SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2016

Equity [Abstract]

SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY

NOTE 10: SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

Preferred Shares

Dividends:

The following table summarizes the dividends we declared and paid on the preferred shares for the six months ended June 30, 2016:

	March 31, 2016		June 30, 2016
Series A Preferred Shares
Date declared	2/16/2016		5/19/2016
Record date	3/1/2016		6/1/2016
Date paid	3/31/2016		6/30/2016
Total dividend amount	$	2,570	$	2,570
Series B Preferred Shares
Date declared	2/16/2016		5/19/2016
Record date	3/1/2016		6/1/2016
Date paid	3/31/2016		6/30/2016
Total dividend amount	$	1,225	$	1,225
Series C Preferred Shares
Date declared	2/16/2016		5/19/2016
Record date	3/1/2016		6/1/2016
Date paid	3/31/2016		6/30/2016
Total dividend amount	$	910	$	910
Series D Preferred Shares
Date declared	2/16/2016		5/19/2016
Record date	3/1/2016		6/1/2016
Date paid	3/31/2016		6/30/2016
Total dividend amount	$	2,125	$	2,125

At Market Issuance Sales Agreement (ATM):

On June 13, 2014, we entered into an At Market Issuance Sales Agreement, or the 2014 Preferred ATM agreement, with MLV & Co. LLC, or MLV, providing that, from time to time during the term of the 2014 Preferred ATM agreement, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein, we may issue and sell through MLV up to $150,000 aggregate amount of preferred shares.

With respect to each series of preferred shares, the maximum amount issuable is as follows: 4,000,000 Series A Preferred Shares, 1,000,000 Series B Preferred Shares, and 1,000,000 Series C Preferred Shares. Unless the 2014 Preferred ATM agreement is earlier terminated by MLV or us, the 2014 Preferred ATM agreement automatically terminates upon the issuance and sale of all of the Series A Preferred Shares, Series B Preferred Shares, and Series C Preferred Shares.

As of June 30, 2016, 2,763,204 Series A Preferred Shares, 947,496 Series B Preferred Shares, and 999,675 Series C Preferred Shares remain available for issuance under the 2014 Preferred ATM agreement.

Common Shares

Dividends:

On March 14, 2016, the board of trustees declared a $0.09 dividend on our common shares to holders of record as of April 8, 2016. The dividend was paid on April 29, 2016 and totaled $8,200. During the three months ended March 31, 2016, we also paid $348 of dividends on restricted common share awards that vested in this period.

On June 15, 2016, the board of trustees declared a $0.09 dividend on our common shares to holders of record as of July 8, 2016. The dividend was paid on July 29, 2016 and totaled $8,202.  

Equity Compensation:

On February 23, 2016, the compensation committee awarded 168,776 common shares, valued at $400 using our closing stock price of $2.37, to the board’s non-management trustees. These awards vested immediately. On February 22, 2016, the compensation committee awarded 367,000 restricted common shares, valued at $873 using our closing stock price of $2.38, to our non-executive officer employees. These awards generally vest over a three-year period.

On February 22, 2016, the compensation committee awarded 895,000 SARs, valued at $206 based on a Black-Scholes option pricing model at the date of grant, to our non-executive officer employees. The SARs vest over a three-year period and may be exercised between the date of vesting and February 22, 2021, the expiration date of the SARs.

On March 31, 2015, the compensation committee adopted a 2015 Long Term Incentive Plan, or the LTIP, and made awards, or the 2015 awards, to the eligible officers setting forth the basis on which the eligible officers could earn equity compensation for the years 2015 through 2018. Pursuant to the LTIP, each eligible officer was granted an initial long term equity award, consisting of both a performance share unit award for a three year performance period and an annual restricted share award vesting over a four year period. See note 13 to the consolidated financial statements in the 2015 Annual Report on Form 10-K for further details regarding these awards. For the three and six months ended June 30, 2016, we recorded $122 and $244, respectively, of compensation expense related to the LTIP.

On April 22, 2016, the compensation committee made awards, or the 2016 awards, to the eligible executives pursuant to the LTIP.  The LTIP awards consist of both a performance share unit award for a three year performance period commencing January 1, 2016 and ending December 31, 2018 and an annual restricted share award vesting over a four year period. Three components of the performance share unit award have market conditions and had grant date fair value of $1.55, $1.44 and $1.07 per share.  Both the annual cash bonus plan and the LTIP were adopted pursuant to our 2012 Incentive Award Plan.  For the three and six months ended June 30, 2016, we recorded $120 of compensation expense related to the LTIP plan.

For 2016, compensation awarded under the LTIP is based on predefined performance for 75% of the awards. Performance measures and weighting for the performance component of the 2016-2018 awards are based on the following objective performance measures relating to our total shareholder return, or TSR, as compared to a peer group of public companies over the same period for 40% of the award, TSR as compared to the TSR for the NAREIT Mortgage Index for 30% of the award, and our absolute TSR for 30% of the award.  The remaining 25% of the compensation award is time-based vesting over four years.

On May 23, 2016, the compensation committee awarded 161,290 common share awards, valued at $500, using our closing stock price of $3.10, to our President, under the terms of the 2012 Incentive Award Plan.  The common shares subject to the award vest 25% on the date of grant and 25% per year on the first three anniversaries of the date of grant and also vest upon the President’s separation from service for “Good Reason” as defined in the award.

Independence Realty Trust, Inc.

On February 12, 2016, the compensation committee of IRT awarded 210,000 shares of IRT restricted common stock, valued at $1,306 using IRT’s closing stock price of $6.22, to persons affiliated with IRT’s advisor, including their executive officers.  These awards generally vest over three-year periods.

On May 12, 2016, the compensation committee of IRT awarded 18,000 shares of IRT common stock, valued at $137 using IRT’s closing stock price of $7.60, to IRT’s independent directors. These awards vested immediately.

Dividend Reinvestment and Share Purchase Plan (DRSPP):

We have a dividend reinvestment and share purchase plan, or DRSPP, under which we registered and reserved for issuance, in the aggregate, 10,500,000 common shares. During the six months ended June 30, 2016, we issued a total of 4,658 common shares pursuant to the DRSPP at a weighted-average price of $2.79 per share and we received $13 of net proceeds. As of June 30, 2016, 7,757,064 common shares, in the aggregate, remain available for issuance under the DRSPP.

Capital on Demand™ Sales Agreement (COD):

On November 21, 2012, we entered into a Capital on Demand™ Sales Agreement, or the COD sales agreement, with JonesTrading Institutional Services LLC, or JonesTrading, pursuant to which we may issue and sell up to 10,000,000 of our common shares from time to time through JonesTrading acting as agent and/or principal, subject to the terms and conditions of the COD sales agreement. Unless the COD sales agreement is earlier terminated by JonesTrading or us, the COD sales agreement automatically terminates upon the issuance and sale of all of the common shares subject to the COD sales agreement. During the six months ended June 30, 2016, we did not issue any common shares pursuant to this agreement. As of June 30, 2016, 7,918,919 common shares, in the aggregate, remain available for issuance under the COD sales agreement.

Noncontrolling Interests

On September 17, 2015, IRT issued 15,110,994 shares of IRT common stock in connection with the TSRE merger. As of June 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, we held 7,269,719 shares, of IRT common stock representing 15.4% and 15.5%, respectively, of the outstanding shares of IRT common stock.  On September 17, 2015 IRT also issued 1,925,419 IROP units in connection with the TSRE merger. We consolidate IRT as it is a VIE and we are the primary beneficiary. See Note 8 for additional disclosures pertaining to VIEs.