American Realty Capital Trust Acquires Walgreens Location in Sealy, Texas.

NEW YORK -- American Realty Capital Trust, Inc. ("ARCT" or the "REIT") acquired a fee ownership interest in a Walgreens retail location on July 17, 2009, 100% leased under a triple-net lease structure to Walgreen Co. (NYSE: WAG). WAG is rated A+ by Standard & Poor's.

The Walgreens store contains 14,850 square feet and is located in Sealy, TX, a suburban market outside of Houston. The purchase price, excluding transaction costs, is approximately $3.8 million. The primary lease term is twenty-five years, having commenced June 18, 2007. The base annual rent is $310,000 (resulting in a capitalization rate of 8.12%). In connection with this acquisition, ARCT entered into a ten-year fixed-rate financing agreement and received proceeds of approximately $1.6 million. This financing represents approximately 40% of the total purchase price and bears interest at an initial rate of 6.55%.

"We continue to demonstrate our commitment to ARCT's core strategy - to acquire only single-tenant, freestanding, properties, net leased on a long-term basis to credit worthy tenants. Following this acquisition and the Fed Ex Freight Facility purchased earlier this month, over 90% of the REIT's rent is received from investment grade tenants. This investment is a solid addition to our pharmacy portfolio as we further enhance our overall portfolio diversification," said Nicholas S. Schorsch, CEO of American Realty Capital Trust. "The transaction reduces overall portfolio leverage as we move toward our goal of approximately 55%, while we continue to fully cover distributions from funds from operations."

American Realty Capital Trust, Inc., which invests in single-tenant, freestanding commercial real estate net leased long term principally to investment grade tenants, including this acquisition, will own a portfolio of 94 properties with a total purchase price of approximately $186 million, excluding acquisition related costs. ARCT anticipates rental revenues should allow the REIT to continue to cover fully distributions from funds from operations and be accretive to its annualized 6.7% distribution, paid monthly.

American Realty Capital is a real estate finance and investment firm formed by Nicholas S. Schorsch and William M. Kahane. As CEO and board member, respectively, the two were behind the growth of American Financial Realty Trust, where they acquired over 1,500 properties valued at more than $5 billion. In the last five years, ARC's executive team has collectively negotiated and closed on over $7 billion of bank branch and net-leased real estate. ARC sponsors American Realty Capital Trust, Inc., a publicly-registered, non-traded REIT acquiring single-tenant, freestanding properties net leased long term to investment grade and creditworthy tenants. Realty Capital Securities, member FINRA, SIPC, is the dealer-manager for ARCT.

For more information, visit www.americanrealtycap.com.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results and trends could differ materially from those set forth in such statements due to various factors.

To arrange interviews with American Realty Capital executives, please contact Tony DeFazio at 484-532-7783 or [e-mail].