Ventas Form S-4 in Connection with Its Pending Merger with American Realty Capital Healthcare Trust, Inc. Declared Effective by SEC

Ventas, Inc.

(“Ventas”) and American Realty Capital Healthcare Trust, Inc.

(“HCT”) today announced that the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has declared effective the registration statement on Form S-4, as amended, relating to the previously announced pending merger between Ventas and HCT pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of June 1, 2014, as amended (the “Merger Agreement”), by and among Ventas, HCT, Stripe Sub, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and a direct wholly owned subsidiary of Ventas (“Merger Sub”), Stripe OP, LP, a Delaware limited partnership of which Merger Sub is the sole general partner, and American Realty Capital Healthcare Trust Operating Partnership L.P., a Delaware limited partnership. HCT and Ventas also announced today that HCT filed its definitive proxy statement relating to the special meeting of HCT stockholders, which will take place on January 15, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern time, at The Core Club, located at 66 East 55th Street, New York, NY 10022, to, among other things, consider and approve the merger. HCT intends to promptly begin mailing to its stockholders the definitive proxy statement/prospectus. Additionally, HCT announced that the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the special meeting has been changed to the close of business on December 12, 2014. Ventas and HCT expect to close the transaction in January 2015, subject to the closing conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement, including the approval of HCT's stockholders.