Cubesmart (CUBE) Risk Factors

Under the ADA, all places of public accommodation are required to meet federal requirements related to access and use by disabled persons. A number of other federal, state and local laws may also impose access and other similar requirements at our properties or websites. A failure to comply with the ADA or similar state or local requirements could result in the governmental imposition of fines or the award of damages to private litigants affected by the noncompliance. Although we believe that our properties and websites comply in all material respects with these requirements (or would be eligible for applicable exemptions from material requirements because of adaptive assistance provided), a determination that one or more of our properties or websites is not in compliance with the ADA or similar state or local requirements would result in the incurrence of additional costs associated with bringing the properties or websites into compliance. If we are required to make substantial modifications to comply with the ADA or similar state or local requirements, we may be required to incur significant unanticipated expenditures, which could have an adverse effect on our operating costs and our ability to make distributions to our shareholders.

We operate our business to qualify to be taxed as a REIT for federal income tax purposes. We have not requested and do not plan to request a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") that we qualify as a REIT, and the statements in this Report are not binding on the IRS or any court. As a REIT, we generally will not be subject to federal income tax on the income that we distribute currently to our shareholders. Many of the REIT requirements, however, are highly technical and complex. The determination that we are a REIT requires an analysis of various factual matters and circumstances that may not be totally within our control. For example, to qualify as a REIT, at least 95% of our gross income must come from specific passive sources, such as rent, that are itemized in the REIT tax laws. In addition, to qualify as a REIT, we cannot own specified amounts of debt and equity securities of some issuers. We also are required to distribute to our shareholders with respect to each year at least 90% of our REIT taxable income, excluding net capital gains. The fact that we hold substantially all of our assets through the Operating Partnership and its subsidiaries and joint ventures further complicates the application of the REIT requirements for us. Even a technical or inadvertent mistake could jeopardize our REIT status, and, given the highly complex nature of the rules governing REITs and the ongoing importance of factual determinations, we cannot provide any assurance that we will continue to qualify as a REIT. Congress and the IRS may make changes to the tax laws and regulations, and the courts might issue new rulings that make it more difficult, or impossible, for us to remain qualified as a REIT. If we fail to qualify as a REIT for federal income tax purposes and are able to avail ourselves of one or more of the statutory savings provisions in order to maintain our REIT status, we would nevertheless be required to pay penalty taxes of $50,000 or more for each such failure. If we fail to qualify as a REIT for federal income tax purposes, and are unable to avail ourselves of certain savings provisions set forth in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), we would be subject to federal income tax at regular corporate rates on all of our income. As a taxable corporation, we would not be allowed to take a deduction for distributions to shareholders in computing our taxable income or pass through long-term capital gains to individual shareholders at favorable rates. We also could be subject to increased state and local taxes. We would not be able to elect to be taxed as a REIT until the fifth taxable year that begins after the taxable year we first failed to qualify unless the IRS were to grant us relief under certain statutory provisions. Further, for tax years beginning after December 31, 2022, we may also be subject to certain taxes enacted by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 that are applicable to non-REIT corporations, including a corporate alternative minimum tax and a nondeductible one percent excise tax on certain stock repurchases. If we failed to qualify as a REIT, we would have to pay significant income taxes, which would reduce our net earnings available for investment or distribution to our shareholders. This likely would have a significant adverse effect on our earnings and likely would adversely affect the value of our securities. In addition, we would no longer be required to pay any distributions to shareholders. Furthermore, we owned a subsidiary REIT ("PSI") that was liquidated on December 31, 2018. Prior to liquidation, PSI was independently subject to, and was required to comply with, the same REIT requirements that we must satisfy in order to qualify as a REIT, together with all other rules applicable to REITs. If PSI failed to qualify as a REIT during our period of ownership, and certain statutory relief provisions do not apply, as a result of a protective election made jointly by PSI and CubeSmart, PSI should be taxed as a taxable REIT subsidiary. See the section entitled "Taxation of CubeSmart-Requirements for Qualification-Taxable REIT Subsidiaries" in Exhibit 99.1 for more information regarding taxable REIT subsidiaries. LAACO was a publicly traded partnership immediately prior to our acquisition of it on December 9, 2021. Failure of 90% or more of a publicly traded partnership's gross income to be "qualifying income" under Section 7704 of the Code in each of its tax years could result in such entity being taxed as a corporation rather than a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If LAACO failed to qualify as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes immediately prior to our acquisition of it, and certain relief provisions do not apply, it might adversely affect our ability to satisfy the income and asset tests for REIT qualification. In addition, LAACO's classification as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes would mean that it has corporate income tax liabilities for all tax years during which it is classified as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

We are subject to federal, state and local environmental laws, ordinances and regulations that apply generally to the ownership of real property and the operation of self-storage properties. If we fail to comply with those laws, ordinances and regulations, we could be subject to significant fines or other governmental sanctions. Under various federal, state and local laws, ordinances and regulations, an owner or operator of real estate may be required to investigate and clean up hazardous or toxic substances or petroleum product releases at a property and may be held liable to a governmental entity or to third parties for property damage and for investigation and clean-up costs incurred by such parties in connection with contamination. Such liability may be imposed whether or not the owner or operator knew of, or was responsible for, the presence of these hazardous or toxic substances. The cost of investigation, remediation or removal of such substances may be substantial, and the presence of such substances, or the failure to properly remediate such substances, may adversely affect our ability to sell or rent such property or to borrow using such property as collateral. In addition, in connection with the ownership, operation and management of properties, we are potentially liable for property damage or injuries to persons and property. Our practice is to conduct or obtain environmental assessments in connection with the acquisition or development of additional stores. We carry environmental insurance coverage on certain stores in our portfolio. We obtain or examine environmental assessments from qualified and reputable environmental consulting firms (and intend to conduct such assessments prior to the acquisition or development of additional stores). The environmental assessments received to date have not revealed, nor do we have actual knowledge of, any environmental liability that we believe will have a material adverse effect on us. However, we cannot assure that our environmental assessments have identified or will identify all material environmental conditions, that any prior owner of any property did not create a material environmental condition not actually known to or discoverable by us, that environmental conditions on neighboring properties will not have an impact on any of our properties, or that a material environmental condition does not otherwise exist with respect to any of our properties.

Our performance depends on our ability to recruit and retain high-quality employees in our stores, in our sales center and in our corporate headquarters. Our ability to attract and retain corporate, sales, store and other personnel is also acutely impacted in markets where the competition for a relatively small number of qualified employees is intense. Furthermore, we have experienced, and could continue to experience, a shortage of labor for certain positions due to certain market trends and conditions which could further decrease the pool of available talent for key functions. As of December 31, 2023, we had 2,553 property-level personnel involved in the management and operation of our stores. The customer service, marketing skills and knowledge of local market demand and competitive dynamics of our store managers are contributing factors to our ability to maximize our rental income and to achieve the highest sustainable rent levels at each of our stores. Competitive pressures and the impact of inflation may require that we enhance our pay and benefits package to compete effectively for such personnel. If there is an increase in these costs or if we fail to attract and retain qualified and skilled personnel, our business and operating results could be adversely affected.

Real estate property investments generally cannot be sold quickly. Also, the tax laws applicable to REITs require that we hold our properties for investment, rather than for sale in the ordinary course of business, which may cause us to forgo or defer sales of properties that may otherwise be in our best interest. Therefore, we may not be able to dispose of properties promptly, or on favorable terms, in response to economic or other market conditions, which may adversely affect our financial position.

Our stores and any other stores we acquire or develop in the future are, and will be, subject to operating risks common to real estate in general, any or all of which may negatively affect us. Our stores are subject to increases in operating expenses such as real estate, sales and other taxes, personnel costs including mandated minimum hourly wage rates and the cost of providing specific medical coverage and governmental mandated benefits to our employees, utilities, customer acquisition costs, insurance, administrative expenses and costs for repairs and maintenance. If operating expenses continue to increase without a corresponding increase in revenues, our profitability could diminish and limit our ability to make distributions to our shareholders. The United States Federal Reserve Board and similar international bodies have increased interest rates in recent years to control and decrease the level of inflation. Such increases in interest rates could have a material effect on our financial performance, as further described under the heading "The terms and covenants relating to our indebtedness could adversely impact our financial performance."

Terrorist attacks at or against our stores, our interests or the United States, may negatively impact our operations and the value of our securities. Attacks, armed conflicts or active-shooter situations could negatively impact the demand for self-storage and increase the cost of insurance coverage for our stores, which could reduce our profitability and cash flow. Furthermore, any terrorist attacks, armed conflicts or active-shooter situations could result in increased volatility in or damage to the United States and worldwide financial markets and economy.