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Equinix, Inc. (EQIX) Declares $7.57 Special Dividend; 3.9% Yield

October 16, 2014 4:19 PM EDT

Equinix, Inc. (NASDAQ: EQIX) declared a special dividend of $7.57 per share, in connection with Equinix's previously announced plan to convert to a real estate investment trust ("REIT"). The dividend will be payable on November 25, 2014, to stockholders of record on October 27, 2014. The annual yield on the dividend is 3.9 percent.

"Today's announcement marks an important step on our path to becoming a REIT. The declaration of the special distribution aligns with our expectations that we will begin operating as a REIT on January 1, 2015," said Steve Smith, president and CEO of Equinix. "We have finished a major milestone with the completion of the financial system conversion in Q3, and we are in active dialogue with the IRS about our pending Private Letter Ruling request. We are pleased with the current momentum, and we expect to receive a favorable PLR in 2014."

For Equinix to be eligible to qualify for taxation as a REIT for federal income tax purposes effective for its taxable year commencing January 1, 2015, Equinix must distribute, on or before December 31, 2015, its previously undistributed accumulated earnings and profits attributable to all taxable periods ending prior to January 1, 2015 (the "Pre-2015 Accumulated E&P"). Equinix expects that the value of the 2014 Special Distribution, plus the expected value of the deemed distribution on account of the adjustment to the conversion rate relating to Equinix's outstanding 4.75% Convertible Subordinated Notes due June 15, 2016 (the "2016 Convertible Notes") that will be made as a result of the 2014 Special Distribution (the "2014 Conversion Rate Adjustment"), will exceed Equinix's Pre-2015 Accumulated E&P.

In addition, Equinix intends to declare one or more special distributions in 2015 (the "2015 Special Distributions") which would encompass some extraordinary items of taxable income that Equinix expects to recognize in 2015, such as depreciation recapture in respect of accounting method changes commenced in its pre-REIT period as well as foreign earnings and profits recognized as dividend income, and any Pre-2015 Accumulated E&P not distributed in 2014. Equinix estimates the aggregate amount of its 2014 Special Distribution and 2015 Special Distributions (collectively, the "Special Distributions"), together with the expected value of the deemed distribution associated with the 2014 Conversion Rate Adjustment and with any adjustments to the conversion rate of the 2016 Convertible Notes resulting from the 2015 Special Distributions (together with the 2014 Conversion Rate Adjustment, the "Conversion Rate Adjustments"), will equal approximately $1.0 to $1.1 billion.

The 2014 Special Distribution is payable on November 25, 2014 to Equinix's common stockholders of record as of the close of business on October 27, 2014. Common stockholders can elect to receive payment of the 2014 Special Distribution in the form of stock or cash, with the total cash payment to all stockholders limited to no more than $83.2 million, or 20% of the total distribution. The amount of shares to be distributed will be determined based upon common stockholder elections and the average closing price on the three trading days commencing November 18, 2014. Election forms will be mailed or otherwise delivered to all common stockholders promptly following the record date.

For a dividend history and other dividend-related data on Equinix, Inc. (EQIX) click here.



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