UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): March 22, 2016
EQUITY LIFESTYLE PROPERTIES, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Maryland | 1-11718 | 36-3857664 | ||
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(Commission File No.) |
(IRS Employer Identification Number) | ||
| Two North Riverside Plaza, Chicago, Illinois | 60606 | |||
| (Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) | |||
(312) 279-1400
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
| ¨ | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
| x | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
| ¨ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
| ¨ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
| Item 8.01 | Other Events. |
On March 22, 2016, Equity LifeStyle Properties, Inc. (referred to herein as “we,” “us,” and “our”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) the Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A for our 2016 annual meeting of stockholders. On or about March 30, 2016, we will mail a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials to stockholders of record at the close of business on March 4, 2016, the record date for our 2016 annual meeting of stockholders. The booklet entitled “The Life in a Day of Equity LifeStyle Properties 2015” (the “2015 ELS Storybook”) will be available for stockholders to view, together with our Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A (including proxy card) and our 2015 Annual Report. The 2015 ELS Storybook contains a letter from our Chairman of the Board, Samuel Zell, and our President and Chief Executive Officer, Marguerite Nader; information about our properties; an industry growth comparison and pictures of certain of our properties. Accordingly, as the 2015 ELS Storybook could be deemed to be solicitation materials under the SEC’s proxy rules, we are filing this Current Report on Form 8-K.
| Item 9.01 | Financial Statements and Exhibits |
(d) Exhibits
| Exhibit 99.1 | The Life in a Day of Equity LifeStyle Properties, Inc. 2015 |
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
| EQUITY LIFESTYLE PROPERTIES, INC. | ||||||
| By: | /s/ Paul Seavey | |||||
| Paul Seavey | ||||||
| Date: March 23, 2016 | Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer | |||||
| Exhibit 99.1
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making Impressions
The Life in a Day
Equity LifeStyle Properties | 2015
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REIT Industry Same Store NOI Growth
Source: Citi Investment Research February 2016
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Dear Readers,
At the end of each year, we set aside time to consider the goals we achieved and what we can do to make the next year better. We had a strong year in 2015, which will help us build momentum into 2016.
We continued our positive occupancy trend of both increasing occupancy and gaining homeowners. For the year, we increased occupancy by approximately 500 sites and increased homeowners by 750. On the new home sales front, we sold approximately 500 new homes in 2015, a 40% increase from 2014. Our same store NOI growth was 5.5%, a level not previously achieved in our portfolio since 2009. Within our manufactured home communities, we finished the year strong with 4% quarter over quarter growth. The strength of our RV business continued with RV revenue growth of nearly 8%.
ELS is known as an investment that provides a steady, dynamic cash flow.
We make prudent capital decisions that allow us to increase shareholder value. The nature of our business is such that our portfolio has historically performed well throughout the economic cycle. This past year, the economy was marked with anemic growth and in that environment ELS was still able to post positive gains on all key operating metrics. We understand that our customer has many options for vacation or housing needs and we are focused on making great impressions at every point in the customer cycle.
Welcome back…
Our customers come back year after year because we offer quality real estate locations with a focus on customer service. We recognize that our customers are our greatest asset as indicated by the number of repeat customers we see each year. We spend time focusing on what our customers are looking for in an amenity package to encourage quality experiences and favorable impressions. These amenity upgrades will serve us well as they appeal to the Baby Boomer generation, which has an expectation of active lifestyle offerings.
Do you see what I see…
Social media has been impactful for us this year. We now have over 250,000 active fans/followers who are engaged in both reviewing our locations and sharing their memories with us. This instantaneous form of communication with our customers allows us to receive immediate feedback while providing a channel for them to tell their vacation stories through pictures and videos. Our continued focus on these outlets will pay dividends in the years ahead as consumers continue to value authenticity and genuine interactions with our brands.
As we look ahead to 2016, we are excited about the high quality options we provide our customers, the stability of our business, and our ability
to focus on growth opportunities.
As in previous years, we invite you to enjoy the photos in this book,
providing you a glimpse into the Life in a Day at ELS.
Marguerite Nader
President and CEO
Sam Zell
Chairman of the Board
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Welcome. At Equity LifeStyle Properties, we provide wonderful
places for our customers to stay, play, and live life
on their terms. Whether our guests are staying for a
long weekend, a season, or for years to come, our goal
is to make them feel welcome and right at home.
Palm Springs
Palm Desert, CA
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first impressions Carolina Landing
Fair Play, SC
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Welcome
back.
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Our customers engage in an active and fulfilling lifestyle with
numerous opportunities for social and recreational interaction.
This quality lifestyle is key to the stability and growth of our
customer base.
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Welcome
back.
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quality repeated
ViewPoint RV & Golf Resort
Mesa, AZ
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Turtle Beach
Manteca, CA
Friends always welcome.
The social nature of our communities
provides the foundation for building
long-lasting friendships.
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Southern Palms
Eustis, FL
lasting impressions
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Welcome adventure
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Our customers embrace new adventures as they explore,
travel, and take advantage of the activities at our properties.
There is always something new to see and learn, while
staying active and engaged along the way.
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corner.
around every
Welcome adventure
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making new memories
La Conner
La Conner, WA
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Welcome home.
Willow Lake Estates
Elgin, IL
Not just a place to rest your head, but a community
of lifestyle offerings featuring athletic clubs, dances,
social gatherings, so many options…it’s up to you
to determine the lifestyle that fits you best.
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creating community
Bay Indies
Venice, FL
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The people and places of Equity LifeStyle Properties
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De Anza Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, CA
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Santiago Estates
Sylmar, CA
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Date Palm Country Club
Cathedral City, CA
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Date Palm Country Club
Cathedral City, CA
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Contempo Marin
San Rafael, CA
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Idyllwild
Idyllwild, CA
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Monte Vista Village
Mesa, AZ
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ViewPoint RV & Golf Resort
Mesa, AZ
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RV Rally at Mesa Spirit
Mesa, AZ
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Araby Acres
Yuma, AZ
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The Reserve at Lake Conroe
Willis,TX
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The Reserve at Lake Conroe
Willis, TX
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Mariner’s Cove
Millsboro, DE
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Holiday Village
Colorado Springs, CO
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Kenisee Lake
Jefferson, OH
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Tranquil Timbers
Sturgeon Bay, WI
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Chestnut Lake
Port Republic, NJ
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Lake George Escape
Lake George, NY
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Greenwood Village
Manorville, NY
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Alpine Lake
Corinth, NY
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Mt. Hood Village
Welches, OR
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Narrows Too
Trenton, ME
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Meadows of Chantilly
Chantilly, VA
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Down Yonder
Largo, FL
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Bulow Plantation
Flagler Beach, FL
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Maralago Cay
Lake Worth, FL
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Colony Cove
Ellenton, FL
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CountryWood
Plant City, FL
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Miami Everglades
Miami, FL
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Miami Everglades
Miami, FL
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Orlando
Clermont, FL
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Fiesta Key
The Florida Keys
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Equity LifeStyle Properties
Two North Riverside Plaza, Chicago, IL 60606
(800) 247-5279 | EquityLifeStyle.com