UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

 
FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): December 18, 2012 (December 17, 2012)

AMERICAN REALTY CAPITAL PROPERTIES, INC.

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure.

On December 17, 2012, American Realty Capital Properties, Inc. (the “Company”) hosted a conference call discussing the Company’s entry into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) with American Realty Capital Trust III, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Target”), Tiger Acquisition, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (“Merger Sub”), and the other parties named therein. The Merger Agreement provides for, among other things, the merger of the Target with and into Merger Sub (the “Merger”), with Merger Sub surviving as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company.

A copy of the transcript of the conference call is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K. Such transcript shall not be deemed “filed” for any purpose, including for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that Section. The information in this Item 7.01, including Exhibit 99.1, shall not be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act regardless of any general incorporation language in such filing.

Additional Information about the Proposed Transaction and Where to Find It

This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval. In connection with the proposed transaction, the Company and the Target expect to prepare and file with the SEC a joint proxy statement and the Company expects to prepare and file with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-4 containing a joint proxy statement/prospectus and other documents with respect to the Company’s proposed acquisition of the Target. INVESTORS ARE URGED TO READ THE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS (INCLUDING ALL AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) AND OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC IF AND WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION.

Investors may obtain free copies of the registration statement, the joint proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant documents filed by the Company and the Target with the SEC (if and when they become available) through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. Copies of the documents filed by the Company with the SEC are also available free of charge on the Company’s website at http://www.americanrealtycapitalproperties.com, and copies of the documents filed by the Target with the SEC are available free of charge on the Target’s website at http://www.arct-3.com.

The Company, the Target, AR Capital, LLC and their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the Company’s and the Target’s stockholders in respect of the proposed transaction. Information regarding the Company’s directors and executive officers can be found in the Company’s definitive proxy statement filed with the SEC on May 4, 2012, as modified by the Company’s current report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on October 17, 2012. Information regarding the Target’s directors and executive officers can be found in the Target’s definitive proxy statement filed with the SEC on April 25, 2012, as modified by the Target’s current report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on July 13, 2012. Additional information regarding the interests of such potential participants will be included in the joint proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant documents filed with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction if and when they become available. These documents are available free of charge on the SEC’s website and from the Company or the Target, as applicable, using the sources indicated above.

Forward-Looking Statements

Information set forth in this Current Report on Form 8-K (including information included or incorporated by reference herein) contains “forward-looking statements” (as defined in Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), which reflect the Company’s and the Target’s expectations regarding future events. The forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, whether and when the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement will be consummated, the new combined company’s plans, market and other expectations, objectives, intentions, as well as any expectations or projections with respect to the combined company, including regarding future dividends and market valuations, and other statements that are not historical facts.

The following additional factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements: the ability to obtain regulatory approvals for the transaction and the approval by the Company’s stockholders of the issuance of the Company’s common stock in connection with the Merger and the approval by the Target’s stockholders of the Merger; market volatility; unexpected costs or unexpected liabilities that may arise from the transaction, whether or not consummated; the inability to retain key personnel; continuation or deterioration of current market conditions; future regulatory or legislative actions that could adversely affect the companies; and the business plans of the tenants of the respective parties. Additional factors that may affect future results are contained in the Company’s and the Target’s filings with the SEC, which are available at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. The Company and the Target disclaim any obligation to update and revise statements contained in these materials based on new information or otherwise.

Item 8.01. Other Events

On December 17, 2012, the Company hosted a conference call discussing the Company’s entry into the Merger Agreement with the Target, Merger Sub and the other parties named therein.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits

 (d)     Exhibits

 SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.