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Get filing alertsAvalonBay shareholders approve merger with Equity Residential; close set for Aug 17
Filed August 12, 2026 · Period ending August 12, 2026 · ~1 min read
Key Changes
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high
Shareholders approved merger with 99.4% of votes cast (89.1% of outstanding shares); AvalonBay stockholders will receive 2.793 Equity Residential shares per AVB share at close.
Item 5.07 — Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders verify on EDGAR → -
high
Merger expected to close August 17, 2026, subject to customary closing conditions; combined company will rebrand as Vivmark Residential and trade under ticker VMRK starting August 18.
Exhibit 99.1 view on EDGAR → -
medium
Shareholders approved merger-related executive compensation on advisory basis with 99.3% of votes cast (88.6% of outstanding shares).
Item 5.07 — Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders verify on EDGAR → -
low
Shareholders approved authority to adjourn the special meeting if needed with 91.7% of votes cast (81.8% of outstanding shares).
Item 5.07 — Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders verify on EDGAR →
Summary
AvalonBay Communities stockholders voted overwhelmingly to approve the company's merger with Equity Residential at a special meeting held August 12, 2026. The merger proposal received 126,457,745 votes for (99.4% of votes cast), representing 89.1% of the 141,875,623 shares outstanding and entitled to vote. Equity Residential shareholders similarly approved the share issuance with over 99% support.
The transaction is scheduled to close August 17, 2026, pending satisfaction of customary closing conditions. Under the merger terms, each AvalonBay share will convert into 2.793 Equity Residential common shares. The combined company will operate as Vivmark Residential and begin trading on the NYSE under ticker symbol VMRK on August 18, 2026, replacing both the AvalonBay (AVB) and Equity Residential (EQR) brands.
Stockholders also approved merger-related executive compensation on an advisory basis (99.3% of votes cast) and granted authority to adjourn the meeting if necessary (91.7% of votes cast). The strong approval margins across all proposals indicate broad shareholder support for the combination of the two apartment REITs.
Section-by-Section Diff
Event · Item 8.01 — Other Events
AvalonBay and Equity Residential announced shareholder vote results from special meetings held August 12, 2026.
Added in current filing · verify on EDGAR →
On August 12, 2026, the Company and Equity Residential issued a joint press release announcing the results of the Special Meeting and the results of the special meeting of Equity Residential’s shareholders also held on August 12, 2026.
AvalonBay and Equity Residential held concurrent special shareholder meetings on August 12, 2026, and jointly announced the voting results. The 8-K does not disclose what proposals were voted on or the vote tallies; those details are in the attached press release (Exhibit 99.1), which is not included in this filing body.
Event · Exhibit 99.1
Added in current filing · view on EDGAR →
More than 99% of the votes cast at the AvalonBay special meeting voted to approve the merger, which represented approximately 90% of the outstanding shares of AvalonBay common stock, as of the record date, and more than 99% of the votes cast at Equity Residential’s special meeting voted to approve the issuance of Equity Residential common shares to AvalonBay stockholders as consideration in the merger, which represented approximately 90% of the outstanding Equity Residential common shares, as of the record date.
Both companies' shareholders overwhelmingly approved the merger proposals at their respective special meetings. AvalonBay stockholders approved the merger with over 99% of votes cast (representing approximately 90% of outstanding shares), and Equity Residential shareholders similarly approved the share issuance with over 99% of votes cast (representing approximately 90% of outstanding shares). This clears a key condition for closing the transaction.
Added in current filing · view on EDGAR →
The merger is expected to close on Monday, August 17, 2026, subject to the satisfaction or waiver of customary closing conditions. If the merger is completed, each share of AvalonBay common stock outstanding immediately prior to the merger will convert into the right to receive 2.793 Equity Residential common shares.
The merger is scheduled to close on August 17, 2026, pending satisfaction of customary closing conditions. AvalonBay shareholders will receive 2.793 Equity Residential common shares for each AvalonBay share they own. This exchange ratio determines the relative ownership split in the combined company.
Added in current filing · view on EDGAR →
Following the completion of the merger, the combined company will be renamed “Vivmark Residential,” with its common shares expected to trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “VMRK” beginning at the open of trading on August 18, 2026.
After the merger closes, the combined entity will operate as Vivmark Residential and trade on the NYSE under ticker symbol VMRK starting August 18, 2026. This represents a new corporate identity for the merged REIT, replacing both the AvalonBay (AVB) and Equity Residential (EQR) brands.
Event · Item 5.07 — Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders
Item 5.07 — Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders filed; see Key Changes for terms.
Added in current filing · verify on EDGAR →
At the close of business on July 9, 2026, the record date for the Special Meeting, there were 141,875,623 issued and outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“common stock”), entitled to vote. A total of 127,281,794 of such shares were present virtually or by proxy at the Special Meeting. ... Stockholders approved the Merger Proposal. The voting results with respect to the Merger Proposal are as follows: For Against Abstain 126,457,745 51,666 772,383
Stockholders approved the merger of AvalonBay with and into Canopy Merger Sub LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Equity Residential. The merger received 126,457,745 votes for (99.4% of votes cast), 51,666 against (0.04%), and 772,383 abstentions. With 141,875,623 shares outstanding and entitled to vote, the 126,457,745 votes for represent 89.1% of all outstanding shares, demonstrating strong shareholder support for the transaction.
Added in current filing · verify on EDGAR →
Stockholders approved the Merger-Related Compensation Proposal. The voting results with respect to the Merger-Related Compensation Proposal are as follows: For Against Abstain 125,634,602 938,901 708,291
Stockholders approved, on a non-binding advisory basis, the compensation that may be paid or become payable to AvalonBay's named executive officers in connection with the merger. The proposal received 125,634,602 votes for (99.3% of votes cast), 938,901 against (0.7%), and 708,291 abstentions. This represents 88.6% support from all outstanding shares.
Show 1 minor / wording change
Added in current filing · verify on EDGAR →
Stockholders approved the Adjournment Proposal. The voting results with respect to the Adjournment Proposal are as follows: For Against Abstain 116,027,319 10,475,534 778,941
Stockholders approved the authority to adjourn the Special Meeting if necessary to solicit additional proxies for the merger proposal. The proposal received 116,027,319 votes for (91.7% of votes cast), 10,475,534 against (8.3%), and 778,941 abstentions. This represents 81.8% support from all outstanding shares.
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Figures/quotes linked to EDGAR · Narrative written by AI · Aug 13, 2026 · How we verify