Gladstone Commercial (GLE) Risk Analysis
Risk Overview Q2, 2026
Source: the company's latest filing for the period ended Jun 30, 2026, filed Aug 05, 2026
Risk Change Over Time
Risk Highlights Q2, 2026
Risk Word Cloud
Risk Factors Full Breakdown - Total Risks 51
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 1We may have conflicts of interest with our Adviser and other affiliates.
Our Adviser manages our business and locates, evaluates, recommends and negotiates the acquisition of our real estate investments. At the same time, our Advisory Agreement permits our Adviser to conduct other commercial activities and provide management and advisory services to other entities, including, but not limited to, Gladstone Capital, Gladstone Investment, Gladstone Land, and Gladstone Alternative. Moreover, with the exception of our chief financial officer, treasurer and president, all of our executive officers and directors are also executive officers and directors of Gladstone Capital, Gladstone Investment, and Gladstone Alternative, which actively make loans to and invest in lower middle market companies, and with the exception of our chief financial officer and president, all of our executive officers and directors are also officers and directors of Gladstone Land, an agricultural REIT. Further, our chief executive officer and chairman is on the board of managers of Gladstone Securities, an affiliated broker dealer that provides us with mortgage financing services pursuant to a contractual agreement and is the 100% indirect owner of and controls Gladstone Securities. As a result, we may from time to time have conflicts of interest with our Adviser in its management of our business, Gladstone Securities, in its provision of services to us and our other affiliated funds, and with Gladstone Capital, Gladstone Investment, Gladstone Land, and Gladstone Alternative, which may arise primarily from the involvement of our Adviser, Gladstone Securities, Gladstone Capital, Gladstone Investment, Gladstone Land, Gladstone Alternative and their affiliates in other activities that may conflict with our business. Examples of these potential conflicts include: - our Adviser may realize substantial compensation on account of its activities on our behalf, and may, therefore, be motivated to approve acquisitions solely on the basis of increasing compensation to itself;- Gladstone Securities acts as the dealer manager for our Series F Preferred Stock Offering, and earns fee income from Series F Preferred Stock proceeds;- our Adviser or Gladstone Securities, may earn fee income from our borrowers or tenants; and - our Adviser and other affiliates such as Gladstone Capital, Gladstone Investment, Gladstone Land, and Gladstone Alternative could compete for the time and services of our officers and directors. These and other conflicts of interest between us and our Adviser and other affiliates could have a material adverse effect on the operation of our business and the selection or management of our real estate investments.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 2If we fail to qualify as a REIT, our operations and distributions to stockholders would be adversely impacted.
We intend to continue to be organized and to operate to qualify as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). A REIT generally is not taxed at the corporate level on income it currently distributes to its stockholders. Qualification as a REIT involves the application of highly technical and complex rules for which there are only limited judicial or administrative interpretations. The determination of various factual matters and circumstances not entirely within our control may affect our ability to continue to qualify as a REIT. In addition, new legislation, new regulations, administrative interpretations or court decisions could significantly change the tax laws, possibly with retroactive effect, with respect to qualification as a REIT or the federal income tax consequences of such qualification. If we were to fail to qualify as a REIT in any taxable year: - we would not be allowed to deduct our distributions to stockholders when computing our taxable income;- we would be subject to federal income tax (including any applicable alternative minimum tax) on our taxable income at regular corporate rates;- we would be disqualified from being taxed as a REIT for the four taxable years following the year during which qualification was lost, unless entitled to relief under certain statutory provisions;- our cash available for distributions to stockholders would be reduced; and - we may be required to borrow additional funds or sell some of our assets to pay corporate tax obligations that we may incur as a result of our disqualification.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 3Ownership limitations may restrict or prevent stockholders from engaging in certain transfers of our common stock.
Our charter contains an ownership limit which prohibits any person or group of persons from acquiring, directly or indirectly, beneficial or constructive ownership of more than 9.8% of our outstanding shares of capital stock. Shares owned by a person or a group of persons in excess of the ownership limit are deemed "excess shares." Shares owned by a person who individually owns of record less than 9.8% of outstanding shares may nevertheless be excess shares if the person is deemed part of a group for purposes of this restriction. If the transferee-stockholder acquires excess shares, the person is considered to have acted as our agent and holds the excess shares on behalf of the ultimate stockholder. When shares are held in this manner they do not have any voting rights and shall not be considered for purposes of any stockholder vote or determining a quorum for such vote. Our charter stipulates that any acquisition of shares that would result in our disqualification as a REIT under the Code shall be void to the fullest extent permitted under applicable law. The ownership limit does not apply to (i) offerors which, in accordance with applicable federal and state securities laws, make a cash tender offer, where at least 90% of the outstanding shares of our stock (not including shares or subsequently issued securities convertible into common stock which are held by the tender offeror and any "affiliates" or "associates" thereof within the meaning of the Exchange Act) are duly tendered and accepted pursuant to the cash tender offer; (ii) an underwriter in a public offering of our shares; (iii) a party initially acquiring shares in a transaction involving the issuance of our shares of capital stock, if our Board determines such party will timely distribute such shares such that, following such distribution, such shares will not be deemed excess shares; and (iv) a person or persons which our Board exempt from the ownership limit upon appropriate assurances that our qualification as a REIT is not jeopardized.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 4Shares of common and preferred stock eligible for future sale may have adverse effects on the respective share price.
We cannot predict the effect, if any, of future sales of common or preferred stock, or the availability of shares for future sales, on the market price of our common or preferred stock. Sales of substantial amounts of common or preferred stock (including shares of common stock issuable upon the conversion of units of the Operating Partnership that we may issue from time to time, issuable upon conversion of our Senior Common Stock, or issuances made through any ATM programs or otherwise), or the perception that these sales could occur, may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our common and preferred stock.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 5Our redemption of OP Units could result in the issuance of a large number of new shares of our common stock and/or force us to expend significant cash, which may limit our funds necessary to make distributions on our common stock.
As of the date of this filing, unaffiliated third parties owned approximately 0.1% of the outstanding OP Units. Following any contractual lock-up provisions, including the one-year mandatory holding period, an OP Unitholder may require us to redeem the OP Units it holds for cash. At our election, we may satisfy the redemption through the issuance of shares of our common stock on a one-for-one basis. However, the limited partners' redemption rights may not be exercised if and to the extent that the delivery of the shares upon such exercise would result in any person violating the ownership and transfer restrictions set forth in our charter. If we issued a large number of OP Units in connection with future property acquisitions and/or a large number of OP Units were redeemed, it could result in the issuance of a large number of new shares of our common stock, which could dilute our existing stockholders' ownership. Alternatively, if we were to redeem a large number of OP Units for cash, we may be required to expend significant amounts to pay the redemption price, which may limit our funds necessary to make distributions on our common stock. Further, if we do not have sufficient cash on hand at the time the OP Units are tendered for redemption, we may be forced to sell additional shares of our common stock or preferred stock to raise cash, which could cause dilution to our existing stockholders and adversely affect the market price of our common stock.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 6Our ability to pay distributions is limited by the requirements of Maryland law.
Our ability to pay distributions on our stock is limited by the laws of Maryland. Under applicable Maryland law, a Maryland corporation generally may not make a distribution if, after giving effect to the distribution, the corporation would not be able to pay its debts as the debts become due in the usual course of business or the corporation's total assets would be less than the sum of its total liabilities plus, unless the corporation's charter permits otherwise, the amount that would be needed, if the corporation were dissolved at the time of the distribution, to satisfy the preferential rights upon dissolution of stockholders whose preferential rights are superior to those receiving the distribution. Accordingly, we generally may not make a distribution on our stock if, after giving effect to the distribution, we would not be able to pay our debts as they become due in the usual course of business or our total assets would be less than the sum of our total liabilities plus, unless the terms of such class or series provide otherwise, the amount that would be needed to satisfy the preferential rights upon dissolution of the holders of shares of any class or series of stock then outstanding, if any, with preferences upon dissolution senior to those of such class of stock with respect to which the distribution would be made.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 7Our Board of Directors may change our investment policy without stockholders' approval.
Our Board of Directors will determine our investment and financing policies, growth strategy and our debt, capitalization, distribution, acquisition, disposition and operating policies. Our Board of Directors may revise or amend these strategies and policies at any time without a vote by stockholders. Accordingly, stockholders' control over changes in our strategies and policies is limited to the election of directors, and changes made by our Board of Directors may not serve the interests of stockholders and could adversely affect our financial condition or results of operations, including our ability to distribute cash to stockholders or qualify as a REIT.
- Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 8Our rights and the rights of our stockholders to take action against our directors and officers are limited.
Maryland law provides that a director or officer has no liability in that capacity if he or she performs his or her duties in good faith, in a manner he or she reasonably believes to be advisable and in our best interests and with the care that an ordinarily prudent person in a like position would use under similar circumstances. In addition, our charter (i) eliminates our directors' and officers' liability to us and our stockholders for money damages except for liability resulting from actual receipt of an improper benefit in money, property or services or active and deliberate dishonesty established by a final judgment and that is material to the cause of action and (ii) requires us to indemnify directors and officers for liability resulting from actions taken by them in those capacities to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law. As a result, our stockholders and we may have more limited rights against our directors and officers than might otherwise exist under common law. In addition, we may be obligated to fund the defense costs incurred by our directors and officers.
See a full breakdown of risk according to category and subcategory. The list starts with the category with the most risk. Click on subcategories to read relevant extracts from the most recent report.