Regency Centers - 10-K annual report 2018

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

FORM 10-K

Commission File Number 1-12298 (Regency Centers Corporation)

Commission File Number 0-24763 (Regency Centers, L.P.)

REGENCY CENTERS CORPORATION

REGENCY CENTERS, L.P.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K (§229.405 of this chapter) is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

Regency Centers Corporation:

Regency Centers, L.P.:

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).

State the aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates computed by reference to the price at which the common equity was last sold, or the average bid and asked price of such common equity, as of the last business day of the registrants' most recently completed second fiscal quarter.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Company believes combining the annual reports on Form 10-K of the Parent Company and the Operating Partnership into this single report provides the following benefits:

Management operates the Parent Company and the Operating Partnership as one business. The management of the Parent Company consists of the same individuals as the management of the Operating Partnership. These individuals are officers of the Parent Company and employees of the Operating Partnership.

The Company believes it is important to understand the key differences between the Parent Company and the Operating Partnership in the context of how the Parent Company and the Operating Partnership operate as a consolidated company. The Parent Company is a REIT, whose only material asset is its ownership of partnership interests of the Operating Partnership. As a result, the Parent Company does not conduct business itself, other than acting as the sole general partner of the Operating Partnership, issuing public equity from time to time and guaranteeing certain debt of the Operating Partnership. Except for $500 million of unsecured public and private placement debt, the Parent Company does not hold any indebtedness, but guarantees all of the unsecured debt of the Operating Partnership. The Operating Partnership is also the co-issuer and guarantees the $500 million of unsecured public and private placement debt of the Parent Company. The Operating Partnership holds all the assets of the Company and retains the ownership interests in the Company's joint ventures. Except for net proceeds from public equity issuances by the Parent Company, which are contributed to the Operating Partnership in exchange for partnership units, the Operating Partnership generates all remaining capital required by the Company's business. These sources include the Operating Partnership's operations, its direct or indirect incurrence of indebtedness, and the issuance of partnership units.

Stockholders' equity, partners' capital, and noncontrolling interests are the main areas of difference between the consolidated financial statements of the Parent Company and those of the Operating Partnership. The Operating Partnership's capital includes general and limited common Partnership Units. The limited partners' units in the Operating Partnership owned by third parties are accounted for in partners' capital in the Operating Partnership's financial statements and outside of stockholders' equity in noncontrolling interests in the Parent Company's financial statements.

In order to highlight the differences between the Parent Company and the Operating Partnership, there are sections in this report that separately discuss the Parent Company and the Operating Partnership, including separate financial statements, controls and procedures sections, and separate Exhibit 31 and 32 certifications. In the sections that combine disclosure for the Parent Company and the Operating Partnership, this report refers to actions or holdings as being actions or holdings of the Company.

As general partner with control of the Operating Partnership, the Parent Company consolidates the Operating Partnership for financial reporting purposes, and the Parent Company does not have assets other than its investment in the Operating Partnership. Therefore, while stockholders' equity and partners' capital differ as discussed above, the assets and liabilities of the Parent Company and the Operating Partnership are the same on their respective financial statements.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Forward-Looking Statements

PART I

On March 1, 2017, Regency completed its merger with Equity One Inc. ("Equity One"), whereby Equity One merged with and into Regency, with Regency continuing as the surviving public company. As part of the merger, Regency acquired 121 properties representing 16.0 million SF of GLA, including 8 properties held through co-investment partnerships.

Our mission is to be the preeminent national owner, operator, and developer of shopping centers connecting outstanding retailers and service providers with surrounding neighborhoods and communities. Our goals are to:

Key strategies to achieve our goals are to:

We are among the largest owners of shopping centers in the nation based on revenues, number of properties, GLA, and market capitalization. There are numerous companies and individuals engaged in the ownership, development, acquisition, and operation of shopping centers that compete with us in our targeted markets, including grocery store chains that also anchor some of our shopping centers. This results in competition for attracting tenants, as well as the acquisition of existing shopping centers and new development sites. We believe that our competitive advantages are driven by:

Our corporate headquarters are located at One Independent Drive, Suite 114, Jacksonville, Florida. We presently maintain 22 market offices nationwide, including our corporate headquarters, where we conduct management, leasing, construction, and investment activities. We have 446 employees throughout the United States and we believe that our relations with our employees are good.

Under various federal, state and local laws, ordinances and regulations, we may be liable for the cost to remove or remediate certain hazardous or toxic substances at our shopping centers. These laws often impose liability without regard to whether the owner knew of, or was responsible for, the presence of the hazardous or toxic substances. The cost of required remediation and the owner's liability for remediation could exceed the value of the property and/or the aggregate assets of the owner. The presence of such substances, or the failure to properly remediate such substances, may adversely affect our ability to sell or lease the property or borrow using the property as collateral. Although we have a number of properties that could require or are currently undergoing varying levels of environmental remediation, known environmental remediation is not currently expected to have a material financial impact on us due to insurance programs designed to mitigate the cost of remediation, various state-regulated programs that shift the responsibility and cost to the state, and existing accrued liabilities for remediation.

Our executive officers are appointed each year by our Board of Directors. Each of our executive officers has been employed by us for more than five years.

Our registrar and stock transfer agent is Broadridge Corporate Issuer Solutions, Inc. ("Broadridge"), Philadelphia, PA. We offer a dividend reinvestment plan ("DRIP") that enables our shareholders to reinvest dividends automatically, as well as to make voluntary cash payments toward the purchase of additional shares. For more information, contact Broadridge toll free at (855) 449-0975 or our Shareholder Relations Department at (904) 598-7000.

On October 25, 2018, the Company's Board approved the transfer of the Company's common stock from listing on The New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") to The NASDAQ Global Select Market ("NASDAQ"). The last day of trading on the NYSE was November 12, 2018. The Company's common stock commenced trading on NASDAQ on November 13, 2018, and continues to trade under the stock symbol "REG".

Our independent registered public accounting firm is KPMG LLP, Jacksonville, Florida. Our legal counsel is Foley & Lardner LLP, Jacksonville, Florida.

In addition to the required Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP") presentations, we use certain non-GAAP performance measures as we believe these measures improve the understanding of the Company's operational results. We continually evaluate the usefulness, relevance, limitations, and calculation of our reported non-GAAP performance measures to determine how best to provide relevant information to the public, and thus such reported measures could change.

We manage our entire real estate portfolio without regard to ownership structure, although certain decisions impacting properties owned through partnerships require partner approval. Therefore, we believe presenting our pro-rata share of certain operating metrics, along with other non-GAAP measures, makes comparisons of other REITs' operating results to the Company's more meaningful.

The pro-rata information is prepared on a basis consistent with the comparable consolidated amounts and is intended to more accurately reflect our proportionate economic interest in the operating results of properties in our portfolio. We do not control the unconsolidated investment partnerships, and the pro-rata presentations of the assets and liabilities, and revenues and expenses do not represent our legal claim to such items. The partners are entitled to profit or loss allocations and distributions of cash flows according to the operating agreements, which provide for such allocations according to their invested capital. Our share of invested capital establishes the ownership interests we use to prepare our pro-rata share.

The presentation of pro-rata information has limitations which include, but are not limited to, the following:

Because of these limitations, the pro-rata financial information should not be considered independently or as a substitute for our financial statements as reported under GAAP. We compensate for these limitations by relying primarily on our GAAP financial statements, using the pro-rata information as a supplement.

Our properties are leased primarily to retail tenants from whom we derive most of our revenue in the form of minimum rent, expense recoveries and other income. Therefore, our performance and operating results are directly linked to the economic and market conditions occurring in the retail industry. We are subject to the risks that, upon expiration, leases for space in our properties are not renewed by existing tenants, vacant space is not leased to new tenants, or tenants demand new lease terms, including costs for renovations or concessions. The market for leasing retail space in our properties may be adversely affected by any of the following:

To the extent that any of these conditions occur they are likely to impact the retail industry, our retail tenants, the demand and market rents for retail space, the occupancy levels of our properties, our ability to sell, acquire or develop properties, our operating results and our cash available for distributions to stock and unit holders.

Retailers are increasingly impacted by e-commerce and changes in customer buying habits, including the delivery or curbside pick-up of items ordered online. Retailers are considering these e-commerce trends when making decisions regarding their bricks and mortar stores and how they will compete and innovate in a rapidly changing e-commerce environment. Many retailers in our shopping centers provide services or sell goods, which have historically been less likely to be purchased online; however, the continuing increase in e-commerce sales in all retail categories may cause retailers to adjust the size or number of retail locations in the future or close stores. Our grocer tenants are incorporating e-commerce concepts through home delivery, which could reduce foot traffic at our centers. This shift may adversely impact our occupancy and rental rates, which would impact our revenues and cash flows. Changes in shopping trends as a result of the growth in e-commerce may also impact the profitability of retailers that do not adapt to changes in market conditions. These conditions may adversely impact our results of operations and cash flows if we are unable to meet the needs of our tenants or if our tenants encounter financial difficulties as a result of changing market conditions.

We are dependent on perceptions by retailers or shoppers of the safety, convenience and attractiveness of our retail properties. If retailers and shoppers perceive competing retail properties and other retailing options to be safer, more convenient, or of a higher quality, our revenues may be adversely affected.

Some anchors have the right to vacate their space and may prevent us from re-tenanting by continuing to comply and pay rent in accordance with their lease agreement. Vacated anchor space, including space owned by the anchor, can reduce rental revenues generated by the shopping center in other spaces because of the loss of the departed anchor's customer drawing power. If a significant tenant vacates a property, co-tenancy clauses in select lease contracts may allow other tenants to modify or terminate their rent or lease obligations. Co-tenancy clauses have several variants: they may allow a tenant to postpone a store opening if certain other tenants fail to open their stores; they may allow a tenant to close its store prior to lease expiration if another tenant closes its store prior to lease expiration; or more commonly, they may allow a tenant to pay reduced levels of rent until a certain number of tenants open their stores within the same shopping center.

A significant percentage of our revenues are derived from smaller shop space tenants ("Shop Space Tenants" occupying less than 10,000 square feet). Shop Space Tenants may be more vulnerable to negative economic conditions as they have more limited resources than Anchor Tenants. Shop Space Tenants may be facing reduced sales as a result of an increase in competition including from e-commerce retailers. Certain Shop Space Tenants are incorporating e-commerce into their business strategies and may seek to reduce their store sizes upon lease expiration as they adjust to and implement alternative distribution channels. The types of Shop Space Tenants vary from retail shops and restaurants to service providers. If we are unable to attract the right type or mix of Shop Space Tenants into our centers, our revenues and cash flow may be adversely impacted.

Although minimum rent and recoveries from tenants are supported by long-term lease contracts, tenants who file bankruptcy have the legal right to reject any or all of their leases and close related stores. Any unsecured claim we hold against a bankrupt tenant for unpaid rent might be paid only to the extent that funds are available and only in the same percentage as is paid to all other holders of unsecured claims. As a result, it is likely that we would recover substantially less than the full value of any unsecured claims we hold. Additionally, we may incur significant expense to recover our claim and to re-lease the vacated space. In the event that a tenant with a significant number of leases in our shopping centers files bankruptcy and rejects its leases, we may experience a significant reduction in our revenues and may not be able to collect all pre-petition amounts owed by the bankrupt tenant.

Our properties are subject to numerous federal, state, and local laws and regulations, some of which may conflict with one another or be subject to varying judicial or regulatory interpretations. These laws and regulations may include zoning laws, building codes, competition laws, rules and agreements, landlord-tenant laws, property tax regulations, changes in real estate assessments and other laws and regulations generally applicable to business operations. Noncompliance with such laws and regulations, and any associated litigation may expose us to liability.

Our real estate properties are carried at cost unless circumstances indicate that the carrying value of these assets may not be recoverable. We evaluate whether there are any indicators, including property operating performance and general market conditions, such that the value of the real estate properties (including any related tangible or intangible assets or liabilities, including goodwill) may not be recoverable. Through the evaluation, we compare the current carrying value of the asset to the estimated undiscounted cash flows that are directly associated with the use and ultimate disposition of the asset. Our estimated cash flows are based on several key assumptions, including rental rates, costs of tenant improvements, leasing commissions, anticipated holding periods, and assumptions regarding the residual value upon disposition, including the exit capitalization rate. These key assumptions are subjective in nature and may differ materially from actual results. Changes in our disposition strategy or changes in the marketplace may alter the holding period of an asset or asset group, which may result in an impairment loss and such loss may be material to the Company's financial condition or operating performance. To the extent that the carrying value of the asset exceeds the estimated undiscounted cash flows, an impairment loss is recognized equal to the excess of carrying value over fair value.

The fair value of real estate assets is subjective and is determined through the use of comparable sales information and other market data if available, or through use of an income approach such as the direct capitalization method or the traditional discounted cash flow approach. Such cash flow projections take into account expected future operating income, trends and prospects, as well as the effects of demand, competition and other relevant criteria, and therefore are subject to management judgment. Changes in these factors may impact the determination of fair value. In estimating the fair value of undeveloped land, we generally use market data and comparable sales information.

These subjective assessments have a direct impact on our net income because recording an impairment charge results in an immediate negative adjustment to net income, which may be material. There can be no assurance that we will not record impairment charges in the future related to our assets.

We actively pursue opportunities for new retail development, or existing property redevelopment or expansion. Development and redevelopment activities require various government and other approvals for entitlements and any delay in such approvals may significantly delay this process. We may not recover our investment in development or redevelopment projects for which approvals are not received. We are subject to other risks associated with these activities, including the following risks:

Our investment strategy includes investing in high-quality shopping centers that are leased to market-dominant grocers, category-leading anchors, specialty retailers, or restaurants located in areas with high barriers to entry and above average household incomes and population densities. The acquisition of properties and/or real estate entities entails risks that include, but are not limited to, the following, any of which may adversely affect our results of operations and cash flows:

If opportunities arise, we may acquire or develop properties in markets where we currently have no presence. Each of the risks applicable to acquiring or developing properties in our current markets are applicable to acquiring, developing and integrating properties in new markets. In addition, we may not possess the same level of familiarity with the dynamics and conditions of the new markets we may enter, which may adversely affect our operating results and investment returns in those markets.

life of the ground leases or the useful life of the underlying assets. If we were to lose the right to operate a property due to a breach or not exercising renewal options of the ground lease, we would be unable to derive income from such property, which would impair the value of our investments, and adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

We carry comprehensive liability, fire, flood, terrorism, rental loss, and environmental insurance for our properties with policy specifications and insured limits customarily carried for similar properties. Some types of losses, such as losses from named wind storms, earthquakes, terrorism, or wars may have limited coverage or be excluded from insurance coverage. Although we carry specific insurance coverage for named windstorm and earthquake losses, the policies are subject to deductibles up to 2% to 5% of the total insured value of each property, up to a $10 million maximum deductible per occurrence for each of these perils, with limits of $300 million per occurrence for all perils except earthquake, which has a total annual aggregate limit of $300 million. Terrorism coverage is limited to $200 million per occurrence related to property damage. Liability claims are limited to $151 million per occurrence. Should a loss occur at any of our properties that is subject to a substantial deductible or is in excess of the property or casualty insurance limits of our policies, we may lose part or all of our invested capital and revenues from such property, which may have a material adverse impact on our operating results, financial condition, and our ability to make distributions to stock and unit holders.

The success of our business depends, in part, on the leadership and performance of our executive management team and key employees, and our ability to attract, retain and motivate talented employees may significantly impact our future performance. Competition for these individuals is intense, and we cannot be assured that we will retain all of our executive management team and other key employees or that we will be able to attract and retain other highly qualified individuals for these positions in the future. Losing any one or more of these persons may have a material adverse effect on us.

The ownership of shopping centers is highly fragmented. We face competition from other public REITs, large private investors, institutional investors, and from numerous small owners in the acquisition, ownership, and leasing of shopping centers. We also compete to develop shopping centers with other REITs engaged in development activities as well as with local, regional, and national real estate developers. This competition may:

If we cannot successfully compete in our targeted markets, our cash flow, and therefore distributions to stock and unit holders, may be adversely affected.

Under various federal, state, and local laws, an owner or manager of real property may be liable for the costs of removal or remediation of hazardous or toxic substances on the property. These laws often impose liability without regard to whether the owner knew of, or was responsible for, the presence of hazardous or toxic substances. The cost of any required remediation may exceed the value of the property and/or the aggregate assets of the owner or the responsible party. The presence of, or the failure to properly remediate, hazardous or toxic substances may adversely affect our ability to sell or lease a contaminated property or to use the property as collateral for a loan. We can provide no assurance that we are aware of all potential environmental liabilities; that any previous owner, occupant or tenant did not create any material environmental condition not known to us; that our properties will not be affected by tenants or nearby properties or other unrelated third parties; and that future uses or conditions, or changes in environmental laws and regulations will not result in additional material environmental liabilities to us.

All of our properties are required to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), which generally requires that buildings be made accessible to people with disabilities. Compliance with ADA requirements may require removal of access barriers, and noncompliance may result in imposition of fines by the U.S. government or an award of damages to private litigants, or both. While the tenants to whom we lease space in our properties are obligated by law to comply with the ADA provisions, and typically under tenant leases are obligated to cover costs associated with compliance, if required changes involve greater expenditures than anticipated, or if the changes must be made on a more accelerated basis than anticipated, the ability of these tenants to cover costs may be adversely affected. In addition, we are required to operate the properties in compliance with fire and safety regulations, building codes and other land use regulations, as they may be adopted by governmental entities and become applicable to the properties. We may be required to make substantial capital expenditures to comply with these requirements, and these expenditures may have a material adverse effect on our ability to meet our financial obligations and make distributions to our stock and unit holders.

If partnerships owning a significant number of properties were dissolved for any reason, we could lose the asset, property management, leasing and construction management fees from these partnerships, which may adversely affect our operating results and our cash available for distribution to stock and unit holders.

As part of our funding strategy, we sell operating properties that no longer meet our investment standards or those with a limited future growth profile. These sales proceeds are used to fund the construction of new developments, redevelopments, and repay debt and acquisitions. An increase in market capitalization rates or a decline in NOI may cause a reduction in the value of centers identified for sale, which would have an adverse impact on the amount of cash generated. In order to meet the cash requirements of our development program, we may be required to sell more properties than initially planned, which may have a negative impact on our earnings. Additionally, the sale of properties resulting in significant tax gains may require higher distributions to our stockholders or payment of additional income taxes in order to maintain our REIT status. We intend to utilize 1031 exchanges to mitigate taxable income, however there can be no assurance that we will identify properties that meet our investment objectives for acquisitions.

To qualify as a REIT, the Parent Company must, among other things, distribute to its stockholders each year at least 90% of its REIT taxable income (excluding any net capital gains). Because of these distribution requirements, we may not be able to fund all future capital needs with income from operations. We therefore will have to rely on third-party sources of capital, which may or may not be available on favorable terms or at all. Our access to third-party sources of capital depends on a number of things, including the market's perception of our growth potential and our current and potential future earnings. Our access to debt depends on our credit rating, the willingness of creditors to lend to us and conditions in the capital markets. In addition to finding creditors willing to lend to us, we are dependent upon our joint venture partners to contribute their pro rata share of any amount needed to repay or refinance existing debt when lenders reduce the amount of debt our partnerships and joint ventures are eligible to refinance.

In addition, our existing debt arrangements also impose covenants that limit our flexibility in obtaining other financing. Additional equity offerings may result in substantial dilution of stockholders' interests and additional debt financing may substantially increase our degree of leverage.

Without access to external sources of capital, we would be required to pay outstanding debt with our operating cash flows and proceeds from property sales. Our operating cash flows may not be sufficient to pay our outstanding debt as it comes due and real estate investments generally cannot be sold quickly at a return we believe is appropriate. If we are required to

deleverage our business with operating cash flows and proceeds from property sales, we may be forced to reduce the amount of, or eliminate altogether, our distributions to stock and unit holders or refrain from making investments in our business.

Our ability to make scheduled payments or to refinance our indebtedness will depend primarily on our future performance, which to a certain extent is subject to economic, financial, competitive and other factors beyond our control. In addition, we do not expect to generate sufficient operating cash flow to make balloon principal payments on our debt when due. If we are unable to refinance our debt on acceptable terms, we may be forced (i) to dispose of properties, which might result in losses, or (ii) to obtain financing at unfavorable terms, either of which may reduce the cash flow available for distributions to stock and unit holders. If we cannot make required mortgage payments, the mortgagee may foreclose on the property securing the mortgage.

Our unsecured notes, unsecured term loans, and unsecured line of credit contain customary covenants, including compliance with financial ratios, such as ratio of total debt to gross asset value and fixed charge coverage ratio. Fixed charge coverage ratio is defined as earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA") divided by the sum of interest expense and scheduled mortgage principal paid to our lenders plus dividends paid to our preferred stockholders, if any. These covenants may limit our operational flexibility and our acquisition activities. Moreover, if we breach any of the covenants in our debt agreements, and do not cure the breach within the applicable cure period, our lenders may require us to repay the debt immediately, even in the absence of a payment default. Many of our debt arrangements, including our unsecured notes, unsecured term loans, and unsecured line of credit are cross-defaulted, which means that the lenders under those debt arrangements can put us in default and require immediate repayment of their debt if we breach and fail to cure a default under certain of our other material debt obligations. As a result, any default under our debt covenants may have an adverse effect on our financial condition, our results of operations, our ability to meet our obligations, and the market value of our stock.

LIBOR, the London Interbank Offered Rate, is the basic rate of interest used in lending transactions between banks on the London interbank market, and is widely used as a reference for setting the interest rate on loans globally. We have Unsecured Credit facilities, variable rate mortgages, and interest rate swaps with variable interest rates or options for such that are based upon an annual rate of LIBOR plus a spread. LIBOR rates charged on such debt and swaps change monthly.

On July 27, 2017, the United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority, which regulates LIBOR, announced that it intends to phase out LIBOR by the end of 2021. The Alternative Reference Rates Committee ("ARRC"), a steering committee comprised of large U.S. financial institutions, has proposed replacing USD-LIBOR with a new index calculated by short term repurchase agreements - the Secured Overnight Financing Rate ("SOFR"). The replacement for LIBOR at this time is still uncertain.

If LIBOR ceases to exist, the Administrative Agent under our line of credit may, to the extent practicable (and with our consent but subject to certain objection rights on the part of the line lenders) establish a replacement rate for LIBOR, which must be determined generally in accordance with similar situations in other transactions in which it is serving as administrative agent or otherwise consistent with market practice generally). Establishing a replacement rate for LIBOR in this manner may result in interest obligations which are more than or do not otherwise correlate over time with the payments that would have been made on the line if LIBOR was available in its current form. Our other debt based upon LIBOR will experience similar types of adjustments. Such adjustments could have an adverse impact on our financing costs.

From time to time, we manage our exposure to interest rate volatility by using interest rate hedging arrangements that involve risk, such as the risk that counterparties may fail to honor their obligations under these arrangements, and that these arrangements may not be effective in reducing our exposure to interest rate changes. There can be no assurance that our hedging arrangements will qualify for hedge accounting or that our hedging activities will have the desired beneficial impact on our results of operations. Should we desire to terminate a hedging agreement, there may be significant costs and cash requirements involved to fulfill our obligations under the hedging agreement. Failure to hedge effectively against interest rate changes may adversely affect our results of operations.

We may acquire properties or portfolios of properties through tax deferred contribution transactions in exchange for partnership interests in our operating partnership, which may result in stockholder dilution. This acquisition structure may have the effect of, among other things, reducing the amount of tax depreciation we may deduct over the tax life of the acquired properties, and may require that we agree to protect the contributors’ ability to defer recognition of taxable gain through restrictions on our ability to dispose of the acquired properties and/or the allocation of partnership debt to the contributors to maintain their tax bases. These restrictions may limit our ability to sell an asset at a time, or on terms, that would be favorable absent such restrictions.

The market price of our debt and equity securities may fluctuate significantly in response to many factors, many of which are out of our control, including:

These factors may cause the market price of our securities to decline, regardless of our financial condition, results of operations, business or prospects. It is impossible to ensure that the market price of our securities, including our common stock, will not fall in the future. A decrease in the market price of our common stock may reduce our ability to raise additional equity in the public markets. Selling common stock at a decreased market price would have a dilutive impact on existing stockholders.

Our ability to continue to pay dividends at historical rates or to increase our dividend rate will depend on a number of factors, including, among others, the following:

If we do not maintain or periodically increase the dividend on our common stock, it may have an adverse effect on the market price of our common stock and other securities.

Regency, as well as investors, are focused on corporate responsibility, specifically related to environmental, social and governance factors. Some investors may use these factors to guide their investment strategies. Third-party providers of corporate responsibility ratings and reports on companies have increased to meet growing investor demand for measurement of corporate responsibility performance. Although we have scored highly in these metrics to date, there can be no assurance that we will continue to score highly in the future. In addition, the criteria by which companies are rated may change, which could cause us to perform worse than in the past. We may face reputational damage in the event our corporate responsibility procedures or standards do not meet the standards set by various constituencies. Furthermore, should our competitors outperform us in such metrics, potential or current investors may elect to invest with our competition instead. The occurrence of any of the foregoing could have an adverse effect on the price of our shares and our business, financial condition and results of operations, including increased capital expenditures and or increased operating expenses.

We believe that the Parent Company qualifies for taxation as a REIT for federal income tax purposes, and we plan to operate so that we can continue to meet the requirements for taxation as a REIT. If the Parent Company continues to qualify as a REIT, it generally will not be subject to federal income tax on income that we distribute to our stockholders. Many REIT requirements, however, are highly technical and complex. The determination that the Parent Company is a REIT requires an analysis of various factual matters and circumstances, some of which may not be totally within our control and some of which involve questions of interpretation. For example, to qualify as a REIT, at least 95% of our gross income must come from specific passive sources, like rent, that are itemized in the REIT tax laws. There can be no assurance that the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) or a court would agree with the positions we have taken in interpreting the REIT requirements. We are also required to distribute to our stockholders at least 90% of our REIT taxable income, excluding capital gains. We will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on our undistributed taxable income and net capital gain and to a 4% nondeductible excise tax on any amount by which distributions we pay with respect to 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. The fact that we hold many of our assets through co-investment partnerships and their subsidiaries further complicates the application of the REIT requirements. Furthermore, Congress and the IRS might make changes to the tax laws and regulations, and the courts might issue new rulings, that make it more difficult for the Parent Company to remain qualified as a REIT.

Also, unless the IRS granted relief under certain statutory provisions, the Parent Company would remain disqualified as a REIT for four years following the year it first failed to qualify. If the Parent Company failed to qualify as a REIT (currently and/or with respect to any tax years for which the statute of limitations has not expired), we would have to pay significant income taxes, reducing cash available to pay dividends, which would likely have a significant adverse effect on the value of our securities. In addition, we would no longer be required to pay any dividends to stockholders in order to maintain our REIT status. Although we believe that the Parent Company qualifies as a REIT, we cannot be assured that the Parent Company will continue to qualify or remain qualified as a REIT for tax purposes.

Even if the Parent Company qualifies as a REIT for federal income tax purposes, we are required to pay certain federal, state, and local taxes on our income and property. For example, if we have net income from “prohibited transactions,” that income will be subject to a 100% tax. In general, prohibited transactions include sales or other dispositions of property held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business. The determination as to whether a particular sale is a prohibited transaction depends on the facts and circumstances related to that sale. While we have undertaken a significant number of asset sales in recent years, we do not believe that those sales should be considered prohibited transactions, but there can be no assurance that the IRS would not contend otherwise.

New legislation, as well as new regulations, administrative interpretations, or court decisions may be introduced, enacted, or promulgated from time to time, that may change the tax laws or interpretations of the tax laws regarding qualification as a REIT, or the federal income tax consequences of that qualification, in a manner that is adverse to our stockholders.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act made significant changes to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). While the changes in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act generally appear to be favorable with respect to REITs, the extensive changes to non-REIT provisions in the Code may have unanticipated effects on us or our stockholders, including our taxable income, the amount of distributions to our stockholders required in order to maintain our REIT status, and our relative tax advantage as a REIT. The long-term impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on the overall economy, government revenues, our tenants, us, and the real estate industry cannot be reliably predicted at this stage of the new law’s implementation. Furthermore, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act may negatively impact certain of our tenants’ operating results, financial condition, and future business plans. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act may also result in reduced government revenues, and therefore reduced government spending, which may negatively impact some of our tenants that rely on government funding. There can be no assurance that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will not negatively impact our operating results, financial condition, and future business operations.

Subject to limited exceptions, dividends paid by REITs (other than distributions designated as capital gain dividends, qualified dividends or returns of capital) are not eligible for reduced rates for qualified dividends paid by "C" corporations and are taxable at ordinary income tax rates. The more favorable rates applicable to regular corporate qualified dividends may cause investors who are individuals, trusts and estates to perceive investments in REITs to be relatively less attractive than investments in the stocks of non-REIT corporations that pay dividends, which may adversely affect the value of the shares of REITs, including the shares of our capital stock.

Under the recently passed Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the rate brackets for non-corporate taxpayer’s ordinary income are adjusted, the top tax rate is reduced from 39.6% to 37% (excluding the 3.8% Medicare tax on net investment income), and ordinary REIT dividends are taxed at even lower effective rates. Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026, distributions from REITs that are treated as dividends but are not designated as qualified dividends or capital gain dividends are generally taxed as ordinary income after deducting 20% of the amount of the dividend in the case of non-corporate stockholders. At the maximum ordinary income tax rate of 37% applicable for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026, the maximum tax rate on ordinary REIT dividends for non-corporate stockholders is generally 29.6% (plus the 3.8% Medicare tax on net investment income).

A foreign person disposing of a U.S. real property interest, including shares of a U.S. corporation whose assets consist principally of U.S. real property interests is generally subject to U.S. federal income tax on any gain recognized on the disposition. This tax does not apply, however, to the disposition of stock in a REIT if the REIT is "domestically controlled." In general, we will be a domestically controlled REIT if at all times during the five-year period ending on the applicable stockholder’s disposition of our stock, less than 50% in value of our stock was held directly or indirectly by non-U.S. persons. If we were to fail to qualify as a domestically controlled REIT, gain recognized by a foreign stockholder on a disposition of our common stock would be subject to U.S. federal income tax unless our common stock was traded on an established securities market and the foreign stockholder did not at any time during a specified testing period directly or indirectly own more than 10% of our outstanding common stock.

The rules dealing with federal income taxation are constantly under review by persons involved in the legislative process and by the IRS and the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Changes to the tax laws, with or without retroactive application, may adversely affect Regency or our investors. We cannot predict how changes in the tax laws might affect Regency or our investors. New legislation, Treasury Regulations, administrative interpretations or court decisions may significantly and negatively affect our ability to qualify as a REIT or the federal income tax consequences of such qualification, or the federal income tax consequences of an investment in us. Also, the law relating to the tax treatment of other entities, or an investment in other entities, may change, making an investment in such other entities more attractive relative to an investment in a REIT.

The REIT provisions of the Code limit our ability to hedge our liabilities. Generally, income from a hedging transaction that constitutes “qualifying income” for purposes of the 75% or 95% gross income tests applicable to REITs, does not constitute “gross income” for purposes of the 75% or 95% gross income tests, provided that we properly identify the

hedging transaction pursuant to the applicable sections of the Code and Treasury Regulations. To the extent that we enter into other types of hedging transactions, or fail to make the proper tax identifications, the income from those transactions is likely to be treated as non-qualifying income for purposes of both gross income tests. As a result of these rules, we may need to limit our use of otherwise advantageous hedging techniques or implement those hedges through a taxable REIT subsidiary ("TRS").

Ownership of more than 7% by value of our outstanding capital stock is prohibited, with certain exceptions, by the Parent Company's articles of incorporation, for the purpose of maintaining its qualification as a REIT. This 7% limitation may discourage a change in control and may also (i) deter tender offers for our capital stock, which offers may be attractive to our stockholders, or (ii) limit the opportunity for our stockholders to receive a premium for their capital stock that might otherwise exist if an investor attempted to assemble a block in excess of 7% of our outstanding capital stock or to affect a change in control.

The Parent Company's articles of incorporation authorize our Board of Directors to issue up to 30,000,000 shares of preferred stock and 10,000,000 shares of special common stock and to establish the preferences and rights of any shares issued. The issuance of preferred stock or special common stock may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control. The provisions of the Florida Business Corporation Act regarding affiliated transactions may also deter potential acquisitions by preventing the acquiring party from consummating a merger or other extraordinary corporate transaction without the approval of our disinterested stockholders.

None.

Our leases for tenant space under 10,000 square feet generally have initial terms ranging from three to seven years. Leases greater than 10,000 square feet generally have initial lease terms in excess of five years, mostly comprised of anchor tenants. Many of the anchor leases contain provisions allowing the tenant the option of extending the term of the lease at expiration. Our leases typically provide for the payment of fixed minimum rent, the tenant's pro-rata share of real estate taxes, insurance, and common area maintenance (“CAM”) expenses, and reimbursement for utility costs if not directly metered.

The following table summarizes pro-rata lease expirations for the next ten years and thereafter, for our Consolidated and Unconsolidated Properties, assuming no tenants renew their leases (GLA and dollars in thousands):

See the following property table and also see Item 7, Management's Discussion and Analysis, for further information about our Consolidated and Unconsolidated Properties.