Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity
Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.
Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities
On October 8, 2024, the Company agreed to issue 11,000 shares of its Common Stock to an unaffiliated holder of the Company’s securities in exchange for 22,000 shares of the Company’s Series D Preferred Stock and 22,000 shares of the Company's Series B Preferred Stock from the investor (the “2024 Preferred Stock Exchange”). The settlement of the 2024 Preferred Stock Exchange occurred on the same day. The Company did not receive any cash proceeds as a result of the 2024 Preferred Stock Exchange, and the shares of the preferred stock exchanged have been retired and cancelled.
The Company issued the Common Stock under the 2024 Preferred Stock Exchange in reliance upon the exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act contained in Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act on the basis that the issuance of Common Stock constituted an exchange with an existing holder of the Company’s securities, and no commission or other remuneration was paid or given directly or indirectly for soliciting such transaction.
In 2024, the Company issued an aggregate of 4,368 shares of Common Stock to satisfy conversion requests by certain holders of the Convertible Notes. The Company issued the Common Stock in the Convertible Note conversions in reliance upon the exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act contained in Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act on the basis that each issuance of Common Stock to the Convertible Note holders constituted an exchange with an existing holder of the Company’s securities, and no commission or other remuneration was paid or given directly or indirectly for soliciting such transaction. The Company did not receive any cash proceeds as a result of any Convertible Note conversion, and the Convertible Notes that were converted have been retired and cancelled.
All of the foregoing issuances of Common Stock were made to accredited investors.
11
Market Information
Our Common Stock is traded on Nasdaq under the symbol “WHLR.”
Approximate Number of Holders of Our Common Stock
As of February 28, 2025 there were 14 holders of record of our Common Stock. This number excludes stockholders whose stock is held in nominee or street name by brokers.
Dividend Policy
In March 2018, the Board of Directors suspended the payment of dividends on our Common Stock. The Board of Directors also suspended the quarterly dividends on shares of our Series A Preferred Stock ("Series A Preferred Stock") (together with Series B Preferred Stock and Series D Preferred Stock, the "Preferred Stock"), Series B Preferred Stock and Series D Preferred Stock, beginning with the three months ended December 31, 2018.
As the Company has failed to pay cash dividends on the outstanding Series D Preferred Stock, the annual dividend rate on the Series D Preferred Stock increased to 10.75% commencing on the first day after the first missed quarterly payment, January 1, 2019, and will continue until such time as the Company has paid all accumulated and unpaid dividends on the Series D Preferred Stock in full. Commencing September 21, 2023, the Series D Preferred Stock holders were entitled to cumulative cash dividends of 12.75%. At September 21, 2024, the annual dividend rate increased by 2% of the liquidation preference per annum to 14.75%. See Note 10, Equity and Mezzanine Equity, to the accompanying audited consolidated financial statements.
As a result of the dividend suspension on the Series D Preferred Stock, our Charter provides that no dividends may be declared or paid on the Common Stock or on our other outstanding preferred until all accumulated accrued and unpaid dividends on the Series D Preferred Stock have been paid in full. At this time, the Company does not intend to pay dividends other than those required dividend distributions, if any, that will enable us to maintain our REIT status and to eliminate or minimize our obligation to pay income and excise taxes. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations-Future Liquidity Needs.”
Item 6. Reserved.