Investor Lawyers Blog
Investors in Hospitality Investors Trust (“HIT”), formerly known as American Realty Capital Hospitality Trust or ARC Hospitality, may have FINRA arbitration claims, if their investment was recommended by a financial advisor who lacked a reasonable basis for the recommendation, or if the nature of the investment was misrepresented by the stockbroker or advisor.
HIT, a public, non-traded real estate investment trust (“REIT”) with a focus on hospitality properties in the United States, declared bankruptcy earlier this year. Originally sold for $25/share, HIT seen a decline in share price over the last few years. In March 2021, secondary market service Central Trade & Transfer (CTT) reported trades in HIT for prices as low as 46 cents a share. In May 2021, Hospitality Investors Trust Operating Partnership, LP filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. HIT investors later learned that under the bankruptcy plan, their stocks will be canceled and they would be getting contingent cash payments of no more than $6/share. In July 2021, a bankruptcy court in Delaware approved the Chapter 11 restructuring plan.
HIT had previously announced a decrease in its estimated net asset value (“NAV”) to $8.35 a share, down from $9.21 per share. As a publicly registered non-traded REIT, HIT was permitted to sell securities to the investing public at large, including numerous unsophisticated retail investors who bought shares upon the recommendation of a broker or money manager. Original investors of HIT could purchase shares at $25.00 per share.