COMMON STOCK AND PREFERRED STOCK

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

COMMON STOCK AND PREFERRED STOCK

11.     COMMON STOCK AND PREFERRED STOCK

The Company’s authorized shares of capital stock, par value of $0.01 per share, consists of 1,956,937,500 shares classified as common stock, 7,412,500 shares classified as 7.875% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, 4,600,000 shares classified as 6.00% Series B Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock, 12,650,000 shares classified as 7.625% Series C Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock and 18,400,000 shares classified as 7.50% Series D Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock.

(A) Common Stock

At December 31, 2014 and 2013, the Company had issued and outstanding 947,643,079 and 947,432,862  shares of common stock, with a par value of $0.01 per share.

No options were exercised during the year ended December 31, 2014.  During the year ended December 31, 2013, 166,000 options were exercised for an aggregate exercise price of $2.2 million.  During the year ended December 31, 2012, 603,000 options were exercised for an aggregate exercise price of $8.4 million.

During the year ended December 31, 2014, we raised $2.4 million, by issuing 210,000 shares, through the Direct Purchase and Dividend Reinvestment Program. During the year ended December 31, 2013, we raised $2.9 million, by issuing 219,000 shares, through the Direct Purchase and Dividend Reinvestment Program.  During the year ended December 31, 2012, we raised $2.8 million, by issuing 170,000 shares, through the Direct Purchase and Dividend Reinvestment Program.

During the year ended December 31, 2012, 1.3 million shares of Series B Preferred Stock were converted into 4.0 million shares of common stock.

In October 2012, the Company announced that its board of directors (“Board of Directors”) had authorized the repurchase of up to $1.5 billion of its outstanding common shares over a 12 month period. All common shares purchased were part of a publicly announced plan in open-market transactions. The repurchase plan expired in October 2013. There were no purchases made by the Company under this repurchase plan during the year ended December 31, 2013.

In March 2012, the Company entered into six separate Distribution Agency Agreements (“Distribution Agency Agreements”) with each of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Goldman, Sachs & Co., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and RCap Securities, Inc. (together, the Agents).  Pursuant to the terms of the Distribution Agency Agreements, the Company may sell from time to time through the Agents, as its sales agents, up to 125,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock.

The Company did not make any sales under the Distribution Agency Agreements during the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013.

(B) Preferred Stock

At December 31, 2014 and 2013, the Company had issued and outstanding 7,412,500 shares of Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (“Series A Preferred Stock”), with a par value of $0.01 per share and a liquidation preference of $25.00 per share plus accrued and unpaid dividends (whether or not declared). The Series A Preferred Stock is entitled to a dividend at a rate of 7.875% per year based on the $25.00 liquidation preference before the common stock is entitled to receive any dividends. The Series A Preferred Stock is redeemable at $25.00 per share plus accrued and unpaid dividends (whether or not declared) exclusively at the Company's option commencing on April 5, 2009 (subject to the Company's right under limited circumstances to redeem the Series A Preferred Stock earlier in order to preserve its qualification as a REIT). Through December 31, 2014, the Company had declared and paid all required quarterly dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock.

At December 31, 2014 and 2013, the Company had issued and outstanding 12,000,000 shares of Series C Preferred Stock, with a par value of $0.01 per share and a liquidation preference of $25.00 per share plus accrued and unpaid dividends (whether or not declared). The Series C Preferred Stock is entitled to a dividend at a rate of 7.625% per year based on the $25.00 liquidation preference before the common stock is entitled to receive any dividends. The Series C Preferred Stock is redeemable at $25.00 per share plus accrued and unpaid dividends (whether or not declared) exclusively at the Company’s option commencing on May 16, 2017 (subject to the Company’s right under limited circumstances to redeem the Series C Preferred Stock earlier in order to preserve its qualification as a REIT or under limited circumstances related to a change of control of the Company). Through December 31, 2014, the Company had declared and paid all required quarterly dividends on the Series C Preferred Stock.

At December 31, 2014 and 2013, the Company had issued and outstanding 18,400,000 shares of Series D Preferred Stock, with a par value of $0.01 per share and a liquidation preference of $25.00 per share plus accrued and unpaid dividends (whether or not declared). The Series D Preferred Stock is entitled to a dividend at a rate of 7.50% per year based on the $25.00 liquidation preference before the common stock is entitled to receive any dividends. The Series D Preferred Stock is redeemable at $25.00 per share plus accrued and unpaid dividends (whether or not declared) exclusively at the Company’s option commencing on September 13, 2017 (subject to the Company’s right under limited circumstances to redeem the Series D Preferred Stock earlier in order to preserve its qualification as a REIT or under limited circumstances related to a change of control of the Company). Through December 31, 2014, the Company had declared and paid all required quarterly dividends on the Series D Preferred Stock.

(C) Distributions to Stockholders

During the year ended December 31, 2014, the Company declared dividends to common stockholders totaling $1.1 billion, or $1.20 per common share, of which $284.3 million, or $0.30 per common share, was paid to stockholders on January 29, 2015. During the year ended December 31, 2014, the Company declared dividends to Series A Preferred stockholders totaling approximately $14.6 million or $1.97 per share, Series C Preferred stockholders totaling approximately $22.9 million or $1.91 per share, Series D Preferred stockholders totaling approximately $34.5 million or $1.88 per share.

During the year ended December 31, 2013, the Company declared dividends to common stockholders totaling $1.4 billion, or $1.50 per common share, of which $284.2 million, or $0.30 per common share, was paid to stockholders on January 31, 2014. During the year ended December 31, 2013, the Company declared dividends to Series A Preferred stockholders totaling approximately $14.6 million or $1.97 per share, Series C Preferred stockholders totaling approximately $22.9 million or $1.91 per share, Series D Preferred stockholders totaling approximately $34.5 million or $1.88 per share.

During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company declared dividends to common stockholders totaling $2.0 billion or $2.05 per share, of which $432.2 million were paid to stockholders on January 29, 2013. During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company declared dividends to Series A Preferred stockholders totaling approximately $14.6 million or $1.97 per share, Series B Preferred stockholders totaling approximately $289,000 or $0.375 per share, Series C Preferred stockholders totaling approximately $14.3 million or $1.19 per share, Series D Preferred stockholders totaling approximately $10.4 million or $0.56 per share.