Non-Traded REITs

Published on: August 19, 2020

Healthcare Trust, Inc. Halts Cash Distributions, Suspends All Redemptions

Investors in Healthcare Trust, Inc. (“HTI”) may have FINRA arbitration claims, if their investment was recommended by a financial advisor who lacked a reasonable basis for the recommendation, or if the nature of the investment was misrepresented by a stockbroker or advisor.

Piggybank in a Cage
HTI, a publicly registered non-traded real estate investment trust, announced that it has amended the company’s distribution policy and share repurchase program to end cash distributions and suspend redemptions. Future distributions to shareholders will be paid in shares of common stock instead of cash, and share repurchases under the REIT’s share repurchase plan (or “SRP”) were suspended. These announcements leave investors with no cash income from the REIT, and limited options if they wish to sell shares.

HTI states that it made these changes to preserve liquidity and maintain additional financial flexibility in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), HTI indicated that any future distributions, if and when declared, will be paid on a quarterly basis in arrears in shares of common stock valued at the net asset value per share. The number of shares paid will continue to be based on the prior cash distribution rate of $0.85 per share per year, the company said.

Published on: August 18, 2020

New York City REIT Shares Show Loss in Value in Debut of NYSE Trading

by InvestorLawyers

Investors in New York City REIT (“NYC REIT”, formerly known as American Realty Capital New York City REIT) may have FINRA arbitration claims, if their investment was recommended by a financial advisor who lacked a reasonable basis for the recommendation, or if the nature of the investment was misrepresented by the stockbroker or advisor.

Wastebasket Filled with Crumpled Dollar Bills
NYC REIT is a former public, non-traded REIT that listed on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) on August 18, 2020 under the ticker symbol “NYC”. Investors who were relying on NYC REIT’s most recent estimated NAV of $20.26 a share (valued as of June 30, 2019) were in for an unwelcome surprise, as despite a reverse split of its shares of 2.43 to 1, NYC REIT shares closed their first day of trading at $17.60 a share.

This price doesn’t sound so bad until one accounts for the reverse split- after the 2.43 to 1 reverse split, pre-split shares of NYC REIT are effectively worth only about $7.24 a pre-split share. While drastically below the sponsor’s stated value of $20.26 a share, this price is only modestly below the $8.75 to $9.50 a share purchase of NYC REIT in the illiquid private market before share listed. Shares of the REIT were originally sold to the public for $25.00.

Published on: June 5, 2020

Phillips Edison & Company (PECO) Suspends Distributions and Redemptions

by InvestorLawyers

Investors in Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. (“PECO”) may have FINRA arbitration claims, if their investment was recommended by a financial advisor who lacked a reasonable basis for the recommendation, or if the nature of the investment was misrepresented by the stockbroker or advisor.

Money Maze
PECO was formed in Maryland in October 2009 as a non-traded real estate investment trust (or “REIT”), to acquire grocery-anchored shopping centers. In November 2018, PECO officially merged with Phillips Edison Grocery Center REIT II (“Phillips Edison II), a move that caused significant loss to its investors. Investors who purchased shares in PECO at the initial offering acquired shares at $10.00 per share, and while PECO’s sponsor has said that it currently has an estimated net asset value (“NAV”) of $8.75 per share, shares on the limited private secondary market have reportedly traded between $4.50 and $5.50 per share in recent months.

Making matters worse, in March 2020 PECO announced that it would suspended monthly distributions, as well as share repurchases or redemptions, albeit indicating that these suspensions will be temporary. As measures to guard against liquidity issues, PECO also reportedly borrowed $200 million from a revolving credit facility and announced plans to reduce expenses.

Published on: April 24, 2020

Strategic Student & Senior Housing Trust, Inc. Suspends Redemptions and Distributions

by InvestorLawyers

Investors in Strategic Student & Senior Housing Trust, Inc. (“SSSHT REIT” or “the REIT”) may have FINRA arbitration claims, if their investment was recommended by a financial advisor who lacked a reasonable basis for the recommendation, or if the nature of the investment was misrepresented by the stockbroker or advisor.

money whirlpool
SSSHT REIT, a publicly registered non-traded real estate investment trust (or “REIT”) sponsored by SmartStop Asset Management LLC, has reportedly suspended its distributions to shareholders, due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic’s possible adverse financial impact on the Company.

The REIT’s Board has also suspended its share redemption program (SRP), effective May 3, 2020. No redemption requests made for the first quarter of 2020 will be honored. SSSHT indicates that it does not intend to honor investor redemption requests, until further notice.

Published on: April 22, 2020

Healthcare Trust, Inc. Lowers Estimated NAV to $15.75

by InvestorLawyers

Investors in Healthcare Trust, Inc. may have FINRA arbitration claims, if their investment was recommended by a financial advisor who lacked a reasonable basis for the recommendation, or if the nature of the investment was misrepresented by the stockbroker or advisor.

Money Bags
According to filings with the SEC, on April 3, 2020, Healthcare Trust announced that its board of directors announced an estimated NAV per share of $15.75 as of December 31, 2019. This marks a 10% decline from the previous estimated NAV per share of $17.50 per share as of December 31, 2018. Previously, Healthcare Trust lowered its annual distribution rate from $1.45 to $0.85 per share on March 1, 2018, after lowering distributions and previously from $1.70 per share to $1.45 per share in 2017.

But shares of Healthcare Trust, which initially sold for $25.00/share, may be worth even less, and have reportedly changed hands in the limited and illiquid secondary market at prices of between $7.75 and $8.25 a share as of the date of this writing. Unfortunately for many investors in Healthcare Trust, it would appear that investors who attempt to exit their illiquid investment will incur a substantial loss.

Published on: April 21, 2020

Hospitality Investors Trust Investors May Have FINRA Arbitration Claims

by InvestorLawyers

Investors in Hospitality Investors Trust Inc. (“HIT”), a publicly registered non-traded REIT formerly known as American Realty Capital Hospitality Trust, may have FINRA arbitration claims, if their investment was recommended by a financial advisor who lacked a reasonable basis for the recommendation, or if the nature of the investment was misrepresented by the broker or financial advisor.

Wastebasket Filled with Crumpled Dollar Bills
HIT owns a portfolio of hotel properties throughout North America, including various Hilton-, Marriott- and Hyatt- branded hotels, within the select service and full-service markets. As of December 31, 2018, HIT reportedly owned 144 hotels. The REIT’s offering was declared effective in January 2014 and suspended sales activities in November 2015 after raising $903 million in investor equity, according to Summit Investment Research.

In April 2017, HIT changed its name from American Realty Capital Hospitality Trust to HIT after restructuring to become a standalone self-managed REIT as well as a partnership with Brookfield Strategic Real Estate Partners II. Prior to the restructure and name change, HIT had an agreement with American Realty Capital Hospitality Advisors LLC, and affiliate of AR Global Trust II.

Published on: April 17, 2020

Strategy Realty Trust Subject of $1.00/Share Tender Offer- Investors May Face Losses

by InvestorLawyers

Investors in Strategic Realty Trust (“SRT”) may have FINRA arbitration claims, if their investment was recommended by a financial advisor who lacked a reasonable basis for the recommendation, or if the nature of the investment was misrepresented by the stockbroker. SRT, formerly known as TNP Strategic Retail Trust, is a non-traded real estate investment trust (REIT) which owns a portfolio of shopping centers that are anchored by such grocers as Publix, Kroger, and Wal-Mart. It is a non-traded REIT sponsored by Thompson National Properties, LLC.

Money Bags
A company known as Mackenzie Realty Capital has just extended a tender offer to purchase shares of the REIT for just $1.00 per share. According to Mackenzie’s letter to investors, SRT has given no indication when it might liquidate, and its charter does not require it to do so on any particular schedule.

Further, although SRT redeems shares on a quarterly basis, repurchases are limited to death or disability of a stockholder. SRT estimated the REIT’s net asset value per share as $5.86 as of April 2019, a 41.4% decline of from the original offering price of $10 per share. Shares of SRT have reportedly changed hands at even lower prices of between $2.30 and $2.50 a share in the limited secondary market.

Published on: April 14, 2020

Phillips Edison & Co. Suspends Distributions and Share Repurchases

by InvestorLawyers

Investors in Phillips Edison & Co. (“PECO”, formerly known as Phillips Edison Grocery Center REIT I) got bad news when PECO announced its plans to suspend monthly distributions, share repurchases, and its distribution reinvestment plan, indicating that the suspensions will be temporary. PECO also reportedly borrowed $200 million on its $500 million revolving credit facility in order to increase its liquidity.

Money Maze
Monthly distributions and the distribution reinvestment plan were suspended after the March 2020 distribution, which PECO paid in cash on April 1, 2020. The share repurchase program, including death, qualifying disability or determination of incompetence (DDI) requests, was also suspended.

PECO began selling shares in or about August 2010 as a publicly registered, non-traded REIT. and raised approximately $1.8 billion from investors. PECO owns grocery store-based shopping centers and oversees a portfolio of 317 properties.

Published on: April 13, 2020

American Finance Trust (AFIN) Announces “Stockholder Rights Plan” as Share Price Languishes

by InvestorLawyers

As previously reported, American Finance Trust, Inc. (“AFIN” or the “Company”), formerly known as American Realty Capital Trust V, Inc., listed its shares on Nasdaq Global Select Market (“Nasdaq”), under the symbol AFIN effective July 19, 2018. The Company publicly estimated its net asset value as $23.56 a share during 2018, yet shares have traded below $5.00 a share during 2020, and closed at $6.76 a share on April 13, 2020.

Building Demolished
AFIN announced on April 13, 2020 that its Board of Directors (the “Board”) has approved a “short-term stockholder rights plan” to protect the long-term interests of the Company, citing volatile in its share price that has resulted from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. AFIN says that the plan is designed to reduce the likelihood that any person or group (including a group of persons that are acting in concert with each other) would gain control of AFIN through open market accumulation of stock by imposing significant penalties upon any person or group that acquires 4.9% or more of the outstanding shares of the AFIN’s common stock without the approval of the Board.

Shares of the former non-traded REIT originally sold for $25.00 each, and the company terminated its share repurchase program at the end of June prior to listing on Nasdaq.

Published on: April 6, 2020

Griffin-American Healthcare REIT III Halves Distribution, Suspends Share Repurchases

by InvestorLawyers

Investors in Griffin-American Healthcare REIT III (“GAH REIT III”), may have FINRA arbitration claims, if their investment was recommended by a financial advisor who lacked a reasonable basis for the recommendation, or if the nature of the investment was misrepresented by the broker or financial advisor.

Money Maze
GAH REIT III recently announced that it will cut its annual distribution rate in half to $0.30 a share, from $0.60 a share, citing the possible impact of the COVID 19 epidemic on its operations GAH REIT III also suspended its share repurchase plan.

GAH REIT III is a publicly registered non-traded real estate investment trust (“REIT”) incorporated in January 2013 as a Maryland REIT and is registered with the SEC. As such. GAH REIT III was permitted to sell securities to the investing public at large, including retail investors who bought shares on the recommendation of a broker or money manager.