Item 1.01
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Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
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On November 6, 2017, Apollo Commercial
Real Estate Finance, Inc. (the Company) entered into an underwriting agreement (the Underwriting Agreement), by and among the Company, ACREFI Management, LLC, the Companys external manager (the Manager),
and, as representatives of the several underwriters named therein (the Underwriters), Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and J.P. Morgan
Securities LLC. Pursuant to the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, the Company agreed to sell, and the Underwriters agreed to purchase, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Underwriting Agreement, $100.0 million principal
amount of the Companys 4.75% Convertible Senior Notes due 2022 (the Notes) pursuant to a reopening of its existing series of such Notes. In addition, the Company granted to the Underwriters the option to purchase, within a period
of 13 days beginning on, and including, the date the Notes are first issued, up to an additional $15.0 million principal amount of Notes. This option was exercised in full on November 7, 2017. The Underwriting Agreement contains
customary representations, warranties and agreements of the Company, conditions to closing, indemnification rights and obligations of the parties and termination provisions.
On November 9, 2017, the Company issued $115.0 million aggregate principal amount of the Notes, which includes $15.0 million
aggregate principal amount of the Notes issued pursuant to the Underwriters exercise of their option to purchase additional Notes. The public offering generated net proceeds of approximately $113.6 million, after deducting the
underwriting discount and estimated offering expenses, including accrued interest.
The Notes were issued pursuant to an indenture (the
Base Indenture), dated as of March 17, 2014, between the Company and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (the Trustee), as supplemented by the Second Supplemental Indenture, dated as of August 21,
2017 (the Supplemental Indenture and, together with the Base Indenture, the Indenture), with respect to the Notes.
The Notes bear interest at a rate of 4.75% per year, payable semiannually in arrears on February 15 and August 15 of each year,
beginning on February 15, 2018. However, the final interest payment date will occur on August 23, 2022, and no interest payment date will occur on August 15, 2022. The Notes will mature on August 23, 2022, unless earlier
repurchased, redeemed or converted. Upon conversion, holders of the Notes will receive cash, shares of common stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share (Common Stock), or a combination of cash and shares of Common Stock, at the
Companys election. If the Company undergoes a fundamental change (as defined in the Indenture), subject to certain conditions, holders of the Notes may require the Company to repurchase for cash all or part of such holders
Notes. The fundamental change repurchase price for the Notes generally will be equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be repurchased, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the fundamental change repurchase date. Holders
may convert all or a portion of their Notes at any time prior to the close of business on the second scheduled trading day immediately preceding the maturity date, unless the Notes have been previously repurchased or redeemed by the Company.
Any conversion of Notes into shares of Common Stock will be subject to certain ownership limitations (as more fully described in the
Indenture). The initial conversion rate for each $1,000 aggregate principal amount of the Notes is 50.2260 shares of Common Stock, equivalent to a conversion price of approximately $19.91 per share of Common Stock, which is an approximately 10%
premium to the closing per share price of the Common Stock on August 15, 2017. The conversion rate is subject to adjustment in certain circumstances.
The Company may not redeem the Notes prior to the maturity date, except to the extent, and only to the extent, necessary to preserve the
Companys status as a real estate investment trust (REIT). If the Company determines that redeeming the Notes is necessary to preserve its status as a REIT, then the Company may redeem all or part of the Notes at a cash redemption
price equal to the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date.
If an event of default (as defined in the Indenture) occurs and is continuing, the Trustee by notice to the Company, or the holders of at
least 25% in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding by written notice to the Company and the Trustee, may, and the Trustee at the request of such holders shall, declare 100% of the principal of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all
the Notes to be due and payable. In the case of an event of default arising out of certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization (as set forth in the Indenture), 100% of the principal of and accrued and unpaid interest on all the Notes
will automatically become due and payable.
The Notes are senior unsecured obligations of the Company and senior in right of payment to any
existing and future indebtedness of the Company that is expressly subordinated in right of payment to the Notes; equal in right of payment to any existing and future liabilities of the Company that are not so subordinated; effectively junior in
right of payment to any secured indebtedness of the Company to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness; and structurally junior to all existing and future indebtedness, other liabilities (including trade payables) and (to
the extent not held by the Company) preferred stock, if any, of the Companys subsidiaries.
The preceding description is qualified
in its entirety by reference to the Underwriting Agreement, the Base Indenture and the Supplemental Indenture, copies of which are attached or incorporated by reference hereto as Exhibits 1.1, 4.1 and 4.2, respectively, to this Current Report
on
Form 8-K
and are incorporated herein by reference.