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Related Person Transactions
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015
Related Person Transactions  
Related Person Transactions

Note 5. Related Person Transactions

We have adopted written Governance Guidelines that describe the consideration and approval of related person transactions. Under these Governance Guidelines, we may not enter into a transaction in which any Trustee or executive officer, any member of the immediate family of any Trustee or executive officer or other related person, has or will have a direct or indirect material interest unless that transaction has been disclosed or made known to our Board of Trustees and our Board of Trustees reviews and approves or ratifies the transaction by the affirmative vote of a majority of the disinterested Trustees, even if the disinterested Trustees constitute less than a quorum. If there are no disinterested Trustees, the transaction must be reviewed, authorized and approved or ratified by both (i) the affirmative vote of a majority of our Board of Trustees and (ii) the affirmative vote of a majority of our Independent Trustees. In determining whether to approve or ratify a transaction, our Board of Trustees, or disinterested Trustees or Independent Trustees, as the case may be, also act in accordance with any applicable provisions of our declaration of trust and bylaws, consider all of the relevant facts and circumstances and approve only those transactions that they determine are fair and reasonable to us. All related person transactions described below were reviewed and approved or ratified by a majority of the disinterested Trustees or otherwise in accordance with our policies, declaration of trust and bylaws, each as described above. In the case of transactions with us by employees of RMR Inc. and its subsidiaries who are subject to our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, but who are not Trustees or executive officers of us, the employee must seek approval from an executive officer who has no interest in the matter for which approval is being requested. Copies of our Governance Guidelines and Code of Business Conduct and Ethics are available on our website, www.snhreit.com. 

Five Star. Five Star was formerly our 100% owned subsidiary. Five Star is our largest tenant, we are Five Star's largest stockholder and Five Star manages certain senior living communities for us. In 2001, we distributed substantially all of Five Star's then outstanding shares of common stock to our shareholders. As of December 31, 2015, we owned 4,235,000 shares of common stock of Five Star, or approximately 8.6% of Five Star's outstanding shares of common stock.

One of our Managing Trustees, Mr. Barry Portnoy, is a Managing Director of Five Star. RMR LLC provides management services to both us and Five Star. Five Star's president and chief executive officer is an officer of RMR LLC and Five Star’s treasurer and chief financial officer is an officer of RMR LLC and was formerly our Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer from 2007 through 2015. Accordingly, the transactions between us and Five Star entered into after Five Star became a separate public company and that are described herein were approved by our Independent Trustees and Five Star's independent directors who are not trustees or directors of the other company. In order to affect the spin-off of Five Star and to govern relations after the spin-off, Five Star entered into agreements with us and others, including RMR LLC. Since then, Five Star has entered into various leases, management agreements and other agreements with us that include provisions that confirm and modify these undertakings. Among other matters, these agreements provide that:

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so long as we remain a REIT, Five Star may not waive the share ownership restrictions in its charter on the ability of any person or group to acquire more than 9.8% of any class of Five Star’s equity shares without our consent;

 

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so long as Five Star is our tenant or manager, Five Star will not permit nor take any action that, in our reasonable judgment, might jeopardize our tax status as a REIT;

 

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we have the option to cancel all of Five Star's rights under the leases and management agreements it has with us upon the acquisition by a person or group of more than 9.8% of Five Star's voting stock and upon other change in control events affecting Five Star, as defined in those documents, including the adoption of any shareholder proposal (other than a precatory proposal) or the election to Five Star's board of directors of any individual if such proposal or individual was not approved, nominated or appointed, as the case may be, by vote of a majority of Five Star's directors in office immediately prior to the making of such proposal or the nomination or appointment of such individual;

 

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the resolution of disputes arising from Five Star's leases and other agreements with us may be resolved by binding arbitration; and

 

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so long as Five Star is a tenant of ours or manager for us or so long as Five Star has a business management agreement with RMR LLC, Five Star will not acquire or finance any real estate of a type then owned or financed by us or any company managed by RMR LLC without first giving us or such company managed by RMR LLC, as applicable, the opportunity to acquire or finance that real estate.

 

Senior Living Communities we lease to Five Star. As of December 31, 2015, we leased 177 senior living communities to Five Star. Under Five Star's leases with us, Five Star pays us rent consisting of minimum annual rent amounts plus percentage rent based on increases in gross revenues at certain properties. Five Star's total minimum annual rent payable to us as of December 31, 2015 was $191,927, excluding percentage rent. We recognized total rental income from Five Star of $196,919,  $196,269 and $203,724 for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, our rents receivable from Five Star were $17,466 and $17,310, respectively, and those amounts are included in due from affiliate in our consolidated balance sheets. We determine percentage rent due under our Five Star leases annually and recognize it at year end when all contingencies are met. During the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, pursuant to the terms of our leases with Five Star, we purchased $21,444,  $25,804 and $27,208, respectively, of improvements to properties leased to Five Star, and, as a result, the annual rent payable to us by Five Star increased by approximately $1,734,  $2,066 and $2,177, respectively. 

In June 2013, we and Five Star agreed to offer for sale 11 senior living communities we then leased to Five Star. Five Star's rent payable to us was reduced as these sales occurred pursuant to terms set in our leases with Five Star. These 11 senior living communities had all been sold as of December 31, 2015, as follows:

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In August 2013, we and Five Star sold a skilled nursing facility, or SNF, located in Missouri with 112 SNF units, for a sale price of $2,550; and, as a result of this sale, Five Star's annual minimum rent payable to us decreased by $255 in accordance with the terms of the applicable lease.

 

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In January 2014, we and Five Star sold a senior living community located in Texas with 36 assisted living units, for a sale price of $2,400; and, as a result of this sale, Five Star's annual minimum rent payable to us decreased by $210 in accordance with the terms of the applicable lease.

 

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In June 2014, we and Five Star sold two senior living communities located in Wisconsin with 156 SNF units for a sale price of $4,500; and, as result of this sale, Five Star’s annual minimum rent payable to us decreased by $452 in accordance with the terms of the applicable lease.

 

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In October 2014, we and Five Star sold a senior living community located in Virginia with 70 assisted living units for a sale price of $2,850; and, as a result of this sale, Five Star’s annual minimum rent payable to us decreased by $285 in accordance with the terms of the applicable lease.

 

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Also in October 2014, we and Five Star sold two senior living communities located in Arizona with 177 assisted living and SNF units for a sale price of $5,900; and, as a result of this sale, Five Star’s annual minimum rent payable to us decreased by $590 in accordance with the terms of the applicable lease.

 

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In February 2015, we and Five Star sold a senior living community located in Pennsylvania with 120 assisted living units for a sale price of $250; and, as result of this sale, Five Star’s annual minimum rent payable to us decreased by $23 in accordance with the terms of the applicable lease.

 

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In July 2015, we and Five Star sold a senior living community located in Iowa with 12 SNF units for a sale price of $155; and, as a result of this sale, Five Star’s annual minimum rent payable to us decreased by $16 in accordance with the terms of the applicable lease.

 

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In August 2015, we and Five Star sold a senior living community located in Wisconsin with 63 SNF units for $850; and, as a result of this sale, Five Star’s annual minimum rent payable to us decreased by $85 in accordance with the terms of the applicable lease.

 

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In December 2015, we and Five Star sold a property that was previously a senior living community for a sale price of $21; and, as a result of this sale, Five Star’s annual minimum rent payable to us decreased by $2 in accordance with the terms of the applicable lease.

In December 2013, pursuant to an asset purchase agreement, or Purchase Agreement, we sold two rehabilitation hospitals and certain related assets to unrelated parties for a sales price of approximately $90,000, and Five Star transferred the operations of the two hospitals and several in-patient and out-patient clinics affiliated with those hospitals, to those third parties. Each hospital was previously leased by us to Five Star under Lease No. 2 and was operated by Five Star. Pursuant to an amendment to Lease No. 2 that we entered into in September 2013 in connection with our agreement to sell these rehabilitation hospitals and Five Star’s agreement to transfer its related hospital operations, Lease No. 2 terminated with respect to the rehabilitation hospitals and the annual rent paid to us by Five Star under Lease No. 2 was reduced by $9,500 upon the closing of the sale of the hospitals. The lease amendment also provides for an allocation of indemnification obligations under the Purchase Agreement between us and Five Star.

In July 2014, we and Five Star entered into the Fifth Amendment to the Amended and Restated Master Lease Agreement (Lease No. 4) pursuant to which Five Star exercised the first of its existing lease extension options under Lease No. 4, extending the term from April 30, 2017 to April 30, 2032, and we granted Five Star a third option for Five Star to extend the term of Lease No. 4 from May 1, 2047 to April 30, 2062.

In February 2015, we acquired a land parcel adjacent to a senior living community we lease to Five Star for $490. This property was added to the lease for that senior living community and Five Star’s annual minimum rent payable to us increased by $39 as a result.

Our Senior Living Communities Managed by Five Star. As of December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, Five Star managed 60,  46 and 44 senior living communities for our account, respectively. We lease our senior living communities that are managed by Five Star that include assisted living units or skilled nursing facilities to our TRSs, and Five Star manages these communities pursuant to long term management agreements on substantially similar terms. With the exception of the management agreement for the senior living community in New York described below, the management agreements for the communities Five Star manages for our account provide Five Star with a management fee equal to 3% of the gross revenues realized at the communities, plus reimbursement for Five Star's direct costs and expenses related to the communities and an incentive fee equal to 35% of the annual net operating income of the communities after we realize an annual return equal to 8% of our invested capital. The management agreements generally expire on December 31, 2031, 2032, 2033 or 2035, and are subject to automatic renewal for two consecutive 15 year terms, unless earlier terminated or timely notice of nonrenewal is delivered. The management agreements generally provide that we and Five Star each have the option to terminate the agreements upon the acquisition by a person or group of more than 9.8% of the other's voting stock and upon other change in control events affecting the other party, as defined in those documents, including the adoption of any shareholder proposal (other than a precatory proposal) or the election to the board of directors or board of trustees of any individual if such proposal or individual was not approved, nominated or appointed, as the case may be, by vote of a majority of the board of directors or board of trustees in office immediately prior to the making of such proposal or the nomination or appointment of such individual. 

In connection with the management agreements, we and Five Star have entered into four combination agreements, or pooling agreements, three of which combine our management agreements for communities that include assisted living units, or the AL Pooling Agreements, and the fourth of which combines our management agreements for communities consisting only of independent living units, or the IL Pooling Agreement. The management agreements that are included in each of our pooling agreements are on substantially similar terms. Our first AL Pooling Agreement, which we entered into in May 2011, includes 20 identified communities and our second AL Pooling Agreement, which we entered into in October 2012, includes 19 identified communities. We and Five Star entered into the third AL Pooling Agreement in November 2013 and that pooling agreement currently includes the management agreements for three identified communities. We entered into the IL Pooling Agreement in August 2012 and that agreement currently includes management agreements for two communities that have only independent living units. The senior living community in New York, one senior living community in California described below and the 14 senior living communities we acquired in May 2015 as described below and in Note 3 that Five Star manages for our account are not included in any of our pooling agreements. Each of the AL Pooling Agreements and the IL Pooling Agreement aggregates the determination of fees and expenses of the various communities that are subject to such pooling agreement, including determinations of our return on our invested capital and Five Star's incentive fees. Under each of the pooling agreements, we have the right, after the period of time specified in the agreement has elapsed and subject to Five Star's cure rights, to terminate all, but not less than all, of the management agreements that are subject to the agreement if we do not receive our minimum return in each of three consecutive years. In addition, under each of the pooling agreements, Five Star has a limited right to require the sale of underperforming communities. Also, under each of the pooling agreements, any nonrenewal notice given by Five Star with respect to a community is deemed a nonrenewal with respect to all the communities that are the subject of the agreement. We incurred management fees of $10,728,  $9,765 and $9,229 for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively, with respect to the communities Five Star manages. These amounts are included in property operating expenses in our consolidated statements of comprehensive income.

In July 2014, we entered into an agreement with Five Star, pursuant to which the management agreement for our assisted living community known as Villa Valencia, which is located in California, was removed from the second AL Pooling Agreement as of July 1, 2014. We expect that the management agreement affecting the Villa Valencia community will not be included in any pooling agreement until after extensive renovations planned at that community are completed.

In July 2014, we entered into an amendment to our management agreements with Five Star that include assisted living communities to (i) extend the term of each of the management agreements between us and Five Star for Villa Valencia and the 19 assisted living communities currently included in the second AL Pooling Agreement from December 31, 2031 to December 31, 2033 and (ii) extend the term of the management agreement between us and Five Star for the senior living community that was then and continues to be included in the third AL Pooling Agreement, from December 31, 2031 to December 31, 2035. In July 2014, we also entered into an amendment to our management agreements with Five Star that include only independent living communities to extend the term of the management agreements between us and Five Star for two independent living communities from December 31, 2031 to December 31, 2032. All of our management agreements that are currently included in the third AL Pooling Agreement expire on December 31, 2035.

In December 2014, we acquired two senior living communities in Wisconsin for a total of $47,430, excluding closing costs. Five Star manages these communities for our account pursuant to separate long term management agreements for communities that include assisted living units and these two management agreements are included in the third AL Pooling Agreement.

In connection with our acquisition of 37 senior living communities in May 2015 described in Note 3, we terminated the pre-existing management agreements for 14 of these communities, with 838 living units, and entered into 14 separate management agreements with Five Star for it to manage these communities for our account.

In May 2015, we acquired one senior living community in Georgia with 40 private pay independent living units for approximately $9,750, excluding closing costs, using a TRS structure. This senior living community is adjacent to another community that we own which is managed by Five Star. The operations of this community and the community we previously owned are now conducted as a single integrated community under one management agreement.

We expect that we may amend certain provisions of our management agreements with Five Star as circumstances affecting the managed communities change and that we may enter into additional management arrangements with Five Star for senior living communities that we may acquire in the future.

We own a senior living community in New York with 310 living units, a portion of which is managed by Five Star pursuant to a long term management agreement with us with respect to the senior living units at this community that are not subject to the requirements of New York healthcare licensing laws. The terms of this management agreement are substantially consistent with the terms of our other management agreements with Five Star for communities that include assisted living units, except the management fee payable to Five Star is equal to 5% of the gross revenues realized at that portion of the community and there is no incentive fee payable by us to Five Star. This management agreement expires on December 31, 2031. In order to accommodate certain requirements of New York healthcare licensing laws, one of our TRSs subleases the portion of this community that is subject to those requirements to an entity, D&R Yonkers LLC, which is owned by our President and Chief Operating Officer and Five Star’s chief financial officer and treasurer. Five Star manages this portion of the community pursuant to a long term management agreement with D&R Yonkers LLC. Under the sublease agreement, the annual rent at December 31, 2015 is $3,098 but D&R Yonkers LLC is obligated to pay rent only from available revenues generated by the subleased community. In 2015, 2014 and 2013, D&R Yonkers LLC incurred $3,038,  $2,949 and $2,863, respectively, in rent. Our TRS is obligated to advance any rent shortfalls to D&R Yonkers LLC, and D&R Yonkers LLC is obligated to repay one of our TRSs only from available revenues generated by the subleased community. Pursuant to the management agreement between D&R Yonkers LLC and Five Star, D&R Yonkers LLC pays Five Star a management fee equal to 3% of the gross revenues realized at that portion of the community and there is no incentive fee payable by D&R Yonkers LLC to Five Star. D&R Yonkers LLC's management agreement with Five Star expires on August 31, 2017, and is subject to renewal for nine consecutive five year terms, unless earlier terminated or timely notice of nonrenewal is delivered. Further, we have entered into an indemnification agreement with the owners of D&R Yonkers LLC, pursuant to which we have agreed to indemnify them for costs, losses and expenses they may sustain by reason of being a member, director or officer of D&R Yonkers LLC or in connection with any costs, losses or expenses under our TRS's sublease with D&R Yonkers LLC or the management agreement between D&R Yonkers LLC and Five Star.

Our Manager, RMR LLC. We have no employees. The personnel and various services we require to operate our business are provided to us by RMR LLC. We have two agreements with RMR LLC to provide management services to us: (i) a business management agreement, which relates to our business generally, and (ii) a property management agreement, which relates to the property level operations of our MOBs, both of which are described below in this Note under “—Management Agreements with RMR LLC. 

One of our Managing Trustees, Mr. Barry Portnoy, is a Managing Director, officer and controlling shareholder (through ABP Trust) of RMR Inc. and an officer of RMR LLC. Our other Managing Trustee, Mr. Adam Portnoy, is a Managing Director, President, Chief Executive Officer and controlling shareholder (through ABP Trust) of RMR Inc. and an officer of RMR LLC. ABP Trust is owned by Messrs. Barry and Adam Portnoy. Messrs. Barry and Adam Portnoy also own class A membership units of RMR LLC through their ownership of ABP Trust. Each of our executive officers is also an officer of RMR LLC. Our Independent Trustees also serve as independent directors or independent trustees of other companies to which RMR LLC or its affiliates provide management services. Mr. Barry Portnoy serves as a director, managing director, trustee or managing trustee of all of these companies and Mr. Adam Portnoy serves as a director, trustee or managing trustee of a majority of those companies. In addition, officers of RMR LLC and RMR Inc. serve as our officers and officers of other companies to which RMR LLC or its affiliates provide management services. 

Acquisition of Interest in our Manager. On June 5, 2015, we and three other REITs to which RMR LLC provides management services – Government Properties Income Trust, or GOV, Hospitality Properties Trust, or HPT, and SIR, and collectively with GOV and HPT, the Other REITs – participated in a transaction, or the Up-C Transaction, by which we and the Other REITs each acquired class A common stock of RMR Inc.

The Up-C Transaction was completed pursuant to a transaction agreement by and among us, our manager, RMR LLC, its then sole member, ABP Trust, and RMR Inc. and similar transaction agreements that each Other REIT entered into with RMR LLC, ABP Trust and RMR Inc. Pursuant to these transaction agreements: we contributed to RMR Inc. 2,345,000 of our common shares and $13,967 in cash; GOV contributed to RMR Inc. 700,000 of its common shares and $3,917 in cash; HPT contributed to RMR Inc. 1,490,000 of its common shares and $12,622 in cash; SIR contributed to RMR Inc. 880,000 of its common shares and $15,880 in cash; ABP Trust contributed to RMR Inc. $11,520 in cash, which RMR Inc. contributed to RMR LLC; RMR LLC issued 1,000,000 of its class B membership units to RMR Inc.; RMR Inc. issued 5,272,787 shares of its class A common stock to us, 1,541,201 shares of its class A common stock to GOV, 5,019,121 shares of its class A common stock to HPT, 3,166,891 shares of its class A common stock to SIR and 1,000,000 shares of its class B-1 common stock and 15,000,000 shares of its class B-2 common stock to ABP Trust; ABP Trust delivered 15,000,000 of the 30,000,000 class A membership units of RMR LLC which ABP Trust then owned to RMR Inc.; and RMR Inc. delivered to ABP Trust our common shares, the common shares of the Other REITs and the cash which had been contributed by us and the Other REITs to RMR Inc.

The class A common stock and class B-1 common stock of RMR Inc. share ratably as a single class in dividends and other distributions of RMR Inc. when and if declared by the board of directors of RMR Inc. and have the same rights in a liquidation of RMR Inc. The class B-1 common stock of RMR Inc. is convertible into class A common stock of RMR Inc. on a 1:1 basis. The class A common stock of RMR Inc. has one vote per share. The class B-1 common stock of RMR Inc. has 10 votes per share. The class B-2 common stock of RMR Inc. has no economic interest in RMR Inc., but has 10 votes per share and is paired with the class A membership units of RMR LLC owned by ABP Trust. Upon request by ABP Trust, RMR LLC is required to redeem the class A membership units of RMR LLC owned by ABP Trust for class A common stock of RMR Inc. on a 1:1 basis, or if RMR Inc. elects, for cash. Under the governing documents of RMR Inc., upon the redemption of a class A membership unit of RMR LLC, the share of class B-2 common stock of RMR Inc. “paired” with the class A membership unit being redeemed is cancelled for no additional consideration.

 

As part of the Up-C Transaction and concurrently with entering the transaction agreements, on June 5, 2015:

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We entered into an amended and restated business management agreement with RMR LLC and an amended and restated property management agreement with RMR LLC. The amendments made by these agreements are described below in this Note under “—Management Agreements with RMR LLC.” Each Other REIT also entered amended and restated business and property management agreements with RMR LLC, which made similar amendments to their management agreements with RMR LLC.

 

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We entered into a registration rights agreement with RMR Inc. covering the class A common stock of RMR Inc. that we received in the Up-C Transaction, pursuant to which we received demand and piggyback registration rights, subject to certain limitations. Each Other REIT entered into a similar registration rights agreement with RMR Inc.

 

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We entered into a lock up and registration rights agreement with ABP Trust and Messrs. Barry and Adam Portnoy pursuant to which ABP Trust and Messrs. Barry and Adam Portnoy agreed not to transfer the 2,345,000 of our common shares ABP Trust received in the Up-C Transaction for a period of 10 years and we granted them certain registration rights, subject to certain limited exceptions. Each Other REIT also entered into a similar lock up and registration rights agreement with ABP Trust and Messrs. Barry and Adam Portnoy.

As a result of the Up-C Transaction: RMR LLC became a subsidiary of RMR Inc.; RMR Inc. became the managing member of RMR LLC; through our ownership of class A common stock of RMR Inc., we became a holder of an indirect economic interest in RMR LLC; and through their ownership of class A common stock of RMR Inc., GOV, HPT and SIR also became holders of indirect economic interests in RMR LLC. Through its ownership of class B-1 common stock of RMR Inc., class B-2 common stock of RMR Inc. and class A membership units of RMR LLC. ABP Trust holds, directly and indirectly has a 51.6% economic interest in RMR LLC and controls 91.4% of the voting power of outstanding capital stock of RMR Inc.

Pursuant to the transaction agreements, on December 14, 2015 we distributed 2,635,379 shares of class A common stock of RMR Inc. to our shareholders as a special distribution, which represented approximately half of the shares of class A common stock of RMR Inc. we received in the Up-C Transaction; each Other REIT also distributed approximately half of the shares of class A common stock of RMR Inc. they received in the Up-C Transaction to their respective shareholders. RMR Inc. facilitated this distribution by filing a registration statement with the SEC to register the shares of class A common stock of RMR Inc. being distributed and by listing those shares on the NASDAQ Stock Market LLC. Following this distribution, we currently hold 2,637,408 shares of class A common stock of RMR Inc. and GOV, HPT and SIR currently hold 1,214,225,  2,503,777 and 1,586,836 shares of class A common stock of RMR Inc., respectively. In connection with this distribution, we recognized a non-cash loss of $38,437 in the fourth quarter of 2015 as a result of the closing price of RMR Inc.’s class A common stock being lower than our carrying amount per RMR Inc. share on the distribution date.

On December 15, 2015, RMR Inc. paid a cash dividend to holders of its class A common stock and class B-1 common stock as of November 25, 2015 of $0.5260 per share related to the period from and including June 5, 2015 up to but not including December 14, 2015. As a result of our ownership of class A common stock of RMR Inc., we received a cash dividend of approximately $2,773 from RMR Inc.

 

The transactions contemplated by the transaction agreement and the terms thereof were negotiated and reviewed by a Joint Special Committee comprised solely of our Independent Trustees and the independent trustees of the Other REITs, or the Joint Special Committee, and were separately approved and adopted by our Independent Trustee who did not serve as an independent trustee of any of the Other REITs, by a Special Committee of our Board of Trustees, comprised solely of our Independent Trustees, or our Special Committee, and by our Board of Trustees. Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC acted as financial advisor to the Joint Special Committee and Centerview Partners LLC acted as financial advisor to our Special Committee.

Accounting for Investment in RMR Inc. We concluded, for accounting purposes, that the cash and share consideration of $60,700 we paid for our investment in 5,272,787 shares of class A common stock of RMR Inc. represented a discount to the fair value of these shares. We initially accounted for this investment under the cost method of accounting and recorded this investment at its estimated fair value of $136,278 as of June 5, 2015, using Level 3 inputs as defined in the fair value hierarchy under GAAP. As a result, we recorded a liability for the amount by which the estimated fair value exceeded the price we paid for these shares and we are amortizing this amount as described below. As of December 31, 2015, the unamortized balance of this liability was $77,850. The liability for our investment in class A common stock of RMR Inc. is included in other liabilities in our consolidated balance sheet and is being amortized on a straight line basis through December 31, 2035, the 20 year life of the business and property management agreements with RMR LLC entered on June 5, 2015 as an allocated reduction to business management fees and property management fees, which are included in general and administrative and other operating expenses, respectively, in our consolidated statements of comprehensive income. Amortization of this liability, which is included in general and administrative expense and property operating expenses for the year ending December 31, 2015 totaled $2,145.

Management Agreements with RMR LLC. For 2013, our business management agreement provided for the base business management fee to be paid to RMR LLC at an annual rate equal to the sum of (a) 0.5% of the historical cost of the real estate assets acquired from a REIT to which RMR LLC provided business management or property services, or the Transferred Assets, plus (b) 0.7% of the historical cost of our other real estate investments excluding the Transferred Assets, up to the first $250,000 of such investments, and 0.5% thereafter. In addition, for 2013, our business management agreement also provided for RMR LLC to be paid an incentive fee equal to 15% of the product of (i) the weighted average of our common shares outstanding on a fully diluted basis during a fiscal year and (ii) the excess, if any, of the Normalized FFO Per Share, as defined in that business management agreement, for such fiscal year over the Normalized FFO Per Share for the preceding fiscal year. This incentive fee was payable in common shares and it was subject to a cap on the value of the incentive fee being no greater than $0.02 per share of our total shares outstanding.

On December 23, 2013, we and RMR LLC amended and restated our business management agreement, effective with respect to services performed on or after January 1, 2014. After these amendments, our business management agreement provided that:

 

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Revised Base Management Fee. The annual amount of the base management fee to be paid to RMR LLC by us for each applicable period is equal to the lesser of:

 

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the sum of (a) 0.5% of the average of the aggregate book value of our real estate assets owned by us or our subsidiaries as of October 12, 1999, or the Transferred Assets, plus (b) 0.7% of the average historical cost of our real estate investments excluding the Transferred Assets up to $250,000, plus (c) 0.5% of the average historical cost of our real estate investments excluding the Transferred Assets exceeding $250,000; and

 

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the sum of (a) 0.7% of the average closing price per share of our common shares on the New York Stock Exchange, or NYSE, during such period, multiplied by the average number of our common shares outstanding during such period, plus the daily weighted average of the aggregate liquidation preference of each class of our preferred shares outstanding during such period, plus the daily weighted average of the aggregate principal amount of our consolidated indebtedness during such period, or, together, our Average Market Capitalization, up to $250,000, plus (b) 0.5% of our Average Market Capitalization exceeding $250,000.

 

The average aggregate historical cost of our real estate investments includes our consolidated assets invested, directly or indirectly, in equity interests in or loans secured by real estate and personal property owned in connection with such real estate (including acquisition related costs and costs which may be allocated to intangibles or are unallocated), all before reserves for depreciation, amortization, impairment charges or bad debts or other similar noncash reserves.

 

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Revised Incentive Fee. The incentive fee which may be earned by RMR LLC for an annual period is an amount, subject to a cap based on the value of our outstanding common shares, equal to 12% of the product of (a) our equity market capitalization on the last trading day on the year immediately prior to the relevant measurement period and (b) the amount (expressed as a percentage) by which the total returns per share realized by the holders of our common shares (i.e., share price appreciation plus dividends) exceeds the total shareholder return of the SNL REIT Healthcare Index (in each case subject to certain adjustments) for the relevant measurement period. The measurement periods are generally three-year periods ending with the year for which the incentive fee is being calculated, with shorter periods applicable in the case of the calculation of the incentive fee for 2014 (one year) and 2015 (two years). The terms of the revised incentive fee were developed by our Compensation Committee, which is comprised solely of Independent Trustees, in consultation with FTI Consulting, Inc., a nationally recognized compensation consultant experienced in REIT compensation programs.

 

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Partial Payment in Common Shares. The base management fee would be paid monthly to RMR LLC, 90% in cash and 10% in our common shares, which are fully-vested when issued. The number of our common shares to be issued in payment of the base management fee for each month would equal the value of 10% of the total base management fee for that month divided by the average daily closing price of our common shares during that month. The incentive fee would be payable in our common shares, with one-third of our common shares issued in payment of an incentive fee vested on the date of issuance, and the remaining two-thirds vesting thereafter in two equal annual installments. All common shares issued in payment of the incentive fee would be fully vested upon termination of the business management agreement, subject to certain exceptions. In addition, RMR LLC would, in certain circumstances, be required to return to us or forfeit some or all of the common shares paid or payable to it in payment of the incentive management fee. RMR LLC and certain eligible transferees of our common shares issued in payment of the base management fee or incentive fee would be entitled to demand registration rights, exercisable not more frequently than twice per year, and to "piggy-back" registration rights, with certain expenses to be paid by us. We and applicable selling shareholders also indemnify each other (and their officers, trustees, directors and controlling persons) against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, in connection with any such registration.

 

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Elimination of Right of First Offer. The right of first offer was eliminated. This right of first offer had required that with certain exceptions, if we determined to offer for sale or other disposition any real property that, at such time, is of a type within the investment focus of another REIT to which RMR LLC provides management services, we would first offer that property for purchase or disposition to that REIT and negotiate in good faith for such purchase or disposition. Under our business management agreement, we acknowledge that RMR LLC may engage in other activities or businesses and act as the manager to any other person or entity (including other REITs) even though such person or entity has investment policies and objectives similar to ours and we are not entitled to preferential treatment in receiving information, recommendations and other services from RMR LLC.

 

On May 9, 2014, we and RMR LLC entered into the following amendments to our business management agreement and property management agreement:

 

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Revised RMR LLC Termination Right. RMR LLC’s right to terminate the business management and property management agreements was changed to 120 days’ written notice from the previous 60 days’ written notice for the business management agreement and five business days’ notice if we underwent a change of control for the property management agreement.

 

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RMR LLC Termination Fee. We agreed that if we terminate or elect not to renew the business management agreement other than for cause, as defined, we would pay RMR LLC a termination fee equal to 2.75 times the sum of the annual base management fee and the annual internal audit services expense, which amounts are based on averages during the 24 consecutive calendar months prior to the date of notice of nonrenewal or termination. In addition, we agreed that if we terminate or elect not to renew the property management agreement other than for cause, as defined, within 12 months prior to or following our giving notice of termination or non-renewal of the business management agreement other than for cause, we would pay RMR LLC a termination fee equal to 12 times the average monthly property management fee for the six months prior to the effective date of the nonrenewal or termination.

 

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Transitional Services. RMR LLC agreed to provide certain transition services to us for 120 days following an applicable termination by us or notice of termination by RMR LLC, including cooperating with us and using commercially reasonable efforts to facilitate the orderly transfer of the management and real estate investment services provided under the business management agreement and to facilitate the orderly transfer of management of the managed properties, as applicable.

 

As part of the Up-C Transaction described above, on June 5, 2015, we and RMR LLC amended and restated our business management agreement and our property management agreement. As a result of these amendments, effective as of June 5, 2015:

 

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Extended Term. Our management agreements have terms that end on December 31, 2036, and automatically extend on December 31st of each year for an additional year, so that the terms of the agreements thereafter end on the 20th anniversary of the date of the extension.

 

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Payment of Fees in Cash. All base management and incentive fees under our management agreements are payable in cash.

 

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Revised Termination Rights. We have the right to terminate each management agreement: (i) at any time on 60 days’ written notice for convenience, (ii) immediately upon written notice for cause, as defined therein, (iii) on 60 days’ written notice given within 60 days after the end of an applicable calendar year for a performance reason, as defined therein, and (iv) by written notice during the 12 months following a change of control of RMR LLC, as defined therein. RMR LLC has the right to terminate the management agreements for good reason, as defined therein.

 

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Revised Termination Fee. If we terminate one or both of our management agreements for convenience, or if RMR LLC terminates one or both of our management agreements for good reason, as defined therein, we have agreed to pay RMR LLC a termination fee in an amount equal to the sum of the present values of the monthly future fees, as defined therein, for the terminated management agreement(s) for the remaining term prior to the termination, which depending on the time of termination would be between 19 and 20 years. If we terminate one or both of our management agreements for a performance reason, as defined therein, we have agreed to pay RMR LLC the termination fee calculated as described above, but assuming a remaining term prior to the termination of 10 years. We are not required to pay any termination fee if we terminate our management agreements for cause, as defined therein or as a result of a change of control of RMR LLC, as defined therein.

Our Board of Trustees has given our Compensation Committee, which is comprised exclusively of our Independent Trustees, authority to act on our behalf with respect to our management agreements with RMR LLC. Our Governance Guidelines and the charter of our Compensation Committee together require the committee to annually review the terms of these agreements, evaluate RMR LLC's performance under the agreements and determine whether to terminate the management agreements.

 

The 2013 and 2014 amendments to the business and property management agreements described above were negotiated, reviewed, approved and adopted by our Compensation Committee and the 2015 amendments to the business and property management agreements described above were negotiated and reviewed by the Joint Special Committee, and were approved and adopted by our Compensation Committee.

RMR LLC Management Fees and Reimbursements. Pursuant to our business management agreement with RMR LLC, we recognized business management fees of $34,949,  $30,794 and $27,013 for 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively. The business management fees we recognized for 2015, 2014 and 2013 are included in general and administrative expenses in our consolidated financial statements. The business management fee recognized for 2015 reflects a reduction of $1,743 for the amortization of the liability we recorded in connection with the Up-C Transaction, as further described above under “—Accounting for Investment in RMR Inc.” In accordance with the terms of our business management agreement, we issued, in aggregate, 68,983 of our common shares to RMR LLC as payment for a portion of the base business management fee we recognized for the period from January 1, 2015 to June 5, 2015, and 123,462 of our common shares to RMR LLC as payment for a portion of the base business management fee we recognized for 2014. In March 2013, we issued 21,968 of our common shares to RMR LLC for the incentive fees for 2012, respectively, pursuant to our business management agreement. No incentive fee was payable to RMR LLC under our business management agreement for 2015, 2014 or 2013.

Our property management agreement with RMR LLC provides for management fees for our MOB properties equal to 3.0% of gross collected rents and construction supervision fees equal to 5.0% of construction costs. The aggregate property management and construction supervision fees we recognized were $10,342,  $8,259 and $6,568 for 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively. These amounts are included in property operating expenses or have been capitalized, as appropriate, in our consolidated financial statements.

We are generally responsible for all of our operating expenses, including certain expenses incurred by RMR LLC on our behalf. Our property level operating costs are generally incorporated into rents charged to our tenants, including certain payroll and related costs incurred by RMR LLC. The total of these property management related reimbursements paid to RMR LLC for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 were $7,021,  $5,289 and $4,705, respectively, and these amounts are included in property operating expenses in our consolidated financial statements for these periods. We are generally not responsible for payment of RMR LLC's employment, office or administration expenses incurred to provide management services to us, except for the employment and related expenses of RMR LLC employees assigned to work exclusively or partly at our owned properties, our share of the wages, benefits and other related costs of centralized accounting personnel and our share of the staff employed by RMR LLC who perform our internal audit function.

We have historically awarded share grants to certain RMR LLC employees under our equity compensation plan. During the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, we made annual share grants to RMR LLC employees of 84,000,  81,700 and 82,600 of our common shares, respectively. Those grants had aggregate values of $1,321,  $1,750 and $1,888, respectively, based upon the closing price of our common shares on the NYSE on the dates of grant. One fifth of those restricted shares vested on the grant dates and one fifth vests on each of the next four anniversaries of the grant dates. These share grants to RMR LLC employees are in addition to the fees we paid to RMR LLC. In September 2015, we purchased 13,113 of our common shares, at the closing price for our common shares on the NYSE on the date of purchase, from certain of our officers and other employees of RMR LLC in satisfaction of tax withholding and payment obligations in connection with the vesting of awards of restricted common shares. In addition, under our business management agreement we reimburse RMR LLC for our allocable costs for internal audit services, which amounts are subject to approval by our Compensation Committee. Our Audit Committee appoints our Director of Internal Audit. The aggregate amounts accrued for share grants to RMR LLC employees and internal audit costs for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 were $1,340,  $1,835 and $1,877, respectively, and these amounts are included in our general and administrative expenses for these periods.

On occasion, we have entered into arrangements with former employees of RMR LLC in connection with the termination of their employment with RMR LLC, providing for the acceleration of vesting of restricted shares previously granted to them under our equity compensation plan. Additionally, each of our executive officers during 2015 received grants of restricted shares of other companies to which RMR LLC provides management services, including Five Star, in their capacities as officers of RMR LLC.

Pursuant to our business management agreement, RMR LLC may from time to time negotiate on our behalf with certain third party vendors and suppliers for the procurement of goods and services to us. As part of this arrangement, we may enter agreements with RMR LLC and other companies to which RMR LLC provides management services for the purpose of obtaining more favorable terms from such vendors and suppliers.

 

Leases with RMR LLC. We lease office space to RMR LLC in certain of our properties for RMR LLC’s property management offices. Pursuant to our lease agreements with RMR LLC, we recognized rental income from RMR LLC for leased office space of approximately $204,  $0 and $0 for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013; respectively. Our office space leases with RMR LLC are terminable by RMR LLC if our management agreements with RMR LLC are terminated. We may enter additional leases with RMR LLC for RMR LLC’s regional offices in the future.

SIR. On January 29, 2015, we acquired from SIR entities owning 23 MOBs that SIR acquired when its subsidiary merged with CCIT. Our purchase price for these 23 MOBs was approximately $532,000, including a purchase price adjustment of $7,677, excluding working capital, and including the assumption of approximately $29,995 of mortgage debts. These 23 MOBs contain approximately 2,170,000 leasable square feet and are located in 12 states. In April 2015, SIR paid to us $1,316 to settle certain working capital activity for the 23 MOBs as of the acquisition date.

 

One of our Managing Trustees, Mr. Barry Portnoy, is a managing trustee of SIR and of GOV, which is SIR's largest shareholder. Our other Managing Trustee, Mr. Adam Portnoy, is the son of Mr. Barry Portnoy and a managing trustee of both SIR and GOV. Two of our Independent Trustees also serve as independent trustees of GOV and one of our Independent Trustees also serves as an independent trustee of SIR. Concurrently with SIR’s entering the merger agreement for the acquisition of CCIT, GOV, RMR LLC and Messrs. Barry Portnoy and Adam Portnoy entered into voting agreements with CCIT and VEREIT, Inc. (f/k/a American Realty Capital Properties, Inc.), a Maryland corporation and parent of the manager of CCIT, or VEREIT, pursuant to which they agreed, upon and subject to the terms and conditions of such agreements, to vote all common shares of SIR beneficially owned by them in favor of the issuance of additional common shares of SIR to CCIT stockholders pursuant to the Merger Agreement. These voting agreements also contain standstill provisions pursuant to which VEREIT has agreed, among other things, not to make unsolicited proposals to acquire us, SIR or GOV for a period of 36 months from August 30, 2014.

AIC. We, ABP Trust, Five Star, and four other companies to which RMR LLC provides management services currently own AIC, an Indiana insurance company, and are parties to an amended and restated shareholders agreement regarding AIC. On May 9, 2014, as a result of a change in control of EQC,  as defined in the amended and restated shareholders agreement, we and the other AIC shareholders purchased pro rata the AIC shares EQC owned in accordance with the terms of that agreement. Pursuant to that purchase, we purchased 2,857 AIC shares from EQC for $825. Following these purchases, we and the other remaining six shareholders each own approximately 14.3% of AIC. As of December 31, 2015, we have invested $6,034 in AIC since its formation in 2008.

All of our Trustees and all of the trustees and directors of the other AIC shareholders currently serve on the board of directors of AIC. RMR LLC provides management and administrative services to AIC pursuant to a management and administrative services agreement with AIC. Pursuant to this agreement, AIC pays RMR LLC a service fee equal to 3.0% of the total annual earned premiums payable under then active policies issued or underwritten by AIC or by a vendor or an agent of AIC on its behalf or in furtherance of AIC’s business. The shareholders agreement among us, the other shareholders of AIC and AIC includes arbitration provisions for the resolution of disputes.  

We and the other shareholders of AIC have historically participated in a combined property insurance program arranged by AIC providing $500,000 of coverage and with respect to which AIC is a reinsurer of certain coverage amounts. In June 2015, we and the other shareholders of AIC renewed our participation in this program. In connection with that renewal, we purchased a three year combined property insurance policy providing $500,000 of coverage annually with the premiums to be paid annually, a one year standalone policy providing $1,000,000 of coverage for one very large property we own and a one year combined policy providing certain other coverage. Our annual premiums for this property insurance were $2,785,  $3,118 and $4,748 in 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively. Although we own less than 20% of AIC, we use the equity method to account for this investment because we believe that we have significant influence over AIC as all of our Trustees are also directors of AIC. Our investment in AIC had a carrying value of $6,827,  $6,827 and $5,913 as of December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively, which amounts are included in other assets on our consolidated balance sheets. We recognized income of $20,  $87 and $334 related to our investment in AIC for 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

 

We periodically consider the possibilities for expanding our insurance relationships with AIC to include other types of insurance and may in the future participate in additional insurance offerings AIC may provide or arrange. We may invest additional amounts in AIC in the future if the expansion of this insurance business requires additional capital, but we are not obligated to do so.

Directors’ and Officers’ Liability Insurance. We, RMR Inc., Five Star, and certain companies to which RMR LLC provides management services participate in a combined directors' and officers' liability insurance policy. This combined policy currently provides for $10,000 of combined primary coverage and expires in September 2017. In August 2015, we also obtained separate non-combined directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies providing $20,000 of aggregate excess coverage plus $5,000 of excess non-indemnifiable coverage, which policies expire in September 2016. We paid aggregate premiums of $472,  $736 and $343 in 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively, for these policies. The premiums for the combined policies were allocated among the insured companies after consultation with the insurance broker and approval by each company’s board and independent trustees or directors as applicable.