Hersha Hospitality Trust Announces Dividend Classification for 2018

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 18, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hersha Hospitality Trust (NYSE: HT) (“Hersha” or the “Company”), owner of high-quality upscale, luxury and lifestyle hotels in urban gateway markets and coastal destinations, today announced the tax classification of its Priority Class A Common Share (“Common Shares”), Series C Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Share (“Series C Preferred Shares”), Series D Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Share (“Series D Preferred Shares”) and Series E Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Share (“Series E Preferred Shares”) distributions for 2018 for Federal income tax reporting purposes.  The tax information provided below should not be construed as tax advice and is not a substitute for careful tax planning and analysis.  Shareholders should consult their tax advisors as to the tax treatment of the distributions.

CLASS A COMMON SHARES
Record Dates		Paid Dates		Total Cash Distribution Per Share			Taxable Ordinary Income			Total Capital Gain Distribution			Unrecaptured Sec. 1250 Gain			Nontaxable Distribution (Return of Capital)*
1/5/2018		1/16/2018		$	0.2800		$	0.106157		$	-		$	-		$	0.173843
3/29/2018		4/13/2018		$	0.2800		$	0.106157		$	-		$	-		$	0.173843
6/29/2018		7/13/2018		$	0.2800		$	0.106157		$	-		$	-		$	0.173843
10/1/2018		10/15/2018		$	0.2800		$	0.106157		$	-		$	-		$	0.173843
TOTAL				$	1.1200		$	0.424628		$	-		$	-		$	0.695372
Percent					100.00%			37.91%		N/A			N/A				62.09%
The CUSIP number for Hersha Hospitality Trust's Common Shares is 427825500.
SERIES C PREFERRED SHARES
Record Dates		Paid Dates		Total Cash Distribution Per Share			Taxable Ordinary Income			Total Capital Gain Distribution			Unrecaptured Sec. 1250 Gain			Nontaxable Distribution (Return of Capital)*
1/1/2018		1/16/2018		$	0.4297		$	0.4297		$	-		$	-		$	-
4/1/2018		4/16/2018		$	0.4297		$	0.4297		$	-		$	-		$	-
7/1/2018		7/16/2018		$	0.4297		$	0.4297		$	-		$	-		$	-
10/1/2018		10/15/2018		$	0.4297		$	0.4297		$	-		$	-		$	-
TOTAL				$	1.7188		$	1.7188		$	-		$	-		$	-
Percent					100.00%			100.00%		N/A			N/A			N/A
The CUSIP number for Hersha Hospitality Trust's Series C Preferred Shares is 427825401
SERIES D PREFERRED SHARES
Record Dates		Paid Dates		Total Cash Distribution Per Share			Taxable Ordinary Income			Total Capital Gain Distribution			Unrecaptured Sec. 1250 Gain			Nontaxable Distribution (Return of Capital)*
1/1/2018		1/16/2018		$	0.4063		$	0.4063		$	-		$	-		$	-
4/1/2018		4/16/2018		$	0.4063		$	0.4063		$	-		$	-		$	-
7/1/2018		7/16/2018		$	0.4063		$	0.4063		$	-		$	-		$	-
10/1/2018		10/15/2018		$	0.4063		$	0.4063		$	-		$	-		$	-
TOTAL				$	1.6250		$	1.6250		$	-		$	-		$	-
Percent					100.00%			100.00%		N/A			N/A			N/A
The CUSIP number for Hersha Hospitality Trust's Series D Preferred Shares is 427825609
SERIES E PREFERRED SHARES
Record Dates		Paid Dates		Total Cash Distribution Per Share			Taxable Ordinary Income			Total Capital Gain Distribution			Unrecaptured Sec. 1250 Gain			Nontaxable Distribution (Return of Capital)*
1/1/2018		1/16/2018		$	0.4063		$	0.4063		$	-		$	-		$	-
4/1/2018		4/16/2018		$	0.4063		$	0.4063		$	-		$	-		$	-
7/1/2018		7/16/2018		$	0.4063		$	0.4063		$	-		$	-		$	-
10/1/2018		10/15/2018		$	0.4063		$	0.4063		$	-		$	-		$	-
TOTAL				$	1.6252		$	1.6252		$	-		$	-		$	-
Percent					100.00%			100.00%		N/A			N/A			N/A
The CUSIP number for Hersha Hospitality Trust's Series E Preferred Shares is 427825708
*  Distributions will reduce a shareholder's adjusted tax basis in its shares.  Any amount of the distribution that exceeds a shareholder's adjusted tax basis in its shares will be treated as gain from the sale or exchange of property.

Shareholders of Class A Common Shares should note that the 2018 fourth quarter distribution, which had a record date of January 5, 2019 and was paid on January 15, 2019, will be reported and the taxable portion determined for tax year 2019.

Shareholders of Series C, Series D and Series E Preferred Shares should note that the 2018 fourth quarter distribution, which had a record date of January 1, 2019 and was paid on January 15, 2019, will be reported and the taxable portion determined for tax year 2019.

Hersha Hospitality Trust (HT) is a self-advised real estate investment trust in the hospitality sector, which owns and operates high quality upscale, luxury and lifestyle hotels in urban gateway markets and coastal destinations. The Company's 48 hotels totaling 7,634 rooms are located in New York, Washington, DC, Boston, Philadelphia, South Florida and select markets on the West Coast. The Company's common shares are traded on The New York Stock Exchange under the ticker “HT”.  For more information on the Company, and the Company’s hotel portfolio, please visit the Company’s website at www.hersha.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and, as such, may involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results or performance to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statement.  For a description of these factors, please review the information under the heading “Risk Factors” included in Hersha Hospitality Trust’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017 and subsequent reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time.

Contact:  Michael Gillespie, Chief Accounting Officer
Phone: (717) 236-4400