OAKS Five Oaks Investment Corp. (delisted)

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A
   
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No.   )

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Preliminary Proxy Statement

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Definitive Proxy Statement

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Definitive Additional Materials

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Soliciting Material Pursuant to § 240.14a-12

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FIVE OAKS INVESTMENT CORP.

(Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

Not Applicable

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540 Madison Avenue, 19 th Floor
New York, New York 10022

June 14, 2017​

Dear Stockholder:

You are cordially invited to attend the 2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Five Oaks Investment Corp., a Maryland corporation, to be held on Wednesday, July 12, 2017 at 9:30 a.m., local time, at the offices of Dentons US LLP, 1221 Avenue of the Americas, 25th Floor, New York, New York 10020. During the meeting, we will discuss each item of business described in the attached Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders and accompanying Proxy Statement.

The Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders and related Proxy Statement, which describe the formal business to be conducted at the meeting, follow this letter. A copy of our Annual Report to Stockholders is also enclosed for your information.

We hope you will be able to attend the meeting. If you would like to obtain directions to attend the Annual Meeting and vote in person, please contact us at (212) 257-5070.

Your vote is important. Whether or not you expect to attend, please vote your proxy so your shares will be represented at the meeting.

On behalf of the board of directors, I extend our appreciation for your continued support.

Respectfully yours,

David C. Carroll
Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman of the Board

540 Madison Avenue, 19 th Floor
New York, New York 10022

NOTICE OF
2017 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
To Be Held July 12, 2017

June 14, 2017​

Dear Stockholder:

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the 2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Five Oaks Investment Corp., a Maryland corporation, will be held on Wednesday, July 12, 2017, at 9:30 a.m., local time, at the offices of Dentons US LLP, 1221 Avenue of the Americas, 25th Floor, New York, New York 10020. The purposes of the meeting are to:

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Elect the following nominees as directors to serve until the next succeeding annual meeting and until their respective successors shall be duly elected and shall qualify: David C. Carroll, Neil A. Cummins, William A. Houlihan, Walter C. Keenan and David Oston;

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Ratify the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP as our independent registered public accountants for our fiscal year ending December 31, 2017; and

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Transact any other business that properly comes before the meeting, or any adjournment or postponement thereof.

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The record date for the 2017 Annual Meeting is June 9, 2017. If you held shares of common stock of Five Oaks Investment Corp. at the close of business on that date, you are entitled to notice of and to vote at the annual meeting, or any adjournment or postponement thereof. Holders of our Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, $0.01 par value per share, are not entitled to vote at the 2017 Annual Meeting.

Your vote is important. Whether or not you are able to attend the meeting in person, please vote via the Internet, the toll-free telephone number, or by returning the enclosed proxy card by mail so that your shares may be represented at the meeting. Stockholders of record who attend the meeting may vote their common stock in person, even though they have sent in proxies. The ballot you submit at the 2017 Annual Meeting will supersede any prior vote.

By order of the board of directors,

David C. Carroll
Chief Executive Officer,
President and Chairman of the Board

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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FIVE OAKS INVESTMENT CORP.
540 MADISON AVENUE, 19 TH FLOOR
NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10022
PROXY STATEMENT FOR ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
TO BE HELD JULY 12, 2017

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE 2017 ANNUAL MEETING AND VOTING

Q.

Why am I receiving these materials?

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You have received this Proxy Statement, the accompanying Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders and the proxy card/voting instructions, because the Company’s board of directors is soliciting your proxy to vote your shares of common stock, or shares, at the Company’s 2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, or the Annual Meeting, to be held on Wednesday, July 12, 2017, at 9:30 a.m., local time, at the offices of Dentons US LLP, 1221 Avenue of the Americas, 25th Floor, New York, New York 10020. This Proxy Statement includes information that is designed to assist you in voting your shares and information that we are required to provide to you under the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC.

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We will begin mailing this Proxy Statement, along with the proxy card and our Annual Report for the year ended December 31, 2016, on or about June 16, 2017.

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What materials am I receiving?

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You are receiving:

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the Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders and this Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting;

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the proxy card or voting instruction form for the Annual Meeting; and

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the Company’s Annual Report to Stockholders for the year ended December 31, 2016.

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What is a proxy?

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A “proxy” is a written authorization from you to another person that allows such person, the proxy holder, to vote your shares on your behalf. Our board of directors is asking you to allow David C. Carroll, our President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board, and David Oston, our Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Treasurer, to vote your shares at the Annual Meeting.

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Q.

Who is entitled to vote? How many votes do I have?

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Our board of directors has fixed the close of business on June 9, 2017 as the date to determine the common stockholders who are entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting and at any adjournments or postponements thereof. We refer to such date in this Proxy Statement as the Record Date. On the Record Date, 17,539,258 shares of our common stock were outstanding and eligible to vote. Each share of common stock is entitled to one vote on each matter submitted for stockholder approval. Holders of our Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, $0.01 par value per share are not entitled to notice of or to vote at the Annual Meeting.

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What is the difference between holding shares as a stockholder “of record” and as a “beneficial owner”?

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Stockholders of Record .   You are a stockholder of record if at the close of business on the Record Date your shares were registered directly in your name with American Stock Transfer and Trust Company, our transfer agent.

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Beneficial Owner .   You are a beneficial owner if at the close of business on the Record Date your shares were held by a brokerage firm or other nominee and not in your name. Being a beneficial owner means that, like most of our stockholders, your shares are held in “street name.” As the beneficial owner, you have the right to direct your broker or nominee how to vote your shares by following the voting instructions your broker or other nominee provides. If you do not provide your broker or nominee with instructions on how to vote your shares, your broker or nominee will be able to vote your

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shares with respect to only one of the proposals (ratification of the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP as our independent registered public accountant for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2017). Please see “What if I return a signed proxy or voting instruction card, but do not specify how my shares are to be voted?” for additional information.

We have requested that banks, brokerage firms and other nominees that hold common stock on behalf of beneficial owners as of the close of business on the Record Date forward these materials, together with a proxy card or voting instruction card, to beneficial owners. We have agreed to pay the reasonable expenses of the banks, brokerage firms and other nominees for forwarding these materials.

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What is the purpose of the Annual Meeting?

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At the Annual Meeting, including any adjournment or postponement thereof, our common stockholders will be asked to consider and vote upon two proposals:

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Election of the following nominees as directors to serve until the next succeeding annual meeting and until their respective successors shall be duly elected and shall qualify: David C. Carroll, Neil A. Cummins, William A. Houlihan, Walter C. Keenan and David Oston; and

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Ratification of the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP, or Grant Thornton, as our independent registered public accountants for our fiscal year ending December 31, 2017.

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Other than matters incident to the conduct of the Annual Meeting and those set forth in this Proxy Statement, we do not know of any business or proposals to be considered at the Annual Meeting. If any other business is proposed and properly presented at the Annual Meeting, the proxies received from our stockholders give the proxy holders the authority to vote on such matters in their discretion.

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What does the board of directors recommend?

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Our board of directors unanimously recommends that you vote:

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How do I attend the Annual Meeting? What do I need to bring?

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All common stockholders of record on the Record Date are invited to attend the Annual Meeting. An admission ticket (or other proof of share ownership) and some form of government-issued photo identification (such as a valid driver’s license or passport) will be required for admission to the Annual Meeting. If you hold your shares through a broker or otherwise in street name, please bring a copy of the voting instruction form received from your broker, a brokerage statement reflecting ownership as of the Record Date, a letter from your broker, or other evidence of stock ownership as of the Record Date. Only stockholders who own shares of Company common stock as of the close of business on the Record Date and invited guests will be entitled to attend the Annual Meeting. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m., local time, and the Annual Meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m., local time on Wednesday, July 12, 2017.

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Please note that cameras, recording equipment and other similar electronic devices, large bags and packages will not be allowed into the meeting and will need to be checked at the door.

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How do I vote and what are the voting deadlines?

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If you hold shares directly in your own name and are the holder of record, you have four voting options. You may vote using one of the following methods:

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Internet .   Under Maryland law, stockholders may validly grant proxies over the Internet. You can vote over the Internet by accessing the website at www.voteproxy.com and following the instructions on the website. Internet voting is available 24 hours a day until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on July 11, 2017. If you vote over the Internet, do not return your proxy card.

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Telephone .   If you hold shares directly in your own name and are the holder of record, you can vote by telephone by calling the toll-free number 1-800-PROXIES (1-800-776-9437) in the United States, Canada or Puerto Rico on a touch-tone phone. You will then be prompted to enter the control number printed on your proxy card and to follow the subsequent instructions. Telephone voting is available 24 hours a day until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on July 11, 2017.

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Mail .   You can vote by mail by simply completing, signing, dating and mailing your proxy card in the postage-paid envelope included with this Proxy Statement.

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In Person .   You may come to the Annual Meeting and cast your vote there; this will revoke any proxy previously submitted. We will have ballots available at the meeting.

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Even if you plan to be present at the Annual Meeting, we encourage you to vote your common stock by proxy using the Internet, telephone or mail, as described above. Stockholders of record who attend the meeting may vote their common stock in person, even though they have sent in proxies.

If your shares are held in street name, you should follow the voting instructions provided by your broker or nominee. You may also cast your vote in person at the Annual Meeting, but to do so you must request a legal proxy from your broker or nominee.

If you return your signed proxy card or use Internet or telephone voting before the Annual Meeting, we will vote your shares as you direct.

With respect to Proposal 1 (the election of directors), you may vote “FOR” all nominees, “WITHHOLD” your vote as to all nominees, or vote “FOR” all nominees except those specific nominees from whom you “WITHHOLD” your vote.

With respect to Proposal 2 (the ratification of Grant Thornton as our independent registered public accountants for our fiscal year ending December 31, 2017), you may vote “FOR”, “AGAINST” or “ABSTAIN.”

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What will happen if I do not vote my shares?

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Stockholders of Record.    If you are the stockholder of record of your shares and you do not vote in person at the Annual Meeting, or by proxy via the Internet, by telephone or by mail, your shares will not be voted at the Annual Meeting.

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Beneficial Owners.    If you are the beneficial owner of your shares, your broker or nominee may vote your shares only on those proposals on which it has discretion to vote. Under the rules of the New York Stock Exchange, or the NYSE, your broker or nominee has discretion to vote your shares on routine matters (Proposal No. 2), but does not have discretion to vote your shares on non-routine matters (Proposal No. 1). Therefore, if you do not instruct your broker as to how to vote your shares on Proposal No. 1, this would be a “broker non-vote,” and your shares would not be counted as having been voted on the proposal. We therefore strongly encourage you to instruct your broker or nominee on how you wish to vote your shares.

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What is the effect of a broker non-vote or abstention?

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Under NYSE rules, brokers or other nominees which hold shares for a beneficial owner have the discretion to vote on a limited number of routine proposals when they have not received voting instructions from the beneficial owner at least ten days prior to the Annual Meeting. A “broker non-vote” occurs when a broker or other nominee does not receive such voting instructions and does not have the discretion to vote the shares. Pursuant to Maryland law, broker non-votes and abstentions are not included in the determination of the shares of common stock voting on such matter, but are counted for quorum purposes.

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How are the votes counted?

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You are entitled to cast one vote for each share of common stock you own. There is no cumulative voting.

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We will count your shares as present at the Annual Meeting if you:

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Are present and vote in person at the Annual Meeting; or

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Have properly submitted a proxy card or a voter instruction form (as received from your broker/nominee), or voted by telephone or the Internet on a timely basis.

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Shares that constitute abstentions and broker non-votes will be counted as present at the Annual Meeting for the purpose of determining a quorum. For all proposals except the proposal to elect each of the named nominees to our board of directors, any such shares that are counted as present but that are not voted (whether by abstention, “broker non-vote” or otherwise) will have the effect of votes “AGAINST” the proposals. With respect to the proposal to elect each of the named nominees to our board of directors, any shares not voted (whether by abstention, “broker non-vote” or otherwise) will have no impact on the election of the members of our board of directors.

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What if I return a signed proxy or voting instruction card, but do not specify how my shares are to be voted?

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Stockholders of Record.    If you are a stockholder of record and you submit a proxy, but you do not provide voting instructions, all of your shares will be voted FOR Proposals No. 1 and 2.

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Beneficial Owners.    If you are a beneficial owner and you do not provide the broker or other nominee that holds your shares with voting instructions, the broker or other nominee will determine if it has the discretionary authority to vote on the particular matter. Under NYSE rules, brokers and other nominees have the discretion to vote on Proposal 2, a routine matter, but do not have discretion to vote on Proposal 1, a non-routine matter. Therefore, if you do not provide voting instructions to your broker or other nominee, your broker or other nominee may only vote your shares on Proposal No. 2 and any other routine matters properly presented for a vote at the Annual Meeting.

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What if I change my mind after I vote my shares?

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If you are a stockholder of record, you can revoke your proxy at any time before it is voted at the Annual Meeting by:

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Sending written notice of revocation to the Corporate Secretary, Five Oaks Investment Corp., 540 Madison Avenue, 19 th Floor, New York, New York 10022;

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Submitting a properly signed proxy with a later date; or

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Voting by telephone or the Internet at a time following your prior telephone or Internet vote.

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To be effective, we must receive the revocation of your vote at or prior to the Annual Meeting.

You also may revoke your proxy by voting in person at the Annual Meeting. You also may be represented by another person at the Annual Meeting by executing a proper proxy designating that person.

If your shares are held in street name, you should follow the instructions provided by your nominee.

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What does it mean if I receive more than one proxy card?

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It probably means that your shares of common stock are held in multiple accounts at the transfer agent and/or with banks or stockbrokers. Please vote all of your common stock.

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What is a quorum?

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A quorum is necessary to hold a valid meeting. The presence, in person or by proxy, of stockholders entitled to cast a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast at such meeting on any matter shall constitute a quorum for the conduct of business.

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Q.

How many votes are needed to approve each item?

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For the proposal to elect each of the named nominees to our board of directors, each nominee shall be elected upon receiving a plurality of the votes cast by stockholders entitled to vote and represented at the Annual Meeting in person or by proxy. This means that the nominees with the most votes cast “for” such nominee’s election will be elected to our board of directors.

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The proposal to ratify the appointment of Grant Thornton as our independent registered public accountants requires the affirmative vote of a majority of votes cast by stockholders entitled to vote and represented at the Annual Meeting in person or by proxy, assuming a quorum is present.

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How will voting on any other business be conducted?

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Other than the matters set forth in this Proxy Statement and matters incident to the conduct of the Annual Meeting, we do not know of any business or proposals to be considered at the Annual Meeting. If any other matters are properly proposed and presented at the Annual Meeting or any adjournment thereof, your signed proxy card gives authority to each of David C. Carroll and David Oston to vote on such matters in his discretion. In general, the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast by stockholders entitled to vote and represented at the Annual Meeting in person or by proxy, assuming a quorum is present, is required for a particular matter to be deemed an act of the stockholders. For certain corporate actions, Maryland law may require a greater percentage of affirmative votes in order to be effective.

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What happens if the Annual Meeting is adjourned or postponed?

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Your proxy will still be effective and will be voted at the rescheduled Annual Meeting. You will still be able to change or revoke your proxy until it is voted.

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How can I find the results of the Annual Meeting?

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We will publish the voting results in a current report on Form 8-K, which is required to be filed with the SEC within four business days following the Annual Meeting. You can also review the results in the “Investor Relations” section of our website at http://investor.fiveoaksinvestment.com .

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Who is making and paying for this proxy solicitation?

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This proxy is solicited on behalf of our board of directors. The cost of solicitation will be borne directly by the Company. Our directors, officers and other regular personnel may, without additional compensation, solicit proxies personally or by e-mail, telephone, fax or special letter. We will reimburse banks, brokers and other custodians, nominees and fiduciaries for their reasonable costs of sending the proxy materials to our beneficial owners.

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Who will count the votes?

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A representative of our transfer agent will be responsible for determining whether or not a quorum is present and will tabulate votes cast by proxy or in person at the Annual Meeting.

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What are the deadline and the procedure for proposing actions for consideration at our 2018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders?

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Stockholder Proposals for Inclusion in our 2018 Proxy Statement.    Under the rules and regulations of the SEC, proposals of stockholders intended to be included in our proxy statement for presentation at our 2018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (1) must be received by us at our corporate offices no later than February 16 , 2018 (120 days preceding the one year anniversary of the mailing date of this Proxy Statement), (2) may not exceed 500 words and (3) must satisfy the conditions established by the SEC for stockholder proposals to be included in our proxy statement and form of proxy for that meeting.

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Other Stockholder Proposals.    Pursuant to our bylaws, a stockholder desiring to propose any matter for consideration at the 2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, other than through inclusion in our proxy materials, must notify the Company’s secretary of such proposal in writing at the Company’s

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offices not earlier than January 12, 2018 (150 days prior to the one-year anniversary of the date of this proxy statement) and not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on February 14, 2018 (120 days prior to the one-year anniversary of the date of this proxy statement). The public announcement of a postponement or adjournment of an annual meeting will not commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above. A stockholder’s notice must contain the information specified in, and otherwise comply with, our Second Amended and Restated Bylaws, or bylaws.

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Where are the Company’s principal executive offices located and what is the Company’s main telephone number?

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The Company’s principal executive offices are located at 540 Madison Avenue, 19 th Floor, New York, New York 10022. The Company’s main telephone number is (212) 257-5070.

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Whom should I call with other questions?

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If you have additional questions about this Proxy Statement or the Annual Meeting, please contact our Corporate Secretary at the address and/or telephone number set forth in the preceding answer.

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Implications of being an “emerging growth company”

We are currently an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act, enacted on April 5, 2012 (the “JOBS Act”). For as long as we are an “emerging growth company,” we intend to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not “emerging growth companies,” including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002, and to the extent applicable, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding stockholder advisory “say-on-pay” votes on executive compensation and stockholder advisory votes on golden parachute compensation.

You should rely only on the information provided in this Proxy Statement. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different or additional information. You should not assume that the information in this Proxy Statement is accurate as of any date other than the date of this Proxy Statement or, where information relates to another date set forth in this Proxy Statement, then as of that date.

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As a consequence of Mr. Carroll’s 30 years’ experience in a wide range of financial and investment management markets, including mortgages and derivatives, he is well qualified to provide valuable advice to our board of directors in many important areas.

Neil A. Cummins has been an independent director of our board of directors since the closing of our initial public offering, or IPO, in March 2013. Mr. Cummins has been active in international financial markets for over 30 years. Mr. Cummins is currently Chairman of Oak Ridge Investments LLC, a privately-owned investment manager. From 1997 to 2012, Mr. Cummins held a variety of global roles with Barclays Capital, including founding Management Committee member, Global Head of Distribution and Research, Global Head of Strategic Relationship Management and voting member of the Barclays Bank Group Credit Committee. He also served on the Board of Directors of iBoxx Limited and the International Index Company from 2003 to 2005. From 1985 to 1997, Mr. Cummins was a Managing Director of Morgan Stanley, and served on the Board of Directors of Morgan Stanley Bank Luxembourg SA and the Supervisory Board of Morgan Stanley Bank AG, Frankfurt. Prior to 1985, Mr. Cummins worked in the international financial markets, principally with Mellon Bank N.A. Mr. Cummins graduated with a B.A. in Economics from Indiana University.

As a consequence of over 30 years’ experience in international financial markets, Mr. Cummins is well qualified to provide valuable advice to our board of directors in many important areas.

William A. Houlihan has been an independent director of our board of directors since the listing of our common stock on the NYSE in March 2013. Mr. Houlihan has more than 30 years of diversified financial sector and business experience.

He has served since November 2012 as a director and audit committee chairman for Max Exchange, LLC, a privately-owned residential mortgage loan trading business. He has served since 2009 as a director and financial expert on the audit committee of First Physicians Capital Group, a privately-owned healthcare investment company, which was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, prior to completion of a going-private transaction in January 2015, from April 2013 to September 2014 as Non-Executive Chairman of its board of directors and since May 2013 as the chairman of its audit committee.

He served from July 2013 to July 2015 as lead independent director and chairman of the audit committee of Tiptree Financial Partners, LP, or Tiptree, a publicly traded financial services holding company; and from August 2010 to July 2013 as lead independent director and chairman of the audit committee for Care Investment Trust, a publicly traded healthcare REIT which merged with Tiptree in July 2013. From 2003 to 2010, he was a director of SNL Financial, a privately owned financial information company, and in addition, from 1998 to 2012 he was a director and shareholder of a family-owned commercial real estate investment partnership.

He served from March 2013 to February 2014 as the chief financial officer for Amalgamated Bank, a privately owned company. From 2001 through 2008, Mr. Houlihan was a private investor while he served as transitional Chief Financial Officer for several distressed financial services companies: Sixth Gear, Inc. from October 2007 to November 2008, Sedgwick Claims Management Services from August 2006 until January 2007, Metris Companies from August 2004 to January 2006, and Hudson United Bancorp from January 2001 to November 2003. From 1981 until 2000, and for short-term periods in 2004 and 2007, Mr. Houlihan worked for a number of investment banking companies, including UBS, J.P. Morgan, Keefe Bruyette & Woods, Bear Stearns and Goldman Sachs. He also held several auditing and accounting positions from June 1977 through June 1981.

Mr. Houlihan graduated with an M.B.A. in Finance from New York University Graduate School of Business, and a B.S. in Accounting from Manhattan College. In addition he was licensed as a Certified Public Accountant, but his license is currently inactive. Since January 2017, he has served as an adjunct professor at the Feliciano School of Business at Monclair State University.

On March 13, 2015, Mr. Houlihan settled an administrative proceeding brought by the SEC regarding his alleged failure to file on a timely basis required Schedule 13D amendments and Section 16(a) reports relating to his beneficial ownership of securities of First Physicians Capital Group, Inc., or FPCG. Mr. Houlihan is a member of the board of directors of FPCG and a greater than 10% beneficial owner of

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FPCG securities. In the settlement, Mr. Houlihan did not admit or deny the SEC’s allegations, consented to the entry of a cease and desist order requiring him not to cause any violation of Sections 13(d)(2) and 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, and agreed to pay a civil penalty of  $15,000 to the SEC.

As a consequence of Mr. Houlihan’s over 30 years of pertinent experience, qualifications and skills including significant financial expertise and literacy, he is well qualified to provide significant and relevant expertise and advice to our board of directors in relation to many areas, including accounting and financial matters.

Walter C. Keenan has been an independent director of our board of directors since April 17, 2015. Mr. Keenan has over 25 years of experience in the financial services industry as an advisor, investor and executive manager. Since July 2013, he has served as Chief Executive Officer of Advantage Insurance Inc., or Advantage Insurance, a specialty insurance group serving the insurance needs of high net worth individuals and business owners worldwide. Mr. Keenan was a consultant to Advantage Insurance from July 2012 through July 2013. From October 2013 to May 2016, Mr. Keenan served as a director and audit committee chair of Republic Companies, Inc., a regional property and casualty insurance company. Prior to joining Advantage Insurance, from March 2011 to October 2011, Mr. Keenan served as Executive Chairman of Medicus Insurance Holdings, Inc., a provider of professional liability insurance to physicians, and was Chairman from July 2006 to March 2011. Before becoming an insurance industry executive, Mr. Keenan worked in private equity as President of JMP Capital, the principal investments group of JMP Group LLC (NYSE: JMP) from 2007 to 2011 and as a Principal of The Cypress Group from 2005 to 2007. Mr. Keenan’s work for JMP and Cypress included strategic investments in two mortgage REIT companies. Mr. Keenan began his career at Morgan Stanley, where he worked in investment banking from 1989 to 2003. Mr. Keenan received a Bachelor of Arts degree with Honors from Southern Methodist University.

As a consequence of over 25 years’ experience in financial services, Mr. Keenan is well qualified to provide valuable advice to our board of directors in many important areas.

David Oston has been our Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, Secretary and a director since our formation in March 2012 and has been the CFO, Treasurer and Secretary of our Manager since its formation in March 2012. He has more than 30 years’ experience underwriting, investing and managing financial exposures in various sectors of the credit markets. Starting in 2002 through 2008, Mr. Oston was a portfolio manager at Stanfield/Ceres with a focus on structured products and mortgages. Ceres Capital was the investment manager for Victoria. In June 2008, Ceres Capital entered Chapter 11 under the Bankruptcy Code. Mr. Oston became a Managing Director of Ivy Square in 2008, where he remained until joining our Manager in 2012. Prior to Stanfield/Ceres, Mr. Oston spent 13 years with Natexis Banques Populaires in a variety of roles, including CFO of the New York branch, where he had responsibility for portfolio and balance sheet management. Mr. Oston started his career at ANZ/Grindlays, where he spent nine years in a variety of credit-related roles, before spending another two years at Banque Bruxelles Lambert. Mr. Oston graduated with an M.A and a B.A. in Economic Geography from the University of Cambridge, in England.

As a consequence of over 30 years’ experience in a wide range of financial and investment management markets, Mr. Oston is well qualified to provide valuable advice to our board of directors in many important areas.

Nominee Recommendations

All director nominees were approved by the nominating and corporate governance committee for inclusion in our proxy card for the Annual Meeting.

There are no family relationships among any of our executive officers and directors.

Recommendation of our Board of Directors

Our board of directors recommends that the stockholders vote “FOR” the election of each of the nominees named above.

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CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Our Board of Directors

Our business is managed by our Manager, Oak Circle Capital Partners LLC, subject to the supervision and oversight of our board of directors, which has established investment guidelines for our Manager to follow in its day-to-day management of our business. Our directors keep informed about our business by attending meetings of our board of directors and its committees and through supplemental reports and communications.

The NYSE requires that a majority of our board of directors must be composed of  “independent directors,” which is defined generally as a person other than an officer or employee of the Company or its subsidiaries or any other individual having a relationship which, in the opinion of our board of directors, would interfere with the director’s exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director.

Our board of directors undertakes periodic reviews of director independence. In such reviews, the board of directors considers transactions and relationships between (1) each director, entities with which such person is affiliated and/or any member of such person’s immediate family, and (2) the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates, in order to ascertain whether any such relationships or transactions are inconsistent with a determination that such person is “independent” in accordance with applicable rules and regulations of the NYSE, applicable law, and the rules and regulations of the SEC. The board of directors bases its determinations primarily on a review of the responses of such persons to questions regarding employment and compensation history, affiliations and family and other relationships between the Company, the directors, and entities with which such persons are affiliated, discussions and analyses with respect to the foregoing, and the recommendations of the nominating and corporate governance committee.

As a result of such reviews, as well as the directors’ responses to the Company’s questionnaire with respect to independence matters, our board of directors has affirmatively determined that all persons who served as directors of the Company during any part of the 2016 calendar year, and all current directors and director nominees, were and are “independent” for purposes of Section 303A of the Listed Company Manual of the NYSE, with the exception of Mr. Carroll, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and President, and Mr. Oston, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Treasurer. Each individual who was a member of the Company’s audit committee, compensation committee, and nominating and corporate governance committee during any part of the 2016 calendar year has been determined by our board of directors to be independent in accordance with such standards as well. In determining that each director other than Messrs. Carroll and Oston are independent, in addition to confirming that none of the automatic disqualifications prescribed by the NYSE are applicable to such persons, the board of directors also affirmatively determined that each such person has no direct or indirect material relationship with the Company or its subsidiaries.

As none of Messrs. Cummins, Houlihan or Keenan had or has any direct or indirect relationship with the Company or its subsidiaries, our board of directors affirmatively determined each of them to be independent.

Meetings of Our Board of Directors

During our fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, our board of directors held eleven meetings. During that period, no director attended fewer than 75% of the aggregate of  (i) the total number of meetings of our board of directors held during the period for which he was a director, and (ii) the total number of meetings held by all committees of our board of directors during the period that he served on such committees.

Executive Sessions of Non-Management Directors

Our non-management directors (who are also independent directors) meet in executive session at least three times a year and generally at the end of every regularly scheduled board of directors meeting to consider such matters as they deem appropriate, without the Company’s chief executive officer or other management present. In accordance with NYSE listed company rules, “non-management” directors are all those who are

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not executive officers of the Company. Among the items that the non-management directors meet privately in executive sessions to review is the performance of the Company’s chief executive officer. Mr. Houlihan, our lead independent director, acts as the chair of the executive sessions of the non-management directors.

Committees of Our Board of Directors

Our board of directors has three standing committees: the audit committee (established in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Exchange Act); the compensation committee; and the nominating and corporate governance committee. Each of these committees has three directors and is composed exclusively of independent directors, as defined by the listing standards of the NYSE. Moreover, the compensation committee is composed exclusively of individuals intended to be, to the extent provided by Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act, non-employee directors and will, at such times as we are subject to Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Internal Revenue Code, qualify as outside directors for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Audit Committee

The audit committee is comprised of Messrs. Cummins, Houlihan and Keenan, each of whom are “financially literate” under the rules of the NYSE. Each of Messrs. Cummins, Houlihan and Keenan is an independent director. Mr. Houlihan is the chair our audit committee, and our board of directors has determined that Mr. Houlihan qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” as such term is defined in Item 407(d)(5)(ii) of Regulation S-K based on his education and experience in his respective fields.

The audit committee operates under a written charter adopted by our board of directors, a current copy of which is available in the “Investors” section of our website at http://investor.fiveoaksinvestment.com under the Corporate Governance tab. As set forth in the audit committee charter, the audit committee assists our board of directors in overseeing, among other things:

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our financial reporting, auditing and internal control activities, including the integrity of our financial statements;

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our compliance with legal and regulatory requirements;

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the independent auditor’s qualifications and independence; and

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the performance of our internal audit function and independent auditor.

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The audit committee is also responsible for engaging our independent registered public accounting firm, reviewing with the independent registered public accounting firm the plans and results of the audit engagement, approving professional services provided by the independent registered public accounting firm, reviewing the independence of the independent registered public accounting firm, considering the range of audit and non-audit fees and reviewing the adequacy of our internal accounting controls.

The audit committee, consistent with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules adopted thereunder, meets with management and the auditors prior to the filing of all periodic reports under the Exchange Act, and prior to the filing of officers’ certifications with the SEC to receive information concerning, among other things, significant deficiencies, if any, in the design or operation of our internal controls.

The audit committee met six times during the year ended December 31, 2016.

Compensation Committee

The compensation committee is comprised of Messrs. Cummins, Houlihan and Keenan, each of whom is an independent director. Mr. Keenan is the chair of our compensation committee.

The compensation committee operates under a written charter adopted by our board of directors, a current copy of which is available in the “Investors” section of our website at http://investor.fiveoaksinvestment.com under the Corporate Governance tab.

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In general, the compensation committee has authority and responsibility for the review, evaluation and approval of the compensation structure and levels for all of our executive officers, if applicable. The compensation committee’s responsibilities include, among other things:

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the sole authority to determine the CEO’s compensation, if any (to the extent that the terms of the agreement with our Manager change and we become responsible for paying the compensation or any other employee benefits of our CEO);

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reviewing and approving all compensation, if any, for all other executive officers (to the extent that the terms of the agreement with our Manager change and we become responsible for paying the compensation or any other employee benefits of our other executive officers);

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reviewing and making recommendations regarding all employment, severance or change-in-control agreements, and special or supplemental benefits or provisions applicable to executive officers, if any;

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•

overseeing the Five Oaks Investment Corp. Manager Equity Plan, or the Manager Equity Plan, (and any equity incentive plans adopted in the future); and

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preparing and approving (or causing to be prepared and approved), reviewing and discussing the compensation discussion and analysis and compensation committee report that we will include in our annual proxy statement filed with the SEC.

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In fulfilling its responsibilities, the compensation committee is entitled to delegate certain of its responsibilities to a subcommittee. The compensation committee, however, may not delegate its duties relating to the determination of our Chief Executive Officer’s compensation, if applicable, its duty to review and approve compensation for all other officers from time to time, if applicable, or its duty to manage and periodically review the Manager Equity Plan (and any equity incentive plans adopted in the future).

The compensation committee met two times during the year ended December 31, 2016. The compensation committee did not engage a compensation consultant for the year ended December 31, 2016 because our Manager compensates all of our officers. However, we have adopted the Manager Equity Plan, pursuant to which we make awards to our Manager, which in turn grants such awards to its employees, officers, members, directors or consultants. Grants to our Manager are allocated first to non-member employees and officers of our Manager, with the balance allocated to members (including our current executive officers) proportionally based on their respective ownership interests in our Manager.

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

The nominating and corporate governance committee is comprised of Messrs. Cummins, Houlihan and Keenan, each of whom is an independent director. Mr. Cummins is the chair of our nominating and corporate governance committee.

The nominating and corporate governance committee operates under a written charter adopted by our board of directors, a current copy of which is available in the “Investors” section of our website at http://investor.fiveoaksinvestment.com under the Corporate Governance tab.

The nominating and corporate governance committee’s responsibilities include, among other things:

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providing counsel to our board of directors with respect to the organization, function and composition of our board of directors and its committees;

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reviewing and evaluating, at least annually, the performance of each current director and considering the results of such evaluation in determining whether or not to recommend the nomination of such director for an additional term;

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overseeing the self-evaluation of our board of directors and our board of director’s evaluation of management;

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periodically reviewing and, if appropriate, recommending to our board of directors changes to our corporate; and

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•

identifying and recommending to our board of directors potential director candidates for nomination.

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The nominating and corporate governance committee met one time during the year ended December 31, 2016.

Director Nominations and Qualification Standards

The nominating and corporate governance committee is responsible for reviewing with our board of directors, on an annual basis, the appropriate characteristics, skills and experience required for our board of directors as a whole and its individual members. While the nominating and corporate governance committee has established no minimum eligibility requirements for candidates to serve on our board of directors, in performing its duties, the nominating and corporate governance committee considers any criteria it deems appropriate, including but not limited to the following criteria:

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personal and professional integrity, ethics and values;

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experience in corporate management, such as serving as an officer or former officer of a publicly held company, and a general understanding of marketing, finance and other elements relevant to the success of a publicly-traded company in today’s business environment;

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experience in our industry and with relevant social policy concerns;

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experience as a board member of another publicly held company;

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academic expertise in an area of our operations; and

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practical and mature business judgment, including ability to make independent analytical inquiries.

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Each director nominee must also possess fundamental qualities of intelligence, honesty, good judgment, high ethics and standards of integrity, fairness and responsibility. The nominating and corporate governance committee may, in its discretion, consider diversity in identifying nominees for directors. Our board of directors evaluates each individual in the context of the board of directors as a whole, with the objective of assembling a group that can best represent stockholder interests through the exercise of sound judgment using its diversity of experience in these various areas. In determining whether to recommend a director for re-election, the nominating and corporate governance committee also considers the director’s past attendance at meetings and participation in and contributions to the activities of our board of directors. Directors must be willing to devote sufficient time to carrying out their duties and responsibilities effectively, and should be committed to serve on our board of directors for an extended period of time.

In accordance with its charter, the nominating and corporate governance committee identifies individuals that are qualified, consistent with the criteria it deems appropriate, including but not limited to the criteria listed above, to become or continue serving as our directors and that are willing and available to serve. At an appropriate time prior to each annual meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected or reelected, the nominating and corporate governance committee recommends such individuals to our board of directors to be nominated by our board of directors and submitted to the stockholders for election at the annual meeting.

We believe that the members of our board of directors represent a desirable mix of backgrounds, skills and experiences, and they all share the personal attributes of effective directors described above. Included in the biographical information set forth above are some of the specific experiences and skills of our directors that led the board to conclude that, in light of our business and structure, such individuals should serve as members of the board.

Pursuant to its charter, the nominating and governance committee will review and consider any nominations of director candidates validly made by stockholders in accordance with applicable laws, rules and regulations, and our certificate of incorporation and bylaws on the same basis that it considers all other candidates recommended to it. In accordance with our bylaws, to recommend a director candidate to the nominating and governance committee, a stockholder must provide us with a written notice that contains all information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in connection with solicitations of

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proxies for election of directors in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or would otherwise be required in connection with such solicitation, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A (or any successor provision) under the Exchange Act and the rules thereunder. In addition, the notice must be accompanied by a certificate executed by such person (i) certifying that such person (a) is not, and will not become a party to, any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity other than us in connection with service or action as a director that has not been disclosed to us and (b) will serve as our director if elected; and (ii) attaching a completed director questionnaire (which questionnaire shall be provided by the Corporation, upon request, to the stockholder providing the notice and shall include all information relating to the such person that would be required to be disclosed in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the election of such person as a director in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or would otherwise be required in connection with such solicitation, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A (or any successor provision) under the Exchange Act and the rules thereunder, or would be required pursuant to the rules of any national securities exchange or over-the-counter market).

If a stockholder wishes to formally nominate a candidate, he or she must follow the procedures described in our bylaws. All director candidate recommendations and formal nominations for membership to our board of directors for the Annual Meeting must be sent to our principal executive offices and received by the date specified for stockholder proposals. See “Q. What are the deadline and the procedure for proposing actions for consideration at our 2018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders?” above. The presiding officer at our Annual Meeting may refuse to acknowledge the nomination of any person not made in compliance with the foregoing procedures.

Director Attendance at Annual Meetings

We believe that directors’ attendance at annual meetings can provide investors with an opportunity to communicate with directors about issues affecting the Company. In furtherance of our objective to provide investors with open lines of communication to the directors, we have adopted a policy that our directors will make reasonable efforts to attend annual meetings of stockholders. The Company held its 2016 Annual Meeting of Stockholders on June 15, 2016, and it was attended by all then-current members of our board of directors.

Voting Standard for Director Elections

Our bylaws provide that at all meetings of stockholders for the election of directors, directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast, at a meeting at which a quorum is present, by holders of shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the election of directors.

Communications with Our Board of Directors

To send communications to our board of directors, the non-management members as a group, the independent directors as a group, or any of the directors individually, interested parties (including but not limited to stockholders) may contact them in writing at Five Oaks Investment Corp., 540 Madison Avenue, 19 th Floor, New York, New York 10022 or by telephone at (212) 257-5070. All communications will be compiled and submitted to our board of directors or the individual directors on a periodic basis, unless there are safety or security concerns that mitigate against further transmission of the communications, as determined by the Corporate Secretary in consultation with the Company’s legal counsel. Our board of directors or individual director so addressed shall be advised of a communication withheld for safety or security reasons as soon as practicable.

Interested parties (including but not limited to stockholders) that wish to make concerns known to Five Oaks Investment Corp.’s non-management or independent directors may also do so by calling the Ethics Hotline number listed in the Company’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and Policy Against Insider Trading, posted on the “Investors Relations” section our website at http://investor.fiveoaksinvestment.com under the Corporate Governance tab and indicating they would like the matter referred to such directors.

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Code of Ethics

Concurrently with our initial public offering, or IPO, we adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and Policy Against Insider Trading that is applicable to all of our executive officers and other personnel, including our principal executive officer, our principal financial officer, our principal accounting officer, our controller, and persons performing similar functions for the Company. The Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and Policy Against Insider Trading establishes policies and procedures that we believe promote adherence to, and the conduct of business according to, the highest ethical standards. A copy of our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and Policy Against Insider Trading is available on the “Investors Relations” section of our website at http://investor.fiveoaksinvestment.com under the Corporate Governance tab.

Corporate Governance Guidelines

Concurrently with our IPO, we adopted a set of Corporate Governance Guidelines, which describe our corporate governance practices and policies and provide a framework for the governance of our board of directors. The nominating and corporate governance committee is responsible for overseeing these guidelines and reporting and making recommendations to our board of directors concerning corporate governance matters. From time to time, the nominating and corporate governance committee reviews our Corporate Governance Guidelines and, if necessary, recommends changes to the full board of directors. Our current Corporate Governance Guidelines are available in the “Investors Relations” section of our website at http://investor.fiveoaksinvestment.com under the Corporate Governance tab.

Board Leadership Structure

Our business is conducted day-to-day by our officers and our Manager, under the direction of our chief executive officer and the oversight of our board of directors, to enhance our long-term value for our stockholders. Our board of directors is elected by our stockholders to oversee our officers and our Manager and to assure that the long-term interests of the stockholders are being served.

Our board of directors annually appoints a chairman of the board, who may or may not be our chief executive officer. If the individual appointed as chairman of the board is our chief executive officer, our board of directors will also appoint a lead independent director. David C. Carroll has served as chief executive officer and chairman of the board of the Company since the Company’s inception in 2012. In these capacities, Mr. Carroll is involved in both our day-to-day operations and the strategic decision-making at the board level.

We believe that it is in the best interests of our stockholders for Mr. Carroll to serve as both chairman of the board and chief executive officer because of his decisive, consistent and effective leadership. We also believe that having a lead independent director mitigates the risk that having our chief executive officer serve as our chairman may cause management to have undue influence on our board of directors. William A. Houlihan is, and will continue to serve as, our lead independent director. Our lead independent director chairs executive sessions of the independent directors of the board of directors, and meetings of the full board of directors when the chairman is absent, and otherwise serves as a liaison between the independent directors, the full board of directors and management.

Our board of directors recognizes that one of its key responsibilities is to evaluate and determine its optimal leadership structure so as to provide independent oversight of management. Our board of directors understands that there is no single, generally accepted approach to providing board leadership and the right board leadership structure may vary as circumstances warrant. Consistent with this understanding, our independent directors consider the board’s leadership structure on an annual basis.

The Role of the Board of Directors in Risk Oversight

Our board of directors is responsible for overseeing our risk management policies and practices. Our executive officers, who are responsible for our day-to-day risk management practices, regularly present to our board of directors on our overall risk profile and the processes by which such risks are mitigated. Our Manager’s employees also regularly report to our board of directors on various matters related to our risk exposure. Through regular and consistent communication, our Manager provides reasonable assurances to

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our board of directors that all of our material operational and investment risks, including among others, liquidity risk, interest rate risk and capital market risk, are being addressed. We do not believe that our board of directors’ role in risk oversight affects its leadership structure (discussed above), however, we believe that our board of directors’ ability to discharge its risk oversight is enhanced by the service of our chief executive officer as a director.

SECTION 16(a) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE

Under federal securities laws, our executive officers, directors and any persons beneficially owning more than 10% of a registered class of our equity securities are required to report their ownership and any changes in that ownership to the SEC. These persons are also required by SEC rules and regulations to furnish us with copies of these reports.

Based solely on our review of the reports and amendments to those reports furnished to us or written representations from our directors and executive officers that these reports were not required from those persons, we believe that, during the year ended December 31, 2016, all of these filing requirements applicable to our directors, executive officers, and greater than 10% stockholders were complied with on a timely basis, except for a late Form 4 filing by each of Messrs. Carroll, Chong, Cummings, Houlihan, Keenan and Mr. Oston to report the acquisition of additional shares of our common stock in connection with our payment of a deficiency dividend on December 27, 2016.

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(1)

The amounts in this column reflect the aggregate grant date fair value of grants of restricted stock to each listed director on August 15, 2016, calculated in accordance with ASC Topic 718. Assumptions used in the calculation of these amounts are included in Note 14 to our audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2016. As of December 31, 2016, each of Messrs. Cummins, Houlihan and Keenan held 1,500 unvested shares of restricted stock (and Messrs. Cummins and Houlihan each held 4,500 shares of formerly restricted stock that vested prior to such date and Mr. Keenan held 1,500 shares of formerly restricted stock that vested prior to such date).

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(2)

The amounts in this column reflect dividends paid in 2016 on unvested shares of restricted stock held by the directors in the table.

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OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management

The following table sets forth information regarding the beneficial ownership of shares of our common stock and 8.75% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, or Preferred Stock, as of the Record Date (except as set forth below), by: (1) each director of the Company, (2) each executive officer of the Company, (3) all directors and executive officers of the Company as a group, and (4) all persons known by us to be beneficial owners of more than 5% of any class of our voting securities.

In accordance with SEC rules, beneficial ownership includes: all shares the investor actually owns beneficially or of record; all shares over which the investor has or shares voting or dispositive control (such as in the capacity as a general partner of an investment fund); and all shares the investor has the right to acquire within 60 days (such as shares of restricted common stock which are scheduled to vest within 60 days).

Unless otherwise indicated, all shares are owned directly, and the indicated person has sole voting and investment power. Except as indicated in the footnotes to the table below, the business address of each of the individuals listed below is the address of our principal executive office, 540 Madison Avenue, 19 th Floor, New York, New York 10022. None of our shares of common stock beneficially owned by any of our directors or executive officers have been pledged as security.

*

Represents less than 1% of the shares of our common stock outstanding.

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(1)

This information is based on information contained in filings made by the stockholder with the SEC reporting beneficial ownership as of December 27, 2016. XL Investments Ltd, or XL Investments, is the record owner of 4,041,045 shares of common stock and warrants to purchase 3,753,492 shares of common stock (which became exercisable on July 25, 2013, 120 days following the closing of our IPO). XL Group Ltd is the ultimate parent holding company of XL Investments and indirectly owns all of the equity interests of XL Investments. XL Group Ltd is a Bermuda exempted company whose common shares are listed on the NYSE. The address for XL Investments is One Bermudiana Road, Hamilton HM08, Bermuda.

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(2)

This information is based on information contained in filings made by the stockholder with the SEC reporting beneficial ownership as of December 27, 2016. XL Global is the record owner of 10,230 shares of common stock. XL Group Ltd is the ultimate parent holding company of XL Global and indirectly owns all of the equity interests of XL Global. XL Group Ltd is a Bermuda exempted company whose common shares are listed on the NYSE. The address for XL Global is 200 Liberty Street, 22nd Floor, New York, New York 10281.

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(3)

Includes 2,405 shares of common stock held in trusts for each of Mr. Carroll’s two daughters.

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(1)

Represents fees and expenses for professional services provided in connection with the audit of our annual financial statements and review of our quarterly financial statements, statutory audits, and advice on accounting matters directly related to the audit and audit services provided in connection with our regulatory filings.

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PRE-APPROVAL POLICY

The audit committee charter provides that the audit committee of our board of directors shall pre-approve all audit services, audit-related tax services and other permitted services to be performed for us by our independent registered public accounting firm and the related fees. Pursuant to its charter and in compliance with rules of the SEC and Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, the audit committee has established a pre-approval policy and procedures that require the pre-approval of all services to be performed by the independent registered public accounting firm. The independent registered public accounting firm may be considered for other services not specifically approved as audit services or audit-related services and tax services so long as the services are not prohibited by SEC or PCAOB rules and would not otherwise impair the independence of the independent registered public accounting firm. During 2016, all of the above services were approved by the audit committee in accordance with this policy.

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As part of its auditor engagement process, the audit committee considers whether to rotate the independent audit firm. The audit committee has established a policy pursuant to which all services, audit and non-audit, provided by the independent auditor must be pre-approved by the audit committee. Our pre-approval policy is more fully described under the caption “Pre-Approval Policy” above. In addition, Grant Thornton has provided the audit committee with the written disclosures and letter required by applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding the independent accountant’s communications with the audit committee concerning independence, and the audit committee has discussed the firm’s independence with Grant Thornton.

Based on the reviews and discussions described above, the audit committee recommended to our board of directors that the audited consolidated financial statements be included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016 for filing with the SEC. The audit committee also has selected Grant Thornton as the independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal year ending December 31, 2017. Our board of directors recommends that stockholders ratify this selection at the Annual Meeting.

Audit Committee

Neil A. Cummins
William A. Houlihan (Chairman)
Walter C. Keenan

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the closing of our IPO), and as adjusted for the issuance of stock pursuant to the deficiency dividend. Because of its significant ownership of our common stock, XL Investments will have the ability to influence the outcome of matters that require a vote of our stockholders, including a change of control.

We have agreed with XL Investments that, for so long as XL Investments and any other of the XL group of companies collectively beneficially own at least 9.8% of our issued and outstanding common stock (on a fully diluted basis), XL Investments will have the right to appoint an observer to attend all board of directors meetings but such observer will have no right to vote at any board of directors meeting. The board observer will be indemnified by us to the same extent as our directors.

Our charter prohibits, with certain exceptions, any stockholder from beneficially or constructively owning, applying certain attribution rules under the Internal Revenue Code, more than 9.8% by value or number of shares, whichever is more restrictive, of our outstanding shares of common stock, or 9.8% by value or number of shares, whichever is more restrictive, of our outstanding capital stock. Our board of directors has granted XL Investments an exemption from the 9.8% ownership limitation.

Our Manager is majority owned by its employees (including all of our officers) with a minority stake held by XL Global, a subsidiary of XL Group Ltd. XL Global made a strategic investment in our Manager in March 2012 and currently owns a 34.6% equity interest in our Manager. As a result of such investment, representatives of XL Global are members of the management committee of our Manager. The investment management professionals of our Manager are solely responsible for all decisions involving the acquisition, disposition, financing and hedging of our target assets. None of the XL group of companies or any of their officers, directors or employees participates in these decisions.

Registration Rights Agreement

We have entered into a registration rights agreement with XL Investments, our Manager, Messrs. Carroll, Chong and Oston, and Darren Comisso and Thomas Flynn (executive officers of our Manager) pursuant to which we have agreed to register the resale of shares of common stock and warrants owned by XL Investments and its transferees, any shares of common stock owned from time to time by Messrs. Carroll, Chong, Comisso, Flynn and Oston and their transferees and any shares of common stock and warrants that we may grant to our Manager under the Manager Equity Plan, which we collectively refer to as the registrable securities. Pursuant to the registration rights agreement, XL Investments and its affiliated transferees have the right to demand that we cause their registrable securities to be registered for resale on a registration statement. All other holders of registrable securities have the option to include their registrable securities in such registration statement and we must maintain the effectiveness of such registration statement until all the registrable securities are sold under a shelf registration statement or another registration statement, or until all the registrable securities are eligible to be sold pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, without volume limitation or other restrictions on transfer; however, XL Investments and its affiliated transferees are limited to two demand registrations. The registration rights agreement also requires us to file a “shelf registration statement” for the remaining registrable securities as soon as practicable after we become eligible to use Form S-3, and we must maintain the effectiveness of this shelf registration statement until all the registrable securities have been sold under the shelf registration statement or sold pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act. On August 20, 2014, we filed a “shelf registration statement” for the registrable securities, which was declared effective by the SEC in September 2014. With the consent of XL Investments, we withdrew such registration statement in March 2016, pending the filing of a Form 10-K/A in respect of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 (which has since been filed), and filed a replacement registration statement on April 29, 2016, which was declared effective on July 20, 2016.

Related Party Transaction Policies

Concurrently with our IPO, our board of directors adopted a written policy regarding the approval of any “related person transaction,” which is any transaction or series of transactions in which we are or are to be a participant, the amount involved exceeds $120,000 and a “related person” (as defined under SEC rules) has a direct or indirect material interest. Under the policy, a related person must promptly disclose to our compliance officer any related person transaction and all material facts about the transaction. Our secretary would then assess and promptly communicate that information to the compensation committee of our

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board of directors. Based on its consideration of all of the relevant facts and circumstances, the compensation committee will decide whether or not to approve such transaction and will generally approve only those transactions that do not create a conflict of interest. If we become aware of an existing related person transaction that has not been pre-approved under this policy, the transaction will be referred to the compensation committee, which will evaluate all options available, including ratification, revision or termination of such transaction. Our policy requires any director who may be interested in a related person transaction to recuse himself or herself from any consideration of such related person transaction.

Limitations on Liability and Indemnification of Officers and Directors

Our charter and bylaws provide indemnification for our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by Maryland law in effect from time to time, to obligate itself to indemnify and to pay or reimburse reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of a proceeding to (1) any individual who is a present or former director or officer of ours or (2) any individual who, while a director or officer of ours and at our request, serves or has served as a director, officer, partner or trustee of another corporation, real estate investment trust, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or any other enterprise from and against any claim or liability to which such person may become subject or which such person may incur by reason of his or her service in such capacity. We have the power, with the approval of our board of directors, to provide such indemnification and advancement of expenses to a person who served a predecessor of ours in any of the capacities described in (1) or (2) above and to any employee or agent of ours or a predecessor of ours. However, the Maryland General Corporation Law, or MGCL, prohibits us from indemnifying a director or officer for any act or omission if:

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the act or omission of the director or officer was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding and (i) was committed in bad faith or (ii) was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty;

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the director or officer actually received an improper personal benefit in money, property or services; or

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in the case of any criminal proceeding, the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful.

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In addition, under the MGCL, we may not indemnify a director or officer in a suit by us or in our right in which the director or officer was adjudged liable to us or in a proceeding in which the director or officer was adjudged liable on the basis that a personal benefit was improperly received. A court may order indemnification if it determines that the director or officer is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification, even though the director or officer did not meet the prescribed standard of conduct or was adjudged liable on the basis that a personal benefit was improperly received. However, indemnification with respect to any proceeding by us or in our right or in which the director or officer was adjudged liable on the basis that a personal benefit was improperly received shall be limited to expenses.

We have entered into indemnification agreements with each of our directors and executive officers that would provide for indemnification to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law.

The above-described limitation of liability and indemnification may be held not to be enforceable for violations of the federal securities laws of the United States.

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either case, based upon: (1) our Manager’s unsatisfactory performance that is materially detrimental to us; or (2) our determination that any fees payable to our Manager are not fair, subject to our Manager’s right to prevent termination based on unfair fees by accepting a reduction of management fees determined to be fair by at least two-thirds of our independent directors. We will provide our Manager 180 days’ prior notice of any such termination. Unless terminated for cause, we will pay our Manager a termination fee equal to three times the average annual management fee earned by our Manager during the prior 24-month period immediately preceding the date of termination, calculated as of the end of the most recently completed quarter prior to the date of termination. We may also terminate the management agreement at any time, including during the initial term, without the payment of any termination fee, with 30 days’ prior written notice from our board of directors for cause.

Insider Trading Policy

We maintain an insider trading policy, which prohibits short selling, dealing in publicly traded options and hedging or monetization transactions in our securities.

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CERTAIN INFORMATION NOT DEEMED INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
IN ANY SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION FILINGS

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in any of our previous or future filings under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act that might incorporate all or portions of future filings, including this Proxy Statement, with the SEC, in whole or in part, the Report of the Compensation Committee of our board of directors and the Report of the Audit Committee of our board of directors shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into any such filing or deemed to be “soliciting material” or “filed” with the SEC under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, or subject to the liabilities of Section 18 of the Exchange Act. In addition, this Proxy Statement includes certain website addresses intended to provide inactive, textural references only. The information on these websites shall not be deemed part of this Proxy Statement.

New York, New York
June 14, 2017

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