Filed by Realty Income, Inc.
(Commission File No.: 1-13374)
Pursuant to Rule 425 of the Securities Act of 1933
and deemed filed Pursuant to Rule 14a-12
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Subject Companies: VEREIT, Inc. and VEREIT Operating
Partnership, L. P.
(Commission File No.: 001-35263 and 333-197780,
respectively)
Letter from Sumit Roy, dated April 29, 2021, sent to Realty Income
employees
Dear Colleagues,
I am excited to share that we have reached an agreement to acquire
VEREIT, which is a ~$15 billion net lease REIT that owns and manages over 3,800 properties across the U.S. Together, we become a $50 billion
real estate enterprise, further solidifying Realty Income’s position as the world’s largest publicly traded net lease company.
This combination will enhance our position as the trusted Monthly Dividend Company while allowing us to drive growth, diversify our portfolio
and deliver even more value to our investors, employees, and clients for years to come.
As part of this transaction, we also plan to conduct a spin-off of
both companies’ office portfolios into a new, self-managed and publicly traded REIT to streamline our investment focus on high-quality
retail and industrial properties.
VEREIT is an ideal partner to help us expand our portfolio and reach
new heights. Its real estate portfolio is highly complementary to ours, which will result in greater size, scale, client and industry
diversification. Realty Income’s culture aligns deeply with our core values and this group will be a fantastic addition to our Realty
Income team.
I will continue to lead Realty Income alongside our current senior
management team, and we will remain headquartered in San Diego. Mike McKee will remain our Chairman, and upon completion of the transaction,
two experienced VEREIT Directors will join our Board. Importantly, Realty Income and VEREIT will continue operating as independent entities
until the transaction closes later this year, which we expect to be in the 4th quarter.
I recognize that you may have questions about
our news. I am hosting an employee town hall today at 9:00am PT to provide further details and answer additional questions. You can access
the town hall here, and a calendar hold should already be in your inbox. In the meantime, I encourage you to watch this conversation
between me and Glenn Rufrano, where we discuss the acquisition in greater detail. You can also refer to the press release we issued
earlier today which can be found here or our investor presentation which can be found here.
This is a truly transformational milestone for Realty Income, and I
hope you share my excitement about the tremendous benefits and future growth potential this transaction offers us. Together, Realty Income
and VEREIT will be better positioned than ever to achieve Realty Income’s vision of being a top 5 REIT and continuing to create
meaningful, dependable value for our stakeholders across the globe.
Sincerely,
Sumit
Forward Looking Statements
This communication may include “forward-looking
statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. All statements other than statements of historical
fact are “forward-looking statements” for purposes of federal and state securities laws. These forward-looking statements,
which are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the industry and markets in which Realty Income Corporation (“Realty
Income”) and VEREIT, Inc. (“VEREIT”) operate and beliefs of and assumptions made by Realty Income management and VEREIT
management, involve uncertainties that could significantly affect the financial or operating results of Realty Income, VEREIT, the combined
company or any company spun-off by the combined company. Words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,”
“plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” “will,” and variations of such
words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, but are
not limited to, statements about the benefits of the proposed transactions involving Realty Income and VEREIT, including future financial
and operating results, plans, objectives, expectations and intentions. All statements that address operating performance, events or developments
that we expect or anticipate will occur in the future — including statements relating to creating value for stockholders, benefits
of the proposed transactions to clients, employees, stockholders and other constituents of the combined company, integrating our companies,
cost savings and the expected timetable for completing the proposed transactions — are forward-looking statements. These statements
are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Although
we believe the expectations reflected in any forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, we can give no assurance
that our expectations will be attained and, therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted
in such forward-looking statements. For example, these forward-looking statements could be affected by factors including, without limitation,
risks associated with the ability to consummate the proposed merger and the timing of the closing of the proposed merger; the ability
to secure favorable interest rates on any borrowings incurred in connection with the proposed transactions; the impact of indebtedness
incurred in connection with the proposed transactions; the ability to successfully integrate our operations and employees; the ability
to realize anticipated benefits and synergies of the proposed transactions as rapidly or to the extent anticipated by financial analysts
or investors; potential liability for a failure to meet regulatory or tax-related requirements, including the maintenance of REIT status;
material changes in the dividend rates on securities or the ability to pay dividends on common shares or other securities; potential changes
to tax legislation; changes in demand for developed properties; adverse changes in the financial condition of joint venture partner(s)
or major tenants; risks associated with the acquisition, development, expansion, leasing and management of properties; risks associated
with the ability to consummate the proposed spin-off of a company holding the office property assets of Realty Income and VEREIT (“SpinCo”)
and the terms thereof, and the timing of the closing of the proposed spin-off; risks associated with the ability to consummate any sales
of office property assets of Realty Income and VEREIT and the impact of such sales on SpinCo or the combined company; failure to obtain
debt financing to capitalize SpinCo; risks associated with the geographic concentration of Realty Income, VEREIT or SpinCo; risks associated
with the industry concentration of tenants; the potential impact of announcement of the proposed transactions or consummation of the proposed
transactions on business relationships, including with clients, employees, customers and competitors; unfavorable outcomes of any legal
proceedings that have been or may be instituted against Realty Income, VEREIT or any company spun-off by the combined company; costs related
to uninsured losses, condemnation, or environmental issues; the ability to retain key personnel; costs, fees, expenses and charges related
to the proposed transactions and the actual terms of the financings that may be obtained in connection with the proposed transactions;
changes in local, national and international financial markets, insurance rates and interest rates; general adverse economic and local
real estate conditions; the inability of major tenants to continue paying their rent obligations due to bankruptcy, insolvency or a general
downturn in their business; foreign currency exchange rates; increases in operating costs and real estate taxes; changes in dividend policy
or ability to pay dividends for Realty Income’s or VEREIT’s common stock or preferred stock; impairment charges; unanticipated
changes in Realty Income’s or VEREIT’s intention or ability to prepay certain debt prior to maturity and/or hold certain securities
until maturity; pandemics or other health crises, such as coronavirus (COVID-19); and those additional risks and factors discussed in
reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) by Realty Income and VEREIT.
Moreover, other risks and uncertainties of which
Realty Income or VEREIT are not currently aware may also affect each of the companies’ forward-looking statements and may cause
actual results and the timing of events to differ materially from those anticipated. The forward-looking statements made in this communication
are made only as of the date hereof or as of the dates indicated in the forward-looking statements, even if they are subsequently made
available by Realty Income or VEREIT on their respective websites or otherwise. Neither Realty Income nor VEREIT undertakes any obligation
to update or supplement any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, new information, future events, changes in its expectations
or other circumstances that exist after the date as of which the forward-looking statements were made.
Additional Information and Where to Find It
This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation
of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval. In connection with the proposed transaction, Realty Income
and VEREIT will file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) a registration statement on Form S-4 containing
a joint proxy statement/prospectus and other documents regarding the proposed transaction. The joint proxy statement/prospectus will contain
important information about the proposed transaction and related matters. STOCKHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS
(INCLUDING ALL AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) AND OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY IF AND WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE
BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT REALTY INCOME, VEREIT AND THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION.
Investors and security holders of Realty Income and VEREIT will be
able to obtain free copies of the registration statement, the joint proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant documents filed by Realty
Income and VEREIT with the SEC through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. Copies of the documents filed by Realty Income
with the SEC are also available on Realty Income’s website at www.realtyincome.com, and copies of the documents filed by VEREIT
with the SEC are available on VEREIT’s website at www.vereit.com.
Realty Income, VEREIT and their respective directors and executive
officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from Realty Income’s and VEREIT’s stockholders in
respect of the proposed transaction. Information regarding Realty Income’s directors and executive officers can be found in Realty
Income’s definitive proxy statement filed with the SEC on April 1, 2021. Information regarding VEREIT’s directors and executive
officers can be found in VEREIT’s definitive proxy statement filed with the SEC on April 15, 2021. Additional information regarding
the interests of such potential participants will be included in the joint proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant documents filed
with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction if and when they become available. These documents are available on the SEC’s
website and from Realty Income or VEREIT, as applicable, using the sources indicated above.
No Offer or Solicitation
This communication and the information contained herein shall not constitute
an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction
in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such
jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the U.S.
Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
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