security breach or disruption, we cannot guarantee that our security efforts and measures will be effective at preventing or detecting any attempted or actual security breaches, or that disruptions caused by any such breaches or attempted breaches will not be successful or damaging to us or others.
A security breach or other significant disruption involving our IT networks and related systems could disrupt the proper functioning of our networks and systems; result in disruption of business operations and loss of service to our tenants and customers; result in significantly decreased revenues; result in increased costs associated in obtaining and maintaining cybersecurity investigations and testing, as well as in implementing protective measures and systems; result in increased insurance premiums and operating costs; result in misstated financial reports, violations of loan covenants and/or missed reporting deadlines; result in our inability to properly monitor our compliance with the rules and regulations regarding our qualification as a REIT; result in the unauthorized access to, and destruction, loss, theft, misappropriation or release of proprietary, confidential, sensitive or otherwise valuable information of ours or others, which others could use to compete against us or for disruptive, destructive or otherwise harmful purposes and outcomes; require significant management attention and resources to remedy any damages that result; subject us to claims for breach of contract, damages, credits, penalties or termination of leases or other agreements; subject us to regulatory investigations and actions; cause harm to our competitive position and business value; and damage our reputation among our tenants and investors generally.
In addition, as part of our business operations, we collect, store and process certain proprietary and sensitive information, including personal information about our customers, shareholders and employees. In some cases, we outsource administration of certain
technology functions to vendors that could be targets of cyber attacks. Any theft, loss and/or fraudulent use of data of ours or of any tenant, customer, investor, employee or vendor as a result of a cyber attack on us or our vendors could subject us to significant litigation, liability and costs, as well as adversely impact our reputation.
Risks Related to Our Investments in Loans
Our loans may be impacted by unfavorable real estate market conditions, which could decrease the value of those loans and the return on your investment.
If we make or invest in mortgage loans, we will be at risk of defaults on those loans caused by many conditions beyond our control, including local and other economic conditions affecting real estate values and interest rate levels. We do not know whether the values of the property securing the loans will remain at the levels existing on the dates of origination of the loans. If the values of the underlying properties drop, our risk will increase because of the lower value of the security associated with such loans.
If our borrowers declare bankruptcy, we may be unable to collect interest and principal payments when due under the loan documents.
Either the borrowers under any loan documents we hold or any of borrowers' guarantor affiliates could become debtors under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Such a bankruptcy filing would bar all efforts by us to collect pre-bankruptcy debts from these entities or their properties, unless we receive authorization from the bankruptcy court to proceed against the debtor entities under the respective loan documents. Post-bankruptcy debts (those debts that accrue after the bankruptcy was filed) are required to be paid on a current basis. Such a bankruptcy could delay efforts to collect past due balances under the loan documents, could ultimately preclude full collection of these sums, and could cause a decrease or cessation of principal and interest payments under the loan documents. If any of these events occur, our cash flow and funds available for distributions to our stockholders would be adversely affected.
Delays in liquidating defaulted mortgage loans could reduce our investment returns.
If there are defaults under our loans, we may not be able to repossess and sell under favorable market conditions any energy infrastructure real property securing such loans. The resulting time delay could reduce the value of our investment in the defaulted loans. An action to foreclose on a property securing a loan is regulated by state statutes and regulations and is subject to many of the delays and expenses of any lawsuit brought in connection with the foreclosure if the defendant raises defenses or counterclaims. If there is a default by a mortgagor, these restrictions, among other things, may impede our ability to foreclose on or sell the mortgaged property or to obtain proceeds sufficient to repay all amounts due to us on the loan.
A foreclosure on the energy infrastructure real property and equipment held by a borrower would create additional ownership risks that could adversely impact the return on our investment.
If we should acquire any of the energy infrastructure real property and/or related equity held by a borrower by foreclosure following a default under the loan documents, we will incur additional economic and liability risks as the owner of such assets, including, among other things, insurance costs, costs of maintenance and taxes relating to such property.
In the event of a foreclosure on the energy infrastructure real property assets held by a borrower, we may not be able to sell such assets at a price equal to, or greater than, the loan amount and accrued unpaid interest under the loan documents, which may lead to a decrease in the value of our assets.
Given the specialized nature of the borrowers' assets and the fact they are predominantly employed in support of the borrowers' operations, there can be no assurance that we would be able to find another buyer for these assets if financial distress on the part of a borrower forced us to foreclose on our security interest. Further, even if we were able to sell the assets, such sale may occur at a price less than the amount required to recover our loan balances and accrued unpaid interest under the loan documents, which could adversely impact the value of our assets and our ability to make distributions to our stockholders.
We may experience an impairment in the value of our loan to a borrower related to a deterioration in the credit worthiness of the borrower or a decline in the fair market value of the energy infrastructure real property assets securing the loan.
A deterioration in the credit worthiness of a borrower, due to changing business conditions or otherwise, or a decline in the fair market value of the energy infrastructure real property assets securing any of our loans to a borrower, could require us to recognize an "other-than-temporary" impairment in the value of the promissory note secured by the assets if we were to determine that such loan was in an unrealized loss position and we did not have the ability and intent to hold such asset to maturity or for a period of time sufficient to allow for recovery of the value of the underlying assets. If such a determination were made, we would recognize unrealized losses through earnings and write down the asset value of such loan to a new cost basis, based on the fair value of the assets on the date they are considered to be other-than-temporarily impaired. Such impairment charges reflect non-cash losses at the time of recognition; a subsequent disposition or sale of the loan through foreclosure or otherwise could further affect our future losses
or gains, as they would be based on the difference between the sales price received and the adjusted amortized cost of such loan at the time of sale.