8-K

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):

October 4, 2016 (October 3, 2016)

NATIONAL HEALTH INVESTORS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Maryland (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) 001-10822 (Commission File Number) 62-1470956 (IRS Employer Identification No.)

222 Robert Rose Drive,Murfreesboro, TN 37129

(Address of principal executive offices)

(615) 890-9100

(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

Not Applicable

(Former name, former address and former fiscal year,

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 (see General Instruction A.2. below):

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)

Item 2.03, Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant

On October 3, 2016, National Health Investors, Inc. announced that it has entered into 8-year unsecured notes to a private placement lender. The press release is attached to this Current Report as Exhibit 99.1.

Item 9.01.   Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d)     Exhibits.

A list of exhibits filed herewith is contained on the Exhibit Index and is incorporated herein by reference.

Exhibit Index

Number	Exhibit
99.1	HTML version of press release issued October 3, 2016 titled “NHI Issues $75 Million in 8-Year Private Placement Notes.”

SIGNATURE

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 thereunto duly authorized.

	NATIONAL HEALTH INVESTORS, INC.
	By:	/s/ Roger R. Hopkins
	Name:	Roger R. Hopkins
	Title:	Principal Financial Officer
Date:     October 4, 2016

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

Contact: Roger Hopkins, Chief Accounting Officer

Phone:     615-890-9100

NHI Issues $75 Million in 8-Year Private Placement Notes

MURFREESBORO, Tenn - (October 3, 2016) National Health Investors, Inc. (NYSE: NHI) announced today it has issued $75 million in 8-year unsecured notes to a private placement lender with a coupon of 3.93%. The notes require quarterly payments of interest only until maturity, and the proceeds were used to reduce NHI’s balance on its revolving credit facility. Terms and conditions of the new notes are similar to those under NHI’s bank credit facility with the exception of provisions regarding prepayment premiums.

About National Health Investors

Incorporated in 1991, National Health Investors, Inc. (NYSE: NHI) is a real estate investment trust specializing in sale-leaseback, joint-venture, mortgage and mezzanine financing of need-driven and discretionary senior housing and medical investments. NHI’s portfolio consists of independent, assisted and memory care communities, entrance-fee retirement communities, skilled nursing facilities, medical office buildings and specialty hospitals. For more information, visit www.nhireit.com.

This press release includes 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. All statements regarding the Company's, tenants', operators', borrowers’ or managers' expected future financial position, results of operations, cash flows, funds from operations, dividend and dividend plans, financing opportunities and plans, capital market transactions, business strategy, budgets, projected costs, operating metrics, capital expenditures, competitive positions, acquisitions, investment opportunities, dispositions, acquisition integration, growth opportunities, expected lease income, continued qualification as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”), plans and objectives of management for future operations, continued performance improvements, ability to service and refinance our debt obligations, ability to finance growth opportunities, and similar statements including, without limitation, those containing words such as “may”, “will”, “believes”, “anticipates”, “expects”, “intends”, “estimates”, “plans”, and other similar expressions are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause our actual results in future periods to differ materially from those projected or contemplated in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among other things; the operating success of our tenants and borrowers for collection of our lease and interest income; the success of property development and construction activities, which may fail to achieve the operating results we expect; the risk that our tenants and borrowers may become subject to bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings; risks related to governmental regulations and payors, principally Medicare and Medicaid, and the effect that lower reimbursement rates would have on our tenants’ and borrowers’ business; the risk that the cash flows of our tenants and borrowers would be adversely affected by increased liability claims and liability insurance costs; risks related to environmental laws and the costs associated with liabilities related to hazardous substances; the risk that we may not be fully indemnified by our lessees and borrowers against future litigation; the success of our future acquisitions and investments; our ability to reinvest cash in real estate investments in a timely manner and on acceptable terms; the potential need to incur more debt in the future, which may not be available on terms acceptable to us; our ability to meet covenants related to our indebtedness which impose certain operational; the risk that the illiquidity of real estate investments could impede our ability to respond to adverse changes in the performance of our properties; risks associated with our investments in unconsolidated entities, including our lack of sole decision-making authority and our reliance on the financial condition of other interests; our dependence on revenues derived mainly from fixed rate investments in real estate assets, while a portion of our debt bears interest

at variable rates; the risk that our assets may be subject to impairment charges; and our dependence on the ability to continue to qualify for taxation as a real estate investment trust. Many of these factors are beyond the control of the Company and its management. The Company assumes no obligation to update any of the foregoing or any other forward looking statements, except as required by law, and these statements speak only as of the date on which they are made. Investors are urged to carefully review and consider the various disclosures made by NHI in its periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the risk factors and other information disclosed in NHI’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recently ended fiscal year. Copies of these filings are available at no cost on the SEC’s web site at http://www.sec.gov or on NHI’s web site at http://www.nhireit.com.

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