Shareholders' Equity

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract]

SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

We have a Dividend Reinvestment Plan (the “Plan”), whereby shareholders may use their dividends and optional cash payments to purchase shares. In 2016, 2015 and 2014, 15,619 shares, 16,524 shares and 18,705 shares, respectively, were issued under the Plan.

As of December 31, 2016, 2015, and 2014, we had 399,896 shares of 5.417% Series 1 Cumulative Convertible Preferred Shares (“Series 1 Preferred Shares”) outstanding that have a liquidation preference of $25 per share and

par value $0.01 per share. The Series 1 Preferred Shares accrue dividends at a rate of 5.417% per year and are convertible at any time by the holders to our common shares at a conversion rate of $104.69 per share. The Series 1 Preferred Shares are also convertible under certain circumstances at our election. The holders of the Series 1 Preferred Shares have no voting rights.

On March 7, 2016, we issued 1.0 million common shares at $149.43 per share, in an underwritten public offering, for cash proceeds of $149.3 million, net of expenses.

On November 4, 2016, we replaced our existing at-the-market (“ATM”) equity program with a new ATM equity program in which we may from time to time offer and sell common shares having an aggregate offering price of up to $400.0 million. We intend to use the net proceeds to fund potential acquisition opportunities, fund our development and redevelopment pipeline, repay amounts of outstanding under our revolving credit facility and/or for general corporate purposes. For the year ended December 31, 2016, we issued 1,156,571 common shares at a weighted average price per share of $152.92 for net cash proceeds of $174.8 million and paid $1.8 million in commissions and $0.2 million in additional offering expenses related to the sales of these common shares. For the year ended December 31, 2015, we issued 813,414 common shares at a weighted average price per share of $135.01 for net cash proceeds of $108.5 million and paid $1.1 million in commissions and $0.2 million in additional offering expenses related to the sales of these common shares. As of December 31, 2016, we had the capacity to issue up to $370.9 million in common shares under our ATM equity program.