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<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center">UNITED STATES</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center">SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center">WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center"><B>FORM 8-K</B></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center">CURRENT REPORT</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center">PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center">SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center">Date of Report (Date of earliest event
reported): <B>February 28, 2012 (February 22, 2012)</B></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center"><B>American Realty Capital Trust III,
Inc.</B></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center">(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified
in Charter)</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center">&nbsp;</P>

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    <TD STYLE="width: 32%; border-bottom: black 1.5pt solid; padding-right: 3.2pt; line-height: 115%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center"><B>Maryland</B></TD>
    <TD STYLE="width: 2%; padding-right: 0.8pt; line-height: 115%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD STYLE="width: 32%; border-bottom: black 1.5pt solid; padding-right: 3.2pt; line-height: 115%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center"><B>333-170298</B></TD>
    <TD STYLE="width: 2%; padding-right: 0.8pt; line-height: 115%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD STYLE="width: 32%; border-bottom: black 1.5pt solid; padding-right: 3.2pt; line-height: 115%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center"><B>27-3515929</B></TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="vertical-align: top">
    <TD>
        <P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0 3.2pt 0 0; text-align: center">(State or other jurisdiction</P>
        <P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0 3.2pt 0 0; text-align: center">of incorporation or organization)</P></TD>
    <TD STYLE="padding-right: 0.8pt; line-height: 115%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD STYLE="padding-right: 3.2pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: center">(Commission File Number)</TD>
    <TD STYLE="padding-right: 0.8pt; line-height: 115%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD STYLE="padding-right: 3.2pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: center">(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)</TD></TR>
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    <TD STYLE="width: 100%; border-bottom: black 1.5pt solid">
        <P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0 3.2pt 0 0; text-align: center"><B>405 Park Avenue, 15th Floor</B></P>
        <P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0 3.2pt 0 0; text-align: center"><B>New York, New York 10022</B></P></TD></TR>
<TR>
    <TD>
        <P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0 3.2pt 0 0; text-align: center">(Address, including zip code,
        of Principal Executive Offices)</P>
        <P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0 3.2pt 0 0; text-align: center">Registrant's telephone number,
        including area code: <B>(212) 415-6500</B></P></TD></TR>
</TABLE>
<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0">Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is
intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> <FONT STYLE="font-family: Wingdings 2">&#163;</FONT>&nbsp;Written communications pursuant to Rule 425
under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> <FONT STYLE="font-family: Wingdings 2">&#163;</FONT>&nbsp;Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12
under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> <FONT STYLE="font-family: Wingdings 2">&#163;</FONT>&nbsp;Pre-commencement communications pursuant to
Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"> <FONT STYLE="font-family: Wingdings 2">&#163;</FONT>&nbsp;Pre-commencement communications pursuant to
Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"></P>

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<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: right">&nbsp;</P>

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<TD STYLE="width: 0"></TD><TD STYLE="width: 1in"><B>Item 2.03.</B></TD><TD><B>Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant.</B></TD></TR></TABLE>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-indent: 0.5in">&nbsp;On February 22, 2012, American
Realty Capital Trust III, Inc. (the &ldquo;Company&rdquo;), through its indirect wholly owned subsidiaries, entered into the initial
tranche of a $41.4 million two-tranche mortgage loan agreement with Wells Fargo Bank, National Association (the &ldquo;Wells
Mortgage Loan&rdquo;) to provide funding for the post-acquisition funding for 26 properties previously acquired. The Wells Mortgage
Loan will be funded in two tranches. The Wells Mortgage Loan has a 5-year term. The Wells Mortgage Loan requires monthly interest
payments with the principal balance under all mortgage loans due on the maturity date in March 2017. Each tranche of the Wells
Mortgage Loan bears interest at a floating rate, but, through an interest rate swap that the Company entered into with Wells Fargo
Bank, National Association, pursuant to the terms of the Wells Mortgage Loan, the loan bears interest at a per annum fixed rate of 3.755%. The
mortgages for each of the properties will be cross-collateralized with one another and in the event that the Company defaults
on one of the mortgages, the lender may look to the other properties as collateral. The Wells Mortgage Loan may be prepaid, beginning
36 months after the closing of the Wells Mortgage Loan, from time to time and at any time, in whole or in part, with the payment
of an exit fee equal to 0.25% of the outstanding loan amount. The Wells Mortgage Loan is guaranteed by the Company&rsquo;s operating
partnership, American Realty Capital Operating Partnership III, L.P.</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-indent: 0.5in">On February 22, 2012, the Company, through
its indirect wholly owned subsidiaries, entered into mortgage loans in connection with the initial tranche of the Wells Mortgage
Loan in an amount equal to $36.6 million in respect of 22 properties previously acquired. Each mortgage loan was incurred under
the terms and subject to the conditions of the Wells Mortgage Loan.</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-indent: 0.5in">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-indent: 0.5in">Including this loan, as of February 22,
2012, the Company&rsquo;s leverage ratio, defined as secured mortgage financings as a percentage of total real estate investments,
was 25.4%. The weighted average interest rate on mortgage debt was 4.62%.</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-indent: 0.5in">The description of the loan in this Current
Report on Form 8-K is a summary and is qualified in its entirety by the terms of the Wells Mortgage Loan agreement.</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-indent: 0.5in">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-indent: 0.5in"></P>

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<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"><B>&nbsp;&nbsp;</B></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-align: center"><B>SIGNATURES</B></P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0; text-indent: 0.5in">Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.</P>

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    <TD STYLE="padding-right: 0.8pt; line-height: 115%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD COLSPAN="2" STYLE="padding-right: 0.1in; line-height: 115%">AMERICAN REALTY CAPITAL TRUST III, INC.</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="vertical-align: top; background-color: white">
    <TD STYLE="width: 53%; padding-right: 0.8pt; line-height: 115%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD STYLE="width: 6%; padding-right: 0.8pt; line-height: 115%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD STYLE="width: 41%; padding-right: 0.8pt; line-height: 115%">&nbsp;</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="vertical-align: top; background-color: white">
    <TD STYLE="padding-right: 3.2pt; line-height: 115%">Date:&nbsp;February 28, 2012</TD>
    <TD STYLE="padding-right: 3.2pt; line-height: 115%">By:&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD STYLE="border-bottom: black 1.5pt solid; padding-right: 3.2pt; line-height: 115%">/s/&nbsp;Nicholas S. Schorsch</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="vertical-align: top; background-color: white">
    <TD COLSPAN="2" STYLE="padding-right: 1.8pt; line-height: 115%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD STYLE="padding-right: 3.2pt; line-height: 115%">Nicholas S. Schorsch</TD></TR>
<TR STYLE="vertical-align: top; background-color: white">
    <TD COLSPAN="2" STYLE="padding-right: 1.8pt; line-height: 115%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>
        <P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0 3.2pt 0 0">Chief Executive Officer and</P>
        <P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0 3.2pt 0 0">Chairman of the Board of Directors</P></TD></TR>
</TABLE>
<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0">&nbsp;</P>

<P STYLE="font: 10pt/normal Times New Roman, Times, Serif; margin: 0"></P>

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{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "American Realty Capital Trust III, Inc.", "cik": "0001503828", "assigned-sic": "6798", "irs-number": "000000000", "state-of-incorporation": "MD", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "333-170298", "film-number": "12647139"}, "business-address": {"street1": "405 PARK AVE", "city": "NEW YORK", "state": "NY", "zip": "10022", "phone": "(212) 415-6500"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "405 PARK AVE", "city": "NEW YORK", "state": "NY", "zip": "10022"}}
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event
reported):
February 28, 2012 (February 22, 2012)
American Realty Capital Trust III,
Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified
in Charter)
Maryland
333-170298
27-3515929
(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation or organization)
(Commission File Number)
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
405 Park Avenue, 15th Floor
New York, New York 10022
(Address, including zip code,
        of Principal Executive Offices)
Registrant's telephone number,
        including area code:
(212) 415-6500
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is
intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
£
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425
under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
£
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12
under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
£
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to
Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
£
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to
Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Item 2.03.
Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant.
On February 22, 2012, American
Realty Capital Trust III, Inc. (the "Company"), through its indirect wholly owned subsidiaries, entered into the initial
tranche of a $41.4 million two-tranche mortgage loan agreement with Wells Fargo Bank, National Association (the "Wells
Mortgage Loan") to provide funding for the post-acquisition funding for 26 properties previously acquired. The Wells Mortgage
Loan will be funded in two tranches. The Wells Mortgage Loan has a 5-year term. The Wells Mortgage Loan requires monthly interest
payments with the principal balance under all mortgage loans due on the maturity date in March 2017. Each tranche of the Wells
Mortgage Loan bears interest at a floating rate, but, through an interest rate swap that the Company entered into with Wells Fargo
Bank, National Association, pursuant to the terms of the Wells Mortgage Loan, the loan bears interest at a per annum fixed rate of 3.755%. The
mortgages for each of the properties will be cross-collateralized with one another and in the event that the Company defaults
on one of the mortgages, the lender may look to the other properties as collateral. The Wells Mortgage Loan may be prepaid, beginning
36 months after the closing of the Wells Mortgage Loan, from time to time and at any time, in whole or in part, with the payment
of an exit fee equal to 0.25% of the outstanding loan amount. The Wells Mortgage Loan is guaranteed by the Company's operating
partnership, American Realty Capital Operating Partnership III, L.P.
On February 22, 2012, the Company, through
its indirect wholly owned subsidiaries, entered into mortgage loans in connection with the initial tranche of the Wells Mortgage
Loan in an amount equal to $36.6 million in respect of 22 properties previously acquired. Each mortgage loan was incurred under
the terms and subject to the conditions of the Wells Mortgage Loan.
Including this loan, as of February 22,
2012, the Company's leverage ratio, defined as secured mortgage financings as a percentage of total real estate investments,
was 25.4%. The weighted average interest rate on mortgage debt was 4.62%.
The description of the loan in this Current
Report on Form 8-K is a summary and is qualified in its entirety by the terms of the Wells Mortgage Loan agreement.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
AMERICAN REALTY CAPITAL TRUST III, INC.
Date: February 28, 2012
By:
/s/ Nicholas S. Schorsch
Nicholas S. Schorsch
Chief Executive Officer and
Chairman of the Board of Directors