Douglas Emmett Inc

Previous wording

We have a substantial amount of debt and we may incur significant additional debt for various purposes, including, without limitation, to fund future property acquisitions and development activities, reposition properties and to fund our operations. As of December 31, 2023, we had approximately $5.6 billion of debt outstanding, of which $1.7 billion is floating rate debt, which exposes us to interest rate fluctuation risk. See Note 8 to our consolidated financial statements in Item 15 of this Report for more detail regarding our consolidated debt. See "Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements" in Item 7 of this Report for more detail regarding our unconsolidated debt.

Current wording

We have a substantial amount of debt and we may incur significant additional debt for various purposes, including, without limitation, to fund future property acquisitions and development activities, reposition properties and to fund our operations. As of December 31, 2024, we had approximately $5.5 billion of debt outstanding, of which $2.3 billion is floating rate debt, which exposes us to interest rate fluctuation risk. See Note 8 to our consolidated financial statements in Item 15 of this Report for more detail regarding our consolidated debt. See "Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements" in Item 7 of this Report for more detail regarding our unconsolidated debt.

Previous wording

As of December 31, 2023, as a percentage of our annualized base rental revenue for the stabilized portfolio, 18.2% of our tenants operated in the legal industry, 15.5% in the financial services industry, 14.1% in the entertainment industry and 12.7% in the real estate industry. As we continue our development and potential acquisition activities, our tenant mix could become more concentrated, further exposing us to risks associated with those industries. For the composition of our tenants by industry, see “Item 2. Properties—Office Industry Diversification as of December 31, 2023.” An economic downturn in any of these industries, or in any industry in which a significant number of our tenants currently or may in the future operate, could negatively impact the financial condition of such tenants and cause them to fail to make timely rental payments or default on lease obligations, fail to renew their leases or renew their leases on terms less favorable to us, become bankrupt or insolvent, or otherwise become unable to satisfy their obligations to us. As a result, a downturn in an industry in which a significant number of our tenants operate could adversely affect our financial conditions, result of operations and cash flows.

Current wording

As of December 31, 2024, as a percentage of our annualized base rental revenue for the stabilized portfolio, 19.2% of our tenants operated in the legal industry, 16.1% in the financial services industry, 13.4% in the real estate industry and 10.0% in the entertainment industry. As we continue our development and potential acquisition activities, our tenant mix could become more concentrated, further exposing us to risks associated with those industries. For the composition of our tenants by industry, see “Item 2. Properties—Office Industry Diversification as of December 31, 2024.” An economic downturn in any of these industries, or in any industry in which a significant number of our tenants currently or may in the future operate, could negatively impact the financial condition of such tenants and cause them to fail to make timely rental payments or default on lease obligations, fail to renew their leases or renew their leases on terms less favorable to us, become bankrupt or insolvent, or otherwise become unable to satisfy their obligations to us. As a result, a downturn in an industry in which a significant number of our tenants operate could adversely affect our financial conditions, result of operations and cash flows.

Previous wording

Epidemics, pandemics or other outbreaks of an illness, disease or virus, such as COVID-19, can severely disrupt general economic activities in a variety of ways that are difficult to predict. For example, governments and businesses may take actions to mitigate the public health crisis, including quarantines, stay-at-home orders, density limitations, social distancing measures, and/or restrictions on types of business that may continue to operate. The extent to which an outbreak could impact our business will depend on factors such as the duration and spread, its severity, the actions taken to contain the virus, the emergence and impact of future virus variants, and how quickly and to what extent normal economic and operating conditions resume. We may experience significant impacts to our business as a result of any economic impact of an outbreak, including any resulting economic recession.

Current wording

Epidemics, pandemics or other outbreaks of an illness, disease or virus, such as COVID-19, can severely disrupt general economic activities in a variety of ways that are difficult to predict. For example, governments and businesses may take actions to mitigate the public health crisis, including quarantines, stay-at-home orders, density limitations, social distancing measures, and/or restrictions on types of business that may continue to operate. The extent to which an outbreak could impact our business will depend on factors such as the duration and spread, its severity, the actions taken to contain the virus, the emergence and impact of future virus variants, and how quickly and to what extent normal economic and operating conditions resume. The economic impact of an outbreak, including any resulting economic recession, could significantly impact our business, for example: (i) lower occupancy levels, (ii) reduced attendance in our buildings and lower parking income, (iii) tenants inability to pay rent in full or on a timely basis, (iv) government moratoriums that could affect our ability to collect rents, (v) disruptions to our operations, and (vi) increases in the cost or availability of insurance. The impacts to our business could impact our financial condition, results of operations, cash flows, liquidity and our ability to meet our debt service obligations.

Previous wording

We may be unable to renew our tenants' leases, in which case we must find new tenants. To attract new tenants or retain existing tenants, particularly in periods of recession, we may have to accept rental rates below our existing rental rates or offer substantial rent abatements, tenant improvements, early termination rights or below-market renewal options. Accordingly, portions of our office and multifamily properties may remain vacant for extended periods of time. In addition, some existing leases currently provide tenants with options to renew the terms of their leases at rates that are below the current market rates or to terminate their leases prior to the expiration date thereof. We actively pursue opportunities for what we believe to be well-located and high quality buildings that may be in a transitional phase due to current or impending vacancies. We cannot assure that any such vacancies will be filled following a property acquisition, or that new tenant leases will be executed at or above market rates. As of December 31, 2023, 16.7% of the square footage in our total office portfolio was available for lease and 15.9% was scheduled to expire in 2024. As of December 31, 2023, 1.5% of the units in our multifamily portfolio were available for lease, and substantially all of the leases in our multifamily portfolio must be renewed within the next year. For more information see Item 2 “Properties” of this Report.

Current wording

We may be unable to renew our tenants' leases, in which case we must find new tenants. To attract new tenants or retain existing tenants, particularly in periods of recession, we may have to accept rental rates below our existing rental rates or offer substantial rent abatements, tenant improvements, early termination rights or below-market renewal options. Accordingly, portions of our office and multifamily properties may remain vacant for extended periods of time. In addition, some existing leases currently provide tenants with options to renew the terms of their leases at rates that are below the current market rates or to terminate their leases prior to the expiration date thereof. We actively pursue opportunities for what we believe to be well-located and high quality buildings that may be in a transitional phase due to current or impending vacancies. We cannot assure that any such vacancies will be filled following a property acquisition, or that new tenant leases will be executed at or above market rates. As of December 31, 2024, 18.9% of the square footage in our total office portfolio was available for lease and 12.4% was scheduled to expire in 2025. As of December 31, 2024, 0.9% of the units in our multifamily portfolio were available for lease, and substantially all of the leases in our multifamily portfolio must be renewed within the next year. For more information see Item 2 “Properties” of this Report.

Previous wording

•We may not complete a development or redevelopment project on schedule or within budgeted amounts (as a result of risks beyond our control, such as weather, labor conditions, permitting issues, material shortages and price increases);

Current wording

•We may not complete a development or redevelopment project on schedule or within budgeted amounts (as a result of risks beyond our control, such as weather, labor conditions, permitting issues, material shortages and price increases, including increases in the costs of building materials or construction services resulting from trade tensions, disruptions, tariffs, duties or restrictions);

Previous wording

At December 31, 2023, our executive officers owned 4% of our outstanding common stock, but they would own 17% if all of their outstanding LTIPs and OP Units were converted into common stock. As a result, our executive officers, to the extent that they vote their shares in a similar manner, will have significant influence over our affairs and could exercise such influence in a manner that is not in the best interests of our other stockholders, including by attempting to delay, defer or prevent a change of control transaction that might otherwise be in the best interests of our stockholders.

Current wording

At December 31, 2024, our executive officers owned 3% of our outstanding common stock, but they would own 16% if all of their outstanding LTIPs and OP Units were converted into common stock. As a result, our executive officers, to the extent that they vote their shares in a similar manner, will have significant influence over our affairs and could exercise such influence in a manner that is not in the best interests of our other stockholders, including by attempting to delay, defer or prevent a change of control transaction that might otherwise be in the best interests of our stockholders.

Previous wording

Our Fund, and three of our consolidated JVs, also own properties through one or more entities which are intended to qualify as REITs, and we may in the future use other structures that include REITs. The failure of any such entities to qualify as a REIT could have similar consequences to the REIT subsidiary and could also cause us to fail to qualify as a REIT.

Current wording

Three of our consolidated JVs also own properties through one or more entities which are intended to qualify as REITs, and we may in the future use other structures that include REITs. The failure of any such entities to qualify as a REIT could have similar consequences to the REIT subsidiary and could also cause us to fail to qualify as a REIT.

Previous wording

Even if we qualify as a REIT for federal income tax purposes, we will be required to pay certain federal, state and local taxes on our income and property. For example, we will be subject to income tax to the extent that we distribute less than 100% of our REIT taxable income (including capital gains). In addition, any net taxable income earned directly by our TRS, or through entities that are disregarded for federal income tax purposes as entities separate from our TRS, will be subject to federal and possibly state corporate income tax. We have elected to treat one of our subsidiaries as a TRS, and we may elect to treat other subsidiaries as TRSs in the future. In this regard, several provisions of the laws applicable to REITs and their subsidiaries ensure that a TRS will be subject to an appropriate level of federal income taxation. For example, for taxable years prior to 2018, a TRS is limited in its ability to deduct interest payments made to an affiliated REIT and, for taxable years after 2017, a TRS is subject to more general limitations on its ability to deduct interest payments to any lender. In addition, the REIT has to pay a 100% tax on some payments that it receives or on some deductions taken by its TRS if the economic arrangements between the REIT, the REIT’s tenants, and the TRS are not comparable to similar arrangements between unrelated parties. In addition, some state and local jurisdictions may tax some of our income even though as a REIT we are not subject to federal income tax on that income because not all states and localities treat REITs the same as they are treated for federal income tax purposes. Moreover, if we have net income from “prohibited transactions,” that income will be subject to a 100% tax. In general, prohibited transactions are sales or other dispositions of property held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business. Although we do not intend to hold any properties that would be characterized as held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of our business, such characterization is a factual determination and we cannot guarantee that the IRS would agree with our characterization of our properties. To the extent that we are required to pay federal, state and local taxes, we will have less cash available for distributions to our stockholders.

Current wording

Even if we qualify as a REIT for federal income tax purposes, we will be required to pay certain federal, state and local taxes on our income and property. For example, we will be subject to income tax to the extent that we distribute less than 100% of our REIT taxable income (including capital gains). In addition, any net taxable income earned directly by our TRS, or through entities that are disregarded for federal income tax purposes as entities separate from our TRS, will be subject to federal and possibly state corporate income tax. We have elected to treat one of our subsidiaries as a TRS, and we may elect to treat other subsidiaries as TRSs in the future. In this regard, several provisions of the laws applicable to REITs and their subsidiaries ensure that a TRS will be subject to an appropriate level of federal income taxation. In addition, the REIT has to pay a 100% tax on some payments that it receives or on some deductions taken by its TRS if the economic arrangements between the REIT, the REIT’s tenants, and the TRS are not comparable to similar arrangements between unrelated parties. In addition, some state and local jurisdictions may tax some of our income even though as a REIT we are not subject to federal income tax on that income because not all states and localities treat REITs the same as they are treated for federal income tax purposes. Moreover, if we have net income from “prohibited transactions,” that income will be subject to a 100% tax. In general, prohibited transactions are sales or other dispositions of property held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business. Although we do not intend to hold any properties that would be characterized as held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of our business, such characterization is a factual determination and we cannot guarantee that the IRS would agree with our characterization of our properties. To the extent that we are required to pay federal, state and local taxes, we will have less cash available for distributions to our stockholders.