8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): April 24, 2018

LASALLE HOTEL PROPERTIES

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Maryland	1-14045	36-4219376
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

7550 Wisconsin Avenue, 10th Floor

Bethesda, Maryland 20814

(Address of principal executive offices)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (301) 941-1500

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company    ¨

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.     ¨

ITEM 7.01.REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE.

On April 24, 2018, LaSalle Hotel Properties (the “Company”) issued a press release confirming that it received a further revised unsolicited proposal from Pebblebrook Hotel Trust on April 20, 2018. A copy of such press release is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this report.

The information in Item 7.01 of this report, including the information in the press release attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this report, is furnished pursuant to Item 7.01 of Form 8-K and shall not be deemed “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section. Furthermore, the information in Item 7.01 of this report, including the information in the press release attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this report, shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference in the filings of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

ITEM 8.01.OTHER EVENTS.

On April 24, 2018, the Company confirmed that it received a further revised unsolicited proposal from Pebblebrook Hotel Trust on April 20, 2018.

ITEM 9.01.FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.

(d) Exhibits.

Exhibit Number	Description
99.1	Press release, dated April 24, 2018

The information contained in the press release attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this report shall not be deemed “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section. Furthermore, the information contained in the press release attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this report shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference in the filings of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

	LASALLE HOTEL PROPERTIES
Dated: April 24, 2018	BY:	/s/ Kenneth G. Fuller
		Kenneth G. Fuller
		Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Treasurer

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

	News Release

LASALLE HOTEL PROPERTIES ISSUES STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO PEBBLEBROOK HOTEL TRUST’S REVISED UNSOLICITED PROPOSAL

BETHESDA, Md., April 24, 2018 - LaSalle Hotel Properties (NYSE: LHO) (“LaSalle” or the “Company”) today confirmed that on April 20, 2018 it received from Pebblebrook Hotel Trust (NYSE: PEB) (“Pebblebrook”) a further revised unsolicited proposal to acquire LaSalle in a transaction with consideration of 0.9085 common shares of Pebblebrook per common share of LaSalle, with the option for LaSalle shareholders to elect to receive cash up to a maximum of 20% in aggregate of the merger consideration, subject to pro ration.

Consistent with its fiduciary duties and in consultation with its financial and legal advisors, the LaSalle Board of Trustees will carefully review Pebblebrook’s revised proposal to determine the course of action that it believes is in the best interest of the Company’s shareholders. The LaSalle Board of Trustees expects to respond to Pebblebrook’s proposal in due course.

LaSalle today issued the following statement in response to the press release issued by Pebblebrook:

The LaSalle Board of Trustees (the “Board”) has communicated to Pebblebrook publicly and privately that it is open-minded and committed to maximizing shareholder value. To that end, LaSalle and its advisors have repeatedly engaged in good faith with Pebblebrook.

The Board remains committed to acting in the best interests of LaSalle’s shareholders and will continue to consider any alternatives that enhance long-term shareholder value.

LaSalle shareholders are advised to take no action at this time, pending the review of the revised proposal from Pebblebrook by LaSalle’s Board of Trustees.

Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC are acting as financial advisors to LaSalle and Goodwin Procter LLP and DLA Piper LLP (US) are acting as legal counsel.

About LaSalle Hotel Properties

LaSalle Hotel Properties is a leading multi-operator real estate investment trust. The Company owns 41 properties, which are upscale, full-service hotels, totaling approximately 10,400 guest rooms in 11 markets in seven states and the District of Columbia. The Company focuses on owning, redeveloping and repositioning upscale, full service hotels located in urban, resort and convention markets. LaSalle Hotel Properties seeks to grow through strategic relationships with premier lodging groups, including Access Hotels & Resorts, Accor, Benchmark Hospitality, Davidson Hotel Company, Evolution Hospitality, HEI Hotels & Resorts, Highgate Hotels, Hilton, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, IHG, JRK Hotel Group, Inc., Marriott International, Noble House Hotels & Resorts, Outrigger Lodging Services, Provenance Hotels, Two Roads Hospitality, and Viceroy Hotel Group.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release, together with other statements and information publicly disseminated by the Company, contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Company intends such forward-looking

statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and includes this statement for purposes of complying with these safe harbor provisions. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe the Company's future plans, strategies and expectations, are generally identifiable by use of the words “will,” "believe," "expect," "intend," "anticipate," "estimate," "project," “may,” “plan,” “seek,” “should,” or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, among others, statements about the Company’s review of the Pebblebrook unsolicited proposal. You should not rely on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that are, in some cases, beyond the Company's control and which could materially affect actual results, performances or achievements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to, (i) uncertainties regarding future actions that may be taken by Pebblebrook in furtherance of its unsolicited proposal, (ii) risks associated with the hotel industry, including competition for guests and meetings from other hotels and alternative lodging companies, increases in wages, energy costs and other operating costs, potential unionization or union disruption, actual or threatened terrorist attacks, any type of flu or disease-related pandemic and downturns in general and local economic conditions, (iii) the availability and terms of financing and capital and the general volatility of securities markets, (iv) the Company’s dependence on third-party managers of its hotels, including its inability to implement strategic business decisions directly, (v) risks associated with the real estate industry, including environmental contamination and costs of complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, and similar laws, (vi) interest rate increases, (vii) the possible failure of the Company to maintain its qualification as a REIT and the risk of changes in laws affecting REITs, (viii) the possibility of uninsured losses, (ix) risks associated with redevelopment and repositioning projects, including delays and cost overruns, (x) the risk of a material failure, inadequacy, interruption or security failure of the Company’s or the hotel managers’ information technology networks and systems, and (xi) the risk factors discussed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K as updated in its Quarterly Reports. Accordingly, there is no assurance that the Company's expectations will be realized. Except as otherwise required by the federal securities laws, the Company disclaims any obligation or undertaking to publicly release any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement contained herein (or elsewhere) to reflect any change in the Company’s expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

Additional Contacts:

Kenneth G. Fuller or Max D. Leinweber

LaSalle Hotel Properties

301/941-1500

or

Scott Winter / Jonathan Salzberger

Innisfree M&A Incorporated

212/750-5833

Media:

Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher

Jon Keehner / Meaghan Repko / Andrew Siegel

212/355-4449

For additional information or to receive press releases via e-mail, please visit our website at http://www.lasallehotels.com/