Document:

EX-10.33

 Exhibit 10.33 

Form of HCA Healthcare, Inc. 

Performance Share Unit Agreement 

This PERFORMANCE SHARE UNIT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of the
         day of                     , 20     (the “Grant
Date”), between HCA Healthcare, Inc., a Delaware corporation (together with its Subsidiaries and Affiliates, as applicable, the “Company”), and [Participant Name], (the “Grantee”). Capitalized
terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to such terms in the Company’s 2006 Stock Incentive Plan for Key Employees of HCA Holdings, Inc. and its Affiliates, as Amended and Restated (the “Plan”). 

WHEREAS, the Company has adopted the Plan, which permits the issuance of Other Stock-Based Awards, including an award that
provides the right to receive Shares upon the completion of the attainment of performance objectives (a “Performance Share Unit”); and 

WHEREAS, the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company or a subcommittee thereof (or if no such
committee is appointed, the Board of Directors of the Company) (each, the “Committee”) has determined that Grantee is entitled to an award thereunder, a portion of which is payable as a Performance Share Unit award under the Plan;

 NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereto agree as follows: 

PERFORMANCE SHARE UNIT GRANT 
  

			
	 Grantee:
	  	 [Participant Name]

		  	 [Participant Address]

		
	 Target Number of Performance Share Units
	  	
	 Granted Hereunder (“Target Award”):
	  	 [Award]

		
	 Grant Date:
	  	 [Grant Date]

 1. Grant of Performance Share Unit Award. 

1.1 The Company hereby grants to the Grantee the award (“Award”) of Performance Share Units
(“PSUs”) set forth above on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and as otherwise provided in the Plan. A bookkeeping account will be maintained by the Company to keep track of the PSUs and any dividend equivalent
units that may accrue as provided in Section 3. 
 1.2 The Grantee’s rights with respect to
the Award shall remain forfeitable at all times prior to the dates on which the PSUs shall vest in accordance 

 
with Section 2 hereof. This Award may not be assigned, alienated, pledged, attached, sold or otherwise transferred or encumbered by Grantee other than by will or the
laws of descent and distribution. Any sale, assignment, transfer, pledge, hypothecation, loan or other disposition other than in accordance with this Section 1.2 shall be null and void. 

2. Vesting and Payment. 

2.1 General. Except as provided in Section 2.2, Section 2.3 or
Section 2.4, the Award shall vest as of the end of the Performance Period (as defined in this Section 2.1(a)) (the “Normal Vesting Date”), but only if (a) and to the extent
the Company has achieved the performance targets over the period (the “Performance Period”) set forth on Exhibit A attached hereto as certified by the Committee, and (b) the Grantee has remained in service with the
Company continuously until the Normal Vesting Date. The number of PSUs that vest may be greater than or less than the Target Award, as more specifically set forth on Exhibit A. 

2.2 Death; Disability; Retirement; Involuntary Termination Without Cause. 

(a) Notwithstanding Section 2.1, in the event the Grantee’s employment with the Company
terminates prior to the Normal Vesting Date on account of Grantee’s death, Grantee shall immediately vest in a number of PSUs equal to the Target Award, multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days during the
Performance Period during which Grantee was employed by the Company, and the denominator of which is the total number of days in the Performance Period (such fraction, the “Proration Factor”); provided, that this
Section 2.2(a) shall not apply if Grantee’s death occurs prior to the first anniversary of the Grant Date. 

(b) Notwithstanding Section 2.1, in the event of the Grantee’s employment with the Company
terminates prior to the Normal Vesting Date on account of Grantee’s Permanent Disability, Grantee shall vest on the Normal Vesting Date in a number of PSUs equal to the number of PSUs that would have vested if the Grantee had remained employed
with the Company until the Normal Vesting Date (based on the attainment of the performance targets determined by the Committee in accordance with Exhibit A hereto), multiplied by the Proration Factor; provided, that this
Section 2.2(b) shall not apply if Grantee’s employment terminates prior to the first anniversary of the Grant Date. Any such PSUs shall settle at the time set forth in Section 2.5 as if they
had vested on the Normal Vesting Date, or if earlier, upon the determination of the number of PSUs that shall be eligible to vest in connection with a Change in Control as described in Section 2.4. For purposes of this
Agreement, “Permanent Disability” shall have the meaning as set forth in any employment agreement between Grantee and the Company, or if there is no such employment agreement, as defined in the long-term disability plan of the
Company applicable to Grantee or that would apply to the Grantee if the Grantee were employed with the Company at the applicable time. 

 (c) Notwithstanding Section 2.1, in the event
Grantee’s employment terminates on account of Retirement or as a result of an involuntary termination without Cause by the Company, Grantee shall vest on the Normal Vesting Date in a number of PSUs equal to the number of PSUs that would have
vested if the Grantee had remained employed with the Company until the Normal Vesting Date (based on the attainment of the performance targets determined by the Committee in accordance with Exhibit A hereto), multiplied by the Proration
Factor; provided, that this Section 2.2(c) shall not apply if Grantee’s employment terminates prior to the first anniversary of the Grant Date. Any such PSUs shall settle at the time set forth in
Section 2.5 as if they had vested on the Normal Vesting Date, or if earlier, upon the determination of the number of PSUs that shall be eligible to vest in connection with a Change in Control as described in
Section 2.4. 
 For purposes of this Agreement, unless otherwise defined in any other contractual agreement
between Grantee and the Successor, (1) “Retirement” means Grantee’s resignation from service with the Company (i) after attaining 65 years of age, or (ii) after attaining 60 years of age and completing twenty
years of service with the Company; and (2) “Cause” means “Cause” as such term may be defined in any employment agreement or change-in-control
agreement in effect at the time of termination of employment between the Grantee and the Company, or, if there is no such employment or change-in-control agreement,
“Cause” shall mean (i) willful and continued failure by Grantee (other than by reason of a Permanent Disability) to perform his or her material duties with respect to the Company which continues beyond ten (10) business days
after a written demand for substantial performance is delivered to Grantee by the Company (the “Cure Period”); (ii) willful or intentional engaging by Grantee in material misconduct that causes material and demonstrable injury,
monetarily or otherwise, to the Company; (iii) conviction of, or a plea of nolo contendere to, a crime constituting (x) a felony under the laws of the United States or any state thereof or (y) a misdemeanor for which a sentence of
more than six months’ imprisonment is imposed; or (iv) Grantee’s engaging in any action in breach of restrictive covenants made by Grantee under any agreement containing restrictive covenants (e.g., covenants not to disclose
confidential information, to compete with the business of the Company or to solicit the employees thereof to terminate their employment) or any employment or
change-in-control agreement between the Grantee and the Company, which continues beyond the Cure Period (to the extent that, in the Company reasonable judgment, such
breach can be cured). 
 (d) In the event Grantee’s employment has terminated as described in
Section 2.2(b) or Section 2.2(c), and Grantee subsequently dies more than six months prior to the Normal Vesting Date, the provisions of Section 2.2(b) or
Section 2.2(c) shall be applied as if the performance targets had been achieved at the 100% Target Award level, and the applicable number of PSUs (after applying the applicable proration) shall immediately thereupon vest.

 2.3 Termination of Employment. Except as provided in Section 2.2,
Section 2.4 or as otherwise provided by the Committee, if the Grantee’s service as an employee of the Company terminates for any reason prior to the Normal Vesting Date, the Grantee shall forfeit all rights with
respect to all PSUs that are not vested on such date of termination. 

 2.4 Change in Control. Upon the occurrence of a Change in Control
(the definition of which is set forth on Schedule A attached hereto), 
 (a) Subject to
Section 2.4(c), in the event the entity surviving the Change in Control (together with its Affiliates, the “Successor”) assumes the Award granted hereby, (1) any in process Performance Periods shall end upon
the date immediately preceding the Change in Control, (2) the number of PSUs that shall be eligible to vest shall be the Target Award, (3) such Target Award shall vest on the Normal Vesting Date, provided that Grantee remains employed with
the Successor through the Normal Vesting Date and (4) notwithstanding Section 2.3 and the previous clause, in the event the Grantee’s employment with the Successor is terminated without Cause by the Successor, or
terminates for Good Reason by the Grantee or on account of Grantee’s death or Permanent Disability prior to the Normal Vesting Date, the Target Award shall immediately vest and the applicable Shares shall be released to the Grantee (or
Grantee’s estate or other legal representative) upon the Grantee’s termination of employment. 
 (b) In the event
the Successor does not assume the Award granted hereby, a number of PSUs equal to the Target Award shall vest as of the effective date of the Change in Control and the appropriate number of Shares shall be released in accordance with
Section 2.5. 
 (c) In the event Grantee is Retirement eligible at the time of a Change in
Control and the Successor assumes the Award granted hereby, a number of PSUs equal to the Target Award, multiplied by the Proration Factor applied as if the Grantee’s employment terminated on account of Retirement on the effective date of the
Change in Control, shall vest as of the effective date of the Change in Control and the appropriate number of Shares shall be released in accordance with Section 2.5. In addition, a number of PSUs equal to the difference
between the Target Award and the number of PSUs settled on the effective date of the Change in Control shall remain unvested but shall become eligible to vest under terms and conditions similar to those set forth in
Section 2.4(a)(3) and Section 2.4(a)(4). 
 (d) For purposes of this
Agreement, unless otherwise defined in any other contractual agreement between Grantee and the Successor, “Good Reason” shall mean “Good Reason” as such term may be defined in any employment agreement or change-in-control agreement in effect at the time of termination of employment between the Grantee and the Successor, or, if there is no such employment or change-in-control agreement, “Good Reason” shall mean (i) (A) a reduction in Grantee’s base salary (other than a general reduction in base salary that
affects all similarly situated employees (defined as all employees within the same Successor pay grade as that of Grantee) in substantially the same proportions that the Successor implements in good faith, if any); (B) a reduction in

 
Grantee’s annual incentive compensation opportunity; or (C) the reduction of benefits payable to Grantee under the Company’s Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (if Grantee is a
participant in such plan), in each case other than any isolated, insubstantial and inadvertent failure by the Successor that is not in bad faith and is cured within ten (10) business days after Grantee gives the Successor written notice of such
event; provided that the events described in (i)(A) or (i)(B) above will not be deemed to give rise to Good Reason if employment is terminated, but Grantee declines an offer of employment involving a loss of compensation of less than 15% from
the Successor; (ii) a substantial diminution in Grantee’s title, duties and responsibilities, other than any isolated, insubstantial and inadvertent failure by the Successor that is not in bad faith and is cured within ten
(10) business days after Grantee gives the Successor written notice of such event; or (iii) a transfer of Grantee’s primary workplace to a location that is more than twenty (20) miles from his or her workplace as of the date of
this Agreement; provided that Good Reason shall not be deemed to occur merely because Grantee’s willful decision to change position or status within the Successor causes one or more of the occurrences described in (i), (ii), or
(iii) to come about. For purposes of this Section 2.4, the definitions of “Cause” and “Permanent Disability” shall be applied with respect to the Successor as well as the Company. 

2.5 Settlement. The Grantee shall be entitled to settlement of the PSUs covered by this Agreement at the time that such
PSUs vest pursuant to Section 2.1, Section 2.2 or Section 2.4, as applicable, or if applicable, the date on which the Committee provides the certification set forth in
Section 2.1(a) (any such date, the “Settlement Date”). Such settlement shall be made as promptly as practicable thereafter (but in no event after the earlier of the thirtieth day following the Settlement
Date or the date that is two months and fifteen days following the Normal Vesting Date), through the issuance to the Grantee (or to the executors or administrators of Grantee’s estate in the event of the Grantee’s death) of a stock
certificate (or evidence such Shares have been registered in the name of the Grantee with the relevant stock agent) for a number of Shares equal to the number of such vested PSUs and any Dividend Equivalent Units that may have accrued pursuant to
Section 3 hereof; provided, that any cash-based dividend equivalent rights granted pursuant to Section 3 hereof and any fractional Dividend Equivalent Units shall be paid in cash when (and only if)
the PSUs to which they relate settle to the Grantee. 
 2.6 Withholding Obligations. Except as otherwise provided by
the Committee, upon the settlement of any PSUs subject to this Award, the Company shall reduce the number of Shares (and the amount of cash, in the case of cash-based dividend equivalent rights) that would otherwise be issued to the Grantee upon
settlement of the Award by a number of Shares (and cash, if applicable) having an aggregate Fair Market Value on the date of such issuance equal to the payment to satisfy the minimum withholding tax obligation of the Company with respect to which
the Award is being settled. 

 3. Dividend Rights. 

The Grantee shall receive dividend equivalent rights in respect of the PSUs covered by this Award at the time of any payment of
dividends to stockholders on Shares. At the Company’s option, the PSUs will be credited with either (a) additional Performance Share Units (the “Dividend Equivalent Units”) (including fractional units) for cash dividends
paid on shares of the Company’s Common Stock by (i) multiplying the cash dividend paid per Share by the number of PSUs (and previously credited Dividend Equivalent Units) outstanding and unpaid, and (ii) dividing the product
determined above by the Fair Market Value of a Share, in each case, on the date the dividend record date, or (b) a cash amount equal to the amount that would be payable to the Grantee as a stockholder in respect of a number of Shares equal to
the number of PSUs (and previously credited Dividend Equivalent Units) outstanding and unpaid as of the dividend record date; provided, that cash-based dividend equivalents shall be credited unless the Committee affirmatively elects to credit
Dividend Equivalent Units. The PSUs will be credited with Dividend Equivalent Units for stock dividends paid on shares of the Company’s Common Stock by multiplying the stock dividend paid per Share by the number of PSUs (and previously credited
Dividend Equivalent Units) outstanding and unpaid on the dividend record date. Each Dividend Equivalent Unit shall have a value equal to one Share. Each Dividend Equivalent Unit or cash dividend equivalent right will vest and be settled or payable
at the same time as the PSU to which the dividend equivalent right relates. For the avoidance of doubt, no dividend equivalent rights shall accrue under this Section 3 in the event that any dividend equivalent rights or
other applicable adjustments pursuant to Section 5 hereof provide similar benefits. 
 4. No
Right to Continued Service. 
 Nothing in this Agreement or the Plan shall be interpreted or construed to confer upon the
Grantee any right to continue service as an officer or employee of the Company. 
 5. Adjustments. 

The provisions of Section 8 and Section 9 of the Plan are hereby incorporated by reference, and the PSUs (and any
Dividend Equivalent Units) are subject to such provisions. Any determination made by the Committee or the Board pursuant to such provisions shall be made in accordance with the provisions of the Plan and shall be final and binding for all purposes
of the Plan and this Agreement. 
 6. Administration Subject to Plan. 

The Grantee hereby acknowledges receipt of a copy of the Plan and agrees to be bound by all the terms and provisions thereof.
The terms of this Agreement are governed by the terms of the Plan, and in the case of any inconsistency between the terms of this Agreement and the terms of the Plan, the terms of the Plan shall govern. The Committee shall have the power to
interpret the Plan and 

 
this Agreement and to adopt such rules for the administration, interpretation and application of the Plan as are consistent therewith and to interpret or revoke any such rules. All actions taken
and all interpretations and determinations made by the Committee shall be final and binding upon the Grantee, the Company and all other interested persons. No member of the Committee shall be personally liable for any action, determination or
interpretation made in good faith with respect to the Plan or this Award. 
 7. Modification of Agreement. 

Subject to the restrictions contained in Sections 6 and 10 of the Plan, the Committee may waive any conditions or rights under,
amend any terms of, or alter, suspend, discontinue, cancel or terminate, the Award, prospectively or retroactively; provided that any such waiver, amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance, cancellation or termination that would adversely
affect the rights of the Grantee or any holder or beneficiary of the Award in more than a de minimis way shall not to that extent be effective without the consent of the Grantee, holder or beneficiary affected. 

8. Section 409A. 

Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, the settlement of the PSUs
(including any dividend equivalent rights related thereto) to be made to the Grantee pursuant to this Agreement is intended to qualify as a “short-term deferral” pursuant to
Section 1.409A-1(b)(4) of the Regulations and this Agreement shall be interpreted consistently therewith. However, under certain circumstances, settlement of the PSUs or any dividend equivalent rights may
not so qualify, and in that case, the Committee shall administer the grant and settlement of such PSUs and any dividend equivalent rights in strict compliance with Section 409A of the Code. Further, notwithstanding anything herein to the
contrary, if at the time of a Participant’s termination of employment with the Company and all Service Recipients, the Participant is a “specified employee” as defined in Section 409A of the Code, and the deferral of the
commencement of any payments or benefits otherwise payable hereunder as a result of such termination of service is necessary in order to prevent the imposition of any accelerated or additional tax under Section 409A of the Code, then the
Company will defer the commencement of the payment of any such payments or benefits hereunder (without any reduction in such payments or benefits ultimately paid or provided to the Participant) to the minimum extent necessary to satisfy
Section 409A of the Code until the date that is six months and one day following the Participant’s termination of employment with the Company (or the earliest date as is permitted under Section 409A of the Code), if such payment or
benefit is payable upon a termination of employment. For purposes of this Agreement, a “termination of employment” shall have the same meaning as “separation from service” under Section 409A of the Code and Grantee shall be
deemed to have remained employed so long as Grantee has not “separated from service” with the Company or Successor. Each payment of PSUs (and related dividend equivalent units) constitutes a “separate payment” for purposes of
Section 409A of the Code. 

 9. Severability. 

If any provision of this Agreement is, or becomes, or is deemed to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any jurisdiction or
as to any Person or the Award, or would disqualify the Plan or Award under any laws deemed applicable by the Committee, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to conform to the applicable laws, or if it cannot be construed or deemed
amended without, in the determination of the Committee, materially altering the intent of the Plan or the Award, such provision shall be stricken as to such jurisdiction, Person or Award, and the remainder of the Plan and Award shall remain in full
force and effect. 
 10. Governing Law. 

The validity, interpretation, construction and performance of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of
Delaware without giving effect to the conflicts of law principles thereof, except to the extent that such laws are preempted by Federal law. 

11. Successors in Interest. 

This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon any successor to the Company. This Agreement shall inure to
the benefit of the Grantee’s legal representatives. All obligations imposed upon the Grantee and all rights granted to the Company under this Agreement shall be binding upon the Grantee’s heirs, executors, administrators and successors.

 12. Resolution of Disputes. 

Any dispute or disagreement which may arise under, or as a result of, or in any way related to, the interpretation,
construction or application of this Agreement shall be determined by the Committee. Any determination made hereunder shall be final, binding and conclusive on the Grantee and the Company for all purposes. 

13. Notices. 

Any notice to be given under the terms of this Agreement to the Company shall be addressed to the Company in care of its
Secretary or its designee, and any notice to be given to the Grantee shall be addressed to him at the address (including an electronic address) then reflected in the Company’s books and records. By a notice given pursuant to this
Section 13, either party may hereafter designate a different address for notices to be given to him. Any notice, which is required to be given to the Grantee, shall, if the Grantee is then deceased, be given to the
Grantee’s personal representative if such representative has previously informed the Company of his status and address by written notice under this Section 13. Any notice shall have been deemed duly given when
(i) delivered in person, (ii) delivered in an electronic form approved by the Company, (iii) enclosed in a properly sealed envelope or wrapper addressed as aforesaid, deposited (with postage prepaid) in a post office or branch post
office regularly maintained by the United States Postal Service, or (iv) enclosed in a properly sealed envelope or wrapper addressed as aforesaid, deposited (with fees prepaid) in an office regularly maintained by FedEx, UPS, or comparable non-public mail carrier. 

 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Performance Share Unit
Agreement to be duly executed effective as of the day and year first above written. 
  

			
	 HCA Healthcare, Inc.

 
			
		
	 By:
	 	  

 
			
	
	 Grantee:

	
	 (electronically accepted)

 Schedule A 

Definition of Change in Control 

For purposes of this Agreement, the term “Change in Control” shall mean, in lieu of any definition contained in the Plan: 

(i) the sale or disposition, in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the assets of the
Company to any Person or Group other than an employee benefit plan (or trust forming a part thereof) maintained by (1) the Company or (2) any corporation or other Person of which a majority of its voting power of its voting equity
securities or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company (a “Permitted Holder”); or 
 (ii)
any Person or Group, other than a Permitted Holder, becomes the Beneficial Owner (as such term is defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act (or any successor rule thereto) (except that a Person shall be
deemed to have “beneficial ownership” of all shares that any such Person has the right to acquire, whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time)), directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the total
voting power of the voting stock of the Company (or any entity which controls the Company), including by way of merger, consolidation, tender or exchange offer or otherwise; or 

(iii) a reorganization, recapitalization, merger or consolidation (a “Corporate Transaction”) involving the Company,
unless securities representing more than 50% of the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of the Company or the corporation resulting from such Corporate Transaction
(or the parent of such corporation) are Beneficially Owned subsequent to such transaction by the Person or Persons who were the Beneficial Owners of the outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of the
Company immediately prior to such Corporate Transaction, in substantially the same proportions as their ownership immediately prior to such Corporate Transaction; or 

(iv) during any period of 12 months, individuals who at the beginning of such period constituted the Board (together with any
new directors whose election by such Board or whose nomination for election by the shareholders of the Company was approved by a vote of a majority of the directors of the Company, then still in office, who were either directors at the beginning of
such period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved) cease for any reason to constitute a majority of the Board then in office. 

 Exhibit A 

HCA Healthcare, Inc. 

2020 Performance Share Unit Award 

Performance Targets 

1. Target Award. The target number of PSUs for the Grantee is as set forth on the first page of the Award Agreement.
For the avoidance of doubt, all percentages associated with the Award shall be of the Target Award. 
 2. Performance
Period. The Performance Period for this Award shall begin on January 1, 2020 and end on December 31, 2022. 
 3.
Performance Goal. The “Performance Goal” for this Award is Cumulative EPS over the Performance Period. For purposes of this Exhibit A, Cumulative EPS means the sum of the Company’s “diluted earnings per share” of each
of the three fiscal years of the Company within the Performance Period as reported in the Company’s audited financial statements for each such year, adjusted to exclude the effects of: (a) gains or losses on sales of facilities,
(b) gains or losses on extinguishment of debt, (c) asset or investment impairment charges, (d) legal claim costs (disclosed as separate line item in consolidated income statement), (e) expenses, or adjustments to expenses, for
share-based compensation recognized under ASC Topic 718 related to the Performance Share Units that results from EPS performance above or below the Target EPS during the Performance Period, (f) gains or losses on acquisition or disposition of
controlling interest in equity investment or consolidated entity, and (g) any other gains, expenses or losses resulting from significant, unusual and/or nonrecurring events, as described in management’s discussion and analysis of financial
condition and results of operations appearing in the Company’s annual report for the applicable fiscal year, as determined in good faith by the Board or the Committee. 

4. Percentage of PSUs Earned. Following the end of the Performance Period, the Committee will determine the extent to
which PSUs have become earned and shall vest according to the following schedule: 
  

			
	 Cumulative EPS
	  	 Percentage of Target

PSUs Earned

	 Greater than or equal to 110% of Target EPS
	  	200%
	 100% of Target EPS
	  	100%
	 90% of Target EPS
	  	25%
	 Less than 90% of Target EPS
	  	0%

 Thus, up to 200% of the Target Award may be earned if maximum performance is achieved for the Performance
Period. Vesting related to performance between the percentages of Target EPS listed above will be determined by straight line interpolation. Any PSUs not earned and vested as provided above on the applicable determination date shall be
forfeited.eqr-ex41_637.htm

 

Exhibit 4.1

 

Description of Equity Residential Common Shares Registered Under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Please note that in this exhibit, references to “the Company,” “we,” “our” and “us” refer to Equity Residential, as the issuer of the Common Shares, unless the context requires otherwise.

The description of the Common Shares of Beneficial Interest, $0.01 par value (the “Common Shares”), of the Company set forth below does not purport to be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to the Articles of Restatement of Declaration of Trust of the Company dated December 9, 2004 (“Declaration of Trust”), as amended and/or restated from time to time, and the Eighth Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company, as adopted on October 1, 2015 (“Bylaws”), as amended, supplemented and/or restated from time to time, each of which is incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the Annual Report on Form 10-K of which this Exhibit 4.1 is a part.  We encourage you to read our Declaration of Trust, our Bylaws, and the applicable provisions of the Maryland REIT Law (as defined below) for additional information.

Our Declaration of Trust provides that we may issue up to 1,000,000,000 Common Shares.

Both Title 8 of the Corporations and Associations Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland (the “Maryland REIT Law”) and our Declaration of Trust provide that no shareholder of the Company will be liable for any debt or obligation of the Company solely as a result of his or her status as a shareholder of the Company.  Our Declaration of Trust further provides that the Company has the power to indemnify each shareholder against any claim or liability to which the shareholder may become subject by reason of his or her being or having been a shareholder and to reimburse each shareholder for all reasonable expenses incurred by him or her in connection with any such claim or liability.

The Common Shares are traded on The New York Stock Exchange under the trading symbol of “EQR.”

Distributions

Subject to the preferential rights of any other class of shares of beneficial interest (none of which are currently outstanding other than Series K Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares) and to the provisions of our Declaration of Trust regarding excess shares (as defined herein), holders of Common Shares are entitled to receive distributions if, as and when authorized and declared by the Board of Trustees of the Company (the “Board of Trustees”) out of assets legally available therefor and to share ratably in the assets of the Company legally available for distribution to its shareholders in the event of its liquidation, dissolution or winding-up after payment of, or adequate provision for, all known debts and liabilities of the Company.  Holders of Common Shares have no right to any dividend or distribution unless and until authorized and declared by the Board of Trustees. 

Voting Rights

Subject to the provisions of our Declaration of Trust regarding excess shares, each outstanding Common Share entitles the holder to one vote on the following matters: (a) the election or removal of Trustees; (b) the amendment of our Declaration of Trust; (c) the voluntary dissolution or termination of Equity Residential; (d) the merger of Equity Residential, provided, however, that the shareholders shall not be entitled to vote on a merger of Equity Residential which may be approved pursuant to the provisions of the Maryland REIT Law by a majority of the entire Board of Trustees without a vote of the shareholders and, further provided, that if a shareholder vote is required pursuant to the provisions of the Maryland REIT Law, such merger shall be approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of not less than a majority of all of the shares then outstanding and entitled to vote thereon; (e) the sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of Equity Residential’s assets, provided, however, that the sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of Equity Residential’s assets shall be approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of not less than a majority of all the shares then outstanding and entitled to vote thereon; and (f) such other matters with respect to which the Board of Trustees has adopted a resolution declaring advisable or recommending a proposal and directing that the matter be submitted to the shareholders for consideration.  Except as otherwise required by law or except as provided with respect to any other class or series of shares of beneficial 

 

 

 

interest, the holders of the Common Shares will possess the exclusive voting power.  There is no cumulative voting in the election of Trustees, which means that the holders of a majority of the outstanding Common Shares can elect all of the Trustees then standing for election and the holders of the remaining shares of beneficial interest, if any, will not be able to elect any Trustees.

Under the Maryland REIT Law, a declaration of trust may permit the trustees by a two-thirds vote to amend the declaration of trust from time to time to enable it to qualify as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”), or the Maryland REIT Law without the affirmative vote or written consent of the shareholders.  Our Declaration of Trust permits such action by the Board of Trustees.

Conversion, Redemption, Liquidation Rights

Holders of Common Shares have no conversion, sinking fund, redemption or preemptive rights to subscribe for any securities of the Company.  Subject to the provisions of our Declaration of Trust regarding excess shares, Common Shares have equal distribution, liquidation and other rights, and have no preference, exchange or, except as expressly required by the Maryland REIT Law, appraisal rights.

Restriction on Ownership and Transfer

For the Company to qualify as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code, no more than 50% in value of its outstanding shares of beneficial interest may be owned, actually or constructively, by five or fewer individuals (as defined in the Internal Revenue Code to include certain entities) during the last half of a taxable year (other than the first year for which an election to be treated as a REIT has been made) or during a proportionate part of a shorter taxable year.  A REIT’s shares also must be beneficially owned by 100 or more persons during at least 335 days of a taxable year of twelve months or during a proportionate part of a shorter taxable year (other than the first year for which an election to be treated as a REIT has been made).  To facilitate maintenance of its qualification as a REIT for federal income tax purposes, we generally will prohibit ownership, directly or by virtue of the attribution provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, by any single shareholder of more than 5% (in value or number of shares, whichever is more restrictive) of the issued and outstanding Common Shares (the “Ownership Limit”).

Because the Board of Trustees believes it is desirable for the Company to qualify as a REIT, the Declaration of Trust, subject to certain exceptions, provides that no holder may own, or be deemed to own by virtue of the attribution provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, more than the Ownership Limit.  The ownership attribution rules under the Internal Revenue Code are complex and may cause Common Shares owned actually or constructively by a group of related individuals and/or entities to be owned constructively by one individual or entity.  As a result, the acquisition of less than 5% of the Common Shares (or the acquisition of an interest in an entity that owns, actually or constructively, Common Shares) by an individual or entity could nevertheless cause that individual or entity, or another individual or entity, to own constructively in excess of 5% of the outstanding Common Shares and thus subject such Common Shares to the Ownership Limit.  To reduce the ability of the Board of Trustees to use the Ownership Limit as an anti-takeover device, the Declaration of Trust requires, rather than permits, the Board of Trustees to grant a waiver of the Ownership Limit if the shareholder seeking a waiver demonstrates that such ownership would not jeopardize the Company’s status as a REIT.  We have issued several of these waivers in the past.  As a condition of such a waiver, the Board of Trustees may require undertakings or representations from the shareholder seeking a waiver with respect to preserving the REIT status of the Company.

The Board of Trustees will have the authority to increase the Ownership Limit from time to time, but will not have the authority to do so to the extent that after giving effect to such increase, five persons who would be treated as “individuals” for purposes of the Internal Revenue Code could beneficially own in the aggregate more than 49.5% of the outstanding Common Shares.

The Declaration of Trust further prohibits (a) any person from actually or constructively owning shares of beneficial interest of the Company that would result in the Company being “closely held” under Section 856(h) of the Internal Revenue Code or otherwise cause the Company to fail to qualify as a REIT and (b) any person from 

 

 

 

transferring shares of beneficial interest of the Company if such transfer would result in shares of beneficial interest of the Company being owned by fewer than 100 persons.

Any person who acquires or attempts or intends to acquire actual or constructive ownership of shares of beneficial interest of the Company that will or may violate any of the foregoing restrictions on transferability and ownership is required to give at least 15 days’ prior written notice to the Company and provide the Company with such other information as the Company may request in order to determine the effect of such transfer on the Company’s status as a REIT.

If any purported transfer of shares of beneficial interest of the Company or any other event would otherwise result in any person violating the Ownership Limit or the other restrictions in the Declaration of Trust, then any such purported transfer will be void and of no force or effect with respect to the purported transferee (the “Prohibited Transferee”) as to that number of shares that exceeds the Ownership Limit (referred to as “excess shares”) and the Prohibited Transferee shall acquire no right or interest (or, in the case of any event other than a purported transfer, the person or entity holding record title to any such shares in excess of the Ownership Limit (the “Prohibited Owner”) shall cease to own any right or interest) in such excess shares.  Any such excess shares described above will be transferred automatically, by operation of law, to a trust, the beneficiary of which will be a qualified charitable organization selected by the Company (the “Beneficiary”).  Such automatic transfer shall be deemed to be effective as of the close of business on the Business Day (as defined in the Declaration of Trust) prior to the date of such violating transfer.  Within 20 days of receiving notice from the Company of the transfer of shares to the trust, the trustee of the trust (who shall be designated by the Company and be unaffiliated with the Company and any Prohibited Transferee or Prohibited Owner) will be required to sell such excess shares to a person or entity who could own such shares without violating the Ownership Limit, and distribute to the Prohibited Transferee an amount equal to the lesser of the price paid by the Prohibited Transferee for such excess shares or the sales proceeds received by the trust for such excess shares.  In the case of any excess shares resulting from any event other than a transfer, or from a transfer for no consideration (such as a gift), the trustee will be required to sell such excess shares to a qualified person or entity and distribute to the Prohibited Owner an amount equal to the lesser of the fair market value of such excess shares as of the date of such event or the sales proceeds received by the trust for such excess shares.  In either case, any proceeds in excess of the amount distributable to the Prohibited Transferee or Prohibited Owner, as applicable, will be distributed to the Beneficiary.  Prior to a sale of any such excess shares by the trust, the trustee will be entitled to receive, in trust for the Beneficiary, all dividends and other distributions paid by the Company with respect to such excess shares, and also will be entitled to exercise all voting rights with respect to such excess shares.  Subject to Maryland law, effective as of the date that such shares have been transferred to the trust, the trustee shall have the authority (at the trustee’s sole discretion and subject to applicable law) (i) to rescind as void any vote cast by a Prohibited Transferee prior to the discovery by the Company that such shares have been transferred to the trust and (ii) to recast such vote in accordance with the desires of the trustee acting for the benefit of the Beneficiary.  However, if the Company has already taken irreversible corporate action, then the trustee shall not have the authority to rescind and recast such vote.  Any dividend or other distribution paid to the Prohibited Transferee or Prohibited Owner (prior to the discovery by the Company that such shares had been automatically transferred to a trust as described above) will be required to be repaid to the trustee upon demand for distribution to the Beneficiary.  If the transfer to the trust as described above is not automatically effective (for any reason) to prevent violation of the Ownership Limit, then the Declaration of Trust provides that the transfer of the excess shares will be void.

In addition, shares of beneficial interest of the Company held in the trust shall be deemed to have been offered for sale to the Company, or its designee, at a price per share equal to the lesser of (i) the price per share in the transaction that resulted in such transfer to the trust (or, in the case of a devise or gift, the market value at the time of such devise or gift) and (ii) the market value of such shares on the date the Company, or its designee, accepts such offer.  The Company shall have the right to accept such offer until the trustee has sold the shares of beneficial interest held in the trust.  Upon such a sale to the Company, the interest of the Beneficiary in the shares sold shall terminate and the trustee shall distribute the net proceeds of the sale to the Prohibited Owner.

The foregoing restrictions on transferability and ownership will not apply if the Board of Trustees determines that it is no longer in the best interests of the Company to attempt to qualify, or to continue to qualify, as a REIT.

 

 

 

All persons who own, directly or by virtue of the attribution provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, more than 5% (or such lower percentage as provided in the rules and regulations promulgated under the Internal Revenue Code) of the outstanding shares of beneficial interest of the Company must give a written notice to the Company within 30 days after the end of each taxable year stating such person’s name and address, the number of shares owned by such person and a description of the manner in which such shares are held.  Any record holder who holds shares as nominee for another person who is required to include in gross income the distributions received on such shares must give notice stating the name and address of such other person and the number of shares of such other person with respect to which such record holder is nominee.  In addition, each shareholder will, upon demand, be required to disclose to the Company in writing such information with respect to the direct, indirect and constructive ownership of shares of beneficial interest as the Board of Trustees deems reasonably necessary to comply with the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code applicable to a REIT or to ensure compliance with the ownership limitations described above.

These ownership limitations could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a takeover or other transaction in which holders of some, or a majority, of Common Shares might receive a premium for their Common Shares over the then prevailing market price or which such holders might believe to be otherwise in their best interest.

Registrar and Transfer Agent

The registrar and transfer agent for the Common Shares is Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

Possible Anti-Takeover Effects of Maryland Law and our Declaration of Trust and Bylaws

The business combination provisions of Maryland law (with the exception that such provisions do not apply to transactions involving Samuel Zell, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, and certain of his affiliates and persons acting in concert with them), the control share acquisition provisions of Maryland law (if the applicable provision in our Bylaws is rescinded), the exclusive power of the Trustees to fill vacancies on the Board of Trustees and the provision that any Trustee so appointed will serve for the remaining term of that trusteeship, the limitations on removal of Trustees, the power of the Board of Trustees to issue Preferred Shares (and the power to classify any unissued Preferred Shares and reclassify any previously classified but unissued Preferred Shares), the shareholders’ limited ability to call a special meeting, the advance notice provisions of our Bylaws (to the extent not mitigated by the proxy access provision) and the restrictions on the acquisition of our shares could have the effect of delaying, deterring or preventing a transaction or a change in control of our Company that might involve a premium price for holders of Common Shares or that shareholders otherwise believe may be in their best interest.  The “unsolicited takeovers” provisions of Maryland law permit the Board of Trustees, without shareholder approval and regardless of what is provided in our Declaration of Trust or Bylaws, to implement takeover defenses that we may not yet have.

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