KITE REALTY GROUP TRUST 10-K

ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements made in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and presented elsewhere by our management from time to time. These factors, among others, may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, operating results and cash flows, including our ability to make distributions to our shareholders, and you should carefully consider them. It is not possible to predict or identify all such factors. You should not consider this list to be a complete statement of all potential risks or uncertainties. Past performance should not be considered an indication of future performance. We have separated the risks into three categories: • risks related to our operations; • risks related to our organization and structure; and • risks related to tax matters. RISKS RELATED TO OUR OPERATIONS Our business, financial condition, performance, and value are subject to risks and conditions associated with real estate assets and the real estate industry. Our primary business is the ownership and operation of neighborhood and community shopping centers and other real estate assets. Our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flow, per share trading price of our common shares, ability to satisfy debt service obligations, and ability to make distributions to shareholders are subject to, and could be materially and adversely affected by, risks associated with owning and operating such real estate assets including events and conditions that are beyond our control, such as periods of economic slowdown or recession, rising interest rates or declining demand for real estate, or the public perception that any of these events may occur. See the risk factors described in “Forward-Looking Statements” included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. 11 The COVID-19 pandemic is currently having a significant adverse impact on our business, financial performance and condition, operating results and cash flows, and future outbreaks of highly infectious or contagious disease or other public health crises could have similar adverse effects on our business. Further, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused severe disruptions in the U.S. and global economy and financial markets and could potentially create widespread business continuity issues of a magnitude and duration not yet known. Since first being reported in December 2019, COVID-19 has spread globally, including to every state in the United States. In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, and subsequently, the United States declared a national emergency with respect to COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic has had, and a future outbreak of highly infectious or contagious disease or other public health crisis, could similarly have, significant repercussions across local, regional, national and global economies and financial markets. The global impact of the outbreak has been rapidly evolving and many countries, including the United States, have reacted by instituting a wide variety of control measures including states of emergency, mandatory quarantines, “shelter in place” orders, border closures, restrictions on types of businesses that may continue to operate, “social distancing” guidelines and other travel and gathering restrictions and practices that may significantly impact our business. As a result, the COVID-19 pandemic is negatively impacting almost every industry directly or indirectly, with a particularly adverse effect on many of our tenants. A number of our tenants have announced temporary closures of their stores, reduced hours or significantly limited services, and requested rent deferral or rent abatement during this pandemic. Many economists predict that the outbreak will trigger, or has already triggered, a period of United States and global economic slowdown or recession. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted our business and has had a significant adverse effect, and could continue to significantly adversely impact and disrupt, our business, financial performance and condition, operating results and cash flows. The economic slowdown or recession could continue to significantly adversely affect our business, financial performance and condition even as some government restrictions related to COVID-19 are lifted or phased out and stores reopen. Additional factors that have already and/or may in the future negatively impact our ability to operate successfully during or following the COVID-19 pandemic or a similar event, or that could otherwise significantly adversely impact and disrupt our business, financial performance and condition, operating results and cash flows, include, among others: • the inability of our tenants to meet their lease obligations to us due to (i) continuing or increased closures of stores at our properties resulting from government or tenant actions related to the pandemic; or (ii) local, regional or national economic conditions, including high unemployment and reduced consumer discretionary spending, caused by the pandemic (for example, as of February 11, 2021, approximately 5% of our billed base rent and recoveries for the fourth quarter were uncollected); • liquidity issues resulting from (i) reduced cash flow from operations due to the pandemic, (ii) the impact that lower operating results could have on the financial covenants in our debt agreements, and (iii) difficulty in our accessing debt and equity capital on attractive terms, or at all, and severe disruptions or instability in the global financial markets or deteriorations in credit and financing conditions; • our increased indebtedness and decreased operating revenues, which could increase our risk of default on our loans; • an acceleration of changes in consumer behavior in favor of e-commerce over certain of our tenants’ stores due to responses to the pandemic and concerns about contracting COVID-19 or other highly infectious or contagious diseases; • business continuity disruptions and a deterioration in the ability of us or our tenants to operate in affected areas or delays in the supply of products or services to us or our tenants from vendors that are needed for our or our tenants’ efficient operations; • issues related to personnel management and remote working, including increased cybersecurity risk and other technology and communication issues and increased costs and other disruptions in the event that our employees become unable to work as a result of health issues related to COVID-19; • the scaling back or delay of a significant amount of planned capital expenditures, including planned redevelopment projects, which could adversely affect the value of our properties; • reduction or elimination of quarterly dividends; and • continued volatility of our share price. The significance, extent and duration of the impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, financial performance and condition, operating results and cash flows and those of our tenants, remains highly uncertain and dependent on future developments that cannot be accurately predicted at this time, such as the continued severity, duration, transmission rate and geographic spread of COVID-19 in the United States, including possible resurgences and mutations, the extent and effectiveness of the containment measures and other actions taken, the success of efforts to find and distribute drugs or vaccines and the responses of the overall economy, the financial markets and the population, particularly in areas in which we operate, 12 once the current containment measures are lifted. Additional closures by our tenants of their stores, the continuing ability of our tenants to meet their lease obligations and/or the possibility of tenants filing for bankruptcy protection would reduce our cash flows, which would impact our ability to continue paying dividends to our shareholders at expected levels or at all. The rapid development and fluidity of this situation precludes any prediction as to the full adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, we cannot provide an estimate of the overall impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business or when, or if, we will be able to resume normal operations. Nevertheless, the COVID-19 pandemic presents material uncertainty and risk with respect to our business, financial performance and condition, operating results and cash flows. Ongoing challenging conditions in the United States and global economies and the challenges facing our retail tenants and non-owned anchor tenants, including bankruptcies, financial instability and consolidations, may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial performance and condition, operating results and cash flows. We derive the majority of our revenue from retail tenants who lease space from us at our properties, and our ability to generate cash from operations is dependent on the rents that we are able to charge and collect. Over the past several years, sustained weakness in certain sectors of the U.S. economy has resulted in the bankruptcy or weakened financial condition of a number of retailers, increased store closures, and reduced demand and rental rates for certain retail space. For example, Stein Mart, Ascena, and Tailored Brands have filed for bankruptcy during 2020, and several other retailers, including Bed Bath & Beyond, Office Depot, and Party City, recently announced multiple store closings. Additionally, in the event our tenants are involved in mergers or acquisitions or undertake other restructurings, such tenants may choose to consolidate, downsize or relocate their operations. These events, or other similar events with other retailers, and other economic conditions are beyond our control and could affect the overall economy as well as specific properties in our portfolio, including the following (any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial performance and condition, operating results and cash flows): • Collections. Tenants may have difficulty paying their rent obligations when due as they struggle to sell goods and services to consumers, or they may request rent deferrals, reductions or abatements, which could adversely affect our results of operations and cash flows. • Leasing. Tenants may delay or cancel lease commencements, decline to extend or renew leases upon expiration, close stores or declare bankruptcy. Any of these actions could result in the termination of the tenant’s leases with us and the related loss of rental income. Also, lease terminations or failure of a major tenant or non-owned anchor to occupy the premises could result in lease terminations or reductions in rent by other tenants in the same shopping centers because of contractual co-tenancy termination or rent reduction rights contained in some leases. • Re-leasing. We may be unable to re-lease vacated space at attractive rents or at all. In some cases, it may take extended periods of time to re-lease a space, particularly one previously occupied by a major tenant or non-owned anchor. The occurrence of any of the situations described above, particularly if it involves a substantial tenant or a non-owned anchor with ground leases in multiple locations, could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and cash flows. Tenant bankruptcies could present difficulties for our business to collect rent or make claims against a tenant in bankruptcy. A bankruptcy filing by one of our tenants or a lease guarantor would legally prohibit us from collecting pre-bankruptcy debts, or unpaid rent, from that tenant or the lease guarantor, unless we receive an order from the bankruptcy court permitting us to do so. Such bankruptcies could delay, reduce, or ultimately preclude collection of amounts owed to us. A tenant in bankruptcy may attempt to renegotiate the lease or request significant rent concessions. If a lease is assumed by the tenant in bankruptcy, all pre-bankruptcy balances due under the lease must be paid to us in full. However, if a lease is rejected by a tenant in bankruptcy, we would have only a general unsecured claim for damages, including pre-bankruptcy balances. Any unsecured claim we hold may be paid only to the extent that funds are available and only in the same percentage as is paid to all other holders of unsecured claims. There are restrictions under bankruptcy laws that limit the amount of the claim we can make for future rent under a lease if the lease is rejected. As a result, it is likely that we would recover substantially less than the full value of any unsecured claims we hold from a tenant in bankruptcy, which would result in a reduction in our cash flow and in the amount of cash available for distribution to our shareholders and could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations. The expansion of e-commerce may impact our tenants and our business. The prominence of e-commerce continues to increase and its growth is likely to continue or accelerate in the future, which could result in an adverse impact on some of our tenants and affect decisions made by current and prospective tenants in 13 leasing space or operating their businesses, including reduction of the size or number of their retail locations in the future. We cannot predict with certainty how the growth in e-commerce will impact the demand for space at our properties or the revenue generated at our properties in the future. Although we continue to aggressively respond to these trends, including by entering into or renewing leases with tenants whose businesses are either more resistant to or are synergistic with, e-commerce (such as services, restaurant, grocery, specialty, essential retailers and value retailers that have benefitted from omni-channel consumer trends), the risks associated with e-commerce could have a material adverse effect on the business outlook and financial results of our present and future tenants, which in turn could have a material adverse effect on our cash flow and results of operations. Our business is significantly influenced by demand for retail space generally, a decrease in which may have a greater adverse effect on our business than if we owned a more diversified real estate portfolio. Because our portfolio of properties consists primarily of community and neighborhood shopping centers, a decrease in the demand for retail space, due to the economic factors discussed above elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K or otherwise, may have a greater adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flow, common share trading price, and ability to satisfy our debt service obligations and to pay distributions to our shareholders than if we owned a more diversified real estate property portfolio. We face significant competition, which may impact our rental rates, leasing terms and capital improvements. We compete for tenants with numerous developers, owners and operators of retail shopping centers, regional malls, and outlet malls, including institutional investors, other REITs, and other owner-operators. As of December 31, 2020, leases representing 8.0% of our total annualized base rent were scheduled to expire in 2021. Our competitors may have greater capital resources or be willing to offer lower rental rates or more favorable terms for tenants, such as substantial rent reductions or abatements, tenant improvements, other improvements, early termination rights, which may pressure us to reduce our rental rates, undertake unexpected capital improvements or offer other terms less favorable to us, which could adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations, cash flow, trading price of our common shares and ability to satisfy our debt service obligations and to pay distributions to our shareholders. Additionally, if retailers or consumers perceive that shopping at other venues, online or by phone is more convenient, cost-effective or otherwise more attractive, our revenues and results of operations also may suffer. Because of our geographic concentrations, a prolonged economic downturn in certain states and regions could materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations. The specific markets in which we operate may face challenging economic conditions that could persist into the future. In particular, as of December 31, 2020, rents from our owned square footage in the states of Florida, Indiana, Texas, North Carolina, and Nevada comprised 26%, 15%, 14%, 11%, and 11% of our base rent, respectively. This level of concentration could expose us to greater economic risks than if we owned properties in more geographic regions. Adverse economic or real estate trends in Florida, Indiana, Texas, North Carolina, and Nevada, or the surrounding regions, or any decrease in demand for retail space resulting from the local regulatory environment, business climate or fiscal problems in these states, could materially and adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations, cash flow, the trading price of our common shares and our ability to satisfy our debt service obligations and to pay distributions to our shareholders. We depend on external financings to fulfill our capital needs, and disruptions in the financial markets could affect our ability to obtain financing on reasonable terms, or at all, and have other material adverse effects on our business. Partly because of the distribution requirements of being a REIT, we may not be able to fund all future capital needs, including capital for property development, redevelopment and acquisitions, with income from operations, and we rely on external financings to fulfill our capital needs. Disruptions in the financial markets generally, or relating to the real estate industry specifically, may adversely affect our ability to obtain debt financing on favorable terms or at all, which could impact our ability to acquire or develop properties when strategic opportunities exist, satisfy our principal and interest obligations or make distributions to shareholders. These disruptions could impact the overall amount of equity and debt financing available, lower loan to value ratios, cause a tightening of lender underwriting standards and terms and cause higher interest rate spreads. As a result, we may be unable to refinance or extend our existing indebtedness on favorable terms or at all. We do not have any debt scheduled to mature through December 31, 2021. If we are not successful in refinancing our outstanding debt when it becomes due, we may have to dispose of properties on disadvantageous terms, which could adversely affect our ability to service other debt and to meet our other obligations. While we currently have sufficient capacity under our Credit Facility and operating cash flows to retire outstanding debt maturing through 2025 in the event we are not able to refinance such debt when it becomes due, our Credit Facility has a maturity date in April 2022 (which may be extended for two additional periods of six 14 months subject to certain conditions), and there can be no assurance that the Credit Facility will remain outstanding or be renewed through 2025 or that our operating cash flows will continue to provide sufficient liquidity to retire any or all of our outstanding debt during this period or beyond. If economic conditions deteriorate in any of our markets, we may have to seek less attractive, alternative sources of financing and adjust our business plan accordingly. Some of our real estate assets have been subject to impairment charges and others may be subject to impairment charges in the future, which may negatively affect our net income. Our long-lived assets, primarily real estate held for investment, are carried at cost unless circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the assets may not be recoverable through future operations. In 2019, we recorded impairment charges totaling $37.7 million related to a reduction in the expected holding period of certain operating properties, which impairment charges negatively affected our net income for the applicable periods. There can be no assurances that we will not take additional charges in the future related to the impairment of our assets, which could result in an immediate negative adjustment to net income and have a material adverse effect on our results of operations in the period in which the charge is taken. Management reviews operational and development projects, land parcels and intangible assets on a property-by-property basis whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the asset may not be recoverable. We evaluate whether there are any indicators, including poor operating performance or deteriorating general market conditions, that the carrying value of our real estate properties (including any related amortizable intangible assets or liabilities) may not be recoverable. As part of this evaluation, we compare the current carrying value of the asset to the estimated undiscounted cash flows that are directly associated with the use and ultimate disposition of the asset. This review for possible impairment requires certain assumptions, estimates, and significant judgment. Our estimated cash flows are based on several key assumptions, including projected net operating income, anticipated hold period, expected capital expenditures, and the capitalization rate used to estimate the property's residual value. These key assumptions are subjective in nature and could differ materially from actual results if the property was disposed. Changes in our disposition strategy or changes in the marketplace may alter the hold period of an asset or asset group, which may result in an impairment loss, and such loss could be material to our financial condition or operating performance. To the extent that the carrying value of the asset exceeds the estimated undiscounted cash flows, an impairment loss is recognized equal to the excess of carrying value over estimated fair value. If the above-described negative indicators are not identified during our period property evaluations, management will not assess the recoverability of a property's carrying value. The estimation of the fair value of real estate assets is highly subjective, involving a significant degree of management judgment regarding various inputs, and is typically determined through comparable sales information and other market data if available or through use of an income approach such as the direct capitalization method or the traditional discounted cash flow approach, which involve a significant degree of management judgment regarding various inputs. We had $1.17 billion of consolidated indebtedness outstanding as of December 31, 2020, which may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations and reduce our ability to incur additional indebtedness to fund our growth. Required repayments of debt and related interest charges, along with any applicable prepayment premium, may materially adversely affect our operating performance. We had $1.17 billion of consolidated outstanding indebtedness as of December 31, 2020. At December 31, 2020, $330.1 million of our debt bore interest at variable rates ($80.1 million when reduced by $250.0 million of fixed interest rate swaps). Interest rates are currently low relative to historical levels and may increase significantly in the future. If our interest expense increased significantly, it could materially adversely affect our results of operations. For example, if market rates of interest on our variable rate debt outstanding, net of cash flow hedges, as of December 31, 2020 increased by 1%, the increase in interest expense on our unhedged variable rate debt would decrease future cash flows by approximately $0.8 million annually. We may incur additional debt in connection with various development and redevelopment projects and may incur additional debt upon the future acquisition of operating properties. Our organizational documents do not limit the amount of indebtedness that we may incur. We may borrow new funds to develop or acquire properties. In addition, we may increase our mortgage debt by obtaining loans secured by some or all of the real estate properties we develop or acquire. We also may borrow funds if necessary to satisfy the requirement that we distribute to shareholders at least 90% of our annual “REIT taxable income” (determined before the deduction of dividends paid and excluding net capital gains) or otherwise as is necessary or advisable to ensure that we maintain our qualification as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes or otherwise avoid paying taxes that can be eliminated through distributions to our shareholders. Our substantial debt could materially and adversely affect our business in other ways, including by, among other things: 15 • requiring us to use a substantial portion of our funds from operations to pay principal and interest, which reduces the amount available for distributions; • placing us at a competitive disadvantage compared to our competitors that have less debt; • making us more vulnerable to economic and industry downturns and reducing our flexibility in responding to changing business and economic conditions; and • limiting our ability to borrow more money for operating or capital needs or to finance development and acquisitions in the future. Agreements with lenders supporting our Credit Facility and various other loan agreements contain acceleration features and other covenants that restrict our operating and acquisition activities. Our Credit Facility and various other debt agreements contain certain Events of Default which include, but are not limited to, failure to make principal or interest payments when due, failure to perform or observe any term, covenant or condition contained in the agreements, failure to maintain certain financial and operating ratios and other criteria, misrepresentations, acceleration of other material indebtedness and bankruptcy proceedings. In the event of a default under any of these agreements, the lender would have various rights including, but not limited to, the ability to require the acceleration of the payment of all principal and interest due and/or to terminate the agreements and, to the extent such debt is secured, to foreclose on the properties. The declaration of a default and/or the acceleration of the amount due under any such credit agreement could have a material adverse effect on our business, limit our ability to make distributions to our shareholders, and prevent us from obtaining additional funds needed to address cash shortfalls or pursue growth opportunities. The agreements relating to our Credit Facility, unsecured term loan and seven-year unsecured term loan contain provisions providing that any “Event of Default” under one of these facilities or loans will constitute an “Event of Default” under the other facility or loan. In addition, these agreements relating to our Credit Facility, unsecured term loan and seven-year unsecured term loan, as well as the agreement relating to our senior unsecured notes, include a provision providing that any payment default under an agreement relating to any material indebtedness will constitute an “Event of Default” thereunder. These provisions could allow the lending institutions to accelerate the amount due under the loans. Our Credit Facility also contains certain coverage ratios and limitations on our ability to incur debt, make dividend payments, sell all or substantially all of our assets and engage in mergers and consolidations and certain acquisitions. These restrictions or any acceleration or payment may have a material adverse effect on our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations. We were in compliance with all applicable covenants under the agreements relating to our Credit Facility, seven-year unsecured term loan, and senior unsecured notes as of December 31, 2020, although there can be no assurance that we will continue to remain in compliance in the future. Mortgage debt obligations expose us to the possibility of foreclosure, which could result in the loss of our investment in a property or group of properties subject to mortgage debt. A significant amount of our indebtedness is secured by our real estate assets, which if we fail to make required mortgage payments, could be subject to foreclosure by the lender or the holder of the mortgage, resulting in the loss of our investment. For tax purposes, a foreclosure of any of our properties would be treated as a sale of the property for a purchase price equal to the outstanding balance of the debt secured by the mortgage. If the outstanding balance of the debt secured by the mortgage exceeds our tax basis in the property, we would recognize taxable income on foreclosure, but we would not receive any cash proceeds, which could hinder our ability to meet the REIT distribution requirements imposed by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). If any of our properties are foreclosed on due to a default, our ability to pay cash distributions to our shareholders and our earnings will be limited, and due to cross-collateralization or cross-default provisions, a default under one mortgage loan could result in a default on other indebtedness and cause us to lose other better performing properties, which could materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations. We are subject to risks associated with hedging agreement, including potential performance failures by counterparties and termination costs. We use a combination of interest rate protection agreements, including interest rate swaps, to manage risk associated with interest rate volatility. This may expose us to additional risks, including a risk that the counterparty to a hedging arrangement may fail to honor its obligations. Developing an effective interest rate risk strategy is complex and no strategy can completely insulate us from risks associated with interest rate fluctuations. There can be no assurance that our hedging activities will have the desired beneficial effect on our results of operations or financial condition. Further, should we choose to terminate 16 a hedging agreement, there could be significant costs and cash requirements involved to fulfill our initial obligation under such agreement. We may be adversely affected by changes in LIBOR reporting practices, the method in which LIBOR is determined or the use of alternative reference rates. As of December 31, 2020, we had approximately $330.1 million of debt outstanding that was indexed to the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”). In July 2017, the United Kingdom regulator that regulates LIBOR announced its intention to phase out LIBOR rates by the end of 2021. As a result, the Federal Reserve Board and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York organized the Alternative Reference Rates Committee, which identified the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) as its preferred alternative to LIBOR in derivatives and other financial contracts. At this time, no consensus exists as to what rate or rates may become accepted alternatives to LIBOR, or the exact time when LIBOR rates will cease to be published or supported. If a published U.S. dollar LIBOR rate is unavailable after 2021, the interest rates on our debt which is indexed to LIBOR will be determined using various alternative methods, any of which may result in interest obligations which are more than or do not otherwise correlate over time with the payments that would have been made on such debt if U.S. dollar LIBOR was available in its current form. Further, the same costs and risks that may lead to the unavailability of U.S. dollar LIBOR may make one or more of the alternative methods impossible or impracticable to determine. Any of these proposals or consequences could have a material adverse effect on our financing costs, and as a result, our financial condition, operating results and cash flows. Our current and any future joint ventures, and the value and performance of such investments, could be adversely affected by the structure and terms thereof and the activities of our joint venture partners. As of December 31, 2020, we owned interests in two of our operating properties through consolidated joint ventures and interests in four properties through unconsolidated joint ventures, and in the future, we may seek to co-invest with third parties through other joint ventures. Our joint ventures and the value and performance of such investments may involve risks not present with respect to our wholly owned properties, including shared decision-making authority with our joint venture partners, restrictions on the ability to sell our interests in the joint ventures without the other partners' consent, potential conflicts of interest or other disputes between us and our partners (including potential litigation or arbitration), potential losses or increased costs or expenses arising from actions taken in respect of the joint ventures, and potential impacts on our ability to qualify as a REIT. Our future developments, redevelopments and acquisitions may not yield the returns we expect or may result in dilution in shareholder value. As of December 31, 2020, we have two development projects under construction and two redevelopment opportunities currently in the planning stage, including de-leasing space and evaluating development plans and costs with potential tenants and partners. Some of these plans include non-retail uses, such as multifamily housing. New development and redevelopment projects and property acquisitions are subject to a number of risks, including abandonment of a project after expending resources on due diligence, feasibility or other upfront costs, construction delays or cost overruns, unknown risks, integration issues, tenant termination or withdrawal rights, and failure to obtain governmental permits or other third-party approvals. In deciding whether to acquire, develop, or redevelop a particular property, we make certain assumptions regarding the expected future performance of that property, and our financial performance may be materially and adversely affected, or in the case of an unsuccessful redevelopment project, our entire investment could be at risk for loss, or an impairment charge could occur. In addition, the issuance of equity securities as consideration for any significant acquisitions could be dilutive to our shareholders. To the extent that we pursue acquisitions in the future, we may not be successful in acquiring desirable operating properties or identifying development and redevelopment projects that meet our investment criteria, both of which may impede our growth. From time to time, consistent with our business strategy, we evaluate the market and may acquire properties when we believe strategic opportunities exist. When we pursue acquisitions, we may face competition from other real estate investors with substantial capital, including other REITs and institutional investment funds, which could limit our ability to acquire properties, increase the purchase price we are required to pay, reducing the return to our shareholders, and we may agree to material restrictions or limitations in the acquisition agreements. Additionally, we may not be successful in identifying suitable real estate properties or other assets that meet our development or redevelopment criteria, or we may fail to complete developments, redevelopments, acquisitions or investments on satisfactory terms. These factors and any others could impede our growth and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations. 17 We may not be able to sell properties when appropriate or on terms favorable to us and could, under certain circumstances, be required to pay a 100% "prohibited transaction" penalty tax related to the properties we sell. Real estate property investments generally cannot be sold quickly. Our ability to dispose of properties on advantageous terms depends on factors beyond our control, including competition from other sellers and the availability of attractive financing for potential buyers of our properties, and we cannot predict the various market conditions affecting real estate investments that will exist at any particular time in the future. Before a property can be sold, we may need to make expenditures to correct defects or to make improvements. We may not have funds available to correct such defects or to make such improvements, and if we cannot do so, we might not be able to sell the property or might be required to sell the property on unfavorable terms. We may not be able to dispose of any of the properties on terms favorable to us or at all, and each individual sale will depend on, among other things, economic and market conditions, individual asset characteristics and the availability of potential buyers and favorable financing terms at the time. Further, we will incur marketing expenses and other transaction costs in connection with dispositions, and the process of marketing and selling a large pool of properties may distract the attention of our personnel from the operation of our business. Also, the tax laws applicable to REITs impose a 100% penalty tax on any net income from “prohibited transactions.” In general, prohibited transactions are sales or other dispositions of property held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business. The determination as to whether a particular sale is a prohibited transaction depends on the facts and circumstances related to that sale. The need to avoid prohibited transactions could cause us to forego or defer sales of properties that might otherwise be in our best interest to sell. Therefore, we may be unable to adjust our portfolio mix promptly in response to market conditions, which may adversely affect our financial position. In addition, we will be subject to income taxes on gains from the sale of any properties owned by any taxable REIT subsidiary ("TRS). Uninsured losses or losses in excess of insurance coverage could materially and adversely affect our cash flow, financial condition and results of operations. We do not carry insurance for generally uninsurable losses such as loss from riots, war or acts of God, and, in some cases, flooding, and insurance companies may no longer offer coverage against certain types of losses, such as environmental liabilities or other catastrophic events, or, if offered, the expense of obtaining such coverage may not be justified. Some of our policies, such as those covering losses due to terrorism and floods, are insured subject to limitations involving large deductibles or co-payments and policy limits that may not be sufficient to cover all losses, and in the future, we may be unable to renew or duplicate our current insurance coverage at adequate levels or at reasonable prices. In addition, tenants generally are required to indemnify and hold us harmless from liabilities resulting from injury to persons or damage to personal or real property, on the premises, due to activities conducted by tenants or their agents on the properties (including without limitation any environmental contamination) and, at the tenant’s expense, to obtain and keep in full force during the term of the lease, liability and property damage insurance policies. However, tenants may not properly maintain their insurance policies or have the ability to pay the deductibles associated with such policies. If we experience a loss that is uninsured or that exceeds policy limits, we could lose the capital invested in the damaged properties as well as the anticipated future cash flows from those properties, and the loss could seriously disrupt our operations, delay revenue and result in significant expenses. Inflation, changes in building codes and ordinances, environmental considerations, and other factors also might make it impractical or undesirable to use insurance proceeds to replace a property after it has been damaged or destroyed. In addition, if the damaged properties are subject to recourse indebtedness, we would continue to be liable for the indebtedness, even if these properties were irreparably damaged. Our expenses may remain constant or increase, which could reduce our cash flow and funds available for future distributions, particularly if such expenses are not offset by an increase in corresponding revenues. Our existing properties and any properties we develop or acquire in the future are and will continue to be subject to operating risks common to real estate in general, any or all of which may negatively affect us. The expenses of owning and operating properties generally do not decrease, and may increase, when circumstances such as market factors and competition cause a reduction in income from the properties. Our properties continue to be subject to increases in real estate and other tax rates, utility costs, operating expenses, insurance costs, repairs and maintenance and administrative expenses, regardless of occupancy rates. As a result, if any property is not fully occupied or if rents are being paid in an amount that is insufficient to cover operating expenses, we could be required to expend funds for that property’s operating expenses. Therefore, constant or rising operating expenses could reduce our cash flow and funds available for future distributions, particularly if such expenses are not offset by corresponding revenues. Our business faces potential risks associated with natural disasters, severe weather conditions and climate change and related legislation and regulations, which could have an adverse effect on our cash flow and operating results. 18 Global climate change continues to attract considerable public and scientific attention with widespread concern about the impact of human activity on the environment, including effects on the frequency and scale of natural disasters, and federal and state legislation and regulations in these areas continue to pose risks. Changing weather patterns and climatic conditions may affect the predictability and frequency of natural disasters in some parts of the world and create additional uncertainty as to future trends and exposures, including certain areas in which our portfolio is concentrated such as Texas, Indiana, Florida, North Carolina, and Nevada. Our properties are located in many areas that are subject to or have been affected by natural disasters and severe weather conditions such as hurricanes, tropical storms, tornadoes, earthquakes, droughts, floods and fires. Over time, the occurrence of natural disasters, severe weather conditions and changing climatic conditions can delay new development and redevelopment projects, increase repair costs and future insurance costs and negatively impact the demand for lease space in the affected areas, or in extreme cases, affect our ability to operate the properties at all. Changes in federal and state legislation and regulations on climate control could result in increased costs and expenses, such as utility expenses and/or capital expenditures to improve the energy efficiency of our existing properties, or potentially result in fines for non-compliance. These risks could have an adverse effect on our cash flow and operating results. We could incur significant costs related to environmental matters, and our efforts to identify environmental liabilities may not be successful. Under various federal, state and local laws, ordinances and regulations, an owner or operator of real estate may be required to investigate and clean up hazardous or toxic substances or petroleum product releases at a property and may be held liable to a governmental entity or to third parties for property damage and for investigation and clean-up costs incurred by such parties in connection with contamination. Some of the properties in our portfolio contain, may have contained or are adjacent to or near other properties that have contained or currently contain underground storage tanks for petroleum products or other hazardous or toxic substances, and some of our properties have tenants that may use hazardous or toxic substances in the routine course of their businesses. Indemnities in our leases may not fully protect us in the event that a tenant becomes insolvent. The cost of investigation, remediation or removal of such substances may be substantial, and the presence of such substances, or the failure to properly remediate such substances, may adversely affect the owner’s ability to sell or rent such property or to borrow using such property as collateral. In connection with the ownership, operation and management of real properties, we are potentially liable for removal or remediation costs, as well as certain other related costs, including governmental fines and injuries to persons and property, liens on contaminated sites, and restrictions on operations. We may also be liable to third parties for damage and injuries resulting from environmental contamination emanating from the real estate. Finally, certain of our properties have contained asbestos-containing building materials ("ACBM") and other properties may have contained such materials based on the date of its construction. Environmental laws require that ACBM be properly managed and maintained, and may impose fines and penalties on building owners or operators for failure to comply with these requirements. The laws also may allow third parties to seek recovery from owners or operators for personal injury associated with exposure to asbestos fibers. We test our properties for compliance with applicable environmental laws on a limited basis, and we cannot give assurance that existing environmental studies with respect to our properties reveal all potential environmental liabilities or that current or future uses or conditions (including, without limitation, changes in applicable environmental laws and regulations or the interpretation thereof) will not result in environmental liabilities. Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and fire, safety and other regulations may require us to make expenditures that adversely affect our cash flows and results of operations. Our properties must comply with Title III of the ADA to the extent that such properties are public accommodations as defined by the ADA. Noncompliance with the ADA could result in orders requiring us to spend substantial sums to cure violations, pay attorneys' fees, or pay other amounts. Although we believe the properties in our portfolio substantially comply with present requirements of the ADA, we have not conducted an audit or investigation of all of our properties to determine our compliance, and while our tenants typically under tenant leases are obligated to cover costs associated with compliance, if required changes involve greater expenditures or faster timelines than anticipated, the ability of these tenants to cover costs could be adversely affected. In addition, we are required to operate the properties in compliance with fire and safety regulations, building codes and other land use regulations, as they may be adopted by governmental agencies and bodies and become applicable to the properties. We may be required to make substantial capital expenditures to comply with, and we may be restricted in our ability to renovate the properties subject to, these requirements, which could affect our cash flows and results of operations. Inflation may adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations. 19 Most of our leases contain provisions requiring the tenant to pay a share of operating expenses, including common area maintenance or other operating expenses based on a fixed amount or fixed percentage, not subject to adjustment for inflation. However, increased inflation could have a more pronounced negative impact on our mortgage and debt interest and general and administrative expenses, as these costs could increase at a rate higher than our rents. Also, inflation may adversely affect tenant leases with stated rent increases or limits on such tenant’s obligation to pay its share of operating expenses, which could be lower than the increase in inflation at any given time. It may also limit our ability to recover all of our operating expenses. Inflation could also have an adverse effect on consumer spending, which could impact our tenants’ sales and, in turn, our average rents, and in some cases, our percentage rents, where applicable. In addition, renewals of leases or future leases may not be negotiated on current terms, in which event we may recover a smaller percentage of our operating expenses. Rising interest rates could increase our borrowing costs, thereby adversely affecting our cash flows and the amounts available for distributions to our shareholders, as well as decrease our share price, if investors seek higher yields through other investments. An environment of rising interest rates could lead investors to seek higher yields through other investments, which could adversely affect the market price of our common shares. One of the factors that may influence the price of our common shares in public markets is the rate of annual cash distributions we pay as compared with the yields on alternative investments. Several other factors, such as governmental regulatory action and tax laws, could have a significant impact on the future market price of our common shares. In addition, increases in market interest rates could result in increased borrowing costs for us, which may adversely affect our cash flow and the amounts available for distributions to our shareholders. We and our tenants face risks relating to cybersecurity attacks that could cause loss of confidential information and other business disruptions . We and our tenants rely extensively on computer systems to process transactions and manage our respective businesses, and although various measures are utilized to prevent, detect and mitigate threats, we have been targeted by e-mail phishing attempts and scams in the past, and our business is at risk from and may be impacted by cybersecurity attacks. These could include attempts to gain unauthorized access to our data and computer systems. Attacks can be both individual and/or highly organized attempts by very sophisticated hacking organizations. A cybersecurity attack could compromise the confidential information of our employees, tenants, and vendors. Additionally, we rely on a number of service providers and vendors, and cybersecurity risks at these service providers and vendors create additional risks for our information and business. A successful attack could lead to identity theft, fraud or other disruptions to our business operations, any of which may negatively affect our results of operations. We conduct periodic assessments and use the results of such to create and implement a strategy designed to prevent, detect and respond to cybersecurity threats. However, there is no guarantee such efforts will be successful in preventing a cyber-attack. RISKS RELATED TO OUR ORGANIZATION AND STRUCTURE Our organizational documents contain provisions that generally would prohibit any person (other than members of the Kite family who, as a group, are currently allowed to own up to 21.5% of our outstanding common shares) from beneficially owning more than 7% of our outstanding common shares (or up to 9.8% in the case of certain designated investment entities, as defined in our declaration of trust), which may discourage third parties from conducting a tender offer or seeking other change of control transactions that could involve a premium price for our shares or otherwise benefit our shareholders. Our organizational documents contain provisions that may have an anti-takeover effect and inhibit a change of control transaction, which could prevent our shareholders from being paid a premium for their common shares over the then-prevailing market prices. (1) There are ownership limits and restrictions on transferability in our declaration of trust. In order for us to qualify as a REIT, no more than 50% of the value of our outstanding shares may be owned, actually or constructively, by five or fewer individuals at any time during the last half of each taxable year. To make sure that we will not fail to satisfy this requirement and for anti-takeover reasons, our declaration of trust generally prohibits any shareholder (other than an excepted holder or certain designated investment entities, as defined in our declaration of trust) from owning (actually, constructively or by attribution), more than 7% of the value or number of our outstanding common shares. Our declaration of trust provides an excepted holder limit that allows members of the Kite family (Al Kite, John Kite and Paul Kite, their family members and 20 certain entities controlled by one or more of the Kites), as a group, to own more than 7% of our outstanding common shares, subject to applicable tax attribution rules. Currently, one of the excepted holders would be attributed all of the common shares owned by each other excepted holder and, accordingly, the excepted holders as a group would not be allowed to own in excess of 21.5% of our common shares. If at a later time, there were not one excepted holder that would be attributed all of the shares owned by the excepted holders as a group, the excepted holder limit would not permit each excepted holder to own 21.5% of our common shares. Rather, the excepted holder limit would prevent two or more excepted holders who are treated as individuals under the applicable tax attribution rules from owning a higher percentage of our common shares than the maximum amount of common shares that could be owned by any one excepted holder (21.5%), plus the maximum amount of common shares that could be owned by any one or more other individual common shareholders who are not excepted holders (7%). Certain entities that are defined as designated investment entities in our declaration of trust, which generally include pension funds, mutual funds, and certain investment management companies, are permitted to own up to 9.8% of our outstanding common shares, so long as each beneficial owner of the shares owned by such designated investment entity would satisfy the 7% ownership limit if those beneficial owners owned directly their proportionate share of the common shares owned by the designated investment entity. Our Board of Trustees may waive, and has waived in the past, the ownership limits subject to certain conditions. In addition, our declaration of trust contains certain other ownership restrictions intended to prevent us from earning income from related parties if such income would cause us to fail to comply with the REIT gross income requirements. The various ownership restrictions may discourage a tender offer or other change of control transaction or compel a shareholder who has acquired our shares in excess of these ownership limitations to dispose of the additional shares. Any acquisition of our common shares in violation of these ownership restrictions will be void ab initio and will result in automatic transfers of our common shares to a charitable trust, which will be responsible for selling the common shares to permitted transferees and distributing at least a portion of the proceeds to the prohibited transferees. (2) Our declaration of trust permits our Board of Trustees to issue preferred shares with terms that may discourage a third party from acquiring us. Our declaration of trust permits our Board of Trustees to issue up to 40,000,000 preferred shares, having those preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to distributions, qualifications, or terms or conditions of redemption as determined by our Board of Trustees. Any preferred shares that we issue likely would rank senior to our common shares with respect to payment of distributions, in which case we could not pay any distributions on our common shares until full distributions were paid with respect to such preferred shares. (3) Our declaration of trust and bylaws contain other possible anti-takeover provisions. Our declaration of trust and bylaws contain other provisions, such as advance notice requirements for shareholder proposals, the ability of our Board of Trustees' to reclassify shares or issue additional shares, and the absence of cumulative voting rights that may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of our company or the removal of existing management. Certain provisions of Maryland law could inhibit changes in control. Maryland law includes “business combination moratorium/fair price” provisions that, subject to limitations, prohibit certain business combinations with an “interested shareholder” (defined generally as any person who beneficially owns 10% or more of the voting power of our shares or an affiliate thereof) for five years after the most recent date on which the shareholder becomes an interested shareholder, and thereafter imposes stringent fair price and super-majority shareholder voting requirements on business combinations, and “control share” provisions that provide that “control shares” (defined as shares which, when aggregated with other shares controlled by the shareholder, entitle the shareholder to exercise one of three increasing ranges of voting power in electing trustees) acquired in certain acquisitions have no voting rights except to the extent approved by our shareholders by the affirmative vote of at least two thirds of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter, excluding all interested shares, and are subject to redemption in certain circumstances. Although we have opted out of these provisions of Maryland law, our Board of Trustees may opt to make these provisions applicable to us at any time, which may have the effect of inhibiting a third party from making a proposal to acquire us or of impeding a change of control under circumstances that otherwise could provide the holders of our common shares with the opportunity to realize a premium over the then-prevailing market price of such shares. A substantial number of common shares eligible for future issuance or sale could cause our common share price to decline significantly and may be dilutive to current shareholders. Our declaration of trust authorizes our Board of Trustees to, among other things, issue additional common shares without shareholder approval. The issuance of substantial numbers of our common shares in the public market or the sale by existing shareholders, or the perception that such issuances or sales might occur, could adversely affect the per share trading price of our common shares, dilute our existing shareholders' interests in our company or impact our ability to sell equity or equity-related securities in the future at a time and price that we deem appropriate. As of December 31, 2020, we had outstanding 84,187,999 common shares, substantially all of which are freely tradable. In addition, 2,523,861 units of our Operating Partnership were 21 owned by our executive officers and other individuals as of December 31, 2020, and are redeemable by the holder for cash or, at our election, common shares. Pursuant to registration rights of certain of our executive officers and other individuals, we filed a registration statement with the SEC to register common shares issued (or issuable upon redemption of units in our Operating Partnership) in our formation transactions. As units are redeemed for common shares, the market price of our common shares could drop significantly if the holders of such shares sell them or are perceived by the market as intending to sell them. Certain officers and trustees may have interests that conflict with the interests of shareholders. Certain of our officers own limited partner units in our Operating Partnership. These individuals may have personal interests that conflict with the interests of our shareholders with respect to business decisions affecting us and our Operating Partnership, such as interests in the timing and pricing of property sales or refinancing transactions in order to obtain favorable tax treatment. As a result, the effect of certain transactions on these unit holders may influence our decisions affecting these properties. Departure or loss of our key officers could have an adverse effect on us. Our future success depends, to a significant extent, upon the continued services of our existing executive officers, whose experience in real estate acquisition, development, finance and management is a critical element of our future success. If one or more of our key executive officers were to die, become disabled or otherwise leave our employ, we may not be able to replace this person with an executive of equal skill, ability, and industry expertise within a reasonable timeframe, which could negatively affect our operations and financial condition. Our rights and the rights of our shareholders to take action against our trustees and officers are limited. Maryland law provides that a director or officer has limited liability in that capacity if he or she performs his or her duties in good faith and in a manner that he or she reasonably believes to be in our best interests and that an ordinarily prudent person in a like position would use under similar circumstances. Our declaration of trust and bylaws require us to indemnify our trustees and officers for actions taken by them in those capacities to the extent permitted by Maryland law. Our shareholders have limited ability to prevent us from making any changes to our policies that they believe could harm our business, prospects, operating results or share price. Our investment, financing, borrowing and dividend policies and our policies with respect to all other activities, including growth, debt, capitalization and operations, will be determined by our management and, in certain cases, approved by our Board of Trustees. These policies may be amended or revised from time to time at the discretion of our Board of Trustees without a vote of our shareholders. This means that our shareholders will have limited control over changes in our policies. Such changes in our policies intended to improve, expand or diversify our business may not have the anticipated effects and consequently may adversely affect our business and prospects, results of operations and share price. Our common share price could be volatile and could decline, resulting in a substantial or complete loss of our shareholders’ investment. The stock markets (including The New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) on which we list our common shares) have experienced and from time to time do experience significant price and volume fluctuations. The market price of our common shares could be similarly volatile, and investors in our shares may experience a decrease in the value of their shares, including decreases that may not be related to our operating performance or prospects, including the risk factors described in "Forward-Looking Statements" included elsewhere in this Annual Report on From 10-K. Changes in accounting standards may adversely impact our financial results. The Financial Accounting Standards Board (the “FASB”), in conjunction with the SEC, has issued and may issue key pronouncements that impact how we account for our material transactions, including, but not limited to, lease accounting, business combinations and the recognition of other revenues. We are unable to predict which, if any, proposals may be issued in the future or what level of impact any such proposal could have on the presentation of our consolidated financial statements, our results of operations and the financial ratio required by our debt covenants. 22 The cash available for distribution to shareholders may not be sufficient to pay distributions at expected levels, nor can we assure you of our ability to make distributions in the future, and we may use borrowed funds to make cash distributions and/or may choose to make distributions in part payable in our common shares. To qualify as a REIT, we are required to distribute to our shareholders each year at least 90% of our “REIT taxable income” (determined before the deduction for dividends paid and excluding net capital gains). In order to eliminate U.S. federal income tax, we are required to distribute annually 100% of our net taxable income, including capital gains. If cash available for distribution generated by our assets decreases in future periods from expected levels, our inability to make expected distributions could result in a decrease in the market price of our common shares. All distributions will be made at the discretion of our Board of Trustees and will depend on our earnings, our financial condition, maintenance of our REIT qualification and other factors as our Board of Trustees may deem relevant from time to time. We may not be able to make distributions in the future. In addition, some of our distributions may include a return of capital. To the extent that we decide to make distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits, such distributions would generally be considered a return of capital for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent of the holder’s adjusted tax basis in his or her shares. A return of capital is not taxable, but it has the effect of reducing the holder’s adjusted tax basis in its investment. To the extent that distributions exceed the adjusted tax basis of a holder’s shares, they will be treated as gain from the sale or exchange of such shares. If we borrow to fund distributions, our future interest costs would increase, thereby reducing our earnings and cash available for distribution from what they otherwise would have been. Finally, although we do not currently intend to do so, in order to maintain our REIT qualification, we may make distributions that are in part payable in our common shares. Taxable shareholders receiving such distributions will be required to include the full amount of such distributions as ordinary dividend income to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and profits and may be required to sell shares received in such distribution or may be required to sell other shares or assets owned by them, at a time that may be disadvantageous, in order to satisfy any tax imposed on such distribution. If a significant number of our shareholders determine to sell common shares in order to pay taxes owed on dividend income, such sale may put downward pressure on the market price of our common shares. Future offerings of debt securities, which would be senior to our equity securities, may adversely affect the market prices of our common shares. In the future, we may attempt to increase our capital resources by making offerings of debt securities, including unsecured notes, medium term notes, and senior or subordinated notes, as well as debt securities that are convertible into equity. Holders of our debt securities will generally be entitled to receive interest payments, both current and in connection with any liquidation or sale, prior to the holders of our common shares being entitled to receive distributions. Future offerings of debt securities, or the perception that such offerings may occur, may reduce the market prices of our common shares and/or the distributions that we pay with respect to our common shares. Because we may generally issue such debt securities in the future without obtaining the consent of our shareholders, our shareholders will bear the risk of our future offerings reducing the market prices of our equity securities. RISKS RELATED TO TAX MATTERS Failure of our company to qualify as a REIT would have serious adverse consequences to us and our shareholders. We believe that we have qualified for taxation as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes commencing with our taxable year ended December 31, 2004. We intend to continue to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT, but we cannot assure shareholders that we will qualify as a REIT. We have not requested and do not plan to request a ruling from the IRS that we qualify as a REIT, and the statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are not binding on the IRS or any court. As a REIT, we generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on our income that we distribute currently to our shareholders. Many of the REIT requirements, however, are highly technical and complex. The determination that we are a REIT requires an analysis of various factual matters and circumstances that may not be totally within our control. For example, to qualify as a REIT, at least 95% of our gross income must come from specific passive sources, such as rent, that are itemized in the REIT tax laws. In addition, to qualify as a REIT, we cannot own specified amounts of debt and equity securities of some issuers. We also are required to distribute to our shareholders with respect to each year at least 90% of our “REIT taxable income” (determined before the deduction for dividends paid and excluding net capital gains). The fact that we hold substantially all of our assets through our Operating Partnership and its subsidiaries and joint ventures further complicates the application of the REIT requirements for us. Even a technical or inadvertent mistake could jeopardize our REIT status, and, given the highly complex nature of the rules governing REITs and the ongoing importance of factual determinations, we cannot provide any assurance that we will continue to qualify as a REIT. Furthermore, Congress and the IRS might make changes to the tax laws and regulations, and the courts might issue new ruling, that make it more difficult, or impossible, for us to remain qualified as a REIT. 23 If we fail to qualify as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes and are unable to avail ourselves of certain savings provisions set forth in the Code: • We would be taxed as a non-REIT "C" corporation, which under current laws, among other things, means not being able to take a deduction for distributions to shareholders in computing our taxable income or pass through long term capital gains to individual shareholders at favorable rates and possibly increased state and local taxes; • We would not be able to elect to be taxed as a REIT for four years following the year we first failed to qualify; • We would have to pay significant income taxes, which would reduce our net earnings available for investment or distribution to our shareholders. Moreover, such failure would cause an event of default under our Credit Facility and unsecured term loans and may adversely affect our ability to raise capital and to service our debt. This likely would have a significant adverse effect on our earnings and the value of our securities. In addition, we would no longer be required to pay any distributions to shareholders; and • We would be required to pay penalty taxes of $50,000 or more for each such failure. We will pay some taxes even if we qualify as a REIT. Even if we qualify as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes, we will be required to pay certain U.S. federal, state and local taxes on our income and property. For example, we will be subject to income tax to the extent we distribute less than 100% of our REIT taxable income (including capital gains). Additionally, we will be subject to a 4% nondeductible excise tax on the amount, if any, by which dividends paid by us in any calendar year are less than the sum of 85% of our ordinary income, 95% of our capital gain net income and 100% of our undistributed income from prior years. Moreover, if we have net income from “prohibited transactions,” that income will be subject to a 100% penalty tax. In addition, any net taxable income earned directly by our TRS, or through entities that are disregarded for U.S. federal income tax purposes as entities separate from our TRS, will be subject to U.S. federal and possibly state corporate income tax. We have elected to treat Kite Realty Holdings, LLC as a TRS, and we may elect to treat other subsidiaries as taxable REIT subsidiaries in the future. In this regard, several provisions of the laws applicable to REITs and their subsidiaries ensure that a TRS will be subject to an appropriate level of U.S. federal income taxation. For example, a TRS is limited in its ability to deduct interest payments made to an affiliated REIT. In addition, the REIT has to pay a 100% penalty tax on some payments that it receives or on some deductions taken by the taxable REIT subsidiaries if the economic arrangements between the REIT, the REIT’s tenants, and the TRS are not comparable to similar arrangements between unrelated parties. Finally, some state and local jurisdictions may tax some of our income even though as a REIT we are not subject to U.S. federal income tax on that income because not all states and localities treat REITs the same way they are treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes. To the extent that we and our affiliates are required to pay U.S. federal, state and local taxes, we will have less cash available for distributions to our shareholders. REIT distribution requirements may increase our indebtedness. We may be required from time to time, under certain circumstances, to accrue income for tax purposes that has not yet been received. In such event, or upon our repayment of principal on debt, we could have taxable income without sufficient cash to enable us to meet the distribution requirements of a REIT. Accordingly, we could be required to borrow funds or liquidate investments on adverse terms in order to meet these distribution requirements. Additionally, the sale of properties resulting in significant tax gains could require higher distributions to our shareholders or payment of additional income taxes in order to maintain our REIT status. Complying with REIT requirements may limit our ability to hedge effectively and may cause us to incur tax liabilities. The REIT provisions of the Code may limit our ability to hedge our assets and operations. Under these provisions, any income that we generate from transactions intended to hedge our interest rate risk will be excluded from gross income for purposes of the REIT 75% and 95% gross income tests if the instrument hedges interest rate risk on liabilities used to carry or acquire real estate assets or manages the risk of certain currency fluctuations, and such instrument is properly identified under applicable Treasury Regulations. Income from hedging transactions that do not meet these requirements will generally constitute non-qualifying income for purposes of both the REIT 75% and 95% gross income tests. As a result of these rules, we 24 may have to limit our use of hedging techniques that might otherwise be advantageous or implement those hedges through a TRS. This could increase the cost of our hedging activities because our TRS would be subject to tax on gains or expose us to greater risks associated with changes in interest rates than we would otherwise want to bear. Complying with the REIT requirements may cause us to forgo and/or liquidate otherwise attractive investments. To qualify as a REIT, we must continually satisfy tests concerning, among other things, the sources of our income, the nature and diversification of our assets, the amounts that we distribute to our shareholders and the ownership of our shares. To meet these tests, we may be required to take actions we would otherwise prefer not to take or forgo taking actions that we would otherwise consider advantageous. For instance, in order to satisfy the gross income or asset tests applicable to REITs under the Code, we may be required to forgo investments that we otherwise would make. Furthermore, we may be required to liquidate from our portfolio otherwise attractive investments. In addition, we may be required to make distributions to shareholders at disadvantageous times or when we do not have funds readily available for distribution. These actions could reduce our income and amounts available for distribution to our shareholders. Thus, compliance with the REIT requirements may hinder our investment performance. Dividends paid by REITs generally do not qualify for effective tax rates as low as dividends paid by non-REIT "C" corporations. The maximum rate applicable to “qualified dividend income” paid by non-REIT “C” corporations to certain non-corporate U.S. shareholders has been reduced by legislation to 23.8% (taking into account the 3.8% Medicare tax applicable to net investment income). Dividends payable by REITs, however, generally are not eligible for the reduced rates. Effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026, non-corporate shareholders may deduct 20% of their dividends from REITs (excluding qualified dividend income and capital gains dividends). For non-corporate shareholders in the top marginal tax bracket of 37%, the deduction for REIT dividends yields an effective income tax rate of 29.6% on REIT dividends, which is higher than the 20% tax rate on qualified dividend income paid by non-REIT “C” corporations. This does not adversely affect the taxation of REITs, however, it could cause certain non-corporate investors to perceive investments in REITs to be relatively less attractive than investments in the shares of non-REIT “C” corporations that pay dividends, which could adversely affect the value of our common shares. If the Operating Partnership fails to qualify as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, we could fail to qualify as a REIT and suffer other adverse consequences . We believe that our Operating Partnership is organized and operated in a manner so as to be treated as a partnership and not an association or a publicly traded partnership taxable as a corporation, for U.S. federal income tax purposes. As a partnership, our Operating Partnership is not subject to U.S. federal income tax on its income. Instead, each of the partners is allocated its share of our Operating Partnership’s income. No assurance can be provided, however, that the IRS will not challenge our Operating Partnership’s status as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes or that a court would not sustain such a challenge. If the IRS were successful in treating our Operating Partnership as an association or publicly traded partnership taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, we would fail to meet the gross income tests and certain of the asset tests applicable to REITs and, accordingly, would cease to qualify as a REIT. Also, the failure of the Operating Partnership to qualify as a partnership would cause it to become subject to U.S. federal corporate income tax, which would reduce significantly the amount of its cash available for distribution to its partners, including us. There is a risk that the tax laws applicable to REITs may change. The IRS, the United States Treasury Department and Congress frequently review U.S. federal income tax legislation, regulations and other guidance. The Company cannot predict whether, when or to what extent new U.S. federal tax laws, regulations, interpretations or rulings will be adopted. Any legislative action may prospectively or retroactively modify the Company's tax treatment and, therefore, may adversely affect our taxation or taxation of our shareholders. We urge you to consult with your tax advisor with respect to the status of legislative, regulatory or administrative developments and proposals and their potential effect on an investment in our stock. Although REITs generally receive certain tax advantages compared to entities taxed as non-REIT “C” corporations, it is possible that future legislation would result in a REIT having fewer tax advantages, and it could become more advantageous for a company that invests in real estate to elect to be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a non-REIT “C” corporation. 25 ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS None