EastGroup Properties (EGP) 424B5Prospectus supplement for primary offering

The market price of our common stock may be volatile, and stockholders may not be able to resell their shares of common stock at or above the price at which they acquired the common stock due to fluctuations in its market price, including changes in price caused by factors unrelated to our performance or prospects, or that are beyond our control. In addition, the trading volume in our common stock may fluctuate and cause significant price variations to occur.

Specific factors that may have a significant effect on the market price for our common stock include, among others, the following:

Giving effect to the potential issuance of common stock in this offering, the receipt of the expected net proceeds and the use of those proceeds, this offering may have a dilutive effect on our expected earnings per share. The actual amount of such dilution cannot be determined at this time and will be based on numerous factors. Additionally, we are not restricted from issuing additional shares of our common stock or issuing shares of preferred stock, including any securities that are convertible into or exchangeable for, or that represent the right to receive, common stock or preferred stock or any substantially similar securities in the future. In addition,

The market price of our common stock could decline as a result of sales of a large number of shares of our common stock in the market after an offering under this prospectus supplement or the perception that such sales could occur. We cannot predict whether future issuances or sales of shares of our common stock or the availability of shares of our common stock for resale in the open market will decrease the market price of our common stock. The issuance of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public market, or the perception that such issuances might occur, could adversely affect the market price of our common stock.

For a discussion of potential dilution resulting from the Forward Contracts, see “Risks Related to Forward Contracts—Settlement provisions contained in a Forward Contract could result in substantial dilution to our earnings per share or result in substantial cash payment obligations.”

If we decide to issue additional debt securities in the future, the indenture or other instrument governing such securities may contain covenants restricting our operating flexibility. Additionally, any convertible or exchangeable securities that we may issue in the future may have rights, preferences and privileges more favorable than those of our common stock. Holders of debt securities may also be granted specific rights, including, but not limited to, the right to hold a perfected security interest in certain of our assets, the right to accelerate payments due under the indenture, rights to restrict dividend payments and rights to approve the sale of assets. Upon liquidation, holders of our debt securities and shares of preferred stock, if any, and lenders with respect to other borrowings will receive a distribution of our available assets prior to the holders of our common stock. Any preferred stock we may issue could have a preference on liquidating distributions and/or a preference on dividend payments that could limit our ability to make a distribution to the holders of our common stock. Such additional restrictive covenants, operating restrictions and preferential dividends could have a material adverse effect on our operating results and negatively affect the market price of our common stock and our ability to pay distributions to our stockholders.

One of the factors that may influence the price of shares of our common stock is the dividend distribution rate on our common stock relative to market interest rates. If market interest rates rise, prospective purchasers of shares of our common stock may expect a higher distribution rate. We may not be able to, or we may not choose to, provide a higher distribution rate in such instances. As a result, prospective purchasers may decide to purchase other securities rather than shares of our common stock, which would reduce the demand for, and result in a decline in the market price of, shares of our common stock.

All distributions are at the sole discretion of our board of directors (our “Board”) and will depend upon our actual and projected financial condition, results of operations, cash flows, liquidity and funds from operations, maintenance of our REIT qualification and such other matters as our Board may deem relevant from time to time. Stockholders have no contractual or other legal right to distributions that have not been authorized by our Board and declared by our company. It is possible that stockholders may in the future receive lower distributions as compared to those previously paid by us for various reasons, including the following: we may not have enough cash to pay such distributions due to changes in our cash requirements, indebtedness, capital spending plans, operating cash flows, or financial position; our Board may elect to retain cash for investment purposes, working capital reserves or other purposes, or to maintain or improve our credit ratings; our Board reserves the right to change our distribution practices at any time and for any reason; and the amount of distributions that our subsidiaries may distribute to us may be subject to restrictions imposed by state law, state regulators, and/or the terms of any current or future indebtedness that these subsidiaries may incur. We may not be able to make distributions in the future or may need to fund such distributions from external sources, as to which no

If we enter into one or more Forward Contracts, the relevant Forward Purchaser will have the right to accelerate that particular Forward Contract (with respect to all or any portion of the transaction under that particular Forward Contract that the relevant Forward Purchaser determines is affected by such event) and require us to settle on a date specified by the relevant Forward Purchaser if:

A Forward Purchaser’s decision to exercise its right to accelerate the settlement of a particular Forward Contract will be made irrespective of our need for capital. In such cases, we could be required to issue and deliver shares of common stock under the physical settlement provisions of that particular Forward Contract or, if we so elect and the Forward Purchaser so permits our election, net share settlement provisions of that particular Forward Contract irrespective of our capital needs, which would result in dilution to our earnings per share.

We expect that settlement of any Forward Contract will generally occur no later than the date specified in the particular Forward Contract, which will be no later than two years following the trade date of that Forward Contract. However, any Forward Contract may be settled earlier than that specified date in whole or in part at our option. We expect that each Forward Contract will be physically settled by delivery of shares of our common stock unless we elect to cash settle or net share settle a particular Forward Contract. Upon physical settlement or, if we so elect, net share settlement of a particular Forward Contract, delivery of shares of our common stock in connection with such physical settlement or, to the extent we are obligated to deliver shares of our common stock, net share settlement, will result in dilution to our earnings per share. If we elect cash settlement or net share settlement with respect to all or a portion of the shares of common stock underlying a particular Forward Contract, we expect that the relevant Forward Purchaser (or an agent or affiliate thereof) will purchase a number of shares of common stock necessary to satisfy its or its agent or affiliate’s obligation to return the shares of common stock borrowed from third parties in connection with sales of shares of our common stock under that Forward Contract. In addition, the purchase of shares of our common stock in connection with the relevant Forward Purchaser or its agent or affiliate unwinding its hedge positions could cause the price of our common stock to increase over such time (or prevent a decrease over such time), thereby increasing the amount of cash we would owe to the relevant Forward Purchaser (or decreasing the amount of cash that the relevant Forward

The forward sale price that we expect to receive upon physical settlement of a particular Forward Contract will be subject to adjustment on a daily basis based on a floating interest rate factor equal to an overnight interest rate less a spread and will be decreased based on amounts related to expected dividends on our common stock during the term of the particular Forward Contract. If such overnight interest rate is less than, or greater than, the spread on any day, the interest factor will result in a daily reduction, or a daily increase, respectively, of the applicable forward sale price. If the market value of our common stock during the relevant valuation period under the particular Forward Contract is above the applicable forward sale price, in the case of cash settlement, we would pay the relevant Forward Purchaser under that particular Forward Contract an amount in cash equal to the difference or, in the case of net share settlement, we would deliver to the relevant Forward Purchaser a number of shares of common stock having a value equal to the difference. Thus, we could be responsible for a potentially substantial cash payment in the case of cash settlement of a particular Forward Contract. If the market value of our common stock during the relevant valuation period under that particular Forward Contract is below the applicable forward sale price, in the case of cash settlement, we would be paid the difference in cash by the relevant Forward Purchaser under that particular Forward Contract or, in the case of net share settlement, we would receive from the relevant Forward Purchaser a number of shares of common stock having a value equal to the difference. See “Plan of Distribution” for information on the Forward Contracts.

If we file for or consent to a proceeding seeking a judgment in bankruptcy or insolvency or any other relief under any bankruptcy or insolvency law or other similar law affecting creditors’ rights, or we or a regulatory authority with jurisdiction over us presents a petition for our winding-up or liquidation, and we consent to such a petition, any Forward Contracts that are then in effect will automatically terminate. If any such Forward Contract so terminates under these circumstances, we would not be obligated to deliver to the relevant Forward Purchaser any of our common stock not previously delivered, and the relevant Forward Purchaser would be discharged from its obligation to pay the applicable forward sale price per share in respect of any of our common stock not previously settled under the applicable Forward Contract. Therefore, to the extent that there are any shares of our common stock with respect to which any Forward Contract has not been settled at the time of the commencement of any such bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings, we would not receive the relevant forward sale price per share in respect of those shares of our common stock.

The treatment of any cash settlement payment we may receive upon our election to cash settle a Forward Contract for purposes of the gross income tests applicable to REITs is unclear. Therefore, we may only elect to cash settle a Forward Contract if we determine that we can satisfy the gross income requirements for REITs while treating such cash settlement payment as nonqualifying income. In the event we are not able to make such determination, we may be precluded from electing to cash settle a Forward Contract even if the cash settlement may be the optimal business decision.

This prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein may contain “forward-looking statements” (within the meaning of the federal securities laws, Section 27A of the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) that reflect our expectations and projections about the Company’s future results, performance, prospects, plans and opportunities. The Company has attempted to identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words such as “may,” “will,” “seek,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “targets,” “intends,” “should,” “estimates,” “could,” “continue,” “assume,” “projects,” “goals,” “plans” or variations of such words and similar expressions or the negative of such words, although not all forward-looking statements contain such words. These forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to the Company and are subject to a number of known and unknown assumptions, risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company’s actual results, performance, plans or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These factors include, among other things, those discussed below. The Company intends for all such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act, as applicable by law. The Company does not undertake to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of changes in underlying assumptions or new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

The following are some, but not all, of the risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from those presented in the Company’s forward-looking statements:

The risks included herein are not exhaustive, and investors should be aware that there may be other factors that could adversely affect our business and financial performance. New risk factors emerge from time to time and it is not possible for our management to predict all risk factors, nor can we assess the impact of all risk factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Given these risks and uncertainties, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. Investors should also refer to our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K that are incorporated herein by reference, including those filed in the future, for a discussion of risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements.

We intend to use the net proceeds (1) from issuances and sales of our common stock through the Sales Agents and (2) if any, upon the settlement of any Forward Contracts for general corporate purposes, which may include working capital, the repayment of amounts outstanding from time to time under our unsecured revolving credit facilities or other indebtedness and the payment of costs of acquisition or development of industrial properties, or a combination thereof. Pending the use of the net proceeds as described above, we may invest the net proceeds in interest-bearing accounts and short-term, interest-bearing securities which are consistent with our intention to qualify as a REIT.

To the extent that we elect to cash settle any particular Forward Contract, we may not receive any net proceeds (or we may owe cash to the relevant Forward Purchaser). To the extent that we elect to net share settle any particular Forward Contract in full, we would not receive any proceeds from the relevant Forward Purchaser.

We will not initially receive any proceeds from any sales of shares of our common stock by a Forward Seller in connection with any Forward Contract. We expect to fully physically settle each particular Forward Contract, in which case we will expect to receive aggregate net cash proceeds at settlement equal to the number of shares underlying the particular Forward Contract multiplied by the relevant forward sale price. The forward sale price that we expect to receive upon physical settlement of a particular Forward Contract will be equal to the sales prices of all borrowed shares of common stock sold by the relevant Forward Seller during the applicable forward hedge selling period less a forward hedge selling commission not to exceed 1.5%, will be subject to adjustment on a daily basis based on a floating interest rate factor equal to an overnight interest rate less a spread and will be decreased based on amounts related to expected dividends on shares of our common stock during the term of the particular Forward Contract. If such overnight interest rate is less than, or greater than, the spread on any day, the interest factor will result in a daily reduction, or an increase, respectively, of the applicable forward sale price.

In the event that we enter into any Forward Contracts, we expect that before the issuance of shares of our common stock, if any, upon physical or net share settlement of any Forward Contract, the shares issuable upon settlement of the particular Forward Contract will be reflected in our diluted earnings per share calculations using the treasury stock method. Under this method, the number of shares of our common stock used in calculating diluted earnings per share is deemed to be increased by the excess, if any, of the number of shares of common stock that would be issued upon full physical settlement of that particular Forward Contract over the number of shares of common stock that could be purchased by us in the market (based on the average market price during the period) using the proceeds receivable upon full physical settlement (based on the adjusted forward sale price at the end of the reporting period).

Certain affiliates of BofA Securities, Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Raymond James & Associates, Inc., Regions Securities LLC, and TD Securities (USA) LLC, are lenders under our $625 million unsecured revolving credit facility. To the extent that we use the net proceeds from this offering to repay amounts we have borrowed or may borrow or re-borrow in the future under our revolving credit facility, those lenders will receive their pro rata portion of any of the proceeds from this offering that we use to repay any such amounts. As of September 30, 2024, the Company had no borrowings on this unsecured revolving credit facility, and two standby letters of credit totaling $2,655,000 pledged against, and reducing the borrowing capacity under, the credit facility.

We have entered into a Sales Agency Financing Agreement, dated as of October 25, 2024, with each of Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated, BofA Securities, Inc., BTIG, LLC, Jefferies LLC, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Raymond James & Associates, Inc., Regions Securities LLC, Samuel A. Ramirez & Company, Inc., and TD Securities (USA) LLC and, as applicable, the Forward Purchasers, under which we may, from time to time, issue and sell shares of our common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, with an aggregate gross sales price of up to $1,000,000,000, through the Sales Agents or the Forward Sellers, or directly to the Sales Agents, acting as principals. The Sales Agreement provides that, in addition to the offer and sale of shares of our common stock by us through the Sales Agents, we also may enter into Forward Contracts under separate master forward confirmations and related supplemental confirmations between us and each of Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated, Bank of America, N.A., Nomura Global Financial Products, Inc., Jefferies LLC, JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, Raymond James & Associates, Inc., Regions Securities LLC, and The Toronto-Dominion Bank (or their respective agents or affiliates). In connection with each such Forward Contract, the relevant Forward Purchaser will, at our request, borrow from third parties and, through the relevant Forward Seller, sell a number of shares of our common stock equal to the number of shares of our common stock underlying such Forward Contract. In no event will the aggregate number of shares of our common stock sold through the Sales Agents or the Forward Sellers under the Sales Agreement and under any Forward Contracts have an aggregate sales price in excess of $1,000,000,000.

Sales of our common stock, if any, made under the Sales Agreement as contemplated by this prospectus supplement may be made by means of ordinary brokers’ transactions on the NYSE at market prices, in negotiated transactions or by any other method permitted by law deemed to be an “at-the-market” offering as defined in Rule 415 under the Securities Act, including block transactions or sales made to or through a market maker other than on an exchange, at prices related to prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices.

We will deliver to the NYSE copies of this prospectus supplement pursuant to the rules of the exchange. To the extent required under applicable law, we will report at least quarterly the number of shares of our common stock sold through the Sales Agents and/or Forward Sellers, as agents, under the Sales Agreement, and to the extent applicable, the net proceeds to us and the number of shares of our common stock issued upon settlement of any Forward Contracts in connection with such sales.

Sales of our common stock as contemplated by this prospectus supplement will be settled through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company or by such other means as we and the Sales Agents or Forward Sellers and related Forward Purchasers, as applicable, may agree upon.

Each Sales Agent and Forward Seller, as applicable, will provide written confirmation to us no later than the opening of the next NYSE trading day following each day on which shares of our common stock are sold by it as agent under the Sales Agreement. Each confirmation will include the number of shares sold on that day, the compensation payable by us to the Sales Agent or the Forward Seller, and the net proceeds to us, in each case as applicable.

In connection with the sale of our common stock hereunder, each of the Sales Agents, the Forward Sellers and/or the Forward Purchasers may be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act, and the compensation paid to the Sales Agents or the Forward Sellers in the form of a reduced initial forward sale price under the related Forward Contract with the related Forward Purchaser may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts. We have agreed to provide indemnification and contribution to each of the Sales Agents, Forward Sellers and Forward Purchasers against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

We estimate that the total expenses of the offering payable by us, excluding commissions or discounts payable or provided to the Sales Agents and the Forward Sellers under the Sales Agreement, will be approximately $1.2 million.

The offering of shares of our common stock pursuant to the Sales Agreement will terminate upon the earlier of (1) the sale of all of our shares of our common stock subject to the Sales Agreement, and (2) termination of the Sales Agreement by us, the relevant Sales Agent, the relevant Forward Seller or the relevant Forward Purchaser. The Sales Agreement may be terminated by each Sales Agent, Forward Seller or Forward Purchaser with respect to itself or by us at any time upon 10 days’ notice, and by the Sales Agents, Forward Sellers and Forward Purchasers in certain circumstances, including certain bankruptcy events relating to us or any material

We have agreed not to directly or indirectly sell, offer to sell, contract to sell, grant any option to sell or otherwise dispose of, our common stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock, warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire our common stock for a period beginning on the first trading day prior to the delivery of any transaction notice to a Sales Agent or Forward Seller and ending on the first trading day following the settlement date for our common stock sold pursuant to the applicable transaction notice, without the prior written consent of the Sales Agent or Forward Seller. This consent may be given at any time without public notice. The restriction described in this paragraph does not apply to the issuances or sales of:

From time to time during the term of the Sales Agreement, we may deliver a transaction notice to a Sales Agent specifying the length of the selling period, the amount of common stock to be sold, the minimum price below which sales may not be made and additional sales parameters. Upon receipt of an transaction notice from us, and subject to the terms and conditions of the Sales Agreement, each Sales Agent has agreed to use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable law and regulation to sell such shares on such terms. We or the Sales Agent may suspend the offering of our common stock at any time upon proper notice to the other, upon which the selling period will immediately terminate. Settlement for sales of our common stock are generally anticipated to occur on the first trading day following the date on which any sales were made, unless we agree otherwise with the relevant Sales Agent. The obligation of the Sales Agent under the Sales Agreement to sell shares pursuant to any transaction notice is subject to a number of conditions, which the Sales Agent reserves the right to waive in its sole discretion.

We will pay each Sales Agent a commission, which in each case that such Sales Agent is acting as an agent and not a principal, is not to exceed 1.5% of the gross sales price of all shares of our common stock sold through it as agent under the Sales Agreement. In addition to the commission described above, we have also agreed, under certain circumstances, to reimburse the Sales Agents for certain of their reasonable, documented out-of-pocket expenses, including fees and expenses of counsel in connection with the Sales Agreement. The remaining sales proceeds, after deducting any expenses payable by us and any transaction fees imposed by any governmental or self-regulatory organization in connection with the sales, will equal our net proceeds for the sale of shares of our common stock.

Under the terms of the Sales Agreement, we may also sell shares of our common stock to one or more of the Sales Agents as principal, at a price per share to be agreed upon at the time of sale. If we sell shares to one or more of the Sales Agents as principal, we will enter into a separate terms agreement with such Sales Agent or Sales Agents, as the case may be, and, to the extent required by applicable law, we will describe such agreement in a separate prospectus supplement or issuance supplement. In any such sale to a Sales Agent as principal, we may agree to pay the applicable Sales Agent a commission or discount that may exceed 1.5% of the gross sales price per share of common stock sold to such Sales Agent, as principal.

From time to time during the term of the Sales Agreement, and subject to the terms and conditions set forth therein, we may deliver a transaction notice relating to a forward to any of the Forward Sellers. Upon receipt by a Forward Seller or its agent of a transaction notice from us requesting that it execute sales of shares of borrowed common stock as a Forward Seller in connection with one or more Forward Contracts, and subject to the terms and conditions of the Sales Agreement, the relevant Forward Purchaser or its agent will use commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices to borrow, and the relevant Forward Seller or its agent will use commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices to sell, the relevant shares of our common stock on such terms to hedge the relevant Forward Purchaser’s exposure under that particular Forward Contract. We or the relevant Forward Seller may immediately suspend the offering of our common stock at any time upon proper notice to the other.

We expect that settlement between the relevant Forward Purchaser and Forward Seller of sales of borrowed shares of our common stock, as well as the settlement between the relevant Forward Seller and buyers of such shares of our common stock in the market, will generally occur on the first trading day (or such day as is industry practice for regular-way trading) following each date the sales are made. The obligation of the relevant Forward Seller under the Sales Agreement to execute such sales of our common stock is subject to a number of conditions, which each Forward Seller reserves the right to waive in its sole discretion.

In connection with each Forward Contract, we will pay the relevant Forward Seller, in the form of a reduced initial forward sale price under the related Forward Contract with the related forward purchaser, commissions at a mutually agreed rate that will not exceed, but may be lower than, 1.5% of sales prices of all borrowed shares of common stock sold during the applicable forward hedge selling period by it as a Forward Seller. We refer to this commission rate as the forward selling commission. The forward hedge selling period will be the period determined by us in our sole discretion and as specified in the relevant transaction notice.

The forward sale price per share under each Forward Contract will initially equal the product of (1) an amount equal to one minus the applicable forward selling commission and (2) the volume-weighted average price per share at which the shares of borrowed common stock were sold pursuant to the Sales Agreement by the relevant Forward Seller. Thereafter, the forward sale price will be subject to adjustment as described below.

The Forward Contracts, the maximum terms of which may not exceed two years, will provide that the forward sale price, as well as the sales prices used to calculate the initial forward sale price, will be subject to increase or decrease based on an overnight interest rate, less a spread, and subject to decrease by amounts related to expected dividends on our common stock during the term of the particular Forward Contract. If such overnight interest rate is less than, or greater than, the spread on any day, the interest factor will result in a daily reduction, or a daily increase, respectively, of the forward sale price.

Before settlement of a particular Forward Contract, we expect that the shares of our common stock issuable upon settlement of that particular Forward Contract will be reflected in our diluted earnings per share and dividends per share calculations using the treasury stock method. Under this method, the number of shares of our common stock used in calculating diluted earnings per share and dividends per share is deemed to be increased by the excess, if any, of the number of shares of our common stock that would be issued upon full physical settlement of that particular Forward Contract over the number of shares of our common stock that could be purchased by us in the market (based on the average market price during the relevant period) using the proceeds receivable upon full physical settlement (based on the adjusted forward sale price at the end of the relevant reporting period). Consequently, before physical or net share settlement of a particular Forward Contract and subject to the occurrence of certain events, we anticipate there will be no dilutive effect on our earnings per share, except during periods when the average market price of our common stock is above the applicable forward sale price.

Except under limited circumstances described below, we have the right to elect physical, cash or net share settlement under any Forward Contract. Although we expect to settle any Forward Contract entirely by delivering shares of our common stock in connection with full physical settlement, we may, subject to certain conditions, elect cash settlement or net share settlement for all or a portion of our obligations under a particular Forward Contract if we conclude that it is in our interest to do so. For example, we may conclude that it is in our interest

If we elect to physically settle any Forward Contract by issuing and delivering shares of our common stock, we will receive an amount of cash from the relevant Forward Purchaser equal to the product of the forward sale price per share under that particular Forward Contract and the number of shares of our common stock underlying the particular Forward Contract. In the event that we elect to cash settle, the settlement amount will be generally related to (1) (a) the average of the volume-weighted average price of our common stock on each exchange business day during the relevant valuation period under the particular Forward Contract minus (b) the applicable forward sale price; multiplied by (2) the number of shares of our common stock underlying the particular Forward Contract subject to cash settlement. In the event we elect to net share settle, the settlement amount will be generally related to (1) (a) the weighted average price at which the relevant Forward Purchaser or its agent or affiliate purchases shares of our common stock during the relevant valuation period for such settlement under that particular Forward Contract minus (b) the applicable forward sale price; multiplied by (2) the number of shares of our common stock underlying that particular Forward Contract subject to such net share settlement. If this settlement amount is a negative number, the relevant Forward Purchaser will pay us the absolute value of that amount (in the case of cash settlement) or deliver to us a number of shares of our common stock having a value equal to the absolute value of such amount (in the event of net share settlement). If this settlement amount is a positive number, we will pay the relevant Forward Purchaser that amount (in the case of cash settlement) or deliver to the relevant Forward Purchaser a number of shares of our common stock having a value equal to such amount (in the event of net share settlement). In connection with any cash settlement or net share settlement, we would expect the relevant Forward Purchaser or its agent or affiliate to purchase shares of our common stock in secondary market transactions for delivery to third-party stock lenders in order to close out its, or its agent’s or affiliate’s, hedge position in respect of that particular Forward Contract. The purchase of shares of our common stock in connection with the relevant Forward Purchaser or its agent or affiliate unwinding its hedge positions could cause the price of our common stock to increase over time (or prevent a decrease over time), thereby increasing the amount of cash we owe to the relevant Forward Purchaser (or decreasing the amount of cash that the relevant Forward Purchaser owes us) upon cash settlement or increasing the number of shares of our common stock that we are obligated to deliver to the relevant Forward Purchaser (or decreasing the number of shares of our common stock that the relevant Forward Purchaser is obligated to deliver to us) upon net share settlement of the particular Forward Contract. See “Risk Factors — Risks Related to Forward Contracts.”

A Forward Purchaser will have the right to accelerate the particular Forward Contract (with respect to all or any portion of the transaction under the particular Forward Contract that the relevant Forward Purchaser determines is affected by such event) and require us to physically settle on a date specified by the relevant Forward Purchaser if (1) the relevant Forward Purchaser is unable to establish, maintain or unwind its hedge position with respect to the particular Forward Contract; (2) the relevant Forward Purchaser determines that it is unable after using commercially reasonable efforts, to continue to borrow a number of shares of our common stock equal to the number of shares of our common stock underlying the particular Forward Contract or that, with respect to borrowing such number of shares of our common stock, it would incur a cost that is greater than the stock borrow cost specified in the particular Forward Contract, subject to a prior notice requirement; (3) a termination event occurs as a result of us declaring a dividend or distribution on our common stock with a cash value in excess of a specified amount per calendar quarter or with an ex-dividend date prior to the anticipated ex-dividend date for such cash dividend; (4) an extraordinary event (as such term is defined in the particular Forward Contract and which includes certain mergers and tender offers and the delisting of our common stock) occurs, or our board of directors votes to approve or there is a public announcement of, in either case, any action that, if consummated, would constitute such an extraordinary event; or (5) certain other events of default, termination events or other specified events occur, including, among other things, any material misrepresentation made by us in connection with entering into the particular Forward Contract, our bankruptcy or a change in law (as such terms are defined in the particular Forward Contract). The relevant Forward Purchaser’s decision to exercise its right to accelerate the settlement of the particular Forward Contract will be made irrespective of our need for capital. In such cases, we could be required to issue and deliver shares of our common stock under the physical settlement provisions of the particular Forward Contract or, if we so elect and the relevant Forward Purchaser so permits our election, net share settlement provisions of the particular Forward

Each of the Sales Agents, Forward Sellers, Forward Purchasers and/or their respective agents or affiliates are full service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which may include securities trading, commercial and investment banking, financial advisory, investment management, investment research, principal investment, hedging, financing and brokerage activities. In the ordinary course of business, the Sales Agents, the Forward Sellers, the Forward Purchasers and/or their respective agents or affiliates have from time to time provided, and expect to provide in the future, investment banking, commercial banking, construction lending, letter of credit facilities and other credit-related arrangements, financial advisory, brokerage and other services to us and our agents or affiliates, for which it has received and may in the future continue to receive customary fees and commissions. In the ordinary course of their various business activities, the Sales Agents, the Forward Sellers, the Forward Purchasers and/or their respective agents or affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers, and such investment and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments of ours. The Sales Agents, the Forward Sellers, the Forward Purchasers and/or their respective agents or affiliates may also make investment recommendations and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or instruments and may at any time hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in such securities and instruments.

Associated Investment Services, Inc. (AIS), a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority member, an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Associated Banc-Corp, is being paid a referral fee by Samuel A. Ramirez & Company, Inc.

Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated will pay a referral fee to an affiliate of The Huntington National Bank, one of the lenders under our revolving credit facility, in connection with this offering.

The consolidated financial statements of EastGroup Properties, Inc. as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2023, and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023 have been incorporated by reference herein in reliance upon the reports of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

The legality of the securities offered hereby will be passed upon for us by Goodwin Procter LLP. Clifford Chance US LLP will pass upon certain legal matters in connection with this offering for the Sales Agents, Forward Sellers and Forward Purchasers.

The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference the information contained in documents that we file with them, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents instead of having to repeat the information in this prospectus supplement. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus supplement, and information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information.

We incorporate by reference the documents listed below, other than, in each case, any document or portion thereof deemed to be “furnished” and not filed in accordance with SEC rules and regulations:

We will provide without charge to each person to whom this prospectus supplement is delivered, upon his or her written or oral request, a copy of any or all documents referred to above that have been or may be incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement (other than exhibits, unless they are specifically incorporated by reference in the documents) by writing or telephoning us at the following address and telephone number:

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) using a “shelf” registration process. Under this process, we may sell common stock, preferred stock, depositary shares and warrants in one or more offerings. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we sell securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement containing specific information about the terms of the applicable offering. To the extent that this prospectus is used by any securityholder to resell any securities, information with respect to the securityholder and the terms of the securities being offered will be contained in a prospectus supplement. Any such prospectus supplement may add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement together with the additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”

We or any selling securityholders may offer the securities directly, through agents, or to or through underwriters. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms of the plan of distribution and set forth the names of any agents or underwriters involved in the sale of the securities. See “Plan of Distribution” for more information on this topic. No securities may be sold without delivery of a prospectus supplement describing the method and terms of the offering of those securities.

Investment in any securities offered pursuant to this prospectus involves risks. Before acquiring any securities offered pursuant to this prospectus, you should carefully consider the risk factors under the caption “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and as described in our other filings with the SEC, which are incorporated, or deemed to be incorporated, by reference into this prospectus, and in the other documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus that we file with the SEC after the date of this prospectus and which are deemed incorporated by reference in this prospectus. For a description of these reports and documents, and information about where you can find them, see “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Documents By Reference.” The occurrence of any of these risks might cause you to lose all or a part of your investment in the offered securities. Please also refer to the section below entitled “Forward-Looking Information” for additional risks and uncertainties. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair our business operations. If any of the risks or uncertainties described in our periodic reports filed with the SEC or any such additional risks and uncertainties actually occur, our business, results of operations and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected. In that case, the trading price of the securities being offered by this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement could decline, and you might lose all or part of your investment. You should consider these risk factors before acquiring any of such securities and when you read forward-looking statements contained elsewhere or incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

This prospectus, the prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated by reference herein or therein may contain “forward-looking statements” (within the meaning of the federal securities laws, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) that reflect our expectations and projections about the Company’s future results, performance, prospects and opportunities. You may identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words such as “may,” “will,” “seek,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “targets,” “intends,” “should,” “estimates,” “could,” “continue,” “assume,” “projects,” “goals,” “plans” or variations of such words and similar expressions or the negative of such words, although not all forward-looking statements may contain such words. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to the Company and are subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These factors include, among other things, those discussed below. The Company intends for all such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act, as applicable. The Company does not undertake to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of changes in underlying assumptions or new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

The following are some, but not all, of the risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from those presented in the Company’s forward-looking statements:

The risks included herein are not exhaustive, and investors should be aware that there may be other factors that could adversely affect our business and financial performance. New risk factors emerge from time to time and it is not possible for our management to predict all risk factors, nor can we assess the impact of all risk factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Given these risks and uncertainties, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. Investors should also refer to our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K that are incorporated herein by reference, including those filed in the future and deemed incorporated by reference herein, for a discussion of risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements.

We are an internally-managed equity REIT first organized in 1969. Our goal is to maximize shareholder value by being a leading provider in our markets of functional, flexible, and quality business distribution space for location-sensitive customers (primarily in the 15,000 to 70,000 square foot range). We develop, acquire and operate distribution facilities, the majority of which are clustered around major transportation features in supply constrained submarkets in major Sunbelt regions. Our core markets are in the states of Florida, Texas, Arizona, California and North Carolina.

We are a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Maryland. Our principal executive offices are located at 400 W. Parkway Place, Suite 100, Ridgeland, Mississippi 39157, and our telephone number is (601) 354-3555. We also have a web site at www.eastgroup.net. The information found on, or otherwise accessible through, our web site is not incorporated into, and does not form a part of, this prospectus.

Additional information regarding EastGroup, including our audited financial statements, is contained in the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus. Please also refer to the section below entitled “Where You Can Find More Information.”

Unless otherwise specified in a prospectus supplement, we intend to use the net proceeds from the sales of the securities to which this prospectus relates for general corporate purposes, which may include, without limitation, the repayment of debt and the development and acquisition of additional properties.

Unless otherwise set forth in a prospectus supplement, we will not receive any proceeds in the event that securities are sold by a selling securityholder.

The following description is only a summary of certain terms and provisions of our capital stock. You should refer to our Articles of Incorporation, as supplemented (the “charter”), and Bylaws, as amended (the “bylaws”), for the complete provisions thereof.

The total number of shares of capital stock of all classes that we are authorized to issue is 100,000,000. Our charter authorizes the issuance of 70,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $.0001 per share and 30,000,000 shares of Excess Stock (as defined in our charter), par value $.0001 per share. As of December 15, 2022, 43,575,539 shares of common stock and no shares of Excess Stock were issued and outstanding. Our common stock is currently listed on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) under the symbol “EGP.”

Our Board of Directors (the “Board” or “Board of Directors”) is authorized by the charter to classify and reclassify any of our unissued shares of capital stock, by, among other alternatives, setting, altering or eliminating the designation, preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers, qualifications and terms and conditions of redemption of, limitations as to dividends and any other restrictions on, our capital stock. The power of the Board of Directors to classify and reclassify any of the shares of capital stock includes the authority to classify or reclassify such shares into a class or classes of preferred stock or other stock.

Pursuant to the provisions of our charter, if a transfer of stock occurs such that any person would own, beneficially or constructively (applying the applicable attribution rules of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), more than 9.8% (in value or in number, whichever is more restrictive) of our outstanding equity stock (excluding shares of Excess Stock), then the amount in excess of the 9.8% limit will automatically be converted into shares of Excess Stock, any such transfer will be void ab initio, and we will have the right to redeem such stock. These restrictions also apply to any transfer of stock that would result in our being “closely held” within the meaning of Section 856(h) of the Code, or otherwise failing to qualify as a REIT for federal income tax purposes. Upon any transfer that results in Excess Stock, such Excess Stock shall be held in trust for the exclusive benefit of one or more charitable beneficiaries designated by us. Upon the satisfaction of certain conditions, the person who would have been the recordholder of the equity stock if the transfer had not resulted in Excess Stock may designate a beneficiary of an interest in the trust. Upon such transfer of an interest in the trust, the corresponding shares of Excess Stock in the trust shall be automatically exchanged for an equal number of shares of equity stock of the same class as such stock had been prior to it becoming Excess Stock and shall be transferred of record to the designated beneficiary. Excess Stock has no voting rights, except as required by law. Excess Stock shall not be entitled to dividends. Any dividend paid prior to our discovery that equity stock has been converted into Excess Stock shall be repaid to us upon demand. In the event of our liquidation, each holder of Excess Stock shall be entitled to receive that portion of our assets that would have been distributed to the holder of equity stock in respect of which such Excess Stock was issued. The trustee of the trust holding Excess Stock shall distribute such assets to the beneficiaries of such trust. These restrictions will not prevent the settlement of a transaction entered into through the facilities of any interdealer quotation system or national securities exchange upon which shares of our capital stock are traded. Notwithstanding the prior sentence, certain transactions may be settled by providing shares of Excess Stock.

Our Board of Directors, upon receipt of a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service or an opinion of counsel or other evidence satisfactory to the Board of Directors and upon at least 15 days written notice from a transferee prior to a proposed transfer that, if consummated, would result in the intended transferee “beneficially owning” (as defined in our charter, and determined after the application of the applicable attribution rules of the Code) equity stock in excess of the 9.8% ownership limit and the satisfaction of such other conditions as the Board may direct, may in its sole and absolute discretion exempt a person from the 9.8% ownership limit. Additionally, our Board of Directors, upon receipt of a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service or an opinion of counsel or other evidence satisfactory to our Board, may in its sole and absolute discretion exempt a person from the limitation on a person “constructively owning” (as defined in our charter, and determined after the application of the applicable attribution rules of the Code) equity stock in excess of the 9.8% ownership limit if (i) such person does not and represents that it will not directly or “constructively own” (after the application of the applicable attribution rules of the Code) more than a 9.8% interest in a tenant of ours; (ii) we obtain such representations and undertakings as are reasonably necessary to ascertain this fact; and (iii) such person agrees that any violation or attempted violation of such representations, undertakings and agreements will result in such equity stock in excess of the ownership limit being converted into and exchanged for Excess Stock. Our Board of Directors may from time to time increase or decrease the 9.8% limit, provided that the 9.8% limit may be increased only if five individuals could not “beneficially own” or “constructively own” (applying the applicable attribution rules of the Code) more than 50.0% in value of the shares of equity stock then outstanding.

The following description of our common stock sets forth certain general terms and provisions of the common stock to which any prospectus supplement may relate and will apply to the common stock offered by this prospectus unless we provide otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement. The description of our common stock set forth below and in any prospectus supplement does not purport to be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to the applicable provisions of our charter and bylaws.

A holder of our common stock has no preferences, conversion rights, sinking fund, redemption rights, or preemptive rights to subscribe for any of our securities. Subject to the provisions of our charter regarding restrictions on ownership and transfer, all shares of common stock have equal distribution, liquidation, voting and other rights.

Under the Maryland General Corporation Law (the “MGCL”), a Maryland corporation generally cannot dissolve, amend its charter, merge, sell all or substantially all of its assets, engage in a share exchange or engage in similar transactions outside the ordinary course of business, unless approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders holding at least two thirds of the shares entitled to vote on the matter. However, a Maryland corporation may provide in its charter for approval of these matters by a lesser percentage, but not less than a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. Our charter provides that such actions need to be approved by a majority of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. However, any merger, consolidation, share exchange, recapitalization, dissolution, sale of all or substantially all of our assets or any amendment to the provisions of our charter regarding the Board of Directors, indemnification of our directors and officers or amendment of the charter must be approved by at least two-thirds of our Board of Directors. Additionally, no amendment to our charter may be made that would, (i) in the determination of our Board of Directors, cause us not to qualify as a REIT, (ii) amend the provisions of our charter regarding removal of directors, (iii) amend the provisions of our charter regarding the indemnification of directors and officers, (iv) amend our charter’s amendment provisions, or (v) impose cumulative voting in the election of directors, in each case, unless approved by the holders of not less than 80% of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter.

Our charter and bylaws do not allow for cumulative voting in the election of directors, and a majority of the votes cast in an election for a director shall be sufficient to elect a director. However, if there are more candidates for director than there are board seats to be voted upon, directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast.

The specific terms of a particular class or series of preferred stock will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to that class or series, including a prospectus supplement providing that preferred stock may be issuable upon the exercise of warrants the company issues. The description of preferred stock set forth below and the description of the terms of a particular class or series of preferred stock set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the articles supplementary relating to that class or series.

The prospectus supplement relating to any shares of preferred stock offered thereby will contain the specific terms, including:

The description of the provisions of the shares of preferred stock set forth in this prospectus and in the related prospectus supplement is only a summary, does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and is qualified in its entirety by, reference to the definitive Articles Supplementary to our charter relating to such series of shares of preferred stock, which will be filed with the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation. You should read these documents carefully to fully understand the terms of the shares of preferred stock. In connection with any offering of shares of preferred stock, Articles Supplementary will be filed with the SEC and incorporated by reference in this prospectus and the registration statement of which it is a part.

We may, at our option, elect to offer depositary shares, each of which would represent an interest in a fractional share, or multiple shares, of our preferred stock. If so, we will allow a depositary to issue to the public depositary shares, each of which will represent an interest in a fractional share, or multiple shares, of preferred stock as described in a prospectus supplement relating to such offering of depositary shares.

The shares of the preferred stock underlying any depositary shares will be deposited under a separate deposit agreement between us and a bank or trust company acting as depositary with respect to those shares of preferred stock. Under the deposit agreement, each owner of a depositary share will be entitled, in proportion of its interest in a fractional share or multiple shares of the preferred stock underlying that depositary share, to all the rights and preferences of that preferred stock, including dividend, voting, redemption, conversion, exchange and liquidation rights.

Some of the particular terms of the depositary shares offered by the applicable prospectus supplement, as well as some of the terms of the related deposit agreement, will be described in a prospectus supplement relating to such offering of depositary shares. The prospectus supplement will include the name of the depositary and the address of its principal executive office, the title of the security, the terms of deposit (including the provisions, if any, with respect to the amount of deposited securities represented by one depositary share, the procedure for voting, the collection and distribution of dividends, the transmission of notices, reports and proxy soliciting material, the sale or exercise of rights, the deposit or sale of securities resulting from dividends, splits or plans of reorganization, amendment, extension or termination of the deposit, rights of holders to inspect transfer books of the depositary and the list of holders, restrictions upon the right to deposit or withdraw the underlying securities, and limitation upon the liability of the depositary), and a description of all fees and charges which may be imposed on the holders, and may also include a discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax consequences.

Copies of the applicable form of deposit agreement and depositary receipt will be filed or incorporated by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part or to a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein and may be obtained as described below under “Where You Can Find More Information.” The statements in this prospectus relating to any deposit agreement, the depositary receipts to be issued thereunder and the related depositary shares are summaries of certain anticipated provisions thereof and do not purport to be complete and are subject to, and qualified in their entirety by reference to, all of the provisions of the applicable deposit agreement and related depositary receipts. Accordingly, you should read the form of deposit agreement and form of depositary receipt in their entirety before making an investment decision.

This section summarizes the general terms of the warrants. Most of the financial and other specific terms of any warrants will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement, and those terms may differ from the terms described herein.

We may issue warrants to purchase shares of preferred stock or shares of common stock. Warrants may be issued independently or together with any other securities offered by any prospectus supplement and may be attached to or separate from such securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and a warrant agent specified in the applicable prospectus supplement. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants of such series and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders or beneficial owners of warrants.

The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms of the warrants in respect of which this prospectus is being delivered, including, where applicable, the following: (1) the title of such warrants; (2) the aggregate number of such warrants; (3) the price or prices at which such warrants will be issued; (4) the designation, terms and number of shares of our preferred stock or common stock purchasable upon exercise of such warrants; (5) the designation and terms of the offered securities, if any, with which such warrants are issued and the number of such warrants issued with each such offered security; (6) the date, if any, on and after which such warrants and the related preferred stock or common stock will be separately transferable, including any limitations on ownership and transfer of such warrants as may be appropriate to preserve our status as a REIT; (7) the price at which each share of preferred stock or common stock purchasable upon exercise of such warrants may be purchased; (8) the date on which the right to exercise such warrants shall commence and the date on which such right shall expire; (9) the minimum or maximum amount of such warrants which may be exercised at any one time; (10) information with respect to book-entry procedures, if any; (11) a discussion of certain federal income tax consequences; and (12) any other terms of such warrants, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of such warrants.

The following paragraphs summarize certain material provisions of Maryland law applicable to Maryland corporations. The summary does not purport to be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to Maryland law, our charter, including any articles supplementary, and bylaws, in each case as may be amended from time to time. You should read these documents carefully to fully understand the terms of Maryland law, our charter and our bylaws.

Under the MGCL, certain “business combinations” (including a merger, consolidation, share exchange or, in certain circumstances, an asset transfer or issuance or reclassification of equity securities) between a Maryland corporation and any interested stockholder, or an affiliate of such interested stockholder, are prohibited for five years after the most recent date on which the interested stockholder becomes an interested stockholder. The MGCL defines an interested stockholder as any person who beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, ten percent 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 within the two-year period prior to the date in question, was the beneficial owner of, directly or indirectly, ten percent or more of the voting power of the then outstanding voting stock of the corporation. 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. The corporation’s board of directors may provide that its approval is subject to compliance with any terms and conditions determined by the board of directors.

After the five-year prohibition, any such business combination must be recommended by the board of directors of such corporation and approved by the affirmative vote of at least:

These super-majority vote requirements do not apply if the corporation’s common stockholders receive a minimum price, as defined under 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.

These provisions of the MGCL do not apply, however, to business combinations that are approved or exempted by a board of directors prior to the time that the interested shareholder becomes an interested shareholder. Our Board of Directors has adopted resolutions exempting any business combination between us and any other person or entity from the business combination provisions of the MGCL. Our bylaws provide that such resolutions may only be revoked, altered or amended, and our Board of Directors may only adopt any resolution inconsistent with a prior resolution of our Board of Directors that exempts any business combination (as defined in Section 3-601(e) of the MGCL) between the Company and any other person, whether identified specifically, generally or by type, from the business combination provisions of the MGCL, with the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast on the matter by the holders of the issued and outstanding shares of our common stock. We cannot assure you that our Board of Directors will not recommend to shareholders that the Board of Directors alter or repeal this resolution in the future.

As a result of the Company’s decision not to be subject to the business combinations statute, an interested stockholder may be able to effect a “business combination” without complying with the requirements discussed above, which may make it easier for stockholders who become interested stockholders to consummate a business combination involving the Company.

The Company has elected in its bylaws not to be subject to the “control share acquisition” provisions of the MGCL (sections 3-701 through 3-710). If the Company wants to be subject to these provisions, its bylaws would need to be amended. Such amendments would require (a) the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes entitled to be cast by the Company’s stockholders, or (b) a vote of two-thirds of the Board of Directors, provided that such amendment is also approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast on the matter by the Company’s stockholders.

The MGCL provides that “control shares” of a Maryland corporation acquired in a “control share acquisition” entitle their holders to no voting rights except to the extent approved at a special stockholder meeting by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter, excluding shares of stock in a corporation in respect of which any of the following persons is entitled to exercise or direct the exercise of the voting power of shares of stock of the corporation in the election of directors: (i) a person who makes or proposes to make a control share acquisition, (ii) an officer of the corporation or (iii) an employee of the corporation who is also a director of the corporation. “Control shares” are voting shares of stock which, if aggregated with all other shares of stock previously acquired by the acquiror, or in respect of which the acquiror is able to exercise or direct the exercise of voting power (except solely by virtue of a revocable proxy), would entitle the acquiror to exercise voting power in electing directors within one of the following ranges of voting power:

Control shares do not include shares the acquiring person is then entitled to vote as a result of having previously obtained stockholder approval. A “control share acquisition” means the acquisition of control shares, subject to certain exceptions.

A person who has made or proposes to make a control share acquisition may compel the board of directors of the corporation to call a special meeting of stockholders to be held within 50 days of demand to consider the voting rights of the shares. The right to compel the calling of a special meeting is subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, including an undertaking to pay the expenses of the meeting. If no request for a meeting is made, the corporation may itself present the question at any stockholders’ meeting.

If voting rights of control shares 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 any meeting of stockholders at which the voting rights of such shares are considered and not approved or, if no such meeting is held, as of the date of the last control share acquisition by the acquiror. If voting rights for control shares are approved at a stockholders’ meeting and the acquiror 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 appraisal rights may not be less than the highest price per share paid by the acquiror in the control share acquisition.

The control share acquisition statute does not apply (i) to shares acquired in a merger, consolidation or share exchange if the corporation is a party to the transaction, or (ii) to acquisitions approved or exempted by a provision in the charter or bylaws of the corporation and adopted at any time before the acquisition of the control shares.

Because the Company is not subject to these provisions at this time, stockholders who acquire a substantial block of Company common stock do not need approval of the other stockholders before exercising full voting rights with respect to their shares on all matters. This may make it easier for any of these control share stockholders to effect a business combination with the Company.

Maryland law provides, among other things, that the board of directors has broad discretion in adopting stockholders’ rights plans and has the sole power to fix the record date, time and place for special meetings of the stockholders. Furthermore, Maryland law provides that Maryland corporations that:

To date, we have not made any of the elections described above, although, independent of these elections, our charter and bylaws contain provisions that special meetings of stockholders are required to be held upon the written request of stockholders entitled to cast at least a majority of the votes entitled to be cast at the meeting, and that directors may be removed only for cause and by the vote of two-thirds of the stockholder votes entitled to be cast.

Our bylaws provide that the number of our directors may be established by the Board of Directors but may not be fewer than the minimum required by Maryland law nor more than 15. The stockholders may elect a successor to fill a vacancy on the Board of Directors which results from the removal of a director. A majority of the remaining directors, whether or not sufficient to constitute a quorum, may fill a vacancy on the Board of Directors which results from any cause except an increase in the number of directors, and a majority of the entire Board of Directors may fill a vacancy which results from an increase in the number of directors.

Our charter provides that a director may be removed only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the combined voting power of all shares of capital stock entitled to be cast in the election of directors voting together as a single class. This provision may preclude stockholders from removing incumbent directors and filling the vacancies created by such removal with their own nominees.

Our bylaws provide that with respect to an annual meeting of stockholders, nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors and the proposal of business to be considered by stockholders may be made only (i) pursuant to our notice of the meeting, (ii) by the Board of Directors or (iii) by a stockholder who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who has complied with the advance notice procedures of the bylaws. With respect to special meetings of stockholders, only the business specified in our notice of the meeting may be brought before the meeting. Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors at a special meeting may be made only (i) pursuant to our notice of the meeting, (ii) by the Board of Directors or (iii) provided that the Board of Directors has determined that directors will be elected at the meeting, by a stockholder who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who has complied with the advance notice provisions of the bylaws.

Our charter authorizes our Board of Directors to issue stock of any class, whenever authorized. We believe that the power to issue additional shares of common or preferred stock and to classify or reclassify unissued shares of common or preferred stock and thereafter to issue the classified or reclassified shares provides us with increased flexibility in structuring possible future financings and acquisitions and in meeting other needs which might arise. These actions can be taken without stockholder approval, unless stockholder approval is required by applicable law or the rules of any stock exchange on which our securities may be listed. Although we have no present intention of doing so, we could issue a class or series of stock that could delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change in control of the Company.

In addition, as permitted by the MGCL, our charter includes a provision that requires our Board of Directors, in their evaluation of any potential business combination or any actual or proposed transaction that could result in a change of control, to consider all relevant factors, including the economic effect on our stockholders, the social and economic effect on our employees and others dealing with the Company, and on the communities in which we have offices or other operations.

The MGCL 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 established by a final judgment and which is material to the cause of action. Our charter contains a provision which limits the liability of our directors and officers to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law.

The MGCL requires a corporation (unless its 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 or threatened to be made a party by reason of his or her service in that capacity, or in the defense of any issue, claim or matter in such a proceeding.

The MGCL permits a corporation to indemnify its 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 his or her service in that capacity, unless it is established that:

However, under the MGCL, a Maryland corporation may not indemnify a director or officer for an adverse judgment in a suit by or in the right of the corporation or for a judgment of liability on the basis that a 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 prescribed standard of conduct is not met or the director or officer 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 a corporation to advance reasonable expenses to a director or officer upon the corporation’s receipt of (i) 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 the corporation and (2) a written undertaking to repay the amount paid or reimbursed by the corporation if it is ultimately determined that the appropriate standard of conduct was not met.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling us pursuant to the foregoing provisions, we have been informed that, in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

The following summary addresses certain U.S. federal income tax considerations related to our election to be subject to taxation as a REIT and the ownership and disposition of our common stock or preferred stock that we anticipate being material to holders of such securities. The provisions of the Code concerning the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a REIT and its shareholders and security holders are highly technical and complex; the following discussion sets forth only certain aspects of those provisions. This summary is intended to provide you with general information only, it is not intended as a substitute for careful tax planning, and it is not tax advice.

This summary is based on provisions of the Code, applicable final and temporary Treasury Regulations, judicial decisions, and administrative rulings and practice (including IRS practices and policies as endorsed in private letter rulings, which are not binding on the IRS except in the case of the taxpayer to whom a private letter ruling is addressed), all in effect as of the date of this prospectus. No assurance can be given that future legislative or administrative changes or judicial decisions will not affect the accuracy of the descriptions or conclusions contained in this summary. In addition, any such changes may be retroactive and apply to transactions entered into prior to the date of their enactment, promulgation or release. We have not sought and do not expect to seek a ruling from the IRS regarding any of the U.S. federal income tax issues discussed in this prospectus, and no assurance can be given that the IRS will not challenge any of the positions we take and that such a challenge will not succeed.

This discussion does not purport to address all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be relevant to you in light of your particular investment circumstances, or if you are a type of investor subject to special tax rules (some of which are listed below under “Taxation of U.S. Shareholders” below). As you review this discussion, you should keep in mind that:

This discussion also does not consider tax considerations that may be relevant with respect to securities we may issue, or selling security holders may sell, other than our common stock and preferred stock described below. Moreover, we may issue preferred stock with terms and features that give rise to additional U.S. federal income tax considerations not discussed below and which may be addressed in the applicable prospectus supplement. Furthermore, the following summary does not address any U.S. federal income tax considerations to holders of our outstanding stock (including our common stock) that could result if we issue any redeemable preferred stock at a price that exceeds its redemption price by more than a de minimis amount or that otherwise provides for dividends that are economically a return of the shareholder’s investment (rather than a return on the shareholder’s investment), which preferred stock could be considered “fast-pay stock” under Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 7701(l) of the Code and treated under such regulations as a financing instrument among the holders of the fast-pay stock and our other shareholders.

Except as otherwise noted, references in this discussion of “Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” to “we,” “our,” “us” and “our company” refer to EastGroup Properties, Inc. For purposes of this discussion, the term “corporation” includes any entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax

We have elected to be taxed as a REIT under Sections 856 through 860 of the Code. We believe that we have been organized and operated in conformity with the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code beginning with our taxable year ended November 30, 1969 and that our intended manner of operation will enable us to continue to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

In connection with the filing of this prospectus, our tax counsel, Goodwin Procter LLP, is rendering an opinion to us to the effect that, commencing with our taxable year ended December 31, 2014, we have been organized in conformity with the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code and our prior, current and proposed ownership, organization and method of operations as represented by management have allowed and will continue to allow us to satisfy the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code commencing with our taxable year ended December 31, 2014 and for subsequent taxable years. The opinion of Goodwin Procter LLP is based upon various assumptions and our representations as to our past, current and contemplated future ownership, investments, distributions, and operations, among other things. The opinion of Goodwin Procter LLP is expressly conditioned upon the accuracy of these and other assumptions and upon our representations, which Goodwin Procter LLP has not verified and will not verify. Moreover, our qualification and taxation as a REIT will depend upon our ability to meet, through actual annual operating results, distribution levels, and diversity of stock ownership, the various and complex REIT qualification tests imposed under the Code, the results of which have not been and will not be reviewed or verified by Goodwin Procter LLP. See “—Qualification as a REIT” below. Accordingly, the opinion of our tax counsel does not guarantee our ability to have qualified as or to remain qualified as a REIT, and no assurance can be given that we have satisfied or will satisfy the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT. The opinion of Goodwin Procter LLP is based upon the law in effect as of the date of the opinion (or, with respect to past years, the law in effect for such years), which is subject to change either prospectively or retroactively. Opinions of counsel impose no obligation on counsel to advise us or the holders of our stock of any subsequent change in the matters stated, represented or assumed, or of any subsequent change in the applicable law. Changes in applicable law could modify the conclusions expressed in the opinion. Unlike a ruling from the IRS, an opinion of Goodwin Procter LLP is not binding on the IRS and no assurance can be given that the IRS could not successfully challenge our qualification as a REIT.

If we qualify as a REIT, we generally will be allowed to deduct dividends paid to our shareholders, and, as a result, we generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on that portion of our ordinary income and net capital gain that we currently distribute to our shareholders. We intend to make distributions to our shareholders on a regular basis as necessary to avoid material U.S. federal income tax and to comply with the REIT requirements. See “—Qualification as a REIT—Annual Distribution Requirements” below.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, even if we qualify for taxation as a REIT, we nonetheless may be subject to U.S. federal income tax or excise tax in certain circumstances, including the following:

No assurance can be given that the amount of any such U.S. federal income or excise taxes will not be substantial. In addition, we and our subsidiaries may be subject to a variety of taxes, including payroll taxes and state, local and foreign income, property and other taxes on assets and operations. We could also be subject to tax in situations and on transactions not presently contemplated.

The REIT provisions of the Code apply to a domestic corporation, trust or association (i) that is managed by one or more trustees or directors, (ii) the beneficial ownership of which is evidenced by transferable shares or by transferable certificates of beneficial interest, (iii) that properly elects to be taxed as a REIT and such election has not been terminated or revoked, (iv) that is neither a financial institution nor an insurance company, (v) that uses a calendar year for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and (vi) that meets the additional requirements discussed below. The discussion below summarizes current law except where expressly noted otherwise. We do not believe any differences between the current requirements for qualification as a REIT and the requirements in effect for any prior year have prevented us from qualifying as a REIT for any period.

In order to continue to qualify as a REIT, (i) the beneficial ownership of our stock must be held by 100 or more persons during at least 335 days of a 12-month taxable year (or during a proportionate part of a taxable year of less than 12 months) and (ii) during the last half of each taxable year no more than 50% in value of our stock may be owned, directly or indirectly, by or for five or fewer individuals (the “5/50 Test”). Stock ownership for purposes of the 5/50 Test is determined by applying the constructive ownership provisions of Section 544(a) of the Code, subject to certain modifications. The term “individual” for purposes of the 5/50 Test includes a private foundation, a trust providing for the payment of supplemental unemployment compensation benefits, and a portion of a trust permanently set aside or to be used exclusively for charitable purposes. A “qualified trust” described in Section 401(a) of the Code and exempt from tax under Section 501(a) of the Code generally is not treated as an individual; rather, stock held by it is generally treated as owned proportionately by its beneficiaries.

We believe that we have satisfied and will continue to satisfy the above ownership requirements. In addition, our charter restricts ownership and transfers of our stock that would violate these requirements, although these restrictions may not be effective in all circumstances to prevent a violation. We will be deemed to have satisfied the 5/50 Test for a particular taxable year if we have complied with all the requirements for ascertaining the ownership of our outstanding stock in that taxable year and have no reason to know that we have violated the 5/50 Test.

Rents we receive will qualify as rents from real property in satisfying the gross income requirements for a REIT described above only if several conditions are met. First, the amount of rent generally must not be based in whole or in part on the income or profits of any person. However, an amount received or accrued generally will not be excluded from the term “rents from real property” solely by reason of being based on a fixed percentage or percentages of receipts or sales. Second, rents received from a “related party tenant” will not qualify as rents from real property in satisfying the gross income tests unless the tenant is a TRS and either (i) at least 90% of the property is leased to unrelated tenants and the rent paid by the TRS is substantially comparable to the rent paid by the unrelated tenants for comparable space, or (ii) the property leased is a “qualified lodging facility,” as defined in Section 856(d)(9)(D) of the Code, or a “qualified health care property,” as defined in Section 856(e)(6)(D)(i), and certain other conditions are satisfied. A tenant is a related party tenant if the REIT, or an actual or constructive owner of 10% or more of the REIT, actually or constructively owns 10% or more of the tenant. Third, if rent attributable to personal property, leased in connection with a lease of real property, is greater than 15% of the total rent received under the lease (determined based on the fair market value as of the beginning and end of the taxable year), then the portion of rent attributable to the personal property will not qualify as rents from real property.

Generally, for rents to qualify as rents from real property for the purpose of satisfying the gross income tests, we may provide directly only an insignificant amount of services, unless those services are “usually or customarily rendered” in connection with the rental of real property and not otherwise considered “rendered to

We do not intend to charge significant rent that is based in whole or in part on the income or profits of any person, derive significant rents from related party tenants, derive rent attributable to personal property leased in connection with real property that exceeds 15% of the total rents from that property, or derive impermissible tenant service income that exceeds 1% of our total income from any property if the resulting nonqualified rents could cause us to fail to qualify as a REIT.

Distributions that we receive from a TRS will be classified as dividend income to the extent of the earnings and profits of the TRS. Such distributions will generally constitute qualifying income for purposes of the 95% gross income test, but not for purposes of the 75% gross income test unless attributable to investments of certain new capital during the one-year period beginning on the date of receipt of the new capital (as described below under “Qualification as a REIT-Income Tests-Qualified temporary investment income”). Any dividends received by us from another REIT will be qualifying income for purposes of both the 75% and 95% gross income tests.

If we fail to satisfy one or both of the 75% or the 95% gross income tests, we may nevertheless qualify as a REIT for a particular year if we are entitled to relief under certain provisions of the Code. Those relief provisions generally will be available if our failure to meet such tests is due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect and we file a schedule describing each item of our gross income for such year(s) in accordance with the applicable Treasury Regulations. It is not possible, however, to state whether in all circumstances we would be entitled to the benefit of these relief provisions. As discussed above in “—Taxation of Our Company,” even if these relief provisions were to apply, we would be subject to U.S. federal corporate income tax to the extent we fail to meet the 75% or 95% gross income tests.

At the close of each quarter of each taxable year, we must also satisfy five tests relating to the nature of our assets. First, real estate assets, cash and cash items, and government securities must represent at least 75% of the value of our total assets. Real estate assets include interests in real property (such as land, buildings, leasehold interests in real property and personal property leased with real property if the rents attributable to the personal property would be rents from real property under the income tests discussed above), interests in mortgages on real property or on interest in real property, shares in other qualifying REITs, debt instruments issued by publicly offered REITs, and stock or debt instruments held for less than one year that are purchased with the proceeds from an offering of shares of our stock (other than pursuant to a dividend reinvestment plan) or certain long-term debt. Second, not more than 25% of our total assets may be represented by securities other than those in the 75% asset class. Third, of the investments that are not included in the 75% asset class and are not securities of our TRSs, (i) the value of any one issuer’s securities owned by us may not exceed 5% of the value of our total assets and (ii) we may not own more than 10% by vote or by value of any one issuer’s outstanding securities. For purposes of the 10% value test, debt instruments issued by a partnership are not classified as “securities” to the extent of our interest as a partner in such partnership (based on our proportionate share of the partnership’s equity interests and certain debt securities) or if at least 75% of the partnership’s gross income, excluding income from prohibited transactions and certain other income and gains, is qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test. For purposes of the 10% value test, the term “securities” also does not include certain instruments, such as debt securities issued by another REIT, certain “straight debt” securities (for example, qualifying debt securities of a corporation of which we own no more than a de minimis amount of equity interest), loans to individuals or estates, and accrued obligations to pay rent. Fourth, securities of our TRSs cannot represent more than 20% of the value of our total assets. Fifth, not more than 25% of the value of our total assets may be represented by debt instruments of publicly offered REITs that are not secured by mortgages on real property or interest in real property. Although we believe we have met these asset tests and we intend to continue to meet them, no assurance can be given that we have met them or will be able to do so. For purposes of these asset tests, we are treated as holding our proportionate share of our subsidiary partnerships’ assets. Also, for purposes of these asset tests, pursuant to an IRS ruling, we generally may treat shares of certain money market mutual funds as “cash items.”

Moreover, if we fail to satisfy the asset tests at the end of a calendar quarter during a taxable year, we will not lose our REIT status if one of the following additional exceptions applies:

In order to qualify as a REIT, for each taxable year we must distribute dividends (other than capital gain dividends) to our shareholders in an amount at least equal to (i) the sum of (a) 90% of our “REIT taxable income” for such taxable year (determined without regard to the dividends paid deduction and excluding net capital gains) and (b) 90% of the net income (after tax), if any, from foreclosure property for such taxable year, minus (ii) the sum of certain items of non-cash income for such taxable year. We generally must pay such distributions in the taxable year to which they relate (or be treated as having paid such distributions in such year, as described further below under “Taxation of U.S. Shareholders —Distributions”), or in the following taxable year if declared before we timely file our tax return for such year and if paid on or before the first regular dividend payment after such declaration. Subject to certain requirements, we may satisfy all or part of our distribution requirement by paying taxable stock dividends.

To the extent that we do not distribute (and are not deemed to have distributed) all of our net capital gain and REIT taxable income for a taxable year, we will be subject to regular U.S. federal corporate income tax, and potentially, state and local tax, on these retained amounts. Furthermore, if we should fail to distribute during each calendar year at least the sum of (i) 85% of our “ordinary income,” as defined in Section 4981(e)(1) of the Code, for such year, (ii) 95% of our “capital gain net income,” as defined in Section 4981(e)(2) of the Code, for such year, and (iii) 100% of any corresponding undistributed amounts from prior periods, we will be subject to a 4% nondeductible federal excise tax on the excess of such required distribution over the sum of amounts actually distributed plus retained income from such taxable year on which we paid corporate income tax.

Under certain circumstances, we may be able to rectify a failure to meet the distribution requirement for a year by paying “deficiency dividends” to our shareholders in a later year that may be included in our deduction for dividends paid for the earlier year. Thus, we may be able to avoid being taxed on amounts distributed as deficiency dividends; however, we will be required to pay interest based upon the amount of any deduction taken for deficiency dividends.

As such, we are no longer subject to these preferential dividend requirements. Any non-publicly offered REIT in which we invest would be subject to the preferential dividend rule regardless of the date of the distribution.

Pursuant to an IRS ruling, the prohibition on preferential dividends applicable to our taxable years beginning before January 1, 2015 did not prohibit REITs from offering shares under a distribution reinvestment plan at discounts of up to 5% of fair market value, but a discount in excess of 5% of the fair market value of the shares would have been considered a preferential dividend. We believe that our distribution reinvestment plan complied with those requirements.

We may retain and pay income tax on net long-term capital gains we received during the tax year. To the extent we so elect, (i) each shareholder must include in its income (as long-term capital gain) its proportionate share of our undistributed long-term capital gains, (ii) each shareholder is deemed to have paid, and receives a credit for, its proportionate share of the tax paid by us on the undistributed long-term capital gains, and (iii) each shareholder’s basis in its stock is increased by the included amount of the undistributed long-term capital gains less their share of the tax paid by us.

To qualify as a REIT, we may not have, at the end of any taxable year, any undistributed earnings and profits accumulated in any non-REIT taxable year (including non-REIT earnings and profits accumulated by another corporation and to which we succeed as a result of our acquisition of such other corporation in a tax-free reorganization). We believe that we have not had any such non-REIT earnings and profits at the end of any taxable year covered by this rule, and we intend to distribute any non-REIT earnings and profits that we accumulate or to which we succeed before the end of any taxable year in which we accumulate or succeed to such earnings and profits if and as needed to comply with this rule. If it is subsequently determined that we had any accumulated non-REIT earnings and profits as of the end of any taxable year, we could fail to qualify as a REIT beginning with the applicable taxable year. Pursuant to Treasury Regulations, however, so long as our failure to comply with the prohibition on non-REIT earnings and profits was not due to fraud with intent to evade tax, we could cure such failure by paying an interest charge on 50% of the amount of accumulated non-REIT earnings and profits and by making a special distribution of accumulated non-REIT earnings and profits.

If we fail to qualify as a REIT and such failure is not an asset test or gross income test failure subject to the cure provisions described above, or for taxable years beginning before January 1, 2015 the result of preferential dividends, we generally will be eligible for a relief provision if the failure is due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect and we pay a penalty of $50,000 with respect to such failure.

If we fail to qualify for taxation as a REIT in any taxable year and no relief provisions apply, we generally will be subject to regular U.S. federal corporate income tax on our taxable income. Distributions to our shareholders in any year in which we fail to qualify as a REIT will not be deductible by us nor will they be required to be made. In such event, to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, all distributions to our shareholders will be taxable as dividend income. Subject to certain limitations in the Code, corporate shareholders may be eligible for the dividends received deduction, and individual, trust and estate shareholders may be eligible to treat the dividends received from us as qualified dividend income taxable as net capital gains, under the provisions of Section 1(h)(11) of the Code. However, non-corporate shareholders (including individuals) will not be eligible for the 20% deduction for certain dividends they receive from us should we fail to qualify as a REIT. Unless entitled to relief under specific statutory provisions, we also will be ineligible to elect to be taxed as a REIT again prior to the fifth taxable year following the first year in which we failed to qualify as a REIT under the Code.

Any gain realized by us on the sale of any property (other than foreclosure property) held as inventory or held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business, including our share of any such gain realized by our subsidiary partnerships, will be treated as income from a “prohibited transaction” that is subject to a 100% penalty tax. Whether property is held as inventory or primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business depends upon all the facts and circumstances with respect to the particular transaction. However, the Code provides a “safe harbor” pursuant to which sales of properties held for at least two years and meeting certain other requirements will not give rise to prohibited transaction income.

We generally intend to hold properties for investment, but we have made and will make sales of properties consistent with our strategic objectives. We believe our past sales in open tax years are not considered prohibited transactions. However, we have made and we may make sales at a gain that do not satisfy the safe harbor requirements described above. There can be no assurance that the IRS will not contend that one or more of these sales are subject to the 100% penalty tax. The 100% penalty tax will not apply to gains from the sale of property realized through a U.S. TRS or other U.S. taxable corporation, although such income will be subject to regular U.S. federal corporate income tax.

To avoid a monetary penalty, we must request on an annual basis information from certain of our shareholders designed to disclose the actual ownership of our outstanding stock. We intend to comply with these requirements.

If a REIT owns a subsidiary that is a “qualified REIT subsidiary,” or QRS, or if a REIT owns 100% of the membership interests in a domestic limited liability company or other domestic unincorporated entity that does not elect to be treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the separate existence of the QRS, limited liability company or other unincorporated entity generally will be disregarded for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Generally, a QRS is a corporation, other than a TRS, all of the stock of which is owned by a REIT. All assets, liabilities, and items of income, deduction, and credit of the QRS or disregarded entity will be treated as assets, liabilities, and items of income, deduction, and credit of its owner. To the extent we own a QRS or a disregarded entity, neither will be subject to U.S. federal corporate income taxation, although such entities may be subject to state and local taxation in some states or foreign taxes if they do business or own property outside the United States.

We currently hold and may in the future continue to hold investments through one or more entities that are classified as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Under the Code, a partnership generally is not subject to U.S. federal income tax, but is required to file a partnership tax information return each year. In general, the character of each partner’s share of each item of income, gain, loss, deduction, credit, and tax preference is determined at the partnership level. Each partner is then allocated a share of such items and is required to take such items into account in determining the partner’s income. Each partner includes such amount in income for any taxable year of the partnership ending within or with the taxable year of the partner, without regard to whether the partner has received or will receive any cash distributions from the partnership. Cash distributions, if any, from a partnership to a partner generally are not taxable unless and to the extent they exceed the partner’s basis in its partnership interest immediately before the distribution. Any amounts in excess of such tax basis will generally be treated as a sale of such partner’s interest in the partnership.

For purposes of the REIT income and assets tests, a REIT that is a partner in a partnership will be deemed to own its proportionate share of the assets of the partnership and will be deemed to earn its proportionate share of the partnership’s income. The assets and gross income of the partnership retain the same character in the hands of the REIT for purposes of the gross income and asset tests applicable to REITs. Our proportionate share of the assets and items of income of any subsidiary partnership, including such partnership’s share of the assets and liabilities and items of income with respect to any partnership or disregarded entity in which it holds an interest, will be treated as our assets and liabilities and items of income for purposes of applying the REIT asset and income tests.

Our current subsidiary partnership has and future subsidiary partnerships may accept contributions of property from our joint venture partner(s). If our partner contributes appreciated property (i.e., property with a value in excess of adjusted tax basis) in exchange for a partnership interest, the subsidiary partnership’s initial tax basis in the property acquired generally will be less than the purchase price of the property. Although the partnership tax rules of Section 704(c) of the Code would generally attempt to provide us as the non-contributing partner with the depreciation deductions comparable to what we would receive if the subsidiary partnership purchased the appreciated assets for cash in a taxable transaction (and obtained an initial tax basis equal to the purchase price), absent certain elections, which would accelerate income to the contributor, the depreciation would be limited to tax basis. Consequently, our depreciation deductions for such properties may be less, and our tax gain on a sale of such properties may be more, than the deductions or gain, respectively, that we would have if the subsidiary partnership acquired these properties in taxable transactions. Conversely, if we contribute appreciated property to a subsidiary partnership, such partnership may elect to use a method of allocation under Section 704(c) of the Code that accelerates income to us.

The discussion above assumes that any subsidiary partnerships will be treated as “partnerships” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Generally, a domestic unincorporated entity (such as a limited partnership or limited liability company) with two or more partners or members is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes unless it affirmatively elects to be treated as a corporation. However, certain “publicly traded partnerships” are treated as corporations for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Pursuant to Section 7704 of the Code, a partnership that does not elect to be treated as a corporation nevertheless will be treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes if it is a “publicly traded partnership;” provided that such a publicly traded partnership will not be so treated as a corporation if it derives at least 90% of its gross income from certain specified sources of “qualifying income” within the meaning of that provision and it meets certain other requirements. A “publicly traded partnership” is any partnership (i) the interests in which are traded on an established securities market or (ii) the interests in which are readily tradable on a “secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof.” Under the relevant Treasury Regulations, interests in a partnership will not be considered readily tradable on a secondary market or on the substantial equivalent of a secondary market if the partnership qualifies for specified “safe harbors,” which are based on the specific facts and circumstances

We may acquire mortgage, mezzanine, bridge loans and other debt investments. A real estate mortgage loan that we own generally will be treated as a real estate asset for purposes of the 75% asset test, and interest and gain from such loan will be treated as interest and gain from an obligation secured by a mortgage on real property, if (i) the value of the real property securing the loan on the date that we acquire, originate or modify the loan is equal to or greater than the principal amount (and value) of the loan or (ii) for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015, the loan is secured by both real property and personal property and the fair market value of such personal property does not exceed 15% of the total fair market value of all such property (determined on the date we acquire, originate or modify the loan or, for purposes of characterizing gain from the sale of such loan, at the time of sale). However, if a mortgage loan does not meet either test articulated in the previous sentence then such mortgage generally would not be a qualifying real estate asset in its entirety for purposes of the 75% asset test and/or a portion of the interest income from such mortgage generally would not constitute qualifying mortgage interest for purposes of the 75% gross income test if the amount of the loan outstanding exceeds the fair market value of the real property collateral on the date that we committed to acquire or modify the loan.

To the extent that we derive interest income from a mortgage loan where all or a portion of the amount of interest payable is contingent, such income generally will qualify for purposes of the gross income tests only if it is based upon the gross receipts or sales, and not the net income or profits, of the borrower. This limitation does not apply, however, where the borrower leases substantially all of its interest in the property to tenants or subtenants, to the extent that the rental income derived by the borrower would qualify as rents from real property had we earned the income directly.

The application of the REIT provisions of the Code to certain mezzanine loans, which are loans secured by equity interests in an entity that directly or indirectly owns real property rather than by a direct mortgage of the real property, is not entirely clear. A safe harbor in IRS Revenue Procedure 2003-65 provides that if a mezzanine loan meets certain requirements then it will be treated by the IRS as a qualifying real estate asset for purposes of the REIT asset tests and interest income derived from it will be treated as qualifying mortgage interest for purposes of the 75% gross income test. However, to the extent that mezzanine loans do not meet all of the requirements for reliance on the safe harbor set forth in IRS Revenue Procedure 2003-65, all or a portion of such mezzanine loans may not qualify as real estate assets for purposes of the REIT asset tests and the interest income derived therefrom may not be qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test, which could adversely affect our REIT qualification if we acquired such loans. As such, the REIT provisions of the Code may limit our ability to acquire mortgage, mezzanine or other loans that we might otherwise desire to acquire.

Investments in debt instruments may require recognition of taxable income prior to receipt of cash from such investments (as we are generally required to accrue interest and any “original issue discount” currently regardless of whether we have received the corresponding cash payment) and may cause portions of gain from disposition or repayment to be treated as ordinary income. We may acquire distressed debt instruments that are subsequently modified by agreement with the borrower. Under applicable Treasury Regulations, these modifications may be treated as a taxable event in which we exchange the old debt instrument for a new debt instrument, the value of which may be treated as equal to the face amount of the new debt instrument. Because

We generally will be required to include certain amounts in income for U.S. federal income tax purposes no later than the time such amounts are reflected on certain financial statements. The application of this rule may accelerate the accrual of certain amounts with respect to our debt instruments.

We also could make preferred equity investments in entities that directly or indirectly own real property. Unless the issuer of the preferred equity is taxed as a corporation or the preferred equity investment is properly treated as indebtedness for U.S. federal income tax purposes, for purposes of the REIT income and asset tests we are required to include our proportionate share of the assets and income of the partnership, based on our share of partnership capital, as if we owned such share of the issuer’s assets directly under the rules generally applicable to investments in partnerships. As a result, absent sufficient controls to ensure that the underlying real property is operated in compliance with the REIT rules, preferred equity investments may jeopardize our compliance with REIT income and asset tests. Moreover, at least one IRS internal memorandum would treat the preferred return on certain equity investments as interest income for purposes of the REIT income tests, which treatment would cause such amounts to be nonqualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test. In addition, if the underlying property is dealer property and our preferred equity investment is treated as equity for U.S. federal income tax purposes, our share of gains from the sale of the property would be subject to a 100% tax. In some cases, the proper characterization of debt-like preferred equity investments as unsecured indebtedness or as equity for U.S. federal income tax purposes may be unclear. If we rely on a characterization of a particular instrument as debt or equity and the IRS successfully challenged our characterization, our compliance with an asset or income test could be jeopardized and/or we could incur taxes or penalties that we otherwise would not have incurred.

As of the date hereof, we own a subsidiary that has elected to be treated as a TRS for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and we may form additional TRSs. A TRS of ours is a corporation in which we directly or indirectly own stock and that jointly elects with us to be treated as a TRS under Section 856(l) of the Code. In addition, if a TRS owns, directly or indirectly, securities representing 35% or more of the vote or value of a subsidiary corporation, that subsidiary will also be treated as a TRS of ours. A domestic TRS (or a foreign TRS with income from a U.S. business) pays U.S. federal, state, and local income taxes at the full applicable corporate rates on its taxable income prior to payment of any dividends. A TRS owning property outside of the U.S. may pay foreign taxes. The taxes owed by a TRS could be substantial. To the extent that any of our TRSs is required to pay U.S. federal, state, local or foreign taxes, the cash available for distribution by us will be reduced accordingly.

A TRS is permitted to engage in certain kinds of activities that cannot be performed directly by us without jeopardizing our qualification as a REIT (but a TRS is not permitted to directly or indirectly operate or manage certain lodging facilities or health care facilities). A TRS may also engage in other activities that, if conducted by us other than through a TRS, could result in the receipt of non-qualified income or the ownership of non-qualified assets. However, several provisions regarding the arrangements between a REIT and its TRS ensure that a TRS will be subject to an appropriate level of U.S. federal income taxation. For example, we will be obligated to pay a 100% penalty tax on some payments that we receive or on certain expenses deducted by the TRS if the economic arrangements among us, our tenants, and/or the TRS are not comparable to similar arrangements among unrelated parties.

If we acquire stock of another REIT (including formation of a subsidiary REIT) and such other REIT fails to qualify for taxation as a REIT in any taxable year, that failure could, depending on the circumstances, adversely affect our ability to satisfy the various asset and gross income requirements applicable to REITs,

We may enter into forward sale agreements from time to time and, subject to certain conditions, we have the right to elect physical, cash or net share settlement under these agreements at any time and from time to time, in part or in full. In the event that we elect to settle a forward sale agreements for cash and the settlement price is below the forward sale price, we would be entitled to receive a cash payment from the forward purchasers. Under Section 1032 of the Code, generally, no gains and losses are recognized by a corporation in dealing in its own shares, including pursuant to a “securities futures contract,” as defined in the Code by reference to the Exchange Act. Although we believe that any amount received by us in exchange for our shares of common stock would qualify for the exemption under Section 1032 of the Code, because it is not entirely clear whether the forward sale agreements qualify as “securities futures contracts,” the U.S. federal income tax treatment of any cash settlement payment we receive is uncertain. In the event that we recognize a significant gain from the cash settlement of the forward sale agreements, we might not be able to satisfy the REIT gross income tests.

The term “U.S. shareholder” means a beneficial owner of our common stock or preferred stock that, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is (i) a citizen or resident of the United States, (ii) a corporation or other entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any of its states or the District of Columbia, (iii) an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source, or (iv) a trust (a) that is subject to the primary supervision of a United States court and the control of one or more U.S. persons or (b) that has a valid election in effect under the applicable Treasury Regulations to be treated as a U.S. person under the Code.

In addition, as used herein, the term U.S. shareholder does not include any individuals or entities that are subject to special treatment under the Code, such as (i) insurance companies; (ii) tax-exempt organizations (except to the limited extent discussed below); (iii) financial institutions or broker-dealers; (iv) U.S. expatriates; (v) persons who mark-to-market our common stock or preferred stock; (vi) dealers in securities or currencies; (vii) subchapter S corporations; (viii) U.S. shareholders whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar; (ix) regulated investment companies; (x) REITs; (xi) holders who receive our common stock or preferred stock through the exercise of employee stock options or otherwise as compensation; (xii) persons holding shares of our common stock or preferred stock as part of a “straddle,” “hedge,” “conversion transaction,” “synthetic security” or other integrated investment; (xiii) persons subject to the alternative minimum tax provisions of the Code; (xiv) persons required to accelerate any item of gross income as a result of such income being recognized on an applicable financial statement (xv) persons holding our common stock or preferred stock through a partnership or similar pass-through entity; and (xvi) persons holding a 10% or more (by vote or value) beneficial interest in our stock. If a partnership, including any entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, holds our stock, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner in the partnership will generally depend on the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. If you are a partner in a partnership holding our stock, you are urged to consult your tax advisor regarding the consequences of the ownership and disposition of shares of our stock by the partnership. This summary assumes that shareholders hold our stock as capital assets for U.S. federal income tax purposes, which generally means property held for investment.

Certain accrual method taxpayers are required to include certain amounts in income for U.S. federal income tax purposes no later than the time such amounts are reflected on certain financial statements. This summary does not address the impact of those rules.

Distributions paid by us, other than capital gain dividends, will constitute ordinary dividends to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and profits as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Distributions on our preferred stock will be treated as made out of any available earnings and profits in priority to

The discussion in this section applies equally to distributions payable in cash and taxable stock distributions. The Code provides that certain distributions payable in stock will be treated as taxable stock dividends. In addition, shares acquired through a distribution reinvestment plan are treated as taxable stock dividends. Taxable U.S. shareholders receiving taxable distributions of stock will be required to include as dividend income the fair market value of the stock received plus any cash or other property received in the distribution, to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits for U.S. federal income tax purposes. As a result, a U.S. shareholder may be required to pay tax with respect to such dividends in excess of the cash received. If a U.S. shareholder sells the stock it receives as a dividend, the sales proceeds may be less than the amount included in income with respect to the dividend, depending on the market price of the stock at the time of the sale. Certain features, typically with respect to preferred stock, such as certain redemption premiums and conversion ratio adjustments that have the effect of increasing the affected shareholders’ interest in our earnings or assets, also may be treated as taxable stock dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In the event we issue preferred stock with such features, the prospectus supplement will discuss the tax consequences of owning such securities in greater detail.

To the extent that we make a distribution in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits (a “return of capital distribution”), a U.S. shareholder will first apply the distribution to reduce the shareholder’s tax basis in our stock, and the return of capital distribution will be tax-free to that extent. To the extent that a return of capital distribution exceeds a U.S. shareholder’s tax basis in its stock, the distribution will be taxable as capital gain realized from the sale of such stock. Previously proposed Treasury Regulations, since withdrawn, would have applied a return of capital distribution pro rata, on a share-by-share basis, to each share of stock held by the shareholder with the class of stock upon which the return of capital distribution is made. This share-by-share approach could result in taxable gain with respect to some of a U.S. shareholder’s shares, even though the U.S. shareholder’s aggregate basis for such shares would be sufficient to absorb the portion of the distribution that is not treated as being made out of our current and accumulated earnings and profits. Although these proposed Treasury Regulations have been withdrawn, the notice withdrawing the proposed Treasury Regulations reiterated that the Treasury Department and IRS believe that under current law the results of such distributions should derive from the consideration received by a shareholder on a share-by-share basis.

Dividends declared by us in October, November or December and payable to a shareholder of record on a specified date in any such month shall be treated both as paid by us and as received by the shareholder on December 31 of the year to the extent of our remaining current and accumulated earnings and profits for such year, provided that the dividend is actually paid by us during January of the following calendar year.

We will be treated as having sufficient earnings and profits to treat as a dividend any distribution up to the amount required to be distributed in order to avoid imposition of the 4% excise tax generally applicable to REITs if certain distribution requirements are not met. Moreover, any deficiency dividend will be treated as an ordinary or a capital gain dividend, as the case may be, regardless of our earnings and profits at the time the distribution is actually made. As a result, shareholders may be required to treat certain distributions as taxable dividends that would otherwise result in a tax-free return of capital.

The REIT provisions of the Code do not require us to distribute our long-term capital gain, and we may elect to retain and pay income tax on our net long-term capital gains received during the taxable year. If we so elect for a taxable year, our shareholders would include in income as long-term capital gains their proportionate share of retained net long-term capital gains for the taxable year as we may designate. A U.S. shareholder would be deemed to have paid its share of the tax paid by us on such undistributed capital gains, which would be credited or refunded to the shareholder. The U.S. shareholder’s basis in its stock would be increased by the amount of undistributed long-term capital gains (less the capital gains tax paid by us) included in the U.S. shareholder’s long-term capital gains.

Dividends paid by us and gain from the disposition of our common stock or preferred stock will not be treated as passive activity income and, therefore, U.S. shareholders will not be able to apply any “passive losses” against such income. With respect to non-corporate U.S. shareholders, our dividends (to the extent they do not constitute a return of capital) that are taxed at ordinary income rates will generally be treated as investment income for purposes of the investment interest limitation; however, net capital gain from the disposition of our common stock or preferred stock (or distributions treated as such), capital gain dividends, and dividends taxed at net capital gains rates generally will be excluded from investment income except to the extent the U.S. shareholder elects to treat such amounts as ordinary income for U.S. federal income tax purposes. U.S. shareholders may not include in their own U.S. federal income tax returns any of our net operating or net capital losses.

In general, any gain or loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares of our common stock or preferred stock by a shareholder that is not a dealer in securities will be a long-term capital gain or loss if the stock has been held for more than one year; otherwise it will be a short-term capital gain or loss. However, any loss upon a sale or exchange of the stock by a shareholder who has held such stock for six months or less (after applying certain holding period rules) will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of our distributions or undistributed capital gains required to be treated by such shareholder as long-term capital gain. All or a portion of any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares of our stock may be disallowed if the taxpayer purchases other shares of our stock within 30 days before or after the disposition.

The IRS has the authority to prescribe, but has not yet prescribed, regulations that would apply a capital gain tax rate of 25% to a portion of capital gain realized by a non-corporate shareholder on the sale of REIT stock that would correspond to the REIT’s “unrecaptured Section 1250 gain.”

A redemption by us of any redeemable preferred stock we may issue could be treated either as a taxable disposition of shares or as a dividend, depending on the applicable facts and circumstances and the application of Section 302 of the Code. In the event we issue any redeemable preferred stock, the prospectus supplement will discuss the tax consequences of owning such securities in greater detail.

If a U.S. shareholder recognizes a loss upon a subsequent disposition of our stock in an amount that exceeds a prescribed threshold, it is possible that the provisions of certain Treasury Regulations involving “reportable transactions” could apply, with a resulting requirement to separately disclose the loss generating transactions to the IRS. While these regulations are directed towards “tax shelters,” they are written quite broadly, and apply to transactions that would not typically be considered tax shelters. Significant penalties apply for failure to comply with these requirements. We and other participants in transactions involving us (including our advisors) might be subject to disclosure or other requirements pursuant to these regulations.

U.S. tax-exempt entities, including qualified employee pension and profit-sharing trusts and qualified individual retirement accounts, generally are exempt from U.S. federal income tax on its income, except to the extent of their “unrelated business taxable income” or UBTI, which is defined by the Code as the gross income derived from any trade or business which is regularly carried on by a tax-exempt entity and unrelated to its exempt purposes, less any directly connected deductions and subject to certain modifications. For this purpose, the Code generally excludes from UBTI any gain or loss from the sale or other disposition of property (other than stock in trade or property held primarily for sale in the ordinary course of a trade or business), dividends, interest, rents from real property, and certain other items. However, a portion of any such gains, dividends, interest, rents, and other items generally is UBTI to the extent derived from debt-financed property not related to the tax-exempt entity’s exempt purpose, based on the amount of “acquisition indebtedness” with respect to such debt-financed property. A U.S. tax-exempt shareholder that is subject to tax on its UBTI will be required to separately compute its taxable income and loss for each unrelated trade or business activity, as determined under applicable Treasury Regulations, for purposes of determining its UBTI. Before making an investment in shares of our common stock or preferred stock, a tax-exempt shareholder should consult its tax advisors with regard to UBTI and the suitability of the investment in our stock.

Distributions we make to a U.S. tax-exempt shareholder or gains from the disposition of our common stock or preferred stock held as capital assets generally will not constitute UBTI unless the exempt organization’s stock is debt-financed property (e.g., the shareholder has incurred acquisition indebtedness with respect to such stock). However, if we are a “pension-held REIT,” this general rule may not apply to distributions to certain pension trusts that are qualified trusts (as defined above) and that hold more than 10% (by value) of our stock. We will be treated as a “pension-held REIT” if (i) treating qualified trusts as individuals would cause us to fail the 5/50 Test (as defined above) and (ii) we are “predominantly held” by qualified trusts. We will be “predominantly held” by qualified trusts if either (i) a single qualified trust holds more than 25% by value of our stock or (ii) one or more qualified trusts, each owning more than 10% by value of our stock, hold in the aggregate more than 50% by value of our stock. In the event we are a pension-held REIT, the percentage of any dividend received from us treated as UBTI would be equal to the ratio of (i) the gross UBTI (less certain associated expenses) earned by us (treating us as if we were a qualified trust and, therefore, subject to tax on UBTI) to (ii) our total gross income (less certain associated expenses). A de minimis exception applies where the ratio set forth in the preceding sentence is less than 5% for any year; in that case, no dividends are treated as UBTI. We cannot assure you that we will not be treated as a pension-held REIT.

Social clubs, voluntary employee benefit associations and supplemental unemployment benefit trusts that are exempt from taxation under paragraphs (7), (9) and (17), respectively, of Section 501(c) of the Code are subject to different UBTI rules, which generally will require them to characterize distributions from us as UBTI.

Distributions to a non-U.S. shareholder that are not attributable to gain from the disposition of a USRPI and that we properly designate as capital gain dividends generally should not be subject to U.S. federal income taxation except as described below under “—Sales of Shares,” although we may nonetheless withhold with respect to such distributions as discussed below.

Additional withholding regulations may require us to withhold 15% of any distribution that exceeds our current and accumulated earnings and profits.

In light of potential difficulties in properly characterizing a distribution for purposes of the above withholding rules, we may determine to withhold at the highest rate that we determine could apply.

Additional potential withholding for non-U.S. shareholders is discussed below under “Information Reporting Requirements and Backup Withholding Tax Applicable to Shareholders.”

Regardless of the extent of our non-U.S. ownership, but potentially subject to the wash sale rule described above, a non-U.S. shareholder will not incur tax under FIRPTA on a disposition of shares of a class of our stock that is regularly traded on an established securities market if such non-U.S. shareholder owned, actually or constructively, at all times during a specified testing period, 10% or less of the total fair market value of such class of stock. The testing period is the shorter of (i) the period during which the non-U.S. shareholder held the shares and (ii) the five-year period ending on the disposition date. Temporary Treasury Regulations provide additional rules under which gains from certain interests in non-regularly traded classes will not be subject to tax under FIRPTA if any class of our stock is regularly traded on an established securities market at any time during the calendar year.

If the gain on the sale of our stock were taxed under FIRPTA, a non-U.S. shareholder would be taxed on that gain in the same manner as U.S. shareholders, subject to any applicable alternative minimum tax.

If the gain on the sale of our stock were not taxed under FIRPTA, a non-U.S. shareholder would not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on such gain except as follows. A non-U.S. shareholder generally will incur U.S. federal income tax on gain not subject to FIRPTA (including a properly designated capital gain dividend not attributable to USRPI gain) if:

As a result of this exemption from FIRPTA, but subject to the discussion below regarding income or gain effectively connected with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business, (i) distributions received by qualified foreign pension funds and their non-U.S. wholly owned subsidiaries will be taxed as dividends of ordinary income to the extent that the distributions are made out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits and not designated by us as capital gain dividends, and to that extent will be subject to a withholding tax equal to 30% of the gross amount of the dividend unless an applicable tax treaty reduces or eliminates that tax, (ii) distributions in excess of our current or accumulated earnings and profits and distributions that we designate as capital gain dividends received by qualified foreign pension funds and their non-U.S. wholly owned subsidiaries will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax and (iii) gain of a qualified foreign pension fund or its non-U.S. wholly owned subsidiary from the sale or exchange of our stock will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax. Under current proposed Treasury Regulations discussed above, the same treatment should apply to any qualified controlled

Some U.S. shareholders, including corporations and tax-exempt organizations, will be exempt from backup withholding. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules from a payment to a shareholder will be allowed as a credit against the shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax and may entitle the shareholder to a refund, provided that the required information is furnished to the IRS on a timely basis.

The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, or FATCA, provisions of the Code, subject to administrative guidance and certain intergovernmental agreements entered into thereunder, impose a 30% withholding tax on certain types of payments made to “foreign financial institutions” (as specifically defined in the Code) and certain other non-U.S. entities unless (i) the foreign financial institution (as the beneficial owner or as an intermediary for the beneficial owners) undertakes certain diligence and reporting obligations or (ii) the foreign non-financial entity (as the beneficial owner or, in certain cases, as an intermediary for the beneficial owners) either certifies it does not have any substantial United States owners or furnishes identifying information regarding each substantial United States owner. If the payee is a foreign financial institution that is not subject to special treatment under certain administrative guidance or intergovernmental agreements, it must enter into an

A U.S. shareholder that is an individual is subject to a 3.8% tax on the lesser of (i) his or her “net investment income” for the relevant taxable year and (ii) the excess of his or her modified adjusted gross income for the taxable year over a certain threshold (currently between $125,000 and $250,000, depending on the individual’s U.S. federal income tax filing status). A similar regime applies to certain estates and trusts. Net investment income generally would include dividends on our common stock and preferred stock (without regard to the 20% deduction allowed by Section 199A of the Code) and gain from the sale of our common stock and preferred stock. If you are a U.S. person that is an individual, an estate or a trust, you are urged to consult your tax advisors regarding the applicability of this tax to your income and gains in respect of your investment in our common stock and preferred stock.

The rules dealing with U.S. federal income taxation are constantly under review by persons involved in the legislative process and by the IRS and the U.S. Treasury Department and it is possible that there could be future changes that could adversely impact our shareholders. No assurance can be given as to whether, when, or in what form the U.S. federal income tax laws applicable to us and our shareholders may be enacted. Changes to the U.S. federal tax laws and interpretations of federal tax laws could adversely affect an investment in our common stock or preferred stock.

We may be subject to state, local and foreign tax in states, localities and foreign countries in which we do business or own property. The tax treatment applicable to us and our shareholders in such jurisdictions may differ from the U.S. federal income tax treatment described above.

Our common stock or preferred stock may be issued upon conversion of preferred stock of the Company. Additionally, securities may be issued upon exercise of our warrants. If we sell securities to a dealer acting as principal, the dealer may resell such securities at varying prices to be determined by such dealer in its discretion at the time of resale without consulting with us and such resale prices may not be disclosed in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Any underwritten offering may be on a best efforts or a firm commitment basis. We may use underwriters with which we have a material relationship and will describe in the prospectus supplement, naming the underwriter, the nature of any such relationship. We may also make direct sales through subscription rights distributed to our stockholders on a pro rata basis, which may or may not be transferable. In any distribution of subscription rights to stockholders, if all of the underlying securities are not subscribed for, we may then sell the unsubscribed securities directly to third parties or may engage the services of one or more underwriters, dealers or agents, including standby underwriters, to sell the unsubscribed securities to third parties.

We may grant underwriters who participate in the distribution of our securities an option to purchase additional securities in connection with the distribution.

The distribution of the securities may be effected from time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions:

As applicable, we, and our respective underwriters, dealers or agents, reserve the right to accept or reject all or part of any proposed purchase of the securities.

In the sale of the securities, underwriters or agents may receive compensation from us or from purchasers of the securities, for whom they may act as agents, in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions.

Unless otherwise specified in the related prospectus supplement, each series of securities will be a new issue with no established trading market, other than shares of our common stock, which is listed on the NYSE. Common stock sold pursuant to a prospectus supplement will be listed on the NYSE, subject to the NYSE’s approval of the listing of the additional shares sold. We may elect to list any series of securities on an exchange, but we are not obligated to do so. It is possible that one or more underwriters may make a market in a series of securities, but such underwriters will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. Therefore, no assurance can be given as to the liquidity of, or the trading market for, any series of securities.

Until the distribution of the securities is completed, rules of the SEC may limit the ability of any underwriters and selling group members to bid for and purchase the securities. As an exception to these rules, underwriters are permitted to engage in some transactions that stabilize the price of the securities. Such transactions consist of bids or purchases for the purpose of pegging, fixing or maintaining the price of the securities.

We may enter into derivative transactions with third parties or sell securities not covered by this prospectus to third parties in privately negotiated transactions from time to time. If the applicable prospectus supplement indicates, in connection with those derivative transactions, such third parties (or affiliates of such third parties) may sell securities covered by this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, including in short sale transactions. If so, such third parties (or affiliates of such third parties) may use securities pledged by us or borrowed from us or others to settle those sales or to close out any related open borrowings of securities, and may use securities received from us in settlement of those derivative transactions to close out any related open borrowings of securities. If the third parties (or affiliates of such third parties) in such sale transactions by us are or may be deemed to be underwriters under the Securities Act, we will identify them in an applicable prospectus supplement (or a post-effective amendment). Underwriters may engage in overallotment. If any underwriters create a short position in the securities in an offering in which they sell more securities than are set forth on the cover page of the applicable prospectus supplement, the underwriters may reduce that short position by purchasing the securities in the open market.

The lead underwriters may also impose a penalty bid on other underwriters and selling group members participating in an offering. This means that if the lead underwriters purchase securities in the open market to reduce the underwriters’ short position or to stabilize the price of the securities, they may reclaim the amount of any selling concession from the underwriters and selling group members who sold those securities as part of the offering.

We do not make any representation or prediction as to the direction or magnitude of any effect that the transactions described above might have on the price of the securities. In addition, we do not make any representation that underwriters will engage in such transactions or that such transactions, once commenced, will not be discontinued without notice.

We may enter into agreements pursuant to which underwriters, dealers and agents who participate in the distribution of the securities may be entitled to indemnification by us against some liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

Underwriters, dealers and agents may engage in transactions with us, perform services for us or be our customers in the ordinary course of business.

If indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will authorize underwriters or other persons acting as our agents to solicit offers by particular institutions to purchase securities from us at the public offering price set forth in such prospectus supplement pursuant to delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on the date or dates stated in such prospectus supplement. Each delayed delivery contract will be for an amount no less than, and the aggregate principal amounts of securities sold under delayed delivery contracts shall be not less nor more than, the respective amounts stated in the applicable prospectus supplement. Such contracts, when authorized, may be made with institutional investors, including commercial and savings banks, insurance companies, pension funds, investment companies, and educational and charitable institutions, but will in all cases be subject to our approval. The obligations of any purchaser under any such contract will be subject to the conditions that (a) the purchase of the securities shall not at the time of delivery be prohibited under the laws of any jurisdiction in the United States to which the purchaser is subject, and (b) if the securities are being sold to underwriters, we shall have sold to the underwriters the total principal amount of the securities less the principal amount thereof covered by the contracts. The underwriters and such other agents will not have any responsibility in respect of the validity or performance of such contracts.

If necessary to comply with any applicable state securities laws, the securities offered by this prospectus will be sold in such jurisdictions only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers. In addition, securities may not be sold in some states unless they have been registered or qualified for sale in the applicable state or an exemption from the registration or qualification requirement is available and is complied with.

The selling stockholders may resell or redistribute securities from time to time on any stock exchange or automated interdealer quotation system on which the shares are listed, in the over-the-counter market, in privately negotiated transactions, or in any other legal manner, at fixed prices that may be changed, at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices. Persons who are pledgees, donees, transferees, or other successors in interest of any of the selling stockholders named in a prospectus supplement (including but not limited to persons who receive shares from a named selling stockholder as a gift, partnership distribution or other non-sale-related transfer after the date of this prospectus) may also use this prospectus and are included when we refer to “selling stockholders” in this prospectus. The selling stockholders may sell the shares by one or more of the following methods, without limitation:

The selling stockholders may engage brokers and dealers, and any brokers or dealers may arrange for other brokers or dealers to participate in effecting sales of the shares. These brokers or dealers may act as principals, or as an agent of a selling stockholder. Broker-dealers may agree with a selling stockholder to sell a specified number of the shares at a stipulated price per share. If the broker-dealer is unable to sell shares acting as agent for a selling stockholder, it may purchase as principal any unsold shares at the stipulated price. Broker-dealers who acquire shares as principals may thereafter resell the shares from time to time in transactions on any stock exchange or automated interdealer quotation system on which the shares are then listed, at prices and on terms then prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to the then-current market price or in negotiated transactions. Broker-dealers may use block transactions and sales to and through broker-dealers, including transactions of the nature described above. The selling stockholders may also sell all or a portion of their shares of our common stock in transactions exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act in reliance upon Rule 144 under the Securities Act rather than pursuant to this prospectus, regardless of whether the shares are covered by this prospectus.

From time to time, one or more of the selling stockholders may pledge, hypothecate or grant a security interest in some or all of the shares owned by them. The pledgees, secured parties or persons to whom the shares have been hypothecated will, upon foreclosure in the event of default, be deemed to be selling stockholders. The number of a selling stockholder’s shares offered under this prospectus will decrease as and when it takes such actions. The plan of distribution for that selling stockholder’s shares will otherwise remain unchanged. In addition, a selling stockholder may, from time to time, sell the shares short, and, in those instances, this prospectus may be delivered in connection with the short sales and the shares offered under this prospectus may be used to cover short sales.

The selling stockholders and any underwriters, brokers, dealers or agents that participate in the distribution of the shares may be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act, and any discounts, concessions, commissions or fees received by them and any profit on the resale of the shares sold by them may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions.

A selling stockholder may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers and the broker-dealers may engage in short sales of the shares in the course of hedging the positions they assume with that selling stockholder, including, without limitation, in connection with distributions of the shares by those broker-dealers. A selling stockholder may enter into option or other transactions with broker-dealers that involve the delivery of the shares offered hereby to the broker-dealers, who may then resell or otherwise transfer those shares. A selling stockholder may also loan or pledge the shares offered hereby to a broker-dealer and the broker-dealer may sell the shares offered hereby so loaned or upon a default may sell or otherwise transfer the pledged shares offered hereby.

The selling stockholders and other persons participating in the sale or distribution of the shares will be subject to applicable provisions of the Exchange Act and the related rules and regulations adopted by the SEC, including Regulation M. This regulation may limit the timing of purchases and sales of any of our equity securities by the selling stockholders and any other person. The anti-manipulation rules under the Exchange Act

We may agree to indemnify the selling stockholders and their respective officers, directors, employees and agents, and any underwriter or other person who participates in an offering against specified liabilities, including liabilities under the federal securities laws or to contribute to payments the underwriters may be required to make in respect of those liabilities. The selling stockholders may agree to indemnify us, the other selling stockholders and any underwriter or other person who participates in an offering against specified liabilities, including liabilities under the federal securities laws or to contribute to payments the underwriters may be required to make in respect of those liabilities. The selling stockholders may agree to indemnify any brokers, dealers or agents who participate in transactions involving sales of the shares against specified liabilities arising under the federal securities laws in connection with the offering and sale of the shares.

We will not receive any proceeds from the sales of any securities by the selling stockholders, but in certain cases we may pay fees and expenses relating to the registration or an offering of such securities, such as registration and filing fees, fees and expenses for complying with federal and state securities laws and FINRA rules and regulations, and fees and expenses incurred in connection with a listing, if any, of any of the securities on any securities exchange or association. We cannot assure you that the selling stockholders will offer or sell all or any portion of the securities they hold under this prospectus.

If a selling stockholder notifies us that a material arrangement has been entered into with a broker-dealer for the sale of shares through a block trade, special offering, exchange, distribution or secondary distribution or a purchase by a broker or dealer, the prospectus supplement will include any other facts that are material to the transaction. If applicable, this may include a statement to the effect that the participating broker-dealers did not conduct any investigation to verify the information set out or incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

Information about selling security holders, where applicable, will be set forth in a prospectus supplement, in a post-effective amendment or in filings we make with the SEC, which are incorporated into this prospectus by reference.

The legality of the securities offered hereby will be passed upon for us by Goodwin Procter LLP. If the validity of any securities is also passed upon by counsel for the underwriters, dealers or agents of an offering of those securities, that counsel will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement.

The consolidated financial statements of EastGroup Properties, Inc. as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2021, and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2021 have been incorporated by reference herein in reliance upon the reports of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

We are subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act, and, in accordance with those requirements, file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Such reports, proxy statements and other information, including this registration statement and the exhibits and schedules thereto, are available on the SEC’s web site (www.sec.gov). Copies of these documents may also be accessed on our website (www.eastgroup.net). The information found on, or otherwise accessible through, our website is not incorporated into, and does not form a part of, this prospectus.

The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference the information contained in documents that we file with them, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents instead of having to repeat the information in this prospectus supplement. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus, and information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information.

We incorporate by reference the documents listed below, other than, in each case, any document or portion thereof deemed to be “furnished” and not filed in accordance with SEC rules and regulations:

We will provide without charge to each person to whom this prospectus is delivered, upon his or her written or oral request, a copy of any or all documents referred to above that have been or may be incorporated by reference into this prospectus (other than exhibits, unless they are specifically incorporated by reference in the documents) by writing or telephoning us at the following address and telephone number: