NYSE: WPC

On November 1, 2023, we completed the Spin-Off, contributing 59 office properties to NLOP (Note 3). Following the closing of the Spin-Off, NLOP operates as a separate publicly-traded REIT, which we externally manage pursuant to certain advisory agreements (the “NLOP Advisory Agreements”).

Founded in 1973, we became a publicly traded company listed on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) in 1998 and reorganized as a REIT in 2012. Our shares of common stock are listed on the NYSE under the ticker symbol “WPC.” Headquartered in New York, we also have offices in Dallas, London, and Amsterdam.

Narrative Description of Business

Business Objectives and Strategy

Our primary business objective is to invest in a diversified portfolio of high-quality, mission-critical assets subject to long-term net leases with built-in rent escalators for the purpose of generating stable cash flows, enabling us to grow our dividend and increase long-term stockholder value.

Our investment strategy primarily focuses on owning and actively managing a diverse portfolio of commercial real estate that is net-leased to credit-worthy companies. We review and evaluate the fundamental value of the underlying real estate. We believe that many companies prefer to lease rather than own their corporate real estate because it allows them to deploy their capital more effectively into their core competencies. We specialize in sale-leaseback transactions, where we acquire a company’s critical real estate and then lease it back to them on a long-term, triple-net basis, which requires them to pay substantially all of the costs associated with operating and maintaining the property (such as real estate taxes, insurance, and facility maintenance). Compared to other types of real estate investments, sale-leaseback transactions typically produce a more predictable income stream and require minimal capital expenditures, which in turn generate revenues that provide our stockholders with a stable, growing source of income.

We believe that diversification across property type, tenant, tenant industry, and geographic location, as well as diversification of our lease expirations and scheduled rent increases, are vital aspects of portfolio risk management and accordingly have constructed a portfolio of real estate that we believe is well-diversified across each of these categories. We capitalize on our large portfolio and existing tenant relationships through accretive expansions, renovations, and follow-on deals. We actively manage our real estate portfolio to monitor tenant credit quality and lease renewal risks. We also maintain ample liquidity, a conservative capital structure, and access to multiple forms of capital.

We intend to operate our business in a manner that is consistent with the maintenance of our status as a REIT for federal income tax purposes. In addition, we expect to manage our investments in order to maintain our exemption from registration as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

W. P. Carey 2025 10-K – 3

Investment Strategies

When considering potential net-lease investments for our real estate portfolio, we review various aspects of a transaction to determine whether the investment and lease structure will satisfy our investment criteria. We generally analyze the following main aspects of each transaction:

Tenant/Borrower Evaluation — We evaluate each potential tenant or borrower for creditworthiness, typically considering factors such as management experience, industry position and fundamentals, operating history, and capital structure. We also rate each asset based on its market, liquidity, and criticality to the tenant’s operations, as well as other factors that may be unique to a particular investment. We seek opportunities where we believe the tenant may have a stable or improving credit profile or credit potential that has not been fully recognized by the market. We define creditworthiness as a risk-reward relationship appropriate to our investment strategies, which may or may not coincide with ratings issued by the credit rating agencies. We have a robust internal credit rating system and may designate subsidiaries of non-guarantor parent companies with investment grade ratings as “implied investment grade.”

Properties Critical to Tenant/Borrower Operations — We generally focus on properties and facilities that we believe are critical to the ongoing operations of the tenant. We believe that these properties generally provide better protection, particularly in the event of a bankruptcy, since a tenant/borrower is less likely to risk the loss of a critically important lease or property in a bankruptcy proceeding or otherwise.

Diversification — We attempt to diversify our portfolio to avoid undue dependence on any one particular tenant, borrower, collateral type, geographic location, or industry. By diversifying our portfolio, we seek to reduce the adverse effect of a single underperforming investment or a downturn in any particular industry or geographic region. While we do not set any fixed diversity metrics in our portfolio, we believe that it is well-diversified across these categories.

Lease Terms — Generally, the net-leased properties we invest in are leased on a full-recourse basis to the tenants or their affiliates. In addition, the vast majority of our leases provide for scheduled rent increases over the term of the lease (see Our Portfolio below). These rent increases are either fixed (i.e., mandated on specific dates) or tied to increases in inflation indices (e.g., the Consumer Price Index (“CPI”) or similar indices in the jurisdiction where the property is located), but may contain caps or other limitations, either on an annual or overall basis. In the case of retail stores and hotels, the lease may provide for participation in the gross revenues of the tenant above a stated level, which we refer to as percentage rent.

Real Estate Evaluation — We review and evaluate the physical condition of the property and the market in which it is located. We consider a variety of factors, including current market rents, replacement cost, residual valuation, property operating history, demographic characteristics of the location and accessibility, competitive properties, and suitability for re-leasing. We obtain third-party environmental and engineering reports and market studies when required. When considering an investment outside the United States, we will also consider factors particular to a country or region, including geopolitical risk, in addition to the risks normally associated with real property investments. See