Wheeler REIT issues 65,898 shares for July preferred redemptions
Rhea-AI Filing Summary
Item 8.01 – Preferred redemptions and note conversion price
On 7 July 2025 Wheeler Real Estate Investment Trust (Nasdaq: WHLR) completed its 22nd monthly redemption window for its Series D Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock. Seven holders redeemed 11,490 preferred shares at an all-in price of about $41.15 per share, which WHLR settled by issuing 65,898 common shares.
Cumulative progress
- 358 redemption requests processed to date
- 1,652,493 Series D shares redeemed in total
- ≈301,500 common shares issued in aggregate
Post-transaction share count stands at 1,160,584 common shares and 1,836,032 Series D preferred shares outstanding as of 7 July 2025.
Convertible notes
The July redemptions did not trigger an adjustment to the conversion price of WHLR’s 7.00% Subordinated Convertible Notes due 2031. The price remains $2.82 (8.87 common shares per $25 note), well below the recent 10-day VWAP of $7.17, implying probable conversion and additional dilution potential.
Future redemptions & registration
An S-11 registration statement covering up to 100,043,323 common shares became effective on 20 June 2025, enabling WHLR to satisfy all future preferred redemptions with registered stock. The next redemption cut-off is 25 July 2025, with settlement on 5 August 2025.
Investment takeaways
WHLR continues to exchange high-dividend preferred shares for equity, reducing cash dividend obligations but introducing significant dilution risk to current common shareholders. The unchanged, deeply in-the-money note conversion price compounds this overhang.
Positive
- Reduction of preferred obligations: 1.65 million Series D shares redeemed to date lowers future high-yield dividend payments.
- Liquidity preservation: Settling redemptions with registered common stock avoids cash outflow and supports balance-sheet flexibility.
Negative
- Dilution risk: 65,898 new shares issued in July and a 100 million-share S-11 shelf could materially dilute existing common shareholders.
- In-the-money note conversion: $2.82 conversion price, far below market, signals additional equity issuance pressure when 7% notes convert.
Insights
TL;DR: Redemptions lessen costly preferred burden but massive authorised issuance and low note conversion price threaten severe dilution, weighing on equity value.
WHLR’s swap of 11,490 Series D shares for 65,898 common shares extends a strategy that has removed 1.65 million preferred shares since launch. Eliminating a 9.0% dividend instrument is economically sensible and modestly improves cash flow. However, today’s common float is only 1.16 million shares versus a newly effective shelf for 100 million. Even a fraction of that capacity would swamp existing equity, depressing per-share metrics and market perception.
The 7% notes’ $2.82 conversion price—just 39% of the recent $7.17 VWAP—remains untouched, signalling more dilution if holders convert. In my view, while preferred holders benefit, common shareholders face escalating supply risk that overshadows the cash-flow upside. Net impact: negative for equity.
TL;DR: Liquidity preserved via stock settlement; stable conversion price leaves noteholders advantaged but credit profile unchanged.
Settling redemptions in equity instead of cash helps conserve cash, a positive for creditors. The absence of a conversion-price reset maintains existing noteholder economics, reinforcing the attractiveness of conversion versus cash redemption. While potential equity dilution is high, from a credit standpoint WHLR avoids incremental leverage and protects liquidity. Overall effect on credit metrics is neutral.