W. P. Carey Commences 6M Common Shares Offering

W. P. Carey Inc. (NYSE: WPC, the "Company") announced today the commencement of an underwritten public offering of an aggregate of 6,000,000 shares of the Company's common stock, offered on a forward basis in connection with the forward sale agreements described below. The underwriters of the offering have been granted a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 900,000 shares of the Company's common stock.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds, if any, received upon the settlement of the forward sale agreements (and from the sale of any shares of its common stock that it may sell to the underwriters in lieu of the forward purchasers (or their respective affiliates) selling shares of its common stock to the underwriters) to fund potential future investments, to repay certain indebtedness (including amounts outstanding under its unsecured revolving credit facility), and for general corporate purposes.