WELLS TIMBER REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST, INC.
Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3)
File
No. 333-129651
WELLS TIMBER REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST, INC.
Maximum Offering of 85,000,000 Shares of Common Stock
Minimum Offering of 200,000 Shares of Common Stock
Wells Timber Real Estate Investment Trust, Inc. is a newly
organized Maryland corporation formed primarily for the purpose
of acquiring timberland properties in the timber-producing
regions of the United States and, to a lesser extent, in
timber-producing regions outside the United States. We were
incorporated in the State of Maryland in September 2005 and
intend to qualify as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended, beginning with the taxable year that will end
December 31, 2006. Because we have not yet identified any
specific properties to purchase, we are considered to be a blind
pool.
We are offering up to 75,000,000 shares of common stock in
our primary offering for $10.00 per share, with volume
discounts available to investors who purchase more than
50,000 shares at any one time. Discounts are also available
for other categories of purchasers as described in Plan of
Distribution. We are also offering up to
10,000,000 shares to be issued pursuant to our distribution
reinvestment plan at a purchase price equal to $9.55 per
share during our primary offering. We reserve the right to
reallocate the shares of common stock we are offering between
the primary offering and the distribution reinvestment plan.
This investment involves a high degree of risk. You should
purchase these securities only if you can afford the complete
loss of your investment. See Risk Factors beginning
on page 15 to read about risks you should consider before
buying shares of our common stock. These risks include the
following:
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There is no public trading market for our common stock. If you
are able to sell your shares, you would likely have to sell them
at a substantial discount from their public offering price. |
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We have no operating history, do not currently own any
properties and have not identified any properties to acquire
with the proceeds from this offering, which make our future
performance and the performance of your investment difficult to
predict. |
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If we raise substantially less than the maximum offering
proceeds, we may not be able to invest in a diverse portfolio of
properties, and the value of your investment may vary more
widely with the performance of specific properties. |
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Our charter limits a person from owning more than 9.8% of our
common stock without prior approval of our board of directors. |
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We are dependent upon our advisor and its affiliates to conduct
our operations and this offering. Adverse changes in the
financial health of our advisor or its affiliates or our
relationship with them could cause our operations to suffer. |
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We will pay substantial fees and expenses to our advisor, its
affiliates and participating broker/ dealers, which payments
increase the risk that you will not earn a profit on your
investment. |
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Our advisor and its affiliates will face conflicts of interest,
including significant conflicts in allocating time among us and
similar programs sponsored by our advisor. |
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Our failure to qualify as a REIT for federal income tax purposes
would limit our ability to make distributions to our
stockholders. |
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Attorney
General of the State of New York nor any other state securities
regulator has approved or disapproved of our common stock,
determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete or passed
on or endorsed the merits of this offering. Any representation
to the contrary is a criminal offense. The use of projections or
forecasts in this offering is prohibited. No one is permitted to
make any oral or written predictions about the cash benefits or
tax consequences you will receive from your investment.
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Price to | |
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Net Proceeds | |
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Public* | |
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Commissions* | |
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Manager Fee* | |
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(Before Expenses) | |
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Primary Offering
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Per Share
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$ |
10.00 |
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0.70 |
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0.18 |
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$ |
9.12 |
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Total Minimum
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2,000,000 |
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140,000 |
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36,000 |
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1,824,0000 |
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Total Maximum
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$ |
750,000,000 |
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$ |
52,500,000 |
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$ |
13,500,000 |
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$ |
684,000,000 |
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Distribution Reinvestment Plan
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Per Share
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9.55 |
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9.55 |
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Total Maximum
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$ |
95,500,000 |
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$ |
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$ |
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95,500,000 |
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* |
The selling commissions and all or a portion of the
dealer-manager fee will not be charged with regard to shares
sold in our primary offering to or for the account of certain
categories of purchasers. The reduction in these fees will be
accompanied by a corresponding reduction in the per share
purchase price. See Plan of Distribution. |
The dealer-manager of this offering, Wells Investment
Securities, Inc., which is our affiliate, is not required to
sell any specific number or dollar amount of shares but will use
its best efforts to sell the shares offered. The minimum
permitted purchase is generally $5,000. We will not sell any
shares unless we raise a minimum of $2,000,000 of gross offering
proceeds by August 11, 2007 (one year from the date of this
prospectus). Pending satisfaction of the minimum offering
threshold, all subscription payments will be placed in an escrow
account held by the escrow agent, U.S. Bank, National
Association, in trust for the subscribers benefit, pending
release to us. If we do not raise at least $2,000,000 by
August 11, 2007, we will return all funds in the escrow
account (including interest) and we will stop selling shares.
This offering will terminate no later than August 11, 2008.
WELLS INVESTMENT SECURITIES, INC.
August 11,
2006
SUITABILITY STANDARDS
The shares we are offering are suitable only as a long-term
investment. Because there is no public market for the shares,
you will have difficulty selling your shares. In consideration
of these factors, we require initial stockholders and subsequent
purchasers to have either:
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a net worth of at least $150,000; or |
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gross annual income of at least $45,000 and a net worth of at
least $45,000. |
In addition, we will not sell shares to investors in the states
named below unless they meet special suitability standards.
Arizona, California, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, North
Carolina, Tennessee and Texas Investors must
have either (1) a net worth of at least $225,000, or
(2) gross annual income of at least $60,000 and a net worth
of at least $60,000.
Kansas In addition to the suitability
requirements described above for the state of Kansas, the state
of Kansas recommends that your aggregate investment in us and
similar direct participation investments should not exceed 10%
of your liquid net worth, which is defined as that portion of
net worth which consists of cash, cash equivalents and readily
marketable securities.
Maine Investors must have either (1) a
net worth of at least $200,000 or (2) a net worth of at
least $50,000 and an annual gross income of at least $50,000.
Massachusetts and Ohio Investors must have
either (1) a net worth of at least $250,000 or (2) a
net annual income of at least $70,000 and net worth of at least
$70,000. In either case, your investment in us may not exceed
10% of your liquid net worth.
Pennsylvania In addition to our suitability
requirements, investors must have a net worth of at least
10 times their investment in us.
For purposes of determining suitability of an investor, net
worth in all cases should be calculated excluding the value of
an investors home, furnishings and automobiles. In the
case of sales to fiduciary accounts, these suitability standards
must be met by the fiduciary account, by the person who directly
or indirectly supplied the funds for the purchase of the shares
if such person is the fiduciary or by the beneficiary of the
account.
Those selling shares on our behalf must make every reasonable
effort to determine that the purchase of shares in this offering
is a suitable and appropriate investment for each stockholder
based on information provided by the stockholder regarding the
stockholders financial situation and investment
objectives. See Plan of Distribution
Stockholder Suitability for a detailed discussion of the
determinations regarding suitability that we require of all
those selling shares on our behalf.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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viii
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
This summary highlights material information contained
elsewhere in this prospectus. Because it is a summary, it may
not contain all of the information that is important to you. To
understand this offering fully, you should read the entire
prospectus carefully, including the Risk Factors
section, before making a decision to invest in our common
stock.
Wells Timber Real Estate Investment Trust, Inc.
Wells Timber Real Estate Investment Trust, Inc. is a newly
organized Maryland corporation formed for the purpose of
acquiring timberland properties in the timber-producing regions
of the United States. Our portfolio may also include, to a
limited extent, investments in timberland located in other
countries.
We intend to generate a substantial majority of our revenue and
income by selling to third parties the right to access our land
and harvest our timber, primarily pursuant to supply agreements
and through open market sales. We also anticipate generating
revenue and income from selling timberland considered by third
parties to have a higher and better use, leasing land-use
rights, and permitting others to extract natural resources other
than timber.
We were incorporated in Maryland on September 27, 2005 and
intend to qualify as a real estate investment trust, or REIT,
commencing with the taxable year ending December 31, 2006.
We have no paid employees and are externally advised and managed
by Wells Capital, Inc., which we refer to as our advisor.
Our Advisor
Wells Capital is our advisor. Since its incorporation in Georgia
on April 20, 1984, Wells Capital has sponsored or advised
public real estate programs on an unspecified property, or
blind pool basis, that have raised approximately
$8.0 billion of equity from approximately
223,000 investors.
We have entered into an advisory agreement with Wells Capital
under which Wells Capital will manage our daily affairs and make
recommendations to our board of directors on all property
acquisitions. Leo F. Wells, III, Douglas P. Williams,
Randall D. Fretz, Donald A. Miller and Robert E. Bowers, as
officers of our advisor, will make most of the decisions
regarding which investments will be recommended for us. Our
board of directors must approve or reject all proposed property
acquisitions. Wells Capital will also provide asset management,
marketing, investor relations and other administrative services
on our behalf. Wells Capital and Leo F. Wells, III, who
controls Wells Capital, are our sponsors.
Investment Objectives
Our primary investment objectives are:
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to provide current income to you through the payment of cash
distributions; |
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to preserve and return your capital contributions; and |
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to realize capital appreciation upon the ultimate sale of our
assets. |
See the Business and Policies section of this
prospectus for a more complete description of our investment
policies and the investment restrictions imposed by our charter.
Summary Risk Factors
An investment in our shares involves significant risk, including
the following:
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There is no public trading market for our common stock. If you
are able to sell your shares, you would likely have to sell them
at a substantial discount from their public offering price. |
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We have no operating history, do not currently own any
properties, and have not identified any properties to acquire
with the proceeds from this offering. In addition, neither we
nor our advisor |
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has substantial experience investing in timberland properties.
These factors make our future performance and the performance of
your investment difficult to predict. |
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If we raise substantially less than the maximum offering
proceeds, we may not be able to invest in a diverse portfolio of
properties, and the value of your investment may vary more
widely with the performance of specific properties. |
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We are dependent upon our advisor and our dealer-manager to
conduct our operations and this offering. Adverse changes in the
financial health of our advisor or dealer-manager, or our
relationship with them could cause our operations to suffer. |
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We will pay substantial fees and expenses to our advisor, its
affiliates and participating broker/ dealers, which payments
increase the risk that you will not earn a profit on your
investment. The fees payable to our advisor during our
operational stage are not based on the performance of our
investments. |
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Our advisory agreement was not negotiated on an
arms-length basis and it is possible that an unaffiliated
third party would provide similar services at a lower cost.
Because our advisory agreement must be renewed on an annual
basis, the fees and expenses that we pay to our advisor may be
increased in future renewals. |
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Our advisor and its affiliates will face conflicts of interest
relating to (1) allocating time among us and other programs
sponsored by our advisor, and (2) the compensation
arrangements between our advisor and other Wells programs which
may incent our advisor to act other than in our best interest. |
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Our failure to qualify as a REIT for federal income tax purposes
would limit our ability to make distributions to our
stockholders. |
Our Corporate Structure
We expect to own substantially all of our properties and other
investments through our operating partnership, Wells Timber
Operating Partnership, L.P. (Wells Timber OP). Wells Timber OP
was formed in November 2005 to acquire properties on our behalf.
We are the sole general partner of Wells Timber OP and own 99%
of its common units. Wells Capital is the sole limited partner
of Wells Timber OP and owns the remaining 1% of the common
units. As a result of this structure, we are considered an
UPREIT, or Umbrella Partnership Real Estate
Investment Trust.
The UPREIT structure is used because a sale of property directly
to the REIT is generally a taxable transaction to the selling
property owner. In an UPREIT structure, a seller of a property
who desires to defer taxable gain on the sale of his property
may transfer the property to the UPREIT in exchange for common
units in the UPREIT and defer taxation of gain until the seller
later sells or exchanges his common units. Using an UPREIT
structure may give us an advantage in acquiring desired
properties from persons who may not otherwise sell their
properties because of unfavorable tax results. At present, we
have no plans to acquire any specific properties in exchange for
common units of Wells Timber OP.
Wells Capital also owns 100 special units in Wells Timber OP,
representing 100% of this class of limited partnership interest.
The special units entitle Wells Capital to receive certain
distributions and redemption payments described under
Compensation of our Advisor and its Affiliates only
in the event that certain performance-based conditions are
satisfied at the time such amounts become payable. The special
units do not entitle the holder to any of the rights of a holder
of common units, including the right to regular distributions
from operations.
Wells Timber TRS, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wells
Timber OP. We have elected for Wells Timber TRS to be
a taxable REIT subsidiary, or TRS. A TRS is a fully taxable
corporation that may earn income that would not be qualifying
REIT income if earned directly by us. Our use of a TRS will
enable us to engage in
non-REIT qualifying
business activities, such as the sale of higher and better
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use properties. We do not anticipate that a substantial portion,
if any, of our income will be earned by our TRS.
The following chart shows the relationship among us and our
subsidiaries and the ownership structure of the Wells entities
that perform important services for us.
Conflicts of Interest
Wells Capital, as our advisor, will experience conflicts of
interest in connection with the management of our business
affairs, including the following:
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Wells Capital and its affiliates will have to allocate their
time between us and other real estate programs and activities in
which they are involved; |
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Wells Capital and its affiliates will receive fees regardless of
the quality or performance of the investments acquired or the
services provided to us; |
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The compensation arrangements between Wells Capital and its
affiliates and other Wells programs may incent our advisor and
its affiliates to act other than in our best interest; and |
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The advisory agreement between Wells Capital and us was not
negotiated on an arms-length basis and it is possible that
an unaffiliated third party would provide similar services at a
lower cost. |
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Because our advisory agreement must be renewed on an annual
basis, the fees and expenses that we pay may be increased in
future renewals. |
All of our officers and two of our directors, Leo F. Wells, III
and Douglas P. Williams, will also face these conflicts because
of their affiliation with Wells Capital. Wells Real Estate
Investment Trust, Inc., which we refer to as Wells REIT I,
and Wells Real Estate Investment Trust II, Inc., which we
refer to as Wells REIT II, are separate REITs from us.
However, Wells Capital, Inc., serves as our advisor as well as
the advisor to Wells REIT I and Wells REIT II. In addition,
all of our officers serve as officers of Wells REIT I and Wells
REIT II, and three of our directors, including Donald S.
Moss one of our independent directors, serve as directors of
Wells REIT I and Wells REIT II. See the Conflicts of
Interest section of this prospectus for a detailed
discussion of the various conflicts of interest relating to your
investment, as well as the procedures that we have established
to mitigate a number of these potential conflicts.
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Compensation of the Advisor and its Affiliates
Wells Capital and its affiliates will receive compensation and
reimbursement for services relating to this offering and the
investment and management of our assets. In addition, Wells
Capital has received partnership units in our operating
partnership, Wells Timber OP, constituting a separate series of
partnership interests with special distribution and redemption
rights, which we refer to as the special units. The
most significant items of compensation, fees, expenses and other
payments that we expect to pay to Wells Capital and its
affiliates are included in the table below. The selling
commissions and dealer-manager fee may vary for different
categories of purchasers. See Plan of Distribution.
This table assumes the shares are sold through distribution
channels associated with the highest possible selling
commissions and dealer-manager fees and assumes a $9.55 price
for each share sold through our distribution reinvestment plan,
which is the price at which the shares will be sold during this
offering.
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Estimated Amount for |
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Maximum Offering |
Type of Compensation |
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Determination of Amount |
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(85,000,000 Shares) |
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Offering Stage |
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Selling Commissions
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7.0% of gross offering proceeds from the primary offering; all
selling commissions will be reallowed to participating broker/
dealers. |
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$52,500,000 |
Dealer-Manager Fee
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Up to 1.8% of gross offering proceeds from the primary offering;
a portion of the dealer-manager fee will be reallowed to
participating broker/ dealers. |
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$13,500,000 |
Other Organization and Offering Expenses |
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Up to 1.2% of gross offering proceeds from the primary offering.
Wells Capital will incur or pay our organization and offering
expenses (excluding selling commissions and the dealer-manager
fee). We will then reimburse Wells Capital for these amounts up
to 1.2% of gross offering proceeds from the primary offering. |
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$9,000,000 |
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Operational Stage |
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Asset Management Fees
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Monthly fee equal to one-twelfth of 1.25% of the greater of the
cost or value of investments. |
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Actual amounts are dependent upon the total equity capital we
raise and the results of our operations; we cannot determine
these amounts at this time. |
Other Operating Expenses
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Reimbursement of our advisors cost of providing services
to us other than personnel costs relating to services for which
our advisor earns real estate disposition fees. |
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Actual amounts are dependent upon the results of our operations;
we cannot determine these amounts at this time. |
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Liquidity Stage |
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Real Estate Disposition Fees
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Up to 2.0% of the contract price for any property sold for
$20.0 million or less and up to 1.0% of the contract price
for any property sold for more than $20.0 million, in each
case as determined by our board of directors (including a
majority of our independent directors) based on market norms for
the services provided. |
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Actual amounts are dependent upon the results of our operations;
we cannot determine these amounts at this time. |
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Estimated Amount for |
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Maximum Offering |
Type of Compensation |
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Determination of Amount |
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(85,000,000 Shares) |
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Special Unit Distribution of Net Sales Proceeds |
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After we have made distributions to our stockholders (including
amounts paid to redeem shares pursuant to our share redemption
plan) equal to, in the aggregate, a return of the total amount
of capital raised from stockholders plus a cumulative,
noncompounded return on the average invested capital of 7.0% per
year, then Wells Capital is entitled to receive a distribution
equal to the difference between (1) 10% of the aggregate
net sales proceeds through the date of distribution and
(2) the total amount of all prior distributions of net
sales proceeds paid to Wells Capital. |
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Actual amounts are dependent upon the results of our operations;
we cannot determine these amounts at this time. |
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Notwithstanding the foregoing, after we have made distributions
to our stockholders (including amounts paid to redeem shares
pursuant to our share redemption plan) equal to, in the
aggregate, a return of the total amount of capital raised from
stockholders plus a cumulative, noncompounded return on the
average invested capital of at least 8.0% per year, then
Wells Capital is entitled to receive a distribution equal to the
difference between (1) 20% of the aggregate net sales
proceeds through the date of distribution and (2) the total
amount of all prior distributions of net sales proceeds paid to
Wells Capital. |
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Special Unit Redemption Payment Due Upon Listing (payable
only if our shares are listed on a national securities exchange) |
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Upon the listing of our shares on a national securities
exchange, the special units will be redeemed for cash or shares
of our common stock, at our election. If (1) the market
value of our outstanding common stock at listing plus the total
distributions paid to stockholders prior to listing exceeds
(2) the sum of the total amount of capital raised from
stockholders (less amounts paid to redeem shares pursuant to our
share redemption plan) and an amount of cash that, if
distributed to the stockholders as of the date of listing, would
have provided them with a cumulative, noncompounded return on
the average invested capital equal to 7.0% per year, then the
redemption payment will equal 10% of such excess amount. |
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Actual amounts are dependent upon the results of our operations;
we cannot determine these amounts at this time. |
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Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (1) the market value of
our common stock at listing plus the total distributions paid to
stockholders prior to listing exceeds (2) the sum of the |
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Estimated Amount for |
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Maximum Offering |
Type of Compensation |
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Determination of Amount |
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(85,000,000 Shares) |
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total amount of capital raised from stockholders (less amounts
paid to redeem shares pursuant to our share redemption plan) and
an amount of cash that, if distributed to the stockholders as of
the date of listing, would have provided them with a cumulative,
noncompounded return on the average invested capital equal to
8.0% per year, then the redemption payment will equal 20%
of such excess amount. |
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Upon termination of the advisory agreement without cause, Wells
Capital may also be entitled to a redemption payment similar to
the special unit redemption payment due upon listing above. In
the event that Wells Capital receives a special unit redemption
payment in connection with a listing, it will no longer be
eligible to receive the special unit redemption payment due upon
termination or the special unit distribution of net sales
proceeds. Similarly, in the event that Wells Capital receives a
redemption payment in connection with the termination of the
advisory agreement without cause, it will no longer be eligible
to receive the special unit redemption payment due upon listing
or the special unit distribution of net sales proceeds. The fees
payable to our advisor during our operational stage are not
based on the performance of our investments. See
Management Compensation, The Operating
Partnership Agreement, Plan of Distribution
and Conflicts of Interest for a more detailed
description of the fees and expenses payable to our advisor, our
dealer-manager and their affiliates and conflicts of interest
related to these arrangements.
Description of Investments
We currently do not own any properties. We expect to use
substantially all of the net proceeds from this offering to
acquire timberland properties in the timber-producing regions of
the United States, which include the states in the
Appalachian, Great Lakes, Northeastern, Northwestern and
Southeastern regions. Our portfolio may also include, to a
limited extent, investments in timberland located in other
countries. We may also invest in entities that own timberland
and make or acquire other types of real estate investments,
provided that such other investments are consistent with the
preservation of our status as a REIT. Because we have not yet
identified any specific properties to purchase, we are
considered to be a blind pool.
Our advisor will strive to diversify our portfolio by maturity
of the growth stages of the forest. In order to achieve our
income objective, the timberland portfolio will, at least
initially, be weighted heavily towards more mature forests with
a smaller weighting to younger forests. The portfolio also will
be diversified geographically, by timber species, by
hardwood/softwood and by milling sub-market. We may also attempt
to diversify our portfolio of timberland properties by investing
in joint ventures with entities that have complementary
investment objectives.
Timber Managers
Although our advisor may directly select our investments in
timberland, our advisor intends, but is not required, to engage
experienced timber management companies (which we refer to
collectively as timber managers), including those affiliated
with our advisor, to advise it with respect to selection of our
timberland investments, and to perform certain management
services for our timberland investments on behalf of our
advisor. These timber managers will perform their duties
pursuant to contracts with our advisor. Our advisor will pay the
timber managers all of the fees and expense reimbursements to
which they are entitled under their contracts with the advisor.
We will not be obligated to pay any fees or expense
reimbursements to the timber managers.
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Sources of Income
We intend to generate income primarily by selling to third
parties the right to access our land and harvest our timber
primarily pursuant to supply agreements and through open market
sales. We also anticipate generating revenue by leasing our
timberland for certain activities such as extracting underground
natural resources, pine straw collection, recreational uses
(hunting, fishing, etc.) and other land use rights. In addition,
we will continually review our timberland portfolio to identify
properties to sell that may have higher and better uses than as
commercial timberland. We do not expect that our higher
and better use property sales will generate a substantial
portion of our revenue and income.
Board of Directors and Executive Officers
We have a six-member board of directors, four of whom are
independent of Wells Capital. All of our officers and two of our
directors, Leo F. Wells, III and Douglas P. Williams, are
affiliated with Wells Capital, and one of our independent
directors, Donald S. Moss, serves on the boards of other
Wells-sponsored programs. Our charter, which requires that a
majority of our directors be independent of Wells Capital,
provides that our board may establish committees consisting of
at least a majority of our independent directors. Our board of
directors is responsible for reviewing the performance of Wells
Capital and must approve other matters set forth in our charter.
See Conflicts of Interest Certain Conflict
Resolution Procedures. Our directors are elected annually
by the stockholders. See Management Executive
Officers and Directors for a description of the experience
of each of our current executive officers and directors.
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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE OFFERING
What is a REIT?
In general, a REIT is a company that:
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combines the capital of many investors to acquire or provide
financing for real estate properties; |
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allows individual investors to invest in a large-scale
diversified real estate portfolio through the purchase of
interests, typically shares, in the REIT; |
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is required to pay distributions to investors of at least 90% of
its annual REIT taxable income (computed without regard to the
dividends paid deduction and excluding net capital
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avoids the double taxation treatment of income that
would normally result from investments in a corporation because
a REIT does not generally pay federal corporate income taxes on
the net income it distributes, provided certain income tax
requirements are satisfied. |
However, REITs are subject to numerous organizational and
operational requirements. If we fail to qualify for taxation as
a REIT in any year, our income will be taxed at regular
corporate rates, and we may be precluded from qualifying for
treatment as a REIT for the four-year period following our
failure to qualify. Even if we qualify as a REIT for federal
income tax purposes, we may still be subject to state and local
taxes on our income and property and to federal income and
excise taxes on our undistributed income.
What will you do with the money raised in this offering?
We intend to use substantially all of the net proceeds from this
offering to acquire timberland properties in the
timber-producing regions of the United States. Our portfolio
also may include investments in timberland located in other
countries. Depending primarily upon the number of shares we sell
in this offering and assuming a $9.55 per share price for
shares sold under our distribution reinvestment plan, we
estimate for each share sold in this offering that between $9.00
and $9.11 per share will be available for our investments
and the repurchase of shares under our share redemption plan. We
will use the remainder of the offering proceeds to pay the costs
of the offering, including selling commissions and the
dealer-manager fee, and to pay a fee to our advisor for its
services in connection with the selection, acquisition and
management of properties. We expect to use substantially all of
the net offering proceeds from the sale of shares under our
distribution reinvestment plan to repurchase our common stock
pursuant to our share redemption plan.
Until we invest the proceeds of this offering in real estate
assets, we may invest in short-term, highly liquid or other
authorized investments. Such short-term investments will not
earn as high a return as we expect to earn on our real estate
investments, and we may be not be able to invest the proceeds in
real estate assets promptly.
What kind of offering is this?
We are offering up to 85,000,000 shares of common stock on
a best efforts basis. We are offering up to
75,000,000 shares of our common stock in our primary
offering at $10.00 per share, with discounts available for
certain categories of purchasers as described in Plan of
Distribution below. We are also offering
10,000,000 shares of common stock under our distribution
reinvestment plan at $9.55 per share during the primary
offering. We may reallocate the total number of shares we are
offering between the primary offering and the distribution
reinvestment plan.
If we achieve the $2,000,000 minimum offering by selling 200,000
shares at $10.00 per share, the shares sold in this offering
would represent 90.9% of our outstanding shares. If we sell the
maximum offering of 85,000,000 shares, including the shares
offered pursuant to our distribution reinvestment plan, the
shares sold in this offering would represent 99.976% of our
outstanding shares.
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How does a best efforts offering work?
When shares are offered on a best efforts basis, the
broker/ dealers participating in the offering are only required
to use their best efforts to sell the shares and have no firm
commitment or obligation to purchase any of the shares.
Therefore, we may not sell all or any of the shares that we are
offering.
How long will this offering last?
This offering will not last beyond August 11, 2008 (two
years from the date of this prospectus). However, we may
continue to offer shares under our distribution reinvestment
plan beyond that date and until we have sold the shares
allocated pursuant to this offering for purchase pursuant to the
plan. In some states, we may not be able to continue the
offering for these periods without renewing the registration
statement or filing a new registration statement. We may
terminate this offering at any time.
Who can buy shares?
Generally, you can buy shares only pursuant to this prospectus
if you have either (1) a net worth of at least $45,000 and
an annual gross income of at least $45,000, or (2) a net
worth of at least $150,000. For this purpose, net worth does not
include your home, home furnishings or personal automobiles.
These minimum levels are higher in certain states, so you should
carefully read the more detailed description under
Suitability Standards on page i of this
prospectus.
For whom is an investment in our shares recommended?
An investment in our shares may be appropriate for you if you
meet the minimum suitability standards mentioned above, seek to
diversify your personal portfolio with a real estate based
investment, seek to receive current income through our payment
of distributions, seek to preserve your capital contribution,
wish to obtain the benefits of potential long-term capital
appreciation and are able to hold your investment for a time
period consistent with our liquidity plans. We cannot guarantee
that we will achieve any of these objectives.
Are there any special restrictions on the ownership or
transfer of shares?
Yes. Our charter contains restrictions on the ownership of our
shares that prevent any one person from owning more than 9.8% in
value of the aggregate of our outstanding shares, or more than
9.8% (in value or in number of shares, whichever is more
restrictive) of the aggregate of our outstanding common shares,
unless exempted by our board of directors. See Description
of Shares Restriction on Ownership of Shares.
Our charter also limits your ability to transfer your shares to
prospective stockholders unless (i) they meet suitability
standards regarding income or net worth, which is described
under Suitability Standards on page i of this
prospectus, and (ii) the transfer complies with minimum
purchase requirements, which are described at Plan of
Distribution Minimum Purchase Requirements.
Are there any special considerations that apply to employee
benefit plans subject to ERISA or other retirement plans that
are investing in shares?
Yes. The section of this prospectus entitled ERISA
Considerations describes the effect the purchase of shares
will have on individual retirement accounts and retirement plans
subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974,
as amended (ERISA), and the Internal Revenue Code. ERISA is a
federal law that regulates the operation of certain
tax-advantaged retirement plans. Any retirement plan trustee or
individual considering purchasing shares for a retirement plan
or an individual retirement account should read this section of
the prospectus very carefully.
Is there any minimum investment required?
Yes. For your initial purchase of our shares, you must generally
invest at least $5,000. Once you have satisfied the minimum
purchase requirement, any additional purchases of our shares
must be in amounts of at least $100, except for additional
purchases pursuant to our distribution reinvestment plan. The
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minimum investment levels may be higher in certain states, so
you should carefully read the more detailed description under
Plan of Distribution Minimum Purchase
Requirements.
How do I subscribe for shares?
If you choose to purchase shares in this offering, you will need
to fill out a subscription agreement, like the one contained in
this prospectus as Appendix A, for a specific number of
shares and pay for the shares at the time you subscribe.
What happens if you do not raise a minimum of $2,000,000 in
this offering?
We will not sell any shares unless we raise a minimum of
$2,000,000 of gross offering proceeds by August 11, 2007
(one year from the date of this prospectus). Purchases by our
directors, our officers, our advisor or their affiliates will
not count toward meeting this minimum threshold. Also, because
of the higher minimum offering requirement for Pennsylvania
investors (described below), subscription payments made by
Pennsylvania investors will not count toward the $2,000,000
minimum offering for all other jurisdictions. Pending
satisfaction of the minimum offering threshold, all subscription
payments will be placed in an escrow account held by the escrow
agent, U.S. Bank National Association, for
subscribers benefit, pending release to us. If we do not
raise a minimum of $2,000,000 in this offering before
August 11, 2007, we will terminate the offering and stop
selling shares. In such event, the escrow agent will promptly
return your funds, including interest. Funds in escrow will be
invested in short-term investments that mature in three months
or less.
Notwithstanding our minimum offering of $2,000,000 in gross
offering proceeds, we will not sell any shares to Pennsylvania
investors unless we raise a minimum of $37,500,000 in gross
offering proceeds (including sales made to residents of other
jurisdictions). Pending satisfaction of this condition, all
Pennsylvania subscription payments will be placed in an account
held by the escrow agent, U.S. Bank National Association,
in trust for Pennsylvania subscribers benefit, pending
release to us. If we have not reached this $37,500,000 threshold
within 120 days of the date that we first accept a
subscription payment from a Pennsylvania investor, we will,
within 10 days of the end of that
120-day period, notify
Pennsylvania investors in writing of their right to receive
refund with interest and without deductions for expenses. If you
request a refund within 10 days of receiving that notice,
we will arrange for the escrow agent to return promptly by check
the funds deposited in the Pennsylvania escrow account and any
interest to you. Amounts held in the Pennsylvania escrow account
from Pennsylvania investors not requesting a refund will
continue to be held for subsequent
120-day periods until
we raise at least $37,500,000 or until the end of the subsequent
escrow periods. At the end of each subsequent escrow period, we
will again notify you of your right to receive refunds with
interest and without deductions for expenses from the day after
the expiration of the initial
120-day period.
What are your exit strategies?
We presently intend to effect a transaction that will provide
liquidity to all of our holders of common stock within five to
seven years from the completion of our offering stage, which we
will view as complete upon the termination of our last public
equity offering prior to the listing of our shares on a national
securities exchange. However, there can be no assurance that we
will effect such a liquidity event within this period or at all.
Our board of directors expects to make a preliminary
determination regarding our liquidity event no later than five
years after the completion of our offering stage. The
boards decision regarding when, and if we effect a
liquidity event may include, but is not limited to:
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listing our common stock on a national securities
exchange; or |
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sale or merger in a transaction that provides our stockholders
with cash and/or securities of a publicly traded company. |
In making the decision as to which exit strategy to pursue, our
board of directors will try to determine which transaction would
result in greater long-term value for our stockholders. We
cannot determine at this time the circumstances, if any, under
which our board of directors will determine to list our shares
on a national securities exchange. However, if we do not list
our shares of common stock on a national
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securities exchange by August 11, 2018 (10 years from
the currently anticipated date of completion of our offering
stage), our charter requires that we either:
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seek stockholder approval of an extension or amendment of this
listing deadline; or |
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commence an orderly liquidation. |
If our shares are not listed before August 11, 2018, we are
under no obligation to actually sell our portfolio within a
specified period of time since the precise timing of the sale
will depend upon real estate and financial markets, economic
conditions of the areas in which the properties are located, and
U.S. federal income tax effects on stockholders that may be
applicable in the future. Furthermore, we cannot assure you that
we will be able to liquidate our assets, and it should be noted
that we will continue in existence until all of our assets are
liquidated.
If I buy shares in this offering, how may I later sell
them?
At the time you purchase the shares, they will not be listed for
trading on a national securities exchange. In fact, there will
not be any public market for the shares when you purchase them,
and we cannot be sure if one will ever develop. In addition, our
charter imposes restrictions on the ownership of our common
stock, which will apply to potential purchasers of your stock.
As a result, you may find it difficult to find a buyer for your
shares and realize a return on your investment. See
Description of Shares Restriction on Ownership
of Shares.
After you have held your shares for at least one year, you may
be able to sell your shares to us pursuant to our share
redemption plan. Initially, we will repurchase shares under the
share redemption plan at $9.10 per share. The initial redemption
price will remain fixed until one year after we complete our
offering stage. See Description of Shares
Share Redemption Plan. Thereafter, we will redeem shares
at a price equal to 95% of the estimated per share value of the
shares, as estimated by our advisor or another firm chosen for
that purpose.
The terms of our share redemption plan are more generous for
redemptions sought within two years of a stockholders
death or qualifying disability. See Description of
Shares Share Redemption Plan. There are,
however, numerous restrictions on your ability to sell your
shares to us under the share redemption plan. For example, the
dollar amount we pay in connection with all redemptions during
any calendar year may not exceed the net proceeds from the sale
of shares under the distribution reinvestment plan during the
calendar year and any additional amounts reserved for such
purpose by our board of directors. In addition, there are other
limits on our ability to redeem shares if the redemption is not
sought within two years of a stockholders death or
qualifying disability. Our board of directors may amend, suspend
or terminate our share redemption plan upon 30 days notice.
If I buy shares, will I receive distributions and how
often?
To qualify as a REIT, we are required to make aggregate annual
distributions to our stockholders of at least 90% of our REIT
taxable income. Our REIT taxable income is computed without
regard to the distributions paid deduction, excludes net capital
gain, and does not necessarily equal net income as calculated in
accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the
United States (GAAP). Except with respect to the first year
following our acquisition of a timberland property, as a result
of tax treatment provided to certain timber sale contracts under
the Internal Revenue Code, substantially all of the income we
generate from harvesting timber on that property will constitute
net capital gain for federal tax purposes. Unlike most existing
REITs, therefore, we do not anticipate, once we have held our
timberland properties for more than one year, that the 90%
distribution requirement applicable to REITs will require us to
distribute any material amounts of cash in order to remain
qualified as a REIT. Notwithstanding the lack of any federal
income tax requirement that we do so, we intend to make regular
cash distributions to our stockholders typically on a quarterly
basis. The actual amount and timing of
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distributions, if any, will be at the discretion of our board of
directors and will depend upon a number of factors discussed in
the section Description of Shares
Distributions, including:
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our actual results of operations; |
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the timing of the investment of the net proceeds of this
offering; and |
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whether the income from our harvesting activities is ordinary
income or capital gains. |
Our board of directors may authorize distributions in excess of
those required for us to maintain REIT status depending on our
financial condition and such other factors as our board of
directors deems relevant. We have not established a minimum
distribution level.
How will you calculate the payment of distributions to
stockholders?
We expect to calculate our quarterly distributions based upon
daily record dates so that investors may be entitled to
distributions immediately upon purchasing our shares.
May I reinvest my distributions in shares of Wells Timber
REIT?
Yes. You may participate in our distribution reinvestment plan
by checking the appropriate box on your subscription agreement
or by filling out an enrollment form we will provide to you at
your request. The purchase price for shares purchased under this
plan will be equal to (1) $9.55 per share during this
offering; (2) 95.5% of the offering price in any subsequent
public equity offering during such offering; and (3) 95.5%
of the most recent offering price for the first 12 months
subsequent to the close of our last public equity offering prior
to the listing of our shares on a national securities exchange.
After that 12-month
period, we will publish a per share valuation determined by our
advisor or another firm chosen for that purpose, and
distributions will be reinvested at the price determined by the
valuation process. This valuation may bear little relationship
to, and will likely exceed, what you might receive for your
shares if you tried to sell them or if we liquidated the
portfolio. We will not pay any selling commissions or
dealer-manager fees in connection with the sale of shares
pursuant to our distribution reinvestment plan, and our advisor
will not be entitled to any expense reimbursements from the
proceeds of these sales.
We may terminate our distribution reinvestment plan at our
discretion at any time upon 10 days prior written
notice to you. For more information regarding the distribution
reinvestment plan, see Description of Shares
Distribution Reinvestment Plan.
Will the distributions I receive be taxable as ordinary
income?
As a result of the tax treatment provided to certain timber sale
contracts under the Internal Revenue Code, we expect that most
of our income will be long-term capital gains, except income
with respect to any timberland property in the first year
following our acquisition of the property. We also expect that a
significant portion of our distributions to our stockholders
will be taxed at capital gains rates, which are currently lower
for noncorporate U.S. taxpayers than the rates for ordinary
income. The distributions that most REITs and corporations pay
to their investors are typically treated as ordinary income for
federal income tax purposes. Consequently, we believe that our
business is particularly well-suited to the REIT structure, and
intend to make an election to be taxed as a REIT under the
Internal Revenue Code, commencing with our taxable year ending
on December 31, 2006. The following chart shows the federal
income tax advantages under current federal income tax laws for
noncorporate U.S. stockholders of a timber REIT, versus a
traditional corporation and traditional REIT:
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Timber REIT | |
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Traditional REIT | |
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C Corporation | |
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Pre-Tax Cash Flow
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$ |
100 |
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$ |
100 |
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$ |
100 |
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Corporate Taxes*
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35 |
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Cash Available for Distributions
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100 |
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100 |
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65 |
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Taxes Paid by Stockholders*
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15 |
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35 |
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10 |
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Net Cash to Stockholders
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$ |
85 |
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$ |
65 |
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$ |
55 |
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* |
Illustrates distributions of income from timber-cutting
contracts for timberland properties held more than one year and
assumes (1) a 35% corporate tax rate, a 35% ordinary income
tax rate for individuals and a 15% capital gains and qualified
dividend income tax rate for individuals; (2) that our cash
flow will equal our taxable income; (3) that our
distributions qualify as dividends for federal income tax
purposes and not as a return of capital; and (4) that no
foreign, state or local taxes apply. The 15% rates for capital
gains and qualified dividend income will apply only through 2010
unless legislation extending the favorable rates is enacted. |
See Federal Income Tax Considerations for a more
detailed discussion of the federal tax considerations related to
an investment in our common stock.
Will I be notified of how the company and my investment are
performing?
Yes, we will provide you with periodic updates on the
performance of our company and your investment in us, including:
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Four quarterly investor statements, which will generally include
a summary of the amount you have invested, the quarterly
distributions declared, and the amount of distributions
reinvested under our distribution reinvestment plan, if
applicable; |
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An annual report; and |
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An annual IRS Form 1099-DIV, if required. |
We will provide this information to you via U.S. mail or
courier. However, with your permission, we may furnish this
information to you by electronic delivery, including, with
respect to our annual report, by notice of the posting of our
annual report on our affiliated Web site, which is
www.wellsref.com. We also will include on this Web site
access to our annual reports on
Form 10-K, our
quarterly reports on
Form 10-Q, our
current reports on
Form 8-K, our
proxy statement and other filings we make with the SEC, which
filings will provide you with periodic updates on our
companys performance and the performance of your
investment.
When will I get my detailed tax information?
Your Form 1099-DIV tax information, if required, will be
mailed by January 31 of each year.
Who can help answer my questions?
If you have more questions about the offering, or if you would
like additional copies of this prospectus, you should contact
your registered representative or contact our dealer-manager:
Client Services Department
Wells Investment Securities, Inc.
6200 The Corners Parkway
Norcross, Georgia 30092-3365
Telephone: (800) 557-4830 or (770) 243-8282
Fax: (770) 243-8198
E-mail:
clientservices@wellsref.com
One of our affiliates also maintains an Internet site at
www.wellsref.com at which there is additional information
about us and our affiliates. The contents of that site are not
incorporated by reference in, or otherwise a part of, this
prospectus.
14
RISK FACTORS
An investment in our common stock involves various risks and
uncertainties. You should carefully consider the following risk
factors in conjunction with the other information contained in
this prospectus before purchasing our common stock.
Risks Related to Investing in this Offering
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There is no public trading market for your shares;
therefore, it will be difficult for you to sell your
shares. |
There is no current public trading market for our shares and we
have no current plans to apply for listing on any public
securities market. Our charter also prohibits the ownership of
more than 9.8% in value of our outstanding shares, or more than
9.8% (in value or in number of shares, whichever is more
restrictive) of the aggregate of our outstanding common shares,
unless exempted by our board of directors, which may inhibit
large investors from desiring to purchase your shares. In
addition, our share redemption plan includes numerous
restrictions that will limit your ability to sell your shares.
Our board is also free to amend or terminate the plan upon
30 days notice after our offering is effective. We
describe these restrictions in detail under Description of
Shares Share Redemption Plan. Therefore,
it will be difficult for you to sell your shares promptly or at
all. If you are able to sell your shares, you will likely have
to sell them at a substantial discount to their public offering
price. It is also likely that your shares will not be accepted
as the primary collateral for a loan. You should purchase our
shares only as a long-term investment because of the illiquid
nature of the shares.
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If we are unable to find suitable investments, we may not
be able to achieve our investment objectives or pay
distributions. |
While we are investing the proceeds of this offering, the
continuing high demand for the type of properties we desire to
acquire may cause our distributions and the long-term returns of
our investors to be lower than they otherwise would. We believe
the current market for timberland properties is extremely
competitive. We will be competing for these timberland
investments with other REITs; forestry products companies; real
estate limited partnerships; pension funds and their advisors;
bank and insurance company investment accounts; individuals; and
other entities. Many of our competitors have more experience,
greater financial resources, and a greater ability to borrow
funds to acquire properties than we do. The greater the number
of entities and resources competing for timberland properties,
the higher the acquisition prices of these properties will be,
which could reduce our profitability and our ability to pay
distributions to you. We cannot be sure that our advisor,
working with or without timber managers, will be successful in
obtaining suitable investments on financially attractive terms
or that, if our advisor makes investments on our behalf, our
objectives will be achieved. The more money we raise in this
offering, the greater will be our challenge to invest all of the
net offering proceeds on attractive terms. If we, through our
advisor, are unable to find suitable investments in properties
promptly, we will hold the proceeds from this offering in an
interest-bearing account or invest the proceeds in short-term,
investment-grade investments and may, ultimately, liquidate.
Delays we encounter in the selection and acquisition of
properties would likely limit our ability to pay distributions
to our stockholders and reduce our stockholders overall
returns.
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We have not yet identified any of the properties that we
will purchase with the proceeds of this offering, which makes
your investment more speculative. |
We have not yet identified any of the investments that we will
make with the proceeds of this offering. Our ability to identify
well-performing properties and achieve our investment objectives
depends upon the performance of our advisor in the acquisition
of our investments and the determination of any financing
arrangements. The large size of this offering increases the
challenges that our advisor will face in investing our net
offering proceeds promptly in attractive properties, and the
continuing high demand for the type of properties we desire to
purchase increases the risk that we may pay too much for the
properties that we do
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purchase. Because of the illiquid nature of our shares, even if
we disclose information about our potential investments before
we make them, it will be difficult for you to sell your shares
promptly or at all.
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If we are unable to raise substantial funds, we will be
limited in the number and type of investments we may make, and
the value of your investment in us will fluctuate with the
performance of the specific properties we acquire. |
This offering is being made on a best efforts basis,
whereby the brokers participating in the offering are only
required to use their best efforts to sell our shares and have
no firm commitment or obligation to purchase any of the shares.
As a result, the amount of proceeds we raise in this offering
may be substantially less than the amount we would need to
achieve a broadly diversified timberland property portfolio. If
we only raise the minimum offering amount, we will not be able
to achieve a diversified portfolio. If we are unable to raise
substantially more than the minimum offering amount, we will
make fewer investments resulting in less diversification in
terms of the number of investments owned, the geographic regions
in which our properties are located, and the species and age of
the timber located on those properties. In that case, the
likelihood of our profitability being affected by the
performance of any one of our properties will increase.
Additionally, we are not limited in the number or size of our
properties or the percentage of net proceeds we may dedicate to
a single property. Your investment in our shares will be subject
to greater risk to the extent that we lack a diversified
portfolio of timberland properties.
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We have no operating history, which makes our future
performance and the performance of your investment difficult to
predict. |
We have no operating history. We were incorporated in September
2005, and as of the date of this prospectus, we have not made
any investments in timberland or otherwise. You should not rely
upon the past performance of other Wells-sponsored real estate
programs. Such past performance was not related to the ownership
of timberland property and would not predict our future results.
Our lack of operating history significantly increases the risk
and uncertainty you face in making an investment in our shares.
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Our advisor has very limited experience acquiring, owning
and managing timberland. |
We are externally advised and managed by our advisor, Wells
Capital. Prior to this offering, Wells Capital has had very
limited experience acquiring, owning or managing timberland
properties. Although our advisor has experience acquiring and
managing a variety of other types of commercial real estate,
timberland investments present unique acquisition, ownership and
management challenges and opportunities. As a result, our
advisor must either hire personnel with experience acquiring and
managing timberland properties or rely on timber managers,
including those affiliated with our advisor, for timberland
investment and management expertise. Our advisor is not required
to engage any timber managers and may make timberland
investments on our behalf and manage our timberland assets
without the services of a timber manager. The ownership of
timberland properties involves risks not present in commercial
property ownership generally, as described in the risk factors
below. You should be cautious when considering our
advisors prior performance in evaluating the ability of
our advisor to successfully execute our business plan. Our lack
of experience in acquiring and owning timberland properties may
result in our timberland investments failing to produce returns
or incurring losses, either of which would reduce our ability to
make distributions to our stockholders.
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We expect our real estate investments to be concentrated
in timberland properties, making us more vulnerable economically
than if our investments were diversified. |
We expect to qualify as a REIT, and, accordingly, as a REIT, we
will invest primarily in real estate. Within the real estate
industry, we intend to acquire and own timberland properties. We
are subject to risks inherent in concentrating investments in
real estate. The risks resulting from a lack of diversification
become even greater as a result of our current business strategy
to invest primarily, if not exclusively, in timberland
properties. A downturn in the real estate industry generally or
the timber or forest products industries specifically could
reduce the value of our properties. A downturn in the timber or
forest products
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industries also could prevent our customers from making payments
to us and, consequently, would prevent us from meeting debt
service obligations or making distributions to our stockholders.
The risks we face may be more pronounced than if we diversified
our investments outside real estate or outside timberland
properties.
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We expect the majority of our income to qualify as capital
gains income and, as a result, we may not be required to make
substantial distributions. |
REITs are required to distribute 90% of their net taxable REIT
ordinary income. However, unlike ordinary income such as rent,
the Internal Revenue Code does not require REITs to distribute
capital gains income. Accordingly, except with respect to income
generated from a timberland property during the first year
following our acquisition of that property, we do not believe
that the Internal Revenue Code will require us to distribute any
material amounts of cash to maintain our REIT status, given that
we expect the majority of our income to come from timber sales
and generally to be treated as a capital gain.
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Our cash distributions are not guaranteed and may
fluctuate. |
The actual amount and timing of distributions will be determined
by our board of directors in its discretion and typically will
depend upon the amount of funds available for distribution,
which will depend on items such as current and projected cash
requirements and tax considerations. As a result, our
distribution rate and payment frequency may vary from time to
time. Our long-term strategy is to fund the payment of quarterly
distributions to our stockholders entirely from our funds from
operations. However, during the early stages of our operations,
we may need to borrow funds to make cash distributions. In the
event that we are unable to consistently fund quarterly
distributions to stockholders entirely from our funds from
operations, the value of your shares upon the possible listing
of our stock, the sale of our assets or any other liquidity
event may be reduced. Further, if the aggregate amount of cash
distributed in any given year exceeds the amount of our
REIT taxable income generated during the year, the
excess amount will be deemed a return of capital.
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Our loss of or inability to obtain key personnel could
delay or hinder implementation of our investment strategies,
which could limit our ability to make distributions and decrease
the value of your investment. |
Our success depends to a significant degree upon the
contributions of Leo F. Wells, III, Douglas P. Williams and
Randall D. Fretz, each of whom would be difficult to replace. We
do not have employment agreements with Messrs. Wells,
Williams or Fretz, and we cannot guarantee that such persons
will remain affiliated with us. Although Messrs. Wells,
Williams and Fretz have entered into employment agreements with
Wells Capital, these agreements are terminable at will by either
party; thus, such persons may not remain affiliated with Wells
Capital or us. If any of our key personnel were to cease their
affiliation with us, we may be unable to find suitable
replacement personnel, and our operating results could suffer.
We do not intend to maintain key-person life insurance on any
person. Because our advisor does not currently have any
management personnel with significant experience selecting,
acquiring and managing timberland investments, we believe that
it will be necessary for our advisor to hire personnel with this
experience in order for us to be successful, In addition, we
believe that our future success depends, in large part, upon our
advisors ability to retain highly skilled managerial,
operational and marketing personnel. Competition for the
personnel we intend to hire and for retention of our existing
skilled personnel is intense, and our advisor may be
unsuccessful in attracting and retaining such skilled personnel.
Further, we intend to establish strategic relationships with
firms that have special expertise in certain services or as to
timberland properties in certain geographic regions. Maintaining
such relationships will be important for us to effectively
compete with other investors for properties in such regions. We
may be unsuccessful in attracting and retaining such
relationships. If we lose or are unable to obtain the services
of highly skilled personnel or do not establish or maintain
appropriate strategic relationships, our ability to implement
our investment strategies could be delayed or hindered, and the
value of your investment may decline.
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Our operating performance could suffer if Wells Capital
incurs significant losses, including those losses that may
result from being the general partner of other entities. |
We are dependent on Wells Capital, our advisor, to select our
investments and conduct our operations; thus, adverse changes in
the financial health of Wells Capital or our relationship
with Wells Capital could hinder its ability to successfully
manage our operations and our portfolio of investments. As a
general partner to many Wells-sponsored programs,
Wells Capital may have contingent liability for the
obligations of such partnerships. Enforcement of such
obligations against Wells Capital could result in a substantial
reduction of its net worth. If such liabilities affected the
level of services that Wells Capital could provide, our
operations and financial performance could suffer as well, which
would limit our ability to make distributions and decrease the
value of your investment.
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Our rights and the rights of our stockholders to recover
claims against our independent directors are limited, which
could reduce your and our recovery against them if they
negligently cause us to incur losses. |
Maryland law provides that a director has no liability in that
capacity if he performs his duties in good faith, in a manner he
reasonably believes to be in our best interests and with the
care that an ordinarily prudent person in a like position would
use under similar circumstances. Our charter provides generally
that no independent director will be liable to us or our
stockholders for monetary damages and that we will indemnify
them for losses unless they are grossly negligent or engage in
willful misconduct. We will also indemnify our independent
directors for losses related to alleged state or federal
securities laws violations unless the allegations are not
successfully adjudicated or dismissed with prejudice or unless a
properly informed court of competent jurisdiction has not
otherwise determined that indemnification should be made. As a
result, you and we may have more limited rights against our
independent directors than might otherwise exist under common
law, which could reduce your and our recovery from these persons
if they act in a negligent manner. In addition, we may be
obligated to fund the defense costs incurred by our independent
directors (as well as by our other directors, officers,
employees and agents) in some cases, which would decrease the
cash otherwise available for distribution to you.
Risks Related to Conflicts of Interest
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Wells Capital, its affiliates and our officers will face
competing demands on their time, and this may cause our
operations and your investment to suffer. |
We rely on Wells Capital and its affiliates for the
day-to-day operation of
our business. Wells Capital and its affiliates, including
Leo F. Wells, III, our President and a director and
the President of Wells Capital, Douglas P. Williams, our
Executive Vice President and a director and the Executive Vice
President of Wells Capital and Randall D. Fretz, our Senior Vice
President and the Senior Vice President of Wells Capital, have
interests in other Wells programs and engage in other business
activities, including providing advisory services to Wells
REIT I and Wells REIT II and other Wells-sponsored
real estate programs. As a result, they will have conflicts of
interest in allocating their time among us and other Wells
programs and activities in which they are involved. During times
of intense activity in other programs and ventures, they may
devote less time and fewer resources to our business than are
necessary or appropriate to manage our business. If this occurs,
the returns on our investments, and the value of your
investment, may decline.
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Our officers and some of our directors face conflicts of
interest related to the positions they hold with Wells Capital,
its affiliates and other Wells-sponsored programs, which could
hinder our ability to successfully implement our business
strategy and to generate returns to you. |
Our executive officers and two of our directors, Leo F. Wells,
III and Douglas P. Williams, are also officers and directors of
our advisor, our dealer-manager and other affiliated entities
and Wells-sponsored programs, and one of our independent
directors, Donald S. Moss, serves on the boards of other
Wells-sponsored programs. As a result, they owe fiduciary duties
to these various entities and their stockholders and limited
partners, which fiduciary duties may from time to time conflict
with the fiduciary duties that they owe to us and our
stockholders. Their loyalties to these other entities could
result in actions or
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inactions that are detrimental to our business, which could
hinder the implementation of our business strategy and our
investment and operational opportunities. If we do not
successfully implement our business strategy, we may be unable
to generate the cash needed to make distributions to you and to
maintain or increase the value of our assets. See
Management for more information regarding our
executive officers and directors.
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Wells Capital and its affiliates, including our officers
and two of our directors, will face conflicts of interest caused
by compensation arrangements with us and other Wells-sponsored
programs, which could result in actions that are not in the
long-term best interests of our stockholders. The amounts
payable to Wells Capital upon termination of the advisory
agreement may also influence decisions about terminating Wells
Capital or our acquisition or disposition of investments. |
Under the advisory agreement between us, Wells Timber OP and
Wells Capital and pursuant to the terms of the special units
Wells Capital owns in Wells Timber OP, Wells Capital is entitled
to fees and other payments from us and Wells Timber OP that are
structured in a manner intended to provide incentives to Wells
Capital to perform in our best interest and in the best interest
of our stockholders. However, because Wells Capital does not
maintain a significant equity interest in us and is entitled to
receive substantial minimum compensation regardless of
performance, its interests are not wholly aligned with those of
our stockholders. As a result, these compensation arrangements
could influence our advisors advice to us, as well as the
judgment of the affiliates of Wells Capital who serve as our
officers or directors. Among other matters, the compensation
arrangements could affect their judgment with respect to:
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the continuation, renewal or enforcement of our agreements with
Wells Capital and its affiliates, including the advisory
agreement and the dealer-manager agreement; |
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public offerings of equity by us, which entitle Wells Investment
Securities to dealer-manager fees and entitle Wells Capital to
increased asset management fees; |
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property sales, which entitle Wells Capital to real estate
commissions and possible success-based sale fees; |
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the valuation of our timberland properties, which determines the
amount of the asset management fee payable to Wells Capital and
affects the likelihood of any success-based fees; |
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property acquisitions from third parties, which utilize proceeds
from our public offerings, thereby increasing the likelihood of
continued equity offerings and related fee income for Wells
Investment Securities and Wells Capital; |
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whether and when we seek to list our common stock on a national
securities exchange, which listing could entitle Wells Capital
to a success-based listing fee but could also hinder its sales
efforts for other programs if the price at which our shares
trade is lower than the price at which we offered shares to the
public; and |
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whether and when we seek to sell the company or our assets,
which sale could entitle Wells Capital to a success-based
payment from Wells Timber OP but could also hinder its sales
efforts for other programs if the sales price for the company or
its assets results in proceeds less than the amount needed to
preserve our stockholders capital. |
Wells Capital will have considerable discretion with respect to
the terms and timing of acquisition and disposition
transactions. Considerations relating to its compensation from
other programs could result in decisions that are not in the
best interests of our stockholders, which could hurt our ability
to pay you distributions or result in a decline in the value of
your investment.
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The fees we pay Wells Capital under the advisory agreement
and the amounts payable to Wells Capital under the Wells Timber
OP partnership agreement were not determined on an
arms-length basis and therefore may not be on the same
terms as those we could negotiate with a third party. Because
the advisory agreement must be renewed annually, the fees and
other amounts that we pay to Wells Capital may increase in
future renewals. |
Our independent directors rely on information and
recommendations provided by Wells Capital to determine the fees
and other amounts payable to Wells Capital and its affiliates
pursuant to the terms of the advisory agreement and the special
units in Wells Timber OP. As a result, these fees and payments
cannot be viewed as having been determined on an
arms-length basis and we cannot assure you that an
unaffiliated third party would not be willing and able to
provide to us similar services at a lower price. Please see
Management Compensation for a description of the
fees and other amounts payable to Wells Capital and its
affiliates. Because the advisory agreement must be renewed on an
annual basis, beginning one year from the date of this
prospectus, our independent directors may increase the fees and
other amounts payable to Wells Capital in future renewals. If
the fees and other amounts we pay Wells Capital are increased,
our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders and make
investments will be reduced.
Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure
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Our charter limits the number of shares a person may own,
which may discourage a takeover that could otherwise result in a
premium price to our stockholders. |
Our charter, with certain exceptions, authorizes our directors
to take such actions as are necessary and desirable to preserve
our qualification as a REIT. Unless exempted by our board of
directors, no person may own more than 9.8% in value of the
aggregate of our outstanding shares, or more than 9.8% (in value
or in number of shares, whichever is more restrictive) of the
aggregate of our outstanding common shares. This restriction may
have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in
control of our company, including an extraordinary transaction
(such as a merger, tender offer or sale of all or substantially
all of our assets) that might provide a premium price for
holders of our common stock.
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Our charter permits our board of directors to issue stock
with terms that may subordinate the rights of our common
stockholders or discourage a third party from acquiring our
company in a manner that could result in a premium price to our
stockholders. |
Our board of directors may classify or reclassify any unissued
common stock or preferred stock and establish the preferences,
conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions,
limitations as to dividends and other distributions,
qualifications, and terms or conditions of redemption of any
such stock. Thus, our board of directors could authorize the
issuance of preferred stock with terms and conditions that could
have priority as to distributions and amounts payable upon
liquidation over the rights of the holders of our common stock.
Such preferred stock could also have the effect of delaying,
deferring or preventing a change in control of our company,
including an extraordinary transaction (such as a merger, tender
offer or sale of all or substantially all of our assets) that
might provide a premium price to holders of our common stock.
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Your investment return may be reduced if we are required
to register as an investment company under the Investment
Company Act; if we become an unregistered investment company, we
could not continue our business. |
We do not intend to register as an investment company under the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. If we were obligated
to register as an investment company, we would have to comply
with a variety of substantive requirements under the Investment
Company Act that impose, among other things:
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limitations on capital structure; |
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restrictions on specified investments; |
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prohibitions on transactions with affiliates; and |
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compliance with reporting, record-keeping, voting, proxy
disclosure and other rules and regulations that would
significantly increase our operating expenses. |
In order to maintain our exemption from regulation under the
Investment Company Act, we must engage primarily in the business
of buying real estate. If we are unable to invest a significant
portion of the proceeds of this offering in properties, we may
avoid being required to register as an investment company by
temporarily investing any unused proceeds in government
securities with low returns. This would reduce the cash
available for distribution to investors and possibly lower your
returns.
To maintain compliance with the Investment Company Act
exemption, we may be unable to sell assets we would otherwise
want to sell and may need to sell assets we would otherwise wish
to retain. In addition, we may have to acquire additional
income- or loss-generating assets that we might not otherwise
have acquired or may have to forego opportunities to acquire
interests in companies that we would otherwise want to acquire
and which would be important to our investment strategy. If we
were required to register as an investment company but failed to
do so, we would be prohibited from engaging in our business, and
criminal and civil actions could be brought against us. In
addition, our contracts would be unenforceable unless a court
required enforcement, and a court could appoint a receiver to
take control of us and liquidate our business.
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You will have limited control over changes in our policies
and operations, which increases the uncertainty and risks you
face as a stockholder. |
Our board of directors determines our major policies, including
our policies regarding financing, growth, debt capitalization,
REIT qualification and distributions. Our board of directors may
amend or revise these and other policies without a vote of the
stockholders. Under the Maryland General Corporation Law and our
charter, our stockholders have a right to vote only on limited
matters. Our boards broad discretion in setting policies
and our stockholders inability to exert control over those
policies increases the uncertainty and risks you face as a
stockholder. For more information, see Description of
Shares Meetings and Special Voting
Requirements.
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You may not be able to sell your shares under the share
redemption plan and, if you are able to sell your shares under
the plan, you may not be able to recover the amount of your
investment in our shares. |
Our board of directors has adopted a share redemption plan, but
there are significant conditions and limitations that would
limit your ability to sell your shares under the plan. In
addition, our board of directors may amend, suspend or terminate
our share redemption plan upon 30 days notice and
without stockholder approval.
Generally, you will have to have held your shares for at least
one year in order to participate in our share redemption plan.
We will limit the number of shares redeemed pursuant to our
share redemption plan as follows: (1) during any calendar
year, we will not redeem in excess of 5% of the weighted-average
number of shares outstanding during the prior calendar year; and
(2) we may not redeem shares on any redemption date to the
extent that such redemptions would cause the amount paid for
redemptions (other than those following an investors death
or qualifying disability) since the beginning of the
then-current calendar year to exceed the sum of (x) the net
proceeds from the sale of shares under our distribution
reinvestment plan during such period and (y) any additional
amounts reserved for such purpose by our board of directors.
These limits might prevent us from accommodating all redemption
requests made in any year. Initially, we will repurchase shares
under our share redemption plan at $9.10 per share. The initial
redemption price will remain fixed until one year after we
complete our offering stage. See Description of
Shares Share Redemption Plan. Thereafter, we
will redeem shares at a price equal to 95% of the estimated per
share value of the shares, as estimated by our advisor or
another firm chosen for that purpose. These restrictions will
severely limit your ability to sell your shares should you
require liquidity and will limit your ability to recover the
value you invested. See Description of Shares
Share Redemption Plan for more information about the
share redemption plan.
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The offering price was not established on an independent
basis; the actual value of your investment may be substantially
less than what you pay. |
The offering price of the shares bears no relationship to our
book or asset values or to any other established criteria for
valuing shares. The board of directors considered the following
factors in determining the offering price:
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the range of offering prices of comparable unlisted
REITs; and |
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the recommendation of our dealer-manager. |
Because the offering price is not based upon any independent
valuation, the offering price may not be indicative of the
proceeds that you would receive upon liquidation. Further, the
offering price may be significantly more than the price at which
the shares would trade if they were to be listed on an exchange
or actively traded by broker/ dealers.
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Because the dealer-manager is one of our affiliates, you
will not have the benefit of an independent review of our
company or the prospectus customarily undertaken in underwritten
offerings; the absence of an independent due diligence review
increases the risks and uncertainty you face as a
stockholder. |
The dealer-manager, Wells Investment Securities, is one of our
affiliates and will not make an independent review of our
company or the offering. Accordingly, you do not have the
benefit of an independent review of the terms of this offering.
Further, the due diligence investigation of our company by the
dealer-manager cannot be considered to be an independent review
and, therefore, may not be as meaningful as a review conducted
by an unaffiliated broker/ dealer.
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Your interest in us will be diluted if we issue additional
shares, which could reduce the overall value of your
investment. |
Potential investors in this offering do not have preemptive
rights to any shares we issue in the future. Our charter
authorizes us to issue one billion shares of stock, of which
900 million shares are designated as common stock and
100 million are designated as preferred stock. Our board of
directors may amend our charter to increase the number of
authorized shares of stock without stockholder approval. After
your purchase in this offering, our board may elect to
(1) sell additional shares in this or future public
offerings; (2) issue equity interests in private offerings;
(3) issue shares of our common stock upon the exercise of
the options we may grant to our independent directors or to
Wells Capital employees; (4) issue shares to our advisor,
its successors or assigns, in payment of an outstanding fee
obligation; or (5) issue shares of our common stock to
sellers of properties we acquire in connection with an exchange
of limited partnership interests of Wells Timber OP. To the
extent we issue additional equity interests after your purchase
in this offering, your percentage ownership interest in us will
be diluted. Further, depending upon the terms of such
transactions, most notably the offering price per share, which
may be less than the price paid per share in any offering under
this prospectus, and the value of our properties, existing
stockholders also may experience a dilution in the book value of
their investment in us.
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Payment of fees to Wells Capital and its affiliates will
reduce cash available for investment and distribution and
increases the risk that you will not be able to recover the
amount of your investment in our shares. |
Wells Capital and its affiliates will perform services for us in
connection with the offer and sale of our shares, the selection
and acquisition of our investments, the management of our
properties and the administration of our other investments. We
will pay Wells Capital and its affiliates substantial fees for
these services. Payment of these fees will result in immediate
dilution to the value of your investment and will reduce the
amount of cash available for investment in properties or
distribution to stockholders. As a
22
result of these substantial fees, we expect that for each share
sold in this offering no more than $9.11 per share will be
available for the purchase of properties, depending primarily
upon the number of shares we sell and assuming all shares sold
under our distribution reinvestment plan are sold for
$9.55 per share. Wells Capital, as the holder of the
special units, also may be entitled to receive a distribution
upon the sale of our properties and/or a payment in connection
with the redemption of the special units upon the earlier to
occur of specified events, including the listing of our shares
on a national securities exchange or the termination of the
advisory agreement. See Management Compensation.
These payments to Wells Capital increase the risk that the
amount available for distribution to stockholders upon a
liquidation of our portfolio would be less than the purchase
price of the shares in this offering. Substantial up-front fees
also increase the risk that you will not be able to resell your
shares at a profit, even if our shares are listed on a national
securities exchange.
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You may be more likely to sustain a loss on your
investment because our sponsor does not have as strong an
economic incentive to avoid losses as do sponsors who have made
more significant equity investments in the companies they
organize. |
As of May 31, 2006, our sponsor had invested approximately
$203,000 in us, primarily by our advisor purchasing
(1) 20,000 shares of our common stock at a price of
$10.00 per share; (2) 200 common units in Wells Timber
OP at $10.00 per unit; and (3) 100 special units in
Wells Timber OP at $10.00 per unit. If we are successful in
raising enough proceeds to be able to reimburse our sponsor for
the significant organization and offering expenses of this
offering, our sponsor has little exposure to loss. Without this
exposure, our investors may be at a greater risk of loss because
our sponsor does not have as much to lose from a decrease in the
value of our shares as do those sponsors who make more
significant equity investments in the companies they organize.
Risks Related to Investments in Timberland
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Following the acquisition of timberland properties, we
expect that our revenues will depend primarily on our supply
agreements with loggers, sawmills and forest products companies.
These contracts may preclude us from taking advantage of market
opportunities, which could reduce the value of your
investment. |
Following the acquisition of timberland properties using the net
proceeds of this offering, we expect that we will receive our
revenue primarily from the sale of our timber to loggers, local
sawmills and forest products companies under supply agreements
we enter into with these parties. We intend to use supply
agreements that generally are standard for the timber industry.
These contracts will generally provide for harvesting of our
timber in an agreed-upon volume at a fixed price, and generally
will not be terminable by either party during the term of the
agreement. The term of these agreements can range from a period
of months to a period of several years. As such, we may not be
able to quickly take advantage of increases in the price of logs
or wood products with respect to the timberland properties to
which these contracts apply. As a result of our inability to
promptly respond to changing market conditions, our
profitability could be reduced and you could experience a lower
return on your investment.
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We will be subject to the credit risk of our anticipated
customers. The failure of any of our anticipated customers to
make payments due to us under our supply agreements could reduce
our distributions to our stockholders. |
We anticipate that our customers will range in credit quality
from high to low. We will assume the full credit risk of these
parties, as we will have no payment guarantees under the
contract or insurance if one of these parties fails to make
payments to us. While we intend to acquire timberland properties
in well-developed and active timber markets with access to
numerous customers, we may not be successful in this endeavor.
Depending upon the location of the timberland properties we
acquire and the supply agreements we enter into, our supply
agreements may be concentrated among a small number of
customers. Even though we may have legal recourse under our
contracts, we may not have any practical recourse to recover
payments from some of our customers if they default on their
obligations to us. Any bankruptcy or insolvency of our
customers, or failure or delay by these parties to make payments
to us
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under our agreements, would cause us to lose the revenue
associated with these payments and could cause us to reduce the
amount of distributions to our stockholders.
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Our business will depend in part on the health and
strength of the milling and manufacturing markets that our
timberlands serve, and any downturns in those markets could
reduce our profits and limit our ability to make distributions
to our stockholders. |
Our business will depend significantly on the health and
strength of the milling and manufacturing markets that our
timberlands serve. Because high transportation costs limit the
distance we can cost-effectively transport timber from our
anticipated timberlands, if the mills or manufacturing
operations that our targeted timberlands serve close, or if
milling markets shift away from the locations of our
timberlands, our profitability may decrease and the amount of
distributions payable to our stockholders could be reduced.
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Changes in demand for higher and better use
property may reduce our anticipated land sale revenues. |
We anticipate that we will sell portions of our timberland
property base from time to time in the event that we determine
that certain properties have become more valuable for
development, recreation or conservation than for growing timber,
which we refer to as higher and better use property. A number of
factors, including a slow-down in commercial or residential real
estate development or a reduction in the availability of public
funding for conservation projects, could reduce the demand for
these properties and reduce any revenues that we could realize
from our land sale program.
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Large-scale increases in the supply of timber may affect
timber prices and reduce our revenues. |
Some governmental agencies, principally the U.S.D.A. Forest
Service and the U.S. Department of the Interiors Bureau of
Land Management, own large amounts of timberland. If these
agencies choose to sell more timber from their timberland
holdings than they have been selling in recent years, timber
prices could fall and our revenues could be reduced. Any large
reduction in the revenues we expect to earn from our timberland
investments may reduce the returns, if any, we are able to
achieve for our stockholders.
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The cyclical nature of the forest products industry could
impair our ability to make distributions to our
stockholders. |
Our operating results will be affected by the cyclical nature of
the forest products industry. Unlike many other REITs that are
parties to leases and other contracts providing for relatively
stable payments over a period of years, our operating results
will depend on prices for timber that can experience significant
variation and have been historically volatile. Like other
participants in the forest products industry, we have limited
direct influence over the timing and extent of price changes for
absorbent materials, timber and wood products. Although some of
the supply agreements we will enter into fix the price of our
harvested timber for a period of time, these contracts may not
protect us from the long-term effects of price declines and may
restrict our ability to take advantage of price increases.
The demand for timber and wood products is affected primarily by
the level of new residential construction activity, the supply
of manufactured timber products including imports of timber
products and, to a lesser extent, repair and remodeling activity
and other commercial and industrial uses. The demand for timber
also is affected by the demand for wood chips in the pulp and
paper markets and for hardwood in the furniture and other
hardwood industries. The demand for absorbent materials is
related to the demand for disposable products such as diapers
and feminine hygiene products. These activities are, in turn,
subject to fluctuations due to, among other factors:
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changes in domestic and international economic conditions; |
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interest and currency rates; |
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population growth and changing demographics; and |
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seasonal weather cycles (for example, dry summers and wet
winters). |
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Decreases in the level of residential construction activity
generally reduce demand for logs and wood products. This can
result in lower revenues, profits and cash flows. In addition,
increases in the supply of logs and wood products, at both the
local and national level, during favorable price environments
also can lead to downward pressure on prices. Timber owners
generally increase production volumes for logs and wood products
during favorable price environments. Such increased production,
however, when coupled with even modest declines in demand for
these products in general, could lead to oversupply and lower
prices. For example, the federal government owns a large amount
of timberland. If the federal government chooses to sell more
timber than it has been selling in recent years, then timber
prices could fall. Additionally, wood products are subject to
increasing competition from a variety of substitute products,
including nonwood and engineered wood products. Oversupply can
result in lower revenues, profits and cash flows to us and could
impair our ability to make distributions to our stockholders.
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Our due diligence may not reveal all of the liabilities or
weaknesses of a targeted timberland property acquisition, which
could increase our costs, reduce our profitability and limit our
cash distributions to our stockholders. |
Before making an investment in a timberland property, our
advisor will assess the profitability of the property and other
factors that it believes will determine the success of the
investment. In making the assessment and otherwise conducting
customary due diligence, our advisor will rely on the timber
manager and, in some cases, an investigation by other third
parties. This process is particularly important and subjective
with respect to properties owned by newly organized entities,
because there may be little or no information publicly available
about these properties. However, our due diligence processes may
not uncover all relevant facts, and our investments may not be
successful. A failure to reveal a liability or weakness of a
timberland property that we acquire could increase our costs,
decrease our profitability and limit the amount of cash
available for distribution to our stockholders.
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Uninsured losses relating to the timberland properties we
acquire may reduce our stockholders returns. |
The volume and value of timber that can be harvested from the
timberlands we acquire may be limited by natural disasters such
as fire, hurricane, earthquake, insect infestation, drought,
disease, ice storms, windstorms, flooding and other weather
conditions and natural disasters, as well as other causes such
as theft, trespass, condemnation or other casualty. We do not
intend to maintain insurance for any loss to our standing timber
from natural disasters or other causes. Any funds used for such
losses may reduce cash available for distributions to our
stockholders.
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The forest products industry and the market for timberland
properties are highly competitive, which could force us to pay
higher prices for our properties or limit the amount of suitable
timberland investments we are able to acquire and thereby reduce
our profitability and the return on your investment. |
The forest products industry is highly competitive in terms of
price and quality. We are a newly organized company with limited
resources and we do not currently own any timberland. Many of
our competitors, both domestic and international, have
substantially greater financial and operating resources and are
better able to absorb the risks of timberland investing. In
recent years, the timberland investment business has experienced
increasing competition for the purchase of timberland properties
from both commercial and residential real estate developers as a
result of urban and suburban expansion. We expect this trend to
continue. Many real estate developers have substantially greater
financial resources than our company. In addition, many
developers tend to use high relative amounts of leverage to
acquire development parcels, which we may not be willing or able
to incur. Purchases of timberland parcels for development not
only reduce the amount of suitable timberland investment
properties, but also tend to separate larger, existing
timberland properties into smaller units, which have reduced
economies of scale and are less desirable for harvesting and the
future marketability of the property for timber harvesting or
other uses. Competition from real estate developers and others
limits the amount of our potential, suitable timberland
investments, and any increase in the prices we expect to pay for
timberland may reduce the returns, if any, we are able to
achieve for our stockholders.
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Harvesting our timber may be subject to limitations which
could impair our ability to receive income and make
distributions to our stockholders. |
Weather conditions, timber growth cycles, property access
limitations and regulatory requirements associated with the
protection of wildlife and water resources may restrict
harvesting of timberlands as may other factors, including damage
by fire, hurricane, earthquake, insect infestation, disease,
prolonged drought and other natural disasters. Furthermore, we
may choose to invest in timberlands that are intermingled with
sections of federal land managed by the U.S.D.A. Forest Service
or other private owners. In many cases, access might be achieved
only through a road or roads built across adjacent federal or
private land. In order to access these intermingled timberlands,
we would need to obtain from time to time either temporary or
permanent access rights across these lands. Our revenue, net
income and cash flow from our operations will be dependent to a
significant extent on the continued ability to harvest timber on
our timberland at adequate levels and in a timely manner.
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We face possible liability for environmental clean up
costs and damages related to the timberland properties we
acquire, which could increase our costs and reduce our
profitability and cash distributions to our stockholders. |
We will be subject to regulation under, among other laws, the
Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Resource Conservation
and Recovery Act, the Comprehensive Environmental Response
Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, the National
Environmental Policy Act, and the Endangered Species Act, as
well as comparable state laws and regulations. Violations of
various statutory and regulatory programs that apply to our
operations could result in civil penalties; damages, including
natural resource damages; remediation expenses; potential
injunctions; cease-and-desist orders; and criminal penalties.
We may engage in the following activities that are subject to
regulation:
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forestry activities, including harvesting, planting and road
building, use and maintenance; |
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the generation of air emissions; |
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the discharge of industrial wastewater and storm water; and |
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the generation and disposal of both hazardous and nonhazardous
wastes. |
Laws and regulations protecting the environment have generally
become more stringent in recent years and could become more
stringent in the future. Some environmental statutes impose
strict liability, rendering a person liable for environmental
damage without regard to the persons negligence or fault.
While timberland properties do not generally carry as high a
risk of environmental contamination as certain other real estate
assets such as industrial properties, we may acquire timberlands
subject to environmental liabilities, such as cleanup of
hazardous substance contamination and other existing or
potential liabilities of which we are not currently aware, even
after investigations of the properties. We may not be able to
recover any of these liabilities from the sellers of these
properties. The cost of these cleanups could therefore increase
our operating costs and reduce our profitability and cash
available to make distributions to our stockholders. The
existence of contamination or liability also may materially
impair our ability to use or sell an affected timberland
property.
The Endangered Species Act and comparable state laws protect
species threatened with possible extinction. A number of species
present on timberlands in the United States have been, and in
the future may be, protected under these laws, including the
northern spotted owl, marbled murrelet, bald eagle, several
trout and salmon species in the Northwest; and the red-cockaded
woodpecker, bald eagle, wood stork, red hill salamander and
flatwoods salamander in the South. Protection of threatened and
endangered species may include restrictions on timber
harvesting, road building and other forest practices on private,
federal and state land containing the affected species. The size
of the area subject to restriction will vary depending on the
protected species at issue, the time of year and other factors,
but can range from less than one to several thousand acres.
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We expect that environmental groups and interested individuals
will intervene with increasing frequency in the regulatory
processes in the states where we intend to seek to acquire
timberland properties with the proceeds of this offering. For
example, if we acquire timberland property in Washington state,
we would be required to file a Forest Practice Application for
each unit of timber to be harvested. These applications may be
denied or restricted by the regulatory agency or appealed by
other parties, including citizens groups. Environmental groups
and interested individuals may also appeal individual forest
practice applications or file petitions with the Forest
Practices Board to challenge the regulations under which forest
practices are approved. Appeals or actions of the regulatory
agencies could delay or restrict timber harvest activities
pursuant to these permits, and delays or harvest restrictions on
a significant number of applications could result in increased
costs. In addition to intervention in regulatory proceedings,
interested groups and individuals may file or threaten to file
lawsuits that seek to prevent us from implementing our operating
plans. Any lawsuit or even a threatened lawsuit could delay
harvesting on our timberlands. Among the remedies that could be
enforced in a lawsuit is a judgment entirely preventing or
restricting harvesting on a part of our targeted timberland
properties.
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Illiquidity of real estate investments could significantly
impede our ability to respond to adverse changes in the
performance of our properties and reduce distributions to our
stockholders. |
Because real estate investments are relatively illiquid, our
ability to promptly sell one or more timberland properties in
our portfolio in response to changing economic, financial and
investment conditions is limited. The real estate market is
affected by many factors that are beyond our control, including:
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changes in international, national, regional and local economic
and market conditions; |
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changes in interest rates and in the availability, cost and
terms of debt financing; |
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changes in governmental laws and regulations, fiscal policies
and zoning ordinances, and the related costs of compliance with
laws and regulations, fiscal policies and ordinances; |
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forestry costs associated with maintaining and managing
timberland properties; |
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changes in operating expenses; and |
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fires, hurricanes, earthquakes, floods and other natural
disasters as well as civil unrest, acts of war and terrorism,
each of which may result in uninsured losses. |
As part of our business plan and as necessary, we intend to sell
portions of our timberland property holdings during
opportunistic times. We plan on selling timberland to third
parties who intend to put the timberland to a higher and better
use and therefore may be willing to compensate us for the land
in excess of prices we would typically receive if the land
remained as timber-producing property. In acquiring a timberland
property, however, and in entering into long-term supply
agreements, we may agree to lock-out provisions that materially
restrict us from selling that property for a period of time or
impose other restrictions, such as a limitation on the amount of
debt that can be placed or repaid on that property. These
factors and any others that would impede our ability to respond
to market opportunities could result in lower distributions to
our stockholders than would be available if we were able to
quickly respond to such market opportunities.
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If we sell properties and provide financing to purchasers,
defaults by the purchasers would decrease our cash flows and
limit our ability to make distributions to our
stockholders. |
In some instances we may sell our properties by providing
financing to purchasers. When we provide financing to
purchasers, we will bear the risk that the purchaser may
default, which could negatively impact our cash distributions to
stockholders. Even in the absence of a purchaser default, the
distribution of the proceeds of sales to our stockholders, or
their reinvestment in other assets, will be delayed until the
promissory notes or other property we may accept upon a sale are
actually paid, sold, refinanced or otherwise disposed of.
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Our international investments will be subject to changes
in global market trends that could adversely impact our ability
to make distributions to our stockholders. |
A portion of our timberland portfolio may consist of properties
located in timber-producing regions outside of the
U.S. These international investments could cause our
business to be subject to unexpected, uncontrollable and rapidly
changing events and circumstances in addition to those
experienced in U.S. locations. Adverse changes in the
following factors, among others, could have a negative impact on
our business, results of operations and ability to make
distributions to our stockholders:
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effects of exposure to currency other than United States
dollars, due to having
non-U.S. customers
and foreign operations; |
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regulatory, social, political, labor or economic conditions in a
specific country or region; and |
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trade protection laws, policies and measures, and other
regulatory requirements affecting trade and investment,
including loss or modification of exemptions for taxes and
tariffs, and import and export licensing requirements. |
Risks Associated with Debt Financing
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We are likely to incur mortgage and other indebtedness,
which may increase our business risks and may reduce the value
of your investment. |
We may, in some instances, acquire real properties by borrowing
funds. In addition, we may incur mortgage debt and pledge some
or all of our real properties as security for that debt to
obtain funds to acquire additional real properties. We may
borrow if we need funds to satisfy the REIT tax qualification
requirement that we distribute at least 90% of our annual REIT
taxable income to our stockholders. We may also borrow if we
otherwise deem it necessary or advisable to ensure that we
maintain our qualification as a REIT for federal income tax
purposes.
Significant borrowings by us increase the risks of your
investment. If there is a shortfall between the cash flow from
properties and the cash flow needed to service our indebtedness,
then the amount available for distributions to stockholders may
be reduced. In addition, incurring mortgage debt increases the
risk of loss since defaults on indebtedness secured by a
property may result in lenders initiating foreclosure actions.
In that case, we could lose the property securing the loan that
is in default, thus reducing the value of your 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. We may give full or partial guarantees to lenders of
mortgage debt on behalf of the entities that own our properties.
When we give a guaranty on behalf of an entity that owns one of
our properties, we will be responsible to the lender for
satisfaction of the debt if it is not paid by such entity. If
any mortgages or other indebtedness contains
cross-collateralization or cross-default provisions, a default
on a single loan could affect multiple properties.
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High mortgage rates may make it difficult for us to
finance or refinance properties, which could reduce the number
of properties we can acquire, our net income and the amount of
cash distributions we can make. |
If mortgage debt is unavailable at reasonable rates, we may not
be able to finance the purchase of properties. If we place
mortgage debt on properties, we run the risk of being unable to
refinance the properties when the loans become due, or of being
unable to refinance on favorable terms. If interest rates are
higher when we refinance the properties, our income could be
reduced. We may be unable to refinance properties. If any of
these events occurs, our cash flow would be reduced. This, in
turn, would reduce cash available for distribution to you and
may hinder our ability to raise more capital by issuing more
stock or by borrowing more money.
28
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Lenders may require us to enter into restrictive covenants
relating to our operations, which could limit our ability to
make distributions to our stockholders. |
When providing financing, a lender may impose restrictions on us
that affect our distribution and operating policies and our
ability to incur additional debt. Loan documents we enter into
may contain covenants that limit our ability to further mortgage
the property, discontinue any insurance coverage that we may
have, or replace our advisor. These or other limitations may
limit our flexibility and our ability to achieve our operating
plans.
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Increases in interest rates could increase the amount of
our debt payments and limit our ability to pay distributions to
our stockholders. |
We expect that we will incur indebtedness in the future.
Interest we pay could reduce our cash available for
distributions. Additionally, if we incur variable-rate debt,
increases in interest rates would increase our interest cost,
which would reduce our cash flows and our ability to pay
distributions to you. In addition, if we need to repay existing
debt during periods of high interest rates, we could be required
to sell one or more of our investments in order to repay the
debt, which sale at that time might not permit realization of
the maximum return on such investments.
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We have broad authority to incur debt, and high debt
levels could hinder our ability to make distributions and could
decrease the value of your investment. |
Our charter does not limit us from incurring debt until our
aggregate debt would exceed 300% of our net assets (generally
expected to approximate 75% of the cost of our assets before
noncash reserves and depreciation), though we may exceed this
limit under some circumstances. High debt levels would cause us
to incur higher interest charges, would result in higher debt
service payments, and could be accompanied by restrictive
covenants. These factors could limit the amount of cash we have
available to distribute and could result in a decline in the
value of your investment.
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Actions of our joint venture partners could reduce the
returns on our joint venture investments and decrease your
overall return. |
We may enter into joint ventures with third parties to acquire
properties. We may also purchase properties in joint ventures or
in partnerships, co-tenancies or other co-ownership
arrangements. Such investments may involve risks not otherwise
present with other methods of investment in real estate,
including, for example:
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the possibility that our co-venturer, co-tenant or partner in an
investment might become bankrupt; |
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that such co-venturer, co-tenant or partner may at any time have
economic or business interests or goals that are or that become
inconsistent with our business interests or goals; or |
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that such co-venturer, co-tenant or partner may be in a position
to take action contrary to our instructions or requests or
contrary to our policies or objectives. |
Any of the above might subject a property to liabilities in
excess of those contemplated and thus reduce your returns.
Federal Income Tax Risks
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Failure to qualify as a REIT would reduce our net income
and cash available for distributions. |
Alston & Bird LLP, our legal counsel, has rendered an
opinion to us in connection with this offering that we will
qualify as a REIT, based upon our representations as to the
manner in which we are and will be owned, invest in assets and
operate, among other things. However, our qualification as a
REIT will depend upon our ability to meet, on an ongoing basis,
requirements regarding our organization and ownership,
distributions of our income, the nature and diversification of
our income and assets, and other tests imposed by the Internal
Revenue Code. Alston & Bird has not reviewed our
compliance with the
29
REIT qualification standards on an ongoing basis. This means
that we may fail to satisfy the REIT requirements in the future.
Also, this opinion represents Alston & Birds
legal judgment based on the law in effect as of the date of this
prospectus. Alston & Birds opinion is not binding
on the Internal Revenue Service or the courts. Future
legislative, judicial or administrative changes to the federal
income tax laws could be applied retroactively, which could
result in our disqualification as a REIT.
If we fail to qualify as a REIT for any taxable year, we will be
subject to federal income tax on our taxable income at corporate
rates. In addition, we would generally be disqualified from
treatment as a REIT for the four taxable years following the
year of losing our REIT status. Losing our REIT status would
reduce our net earnings available for investment or distribution
to stockholders because of the additional tax liability. In
addition, distributions to stockholders would no longer qualify
for the dividends paid deduction, and we would no longer be
required to make distributions. If this occurs, we might be
required to borrow funds or liquidate some investments in order
to pay the applicable tax.
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You may have current tax liability on distributions you
elect to reinvest in our common stock. |
If you participate in our distribution reinvestment plan, you
will be deemed to have received, and for income tax purposes
will be taxed on, the amount reinvested in shares of our common
stock to the extent the amount reinvested was not a tax-free
return of capital. In addition, you will be treated for tax
purposes as having received an additional distribution to the
extent the shares are purchased at a discount to fair market
value. As a result, unless you are a tax-exempt entity, you may
have to use funds from other sources to pay your tax liability
on the value of the shares of common stock received. See
Description of Shares Distribution
Reinvestment Plan Tax Consequences of
Participation.
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Even if we qualify as a REIT for federal income tax
purposes, we may be subject to other tax liabilities that reduce
our cash flow and our ability to make distributions to
you. |
Even if we remain qualified as a REIT for federal income tax
purposes, we may be subject to some federal, state and local
taxes on our income or property. For example:
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In order to qualify as a REIT, we must distribute annually at
least 90% of our REIT taxable income to our stockholders (which
is determined without regard to the dividends paid deduction or
net capital gain). To the extent that we satisfy the
distribution requirement but distribute less than 100% of our
REIT taxable income, we will be subject to federal corporate
income tax on the undistributed income. |
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We will be subject to a 4% nondeductible excise tax on the
amount, if any, by which distributions we pay 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. |
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If we have net income from the sale of foreclosure property that
we hold primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course
of business or other nonqualifying income from foreclosure
property, we must pay a tax on that income at the highest
corporate income tax rate. |
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If we sell a property, other than foreclosure property, that we
hold primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of
business, our gain would be subject to the 100% prohibited
transaction tax. |
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Our taxable REIT subsidiaries will be subject to tax on their
taxable income. |
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To maintain our REIT status, we may be forced to borrow
funds during unfavorable market conditions to make distributions
to our stockholders, which could increase our operating costs
and decrease the value of your investment. |
To qualify as a REIT, we must distribute to our stockholders
each year 90% of our REIT taxable income (which is determined
without regard to the dividends paid deduction or net capital
gain). At times, we may not have sufficient funds to satisfy
these distribution requirements and may need to borrow funds to
maintain our REIT status and avoid the payment of income and
excise taxes. These borrowing
30
needs could result from (1) differences in timing between
the actual receipt of cash and inclusion of income for federal
income tax purposes, (2) the effect of nondeductible
capital expenditures, or (3) the creation of reserves. We
may need to borrow funds at times when the market conditions are
unfavorable. Such borrowings could increase our costs and reduce
the value of our common stock.
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To maintain our REIT status, we may be forced to forego
otherwise attractive opportunities, which could delay or hinder
our ability to meet our investment objectives and lower the
return on your investment. |
To qualify as a REIT, we must satisfy tests on an ongoing basis
concerning, among other things, the sources of our income,
nature of our assets and the amounts we distribute to our
stockholders. We may be required to make distributions to
stockholders at times when it would be more advantageous to
reinvest cash in our business or when we do not have funds
readily available for distribution. Compliance with the REIT
requirements may hinder our ability to operate solely on the
basis of maximizing profits.
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The extent of our use of taxable REIT subsidiaries may
affect the value of our common stock relative to the share price
of other REITs. |
We intend to conduct a portion of our business activities
through one or more taxable REIT subsidiaries, or TRSs. A TRS is
a fully taxable corporation that may earn income that would not
be qualifying REIT income if earned directly by us. Our use of
TRSs will enable us to engage in non-REIT qualifying business
activities, such as the sale of higher and better use
properties. However, under the Internal Revenue Code, no more
than 20% of the value of the assets of a REIT may be represented
by securities of one or more TRSs. This limitation may affect
our ability to increase the size of our non-REIT qualifying
operations. Furthermore, because the income earned by our TRSs
will be subject to corporate income tax and will not be subject
to the requirement to distribute annually at least 90% of our
REIT taxable income to our stockholders, our use of TRSs may
cause our common stock to be valued differently than the shares
of other REITs that do not use TRSs as extensively as we expect
to use them.
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Certain of our business activities are potentially subject
to the prohibited transaction tax, which could reduce the return
on your investment. |
As a REIT, we will be subject to a 100% tax on any net income
from prohibited transactions. In general, prohibited
transactions are sales or other dispositions of property to
customers in the ordinary course of business. Sales by us of
higher and better use property at the REIT level could, in
certain circumstances, constitute prohibited transactions.
We intend to avoid the 100% prohibited transaction tax by
conducting activities that would be prohibited transactions
through one or more TRSs. We may not, however, always be able to
identify properties that will become part of our
dealer land sales business. Therefore, if we sell
any higher and better use properties at the REIT level that we
incorrectly identify as property not held for sale to customers
in the ordinary course of business or that subsequently become
properties held for sale to customers in the ordinary course of
business, we may be subject to the 100% prohibited transactions
tax.
Retirement Plan Risks
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If you fail to meet the fiduciary and other standards
under ERISA or the Internal Revenue Code as a result of an
investment in our stock, you could be subject to criminal and
civil penalties. |
There are special considerations that apply to pension,
profit-sharing trusts or IRAs investing in our shares. If you
are investing the assets of a pension, profit-sharing, 401(k),
Keogh or other qualified retirement plan or the assets of an IRA
in our common stock, you should satisfy yourself that:
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your investment is consistent with your fiduciary obligations
under ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code; |
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your investment is made in accordance with the documents and
instruments governing your plan or IRA, including your
plans investment policy; |
31
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your investment satisfies the prudence and diversification
requirements of Sections 404(a)(1)(B) and 404(a)(1)(C) of
ERISA and other applicable provisions of ERISA and the Internal
Revenue Code; |
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your investment will not impair the liquidity of the plan or IRA; |
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your investment will not produce unrelated business
taxable income for the plan or IRA; |
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you will be able to value the assets of the plan annually in
accordance with ERISA requirements and applicable provisions of
the plan or IRA; and |
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your investment will not constitute a prohibited transaction
under Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the
Internal Revenue Code. |
Failure to satisfy the fiduciary standards of conduct and other
applicable requirements of ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code
may result in the imposition of civil and criminal penalties,
and can subject the fiduciary to equitable remedies. In
addition, if an investment in our shares constitutes a
prohibited transaction under ERISA or the Internal Revenue Code,
the fiduciary who authorized or directed the investment may be
subject to the imposition of excise taxes with respect to the
amount invested.
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The annual statement of value that we will send to
stockholders subject to ERISA and to certain other plan
stockholders is only an estimate and may not reflect the actual
value of our shares. |
The annual statement of value will report the estimated value of
each share of common stock as of the close of our fiscal year.
Our advisor or another firm we choose for this purpose will
prepare this annual estimated value of our shares based on the
estimated amount that would be received if our assets were sold
as of the close of the fiscal year and if the proceeds, together
with our other funds, were distributed pursuant to a
liquidation. For 12 months after the completion of our last
public equity offering prior to the listing of our shares on a
national securities exchange, our advisor will use the most
recent price paid to acquire a share in that offering (ignoring
purchase price discounts for certain categories of purchasers)
as its estimated per share value of our shares. After that time,
we would publish a per share valuation determined by our advisor
or another firm chosen for that purpose. No independent
appraisals of our assets will be required during the initial
period or at any time thereafter. You should be aware that:
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a value included in the annual statement may not actually be
realized by us or by our stockholders upon liquidation; |
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stockholders may not realize that value if they attempted to
sell their shares; and |
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using the estimated statement of value, or the method used to
establish the value, may not comply with any reporting and
disclosure or annual valuation requirements under ERISA or other
applicable law. |
We will stop providing annual statements of value if our common
stock becomes listed for trading on a national securities
exchange. See ERISA Considerations Annual
Valuation for additional discussion regarding the annual
statement of value.
32
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Some of the information in this prospectus may contain
forward-looking statements. Such statements include, in
particular, statements about our plans, strategies and
prospects. You can generally identify forward-looking statements
by our use of forward-looking terminology such as
may, expect, intend,
anticipate, estimate,
believe, continue or other similar
words. You should not rely on our forward-looking statements
because the matters they describe are subject to known and
unknown risks, uncertainties and other unpredictable factors,
many of which are beyond our control.
These forward-looking statements are subject to various risks
and uncertainties, including those discussed above under
Risk Factors, that could cause our actual results to
differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking
statement we make. We do not undertake to publicly update or
revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of
new information, future events or otherwise.
33
ESTIMATED USE OF PROCEEDS
The following tables set forth information about how we intend
to use the gross proceeds raised in this offering assuming that
we sell a minimum of 200,000 shares, at $10.00 per
share, and the maximum of 85 million shares, respectively,
of common stock. Many of the figures set forth below represent
managements best estimate since they cannot be precisely
calculated at this time. Depending primarily on the number of
shares we sell in this offering and assuming a $9.55 purchase
price for shares sold under our distribution reinvestment plan,
we estimate that 90% to 91.1% of our gross offering proceeds, or
between $9.00 and $9.11 per share, will be used for
investments and the repurchase of shares under our share
redemption plan, while the remainder will be used to pay
offering expenses, including selling commissions and the
dealer-manager fee, and to pay a fee to our advisor for its
services in connection with the selection, acquisition, and
management of our properties. We expect to meet all of our
working capital needs out of cash flow from operations. However,
to the extent that we have insufficient funds to meet our needs
for working capital, we may establish reserves from gross
offering proceeds. The allocation of shares sold pursuant to the
primary offering and pursuant to the distribution reinvestment
plan will affect our gross proceeds and the amount available for
investment. We have not given effect to any special sales or
volume discounts that could reduce the amount of selling
commissions shown below. The figures below reflect that we will
not pay commissions or dealer-manager fees in connection with
shares issued through our distribution reinvestment plan.
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Maximum Offering | |
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(75 Million Shares at | |
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Minimum Offering | |
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$10.00 per Share; | |
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(200,000 Shares at | |
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10 Million Shares at | |
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$10.00 per Share) | |
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$9.55 per Share) | |
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Amount | |
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Percent | |
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Amount | |
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Percent | |
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Gross Offering Proceeds
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$ |
2,000,000 |
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100.0 |
% |
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$ |
845,500,000 |
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100.0 |
% |
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Selling Commissions
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140,000 |
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7.0 |
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52,500,000 |
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6.2 |
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Dealer-Manager Fee
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36,000 |
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1.8 |
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13,500,000 |
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1.6 |
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Other Organization and Offering Expenses
(1)
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24,000 |
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1.2 |
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9,000,000 |
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1.1 |
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Estimated Amount to be
Invested(2)(3)
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$ |
1,800,000 |
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90.0 |
% |
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$ |
770,500,000 |
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91.1 |
% |
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(1) |
Includes all expenses (other than selling commissions and the
dealer-manager fee) to be paid by us in connection with the
offering, including our legal, accounting, printing, mailing and
filing fees, reimbursing the due diligence expenses of broker/
dealers, and amounts to reimburse Wells Capital for the salaries
of its employees and other costs in connection with preparing
supplemental sales materials, holding educational conferences
and attending retail seminars conducted by broker/ dealers.
Wells Capital has agreed to reimburse us to the extent
organizational and offering expenses incurred by us, other than
selling commissions and the dealer-manager fee, exceed 1.2% of
the aggregate gross offering proceeds from our primary offering.
We will not reimburse Wells Capital for any organization and
offering expenses from proceeds of sales pursuant to our
distribution reinvestment plan. |
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(2) |
Amount available for investment will include customary
third-party acquisition expenses, such as legal fees and
expenses, costs of appraisals, accounting fees and expenses,
title insurance premiums, and other closing costs and
miscellaneous expenses relating to the acquisition of real
estate. We estimate that these third-party costs would average
0.5% of the contract purchase prices of property acquisitions. |
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(3) |
Although it is possible that the net proceeds from the sale of
shares under our distribution reinvestment plan will be
available for investment, we expect that all of these proceeds
will instead be used to repurchase shares of our common stock
under the share redemption plan. See Description of
Shares Share Redemption Plan. Until
required in connection with the acquisition and development of
properties, substantially all of the net proceeds of the
offering and, thereafter, our working capital reserves, may be
invested in short-term, highly liquid investments including
government obligations, bank certificates of deposit, short-term
debt obligations and interest-bearing accounts or other
authorized investments as determined by our board of directors. |
34
MANAGEMENT
Board of Directors
We operate under the direction of our board of directors. The
board is responsible for the management and control of our
affairs. The board has retained Wells Capital to manage our
day-to-day affairs and
the acquisition and disposition of our investments, subject to
the boards supervision. Because of the numerous conflicts
of interest created by the relationships among us, Wells Capital
and various affiliates, many of the actions taken by the board
require the approval of a majority of our independent directors.
See Conflicts of Interest.
We have a six-member board of directors, two of whom,
Leo F. Wells, III and Douglas P. Williams, are
affiliated with Wells Capital and its affiliates, and the four
remaining directors qualify as independent
directors. Our board may change the size of the board, but
not to fewer than three board seats. Our charter provides that a
majority of the directors must be independent
directors, which is defined in our charter pursuant to the
requirements of the North American Securities Administrators
Associations Statement of Policy Regarding Real Estate
Investment Trusts. An independent director is a
person who is not one of our officers or employees or an officer
or employee of Wells Capital or its affiliates and has not been
so for the previous two years. Serving as a director of, or
having an ownership interest in, another Wells-sponsored program
will not, by itself, preclude independent director status. One
of our independent directors, Donald S. Moss, may face
conflicts of interest because of his affiliations with other
programs sponsored by Wells Capital and its affiliates.
Each director will serve until the next annual meeting of
stockholders and until his or her successor is duly elected.
Although the number of directors may be increased or decreased,
a decrease will not have the effect of shortening the term of
any incumbent director. Any director may resign at any time and
may be removed with or without cause by the stockholders upon
the affirmative vote of at least a majority of all the votes
entitled to be cast at a meeting called for the purpose of the
proposed removal. The notice of the meeting shall indicate that
the purpose, or one of the purposes, of the meeting is to
determine if the director shall be removed.
A vacancy created by an increase in the number of directors or
the death, resignation, removal, adjudicated incompetence or
other incapacity of a director may be filled only by a vote of a
majority of the remaining directors. As provided in our charter,
nominations of individuals to fill the vacancy of a board seat
previously filled by an independent director will be made by the
remaining independent directors.
Our directors and officers are not required to devote all of
their time to our business and are only required to devote the
time to our affairs as required by their fiduciary duties to us
and as necessary to respond to relevant business conditions. In
addition to meetings of the various committees of the board,
which committees we describe below, we expect to hold regular
board meetings at least quarterly. We do not expect that our
directors will be required to devote a substantial portion of
their time in discharging their duties. Our board is empowered
to fix the compensation of all officers that it selects and may
pay compensation to directors for services rendered to us in any
other capacity.
Our general investment and borrowing policies are set forth in
this prospectus. Our directors may establish further written
policies on investments and borrowings and shall monitor our
administrative procedures, investment operations and performance
to ensure that the policies are fulfilled and are in the best
interest of the stockholders. We will follow the policies on
investments and borrowings set forth in this prospectus unless
they are modified by our directors.
Committees of the Board of Directors
Many of the powers of the board of directors may be delegated to
one or more committees. Our charter requires that each committee
consist of at least a majority of independent directors.
35
Audit Committee
The audit committee selects the independent public accountants
to audit our annual financial statements, reviews with the
independent public accountants the plans and results of the
audit engagement, approves the audit and nonaudit services
provided by the independent public accountants, reviews the
independence of the independent public accountants, considers
the range of audit and non-audit fees, and reviews the adequacy
of our internal accounting controls. Our audit committee
currently consists of E. Nelson Mills, Donald S. Moss and
Willis J. Potts, Jr.
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
The primary functions of the nominating and corporate governance
committee are: (1) identifying individuals qualified to
serve on the board of directors and recommending that the board
of directors select a slate of director nominees for election by
the stockholders at the annual meeting; (2) developing and
recommending to the board of directors a set of corporate
governance policies and principles and periodically
re-evaluating such policies and guidelines for the purpose of
suggesting amendments to them if appropriate; and
(3) overseeing an annual evaluation of the board of
directors and each of the committees of the board of directors.
Currently, all of the members of the nominating and corporate
governance committee are independent directors.
Executive Officers and Directors
We have provided below certain information about our executive
officers and directors.
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Name |
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Age | |
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Positions |
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Leo F. Wells, III
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62 |
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President and Director |
Douglas P. Williams
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55 |
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Executive Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Director |
Randall D. Fretz
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53 |
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Senior Vice President |
Michael P. McCollum
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50 |
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Independent Director |
E. Nelson Mills
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45 |
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Independent Director |
Donald S. Moss
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68 |
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Independent Director |
Willis J. Potts, Jr.
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59 |
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Independent Director |
Leo F. Wells, III. Since our inception in September
2005, Mr. Wells has been our President and one of our
directors. He has also been the President and a director of
Wells REIT I since 1997 and the President and a director of
Wells REIT II since 2003. He has also been the sole
stockholder, sole director, President and Treasurer of Wells
Real Estate Funds, Inc. since 1997, which directly or indirectly
owns Wells Capital, Wells Management, Wells Investment
Securities, Wells & Associates, Inc., Wells Development
Corporation, Wells Asset Management, Inc. and Wells Real Estate
Advisory Services, Inc. He has also been the President,
Treasurer and sole director of Wells Capital since 1984; Wells
Management since 1983; Wells Development Corporation since it
was organized in 1997 to develop real estate properties; and
Wells Asset Management, Inc. since it was organized in 1997
to serve as an investment advisor to the Wells Family of Real
Estate Funds. Since 1997, Mr. Wells has been a trustee of
the Wells Family of Real Estate Funds, an open-end management
company organized as an Ohio business trust, which includes as
one of its series the Wells S&P REIT Index Fund. Since 2004
he has been President and sole director of Wells Real Estate
Advisory Services, Inc. He has been the President, Treasurer and
a director of Wells & Associates, Inc., a real estate
brokerage and investment company, since it was incorporated in
1978. Mr. Wells serves as the principal broker for Wells
& Associates, Inc.
Mr. Wells was a real estate salesman and property manager
from 1970 to 1973 for Roy D. Warren & Company, an
Atlanta-based real estate company, and he was associated from
1973 to 1976 with Sax Gaskin Real Estate Company, during which
time he became a Life Member of the Atlanta Board of Realtors
Million Dollar Club. From 1980 to February 1985 he served as
Vice President of Hill-Johnson, Inc., a Georgia corporation
engaged in the construction business. Mr. Wells holds a
Bachelor of Business Administration degree in economics from the
University of Georgia. Mr. Wells is a member of the
Financial Planning Association (FPA).
36
On August 26, 2003, Mr. Wells and Wells Investment
Securities entered into a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and
Consent (AWC) with the NASD relating to alleged rule
violations. The AWC set forth the NASDs findings that
Wells Investment Securities and Mr. Wells had violated
conduct rules relating to the provision of noncash compensation
of more than $100 to associated persons of NASD member firms in
connection with their attendance at the annual educational and
due diligence conferences sponsored by Wells Investment
Securities in 2001 and 2002. Without admitting or denying the
allegations and findings against them, Wells Investment
Securities and Mr. Wells consented in the AWC to various
findings by the NASD that are summarized in the following
paragraph:
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In 2001 and 2002, Wells Investment Securities sponsored
conferences attended by registered representatives who sold its
real estate investment products. Wells Investment Securities
also paid for certain expenses of guests of the registered
representatives who attended the conferences. In 2001, Wells
Investment Securities paid the costs of travel to the conference
and meals for many of the guests and paid the costs of playing
golf for some of the registered representatives and their
guests. Wells Investment Securities later invoiced registered
representatives for the cost of golf and for travel expenses of
guests, but was not fully reimbursed for such. In 2002, Wells
Investment Securities paid for meals for the guests. Wells
Investment Securities also conditioned most of the 2001
conference invitations on attainment by the registered
representatives of a predetermined sales goal for Wells
Investment Securities products. This conduct violated the
prohibitions against payment and receipt of noncash compensation
in connection with the sales of these products contained in
NASDs Conduct Rules 2710, 2810 and 3060. In addition,
Wells Investment Securities and Mr. Wells failed to adhere
to all of the terms of their written undertaking made in March
2001 not to engage in the conduct described above, and thereby
failing to observe high standards of commercial honor and just
and equitable principles of trade in violation of NASD Conduct
Rule 2110. |
Wells Investment Securities consented to a censure, and
Mr. Wells consented to suspension from acting in a
principal capacity with an NASD member firm for one year. Wells
Investment Securities and Mr. Wells also agreed to the
imposition of a joint and several fine in the amount of
$150,000. Mr. Wells one-year suspension from acting
in a principal capacity with Wells Investment Securities ended
on October 6, 2004.
Douglas P. Williams. Since our inception in September
2005, Mr. Williams has been our Executive Vice President,
Secretary and Treasurer and one of our directors. Since 1999, he
has also served as Executive Vice President, Secretary and
Treasurer and a director of Wells REIT I. Since 2003, he has
served as Executive Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer and
a director of Wells REIT II. Since 1999, Mr. Williams
has also been a Senior Vice President of our advisor and a
Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and a
director of Wells Investment Securities, our
dealer-manager. He has
also been a Vice President of Wells Real Estate Funds, Inc. and
Wells Asset Management, Inc. since 1999.
From 1996 to 1999, Mr. Williams served as Vice President
and Controller of OneSource, Inc., a leading supplier of
janitorial and landscape services, where he was responsible for
corporate-wide accounting activities and financial analysis.
Mr. Williams was employed by ECC International Inc., a
supplier to the paper industry and to the paint, rubber and
plastic industries, from 1982 to 1995. While at ECC,
Mr. Williams served in a number of key accounting
positions, including: Corporate Accounting Manager,
U.S. Operations; Division Controller, Americas Region; and
Corporate Controller, America/ Pacific Division. Prior to
joining ECC and for one year after leaving ECC,
Mr. Williams was employed by Lithonia Lighting, a
manufacturer of lighting fixtures, as a Cost and General
Accounting Manager and Director of Planning and Control.
Mr. Williams started his professional career as an auditor
for a predecessor firm of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP.
Mr. Williams is a member of the American Institute of
Certified Public Accountants and the Georgia Society of
Certified Public Accountants and is licensed with the NASD as a
financial and operations principal. Mr. Williams received a
Bachelor of Arts degree from Dartmouth College and a
Masters of Business Administration degree from Amos Tuck
School of Graduate Business Administration at Dartmouth College.
Randall D. Fretz. Since our inception in September 2005,
Mr. Fretz has been our Senior Vice President. He has also
been a Senior Vice President of Wells Capital since 2002. He has
also been the Chief of Staff
37
and a Vice President of Wells Real Estate Funds, Inc. since
2002, a Senior Vice President of Wells REIT I since 2002, a
Senior Vice President of Wells REIT II since 2003, and a
director of Wells Investment Securities since 2002.
Mr. Fretz is primarily responsible for corporate strategy
and planning, advising and coordinating the executive officers
of Wells Capital on corporate matters and special projects.
Prior to joining Wells Capital in 2002, Mr. Fretz served
for seven years as President of U.S. and Canada operations for
Larson-Juhl, a world leader in custom art and picture-framing
home decor. Mr. Fretz was previously a Division Director at
Bausch & Lomb, a manufacturer of optical equipment and
products, and also held various senior positions at Tandem
International and Lever Brothers. Mr. Fretz holds a
Bachelor of Arts degree in each of Sociology and Physical
Education from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. He also
earned a Masters of Business Administration degree from
the Ivey School of Business in London, Ontario.
Michael P. McCollum, Ph.D. Dr. McCollum is one
of our independent directors. He has worked in the forest
products industry for the past 25 years. From June 1996
until his retirement in December 2005, Dr. McCollum led the
Wood and Fiber Supply Division of Georgia-Pacific Corporation,
one of the worlds leading manufacturers and distributors
of tissue, pulp, paper, packaging, building products and related
chemicals, and in January 2001 he became President of the
Division. From July 1992 to June 1996, Dr. McCollum served
in positions of increasing responsibility at Georgia-Pacific in
the areas of forest management, wood and fiber supply, technical
support and strategic planning. From February 1984 to July 1992,
Dr. McCollum served in various positions at Temple-Inland
Inc., a major forest products corporation. From January 1981 to
February 1984, Dr. McCollum worked in the Wood Products
Division of Manville Forest Products Corporation, a subsidiary
of Johns Manville, a Berkshire Hathaway company and a leading
manufacturer and marketer of premium-quality building and
specialty products. Dr. McCollum received his Bachelor of
Science degree in Forestry from the University of Arkansas and
received a Ph.D. in Forest Science from Texas A&M
University. Dr. McCollum is a member of the Society of
American Foresters and has served on the boards of several
industry and conservation associations.
E. Nelson Mills. Mr. Mills is one of our independent
directors. Since December 2004, Mr. Mills has served as the
chief financial officer and chief operations officer of Williams
Realty Advisors, where he is responsible for financial strategy,
design, formation and operation of real estate investment funds.
From April 2004 to December 2004, Mr. Mills was a consultant to
and the chief financial officer of Timbervest, LLC, an
investment manager specializing in timberland investment
planning. From September 2000 to April 2004, Mr. Mills
served as chief financial officer of Lend Lease Real Estate
Investments, Inc. and from August 1998 to August 2000 served as
a senior vice president of Lend Lease with responsibility for
tax and acquisition planning and administration. Mr. Mills was a
tax partner with KPMG LLP from January 1987 to August 1998.
Mr. Mills received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business
Administration from the University of Tennessee and a
Masters of Business Administration degree from the
University of Georgia. Mr. Mills is also a Certified Public
Accountant.
Donald S. Moss. Mr. Moss is one of our independent
directors. He is also an independent director of Wells
REIT I and Wells REIT II and a trustee of the Wells
Family of Real Estate Funds. He was employed by Avon Products,
Inc. from 1957 until his retirement in 1986. While at Avon,
Mr. Moss served in a number of key positions, including
Vice President and Controller from 1973 to 1976, Group Vice
President of OperationsWorldwide from 1976 to 1979, Group
Vice President of SalesWorldwide from 1979 to 1980, Senior
Vice PresidentInternational from 1980 to 1983 and Group
Vice PresidentHuman Resources and Administration from 1983
until his retirement in 1986. Mr. Moss was also a member of
the board of directors of Avon Canada, Avon Japan, Avon
Thailand, and Avon Malaysia from 1980 to 1983. He formerly was a
director of The Atlanta Athletic Club and the National Treasurer
and a director of the Girls Clubs of America from 1973 to 1976.
Mr. Moss graduated from the University of Illinois where he
received a Bachelor of Science degree in business.
Willis J. Potts, Jr. Mr. Potts is one of our
independent directors. From June 1999 until his retirement in
June 2004, Mr. Potts served as vice president and general
manager of Temple-Inland Inc., a major forest products
corporation, where he was responsible for all aspects of the
management of a major production facility, including timber
acquisition, community relations and governmental affairs. From
38
November 1994 to June 1999, Mr. Potts was senior vice
president of Union Camp Corporation, where he was responsible
for all activities of an international business unit, with
revenues of approximately $1 billion per year including
supervision of acquisitions and dispositions of timber and
timberland, controllership functions and manufacturing.
Mr. Potts is currently the chairman of the board of
directors of the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper
Industry (TAPPI), the largest technical association serving the
pulp, paper and converting industry, where he is responsible for
guiding the development of TAPPIs long-term plans and
short-term goals and objectives, including those related to the
forest products industry. In 2006, Mr. Potts was appointed
to the Board of Regents of The University System of Georgia.
Mr. Potts received a Bachelor of Science degree in
industrial engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
He also completed the Executive Program at the University of
Virginia.
Compensation of Directors
We do not provide compensation for service on our board of
directors to any member of our board who is not an independent
director. Our independent directors will receive an annual
retainer of $18,000. In addition, independent directors will
receive fees for attending board and committee meetings as
follows:
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$2,000 per in-person board meeting; |
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$1,500 per in-person committee meeting; |
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$250 per telephonic board or committee meeting; and |
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an additional $500 to a committee chair for each in-person
committee meeting. |
However, when a committee meeting occurs on the same day as a
board meeting, an additional fee will not be paid for attending
the committee meeting.
All directors will receive reimbursement of reasonable travel
expenses incurred in connection with attendance at meetings of
the board of directors. In addition to cash compensation, upon
his or her initial appointment to our board, each independent
director receives a grant of options to
purchase 2,500 shares of our common stock. One-third
of the options are immediately exercisable on the date of grant,
one-third will become exercisable on the first anniversary of
the date of grant and the remaining one-third will become
exercisable on the second anniversary of the date of grant. The
initial grant of options was anti-dilutive with an exercise
price of $10.00 per share.
Upon each subsequent re-election of the independent director to
the board, he or she will receive a subsequent grant of options
to purchase 1,000 shares of our common stock. The
exercise price for the subsequent options will be the greater of
(1) $10.00 per share or (2) the fair market value
of the shares on the date of grant.
All stock options granted to our independent directors will be
granted pursuant to our long-term incentive plan, and will be
governed by the terms of such plan. The stock options will lapse
on the first to occur of (1) the tenth anniversary of the
date of grant, or (2) the removal for cause of the
independent director as a member of the board of directors.
Options are generally exercisable in the case of death or
disability for a period of one year after death or the
termination by reason of disability. No option issued may be
exercised if such exercise would jeopardize our status as a REIT
under the Internal Revenue Code. The independent directors may
not sell, pledge, assign or transfer their options other than by
will or the laws of descent or distribution.
2005 Long-Term Incentive Plan
We have adopted a long-term incentive plan. This incentive plan
is intended to attract and retain qualified independent
directors, advisors and consultants considered essential to our
long-range success by offering these individuals an opportunity
to participate in our growth through awards in the form of, or
based on, our common stock. Although we do not currently intend
to hire any employees, any employees
39
we may hire in the future would also be eligible to participate
in our long-term incentive plan. The incentive plan authorizes
the granting of awards to participants in the following forms:
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options to purchase shares of our common stock, which may be
nonstatutory stock options or incentive stock options under the
Internal Revenue Code; |
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stock appreciation rights, which give the holder the right to
receive the difference between the fair market value per share
on the date of exercise over the grant price; |
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performance awards, which are payable in cash or stock upon the
attainment of specified performance goals; |
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restricted stock, which is subject to restrictions on
transferability and other restrictions set by the board of
directors, or a committee of its independent directors; |
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restricted stock units, which give the holder the right to
receive shares of stock, or the equivalent value in cash or
other property, in the future; |
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deferred stock units, which give the holder the right to receive
shares of stock, or the equivalent value in cash or other
property, at a future time; |
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dividend equivalents, which entitle the participant to payments
equal to any dividends paid on the shares of stock underlying an
award; and |
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other stock-based awards at the discretion of the board of
directors or a committee of its independent directors, including
unrestricted stock grants. |
All awards must be evidenced by a written agreement with the
participant, which will include the provisions specified by the
board of directors or a committee of its independent directors,.
The maximum number of shares of common stock that may be issued
upon the exercise or grant of an award shall not exceed in the
aggregate an amount equal to 10% of the outstanding shares of
our common stock on the date of grant of any such award. The
exercise price of any award shall not be less than the fair
market value of our common stock on the date of the grant.
Our board of directors, or a committee of its independent
directors, administers the incentive plan, with sole authority
(following consultation with the advisor) to select
participants, determine the types of awards to be granted, and
all of the terms and conditions of the awards, including whether
the grant, vesting or settlement of awards may be subject to the
attainment of one or more performance goals. No awards will be
granted under the plan if the grant, vesting and/or exercise of
the awards would jeopardize our status as a REIT under the
Internal Revenue Code or otherwise violate the ownership and
transfer restrictions imposed under our charter. Unless
determined by our board of directors, or a committee of its
independent directors, no award granted under the long-term
incentive plan will be transferable except through the laws of
descent and distribution.
We have established 500,000 shares as the aggregate maximum
number of shares to be reserved and available for issuance under
the incentive plan, as well as limits on the aggregate maximum
number of shares that may be subject to certain awards and the
maximum number of shares with respect to awards to be made to
certain individuals. In the event of a corporate transaction
that affects our common stock, such as a reorganization,
recapitalization, merger, spin-off, split-off, stock dividend,
or extraordinary distribution, the share authorization limits of
the incentive plan will be adjusted proportionately, and our
board of directors, or a committee of its independent directors,
will have the sole authority to determine whether and in what
manner to equitably adjust the number and type of shares and the
exercise prices applicable to outstanding awards under the plan,
the number and type of shares reserved for future issuance under
the plan, and, if applicable, performance goals applicable to
outstanding awards under the plan.
The incentive plan contains provisions concerning the treatment
of awards granted under the plan in the event of a
participants death or disability, or upon the occurrence
of a change in control of our company. The incentive plan will
automatically expire on the tenth anniversary of the date on
which it is
40
adopted, unless extended or earlier terminated by the board of
directors. The board of directors may terminate the incentive
plan at any time, but termination will have no adverse impact on
any award that is outstanding at the time of the termination.
The board of directors may amend the incentive plan at any time,
but any amendment would be subject to stockholder approval if,
in the reasonable judgment of the board, such approval would be
required by any law, regulation or rule applicable to the
incentive plan. No termination or amendment of plan may, without
the written consent of the participant, reduce or diminish the
value of an outstanding award determined as if the award had
been exercised, vested, cashed in or otherwise settled on the
date of such amendment or termination. The board may amend or
terminate outstanding awards, but those amendments may require
consent of the participant and, unless approved by the
stockholders or otherwise permitted by the anti-dilution
provisions of the plan, the exercise price of an outstanding
option may not be reduced, directly or indirectly, and the
original term of an option may not be extended.
Under section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code, a public
company generally may not deduct compensation in excess of
$1 million paid to its chief executive officer and the four
next most highly compensated executive officers. In order for
awards granted in excess of this limit to be exempt from the
deduction limits of section 162(m), the incentive plan
would have to be amended to comply with the exemption conditions
and be resubmitted for approval by our stockholders.
Limited Liability and Indemnification of Directors, Officers,
Employees and Other Agents
Our charter limits the liability of our directors and officers
to us and our stockholders for monetary damages and requires us
to indemnify our directors, our officers, Wells Capital and its
affiliates for losses they may incur by reason of their service
in that capacity. However, we may not indemnify our directors,
Wells Capital or its affiliates unless all of the following
conditions are met:
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the party seeking exculpation or indemnification has determined,
in good faith, that the course of conduct that caused the loss
or liability was in our best interest; |
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the party seeking exculpation or indemnification was acting on
our behalf or performing services for us; |
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in the case of an independent director, the liability or loss
was not the result of gross negligence or willful misconduct by
the independent director; |
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in the case of a nonindependent director, Wells Capital or one
of its affiliates, the liability or loss was not the result of
negligence or misconduct by the party seeking indemnification or
exculpation; and |
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the indemnification is recoverable only out of our net assets
and not from the stockholders. |
The SEC takes the position that indemnification against
liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 is against
public policy and unenforceable. Furthermore, our charter
prohibits the indemnification of our directors, Wells Capital or
its affiliates or broker/ dealers for liabilities arising from
or out of a violation of state or federal securities laws,
unless one or more of the following conditions are met:
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there has been a successful adjudication on the merits of each
count involving alleged securities law violations; |
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such claims have been dismissed with prejudice on the merits by
a court of competent jurisdiction; or |
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a court of competent jurisdiction approves a settlement of the
claims against the indemnitee and finds that indemnification of
the settlement and the related costs should be made, and the
court considering the request for indemnification has been
advised of the position of the SEC and of the published position
of any state securities regulatory authority in which the
securities were offered or sold as to indemnification for
violations of securities laws. |
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Our charter further provides that the advancement of funds to
our directors and to Wells Capital and its affiliates for
reasonable legal expenses and other costs incurred in advance of
the final disposition of a proceeding for which indemnification
is being sought is permissible only if all of the following
conditions are satisfied:
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the proceeding relates to acts or omissions with respect to the
performance of duties or services on our behalf; |
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such person provides us with written affirmation of his good
faith belief that he has met the standard of conduct necessary
for indemnification; |
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the legal proceeding was initiated by a third party who is not a
stockholder or, if by a stockholder acting in his or her
capacity as such, a court of competent jurisdiction approves the
advancement; and |
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the person seeking the advancement undertakes to repay the
amount paid or reimbursed by us, together with the applicable
legal rate of interest thereon, if it is ultimately determined
that such person is not entitled to indemnification. |
We also purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of all of our
directors and executive officers against liability asserted
against or incurred by them in their official capacities with
us, whether or not we are required or have the power to
indemnify them against the same liability.
The Advisor
Our advisor is Wells Capital. Since its incorporation in Georgia
on April 20, 1984, Wells Capital has sponsored or advised
public real estate programs on an unspecified property, or
blind pool basis, that have raised approximately
$8.0 billion of equity from approximately 223,000
investors. Wells Capital has contractual and fiduciary
responsibilities to us and our stockholders. Some of our
officers and directors are also officers and directors of Wells
Capital.
The directors and executive officers of Wells Capital are as
follows:
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Positions |
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Leo F. Wells, III
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62 |
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President, Treasurer and sole Director |
Douglas P. Williams
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Senior Vice President and Assistant Secretary |
Stephen G. Franklin
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58 |
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Senior Vice President |
Randall D. Fretz
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53 |
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Senior Vice President |
Donald A. Miller
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Senior Vice President |
Robert E. Bowers
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Senior Vice President |
The backgrounds of Messrs. Wells, Williams and Fretz are
described in the Management Executive Officers
and Directors section of this prospectus. Below is a brief
description of the other executive officers of Wells Capital.
Stephen G. Franklin, Ph.D. Since 1999, Mr. Franklin
has served as a Senior Vice President of Wells Capital.
Mr. Franklin is responsible for marketing, sales and
coordination of broker/ dealer relations. Mr. Franklin also
serves as Vice President of Wells Real Estate Funds, Inc. Prior
to joining Wells Capital Mr. Franklin served as President
of Global Access Learning, an international executive education
and management development firm. From 1997 to 1999,
Mr. Franklin served as President, Chief Academic Officer
and Director of EduTrek International, a publicly traded
provider of international post-secondary education that owns
American InterContinental University, with campuses in Atlanta,
Ft. Lauderdale, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., London
and Dubai. While at EduTrek, he was instrumental in developing
the Masters and Bachelors of Information Technology,
International M.B.A. and Adult Evening B.B.A.
42
programs. Prior to joining EduTrek, Mr. Franklin was
Associate Dean of the Goizueta Business School at Emory
University and a former tenured Associate Professor of Business
Administration. He served on the founding Executive M.B.A.
faculty and has taught graduate, undergraduate and executive
courses in management and organizational behavior, human
resources management and entrepreneurship. He also is co-founder
and Director of the Center for Healthcare Leadership in the
Emory University School of Medicine. Mr. Franklin was a
frequent guest lecturer at universities throughout North
America, Europe and South Africa.
From 1984 to 1986, Mr. Franklin took a sabbatical from
Emory University and became Executive Vice President and a
principal stockholder of Financial Service Corporation (FSC), an
independent financial planning broker/ dealer. Mr. Franklin
and the other stockholders of FSC later sold their interests in
FSC to Mutual of New York Life Insurance Company.
Donald A. Miller. Since 2003, Mr. Miller has been a
Senior Vice President of Wells Capital. Mr. Miller is
responsible for directing all aspects of the acquisitions,
dispositions, property management, construction and leasing
groups of our advisor and its affiliates. Prior to joining Wells
in 2003, Mr. Miller headed Lend Leases U.S. real
estate operations, including acquisitions, dispositions,
financing and investment management. Prior to joining Lend Lease
(The Yarmouth Group) in 1994, Mr. Miller was responsible
for regional acquisitions for Prentiss Properties Realty
Advisors, a predecessor entity to the publicly traded Prentiss
REIT. Earlier in his career, Mr. Miller worked in the
pension investment management department of Delta Air Lines and
was responsible for real estate and international equity
investment programs. Mr. Miller is a Chartered Financial
Analyst (CFA) and holds multiple broker/ dealer and real
estate licenses. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from
Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina.
Robert E. Bowers. Since 2004, Mr. Bowers has been a
Senior Vice President of Wells Capital. Mr. Bowers also
serves as Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Wells
Real Estate Funds, Inc. A
20-year veteran of the
financial services industry, Mr. Bowers experience
includes investor relations, debt and capital infusion, IPO
structuring, budgeting and forecasting, financial management and
strategic planning. Prior to joining Wells in 2004,
Mr. Bowers served as a business financial consultant,
communicating regularly with the SEC and providing strategic
financial counsel to a range of organizations, including the
University System of Georgia, venture capital funds and public
corporations such as NetBank, Inc., a publicly held online bank.
From 1997 to 2002, Mr. Bowers was CFO of NetBank, Inc., the
first profitable Internet bank. While at NetBank, he
participated in the companys successful initial public
offering and subsequent secondary offerings, directing all SEC
and regulatory reporting and compliance. Prior to joining
NetBank, Mr. Bowers was CFO and Director of Stockholder
Systems, Inc., a Norcross, Georgia-based financial applications
company, for 12 years. When CheckFree Corporation, a
pioneer in the electronic bill payment industry, acquired
Stockholder Systems in 1995, he headed the merger negotiation
team and became CFO of the combined organization.
Mr. Bowers began his career in 1978 as an audit manager for
Arthur Andersen & Company in Atlanta. Mr. Bowers
earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Auburn
University. He is a licensed Certified Public Accountant and
serves on the boards of various venture capital and Atlanta area
non-profit organizations, including Woodward Academy, Hope House
Childrens Respite and Southwest Christian Hospice.
In addition to the directors and executive officers listed
above, Wells Capital employs personnel who have extensive
experience in the types of services that Wells Capital will be
providing to us, including arranging financing for the
acquisition of properties, negotiating contracts, and preparing
and overseeing budgets.
The Advisory Agreement
As a newly formed entity, we do not believe our asset base or
the income generated by these assets will initially be large
enough to support a fully integrated staff of employees. As a
result, we would either have to incur operating losses until our
assets and income grew to the size needed to support a fully
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integrated staff, do without certain services or retain a third
party to provide management services. Our board of directors has
elected the third option. We have entered into an advisory
agreement with Wells Capital to serve as our advisor with
responsibility to oversee and manage our
day-to-day operations
and to perform other duties including the following:
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find, present and recommend to our board of directors real
estate investment opportunities consistent with our investment
policies and objectives; |
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structure the terms and conditions of our real estate
acquisitions, sales or joint ventures; |
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at the direction of our management, prepare all reports and
regulatory filings, including those required by federal and
state securities laws; |
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arrange for financing and refinancing of properties; |
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enter into supply agreements, service contracts and leases for
our properties; |
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oversee the performance of any third-party timber managers
engaged to manage our properties or assets; |
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review and analyze the properties operating and capital
budgets; |
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generate an annual budget for us; |
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review and analyze financial information for each property and
the overall portfolio; |
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if a transaction requires approval by the board of directors,
deliver to the board of directors all documents requested by the
board in its evaluation of the proposed transaction; |
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actively oversee the management of our properties for purposes
of meeting our investment objectives; |
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perform cash management services; |
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perform transfer agent functions; and |
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engage our agents. |
The fees payable to Wells Capital under the advisory agreement
are described in detail at Management Compensation
below. We also describe in that section (1) our obligation to
reimburse Wells Capital for organization and offering expenses,
administrative and management services, and payments made by
Wells Capital to third parties in connection with potential
acquisitions and (2) Wells Capitals obligation to
reimburse us for any operating expenses incurred in excess of
certain limitations set forth in our charter.
The term of the current advisory agreement ends after one year
from the date of this prospectus and may be renewed for an
unlimited number of successive one-year periods upon mutual
consent of Wells Capital and us. As a result, the amount of
compensation and other fees payable to the advisor may be
increased or decreased in future renewals of the advisory
agreement. See Conflicts of Interest Certain
Conflict Resolution Procedures.
The advisory agreement may be terminated without cause by a
majority of our independent directors or by Well Capital upon
60 days written notice. In the event that the
advisory agreement between us and Wells Capital is terminated,
Wells Capital will be required to cooperate with us and take all
reasonable steps requested by our board of directors to provide
for the orderly transition of advisory services to a successor
advisor. Upon a termination of the advisory agreement with Wells
Capital, our board of directors will select a successor advisor
that the board of directors has determined possesses sufficient
qualifications to perform the advisory services and will be
required to determine that the compensation that we will pay the
successor advisor is reasonable in relation to the nature and
quality of the services to be performed for us and within the
limits prescribed in our charter.
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Wells Capital and its affiliates expect to engage in other
business ventures and, as a result, their resources will not be
dedicated exclusively to our business. However, pursuant to the
advisory agreement, Wells Capital must devote sufficient
resources to our administration to discharge its obligations.
Wells Capital may assign the advisory agreement to an affiliate
upon our approval. We may assign or transfer the advisory
agreement to a successor entity.
Initial Investment by Our Advisor
Wells Capital has purchased 20,000 shares of our common
stock for $200,000, constituting 100% of our outstanding capital
stock. Wells Capital may not sell any of these shares during the
period it serves as our advisor. Although Wells Capital and its
affiliates are not prohibited from acquiring additional shares
of our common stock, Wells Capital currently has no options or
warrants to acquire any shares. Wells Capital has purchased 200
common units in Wells Timber OP at a purchase price of
$10.00 per unit and holds a 1% limited partner interest.
Wells Capital also owns 100 special units for which it paid
$10.00 per unit. Wells Capital has agreed to abstain from
voting any shares it owns in any vote for the election of
directors or any vote regarding the approval or termination of
any contract with Wells Capital or any of its affiliates.
Dealer-Manager
Wells Investment Securities, Inc., our dealer-manager, is a
member firm of the NASD. Wells Investment Securities was
organized in May 1984 for the purpose of participating in and
facilitating the distribution of securities of Wells programs.
Wells Investment Securities will provide wholesaling, sales
promotion and marketing assistance services to us in connection
with the distribution of the shares offered pursuant to this
prospectus. It may also sell shares at the retail level.
Wells Real Estate Funds, Inc. is the sole stockholder of Wells
Investment Securities. The current directors and executive
officers of Wells Investment Securities are:
|
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|
Name |
|
Age | |
|
Positions |
|
|
| |
|
|
Thomas E. Larkin
|
|
|
48 |
|
|
President and Director |
Douglas P. Williams
|
|
|
55 |
|
|
Vice President, CFO, Treasurer and Director |
Randall D. Fretz
|
|
|
53 |
|
|
Director |
The backgrounds of Messrs. Williams and Fretz are described
in the Management Executive Officers and
Directors section of this prospectus.
Thomas E. Larkin. Mr. Larkin is President and a
director of Wells Investment Securities, Inc. Mr. Larkin
joined Wells in 2003 and directs the national sales effort.
Prior to joining Wells, Mr. Larkin was an Executive Vice
President of Ronald Blue & Co., where he was
responsible for supervising approximately 80 financial
professionals. In this capacity, he significantly increased both
corporate revenue and assets under management. Mr. Larkin
began his career at Ronald Blue in 1994 as a Branch Manager and
Recruiter and progressively held positions of greater
responsibility in sales management during his tenure with the
Company. From 1986 to 1994, Mr. Larkin was with Advanced
Cardiovascular Systems Inc., where he served as Sales
Representative, Southeastern Sales Manager, and eventually
Director of Sales. Mr. Larkin received his Bachelor of
Science degree in biology from Valparaiso University. He holds
the Series 2, 7, 24, 63, and 65 securities licenses.
45
Management Decisions
The primary responsibility for the management decisions of Wells
Capital and its affiliates, including the selection of
investment properties to be recommended to our board of
directors, the negotiation for these investments,
asset-management decisions and property dispositions, will
reside in Leo F. Wells, III, Douglas P. Williams, Randall
D. Fretz, Donald A. Miller and Robert E. Bowers. Our board of
directors, including a majority of the independent directors,
must approve all real property acquisitions and dispositions, as
well as the financing of any such acquisitions. We expect that
the board of directors will form an investment committee to
which it will delegate the authority to approve all real
property acquisitions and dispositions with a purchase or sale
price below a certain amount, including the financing of any
such acquisitions, other than any transaction with an affiliate
of our advisor. Any such investment committee will be comprised
of at least a majority of independent directors.
46
MANAGEMENT COMPENSATION
We have no paid employees. Wells Capital, our advisor, and its
affiliates are responsible for the management of our
day-to-day affairs. The
following table summarizes all of the compensation and fees
payable to Wells Capital and its affiliates, including amounts
to reimburse their costs in providing services. The compensation
payable to any timber managers our advisor may engage is not
included in this table, since it would be paid by our advisor
and not by us. The selling commissions and dealer-manager fee
may vary for different categories of purchasers. See Plan
of Distribution. The compensation and fees payable to
Wells Capital are subject to the terms and conditions of our
advisory agreement, which must be renewed on an annual basis. As
a result, the compensation and fees payable to Wells Capital may
be increased or decreased in future renewals of the advisory
agreement. See Conflicts of Interest Certain
Conflict Resolution Procedures Other Charter
Provisions Relating to Conflicts of Interest. This table
assumes the shares are sold through distribution channels
associated with the highest possible selling commissions and
dealer-manager fees and a $9.55 purchase price for shares sold
under our distribution reinvestment plan.
|
|
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|
|
Form of Compensation |
|
|
|
Estimated Amount for |
and Entity Receiving |
|
Determination of Amount |
|
Maximum Offering(1) |
|
|
|
|
|
Organization and Offering Stage |
Selling Commissions Wells Investment
Securities(2) |
|
7.0% of gross offering proceeds from the primary offering,
before reallowance of commissions earned by participating
broker/ dealers. Wells Investment Securities, our
dealer-manager, will reallow 100% of commissions earned to
participating broker/ dealers. |
|
$52,500,000 |
Dealer-Manager Fee Wells Investment
Securities(2) |
|
1.8% of gross offering proceeds from the primary offering,
before reallowance to participating broker/ dealers. Wells
Investment Securities will reallow a portion of its
dealer-manager fee to participating broker/ dealers. See
Plan of Distribution. |
|
$13,500,000 |
Reimbursement of Organization and Offering Expenses
Wells
Capital(3) |
|
Up to 1.2% of gross offering proceeds from the primary offering.
Wells Capital will incur or pay our organization and offering
expenses (excluding selling commissions and the dealer-manager
fee). We will then reimburse Wells Capital for these amounts up
to 1.2% gross offering proceeds from the primary offering. |
|
$9,000,000 |
Acquisition and Development Stage |
Asset Management Fee Wells
Capital(4) |
|
Monthly fee equal to one-twelfth of 1.25% of the greater of cost
or value of investments. |
|
Actual amounts are dependent upon total equity and debt capital
we raise and results of operations and therefore cannot be
determined at this time. |
Other Operating
Expenses(5) |
|
We will reimburse the expenses incurred by Wells Capital in
connection with its provision of services, including related
personnel, rent, utilities and information technology costs. We
will not reimburse for personnel costs in connection with
services for which Wells Capital receives real estate
disposition fees, or costs associated with hiring or retaining
timber managers. |
|
Actual amounts are dependent upon results of operations and
therefore cannot be determined at this time. |
47
|
|
|
|
|
Form of Compensation |
|
|
|
Estimated Amount for |
and Entity Receiving |
|
Determination of Amount |
|
Maximum Offering(1) |
|
|
|
|
|
Liquidity Stage |
Real Estate Disposition Fees Wells Capital or its
Affiliates(6) |
|
For substantial assistance in connection with the sale of
properties, we will pay Wells Capital or its affiliates an
amount as determined by our board of directors to be appropriate
based on market norms and not to exceed (1) for any
property sold for $20.0 million or less, 2.0% of the
contract price of the property sold and (2) for any
property sold for more than $20.0 million, 1.0% of the
contract price of the property sold; provided, however, in no
event may the real estate commissions paid to Wells Capital, its
affiliates and unaffiliated third parties exceed 6.0% of the
contract sales price. |
|
Actual amounts are dependent upon results of operations and
therefore cannot be determined at this time. |
Special Unit Distribution of Net Sales Proceeds
Wells
Capital(7)(8) |
|
After we have made distributions to our stockholders (including
amounts paid to redeem shares pursuant to our share redemption
plan) equal to, in the aggregate, a return of the total amount
of capital raised from stockholders plus a cumulative,
noncompounded return on the average invested capital of 7.0% per
year, Wells Capital is entitled to receive a cash distribution
from Wells Timber OP equal to the difference between
(1) 10% of the aggregate net proceeds from all sales of our
properties and real estate related investments through the date
of the distribution and (2) the total amount of all prior
distributions of net sales proceeds paid to Wells Capital. |
|
Actual amounts are dependent upon results of operations and
therefore cannot be determined at this time. |
|
|
Notwithstanding the foregoing, after we have made distributions
to our stockholders (including amounts paid to redeem shares
pursuant to our share redemption plan) equal to, in the
aggregate, a return of the total amount of capital raised from
stockholders plus a cumulative, noncompounded return on the
average invested capital of at least 8.0% per year, Wells
Capital is entitled to receive a cash distribution from Wells
Timber OP equal to the difference between (1) 20% of the
aggregate net proceeds from all sales of our properties and real
estate related investments through the date of the distribution
and (2) the total amount of all prior distributions of net
sales proceeds paid to Wells Capital. |
|
|
|
|
Each individual stockholder may receive more or less than the
annual 7.0% or 8.0% cumulative, noncompounded pre-tax return on
their invested capital prior to the commencement of
distributions to Wells Capital. |
|
|
48
|
|
|
|
|
Form of Compensation |
|
|
|
Estimated Amount for |
and Entity Receiving |
|
Determination of Amount |
|
Maximum Offering(1) |
|
|
|
|
|
Special Unit Redemption Payment Due Upon Listing
Wells
Capital(7)(8)(9) |
|
Upon the listing of our shares on a national securities
exchange, Wells Capital will be entitled to receive a payment
for the redemption of the special units in the form of cash or
shares of common stock, at our election. If (1) the market
value of our outstanding common stock at listing plus the total
distributions paid to stockholders prior to listing exceeds
(2) the sum of the total amount of capital raised from
stockholders (less amounts paid to redeem shares pursuant to our
share redemption plan) and an amount of cash that, if
distributed to the stockholders as of the date of listing, would
have provided them with a cumulative, noncompounded return on
the average invested capital equal to 7.0% per year, then the
redemption payment will equal 10% of such excess amount. |
|
Actual amounts are dependent upon results of operations and
therefore cannot be determined at this time. |
|
|
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (1) the market value of
our outstanding common stock at listing plus the total
distributions paid to stockholders prior to listing exceeds
(2) the sum of the total amount of capital raised from
stockholders (less amounts paid to redeem shares pursuant to our
share redemption plan) and an amount of cash that, if
distributed to the stockholders as of the date of listing, would
have provided them with a cumulative, noncompounded return on
the average invested capital equal to 8.0% per year, then
the redemption payment will equal 20% of such excess amount. |
|
|
|
|
(1) |
The estimated maximum dollar amounts are based on the sale of
the maximum of 85 million shares to the public, including
10 million shares through our distribution reinvestment
plan. |
|
(2) |
Selling commissions and, in some cases, all or a portion of the
dealer-manager fee will not be charged with regard to shares
sold to or for the account of certain categories of purchasers.
See Plan of Distribution. |
|
(3) |
These organization and offering expenses include all expenses
(other than selling commissions and the dealer-manager fee) to
be paid by us in connection with the offering, including our
legal, accounting, printing, mailing and filing fees, due
diligence expense reimbursements to broker/dealers and amounts
to reimburse Wells Capital for the salaries of its employees and
other costs in connection with preparing supplemental sales
materials, the cost of educational conferences held by us
(including travel, meal and lodging costs of registered
representatives of broker/dealers) and certain of the attendance
fees and cost reimbursements for representatives of our
dealer-manager and our advisor to attend retail seminars
conducted by broker/dealers. The portion of these organization
and offering expenses for which we (as opposed to Wells Capital)
would be responsible could not be increased above 1.2% of our
gross offering proceeds without entering into a new or an
amended advisory agreement, which under our charter would
require the approval of a majority of our independent directors.
We will not reimburse Wells Capital for any organization and
offering expenses from proceeds of sales pursuant to our
distribution reinvestment plan. |
|
(4) |
The asset management fee is based on the actual amount invested
on our behalf in properties, including any incurred or assumed
indebtedness related to the properties, plus, with respect to
joint ventures, the actual amount invested on our behalf in the
joint venture plus our share of capital improvements, if
applicable, made by the joint venture from cash flows generated
by the joint venture, until such time as our advisor has
estimated the value of all interests we hold in properties or
joint ventures for ERISA reporting purposes. After such time,
our asset management fee will be based on |
49
|
|
|
the greater of the amount as calculated above or the aggregate
value of our interest in properties and joint ventures as
established in connection with the most recent estimated
valuation for ERISA fiduciaries. In performing the valuation,
our advisor, or an unaffiliated appraiser chosen by our advisor,
will consider the volume of timber on the timberland when it was
originally acquired, subsequent biological growth of the timber,
any timber losses from harvesting or otherwise, and the market
value of timber then current at the time of the valuation. The
asset management fee is payable, at the election of our advisor,
either in cash or, subject to the ownership limitations in our
charter, in shares of our common stock. If the fee is paid in
shares, the shares will be valued at a price equal to the
average closing price of the shares over the 10 trading days
immediately preceding the date of such election, if the shares
are then listed on a national securities exchange at such time.
If the shares are not listed on a national securities exchange
at such time, then the shares will be valued at a price equal to
the fair market value for the shares on the date of the
advisors election to receive the fee in the form of shares
as determined in good faith by our board of directors, including
a majority of our independent directors. |
|
(5) |
Wells Capital must reimburse us the amount by which our
aggregate annual total operating expenses exceed the greater of
2% of our average invested assets or 25% of our net income
unless a majority of our independent directors has determined
that such excess expenses were justified based on unusual and
nonrecurring factors. Average invested assets means
the average monthly book value of our assets for a specified
period before deducting depreciation, bad debts or other noncash
reserves. Total operating expenses means all costs
and expenses paid or incurred by us, as determined under GAAP,
that are in any way related to our operation, including advisory
fees, but excluding (a) the expenses of raising capital
such as organization and offering expenses, legal, audit,
accounting, underwriting, brokerage, listing, registration and
other fees, printing and other such expenses, and taxes incurred
in connection with the issuance, distribution, transfer,
registration and stock exchange listing of our stock;
(b) interest payments; (c) taxes; (d) noncash
expenditures such as depreciation, amortization and bad debt
reserves; (e) reasonable incentive fees based on the gain
from the sale of our assets; and (f) acquisition fees,
acquisition expenses (including expenses relating to potential
acquisitions that we do not close), real estate disposition fees
on the resale of property and other expenses connected with the
acquisition, disposition, management and ownership of real
estate interests or other property (including the costs of
foreclosure, insurance premiums, legal services, maintenance,
repair and improvement of property). Within 60 days after
the end of any of our fiscal quarters for which total operating
expenses for the 12 months then-ended exceeded the
limitation, we will send to our stockholders a written
disclosure, together with an explanation of the factors the
independent directors considered in arriving at the conclusion
that the excess expenses were justified. |
|
(6) |
Although we are most likely to pay real estate disposition fees
to Wells Capital or an affiliate in the event of our
liquidation, these fees also may be earned during our
operational stage. |
|
(7) |
Upon termination of the advisory agreement without cause, Wells
Capital may be entitled to a similar redemption payment if Wells
Capital would have been entitled to a special unit distribution
of net sales proceeds had the portfolio been liquidated (based
on an independent appraised value of the portfolio) and all
liabilities satisfied on the date of termination. Under our
charter, we could not amend Wells Timber OPs partnership
agreement to increase these success-based payments without the
approval of a majority of our independent directors, and any
increase in the special unit distribution of net sales proceeds
or redemption payments upon listing or termination would have to
be reasonable. Our charter provides that such payments are
presumptively reasonable if the amount does not
exceed 15% of the balance of such net proceeds remaining after
investors have received a return of their net capital
contributions and a 6.0% per year cumulative, noncompounded
return. |
|
(8) |
For purposes of calculating the special unit distribution of net
sales proceeds or the redemption payment due upon listing or
upon termination of the advisory agreement without cause,
average invested capital is, for a specified period, the average
daily amount during such period of (a) the aggregate issue
price of shares purchased by our stockholders, reduced by
(b) any amounts paid to stockholders to redeem shares
pursuant to our share redemption plan. |
50
|
|
(9) |
If at any time our shares become listed on a national securities
exchange, we will negotiate in good faith with Wells Capital a
fee structure appropriate for an entity with a perpetual life. A
majority of our independent directors must approve the new fee
structure negotiated with Wells Capital. In negotiating a new
fee structure, our independent directors must consider all of
the factors these directors deem relevant, including but not
limited to: |
|
|
|
|
|
the size of the advisory fee in relation to the size,
composition and profitability of our portfolio; |
|
|
|
the success of Wells Capital in generating opportunities that
meet our investment objectives; |
|
|
|
the rates charged to other REITs and to investors other than
REITs by advisors performing similar services; |
|
|
|
additional revenues realized by Wells Capital through its
relationship with us; |
|
|
|
the quality and extent of service and advice furnished by Wells
Capital; |
|
|
|
the performance of our investment portfolio, including income,
conservation or appreciation of capital, frequency of problem
investments and competence in dealing with distress
situations; and |
|
|
|
the quality of our portfolio in relationship to the investments
generated by Wells Capital for the account of other clients. |
In the event that we elect to pay the redemption payment due
upon listing in the form of shares of our common stock, the
number of shares to be issued in payment of the fee will be
based on the market value of our outstanding common stock
(defined as the average market value of the shares issued and
outstanding at listing over the 30 trading days beginning
180 days after the shares are first listed). The redemption
payment due upon listing is subject to the limit on total
operating expenses as described in footnote (5). In the event
the special unit redemption payment due upon listing is earned
by Wells Capital, Wells Capital will not be eligible to receive
any further special unit distributions of net sales proceeds or
the special unit redemption payment due upon termination
described in footnote (7). Similarly, in the event the special
unit redemption payment due upon termination is earned by Wells
Capital, Wells Capital will not be eligible to receive any
further special unit distributions of net sales proceeds or the
special unit redemption payment due upon listing.
51
STOCK OWNERSHIP
The following table sets forth the beneficial ownership of our
common stock as of July 31, 2006 (unless otherwise
indicated) by (1) any person who is known by us to be the
beneficial owner of more than 5% of the outstanding shares of
our common stock, (2) our directors, (3) our executive
officers and (4) all of our directors and executive
officers as a group.
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|
|
Shares Beneficially | |
|
|
Owned | |
|
|
| |
Name of Beneficial Owners |
|
Shares | |
|
Percentage | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Wells Capital,
Inc.(1)
|
|
|
20,000 |
|
|
|
100 |
% |
Leo F. Wells, III, President and
Director(1)
|
|
|
20,000 |
|
|
|
100 |
% |
Douglas P. Williams, Executive Vice President, Secretary,
Treasurer and Director
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Randall D. Fretz, Senior Vice President
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Michael P.
McCollum(2)
|
|
|
833 |
|
|
|
4.0 |
% |
E. Nelson
Mills(2)
|
|
|
833 |
|
|
|
4.0 |
% |
Donald S.
Moss(2)
|
|
|
833 |
|
|
|
4.0 |
% |
Willis J. Potts,
Jr.(2)
|
|
|
833 |
|
|
|
4.0 |
% |
All directors and executive officers as a group (7 persons)
|
|
|
23,332 |
|
|
|
100 |
% |
|
|
(1) |
As the sole stockholder of Wells Real Estate Funds, Inc., which
directly or indirectly owns Wells Capital, Inc., Mr. Wells
may be deemed the beneficial owner of the shares held by Wells
Capital, Inc. Wells Capital, Inc. also holds 200 common
units in Wells Timber OP and 100 special units in Wells Timber
OP. |
|
(2) |
Includes shares issuable upon the exercise of options which are
immediately exercisable. |
52
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
We are subject to various conflicts of interest arising out of
our relationship with Wells Capital and its affiliates, some of
whom serve as our officers and directors. We discuss these
conflicts below and conclude this section with a discussion of
the corporate governance measures we adopted to ameliorate some
of the risks posed by these conflicts.
Our Advisors Interests in Other Wells Real Estate
Programs
Wells Capital and its affiliates are general partners and
advisors of other Wells programs, including programs that have
investment objectives similar to ours, and we expect that they
will organize other such partnerships and programs in the
future. None of these programs, however, have invested in
timberland. Wells Capital and such affiliates have legal and
financial obligations with respect to these programs that are
similar to their obligations to us.
Wells Capital and its affiliates have sponsored the following 17
public real estate programs with substantially identical
investment objectives as ours:
|
|
|
1. Wells Real Estate Fund I |
|
|
2. Wells Real Estate Fund II |
|
|
3. Wells Real Estate Fund II-OW |
|
|
4. Wells Real Estate Fund III, L.P. |
|
|
5. Wells Real Estate Fund IV, L.P. |
|
|
6. Wells Real Estate Fund V, L.P. |
|
|
7. Wells Real Estate Fund VI, L.P. |
|
|
8. Wells Real Estate Fund VII, L.P. |
|
|
9. Wells Real Estate Fund VIII, L.P. |
|
|
10. Wells Real Estate Fund IX, L.P. |
|
|
11. Wells Real Estate Fund X, L.P. |
|
|
12. Wells Real Estate Fund XI, L.P. |
|
|
13. Wells Real Estate Fund XII, L.P. |
|
|
14. Wells Real Estate Fund XIII, L.P. |
|
|
15. Wells Real Estate Fund XIV, L.P. |
|
|
16. Wells Real Estate Investment Trust, Inc. |
|
|
17. Wells Real Estate Investment Trust II, Inc. |
|
|
|
Allocation of Advisors Time |
We rely on Wells Capital and its affiliates for the
day-to-day operation of
our business. As a result of its interests in other Wells
programs and the fact that it has also engaged and will continue
to engage in other business activities, Wells Capital and its
affiliates will have conflicts of interest in allocating their
time between us and other Wells programs and activities in which
they are involved. However, Wells Capital believes that it
and its affiliates have sufficient personnel to discharge fully
their responsibilities to all of the Wells programs and ventures
in which they are involved.
Receipt of Fees and Other Compensation by Wells Capital and
its Affiliates
Wells Capital and its affiliates will receive substantial fees
and other payments from us. During the offering stage, a
significant portion of the fees and payments will be payable
directly out of offering proceeds. These compensation
arrangements could influence our advisors advice to us, as
well as the
53
judgment of the affiliates of Wells Capital who serve as our
officers or directors. Among other matters, the compensation
arrangements could affect their judgment with respect to:
|
|
|
|
|
the continuation, renewal or enforcement of our agreements with
Wells Capital and its affiliates, including the advisory
agreement and the dealer-manager agreement; |
|
|
|
public offerings of equity by us, which entitle Wells Investment
Securities to dealer-manager fees and entitle Wells Capital to
increased asset management fees; |
|
|
|
the valuation of our timberland properties, which determines the
amount of the asset management fee payable to Wells Capital and
affects the likelihood of any success-based fees; |
|
|
|
property sales, which entitle Wells Capital to real estate
disposition fees and possible success-based sale fees; |
|
|
|
property acquisitions from other Wells-sponsored programs, which
might entitle Wells Capital to real estate disposition fees and
possible success-based sale fees in connection with its services
for the seller; |
|
|
|
property acquisitions from third parties, which utilize proceeds
from our public offerings, thereby increasing the likelihood of
continued equity offerings and related fee income for Wells
Investment Securities and Wells Capital; |
|
|
|
whether and when we apply to list our common shares on a
national securities exchange, which listing could entitle Wells
Capital to a success-based payment upon the redemption of the
special units of Wells Timber OP that it holds, which
is due upon listing, but also could adversely affect its sales
efforts for other programs depending on the price at which the
shares trade; and |
|
|
|
whether and when we seek to sell our company or our assets,
which sale could entitle Wells Capital to a success-based
distribution on the special units of Wells Timber OP that it
holds, but could also adversely affect its sales efforts for
other programs depending upon the sales price for our company or
our assets. |
Wells Capital, however, has a fiduciary duty to us. If Wells
Capital fails to act in our best interest, it will have violated
its fiduciary duty to us.
The advisory fees paid to Wells Capital will be paid
irrespective of the quality or performance of the investments
acquired or the services provided during the term of the
advisory agreement. See Certain Conflict Resolution
Procedures.
Fiduciary Duties Owed by Some of Our Affiliates to Our
Advisor and Our Advisors Affiliates
Our executive officers and two of our directors, Leo F.
Wells, III and Douglas P. Williams, also are officers and
directors of:
|
|
|
|
|
Wells REIT I and Wells REIT II; |
|
|
|
Wells Capital, our advisor and the general partner of the
various real estate programs sponsored by Wells Capital
(described above); and |
|
|
|
Wells Investment Securities, our dealer-manager. |
In addition, one of our independent directors, Donald S. Moss,
is a director of Wells REIT I and Wells REIT II, and
is also a trustee of Wells Family of Real Estate Funds, a mutual
fund registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended.
As a result, these persons owe fiduciary duties to these various
entities and their stockholders and limited partners, which
fiduciary duties may from time to time conflict with the
fiduciary duties they owe to us. See
ManagementExecutive Officers and Directors.
54
Affiliated Dealer-Manager
Since Wells Investment Securities, our dealer-manager, is an
affiliate of Wells Capital, you will not have the benefit of an
independent due diligence review and investigation of the type
normally performed by an independent underwriter in connection
with the offering of securities. See Plan of
Distribution.
Certain Conflict Resolution Procedures
Our independent directors are empowered to resolve potential
conflicts of interest. Serving on the board of, or owning an
interest in, another Wells-sponsored program will not, by
itself, preclude a person from being named an independent
director. The independent directors, who are authorized to
retain their own legal advisor and financial advisor, are
empowered to act on any matter permitted under Maryland law if
the matter at issue is such that the exercise of independent
judgment by Wells Capital affiliates could reasonably be
compromised. Those
conflict-of-interest
matters that the board cannot delegate to a committee under
Maryland law must be acted upon by both the board of directors
and a majority of our independent directors. Among the matters
we expect our independent directors to act upon are:
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the continuation, renewal or enforcement of our agreements with
Wells Capital and its affiliates, including the advisory
agreement and the dealer-manager agreement; |
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public offerings of securities; |
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transactions with affiliates; |
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compensation of our officers and directors who are affiliated
with our advisor; |
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whether and when we apply to list our shares of common stock on
a national securities exchange; and |
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whether and when we seek to sell the company or its assets. |
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Other Charter Provisions Relating to Conflicts of
Interest |
In addition to providing for our independent directors to act
together to resolve potential conflicts, our charter contains
many other restrictions relating to conflicts of interest
including the following:
Advisor Compensation. The independent directors evaluate
at least annually whether the compensation that we contract to
pay to Wells Capital and its affiliates is reasonable in
relation to the nature and quality of services performed and
that such compensation is within the limits prescribed by our
charter. The independent directors supervise the performance of
Wells Capital and its affiliates to determine that the
provisions of our compensation arrangements are being carried
out, and whether or not to increase or decrease the amount of
compensation payable to Wells Capital. The independent directors
base their evaluation of Wells Capital on the factors set forth
below as well as any other factors that they deem relevant:
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the amount of the fees paid to Wells Capital and its affiliates
in relation to the size, composition and performance of our
investments; |
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the success of Wells Capital in generating appropriate
investment opportunities; |
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the rates charged to other REITs and others by advisors
performing similar services; |
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additional revenues realized by Wells Capital and its affiliates
through their relationship with us, including whether we pay
them or they are paid by others with whom we do business; |
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the quality and extent of service and advice furnished by Wells
Capital and its affiliates; |
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the performance of our investment portfolio; and |
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the quality of our portfolio relative to the investments
generated by Wells Capital for its own account and for its other
clients. |
We can pay Wells Capital only a real estate disposition fee in
connection with the sale of a property if it provides a
substantial amount of the services in the effort to sell the
property. If Wells Capital does provide substantial assistance,
we will pay it or its affiliates an amount as determined by our
board of directors, including a majority of our independent
directors, to be appropriate based on market norms and not to
exceed (i) for any property sold at a price of
$20.0 million or less, 2% of the contract price of the
property sold and (ii) for any property sold at a price
greater than $20.0 million, 1% of the contract price of the
property sold. However, in no event may the aggregate real
estate disposition fees paid to Wells Capital, its affiliates
and unaffiliated third parties exceed 6% of the contract sales
price.
Term of Advisory Agreement. Each contract for the
services of our advisor may not exceed one year, although there
is no limit on the number of times that the contract with a
particular advisor may be renewed. Either a majority of our
independent directors or our advisor may terminate our advisory
agreement with Wells Capital without cause or penalty on
60 days written notice. In the event our advisory
agreement with Wells Capital is terminated and a successor
advisor is appointed, our board of directors must determine that
the successor advisor possesses sufficient qualifications to
perform the services described in the advisory agreement and
that the compensation we will pay to the successor advisor will
be reasonable in relation to the services provided. For
information regarding the redemption payment that may be payable
by Wells Timber OP to our advisor upon termination of the
advisory agreement in connection with the redemption of special
units held by our advisor, see note (7) to the compensation
table under Management Compensation.
Our Acquisitions, Dispositions and Leases. We will not
purchase or lease properties in which Wells Capital, our
directors or officers or any of their affiliates have an
interest without a determination by a majority of our
independent directors that such transaction is fair and
reasonable to us and at a price to us no greater than the cost
of the property to the affiliated seller or lessor unless there
is substantial justification for the excess amount. In no event
will we acquire any such property at an amount in excess of its
current appraised value as determined by an independent expert
selected by our independent directors not otherwise interested
in the transaction. In addition, we will not sell or lease
properties to Wells Capital, our directors or officers or any of
their affiliates unless a majority of our independent directors
determine that the transaction is fair and reasonable to us.
Other Transactions Involving Affiliates. A majority of
our independent directors must conclude that all other
transactions, including joint ventures, between us and Wells
Capital, our officers or directors or any of their affiliates
are fair and reasonable to us and on terms and conditions not
less favorable to us than those available from unaffiliated
third parties.
No Limitation on Other Business Activities. Our charter
does not prohibit Wells Capital, our directors or officers or
any of their affiliates from engaging, directly or indirectly,
in any other business or from owning interests in any other
business ventures, including business ventures involved in the
acquisition, ownership, management, or sale of timberland or
other types of properties.
Limitation on Operating Expenses. Wells Capital must
reimburse us the amount by which our aggregate annual total
operating expenses exceed the greater of 2% of our average
invested assets or 25% of our net income unless our independent
directors have determined that such excess expenses were
justified based on unusual and nonrecurring factors. Within
60 days after the end of any of our fiscal quarters for
which total operating expenses for the 12 months then-ended
exceeded the limitation, we will send to our stockholders a
written disclosure, together with an explanation of the factors
the independent directors considered in arriving at the
conclusion that the excess expenses were justified.
Average invested assets means the average monthly
book value of our assets for a specified period before deducting
depreciation, bad debts or other noncash reserves. Total
operating expenses means all costs and expenses paid or
incurred by us, as determined under GAAP, that are in any way
related to our operation, including advisory fees, but excluding
(a) the expenses of raising capital such as organization
and offering expenses, legal, audit, accounting, underwriting,
brokerage, listing, registration and other fees, printing and
other such
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expenses and taxes incurred in connection with the issuance,
distribution, transfer, registration and stock exchange listing
of our stock; (b) interest payments; (c) taxes;
(d) noncash expenditures such as depreciation, amortization
and bad debt reserves; (e) reasonable incentive fees based
on the gain from the sale of our assets; and
(f) acquisition fees, acquisition expenses, real estate
disposition fees on the resale of property and other expenses
connected with the acquisition, disposition, management and
ownership of real estate interests or other property (including
the costs of foreclosure, insurance premiums, legal services,
maintenance, repair and improvement of property).
Issuance of Options and Warrants to Certain Affiliates.
Our charter prohibits the issuance of options or warrants to
purchase our capital stock to Wells Capital, our directors or
officers or any of their affiliates (a) on terms more
favorable than we offer such options or warrants to the general
public or (b) in excess of an amount equal to 10% of our
outstanding capital stock on the date of grant.
Repurchase of Our Shares. Our charter prohibits us from
paying a fee to Wells Capital or our directors or officers or
any of their affiliates in connection with our repurchase of our
capital stock.
Loans. We will not make any loans to Wells Capital or to
our directors or officers or any of their affiliates. In
addition, we will not borrow from these affiliates unless a
majority of our independent directors approve the transaction as
being fair, competitive and commercially reasonable, and no less
favorable to us than comparable loans between unaffiliated
parties. These restrictions on loans will apply only to advances
of cash that are commonly viewed as loans, as determined by the
board of directors. By way of example only, the prohibition on
loans would not restrict advances of cash for legal expenses or
other costs incurred as a result of any legal action for which
indemnification is being sought, nor would the prohibition limit
our ability to advance reimbursable expenses incurred by
directors or officers or Wells Capital or its affiliates.
Reports to Stockholders. Our charter requires that we
prepare an annual report and deliver it to our stockholders
within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year. Among
the matters that must be included in the annual report are:
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the ratio of the costs of raising capital during the year to the
capital raised; |
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the aggregate amount of advisory fees and the aggregate amount
of other fees paid to Wells Capital and any affiliate of Wells
Capital by us or third parties doing business with us during the
year; |
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our total operating expenses for the year, stated as a
percentage of our average invested assets and as a percentage of
our net income; |
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a report from our independent directors that our policies are in
the best interests of our stockholders and the basis for such
determination; and |
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separately stated, full disclosure of all material terms,
factors and circumstances surrounding any and all transactions
involving us and our advisor, a director or any affiliate
thereof during the year, including commentary by our independent
directors following the independent directors examination
of these matters regarding the fairness of the transactions. |
Voting of Shares Owned by Affiliates. Before becoming a
stockholder, Wells Capital or a director or officer or any of
their affiliates must agree not to vote their shares regarding
(i) the removal of any of these affiliates or (ii) any
transaction between them and us.
Ratification of Charter Provisions. Our board of
directors, including a majority of our independent directors,
has reviewed and ratified our charter by the vote of a majority
of their respective members, as required by our charter.
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Allocation of Investment Opportunities |
When Wells Capital presents an investment opportunity to a
Wells-sponsored program, it will offer the opportunity to the
program for which the investment opportunity is most suitable.
This determination is made by Wells Capital. However, our
advisory agreement with Wells Capital requires that Wells Capital
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make this determination in a manner that is fair without
favoring any other Wells-sponsored program. In determining the
Wells-sponsored program for which an investment opportunity
would be most suitable, Wells Capital will consider the
following factors:
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the investment objectives and criteria of each program; |
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the cash requirements of each program; |
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the effect of the acquisition both on diversification of each
programs investments by type of property and geographic
area and, if applicable, on diversification of the lessees of
its properties; |
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the policy of each program relating to leverage of properties; |
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the anticipated cash flow of each program; |
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the income tax effects of the purchase on each program; |
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the size of the investment; and |
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the amount of funds available to each program and the length of
time such funds have been available for investment. |
Since our company is the only Wells program to date formed for
the purpose of investing primarily in timberland, we do not
expect that Wells Capital will face substantial conflicts in
allocating investment opportunities that are suitable for us,
among us and other Wells programs, at least until such time, if
ever, as another Wells program is formed for the purpose of
investing in timberland. In the event that an investment
opportunity becomes available that is equally suitable for us
and one or more other Wells programs, then Wells Capital
will offer the investment opportunity to the entity that has had
the longest period of time elapsed since it was offered an
investment opportunity. If a subsequent event or development,
such as a delay in the closing of a property or a delay in the
construction of a property, causes any such investment, in the
opinion of Wells Capital, to be more appropriate for another
Wells program, Wells Capital may offer the investment to another
Wells program.
Our advisory agreement with Wells Capital requires that Wells
Capital periodically inform our independent directors of the
investment opportunities it has offered to other Wells programs
so that the independent directors can evaluate whether we are
receiving our fair share of opportunities. Wells Capital is to
inform our independent directors of such investment
opportunities quarterly. Wells Capitals success in
generating investment opportunities for us and its fair
allocation of opportunities among Wells programs are important
criteria in our independent directors determination to
continue or renew our arrangements with Wells Capital and its
affiliates. Our independent directors have a duty to ensure that
Wells Capital fairly applies its method for allocating
investment opportunities among the Wells-sponsored programs.
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INDUSTRY OVERVIEW
General
The timber industry provides raw material and conducts resource
management activities for the paper and forest products
industry, including the planting, fertilizing, thinning, and
cutting of trees and the marketing of logs. Logs are marketed
and sold either as saw logs to lumber and other wood products
manufacturers or as pulp logs to pulp and paper manufacturers.
The timber industry possesses several unique characteristics
that distinguish it from the broader paper and forest products
industry, which we believe make timber an attractive asset
class, including the following:
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Renewable Resource. Timber is a growing and renewable
resource that, if properly managed, increases in value as it
grows and regenerates over time. Larger-diameter trees are more
valuable than smaller trees because they may be converted to
higher-value end-use products such as lumber and plywood. |
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Predictable and Improving Growth Rates. Predictable
biological growth is an attractive feature of timberland assets
because it contributes to predictable, long-term harvest
planning. The development and application of intensive forest
management practices continue to improve biological growth rates. |
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Harvest Flexibility. Timberland owners have flexibility
to increase their harvests when prices are high and decrease
their harvests when prices are low, allowing timberland owners
to maximize the long-term value of their growing resource base. |
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Historical Real Price Appreciation. Historically, real
prices for timber have exhibited positive annual growth rates.
Due to growing demand combined with limitations on supply caused
by environmental restrictions, urban sprawl, international
demand and overcutting, prices for Douglas fir and southern
yellow pine timber have exhibited a compound annual growth rate
of approximately 4% and 3.1% from 1975 through 2001. Real prices
for timber generally increase with increases in the Consumer
Price Index, and tend to be correlated over the long term with
lumber prices, the largest end-use for timber. |
Supply and Demand Dynamics
There are five primary end-markets for most of the timber
harvested in the United States:
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products used in new housing construction; |
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products used in the repair and remodeling of existing housing; |
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products for industrial uses; |
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raw material for the manufacture of pulp and paper; and |
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logs for export. |
Supply. The supply of timber is limited, to some extent,
by the availability of timberland. The availability of
timberland, in turn, is limited by several factors, including
government restrictions, alternate uses such as agriculture, and
loss to urban or suburban real estate development. The large
amounts of capital and time required to create new timberlands
also limits timber supply.
Tree growth rates vary from region to region because of
differences in weather, climate and soil conditions.
Consequently, the development of new timberlands in the United
States is not commonplace. Instead, it is more cost-effective to
convert existing natural growth stands to forestry plantations
by applying modern forestry techniques to efficiently increase
tree growth and harvest levels.
Demand. The demand for timber is directly related to the
underlying demand for pulp, paper, lumber, panel and other
forest products. The demand for pulp and paper is largely driven
by population growth and per-capita income levels. The demand
for lumber and manufactured wood products is primarily affected
by the level of new residential construction activity and repair
and remodeling activity, which, in turn, is impacted by changes
in general economic and demographic factors, including interest
rates for home mortgages and construction loans.
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Stages of Biological Growth
The fact that forests can be acquired at different ages and in
different regions, provides us with the opportunity to build a
well-diversified, attractive risk-adjusted return portfolio.
New Forestry. New forestry is the process of planting
trees following the harvest of mature growth, through the use of
genetically improved seedlings, to create fast-growing timber
stands. New forestry also may emerge after harvesting hardwood
stands but selectively leaving mature trees to naturally re-seed
the surrounding areas.
Emerging Growth. The primary definition of emerging
growth is a forest that has not yet reached merchantability, but
is in a period during which its biological growth rate is
fastest. However, what constitutes a merchantable
tree is a function of local timber markets. The variety of tree
species, market requirements and the different growth regions
affect when trees become merchantable. During the emerging
growth stage, liquidity is very limited because the timber has
no immediate commercial value.
Established Growth. Emerging-growth forests transition
into established growth when they first become merchantable.
Thinning operations, which entail the removal of trees to
provide for more rapid growth of the remaining trees, often
occurs during this stage and produces some revenue for the owner
of the timberland. Generally, the smallest merchantable trees
are sold for pulpwood, which is used to make paper, and has the
lowest value per-unit volume. Near the midpoint of the
established growth stage, biological growth begins to slow, but
trees start to become large enough to be sold for higher-value
small saw timber grades. As the forest gets older it becomes
increasingly liquid because even though the
biological growth rate begins to slow, the rate of value growth,
as described below, increases. With increasing liquidity,
timberland owners may achieve greater return potential and
moderate volatility.
Mature Growth. When a forest enters the mature-growth
stage, the rate of biological growth slows further and
contributes little added value. During this stage, however,
trees reach a size where they become merchantable for the
highest-value, large saw timber grades. Mature timberland
possesses the most valuable end-use potential; it also commands
the highest per-unit prices with the greatest level of
liquidity. Therefore, the investment value of mature growth
timberland is predominantly a function of the price of lumber.
Prime Growth. Prime growth is a special case of mature
growth and is not found in all market areas, so mature growth
may be the last growth stage reached in those areas. Prime
growth differs from mature growth in that it is capable of
producing unusually valuable niche products. Prime
growth also tends to have lower volatility than mature growth
for two reasons. First, its value as a niche product means its
linkage to the construction market is weaker. Second, since by
definition it produces a unique product, demand tends to be
steady.
Biological Growth Compared to Value Growth
Biological growth and value growth are the primary drivers of
timber investment returns. Biological growth, as described
above, is simply the natural growth rates and cycles of any
living organism. Like all living things, timbers rate of
biological growth decreases over time. However, while the
biological rate of growth slows as timber matures, the timber
continues to steadily produce additional amounts of wood fiber
until it is fully mature.
Value growth is a function of biomass multiplied by price, at
any given time in the life cycle of timber. Value growth in
timber is driven by the increase in value per ton as the timber
mix moves from lower-priced pulpwood to higher-priced saw
timber. Value growth begins as timber reaches merchantability
(pulpwood) and constantly increases as timber becomes
suitable for saw timber. As timber reaches maturity (pulpwood to
saw timber), the growth in value of the wood fiber starts to
exceed the biological (physical or volume) growth rate. In other
words, as trees reach specific market threshold diameters, their
per-ton value goes up much faster than the biological growth
rate. The investment value of established growth timberland
progressively becomes more a function of price for end products
and less a function of biological growth.
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We believe that the biological growth inherent in timber creates
a natural hedge against periods of low pricing. During periods
of depressed prices, our advisor can decide to reduce the amount
of timber we sell until the market prices rebound. While timber
is subject to destruction from disease, catastrophe and other
causes, unlike other farm commodities, timber for the most part
is nonperishable and becomes more valuable on a per-unit basis
over time.
Market Opportunity
We believe the following favorable market conditions and trends
in the timber industry create a significant opportunity for
independent timber investment companies:
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Restructuring of the Forest and Paper Products Industry.
There is currently a significant restructuring of the forest and
paper products industry propelled by the capital-intensive
requirements of certain manufacturing processes and the need to
more efficiently deploy capital resources. We believe that a
substantial part of this trend results from forest and paper
products companies seeking to sell their timberland holdings in
order to strengthen deteriorating balance sheets damaged by both
the weak economy and by debt-financed acquisitions. These
integrated companies appear to be focusing their capital
resources on their core operations in an attempt to increase
operational flexibility. While these integrated companies have
historically owned their own timberland and manufacturing
operations, we believe they, along with other millers and
manufacturers, are now embracing a strategy of purchasing timber
as needed from third-party owners whom they believe will provide
them with an uninterrupted supply of high-quality timber. As a
result, we believe the opportunity exists for an independent
company to become the supplier of choice for many forest and
paper products companies seeking reliable long-term partners to
supply the timber used in their manufacturing operations. |
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Highly Fragmented Market. The majority of timberland in
the United States is owned by private individuals, and no single
timberland owner owns more than 3% of the identified timberland.
We believe that owners of a small number of tracts of timberland
as well as those with diverse operations cannot fully benefit
from the economies of scale that are available to owners of a
large number of tracts of timberland who exclusively focus on
active timberland management. We believe that if this offering
is successful, we will be well-positioned to acquire a large
number of tracts of timberland and benefit from the
corresponding economies of scale. |
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Advances in Forest Management Techniques. Advances in
forest management and techniques for growing and tending of
trees in recent years have markedly improved the ability to
grow, harvest and regenerate high-quality timber. While many
owners of timberland have passively grown timber with the goal
of realizing a favorable return on their investment, application
of advanced forest management techniques by experienced
personnel is a necessary part of realizing the highest possible
returns on timberland. |
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Timber and Timberland Prices. Historically, timber prices
have increased over the long term. However, timber prices have
declined over the short term relative to long-term levels, and
since the price of timberland correlates closely with prices for
timber, we believe this creates a timberland buying opportunity. |
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Demand for Higher and Better Use Land. Land values are
related to local supply-and-demand conditions, and vary from
market to market. Historically, demand for recreational land,
land for commercial and residential development, and land for
conservation has increased over the long term. We expect that
this demand will continue to increase over the long term,
creating opportunities to sell timberland having a higher and
better use at attractive prices relative to its long-term value
as timberland. |
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BUSINESS AND POLICIES
Our Business
We intend to generate our revenue and income primarily by
selling to third parties the right to access our land and
harvest our timber primarily pursuant to supply agreements and
through open market sales. We also anticipate generating revenue
and income from selling timberland considered by third parties
to have a higher and better use, leasing land-use rights
(hunting, fishing, etc.), permitting others to extract natural
resources other than timber and permitting pine straw
collection. We also may invest in entities that own timberland
and purchase other types of real estate investments.
We have observed a trend among integrated forest and paper
products companies to restructure their operations and divest
themselves of significant portions of their timberland holdings
in an attempt to strengthen their financial position and more
effectively deploy capital to their core operations. In
addition, while timberland management benefits from economies of
scale, timberland ownership is generally highly fragmented
outside the integrated forest and paper products industry,
resulting in operational inefficiencies. As a timberland
investment company that is independent from integrated forest
and paper products companies, we believe that we will be able to
acquire large tracts of timberland, utilize experienced timber
managers, benefit from economies of scale and establish
ourselves as a preferred provider of timber to numerous timber
end-users.
Investment Objectives
Our primary investment objectives are:
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to provide current income for you through the payment of cash
distributions; |
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to preserve and return your capital contribution; and |
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to realize capital appreciation upon the ultimate sale of our
assets. |
Investment Strategy
We intend to invest primarily in timberland properties located
in the timber-producing regions of the United States, which
include the states in the Appalachian, Great Lakes,
Northeastern, Northwestern and Southeastern regions. We also
plan to invest, to a lesser extent, in timber-producing regions
outside the United States. Generally, we will hold fee title or
a long-term leasehold estate in the properties we acquire.
Wells Capital will strive to diversify our portfolio by maturity
of the growth stages of the forest. In order to achieve our
income objective, the timberland portfolio may, at least
initially, be weighted heavily toward more mature forests with a
smaller weighting to younger forests. The portfolio also will be
diversified geographically, by timber species, by
hardwood/softwood and by milling submarket. We are not limited
as to the geographic area where we may conduct our operations,
and we currently intend to seek to invest in properties located
in each of the timber-producing regions of the United States. We
may also invest, to a lesser extent, in properties located in
international timber-producing regions such as Canada and
certain South American countries. We will strive to diversify
our portfolio so that following the investment of the net
proceeds raised during our offering stage, no more than 30% of
the fair market value of the assets in our portfolio will be
represented by investments outside the United States. We
currently anticipate that the actual amount invested outside the
United States will not exceed 20% of the fair market value of
the portfolio we acquire with the net proceeds raised during our
offering stage.
Our portfolio investment strategy includes:
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identifying prospective timberland acquisitions that provide
geographic, species and age diversity to our portfolio
consistent with strong and sustainable projected cash flows; |
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applying sophisticated financial analysis to timberland
investments; |
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educating forest and paper products companies as to our ability
to become a preferred partner for dispositions and a reliable
source for their future inventory needs; |
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acquiring timberland in timber milling markets that are
competitive and well developed; |
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using targeted levels of leverage to increase our ability to
acquire our timberland portfolio and enhance our return on
equity (higher amounts during our initial portfolio acquisition
phase and
low-to-moderate levels
thereafter); |
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targeting opportunities for a seller to divest property in a
tax-efficient manner by receiving units of limited partnership
interest in our operating partnership in exchange for their
property, giving the sellers the ability to defer some or all of
the taxes otherwise payable upon sale; and |
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maintaining the flexibility to invest in any other type of
property that our board of directors deems appropriate and
desirable in order to satisfy our investment objectives. |
Other Possible Investments
Although we expect that most of our property acquisitions will
be of the type described above, we may make other investments.
For example, we may purchase saw mills, warehouse and
distribution facilities, manufacturing facilities, undeveloped
land, options to purchase a particular property or other
properties that are complementary to our timberland investments.
In fact, we may make any investments that our board of directors
deems appropriate and consistent with our status as a REIT.
Moreover, we are not limited in the number or size of properties
we may acquire or as to the percentage of net proceeds of this
offering that we may invest in a single property.
Our charter limits our ability to make certain types of
investments. Unless our charter is amended, we will not:
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invest in commodities or commodity futures contracts, except for
futures contracts used solely for the purpose of hedging in
connection with our ordinary business of investing in real
estate assets and mortgages; |
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invest in real estate contracts of sale, otherwise known as land
sale contracts, unless the contract is in recordable form and is
appropriately recorded in the chain of title; or |
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invest in equity securities unless a majority of our independent
directors approves such investment as being fair, competitive
and commercially reasonable. |
In addition, we do not intend to underwrite securities of other
issuers or to operate in such a manner as to be classified as an
investment company for purposes of the Investment
Company Act.
Investment Decisions
Wells Capital will have substantial discretion with respect to
the selection of specific investments and the purchase and sale
of our properties, subject to the approval of our board of
directors. The consideration for each investment must be
authorized by majority of our directors or a duly authorized
committee of our board, ordinarily based on the fair market
value of the investment. If the majority of our independent
directors or a duly authorized committee of our board so
determines, or if the investment is to be acquired from an
affiliate, the fair market value determination will be supported
by an appraisal obtained from a qualified, independent appraiser
selected by a majority of our independent directors.
In pursuing our investment objectives and making investment
decisions for us, Wells Capital may consider the recommendation
of a timber manager and will review all supporting documentation
provided in connection with the proposed acquisition, including
the following:
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relevant real estate property and financial factors; |
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the creditworthiness of parties to any harvesting contracts; |
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supply contracts and leases related to the property; |
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the location of the property; |
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suitability for any development contemplated or in progress; |
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the propertys income-producing capacity and potential for
future sale as a higher and better use property; |
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prospects for long-range appreciation; and |
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liquidity and tax considerations. |
Moreover, to the extent feasible, Wells Capital will strive to
invest for us in a diversified portfolio of properties based on
the growth stage of trees, species of tree and geography,
although the number and mix of properties we acquire will
largely depend upon real estate and market conditions and other
circumstances existing at the time we are acquiring our
properties and the amount of proceeds we raise in this offering.
To find properties that best meet our selection criteria for
investment, Wells Capital will study regional growing conditions
and timberland market conditions and interview local forest
managers to gain the practical knowledge. Environmental
engineers will inspect properties for environmental soundness to
ensure that each property meets our environmental
specifications. Wells Capital may also engage timber managers to
assist it in its evaluation of timberland properties.
Operational Strategy
We intend to maximize the return generated from our timberland
properties by implementing the following operating strategies,
among others:
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strategically using various sales methods that generate
qualifying income for purposes of maintaining our REIT status
and to maximize the value of harvesting, achieve stable cash
flows and mitigate local market risks; |
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implementing advanced forest management and silviculture
practices to maximize the growth and value of timber stands,
including the utilization of genetically improved seedlings,
forest management practices such as thinning and fertilization,
and the conversion of natural forests to actively managed
timberland; |
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closely monitoring and taking advantage of local timber market
price fluctuations; |
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benefiting from other sources of value, including leasing
land-use rights, and permitting others to extract natural
resources other than timber. |
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taking advantage of profit opportunities for property sales
where the market for the property has shifted to a higher and
better use; and |
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capitalizing on the experience and extensive relationships of
our board of directors in the integrated forest and paper
products industry. |
In general, timberland investing is not a highly
capital-intensive investment. However, in order to maximize the
return on our timber, we may expend significant working capital
on soil preparation and re-planting; biometric research; genetic
research; fertilization; thinning; weed suppression; fire
mitigation; and maintenance of timber roads, bridges and gates.
The practice of thinning enables healthier trees to grow more
rapidly. As trees grow larger and add wood volume, they become
more valuable since they can be used in higher-value
applications such as high-grade lumber, plywood, and furniture.
The early and mid-rotation applications of fertilizers and
chemicals to control plant competition also increase forest
productivity. We intend to practice environmentally responsible
timberland management, which may include the following:
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providing for the post-harvesting regeneration of timber; |
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taking steps to protect the timberland from fire, infestation,
disease and pollution; and |
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maintaining the biological diversity of the timberland and
bodies of water found in or adjacent to the timberland. |
Our Higher and Better Use Land Sales
We will continually review our timberland portfolio to identify
properties to sell that may have higher and better uses than as
commercial timberland. Higher and better use land sales are
sales of timberland that are effected after a determination that
the property would be more valuable if sold for use other than
as timberland. Our ongoing review process will evaluate
properties based on a number of factors, such as proximity to
population centers and major transportation routes and the
presence of special ecological features. We also may
occasionally exchange timberlands that have high environmental
or other public values for lands of equal value that are more
suitable for commercial timber management, and, from time to
time, sell less strategic timberlands.
Joint Venture Investments
In order to diversify our portfolio of assets, we may enter into
joint ventures, partnerships,
co-tenancies and other
co-ownership arrangements or participations with other
timberland investors for the purpose of owning and managing
timberland. In determining whether to invest in a particular
joint venture, Wells Capital will evaluate the timberland
property that the joint venture owns or is being formed to own
under the same criteria described elsewhere in this prospectus
for the selection of our real estate property investments. We
may enter into joint ventures only with other Wells programs if
our independent directors approve the transaction as being fair
and reasonable to us.
Our policy is to invest in joint ventures only when we will have
a right of first refusal to purchase the co-venturers
interest in the joint venture if the co-venturer elects to sell
such interest. In the event that the co-venturer elects to sell
property held in any such joint venture, however, we may not
have sufficient funds to exercise our right of first refusal to
buy the other co-venturers interest in the property held
by the joint venture. In the event that any joint venture with
an affiliated entity holds interests in more than one property,
the interest in each such property may be specially allocated
based upon the respective proportion of funds invested by each
co-venturer in each such property.
Borrowing Policies
We may borrow funds to make investments and we intend to do so
as necessary to facilitate their purchase, subject to certain
limitations described below. By operating on a leveraged basis,
we expect that we will have more funds available for
investments. This will generally allow us to make more
investments than would otherwise be possible, potentially
resulting in enhanced investment returns and a more diversified
portfolio. However, our use of leverage increases the risk of
default on loan payments and the resulting foreclosure on a
particular property. In addition, lenders may have recourse to
assets other than those specifically securing the repayment of
the indebtedness.
We intend to employ greater amounts of leverage during the
initial phase of this offering in order to enable us to purchase
properties more quickly and therefore generate distributions for
our investors sooner. Following this initial phase, we intend to
use subsequent proceeds raised in this offering to significantly
reduce our overall leverage. Our policies do not limit the
amount we may borrow with respect to any individual property. We
currently anticipate that after we have raised at least
$500 million of gross offering proceeds, our overall
leverage will not exceed 30% of the fair market value of our
assets.
Under our charter, we have a limitation on borrowing that
precludes us from borrowing in excess of 300% of the value of
our net assets, which we refer to as our net assets limitation.
Net assets for purposes of this calculation is defined to be our
total assets (other than intangibles), valued at cost prior to
deducting depreciation, reserves for bad debts and other noncash
reserves, less total liabilities, calculated quarterly by us on
a basis consistently applied. Our net assets limitation is
generally expected to limit our
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borrowing to approximately 75% of the cost of our properties
before noncash reserves and depreciation. However, we may
temporarily borrow in excess of our net assets limitation if
such excess is approved by a majority of our independent
directors and disclosed to stockholders in our next quarterly
report, along with an explanation for such excess.
Our advisor will use its best efforts to obtain financing on the
most favorable terms available to us and will seek to refinance
properties during the term of a loan only in limited
circumstances, such as when a decline in interest rates makes it
beneficial to prepay an existing loan, when an existing loan
matures, or if an attractive investment becomes available and
the proceeds from the refinancing can be used to purchase such
investment. The benefits of any such refinancing may include an
increased cash flow resulting from reduced debt service
requirements, an increase in distributions from proceeds of the
refinancing and an increase in diversification and assets owned
if all or a portion of the refinancing proceeds are reinvested.
Disposition Policies
We intend to hold each property we acquire for an extended
period. However, circumstances might arise that could result in
the early sale of some properties. For example, we may sell
properties that are perceived to have a higher and better use
than commercial timberland. See Our Higher and Better Use
Land Sales above. We expect our board of directors to make
the determination with respect to whether we should sell or
dispose of a particular property based on its determination that
the sale of the property would be in the best interest of our
stockholders.
The determination of whether a particular property should be
sold or otherwise disposed of before the end of the expected
holding period for the property will be made after consideration
of relevant factors (including prevailing economic conditions,
the performance or projected performance and appreciation of the
property) with a view to achieving maximum capital appreciation.
We cannot assure you that this objective will be realized.
We may reinvest the proceeds of property sales in investments
that we believe are consistent with our investment objectives.
See Investment Objectives above.
Investment Limitations
Our charter places numerous limitations on us with respect to
the manner in which we may invest our funds or issue securities.
These limitations cannot be changed unless our charter is
amended, which requires approval of our stockholders. Until our
shares are listed, unless our charter is amended, we will not:
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borrow in excess of our net assets limitation (described in
Borrowing Policies above), which is generally
expected to approximate 75% of the cost of our properties before
noncash reserves and depreciation, unless approved by a majority
of our independent directors; |
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make investments in unimproved property or mortgage loans on
unimproved property in excess of 10% of our total assets; |
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make or invest in mortgage loans unless an appraisal is obtained
concerning the underlying property, except for those mortgage
loans insured or guaranteed by a government or government agency; |
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make or invest in mortgage loans on any one property if the
aggregate amount of all mortgage loans on such property would
exceed an amount equal to 85% of the appraised value of such
property as determined by an appraisal, unless substantial
justification exists for exceeding such limit because of the
presence of other underwriting criteria; |
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invest in equity securities unless a majority of our independent
directors approves such investment as being fair, competitive
and commercially reasonable; |
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invest in real estate contracts of sale, otherwise known as land
sale contracts, unless the contract is in recordable form and is
appropriately recorded in the chain of title; |
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invest in commodities or commodity futures contracts, except for
futures contracts used solely for the purpose of hedging in
connection with our ordinary business of investing in real
estate assets and mortgages; |
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issue equity securities on a deferred payment basis or other
similar arrangement; |
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issue debt securities in the absence of adequate cash flow to
cover debt service; |
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issue equity securities redeemable solely at the option of the
holder, which restriction has no effect on our share redemption
plan or the ability of our operating partnership to issue
redeemable partnership interests; |
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issue options or warrants to Wells Capital, our directors, our
sponsor, or any of their affiliates except on the same terms as
such options or warrants are sold to the general public; |
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pay acquisition fees and acquisition expenses which aggregate in
excess of 6% of the contract purchase price of any investment in
real property, or, in the case of a mortgage, 6% of the funds
advanced, unless a majority of our directors (including a
majority of our independent directors) not otherwise interested
in the transaction approve fees and expenses in excess of this
limit following a determination that the transaction is
commercially competitive, fair and reasonable to us; or |
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make any investment that we believe will be inconsistent with
our objectives of qualifying and remaining qualified as a REIT,
unless our board of directors determines that REIT qualification
is not in our best interest. |
In addition, our charter includes many other investment
limitations in connection with
conflict-of-interest
transactions, which limitations are described above under
Conflicts of Interest. Our charter also includes
restrictions on roll-up
transactions, which are described under Description of
Shares below.
Changes in Investment Objectives and Limitations
Our charter requires that the independent directors review our
investment policies at least annually to determine that the
policies we are following are in the best interests of our
stockholders. Each determination and the basis therefor are
required to be set forth in the minutes of the meetings of our
directors and in an annual report delivered to our stockholders.
The methods of implementing our investment policies also may
vary as new investment techniques are developed. The methods of
implementing our investment objectives and policies, except as
otherwise provided in our organizational documents, may be
altered by a majority of our directors, including a majority of
the independent directors, without the approval of the
stockholders. Our investment objectives themselves and the other
investment policies and limitations specifically set forth in
our charter, however, may only be amended by a vote of the
stockholders holding a majority of our outstanding shares.
Issuing Securities for Property
Subject to limitations contained in our charter and other
organizational documents, we may issue, or cause to be issued,
shares of our stock or limited partnership units in Wells Timber
OP in any manner (and on such terms and for such consideration)
in exchange for property. The Issuer does not intend that shares
issued in exchange for property will be registered as part of
this offering but may be registered at a future date. Existing
stockholders have no preemptive rights to purchase shares or
limited partnership units in any such offering, and any such
offering might cause a dilution of a stockholders initial
investment.
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Acquisitions of Our Common Stock
We have authority to purchase or otherwise reacquire our shares
of our common stock or any of our other securities. We have no
present intention of repurchasing any of our shares except
pursuant to our share redemption plan, and we would only take
such action in conformity with applicable federal and state laws
and the requirements for qualifying as a REIT under the Internal
Revenue Code.
Liquidity Event
We presently intend to effect a transaction that will provide
liquidity to all of our holders of common stock within five to
seven years from the completion of our offering stage, which we
will view as complete upon the termination of our last public
equity offering prior to the listing of our shares on a national
securities exchange. However, there can be no assurance that we
will effect such a liquidity event within this period or at all.
Our board of directors expects to make a preliminary
determination regarding when to pursue our liquidity event and
the type of transaction to pursue no later than five years after
the termination of our offering stage. We expect that our
liquidity event will be, but it is not limited to, one of the
following types of transactions:
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listing our common stock on a national securities
exchange; or |
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a sale or merger of our company in a transaction that provides
our stockholders with cash and/or securities of a publicly
traded company. |
In making the decision as to which exit strategy to pursue, our
board of directors will try to determine which transaction would
result in greater long-term value for our stockholders. We
cannot determine at this time the circumstances, if any, under
which our board of directors will determine to list our shares.
However, if we do not list our shares of common stock on a
national securities exchange by August 11, 2018
(10 years from the currently anticipated date of completion
of our offering stage), our charter requires that we either:
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seek stockholder approval of an extension or amendment of this
listing deadline; or |
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commence an orderly liquidation. |
If our shares are not listed before August 11, 2018, we are
under no obligation to actually sell our portfolio within a
specified time period since the precise timing will depend upon
real estate and financial markets, economic conditions of the
areas in which the properties are located, and U.S. federal
income tax effects on stockholders, which may be applicable in
the future. Furthermore, we cannot assure you that we will be
able to liquidate our assets, and it should be noted that we
will continue in existence until all of our assets are
liquidated.
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PLAN OF OPERATION
General
As of the date of this prospectus, we have not commenced
operations. After the minimum subscription of $2 million is
achieved, subscription proceeds will be released to us (except
for subscriptions from Pennsylvania investors see
Plan of Distribution Special Notice to
Pennsylvania Investors) and applied to investments in
properties and other assets and the payment or reimbursement of
selling commissions and other organization and offering
expenses. See Estimated Use of Proceeds. We will
experience a relative increase in liquidity as additional
subscriptions for shares are received and a relative decrease in
liquidity as net offering proceeds are expended in connection
with the acquisition, development and operation of properties.
We have not entered into any arrangements to acquire any
specific properties with the net proceeds from this offering.
The number of properties we may acquire will depend upon the
number of shares sold and the resulting amount of the net
proceeds available for investment in properties. If we do not
raise substantially more than the minimum threshold of
$2 million, our ability to purchase properties will be
negatively affected and we would most likely be unable to
purchase a portfolio of timberland that is diversified
geographically and by species of tree. We would likely also need
to utilize a significant amount of leverage in order to make
investments, conduct our operations and pay distributions to our
investors. See Risk Factors Risks Related to
Investing in this Offering If we are unable to raise
substantial funds we will be limited in the number and type of
investments we may make, and the value of your investment in us
will fluctuate with the performance of the specific properties
we acquire.
We are not aware of any material trends or uncertainties,
favorable or unfavorable, other than national economic
conditions affecting investments in timberland and real estate
generally, that may be reasonably anticipated to have a material
impact on either capital resources or the revenues or income to
be derived from the acquisition and operation of the properties
we intend to acquire, other than those referred to in this
prospectus.
Our advisor also may, but is not required to, establish reserves
from gross offering proceeds, out of cash flow generated by
operating properties or out of nonliquidating net sales proceeds
from the sale of our properties. Working capital reserves are
typically utilized for nonoperating expenses. Alternatively, a
lender may require its own formula for escrow of working capital
reserves.
The net proceeds of this offering will provide funds to enable
us to purchase properties. In addition, we intend to borrow
funds to purchase properties. We may acquire some properties
free and clear of permanent mortgage indebtedness by paying the
entire purchase price of each property in cash or for equity
securities, or a combination thereof. We also may selectively
encumber all or certain properties following acquisition, if
favorable financing terms are available. The proceeds from such
loans will be used to acquire additional properties or increase
cash flow. In the event that this offering is not fully sold,
our ability to diversify our investments may be diminished.
We intend to make an election under Section 856(c) of the
Internal Revenue Code to be taxed as a REIT under the Internal
Revenue Code, beginning with the taxable year ending
December 31, 2006. If we qualify as a REIT for federal
income tax purposes, we generally will not be subject to federal
income tax on income that we distribute to our stockholders. If
we fail to qualify as a REIT in any taxable year, we will be
subject to federal income tax on our taxable income at regular
corporate rates and may not be permitted to qualify for
treatment as a REIT for federal income tax purposes for four
years following the year in which our qualification is denied.
Such an event could materially and adversely affect our net
income. However, we believe that we are organized and operate in
a manner that will enable us to qualify for treatment as a REIT
for federal income tax purposes during the year ending
December 31, 2006, and we intend to continue to operate so
as to remain qualified as a REIT for federal income tax purposes.
We will monitor the various qualification tests that we must
meet to maintain our status as a REIT. Ownership of our shares
will be monitored to ensure that no more than 50% in value of
our outstanding
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shares is owned, directly or indirectly, by five or fewer
individuals at any time after the first taxable year for which
we make an election to be taxed as a REIT. We will also
determine, on a quarterly basis, that the gross income, asset
and distribution tests as described in the section of this
prospectus entitled Federal Income Tax
Considerations Requirements for Qualification
are met.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Our principal demands for funds will be for property
acquisitions, either directly or through investment interests,
for the payment of operating expenses and distributions, and for
the payment of interest on our outstanding indebtedness.
Generally, cash needs for items other than property acquisitions
will be met from operations, and cash needs for property
acquisitions will be funded by public offerings of our shares
and debt. However, there may be a delay between the sale of our
shares and our purchase of properties, which could result in a
delay in the benefits to our stockholders, if any, of returns
generated from our investment operations. In an attempt to avoid
this delay, we have been in discussions with potential lenders
to arrange a bridge financing facility. Our advisor will
evaluate potential property acquisitions and engage in
negotiations with sellers and lenders on our behalf. After a
purchase contract is executed that contains specific terms, the
property will not be purchased until the successful completion
of due diligence, which includes review of the title insurance
commitment, an appraisal and an environmental analysis. In some
instances, the proposed acquisition will require the negotiation
of final binding agreements, which may include financing
documents. During this period, we may decide to temporarily
invest any unused proceeds from the offering in certain
investments that could yield lower returns than the properties.
These lower returns may affect our ability to make distributions.
Potential future sources of capital include proceeds from
secured or unsecured financings from banks or other lenders,
proceeds from the sale of properties and undistributed funds
from operations. If necessary, we may use financings or other
sources of capital in the event of unforeseen significant
capital expenditures. Other than the potential bridge facility,
we have not identified sources of such financing currently.
Our charter does not limit us from incurring debt until our
aggregate debt would exceed 300% of our net assets (generally
expected to approximate 75% of the cost of our assets before
noncash reserves and depreciation), though we may exceed this
limit if the excess is approved by a majority of our independent
directors and disclosed to stockholders in our next quarterly
report, along with an explanation for the excess. High debt
levels would cause us to incur higher interest charges, would
result in higher debt service payments, and could be accompanied
by restrictive covenants. These factors could limit the amount
of cash we have available to distribute and could result in a
decline in the value of your investment.
Results of Operations
As of the date of this prospectus, we have commenced no
significant operations because we are in our organizational and
development stage. No operations will commence until we have
raised at least $2 million of gross offering proceeds from
the sale of shares of our common stock to the public in this
offering. Our management is not aware of any material trends or
uncertainties, other than national economic conditions affecting
real estate generally, that may reasonably be expected to have a
material impact, favorable or unfavorable, on revenues or income
from the acquisition and operations of real properties, other
than those referred to in this prospectus.
Inflation
The price of timber has generally increased with increases in
inflation.
Critical Accounting Policies
Our accounting policies have been established to conform with
GAAP. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with
GAAP requires management to use judgment in the application of
accounting policies, including making estimates and assumptions.
These judgments affect the reported
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amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent
assets and liabilities at the dates of the financial statements
and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the
reporting periods. If managements judgment or
interpretation of the facts and circumstances relating to
various transactions had been different, it is possible that
different accounting policies would have been applied or
different amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses
would have been recorded, thus resulting in a different
presentation of the financial statements or different amounts
reported in the financial statements. Additionally, other
companies may utilize different estimates that may impact
comparability of our results of operations to those of companies
in similar businesses.
Below is a discussion of the accounting policies that management
considers to be critical, once we commence operations, since
they may require complex judgment in their application or
require estimates about matters that are inherently uncertain.
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Merchantable inventory and depletion costs as determined
by forestry timber harvest models |
Significant assumptions and estimates are used in the recording
of timberland inventory cost and depletion. Merchantable
standing timber inventory will be estimated annually, using
industry-standard computer software. The inventory calculation
will take into account growth, in-growth (annual transfer of
oldest pre-merchantable age class into the merchantable
inventory), timberland sales and the annual harvest.
The age at which timber is considered merchantable will be
reviewed periodically and updated for changing harvest
practices, future harvest age profiles and biological growth
factors. An annual depletion rate will be established by
dividing merchantable inventory book cost by standing
merchantable inventory. Pre-merchantable records will be
maintained for each planted year age class, recording acres
planted, stems per acre, and costs of planting and tending.
Changes in the assumptions and/or estimations used in these
calculations may affect our results, in particular, timber
inventory and depletion costs. Factors that can impact timber
volume include weather changes, losses due to natural causes,
differences in actual versus estimated growth rates and changes
in the age when timber is considered merchantable.
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Impairment of Long-Lived Assets |
We evaluate our ability to recover our net investment in
long-lived assets in accordance with Statement of Financial
Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 144, Accounting for
the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets.
SFAS No. 144 requires recognition of an impairment
loss in connection with long-lived assets used in a business
when the carrying value (net book value) of such assets exceeds
the estimated future undiscounted cash flows attributable to
such assets over their expected useful life. Impairment losses
are measured by the extent to which the carrying value of a
group of assets exceeds the fair value of such assets at a given
point in time. When the fair values of the assets are not
available, we estimate the fair values by using the discounted
expected future cash flows attributable to the assets. The cash
flows are discounted at the risk-free rates of interest. Future
cash flow estimates are based on probability-weighted
projections for a range of possible outcomes. Furthermore,
SFAS No. 144 requires recognition of an impairment
loss in connection with long-lived assets held for sale when the
carrying value of such assets exceeds an amount equal to their
fair value less selling costs.
Our assets are tested for impairment whenever events or changes
in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the assets
may not be recoverable through future operations.
SFAS No. 144 requires that long-lived assets be
grouped and evaluated for impairment at the lowest level for
which there are independent cash flows, as discussed below.
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(1) Timber and Timberlands Used in Our Business.
SFAS No. 144 provides that for assets used in a
business, an impairment loss is recorded only when the carrying
value of such assets is not recoverable through future
operations. The recoverability test is based on undiscounted
future cash flows over the expected life of the assets. We
intend to use one harvest cycle for evaluating the
recoverability of our timber and timberlands. |
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(2) Timber and Timberlands Held for Sale.
SFAS No. 144 provides that an impairment loss is
recognized for long-lived assets held for sale when the carrying
value of such asset exceeds an amount equal to its fair value
less selling costs. An asset is generally considered to be held
for sale when we have committed to plan to sell the asset, the
asset is available for immediate sale in its present condition,
we have initiated an active program to locate a buyer, and the
sale is expected to close within one year. |
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Realizability of both recorded and unrecorded tax assets
and liabilities |
To realize tax benefits associated with our status as a REIT
will require extensive tax planning and in many cases will
depend upon events in the future and our strategy in structuring
transactional terms and conditions. As a result, the effective
tax rate and amount of taxes paid during various fiscal periods
may vary greatly.
As a REIT, if certain requirements are met, only the taxable
REIT subsidiaries will be subject to corporate income taxes.
Revenue from the sale of timber is recognized when the following
criteria are met: (1) persuasive evidence of an agreement
exists, (2) delivery has occurred, (3) our price to
the buyer is fixed and determinable, and (4) collectibility
is reasonably assured.
Real estate sales of timberland will be recorded when title
passes and full payment or a minimum down payment, generally
defined as 25.0% of the gross sale price, is received and full
collectibility is assured. If a down payment of less than the
minimum down payment is received at closing, we will record
revenue based on the installment method.
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PRIOR PERFORMANCE SUMMARY
The information presented in this section represents the
historical experience of real estate programs managed by Wells
Capital, our advisor, and its affiliates in the last
10 years. Investors should not assume that they will
experience returns, if any, comparable to those experienced by
investors in such prior Wells real estate programs.
The Prior Performance Tables contained in this prospectus,
beginning on page F-14, set forth information as of the dates
indicated regarding certain of these Wells public programs as
to: (1) experience in raising and investing funds (Table
I); (2) compensation to sponsor (Table II);
(3) annual operating results of prior programs
(Table III); and (4) sales or disposals of properties
(Table V).
Prior Public Programs
Our advisor, Wells Capital, has served as a general partner of a
total of 15 completed publicly offered real estate limited
partnerships, seven of which completed their public offerings in
the last 10 years. These seven limited partnerships and the
year in which each of their offerings was completed are:
1. Wells Real Estate Fund VIII, L.P. (1996)
2. Wells Real Estate Fund IX, L.P. (1996)
3. Wells Real Estate Fund X, L.P. (1997)
4. Wells Real Estate Fund XI, L.P. (1998)
5. Wells Real Estate Fund XII, L.P. (2001)
6. Wells Real Estate Fund XIII, L.P. (2003)
7. Wells Real Estate Fund XIV, L.P. (2005)
Wells Capital and its affiliates have also sponsored two real
estate investment trusts prior to this offering. Wells Real
Estate Investment Trust, Inc., which we refer to as Wells
REIT I, has completed four public offerings of shares of
its common stock and Wells Real Estate Investment Trust II,
Inc., which we refer to as Wells REIT II, has completed one
public offering of shares of its common stock and commenced a
second public offering of its shares on November 10, 2005.
Wells Capital and its affiliates have previously sponsored the
above-described limited partnerships and REITs on an unspecified
property or blind pool basis. As of
December 31, 2005, the total amount of funds raised from
investors in these seven completed real estate limited
partnership offerings, the completed offerings for Wells REIT I
and the ongoing Wells REIT II offering was approximately
$7.3 billion, and the total number of investors in such
programs was approximately 196,000. The investment objectives of
each of these Wells programs are substantially identical to our
investment objectives of (1) providing current income
through the payment of cash distributions, (2) preserving
and returning your capital contributions and (3) realizing
capital appreciation upon the ultimate sale of our assets.
However, none of these prior programs have invested in
timberland. We cannot assure you that any of the Wells public
programs will ultimately be successful in meeting their
investment objectives. For more information regarding the
operating results of Wells-sponsored public programs, see
Table III beginning on page F-19 of this prospectus.
As provided in Table III, cash distributions to investors
are characterized as either operating cash flow or
return of capital. In general, return of
capital distributions include net proceeds received from
the sale, exchange or other disposition of real estate assets.
During 2005, certain of the Wells public programs, including
Wells Real Estate Fund XII, L.P., Wells Real Estate
Fund XIII, L.P. and Wells REIT I, sold
27 properties in a portfolio sale, which generated net
proceeds of approximately $781.3 million. Substantially all
of the net sales proceeds from this disposition were
subsequently distributed to investors in the form of
return of capital distributions.
73
Operating distributions exceeded cash generated from operations
during 2005 by approximately $15.1 million for Wells
REIT I and by approximately $4.2 million for Wells
REIT II, primarily due to differences in the timing of cash
receipts and cash payments for operations. Such excess was
funded from undistributed prior period net cash flow provided by
operations.
As of December 31, 2005, these Wells-sponsored public
programs had acquired 181 properties. The table below gives
further information about these properties by region.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Properties Purchased | |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
As a Percentage | |
|
|
|
|
of Aggregate | |
Location |
|
Number | |
|
Purchase Price | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Southeast
|
|
|
31 |
|
|
|
10 |
% |
Mideast
|
|
|
27 |
|
|
|
19 |
|
Northeast
|
|
|
23 |
|
|
|
18 |
|
Mountain
|
|
|
16 |
|
|
|
4 |
|
Southwest
|
|
|
22 |
|
|
|
9 |
|
West North Central
|
|
|
7 |
|
|
|
4 |
|
East North Central
|
|
|
33 |
|
|
|
24 |
|
Pacific
|
|
|
22 |
|
|
|
12 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
181 |
|
|
|
100 |
% |
As of December 31, 2005, the aggregate dollar amount of the
acquisition and development costs of the 181 properties
purchased by these Wells-sponsored public programs was
approximately $7.8 billion. Of the aggregate amount, 100%
was spent on commercial property, with approximately 99.9% spent
on acquiring or developing office or industrial buildings, and
approximately 0.1% spent on acquiring or developing shopping
centers. Of the aggregate amount, approximately 97.3% was spent
on acquired properties and 2.7% on properties under construction
or constructed by the programs. Of the aggregate amount,
approximately 40.9% were single-tenant office or industrial
buildings and 59.1% were multi-tenant office or industrial
buildings.
Following is a table showing a breakdown of the aggregate amount
of the acquisition and development costs of the properties
purchased by these nine Wells public programs as of
December 31, 2005:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Type of Property |
|
Existing | |
|
Construction | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Office and Industrial Buildings
|
|
|
96.8 |
% |
|
|
2.6 |
% |
Shopping Centers
|
|
|
0.5 |
|
|
|
0.1 |
|
From the inception of the first Wells public program through
December 31, 2005, the Wells public programs had sold
53 properties and one outparcel of land.
All of the properties purchased in which a Wells public
partnership owned any interest were purchased without borrowing
any additional funds. However, certain properties acquired by
Wells REIT I and Wells REIT II were subject to
existing mortgages, and in connection with each of these
acquisitions Wells REIT I and Wells REIT II,
respectively, assumed its share of the debt. Table VI contained
in Part II of the registration statement, of which this
prospectus is a part, gives additional information relating to
properties acquired by the Wells public programs, including
applicable mortgage financing on properties purchased.
In addition to the real estate programs sponsored by our advisor
discussed above, our advisor is also sponsoring an index mutual
fund that invests in various REIT stocks and is known as the
Wells S&P REIT Index Fund. The Wells S&P REIT Index Fund
is a mutual fund that seeks to provide investment results
corresponding to the performance of the S&P REIT Index by
investing in the REIT stocks included in the S&P REIT Index.
The Wells S&P REIT Index Fund began its offering on
January 12,
74
1998, and as of December 31, 2005, the fund had raised
approximately $562.7 million in offering proceeds from
approximately 19,000 investors.
Prior Private Programs
In addition to the public real estate programs sponsored by our
advisor and its affiliates described above, Wells has sponsored
a total of 10 private real estate programs. Wells Development
Corporation, an affiliate of Wells Capital, sponsors private
placements for a series of limited liability companies pursuant
to a Section 1031 exchange program. As of December 31,
2005, there have been nine such offerings, which raised a total
of approximately $131 million from approximately
188 investors. The investment objectives of each of these
Wells private programs are substantially identical to our
investment objectives, although none of these prior private
programs have invested in timberland. We cannot assure you that
any of the Wells private programs will ultimately be successful
in meeting their investment objectives.
As of December 31, 2005, the 10 Wells-sponsored private
programs had acquired an aggregate of nine properties. The table
below gives further information about these properties.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Properties Purchased | |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
As a Percentage of | |
|
|
|
|
Aggregate | |
Location |
|
Number | |
|
Purchase Price | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Southeast
|
|
|
3 |
|
|
|
31 |
% |
Mideast
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Northeast
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mountain
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
14 |
|
Southwest
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
9 |
|
West North Central
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
15 |
|
East North Central
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
18 |
|
Pacific
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
13 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
9 |
|
|
|
100 |
% |
As of December 31, 2005, the aggregate dollar amount of the
acquisition and development costs of the nine properties
purchased by these Wells-sponsored private programs was
approximately $155 million. Of the aggregate amount, 100%
was spent on commercial property, all of which was spent on
acquiring or developing office or industrial buildings. Of the
aggregate amount, 100% was spent on acquired properties. Of the
aggregate amount, approximately 90% were single-tenant office or
industrial buildings and 10% were multi-tenant office or
industrial buildings.
From the inception of the first Wells private program through
December 31, 2005, none of the Wells private programs have
sold any properties.
Wells Management, Inc., an affiliate of Wells Capital, is
sponsoring a private placement of limited liability company
interests in Wells Mid-Horizon Value-Added Fund I, LLC
(Wells Mid-Horizon Fund). On September 15, 2005, an
offering of up to 150,000 shares of investor member
interests in Well Mid-Horizon Fund commenced in a private
placement to accredited investors. Subscribers for investor
member interests will be admitted to Wells Mid-Horizon Fund upon
the receipt and acceptance of gross offering proceeds of
$10,000,000. Wells Mid-Horizon Fund was formed to invest
primarily in commercial office and industrial real estate
properties that provide opportunities to enhance their value
through development, operations, re-leasing, property
improvements or other means. As of December 31, 2005, Wells
Mid-Horizon Fund had received approximately $800,000 in proceeds
from 12 investors, which is included in the statistics above. As
of December 31, 2005, Well Mid-Horizon Fund had not
acquired any properties.
75
Adverse Business Developments or Conditions
Wells-sponsored programs have occasionally been adversely
affected by the cyclical nature of the real estate market. Some
Wells programs invested funds in properties at the high end of a
real estate cycle, resulting in sales of such properties for
less than their purchase price. In the past, Wells programs have
only sold properties for less than their purchase price in order
to maximize the overall return to investors when one or more of
the following factors was present:
|
|
|
|
|
market conditions caused an ongoing deterioration of a
propertys value and the sale price of the property, though
lower than the purchase price, was the highest price reasonably
expected; |
|
|
|
costs required to re-lease a property to levels that would allow
for a sales price greater than the original purchase price would
exceed the benefit of the higher sales price; and |
|
|
|
the costs savings at the liquidation of a portfolio by selling a
property as a part of a portfolio sale at lower than the
propertys purchase price outweighs costs that would be
incurred in order to sell that property individually at greater
than purchase price. |
The following four properties have been sold by the Wells
programs for less than their original purchase prices:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date of Sale |
|
Property Name |
|
Purchase Price | |
|
Gross Sale Price | |
|
Wells Program Owners |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
October 1, 2001
|
|
Cherokee Commons |
|
$ |
8,907,596 |
|
|
$ |
8,660,000 |
|
|
Wells Real Estate Fund I |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wells Real Estate Fund II |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wells Real Estate Fund II-OW |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wells Real Estate Fund VI, L.P. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wells Real Estate Fund VII, L.P. |
September 30, 2002
|
|
Greenville Center |
|
$ |
3,820,520 |
|
|
$ |
2,400,000 |
|
|
Wells Real Estate Fund III, L.P. |
September 11, 2003
|
|
Cort Furniture |
|
$ |
6,566,430 |
|
|
$ |
5,770,000 |
|
|
Wells Real Estate Fund X, L.P. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wells Real Estate Fund XI, L.P. |
April 29, 2004
|
|
Stockbridge Village II |
|
$ |
2,945,262 |
|
|
$ |
2,740,385 |
|
|
Wells Real Estate Fund V, L.P. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wells Real Estate Fund VI, L.P. |
Sales of properties at less than the purchase price could
adversely affect the value of an investment in a Wells program.
In addition, some Wells public programs have owned properties
that have experienced long periods of time when no tenants were
paying rent. This reduction in revenues resulted in less cash
from operations available for distribution to investors.
However, such occurrences have been sporadic. For more
information regarding the operating results of Wells-sponsored
public programs, see Table III beginning on page
F-19 of this prospectus.
Summary of Recent Acquisitions by Wells Prior Programs
During 2003, 2004 and 2005, Wells-sponsored programs acquired
95 properties, for which the property type, location and
method of financing are summarized below.
Property Type
|
|
|
|
|
|
Office
|
|
|
88 |
|
Distribution
|
|
|
3 |
|
Warehouse
|
|
|
1 |
|
Hotel
|
|
|
1 |
|
Mixed use
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
95 |
|
Method of Financing
|
|
|
|
|
|
All cash
|
|
|
73 |
|
All debt
|
|
|
|
|
Combination of cash and debt
|
|
|
22 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
95 |
|
76
Location
|
|
|
|
|
|
Southeast
|
|
|
12 |
|
Mideast
|
|
|
16 |
|
Northeast
|
|
|
15 |
|
Mountain
|
|
|
2 |
|
Southwest
|
|
|
6 |
|
West North Central
|
|
|
4 |
|
East North Central
|
|
|
23 |
|
Pacific
|
|
|
17 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
95 |
|
Additional Information
Potential investors are encouraged to examine the Prior
Performance Tables in this prospectus beginning on page
F-14 for more detailed
information regarding the prior experience of Wells Capital and
its affiliates. In addition, upon request, prospective investors
may obtain from Wells Capital without charge copies of offering
materials and any reports prepared in connection with any of the
Wells public programs, including a copy of the most recent
Annual Report on
Form 10-K filed
with the SEC. For a reasonable fee, we also will furnish upon
request copies of the exhibits to any such
Form 10-K. Any
such request should be directed to Wells Capital. Additionally,
Table VI contained in Part II of our registration
statement, of which this prospectus is a part, gives certain
additional information relating to properties acquired by the
Wells public programs. We will furnish, without charge, copies
of such table upon request.
77
FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS
The following summary describes the material federal income tax
considerations to us and our stockholders relating to this
registration statement and the treatment of us as a REIT. The
summary is not intended to represent a detailed description of
the federal income tax consequences applicable to a particular
stockholder in view of such stockholders particular
circumstances, nor is it intended to represent a detailed
description of the federal income tax consequences applicable to
certain types of stockholders subject to special treatment under
the federal income tax laws (such as insurance companies,
financial institutions, broker/ dealers and, except to the
extent discussed below, tax-exempt organizations and
non-U.S. persons).
This summary does not address state, local or
non-U.S. tax
considerations. Also, this summary deals only with our
stockholders who hold common stock as capital assets
within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Internal Revenue
Code.
We base the information in this section on the current Code,
current, temporary and proposed Treasury regulations, the
legislative history of the Internal Revenue Code, current
administrative interpretations of the Internal Revenue Service
(IRS), including its practices and policies as endorsed in
private letter rulings, which are not binding on the IRS, and
existing court decisions. Future legislation, regulations,
administrative interpretations and court decisions could change
current law or adversely affect existing interpretations of
current law. Any change could apply retroactively. We have not
obtained any rulings from the IRS concerning the tax treatment
of the matters discussed below. Thus, it is possible that the
IRS could challenge the statements in this discussion, which do
not bind the IRS or the courts, and that a court could agree
with the IRS.
Each investor is advised to consult his or her own tax
advisor regarding the tax consequences to him or her of the
purchase, ownership and sale of the offered stock, including the
federal, state, local,
non-U.S. and other
tax consequences of such purchase, ownership or sale and of
potential changes in applicable tax laws.
Federal Income Taxation of the Company
We intend to elect to be taxed as a REIT under the Internal
Revenue Code effective for the taxable year ending
December 31, 2006. We believe that beginning with that
taxable year we will be organized and will operate in such a
manner as to qualify for taxation as a REIT under the Internal
Revenue Code, and we intend to continue to operate in such
manner. We can provide no assurance, however, that we will
operate in a manner so as to qualify or remain qualified as a
REIT.
The sections of the Internal Revenue Code relating to
qualification and operation as a REIT are highly technical and
complex. The following discussion sets forth the material
aspects of the Internal Revenue Code sections that govern the
federal income tax treatment of a REIT and its stockholders.
This summary is qualified in its entirety by the applicable Code
provisions, relevant rules and regulations, and administrative
and judicial interpretations of Code provisions and regulations.
We have not requested a ruling from the IRS with respect to any
issues relating to our qualification as a REIT. Therefore, we
can provide no assurance that the IRS will not challenge our
REIT status.
Alston & Bird LLP is acting as tax counsel to us in
connection with this offering. Alston & Bird LLP has
rendered an opinion to us that, commencing with our taxable year
ending December 31, 2006, we will be organized in
conformity with the requirements for qualification and taxation
as a REIT and our proposed method of operation will allow us to
meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT
under the Internal Revenue Code. Alston & Bird
LLPs opinion is based largely on our representations with
respect to factual matters concerning our business operations
and our properties. Alston & Bird LLP has not
independently verified these facts. In addition, our
qualification as a REIT depends, among other things, upon our
meeting the various qualification tests imposed by the Internal
Revenue Code discussed below, including through annual operating
results, asset diversification, distribution levels and
diversity of stock ownership each year. Accordingly, because our
satisfaction of such requirements will depend upon future
events, including the final determination of our financial and
78
operational results, we can give you no assurance that we will
satisfy the REIT requirements on a continuing basis.
If we qualify as a REIT, we generally will not be subject to
federal income tax on the income that we distribute to our
stockholders each year. To the extent that we are not subject to
income tax on the income we distribute, we will avoid
double taxation, or taxation at both the corporate
and stockholder levels, which generally results from owning
stock in a corporation. However, we will be subject to federal
tax in the following circumstances:
|
|
|
|
|
We will be taxed at regular corporate rates on our undistributed
REIT taxable income, including undistributed net capital gains. |
|
|
|
We may elect to retain and pay income tax on our net long-term
capital gain. In that case, a U.S. stockholder would be
taxed on its proportionate share of our undistributed long-term
capital gain (to the extent that we make a timely designation of
such gains to our stockholders) and would receive a credit or
refund for its proportionate share of the tax we paid. |
|
|
|
We may be subject to the alternative minimum tax on
our items of tax preference. |
|
|
|
We will be subject to tax at the highest corporate income tax
rate on net income from foreclosure property
(generally property we acquire through foreclosure or after
default on a loan secured by the property or a lease of the
property) held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary
course of business and other nonqualifying income from
foreclosure property. |
|
|
|
We will be subject to a 100% tax on any net income from
prohibited transactions (which are, in general, certain sales or
other dispositions of property, other than foreclosure property,
that is held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary
course of business). |
|
|
|
If we fail to satisfy either the 75% gross income test or the
95% gross income test (discussed below) but have nonetheless
maintained our qualification as a REIT because we have met
certain other requirements, we will be subject to a 100% tax on
the net income attributable to the greater of (a) the
amount by which we fail the 75% gross income test or
(b) the amount by which we fail the 95% gross income test,
in either case multiplied by a fraction intended to reflect our
profitability. |
|
|
|
If we (1) fail to satisfy the REIT asset tests (discussed
below) and continue to qualify as a REIT because we meet certain
other requirements, we will have to pay a tax equal to the
greater of $50,000 or the highest corporate income tax rate
multiplied by the net income generated by the nonqualifying
assets during the period of time we failed to satisfy the asset
tests or (2) if we fail to satisfy REIT requirements other
than the gross income tests and the asset tests and continue to
qualify as a REIT because we meet other requirements, we will
have to pay $50,000 for each other failure. |
|
|
|
If we fail to distribute each year at least the sum of: |
|
|
|
(1) 85% of our REIT ordinary income for such year; |
|
|
(2) 95% of our REIT capital gain net income for such
year; and |
|
|
(3) any undistributed taxable income from prior periods, |
|
|
|
we will be subject to a 4% excise tax on the excess of the
required distribution over the sum of (a) the amounts
actually distributed and (b) retained amounts on which we
pay income tax at the corporate level. |
|
|
|
|
|
If we acquire assets from a corporation generally subject to
full corporate-level tax in a merger or other transaction in
which our initial basis in the assets is determined by reference
to the transferor corporations basis in the assets, the
fair market value of the assets acquired in any such transaction
exceeds the aggregate basis of such assets, and we subsequently
recognize gain on the disposition of any such asset during the
10-year period
beginning on the date on which we acquired the asset, |
79
|
|
|
|
|
then we generally will be subject to tax at the highest regular
corporate income tax rate on the lesser of the amount of gain
that we recognize at the time of the sale or disposition and the
amount of gain that we would have recognized if we had sold the
asset at the time we acquired the asset, which is referred to as
the Built-In Gain Rules. |
|
|
|
We will be subject to a 100% tax on transactions with our
taxable REIT subsidiaries if such transactions are
not at arms length. |
Requirements for Qualification
To qualify as a REIT, we must elect to be treated as a REIT and
must meet the requirements, discussed below, relating to our
organization, sources of income, the nature of assets and amount
of distributions.
|
|
|
Organizational Requirements |
The Internal Revenue Code defines a REIT as a corporation, trust
or association that:
|
|
|
(1) is managed by one or more trustees or directors; |
|
|
(2) uses transferable shares or transferable certificates
to evidence beneficial ownership; |
|
|
(3) would be taxable as a domestic corporation but for
Sections 856 through 860 of the Internal Revenue Code; |
|
|
(4) is neither a financial institution nor an insurance
company within the meaning of the applicable provisions of the
Internal Revenue Code; |
|
|
(5) has at least 100 persons as beneficial owners; |
|
|
(6) during the last half of each taxable year, not more
than 50% of the value of its outstanding stock is owned,
directly or indirectly, by five or fewer
individuals, as defined in the Internal Revenue Code
to include certain entities; |
|
|
(7) files an election or continues such election to be
taxed as a REIT on its return for each taxable year; and |
|
|
(8) meets other tests described below, including with
respect to the nature of its assets and income and the amount of
its distributions. |
The Internal Revenue Code provides that conditions
(1) through (4) must be met during the entire taxable
year and that condition (5) must be met during at least
335 days of a taxable year of 12 months or during a
proportionate part of a taxable year of less than
12 months. For purposes of condition (6), an
individual generally includes a supplemental
unemployment compensation benefit plan, a private foundation or
a portion of a trust permanently set aside or used exclusively
for charitable purposes but does not include a qualified pension
plan or profit-sharing trust. We believe that we are issuing in
this offering sufficient common stock with sufficient diversity
of ownership to satisfy conditions (5) and (6). Our charter
currently includes certain restrictions regarding the transfer
of our common stock, which are intended to assist us in
continuing to satisfy conditions (5) and (6). If we comply
with all the requirements for ascertaining the ownership of our
outstanding stock in a taxable year and have no reason to know
that we have violated condition (6), we will be deemed to have
satisfied condition (6) for that taxable year.
In addition, a corporation generally may not elect to become a
REIT unless its taxable year is the calendar year. We satisfy
this requirement.
If a REIT owns a corporate subsidiary that is a qualified
REIT subsidiary, the separate existence of that subsidiary
will be disregarded for federal income tax purposes. Generally,
a qualified REIT subsidiary is a corporation, other than a
taxable REIT subsidiary, all of the capital stock of which is
owned by the REIT. All assets, liabilities and items of income,
deduction and credit of the qualified REIT subsidiary
80
will be treated as assets, liabilities and items of income,
deduction and credit of the REIT itself. Thus, in applying the
requirements described herein, any qualified REIT subsidiary
that we own will be ignored for federal income tax purposes and
all assets, liabilities and items of income, deduction and
credit of such subsidiary will be treated as our assets,
liabilities and items of income, deduction and credit, although
the subsidiary may be subject to state and local income tax in
some states. Unincorporated domestic entities that are wholly
owned by a REIT, including single-member limited liability
companies, also are generally disregarded as separate entities
for federal income tax purposes, including for purposes of the
REIT income and asset tests.
A REIT is also permitted to own up to 100% of the stock of one
or more taxable REIT subsidiaries. The subsidiary
and the REIT must jointly elect to treat the subsidiary as a
taxable REIT subsidiary. In addition, if a taxable REIT
subsidiary owns, directly or indirectly, securities representing
35% or more of the vote or value of a subsidiary corporation,
that subsidiary will automatically be treated as a taxable REIT
subsidiary of the parent REIT. A taxable REIT subsidiary is
subject to federal income tax, and state and local income taxes
where applicable, as a regular C corporation.
Generally, a taxable REIT subsidiary may earn income that would
not be qualifying income under the REIT income tests if earned
directly by the parent REIT. We intend to conduct through one or
more taxable REIT subsidiaries, certain activities that will
produce nonqualifying income for the gross income tests or may
be subject to the prohibited transaction tax, such as the sale
of higher and better use properties. However, several provisions
regarding the arrangements between a REIT and its taxable REIT
subsidiary ensure that the taxable REIT subsidiary will be
subject to an appropriate level of federal income tax. For
example, the Internal Revenue Code limits the ability of a
taxable REIT subsidiary to deduct interest payments in excess of
a certain amount made to its parent REIT. In addition, the
Internal Revenue Code imposes a 100% tax on transactions between
a taxable REIT subsidiary and its parent REIT or the REITs
lessees that are not conducted on an arms-length basis.
Moreover, the value of securities of taxable REIT subsidiaries
held by the REIT cannot be worth more than 20% of the
REITs total asset value.
In the case of a REIT that is a partner in a partnership, the
REIT will be deemed to own its proportionate share (based on its
capital interest in the partnership and any debt securities
issued by such partnership held by the REIT) of the assets of
the partnership and will be deemed to be entitled to the income
of the partnership attributable to such share. The character of
the assets and gross income of the partnership retain the same
character in the hands of the REIT. Thus, our proportionate
share of the assets, liabilities and items of income of Wells
Timber OP will be treated as our assets, liabilities and items
of income for purposes of applying and meeting the various REIT
requirements. In addition, Wells Timber OPs
proportionate share of the assets, liabilities and items of
income with respect to any partnership (including any limited
liability company treated as a partnership) in which it holds an
interest would be considered assets, liabilities and items of
income of Wells Timber OP for purposes of applying and meeting
the various REIT requirements.
To maintain qualification as a REIT, we must meet two gross
income requirements annually. First, we must derive directly or
indirectly at least 75% of our gross income (excluding gross
income from prohibited transactions) from investments relating
to real property, including investments in other REITs or
mortgages on real property (including rents from real
property and, in certain circumstances, interest), and, as
discussed below, income from certain temporary investments.
Second, we must derive at least 95% of our gross income
(excluding gross income from prohibited transactions) from the
real property investments described in the preceding sentence as
well as from dividends, interest or gain from the sale or
disposition of stock or securities (or from any combination of
the foregoing).
Prior to investing amounts received from the issuance of our
stock and certain securities in real property assets, we may
invest in liquid assets such as government securities or
certificates of deposit, but earnings from those types of assets
are qualifying income under the 75% gross income test only for
one
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year from the receipt of proceeds. Accordingly, to the extent
that we have not invested the offering proceeds in properties
prior to the expiration of this one-year period, in order to
satisfy the 75% gross income test, we may invest the offering
proceeds in less liquid investments approved by our board of
directors such as certain mortgages and mortgage pass-throughs
or shares in other REITs. We intend to trace offering proceeds
received for purposes of determining the one-year period for
new capital investments. The IRS has not issued any
rulings or regulations under the provisions of the Internal
Revenue Code governing new capital investments, so
there can be no assurance that the IRS will agree with this
method.
Timber-Cutting Contracts. The income from our
timber-cutting contracts generally will be treated as
rents from real property or as capital gain from the
sale of real property for purposes of the gross income tests if
we retain an economic interest in the timber, depending on
whether we have a holding period of more than one year in the
property. Section 631(b) of the Internal Revenue Code
provides that if the owner of timber held for more than one year
disposes of such timber under any contract by virtue of which it
retains an economic interest in such timber, the
gain or loss realized will be treated as capital gain or loss.
An owner of timber retains an economic interest in such
timber under a timber-cutting contract if the amount of
the payment for the timber depends solely on the actual quantity
of timber cut. To the extent that timberlands are contributed to
our operating partnership, our holding period for determining
whether the associated timber has been held for more than one
year will include the contributors holding period for its
timber.
We generally will retain an economic interest under
our timber-cutting contracts. Except to the extent timberlands
that have been held by the contributor for more than one year
are contributed to our operating partnership, the income from
the timber-cutting contracts for the timberlands we initially
acquire will not qualify for capital gains treatment under
Section 631(b) of the Internal Revenue Code for the first
year after closing this offering, because we will not have held
the timber for more than one year at the time we dispose of it.
The income from those timber-cutting contracts will be treated
as rents from real property for purposes of the gross income
tests, but will be characterized as ordinary income. Any gain
from our timber-cutting contracts with respect to timber we held
for more than one year will qualify as gain from the sale of
real property for purposes of the gross income tests and for
capital gain treatment under Section 631(b) of the Internal
Revenue Code. We must distribute at least 90% of our REIT
taxable income, including ordinary income from timber-cutting
contracts, but we are not required to distribute net capital
gain. See Distribution Requirements.
Accordingly, during the first year following this offering, most
of our income from our timber-cutting contracts will be ordinary
income subject to the 90% distribution requirement, but most of
our income from our timber-cutting contracts in later years will
qualify for capital gains treatment under Section 631(b) of
the Internal Revenue Code and will not be subject to the 90%
distribution requirement.
Rents from Real Property. We do not expect to receive a
substantial amount of rental income, other than the income from
our timber-cutting contracts with respect to timber we have not
held for more than one year that will be treated as rents from
real property. However, we do anticipate receiving small amounts
of rental income from hunting leases, bee-keeping leases, leases
for the use of real property to extract minerals and to erect
and maintain billboards on property adjacent to certain public
thoroughfares and the rental of
rights-of-way through
certain properties.
Rents that we receive or that we are deemed to receive will
qualify as rents from real property in satisfying
the gross income requirements described above only if several
conditions are met. First, the amount of rent must not be based
in whole or in part on the income or profits of any person but
can be based on a fixed percentage of gross receipts or gross
sales. Second, rent received from a lessee will not qualify as
rents from real property if we own, or are treated
as owning, 10% or more of (i) the total combined voting
power of all classes of voting stock of a corporate lessee,
(ii) the total value of shares of all classes of stock of a
corporate lessee or (iii) the interests in total assets or
net profits in any lessee which is an entity that is not a
corporation. Third, rent attributable to personal property is
generally excluded from rents from real property,
except where such personal property is leased in connection with
such real property and the rent attributable to such personal
property is less than or equal to 15% of the
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total rent received under the lease. Finally, amounts that are
attributable to services furnished or rendered in connection
with the rental of real property, whether or not separately
stated, will not constitute rents from real property
unless such services are customarily provided in the geographic
area in connection with the rental of space for occupancy only
and are not otherwise considered rendered to the occupant of the
property. Customary services that are not provided to a
particular lessee (e.g., furnishing heat and light, the cleaning
of public entrances and the collection of trash) can be provided
directly by the REIT. Where, however, such services are provided
primarily for the convenience of the lessees or are provided to
such lessees, such services must be provided by an independent
contractor or a taxable REIT subsidiary. In the event that an
independent contractor provides such services, the REIT must
adequately compensate such independent contractor, the REIT must
not derive any income from the independent contractor and
neither the independent contractor nor certain of its
stockholders may, directly or indirectly, own more than 35% of
the REIT, taking into consideration the applicable attributed
ownership. Our rental income should not cease to qualify as
rents from real property merely because we perform a
de minimis amount of services for lessees of a property
that are not usually and customarily provided and are considered
rendered to the occupant. The income from these services will be
considered de minimis if the value of such services
(valued at not less than 150% of our direct cost of performing
such services) is less than 1% of the total income derived from
such property, and such de minimis services income will
not be treated as rents from real property. While it is not
expected that we will receive a substantial amount of rental
income (other than income from timber-cutting contracts that is
treated as rental income), we will take steps to ensure that
such rental income qualifies as rents from real property or
otherwise does not jeopardize our REIT status.
Interest. The term interest, as defined for
purposes of both gross income tests, generally excludes any
amount that is based in whole or in part on the income or
profits of any person. However, an amount received or accrued
generally will not be excluded from the term
interest solely by being based on a fixed percentage
or percentages of receipts or sales. Interest on debt secured by
mortgages on real property or on interests in real property
generally is qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross
income test. However, if the highest principal amount of a loan
outstanding during a taxable year exceeds the fair market value
of the real property securing the loan as of the date of the
REIT agreed to originate or acquire the loan, a portion of the
interest income from such loan will not be qualifying income for
purposes of the 75% gross income test, but will be qualifying
income for purposes of the 95% gross income test.
Dividends. Our share of any dividends received from any
corporation (including any TRS, but excluding any REIT) in which
we own an equity interest will qualify for purposes of the 95%
gross income test but not for purposes of the 75% gross income
test. Our share of any dividends received from any other REIT in
which we own an equity interest will be qualifying income for
purposes of both gross income tests.
Hedging Transactions. From time to time, we may enter
into hedging transactions with respect to one or more of our
assets or liabilities. Our hedging activities may include
entering into interest rate swaps, caps, and floors, options to
purchase these items, and futures and forward contracts. To the
extent that we enter into an interest rate swap or cap contract,
option, futures contract, forward rate agreement, or any similar
financial instrument to hedge our indebtedness incurred or to be
incurred to acquire or carry real estate assets,
including mortgage loans, any periodic income or gain from the
disposition of that contract attributable to the carrying or
acquisition of the real estate assets should be qualifying
income for purposes of the 95% gross income test but not the 75%
gross income test. To the extent that we hedge with other types
of financial instruments or for other purposes, the income from
those transactions is not likely to be treated as qualifying
income for purposes of either gross income test. We intend to
structure any hedging transactions in a manner that does not
jeopardize our status as a REIT.
Prohibited Transactions. A REIT will incur a 100% tax on
the net income derived from any sale or other disposition of
property, other than foreclosure property, that the REIT holds
primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of a
trade or business. Whether a REIT holds an asset primarily
for sale to customers in the ordinary course of a trade or
business depends, however, on the facts and
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circumstances in effect from time to time, including those
related to a particular asset. Income from timber sold pursuant
to timber-cutting contracts will be treated as rents from real
property or capital gain under Section 631(b) of the
Internal Revenue Code and, accordingly, will not be treated as
gain from the sale of property held for sale in our ordinary
course of business.
To avoid the imposition of the prohibited transaction test, we
intend to sell most or all of our higher and better use
properties through a TRS. In addition, to the extent we sell any
higher and better use properties held at the REIT level, we will
attempt to comply with the terms of safe-harbor provisions in
the federal income tax laws prescribing when an asset sale will
not be characterized as a prohibited transaction. We cannot
assure you, however, that we will always be able to identify
properties that will become part of our dealer land
sales business, that we will avoid owning property at the REIT
level that may be characterized as property that we hold
primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of
a trade or business, or that we can comply with the
safe-harbor provisions when we sell property held at the REIT
level.
Failure to Satisfy Gross Income Tests. Except for amounts
received with respect to certain investments of cash reserves,
we anticipate that substantially all of our gross income will be
derived from sources that will allow us to satisfy the income
tests described above; however, we can make no assurance in this
regard. If we fail one or both of the 75% and 95% gross income
tests for any taxable year, we may nevertheless qualify as a
REIT for that year if we are eligible for relief under the
Internal Revenue Code. This relief generally will be available
if: (1) our failure to meet such gross income tests is due
to reasonable cause and not to willful neglect; and (2) we
properly disclose the failure to the IRS. We, however, cannot
state whether in all circumstances we would be entitled to the
benefit of this relief provision. For example, if we fail to
satisfy the gross income tests because nonqualifying income that
we intentionally receive exceeds the limits on such income, the
IRS could conclude that our failure to satisfy the tests was not
due to reasonable cause. As discussed above in
Federal Income Taxation of the Company,
even if this relief provision applies, a 100% tax would be
imposed on the greater of the amount by which we fail the 75%
gross income test or the amount by which we fail the 95% gross
income test, in either case multiplied by a fraction intended to
reflect our profitability.
At the close of each quarter of our taxable year, we must also
satisfy four tests relating to the nature and diversification of
our assets. First, at least 75% of the value of our total assets
must be represented by real estate assets, cash and cash items
(including receivables) and government securities. Second, not
more than 25% of the value of our total assets may consist of
securities (other than those securities includible in the 75%
asset test). Third, except for stock or securities of REITs,
qualified REIT subsidiaries, taxable REIT subsidiaries, equity
interests in partnerships and other securities that qualify as
real estate assets for purposes of the 75% asset
test: (1) the value of any one issuers securities
owned by us may not exceed 5% of the value of our total assets;
(2) we may not own more than 10% of any one issuers
outstanding voting securities; and (3) we may not own more
than 10% of the value of the outstanding securities of any one
issuer. Fourth, no more than 20% of the value of our total
assets may be represented by securities of one or more taxable
REIT subsidiaries.
Securities for purposes of the asset tests may include debt
securities. The 10% value limitation will not apply, however, to
(i) any security qualifying for the straight-debt
exception discussed below, (ii) any loan to an
individual or an estate; (iii) any rental agreement
described in Section 467 of the Internal Revenue Code,
other than with a related person; (iv) any
obligation to pay qualifying rents from real property;
(v) certain securities issued by a State or any political
subdivision thereof, the District of Columbia, a foreign
government, or any political subdivision thereof, or the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; (vi) any security issued
by a REIT; and (vii) any other arrangement that, as
determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, is excepted from
the definition of a security. For purposes of the 10% value
test, any debt instrument issued by a partnership (other than
straight debt or another excluded security) will not be
considered a security issued by the partnership if at least 75%
of the partnerships gross income is derived from sources
that would qualify for the 75% REIT gross income test and any
debt instrument
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issued by a partnership (other than straight debt or other
excluded security) will not be considered a security issued by
the partnership to the extent of the REITs interest as a
partner in the partnership. There are special look-through rules
for determining a REITs share of securities held by a
partnership in which the REIT holds an interest.
The straight-debt exception starts with the definition of
straight debt in Section 1361 of the Internal Revenue Code
(as modified) but permits certain contingent payments. The
timing of payments of principal or interest may be contingent if
such contingency causes specified limited changes to the
debts effective yield to maturity or the REIT does not
hold more than $1 million (by face amount or issue price)
of the issuers debt instruments and not more than
12 months of unaccrued interest can be required to be
prepaid on such debt instruments. In addition, the time or
amount of payments may be contingent if such contingency arises
only upon default or upon the issuers exercise of a
prepayment right and such contingencies are consistent with
customary commercial practice.
The straight-debt exception will not apply to any securities
issued by a corporation or partnership if the REIT and any
controlled taxable REIT subsidiaries also own securities of such
issuer that would not qualify for the straight-debt exception
and that are worth more than 1% of the issuers outstanding
securities.
With respect to each issuer in which we currently own an
interest that does not qualify as a REIT, a qualified REIT
subsidiary or a taxable REIT subsidiary, we believe that our pro
rata share of the value of the securities, including debt, of
any such issuer does not exceed 5% of the total value of our
assets and that we comply with the 10% voting securities
limitation and 10% value limitation with respect to each such
issuer. In this regard, however, we cannot provide any assurance
that the IRS might not disagree with our determinations.
After initially meeting the asset tests at the close of any
quarter, we will not lose our status as a REIT for failure to
satisfy the asset tests at the end of a later quarter solely by
reason of changes in asset values. If the failure to satisfy the
asset tests results from an acquisition of securities or other
property during a quarter, we can cure the failure by disposing
of a sufficient amount of nonqualifying assets within
30 days after the close of that quarter. Even after the
30-day cure period, if
we fail the 5% securities limitation or either of the 10%
securities limitations, we may avoid disqualification as a REIT
by disposing of a sufficient amount of nonqualifying assets to
cure the violation if the assets causing the violation do not
exceed the lesser of 1% of our assets at the end of the relevant
quarter or $10 million, provided that, in either case, the
disposition occurs within six months following the last day of
the quarter in which we first identified the violation. For
other violations of any of the REIT asset tests due to
reasonable cause, we may avoid disqualification as a REIT after
the 30-day cure period
by taking certain steps, including the disposition of sufficient
nonqualifying assets within the six-month period described above
to meet the applicable asset test, paying a tax equal to the
greater of $50,000 or the highest corporate tax rate multiplied
by the net income generated by the nonqualifying assets during
the period of time that the assets were held as nonqualifying
assets and filing a schedule with the IRS that describes the
nonqualifying assets.
We expect that more than 75% of our assets will consist of fee
ownership and leasehold interests in timberlands. Accordingly,
we believe that we will satisfy the 75% asset test described
above. We intend to maintain adequate records of the value of
our assets to ensure compliance with the asset tests and to take
such other actions within 30 days after the close of any
quarter as necessary to cure any noncompliance.
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Annual Distribution Requirements
To qualify for taxation as a REIT, we must meet the following
annual distribution requirements, we must make distributions
(other than capital gain distributions and deemed distributions
of retained capital gain) to our stockholders in an amount at
least equal to:
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(1) the sum of (a) 90% of our REIT taxable
income (computed without regard to the dividends paid
deduction and by excluding our net capital gain) and
(b) 90% of the net income, if any, from foreclosure
property in excess of the excise tax on income from foreclosure
property, minus |
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(2) the sum of certain items of noncash income. |
We must pay these distributions in the taxable year to which
they relate. Distributions paid in the subsequent year, however,
will be treated as if distributed in the prior year for purposes
of such prior years 90% distribution requirement if
(1) the distributions were declared in October, November or
December, the distributions were payable to stockholders of
record on a specified date in such month, and the distributions
were actually distributed during January of the subsequent year;
or (2) the distributions were declared before we timely
filed our federal income tax return for such year, the
distributions were paid in the
12-month period
following the close of the prior year and not later than the
first regular distribution payment after such declaration, and
we elected on our tax return for the prior year to have a
specified amount of the subsequent distribution treated as if
distributed in the prior year.
If we dispose of any asset that is subject to the Built-In Gain
Rules during the
10-year period
beginning on the date on which we acquired the asset, we will be
required to distribute at least 90% of the Built-In Gain (after
tax), if any, recognized on the disposition of the asset.
We will pay federal income tax on taxable income, including net
capital gain, that we do not distribute to stockholders.
Furthermore, if we fail to distribute during a calendar year, or
by the end of January following the calendar year in the case of
distributions with declaration and record dates falling in the
last three months of the calendar year, at least the sum of:
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85% of our REIT ordinary income for such year, |
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95% of our REIT capital gain net income for such year, and |
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any undistributed taxable income from prior periods, |
we will incur a 4% nondeductible excise tax on the excess of
such required distribution over the amounts we actually
distribute.
We may elect to retain and pay income tax on the net long-term
capital gain we receive in a taxable year. See
Taxation of Taxable
U.S. Stockholders Distributions to Taxable
U.S. Stockholders. If we so elect, we will be treated
as having distributed any such retained amount for purposes of
the 4% nondeductible excise tax described above. For these
purposes, distributions that are declared in October, November
or December of the relevant taxable year, are payable to
stockholders of record on a specified date in such month and are
actually distributed during January of the subsequent year are
treated as distributed in the prior year.
We intend to make timely distributions sufficient to satisfy the
annual distribution requirements and to avoid the 4% excise tax.
In this regard, Wells Timber OPs partnership agreement
will authorize us, as the sole general partner of Wells Timber
OP, to take such steps as may be necessary to cause
Wells Timber OP to distribute to its partners an amount
sufficient to permit us to meet these distribution requirements.
We expect that our REIT taxable income will be less than our
cash flow due to the allowance of cost depletion in computing
REIT taxable income. Accordingly, we anticipate that we
generally will have sufficient cash or liquid assets to enable
us to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement. It is possible
that we may not have sufficient cash or other liquid assets from
time to time to meet the 90% distribution requirement or to
distribute such greater amount as may be necessary to avoid
income and excise tax. In such event, we may find it necessary
to borrow funds to pay the required distribution or, if
possible, pay taxable stock dividends in order to meet the
distribution requirement.
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In order for us to deduct distributions to our stockholders,
such distributions must not be preferential within
the meaning of Section 562(c) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Every holder of a particular class of stock must be treated the
same as every other holder of shares of such class, and no class
of stock may be treated otherwise than in accordance with its
distribution rights as a class.
In the event that we are subject to an adjustment to our REIT
taxable income (as defined in Section 860(d)(2) of the
Internal Revenue Code) resulting from an adverse determination
by either a final court decision, a closing agreement between us
and the IRS under Section 7121 of the Internal Revenue
Code, an agreement as to tax liability between us and an IRS
district director or a statement by us attached to an amendment
or supplement to our federal income tax return, we may be able
to correct any resulting failure to meet the 90% annual
distribution requirement by paying deficiency
dividends to our stockholders that relate to the adjusted
year but that are paid in the subsequent year. To qualify as a
deficiency dividend, the distribution must be made within
90 days of the adverse determination and we also must
satisfy certain other procedural requirements. If the statutory
requirements of Section 860 of the Internal Revenue Code
are satisfied, a deduction is allowed for any deficiency
dividend subsequently paid by us to offset an increase in our
REIT taxable income resulting from an adverse determination. We,
however, will be required to pay statutory interest on the
amount of any deduction taken for deficiency dividends to
compensate for the deferral of the tax liability.
Earnings and Profits
Throughout the remainder of this discussion, we frequently will
refer to earnings and profits. Earnings and profits
is a concept used extensively throughout corporate tax law but
it is undefined in the Internal Revenue Code. Each corporation
maintains an earnings and profits account that helps
to measure whether a distribution originates from corporate
earnings or from other sources. Distributions generally decrease
earnings and profits while income generally increases earnings
and profits. If a corporation has positive earnings and profits,
distributions generally will be considered to come from
corporate earnings. If a corporation has no earnings and
profits, distributions generally will be considered a return of
capital and then capital gain. At the close of any taxable year,
a REIT cannot have accumulated earnings and profits attributable
to any non-REIT year and remain qualified as a REIT.
Statutory Relief
If we fail to satisfy one or more of the requirements for
qualification as a REIT, other than the income tests and asset
tests discussed above, we will not lose our status as a REIT if
our failure was due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect,
and we pay a penalty of $50,000 for each such failure.
Failure to Qualify
If we fail to qualify as a REIT in any year and the relief
provisions do not apply, we will be subject to tax (including
any applicable alternative minimum tax) on our taxable income at
regular corporate rates. Distributions to stockholders in any
year in which we fail to qualify will not be deductible by us,
but we also will not be required to make distributions during
those years. In such event, to the extent of positive current or
accumulated earnings and profits, all distributions to
stockholders will be dividends that are taxable to individuals
at preferential rates through 2010. Subject to certain
limitations of the Internal Revenue Code, corporate distributees
may be eligible for the dividends received deduction. Unless we
are entitled to relief under specific statutory provisions, we
also will be disqualified from taxation as a REIT for the four
taxable years following the year during which qualification was
lost. It is not possible to state whether in all circumstances
we would be entitled to such statutory relief.
Taxable REIT Subsidiaries
As described above, we may own up to 100% of the stock of one or
more TRSs. A TRS is a fully taxable corporation that may earn
income that would not be qualifying income if earned directly by
us. A corporation will not qualify as a TRS if it directly or
indirectly operates or manages any hotels or health
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care facilities or provides rights to any brand name under which
any hotel or health care facility is operated.
We and our corporate subsidiary must elect for the subsidiary to
be treated as a TRS. A corporation of which a qualifying TRS
directly or indirectly owns more than 35% of the voting power or
value of the stock will automatically be treated as a TRS.
Overall, no more than 20% of the value of our assets may consist
of securities of one or more TRSs, and no more than 25% of the
value of our assets may consist of the securities of TRSs and
other non-TRS taxable subsidiaries and other assets that are not
qualifying assets for purposes of the 75% asset test.
The TRS rules limit the deductibility of interest paid or
accrued by a TRS to us to assure that the TRS is subject to an
appropriate level of corporate taxation. Further, the rules
impose a 100% tax on transactions between a TRS and us or our
lessees that are not conducted on an arms-length basis.
We intend to conduct certain of our activities that will produce
nonqualifying income for the gross income tests or may be
subject to the prohibited transactions tax, such as the sale of
higher and better use properties, through one or more entities
that will elect to be treated as TRSs. We believe that all
transactions between us and any TRS that we form or acquire will
be conducted on an arms-length basis.
Taxation of U.S. Stockholders
When we use the term U.S. Stockholder, we mean
a holder of common stock that for federal income tax purposes:
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(1) is a citizen or resident of the United States; |
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(2) is a corporation (including an entity treated as a
corporation for United States federal income tax purposes)
created or organized in or under the laws of the United States
or any of its political subdivisions; |
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(3) is an estate the income of which is subject to federal
income taxation regardless of its source; or |
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(4) is a trust, provided that a court within the United
States is able to exercise primary supervision over the
administration of the trust and one or more United States
persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions
of the trust. |
If an entity classified as a partnership for federal income tax
purposes holds our stock, the tax treatment of a partner will
depend on the status of the partner and on the activities of the
partnership. Partners of partnerships holding our stock should
consult their tax advisors.
For any taxable year for which we qualify for taxation as a
REIT, amounts distributed to taxable U.S. Stockholders will
be taxed as discussed below.
Distributions to U.S. Stockholders, other than capital gain
dividends (which are discussed below) will constitute taxable
dividends up to the amount of our positive current or
accumulated earnings and profits. Dividends received from REITs
are generally not eligible to be taxed at the preferential
qualified dividend income rates currently applicable to
individuals who receive dividends from taxable C corporations.
However, there are exceptions: Individual stockholders are taxed
at such rates on dividends designated by and received from REITs
to the extent that the dividends are attributable to
(i) income that the REIT previously retained in a prior
year and on which it was subject to corporate level tax;
(ii) dividends received by the REIT from taxable
corporations (including taxable REIT subsidiaries); or
(iii) income from sales of appreciated property subject to
the Built-In Gain Rules. Because a REIT is not subject to tax on
income distributed to its stockholders, the distributions made
to corporate stockholders are not eligible for the dividends
received deduction. To the extent that we make a distribution in
excess of our positive current or accumulated earnings and
profits, the distribution will be treated first as a
tax-free
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return of capital (reducing the tax basis in the
U.S. Stockholders shares of our common stock) and
then the distribution in excess of the tax basis will be taxable
as gain realized from the sale of the common stock.
Distributions we declare in October, November or December of any
year payable to stockholders of record on a specified date in
any such month are treated as both paid by us and received by
the stockholders on December 31 of that year, provided that
we actually pay the distributions during January of the
following calendar year. Stockholders are not allowed to include
on their own federal income tax returns any of our tax losses.
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Capital Gain Distributions |
Distributions to U.S. Stockholders that we properly
designate as capital gain dividends will be treated as long-term
capital gains (to the extent they do not exceed our actual net
capital gain) for the taxable year without regard to the period
for which the U.S. Stockholder has held the stock. However,
corporate U.S. Stockholders may be required to treat up to
20% of certain capital gain dividends as ordinary income.
Capital gain dividends are not eligible for the dividends
received deduction for corporations. In the case of individuals,
long-term capital gains are generally taxable at maximum federal
rates of 15% (through 2010), except that capital gains
attributable to the sale of depreciable real property held for
more than 12 months are subject to a 25% maximum federal
income tax rate to the extent of previously claimed depreciation
deductions.
We may elect to retain and pay federal income tax on any net
long-term capital gain. In this instance, U.S. Stockholders
will include in their income their proportionate share of the
undistributed long-term capital gain. The U.S. Stockholders
also will be deemed to have paid their proportionate share of
tax on such long-term capital gain and, therefore, will receive
a credit or refund for the amount of such tax. In addition, the
basis of the U.S. Stockholders shares will be
increased in an amount equal to the excess of the amount of
capital gain included in his or her income over the amount of
tax he or she is deemed to have paid.
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Certain Dispositions of Shares |
In general, U.S. Stockholders will realize capital gain or
loss on the sale of common stock equal to the difference between
(1) the amount of cash and the fair market value of any
property received by the U.S. Stockholder on such
disposition and (2) the U.S. Stockholders
adjusted basis of such common stock. Losses incurred on the sale
or exchange of our common stock that a U.S. Stockholder
holds for less than six months (after applying certain holding
period rules) will be treated as long-term capital loss to the
extent of any capital gain dividend the stockholder has received
with respect to those shares.
The applicable tax rate will depend on the
U.S. Stockholders holding period in the asset
(generally, if the U.S. Stockholder has held the asset for
more than one year, it will produce long-term capital gain) and
the U.S. Stockholders tax bracket. The IRS has the
authority to prescribe, but has not yet prescribed, regulations
that would apply a capital gain tax rate of 25% (which is
generally higher than the long-term capital gain tax rates for
noncorporate stockholders) to a portion of the capital gain
realized by a noncorporate stockholder on the sale of common
stock that would correspond to our unrecaptured
Section 1250 gain. U.S. Stockholders should
consult with their own tax advisors with respect to their
capital gain tax liability. In general, any loss recognized by a
U.S. Stockholder upon the sale or other disposition of
common stock that the U.S. Stockholder has held for six
months or less, after applying the holding period rules, will be
treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of distributions
received by the U.S. Stockholder from us that were required
to be treated as long-term capital gains.
If a U.S. Stockholder has shares of our common stock
redeemed by us, such U.S. Stockholder will be treated as if
such U.S. Stockholder sold the redeemed shares if all of
such U.S. Stockholders shares of our common stock are
redeemed or if such redemption is not essentially equivalent to
a dividend within the meaning of Section 302(b)(1) of the
Internal Revenue Code or substantially disproportionate within
the meaning of Section 302(b)(2) of the Internal Revenue
Code. If a redemption is not treated as a sale
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of the redeemed shares, it will be treated as a dividend
distribution. U.S. Stockholders should consult with their
tax advisors regarding the taxation of any particular redemption
of our shares.
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Passive Activity Loss and Investment Interest
Limitations |
U.S. Stockholders may not treat distributions we make to
them or any gain from disposing of our common stock as passive
activity income. Therefore, U.S. Stockholders will not be
able to apply any passive losses against such
income. Distributions we pay (to the extent they do not
constitute a return of capital) generally will be treated as
investment income for purposes of the investment interest
limitation. Net capital gain from the disposition of our common
stock (or capital gain dividends) generally will be excluded
from investment income unless the stockholder elects to have
such gain taxed at ordinary income rates.
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Treatment of Tax-Exempt Stockholders |
Distributions we make to a tax-exempt employee pension trust or
most other types of domestic
tax-exempt stockholder
generally will not constitute unrelated business taxable
income (UBTI), unless the tax-exempt stockholder has
borrowed to acquire or carry our shares of our common stock.
Qualified trusts that hold more than 10% (by value) of the
shares of pension-held REITs may be required to treat a certain
percentage of such REITs distributions as UBTI. We expect
that our ownership limitations will prevent us from becoming a
pension-held REIT, unless our board of directors grants
qualified plan waivers from our ownership limitations.
Special Tax Considerations for
Non-U.S. Stockholders
The rules governing United States income taxation of
non-U.S. Stockholders
(beneficial owners of shares of our common stock who are not
U.S. Stockholders) are complex. We intend the following
discussion to be only a summary of these rules. Prospective
non-U.S. Stockholders
should consult with their own tax advisors to determine the
impact of federal, state, local and foreign tax laws on an
investment in our common stock, including any reporting
requirements.
In general,
non-U.S. Stockholders
will be subject to regular federal income tax with respect to
their investment in us if the income from the investment is
effectively connected with the
non-U.S. Stockholders
conduct of a trade or business in the United States. A corporate
non-U.S. Stockholder
that receives income that is (or is treated as) effectively
connected with a U.S. trade or business also may be subject
to the branch profits tax, which is imposed in addition to
regular federal income tax at the rate of 30%, subject to
reduction under a tax treaty, if applicable. Effectively
connected income must meet various certification requirements to
be exempt from withholding. The following discussion will apply
to
non-U.S. Stockholders
whose income from their investments in us is not effectively
connected (except to the extent that the FIRPTA rules discussed
below treat such income as effectively connected income).
A distribution payable out of our current or accumulated
earnings and profits that is not attributable to gain from the
sale or exchange by us of a United States real property
interest and that we do not designate as a capital gain
distribution will be subject to federal income tax, required to
be withheld by us, equal to 30% of the gross amount of the
distribution, unless an applicable tax treaty reduces this tax.
A distribution in excess of our earnings and profits will be
treated first as a return of capital that will reduce a
non-U.S. Stockholders
basis in his or her common stock (but not below zero) and then
as gain from the disposition of such stock, the tax treatment of
which is described under the rules discussed below with respect
to dispositions of common stock.
As long as our stock is not regularly traded on an established
securities market in the United States, distributions by us that
are attributable to gain from the sale or exchange of a United
States real property interest will be taxed to a
non-U.S. Stockholder
under the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act of 1980
(FIRPTA). Such distributions are taxed to a
non-U.S. Stockholder
as if the distributions were gains effectively
connected with a United States trade or business.
Accordingly, a
non-U.S. Stockholder
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will be taxed at the normal capital gain rates applicable to a
U.S. Stockholder (subject to any applicable alternative
minimum tax and a special alternative minimum tax in the case of
nonresident alien individuals). Such distributions also may be
subject to a 30% branch profits tax when made to a foreign
corporation that is not entitled to an exemption or reduced
branch profits tax rate under a tax treaty. If our shares of
common stock are ever regularly traded on an
established securities market in the United States, then,
with respect to distributions by us that are attributable to
gain from the sale or exchange of a United States real property
interest, a
non-U.S. Stockholder
who does not own more than 5% of our common stock at any time
during the taxable year: (i) will be taxed on such capital
gain dividend as if the distribution was an ordinary dividend,
(ii) will generally not be required to report distributions
received from us on U.S. federal income tax returns and
(iii) will not be subject to a branch profits tax with
respect to such distribution. At the time you purchase shares in
this offering, our shares will not be publicly traded, and we
can give you no assurance that our shares will ever be publicly
traded on an established securities exchange.
It should be emphasized that the income we receive under
timber-cutting contracts subject to Section 631(b) of the
Internal Revenue Code will be characterized for federal income
tax purposes as gain from the sale or other disposition of real
property and that we will withhold at the 35% rate on
distributions to
non-U.S. stockholders
attributable to such gain realized in respect of such
timber-cutting contracts. Accordingly, an investment in our
common stock may be less favorable than investments in REITs,
the income of which is not primarily gains from timber sales.
Although the law is not clear on this matter, it appears that
amounts designated by us as undistributed capital gains in
respect of the common stock generally should be treated with
respect to
non-U.S. Stockholders
in the same manner as actual distributions by us of capital gain
dividends. Under that approach, the
non-U.S. Stockholder
would be able to offset as a credit against his or her resulting
federal income tax liability an amount equal to his or her
proportionate share of the tax paid by us on the undistributed
capital gains and to receive from the IRS a refund to the extent
his or her proportionate share of this tax paid by us was to
exceed his or her actual federal income tax liability.
Although tax treaties may reduce our withholding obligations, we
generally will be required to withhold tax from distributions to
non-U.S. Stockholders,
and remit to the IRS 35% of designated capital gain dividends
(or, if greater, 35% of the amount of any distributions that
could be designated as capital gain dividends) and 30% of
ordinary dividends paid out of earnings and profits. In
addition, if we designate prior distributions as capital gain
dividends, subsequent distributions, up to the amount of such
prior distributions that we designated as capital gain
dividends, will be treated as capital gain dividends for
purposes of withholding. In addition, we may be required to
withhold 10% of distributions in excess of our current and
accumulated earnings and profits. If the amount of tax withheld
by us with respect to a distribution to a
non-U.S. Stockholder
exceeds the stockholders United States tax liability, the
non-U.S. Stockholder
may file for a refund of such excess from the IRS.
We expect to withhold federal income tax at the rate of 30% on
all distributions (including distributions that later may be
determined to have been in excess of current and accumulated
earnings and profits) made to a
non-U.S. Stockholder,
unless:
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a lower treaty rate applies and the
non-U.S. Stockholder
files with us an IRS Form W-8BEN evidencing eligibility for
that reduced treaty rate; |
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the
non-U.S. Stockholder
files with us an IRS Form W-8ECI claiming that the
distribution is income effectively connected with the
non-U.S. Stockholders
trade or business so that no withholding tax is required; or |
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the distributions are treated for FIRPTA withholding tax
purposes as attributable to a sale of a U.S. real property
interest, in which case tax will be withheld at a 35% rate. |
Gain from a disposition of common stock by a
non-U.S. Stockholder
generally will be subject to federal income taxation unless our
common stock does not constitute a U.S. real property
interest within the meaning of FIRPTA. Our common stock
will not constitute a U.S. real property interest if we are
a
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domestically controlled qualified investment entity.
A REIT is a domestically controlled qualified investment entity
if at all times during a specified testing period less than 50%
in value of its shares is held directly or indirectly by
non-U.S. Stockholders.
We currently anticipate that we will be a domestically
controlled qualified investment entity and, therefore, that the
sale of our common stock will not be subject to taxation under
FIRPTA. We cannot assure
non-U.S. Stockholders,
however, that we will be a domestically controlled qualified
investment entity. If we were not a domestically controlled
qualified investment entity, a
non-U.S. Stockholders
sale of common stock would be subject to tax under FIRPTA as a
sale of a U.S. real property interest, unless the common
stock were regularly traded on an established
securities market and the selling stockholder owned no more than
5% of the common stock throughout the applicable testing period.
If the gain on the sale of common stock was subject to taxation
under FIRPTA, the
non-U.S. Stockholder
would be subject to the same treatment as a
U.S. Stockholder with respect to the gain (subject to
applicable alternative minimum tax and a special alternative
minimum tax in the case of nonresident alien individuals).
However, even if our common stock is not a U.S. real
property interest, a nonresident alien individuals gains
from the sale of our common stock will be taxable if the
nonresident alien individual is present in the United States for
183 days or more during the taxable year and certain other
conditions apply, in which case the nonresident alien individual
will be subject to a 30% tax on his or her
U.S.-source capital
gains.
A purchaser of common stock from a
non-U.S. Stockholder
will not be required to withhold under FIRPTA on the purchase
price if the purchased common stock is regularly
traded on an established securities market or if we are a
domestically controlled qualified investment entity. Otherwise,
the purchaser of common stock from a
non-U.S. Stockholder
may be required to withhold 10% of the purchase price and remit
this amount to the IRS. At the time you purchase shares in this
offering, our shares will not be publicly traded, and we can
give you no assurance that our shares will ever be publicly
traded on an established securities exchange or that we will be
a domestically controlled qualified investment entity.
If a
non-U.S. Stockholder
has shares of our common stock redeemed by us, such
non-U.S. Stockholder
will be treated as if such
non-U.S. Stockholder
sold the redeemed shares if all of such
non-U.S. Stockholders
shares of our common stock are redeemed or if such redemption is
not essentially equivalent to a dividend within the meaning of
Section 302(b)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code or
substantially disproportionate within the meaning of
Section 302(b)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code. If a
redemption is not treated as a sale of the redeemed shares, it
will be treated as a dividend distribution.
Non-U.S. Stockholders
should consult with their tax advisors regarding the taxation of
any particular redemption of our shares.
Upon the death of a nonresident alien individual, that
individuals common stock will be treated as part of his or
her U.S. estate for purposes of the U.S. estate tax,
except as may be otherwise provided in an applicable estate tax
treaty.
Information Reporting Requirements and Backup Withholding
Tax
In general, information reporting requirements will apply to
payments of distributions on our common stock and to payments of
the proceeds of the sale of our common stock, unless an
exception applies. Further, under certain circumstances,
U.S. Stockholders may be subject to backup withholding on
payments made with respect to, or cash proceeds of a sale or
exchange of, our common stock. Backup withholding will apply
only if:
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(1) the payee fails to furnish his or her taxpayer
identification number (which, for an individual, would be his or
her Social Security number) to the payor as required; |
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(2) the IRS notifies the payor that the taxpayer
identification number furnished by the payee is incorrect; |
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(3) the IRS has notified the payee that such payee has
failed to properly include reportable interest and dividends in
the payees return or has failed to file the appropriate
return and the IRS has assessed a deficiency with respect to
such underreporting; or |
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(4) the payee has failed to certify to the payor, under
penalties of perjury, that the payee is not subject to
withholding. |
In addition, backup withholding will not apply with respect to
payments made to certain exempt recipients, such as corporations
and tax-exempt organizations. U.S. Stockholders should
consult their own tax advisors regarding their qualifications
for exemption from backup withholding and the procedure for
obtaining such an exemption.
Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Rather, the amount
of any backup withholding with respect to a payment to a
U.S. Stockholder will be allowed as a credit against the
U.S. Stockholders federal income tax liability and
may entitle the stockholder to a refund, provided that the
stockholder furnishes the required information to the IRS.
Generally, information reporting will apply to payments of
distributions on our common stock and backup withholding may
apply, unless the payee certifies that he or she is not a
U.S. person or otherwise establishes an exemption.
The payment of the proceeds from the disposition of our common
stock to or through the U.S. office of a U.S. or
foreign broker will be subject to information reporting and,
possibly, backup withholding, unless the
non-U.S. Stockholder
certifies as to his or her
non-U.S. status or
otherwise establishes an exemption and provided that the broker
does not have actual knowledge that the stockholder is a
U.S. person or that the conditions of any other exemption
are not, in fact, satisfied. The proceeds of the disposition of
our common stock by a
non-U.S. Stockholder
to or through a foreign office of a broker generally will not be
subject to information reporting or backup withholding. However,
if the broker is a U.S. person, a controlled foreign
corporation for U.S. tax purposes or a foreign person whose
gross income is 50% or more from all sources for specified
periods and is from activities that are effectively connected
with a U.S. trade or business, information reporting
generally will apply, unless the broker has documentary evidence
as to the
non-U.S. Stockholders
foreign status and has no actual knowledge to the contrary.
Applicable Treasury regulations provide presumptions regarding
the status of stockholders when payments to the stockholders
cannot be reliably associated with appropriate documentation
provided to the payor. These Treasury regulations require some
stockholders to have provided new certifications with respect to
payments made after December 31, 2000. Because the
application of these Treasury regulations varies depending on
the stockholders particular circumstances,
non-U.S. Stockholders
should consult their tax advisors with regard to
U.S. information reporting and backup withholding.
Tax Aspects of Wells Timber OP
We expect that substantially all of our investments will be held
through Wells Timber OP. In general, partnerships are
pass-through entities that are not subject to
federal income tax. Rather, partners are allocated their
proportionate share of the items of income, gain, loss,
deduction and credit of a partnership and are potentially
subject to tax thereon, without regard to whether the partners
receive distributions from the partnership. Wells Timber OP will
be treated as a disregarded entity for federal income tax
purposes if we own 100% of the interests therein, directly or
through one or more of our wholly owned subsidiaries, and will
be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes if
there is another partner who is not disregarded for federal
income tax purposes that owns an interest in Wells Timber OP.
Wells Capital currently holds common units and special units in
Wells Timber OP. We will include in our income our proportionate
share of Wells Timber OPs income, gain, loss, deduction
and credit for purposes of the
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various REIT income tests and in the computation of our REIT
taxable income. In addition, we will include our proportionate
share of the assets held by Wells Timber OP in the REIT asset
tests.
State and Local Taxes
We may be subject to state and local tax in various states and
localities. Our stockholders also may be subject to state and
local tax in various states and localities. The tax treatment to
us and to our stockholders in such jurisdictions may differ from
the federal income tax treatment described above. Consequently,
before you buy our common stock, you should consult your own tax
advisor regarding the effect of state and local tax laws on an
investment in our common stock.
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ERISA CONSIDERATIONS
The following is a summary of some considerations associated
with an investment in our shares by a qualified employee pension
benefit plan or an individual retirement account (IRA). This
summary is based on provisions of the Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and the Internal Revenue Code,
each as amended through the date of this prospectus, and the
relevant regulations, opinions and other authority issued by the
Department of Labor and the IRS. We cannot assure you that there
will not be adverse tax or labor decisions or legislative,
regulatory or administrative changes that would significantly
modify the statements expressed herein. Any such changes may
apply to transactions entered into prior to the date of their
enactment.
Each fiduciary of an employee pension benefit plan subject to
ERISA (such as a profit-sharing, Section 401(k) or pension
plan) or any other retirement plan or account subject to
Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code, such as an IRA,
seeking to invest plan assets in our shares must, taking into
account the facts and circumstances of each such plan or IRA
(Benefit Plan), consider, among other matters:
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whether the investment is consistent with the applicable
provisions of ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code; |
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whether, under the facts and circumstances pertaining to the
Benefit Plan in question, the fiduciarys responsibility to
the plan has been satisfied; |
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whether the investment will produce unrelated business
taxable income (UBTI) to the Benefit Plan (see
Federal Income Tax Considerations Taxation of
U.S. Stockholders Treatment of Tax-Exempt
Stockholders); and |
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the need to value the assets of the Benefit Plan annually. |
Under ERISA, a plan fiduciarys responsibilities include
the following duties:
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to act solely in the interest of plan participants and
beneficiaries and for the exclusive purpose of providing
benefits to them, as well as defraying reasonable expenses of
plan administration; |
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to invest plan assets prudently; |
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to diversify the investments of the plan, unless it is clearly
prudent not to do so; |
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to ensure sufficient liquidity for the plan; |
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to ensure the plan investments are made in accordance with plan
documents; and |
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to consider whether an investment would constitute or give rise
to a prohibited transaction under ERISA or the Internal Revenue
Code. |
ERISA also requires that the assets of an employee benefit plan
be held in trust and that the trustee, or a duly authorized
named fiduciary or investment manager, have exclusive authority
and discretion to manage and control the assets of the plan.
Prohibited Transactions
Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Internal
Revenue Code prohibit specified transactions involving the
assets of a Benefit Plan that are between the plan and any
party-in-interest
or disqualified person with respect to that Benefit
Plan, unless an administrative or statutory exemption applies.
These transactions are prohibited regardless of how beneficial
they may be for the Benefit Plan. Prohibited transactions
include the sale, exchange or leasing of property, and the
lending of money or the extension of credit, between a Benefit
Plan and a
party-in-interest or
disqualified person. The transfer to (or use by or for the
benefit of) a
party-in-interest or
disqualified person of any assets of a Benefit Plan is also
prohibited, as is the furnishing of services between a plan and
a party-in-interest. A
fiduciary of a Benefit Plan is also prohibited from engaging in
self-dealing, acting for a person who has an interest adverse to
the
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plan in connection with a transaction involving the plan or
receiving any consideration for its own account from a party
dealing with the plan in a transaction involving plan assets.
Furthermore, Section 408 of the Internal Revenue Code
states that assets of an IRA trust may not be commingled
with other property except in a common trust fund or common
investment fund.
Plan Asset Considerations
In order to determine whether an investment in our shares by a
Benefit Plan creates or gives rise to the potential for either
prohibited transactions or a commingling of assets as referred
to above, a fiduciary must consider whether an investment in our
shares will cause our assets to be treated as assets of the
investing Benefit Plan. Neither ERISA nor the Internal Revenue
Code defines the term plan assets; however,
regulations promulgated by the Department of Labor provide
guidelines as to whether, and under what circumstances, the
underlying assets of an entity will be deemed to constitute
assets of a Benefit Plan when the plan invests in that entity
(Plan Assets Regulation). Under the Plan Assets Regulation, the
assets of corporations, partnerships or other entities in which
a Benefit Plan makes an equity investment will generally be
deemed to be assets of the Benefit Plan, unless the entity
satisfies one of the exceptions to this general rule. As
discussed below, we have received an opinion of counsel that,
based on the Plan Assets Regulation, it is more likely than not
that our underlying assets would not be deemed to be plan
assets of Benefit Plans investing in our shares, assuming
the conditions set forth in the opinion are satisfied, based
upon the fact that at least one of the specific exemptions set
forth in the Plan Assets Regulation is satisfied, as determined
under the criteria set forth below.
Specifically, the Plan Assets Regulation provides that the
underlying assets of REITs will not be treated as assets of a
Benefit Plan investing therein if the interest the Benefit Plan
acquires is a publicly offered security. A publicly
offered security must be:
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sold as part of a public offering registered under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and be part of a class of
securities registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended, within a specified time period; |
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part of a class of securities that is owned by 100 or more
persons who are independent of the issuer and one
another; and |
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freely transferable. |
Our shares are being sold as part of an offering of securities
to the public pursuant to an effective registration statement
under the Securities Act, and are part of a class that will be
registered under the Securities Exchange Act within the
specified period. In addition, we will have well in excess of
100 independent stockholders. Thus, both the first and
second criteria of the publicly offered security
exception will be satisfied.
Whether a security is freely transferable depends
upon the particular facts and circumstances. For example, our
shares are subject to certain restrictions on transferability
intended to ensure that we continue to qualify for federal
income tax treatment as a REIT. The regulation provides,
however, that where the minimum investment in a public offering
of securities is $10,000 or less, the presence of a restriction
on transferability intended to prohibit transfers that would
result in a termination or reclassification of the entity for
state or federal tax purposes will not ordinarily affect a
determination that such securities are freely
transferable. The minimum investment in our shares is less
than $10,000; thus, the restrictions imposed in order to
maintain our status as a REIT should not cause the shares to be
deemed not to be freely transferable.
In the event that our underlying assets were treated by the
Department of Labor as the assets of investing Benefit Plans,
our management would be treated as fiduciaries with respect to
each Benefit Plan stockholder, and an investment in our shares
might constitute an ineffective delegation of fiduciary
responsibility to Wells Capital, our advisor, and expose the
fiduciary of the Benefit Plan to co-fiduciary liability under
ERISA for any breach by Wells Capital of the fiduciary duties
mandated under ERISA.
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Further, if our assets are deemed to be plan assets,
an investment by an IRA in our shares might be deemed to result
in an impermissible commingling of IRA assets with other
property.
If Wells Capital or its affiliates were treated as fiduciaries
with respect to Benefit Plan stockholders, the prohibited
transaction restrictions of ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code
would apply to any transaction involving our assets. These
restrictions could, for example, require that we avoid
transactions with persons who are affiliated with or related to
us or our affiliates or require that we restructure our
activities in order to obtain an administrative exemption from
the prohibited transaction restrictions. Alternatively, we might
have to provide Benefit Plan stockholders with the opportunity
to sell their shares to us or we might dissolve.
If a prohibited transaction were to occur, the Internal Revenue
Code imposes an excise tax equal to 15% of the amount involved
and authorizes the IRS to impose an additional 100% excise tax
if the prohibited transaction is not corrected in a
timely manner. These taxes would be imposed on any disqualified
person who participates in the prohibited transaction. In
addition, Wells Capital and possibly other fiduciaries of
Benefit Plan stockholders subject to ERISA who permitted the
prohibited transaction to occur or who otherwise breached their
fiduciary responsibilities (or a nonfiduciary participating in a
prohibited transaction) could be required to restore to the
Benefit Plan any profits they realized as a result of the
transaction or breach and make good to the Benefit Plan any
losses incurred by the Benefit Plan as a result of the
transaction or breach. With respect to an IRA that invests in
our shares, the occurrence of a prohibited transaction involving
the individual who established the IRA, or his or her
beneficiary, would cause the IRA to lose its tax-exempt status
under Section 408(e)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code.
We have obtained an opinion from counsel that it is more likely
than not that our shares will be deemed to constitute
publicly offered securities and, accordingly, that
it is more likely than not that our underlying assets should not
be considered plan assets under the Plan Assets
Regulation, assuming the offering takes place as described in
this prospectus. If our underlying assets are not deemed to be
plan assets, the problems discussed in the
immediately preceding three paragraphs are not expected to arise.
Other Prohibited Transactions
Regardless of whether the shares qualify for the publicly
offered security exception of the Plan Assets Regulation,
a prohibited transaction could occur if we, Wells Capital, any
selected broker/ dealer or any of their affiliates is a
fiduciary (within the meaning of Section 3(21) of ERISA)
with respect to any Benefit Plan purchasing our shares.
Accordingly, unless an administrative or statutory exemption
applies, shares should not be purchased by a Benefit Plan with
respect to which any of the above persons is a fiduciary. A
person is a fiduciary with respect to a Benefit Plan under
Section 3(21) of ERISA if, among other things, the person
has discretionary authority or control with respect to the
Benefit Plan or plan assets, or provides investment
advice for a fee with respect to plan assets. Under
a regulation issued by the Department of Labor, a person shall
be deemed to be providing investment advice if that person
renders advice as to the advisability of investing in our shares
and that person regularly provides investment advice to the
Benefit Plan pursuant to a mutual agreement or understanding
(written or otherwise) (1) that the advice will serve as
the primary basis for investment decisions, and (2) that
the advice will be individualized for the Benefit Plan based on
its particular needs.
Annual Valuation
A fiduciary of an employee benefit plan subject to ERISA is
required to determine annually the fair market value of each
asset of the plan as of the end of the plans fiscal year
and to file a report reflecting that value with the Department
of Labor. When the fair market value of any particular asset is
not available, the fiduciary is required to make a good faith
determination of that assets fair market value, assuming
an orderly liquidation at the time the determination is made. In
addition, a trustee or custodian of an IRA must provide an IRA
participant with a statement of the value of the IRA each year.
In discharging its obligation to value assets of a plan, a
fiduciary subject to ERISA must act consistently with the
relevant provisions of the plan and the general fiduciary
standards of ERISA.
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Unless and until our shares are listed on a national securities
exchange, we do not expect that a public market for our shares
will develop. To date, neither the IRS nor the Department of
Labor has promulgated regulations specifying how a plan
fiduciary should determine the fair market value of shares when
the fair market value of such shares is not determined in the
marketplace. Therefore, to assist fiduciaries in fulfilling
their valuation and annual reporting responsibilities, we intend
to have our advisor prepare annual reports of the estimated
value of our shares.
Eventually, we may engage a third-party valuation firm to value
our shares; however, we intend to use our advisors
estimate until the completion of our offering stage. (We will
view our offering stage as complete upon the termination of our
last public equity offering prior to the listing of our shares
on a national securities exchange. For purposes of this
definition, we do not consider a public equity
offering to include offerings on behalf of selling
stockholders or offerings related to a distribution reinvestment
plan, employee benefit plan or the redemption of interests in
Wells Timber OP.) Furthermore, until we have completed our
offering stage, our advisor has indicated that it intends to use
the most recent price paid to acquire a share in our offering
(ignoring purchase price discounts for certain categories of
purchasers) as its estimated per share value of our shares.
Although this approach to valuing our shares has the advantage
of avoiding the cost of paying for appraisals or other valuation
services, the estimated value may bear little relationship and
will likely exceed what you might receive for your shares if you
tried to sell them or if we liquidated our portfolio.
After 12 months from completion of our offering stage, we
will publish a valuation of our shares as determined by our
advisor or another firm chosen for that purpose, which estimate
will be based upon a number of assumptions that may not be
accurate or complete. We do not currently anticipate obtaining
appraisals for our properties and, accordingly, the estimates
should not be viewed as an accurate reflection of the fair
market value of our properties nor will they represent the
amount of net proceeds that would result from an immediate sale
of our properties. For these reasons, the estimated valuations
should not be utilized for any purpose other than to assist plan
fiduciaries in fulfilling their annual valuation and reporting
responsibilities. Even after our advisor no longer uses the most
recent offering price as the estimated value of our shares, you
should be aware of the following:
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the estimated values may not be realized by us or by you upon
liquidation (in part because estimated values do not necessarily
indicate the price at which assets could be sold and because the
estimates may not take into account the expenses of selling our
assets); |
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you may not realize these values if you were to attempt to sell
your shares; and |
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the estimated values, or the method used to establish values,
may not comply with the ERISA or IRA requirements described
above. |
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DESCRIPTION OF SHARES
Our charter authorizes the issuance of 1 billion shares of
stock, of which 900 million shares are designated as common
stock with a par value of $0.01 per share, and
100 million shares are designated as preferred stock with a
par value of $0.01 per share. In addition, our board of
directors may amend our charter without stockholder approval to
increase or decrease the number of our authorized shares.
As of the date of this prospectus, 20,000 shares of our
common stock were issued and outstanding, and no shares of
preferred stock were issued and outstanding.
Common Stock
Except as may otherwise be specified in the terms of any class
or series of common stock, the holders of common stock are
entitled to one vote per share on all matters voted on by
stockholders, including election of our directors. Our charter
does not provide for cumulative voting in the election of our
directors. Therefore, the holders of a majority of the
outstanding common shares can elect our entire board of
directors. Subject to any preferential rights of any outstanding
series of preferred stock, the holders of common stock are
entitled to such distributions as may be authorized from time to
time by our board of directors and declared by us out of legally
available funds and, upon liquidation, are entitled to receive
all assets available for distribution to our stockholders.
Holders of shares of common stock will not have preemptive
rights, which means that you will not have an automatic option
to purchase any new shares that we issue.
Our board of directors has authorized the issuance of shares of
our stock without certificates. We expect that, until our shares
are listed on a national securities exchange, we will not issue
shares in certificated form. We maintain a stock ledger that
contains the name and address of each stockholder and the number
of shares that the stockholder holds. With respect to
uncertificated stock, we will continue to treat the stockholder
registered on our stock ledger as the owner of the shares until
the new owner delivers a properly executed form to us, which
form we will provide to any registered holder upon request.
Preferred Stock
Our charter authorizes our board of directors to classify and
reclassify any unissued shares of our common and preferred stock
into one or more classes or series of stock, and to issue such
classified or reclassified stock, without stockholder approval.
Our board of directors must determine the relative rights,
preferences and privileges of each class or series of stock so
issued, which may be more beneficial than the rights,
preferences and privileges attributable to the common stock. The
issuance of such stock could have the effect of delaying,
deferring or preventing a change in control. Our board of
directors has no present plans to issue preferred stock, but may
do so at any time in the future without stockholder approval.
Meetings and Special Voting Requirements
An annual meeting of the stockholders will be held each year, no
earlier than 30 days after delivery of our annual report.
Special meetings of stockholders may be called by our board of
directors, a majority of the independent directors, the
president or the chief executive officer, or by our secretary
upon the written request of stockholders entitled to cast at
least 10% of the votes entitled to be cast on any issue proposed
to be considered at the special meeting. The presence in person
or by proxy of stockholders entitled to cast a majority of all
the votes entitled to be cast at the meeting constitutes a
quorum. Unless otherwise provided by the Maryland General
Corporation Law or our charter, the affirmative vote of a
majority of all votes cast is necessary to take stockholder
action, except that the affirmative vote of a majority of the
shares of stock present in person or by proxy at a meeting is
required to elect a director.
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Our charter provides that the concurrence of the board is not
required in order for the stockholders to elect or remove
directors. However, we have been advised that Maryland law does
require board approval in order to amend our charter or
dissolve. Without the approval of the holders of shares entitled
to cast a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on the
matter, the board of directors may not:
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amend the charter to adversely affect the rights, preferences
and privileges of the stockholders; |
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amend charter provisions relating to director qualifications,
fiduciary duties, liability and indemnification, conflicts of
interest, investment policies or investment restrictions; |
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cause our liquidation or dissolution after our initial
investment in property; |
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sell all or substantially all of our assets other than in the
ordinary course of business; or |
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cause our merger or reorganization. |
Wells Capital is selected and approved as our advisor annually
by our directors. While the stockholders do not have the ability
to vote to replace Wells Capital or to select a new advisor,
stockholders do have the ability, by the affirmative vote of a
majority of the shares entitled to vote on such matter, to
remove a director from our board.
Restriction on Ownership of Shares
In order for us to qualify as a REIT, during the last half of
each taxable year, not more than 50% of the value of our
outstanding shares may be owned, directly or indirectly, by five
or fewer individuals, as defined in the Internal Revenue Code to
include certain entities. In addition, the outstanding shares
must be owned by 100 or more persons independent of us and each
other during at least 335 days of a
12-month taxable year
or during a proportionate part of a shorter taxable year. Each
of the requirements specified in the two preceding sentences
shall not apply until after the first taxable year for which we
make an election to be taxed as a REIT. We may prohibit certain
acquisitions and transfers of shares so as to ensure our
continued qualification as a REIT under the Internal Revenue
Code. However, we cannot assure you that this prohibition will
be effective.
Our charter contains limitations on ownership that prohibit any
person or group of persons from acquiring, directly or
indirectly, beneficial ownership of more than 9.8% in value of
our outstanding shares, or more than 9.8% (in value or in number
of shares, whichever is more restrictive) of our outstanding
common shares, unless exempted by our board of directors. Our
charter provides that any transfer of shares that would violate
our share ownership limitations is null and void and the
intended transferee will acquire no rights in such shares,
unless the transfer is approved by our board of directors based
upon receipt of information that such transfer would not violate
the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code for qualification as
a REIT.
Our charter further prohibits (i) any person from owning
shares of our stock that would result in our being closely
held under Section 856(h) of the Internal Revenue
Code or otherwise cause us to fail to qualify as a REIT and
(ii) any person from transferring shares of our stock if
the transfer would result in our stock being owned by fewer than
100 persons. Any person who acquires or intends to acquire
shares of our stock that may violate any of these restrictions,
or who is the intended transferee of shares of our stock that
are transferred to the trust, as described below, is required to
give us immediate notice and provide us with such information as
we may request in order to determine the effect of the transfer
on our status as a REIT. The above restrictions will not apply
if our board of directors determines that it is no longer in our
best interest to continue to qualify as a REIT.
Our board of directors, in its sole discretion, may exempt a
person from these limits. However, the board may not exempt any
person whose ownership of our outstanding stock would result in
our being closely held within the meaning of
Section 856(h) of the Internal Revenue Code or otherwise
would result in our failing to qualify as a REIT. In order to be
considered by the board for exemption, a person
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also must not own, directly or indirectly, an interest in any
lessee of our property (or a lessee of any entity which we own
or control) that would cause us to own, directly or indirectly,
more than a 9.9% interest in the lessee. The person seeking an
exemption must represent to the satisfaction of the board that
it will not violate these two restrictions. The person also must
agree that any violation or attempted violation of these
restrictions will result in the automatic transfer of the shares
of stock causing the violation to a trust. The board of
directors may require a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service
or an opinion of counsel in order to determine or ensure our
status as a REIT.
Any attempted transfer of our stock which, if effective, would
result in our stock being owned by fewer than 100 persons will
be null and void. Any attempted transfer of our stock which, if
effective, would result in violation of the ownership limits
discussed above or in our being closely held under
Section 856(h) of the Internal Revenue Code or otherwise
failing to qualify as a REIT, will cause the number of shares
causing the violation (rounded to the nearest whole share) to be
automatically transferred to a trust for the exclusive benefit
of one or more charitable beneficiaries, and the proposed
transferee will not acquire any rights in the shares. The
automatic transfer will be deemed to be effective as of the
close of business on the business day prior to the date of the
transfer. Shares of our stock held in the trust will be issued
and outstanding shares. The proposed transferee will not benefit
economically from ownership of any shares of stock held in the
trust, will have no rights to distributions and no rights to
vote or other rights attributable to the shares of stock held in
the trust. The trustee of the trust will have all voting rights
and rights to dividends or other distributions with respect to
shares held in the trust. These rights will be exercised for the
exclusive benefit of the charitable beneficiary. Any dividend or
other distribution paid prior to our discovery that shares of
stock have been transferred to the trust will be paid by the
recipient to the trustee upon demand. Any dividend or other
distribution authorized but unpaid will be paid when due to the
trustee. Any dividend or distribution paid to the trustee will
be held in trust for the charitable beneficiary. Subject to
Maryland law, the trustee will have the authority (i) to
rescind as void any vote cast by the proposed transferee prior
to our discovery that the shares have been transferred to the
trust and (ii) to recast the vote in accordance with the
desires of the trustee acting for the benefit of the charitable
beneficiary. However, if we have already taken irreversible
corporate action, then the trustee will not have the authority
to rescind and recast the vote.
Within 20 days of receiving notice from us that shares of
our stock have been transferred to the trust, the trustee will
sell the shares to a person designated by the trustee, whose
ownership of the shares will not violate the above ownership
limitations. Upon the sale, the interest of the charitable
beneficiary in the shares sold will terminate and the trustee
will distribute the net proceeds of the sale to the proposed
transferee and to the charitable beneficiary as follows. The
proposed transferee will receive the lesser of (i) the
price paid by the proposed transferee for the shares or, if the
proposed transferee did not give value for the shares in
connection with the event causing the shares to be held in the
trust (e.g., a gift, devise or other similar transaction), the
market price (as defined in our charter) of the
shares on the day of the event causing the shares to be held in
the trust and (ii) the price received by the trustee from
the sale or other disposition of the shares. Any net sales
proceeds in excess of the amount payable to the proposed
transferee will be paid immediately to the charitable
beneficiary. If, prior to our discovery that shares of our stock
have been transferred to the trust, the shares are sold by the
proposed transferee, then (i) the shares shall be deemed to
have been sold on behalf of the trust and (ii) to the
extent that the proposed transferee received an amount for the
shares that exceeds the amount he was entitled to receive, the
excess shall be paid to the trustee upon demand.
In addition, shares of our stock held in the trust will be
deemed to have been offered for sale to us, or our designee, at
a price per share equal to the lesser of (i) the price per
share in the transaction that resulted in the transfer to the
trust (or, in the case of a devise or gift, the market price at
the time of the devise or gift) and (ii) the market price
on the date we, or our designee, accept the offer. We will have
the right to accept the offer until the trustee has sold the
shares. Upon a sale to us, the interest of the charitable
beneficiary in the shares sold will terminate and the trustee
will distribute the net proceeds of the sale to the proposed
transferee.
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All certificates representing shares of our stock will bear a
legend referring to the restrictions described above, although
we do not plan to issue shares in certificated form unless and
until our shares are listed on a national securities exchange.
Every owner of more than 5% (or such lower percentage as
required by the Internal Revenue Code or the regulations
promulgated thereunder) of our stock, within 30 days after
the end of each taxable year, is required to give us written
notice, stating his name and address, the number of shares of
each class and series of our stock which he beneficially owns,
and a description of the manner in which the shares are held.
Each such owner shall provide us with such additional
information as we may request in order to determine the effect,
if any, of his beneficial ownership on our status as a REIT and
to ensure compliance with the ownership limits. In addition,
each stockholder shall upon demand be required to provide us
with such information as we may request in good faith in order
to determine our status as a REIT and to comply with the
requirements of any taxing authority or governmental authority
or to determine such compliance.
These ownership limits could delay, defer or prevent a
transaction or a change in control that might involve a premium
price for our common stock or otherwise be in the best interest
of our stockholders.
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Suitability Standards and Minimum Purchase
Requirements |
Our charter requires that purchasers of our stock meet standards
regarding (1) net worth and/or income and (2) minimum
purchase amounts. These standards are described under
Suitability Standards on page i of this
prospectus and below at Plan of Distribution
Minimum Purchase Requirements. The standards apply not
only to purchasers in this offering, but also to potential
transferees for value of your shares. As a result, the
requirements regarding suitability and minimum purchase amounts,
which are applicable until our shares of common stock are listed
on a national securities exchange, may make it more difficult
for you to sell your shares.
Distributions
Distributions will be paid on a quarterly basis regardless of
the frequency with which such distributions are declared.
Distributions will be paid to investors who are stockholders as
of the record dates selected by our board of directors. During
the offering period, we expect to calculate our quarterly
distributions based upon daily record dates so that our
investors will be entitled to be paid distributions immediately
upon purchasing our shares. We expect to make quarterly
distribution payments following such calculation.
We are required to make distributions sufficient to satisfy the
requirements for qualification as a REIT for tax purposes.
Generally, income distributed as distributions will not be
taxable to us under the Internal Revenue Code if we distribute
at least 90% of our REIT taxable income (computed without regard
to the dividends paid deduction and excluding net capital gain).
See Federal Income Tax Considerations Annual
Distribution Requirements.
Except with respect to the first year following our acquisition
of a timberland property, as a result of tax treatment provided
to certain timber sale contracts under the Internal Revenue
Code, substantially all of our income will constitute net
capital gain for federal tax purposes. Unlike most existing
REITs, therefore, we do not anticipate, except with respect to
the first year following our acquisition of a timberland
property, that the 90% distribution requirement applicable to
REITs will require us to distribute any material amounts of cash
in order to remain qualified as a REIT. Notwithstanding the lack
of any federal income tax requirement that we do so, we intend
to make distributions to our stockholders based on a methodology
to be adopted by our board of directors. Generally after the
first year following our acquisition of a timberland property,
we expect these distributions to be treated as capital gain
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dividends. The actual amount and timing of distributions, if
any, will be at the discretion of our board of directors and
will depend upon a number of factors, including:
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our actual results of operations; |
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the timing of the investment of the net proceeds of this
offering; and |
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whether the income from our harvesting activities is ordinary
income or capital gains. |
As a result of the tax treatment provided to certain timber sale
contracts under the Internal Revenue Code, we expect, except in
the first year following our acquisition of a timberland
property, that a significant portion of our distributions to our
stockholders will be taxed at capital gains rates, which are
lower for noncorporate U.S. taxpayers than the rates for
ordinary income.
Because we may receive income from harvesting timber at various
times during our fiscal year, distributions may not reflect our
income earned in that particular distribution period but may be
made in anticipation of cash flow that we expect to receive
during a later quarter and may be made in advance of actual
receipt of funds in an attempt to make distributions relatively
uniform. We may borrow money, issue securities or sell assets in
order to make distributions. Distributions paid from borrowings
or sources other than cash from operations will constitute a
return of capital, which will reduce your basis in your shares
of our common stock.
We are not prohibited from distributing our own securities in
lieu of making cash distributions to stockholders, provided that
the securities so distributed to stockholders are readily
marketable. Stockholders who receive marketable securities in
lieu of cash distributions may incur transaction expenses in
liquidating the securities.
Distribution Reinvestment Plan
We have adopted a distribution reinvestment plan that allows you
to have distributions otherwise distributable to you invested in
additional shares of our common stock. The following discussion
summarizes the principal terms of this plan. The full text of
our distribution reinvestment plan is included as
Appendix B to this prospectus.
All of our stockholders are eligible to participate in our
distribution reinvestment plan except for restrictions imposed
by us, if any, in order to comply with the securities laws of
various jurisdictions. We may elect to deny your participation
in this plan if you reside in a jurisdiction or foreign country
where, in our judgment, the burden or expense of compliance with
applicable securities laws makes your participation
impracticable or inadvisable.
At any time prior to the listing of our shares on a national
stock exchange, you can only continue to participate in our
distribution reinvestment plan if you continue to meet the
suitability standards and if you are able to make the other
investor representations set forth in the then-current
prospectus and subscription agreement. Participants must agree
to notify us promptly when they no longer meet these standards.
See the Suitability Standards section of this
prospectus (on page i of this prospectus) and the form of
subscription agreement attached hereto as Appendix A.
Participants must agree to notify us promptly when they no
longer meet these standards.
Assuming you are eligible, you may elect to participate in our
distribution reinvestment plan by completing the subscription
agreement or other approved enrollment form available from the
dealer-manager or a
participating broker/ dealer. Your participation in the plan
will begin with the next distribution made after receipt of your
enrollment form. Once enrolled, you may generally continue to
purchase shares under our distribution reinvestment plan until
we have sold all of the shares registered in this offering, have
terminated this offering or have terminated the plan. We may
extend the term of the
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distribution reinvestment plan beyond the term of this offering.
You can choose to have all or a portion of your distributions
reinvested through our distribution reinvestment plan. You also
may change the percentage of your distributions that will be
reinvested at any time if you complete a new enrollment form or
other form provided for that purpose. Any election to increase
your level of participation must be made through your
participating broker/ dealer or investment adviser or, if you
purchase shares in this offering other than through a
participating broker/ dealer or investment adviser, through the
dealer-manager.
Shares will be purchased under our distribution reinvestment
plan on the quarterly distribution payment dates. The purchase
of fractional shares is a permissible and likely result of the
reinvestment of distributions under the plan.
The purchase price per share will be equal to
(1) $9.55 per share during this offering;
(2) 95.5% of the offering price in any subsequent public
equity offering during such offering; and (3) 95.5% of the
most recent offering price for the first 12 months
subsequent to the close of our last public offering of shares
prior to the listing of our shares on a national securities
exchange. After that
12-month period, we
will publish a per share valuation determined by our advisor or
another firm chosen for that purpose, and distributions will be
reinvested at the price determined by the valuation process.
(For these purposes, we do not consider a public equity
offering to include (1) offerings on behalf of
selling stockholders, (2) offerings related to a
distribution reinvestment plan or employee benefit plan or
(3) the redemption of interests in Wells Timber OP.) The
valuation determined by our advisor or another firm chosen for
that purpose may bear little relationship to and will likely
exceed what you might receive for your shares if you tried to
sell them or if we liquidated the portfolio.
Our board of directors may designate that certain cash
distributions attributable to net proceeds from the sale of one
or more of our properties or other investments will be excluded
from distributions that may be reinvested in shares under our
distribution reinvestment plan. If all or a portion of a
distribution of proceeds attributable to a sale transaction is
determined by our board to be an excluded distribution, the
excluded amounts will be paid in cash to all stockholders,
including distribution reinvestment plan participants, and will
not be reinvested in our shares pursuant to our distribution
reinvestment plan.
Our dealer-manager or a participating broker/ dealer will
provide a confirmation of your quarterly purchases under the
distribution reinvestment plan. The dealer-manager or
participating broker/ dealer will provide the confirmation to
you or your designee within five business days after the end of
the quarterly distribution period, which confirmation is to
disclose the following information:
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each distribution reinvested for your account during the quarter; |
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the date of the reinvestment; and |
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the number and price of the shares purchased by you. |
We will not pay selling commissions or a dealer-manager fee on
shares sold under our distribution reinvestment plan. We will
not reimburse Wells Capital for any organization and offering
expenses from proceeds of sales pursuant to our distribution
reinvestment plan. The amount that would have been paid as
selling commissions and dealer-manager fees if the shares sold
pursuant to our distribution reinvestment plan had been sold
pursuant to our primary offering will be retained and used by
us. Therefore, the net proceeds to us for sales under our
distribution reinvestment plan will be greater than the net
proceeds to us for sales pursuant to our primary offering, at
least during our offering stage and for all periods in which the
estimated value of a share of our common stock is at least
$10 per share. The economic benefits resulting
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from the increased net proceeds per share for purchases pursuant
to our distribution reinvestment plan will inure to the benefit
of all of our stockholders.
You may vote all shares acquired through our distribution
reinvestment plan.
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Tax Consequences of Participation |
If you elect to participate in our distribution reinvestment
plan and are subject to federal income taxation, you will incur
a tax liability for distributions allocated to you even though
you have elected not to receive the distributions in cash but
rather to have the distributions withheld and reinvested
pursuant to the plan. Specifically, you will be treated as if
you have received the distribution from us in cash and then
applied such distribution to the purchase of additional shares.
In addition, to the extent you purchase shares through our
distribution reinvestment plan at a discount to their fair
market value, you will be treated for tax purposes as receiving
an additional distribution equal to the amount of the discount.
The purchase price per share will be at the following discounts:
(1) $9.55 per share during this offering,
(2) 95.5% of the offering price in any subsequent public
equity offering during such offering, and (3) 95.5% of the
most recent offering price for the first 12 months
subsequent to the close of our last public equity offering prior
to the listing of our shares on a national securities exchange.
Therefore, at least until this offering is complete,
participants in our distribution reinvestment plan will be
treated for federal income tax purposes as having received a
dividend of $10.00 for each $9.55 reinvested by them under the
plan (or if shares in the most recent offering were offered at a
price other than $10.00 per share, then the deemed
distribution would be equal to such per share amount and the
amount reinvested would be 95.5% of such amount). You will be
taxed on the amount of such distribution as a dividend to the
extent such distribution is from current or accumulated earnings
and profits, unless we have designated all or a portion of the
distribution as a capital gain dividend. See Federal
Income Tax Considerations Taxation of
U.S. Stockholders and Distributions Generally. We
will withhold 28% of the amount of dividends or distributions
paid if you fail to furnish a valid taxpayer identification
number, fail to properly report interest or distributions, or
fail to certify that you are not subject to withholding.
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Termination of Participation |
You may terminate your participation in our distribution
reinvestment plan at any time by providing us with written
notice. For your termination to be effective for a particular
distribution, we must have received your notice of termination
at least 10 business days prior to the last day of the quarterly
distribution period to which the distribution relates. Any
transfer of your shares will effect a termination of the
participation of those shares in the distribution reinvestment
plan. We will terminate your participation to the extent that a
reinvestment of your distributions in our shares would cause you
to exceed the ownership limitation contained in our charter.
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Amendment or Termination of Plan |
We may amend or terminate our distribution reinvestment plan for
any reason at any time, but any amendment that adversely affects
the rights or obligations of a participant (as determined in the
sole discretion of our board of directors) will take effect only
upon 10 days prior written notice to participants.
Share Redemption Plan
Our board of directors has adopted a share redemption plan that
enables our stockholders to sell their shares to us in limited
circumstances. Our board of directors may, however, choose to
amend its provisions without stockholder approval. Our share
redemption plan permits you to sell your shares back to us after
you have held them for at least one year, subject to the
significant conditions and limitations described below.
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Initially, the price at which we will repurchase your stock
under the share redemption plan will be $9.10 unless the shares
were being redeemed in connection with the death or qualifying
disability of a stockholder in which case the price may be
greater. The initial redemption price will remain fixed for one
year after we complete the offering stage. Thereafter, the
redemption price will equal 95% of the estimated per share value
of our shares, as estimated by our advisor or another firm
chosen for that purpose. We will view our offering stage as
complete upon the termination of our initial public equity
offering that is followed by a
one-year period during
which we do not engage in another public equity offering. For
purposes of the share redemption plan, we will exclude from the
definition of public equity offering certain
issuances by us as described under ERISA
Considerations Annual Valuation. We will
report the redemption price to you in the annual report that we
will file with the SEC and deliver to you and in the three
quarterly reports that we also are required to file with the
SEC. These restrictions will severely limit your ability to sell
your shares should you require liquidity and will limit your
ability to recover the value you invested.
Our share redemption plan will limit the number of shares
redeemed pursuant to our share redemption plan as follows:
(1) during any calendar year, we will not redeem in excess
of 5% of the weighted-average number of shares outstanding
during the prior calendar year; and (2) we may not redeem
shares on any redemption date to the extent that such
redemptions will cause the amount paid for redemptions since the
beginning of the then-current calendar year to exceed the sum of
(x) the net proceeds from the sale of shares under our
distribution reinvestment plan during such period and
(y) any additional amounts reserved for such purpose by our
board of directors. These limits might prevent us from
accommodating all redemption requests made in any year.
We will redeem shares on the last business day of each month.
Requests for redemption must be received at least five business
days before that date in order for us to repurchase the shares
that month. If we cannot purchase all shares presented for
redemption in any month, we will attempt to honor redemption
requests on a pro rata basis. We will deviate from pro rata
purchases in two minor ways: (1) if a pro rata redemption
would result in a stockholder owning less than half of the
applicable minimum amount described in Plan of
Distribution Minimum Purchase Requirements,
then we would redeem all of that stockholders shares; and
(2) if a pro rata redemption would result in a stockholder
owning more than half but less than all of the applicable
minimum amount, then we would not redeem any shares that would
reduce that stockholders holdings below the applicable
minimum amount. In the event that a stockholder redeems all of
his or her shares, there will be no holding period requirement
for shares purchased pursuant to our distribution reinvestment
plan.
If we do not completely satisfy a stockholders redemption
request at month-end because the request was not received in
time or because of the restrictions on the number of shares we
may redeem under the plan, we will treat the unsatisfied portion
of the redemption request as a request for redemption in the
following month unless the stockholder withdraws his or her
request before the next date for redemptions. Any stockholder
could withdraw a redemption request upon written notice to the
address provided below before the date for redemption.
In several respects we may treat redemptions sought within two
years of the death or qualifying disability of a stockholder
differently from other redemptions. First, there is no one-year
holding requirement. Second, if redemption is sought until one
year after we complete our offering stage, the redemption price
will be 100% of the amount paid for the shares. Thereafter, the
redemption price will be 100% of the price at which we sold the
share or 95% of the estimate of our per share value, whichever
is greater. Finally, redemptions sought within two years of
death or qualifying disability are subject only to the overall
limitation that, during any calendar year, aggregate redemptions
may not exceed 100% of the net proceeds from our distribution
reinvestment plan during the calendar year and any additional
amounts reserved for such purpose by our board of directors.
Qualifying stockholders who desire to redeem their shares need
to give written notice to Wells Investment Securities, our
dealer-manager, at 6200 The Corners Parkway, Norcross, Georgia
30092-3365,
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Attn: Client Services. Wells Investment Securities is
responsible for all services to be performed in connection with
the share redemption plan, although it might outsource clerical
duties to our advisor.
Our board of directors may amend, suspend or terminate the
program upon 30 days notice. We will notify you of
such developments (1) in the quarterly reports mentioned
above or (2) by means of a separate mailing to you,
accompanied by disclosure in a current or periodic report under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. During this offering, we
will also include this information in a prospectus supplement or
post-effective amendment to the registration statement, as then
required under federal securities laws.
Our share redemption plan will provide stockholders only a
limited ability to redeem shares for cash until a secondary
market develops for the shares, at which time the plan will
terminate.
No such market presently exists, and we cannot assure you that
any market for your shares will ever develop.
Registrar and Transfer Agent
Wells Capital, a registered transfer agent, will serve as the
registrar and transfer agent for our common stock.
Restrictions on Roll-Up Transactions
In connection with any proposed transaction considered a
Roll-up
Transaction (defined below) involving us and the issuance
of securities of an entity, which we refer to as a
Roll-up
Entity, that would be created or would survive after the
successful completion of the
Roll-up Transaction, an
appraisal of all properties will be obtained from a competent
independent appraiser. The properties will be appraised on a
consistent basis, and the appraisal will be based on the
evaluation of all relevant information and will indicate the
value of the properties as of a date immediately preceding the
announcement of the proposed
Roll-up Transaction.
The appraisal will assume an orderly liquidation of properties
over a 12-month period.
The terms of the engagement of the independent appraiser will
clearly state that the engagement is for our benefit and the
benefit of our stockholders. A summary of the appraisal,
indicating all material assumptions underlying the appraisal,
will be included in a report to stockholders in connection with
any proposed Roll-up
Transaction.
A Roll-up
Transaction is a transaction involving the acquisition,
merger, conversion or consolidation, directly or indirectly, of
us and the issuance of securities of a
Roll-up Entity. This
term does not include:
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a transaction involving our securities that have been listed for
at least 12 months on a national securities
exchange; or |
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a transaction involving the conversion to corporate, trust, or
association form of only us if, as a consequence of the
transaction, there will be no significant adverse change in
stockholder voting rights, the term of our existence,
compensation to Wells Capital or our investment objectives. |
In connection with a proposed
Roll-up Transaction,
the person sponsoring the
Roll-up Transaction
must offer to stockholders who vote no on the
proposal the choice of:
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(1) accepting the securities of the
Roll-up Entity offered
in the proposed Roll-up
Transaction; or |
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(2) one of the following: |
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(A) remaining as stockholders of us and preserving their
interests therein on the same terms and conditions as existed
previously; or |
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(B) receiving cash in an amount equal to the
stockholders pro rata share of the appraised value of our
net assets. |
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We are prohibited from participating in any proposed
Roll-up Transaction:
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that would result in the stockholders having democracy rights in
a Roll-up Entity that
are less than those provided in our charter and described
elsewhere in this prospectus, including rights with respect to
the election and removal of directors, annual reports, annual
and special meetings, amendment of our charter, and dissolution
of us; |
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that includes provisions that would operate to materially impede
or frustrate the accumulation of shares by any purchaser of the
securities of the
Roll-up Entity, except
to the minimum extent necessary to preserve the tax status of
the Roll-up Entity, or
that would limit the ability of an investor to exercise the
voting rights of its securities of the
Roll-up Entity on the
basis of the number of shares held by that investor; |
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in which investors rights of access to records of the
Roll-up Entity will be
less than those provided in our charter and described in the
section of this prospectus entitled Description of
Shares Meetings and Special Voting
Requirements; or |
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in which any of the costs of the
Roll-up Transaction
would be borne by us if the
Roll-up Transaction is
not approved by the stockholders. |
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CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF MARYLAND LAW AND
OF OUR CHARTER AND BYLAWS
Business Combinations
Under Maryland law, business combinations between a Maryland
corporation and an interested stockholder or an affiliate of an
interested stockholder are prohibited for five years after the
most recent date on which the interested stockholder becomes an
interested stockholder. These business combinations include a
merger, consolidation, share exchange, or, in circumstances
specified in the statute, an asset transfer or issuance or
reclassification of equity securities. An interested stockholder
is defined as:
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any person who beneficially owns 10% or more of the voting power
of the corporations shares; or |
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an affiliate or associate of the corporation who, at any time
within the two-year period prior to the date in question, was
the beneficial owner of 10% or more of the voting power of the
then-outstanding voting stock of the corporation. |
A person is not an interested stockholder under the statute if
the board of directors approved in advance the transaction by
which he otherwise would have become an interested stockholder.
However, in approving a transaction, the board of directors may
provide that its approval is subject to compliance, at or after
the time of approval, with any terms and conditions determined
by the board.
After the five-year prohibition, any business combination
between the Maryland corporation and an interested stockholder
generally must be recommended by the board of directors of the
corporation and approved by the affirmative vote of at least:
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80% of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of outstanding
shares of voting stock of the corporation; and |
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two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of voting
stock of the corporation other than shares held by the
interested stockholder with whom or with whose affiliate the
business combination is to be effected or held by an affiliate
or associate of the interested stockholder. |
These super-majority vote requirements do not apply if the
corporations common stockholders receive a minimum price,
as defined under Maryland law, for their shares in the form of
cash or other consideration in the same form as previously paid
by the interested stockholder for its shares.
The statute permits various exemptions from its provisions,
including business combinations that are exempted by the board
of directors before the time that the interested stockholder
becomes an interested stockholder. Our board of directors has
adopted a resolution providing that any business combination
between us and any other person is exempted from this statute,
provided that such business combination is first approved by our
board. This resolution, however, may be altered or repealed in
whole or in part at any time. If this resolution is repealed,
the statute may discourage others from trying to acquire control
of us and increase the difficulty of consummating any offer.
Control Share Acquisitions
Maryland law provides that control shares of a Maryland
corporation acquired in a control share acquisition have no
voting rights except to the extent approved by a vote of
two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.
Shares owned by the acquiror, by officers or by directors who
are employees of the corporation are excluded from shares
entitled to vote on the matter. Control shares are voting shares
of stock which, if aggregated with all other shares of stock
owned by the acquiror or in respect of which the acquiror is
able to exercise or direct the exercise of voting power (except
solely by virtue of a revocable
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proxy), would entitle the acquiror to exercise voting power in
electing directors within one of the following ranges of voting
power:
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one-tenth or more but less than one-third, |
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one-third or more but less than a majority, or |
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a majority or more of all voting power. |
Control shares do not include shares the acquiring person is
then entitled to vote as a result of having previously obtained
stockholder approval. A control share acquisition means the
acquisition of control shares, subject to certain exceptions.
A person who has made or proposes to make a control share
acquisition may compel the board of directors of the corporation
to call a special meeting of stockholders to be held within
50 days of demand to consider the voting rights of the
shares. The right to compel the calling of a special meeting is
subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, including an
undertaking to pay the expenses of the meeting. If no request
for a meeting is made, the corporation may itself present the
question at any stockholders meeting.
If voting rights are not approved at the meeting or if the
acquiring person does not deliver an acquiring person statement
as required by the statute, then the corporation may redeem for
fair value any or all of the control shares, except those for
which voting rights have previously been approved. The right of
the corporation to redeem control shares is subject to certain
conditions and limitations. Fair value is determined, without
regard to the absence of voting rights for the control shares,
as of the date of the last control share acquisition by the
acquiror or of any meeting of stockholders at which the voting
rights of the shares are considered and not approved. If voting
rights for control shares are approved at a stockholders
meeting and the acquiror becomes entitled to vote a majority of
the shares entitled to vote, all other stockholders may exercise
appraisal rights. The fair value of the shares as determined for
purposes of appraisal rights may not be less than the highest
price per share paid by the acquiror in the control share
acquisition.
The control share acquisition statute does not apply (i) to
shares acquired in a merger, consolidation or share exchange if
the corporation is a party to the transaction, or (ii) to
acquisitions approved or exempted by the charter or bylaws of
the corporation.
Our bylaws contain a provision exempting from the control share
acquisition statute any and all acquisitions of shares of our
stock by any person. There can be no assurance that this
provision will not be amended or eliminated at any time in the
future.
Subtitle 8
Subtitle 8 of Title 3 of the Maryland General
Corporation Law permits a Maryland corporation with a class of
equity securities registered under the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934 and at least three independent directors to elect to be
subject, by provision in its charter or bylaws or a resolution
of its board of directors and notwithstanding any contrary
provision in the charter or bylaws, to any or all of five
provisions:
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a classified board, |
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a two-thirds vote requirement for removing a director, |
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a requirement that the number of directors be fixed only by vote
of the directors, |
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a requirement that a vacancy on the board be filled only by the
remaining directors and for the remainder of the full term of
the class of directors in which the vacancy occurred, and |
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a majority requirement for the calling of a special meeting of
stockholders. |
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Through provisions in our charter and bylaws unrelated to
Subtitle 8, we vest in our board of directors the exclusive
power to fix the number of directorships. We do not intend to
elect to be subject to any of the provisions of Subtitle 8
that would conflict with the North American Securities
Administrators Associations Statement of Policy Regarding
Real Estate Investment Trusts as long as our shares of common
stock are not listed on any national securities exchange and are
subject to the policy statement.
Advance Notice of Director Nominations and New Business
Our bylaws provide that with respect to an annual meeting of
stockholders, nominations of individuals for election to the
board of directors and the proposal of business to be considered
by stockholders may be made only (i) pursuant to our notice
of the meeting, (ii) by or at the direction of the board of
directors or (iii) by a stockholder who is entitled to vote
at the meeting and who has complied with the advance notice
procedures of the bylaws. With respect to special meetings of
stockholders, only the business specified in our notice of the
meeting may be brought before the meeting. Nominations of
individuals for election to the board of directors at a special
meeting may be made only (i) pursuant to our notice of the
meeting, (ii) by or at the direction of the board of
directors, or (iii) provided that the board of directors
has determined that directors will be elected at the meeting by
a stockholder who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who has
complied with the advance notice provisions of the bylaws.
Anti-takeover Effect of Certain Provisions of Maryland Law
and of the Charter and Bylaws
The business combination provisions and the control share
acquisition provisions of Maryland law, any provisions of our
charter electing to be subject to Subtitle 8 in the future,
and the advance notice provisions of our bylaws could delay,
defer or prevent a transaction or a change in control of our
company that might involve a premium price for stockholders or
otherwise be in their best interest.
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THE OPERATING PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT
General
Wells Timber Operating Partnership, L.P., which we refer to as
Wells Timber OP, was formed in November 2005 to
acquire, own and operate properties on our behalf. As a result
of this structure, we are considered to be an umbrella
partnership real estate investment trust, or UPREIT. An UPREIT
is a structure REITs often use to acquire real property from
owners on a tax-deferred basis (the sellers can generally accept
partnership units and defer taxable gain otherwise required to
be recognized by them upon the disposition of their properties).
Such owners also may desire to achieve diversity in their
investment and other benefits afforded to stockholders in a
REIT. For purposes of satisfying the asset and income tests for
qualification as a REIT for tax purposes, the REITs
proportionate share of the assets and income of Wells Timber OP
will be deemed to be assets and income of the REIT.
We expect that substantially all of our assets will be held by
Wells Timber OP. We are the sole general partner of Wells Timber
OP and, as of the date of this prospectus, we own 20,000 common
units, or a 99% partnership interest. Wells Capital owns 200
common units, or a 1% partnership interest, and also owns 100
special units. As the sole general partner, we have the
exclusive power to manage and conduct the business of Wells
Timber OP.
The following is a summary of material provisions of the limited
partnership agreement of Wells Timber OP. This summary is
qualified by the specific language in the limited partnership
agreement. You should refer to the actual limited partnership
agreement for more detail. You may request a copy of the
partnership agreement, at no cost, by writing or telephoning us
as set forth below at Where You Can Find More
Information.
Capital Contributions
As we accept subscriptions for shares, we will transfer all of
the net proceeds of the offering to Wells Timber OP as a capital
contribution; however, we will be deemed to have made capital
contributions in the amount of the gross offering proceeds of
the sale of shares to investors, regardless of any purchase
price discounts applicable to such sales and without reduction
for the selling commissions and other costs associated with the
offering. If Wells Timber OP requires additional funds at any
time in excess of capital contributions made by us and Wells
Capital or from borrowing, we may borrow funds from a financial
institution or other lender and lend such funds to Wells Timber
OP on the same terms and conditions as are applicable to our
borrowing of such funds. If Wells Timber OP issues additional
units to any new or existing partner in exchange for cash
capital contributions, the contributor will receive a number of
limited partnership units and a percentage interest in Wells
Timber OP calculated based on the amount of the capital
contribution and the value of Wells Timber OP at the time of
such contribution. In addition, we are authorized to cause Wells
Timber OP to issue partnership interests for less than fair
market value if we conclude in good faith that such issuance is
in the best interest of Wells Timber OP and us.
Operations
The limited partnership agreement of Wells Timber OP provides
that, so long as we remain qualified as a REIT, Wells Timber OP
is to be operated in a manner that will enable us to satisfy the
requirements for being classified as a REIT for tax purposes. As
a general partner of Wells Timber OP, we also are empowered to
do anything to ensure that Wells Timber OP will not be
classified as a publicly traded partnership for
purposes of Section 7704 of the Internal Revenue Code.
Classification as a publicly traded partnership could result in
Wells Timber OP being taxed as a corporation, rather than as a
partnership.
Distributions and Allocations of Profits and Losses
The limited partnership agreement provides that, except as
provided below with respect to the special units, Wells Timber
OP will distribute cash flow from operations to its partners in
accordance with their relative percentage interests on at least
a quarterly basis in amounts that we, as general partner,
determine. As a common unit holder, we will receive
distributions from Wells Timber OP that we will then distribute
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to our stockholders. The effect of these distributions will be
that a holder of one common unit of Wells Timber OP will receive
the same amount of annual cash flow distributions as the amount
of annual distributions paid to the holder of one of our shares.
Similarly, the limited partnership agreement provides that
taxable income is allocated to the partners of Wells Timber OP
in accordance with their relative percentage interests. Subject
to compliance with the provisions of Sections 704(b) and
704(c) of the Internal Revenue Code and corresponding Treasury
Regulations, the effect of these allocations will be that a
holder of one common unit of Wells Timber OP will be allocated
taxable income for each taxable year in an amount equal to the
amount of taxable income to be recognized by a holder of one of
our shares. Losses, if any, will generally be allocated among
the partners (other than the holder of the special units) in
accordance with their respective percentage interests in Wells
Timber OP. Losses cannot be passed through to our stockholders.
If Wells Timber OP liquidates, debts and other obligations must
be satisfied before the partners may receive any distributions.
Any distributions to partners then will be made to partners in
accordance with their respective positive capital account
balances.
The holder of the special units will be entitled to
distributions from Wells Timber OP in an amount equal to a
percentage of the net sales proceeds received by Wells Timber OP
as follows:
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After we have made distributions to our stockholders (including
amounts paid to redeem shares pursuant to our share redemption
plan) equal to, in the aggregate, a return of the total capital
raised from stockholders plus a cumulative, non-compounded
return on average invested capital of 7.0% per year, then the
holder of the special units is entitled to receive a
distribution from Wells Timber OP equal to the difference
between (1) 10% of the aggregate net sales proceeds from
the sale of all properties and real estate related investments
to date and (2) the total amount of all prior distributions
to the holder of the special units of net sales proceeds. |
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Notwithstanding the foregoing, after we have made distributions
to our stockholders (including amounts paid to redeem shares
pursuant to our share redemption plan) equal to, in the
aggregate, a return of the total capital raised from
stockholders plus a cumulative, non-compounded return on average
invested capital of 8.0% per year, then the holder of the
special units is entitled to receive a distribution from Wells
Timber OP equal to the difference between (1) 20% of the
aggregate net sales proceeds from the sale of all properties and
real estate related investments to date and (2) the total amount
of all prior distributions to the holder of the special units of
net sales proceeds. |
There will be a corresponding allocation of realized (or, in the
case of redemption, unrealized) profits of Wells Timber OP made
to the owner of the special units in connection with the amounts
payable with respect to the special units, including amounts
payable upon redemption of the special units, and those amounts
will be payable only out of realized (or, in the case of
redemption, unrealized) profits of Wells Timber OP.
Depending on various factors, including the date on which shares
of our common stock are purchased and the price paid for such
shares of common stock, each individual stockholder may receive
more or less than a return of the original issue price for such
stockholders shares plus the 7.0% or 8.0% cumulative
noncompounded annual pre-tax return on their net contributions
described above prior to the commencement of distributions to
the owner of the special units.
Rights, Obligations and Powers of the General Partner
As Wells Timber OPs general partner, we generally have
complete and exclusive discretion to manage and control Wells
Timber OPs business and to make all decisions affecting
its assets. This authority generally includes, among other
things, the authority to:
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acquire, purchase, own, operate, lease and dispose of any real
property and any other property; |
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construct buildings and make other improvements on owned or
leased properties; |
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authorize, issue, sell, redeem or otherwise purchase any debt or
other securities; |
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borrow money; |
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make or revoke any tax election; |
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maintain insurance coverage in amounts and types as we determine
is necessary; |
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retain employees or other service providers; |
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form or acquire interests in joint ventures; and |
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merge, consolidate or combine Wells Timber OP with another
entity. |
Wells Timber OP will pay all the administrative and operating
costs and expenses it incurs in acquiring and operating real
properties. Wells Timber OP also will pay all of our
administrative costs and expenses, and such expenses will be
treated as expenses of Wells Timber OP. Such expenses will
include:
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all expenses relating to our formation and continuity of
existence; |
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all expenses relating to the public offering and registration of
our securities; |
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all expenses associated with the preparation and filing of our
periodic reports under federal, state or local laws or
regulations; |
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all expenses associated with our compliance with applicable
laws, rules and regulations; and |
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all of our other operating or administrative costs incurred in
the ordinary course of business. |
The only costs and expenses we may incur for which we will not
be reimbursed by Wells Timber OP will be costs and expenses
relating to properties we may own outside of Wells Timber OP. We
will pay the expenses relating to such properties directly.
Redemption Rights
The limited partners of Wells Timber OP have the right to cause
Wells Timber OP to redeem their common units for cash in an
amount equal to the value of an equivalent number of our shares,
or, at our option, we may purchase their common units for cash
or by issuing one share of our common stock for each common unit
redeemed. These redemption rights may not be exercised, however,
if and to the extent that the delivery of shares upon such
exercise would:
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result in any person owning shares in excess of the ownership
limit in our charter (unless exempted by our board of directors); |
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result in our shares being owned by fewer than 100 persons; |
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result in us being closely held within the meaning
of Section 856(h) of the Internal Revenue Code; or |
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cause us to own 10% or more of the ownership interests in a
lessee within the meaning of Section 856(d)(2)(B) of the
Internal Revenue Code. |
Furthermore, limited partners who hold common units may exercise
their redemption rights only after their common units have been
outstanding for one year. A limited partner may not deliver more
than two redemption notices each calendar year and may not
exercise a redemption right for less than 1,000 common units,
unless such limited partner holds less than 1,000 units. In
that case, he must exercise his redemption right for all of his
units.
The holder of the special units has the right to have the
special units redeemed upon the earlier to occur of the listing
of our common shares on a national securities exchange (which we
refer to as a listing) or the termination of the advisory
agreement.
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If the special units are redeemed upon a listing, the redemption
payment will be calculated as follows:
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If (1) the market value of our outstanding common stock at
listing plus the total distributions paid to stockholders prior
to listing exceeds (2) the sum of the total amount of
capital raised from stockholders (less amounts paid to redeem
shares pursuant to our share redemption plan) plus the amount of
cash that, if distributed to the stockholders as of the date of
listing, would have provided them with a cumulative,
noncompounded return equal to 7.0% per year, then the redemption
payment will equal 10% of such excess amount. |
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Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (1) the market value of
our outstanding common stock at listing plus the total
distributions paid to stockholders prior to listing exceeds
(2) the sum of the total amount of capital raised from
stockholders (less amounts paid to redeem shares pursuant to our
share redemption plan) plus the amount of cash that, if
distributed to the stockholders as of the date of listing, would
have provided them with a cumulative, noncompounded return equal
to 8.0% per year, then the redemption payment will equal
20% of such excess amount. |
If the redemption payment due upon listing is earned, Wells
Timber OP would pay the amount due in cash, or we would have the
option to purchase the special units in exchange for cash or
shares of our common stock. For purposes of the redemption
payment described in this paragraph, the market value of our
outstanding shares following listing will be calculated based on
the average market value of the shares issued and outstanding at
the time of listing for the 30 trading days beginning on the
180th
day after the shares are first listed on a national securities
exchange.
If the special units are redeemed upon a termination of the
advisory agreement, other than a termination for cause, the
redemption payment would be equal to the aggregate amount, if
any, of net sales proceeds that would have been distributed to
the holder of the special units as described above under
Distributions and Allocations of Profits and Losses
if, on the date of the occurrence of termination, all assets of
Wells Timber OP had been sold for their fair market value and
all liabilities of Wells Timber OP had been satisfied in full
according to their terms. Wells Timber OP would either redeem
the special units for cash or issue an interest-bearing
promissory note in the amount of the redemption payment. If the
promissory note is not paid within five years of issuance, we
would be required to purchase the note in exchange for cash or
shares of our common stock.
In the event we terminate the advisory agreement for cause,
which includes fraud, criminal conduct, willful misconduct,
willful or grossly negligent breach of fiduciary duty and a
material breach of the advisory agreement by the advisor, we
would redeem the special units for $1.00.
Change in General Partner
We are generally not allowed to withdraw as the general partner
of Wells Timber OP or transfer our general partnership interest
in Wells Timber OP (except to a wholly owned subsidiary). The
principal exception to this is if we merge with another entity
and (1) the holders of a majority of partnership units
(including those we hold) approve the transaction; (2) the
limited partners receive or have the right to receive an amount
of cash, securities or other property equal in value to the
amount they would have received if they had exercised their
exchange rights immediately before such transaction; (3) we
are the surviving entity and our stockholders do not receive
cash, securities, or other property in the transaction; or
(4) the successor entity contributes substantially all of
its assets to Wells Timber OP in return for an interest in Wells
Timber OP and agrees to assume all obligations of the general
partner of Wells Timber OP. If we voluntarily seek
protection under bankruptcy or state insolvency laws, or if we
are involuntarily placed under such protection for more than
90 days, we would be deemed to be automatically removed as
the general partner. Otherwise, the limited partners have no
right to remove us as general partner.
115
Transferability of Interests
With certain exceptions, the limited partners may not transfer
their interests in Wells Timber OP, in whole or in part, without
our written consent as the general partner. In addition,
pursuant to our charter, Wells Capital may not transfer its
interest in Wells Timber OP as long as it is acting as our
advisor.
Amendment of Limited Partnership Agreement
An amendment to the limited partnership agreement requires the
consent of the holders of a majority of the partnership units
(including the partnership units we hold). Additionally, we, as
general partner, must approve any amendment. However, certain
amendments require the consent of the holders of a majority of
the partnership units (excluding the partnership units we or one
of our affiliates holds). Such amendments include:
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any amendment affecting the redemption right to the detriment of
the limited partners (except for certain business combinations
where we merge with another entity and leave Wells Timber OP in
existence to hold all the assets of the surviving entity); |
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any amendment that would adversely affect the limited
partners rights to receive distributions, except for
amendments we make to create and issue preferred partnership
units; |
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any amendment that would alter how we allocate profits and
losses, except for amendments we make to create and issue
preferred partnership units; and |
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any amendment that would impose on the limited partners any
obligation to make additional capital contributions. |
116
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
General
We are publicly offering a maximum of 85 million shares
through Wells Investment Securities, our dealer-manager, a
registered broker/ dealer affiliated with Wells Capital, our
advisor. Of this amount, we are offering 75 million shares
in our primary offering at a price of $10.00 per share
(except as noted below) on a best efforts basis,
which means that the dealer-manager must use only its best
efforts to sell the shares and has no firm commitment or
obligation to purchase any of the shares. We are offering the
remaining 10 million shares through our distribution
reinvestment plan at a purchase price equal to
(1) $9.55 per share during this offering;
(2) 95.5% of the offering price in any subsequent public
equity offering during such offering; and (3) 95.5% of the
most recent public offering price for the first 12 months
subsequent to the close of our last public equity offering prior
to the listing of our shares on a national securities exchange.
After that 12-month
period, we will publish a per share valuation determined by our
advisor or another firm chosen for that purpose, and
distributions will be reinvested at the price determined by the
valuation process. Our primary offering will terminate by
August 11, 2008; thereafter, we may continue to offer
shares in this offering only through our distribution
reinvestment plan. We reserve the right to terminate this
offering at any time. Prior to the conclusion of this offering,
if any of the shares initially allocated to the distribution
reinvestment plan remain unsold after meeting anticipated
obligations under the distribution reinvestment plan, we may
decide to sell some or all of such remaining shares to the
public as part of the primary offering. Similarly, prior to the
conclusion of this offering, if all of the shares initially
allocated to the distribution reinvestment plan have been
purchased but shares initially allocated to our primary offering
remain unsold and we anticipate additional demand for shares
under our distribution reinvestment plan, we may choose to
reallocate some or all of the remaining shares initially
allocated to the primary offering to the distribution
reinvestment plan.
Our board of directors determined the offering price of
$10.00 per share based on consideration of the offering
price of shares offered by similar REITs and the administrative
convenience to us and investors of the share price being an even
dollar amount. This price bears no relationship to the value of
our assets or other established criteria for valuing shares. We
have not had any operations as of the date of this prospectus
and we have no assets other than subscription proceeds from the
sale of our common shares to Wells Capital at $10.00 per
share and the sale of Wells Timber OP units to Wells Capital at
$10.00 per unit.
Compensation of Dealer-Manager and Participating Broker/
Dealers
Except as provided below, Wells Investment Securities, our
dealer-manager and affiliate, will receive selling commissions
of 7.0% of the gross offering proceeds for shares sold in our
primary offering. In addition, except as described below, the
dealer-manager will receive 1.8% of the gross offering proceeds
as compensation for acting as the dealer-manager and for
expenses incurred in connection with marketing our shares and
paying the employment costs of the dealer-managers
wholesalers. Out of its dealer-manager fee, the dealer-manager
may pay salaries and sales-based compensation to its wholesalers
in the aggregate amount of up to 0.75% of the gross offering
proceeds. We will not pay selling commissions or a
dealer-manager fee for shares sold pursuant to our distribution
reinvestment plan. We will not pay referral or similar fees to
any accountants, attorneys or other persons in connection with
the distribution of the shares.
We currently expect the dealer-manager to utilize two channels
to sell our shares in our primary offering, each of which has a
different selling commission and dealer-manager fee structure.
The dealer-manager may authorize other broker/ dealers who are
members of the NASD, which we refer to as participating broker/
dealers, to sell our shares. Our first distribution channel
involves (1) those participating broker/ dealers
compensated solely on a commission basis for the sale and
(2) sales through investment advisory representatives
affiliated with a participating broker/ dealer in which the
representative is compensated for investment advisory services
on a fee-for-service basis. Our second distribution channel will
be sales through independent investment advisers (i.e.,
investment advisers not affiliated with a broker/dealer).
117
In the event of the sale of shares in our primary offering by a
participating broker/dealer involving a registered
representative compensated on a commission basis for the sale,
the dealer-manager will reallow its selling commissions in an
amount equal to 7.0% of the gross offering proceeds attributable
to the participating broker/dealer. In the event of the sale of
shares in our primary offering through an investment advisory
representative affiliated with a participating broker/dealer in
which the representative is compensated on a fee-for-service
basis by the investor, the dealer-manager will waive its right
to a commission, and we will sell such shares for $9.30 per
share, reflecting that selling commissions in the amount of
$0.70 per share will not be payable.
The dealer-manager may reallow to a participating broker/dealer
a portion of the dealer-manager fee earned on the proceeds
raised by the participating broker/dealer. This reallowance
would generally be in the form of a marketing fee, which fee
will not exceed 1.0% of the gross sales of the broker/dealer.
In the event of the sale of shares in our primary offering
through an independent investment advisor, the dealer-manager
will waive its right to a selling commission and will reduce the
dealer-manager fee to .8% of gross offering proceeds. We will
sell such shares for $9.20 per share, reflecting that
selling commissions in the amount of $0.70 per share will
not be payable and that the dealer-manager fee will be reduced
from 1.8% to .8%, or by approximately $0.10 per share. At
the request of certain participating broker/dealers, our
dealer-manager may agree to reduce its dealer-manager fee and to
reduce or waive the selling commissions in connection with sales
made through such participating broker/dealers. The net proceeds
to us would not be affected by such fee reductions.
In addition to the compensation described above, we will also
reimburse the dealer-manager and its affiliates for some of
their costs in connection with the offering as described in the
table below, which table sets forth the nature and estimated
amount of all items viewed as underwriting
compensation by the NASD, assuming we sell all of the
shares offered by this prospectus. To show the maximum amount of
dealer-manager and participating broker/dealer compensation that
we may pay in this offering, this table assumes that all shares
are sold through distribution channels associated with the
highest possible selling commissions and dealer-manager fee.
Dealer-Manager and
Participating Broker/Dealer Compensation
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Dealer-manager fee (maximum)
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$ |
13,500,000 |
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Selling commissions (maximum)
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52,500,000 |
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Salary allocations of sales managers and their support
personnel(1)(2)
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405,000 |
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Expense reimbursements for retail
seminars(1)(3)(4)
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2,060,000 |
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Expense reimbursements for educational conferences
(1)(4)(5)
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700,000 |
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Legal fees allocable to
dealer-manager(1)(4)
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125,000 |
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Reimbursement of due diligence
expenses(1)(4)(6)
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25,000 |
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Total
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$ |
69,315,000 |
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(1) |
Amounts shown are estimates. |
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(2) |
These costs are borne by Wells Capital and are not reimbursed by
us. |
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(3) |
These amounts consist primarily of reimbursements for travel,
meals, lodging and attendance fees incurred by employees of
Wells Investment Securities, Wells Capital or one of their
affiliates to attend retail seminars sponsored by participating
broker/dealers. |
|
(4) |
Subject to the cap on organization and offering expenses
described below, we will reimburse Wells Investment Securities
or its affiliates for these expenses. In some cases, these
payments will serve to reimburse Wells Investment Securities for
amounts it has paid to participating broker/dealers for the
items noted. |
|
(5) |
These amounts consist of expense reimbursements for actual costs
incurred in connection with attending educational conferences
hosted by us. The expenses consist of the travel, meals and
lodging |
118
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of (a) representatives of participating broker/ dealers and
(b) wholesalers and other NASD-registered personnel
associated with Wells Investment Securities. All conferences
will be held in the vicinity of our headquarters, which is in
Norcross, Georgia, unless the NASD permits a conference in
another location. |
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(6) |
We may reimburse the dealer-manager for reimbursements it may
make to broker/ dealers for reasonable bona fide due diligence
expenses up to a maximum of 0.5% of our gross offering proceeds.
In many cases, however, a marketing fee agreement between the
dealer-manager and the participating broker/ dealer will provide
that neither we nor the dealer-manager will be obligated to
reimburse the due diligence expenses of the participating
broker/ dealer. Because of those marketing fee arrangements, we
expect the total amount of our reimbursement of bona fide due
diligence expenses of broker/ dealers will be far less than the
0.5% of gross offering proceeds permitted by the NASD. |
As required by the rules of the NASD, total underwriting
compensation will not exceed 10% of our gross offering proceeds,
except for bona fide due diligence expenses, which will not
exceed 0.5% of our gross offering proceeds. The NASD and many
states also limit our total organization and offering expenses
to 15% of gross offering proceeds. With Wells Capitals
obligation to reimburse us to the extent the organization and
offering expenses (other than the dealer-manager fee and selling
commissions) exceed 1.2% of the gross offering proceeds from our
primary offering (Wells Capital will not be entitled to any such
reimbursement from proceeds of sales under our distribution
reinvestment plan), our total organization and offering expenses
are capped at 10.0% of the gross proceeds of our primary
offering, as shown in the following table:
Organization and Offering Expenses
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Maximum Percent | |
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of Gross Offering | |
Expense |
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Proceeds | |
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Selling commissions
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7.0 |
% |
Dealer-manager fee
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1.8 |
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All other organization and offering expenses
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1.2 |
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Total
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10.0 |
% |
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To the extent permitted by law and our charter, we will
indemnify the participating broker/ dealers and the
dealer-manager against some civil liabilities, including certain
liabilities under the Securities Act and liabilities arising
from breaches of our representations and warranties contained in
the dealer-manager agreement. See Management
Limited Liability and Indemnification of Directors, Officers,
Employees and Other Agents.
We may sell shares in our primary offering to participating
broker/ dealers, their retirement plans, their representatives
and their family members, IRAs and qualified plans of their
representatives for $9.30 per share, reflecting that
selling commissions in the amount of $0.70 per share will
not be payable in consideration of the services rendered by such
broker/ dealers and representatives in the offering. For
purposes of this discount, we consider a family member to be a
spouse, parent, child, sibling, mother- or
father-in-law, son- or
daughter-in-law, or
brother- or
sister-in-law. The net
proceeds to us from such sales made net of commissions will be
substantially the same as the net proceeds we receive from other
sales of shares.
Our directors and officers and directors, officers and employees
of Wells Capital or its affiliates may purchase shares in our
primary offering at a discount. Except for the share ownership
limitations contained in our charter, there is no limit on the
number of shares that we may sell to those individuals. The
purchase price for such shares shall be $9.12 per share
reflecting the fact that selling commissions in the amount of
$0.70 per share and dealer-manager fees in the amount of
$0.18 per share will not be payable in connection with such
sales. The net proceeds to us from such sales made net of
commissions will be substantially the same as the net proceeds
we receive from other sales of shares. Directors, officers and
employees of Wells Capital and its affiliates are expected to
hold their shares purchased as stockholders
119
for investment and not with a view toward distribution. Any
shares sold to these persons will not be included in calculating
our minimum offering requirement.
An investor purchasing more than 50,000 shares at any one
time through a single participating broker/ dealer will be
eligible for a discount on the purchase price of the shares
above 50,000. The selling commission payable to the
participating broker/ dealer will be commensurately reduced. The
following table shows the discounted price per share and reduced
selling commissions payable for volume discounts.
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Commission | |
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Price per | |
Shares Purchased |
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Rate | |
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Share | |
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1 to 50,000
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7.0 |
% |
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$ |
10.00 |
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50,001 to 100,000
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6.0 |
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9.90 |
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100,001 to 200,000
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5.0 |
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9.80 |
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200,001 to 300,000
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4.0 |
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9.70 |
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300,001 to 400,000
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3.0 |
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9.60 |
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400,001 to 500,000
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2.0 |
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9.50 |
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500,001 and up
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1.0 |
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9.40 |
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The reduced selling price per share and selling commissions are
applied to the incremental shares falling within the indicated
range only. All commission rates are calculated assuming a
$10.00 price per share. Thus, for example, an investment of
$1,249,996 would result in a total purchase of
126,020 shares as follows:
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50,000 shares at $10.00 per share (total: $500,000)
and a 7.0% commission; |
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50,000 shares at $9.90 per share (total: $495,000) and
a 6.0% commission; and |
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26,020 shares at $9.80 per share (total: $254,996) and
a 5.0% commission. |
Subscription Procedures
To purchase shares in this offering, you must complete the
Subscription Agreement, a sample of which is contained in this
prospectus as Appendix A. Initially, your check should be
made payable to U.S. Bank, as escrow agent for
WTREIT. After we meet the minimum offering requirement,
unless you are a resident of Pennsylvania, your check should be
made payable to Wells Timber Real Estate Investment Trust,
Inc. If you are a resident of Pennsylvania your check
should be made payable to U.S. Bank, as escrow agent
for WTREIT until we have received aggregate gross proceeds
from this offering of at least $37,500,000, after which time it
may be made payable to Wells Timber Real Estate Investment
Trust, Inc. After you have satisfied the $5,000 minimum
purchase requirement, additional purchases must be in increments
of $100, except for purchases made pursuant to our distribution
reinvestment plan. Subscriptions will be effective only upon our
acceptance, and we reserve the right to reject any subscription
in whole or in part. Subscription payments will be deposited
into an account in our name at such time as we have accepted or
rejected the subscription. Subscriptions will be accepted or
rejected within 30 days of receipt by us and, if rejected,
all funds shall be returned to the rejected subscribers within
10 business days. You will receive a confirmation of your
purchase. We generally admit stockholders on a daily basis.
You are required to represent in the Subscription Agreement that
you have received a copy of this prospectus. In order to ensure
that you have had sufficient time to review this prospectus, we
will refund your subscription amount upon written request if we
receive your request within five business days of your receipt
of this prospectus. To revoke your subscription and receive a
refund of your subscription amount,
120
send your written request (including the date upon which you
completed your subscription agreement or received this
prospectus, as applicable) to the following address:
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Client Services Department |
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Wells Real Estate Funds, Inc. |
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6200 The Corners Parkway |
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Norcross, Georgia 30092-3365 |
|
Telephone: (800) 557-4830 or (770) 243-8282 |
|
Fax: (770) 243-8198 |
|
E-mail:
clientservices@wellsref.com |
|
www.wellsref.com |
Investors who desire to purchase shares in this offering at
regular intervals may be able to do so through their
participating broker/ dealer or, if they are investing in this
offering other than through a participating broker/ dealer,
through the dealer-manager by completing an automatic investment
plan enrollment form. Participation in the automatic investment
plan is limited to investors who have already met the minimum
purchase requirement in this offering of $5,000. The minimum
periodic investment is $100 per month.
We will provide a confirmation of your monthly purchases under
the automatic investment plan within five business days after
the end of each month. The confirmation will disclose the
following information:
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the amount of the investment; |
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the date of the investment; and |
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the number and price of the shares purchased by you. |
We will pay dealer-manager fees and selling commissions in
connection with sales under the automatic investment plan to the
same extent that we pay those fees and commissions on shares
sold in this offering outside of the automatic investment plan.
You may terminate your participation in the automatic investment
plan at any time by providing us with written notice. If you
elect to participate in the automatic investment plan, you must
agree that if at any time you fail to meet the applicable
investor suitability standards or cannot make the other investor
representations set forth in the then-current prospectus and
subscription agreement, you will promptly notify us in writing
of that fact and your participation in the plan will terminate.
See the Suitability Standards section of this
prospectus (on page i) and the form of subscription agreement
attached hereto as Appendix A.
Stockholder Suitability
Those selling shares on our behalf have the responsibility to
make every reasonable effort to determine that the purchase of
shares in this offering is a suitable and appropriate investment
based on information provided by the prospective stockholder
regarding such persons financial situation and investment
objectives. In making this determination, those selling shares
on our behalf have a responsibility to ascertain that the
prospective stockholder:
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meets the minimum income and net worth standards set forth under
Suitability Standards on page i of this prospectus; |
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can reasonably benefit from an investment in our shares based on
the prospective stockholders overall investment objectives
and portfolio structure; |
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is able to bear the economic risk of the investment based on the
prospective stockholders overall financial situation; |
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is in a financial position appropriate to enable the prospective
stockholder to realize to a significant extent the benefits
described in this prospectus of an investment in the
shares; and |
121
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has an apparent understanding of: |
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the fundamental risks of the investment; |
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the risk that the stockholder may lose the entire investment; |
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the lack of liquidity of the shares; |
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the restrictions on transferability of the shares; |
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the background and qualifications of Wells Capital and its
affiliates; and |
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the tax consequences of the investment. |
Relevant information for this purpose will include at least the
age, investment objectives, investment experience, income, net
worth, financial situation and other investments of the
prospective stockholder, as well as any other pertinent factors.
Those selling shares on our behalf must maintain, for a six-year
period, records of the information used to determine that an
investment in shares is suitable and appropriate for each
stockholder.
Minimum Purchase Requirements
For your initial investment in our shares, you must invest at
least $5,000, except as described below. In order to satisfy the
minimum purchase requirement for retirement plans, unless
otherwise prohibited by state law, a husband and wife may
jointly contribute funds from their separate IRAs, provided that
each such contribution is made in increments of $100. You should
note that an investment in our shares will not, in itself,
create a retirement plan and that, in order to create a
retirement plan, you must comply with all applicable provisions
of the Internal Revenue Code.
Unless and until our shares of common stock are listed on a
national securities exchange, you may not transfer your shares
in a manner that causes you or your transferee to own fewer than
the number of shares required for the minimum purchase described
above, except in the following circumstances: transfers by gift;
transfers by inheritance; intrafamily transfers; family
dissolutions; transfers to affiliates; and by operation of law.
Special Notice to Pennsylvania Investors
Because the minimum offering of our common stock is less than
$37.5 million, Pennsylvania investors are cautioned to
evaluate carefully our ability to fully accomplish our stated
objectives and to inquire as to the current dollar volume of our
subscription proceeds. Notwithstanding our $2 million
minimum offering amount for all other jurisdictions, we will not
sell any shares to Pennsylvania investors unless we raise a
minimum of $37.5 million in gross offering proceeds
(including sales made to residents of other jurisdictions).
Pending satisfaction of this condition, all Pennsylvania
subscription payments will be placed in an account held by the
escrow agent, U.S. Bank, National Association, in trust for
Pennsylvania subscribers benefit, pending release to us.
If we have not reached this $37.5 million threshold within
120 days of the date that we first accept a subscription
payment from a Pennsylvania investor, we will, within
10 days of the end of that
120-day period, notify
Pennsylvania investors in writing of their right to receive
refunds with interest and without deductions for expenses. If a
Pennsylvania investor requests a refund within 10 days of
receiving that notice, we will arrange for the escrow agent to
return promptly by check the funds deposited in the Pennsylvania
escrow account, along with any interest, on behalf of that
subscriber. Amounts held in the Pennsylvania escrow account from
Pennsylvania investors not requesting a refund will continue to
be held for subsequent
120-day periods until
we raise at least $37.5 million or until the end of the
subsequent escrow periods. At the end of each subsequent escrow
period, we will again notify Pennsylvania investors of their
right to receive refunds with interest, along with any interest,
from the day after the expiration of the initial
120-day period.
122
LEGAL MATTERS
The validity of the shares of our common stock being offered
hereby has been passed upon for us by Venable LLP, Baltimore,
Maryland. The statements under the caption Federal Income
Tax Considerations as they relate to federal income tax
matters have been reviewed by Alston & Bird LLP,
Atlanta, Georgia, and Alston & Bird LLP has opined
as to certain income tax matters relating to an investment in
our shares. Alston & Bird LLP has also represented
Wells Capital, our advisor, Wells Investment Securities, our
dealer-manager, in
other matters and may continue to do so in the future.
EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements as of December 31,
2005 and for the period from November 10, 2005 (inception)
through December 31, 2005 included in this prospectus have
been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent
registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report
appearing herein, and are included in reliance upon the report
of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting
and auditing.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We have filed a registration statement on
Form S-11 with the
SEC with respect to the shares of our common stock to be issued
in the offering. This prospectus is a part of that registration
statement and, as allowed by SEC rules, does not include all of
the information you can find in the registration statement or
the exhibits to the registration statement. For additional
information relating to us, we refer you to the registration
statement and the exhibits to the registration statement.
Statements contained in this prospectus as to the contents of
any contract or document referred to are necessarily summaries
of such contract or document and in each instance, if the
contract or document is filed as an exhibit to the registration
statement, we refer you to the copy of the contract or document
filed as an exhibit to the registration statement.
After commencement of the offering, we will file annual,
quarterly and special reports, proxy statements and other
information with the SEC. We will furnish our stockholders by
mail (or, where permitted, by electronic delivery and
notification) with annual reports containing consolidated
financial statements certified by an independent registered
public accounting firm. The registration statement is, and any
of these future filings with the SEC will be, available to the
public over the Internet at the SECs Web site at
http://www.sec.gov. You also may read and copy any filed
document at the SECs public reference room in
Washington, D.C. at 100 F Street, N.E., Room 1580,
Washington, D.C. Please call the SEC at (800) SEC-0330
for further information about the public reference room.
One of our affiliates also maintains an Internet site at
http://www.wellsref.com at which there is additional information
about us and our affiliates. The contents of that site are not
incorporated by reference in or otherwise a part of this
prospectus.
123
INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND
PRIOR PERFORMANCE TABLES
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F-2 |
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F-3 |
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F-4 |
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F-5 |
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F-6 |
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F-7 |
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F-14 |
|
F-1
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Board of Directors and Stockholder
Wells Timber Real Estate Investment Trust, Inc.
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheet of
Wells Timber Real Estate Investment Trust, Inc. and subsidiaries
(the Company) as of December 31, 2005 and the
related statements of loss, stockholders equity and cash
flows for the period from November 10, 2005 (inception)
through December 31, 2005. These consolidated financial
statements are the responsibility of the Companys
management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these
consolidated financial statements based on our audit.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the
Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those
standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated balance
sheet is free of material misstatement. The Company is not
required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of
its internal control over financial reporting. Our audit
included consideration of internal control over financial
reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are
appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of
expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Companys
internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we
express no such opinion. An audit also includes examining, on a
test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in
the consolidated financial statements, assessing the accounting
principles used and significant estimates made by management, as
well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.
We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our
opinion.
In our opinion, such consolidated financial statements present
fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of
Wells Timber Real Estate Investment Trust, Inc. and subsidiaries
as of December 31, 2005 and the results of their operations
and cash flows for the period then ended in conformity with
accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of
America.
|
|
|
/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP |
Atlanta, Georgia
June 6, 2006 except for Note 6, as to which the date
is August 8, 2006
F-2
WELLS TIMBER REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST, INC.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Unaudited) | |
|
|
|
|
March 31, | |
|
December 31, | |
|
|
2006 | |
|
2005 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Assets:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents
|
|
$ |
203,000 |
|
|
$ |
203,000 |
|
Prepaid expenses
|
|
|
285,995 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total assets
|
|
$ |
488,995 |
|
|
$ |
203,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Liabilities and Stockholders Equity: |
Due to affiliate
|
|
$ |
366,168 |
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
Commitments and Contingencies
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Minority Interest
|
|
|
3,000 |
|
|
|
3,000 |
|
|
Stockholders Equity:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Preferred stock, $0.01 par value; 100 million shares
authorized, no shares issued and outstanding
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common stock, $0.01 par value; 900 million shares
authorized, 20,000 shares issued and outstanding
|
|
|
200 |
|
|
|
200 |
|
Additional paid-in capital
|
|
|
199,800 |
|
|
|
199,800 |
|
Accumulated deficit
|
|
|
(80,173 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total stockholders equity
|
|
|
119,827 |
|
|
|
200,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total liabilities and stockholders equity
|
|
$ |
488,995 |
|
|
$ |
203,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
See accompanying notes.
F-3
WELLS TIMBER REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF LOSS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Period From | |
|
|
(Unaudited) | |
|
November 10, 2005 | |
|
|
Three Months Ended | |
|
(inception) through | |
|
|
March 31, 2006 | |
|
December 31, 2005 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
REVENUES:
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
EXPENSES:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
General and administrative expenses
|
|
|
(80,173 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NET LOSS
|
|
$ |
(80,173 |
) |
|
$ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
See accompanying notes.
F-4
WELLS TIMBER REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS EQUITY
FOR THE PERIOD FROM NOVEMBER 10, 2005
(INCEPTION) THROUGH
DECEMBER 31, 2005 AND FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED
MARCH 31, 2006 (UNAUDITED)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common Stock | |
|
Additional | |
|
|
|
Total | |
|
|
| |
|
Paid-In | |
|
Accumulated | |
|
Stockholders | |
|
|
Shares | |
|
Amount | |
|
Capital | |
|
Deficit | |
|
Equity | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
BALANCE, November 10, 2005 (inception)
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
Issuance of common stock
|
|
|
20,000 |
|
|
|
200 |
|
|
|
199,800 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
200,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
BALANCE, December 31, 2005
|
|
|
20,000 |
|
|
|
200 |
|
|
|
199,800 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
200,000 |
|
|
Net loss
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(80,173 |
) |
|
|
(80,173 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
BALANCE, March 31, 2006
|
|
|
20,000 |
|
|
$ |
200 |
|
|
$ |
199,800 |
|
|
$ |
(80,173 |
) |
|
$ |
119,827 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
See accompanying notes.
F-5
WELLS TIMBER REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Period From | |
|
|
(Unaudited) | |
|
November 10, 2005 | |
|
|
Three Months Ended | |
|
(inception) through | |
|
|
March 31, 2006 | |
|
December 31, 2005 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net loss
|
|
$ |
(80,173 |
) |
|
$ |
|
|
|
Changes in asset and liability necessary to reconcile net loss
to net cash provided by operating activities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Prepaid expenses
|
|
|
(285,995 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net cash used in operating activities
|
|
|
(366,168 |
) |
|
|
|
|
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Due to affiliate
|
|
|
366,168 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Issuance of common stock
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
200,000 |
|
|
Contribution from minority interest partner
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net cash provided by financing activities
|
|
|
366,168 |
|
|
|
203,000 |
|
NET INCREASE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
203,000 |
|
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, beginning of period
|
|
|
203,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, end of period
|
|
$ |
203,000 |
|
|
$ |
203,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
See accompanying notes.
F-6
WELLS TIMBER REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST, INC. AND
SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
MARCH 31, 2006(UNAUDITED)
AND DECEMBER 31, 2005
Wells Timber Real Estate Investment Trust, Inc. (Wells
Timber REIT) was formed on September 27, 2005 as a
Maryland corporation that intends to qualify as a real estate
investment trust (REIT). Prior to November 9,
2005, Wells Timber REIT was known as Wells Real Estate
Investment Trust IV, Inc. Substantially all of Wells Timber
REITs business is expected to be conducted through Wells
Timber Operating Partnership, L.P. (Wells Timber
OP), a Delaware limited partnership formed on
November 9, 2005. Wells Timber REIT is the sole general
partner, possesses full legal control and authority over the
operations and owns 99% of the common units of Wells Timber OP.
Wells Capital, Inc. (the Advisor) is the sole
limited partner of Wells Timber OP and has contributed $2,000 to
Wells Timber OP for 200 common units therein and $1,000 for 100
special partnership units therein. Neither Wells Timber REIT nor
Wells Timber OP has engaged in any operations to date.
References to Wells Timber REIT herein shall include Wells
Timber OP unless otherwise noted.
Wells Timber REIT and Wells Timber OP have executed an agreement
with the Advisor (Advisory Agreement), under which
the Advisor will perform certain key functions on behalf of
Wells Timber REIT and Wells Timber OP, including, among others,
the investment of capital proceeds and management of
day-to-day operations.
Wells Timber REIT expects to acquire timberland properties in
the timber-producing regions of the United States and, to a
limited extent, in other countries. Wells Timber REIT intends to
generate a substantial majority of its revenue and income by
selling the rights to access land and harvest timber to third
parties pursuant to supply agreements and through open-market
sales. Wells Timber REIT expects to generate additional revenues
and income from selling high-quality timberland, selling the
rights to extract natural resources from timberland other than
timber, and leasing land-use rights to third parties.
As of March 31, 2006 and December 31, 2005, Wells
Timber REIT and Wells Timber OP have neither purchased nor
contracted to purchase any assets, nor has the Advisor
identified any assets in which there is a reasonable probability
that Wells Timber REIT or Wells Timber OP will invest.
|
|
2. |
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES |
|
|
|
Principles of Consolidation and Basis of
Presentation |
The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the
accounts of Wells Timber REIT and Wells Timber OP. The financial
statements of Wells Timber OP are prepared using accounting
policies consistent with those used by Wells Timber REIT. All
significant intercompany balances and transactions have been
eliminated upon consolidation.
The preparation of the accompanying consolidated financial
statements in conformity with accounting principles generally
accepted in the United States requires management to make
estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in
the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes.
Actual results could differ from those estimates.
|
|
|
Cash and Cash Equivalents |
Wells Timber REIT considers all highly liquid investments
purchased with an original maturity of three months or less to
be cash equivalents. Cash equivalents may include cash and
short-term investments.
F-7
WELLS TIMBER REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST, INC. AND
SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
Short-term investments are stated at cost, which approximates
fair value and may consist of investments in money market
accounts. There are no restrictions on the use of Wells Timber
REITs cash balances as of March 31, 2006 or
December 31, 2005.
|
|
|
Organization and Offering Costs |
Organization and offering costs are incurred by the Advisor on
behalf of Wells Timber REIT and, accordingly, are not a direct
liability of Wells Timber REIT. Such costs shall include legal
and accounting fees, printing costs, and other offering
expenses, and specifically exclude sales or underwriting
commissions. Under the terms of the Advisory Agreement discussed
in Note 3, upon the sale of shares of common stock to the
public, Wells Timber REIT will be obligated to reimburse the
Advisor in an amount equal to the lesser of actual costs
incurred or 1.2% of total gross capital raised from the sale of
shares to the public.
Wells Timber REIT intends to elect to be taxed as a REIT under
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and intends to
operate as such beginning with its taxable period ending
December 31, 2006. To qualify as a REIT, Wells Timber REIT
must meet certain organizational and operational requirements,
including a requirement to distribute at least 90% of Wells
Timber REITs ordinary taxable income to stockholders. As a
REIT, Wells Timber REIT generally will not be subject to federal
income tax on taxable income that it distributes to
stockholders. If Wells Timber REIT fails to qualify as a REIT in
any taxable year, it will then be subject to federal income
taxes on its taxable income at regular corporate rates and will
not be permitted to qualify for treatment as a REIT for federal
income tax purposes for four years following the year during
which qualification is lost unless the Internal Revenue Service
grants Wells Timber REIT relief under certain statutory
provisions.
|
|
3. |
RELATED-PARTY TRANSACTIONS |
Wells Timber REIT and Wells Timber OP entered into the Advisory
Agreement as of November 9, 2005. The Advisory Agreement
will become effective on the date the registration statement for
Wells Timber REITs initial public offering is declared
effective. Pursuant to this agreement, the Advisor is entitled
to specified fees for certain services, including, among other
services, the investment of capital proceeds and management of
day-to-day operations.
Under the terms of the Advisory Agreement, Wells Timber REIT
will reimburse the Advisor for organization and offering costs
not to exceed 1.2% of the gross offering proceeds raised if
Wells Timber REIT raises at least $2.0 million from the
sale of common stock to the public in its initial public
offering. To the extent that organization and offering costs
exceed 1.2% of gross offering proceeds or if Wells Timber REIT
does not raise at least $2.0 million in its initial public
offering on or before the one-year anniversary of the
commencement of the offering, offering costs will be paid by the
Advisor and not by Wells Timber REIT. As of March 31, 2006
and December 31, 2005, the Advisor has incurred aggregate
organization and offering expenses on behalf of Wells Timber
REIT of approximately $826,000 and $591,000, respectively.
Under the terms of the Advisory Agreement, Wells Timber REIT
will pay a monthly asset management fee equal to one-twelfth of
1.25% of the greater of (i) the gross cost of all
investments made on behalf of Wells Timber REIT and
(ii) the aggregate value of such investments. The Advisor
anticipates that it will engage experienced timber management
companies, including those affiliated with the Advisor, to
assist the Advisor with certain of its responsibilities under
the Advisory Agreement,
F-8
WELLS TIMBER REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST, INC. AND
SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
including investing in timberland, managing
day-to-day operations,
and selling timber on the behalf of Wells Timber REIT. Any
timber managers would perform these services under contracts
with the Advisor and would be compensated by the Advisor under
the terms of such contracts.
Wells Timber REIT will reimburse the Advisor for all costs and
expenses the Advisor incurs in fulfilling its duties as the
asset portfolio manager. These costs and expenses may include
wages and salaries and other employee-related expenses of the
Advisors employees engaged in the management,
administration, operations, and marketing functions.
Employee-related expenses include taxes, insurance and benefits
relating to such employees, and legal, travel and other
out-of-pocket expenses
that are directly related to the services they provide. The
Advisor will allocate its reimbursable costs of providing these
services among Wells Timber REIT and the various affiliated
public real estate investment programs (the Wells Real
Estate Funds) based on time spent on each entity by
individual personnel.
Wells Timber REIT will pay a fee to the Advisor for services
related to the disposition of investment properties. When Wells
Timber REIT sells a property, if the Advisor provided a
substantial amount of services in connection with the sale (as
determined by the independent directors), it will pay the
Advisor a fee equal to (i) for each property sold at a
contract price up to $20.0 million, up to 2.0% of the sales
price, and (ii) for each property sold at a contract price
in excess of $20.0 million, up to 1.0% of the sales price.
The precise amount of the fee within the preceding limits will
be determined by Wells Timber REITs board of directors,
including a majority of the independent directors, based on the
level of services provided and market norms. This fee may be in
addition to real estate commissions paid to third parties.
However, the total real estate commissions (including such
disposition fee) may not exceed the lesser of (i) 6.0% of
the sales price of each property or (ii) the level of real
estate commissions customarily charged in light of the size,
type, and location of the property. As of March 31, 2006
and December 31, 2005, the Advisor has not earned any such
fees with regard to Wells Timber REIT.
The Advisory Agreement has a one-year term that begins on the
effective date of the Advisory Agreement and automatically
renews unless either side gives notice of its intent not to
renew. Wells Timber REIT may terminate the Advisory Agreement
without penalty upon 60 days written notice. If Wells
Timber REIT terminates the Advisory Agreement, Wells Timber REIT
will pay the Advisor all unpaid reimbursements of expenses and
all earned but unpaid fees. In addition, if the Advisory
Agreement is terminated without cause, the special units of
limited partnership held by the Advisor will be redeemed for the
payments described below under Note 5.
Wells Timber REIT has executed a dealer-manager agreement,
whereby Wells Investment Securities, Inc. (WIS), an
affiliate of the Advisor, will perform the dealer-manager
function for Wells Timber REIT. For these services, WIS shall
earn a fee of up to 7.0% of the gross offering proceeds from the
sale of the shares of Wells Timber REIT. Additionally, WIS will
earn a dealer-manager fee of 1.8% of the gross offering proceeds
at the time the shares are sold. Some or all of the fees under
the dealer-manager agreement will be re-allowed to participating
broker/dealers. Dealer-manager fees apply only to the sale of
shares in the primary offering, and do not apply to the sale of
shares under the DRP.
The Advisor also is a general partner or advisor of the various
Wells Real Estate Funds. As such, in connection with serving as
a general partner or Advisor for Wells Real Estate Funds, the
Advisor may encounter conflicts of interests with regard to
allocating human resources and making decisions related to
investments, operations and disposition-related activities for
Wells Timber REIT and Wells Real Estate Funds.
F-9
WELLS TIMBER REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST, INC. AND
SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
Additionally, three members of the board of Wells Timber REIT
also serve on the board of two other REITs sponsored by the
Advisor and will encounter certain conflicts of interest
regarding investment and operations decisions.
On November 9, 2005, Wells Timber OP issued 20,000 common
units to Wells Timber REIT and 200 common units to the Advisor
in exchange for $200,000 and $2,000, respectively. The common
units purchased by Wells Timber REIT represent an approximate
99% limited partnership interest and the common units purchased
by the Advisor represent an approximate 1% limited partner
interest.
Limited partners holding common units representing limited
partnership interests in Wells Timber OP have the option to
redeem such units after the units have been held for one year.
Wells Timber OP would redeem the common units with cash, unless
Wells Timber REIT exercises its right to purchase such units for
cash or shares of its common stock.
On November 9, 2005, Wells Timber OP issued 100 special
units to the Advisor for $1,000. The holder of special units
does not participate in the profits and losses of Wells Timber
OP. Amounts payable to the holder of the special units, if any,
will depend on the amount of net sales proceeds received from
property dispositions or the market value of Wells Timber
REITs shares upon listing, or the fair market value of
Wells Timber REITs assets upon the termination of the
Advisory Agreement. See Note 3.
Wells Capital, Inc., the Advisor, is the holder of the special
units of limited partnership interest in Wells Timber OP. As
such, Wells Capital may be entitled to receive certain cash
distributions so long as the special units remain outstanding as
well as a potential one-time payment upon the redemption of the
special units. So long as the special units remain outstanding:
|
|
|
|
|
After Wells Timber REIT has made distributions to its
stockholders (including amounts paid to redeem shares pursuant
to its share redemption plan) equal to, in the aggregate, a
return of the total capital raised from stockholders plus a
cumulative, non-compounded return on average invested capital of
7.0% per year, then the Advisor is entitled to receive a
distribution from Wells Timber OP equal to the difference
between (1) 10% of the aggregate net sales proceeds from
the sale of all properties and real estate related investments
to date and (2) the total amount of all prior distributions
to the Advisor of net sales proceeds. |
|
|
|
Notwithstanding the foregoing, after Wells Timber REIT has made
distributions to its stockholders (including amounts paid to
redeem shares pursuant to its share redemption plan) equal to,
in the aggregate, a return of the total capital raised from
stockholders plus a cumulative, non-compounded return on average
invested capital of 8.0% per year, then the Advisor is
entitled to receive a distribution from Wells Timber OP equal to
the difference between (1) 20% of the aggregate net sales
proceeds from the sale of all properties and real estate related
investments to date and (2) the total amount of all prior
distributions to the Advisor of net sales proceeds. |
In addition, the special units will be redeemed by Wells Timber
OP, resulting in a one-time payment to the holder of the special
units, upon the earliest to occur of the following events:
|
|
|
(i) the listing of the Companys common stock on a
national securities exchange (the Listing Liquidity
Event); or |
|
|
(ii) the termination or nonrenewal of the Advisory
Agreement (a Termination Event). |
F-10
WELLS TIMBER REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST, INC. AND
SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
The redemption payment due upon a Listing Liquidity Event is
calculated as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
If (i) the market value of Wells Timber REITs
outstanding common stock at listing plus the total distributions
paid to stockholders prior to listing exceeds (ii) the sum
of the total amount of capital raised from stockholders (less
amounts paid to redeem shares pursuant to the share redemption
plan) and an amount of cash that, if distributed to the
stockholders as of the date of listing, would have provided them
with a cumulative, noncompounded return on the average invested
capital equal to 7% per year, then the redemption payment
will equal 10% of such excess amount. |
|
|
|
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (i) the market value of
Wells Timber REITs outstanding common stock at listing
plus the total distributions paid to stockholders prior to
listing exceeds (ii) the sum of the total amount of capital
raised from stockholders (less amounts paid to redeem shares
pursuant to the share redemption plan) and an amount of cash
that, if distributed to the stockholders as of the date of
listing, would have provided them with a cumulative,
noncompounded return on the average invested capital equal to
8% per year, then the redemption payment will equal 20% of
such excess amount. |
In the event of redemption upon listing, Wells Timber OP would
pay the redemption amount in cash or Wells Timber REIT would
have the option to purchase the special units in exchange for
cash or shares of its common stock.
The redemption payment due upon a Termination Event, other than
a termination for cause, is equal to the aggregate amount of net
sales proceeds that would have been distributed to the holder of
the special units as described above if, on the date of the
occurrence of the Termination Event, all assets of Wells Timber
OP had been sold for their fair market value and all liabilities
of Wells Timber OP had been satisfied in full according to their
terms. In the event of termination of the Advisory Agreement
without cause, Wells Timber OP would either redeem the special
units for cash or issue an interest-bearing promissory note in
an amount equal to the redemption payment. If the promissory
note is not paid within five years of issuance, Wells Timber
REIT would be required to purchase the note in exchange for cash
or shares of its common stock.
In the event Wells Timber REIT terminates the Advisory Agreement
for cause, which includes fraud, criminal conduct, willful
misconduct, willful or grossly negligent breach of fiduciary
duty and a material breach of the Advisory Agreement by the
Advisor, Wells Timber OP would redeem the special units for
$1.00.
As of March 31, 2006 and December 31, 2005,
20,000 shares of common stock have been issued to the
Advisor.
All of the common shares have a par value of $0.01 per
share and entitle the holders, subject to the rights of holders
of any series of preferred shares, to one vote per share on all
matters upon which stockholders are entitled to vote, to receive
dividends and other distributions as authorized by the board of
directors in accordance with the Maryland General Corporation
Law and to all rights of a stockholder pursuant to the Maryland
General Corporation Law. The common stock has no preferences or
preemptive, conversion or exchange rights.
Wells Timber REIT is authorized to issue one or more series of
preferred shares, par value of $0.01 per share. Prior to
the issuance of such shares, the board of directors shall have
the power from time to time to classify or reclassify, in one or
more series, any unissued shares constituting such series and
the designation, preferences, conversion, and other rights,
voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends
F-11
WELLS TIMBER REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST, INC. AND
SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
and other distributions, qualifications and terms and conditions
of redemption of such shares. As of March 31, 2006 and
December 31, 2005, Wells Timber REIT has not issued any
shares of preferred stock.
Wells Timber REIT has adopted a long-term incentive plan, which
will be used to attract and retain qualified independent
directors, employees, advisors and consultants, as applicable,
subject to certain limitations. A total of 500,000 shares
of common stock have been authorized and reserved for issuance
under the stock incentive plan, of which 100,000 of such common
shares are reserved for issuance to independent directors.
The exercise price of any award shall not be less than the fair
market value of the common stock on the date of the grant. Wells
Timber REITs board of directors or a committee of its
independent directors administers the incentive plan, with sole
authority (following consultation with the advisor) to select
participants, determine the types of awards to be granted, and
all of the terms and conditions of the awards, including whether
the grant, vesting or settlement of awards may be subject to the
attainment of one or more performance goals. No awards will be
granted under the plan if the grant, vesting and/or exercise of
the awards would jeopardize Wells Timber REITs status as a
REIT under the Internal Revenue Code or otherwise violate the
ownership and transfer restrictions imposed under Wells Timber
REITs charter. Unless determined by Wells Timber
REITs board of directors or a committee of its independent
directors, no award granted under the long-term incentive plan
will be transferable except through the laws of descent and
distribution.
In addition to cash compensation, upon the appointment of an
independent director to Wells Timber REITs board, each
director will receive a grant of options to
purchase 2,500 shares of Wells Timber REITs
common stock. One-third of the option will be immediately
exercisable on the date of grant, one-third will become
exercisable on the first anniversary of the date of grant and
the remaining one-third will become exercisable on the second
anniversary of the date of grant. Wells Timber REIT expects the
initial grant of options to be anti-dilutive with an exercise
price of $10.00 per share. Upon each subsequent re-election
of the independent director to the board, he or she will receive
a subsequent grant of options to purchase 1,000 shares
of Wells Timber REITs common stock. The exercise price for
the subsequent options will be the greater of
(1) $10.00 per share or (2) the fair market value
of the shares on the date of grant.
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Distribution Reinvestment Plan |
Wells Timber REIT has adopted a distribution reinvestment plan
(the DRP), through which stockholders may elect to
reinvest an amount equal to the distributions declared on their
shares of common stock into shares of Wells Timber REITs
common stock in lieu of receiving cash distributions. Shares may
be purchased under the DRP for a price equal to: (i) during
Wells Timber REITs initial public offering, $9.55 per
share; (ii) during any subsequent public equity offering,
95.5% of the offering price per share in such offering; and
(iii) for the first 12 months subsequent to the close
of Wells Timber REITs last public equity offering prior to
the listing of our shares on a national securities exchange,
95.5% of the most recent offering price per share. After that
12-month period, Wells
Timber REIT will publish a per share valuation determined by the
Advisor or another firm chosen for that purpose, and
distributions will be reinvested at a price equal to the most
recently published per share estimated value. Participants in
the DRP may purchase fractional shares so that 100% of the
distributions may be used to acquire additional shares of Wells
Timber REITs common stock.
F-12
WELLS TIMBER REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST, INC. AND
SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS (Continued)
The board of directors of Wells Timber REIT has adopted a share
redemption plan. The plan allows stockholders who hold their
shares for more than one year to sell their shares back to Wells
Timber REIT, subject to certain limitations and penalties. The
share redemption plan provides that Wells Timber REIT may
repurchase a stockholders common stock for $9.10 per
share during Wells Timber REITs initial public offering.
This redemption price is expected to remain fixed until one year
after Wells Timber REIT completes its initial public offering or
any subsequent public equity offerings (other than secondary
offerings or offerings related to a distribution reinvestment
plan, employee benefit plan or the issuance of shares upon
redemption of interests in Wells Timber OP). Thereafter,
the redemption price would equal 95% of the per share value of
Wells Timber REIT as estimated by the Advisor or another firm
chosen by the board of directors for that purpose.
Redemptions sought within two years of the death or qualifying
disability of a stockholder do not require a one-year holding
period, and the redemption price is the amount paid for the
share until one year after completion of the above-mentioned
offering stage. Thereafter, the redemption price would be the
higher of the amount paid for the shares or 95% of the per share
net asset value as estimated by the Advisor or another firm
chosen by Wells Timber REITs board of directors for that
purpose.
The shares redeemed under the plan, other than upon the death or
disability of a stockholder, could not exceed the lesser of
(i) the amount redeemable from the sum of net proceeds from
the sale of shares through the DRP plus any additional amounts
reserved for redemptions by Wells Timber REITs board of
directors, or (ii) in any calendar year, 5% of the
weighted-average common shares outstanding during the preceding
year. The board of directors could amend or terminate the share
redemption plan upon 30 days notice or prior to
satisfaction of either of the preconditions to adoption noted
above.
Wells Timber REIT will be dependent on the Advisor, or its
affiliates, for certain services that are essential to Wells
Timber REIT, including the sale of Wells Timber REITs
shares of common stock, asset acquisition and disposition
decisions, and other general and administrative
responsibilities. In the event that the Advisor is unable to
provide such services, Wells Timber REIT would be required to
find alternative service providers.
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|
8. |
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES |
Wells Timber REIT is not subject to any material litigation nor,
to managements knowledge, is any material litigation
currently threatened against Wells Timber REIT.
F-13
PRIOR PERFORMANCE TABLES
The following Prior Performance Tables (Tables)
provide information relating to real estate investment programs
sponsored by Wells Capital, Inc., our advisor, and its
affiliates (Wells Public Programs), which have
investment objectives similar to Wells Timber Real Estate
Investment Trust, Inc. (Wells Timber REIT),
including the provision of current income to the stockholders
through the payment of cash distributions, the preservation and
return of capital contributions to such stockholders and the
realization of growth in the value of the properties acquired
upon the ultimate sale of such properties. (See Investment
Objectives) Except for Wells Real Estate Investment Trust,
Inc. (Wells REIT I) and Wells Real Estate Investment
Trust II, Inc. (Wells REIT II), all of the
Wells Public Programs have used capital, and no acquisition
indebtedness, to acquire their properties.
The Wells Public Programs which we determined have investment
objectives similar to ours were those programs that stated the
following investment objectives: (i) the provision of
current income to the stockholders through the payment of cash
distributions, (ii) the preservation and return of capital
contributions to such stockholders and (iii) the
realization of growth in the value of the properties acquired
upon the ultimate sale of such properties. We consider that
programs with these stated objectives had investment objectives
similar to ours, although we will make investments in different
types of properties from those which the Wells Public Programs
acquired.
Prospective investors should read these Tables carefully,
together with the summary information concerning the Wells
Public Programs as set forth in the Prior Performance
Summary section of this prospectus.
Investors in Wells Timber REIT will not own any interest in
the other Wells Public Programs and should not assume that they
will experience returns, if any, comparable to those experienced
by investors in other Wells Public Programs.
Our advisor is responsible for the acquisition, operation,
maintenance and resale of the real estate properties owned by
Wells Timber REIT as well as other Wells Public Programs. The
financial results of other Wells Public Programs thus may
provide some indication of our advisors performance of its
obligations during the periods covered. However, none of the
other programs have invested in timberland and general economic
conditions affecting the real estate industry and other factors
contribute significantly to financial results.
The following tables are included herein:
Table I Experience in Raising and Investing
Funds
Table II Compensation to Sponsor
Table III Annual Operating Results of
Wells Public Programs
Table IV Results of Completed Programs has
been omitted since none of the Wells Public Programs have been
liquidated
Table V Sales or Disposals of Properties
Additional information relating to the acquisition of properties
by the Wells Public Programs is contained in Table VI, which is
included in Part II of the registration statement that
Wells Timber REIT has filed with the SEC. Copies of any or all
information will be provided to prospective investors at no
charge upon request.
Acquisition Fees, as used in the Tables,
shall mean fees and commissions paid by a Wells Public Program
in connection with its purchase or development of a property,
except development fees paid to a person not affiliated with the
Wells Public Program or with a general partner or advisor of the
Wells Public Program in connection with the actual development
of a project after acquisition of the land by the Wells Public
Program.
F-14
TABLE I
EXPERIENCE IN RAISING AND INVESTING FUNDS
(UNAUDITED)
This Table provides a summary of the experience of the
sponsors of Wells Public Programs for which offerings have been
completed since December 31, 2002 which have investment
objectives similar to Wells Timber REIT. The investment
objectives of each of these Wells Public Programs have included
some or all of the following: (1) the provision of current
income to the stockholders through the payment of cash
distributions, (2) the preservation and return of capital
contributions to such stockholders and (3) the realization
of growth in the value of the properties acquired upon the
ultimate sale of such properties. Information is provided with
regard to the manner in which the proceeds of the offerings have
been applied. Also set forth is information pertaining to the
timing and length of these offerings and the time period over
which the proceeds have been invested in the properties. All
figures are as of December 31, 2005
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Wells Real | |
|
Wells Real | |
|
Wells Real | |
|
Wells Real | |
|
|
Estate Fund | |
|
Estate Fund | |
|
Estate Investment | |
|
Estate Investment | |
|
|
XIII, L.P. | |
|
XIV, L.P. | |
|
Trust, Inc. | |
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Trust II, Inc. | |
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| |
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| |
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| |
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| |
Dollar Amount Offered
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$ |
45,000,000 |
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|
$ |
45,000,000 |
|
|
$ |
5,605,000,000 |
|
|
$ |
7,766,750,000 |
|
Dollar Amount Raised
|
|
|
37,751,487 |
(4) |
|
|
34,741,238 |
(5) |
|
|
4,768,189,280 |
(6) |
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|
1,990,767,689 |
(7) |
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Percentage Amount Raised
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100.0 |
%(4) |
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100 |
%(5) |
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100.0 |
%(6) |
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100 |
%(7) |
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Less Offering Expenses
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Selling Commissions and
Discounts(1)
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9.5 |
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9.5 |
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9.5 |
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9.5 |
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Organizational Expenses
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3.0 |
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3.0 |
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1.3 |
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2.0 |
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Reserves(2)
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0.0 |
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0.0 |
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0.0 |
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0.0 |
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|
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|
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Percent Available for Investment
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87.5 |
% |
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87.5 |
% |
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89.2 |
% |
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88.5 |
% |
Acquisition and Development Costs
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Prepaid Items and Fees related to
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Purchase of Property
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0.0 |
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0.0 |
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0.0 |
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0.0 |
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|
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Cash Down Payment
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84.0 |
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84.0 |
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82.6 |
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86.5 |
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|
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Acquisition
Fees(3)
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3.5 |
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3.5 |
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3.5 |
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2.0 |
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Development and Construction Costs
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0.0 |
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0.0 |
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3.1 |
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0.0 |
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Reserve for Payment of Indebtedness
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0.0 |
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0.0 |
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0.0 |
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0.0 |
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Total Acquisition and Development Cost
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87.5 |
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87.5 |
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89.2 |
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88.5 |
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Percent Leveraged
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0.0 |
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0.0 |
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|
26.07 |
% |
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25.41 |
% |
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Date Offering Began
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03/29/01 |
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05/14/03 |
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(6) |
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(7) |
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Length of Offering
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24 mo. |
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24 mo. |
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(6) |
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(7) |
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Months to Invest 90% of Amount Available for Investment
(Measured from Beginning of Offering)
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34 mo. |
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10 mo. |
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(6) |
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(7) |
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Number of Investors as of 12/31/05
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1,405 |
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648 |
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112,000 |
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78,000 |
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(1) |
Includes selling commissions, discounts and dealer-manager fees,
including those reallowed to participating broker/dealers. |
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(2) |
Does not include general partner contributions held as part of
reserves. |
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(3) |
Includes acquisition fees, real estate commissions, general
contractor fees and/or architectural fees paid to advisor or
affiliates of the general partners. |
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(4) |
Total dollar amount registered and available to be offered was
$45 million. Wells Real Estate Fund XIII, L.P. closed
its offering on March 28, 2003, and the total dollar amount
raised was $37,751,487. |
F-15
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(5) |
The total dollar amount registered and available to be offered
was $45 million. Wells Real Estate Fund XIV, L.P.
closed its offering on April 30, 2005, and the total dollar
amount raised was $34,741,238. |
|
(6) |
This amount includes the Wells Real Estate Investment Trust,
Inc.s third and fourth offerings, as well as shares
offered pursuant to Wells Real Estate Investment
Trust, Inc.s dividend reinvestment plan under a
registration statement filed on
Form S-3, which
became effective on April 5, 2004. Wells Real Estate
Investment Trust, Inc. began its third offering on
December 20, 2000 and closed its third offering on
July 26, 2002. It took Wells Real Estate Investment Trust,
Inc. 21 months to invest 90% of the amount available for
investment in its third offering. The total dollar amount raised
in its third offering was $1,282,976,862. The total dollar
amount registered and available to be offered in the fourth
offering was $3.3 billion. Wells Real Estate Investment
Trust, Inc. began its fourth offering on July 26, 2002 and
closed its fourth offering on July 7, 2004. It took Wells
Real Estate Investment Trust, Inc. 18 months to invest 90%
of the amount available for investment in its fourth offering.
The total dollar amount raised through the dividend reinvestment
plan was $260,087,356. |
|
(7) |
This amount includes only Wells Real Estate Investment
Trust II, Inc.s first offering. Wells Real
Estate Investment Trust II, Inc. began its first
offering on December 1, 2003 and closed its first offering
on November 26, 2005. It took Wells Real Estate Investment
Trust II, Inc. 8 months to invest 90% of the
amount available for investment in its first offering. |
F-16
TABLE II
COMPENSATION TO SPONSOR
(UNAUDITED)
The following sets forth the compensation received by Wells
Capital, Inc., our advisor, and its affiliates, including
compensation paid out of offering proceeds and compensation paid
in connection with the ongoing operations of Wells Public
Programs having similar or identical investment objectives the
offerings of which have been completed since December 31,
2002. All figures are as of December 31, 2005.
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Wells Real | |
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Wells Real | |
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Wells Real Estate | |
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Wells Real Estate | |
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Estate Fund | |
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Estate Fund | |
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Investment | |
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Investment | |
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Other Public | |
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XIII, L.P. | |
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XIV, L.P. | |
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Trust, Inc.(1) | |
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Trust II, Inc. | |
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Programs(2) | |
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Date Offering Commenced
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03/29/01 |
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05/14/03 |
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12/20/00 |
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12/1/03 |
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Dollar Amount Raised
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$ |
37,751,487 |
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$ |
34,741,238 |
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$ |
4,768,189,280 |
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$ |
1,990,767,689 |
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$ |
320,514,000 |
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|
Amount paid to Sponsor from Proceeds of Offering:
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Selling
Commissions(3)
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313,000 |
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459,000 |
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48,065,000 |
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23,300,000 |
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|
2,009,000 |
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Acquisition Fees
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Real Estate Commissions
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Acquisition and Advisory
Fees(4)
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|
|
1,293,000 |
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|
|
1,216,000 |
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|
|
166,887,000 |
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|
|
37,720,000 |
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|
14,470,000 |
|
Dollar Amount of Cash Generated from Operations Before Deducting
Payments to
Sponsor(5)
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|
6,778,000 |
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2,633,000 |
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1,301,480,000 |
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|
117,844,000 |
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38,635,000 |
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Amount Paid to Sponsor from Operations:
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Property Management Fee
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166,000 |
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74,000 |
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26,813,000 |
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144,000 |
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1,666,000 |
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Program Management Fee
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|
268,208,000 |
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13,449,000 |
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|
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Reimbursements
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|
336,000 |
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|
142,000 |
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|
|
21,964,000 |
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|
5,078,000 |
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|
3,300,000 |
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Leasing Commissions
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|
166,000 |
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|
74,000 |
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26,813,000 |
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144,000 |
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|
1,666,000 |
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General Partner Distributions
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Other
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Dollar Amount of Property Sales Payments to Sponsors:
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Cash
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Notes
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Amount Paid to Sponsor from Property Sales and Refinancing:
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Real Estate Commissions
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Incentive Fees
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Other
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(1) |
This amount includes the Wells Real Estate Investment Trust,
Inc.s third and fourth offerings, as well as shares
offered pursuant to Wells Real Estate Investment
Trust, Inc.s dividend reinvestment plan under a
Registration Statement filed on
Form S-3, which
became effective on April 5, 2004. The total dollar amount
registered and available to be offered in the third offering was
$1,350,000,000. Wells Real Estate Investment Trust, Inc. began
its third offering on December 20, 2000 and closed its
third offering on July 26, 2002. It took Wells Real Estate
Investment Trust, Inc. 21 months to invest 90% of the
amount available for investment in the third offering. The total
dollar amount raised in its third offering was $1,282,976,862.
Wells Real Estate Investment Trust, Inc. began its fourth
offering on July 26, 2002 and closed its fourth offering on
July 7, 2004. It took Wells Real Estate Investment Trust,
Inc. 18 months to invest 90% of the amount available for
investment in the fourth offering. The total dollar amount
raised in its fourth offering was $3,225,125,063. The total
dollar amount raised through April 30, 2006 under the
dividend reinvestment plan was $298,350,419. |
F-17
|
|
(2) |
Includes compensation paid to the general partners from Wells
Real Estate Fund I, Wells Real Estate Fund II, Wells
Real Estate Fund II-OW, Wells Real Estate Fund III,
L.P., Wells Real Estate Fund IV, L.P., Wells Real Estate
Fund V, L.P., Wells Real Estate Fund VI, L.P., Wells
Real Estate Fund VII, L.P., Wells Real Estate
Fund VIII, L.P., Wells Real Estate Fund IX, L.P.,
Wells Real Estate Fund X, L.P., Wells Real Estate
Fund XI, L.P., and Wells Real Estate Fund XII, L.P.
for the last three years. |
|
(3) |
Includes net selling commissions paid to Wells Investment
Securities, Inc. in connection with the offering that were not
reallowed to participating broker/ dealers. |
|
(4) |
Fees paid to the general partners or their affiliates for
acquisition and advisory services in connection with the review
and evaluation of potential real property acquisitions. |
|
(5) |
Includes $6,110,000 in net cash provided by operating activities
and $668,000 in payments to sponsor for Wells Real Estate
Fund XIII, L.P.; includes $2,343,000 in net cash provided
by operating activities and $290,000 in payments to sponsor for
Wells Real Estate Fund XIV, L.P.; includes $957,682,000 in net
cash provided by operating activities and $343,798,000 in
payments to sponsor for Wells Real Estate Investment Trust,
Inc.; includes $99,029,000 in net cash provided by operating
activities and $18,815,000 in payments to sponsor for Wells Real
Estate Investment Trust II, Inc.; and includes $32,003,000 in
net cash used in operating activities and $6,632,000 in payments
to sponsor for other public programs. |
F-18
TABLE III
OPERATING RESULTS OF PRIOR PROGRAMS
(UNAUDITED)
The following five tables set forth operating results of Wells
Public Programs, offerings of which have been completed since
December 31, 2002. The information relates only to public
programs with investment objectives similar to ours. All figures
are as of December 31 of the year indicated.
F-19
TABLE III
OPERATING RESULTS OF PRIOR PROGRAMS
(UNAUDITED)
WELLS REAL ESTATE FUND XII, L.P.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2003 | |
|
2002 | |
|
2001 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Gross
Revenues(1)
|
|
$ |
1,493,053 |
|
|
$ |
1,749,468 |
|
|
$ |
1,634,528 |
|
|
$ |
1,727,330 |
|
|
$ |
1,661,194 |
|
Profit on Sale of
Properties(1)
|
|
|
4,025,078 |
|
|
|
413,316 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Less: Operating
Expenses(2)
|
|
|
206,936 |
|
|
|
214,621 |
|
|
|
183,756 |
|
|
|
179,436 |
|
|
|
105,776 |
|
|
Depreciation and
Amortization(3)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Income GAAP
Basis(4)
|
|
$ |
5,311,195 |
|
|
$ |
1,948,163 |
|
|
$ |
1,450,772 |
|
|
$ |
1,547,894 |
|
|
$ |
1,555,418 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Taxable Income: Operations
|
|
$ |
5,123,163 |
|
|
$ |
2,107,964 |
|
|
$ |
1,825,945 |
|
|
$ |
1,929,381 |
|
|
$ |
1,850,674 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Generated (Used By):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operations
|
|
|
1,998,429 |
|
|
|
2,425,543 |
|
|
|
2,504,869 |
|
|
|
2,648,041 |
|
|
|
1,963,808 |
|
|
Net Sale Proceeds from Joint Ventures
|
|
|
11,704,352 |
|
|
|
1,603,361 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
13,702,781 |
|
|
|
4,028,904 |
|
|
|
2,504,869 |
|
|
|
2,648,041 |
|
|
|
1,963,808 |
|
Less Cash Distributions to Investors:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating Cash Flow
|
|
|
1,716,159 |
|
|
|
2,158,737 |
|
|
|
2,520,418 |
|
|
|
2,648,041 |
|
|
|
1,963,808 |
|
|
Return of Capital
|
|
|
13,350,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Undistributed Cash Flow from Prior Year Operations
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,156 |
|
|
|
164,482 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Surplus (Deficiency) after Cash Distributions
|
|
|
(1,363,378 |
) |
|
|
1,870,167 |
|
|
|
(15,549 |
) |
|
|
(2,156 |
) |
|
|
(164,482 |
) |
Special Items (not including sales and financing):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source of Funds:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
General Partner Contributions
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Increase in Limited Partner Contributions
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10,625,431 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1,363,378 |
) |
|
|
1,870,167 |
|
|
|
(15,549 |
) |
|
|
(2,156 |
) |
|
|
10,460,949 |
|
Use of Funds:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sales Commissions and Offering Expenses
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,338,556 |
|
|
Return of Original Limited Partners Investment
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Property Acquisitions and Deferred Project Costs
|
|
|
148,333 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9,298,085 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Surplus (Deficiency) after Cash Distributions and Special
Items
|
|
$ |
(1,511,711 |
) |
|
$ |
1,870,167 |
|
|
$ |
(15,549 |
) |
|
$ |
(2,156 |
) |
|
$ |
(175,692 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Income and Distributions Data per $1,000 Invested:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Income on GAAP Basis:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ordinary Income (Loss):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Preferred Units
|
|
$ |
76 |
|
|
$ |
85 |
|
|
$ |
89 |
|
|
$ |
94 |
|
|
$ |
98 |
|
|
|
|
Tax Preferred Units
|
|
|
525 |
|
|
|
(86 |
) |
|
|
(163 |
) |
|
|
(151 |
) |
|
|
(131 |
) |
|
|
Capital Gain (Loss)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tax and Distribution Data Per $1,000 Invested:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Federal Income Tax Results:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ordinary Income (Loss):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Preferred Units
|
|
|
62 |
|
|
|
66 |
|
|
|
86 |
|
|
|
91 |
|
|
|
84 |
|
|
|
|
Tax Preferred Units
|
|
|
(89 |
) |
|
|
(38 |
) |
|
|
(97 |
) |
|
|
(95 |
) |
|
|
(74 |
) |
|
|
|
Recapture
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Capital Gain (Loss):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Preferred Units
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tax Preferred Units
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Deferred Gain:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Capital
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ordinary
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Distributions to Investors:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source (on GAAP Basis):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Investment Income to Cash Preferred Units
|
|
|
57 |
|
|
|
66 |
|
|
|
86 |
|
|
|
93 |
|
|
|
77 |
|
|
|
|
Return of Capital to Cash Preferred Units
|
|
|
317 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return of Capital to Tax Preferred Units
|
|
|
671 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source (on Cash Basis):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sales to Cash Preferred Units
|
|
|
317 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sales to Tax Preferred Units
|
|
|
671 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Refinancing
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operations to Cash Preferred Units
|
|
|
57 |
|
|
|
66 |
|
|
|
86 |
|
|
|
93 |
|
|
|
77 |
|
|
|
|
Other
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source (on a Priority Distribution
Basis)(5):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Investment Income to Cash Preferred Units
|
|
|
57 |
|
|
|
66 |
|
|
|
85 |
|
|
|
93 |
|
|
|
77 |
|
|
|
|
Return of Capital to Cash Preferred Units
|
|
|
317 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Investment Income to Tax Preferred Units
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return of Capital to Tax Preferred Units
|
|
|
671 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amount (in Percentage Terms) Remaining invested in Program
Properties at the end of the last year Reported in the Table
|
|
|
100 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
F-20
|
|
(1) |
Includes $1,577,523 in equity in earnings of joint ventures and
$83,671 from investment of reserve funds in 2001; $1,726,553 in
equity in earnings of joint ventures and $777 from investment of
reserve funds in 2002; $1,634,000 in equity in earnings of joint
ventures and $528 from investment of reserve funds in 2003;
$2,162,669 in equity in earnings of joint ventures and $115 from
investment of reserve funds in 2004; and $5,300,846 in equity in
earnings of joint ventures and $217,285 from investment of
reserve funds in 2005. As of December 31, 2005, the leasing
status was 78%, including developed property in initial lease-up. |
|
(2) |
Includes partnership administrative expenses. |
|
(3) |
Included in equity in earnings of joint ventures in gross
revenues is depreciation of $1,035,609 for 2001; $1,107,728 for
2002; $1,112,820 for 2003; $541,812 for 2004; and $522,702 for
2005. |
|
(4) |
In accordance with the partnership agreement, net income or
loss, depreciation and amortization and gains on sales of
properties are allocated $2,591,027 to Cash Preferred Limited
Partners, $(1,035,609) to Tax Preferred Limited Partners and $0
to the General Partners for 2001; $2,655,622 to Cash Preferred
Limited Partners, $(1,107,728) to Tax Preferred Limited Partners
and $0 to the General Partners for 2002; $2,563,592 to Cash
Preferred Limited Partners, $(1,112,820) to Tax Preferred
Limited Partners and $0 to the General Partners for 2003;
$2,489,975 to Cash Preferred Limited Partners, $(541,812) to Tax
Preferred Limited Partners and $0 to the General Partners for
2004; and $2,256,111 to Cash Preferred Limited Partners,
$3,055,084 to Tax Preferred Limited Partners and $0 to the
General Partners for 2005. |
|
(5) |
Pursuant to the terms of the partnership agreement, an amount
equal to the cumulative cash distributions paid to Cash
Preferred Limited Partners is payable as priority distributions
out of net proceeds from the sale of partnership properties to
Tax Preferred Limited Partners. Such distributions are
characterized as return of capital distributions to Tax
Preferred Limited Partners. As of December 31, 2005, the
aggregate amount of such priority distributions payable to Tax
Preferred Limited Partners totaled $5.34 per unit. |
F-21
TABLE III
OPERATING RESULTS OF PRIOR PROGRAMS
(UNAUDITED)
WELLS REAL ESTATE FUND XIII, L.P.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2003 | |
|
2002 | |
|
2001 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Gross
Revenues(1)
|
|
$ |
1,134,819 |
|
|
$ |
1,118,781 |
|
|
$ |
1,049,108 |
|
|
$ |
621,381 |
|
|
$ |
96,685 |
|
Profit on Sale of
Properties(1)
|
|
|
2,057,197 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Less: Operating
Expenses(2)
|
|
|
163,954 |
|
|
|
164,408 |
|
|
|
160,705 |
|
|
|
142,996 |
|
|
|
61,817 |
|
|
Depreciation and
Amortization(3)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Income GAAP
Basis(4)
|
|
|
3,028,062 |
|
|
$ |
954,373 |
|
|
$ |
888,403 |
|
|
$ |
478,385 |
|
|
$ |
34,868 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Taxable Income: Operations
|
|
|
3,453,018 |
|
|
$ |
1,839,064 |
|
|
$ |
2,634,584 |
|
|
$ |
514,584 |
|
|
$ |
61,402 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Generated (Used By):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operations
|
|
|
2,267,380 |
|
|
|
2,538,646 |
|
|
|
1,221,825 |
|
|
|
599,212 |
|
|
|
112,870 |
|
|
Net Sale Proceeds from Joint Ventures
|
|
|
10,043,535 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
12,310,915 |
|
|
|
2,538,646 |
|
|
|
1,221,825 |
|
|
|
599,212 |
|
|
|
112,870 |
|
Less Cash Distributions to Investors:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating Cash Flow
|
|
|
2,192,411 |
|
|
|
2,354,445 |
|
|
|
1,221,825 |
|
|
|
599,212 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return of Capital
|
|
|
10,000,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Undistributed Cash Flow from Prior Year Operations
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
78,167 |
|
|
|
21,499 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Surplus (Deficiency) after Cash Distributions
|
|
|
118,504 |
|
|
|
184,201 |
|
|
|
(78,167 |
) |
|
|
(21,499 |
) |
|
|
112,870 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Special Items (not including sales and financing):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source of Funds:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
General Partner Contributions
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Increase in Limited Partner Contributions
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10,399,660 |
|
|
|
16,442,773 |
|
|
|
10,630,964 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
118,504 |
|
|
|
184,201 |
|
|
|
10,321,493 |
|
|
|
16,421,274 |
|
|
|
10,743,834 |
|
Use of Funds:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sales Commissions and Offering Expenses
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,300,909 |
|
|
|
1,979,576 |
|
|
|
1,259,747 |
|
|
Return of Original Limited Partners Investment
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
100 |
|
|
Property Acquisitions and Deferred Project Costs
|
|
|
114,404 |
|
|
|
2,836,446 |
|
|
|
12,511,831 |
|
|
|
9,107,492 |
|
|
|
8,522,750 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Surplus (Deficiency) after Cash Distributions and Special
Items
|
|
|
4,100 |
|
|
$ |
(2,652,245 |
) |
|
$ |
(3,491,247 |
) |
|
$ |
5,334,206 |
|
|
$ |
(961,237 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Income and Distributions Data per $1,000 Invested:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Income on GAAP Basis:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ordinary Income (Loss)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Preferred Units
|
|
|
73 |
|
|
$ |
83 |
|
|
$ |
56 |
|
|
$ |
52 |
|
|
$ |
20 |
|
|
|
Tax Preferred Units
|
|
|
118 |
|
|
|
(242 |
) |
|
|
(109 |
) |
|
|
(102 |
) |
|
|
(55 |
) |
|
Capital Gain (Loss)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tax and Distribution Data Per $1,000 Invested:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Federal Income Tax Results:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ordinary Income (Loss):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Preferred Units
|
|
|
70 |
|
|
|
80 |
|
|
|
61 |
|
|
|
46 |
|
|
|
20 |
|
|
|
|
Tax Preferred Units
|
|
|
(104 |
) |
|
|
(108 |
) |
|
|
(65 |
) |
|
|
(61 |
) |
|
|
(55 |
) |
|
|
|
Recapture
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Capital Gain (Loss):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Preferred Units
|
|
|
5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tax Preferred Units
|
|
|
285 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Deferred Gain:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Capital
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ordinary
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
F-22
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2003 | |
|
2002 | |
|
2001 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
Cash Distributions to Investors:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source (on GAAP Basis):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Investment Income to Cash Preferred Units
|
|
|
64 |
|
|
|
81 |
|
|
|
50 |
|
|
|
52 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
|
Return of Capital to Cash Preferred Units
|
|
|
235 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return of Capital to Tax Preferred Units
|
|
|
415 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source (on Cash Basis):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sales to Cash Preferred Units
|
|
|
235 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sales to Tax Preferred Units
|
|
|
415 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Refinancing
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operations to Cash Preferred Units
|
|
|
64 |
|
|
|
81 |
|
|
|
50 |
|
|
|
52 |
|
|
|
77 |
|
|
|
|
Other
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source (on a Priority Distribution Basis)
(5):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Investment Income to Cash Preferred Units
|
|
|
64 |
|
|
|
81 |
|
|
|
50 |
|
|
|
53 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return of Capital to Cash Preferred Units
|
|
|
235 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Investment Income to Tax Preferred Units
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return of Capital to Tax Preferred Units
|
|
|
415 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amount (in Percentage Terms) Remaining Invested in Program
Properties at the end of the Last Year Reported in the Table
|
|
|
100 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
Includes $58,610 in equity in earnings of joint ventures and
$38,075 from investment of reserve funds in 2001; $531,457 in
equity in earnings of joint ventures and $89,924 from investment
of reserve funds in 2002; $931,683 in equity in earnings of
joint ventures and $117,425 from investment of reserve funds in
2003; $1,106,316 in equity in earnings of joint ventures and
$12,465 from investment of reserve funds in 2004; and $3,023,505
in equity in earnings of joint ventures and $168,511 from
investment of reserve funds in 2005. As of December 31,
2005, the leasing status was 100%, including developed property
in initial lease-up. |
|
(2) |
Includes partnership administrative expenses. |
|
(3) |
Included in equity in earnings of joint ventures in gross
revenues is depreciation of $48,925 for 2001; $317,466 for 2002;
$739,383 for 2003; $1,629,571 for 2004; and $1,338,401 for 2005. |
|
(4) |
In accordance with the partnership agreement, net income or
loss, depreciation and amortization and gains on sales of
properties are allocated $84,293 to Cash Preferred Limited
Partners, $(48,925) to Tax Preferred Limited Partners and $0 to
the General Partners for 2001; $795,851 to Cash Preferred
Limited Partners, $(317,466) to Tax Preferred Limited Partners
and $0 to the General Partners for 2002; $1,627,786 to Cash
Preferred Limited Partners, $(739,383) to Tax Preferred Limited
Partners and $0 to the General Partners for 2003; $2,583,944 to
Cash Preferred Limited Partners, $(1,629,571) to Tax Preferred
Limited Partners and $0 to the General Partners for 2004; and
$2,295,882 to Cash Preferred Limited Partners, $732,180 to Tax
Preferred Limited Partners and $0 to the General Partners in
2005. |
|
(5) |
Pursuant to the terms of the partnership agreement, an amount
equal to the cash distributions paid to Cash Preferred Limited
Partners is payable as priority distributions out of net
proceeds from the sale of partnership properties to Tax
Preferred Limited Partners. Such distributions are characterized
as return of capital distributions to Tax Preferred Limited
Partners. As of December 31, 2005, the aggregate amount of
such priority distributions payable to Tax Preferred Limited
Partners totaled $2.72 per unit. |
F-23
TABLE III
OPERATING RESULTS OF PRIOR PROGRAMS
(UNAUDITED)
WELLS REAL ESTATE FUND XIV, L.P.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2003 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Gross
Revenues(1)
|
|
$ |
1,508,479 |
|
|
$ |
480,724 |
|
|
$ |
31,420 |
|
Profit on Sale of
Properties(1)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Less: Operating
Expenses(2)
|
|
|
1,000,688 |
|
|
|
191,525 |
|
|
|
84,349 |
|
|
Depreciation &
Amortization(3)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Income GAAP
Basis(4)
|
|
$ |
507,791 |
|
|
$ |
289,199 |
|
|
$ |
(52,929 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Taxable Income: Operations
|
|
$ |
1,263,502 |
|
|
$ |
673,416 |
|
|
$ |
41,334 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Generated (Used By):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operations
|
|
|
1,695,836 |
|
|
|
714,196 |
|
|
|
(67,404 |
) |
|
Net Sale Proceeds from Joint Ventures
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,695,830 |
|
|
|
714,196 |
|
|
|
(67,404 |
) |
Less Cash Distributions to Investors:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating Cash Flow
|
|
|
1,402,622 |
|
|
|
686,351 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return of Capital
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Undistributed Cash Flow from Prior Year Operations
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Surplus (Deficiency) after Cash Distributions of
|
|
|
293,214 |
|
|
|
27,845 |
|
|
|
(67,404 |
) |
Special Items (not including sales and financing):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source of Funds:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
General Partner Contributions
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Increase in Limited Partner Contributions
|
|
|
4,236,155 |
|
|
|
14,938,545 |
|
|
|
15,162,434 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4,529,369 |
|
|
|
14,966,390 |
|
|
|
15,095,030 |
|
Use of Funds:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sales Commissions and Offering Expenses
|
|
|
621,400 |
|
|
|
1,610,813 |
|
|
|
1,659,167 |
|
|
Return of Original Limited Partners Investment
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
100 |
|
|
Property Acquisition and Deferred Project Costs
|
|
|
11,804,575 |
|
|
|
4,634,071 |
|
|
|
9,641,316 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Surplus (Deficiency) after Cash Distributions and
|
|
$ |
(7,896,606 |
) |
|
$ |
8,721,506 |
|
|
$ |
3,794,447 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Special Items
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Income and Distributions Data per $1,000 Invested:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Income on GAAP Basis
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ordinary Income (Loss):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Preferred Units
|
|
$ |
70 |
|
|
$ |
63 |
|
|
$ |
12 |
|
|
|
|
Tax Preferred Units
|
|
|
(141 |
) |
|
|
(105 |
) |
|
|
(22 |
) |
|
|
|
Recapture
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Capital Gain (Loss)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tax and Distribution Data Per $1,000 Invested:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Federal Income Tax Results:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ordinary income (Loss):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Preferred Units
|
|
|
68 |
|
|
|
60 |
|
|
|
15 |
|
|
|
|
Tax Preferred Units
|
|
|
(52 |
) |
|
|
(41 |
) |
|
|
(7 |
) |
|
|
|
Recapture
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Capital Gain (Loss):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Preferred Units
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tax Preferred Units
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Deferred Gain:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Capital
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ordinary
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Distributions to Investors:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source (on GAAP Basis):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Investment Income to Cash Preferred Units
|
|
|
64 |
|
|
|
56 |
|
|
|
15 |
|
|
|
|
Return of Capital to Cash Preferred Units
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return of Capital to Tax Preferred Units
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source (on Cash Basis):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sales to Cash Preferred Units
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sales to Tax Preferred Units
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Refinancing
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operations to Cash Preferred Units
|
|
|
64 |
|
|
|
56 |
|
|
|
15 |
|
|
|
|
Other
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source (on a Priority Distribution
Basis)(5):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Investment Income to Cash Preferred Units
|
|
|
64 |
|
|
|
56 |
|
|
|
15 |
|
|
|
|
Return of Capital to Cash Preferred Units
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Investment Income to Tax Preferred Units
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return of Capital to Tax Preferred Units
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amount (in Percentage Terms) Remaining Invested in Program
Properties at the end of the Last Year Reported in the Table
|
|
|
100 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
F-24
|
|
(1) |
Includes $18,205 of equity in earnings of joint ventures in
2003; includes $427,890 of equity in earnings of joint ventures
in 2004; and includes $510,288 in equity in earnings of joint
ventures in 2005. As of December 31, 2005, the leasing
status was 100%, including developed property in initial
lease-up. |
|
(2) |
Includes partnership administrative expenses. |
|
(3) |
Included in equity in earnings of joint ventures in gross
revenues is depreciation of $85,391 for 2003; $712,817 for 2004;
and $1,266,765 for 2005. |
|
(4) |
In accordance with the partnership agreement, net income or
loss, depreciation and amortization are allocated $57,392 to
Cash Preferred Limited Partners, $(109,860) to Tax
Preferred Limited Partners, and $(461) to the General
Partners for 2003; $992,650 to Cash Preferred Limited Partners,
$(703,451) to Tax Preferred Limited Partners and $0 to the
General Partners for 2004; and $1,761,888 to Cash Preferred
Limited Partners, $(1,254,097) to Tax Preferred Limited Partners
and $0 to the General Partners in 2005. |
|
(5) |
Pursuant to the terms of the partnership agreement, an amount
equal to the cash distributions paid to Cash Preferred Limited
Partners is payable as priority distributions out of net
proceeds from the sale of partnership properties to Tax
Preferred Limited Partners. Such distributions are characterized
as return of capital distributions to Tax Preferred Limited
Partners. As of December 31, 2005, the aggregate amount of
such priority distributions payable to Tax Preferred Limited
Partners was $4.31 per unit. |
F-25
TABLE III
OPERATING RESULTS OF PRIOR PROGRAMS
(UNAUDITED)
WELLS REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST, INC.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2003 | |
|
2002 | |
|
2001 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(In thousands, except per share amounts) | |
Gross
Revenues(1)
|
|
$ |
593,963 |
|
|
$ |
564,625 |
|
|
$ |
327,965 |
|
|
$ |
102,707 |
|
|
$ |
42,189 |
|
Operating Income from Discontinued Operations
|
|
|
12,358 |
|
|
|
34,517 |
|
|
|
26,597 |
|
|
|
15,964 |
|
|
|
6,154 |
|
Profit on Sale of Properties
|
|
|
177,678 |
|
|
|
11,489 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Less: Operating Expenses
|
|
|
300,541 |
|
|
|
257,703 |
|
|
|
135,676 |
|
|
|
30,609 |
|
|
|
15,371 |
|
|
|
Depreciation and
Amortization(2)
|
|
|
154,323 |
|
|
|
143,206 |
|
|
|
98,201 |
|
|
|
28,208 |
|
|
|
11,248 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Income GAAP Basis
|
|
$ |
329,135 |
|
|
$ |
209,722 |
|
|
$ |
120,685 |
|
|
$ |
59,854 |
|
|
$ |
21,724 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Taxable Income: Operations
|
|
$ |
365,290 |
|
|
$ |
230,670 |
|
|
$ |
153,511 |
|
|
$ |
80,521 |
|
|
$ |
26,362 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Generated (Used By):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operations
|
|
|
271,494 |
|
|
|
329,818 |
|
|
|
237,238 |
|
|
|
111,960 |
|
|
|
42,349 |
|
|
|
Sales
|
|
|
756,768 |
|
|
|
40,506 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Financing
|
|
|
146,130 |
|
|
|
193,679 |
|
|
|
(27,041 |
) |
|
|
150,071 |
|
|
|
(119,538 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,174,392 |
|
|
|
564,003 |
|
|
|
210,197 |
|
|
|
262,031 |
|
|
|
(77,189 |
) |
Less Cash Distributions to Investors:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating Cash Flow
|
|
|
286,643 |
|
|
|
326,372 |
|
|
|
219,121 |
|
|
|
104,996 |
|
|
|
36,737 |
|
|
|
Return of Capital
|
|
|
748,526 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Surplus (Deficiency) after Cash Distributions
|
|
|
139,223 |
|
|
|
237,631 |
|
|
|
(8,924 |
) |
|
|
157,035 |
|
|
|
(113,926 |
) |
Special Items (not including sales and financing):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Issuance of common stock
|
|
|
159,459 |
|
|
|
194,942 |
|
|
|
2,537,192 |
|
|
|
1,340,293 |
|
|
|
552,517 |
|
|
|
Redemptions of common stock
|
|
|
(215,015 |
) |
|
|
(96,806 |
) |
|
|
(43,690 |
) |
|
|
(15,362 |
) |
|
|
(4,137 |
) |
|
|
Deferred financing costs paid and other
|
|
|
(984 |
) |
|
|
(10,473 |
) |
|
|
(8,346 |
) |
|
|
(1,674 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Repurchase of shares upon settlement
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(12,842 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
82,683 |
|
|
|
312,452 |
|
|
|
2,476,232 |
|
|
|
1,480,292 |
|
|
|
434,454 |
|
Use of Funds:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sales Commissions and Offering Expenses
|
|
|
8,301 |
|
|
|
32,877 |
|
|
|
260,773 |
|
|
|
140,488 |
|
|
|
58,559 |
|
|
|
Return of Investors Investment
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Property Acquisitions and Deferred Project Costs
|
|
|
64,550 |
|
|
|
292,778 |
|
|
|
2,183,383 |
|
|
|
1,361,016 |
|
|
|
245,159 |
|
|
|
Contributions to joint ventures
|
|
|
528 |
|
|
|
395 |
|
|
|
24,059 |
|
|
|
8,910 |
|
|
|
33,691 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Surplus (Deficiency) after Cash Distributions and Special
Items
|
|
$ |
9,304 |
|
|
$ |
(13,598 |
) |
|
$ |
8,017 |
|
|
$ |
(30,122 |
) |
|
$ |
97,045 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tax and Distribution Data Per $1,000 Invested:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Federal Income Tax Results:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ordinary Income (Loss):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operations
|
|
$ |
15 |
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
|
|
Recapture
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return of Capital
|
|
|
50 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Capital Gain (Loss)
|
|
|
13 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Deferred Gain:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Capital
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ordinary
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Distributions to Investors:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source (on GAAP Basis):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Investment Income
|
|
|
61 |
|
|
|
68 |
|
|
|
70 |
|
|
|
76 |
|
|
|
75 |
|
|
|
|
Return of capital
|
|
|
162 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source (on Cash Basis):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sales
|
|
|
34 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Refinancing
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operations
|
|
|
61 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return of Capital
|
|
|
128 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amount (in Percentage Terms) Remaining Invested in Program
Properties at the end of the Last Year Reported in the Table
|
|
|
100 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
Includes $3,721 in equity in earnings of joint ventures in 2001;
$4,700 in equity in earnings of joint ventures in 2002; $4,751
in equity in earnings of joint ventures in 2003; $6,634 in
equity in earnings of joint ventures in 2004; and $14,765 in
equity in earnings of joint ventures in 2005. |
|
(2) |
Included in equity in earnings of joint ventures in gross
revenues is depreciation and amortization of $2,233 for 2001;
$2,818 for 2002; $3,730 for 2003; $4,160 for 2004; and $2,777
for 2005. |
F-26
TABLE III
OPERATING RESULTS OF PRIOR PROGRAMS
(UNAUDITED)
WELLS REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST II, INC.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Period from inception (July 3, 2003) | |
|
|
to December 31, | |
|
|
| |
|
|
2005 | |
|
2004 | |
|
2003 | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
(In thousands, except per share | |
|
|
amounts) | |
Gross Revenues
|
|
$ |
173,565 |
|
|
$ |
50,701 |
|
|
|
|
|
Profit on Sale of Properties
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Less: Operating Expenses
|
|
|
93,329 |
|
|
|
35,779 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Depreciation and Amortization
|
|
|
67,715 |
|
|
|
19,484 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Loss GAAP Basis
|
|
$ |
12,521 |
|
|
$ |
(4,562 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Taxable Income: Operations
|
|
$ |
43,376 |
|
|
$ |
3,879 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Generated (Used By):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operations
|
|
|
76,351 |
|
|
|
22,722 |
|
|
|
(44 |
) |
|
|
Sales
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Financing
|
|
|
231,687 |
|
|
|
235,987 |
|
|
|
201 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
308,038 |
|
|
|
258,709 |
|
|
|
157 |
|
Less: Cash Distributions to Investors
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating Cash Flow
|
|
|
80,586 |
|
|
|
16,613 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return of Capital
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Surplus (Deficiency) after distributions:
|
|
|
227,452 |
|
|
|
242,096 |
|
|
|
|
|
Special Items (not including sales and financing):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Issuance of common stock
|
|
|
1,194,574 |
|
|
|
790,270 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Redemptions of common stock
|
|
|
(15,320 |
) |
|
|
(690 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Deferred financing costs paid and other
|
|
|
(3,151 |
) |
|
|
(6,382 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,403,575 |
|
|
|
1,025,294 |
|
|
|
|
|
Use of Funds:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sales Commissions and Offering Expenses
|
|
|
126,971 |
|
|
|
84,917 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return of Investors Investment
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Property Acquisitions and Deferred Project Costs
|
|
|
1,262,128 |
|
|
|
919,658 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Surplus (Deficiency) after Cash Distributions and Special
Items
|
|
|
14,476 |
|
|
$ |
20,719 |
|
|
|
157 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tax and Distribution Data per $1,000 Invested:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Federal Income Tax Results:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ordinary Income (Loss):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operations
|
|
$ |
17 |
|
|
$ |
3 |
|
|
$ |
|
|
|
|
|
Recapture
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return of Capital
|
|
|
14 |
|
|
|
6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Capital Gain (Loss):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Deferred Gain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Capital
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ordinary
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Distributions to Investors:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source (on GAAP basis):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Investment Income
|
|
|
60 |
|
|
|
49 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return of Capital
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source (on a Cash Basis):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sales
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Refinancing
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operations
|
|
|
60 |
|
|
|
12 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Return of capital
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
37 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amount (in percentage terms) remaining invested in Program
Properties at the end of last year reported in table
|
|
|
100 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
F-27
TABLE V
SALES OR DISPOSALS OF PROPERTIES
(UNAUDITED)
The following Table sets forth sales or other disposals of
properties by Wells Public Programs within the most recent three
years. The information relates to only public programs with
investment objectives similar to ours. All figures are as of
December 31, 2005.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Selling Price, Net of | |
|
Cost of Properties | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Closing Costs and GAAP Adjustments | |
|
Including Closing and Soft Costs | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
Excess | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Purchase | |
|
|
|
|
|
Total | |
|
|
|
(Deficiency) | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Money | |
|
Adjustments | |
|
|
|
|
|
Acquisition | |
|
|
|
of Property | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mortgage | |
|
Mortgage | |
|
Resulting | |
|
|
|
|
|
Cost, Capital | |
|
|
|
Operating | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Received | |
|
Balance at | |
|
Taken | |
|
from | |
|
|
|
Original | |
|
Improvement, | |
|
|
|
Cash Receipts | |
|
|
Date | |
|
Date of | |
|
Net of Closing | |
|
Time of | |
|
Back by | |
|
Application | |
|
|
|
Mortgage | |
|
Closing and | |
|
|
|
Over Cash | |
Property |
|
Acquired | |
|
Sale | |
|
Costs | |
|
Sale | |
|
Program | |
|
of GAAP | |
|
Total | |
|
Financing | |
|
Soft Costs(1) | |
|
Total | |
|
Expenditures | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Greenville Center, Greenville, SC
|
|
|
6/20/90 |
|
|
|
9/30/02 |
|
|
$ |
2,271,187 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
2,271,187 |
(2) |
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
4,297,901 |
|
|
$ |
4,297,901 |
|
|
|
|
|
Tanglewood Commons Outparcel, Clemmons, NC
|
|
|
5/30/95 |
|
|
|
10/07/02 |
|
|
|
524,398 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
524,398 |
(3) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
506,326 |
|
|
|
506,326 |
|
|
|
|
|
Heritage Place, DeKalb County, GA
|
|
|
6/30/88 |
|
|
|
04/07/03 |
|
|
|
3,207,708 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3,207,708 |
(4) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
4,549,656 |
|
|
|
4,549,656 |
|
|
|
|
|
Hartford Building, Southington, CT
|
|
|
12/29/93 |
|
|
|
08/12/03 |
|
|
|
8,146,900 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8,146,900 |
(5) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
7,687,520 |
|
|
|
7,687,520 |
|
|
|
|
|
Cort Building, Fountain Valley, CA
|
|
|
09/01/98 |
|
|
|
09/11/03 |
|
|
|
5,563,403 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5,563,403 |
(6) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
6,851,616 |
|
|
|
6,851,616 |
|
|
|
|
|
Village Overlook, Stockbridge, GA
|
|
|
09/14/92 |
|
|
|
09/29/03 |
|
|
|
4,995,305 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4,995,305 |
(7) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
4,788,885 |
|
|
|
4,788,885 |
|
|
|
|
|
Stockbridge Village II, Stockbridge, GA
|
|
|
11/12/93 |
|
|
|
04/29/04 |
|
|
$ |
2,705,451 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
2,705,451 |
(8) |
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
3,075,946 |
|
|
$ |
3,075,946 |
|
|
|
|
|
Stockbridge Village III, Stockbridge, GA
|
|
|
04/01/94 |
|
|
|
04/29/04 |
|
|
$ |
2,909,853 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,909,853 |
(9) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
3,034,378 |
|
|
|
3,034,378 |
|
|
|
|
|
Stockbridge Village I Expansion, Stockbridge, GA
|
|
|
06/07/95 |
|
|
|
04/29/04 |
|
|
$ |
4,108,277 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4,108,277 |
(10) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
3,222,355 |
|
|
|
3,222,355 |
|
|
|
|
|
Hannover Center, Clayton County, GA
|
|
|
04/01/96 |
|
|
|
04/29/04 |
|
|
$ |
1,703,431 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,703,431 |
(11) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,682,069 |
|
|
|
1,682,069 |
|
|
|
|
|
Stockbridge Village Shopping Center, Stockbridge, GA
|
|
|
04/04/91 |
|
|
|
04/29/04 |
|
|
$ |
12,024,223 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
12,024,223 |
(12) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
10,639,795 |
|
|
|
10,639,795 |
|
|
|
|
|
5104 Eisenhower Boulevard Building, Tampa, FL
|
|
|
12/31/98 |
|
|
|
06/03/04 |
|
|
$ |
30,514,310 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
30,514,310 |
(13) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
24,162,456 |
|
|
|
24,162,456 |
|
|
|
|
|
Peachtree Place II, Norcross, GA
|
|
|
01/01/85 |
|
|
|
06/18/04 |
|
|
$ |
857,826 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
857,826 |
(14) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,295,536 |
|
|
|
1,295,536 |
|
|
|
|
|
Brookwood Grill, Roswell, GA
|
|
|
01/31/90 |
|
|
|
07/01/04 |
|
|
$ |
2,318,115 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
2,318,115 |
(15) |
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
2,114,124 |
|
|
$ |
2,114,124 |
|
|
|
|
|
880 Holcomb Bridge, Roswell, GA
|
|
|
01/31/90 |
|
|
|
07/01/04 |
|
|
|
6,889,379 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
6,889,379 |
(16) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
7,171,261 |
|
|
|
7,171,261 |
|
|
|
|
|
Johnson Matthey Building, Wayne, PA
|
|
|
08/17/99 |
|
|
|
10/05/04 |
|
|
|
9,675,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9,675,000 |
(17) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
8,392,077 |
|
|
|
8,392,077 |
|
|
|
|
|
15253 Bake Parkway, Irvine, CA
|
|
|
01/10/97 |
|
|
|
12/02/04 |
|
|
|
11,892,035 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11,892,035 |
(18) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
10,579,865 |
|
|
|
10,579,865 |
|
|
|
|
|
Marathon Building, Appleton, WI
|
|
|
09/16/94 |
|
|
|
12/29/04 |
|
|
|
9,927,330 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9,927,330 |
(19) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
9,333,483 |
|
|
|
9,333,483 |
|
|
|
|
|
Alstom Power Knoxville Building, Knoxville, TN
|
|
|
12/10/96 |
|
|
|
03/15/05 |
|
|
|
11,646,089 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11,646,089 |
(20) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
8,133,347 |
|
|
|
8,133,347 |
|
|
|
|
|
AT&T Oklahoma Building, Oklahoma City, OK
|
|
|
12/28/00 |
|
|
|
04/13/05 |
|
|
|
21,307,577 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
21,307,577 |
(21) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
15,973,132 |
|
|
|
15,973,132 |
|
|
|
|
|
AT&T Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, PA
|
|
|
02/04/99 |
|
|
|
04/13/05 |
|
|
|
8,524,584 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8,524,584 |
(22) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
13,173,835 |
|
|
|
13,173,835 |
|
|
|
|
|
Allstate Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN
|
|
|
09/27/02 |
|
|
|
04/13/05 |
|
|
|
15,790,699 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
15,790,699 |
(23) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
11,398,100 |
|
|
|
11,398,100 |
|
|
|
|
|
Alstom Power Richmond, Midlothian, VA
|
|
|
07/22/99 |
|
|
|
04/13/05 |
|
|
|
15,646,879 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
15,646,879 |
(24) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
10,911,372 |
|
|
|
10,911,372 |
|
|
|
|
|
AmeriCredit Building, Orange Park, FL
|
|
|
07/16/01 |
|
|
|
04/13/05 |
|
|
|
14,301,802 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
14,301,802 |
(25) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
13,063,258 |
|
|
|
13,063,258 |
|
|
|
|
|
F-28
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Selling Price, Net of | |
|
Cost of Properties | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Closing Costs and GAAP Adjustments | |
|
Including Closing and Soft Costs | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
Excess | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Purchase | |
|
|
|
|
|
Total | |
|
|
|
(Deficiency) | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Money | |
|
Adjustments | |
|
|
|
|
|
Acquisition | |
|
|
|
of Property | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mortgage | |
|
Mortgage | |
|
Resulting | |
|
|
|
|
|
Cost, Capital | |
|
|
|
Operating | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Received | |
|
Balance at | |
|
Taken | |
|
from | |
|
|
|
Original | |
|
Improvement, | |
|
|
|
Cash Receipts | |
|
|
Date | |
|
Date of | |
|
Net of Closing | |
|
Time of | |
|
Back by | |
|
Application | |
|
|
|
Mortgage | |
|
Closing and | |
|
|
|
Over Cash | |
Property |
|
Acquired | |
|
Sale | |
|
Costs | |
|
Sale | |
|
Program | |
|
of GAAP | |
|
Total | |
|
Financing | |
|
Soft Costs(1) | |
|
Total | |
|
Expenditures | |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
ASML, Tempe, AZ
|
|
|
03/29/00 |
|
|
|
04/13/05 |
|
|
|
20,883,739 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
20,883,739 |
(26) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
18,124,318 |
|
|
|
18,124,318 |
|
|
|
|
|
Bank Of America, Brea, CA
|
|
|
12/18/03 |
|
|
|
04/13/05 |
|
|
|
114,069,409 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
114,069,409 |
(27) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
92,928,622 |
|
|
|
92,928,622 |
|
|
|
|
|
Capital One Richmond I, Glen Allen, VA
|
|
|
11/26/02 |
|
|
|
04/13/05 |
|
|
|
10,033,685 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10,033,685 |
(28) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
8,989,934 |
|
|
|
8,989,934 |
|
|
|
|
|
Capital One Richmond II, Glen Allen, VA
|
|
|
11/26/02 |
|
|
|
04/13/05 |
|
|
|
11,314,581 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11,314,581 |
(29) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
10,464,969 |
|
|
|
10,464,969 |
|
|
|
|
|
Capital One Richmond III, Glen Allen, VA
|
|
|
11/26/02 |
|
|
|
04/13/05 |
|
|
|
11,315,903 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11,315,903 |
(30) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
10,374,378 |
|
|
|
10,374,378 |
|
|
|
|
|
Daimler Chrysler Dallas, Westlake, TX
|
|
|
09/30/02 |
|
|
|
04/13/05 |
|
|
|
31,962,415 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
31,962,415 |
(31) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
26,206,605 |
|
|
|
26,206,605 |
|
|
|
|
|
Dana Detroit, Farmington Hills, MI
|
|
|
03/29/02 |
|
|
|
04/13/05 |
|
|
|
30,211,213 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
30,211,213 |
(32) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
24,883,938 |
|
|
|
24,883,938 |
|
|
|
|
|
Dana Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo, MI
|
|
|
03/29/02 |
|
|
|
04/13/05 |
|
|
|
20,997,036 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
20,997,036 |
(33) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
19,255,544 |
|
|
|
19,255,544 |
|
|
|
|
|
Dial, Scottsdale, AZ
|
|
|
03/29/00 |
|
|
|
04/13/05 |
|
|
|
21,683,256 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
21,683,256 |
(34) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
14,886,573 |
|
|
|
14,886,573 |
|
|
|
|
|
EDS Des Moines, Des Moines, IA
|
|
|
09/27/02 |
|
|
|
04/13/05 |
|
|
|
33,735,843 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
33,735,843 |
(35) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
27,659,014 |
|
|
|
27,659,014 |
|
|
|
|
|
Experian/ TRW, Allen, TX
|
|
|
05/01/02 |
|
|
|
04/13/05 |
|
|
|
46,742,128 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
46,742,128 |
(36) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
37,147,417 |
|
|
|
37,147,417 |
|
|
|
|
|
Gartner Building, Fort Myers, FL
|
|
|
09/20/99 |
|
|
|
04/13/05 |
|
|
|
12,396,859 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
12,396,859 |
(37) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
9,181,850 |
|
|
|
9,181,850 |
|
|
|
|
|
Gartner Parking Deck, Fort Myers, FL
|
|
|
09/30/04 |
|
|
|
04/13/05 |
|
|
|
1,135,876 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,135,876 |
(38) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
933,251 |
|
|
|
933,251 |
|
|
|
|
|
IKON, Houston, TX
|
|
|
09/07/01 |
|
|
|
04/13/05 |
|
|
|
26,587,092 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
26,587,092 |
(39) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
21,639,972 |
|
|
|
21,639,972 |
|
|
|
|
|
Ingram Micro, Millington, TN
|
|
|
09/26/01 |
|
|
|
04/13/05 |
|
|
|
27,654,696 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
27,654,696 |
(40) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
21,923,060 |
|
|
|
21,923,060 |
|
|
|
|
|
ISS Atlanta, Atlanta, GA
|
|
|
07/01/02 |
|
|
|
04/13/05 |
|
|
|
61,374,003 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
61,374,003 |
(41) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
42,424,206 |
|
|
|
42,424,206 |
|
|
|
|
|
ISS Atlanta III, Atlanta, GA
|
|
|
07/01/03 |
|
|
|
04/13/05 |
|
|
|
14,815,427 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
14,815,427 |
(42) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
8,818,753 |
|
|
|
8,818,753 |
|
|
|
|
|
John Wiley Building, Fishers, IN
|
|
|
12/12/02 |
|
|
|
04/13/05 |
|
|
|
21,427,599 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
21,427,599 |
(43) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
18,316,778 |
|
|
|
18,316,778 |
|
|
|
|
|
Kerr Mcgee, Houston, TX
|
|
|
07/29/02 |
|
|
|
04/13/05 |
|
|
|
21,760,086 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
21,760,086 |
(44) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
14,081,555 |
|
|
|
14,081,555 |
|
|
|
|
|
Kraft Atlanta, Suwanee, GA
|
|
|
07/31/02 |
|
|
|
04/13/05 |
|
|
|
16,452,223 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
16,452,223 |
(45) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
12,150,948 |
|
|
|
12,150,948 |
|
|
|
|
|
Lucent, Cary, NC
|
|
|
09/28/01 |
|
|
|
04/13/05 |
|
|
|
22,213,160 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
22,213,160 |
(46) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
18,760,392 |
|
|
|
18,760,392 |
|
|
|
|
|
Metris Tulsa, Tulsa, OK
|
|
|
02/11/00 |
|
|
|
04/13/05 |
|
|
|
13,008,856 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
13,008,856 |
(47) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
13,261,072 |
|
|
|
13,261,072 |
|
|
|
|
|
Nissan, Irving, TX
|
|
|
09/19/01 |
|
|
|
04/13/05 |
|
|
|
59,881,096 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
59,881,096 |
(48) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
38,519,092 |
|
|
|
38,519,092 |
|
|
|
|
|
Pacificare San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
|
|
|
07/12/02 |
|
|
|
04/13/05 |
|
|
|
19,670,204 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
19,670,204 |
(49) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
15,287,669 |
|
|
|
15,287,669 |
|
|
|
|
|
Transocean Houston, TX
|
|
|
03/15/02 |
|
|
|
04/13/05 |
|
|
|
22,855,716 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
22,855,716 |
(50) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
22,928,458 |
|
|
|
22,928,458 |
|
|
|
|
|
Travelers Express Denver, Lakewood, CO
|
|
|
04/10/02 |
|
|
|
04/13/05 |
|
|
|
11,519,192 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11,519,192 |
(51) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
10,993,334 |
|
|
|
10,993,334 |
|
|
|
|
|
Tanglewood Commons (shopping center), Clemmons, NC
|
|
|
05/31/95 |
|
|
|
04/21/05 |
|
|
|
11,236,283 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11,236,283 |
(52) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
7,745,425 |
|
|
|
7,745,425 |
|
|
|
|
|
4400 Cox Road, Richmond, VA
|
|
|
07/01/92 |
|
|
|
06/21/05 |
|
|
|
6,308,796 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6,308,796 |
(53) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
6,349,364 |
|
|
|
6,349,364 |
|
|
|
|
|
CH2M Hill Building, Gainesville, FL
|
|
|
01/01/96 |
|
|
|
12/07/05 |
|
|
|
7,935,259 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7,935,259 |
(54) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
5,843,204 |
|
|
|
5,843,204 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
Amount shown does not include pro rata share of original
offering costs. |
|
|
(2) |
Includes taxable loss from this sale in the amount of $910,227. |
|
|
(3) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of $13,062,
of which $13,062 is allocated to capital gain and $0 is
allocated to ordinary income. |
|
|
(4) |
Includes taxable loss from this sale in the amount of $147,135. |
F-29
|
|
|
|
(5) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of
$1,815,315, of which $1,815,315 is allocated to capital gain and
$0 is allocated to ordinary income. |
|
|
(6) |
Includes taxable loss from this sale in the amount of $686,513. |
|
|
(7) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of
$1,264,739, of which $1,264,739 is allocated to capital gain and
$0 is allocated to ordinary income. |
|
|
(8) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of $204,519,
of which $204,519 is allocated to capital gain and $0 is
allocated to ordinary income. |
|
|
(9) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of
$1,831,250, of which $1,831,250 is allocated to capital gain and
$0 is allocated to ordinary income. |
|
|
(10) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of
$1,465,912, of which $1,465,912 is allocated to capital gain and
$0 is allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(11) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of $337,421,
of which $337,421 is allocated to capital gain and $0 is
allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(12) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of
$4,050,688, of which $4,050,688 is allocated to capital gain and
$0 is allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(13) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of
$7,684,705, of which $7,684,705 is allocated to capital gain and
$0 is allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(14) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of $347,537,
of which $347,537 is allocated to capital gain and $0 is
allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(15) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of $665,199,
of which $665,199 is allocated to capital gain and $0 is
allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(16) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of
$1,164,002, of which $1,164,002 is allocated to capital gain and
$0 is allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(17) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of
$2,114,572, of which $2,114,572 is allocated to capital gain and
$0 is allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(18) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of
$1,699,607, of which $1,699,607 is allocated to capital gain and
$0 is allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(19) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of
$2,753,041, of which $2,753,041 is allocated to capital gain and
$0 is allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(20) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of $4,290,651
of which $4,290,651 is allocated to capital gain and $0 is
allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(21) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of $6,798,154
of which $6,798,154 is allocated to capital gain and $0 is
allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(22) |
Includes a taxable loss from this sale $(2,634,299). |
|
(23) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of $5,144,469
of which $5,144,469 is allocated to capital gain and $0 is
allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(24) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of $5,242,003
of which $5,242,003 is allocated to capital gain and $0 is
allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(25) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of $2,304,984
of which $2,304,984 is allocated to capital gain and $0 is
allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(26) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of $5,092,422
of which $5,092,422 is allocated to capital gain and $0 is
allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(27) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of
$18,896,175 of which $18,896,175 is allocated to capital gain
and $0 is allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(28) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of $1,557,153
of which $1,557,153 is allocated to capital gain and $0 is
allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(29) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of $1,397,465
of which $1,397,465 is allocated to capital gain and $0 is
allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(30) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of $1,497,835
of which $1,497,835 is allocated to capital gain and $0 is
allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(31) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of $7,273,433
of which $7,273,433 is allocated to capital gain and $0 is
allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(32) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of $6,892,438
of which $6,892,438 is allocated to capital gain and $0 is
allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(33) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of $2,972,661
of which $2,972,661 is allocated to capital gain and $0 is
allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(34) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of $8,345,282
of which $8,345,282 is allocated to capital gain and $0 is
allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(35) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of $7,806,011
of which $7,806,011 is allocated to capital gain and $0 is
allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(36) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of
$11,999,840 of which $11,999,840 is allocated to capital gain
and $0 is allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(37) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of $4,155,567
of which $4,155,567 is allocated to capital gain and $0 is
allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(38) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of $187,625
of which $187,625 is allocated to capital gain and $0 is
allocated to ordinary income. |
F-30
|
|
(39) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of $6,545,326
of which $6,545,326 is allocated to capital gain and $0 is
allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(40) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of $7,664,259
of which $7,664,259 is allocated to capital gain and $0 is
allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(41) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of
$21,673,281 of which $21,673,281 is allocated to capital gain
and $0 is allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(42) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of $4,961,842
of which $4,961,842 is allocated to capital gain and $0 is
allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(43) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of $4,157,855
of which $4,157,855 is allocated to capital gain and $0 is
allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(44) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of $6,946,994
of which $6,946,994 is allocated to capital gain and $0 is
allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(45) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of $4,924,013
of which $4,924,013 is allocated to capital gain and $0 is
allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(46) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of $4,481,579
of which $4,481,579 is allocated to capital gain and $0 is
allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(47) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of $1,305,941
of which $1,305,941 is allocated to capital gain and $0 is
allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(48) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of
$19,209,804 of which $19,209,804 is allocated to capital gain
and $0 is allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(49) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of $5,229,866
of which $5,229,866 is allocated to capital gain and $0 is
allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(50) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of $1,626,903
of which $1,626,903 is allocated to capital gain and $0 is
allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(51) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of $1,356,025
of which $1,356,025 is allocated to capital gain and $0 is
allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(52) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of $4,821,336
of which $4,821,336 is allocated to capital gain and $0 is
allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(53) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of $1,003,858
of which $1,003,858 is allocated to capital gain and $0 is
allocated to ordinary income. |
|
(54) |
Includes taxable gain from this sale in the amount of $3,478,342
of which $3,478,342 is allocated to capital gain and $0 is
allocated to ordinary income. |
F-31
Appendix A Subscription Agreement (Sample)
with Instructions
A-1
Appendix B Distribution Reinvestment Plan
Wells Timber Real Estate Investment Trust, Inc., a Maryland
corporation (the Company), pursuant to its Articles
of Incorporation, as amended and restated to date (the
Articles), has adopted a Distribution Reinvestment
Plan (the Plan), the terms and conditions of which
are set forth below.
1. Reinvestment of
Distributions. As agent for stockholders
(Stockholders) of the Company who purchase shares of
the Companys common stock (the Shares)
pursuant to the Companys initial public offering (the
Initial Offering) or any future public offering (a
Future Offering) and who elect to participate in the
Plan (the Participants), the Company will apply all
distributions (other than Excluded Distributions as
defined below) declared and paid in respect of the Shares held
by each Participant (the Distributions), including
Distributions paid with respect to any full or fractional Shares
acquired under the Plan, to the purchase of the Shares for such
Participants directly, if permitted under state securities laws
and, if not, through the dealer-manager or participating dealers
for the public offering of Shares registered in the
Participants state of residence. As used in this Plan, the
term Excluded Distributions shall mean those cash
distributions relating to net proceeds of the sale of one or
more properties or other investments designated as Excluded
Distributions by the board of directors of the Company, which
shall be paid to Plan participants in cash and shall not be
deemed Distributions for purposes of Plan
reinvestments.
2. Procedure for
Participation. Any Stockholder who has received a
prospectus that includes the offer of shares registered for sale
pursuant to the Plan pursuant to a registration statement filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
SEC), may elect to become a Participant by
completing and executing the subscription agreement in the form
included in the prospectus, an enrollment form or any other
appropriate authorization form as may be available from the
Company, the dealer-manager or a participating dealer.
Participation in the Plan will begin with the next Distribution
payable after receipt of a Participants subscription,
enrollment or authorization, provided it is received on or prior
to the last day of the fiscal month or quarter, as the case may
be, to which such Distribution relates. Shares will be purchased
under the Plan on the date that Distributions are paid by the
Company. Each Participant agrees that if, at any time prior to
the listing of the Shares on a national stock exchange, he or
she fails to meet the suitability requirements for making an
investment in the Shares or cannot make the other
representations or warranties set forth in the subscription
agreement, he or she will promptly so notify the Company in
writing.
3. Purchase of
Shares. Participants will acquire Shares from the
Company at a price per share equal to (1) during the
Initial Offering, $9.55 per share; (2) during the
period of any Future Offering, 95.5% of the offering price in
such offering; and (3) for the first 12 months
subsequent to the close of the Companys last public equity
offering prior to the listing of the Companys Shares on a
national securities exchange, 95.5% of the most recent offering
price. After that
12-month period, the
Company will publish a per Share estimated valuation and
distributions will be reinvested at a price equal to the most
recently published per Share estimated value. (For these
purposes, a public equity offering does not include
offerings on behalf of selling stockholders, offerings related
to a distribution reinvestment plan or employee benefit plan or
the redemption of interests in Wells Timber Operating
Partnership, L.P.) Participants in the Plan also may purchase
fractional Shares so that 100% of the Distributions will be used
to acquire Shares. However, a Participant will not be able to
acquire Shares under the Plan to the extent such purchase would
cause it to exceed the Ownership Limit (as defined in the
Articles) or otherwise would cause a violation of the share
ownership restrictions set forth in the Articles.
Shares to be distributed by the Company in connection with the
Plan may be, but are not required to be, supplied from:
(a) Shares which were registered for the Plan in the
Initial Offering, (b) Shares subsequently registered by the
Company with the SEC for use in the Plan (a Secondary
Registration), or (c) Shares purchased by the Company
for the Plan in a secondary market (if available) or on a
national stock exchange (if listed) (collectively, the
Secondary Market).
Shares purchased on the Secondary Market will be purchased at
the then-prevailing market price, which price will be used for
purposes of issuing Shares in the Plan. Shares acquired by the
Company on
B-1
the Secondary Market or registered in a Secondary Registration
for use in the Plan may be at prices lower or higher than the
Share price, which will be paid for the Shares purchased
pursuant to the Initial Offering.
If the Company acquires Shares in the Secondary Market for use
in the Plan, the Company shall use reasonable efforts to acquire
Shares for use in the Plan at the lowest price then reasonably
available. However, the Company does not in any respect
guarantee or warrant that the Shares so acquired and purchased
by the Participant in the Plan will be at the lowest possible
price. Further, irrespective of the Companys ability to
acquire Shares in the Secondary Market or to complete a
Secondary Registration for shares to be used in the Plan, the
Company is in no way obligated to do either, in its sole
discretion.
4. TAXES. IT IS
UNDERSTOOD THAT REINVESTMENT OF DISTRIBUTIONS DOES NOT RELIEVE A
PARTICIPANT OF ANY INCOME TAX LIABILITY THAT MAY BE PAYABLE ON
THE DISTRIBUTIONS.
5. Share
Certificates. The ownership of the Shares purchased
through the Plan will be in
book-entry form unless
and until the Company issues certificates for its outstanding
common stock.
6. Reports. The
Company shall provide each Participant with an individualized
quarterly report on his or her investment, including the
purchase date(s), purchase price and number of Shares owned, as
well as the dates of distribution and amounts of Distributions
paid during the period covered by the report.
7. Commissions and Other
Charges. The Company will not pay selling commissions or
dealer-manager fees in
connection with Shares sold pursuant to the Plan. In addition,
the Company will not reimburse its advisor for organization and
offering expenses from the proceeds of any such sales.
8. Termination by
Participant. A Participant may terminate participation
in the Plan at any time, without penalty, by delivering to the
Company a written notice 10 business days prior to the
distribution payment date. Prior to listing of the Shares on a
national securities exchange, any transfer of Shares by a
Participant to a non-Participant will terminate participation in
the Plan with respect to the transferred Shares. If a
Participant terminates Plan participation, the Company will
ensure that the terminating Participants account will
reflect the number of shares in his or her account. Upon
termination of Plan participation, Distributions will be
distributed in cash.
9. Amendment or Termination
of the Plan by the Company. The Board of Directors of
the Company may by majority vote (including a majority of the
Independent Directors, as defined in the Articles) amend or
terminate the Plan for any reason; provided that any amendment
that adversely affects the rights or obligations of a
Participant (as determined in the sole discretion of the board
of directors) shall take effect only upon 10 days
written notice to the Participants.
10. Liability of the
Company. The Company shall not be liable for any act
done in good faith, or for any good faith omission to act,
including, without limitation, any claims or liability:
(a) arising out of failure to terminate a
Participants account upon such Participants death
prior to receipt of notice in writing of such death; and
(b) with respect to the time and the prices at which Shares
are purchased or sold for a Participants account. To the
extent that indemnification may apply to liabilities arising
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the securities
law of a particular state, the Company has been advised that, in
the opinion of the Commission and certain state securities
commissioners, such indemnification is contrary to public policy
and, therefore, unenforceable.
B-2
We
have not authorized any dealer, salesperson or other individual
to give any information or to make any representations that are
not contained in this prospectus. If any such information or
statements are given or made, you should not rely upon such
information or representation. This prospectus does not
constitute an offer to sell any securities other than those to
which this prospectus relates, or an offer to sell, or a
solicitation of an offer to buy, to any person in any
jurisdiction where such an offer or solicitation would be
unlawful. This prospectus speaks as of the date set forth below.
You should not assume that the delivery of this prospectus or
that any sale made pursuant to this prospectus implies that the
information contained in this prospectus will remain fully
accurate and correct as of any time subsequent to the date of
this prospectus.
Until
November 9, 2006 (90 days after the date of this
prospectus), all dealers that effect transactions in these
securities, whether or not participating in this offering, may
be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to the
obligation of dealers to deliver a prospectus when acting as
soliciting dealers.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Our
shares are not FDIC insured, may lose value and are not bank
guaranteed. See Risk Factors beginning on
page 15 to read about risks you should consider before
buying shares of our common stock.
WELLS TIMBER REAL ESTATE
INVESTMENT TRUST, INC.
Maximum Offering of
85,000,000 Shares
of Common Stock
Minimum Offering of
200,000 Shares
of Common Stock
PROSPECTUS
WELLS INVESTMENT
SECURITIES, INC.
August 11, 2006