CyrusOne Inc. - FORM 10-K - EX-4.5

Attached files

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EX-32.2 - EX-32.2 - CyrusOne Inc.	cone-20201231xex322.htm
EX-32.1 - EX-32.1 - CyrusOne Inc.	cone-20201231xex321.htm
EX-31.2 - EX-31.2 - CyrusOne Inc.	cone-20201231xex312.htm
EX-31.1 - EX-31.1 - CyrusOne Inc.	cone-20201231xex311.htm
EX-23.1 - EX-23.1 - CyrusOne Inc.	cone-20201231xex231.htm
EX-22 - EX-22 - CyrusOne Inc.	cone-20201231xex22.htm
EX-21.1 - EX-21.1 - CyrusOne Inc.	cone-20201231xex211.htm
EX-10.4 - EX-10.4 - CyrusOne Inc.	cone-20201231xex104.htm
10-K - 10-K - CyrusOne Inc.	cone-20201231.htm

Exhibit 4.5

DESCRIPTION OF THE REGISTRANT’S SECURITIES

REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12 OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

References to “we”, “our”, “us” and “our company” herein are, unless the context otherwise indicates, only to CyrusOnc Inc., a Maryland corporation. This description does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by, reference to the Maryland General Corporation Law (the ”MGCL”) and our charter (the “charter”) and bylaws (“bylaws”). Copies of our charter and bylaws are filed as exhibits to our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, and are incorporated herein by reference.

DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

The following is a summary of the general terms of the common stock of our company. Our charter provides that we may issue up to 500,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.01 par value per share, and 100,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.01 par value per share. Our charter authorizes our board of directors, without stockholder approval, to amend our charter to increase or decrease the aggregate number of shares of stock that we are authorized to issue or the number of authorized shares of any class or series of stock. Under Maryland law, our stockholders generally are not liable for our debts or obligations solely as a result of their status as stockholders.

Distributions

Subject to the preferential rights, if any, of holders of any other class or series of our stock and to the provisions of our charter relating to the restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock, holders of our common stock are entitled to receive distributions when authorized by our board of directors and declared by us out of assets legally available for distribution to our stockholders and are entitled to share ratably in our assets legally available for distribution to our stockholders in the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up after payment of or adequate provision for all of our known debts and liabilities.

Voting Rights

Subject to the provisions of our charter regarding the restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock and except as may be otherwise specified in the terms of any class or series of common stock, each outstanding share of common stock entitles the holder to one vote on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders, including the election of directors, and, except as may be provided with respect to any other class or series of our stock, the holders of shares of our common stock possess the exclusive voting power. There is no cumulative voting in the election of directors. Consequently, the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of our common stock can elect all of the directors then standing for election, and the holders of the

remaining shares will not be able to elect any directors. Directors are elected by a plurality of all of the votes cast in the election of directors.

Under the MGCL, a Maryland corporation generally cannot dissolve, amend its charter, merge or consolidate with, or convert to, another entity, sell all or substantially all of its assets or engage in a statutory share exchange unless the action is advised by the board of directors and approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter, unless a lesser percentage (but not less than a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter) is specified in the corporation’s charter. Our charter provides that these actions must be approved by a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.

Maryland law also permits a corporation to transfer all or substantially all of its assets without the approval of its stockholders to an entity owned, directly or indirectly, by the corporation. Because our operating assets are held by our operating partnership’s subsidiaries, these subsidiaries may be able to merge or transfer all or substantially all of their assets without the approval of our stockholders.

Other Rights

Holders of shares of our common stock have no preference, conversion, exchange, sinking fund, redemption or appraisal rights and have no preemptive rights to subscribe for any securities of our company. Subject to the provisions of our charter regarding the restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock, shares of our common stock have equal distribution, liquidation and other rights.

Power to Increase or Decrease Authorized Shares of Common Stock, Reclassify Unissued Shares of Common Stock and Issue Additional Shares of Common Stock

Our charter authorizes our board of directors, with the approval of a majority of the entire board and without stockholder approval, to amend our charter to increase or decrease the aggregate number of shares of stock or the number of shares of any class or series of stock that we are authorized to issue. In addition, our charter authorizes our board of directors to authorize the issuance from time to time of shares of our common stock.

Our charter also authorizes our board of directors to classify and reclassify any unissued shares of our common stock into other classes or series of stock, including one or more classes or series of stock that have priority over our common stock with respect to voting rights, distributions or upon liquidation, and authorize us to issue the newly classified shares. Prior to the issuance of shares of each new class or series of stock, our board of directors is required by Maryland law and by our charter to set, subject to the provisions of our charter regarding the restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock, the preferences, conversion and other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to distributions, qualifications and terms and conditions of redemption for each class or series. Therefore, although our board of directors does not currently intend to do so, it could authorize the issuance of shares of common stock with terms and conditions that could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control

or other transaction that might involve a premium price for shares of our common stock or otherwise be in the best interests of our stockholders.

We believe that the power of our board of directors to approve amendments to our charter to increase or decrease the number of authorized shares of stock, to authorize us to issue additional authorized but unissued shares of common stock and to classify or reclassify unissued shares of common stock and thereafter to authorize us to issue such classified or reclassified shares of stock provides us with increased flexibility in structuring possible future financings and acquisitions and in meeting other needs that might arise.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Computershare Trust Company N.A.

Listing

Our common stock is listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “CONE.”

Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer

In order for us to qualify as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), shares of our stock must be owned by 100 or more persons during at least 335 days of a taxable year of 12 months (other than the first year for which an election to qualify as a REIT has been made) or during a proportionate part of a shorter taxable year. Also, not more than 50% of the value of the outstanding shares of our stock may be owned, directly or indirectly, by five or fewer individuals (as defined in the Code to include certain entities such as private foundations) during the last half of a taxable year (other than the first year for which an election to be a REIT has been made). To qualify as a REIT, we must satisfy other requirements as well.

Our charter contains restrictions on the ownership and transfer of our stock. Our board may, from time to time, grant waivers from these restrictions, in its sole discretion. The relevant sections of our charter provide that, subject to the exceptions described below, no person or entity may own, or be deemed to own, beneficially or by virtue of the applicable constructive ownership provisions of the Code, more than 9.8%, in value or in number of shares, whichever is more restrictive, of the outstanding shares of our common stock (the “common stock ownership limit”) or 9.8% in value of the outstanding shares of all classes or series of our stock (the “aggregate stock ownership limit”). We refer to the common stock ownership limit and the aggregate stock ownership limit collectively as the “ownership limits.” We refer to the person or entity that, but for operation of the ownership limits or another restriction on ownership and transfer of our stock as described below, would beneficially own or constructively own shares of our stock in violation of such limits or restrictions and, if appropriate in the context, a person or entity that would have been the record owner of such shares of our stock as a “prohibited owner.”

The constructive ownership rules under the Code are complex and may cause shares of stock owned beneficially or constructively by a group of related individuals and/or entities to be owned beneficially or constructively by one individual or entity. As a result, the acquisition of less than 9.8%, in value or in number of shares, whichever is more restrictive, of the outstanding shares of our common stock, or less than 9.8% in value of the outstanding shares of all classes and series of our stock (or the acquisition by an individual or entity of an interest in an entity that owns, beneficially or constructively, shares of our stock), could, nevertheless, cause that individual or entity, or another individual or entity, to own beneficially or constructively shares of our stock in excess of the ownership limits.

Our board of directors, in its sole discretion, may exempt, prospectively or retroactively, a particular stockholder from the ownership limits or establish a different limit on ownership (the “excepted holder limit”) if our board of directors determines that:

•no individual’s beneficial or constructive ownership of our stock will result in our being “closely held” under Section 856(h) of the Code (without regard to whether the ownership interest is held during the last half of a taxable year) or otherwise failing to qualify as a REIT; and

•such stockholder does not and will not own, actually or constructively, an interest in a tenant of ours (or a tenant of any entity owned or controlled by us) that would cause us to own, actually or constructively, more than a 9.9% interest (as set forth in Section 856(d)(2)(B) of the Code) in such tenant (or our board of directors determines that revenue derived from such tenant will not affect our ability to qualify as a REIT).

Any violation or attempted violation of any such representations or undertakings will result in such stockholder’s shares of stock being automatically transferred to a charitable trust. As a condition of granting the waiver or establishing the excepted holder limit, our board of directors may require an opinion of counsel or a ruling from the IRS, in either case in form and substance satisfactory to our board of directors, in its sole discretion, in order to determine or ensure our status as a REIT and such representations and undertakings from the person requesting the exception as our board of directors may require in its sole discretion to make the determinations above. Our board of directors may impose such conditions or restrictions as it deems appropriate in connection with granting such a waiver or establishing an excepted holder limit. As of the date hereof, our board has granted limited waivers to certain holders of our common stock.

In connection with granting a waiver of the ownership limits or creating an excepted holder limit or at any other time, our board of directors may from time to time increase or decrease the common stock ownership limit, the aggregate stock ownership limit or both, for all other persons, unless, after giving effect to such increase, five or fewer individuals could beneficially own, in the aggregate, more than 49.9% in value of our outstanding stock or we would otherwise fail to qualify as a REIT. A reduced ownership limit will not apply to any person or entity whose percentage ownership of our common stock or our stock of all classes and series, as applicable, is, at the effective time of such reduction, in excess of such decreased ownership limit until such time as such person’s or entity’s percentage ownership of our

common stock or our stock of all classes and series, as applicable, equals or falls below the decreased ownership limit, but any further acquisition of shares of our common stock or stock of all other classes or series, as applicable, will violate the decreased ownership limit.

Our charter further prohibits:

•any person from beneficially or constructively owning, applying certain attribution rules of the Code, shares of our stock that would result in our being “closely held” under Section 856(h) of the Code (without regard to whether the ownership interest is held during the last half of a taxable year) or otherwise cause us to fail to qualify as a REIT;

•any person from transferring shares of our stock if the transfer would result in shares of our stock being beneficially owned by fewer than 100 persons (determined under the principles of Section 856(a)(5) of the Code); and

•any person from beneficially owning shares of our stock to the extent such ownership would result in our failing to qualify as a “domestically controlled qualified investment entity” within the meaning of Section 897(h) of the Code.

Any person who acquires or attempts or intends to acquire beneficial or constructive ownership of shares of our stock that will or may violate the ownership limits or any of the other restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock described above, or who would have owned shares of our stock transferred to the trust as described below, must immediately give notice to us of such event or, in the case of an attempted or proposed transaction, give us at least 15 days’ prior written notice and provide us with such other information as we may request in order to determine the effect of such transfer on our status as a REIT.

If any transfer of shares of our stock would result in shares of our stock being beneficially owned by fewer than 100 persons, the transfer will be null and void and the intended transferee will acquire no rights in the shares. In addition, if any purported transfer of shares of our stock or any other event would otherwise result in any person violating the ownership limits or an excepted holder limit established by our board of directors, or in our being “closely held” under Section 856(h) of the Code (without regard to whether the ownership interest is held during the last half of a taxable year) or otherwise failing to qualify as a REIT or as a “domestically controlled qualified investment entity” within the meaning of Section 897(h) of the Code, then that number of shares (rounded up to the nearest whole share) that would cause the violation will be automatically transferred to, and held by, a trust for the exclusive benefit of one or more charitable organizations selected by us, and the intended transferee or other prohibited owner will acquire no rights in the shares. The automatic transfer will be effective as of the close of business on the business day prior to the date of the violative transfer or other event that results in a transfer to the trust. If the transfer to the trust as described above is not automatically effective, for any reason, to prevent violation of the applicable ownership limits or our being “closely held” under Section 856(h) of the Code (without regard to whether the ownership interest is held during the last half of a taxable year) or our otherwise failing to qualify as a REIT or as a “domestically controlled qualified investment entity,” then our charter provides that the

transfer of the shares will be null and void and the intended transferee will acquire no rights in such shares.

Shares of our stock held in the trust will be issued and outstanding shares. The prohibited owner will not benefit economically from ownership of any shares of our stock held in the trust and will have no rights to distributions and no rights to vote or other rights attributable to the shares of our stock held in the trust. The trustee of the trust will exercise all voting rights and receive all distributions with respect to shares held in the trust for the exclusive benefit of the charitable beneficiary of the trust. Any distribution made before we discover that the shares have been transferred to a trust as described above must be repaid by the recipient to the trustee upon demand by us. Subject to Maryland law, effective as of the date that the shares have been transferred to the trust, the trustee will have the authority to rescind as void any vote cast by a prohibited owner before our discovery that the shares have been transferred to the trust and to recast the vote in accordance with the desires of the trustee acting for the benefit of the charitable beneficiary of the trust. However, if we have already taken irreversible corporate action, then the trustee may not rescind and recast the vote.

Shares of our stock transferred to the trustee are deemed offered for sale to us, or our designee, at a price per share equal to the lesser of (i) the price paid by the prohibited owner for the shares (or, in the case of a devise or gift, the market price at the time of such devise or gift) and (ii) the market price on the date we accept, or our designee, accepts such offer. We may reduce the amount so payable to the trustee by the amount of any distribution that we made to the prohibited owner before we discovered that the shares had been automatically transferred to the trust and that are then owed by the prohibited owner to the trustee as described above, and we may pay the amount of any such reduction to the trustee for distribution to the charitable beneficiary. We have the right to accept such offer until the trustee has sold the shares of our stock held in the trust as discussed below. Upon a sale to us, the interest of the charitable beneficiary in the shares sold terminates, and the trustee must distribute the net proceeds of the sale to the prohibited owner and must distribute any distributions held by the trustee with respect to such shares to the charitable beneficiary.

If we do not buy the shares, the trustee must, within 20 days of receiving notice from us of the transfer of shares to the trust, sell the shares to a person or entity designated by the trustee who could own the shares without violating the ownership limits or the other restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock. After the sale of the shares, the interest of the charitable beneficiary in the shares transferred to the trust will terminate and the trustee must distribute to the prohibited owner an amount equal to the lesser of (i) the price paid by the prohibited owner for the shares (or, if the prohibited owner did not give value for the shares in connection with the event causing the shares to be held in the trust (for example, in the case of a gift, devise or other such transaction), the market price of the shares on the day of the event causing the shares to be held in the trust) and (ii) the sales proceeds (net of any commissions and other expenses of sale) received by the trust for the shares. The trustee may reduce the amount payable to the prohibited owner by the amount of any distribution that we paid to the prohibited owner before we discovered that the shares had been automatically transferred to the trust and that are then owed by the prohibited owner to the trustee as described above. Any net sales proceeds in excess of

the amount payable to the prohibited owner must be paid immediately to the charitable beneficiary, together with any distributions thereon. In addition, if, prior to the discovery by us that shares of stock have been transferred to a trust, such shares of stock are sold by a prohibited owner, then such shares will be deemed to have been sold on behalf of the trust and, to the extent that the prohibited owner received an amount for or in respect of such shares that exceeds the amount that such prohibited owner was entitled to receive, such excess amount will be paid to the trustee upon demand. The prohibited owner has no rights in the shares held by the trustee.

In addition, if our board of directors determines in good faith that a transfer or other event has occurred that would violate the restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock described above, our board of directors may take such action as it deems advisable to refuse to give effect to or to prevent such transfer, including, but not limited to, causing us to redeem shares of our stock, refusing to give effect to the transfer on our books or instituting proceedings to enjoin the transfer.

Every owner of 5% or more (or such lower percentage as required by the Code or the regulations promulgated thereunder) of our stock, within 30 days after the end of each taxable year, must give us written notice stating the stockholder’s name and address, the number of shares of each class and series of our stock that the stockholder beneficially owns and a description of the manner in which the shares are held. Each such owner must provide to us in writing such additional information as we may request in order to determine the effect, if any, of the stockholder’s beneficial ownership on our status as a REIT and to ensure compliance with the ownership limits. In addition, any person or entity that is a beneficial owner or constructive owner of shares of our stock and any person or entity (including the stockholder of record) who is holding shares of our stock for a beneficial owner or constructive owner must, on request, provide to us such information as we may request in good faith in order to determine our status as a REIT and to comply with the requirements of any taxing authority or governmental authority or to determine such compliance and to ensure compliance with the ownership limits.

Any certificates representing shares of our stock will bear a legend referring to the restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock described above.

These restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock will not apply if our board of directors determines that it is no longer in our best interests to attempt to qualify, or to continue to qualify, as a REIT or that compliance is no longer required in order for us to qualify as a REIT.

The restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock described above could delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change in control that might involve a premium price for our common stock or otherwise be in the best interests of our stockholders.

DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

The following description of our 1.450% Notes due 2027 (the “notes”) does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, the actual terms and provisions of the notes and the indenture (as defined below). Copies of the indenture are filed as

exhibits to our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, and are incorporated herein by reference. Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the notes or the indenture, as applicable. As used in this section, the term (i) “Issuers” refers collectively to CyrusOne LP and CyrusOne Finance Corp. and not to any of their respective subsidiaries, (ii) “we,” “our,” “us,” and “CyrusOne LP” refers only to CyrusOne LP and not to any of its subsidiaries or CyrusOne Inc., (iii) “CyrusOne Finance” refers only to CyrusOne Finance Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of CyrusOne LP with nominal assets that conducts no operations, and not to any of its subsidiaries and (iv) “CyrusOne” refers to CyrusOne Inc. and not to any of its subsidiaries. This description does not restate the indenture in its entirety. We urge you to read the indenture for additional information.

General

The notes were issued pursuant to an indenture, dated December 5, 2019, among CyrusOne LP and CyrusOne Finance, as co-issuers, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee, and a supplemental indenture, dated January 22, 2020 (together, the “indenture”), among CyrusOne LP and CyrusOne Finance, as co-issuers, CyrusOne, as guarantor, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee, and Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as registrar and paying agent.

The notes are senior unsecured obligations of the Issuers, rank equally in right of payment with any existing and future unsecured senior indebtedness of the Issuers and rank senior in right of payment to any future subordinated indebtedness of the Issuers, if any. The notes are effectively subordinated in right of payment to all future secured indebtedness of the Issuers, if any, to the extent of the value of the collateral securing such Indebtedness and are structurally subordinated in right of payment to all indebtedness and other liabilities, including trade payables, of CyrusOne LP’s subsidiaries (other than CyrusOne Finance).

The notes are initially limited to an aggregate principal amount of €500 million. The Issuers may from time to time, without notice to or consent of existing holders of the notes, create and issue additional notes having the same terms and conditions in all respects, except for the issue date and, under certain circumstances, the issue price and first payment of interest thereon; provided that such issuance complies with the covenants described below. Additional notes issued in this manner will be consolidated with and will form a single series with the previously outstanding notes; provided, however, that, if such additional notes will not be fungible with the applicable previously outstanding notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes, such additional notes will have a separate CUSIP number. These notes and any additional notes would rank equally and ratably in right of payment and would be treated as a single series of debt securities for all purposes under the indenture.

Subject to compliance with covenants relating to our total outstanding debt, secured debt, maintenance of total unencumbered assets and debt service, the indenture will not limit the amount of debt we may issue under the indenture or otherwise.

If any interest payment date, stated maturity date, redemption date or repurchase date is not a business day, the payment otherwise required to be made on such date will be made on the next business day without any additional payment as a result of such delay. All payments will be made in euros.

The terms of the notes provide that the Issuers are permitted to withhold from interest payments and payments upon a redemption or maturity of the notes any amounts the Issuers are required to withhold by law. For example, non-United States holders of notes may, under some circumstances, be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax with respect to payments of interest on the notes.

The Issuers or one of their affiliates may, to the extent permitted by applicable law, at any time purchase notes at any price in the open market, by tender or by private agreement. Any notes so repurchased may not be reissued or resold and will be canceled promptly.

Guarantee

CyrusOne fully and unconditionally guarantees our obligations under the notes on a senior unsecured basis, including the due and punctual payment of principal of and interest and premium, if any, on the notes, whether at stated maturity, by declaration of acceleration, call for redemption, notice of repurchase or otherwise. The guarantee is a senior unsecured obligation of CyrusOne, ranks equally in right of payment with any senior unsecured indebtedness of CyrusOne and ranks senior in right of payment to any future subordinated indebtedness of CyrusOne, if any. The guarantee is effectively subordinated in right of payment to all future secured indebtedness of CyrusOne, if any, to the extent of the value of the collateral securing that indebtedness. The guarantee is structurally subordinated in right of payment to all indebtedness and other liabilities, including trade payables, of CyrusOne’s subsidiaries (other than the issuers).

Interest

Interest on the notes accrues at the rate of 1.450% per year, from and including January 22, 2020 or the most recent interest payment date to which interest has been paid or provided for, and is payable annually in arrears on January 22 of each year, beginning on January 22, 2021.

We make each interest payment to the holders in whose names the notes are registered at the close of business on the date that is (i) in the case of notes represented by a global note, the clearing system business day (which, for these purposes, is a day on which Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg settle payments in euros) immediately prior to the relevant interest payment date and (ii) in all other cases, 15 calendar days prior to the relevant interest payment date (whether or not a business day) (for the purposes of clauses (i) and (ii), such day, the “Record Date”). Interest on the notes is computed on the basis of the actual number of days in the period for which interest is being calculated for the notes and the actual number of days from and including the last date on which interest was paid on the notes (or from January 22, 2020, if no interest has been paid on the notes) to, but excluding, the next scheduled interest payment date. This payment convention is referred to as ACTUAL/ACTUAL (ICMA) (as defined in the rulebook of the International Capital Market Association).

If the Issuers redeem the notes in accordance with the terms of such notes, the Issuers will pay accrued and unpaid interest and premium, if any, to the holder that surrenders such notes for redemption. However, if a redemption falls after a Record Date and on or prior to the corresponding interest payment date, the Issuers will pay the full amount of accrued and unpaid interest and premium, if any, due on such interest payment date to the holder of record at the close of business on the corresponding Record Date.

Maturity

The notes will mature on January 22, 2027, and will be paid against presentation and surrender thereof at the corporate trust office of the trustee unless earlier redeemed by us at our option, as described below. The notes are not entitled to the benefits of, or subject to, any sinking fund.

Issuance in Euros

Initial holders of the notes paid for the notes in euros, and principal, premium, if any, and interest payments and additional amounts, if any, in respect of the notes are payable in euros, except as described below.

If the euro is unavailable to us due to the imposition of exchange controls or other circumstances beyond our control or the euro is no longer used by the then member states of the European Monetary Union that have adopted the euro as their currency or for the settlement of transactions by public institutions within the international banking community, then all payments in respect of the notes will be made in U.S. dollars until the euro is again available to us or so used. In such circumstances, the amount payable on any date in euros will be converted to U.S. dollars on the basis of the most recently available market exchange rate for euros, as determined by us in our sole discretion. The term “market exchange rate” means the noon buying rate in The City of New York for cable transfers of euro as certified for customs purposes (or, if not so certified, as otherwise determined) by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Any payment in respect of the notes so made in U.S. dollars will not constitute an event of default under the indenture or the notes. Neither the trustee nor the paying agent will be responsible for obtaining exchange rates, effecting conversions or otherwise handling redenominations.

Holders of the notes are subject to foreign exchange risks as to payments of principal and interest that may have important economic and tax consequences to them.

Payment of Additional Amounts

All payments in respect of the notes are made by or on behalf of us without withholding or deduction for, or on account of, any present or future taxes, duties, assessments or governmental charges of whatever nature, imposed or levied by the United States or any taxing authority thereof or therein, unless such withholding or deduction is required by law. If such withholding or deduction is required by law, we pay to a beneficial owner who is not a United

States person (as defined below) such additional amounts on the notes as are necessary in order that the net payment of the principal of, and premium or redemption price, if any, and interest on, such notes to such beneficial owner, after such withholding or deduction (including any withholding or deduction on such additional amounts), is not less than the amount provided in such notes then due and payable; provided, however, that the foregoing obligation to pay additional amounts will not apply:

a)to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that would not have been imposed but for the beneficial owner, or a fiduciary, settlor, beneficiary, member or shareholder of the beneficial owner if the beneficial owner is an estate, trust, partnership or corporation, or a person holding a power over an estate or trust administered by a fiduciary holder, being considered as (i) having a current or former connection with the United States (other than a connection arising solely as a result of the ownership of such notes, the receipt of any payment or the enforcement of any rights thereunder), including being or having been a citizen or resident of the United States, or being or having been engaged in a trade or business in the United States or having or having had a permanent establishment in the United States; (ii) being a controlled foreign corporation related to either issuer directly, indirectly or constructively through stock ownership for U.S. federal income tax purposes; or (iii) being an owner of a 10% or greater interest in voting stock of CyrusOne Inc. or CyrusOne Finance Corp. or the partnership interests of CyrusOne LP, each within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) or any successor provision;

b)to any holder that is not the sole beneficial owner of such notes, or a portion of such notes, or that is a fiduciary, partnership or limited liability company, but only to the extent that a beneficiary or settlor with respect to the fiduciary, a beneficial owner or a member of the partnership or limited liability company would not have been entitled to the payment of an additional amount had the beneficiary, settlor, beneficial owner or member received directly from each issuer its beneficial or distributive share of the payment;

c)to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge imposed by reason of the holder’s or beneficial owner’s past or present status as a passive foreign investment company, a controlled foreign corporation, a foreign tax exempt organization or a personal holding company with respect to the United States or as a corporation that accumulates earnings to avoid U.S. federal income tax;

d)to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that would not have been imposed but for the failure of the holder or beneficial owner of the applicable notes to comply with any applicable certification, identification or information reporting requirements concerning the nationality, residence, identity or connection with the United States of the holder or beneficial owner of such notes, if compliance is required by statute, by regulation of the United States or any

taxing authority therein or by an applicable income tax treaty to which the United States is a party as a precondition to exemption from such tax, assessment or other governmental charge;

e)to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that is imposed otherwise than by withholding or deducting from the payment;

f)to any estate, inheritance, gift, sales, transfer, wealth, capital gains or personal property tax or similar tax, assessment or other governmental charge;

g)to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge required to be withheld by any paying agent from any payment of principal of or interest on any such note, if such payment can be made without such withholding by at least one other paying agent;

h)to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that is imposed or withheld solely by reason of a change in law, regulation, or administrative or judicial interpretation that becomes effective more than 15 days after the payment becomes due or is duly provided for, whichever occurs later;

i)to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that would have been imposed but for presentation by the holder of any note, where presentation is required, for payment on a date more than 30 days after the date on which payment became due and payable or the date on which payment thereof is duly provided for, whichever occurs later, except to the extent that the holder or beneficial owner thereof would have been entitled to additional amounts had the note been presented for payment on the last day of such 30 day period;

j)to any withholding or deduction that is imposed on a payment pursuant to Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code and related Treasury regulations and pronouncements or any successor provisions thereto (that are substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with) and any regulations or official law, agreement or interpretations thereof in any jurisdiction implementing an intergovernmental approach thereto; or

k)in the case of any combination of the above listed items.

Except as specifically provided hereunder, we are not required to make any payment for any present or future tax, duty, assessment or governmental charge of whatever nature imposed by any government or a political subdivision or taxing authority of or in any government or political subdivision.

As used under this Description of Debt Securities, the term “United States” means the United States of America, any state thereof, and the District of Columbia, and the term “United

States person” means (i) any individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States for U.S. federal income tax purposes, (ii) a corporation, partnership or other entity created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia (other than a partnership that is not treated as a United States person for U.S. federal income tax purposes), (iii) any estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source, or (iv) any trust if a U.S. court can exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one or more United States persons can control all substantial trust decisions, or if a valid election is in place to treat the trust as a United States person.

Optional Redemption

The Issuers may redeem on any one or more occasions some or all of the notes before they mature. The redemption price will equal the sum of (1) an amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the principal amount of the notes being redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest up to, but not including, the redemption date and (2) a make-whole premium. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any of the notes are redeemed on or after November 22, 2026 (two months prior to the maturity date) (the “Par Call Date”), the redemption price will not include a make-whole premium, the redemption price will not include a make-whole premium.

The Issuers will calculate the make-whole premium with respect to any notes redeemed before the Par Call Date as the excess, if any, of:

•the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest thereon that would be due if such notes matured on the Par Call Date from the redemption date to the Par Call Date (exclusive of any accrued interest) discounted to the redemption date on an annual basis (ACTUAL/ACTUAL (ICMA)) at the Comparable Government Bond Rate plus 30 basis points; or

•100% of the principal amount of such notes.

“Comparable Government Bond” means, in relation to any Comparable Government Bond Rate (as defined below) calculation, at the discretion of the Independent Investment Bank (as defined below) selected by us, a bond that is a direct obligation of the Federal Republic of Germany (“German government bond”), whose maturity is closest to the Par Call Date, or if the Independent Investment Bank in its discretion determines that such similar bond is not in issue, such other German government bond as the Independent Investment Bank may, with the advice of three brokers of, and/or market makers in, German government bonds selected by us, determine to be appropriate for determining the Comparable Government Bond Rate.

“Comparable Government Bond Rate” means the yield to maturity, expressed as a percentage (rounded to three decimal places, with 0.0005 being rounded upwards), on the third business day in London prior to the date fixed for redemption, of the Comparable Government Bond on the basis of the middle market price of the Comparable Government Bond prevailing at 11:00 a.m. (London time) on such business day as determined by the Independent Investment Bank selected by us.

“Independent Investment Bank” means one of the Reference Bond Dealers that we shall appoint to act as the Independent Investment Bank.

“Reference Bond Dealers” means Barclays Bank PLC, Merrill Lynch International and Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch (or their respective affiliates that are Primary Bond Dealers (as defined below)) and their respective successors; provided, however, that if any of the foregoing shall cease to be a broker or dealer of, and/or market maker in, German government bonds (a “Primary Bond Dealer”), we will substitute therefor another Primary Bond Dealer.

The Issuers will give notice of any optional redemption at least 15 but not more than 60 days before the redemption date, (i) in the case of notes represented by a global note, to and through Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg for communication by them to the holders of interests in the notes to be redeemed, or (ii) in the case of definitive notes, to each holder of record of the notes to be redeemed at its registered address, except that notices of redemption may be mailed or sent more than 60 days prior to a redemption date if the notice is issued in connection with a defeasance or a satisfaction and discharge of the indenture or in accordance with the immediately succeeding paragraph. The notice of redemption will specify, among other items, the redemption price and the principal amount of the notes held by such holder to be redeemed.

If the Issuers decide to redeem the notes in part, the trustee will select the notes to be redeemed (in principal amounts of €100,000 and integral multiples of €1,000 in excess thereof) on a pro rata basis, by lot or such other method it deems fair and appropriate or as required by the depositary for the notes. In the event of any redemption of the notes in part, the Issuers will not be required to:

•issue or register the transfer of any note during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before any selection of the notes for redemption and ending at the close of business on the earliest date on which the relevant notice of redemption is deemed to have been given to all holders of the notes to be so redeemed, or

•register the transfer of any note so selected for redemption, in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any note being redeemed in part.

If notice has been given as provided in the indenture and the trustee holds funds sufficient to pay the redemption price of the notes on the redemption date, then on and after such date:

•such notes will cease to be outstanding;

•interest on such notes will cease to accrue; and

•all rights of holders of such notes will terminate except the right to receive the redemption price.

Such will be the case whether or not book-entry transfer of the notes in book-entry form is made and whether or not the notes are in certificated form, together with the necessary endorsements, are delivered to the trustee.

The Issuers will not redeem the notes on any date if the principal amount of the notes has been accelerated, and such an acceleration has not been rescinded or cured on or prior to such date.

Redemption for Tax Reasons

If, as a result of any change in, or amendment to, the laws (or any regulations or rulings promulgated under the laws) of the United States (or any taxing authority thereof or therein), or any change in, or amendments to, an official position regarding the application or interpretation of such laws, regulations or rulings, which change or amendment is announced or becomes effective on or after January 15, 2020, we become or, based upon a written opinion of independent tax counsel of recognized standing selected by us, will become obligated to pay additional amounts as described herein under the heading “Payment of Additional Amounts” with respect to the notes, then we may at our option redeem the notes at any time, in whole, but not in part, having given not less than 15 nor more than 60 days prior notice, (i) in the case of notes represented by a global note, to and through Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg for communication by them to the holders of interests in the notes to be redeemed, or (ii) in the case of definitive notes, to each holder of record of the notes to be redeemed at its registered address (except that notices of redemption may be mailed or sent more than 60 days prior to a redemption date if the notice is issued in connection with a defeasance or a satisfaction and discharge of the indenture), at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest (including any additional amounts), if any, to, but excluding, the date of redemption.

Certain Covenants

Limitations on Incurrence of Indebtedness

Limitation on Total Outstanding Indebtedness. We may not, and do not permit any of our Subsidiaries to, Incur any Indebtedness, other than Intercompany Indebtedness and guarantees of Indebtedness Incurred by us or any of our Subsidiaries in compliance with the indenture governing the notes, if, immediately after giving effect to the Incurrence of such Indebtedness and the application of the proceeds thereof, Total Outstanding Indebtedness would be greater than 60% of Total Assets as of the end of the fiscal quarter covered in the annual or quarterly report most recently furnished to holders of the notes or filed with the SEC, as the case may be, prior to such time.

Secured Indebtedness. In addition to the preceding limitation on the Incurrence of Indebtedness, we may not, and do not permit any of our Subsidiaries to, Incur any Secured Indebtedness, other than guarantees of Secured Indebtedness Incurred by us or any of our Subsidiaries in compliance with the indenture governing the notes, if, immediately after giving effect to the Incurrence of such Secured Indebtedness and the application of the proceeds thereof,

the aggregate principal amount of Secured Indebtedness would be greater than 40% of Total Assets as of the end of the fiscal quarter covered in the annual or quarterly report most recently furnished to holders of the notes or filed with the SEC, as the case may be, prior to such time.

Ratio of Consolidated EBITDA to Interest Expense. In addition to the preceding limitations on the Incurrence of Indebtedness, we may not, and do not permit any of our Subsidiaries to, Incur any Indebtedness other than Intercompany Indebtedness and guarantees of Indebtedness Incurred by us or any of our Subsidiaries in compliance with the indenture governing the notes, if the ratio of Consolidated EBITDA to Interest Expense for the most recent quarterly period covered in the annual or quarterly report most recently furnished to holders of the notes or filed with the SEC, as the case may be, prior to such time, annualized (i.e., multiplied by four (4)) prior to the date on which such additional Indebtedness is to be Incurred shall have been less than 1.50:1.00 on a pro forma basis after giving effect thereto and to the application of the proceeds therefrom, and calculated on the assumption that:

•such Indebtedness and any other Indebtedness Incurred by us and our Subsidiaries since the first day of such quarterly period and the application of the proceeds therefrom, including to refinance other Indebtedness, had occurred at the beginning of such period;

•the repayment or retirement of any Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness repaid or retired with the proceeds of any other Indebtedness, which repayment or retirement shall be calculated pursuant to the preceding bullet and not this bullet) by us and our Subsidiaries since the first day of such quarterly period had been repaid or retired at the beginning of such period (except that, in making such computation, the amount of Indebtedness under any revolving credit facility shall be computed based upon the average daily balance of such Indebtedness during such period);

•in the case of Acquired Indebtedness or Indebtedness Incurred in connection with any acquisition since the first day of such quarterly period, the related acquisition had occurred as of the first day of such period with the appropriate adjustments with respect to such acquisition being included in such pro forma calculation; and

•in the case of any acquisition or disposition of any asset or group of assets or the placement of any assets in service or removal of any assets from service by us or any of our Subsidiaries from the first day of such quarterly period to the date of determination, including by merger, or stock or asset purchase or sale, the acquisition, disposition, placement in service or removal from service had occurred as of the first day of such period with appropriate adjustments to Interest Expense with respect to the acquisition, disposition, placement in service or removal from service being included in that pro forma calculation.

With respect to any calculation required to be made pursuant to the terms of the indenture, for the avoidance of doubt any financial information for the most recent quarterly

period covered in CyrusOne’s annual report most recently furnished to holders of the notes or filed with the SEC, as the case may be, but not contained in such annual report will be calculated by us based on information reasonably derived from CyrusOne’s accounting records.

Unencumbered Assets. We and our Subsidiaries must at all times maintain Total Unencumbered Assets of not less than 150% of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Unsecured Indebtedness.

Certain Definitions

Set forth below are certain defined terms used in this Description of Debt Securities and the indenture. We refer you to the indenture for a full disclosure of all such terms, as well as any other capitalized terms used in this Description of Debt Securities for which no definition is provided.

“Acquired Indebtedness” means Indebtedness of a Person (1) existing at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary or (2) assumed in connection with the acquisition of assets from such Person, in each case, other than Indebtedness Incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such Person becoming a Subsidiary or such acquisition; provided that Indebtedness of such Person that is redeemed, defeased, retired or otherwise repaid at the time of, or substantially concurrently upon consummation of, the transactions by which such Person becomes a Subsidiary will not be Acquired Indebtedness. Acquired Indebtedness shall be deemed to be Incurred on the date of the related acquisition of assets from any Person or the date the acquired Person becomes a Subsidiary.

“Capitalization Rate” means 8.00%.

“Consolidated EBITDA” means, for any period of time, without duplication, consolidated net income (loss) of CyrusOne and its Consolidated Subsidiaries plus amounts which have been deducted and minus amounts which have been added for, without duplication, (a) Interest Expense, (b) depreciation and amortization and other non-cash items deducted or added back in arriving at net income (loss), (c) provision for taxes based on income or profits, (d) non-recurring or other unusual items, as determined by us in good faith (including, all prepayment penalties and all costs or fees incurred in connection with any equity financing, debt financing or amendment thereto, acquisition, disposition, recapitalization or similar transaction (regardless of whether such transaction is completed)), (e) extraordinary items, (f) noncontrolling interests, (g) the income, expense, gain or loss attributable to transactions involving derivative instruments that do not qualify for hedge accounting in accordance with GAAP, and (h) gains or losses on dispositions of depreciable real estate investments, property valuation losses and impairment charges; provided, however, that in no event will Consolidated EBITDA include (x) net income (loss) (whether pursuant to the equity method of accounting or otherwise) on account of any of our or our Consolidated Subsidiaries’ unconsolidated subsidiaries and other partially owned entities or (y) net income (loss) generated from our or our Consolidated Subsidiaries’ real property under construction or Redevelopment Properties; provided, further, that all amounts for such period shall be reasonably determined by us in accordance with GAAP to the extent GAAP is applicable.

Consolidated EBITDA will be adjusted, without duplication, to give pro forma effect: (i) in the case of any assets having been placed in service or removed from service from the beginning of the period to the date of determination, to include or exclude, as the case may be, any Consolidated EBITDA earned or eliminated as a result of the placement of the assets in service or removal of the assets from service as if the placement of the assets in service or removal of the assets from service occurred at the beginning of the period; and (ii) in the case of any acquisition or disposition of any asset or group of assets from the beginning of the period to the date of determination, including by merger, or stock or asset purchase or sale, to include or exclude, as the case may be, any Consolidated EBITDA earned or eliminated as a result of the acquisition or disposition of those assets as if the acquisition or disposition occurred at the beginning of the period.

“Consolidated Financial Statements” means, with respect to any Person, collectively, the consolidated financial statements and notes to those financial statements, of that Person and its Consolidated Subsidiaries prepared in accordance with GAAP.

“Consolidated Subsidiary” means each Subsidiary of CyrusOne that is consolidated in the Consolidated Financial Statements for the most recent quarterly period covered in the annual or quarterly report most recently furnished to holders of the notes or filed with the SEC, as the case may be.

“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America as in effect from time to time.

“Incur” means, with respect to any Indebtedness or other obligation of any Person, to create, assume, guarantee or otherwise become liable in respect of the Indebtedness or other obligation, and “Incurrence” and “Incurred” have meanings correlative to the foregoing. Indebtedness or other obligation of us or any Subsidiary of ours will be deemed to be Incurred by us or such Subsidiary whenever we or such Subsidiary shall create, assume, guarantee or otherwise become liable in respect thereof; provided that neither the accrual of interest nor the accretion of original issue discount will be considered to be an Incurrence of Indebtedness. Indebtedness or other obligations of a Subsidiary of ours existing prior to the time it became a Subsidiary of ours will be deemed to be Incurred upon such Subsidiary becoming a Subsidiary of ours; and Indebtedness or other obligation of a Person existing prior to a merger or consolidation of such Person with us or any Subsidiary of ours in which such Person is the successor to us or such Subsidiary will be deemed to be Incurred upon the consummation of such merger or consolidation. Any issuance or transfer of capital stock that results in Indebtedness constituting Intercompany Indebtedness being held by a Person other than us, CyrusOne or any Consolidated Subsidiary or any sale or other transfer of any Indebtedness constituting Intercompany Indebtedness to a Person that is not us, CyrusOne or any Consolidated Subsidiary, will be deemed, in each case, to be an Incurrence of Indebtedness that is not Intercompany Indebtedness at the time of such issuance, transfer or sale, as the case may be.

“Indebtedness” of us, CyrusOne or any Consolidated Subsidiary means, without duplication, any of our indebtedness or that of any Consolidated Subsidiary, whether or not contingent, in respect of: (a) borrowed money evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures or similar

instruments whether or not such indebtedness is secured by any lien existing on property owned by us or any Consolidated Subsidiary; (b) indebtedness for borrowed money of a Person other than us, CyrusOne or a Consolidated Subsidiary which is secured by any lien on property owned by us, CyrusOne or any Consolidated Subsidiary, to the extent of the lesser of (i) the amount of indebtedness so secured, and (ii) the fair market value of the property subject to such lien; (c) the reimbursement obligations, contingent or otherwise, in connection with any letters of credit actually issued or amounts representing the balance deferred and unpaid of the purchase price of any property or services, except any such balance that constitutes an accrued expense or trade payable; or (d) any lease of property by us, CyrusOne or any Consolidated Subsidiary as lessee which is reflected on our consolidated balance sheet as a finance lease in accordance with GAAP. Indebtedness also includes, to the extent not otherwise included, any obligation by us, CyrusOne or any Consolidated Subsidiary to be liable for, or to pay, as obligor, guarantor or otherwise (other than for purposes of collection in the ordinary course of business), indebtedness of another Person (other than us or any of our Consolidated Subsidiaries) of the type described in clauses (a)-(d) of this definition; provided that (y) the term “Indebtedness” shall not include Permitted Non-Recourse Guarantees of us, CyrusOne or any Consolidated Subsidiary until such time as they become primary obligations of, and payments are due and required to be made thereunder by, us, CyrusOne or any Consolidated Subsidiary and (z), in the case of clause (d) of this definition, the term “Indebtedness” shall not include any lease of property by such person as lessee which is required to be reflected on such person’s balance sheet as an operating lease in accordance with GAAP.

“Intercompany Indebtedness” means Indebtedness to which the only parties are any of us, CyrusOne and any Consolidated Subsidiary (including CyrusOne GP); provided, however, that with respect to any such Indebtedness of which we or CyrusOne is the borrower, such Indebtedness is subordinate in right of payment to the notes.

“Interest Expense” means, for any period of time, consolidated interest expense for such period of time, whether paid, accrued or capitalized, without deduction of consolidated interest income, of CyrusOne and its Consolidated Subsidiaries, including, without duplication, or, to the extent not so included, with the addition of (a) the portion of any rental obligation in respect of any finance lease obligation allocable to interest expense in accordance with GAAP and (b) the amortization of Indebtedness discounts, but excluding prepayment penalties, in all cases as reflected in the applicable Consolidated Financial Statements. “Interest Expense” will be calculated on a pro forma basis (x) for any Indebtedness Incurred by us and our Subsidiaries since the first day of the applicable period and the application of proceeds therefrom and (y) the repayment or retirement of any Indebtedness by us and our Subsidiaries since the first day of the applicable period.

“Non-Recourse Indebtedness” means Indebtedness of a Subsidiary of ours (or an entity in which we are the general partner or managing member) that is directly or indirectly secured by real estate assets or other real estate-related assets (including equity interests) of a Subsidiary of ours (or entity in which we are the general partner or managing member) that is the borrower and is non-recourse to us or any Subsidiary of ours (other than pursuant to a Permitted Non-Recourse Guarantee and other than with respect to the Subsidiary of ours (or entity in which we are the

general partner or managing member) that is the borrower); provided, further, that, if any such Indebtedness is partially recourse to us or any Subsidiary of ours (other than pursuant to a Permitted Non-Recourse Guarantee and other than with respect to the Subsidiary of ours (or entity in which we are the general partner or managing member) that is the borrower) and therefore does not meet the criteria set forth above, only the portion of such Indebtedness that does meet the criteria set forth above shall constitute “Non-Recourse Indebtedness.”

“Person” means a corporation, an association, a partnership, a limited liability company, an individual, a joint venture, a joint stock company, a trust, an unincorporated organization or a government or an agency or a political subdivision thereof.

“Redevelopment Property” means a property, or a distinct portion thereof, owned by us or a Consolidated Subsidiary (a) where the commenced leased square footage is less than 85% of the sum of net rentable square feet and redevelopment space, with reasonable adjustments to leased square footage determined in good faith by us, including adjustments for available power, required support space and common area and (b) that we reasonably characterize as held in whole or in part for redevelopment. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any property will no longer be considered to be a “Redevelopment Property” at the point at which such property’s Consolidated EBITDA for the most recent quarterly period covered in the annual or quarterly report most recently furnished to holders of the notes or filed with the SEC, as the case may be, prior to such time, annualized (i.e., multiplied by four (4)), capitalized at the Capitalization Rate exceeds its book value as determined in accordance with GAAP. For the avoidance of doubt, an individual parcel of property can be the site of one or more properties described in the immediately preceding sentence or Redevelopment Properties as determined in the good faith judgment of an officer of CyrusOne.

“Permitted Non-Recourse Guarantees” means customary completion or budget guarantees or indemnities (including by means of separate indemnification agreements and carve-out guarantees) provided under Non-Recourse Indebtedness in the ordinary course of business by us or any Subsidiary of ours in financing transactions that are directly or indirectly secured by real estate assets or other real estate-related assets (including equity interests) of a Subsidiary of ours (or an entity in which we are the general partner or managing member), in each case that is the borrower in such financing, but is non-recourse to us or any of our other Subsidiaries, except for customary completion or budget guarantees or indemnities (including by means of separate indemnification agreements or carve-out guarantees) as are consistent with customary industry practice (such as environmental indemnities and recourse triggers based on violation of transfer restrictions and other customary exceptions to nonrecourse liability).

“Secured Indebtedness” means, as of any date, that portion of Total Outstanding Indebtedness as of that date that is secured by a mortgage, trust deed, deed of trust, deeds to secure Indebtedness, pledge, security interest, assignment for collateral purposes, deposit arrangement, or other security agreement, excluding any right of setoff but including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing, and any other like agreement granting or conveying a security interest.

“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, (a) any corporation, association or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares of capital stock or other equity interest entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such Person or one or more of the other subsidiaries of that Person (or a combination thereof) and (b) any partnership (i) the sole general partner or managing general partner of which is such Person or a subsidiary of such Person or (ii) the only general partners of which are such Person or one or more subsidiaries of such Person (or any combination thereof).

“Total Assets” as of any date means the sum, without duplication, of (a) Consolidated EBITDA for the most recent quarterly period covered in the annual or quarterly report most recently furnished to holders of the notes or filed with the SEC, as the case may be, prior to such time, annualized (i.e., multiplied by four (4)), capitalized at the Capitalization Rate, (b) the undepreciated book value, of our and our Consolidated Subsidiaries’ real property under construction and Redevelopment Property as of the end of the quarterly period used for purposes of clause (a) above, in each case as determined by us in good faith, and (c) for all assets of us and our Consolidated Subsidiaries other than the assets referred to in (a) and (b) above, the undepreciated book value as determined in accordance with GAAP (but excluding accounts receivable, non-real estate intangible assets, and right-of-use assets associated with leases of property required to be reflected as operating leases on the balance sheet of the annual or quarterly report most recently furnished to holders of the notes or filed with the SEC, as the case may be, prior to such time). For the avoidance of doubt, (x) the assets in clause (c) of the immediately preceding sentence will include all cash and cash equivalents and the fair market value of all investments in equity securities with readily determinable fair value (but excluding all cash and cash equivalents applied to defease or discharge any indebtedness), and (y) an individual parcel of property can be the site of one or more properties, and separate portions of the same parcel of property can (i) contribute to Consolidated EBITDA in clause (a) of the immediately preceding sentence, (ii) be a Redevelopment Property or (iii) be real property under construction or land, in each case, as determined in the good faith judgment of an officer of CyrusOne.

“Total Outstanding Indebtedness” means, as of any date, the sum, without duplication, of (1) the aggregate principal amount of all outstanding Indebtedness of CyrusOne as of that date, excluding Intercompany Indebtedness; and (2) the aggregate principal amount of all outstanding Indebtedness of CyrusOne LP’s Consolidated Subsidiaries, all as of that date, excluding Intercompany Indebtedness.

“Total Unencumbered Assets” means, as of any time, the sum of (a) Unencumbered Consolidated EBITDA for the most recent quarterly period covered in the annual or quarterly report most recently furnished to holders of the notes or filed with the SEC, as the case may be, prior to such time, annualized (i.e., multiplied by four (4)), capitalized at the Capitalization Rate, and (b) to the extent not subject to any Secured Indebtedness, the value of the assets described in clauses (b) and (c) of the definition of Total Assets; provided, however, that all investments by us and our Subsidiaries in unconsolidated joint ventures, unconsolidated limited partnerships, unconsolidated limited liability companies and other unconsolidated entities shall be excluded

from Total Unencumbered Assets to the extent that such investments would have otherwise been included (it being understood that investments in equity securities with readily determinable fair value shall not be covered by this proviso; provided, however, that such investments in equity securities with readily determinable fair value are not securing, or applied to defease or discharge, in each case as of that date, any indebtedness, including mortgages and other notes payable).

“Unencumbered Consolidated EBITDA” means, for any quarter, Consolidated EBITDA for the most recent quarterly period covered in the annual or quarterly report most recently furnished to holders of the notes or filed with the SEC, as the case may be, prior to the time of determination, less any portion thereof attributable to any properties or assets subject to any Secured Indebtedness, as determined in good faith by us.

“Unsecured Indebtedness” means that portion of Total Outstanding Indebtedness that is not Secured Indebtedness.

No Protection in the Event of a Change of Control

The notes do not contain any provisions that may afford holders of the notes protection in the event we have a change in control or in the event of a highly leveraged transaction (whether or not such transaction results in a change in control) that could adversely affect holders of the notes.

Merger, Consolidation or Sale

CyrusOne LP and CyrusOne may consolidate with, or sell, lease or convey all or substantially all of their respective assets to, or merge with or into, any other entity, provided that the following conditions are met:

•CyrusOne LP or CyrusOne, as the case may be, shall be the continuing entity, or the successor entity (if other than CyrusOne LP or CyrusOne, as the case may be) formed by or resulting from any consolidation or merger or which shall have received the transfer of assets shall expressly assume payment of the principal of and interest on all of the notes and the due and punctual performance and observance of all of the covenants and conditions in the indenture;

•immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no Event of Default under the indenture, and no event which, after notice or the lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default, shall have occurred and be continuing; and

•an officers’ certificate and opinion of counsel shall be delivered to the trustee, in each case, covering these conditions and stating that such consolidation, sale, lease, conveyance, or merger, complies with the provisions of the indenture.

Events of Default

The indenture provides that the following events are “Events of Default” with respect to the notes:

•default for 30 days in the payment of any installment of interest under the notes;

•default in the payment of the principal amount or redemption price due with respect to the notes, when the same becomes due and payable;

•our failure to comply with any of our other agreements in the notes or the indenture upon receipt by us of notice of such default by the trustee or by holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the notes then outstanding and our failure to cure (or obtain a waiver of) such default within 90 days after we receive such notice;

•failure to pay any Indebtedness (other than Non-Recourse Indebtedness) that is (a) of CyrusOne LP, CyrusOne Finance, CyrusOne, any Subsidiary in which CyrusOne LP has invested at least $75,000,000 in capital (a “Significant Subsidiary”) or any entity in which CyrusOne LP is the general partner, and (b) in an outstanding principal amount in excess of $75,000,000 at final maturity or upon acceleration after the expiration of any applicable grace period, which Indebtedness (other than Non-Recourse Indebtedness) is not discharged, or such default in payment or acceleration is not cured or rescinded, within 60 days after written notice to us from the trustee (or to us and the trustee from holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding notes); or

•certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, or court appointment of a receiver, liquidator or trustee of CyrusOne LP, CyrusOne Finance, CyrusOne or any Significant Subsidiary or any substantial part of their respective property.

If an Event of Default under the indenture occurs and is continuing (other than an Event of Default specified in the last bullet above, which shall result in an automatic acceleration), then, in every case, the trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding notes may declare the principal amount of all of the notes to be due and payable immediately by written notice thereof to CyrusOne LP (and to the trustee if given by the holders). However, at any time after the declaration of acceleration with respect to the notes has been made, but before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the trustee, the holders of a majority in principal amount of outstanding notes may rescind and annul the declaration and its consequences if:

•CyrusOne LP, CyrusOne Finance, or CyrusOne shall have deposited with the trustee all required payments of the principal of and interest and premium on the notes, plus certain fees, expenses, disbursements and advances of the trustee; and

•all Events of Default, other than the non-payment of accelerated principal of (or specified portion thereof) or interest and premium on the notes, have been cured or waived as provided in the indenture.

The indenture also provides that the holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding notes may waive any past default with respect to the notes and its consequences, except a default:

•in the payment of the principal of or interest or premium on the notes (provided, however, that the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding notes may rescind an acceleration and its consequences, including any related payment default that resulted from such acceleration); or

•in respect of a covenant or provision contained in the indenture that cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the holder of each outstanding note affected thereby.

The trustee will be required to give notice to the holders of the notes within 90 days of a default with respect to the notes actually known to the trustee under the indenture unless the default has been cured or waived; provided, however, that the trustee may withhold notice to the holders of the notes of any default (except a default in the payment of the principal of or interest and premium on the notes) if the trustee considers such withholding to be in the interest of the holders of the notes.

The indenture provides that no holder of the notes may institute any proceedings, judicial or otherwise, with respect to the indenture or for any remedy thereunder, except in the case of failure of the trustee, for 60 days, to act after it has received a written request to institute proceedings in respect of an Event of Default from the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding notes, as well as an offer of indemnity satisfactory to the trustee. This provision will not prevent, however, any holder of the notes from instituting suit for the enforcement of payment of the principal of and interest or premium on the notes at the due date thereof.

Subject to provisions in the indenture relating to its duties in case of default, the trustee is under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under the indenture at the request or direction of any holders of the notes then outstanding under the indenture, unless the holders of the notes shall have offered to the trustee security or indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it. The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding notes (or of all the notes then outstanding under the indenture, as the case may be) shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee, or of exercising any trust or power conferred upon the trustee. However, the trustee may refuse to follow any direction which is in conflict with any law or the indenture, or which a responsible officer of the trustee determines would involve the trustee in personal liability.

Any default or Event of Default resulting from the failure to deliver a notice, report or certificate under the indenture shall cease to exist and be cured in all respects if the underlying

default or Event of Default giving rise to such notice, report or certificate requirement shall have ceased to exist or be cured.

Within 120 days after the close of each fiscal year, CyrusOne LP and CyrusOne must deliver an officers’ certificate certifying to the trustee whether or not the signing officers have knowledge of any default under the indenture and, if so, specifying each default and the nature and status thereof.

Defeasance and Discharge

We may at any time, at the option of the applicable board of directors evidenced by a board resolution set forth in an officers’ certificate, elect to have all of our obligations discharged with respect to the notes and all obligations of any guarantors discharged with respect to their guarantees (“Legal Defeasance”) except for:

•the rights of holders of the notes to receive payments in respect of the principal of, premium on, if any, interest on, such notes when such payments are due from the trust referred to below;

•our obligations with respect to the notes concerning issuing temporary notes, registration of notes, mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen notes and the maintenance of an office or agency for payment and money for security payments held in trust;

•the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the trustee under the indenture, and our and any guarantor’s obligations in connection therewith; and

•the Legal Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance (as defined below) provisions of the indenture.

In addition, we may, at our option and at any time, elect to have our obligations and the obligations of any guarantors released with respect to certain covenants described in the indenture (“Covenant Defeasance”) and thereafter any omission to comply with those covenants will not constitute a default or event of default with respect to the notes. In the event Covenant Defeasance occurs, all events of default (except those relating to payments on the notes or bankruptcy, receivership, rehabilitation or insolvency events with respect to us) will no longer constitute an event of default with respect to such notes.

In order to exercise either Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance:

•we must irrevocably deposit with the trustee, in trust, for the benefit of the holders of the notes, cash in U.S. dollars, non-callable government securities, or a combination thereof, in amounts as will be sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized investment bank, appraisal firm or firm of independent public accountants, to pay the principal of, premium on, if any, and interest on, the outstanding notes on the stated date for payment thereof or on the applicable

redemption date, as the case may be, and we must specify whether such notes are being defeased to such stated date for payment or to a particular redemption date;

•in the case of Legal Defeasance, we must deliver to the trustee an opinion of counsel reasonably acceptable to the trustee confirming that (a) we have received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) a ruling or (b) since the date of the indenture, there has been a change in the applicable federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion of counsel will confirm that, the holders of the outstanding notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such Legal Defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Legal Defeasance had not occurred;

•in the case of Covenant Defeasance, we must deliver to the trustee an opinion of counsel reasonably acceptable to the trustee confirming that the holders of the notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such Covenant Defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Covenant Defeasance had not occurred;

•no default or event of default has occurred and is continuing on the date of such deposit (other than a default or event of default resulting from the borrowing of funds to be applied to such deposit (and any similar concurrent deposit relating to other indebtedness), and the granting of liens to secure such borrowings);

•such Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any material agreement or instrument (other than the indenture and the agreements governing any other indebtedness being defeased, discharged or replaced) to which we or any guarantor is a party or by which we or any guarantor is bound; and

•we must deliver to the trustee an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent relating to the Legal Defeasance or the Covenant Defeasance have been complied with.

The indenture will be discharged and will cease to be of further effect as to the notes issued thereunder, when:

1.either:

A.all notes that have been authenticated, except lost, stolen or destroyed notes that have been replaced or paid and notes for whose payment money has been deposited in trust and thereafter repaid to us, have been delivered to the trustee for cancellation; or

B.all notes that have not been delivered to the trustee for cancellation have become due and payable by reason of the mailing of a notice of redemption or otherwise or will become due and payable within one year and we or any guarantor has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the trustee as trust funds in trust solely for the benefit of the holders, cash in U.S. dollars, non-callable government securities, or a combination thereof, in amounts as will be sufficient, without consideration of any reinvestment of interest, to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on the notes not delivered to the trustee for cancellation for principal of, premium on, if any, interest on, the notes to the date of maturity or redemption;

2.in respect of clause (1)(B) of this paragraph, no event of default has occurred and is continuing on the date of the deposit (other than an event of default resulting from the borrowing of funds to be applied to such deposit and any similar deposit relating to other indebtedness and, in each case, the granting of certain liens to secure such borrowings);

3.we or any guarantor has paid or caused to be paid all sums payable by it under the indenture; and

4.we have delivered irrevocable instructions to the trustee under the indenture to apply the deposited money toward the payment of the notes at maturity or on the redemption date, as the case may be.

Modification and Waiver

Modifications and amendments of the indenture will be permitted to be made only with the consent of the holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of all outstanding notes; provided, however, that no modification or amendment may, without the consent of each holder affected:

•reduce the amount of the notes whose holders must consent to an amendment or waiver;

•reduce the rate of or extend the time for payment of interest (including default interest) on the notes;

•reduce the principal of or premium on or change the fixed maturity of the notes;

•waive a default in the payment of the principal of or premium or interest on the notes (except a rescission of acceleration of the notes by the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding notes and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration);

•make the principal of or premium or interest on the notes payable in a currency other than that stated in the notes;

•make any change to certain provisions of the indenture relating to, among other things, the right of holders of the notes to receive payment of the principal of or premium or interest on the notes and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment and to waivers or amendments;

•waive a redemption payment; or

•release CyrusOne as guarantor of the notes other than as provided in the indenture.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, modifications and amendments of the indenture will be permitted to be made by CyrusOne LP, CyrusOne Finance, CyrusOne and the trustee without the consent of any holder of the notes for any of the following purposes:

•to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency in the indenture or the notes;

•to evidence a successor to CyrusOne LP or CyrusOne Finance as obligor or CyrusOne as guarantor under the indenture;

•to make any change that does not adversely affect the interests of the holders of the notes;

•to provide for the issuance of additional notes in accordance with the limitations set forth in the indenture;

•to provide for the acceptance of appointment by a successor trustee or facilitate the administration of the trusts under the indenture by more than one trustee;

•to comply with requirements of the SEC in order to effect or maintain the qualification of the indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, or to comply with the requirements of any applicable securities depositary;

•to provide for uncertificated notes in addition to or in place of certificated notes;

•to reflect the release of CyrusOne, as guarantor, in accordance with the provisions of the indenture;

•to reflect the release of CyrusOne Finance, as an issuer;

•to secure the notes (or to release collateral previously added pursuant to this clause);

•to add guarantors (or to release guarantors previously added pursuant to this clause); and

•to conform the text of the indenture, the guarantee or the notes to any provision of this Description of Debt Securities to the extent that such provision in this

Description of Debt Securities was intended to be a verbatim recitation of a provision of the indenture, the guarantee or the notes (which intent will be established by an officers’ certificate delivered by CyrusOne LP to the Trustee).

In determining whether the holders of the requisite principal amount of outstanding notes have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver thereunder or whether a quorum is present at a meeting of holders of the notes, the indenture provides that notes owned by CyrusOne LP, CyrusOne Finance, or any other obligor upon the notes or any affiliate of CyrusOne LP or of the other obligor shall be disregarded.

Trustee, Registrar and Paying Agent

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association is the trustee, and Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas is the registrar and paying agent for the notes, subject to replacement at our option.

If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the trustee will be required to use the degree of care and skill of a prudent person in the conduct of his or her own affairs. The trustee will become obligated to exercise any of its powers under the indenture at the request of any of the holders of any notes only after those holders have offered the trustee indemnity satisfactory to it.

If the trustee becomes one of our creditors, it will be subject to limitations on its rights to obtain payment of claims or to realize on some property received for any such claim, as security or otherwise. The trustee is permitted to engage in other transactions with us. If, however, it acquires any conflicting interest, it must eliminate that conflict or resign.

No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and Stockholders

No director, officer, employee, incorporator, stockholder, member or partner of CyrusOne LP, CyrusOne Finance, or CyrusOne or any of their respective Subsidiaries, as such, will have any liability for any obligations of CyrusOne LP, CyrusOne Finance or CyrusOne under the notes, the indenture, the guarantee or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each holder of the notes by accepting a note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the notes. The waiver may not be effective to waive liabilities under the federal securities laws.

CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF MARYLAND LAW AND OF OUR CHARTER AND BYLAWS

Our Board of Directors

Our board of directors currently consists of eight directors. Our charter and bylaws provide that the number of directors constituting our board of directors may be increased or decreased only by a majority vote of our board of directors, provided that the number of directors

may not be decreased to fewer than the minimum number required under the MGCL, nor increased to more than 15.

Subject to the terms of any class or series of preferred stock, vacancies on our board of directors may be filled only by a majority of the remaining directors, even if the remaining directors do not constitute a quorum, and any director elected to fill a vacancy will hold office for the remainder of the full term of the directorship in which the vacancy occurred and until his or her successor is duly elected and qualifies.

Each of our directors is elected by our stockholders to serve until the next annual meeting of our stockholders and until his or her successor is duly elected and qualifies. Holders of shares of our common stock have no right to cumulative voting in the election of directors. Consequently, the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of our common stock can elect all of the directors then standing for election, and the holders of the remaining shares will not be able to elect any directors. Directors are elected by a plurality of all of the votes cast in the election of directors.

Removal of Directors

Our charter provides that a director may be removed only for cause (as defined in our charter) and only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes entitled to be cast generally in the election of directors. This provision, when coupled with the exclusive power of our board of directors to fill vacancies on our board of directors, precludes stockholders from removing incumbent directors (except for cause and upon a substantial affirmative vote) and filling the vacancies created by such removal with their own nominees.

Business Combinations

Under the MGCL, certain “business combinations” (including a merger, consolidation, statutory share exchange or, in certain circumstances, an asset transfer or issuance or reclassification of equity securities) between a Maryland corporation and an interested stockholder (defined generally as any person who beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 10% or more of the voting power of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock or an affiliate or associate of the corporation who, at any time during the two-year period immediately prior to the date in question, was the beneficial owner of 10% or more of the voting power of the then-outstanding stock of the corporation) or an affiliate of such an interested stockholder are prohibited for five years after the most recent date on which the interested stockholder becomes an interested stockholder. Thereafter, any such business combination must generally be recommended by the board of directors of the corporation and approved by the affirmative vote of at least (i) 80% of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of outstanding shares of voting stock of the corporation and (ii) two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of voting stock of the corporation, other than shares held by the interested stockholder with whom (or with whose affiliate) the business combination is to be effected or held by an affiliate or associate of the interested stockholder, unless, among other conditions, the corporation’s common stockholders receive a minimum price (as defined in the MGCL) for their shares and the consideration is received in cash or in the same form as previously paid by the interested stockholder for its

shares. A person is not an interested stockholder under the statute if the board of directors approved in advance the transaction by which the person otherwise would have become an interested stockholder. A corporation’s board of directors may provide that its approval is subject to compliance, at or after the time of approval, with any terms and conditions determined by the board.

Pursuant to the statute, our board of directors has by resolution exempted business combinations between us and any other person, provided that the business combination is first approved by our board of directors (including a majority of our directors who are not affiliates or associates of such person). Consequently, the five-year prohibition and the supermajority vote requirements will not apply to a business combination between us and any other person if the board of directors has first approved the combination. As a result, any person described in the preceding sentence may be able to enter into business combinations with us that may not be in the best interests of our stockholders, without compliance with the supermajority vote requirements and other provisions of the statute. We cannot assure you that our board of directors will not amend or repeal this resolution in the future.

Control Share Acquisitions

The MGCL provides that holders of “control shares” of a Maryland corporation acquired in a “control share acquisition” have no voting rights with respect to such shares except to the extent approved by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. Shares owned by the acquirer, an officer of the corporation or an employee of the corporation who is also a director of the corporation are excluded from shares entitled to vote on the matter.

“Control shares” are voting shares of stock that, if aggregated with all other such shares of stock owned by the acquirer, or in respect of which the acquirer is able to exercise or direct the exercise of voting power (except solely by virtue of a revocable proxy), would entitle the acquirer to exercise voting power in electing directors within one of the following ranges of voting power:

•one-tenth or more but less than one-third;

•one-third or more but less than a majority; or

•a majority or more of all voting power.

Control shares do not include shares that the acquiring person is then entitled to vote as a result of having previously obtained stockholder approval or shares acquired directly from the corporation. A “control share acquisition” means the acquisition of issued and outstanding control shares, subject to certain exceptions.

A person who has made or proposes to make a control share acquisition, upon satisfaction of certain conditions (including an undertaking to pay expenses and making an “acquiring person statement” as described in the MGCL), may compel the board of directors to call a special

meeting of stockholders to be held within 50 days of demand to consider the voting rights of the shares. If no request for a meeting is made, the corporation may itself present the question at any stockholders meeting.

If voting rights are not approved at the meeting or if the acquiring person does not deliver an “acquiring person statement” as required by the statute, then, subject to certain conditions and limitations, the corporation may redeem for fair value any or all of the control shares (except those for which voting rights have previously been approved). Fair value is determined, without regard to the absence of voting rights for the control shares, as of the date of the last control share acquisition by the acquirer or, if a meeting of stockholders is held at which the voting rights of such shares are considered and not approved, as of the date of such meeting. If voting rights for control shares are approved at a stockholders’ meeting and the acquirer becomes entitled to vote a majority of the shares entitled to vote, all other stockholders may exercise appraisal rights. The fair value of the shares as determined for purposes of such appraisal rights may not be less than the highest price per share paid by the acquirer in the control share acquisition.

The control share acquisition statute does not apply to shares acquired in a merger, consolidation or statutory share exchange if the corporation is a party to the transaction or acquisitions approved or exempted by the charter or bylaws of the corporation.

Our bylaws contain a provision exempting from the control share acquisition statute any and all acquisitions by any person of shares of our stock. This provision may be amended or eliminated at any time in the future by our board of directors.

Subtitle 8

Subtitle 8 of Title 3 of the MGCL permits a Maryland corporation with a class of equity securities registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and at least three independent directors to elect to be subject, by provision in its charter or bylaws or a resolution of its board of directors and notwithstanding any contrary provision in the charter or bylaws, to any or all of five provisions of the MGCL that provide, respectively, for:

•a classified board;

•a two-thirds vote requirement for removing a director;

•a requirement that the number of directors be fixed only by vote of the board of directors;

•a requirement that a vacancy on the board be filled only by the remaining directors in office and (if the board is classified) for the remainder of the full term of the class of directors in which the vacancy occurred; and

•a majority requirement for the calling of a stockholder-requested special meeting of stockholders.

Pursuant to Subtitle 8, we have elected to provide that vacancies on our board may be filled only by the remaining directors and that directors elected by the board to fill vacancies will serve for the remainder of the full term of the directorship in which the vacancy occurred. Through provisions in our charter and bylaws unrelated to Subtitle 8, we already (i) vest in the board the exclusive power to fix the number of directorships and (ii) require, unless called by our chairman of the board, our chief executive officer, our president or our board of directors, the written request of stockholders entitled to cast a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast at such a meeting to call a special meeting.

Meetings of Stockholders

Pursuant to our bylaws, a meeting of our stockholders for the election of directors and the transaction of any business will be held annually on a date and at the time and place set by our board of directors. The chairman of our board of directors, our chief executive officer, our president or our board of directors may call a special meeting of our stockholders. Subject to the provisions of our bylaws, a special meeting of our stockholders to act on any matter that may properly be brought before a meeting of our stockholders must also be called by our secretary upon the written request of the stockholders entitled to cast a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on such matter at the meeting and containing the information required by our bylaws. Our secretary will inform the requesting stockholders of the reasonably estimated cost of preparing and delivering the notice of meeting (including our proxy materials), and the requesting stockholder must pay such estimated cost before our secretary is required to prepare and deliver the notice of the special meeting.

Amendments to Our Charter and Bylaws

Except for those amendments permitted to be made without stockholder approval under Maryland law or our charter, our charter generally may be amended only if the amendment is first declared advisable by our board of directors and thereafter approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.

Our board of directors has the power to adopt, alter or repeal any provision of our bylaws and to make new bylaws. In addition, stockholders may alter or repeal any provision of our bylaws and adopt new bylaws with the approval by a majority of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.

Forum Selection

Our bylaws require, subject to limited exceptions, that any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, any action asserting a claim of breach of any duty owed by any of our directors, officers or other employees to us or our stockholders and other similar actions, may be brought only in specified courts in the State of Maryland. Although we believe this provision will benefit us by limiting costly and time-consuming litigation in multiple forums and by providing increased consistency in the application of Maryland law in the types of lawsuits to which it applies, the provision may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against us

or our directors, officers and other employees. This provision is intended to cover internal corporate claims and not actions arising under the federal securities laws.

Transactions Outside the Ordinary Course of Business

Under the MGCL, a Maryland corporation generally may not dissolve, merge or consolidate with, or convert to, another entity, sell all or substantially all of its assets or engage in a statutory share exchange unless the action is declared advisable by the board of directors and approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter, unless a lesser percentage (but not less than a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter) is specified in the corporation’s charter. Our charter provides that these actions must be approved by a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.

Advance Notice of Director Nominations and New Business

Our bylaws provide that, with respect to an annual meeting of our stockholders, nominations of individuals for election to our board of directors and the proposal of other business to be considered by our stockholders may be made only (i) pursuant to our notice of the meeting, (ii) by or at the direction of our board of directors or (iii) by any stockholder who was a stockholder of record at the record date set by the board of directors for the purpose of determining stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, at the time of giving the notice required by our bylaws and at the time of the meeting (or any postponement or adjournment thereof), who is entitled to vote at the meeting on such business or in the election of such nominee and has provided notice to us within the time period, and containing the information and other materials, specified in the advance notice provisions of our bylaws.

With respect to special meetings of stockholders, only the business specified in our notice of meeting may be brought before the meeting. Nominations of individuals for election to our board of directors may be made only (i) by or at the direction of our board of directors or (ii) if the meeting has been called for the purpose of electing directors, by any stockholder who was a stockholder of record at the record date set by the board of directors for the purpose of determining stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, at the time of giving the notice required by our bylaws and at the time of the meeting (or any postponement or adjournment thereof), who is entitled to vote at the meeting in the election of each such nominee and who has provided notice to us within the time period, and containing the information and other materials, specified in the advance notice provisions of our bylaws.

The advance notice procedures of our bylaws provide that, to be timely, a stockholder’s notice with respect to director nominations or other proposals for an annual meeting must be delivered to our corporate secretary at our principal executive office not earlier than the 150th day nor later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the 120th day prior to the first anniversary of the date of the proxy statement for our preceding year’s annual meeting. In the event that the date of the annual meeting is advanced or delayed by more than 30 days from the first anniversary of the date of the preceding year’s annual meeting, to be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be delivered not earlier than the 150th day prior to the date of such annual meeting

and not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the close of business on the later of the 120th day prior to the date of such annual meeting or the tenth day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made.

REIT Qualification

Our charter provides that our board of directors may authorize us to revoke or otherwise terminate our REIT election, without approval of our stockholders, if it determines that it is no longer in our best interests to continue to qualify as a REIT.

Effects of Certain Provisions of Maryland Law and of Our Charter and Bylaws

Our charter and bylaws and Maryland law contain provisions that may delay, defer or prevent a change in control or other transaction that might involve a premium price for shares of our common stock or otherwise be in the best interests of our stockholders, including business combination provisions, supermajority vote requirements and advance notice requirements for director nominations and other stockholder proposals. Likewise, if the provision in our bylaws opting out of the control share acquisition provisions of the MGCL were rescinded or if we were to opt in to the classified board or other provisions of Subtitle 8, these provisions of the MGCL could have similar anti-takeover effects.

Indemnification and Limitation of Directors’ and Officers’ Liability

Maryland law permits a Maryland corporation to include in its charter a provision limiting the liability of its directors and officers to the corporation and its stockholders for money damages, except for liability resulting from (i) actual receipt of an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services or (ii) active and deliberate dishonesty that is established by a final judgment and that is material to the cause of action. Our charter contains a provision that eliminates the liability of our directors and officers to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law.

The MGCL requires us (unless our charter provides otherwise, which our charter does not) to indemnify a director or officer who has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any proceeding to which he or she is made a party by reason of his or her service in that capacity. The MGCL permits us to indemnify our present and former directors and officers, among others, against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in connection with any proceeding to which they may be made or threatened to be made a party by reason of their service in those or other capacities unless it is established that:

•the act or omission of the director or officer was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding and (a) was committed in bad faith or (b) was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty;

•the director or officer actually received an improper personal benefit in money, property or services; or

•in the case of any criminal proceeding, the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful.

Under the MGCL, we may not indemnify a director or officer in a suit by us or in our right in which the director or officer was adjudged liable to us or in a suit in which the director or officer was adjudged liable on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received. A court may order indemnification if it determines that the director or officer is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification, even though the director or officer did not meet the prescribed standard of conduct or was adjudged liable on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received. However, indemnification for an adverse judgment in a suit by us or in our right, or for a judgment of liability on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received, is limited to expenses.

In addition, the MGCL permits us to advance reasonable expenses to a director or officer upon our receipt of:

•a written affirmation by the director or officer of his or her good faith belief that he or she has met the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification by us; and

•a written undertaking by or on behalf of the director or officer to repay the amount paid or reimbursed by us if it is ultimately determined that the director or officer did not meet the standard of conduct.

Our charter authorizes us to obligate ourselves, and our bylaws obligate us, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law in effect from time to time, to indemnify and, without requiring a preliminary determination of the ultimate entitlement to indemnification, pay or reimburse reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding to:

•any present or former director or officer who is made or threatened to be made a party to, or witness in, a proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity; or

•any individual who, while a director or officer of our company and at our request, serves or has served as a director, officer, partner, trustee, member or manager of another corporation, REIT, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or any other enterprise and who is made or threatened to be made a party to the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity.

Our charter and bylaws also permit us to indemnify and advance expenses to any person who served a predecessor of ours in any of the capacities described above and to any employee or agent of our company or a predecessor of our company.

We have entered into indemnification agreements with each of our directors and executive officers that provide for indemnification to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law.

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