QTS has the full power and authority to do all the things necessary to conduct the business of the Operating Partnership.

As of December 31, 2019, the Operating Partnership had four classes of limited partnership units outstanding: Series A Preferred Units, Series B Convertible Preferred Units, Class A units of limited partnership interest (“Class A units”) and Class O LTIP units of limited partnership units (“Class O units”). The Class A units currently outstanding are now redeemable on a one-for-one exchange rate at any time for cash or shares of Class A common stock of QTS. The Company may in its sole discretion elect to assume and satisfy the redemption amount with cash or its shares. Class O units were issued upon grants made under the QualityTech, LP 2010 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2010 Equity Incentive Plan”). Class O units are pari passu with Class A units. Each Class O unit is convertible into Class A units by the Operating Partnership at any time or by the holder at any time based on formulas contained in the partnership agreement.

In connection with its IPO, QTS issued Class A common stock and Class B common stock. Class B common stock entitles the holder to 50 votes per share and was issued to enable our Chief Executive Officer to exchange 2% of his Operating Partnership units so he may have a vote proportionate to his economic interest in the Company. Also in connection with its IPO, QTS adopted the QTS Realty Trust, Inc. 2013 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2013 Equity Incentive Plan”), which authorized 1.75 million shares of Class A common stock to be issued under the 2013 Equity Incentive Plan, including options to purchase Class A common stock if exercised. On May 4, 2015, following approval by our stockholders at our 2015 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, the total number of shares available for issuance under the 2013 Equity Incentive Plan was increased by an additional 3,000,000. On May 9, 2019, following approval by our stockholders at our 2019 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, the total number of shares available for issuance under the 2013 Equity Incentive Plan was increased by an additional 1,110,000 to 5,860,000.

In March 2019, the Compensation Committee completed a redesign of the long-term incentive program for executive officers to include the following types of awards:

The following is a summary of award activity under the 2010 Equity Incentive Plan and 2013 Equity Incentive Plan and related information for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017:

(1)

This represents (i) Class O units which were converted to Class A units, (ii) options to purchase Class A common stock which were exercised, and (iii) the Class A common stock that has been released from restriction and which was not surrendered by the holder to satisfy their statutory minimum federal and state tax obligations associated with the vesting of restricted common stock, with respect to the applicable column.

(2)	Includes restricted Class A common stock surrendered by certain employees to satisfy their statutory minimum federal and state tax obligations associated with the vesting of restricted common stock.

The assumptions and fair values for restricted stock and options to purchase shares of Class A common stock granted for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017 are included in the following table on a per unit basis. Options to purchase shares of Class A common stock were valued using the Black-Scholes model and TSR Units were valued using a Monte-Carlo simulation that leveraged similar assumptions to those used to value the Class A common stock and FFO Units.


	2019		2018		2017
Fair value of FFO units and restricted stock granted		$42.01 - $51.25		$34.03 - $54.01		$48.63 - $51.88
Fair value of TSR units granted		$54.64		N/A		N/A
Fair value of options granted		$7.56 - $8.28		$5.55 - $5.64		$10.11 - $10.36
Expected term (years)		5.5		5.5 - 6.0		5.5 - 5.9
Expected volatility		28%		28%		28%
Expected dividend yield		3.89% - 4.19%		4.82%		3.08%
Expected risk-free interest rates		2.33% - 2.56%		2.69% - 2.73%		2.12% - 2.18%

The following tables summarize information about awards outstanding as of December 31, 2019.


	Operating Partnership Awards Outstanding
				Weighted average
			Awards	remaining
	Exercise prices		outstanding	vesting period (years)
Class O Units	$	20.00 - 25.00	82,310	—
Total Operating Partnership awards outstanding			82,310


	QTS Realty Trust, Inc. Awards Outstanding
				Weighted average
			Awards	remaining
	Exercise prices		outstanding	vesting period (years)
Restricted stock	$	—	389,750	1.7
TSR units		—	84,350	2.0
FFO units		—	84,350	1.4
Options to purchase Class A common stock	$	21.00 - 50.66	1,934,838	0.3
Total QTS Realty Trust, Inc. awards outstanding			2,493,288

Any remaining nonvested awards are valued as of the grant date and generally vest ratably over a defined service period. As of December 31, 2019 all restricted Class A common stock, TSR units, and FFO units outstanding were unvested and approximately 0.6 million options to purchase Class A common stock were outstanding and unvested. As of December 31, 2019 we had $17.0 million of unrecognized equity-based compensation expense which will be recognized over a remaining weighted-average vesting period of 1.1 years. The total intrinsic value of Class O units and options to purchase Class A common stock outstanding at December 31, 2019 was $35.4 million.

Dividends and Distributions

The following tables present quarterly cash dividends and distributions paid to QTS’ common and preferred stockholders and the Operating Partnership’s unit holders for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018:


Year Ended December 31, 2019
				Aggregate
		Per Share and		Dividend/Distribution
Record Date	Payment Date	Per Unit Rate		Amount (in millions)
Common Stock/Units
September 19, 2019	October 4, 2019	$	0.44	$	27.3
June 25, 2019	July 9, 2019		0.44		27.3
March 20, 2019	April 4, 2019		0.44		27.3
December 21, 2018	January 8, 2019		0.41		23.7
				$	105.6

Series A Preferred Stock/Units
September 30, 2019	October 15, 2019	$	0.45	$	1.9
June 30, 2019	July 15, 2019		0.45		1.9
March 31, 2019	April 15, 2019		0.45		1.9
December 31, 2018	January 15, 2019		0.45		1.9
				$	7.6

Series B Preferred Stock/Units
September 30, 2019	October 15, 2019	$	1.63	$	5.1
June 30, 2019	July 15, 2019		1.63		5.1
March 31, 2019	April 15, 2019		1.63		5.1
December 31, 2018	January 15, 2019		1.63		5.1
				$	20.4


Year Ended December 31, 2018
				Aggregate
		Per Share and		Dividend/Distribution
Record Date	Payment Date	Per Unit Rate		Amount (in millions)
Common Stock/Units
September 20, 2018	October 4, 2018	$	0.41	$	23.7
June 20, 2018	July 6, 2018		0.41		23.7
March 22, 2018	April 5, 2018		0.41		23.7
December 5, 2017	January 5, 2018		0.39		22.2
				$	93.3

Series A Preferred Stock/Units
September 28, 2018	October 15, 2018	$	0.45	$	1.9
June 29, 2018	July 16, 2018		0.45		1.9
April 5, 2018	April 16, 2018		0.15		0.6
				$	4.4

Series B Preferred Stock/Units
September 30, 2018	October 15, 2018	$	1.99	$	6.3
				$	6.3

Additionally, subsequent to December 31, 2019, the Company paid the following dividends:

●

On January 7, 2020, the Company paid its regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.44 per common share and per unit in the Operating Partnership to stockholders and unit holders of record as of the close of business on December 20, 2019.

●

On January 15, 2020, the Company paid a quarterly cash dividend of approximately $0.45 per share on its Series A Preferred Stock to holders of Series A Preferred Stock of record as of the close of business on December 31, 2019, and the Operating Partnership paid a quarterly cash distribution of approximately $0.45 per unit on outstanding Series A Preferred Units held by the Company.

●

On January 15, 2020, the Company paid a quarterly cash dividend of approximately $1.63 per share on its Series B Preferred Stock to holders of Series B Preferred Stock of record as of the close of business on December 31, 2019, and the Operating Partnership paid a quarterly cash distribution of approximately $1.63 per unit on outstanding Series B Preferred Units held by the Company.

Equity Issuances

Class A Common Stock

In February 2019, QTS conducted an underwritten offering of 7,762,500 shares of its Class A common stock, $0.01 par value per share (the “Class A common stock”) consisting of 4,000,000 shares issued by the Company during the first quarter of 2019 and 3,762,500 shares which will be issued on a forward basis. During the year ended December 31, 2019, we settled a portion of the shares subject to the forward sale agreements. See the table below for additional quantitative information related to the stock offerings. We have concluded that the forward sale agreements meet the derivative scope exception for certain contracts involving an entity’s own equity. The initial forward sale price is subject to daily adjustment based on a floating interest rate factor equal to the specified daily rate less a spread, and will decrease by other fixed amounts specified in the forward sale agreement. Until settlement of all of the forward sale agreements, our earnings per share dilution resulting from the agreements, if any, is determined using the two-class method.

In June 2019, we established a new “at-the-market” equity offering program (the “ATM Program”) pursuant to which we may issue, from time to time, up to $400 million of our Class A common stock, which may include shares to be sold on a forward basis. The use of forward sales under the ATM Program generally allows the Company to lock in a price on the sale of shares of our Class A common stock when sold by the forward sellers, but defer receiving the net proceeds from such sales until the shares of our Class A common stock are issued at settlement on a later date. We have concluded that the forward sale agreements meet the derivative scope exception for certain contracts involving an entity’s own equity. The initial forward sale price is subject to daily adjustment based on a floating interest rate factor equal to the specified daily rate less a spread, and will decrease by other fixed amounts specified in the forward sale agreement. Until settlement of all of the forward sale agreements, our earnings per share dilution resulting from the agreements, if any, is determined using the two-class method.

At any time during the term of any forward sale under the ATM Program, we may settle the forward sale by physical delivery of shares of Class A common stock to the forward purchasers or, at our election, cash settle or net share settle. The initial forward sale price per share under each forward sale equals the product of (x) an amount equal to 100% minus the applicable forward selling commission and (y) the volume weighted average price per share at which the borrowed shares of our common stock were sold pursuant to the equity distribution agreement by the relevant forward seller during the applicable forward hedge selling period for such shares to hedge the relevant forward purchaser’s exposure under such forward sale. Thereafter, the forward sale price is subject to adjustment on a daily basis based on a floating interest rate factor equal to the specified daily rate less a spread, and is decreased based on specified amounts related to dividends on shares of our common stock during the term of the applicable forward sale. If the specified daily rate is less than the spread on any day, the interest rate factor will result in a daily reduction of the applicable forward sale price. The Company expects to physically settle (by delivering shares of Class A common stock) these forward sales prior to the first anniversary date of each respective transaction.

The following table represents a summary of our equity issuances of our Class A common stock during the year ended December 31, 2019 (in thousands):


Offering Program	Forward Shares Sold	Shares Settled			Net Proceeds Received		Remaining Expected Proceeds Available	Forward Settlement Maturity Date ⁽¹⁾
February 2019 Offering	N/A	4,000		$	159,360	$	-	N/A
February 2019 Offering	3,763	2,832	⁽²⁾		109,998		35,799	March 31, 2020
June 2019 $400 million ATM Program	2,864	-			-		142,046	Various through January 17, 2021
Total as of December 31, 2019						$	177,844

(1)	Represents the final date which shares sold under each forward agreement may be settled.

(2)	Represents the number of forward shares we elected to physically settle during the year ended December 31, 2019.

Preferred Stock

On March 15, 2018, QTS issued 4,280,000 shares of 7.125% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock (“Series A Preferred Stock”) with a liquidation preference of $25.00 per share, which included 280,000 shares of the underwriters’ partial exercise of their option to purchase additional shares. The Company used the net proceeds of approximately $103.2 million to repay amounts outstanding under its unsecured revolving credit facility. In connection with the issuance of the Series A Preferred Stock, on March 15, 2018 the Operating Partnership issued to the Company 4,280,000 Series A Preferred Units, which have economic terms that are substantially similar to the Company’s Series A Preferred Stock. The Series A Preferred Units were issued in exchange for the Company’s contribution of the net offering proceeds of the offering of the Series A Preferred Stock to the Operating Partnership.

Dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock are payable quarterly in arrears on or about the 15th day of each January, April, July and October. The first dividend on the Series A Preferred Stock was paid on April 16, 2018, in the amount of $0.14844 per share for the period March 15, 2018 through April 14, 2018. The Series A Preferred Stock does not have a stated maturity date and is not subject to any sinking fund or mandatory redemption provisions. Upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, the Series A Preferred Stock will rank senior to common stock and pari passu with the Series B Preferred Stock with respect to the payment of distributions and other amounts. Except in instances relating to preservation of QTS’s qualification as a REIT or pursuant to the Company’s special optional redemption right, the Series A Preferred Stock is not redeemable prior to March 15, 2023. On and after March 15, 2023, the Company may, at its option, redeem the Series A Preferred Stock, in whole, at any time, or in part, from time to time, for cash at a redemption price of $25.00 per share, plus any accrued and unpaid dividends (whether or not declared) to, but not including, the date of redemption.

Upon the occurrence of a change of control, the Company has a special optional redemption right that enables it to redeem the Series A Preferred Stock, in whole, at any time, or in part, from time to time, within 120 days after the first date on which a change of control has occurred resulting in neither QTS nor the surviving entity having a class of common shares listed on the NYSE, NYSE Amex, or NASDAQ or the acquisition of beneficial ownership of its stock entitling a person to exercise more than 50% of the total voting power of all our stock entitled to vote generally in election of directors. The special optional redemption price is $25.00 per share, plus any accrued and unpaid dividends (whether or not declared) to, but not including, the date of redemption.

Upon the occurrence of a change of control, holders will have the right (unless the Company has elected to exercise its special optional redemption right to redeem their Series A Preferred Stock) to convert some or all of such holder’s Series A Preferred Stock into a number of shares of Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share, equal to the lesser of:

●

the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the sum of the $25.00 liquidation preference plus the amount of any accrued and unpaid dividends (whether or not declared) to, but not including, the change of control conversion date (unless the change of control conversion date is after a record date for a Series A Preferred Stock dividend payment and prior to the corresponding Series A Preferred Stock dividend payment date, in which case no additional amount for such accrued and unpaid dividend will be included in this sum) by (ii) the Common Stock Price; and

●

1.46929 (i.e., the Share Cap);

subject, in each case, to certain adjustments and provisions for the receipt of alternative consideration of equivalent value as described in the prospectus supplement for the Series A Preferred Stock.

On June 25, 2018, QTS issued 3,162,500 shares of 6.50% Series B Cumulative Convertible Perpetual Preferred Stock (“Series B Preferred Stock”) with a liquidation preference of $100.00 per share, which included 412,500 shares the underwriters purchased pursuant to the exercise of their overallotment option in full. The Company used the net proceeds of approximately $304 million to repay amounts outstanding under its unsecured revolving credit facility. In connection with the issuance of the Series B Preferred Stock, on June 25, 2018 the Operating Partnership issued to the Company 3,162,500 Series B Preferred Units, which have economic terms that are substantially similar to the Company’s Series B Preferred Stock. The Series B Preferred Units were issued in exchange for the Company’s contribution of the net offering proceeds of the offering of the Series B Preferred Stock to the Operating Partnership.

Dividends on the Series B Preferred Stock are payable quarterly in arrears on or about the 15th day of each January, April, July and October. The first dividend on the Series B Preferred Stock was paid on October 15, 2018, in the amount of $1.9861111 per share for the period June 25, 2018 through October 14, 2018. The Series B Preferred Stock is convertible by holders into shares of Class A common stock at any time at the then-prevailing conversion rate. The conversion rate as of December 31, 2019 is 2.1318 shares of the Company’s Class A common stock per share of Series B Preferred Stock. The Series B Preferred Stock does not have a stated maturity date. Upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, the Series B Preferred Stock will rank senior to common stock and pari passu with the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to the payment of distributions and other amounts. The Series B Preferred Stock is not redeemable by the Company. At any time on or after July 20, 2023, the Company may at its option cause all (but not less than all) outstanding shares of the Series B Preferred Stock to be automatically converted into the Company’s Class A common stock at the then-prevailing conversion rate if the closing sale price of the Company’s Class A common stock is equal to or exceeds 150% of the then-prevailing conversion price for at least 20 trading days in a period of 30 consecutive trading days, including the last trading day of such 30-day period, ending on the trading day prior to the issuance of a press release announcing the mandatory conversion.

If a holder converts its shares of Series B Preferred Stock at any time beginning at the opening of business on the trading day immediately following the effective date of a fundamental change (as described in the prospectus supplement) and ending at the close of business on the 30th trading day immediately following such effective date, the holder will automatically receive a number of shares of the Company’s Class A common stock equal to the greater of:

●

the sum of (i) a number of shares of the Company’s Class A common stock, as may be adjusted, as described in the Articles Supplementary for the 6.50% Series B Cumulative Convertible Perpetual Preferred Stock filed with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland on June 22, 2018 (the “Articles Supplementary”) and (ii) the make-whole premium described in the Articles Supplementary; and

●

a number of shares of the Company’s Class A common stock equal to the lesser of (i) the liquidation preference divided by the average of the daily volume weighted average prices of the Company’s Class A common stock for ten days preceding the effective date of a fundamental change and (ii) 5.1020 (subject to adjustment).

QTS Realty Trust, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan

In June 2015, we established the QTS Realty Trust, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “2015 Plan”) to give eligible employees the opportunity to purchase, through payroll deductions, shares of our Class A common stock in the open market by an independent broker with the Company paying brokerage commissions and fees associated with such share purchases. The 2015 Plan became effective July 1, 2015. We reserved 250,000 shares of our Class A common stock for purchase under the 2015 Plan, which were registered pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-8 filed on June 17, 2015.

On May 4, 2017, our stockholders approved the 2017 Amended and Restated QTS Realty Trust, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “2017 Plan”). The 2017 Plan became effective July 1, 2017 and is administered by the compensation committee (the “Compensation Committee”) of the board of directors (or by a committee of one or more persons appointed by it or the board of directors). The 2017 Plan permits participants to purchase our Class A common stock at a

discount of up to 10% (as determined by the Compensation Committee). Employees of our Company and our majority-owned subsidiaries who have been employed for at least thirty days and who perform at least thirty hours of service per week for our Company are eligible to participate in the 2017 Plan, excluding any employee who, at any time during which the payroll deductions are made on behalf of the participating employees to purchase stock, owns shares representing five percent or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of shares of our Company, or who is a Section 16 officer. Under the 2017 Plan, there are four purchase periods per year, and participants may deduct a minimum of $20 per paycheck and a maximum of $1,000 per paycheck towards the purchase of shares. Shares purchased under the 2017 Plan are subject to a one-year holding period following the purchase date, during which they may not be sold or transferred. We reserved 239,989 shares of our Class A common stock, subject to certain adjustments, for purchase under the 2017 Plan, which were registered pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-8 originally filed on June 17, 2015 and amended on June 30, 2017.

Effective February 1, 2020, the 2017 Plan was further amended and restated to, among other things, provide that employees of our Company and our majority-owned subsidiaries who have been employed for at least thirty days and who are regular full-time employees are eligible to participate in the 2017 Plan, excluding temporary or part-time employees and interns, any employee who, at any time during which the payroll deductions are made on behalf of the participating employees to purchase stock, owns shares representing five percent or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of shares of our Company, or any employee who is a Section 16 officer. In addition, such amendment and restatement provides that the $1,000 per paycheck limit on each participant’s purchase of shares assumes 24 pay periods per year and will be adjusted to the extent a participant is paid on a more frequent or infrequent basis.