As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 21, 2025
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM S-8
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
APPLE HOSPITALITY REIT, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Virginia | 26-1379210 | |
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(IRS Employer Identification No.) | |
| 814 East Main Street Richmond, Virginia |
23219 | |
| (Address of Principal Executive Offices) | (Zip code) | |
Apple Hospitality REIT, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan
(Full title of the plan)
Justin G. Knight
Chief Executive Officer
814 East Main Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
(Name and address of agent for service)
(804) 344-8121
(Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
Copy to:
Paul Manca
Tifarah Allen
Hogan Lovells US LLP
555 Thirteenth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20004
(202) 637-5600
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
| Large accelerated filer | ☒ | Accelerated filer | ☐ | |||
| Non-accelerated filer | ☐ | Smaller reporting company | ☐ | |||
| Emerging growth company | ☐ | |||||
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of Securities Act. ☐
PART I
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS
The documents containing the information specified in Part I of this Form S-8 will be sent or given to the persons participating in the Apple Hospitality REIT, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as specified by Rule 428(b)(1) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). In accordance with the instructions to Part I of Form S-8, such documents are not required to be, and are not, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) either as part of this registration statement or as a prospectus or prospectus supplement pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act. These documents and the documents incorporated by reference pursuant to Item 3 of Part II of this registration statement, taken together, constitute the prospectus as required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.
PART II
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
| Item 3. | Incorporation of Documents by Reference. |
The following documents are incorporated by reference in this registration statement:
| • | The Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, filed with the Commission on February 24, 2025. |
| • | The portions of the Company’s Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the Commission on April 3, 2025 incorporated by reference in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024. |
| • | The Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, filed with the Commission on May 1, 2025. |
| • | The Company’s Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on February 24, 2025 (with respect to Item 8.01 only), February 25, 2025 (with respect to Item 8.01 only), and May 21, 2025. |
| • | The description of the Company’s common shares, no par value, contained in the Company’s Registration Statement on Form 8-A, filed with the Commission on May 13, 2015, as updated by Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on February 22, 2024 and any amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description. |
In addition, all documents and reports subsequently filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this registration statement and to be part hereof from the date of filing of such documents or reports; provided, however, the Company is not incorporating any information furnished under either Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of any Current Report on Form 8-K. Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this registration statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this registration statement.
| Item 4. | Description of Securities. |
Not applicable.
| Item 5. | Interests of Named Experts and Counsel. |
Not applicable.
| Item 6. | Indemnification of Directors and Officers. |
The Virginia Stock Corporation Act (the “VSCA”) permits, and the Company’s articles of incorporation (the “Articles”) require, to the fullest extent permitted by Virginia law, that the Company indemnify its officers and directors in a variety of circumstances, which may include indemnification for liabilities under the Securities Act. Under Sections 13.1-697 and 13.1-702 of the VSCA, a Virginia corporation generally is authorized to indemnify its directors and officers in civil and criminal actions if such officer or director acted in good faith and believed, in the case of conduct in his or her official capacity with the corporation, that his conduct was in the best interests of the corporation or in all other cases, that his conduct was at least not opposed to its best interests, and, in the case of any criminal proceeding, he had no reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful. The VSCA requires such indemnification, unless limited by a corporation’s articles of incorporation, when a director or officer entirely prevails in the defense of any proceeding to which he was a party because he is or was a director or officer of the corporation.
The Articles provide that the Company must indemnify any individual who is, was or is threatened to be made a party to a civil, criminal, administrative, investigative or other proceeding (including a proceeding by or in the right of the Company or by or on behalf of its shareholders) because such individual is or was a director or officer of the Company or of any legal entity controlled by the Company, or is or was a fiduciary of any employee benefit plan established at the direction of the Company, against all liabilities and reasonable expenses incurred by him on account of the proceeding, provided that the directors of the Company (excluding the indemnified party) determine in good faith that his course of conduct which caused the loss or liability was in the best interests of the Company, and provided further that such liabilities and expenses were not incurred because of his willful misconduct, bad faith, reckless disregard of duties or knowing violation of the criminal law. Before any indemnification is paid, a determination must be made that indemnification is permissible in the circumstances because the person seeking indemnification is eligible for indemnification and has met the standard of conduct set forth above. Such determination must be made in the manner provided by Virginia law for determining that indemnification of a director is permissible; provided, however, that if a majority of the directors of the Company has changed after the date of the alleged conduct giving rise to a claim for indemnification, the determination that indemnification is permissible must, at the option of the person claiming indemnification, be made by special legal counsel agreed upon by the board of directors of the Company and such person.
Unless a determination has been made that indemnification is not permissible, the Company must make advances and reimbursement for expenses incurred by any person named above upon receipt of an undertaking from him to repay the same if it is ultimately determined that such individual is not entitled to indemnification. The Company is authorized to contract in advance to indemnify its directors and officers to the extent it is required to indemnify them pursuant to the provisions described above.
Notwithstanding the above, indemnification will not be allowed for any liability imposed by judgment, and costs associated therewith, including attorneys’ fees, arising from or out of an alleged violation of federal or state securities laws associated with the public offering of the Company’s common shares unless (i) there has been a successful adjudication on the merits of each count involving alleged securities law violations as to the particular indemnitee, or (ii) such claims have been dismissed with prejudice on the merits by a court of competent jurisdiction as to the particular indemnitee, or (iii) a court of competent jurisdiction approves a settlement of the claims against a particular indemnitee and finds that indemnification of the settlement and the related costs should be made, and the court considering the request for indemnification has been advised of the position of the Commission and of the published position of any state securities regulatory authority in which securities of the Company were offered or sold as to indemnification for violations of securities laws.
The rights of each person or entity entitled to indemnification under the Articles shall inure to the benefit of such person’s or entity’s heirs, executors, administrators, successors or assigns. Indemnification pursuant to the Articles shall not be exclusive of any other right of indemnification to which any person or entity may be entitled, including indemnification pursuant to a valid contract, indemnification by legal entities other than the Company, and indemnification under policies of insurance purchased and maintained by the Company or others. However, no person or entity shall be entitled to indemnification by the Company to the extent such person or entity is indemnified by another, including an insurer.
Insofar as the foregoing provisions permit indemnification of directors or officers for liability arising under the Securities Act, we have been informed that, in the opinion of the Commission, this indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
| Item 7. | Exemption from Registration Claimed. |
Not applicable.
| Item 8. | Exhibits. |
| * | Filed herewith. |
| Item 9. | Undertakings. |
(a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:
| (i) | To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act; |
| (ii) | To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; |
| (iii) | To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement; |
provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) above do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Company pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in this registration statement.
(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
(b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in this registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that, in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than for the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the city of Richmond, state of Virginia, on this 21st day of May, 2025.
| APPLE HOSPITALITY REIT, INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Justin G. Knight | |
| Justin G. Knight | ||
| Chief Executive Officer | ||
POWER OF ATTORNEY
Each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Matthew P. Rash, Rachel S. Labrecque or Elizabeth S. Perkins, and each of them, as his attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution for him in any and all capacities, to sign any or all amendments or post-effective amendments to this Registration Statement, and to file the same, with exhibits and other documents related thereto with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto such attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary in connection with such matters and hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorney-in-fact and agent or his substitutes may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated:
| Signature |
Title |
Date | ||
| /s/ Justin G. Knight Justin G. Knight |
Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer) |
May 21, 2025 | ||
| /s/ Elizabeth S. Perkins Elizabeth S. Perkins |
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer) |
May 21, 2025 | ||
| /s/ Rachel S. Labrecque Rachel S. Labrecque |
Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer (Principal Accounting Officer) |
May 21, 2025 | ||
| /s/ Glade M. Knight Glade M. Knight |
Executive Chairman | May 21, 2025 | ||
| /s/ Glenn W. Bunting, Jr. Glenn W. Bunting, Jr. |
Director | May 21, 2025 | ||
| /s/ Jon A. Fosheim Jon A. Fosheim |
Director | May 21, 2025 | ||
| /s/ Kristian M. Gathright Kristian M. Gathright |
Director | May 21, 2025 | ||
| /s/ Carolyn B. Handlon Carolyn B. Handlon |
Director | May 21, 2025 | ||
| /s/ Blythe J. McGarvie Blythe J. McGarvie |
Director | May 21, 2025 | ||
| /s/ L. Hugh Redd L. Hugh Redd |
Director | May 21, 2025 | ||
| /s/ Howard E. Woolley Howard E. Woolley |
Director | May 21, 2025 | ||