NEWTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- CommonWealth REIT (CWH) today announced that it has launched an underwritten public offering of unsecured senior notes. CWH expects to use the net proceeds from this offering to redeem some or all of its outstanding 7 ¹/₈% Series C Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares, repay amounts outstanding under its revolving credit facility, and for general business purposes, including funding possible future acquisitions of properties.

The joint book-running managers for this offering are Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, UBS Securities LLC, and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC. The joint lead managers for this offering are Jefferies & Company, Inc. and RBC Capital Markets, LLC.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which the offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of that state or jurisdiction. Copies of the preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may be obtained by calling Citigroup Global Markets Inc. toll-free at (800) 831-9146, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated toll-free at (800) 294-1322, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC toll-free at (866) 718-1649, UBS Securities LLC toll-free at (877) 827-6444, extension 561-3884 or Wells Fargo Securities, LLC toll-free at (800) 326-5897.

WARNING REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

THIS PRESS RELEASE CONTAINS FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995 AND OTHER SECURITIES LAWS. THESE FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS ARE BASED UPON CWHS PRESENT EXPECTATIONS, BUT THESE STATEMENTS AND THE IMPLICATIONS OF THESE STATEMENTS MAY NOT OCCUR. FOR EXAMPLE,

• ALTHOUGH THIS PRESS RELEASE REFERS TO AN OFFERING OF UNSECURED SENIOR NOTES, THIS OFFERING MAY BE WITHDRAWN.
• THIS PRESS RELEASE STATES THAT CWH EXPECTS TO USE A PART OF THE NET PROCEEDS FROM THIS OFFERING TO REDEEM SOME OR ALL OF ITS OUTSTANDING 7 ¹/₈% SERIES C CUMULATIVE REDEEMABLE PREFERRED SHARES. HOWEVER, IF THIS OFFERING IS WITHDRAWN CWH MAY NOT REDEEM ANY OF ITS OUTSTANDING 7 ¹/₈% SERIES C CUMULATIVE REDEEMABLE PREFERRED SHARES.

FOR THESE REASONS, AMONG OTHERS, INVESTORS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE RELIANCE UPON FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS.

A Maryland Real Estate Trust with transferable shares of beneficial interest listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
No shareholder, Trustee or officer is personally liable for any act or obligation of the Trust.

CommonWealth REIT
Timothy A. Bonang, 617-796-8222
Vice President, Investor Relations
or
Carlynn Finn, 617-796-8222
Senior Manager, Investor Relations

Source: CommonWealth REIT

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