taken by that trustee only with respect to the one or more series of debt securities for which it is trustee under the applicable indenture.
The descriptions under the heading “Description of Senior Debt Securities and Senior Subordinated Debt Securities” relating to the debt securities and the indentures are summaries of their provisions. The summaries are not complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the actual indentures and debt securities and the further descriptions in the applicable prospectus supplement. A form of the senior debt indenture and a form of the senior subordinated debt indenture under which we may issue our senior debt securities and senior subordinated debt securities, respectively, are, and the forms of the debt securities will be filed with the SEC as exhibits to the registration statement that includes this prospectus or filed with the SEC by a current report on Form 8-K and will be available as described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information” above. Whenever we refer in this prospectus or in any prospectus supplement to particular sections or defined terms of an indenture, those sections or defined terms are incorporated by reference in this prospectus or in the prospectus supplement, as applicable. You should refer to the provisions of the indentures for provisions that may be important to you.
The terms and conditions described under this heading are terms and conditions that apply generally to the debt securities. The particular material terms of any series of debt securities will be summarized in the applicable prospectus supplement. Those terms may differ from the terms summarized below.
Except as set forth in the applicable indenture or in a supplemental indenture and described in an applicable prospectus supplement, the indentures do not limit the amount of debt securities we may issue under the indentures. We also may issue debt securities pursuant to the indentures in transactions exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933. Those debt securities will not be considered in determining the aggregate amount of securities issued under this prospectus.
We are not required to issue all of the debt securities of one series at the same time and, unless otherwise provided in the applicable indenture or supplemental indenture and described in the applicable prospectus supplement, we may, from time to time, reopen any series and issue additional debt securities under that series without the consent of the holders of the outstanding debt securities of that series. Additional debt securities issued in this manner will have the same terms and conditions as the outstanding debt securities of that series, except for their original issue date and issue price, and will be consolidated with, and form a single series with, the previously outstanding debt securities of that series.
The prospectus supplement relating to any series of debt securities that we may offer will set forth the specific terms of the debt securities of that series. These terms may include, without limitation, the following:
(1) the title of the debt securities and whether they are senior debt securities or senior subordinated debt securities;
(2) the amount of debt securities issued and any limit on the amount that may be issued;
(3) the price(s) (expressed as a percentage of the principal amount) at which the debt securities will be issued or whether the debt securities will be offered on a variable price basis;
(4) if other than the principal amount of those debt securities, the portion of the principal amount payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity of those debt securities;
(5) the maturity date or dates, or the method for determining the maturity date or dates, on which the principal of the debt securities will be payable and any rights of extension;
(6) the rate or rates, which may be fixed or variable, or the method of determining the rate or rates at which the debt securities will bear interest, if any;
(7) the date or dates from which any interest will accrue and the date or dates on which any interest will be payable, the regular related record dates and whether we may elect to extend or defer such interest payment dates;
(8) the place or places where payments will be payable, where the debt securities may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange and where notices or demands to or upon us may be served;
(9) the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the other terms and conditions upon which the debt securities may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at our option, if we are to have such an option;
(10) our obligation, if any, to redeem, repay or purchase the debt securities pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provision or at the option of a holder of the debt securities, and the period or periods within which, or the date and dates on which, the price or prices at which and the other terms and conditions upon which the debt securities will be redeemed, repaid or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to that obligation;
(11) the currency or currencies in which the debt securities may be purchased, are denominated and are payable, which may be a foreign currency or units of two or more foreign currencies or a composite currency or currencies, and the related terms and conditions, including whether we or the holders of any such debt securities may elect to receive payments in respect of such debt securities in a currency or currency unit other than that in which such debt securities are stated to be payable;
(12) whether the amount of payments of principal of and premium, if any, or interest, if any, on the debt securities may be determined with reference to an index, formula or other method, which index, formula or method may, but need not be, based on a currency, currencies, currency unit or units or composite currency or currencies or with reference to changes in prices of particular securities or commodities, and the manner in which the amounts are to be determined;
(13) any additions to, modifications of or deletions from the terms of the debt securities with respect to events of default, amendments, merger, consolidation and sale or covenants set forth in the applicable indenture;
(14) whether the debt securities will be issued in certificated or book-entry form;
(15) whether the debt securities will be in registered or bearer form or both and, if in registered form, their denominations, if other than $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof, and, if in bearer form, their denominations, if other than $5,000, and the related terms and conditions;
(16) if the debt securities will be issuable only in global form, the depositary or its nominee with respect to the debt securities and the circumstances under which the global security may be registered for transfer or exchange in the name of a person other than the depositary or its nominee;
(17) the applicability, if any, of the defeasance and covenant defeasance provisions of the indenture and any additional or different terms on which the series of debt securities may be defeased;
(18) whether the debt securities can be converted into or exchanged for other securities of FPIC or trust preferred securities of one or more of the Trusts, and the related terms and conditions;
(19) in the case of senior subordinated debt securities, provisions relating to any modification of the subordination provisions described elsewhere in this prospectus;
(20) whether the debt securities will be sold as part of units consisting of debt securities and other securities;
(21) if the debt securities are to be issued upon the exercise of warrants, the time, manner and place for the debt securities to be authenticated and delivered;
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(22) any trustee, depositary, authenticating agent, paying agent, transfer agent, registrar or other agent with respect to the debt securities; and
(23) any other terms of the debt securities.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the debt securities will not be listed on any securities exchange.
We may offer and sell our debt securities at a substantial discount below their stated principal amount. These debt securities may be original issue discount securities, which means that less than the entire principal amount of the original issue discount securities will be payable upon declaration of acceleration of their maturity. Special federal income tax, accounting and other considerations applicable to original issue discount securities will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
We may issue debt securities with a fixed interest rate or a floating interest rate. Any material federal income tax considerations applicable to any discounted debt securities or to debt securities issued at par that are treated as having been issued at a discount for federal income tax purposes will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Except as set forth in the applicable indenture or in a supplemental indenture, the applicable indenture will not contain any provisions that would limit our ability to incur indebtedness or that would afford holders of debt securities protection in the event of a highly leveraged or similar transaction. You should refer to the applicable prospectus supplement for information with respect to any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the events of default or covenants of FPIC that are described below, including any addition of a covenant or other provision providing event risk or similar protection.
If any of the debt securities are sold for foreign currencies or foreign currency units or if the principal of, or any premium or interest on, any series of debt securities is payable in foreign currencies or foreign currency units, we will describe the restrictions, elections, tax consequences, specific terms and other information with respect to those debt securities and such foreign currencies or foreign currency units in the applicable prospectus supplement.
For purposes of the descriptions under the heading “Description of Senior Debt Securities and Senior Subordinated Debt Securities”:
| • | “subsidiary” means a corporation or a partnership or a limited liability company a majority of the outstanding voting stock or partnership or membership interests, as the case may be, of which is owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by FPIC or by one or more subsidiaries of FPIC. For the purposes of this definition, “voting stock” means stock having voting power for the election of directors, or trustees, as the case may be, whether at all times or only so long as no senior class of stock has voting power by reason of any contingency; and |
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| • | “significant subsidiary” means any subsidiary of FPIC that is a “significant subsidiary,” within the meaning of Regulation S-X promulgated by the SEC under the Securities Act. |
Ranking
Senior Debt Securities
Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on debt securities we issue under the senior debt indenture will be unsecured and will rank equally with all of our unsecured and unsubordinated debt.
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Subordination of Senior Subordinated Debt Securities
To the extent provided in the senior subordinated debt indenture and any supplemental indenture, and as described in the prospectus supplement describing the applicable series of senior subordinated debt securities, the payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on any senior subordinated debt securities, including amounts payable on any redemption or repurchase, will be subordinated in right of payment and junior to senior debt, which is defined below. If there is a distribution to creditors of FPIC in a liquidation or dissolution of FPIC, or in a bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, receivership or similar proceeding relating to FPIC, the holders of senior debt will first be entitled to receive payment in full of all amounts due on the senior debt (or provision shall be made for such payment in cash) before any payments may be made on the senior subordinated debt securities. Because of this subordination, general creditors of FPIC may recover more, ratably, than holders of senior subordinated debt securities in the event of a distribution of assets upon insolvency.
The supplemental indenture will set forth the terms and conditions, if any, under which we will not be permitted to pay principal, premium, if any, or interest on the related senior subordinated debt securities upon the occurrence of an event of default or other circumstances arising under or with respect to senior debt.
The indentures will place no limitation on the amount of senior debt that we may incur. We expect to incur from time to time additional indebtedness constituting senior debt, which may include indebtedness that is senior to the subordinated debt securities but subordinate to our other obligations.
“Senior debt,” for purposes of the senior subordinated debt indenture, means the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest, including interest accruing after the commencement of any bankruptcy proceeding relating to FPIC, on, or substantially similar payments we will make in respect of the following categories of debt, whether that debt is outstanding at the date of execution of the applicable indenture or thereafter incurred, created or assumed:
(1) “existing senior debt,” which means indebtedness of FPIC in the amount of $10 million;
(2) indebtedness for borrowed money or for the unpaid purchase price of real or personal property of, or guaranteed by, FPIC, other than accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business payable on terms customary in the trade;
(3) indebtedness secured by any mortgage, lien, pledge, security interest or encumbrance of any kind or payable out of the proceeds from property;
(4) indebtedness which is evidenced by mortgages, notes, bonds, securities, acceptances or other instruments;
(5) indebtedness which must be capitalized as liabilities under generally accepted accounting principles;
(6) liabilities under interest rate swap, exchange, collar or cap agreements and all other agreements or arrangements designed to protect against fluctuations in interest rates or currency exchange rates;
(7) guarantees and endorsements of obligations of others, directly or indirectly, and all other repurchase agreements and indebtedness in effect guaranteed through an agreement, contingent or otherwise, to purchase that indebtedness, or to purchase or sell property, or to purchase or sell services, primarily for the purpose of enabling the debtor to make payment of the indebtedness or to assure the owner of the indebtedness against loss, or to supply funds to or in any manner invest in the debtor, or otherwise to assure a creditor against loss (but excluding guarantees and endorsements of notes, bills and checks made in the ordinary course of business);
(8) all obligations for the reimbursement of any obligor on any letter of credit, banker’s acceptance or similar credit transaction, generally other than obligations with respect to letters of credit securing obligations entered into in the ordinary course of business to the extent these letters of credit are not drawn upon; and
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(9) deferrals, renewals or extensions of any of the indebtedness or obligations described in clauses (1) through (8) above.
However, clauses (1) through (8) above exclude:
| • | any indebtedness, obligation or liability referred to in clauses (1) through (8) above, whether outstanding on the date of execution of the senior subordinated debt indenture or thereafter created, assumed or incurred, as to which, in the instrument creating or evidencing that indebtedness, obligation or liability, it is expressly provided that the indebtedness, obligation or liability is not senior in right of payment to the senior subordinated debt securities or ranks equally with the senior subordinated debt securities (the securing of any indebtedness otherwise constituting indebtedness ranking equally with the senior subordinated debt securities will not prevent the indebtedness from constituting indebtedness ranking equally with the senior subordinated debt securities); |
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| • | any indebtedness, obligation or liability, whether outstanding on the date of execution of the senior subordinated debt indenture or thereafter created, assumed or incurred, which is subordinated to indebtedness of FPIC to substantially the same extent as or to a greater extent than the senior subordinated debt securities are subordinated (the securing of any indebtedness otherwise constituting indebtedness ranking junior to the senior subordinated debt securities will not prevent the indebtedness from constituting indebtedness ranking junior to the senior subordinated debt securities); and |
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| • | the senior subordinated debt securities and the junior subordinated debentures issued to the Trusts and, unless expressly provided in the terms thereof, any other indebtedness of FPIC to its subsidiaries. |
The applicable prospectus supplement may further describe the provisions, if any, applicable to the subordination of the senior subordinated debt securities of a particular series. The applicable prospectus supplement or the information incorporated by reference in the applicable prospectus supplement or in this prospectus will describe as of a recent date the approximate amount of our senior debt outstanding as to which the senior subordinated debt securities of that series will be subordinated.
Structural Subordination
Because FPIC is a holding company, our cash flows and consequent ability to service our obligations, including our debt securities, are dependent on distributions and other payments of earnings and other funds by our subsidiaries to us. Dividends and other distributions to us from our various subsidiaries may be subject to statutory, contractual and other restrictions. In addition, the debt securities will be structurally subordinated to all indebtedness and other liabilities and preferred equity of FPIC’s subsidiaries, since any right of FPIC to receive any assets of its subsidiaries upon their liquidation or reorganization, and the consequent right of the holders of the debt securities to participate in those assets, will be effectively subordinated to the claims of that subsidiary’s creditors and preferred equity holders. If FPIC itself is recognized as a creditor of that subsidiary, the claims of FPIC would still be subordinate to any security interest in the assets of that subsidiary and any indebtedness of that subsidiary senior to that held by FPIC.
Conversion or Exchange of Debt Securities
The applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the terms, if any, on which a series of debt securities may be converted into or exchanged for our other securities. These terms will include whether conversion or exchange is mandatory, or is at our option or at the option of the holder. We will also describe in the applicable prospectus supplement how we will calculate the number of securities that holders of debt securities would receive if they were to convert or exchange their debt securities, the conversion price and other terms related to conversion and any anti-dilution protections.
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Redemption of Securities
We may redeem the debt securities at any time, in whole or in part, at the prescribed redemption price, at the times and on the terms, if any, described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
From and after notice has been given as provided in the indentures, if we have made available funds for the redemption of any debt securities called for redemption on the applicable redemption date, the debt securities will cease to bear interest on the date fixed for the redemption specified in the notice, and the only right of the holders of the debt securities will be to receive payment of the redemption price.
Notice of any optional redemption by us of any debt securities is required to be given to holders at their addresses, as shown in the security register. The notice of redemption will be required to specify, among other items, the redemption price and the principal amount of the debt securities held by the holder to be redeemed.
If we elect to redeem debt securities, we will be required to notify the trustee of the aggregate principal amount of debt securities to be redeemed and the redemption date. If fewer than all the debt securities are to be redeemed, the trustee is required to select the debt securities to be redeemed equally, by lot or in a manner it deems fair and appropriate.
Denomination, Interest, Registration and Transfer
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will issue the debt securities (i) in denominations of $1,000 or integral multiples of $1,000 if the debt securities are in registered form and (ii) in denominations of $5,000 if the debt securities are in bearer form.
The debt securities will earn interest at a fixed or floating rate or rates for the period or periods of time specified in the applicable prospectus supplement. Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the debt securities will bear interest on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months.
We may sell debt securities at a substantial discount below their stated principal amount, bearing no interest or interest at a rate that at the time of issuance is below market rates. We will describe the material U.S. federal income tax consequences and the special considerations that apply to any series in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will pay the principal of, and applicable premium, if any, and interest on any series of debt securities at the corporate trust office of the trustee, the address of which will be stated in the applicable prospectus supplement. At our option, we may pay interest by check mailed to the address of the person entitled to the interest payment as it appears in the register for the applicable debt securities or by wire transfer of funds to that person at an account maintained within the United States.
Any defaulted interest, which means interest not punctually paid or duly provided for on any interest payment date with respect to a debt security, will immediately cease to be payable to the registered holder on the applicable regular record date by virtue of his having been the registered holder on such date. We may pay defaulted interest either to the person in whose name the debt security is registered at the close of business on a special record date for the payment of the defaulted interest to be fixed by the trustee, notice of which is to be given to the holder of the debt security not less than ten days before the special record date, or at any time in any other lawful manner, all as more completely described in the applicable indenture or supplemental indenture.
Subject to limitations imposed upon debt securities issued in book-entry form, the holder may exchange debt securities of any series for other debt securities of the same series and of a like aggregate principal amount and tenor of different authorized denominations upon surrender of the debt securities at the corporate trust office of the applicable trustee. In addition, subject to limitations imposed upon debt securities issued in book-entry form, the holder may surrender debt securities of any series for registration of transfer or exchange at the corporate trust office of the applicable trustee. Every debt security surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange must be duly
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endorsed or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer. No service charge will be imposed for any registration of transfer or exchange of any debt securities, but we may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of any debt securities. If the applicable prospectus supplement refers to any transfer agent, in addition to the applicable trustee initially designated by us with respect to any series of debt securities, we may at any time rescind the designation of that transfer agent or approve a change in the location through which any transfer agent acts, except that we will be required to maintain a transfer agent in each place of payment for that series. We may at any time designate additional transfer agents with respect to any series of debt securities.
If we redeem the debt securities of any series, neither we nor any trustee will be required to:
(1) issue, register the transfer of, or exchange debt securities of any series during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before any selection of debt securities of that series to be redeemed and ending at the close of business on the day of mailing of the relevant notice of redemption;
(2) register the transfer of, or exchange any debt security, or portion of any debt security, called for redemption, except the unredeemed portion of any debt security being redeemed in part; or
(3) issue, register the transfer of, or exchange any debt security that has been surrendered for repayment at the option of the holder, except the portion, if any, of the debt security not to be repaid.
Global Securities
We may issue the debt securities of a series in whole or in part in the form of one or more global securities to be deposited with, or on behalf of, a depositary or with a nominee for a depositary identified in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to that series. We may issue global securities in either registered or bearer form and in either temporary or permanent form. The specific terms of the depositary arrangement with respect to a series of debt securities will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to that series.
Our obligations with respect to the debt securities, as well as the obligations of the applicable trustee, run only to persons who are registered holders of debt securities. For example, once we make payment to the registered holder, we have no further responsibility for that payment even if the recipient is legally required to pass the payment along to an individual investor but fails to do so. As an indirect holder, an investor’s rights relating to a global security will be governed by the account rules of the investor’s financial institution and of the depositary, as well as general laws relating to transfers of debt securities.
An investor should be aware that when debt securities are issued in the form of global securities:
| • | the investor cannot have debt securities registered in his or her own name; |
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| • | the investor cannot receive physical certificates for his or her debt securities, except as discussed below; |
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| • | the investor must look to his or her bank or brokerage firm for payments on the debt securities and protection of his or her legal rights relating to the debt securities; |
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| • | the investor may not be able to sell interests in the debt securities to some insurance or other institutions that are required by law to hold the physical certificates of debt that they own; |
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| • | the depositary’s policies will govern payments, transfers, exchanges and other matters relating to the investor’s interest in the global security; and |
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| • | the depositary will usually require that interests in a global security be purchased or sold within its system using same-day funds. |
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The prospectus supplement for a series of debt securities will list the special situations, if any, in which a global security will terminate and interests in the global security will be exchanged for physical certificates representing debt securities. After that exchange, the investor may choose whether to hold debt securities directly or indirectly through an account at the investor’s bank or brokerage firm. In that event, investors must consult their banks or brokers to find out how to have their interests in debt securities transferred to their own names so that they may become direct holders. When a global security terminates, the depositary, and not us or one of the trustees, is responsible for deciding the names of the institutions that will be the initial direct holders.
The laws of some states require that some purchasers of securities take physical delivery of securities in definitive form. These laws may impair your ability to transfer beneficial interests in a global security.
Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets
We will not be permitted to consolidate with or merge into any other entity, or sell, lease, transfer or convey all or substantially all of our properties and assets, either in one transaction or a series of transactions, to any other entity, and no other entity will consolidate with or merge into us, or sell, lease, transfer or convey all or substantially all of its properties and assets to us unless:
(1) either:
| | • | FPIC is the continuing entity; or |
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| | • | the successor entity, if other than FPIC, formed by or resulting from any consolidation or merger, or which has received the transfer of FPIC’s assets, is organized under the laws of the United States, any state of the United States or the District of Columbia, and the successor entity expressly assumes payment of the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest on all of the outstanding debt securities and the due and punctual performance and observance of all of the covenants and conditions contained in the indentures; and |
(2) immediately after giving effect to the transaction and treating any indebtedness that becomes an obligation of FPIC or any subsidiary as a result of that transaction as having been incurred by FPIC or a subsidiary at the time of the transaction, no event of default under the indentures or supplemental indentures, and no event which, after notice or the lapse of time, or both, would become an event of default, will have occurred and be continuing.
However, the conditions described in (1) and (2) above will not apply to the direct or indirect transfer of the stock, assets or liabilities of any of our subsidiaries to another of our direct or indirect subsidiaries.
Except as provided in this prospectus or as may otherwise be provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, the indenture and the terms of the debt securities will not contain any event risks or similar covenants that are intended to afford protection to holders of any debt securities in the event of a merger, a highly leveraged transaction or other significant corporate event involving us or our subsidiaries, whether or not resulting in a change of control, which may adversely affect holders of the debt securities.
The Senior Debt Indenture Limits Our Ability to Incur Liens
Unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the senior debt indenture provides that neither we nor any of our subsidiaries may issue, assume or guarantee any notes, bonds, debentures or other similar evidences of indebtedness for money borrowed that are secured by a mortgage, lien, pledge, security interest or other encumbrance - defined in the senior debt indenture as “liens” - upon any of our property, including the voting stock of any significant subsidiary, unless we provide that any and all senior debt securities then outstanding shall be secured by a lien equally and ratably with any and all other obligations by the lien. The restrictions on liens will not, however, apply to:
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| • | liens existing on the date of the senior debt indenture or provided for under the terms of agreements existing on the date thereof; |
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| • | liens securing only indebtedness owed by one of our subsidiaries to us and/or to one or more of our other subsidiaries; |
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| • | liens on the property of any corporation or other entity existing at the time it becomes our subsidiary; |
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| • | any extension, renewal or replacement or successive extensions, renewals or replacements of any lien referred to in the foregoing clauses that existed on the date of the senior debt indenture; |
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| • | other “ordinary course liens,” as defined in the senior debt indenture, incurred in the ordinary course of our business; or |
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| • | liens which secure “limited recourse indebtedness,” as defined in the senior debt indenture. |
“Voting stock” is defined in the senior debt indenture as the stock of the class or classes having general voting power under ordinary circumstances to elect at least a majority of the board of directors, managers or trustees of a person, provided that, for the purposes of the senior debt indenture, stock that carries only the right to vote conditionally on the occurrence of an event is not considered voting stock whether or not the event has happened.
Notwithstanding the limitations on liens described above, we and any one or more of our subsidiaries may issue, assume or guarantee the following indebtedness secured by liens on assets without regard to the limitations described above: indebtedness in any aggregate principal amount that, together with the aggregate outstanding principal amount of all our other indebtedness and indebtedness of any of our subsidiaries so secured (excluding indebtedness secured by the permitted liens described above), does not at the time such indebtedness is incurred exceed an amount of our consolidated net worth specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, as shown on our most recent audited consolidated balance sheet.
Additional Covenants and/or Modifications to the Covenants Described Above
Any additional covenants of FPIC and/or modifications to the covenants described above with respect to any series of debt securities, including any covenants relating to limitations on incurrence of indebtedness or other financial covenants, will be set forth in the applicable indenture or supplemental indenture and described in the prospectus supplement relating to that series of debt securities.
Unless the applicable prospectus supplement indicates otherwise, the senior subordinated indenture does not contain the restrictive covenant described above, nor does it contain any other provision that restricts us from, among other things:
| • | incurring or becoming liable on any secured or unsecured senior indebtedness or general obligations; |
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| • | paying dividends or making other distributions on our capital stock; |
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| • | purchasing or redeeming our capital stock; or |
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| • | creating any liens on our property for any purpose. |
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Events of Default, Waiver and Notice
Events of Default
The events of default with respect to any series of debt securities, subject to any modifications or deletions provided in any supplemental indenture with respect to any specific series of debt securities, include the following events:
(1) failure to pay any installment of interest or any additional amounts payable on any debt security of the series for 30 days;
(2) failure to pay principal of, or premium, if any, on, any debt security of the series when due, whether at maturity, upon redemption, by declaration or acceleration of maturity or otherwise;
(3) default in making any sinking fund payment when due, for any debt security of the series;
(4) default in the performance or breach of any other covenant or warranty of FPIC contained in the applicable indenture, other than a covenant added to the indenture solely for the benefit of any other series of debt securities issued under that indenture, continued for 90 days after written notice as provided in the applicable indenture;
(5) specific events of voluntary or involuntary bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, or court appointment of a receiver, liquidator or trustee of FPIC or any significant subsidiary or either of their property; and
(6) any other event of default provided with respect to a particular series of debt securities.
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, either of the following two events will also constitute an “event of default” under the senior debt indenture with respect to any senior debt securities:
| • | if any of our or any of our subsidiaries’ indebtedness, as defined in the senior debt indenture, in excess of an aggregate principal amount to be specified in the applicable prospectus supplement is accelerated under any event of default as defined in any mortgage, indenture or instrument and the acceleration has not been rescinded or annulled within 30 days after written notice as provided in the senior debt indenture has been given specifying such event of default and requiring us to cause that acceleration to be rescinded or annulled; or |
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| • | if we or any of our subsidiaries fail to pay, bond or otherwise discharge within 60 days of entry, a judgment, court order or uninsured monetary damage award against us in excess of an aggregate amount to be specified in the applicable prospectus supplement that is not stayed on appeal or otherwise being appropriately contested in good faith. |
If an event of default under any indenture with respect to debt securities of any series at the time outstanding occurs and is continuing, then in every case other than in the case described in clause (5) above, in which case acceleration will be automatic, the applicable trustee or the holders of not less than 25% of the principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series will have the right to declare the principal amount, or, if the debt securities of that series are original issue discount securities or indexed securities, the portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of that series, of all the debt securities of that series to be due and payable immediately by written notice to us, and to the applicable trustee if given by the holders. However, at any time after a declaration of acceleration has been made with respect to debt securities of a series, or of all debt securities then outstanding under any indenture, as the case may be, but before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the applicable trustee, the holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series, or of all debt securities then outstanding under the applicable indenture, as the case may be, may annul the declaration of acceleration and waive any default in respect of those debt securities if:
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| • | we have deposited with the applicable trustee all required payments due otherwise than by acceleration of the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest on the debt securities of that series, or of all debt securities then outstanding under the applicable indenture, as the case may be, plus specified fees, expenses, disbursements and advances of the applicable trustee; and |
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| • | all events of default, other than the non-payment of all or a specified portion of the accelerated principal, with respect to debt securities of that series, or of all debt securities then outstanding under the applicable indenture, as the case may be, have been cured or waived as provided in the applicable indenture. |
Waiver
Each indenture also will provide that the holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series, or of all debt securities then outstanding under the applicable indenture, as the case may be, may waive any past default with respect to that series and its consequences, except a default:
(1) in the payment of the principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on any debt security of that series; or
(2) in respect of a covenant or provision contained in the applicable indenture that, by the terms of that indenture, cannot be modified or amended without the consent of each affected holder of an outstanding debt security.
Notice
Each trustee will be required to give notice to the holders of the applicable debt securities within 90 days of a default under the applicable indenture unless the default has been cured or waived; but the trustee may withhold notice of any default, except a default in the payment of the principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on the debt securities or in the payment of any sinking fund installment in respect of the debt securities, if specified responsible officers of the trustee consider the withholding to be in the interest of the holders.
The holders of debt securities of any series may not institute any proceedings, judicial or otherwise, with respect to the indentures or for any remedy under the indentures, except in the case of failure of the applicable trustee, for 60 days, to act after the trustee has received a written request to institute proceedings in respect of an event of default from the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series, as well as an offer of indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the trustee, and provided that no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the trustee during such 60-day period by the holders of a majority of the outstanding debt securities of that series. However, any holder of debt securities is not prohibited from instituting suit for the enforcement of payment of the principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on the debt securities at their respective due dates.
Subject to the trustee’s duties in case of default, no trustee will be under any obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under an indenture at the request or direction of any holders of any series of debt securities then outstanding under that indenture, unless the holders offer to the trustee reasonable security or indemnity. Subject to such provisions for the indemnification of the trustee, the holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series, or of all debt securities then outstanding under an indenture, as the case may be, will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the applicable trustee, or of exercising any trust or power conferred upon the trustee. A trustee may refuse, however, to follow any direction that is in conflict with any law or the applicable indenture that may involve the trustee in personal liability or may be unduly prejudicial to the holders of debt securities of that series not joining in the direction.
Within 180 days after the end of each fiscal year, we must deliver to each trustee a certificate, signed by one of several specified officers, stating whether or not that officer has knowledge of any default under the applicable indenture and, if so, specifying each default and the nature and status of the default.
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We Are Obligated to Purchase Debt Securities Upon a Change in Control
If specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, if a change in control, as defined in each indenture, occurs, we must mail within 15 days a written notice regarding the change in control to the trustee and to every holder of the debt securities of each series issued under that indenture. The notice must also be published at least once in an authorized newspaper, as defined in each indenture, and must state:
| • | the events causing the change in control and the date of the change in control; |
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| • | the date by which notice of the change in control is required by the applicable indenture to be given; |
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| • | the date, 35 business days after the occurrence of the change in control, by which we must purchase debt securities we are obligated to purchase pursuant to the selling holder’s exercise of rights on the change in control; |
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| • | the price we must pay for the debt securities we are obligated to purchase; |
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| • | the name and address of the trustee; |
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| • | the procedure for surrendering debt securities to the trustee or other designated office or agency for payment; |
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| • | a statement of our obligation to make prompt payment on proper surrender of the debt securities; |
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| • | the procedure for holders’ exercise of rights of sale of the debt securities; and |
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| • | the procedures by which a holder may withdraw such a notice after it is given. |
After we give this notice we will be obligated, at the election of each holder, to purchase the applicable debt securities. Under each indenture, a change in control is deemed to have occurred when:
| • | any event requiring the filing of any report under or in response to Schedule 13D or 14D-1 pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 disclosing beneficial ownership of either 50% or more of our common stock then outstanding or 50% or more of the voting power of our voting stock then outstanding; |
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| • | the completion of any sale, transfer, lease, or conveyance of our properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any person or persons that is not our subsidiary, as those terms are defined in each indenture; or |
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| • | the completion of a consolidation or merger of FPIC with or into any other person or entity in a transaction in which either we are not the sole surviving corporation or our common stock existing before the transaction is converted into cash, securities or other property and in which those exchanging our common stock do not, as a result of the transaction, receive either 75% or more of the survivor’s common stock or 75% or more of the voting power of the survivor’s voting stock. |
We will not purchase any debt securities if there has occurred and is continuing an event of default under either indenture, other than default in payment of the purchase price payable for the debt securities upon a change in control. In connection with any purchase of debt securities after a change in control, we will comply with all federal and state securities laws, including, specifically, Rule 13e-4, if applicable, under the Securities Exchange Act, and any related Schedule 13E-4 required to be submitted under that rule.
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Modification of the Indentures
Except as otherwise specifically provided in the applicable indenture, with the consent of the holders of not less than two-thirds in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each series issued under that indenture that is affected by the modification or amendment, we may enter into supplemental indentures with the trustee for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of such indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the holders of debt securities of such series issued under such indenture. However, no modification or amendment may, without the consent of the holder of each debt security affected by the modification or amendment:
(1) except as described in the prospectus supplement relating to such debt security:
| | • | change the stated maturity of the principal of, or any installment of interest or any additional amounts, or the premium, if any, on, any debt security; |
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| | • | reduce the principal amount of, or the rate or amount of interest on, or change the manner of calculating the rate, or any premium payable on redemption of, any debt security, or reduce the amount of principal of an original issue discount security that would be due and payable upon declaration of acceleration of its maturity or would be provable in bankruptcy, or adversely affect any right of repayment of the holder of any debt security; |
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| | • | extend the time of payment of interest on any debt security or any additional amounts; |
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| | • | change any of the conversion, exchange or redemption provisions of any debt security in a manner adverse to holders of that debt security; |
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| | • | change the place of payment, or the coin or currency for payment, of principal, or premium, if any, including any amount in respect of original issue discount or interest on any debt security; |
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| | • | impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or with respect to any debt security or for the redemption, conversion or exchange, or repayment in the case of a change in control, of any debt security in accordance with its terms; |
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| | • | change any of our obligations to maintain an office or agency in the places and for the purposes required by that indenture; |
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| | • | in the case of subordinated debt securities, modify the ranking or priority of the securities in a manner adverse to holders of that debt security; or |
| | | |
| | • | modify any of the above provisions; |
(2) reduce the percentage of outstanding debt securities of any series necessary to modify or amend the applicable indenture, to waive compliance with specific provisions of, or certain defaults and consequences under, the applicable indenture, or to reduce the quorum or voting requirements set forth in the applicable indenture; or
(3) modify any of the provisions relating to the waiver of specific past defaults or specific covenants, except to increase the required percentage to effect that action or to provide that specific other provisions may not be modified or waived without the consent of the holder of that debt security.
The holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each series affected by the modification or amendment will have the right to waive compliance by FPIC with specific covenants in the indenture. The holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of debt securities of any series issued under one of the indentures may, on behalf of all holders of debt securities of that series, waive any past default and its consequences under that indenture with respect to the debt securities of that series, except:
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| • | a payment default with respect to debt securities of that series; or |
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| • | a default of a covenant or provision of that indenture that cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the holder of the debt securities of that series. |
FPIC and the respective trustee may modify and amend an indenture without the consent of any holder of debt securities for any of the following purposes:
(1) to evidence the succession of another person to FPIC as obligor under the indenture;
(2) to add to the covenants of FPIC for the benefit of the holders of all or any series of debt securities or to surrender any right or power conferred upon FPIC in the indenture;
(3) to add events of default for the benefit of the holders of all or any series of debt securities;
(4) to add or change any provisions of the indenture to facilitate the issuance of, or to liberalize specific terms of, debt securities in bearer form, or to permit or facilitate the issuance of debt securities in uncertificated form, provided that the action will not adversely affect the interests of the holders of the debt securities of any series in any material respect;
(5) to change or eliminate any provisions of an indenture, if the change or elimination becomes effective only when there are no debt securities outstanding of any series created prior to the change or elimination that are entitled to the benefit of the changed or eliminated provision;
(6) to establish the form or terms of debt securities of any series and any related coupons;
(7) to provide for the acceptance of appointment by a successor trustee or facilitate the administration of the trusts under an indenture by more than one trustee;
(8) to cure any ambiguity or correct any inconsistency in an indenture provided that the cure or correction does not adversely affect the holders of the debt securities of any series issued under that indenture in any material respect;
(9) to supplement any of the provisions of an indenture to the extent necessary to permit or facilitate defeasance, covenant defeasance and/or discharge of any series of debt securities, provided that the supplement does not adversely affect the interests of the holders of the debt securities of any series in any material respect;
(10) to make provisions with respect to the conversion or exchange terms and conditions applicable to the debt securities of any series, including, among other things, to safeguard or provide for the conversion or exchange rights of such debt securities in the event of any reclassification or change of outstanding shares of common stock or any merger, consolidation, statutory share exchange or combination or any sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of our properties and assets or other similar transactions;
(11) to add to, delete from or revise the conditions, limitations or restrictions on issue, authentication and delivery of debt securities;
(12) to conform any provision in an indenture to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act; or
(13) to make any change that does not adversely affect the legal rights under an indenture of any holder of debt securities of any series issued under that indenture.
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In determining whether the holders of the requisite principal amount of outstanding debt securities of a series have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver under the indenture or whether a quorum is present at a meeting of holders of debt securities:
| • | the principal amount of an original issue discount security that is deemed to be outstanding will be the amount of the principal of that original issue discount security that would be due and payable as of the date of the determination upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity of that original issue discount security; |
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| • | the principal amount of any debt security denominated in a foreign currency that is deemed outstanding will be the U.S. dollar equivalent, determined on the issue date for that debt security, of the principal amount, or, in the case of an original issue discount security, the U.S. dollar equivalent on the issue date of that debt security of the amount determined as provided in the immediately preceding bullet point; |
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| • | the principal amount of an indexed security that is deemed outstanding will be the principal face amount of the indexed security at original issuance, unless otherwise provided with respect to the indexed security under the applicable indenture; and |
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| • | debt securities owned by FPIC or any other obligor upon the debt securities or any affiliate of FPIC or of any other obligor are to be disregarded. |
Discharge, Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance
Discharge
We may be permitted under the applicable indenture to discharge specific obligations to holders of any series of debt securities (1) that have not already been delivered to the applicable trustee for cancellation and (2) that either have become due and payable or will, within one year, become due and payable or scheduled for redemption, by irrevocably depositing with the applicable trustee, in trust, money or funds certified to be sufficient to pay when due, whether at maturity, upon redemption or otherwise, the principal of, and premium, if any, on and interest on the debt securities.
Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance
If the provisions in the applicable indenture relating to defeasance and covenant defeasance apply to the debt securities of or within any series, we may elect either:
(1) defeasance, which means we elect to defease and be discharged from any and all obligations with respect to the debt securities, except for the obligations to register the transfer or exchange of the debt securities, to replace temporary or mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen debt securities, to maintain an office or agency in respect of the debt securities and to hold moneys for payment in trust; or
(2) covenant defeasance, which means we elect to be released from our obligations with respect to the debt securities under specified sections of the applicable indenture relating to covenants, as described in the applicable prospectus supplement and any omission to comply with its obligations will not constitute an event of default with respect to the debt securities;
in either case upon the irrevocable deposit by us with the applicable trustee, in trust, of an amount, in currency or currencies or government obligations, or both, sufficient without reinvestment to make scheduled payments of the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest on the debt securities, when due, whether at maturity, upon redemption or otherwise, and any mandatory sinking fund or analogous payments.
A trust will only be permitted to be established if, among other things:
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(1) we have delivered to the applicable trustee an opinion of counsel, as specified in the applicable indenture, to the effect that the holders of the debt securities will not recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of the defeasance or covenant defeasance and will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if the defeasance or covenant defeasance had not occurred, and the opinion of counsel, in the case of defeasance, will be required to refer to and be based upon a ruling of the Internal Revenue Service or a change in applicable U.S. federal income tax law occurring after the date of the indenture;
(2) no event of default or any event which after notice or lapse of time or both would be an event of default has occurred and is continuing on the date of the establishment of the trust and, with respect to defeasance only, at any time during the period ending on the 91st day after the date of the establishment of the trust;
(3) the defeasance or covenant defeasance will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, the indenture or any other material agreement or instrument to which FPIC or any subsidiary is a party or by which it is bound;
(4) certain other provisions set forth in the indenture are met;
(5) we have delivered to the trustee an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent to the defeasance or covenant defeasance have been complied with; and
(6) in the case of the senior subordinated debt indenture, no event or condition will exist that, pursuant to certain provisions described under “Subordination of Senior Subordinated Debt Securities,” would prevent FPIC from making payments of principal of and premium, if any, and interest on the senior subordinated debt securities at the date of the irrevocable deposit referred to above.
Each of the indentures defines government obligations as securities which are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer or issuers and are:
| • | direct obligations of the United States or the government or the governments in the confederation that issued the foreign currency in which the debt securities of a particular series are payable, for the payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged; or |
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| • | obligations of a person or entity controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States or the government or governments that issued the foreign currency in which the debt securities of a particular series are payable, the timely payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States or that other government or governments. |
Government obligations also include a depositary receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any government obligation described above or a specific payment of interest on or principal of or any other amount with respect to any government obligation held by that custodian for the account of the holder of such depositary receipt, as long as, except as required by law, that custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of the depositary receipt from any amount received by the custodian with respect to the government obligation or the specific payment of interest on or principal of or any other amount with respect to the government obligation evidenced by the depositary receipt.
In general, if we elect covenant defeasance with respect to any debt securities and payments on those debt securities are declared due and payable because of the occurrence of an event of default, the amount of money and/or government obligations on deposit with the applicable trustee would be sufficient to pay amounts due on those debt securities at the time of their stated maturity, but may not be sufficient to pay amounts due on those debt securities at the time of the acceleration resulting from the event of default. In that case, we would remain liable to make payment of the amounts due on the debt securities at the time of acceleration.
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The applicable prospectus supplement may further describe the provisions, if any, permitting defeasance or covenant defeasance, including any modifications or deletions to the provisions described above, with respect to the debt securities of or within a particular series.
Regarding the Trustees
We will designate the trustee under the senior and subordinated indentures in a prospectus supplement. From time to time, we may enter into banking or other relationships with any of such trustees or their affiliates.
There may be more than one trustee under each indenture, each with respect to one or more series of debt securities. Any trustee may resign or be removed with respect to one or more series of debt securities, and a successor trustee may be appointed to act with respect to such series.
If two or more persons are acting as trustee with respect to different series of debt securities, each trustee will be a trustee of a trust under the indenture separate from the trust administered by any other such trustee. Except as otherwise indicated in this prospectus, any action to be taken by the trustee may be taken by each such trustee with respect to, and only with respect to, the one or more series of debt securities for which it is trustee under the indenture.
Governing Law
The senior debt securities, the senior subordinated debt securities and the related indentures will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of New York.
Description of Junior Subordinated Debentures
General
We will issue the junior subordinated debentures in one or more series under a junior subordinated debenture indenture, as supplemented from time to time, between us and a junior subordinated debenture trustee meeting the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act. The junior subordinated debenture indenture will be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act, will be subject to, and governed by, the Trust Indenture Act, and will be included as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. This summary of certain terms and provisions of the junior subordinated debentures and the junior subordinated debenture indenture does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, all of the provisions of the junior subordinated debentures and the junior subordinated debenture indenture, including the definitions of certain terms, and those terms made a part of the junior subordinated debenture indenture by the Trust Indenture Act.
The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the specific terms of the junior subordinated debentures which we will offer, including:
(1) the specific title and designation, aggregate principal amount and any limit on that amount, purchase price and denominations of the junior subordinated debentures;
(2) the date or dates on which the principal of the junior subordinated debentures is payable or the method of determining the same, if applicable;
(3) the rate or rates, which may be fixed or variable, at which the junior subordinated debentures will bear interest, if any, or the method of determining the same, if applicable;
(4) the date or dates from which the interest, if any, will accrue or the method of determining the same, if applicable, the interest payment dates, if any, on which interest will be payable or the manner of determining the same, if applicable, and the record dates for the determination of holders to whom interest is payable on the junior subordinated debentures;
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(5) the duration of the maximum consecutive periods that FPIC may elect to defer payments of interest on the junior subordinated debentures;
(6) any redemption, repayment or sinking fund provisions;
(7) whether the junior subordinated debentures are convertible into or exchangeable for common stock or other securities or rights of FPIC or other issuers, or a combination of the foregoing, and, if so, the applicable conversion or exchange terms and conditions;
(8) any applicable material U.S. federal income tax consequences; and
(9) any other specific terms pertaining to the junior subordinated debentures, whether in addition to, or modification or deletion of, the terms described in this prospectus.
Ranking
Each series of junior subordinated debentures will rank equally with all other junior subordinated debentures issued or to be issued by FPIC and sold to the Trusts or other trusts or other entities established or to be established by FPIC that are similar to the Trusts and will be unsecured and will rank subordinate and junior in right of payment, to the extent and in the manner set forth in the junior subordinated debenture indenture, to all senior indebtedness of FPIC, as defined in the junior subordinated debenture indenture. The junior subordinated debenture indenture will not limit the amount of secured or unsecured debt, including senior indebtedness, that may be incurred by FPIC or its subsidiaries. As of March 31, 2004 the aggregate principal amount of the senior indebtedness that is described in “Description of Junior Subordinated Debentures — Subordination,” was $10 million.
Form, Registration and Transfer
The junior subordinated debentures subject to this registration statement will be issued in fully registered form. The junior subordinated debentures will be held in the name of the property trustee in trust for the benefit of the holders of the related trust preferred securities and trust common securities until any dissolution of the Trust that issued such trust preferred securities and trust common securities. The trust preferred securities and the trust common securities issued by the Trusts are collectively referred to in this prospectus as the “trust securities.” If the junior subordinated debentures are distributed to the holders of the related trust securities, the junior subordinated debentures will be issued to the holders in the same form as the trust securities were held. Accordingly, any depositary arrangements for the junior subordinated debentures are expected to be substantially similar to those in effect for the trust preferred securities. See “Description of Trust Preferred Securities — Global Trust Preferred Securities.”
Payment and Paying Agents
Unless otherwise indicated in an applicable prospectus supplement, payment of principal of and premium, if any, on and interest on the junior subordinated debentures will be made at the office of the junior subordinated debenture trustee in the City of New York or at the office of the paying agent or paying agents as we may designate from time to time, except that at our option payment of any interest may be made, except in the case of a global certificate representing junior subordinated debentures, by:
| • | check mailed to the address of the person entitled thereto as the address will appear in the applicable securities register for junior subordinated debentures; or |
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| • | transfer to an account maintained by the person entitled thereto as specified in the securities register, provided that proper transfer instructions have been received by the relevant record date. |
Payment of any interest on any junior subordinated debenture will be made to the person in whose name the junior subordinated debenture is registered at the close of business on the record date for the interest, except in the case of defaulted interest. We may at any time designate additional paying agents or rescind the designation of
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any paying agent, but we will at all times be required to maintain a paying agent in each place of payment for the junior subordinated debentures.
Any moneys deposited with the debenture trustee or any paying agent, or then held by us in trust, for the payment of the principal of and premium, if any, or interest on any junior subordinated debentures and remaining unclaimed for two years after the principal and premium, if any, or interest has become due and payable will, at our request, be repaid to us and the holder of the junior subordinated debentures will look, as a general unsecured creditor, only to us for payment.
Option to Extend Interest Payment Date
So long as no junior subordinated debenture event of default has occurred and is continuing, we will have the right under the junior subordinated debenture indenture to defer the payment of interest on the junior subordinated debentures at any time or from time to time for an extension period, which will not exceed the maximum period specified in the applicable prospectus supplement for the deferral of interest. In addition, an extension period must end on an interest payment date and may not extend beyond the stated maturity of the junior subordinated debentures. At the end of an extension period, we must pay all interest then accrued and unpaid, together with interest, to the extent permitted by applicable law. During an extension period, interest will continue to accrue and holders of junior subordinated debentures, and holders of the related trust securities while the trust securities are outstanding, will be required to accrue the deferred interest income for U.S. federal income tax purposes prior to the receipt of cash attributable to the income, regardless of the method of accounting used by the holders.
Prior to the termination of any extension period, we may extend the extension period, provided that the extension does not cause the extension period to exceed the maximum extension period, end on a date other than an interest payment date or extend beyond the stated maturity of the related junior subordinated debentures. Upon the termination of any extension period, or any extension of an extension period, and the payment of all amounts then due, we may begin a new extension period, subject to the foregoing limitations. No interest will be due and payable during an extension period except at the end of that period. We must give the junior subordinated debenture trustee notice of our election to begin or extend an extension period at least five business days prior to the earlier of:
| • | the date cash distributions on the related trust securities would have been payable except for the election to begin or extend the extension period; or |
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| • | the date by which the relevant Trust is required to give notice to any securities exchange or to holders of its trust preferred securities of the record date or the date cash distributions are payable, but in any event not less than five business days prior to the record date. |
The junior subordinated debenture trustee will give notice of our election to begin or extend an extension period to the holders of the trust preferred securities. Subject to the foregoing limitations, there is no limitation on the number of times that we may begin or extend an extension period.
Restrictions on Certain Payments
We will also covenant that if at any time:
(1) any event occurs that, to our actual knowledge is a junior subordinated debenture event of default, and we have not taken reasonable steps to cure that event of default;
(2) if a Trust is the holder of the junior subordinated debentures, FPIC is in default with respect to any of its payment obligations under the guarantee relating to such Trust’s trust preferred securities; or
(3) we give notice of our election to exercise our right to begin or extend an extension period for deferral of interest payments on the junior subordinated debentures as provided in the junior subordinated debenture
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indenture and we have not rescinded that notice, and the extension period or any extension thereof has commenced and is continuing;
then we will not:
| • | declare or pay any dividends or distributions on, or redeem, purchase, acquire, or make a liquidation payment with respect to, any of our capital stock; |
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| • | make any payment of principal of or premium, if any, or interest on, or repay, repurchase or redeem, any of our debt securities, including our other junior subordinated debentures, that rank equally with or junior in right of payment to the junior subordinated debentures; or |
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| • | make any guarantee payments with respect to any guarantee by us of the debt securities of any of our subsidiaries if the guarantee ranks equally with or junior in right of payment to the junior subordinated debentures; |
However, we may do the following at any time:
| (a) declare and pay dividends or distributions payable in shares of our common stock, or in options, warrants or rights to subscribe for or purchase shares of, our common stock; |
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| (b) declare and pay a dividend in connection with the implementation of a shareholders’ rights plan, or issue stock under any such plan in the future, or redeem or repurchase any rights issued pursuant to such a plan; |
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| (c) make payments under the guarantee; |
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| (d) carry out any reclassification of our capital stock or the exchange or conversion of one class or series of our capital stock for another class or series of our capital stock; |
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| (e) purchase fractional interests in shares of our capital stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such capital stock or the security being converted or exchanged; and |
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| (f) purchase or acquire common stock related to the issuance of common stock or rights, or in connection with the satisfaction of our obligations, under any of our benefit plans for our directors, officers or employees or under any of our dividend reinvestment plans. |
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| So long as the trust securities remain outstanding, we also will covenant: |
(1) to maintain 100% direct or indirect ownership of the related trust common securities, it being understood that any permitted successor of FPIC under the junior subordinated debenture indenture may succeed to our ownership of the trust common securities;
(2) to use our best efforts to cause the Trust that issued such trust securities:
| • | to remain a business trust, except in connection with the distribution of junior subordinated debentures to the holders of related trust securities in liquidation of such Trust, the conversion, exchange or redemption of all of its trust securities, or certain mergers, consolidations or amalgamations, each as permitted by the trust agreement; |
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| • | to continue otherwise to be classified as a grantor trust for United States federal income tax purposes; and |
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| • | to use its best efforts to cause each holder of its trust securities to be treated as owning an undivided beneficial interest in the related junior subordinated debentures; and |
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(3) not to cause, as sponsor of such Trust, or to permit, as the holder of its trust common securities, the dissolution, liquidation or winding-up of such Trust, except as provided in the trust agreement.
Modification of Junior Subordinated Debenture Indenture
From time to time, FPIC and the junior subordinated debenture trustee may, without the consent of the holders of the junior subordinated debentures, amend, waive or supplement the junior subordinated debenture indenture for specified purposes, including, among other things, (1) curing ambiguities or adding provisions, provided that any action does not materially adversely affect the interests of the holders of the junior subordinated debentures, and (2) maintaining the qualification of the junior subordinated debenture indenture under the Trust Indenture Act. FPIC and the junior subordinated debenture trustee may, with the consent of the holders of a majority in principal amount of all outstanding junior subordinated debentures affected thereby, modify the junior subordinated debenture indenture in a manner affecting the rights of the holders of junior subordinated debentures. However, we may not, without the consent of the holder of each outstanding junior subordinated debenture so affected, make any modifications which would:
| • | change the stated maturity or reduce the principal of any junior subordinated debentures; |
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| • | change the interest rate, or the manner of calculation of the interest rate, or extend the time of payment of interest on any junior subordinated debentures except for our right under the junior subordinated debenture indenture to defer the payment of interest, as more fully described in “Description of Junior Subordinated Debentures-Option to Extend Interest Payment Date;” |
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| • | change any of the conversion, exchange or redemption provisions applicable to any junior subordinated debentures; |
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| • | change the currency in respect of which payments of principal of or any premium or interest on any junior subordinated debentures are to be made; |
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| • | change the right of holders of trust securities to bring a direct action in respect of any required payments or conversion or exchange rights; |
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| • | impair or affect the right of any holder of any junior subordinated debentures to institute suit for the payment of the principal or premium, if any, or interest thereon or for the conversion or exchange of any junior subordinated debentures in accordance with their terms; |
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| • | change the subordination provisions adversely to the holders of the junior subordinated debentures; or |
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| • | reduce the percentage of principal amount of junior subordinated debentures the holders of which are required to consent to any modification of the junior subordinated debenture indenture. |
Junior Subordinated Debenture Events of Default
Each of the following events with respect to any series of junior subordinated debentures will constitute a junior subordinated debenture event of default, whatever the reason for the junior subordinated debenture event of default and whether it is voluntary or involuntary or effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body, unless the event is specifically deleted or modified in or pursuant to the supplemental indenture, board resolution or officers’ certificate establishing the terms of the series pursuant to the junior subordinated debenture indenture:
| • | we fail for 30 days to pay any interest on that series of junior subordinated debentures when due, subject to any permitted deferral, but during any extension period for that series of junior subordinated debentures, failure to pay interest on that series of junior subordinated debentures will not constitute a junior subordinated debenture event of default; |
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| • | we fail to pay any principal of or premium, if any, on that series of junior subordinated debentures when due, whether at maturity, upon any redemption, by declaration of acceleration of maturity or otherwise; |
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| • | if applicable, we fail to deliver the required securities or other rights upon an appropriate conversion or exchange election by holders of that series of junior subordinated debentures or the related trust preferred securities; |
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| • | we fail to observe or perform any other agreement or covenant contained in the junior subordinated debenture indenture in respect of that series of junior subordinated debentures for 90 days after the debenture trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate outstanding principal amount of that series of junior subordinated debentures provides written notice to us; or |
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| • | certain events in bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization of FPIC. |
The holders of a majority in aggregate outstanding principal amount of the junior subordinated debentures of any series have, subject to certain exceptions, the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the debenture trustee in respect of the junior subordinated debentures. The junior subordinated debenture trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate outstanding principal amount of the junior subordinated debentures of any series may declare the principal of and any accrued interest on the junior subordinated debentures due and payable immediately upon a junior subordinated debenture event of default, except that a junior subordinated debenture event of default referred to in the last bullet point above will result in the immediate acceleration of the junior subordinated debentures. The holders of a majority in aggregate outstanding principal amount of the junior subordinated debentures of any series may annul the declaration and waive the default in respect of the junior subordinated debentures if the default, other than the non-payment of the principal and interest of the junior subordinated debentures which has become due solely by the acceleration, has been cured and a sum sufficient to pay all matured installments of interest, and premium, if any, and principal due otherwise than by acceleration has been deposited with the junior subordinated debenture trustee.
The holders of a majority in aggregate outstanding principal amount of the junior subordinated debentures of any series may, on behalf of the holders of all of the junior subordinated debentures of the series, waive any past default, except (1) a default in the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest, unless the default has been cured and a sum sufficient to pay all matured installments of interest, and premium, if any, and principal due otherwise than by acceleration has been deposited with the junior subordinated debenture trustee, or (2) a default in respect of a covenant or provision which under the junior subordinated debenture indenture cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the holder of each outstanding junior subordinated debenture of that series.
Enforcement of Certain Rights by Holders of Trust Preferred Securities
The following applies only in the event that junior subordinated debentures are held by a Trust.
To the extent any action under the junior subordinated debenture indenture is entitled to be taken by the holders of at least a specified percentage of junior subordinated debentures, holders of the corresponding trust preferred securities may take action if the action is not taken by the property trustee of the Trust that issued such trust preferred securities. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a holder of the related trust preferred securities may institute a direct action if a junior subordinated debenture event of default has occurred and is continuing and is attributable either to (1) the failure of FPIC to pay the principal of or premium, if any, on or interest on the junior subordinated debentures on the due date or (2) the failure by FPIC to deliver the required securities or other rights upon an appropriate conversion or exchange right election, if any. A “direct action” is a legal proceeding directly against FPIC for enforcement of payment to the holder of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on the junior subordinated debentures having a principal amount equal to the liquidation amount of the trust preferred securities held by the holder or for enforcement of the conversion or exchange rights, as the case may be. FPIC may not amend the junior subordinated debenture indenture to remove the foregoing right to bring a direct action without the prior written consent of the holders of all of the trust preferred securities outstanding. If the right to bring a direct action is removed, the Trust or Trusts whose trust preferred securities are outstanding may become subject to the
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reporting obligations under the Securities Exchange Act. Notwithstanding any payments made to a holder of trust preferred securities by FPIC in connection with a direct action, FPIC will remain obligated to pay the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on the related junior subordinated debentures, and FPIC will be subrogated to the rights of the holder of the trust preferred securities with respect to payments on the trust preferred securities to the extent of any payments made by FPIC to the holder in any direct action.
The holders of the trust preferred securities will not be able to exercise directly any remedies, other than those set forth in the preceding paragraph, available to the holders of the related junior subordinated debentures unless an event of default has occurred and is continuing under the trust agreement. See “Description of Trust Preferred Securities — Events of Default; Notice.”
Consolidation, Merger, Sale of Assets and other Transactions
FPIC will not consolidate with or merge into any other person or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any person, and no person will consolidate with or merge into FPIC or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to FPIC, unless:
| • | in case FPIC consolidates with or merges into another person or conveys or transfers its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any person, the successor person is organized under the laws of the United States, any state of the United States or the District of Columbia, and the successor person expressly assumes FPIC’s obligations under the junior subordinated debentures and the guarantees of the trust preferred securities of the Trusts; |
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| • | immediately after giving effect to the consolidation or merger, no junior subordinated debenture event of default, and no event which, after notice or lapse of time or both, would become a junior subordinated debenture event of default, will have occurred and be continuing; and |
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| • | other conditions as prescribed in the junior subordinated debenture indenture are met. |
Satisfaction and Discharge
The junior subordinated debenture indenture will cease to be of further effect, except as to our obligations to pay all other sums due under the junior subordinated debenture indenture and to provide the officers’ certificates and opinions of counsel described in that indenture, and we will be deemed to have satisfied and discharged the junior subordinated debenture indenture, when, among other things, all junior subordinated debentures not previously delivered to the debenture trustee for cancellation:
| • | have become due and payable; or |
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| • | will become due and payable at maturity or upon redemption within one year; and |
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| • | FPIC deposits or causes to be deposited with the junior subordinated debenture trustee funds, in trust, for the purpose and in an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on the junior subordinated debentures not previously delivered to the debenture trustee for cancellation, for the principal and premium, if any, and interest to the date of the deposit or to the stated maturity of the junior subordinated debentures, as the case may be. |
Subordination
The junior subordinated debentures will rank subordinate and junior in right of payment to all senior indebtedness to the extent provided in the junior subordinated debenture indenture. Upon any payment or distribution of assets to creditors upon any liquidation, dissolution, winding-up, reorganization, assignment for the benefit of creditors, marshaling of assets or any bankruptcy, insolvency, debt restructuring or similar proceedings in connection with any insolvency or bankruptcy proceeding of FPIC, the holders of senior indebtedness will first be
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entitled to receive payment in full of the senior indebtedness before the holders of junior subordinated debentures will be entitled to receive or retain any payment in respect of these debentures.
In the event of the acceleration of the maturity of junior subordinated debentures, the holders of all senior indebtedness outstanding at the time of the acceleration will first be entitled to receive payment in full of the senior indebtedness before the holders of junior subordinated debentures will be entitled to receive or retain any payment in respect of the junior subordinated debentures.
No payments on account of principal or premium, if any, or interest in respect of the junior subordinated debentures may be made if (1) there has occurred and is continuing a default in any payment with respect to senior indebtedness, (2) any applicable grace period with respect to the default on the senior indebtedness has ended and the default has not been cured or waived or ceased to exist, (3) an event of default with respect to any senior indebtedness results in the acceleration of the maturity thereof, or (4) any judicial proceeding is pending with respect to any default.
“Indebtedness,” for purposes of the sections “Description of the Junior Subordinated Debentures” and “Description of Guarantees,” and the junior subordinated debenture indenture, means:
(1) every obligation of FPIC for money borrowed;
(2) indebtedness for borrowed money or for the unpaid purchase price of real or personal property of, or guaranteed by, FPIC, other than accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business payable on terms customary in the trade;
(3) indebtedness secured by any mortgage, lien, pledge, security interest or encumbrance of any kind or payable out of the proceeds from property;
(4) indebtedness which is evidenced by mortgages, notes, bonds, securities, acceptances or other instruments;
(5) indebtedness which must be capitalized as liabilities under generally accepted accounting principles;
(6) liabilities under interest rate swap, exchange, collar or cap agreements and all other agreements or arrangements designed to protect against fluctuations in interest rates or currency exchange rates;
(7) guarantees and endorsements of obligations of others, directly or indirectly, and all other repurchase agreements and indebtedness in effect guaranteed through an agreement, contingent or otherwise, to purchase that indebtedness, or to purchase or sell property, or to purchase or sell services, primarily for the purpose of enabling the debtor to make payment of the indebtedness or to assure the owner of the indebtedness against loss, or to supply funds to or in any manner invest in the debtor, or otherwise to assure a creditor against loss (but excluding guarantees and endorsements of notes, bills and checks made in the ordinary course of business);
(8) all obligations for the reimbursement of any obligor on any letter of credit, banker’s acceptance or similar credit transaction, generally other than obligations with respect to letters of credit securing obligations entered into in the ordinary course of business to the extent these letters of credit are not drawn upon;
(9) every obligation of the type referred to in clauses (1) through (8) of another person and all dividends of another person the payment of which, in either case, FPIC has guaranteed or is responsible or liable for, directly or indirectly, as obligor or otherwise;
(10) obligations of the type referred to in clauses (1) through (9) of another person secured by any lien on any property or asset of FPIC, whether or not the obligation is assumed by FPIC; and
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(11) all deferrals, renewals, extensions and refundings of, and amendments, modifications and supplements to, any of the foregoing obligations.
“Indebtedness ranking equally with the junior subordinated debentures,” for purposes of the sections “Description of the Junior Subordinated Debentures” and “Description of Guarantees,” and the junior subordinated debenture indenture, means:
| • | indebtedness, whether outstanding on the date of execution of the junior subordinated debenture indenture or thereafter created, assumed or incurred, to the extent the indebtedness specifically by its terms ranks equally with and not prior to the junior subordinated debentures in the right of payment upon the happening of the dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization of FPIC; and |
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| • | all other debt securities, and guarantees in respect of those debt securities, issued to any other trust, or a trustee of the trust, partnership or other entity affiliated with FPIC that is a financing vehicle of FPIC in connection with the issuance by that financing vehicle of equity securities or other securities guaranteed by FPIC pursuant to an instrument that ranks equally with or junior in right of payment to the guarantee. |
The securing of any indebtedness otherwise constituting indebtedness ranking equally with the junior subordinated debentures will not prevent the indebtedness from constituting indebtedness ranking equally with the junior subordinated debentures.
“Indebtedness ranking junior to the junior subordinated debentures,” for purposes of the sections “Description of the Junior Subordinated Debentures” and “Description of Guarantees,” and the junior subordinated debenture indenture, means any indebtedness, whether outstanding on the date of execution of the junior subordinated debenture indenture or thereafter created, assumed or incurred, to the extent the indebtedness by its terms ranks junior to and not equally with or prior to the junior subordinated debentures in right of payment upon the happening of the dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization of FPIC. The securing of any indebtedness otherwise constituting indebtedness ranking junior to the junior subordinated debentures will not prevent the indebtedness from constituting indebtedness ranking junior to the junior subordinated debentures.
“Senior indebtedness,” for purposes of the sections “Description of the Junior Subordinated Debentures” and “Description of Guarantees,” and the junior subordinated debenture indenture, means all indebtedness, whether outstanding on the date of execution of the junior subordinated debenture indenture or thereafter created, assumed or incurred, except indebtedness ranking equally with the junior subordinated debentures or indebtedness ranking junior to the junior subordinated debentures.
Governing Law
The junior subordinated debenture indenture and the junior subordinated debentures will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
Information Concerning the Junior Subordinated Debenture Trustee
The junior subordinated debenture trustee will be subject to all the duties and responsibilities specified with respect to an indenture trustee under the Trust Indenture Act. Subject to the foregoing, the junior subordinated debenture trustee will not be under any obligation to exercise any of the powers vested in it by the junior subordinated debenture indenture at the request of any holder of junior subordinated debentures, unless offered reasonable indemnity by the holder against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred thereby. The junior subordinated debenture trustee will not be required to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur personal financial liability in the performance of its duties if the junior subordinated debenture trustee reasonably believes that repayment or adequate indemnity is not reasonably assured to it.
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DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS
General
We may issue warrants to purchase our common stock, preferred stock or debt securities or units of two or more of these types of securities, which are collectively referred to in this prospectus as “underlying warrant securities.” We may issue warrants independently or together with any underlying warrant securities and such warrants may be attached to or separate from those underlying warrant securities. We will issue the warrants under warrant agreements to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent, as more fully described in the applicable prospectus supplement. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants of the series being offered and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders or beneficial owners of warrants.
The applicable prospectus supplement will contain a description of the following terms:
(1) the title of the warrants;
(2) the designation, amount and terms of the underlying warrant securities for which the warrants are exercisable;
(3) the designation and terms of the underlying warrant securities, if any, with which the warrants are to be issued and the number of warrants issued with each underlying warrant security;
(4) the price or prices at which the warrants will be issued;
(5) the aggregate number of warrants;
(6) any provisions for adjustment of the number or amount of securities receivable upon exercise of the warrants or the exercise price of the warrants;
(7) the price or prices at which the underlying warrant securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants may be purchased;
(8) if applicable, the date on and after which the warrants and the underlying warrant securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants will be separately transferable;
(9) if applicable, a discussion of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to the exercise of the warrants;
(10) the date on which the right to exercise the warrants will commence, and the date on which the right will expire;
(11) the currency or currencies (including composite currencies), and/or the securities (if any), in which the exercise price of the warrants may be payable; and, if the exercise price is payable in whole or in part with securities, the basis for determining the amount or number of such securities to be provided as such payment;
(12) the maximum or minimum number of warrants which may be exercised at any time;
(13) information with respect to book-entry procedures, if any; and
(14) any other terms, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exercise and exchange of the warrants.
The shares of common or preferred stock issuable upon exercise of the applicable warrants will, when issued in accordance with the applicable warrant agreement, be fully paid and nonassessable. This means that the
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shares will be paid for in full at the time they are issued, and, once they are paid for in full, there will be no further liability for further assessments or taxation.
Exercise of Warrants
Each warrant will entitle its holder to purchase, for cash and/or securities (as will be specified in the applicable prospectus supplement), the shares of common stock, shares of preferred stock or amount or number of debt securities, at the exercise price, as will in each case be set forth in, or be determinable as set forth in, the applicable prospectus supplement. Holders may exercise warrants at any time up to the close of business on the expiration date set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the warrants offered thereby. After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised warrants will become void.
Holders of warrants may exercise their respective warrants as set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to such warrants. Upon receipt of payment and the warrant certificate properly completed and duly executed at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent or any other office indicated in the prospectus supplement, we will, as soon as practicable, forward the underlying warrant securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants. If a holder exercises less than all of the warrants represented by the warrant certificate, the warrant agent will issue a new warrant certificate for the remaining warrants.
Prior to the exercise of any warrants, holders of the warrants will not have any of the rights of holders of the underlying securities subject to the warrants, including:
| • | in the case of warrants for the purchase of shares of common stock or shares of preferred stock, the right to vote or to receive any payments of dividends on the shares of common stock or preferred stock purchasable upon exercise; or |
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| • | in the case of warrants for the purchase of debt securities, the right to receive payments of principal of, or any premium or interest on, the debt securities purchasable upon exercise or to enforce covenants in the applicable indenture. |
Antidilution and Other Provisions
The exercise price payable, the number of shares of common or preferred stock purchasable upon the exercise of each applicable warrant and the number of applicable warrants outstanding are subject to adjustment if specified events occur. These events include:
| • | the issuance of a stock dividend to holders of shares of common or preferred stock; and |
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| • | a combination, subdivision or reclassification of shares of common or preferred stock. |
In lieu of adjusting the number of shares of common or preferred stock purchasable upon exercise of each applicable warrant, FPIC may elect to adjust the number of warrants. No adjustment in the number of shares purchasable upon exercise of the warrants will be required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in the number of shares purchasable. FPIC may also, at its option, reduce the exercise price at any time. No fractional shares will be issued upon exercise of applicable warrants, but FPIC will pay the cash value of fractional shares otherwise issuable. Notwithstanding the preceding sentences, in case of any consolidation, merger, or sale or conveyance of FPIC’s property as an entirety or substantially as an entirety, each warrant holder shall have the right to the kind and amount of shares of stock and other securities and property, including cash, receivable by a holder of the number of shares of common or preferred stock into which the applicable warrants were exercisable immediately prior to this event.
The descriptions of the warrant agreements in this prospectus and in any prospectus supplement are summaries of certain material provisions of the applicable warrant agreements. These descriptions do not restate those agreements in their entirety and do not contain all of the information that you may find useful or that may be important to you. You should refer to the provisions of the applicable warrant agreement and warrant certificate
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relating to the warrants because they, and not the summaries, define your rights as holders of the warrants or any warrant units. For more information, please review the forms of these documents, which will be filed with the SEC promptly after the offering of warrants or warrant units and will be available as described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information” above.
DESCRIPTION OF TRUST PREFERRED SECURITIES
The descriptions of the trust preferred securities and the trust agreements in this prospectus and in any prospectus supplement are summaries of certain material provisions of the trust preferred securities and portions of the amended and restated agreements. These descriptions do not restate those documents in their entirety and do not contain all of the information that you may find useful or that may be important to you. You should refer to the provisions of the form of trust agreement itself for a full description of the trust preferred securities, because it, and not the summaries, defines your rights as holders of the trust preferred securities. For more information, please review the form of the trust agreement and trust securities filed as an exhibit to the registration statement that includes this prospectus or to be filed with the SEC by a current report on Form 8-K, all of which will be available as described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information” above. The following summary of certain terms and provisions of the trust preferred securities and the trust agreement is subject to, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, all of the provisions of the trust preferred securities and the trust agreement, including the definitions of certain terms, and those made a part of the trust agreement by the Trust Indenture Act.
General
The trust preferred securities may be issued from time to time in one or more series. The particular terms of the trust preferred securities offered by any prospectus supplement and the extent to which the general provisions described below may apply to such securities will be outlined in the applicable prospectus supplement, it being expressly understood that the particular terms may amend, differ from or exclude those set forth herein.
Each Trust may issue, from time to time, one series of trust preferred securities having terms, including distributions, redemption, voting and liquidation rights, and restrictions that are established by the administrative trustees in accordance with the trust agreement or that are otherwise set forth in the trust agreement of such Trust. The terms of the trust common securities issued by each Trust will be substantially identical to the terms of the preferred securities issued by such Trust. The trust common securities of a Trust will rank equally, and payments will be made proportionately, with the preferred securities of such Trust. However, if an event of default under the trust agreement of such Trust has occurred and is continuing, the cash distributions and liquidation, redemption and other amounts payable on the trust common securities will be subordinated to the preferred securities in right of payment. The trust common securities will also carry the right to vote and to appoint, remove or replace any of the trustees of such Trust. FPIC will own, directly or indirectly, all of the trust common securities of each Trust.
The trust preferred securities issued by a Trust will represent preferred undivided beneficial interests in such Trust. The holders of the trust preferred securities of a Trust will be entitled to a preference over the trust common securities of such Trust with respect to the payment of distributions and amounts payable on redemption of the trust preferred securities or the liquidation of such Trust under the circumstances described under “Subordination of Trust Common Securities.” The term “trust securities” as used in this prospectus collectively means the trust common securities and the trust preferred securities of a Trust. Each Trust will qualify its trust agreement as an indenture under the Trust Indenture Act, and its trust agreement is subject to, and governed by, the Trust Indenture Act.
A Trust that offers preferred trust securities will describe the specific terms of the trust preferred securities it is offering in the applicable prospectus supplement, including the following:
(1) the specific designation, number and purchase price of the trust preferred securities;
(2) the annual distribution rate, or method of calculation of the distribution rate, for the trust preferred securities and, whether such distributions will be cumulative and, if so, the dates from which and upon which distributions will accumulate and be payable and the record dates;
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(3) whether distributions on the trust preferred securities may be deferred and, if so, the maximum number of distributions that may be deferred, the maximum extension period and the other terms and conditions of such deferrals;
(4) the liquidation amount per trust preferred security which will be paid out of the assets of such Trust to the holders upon voluntary or involuntary dissolution, winding-up and liquidation of such Trust;
(5) the obligation or right, if any, of such Trust to purchase or redeem its trust preferred securities, whether pursuant to a sinking fund or otherwise, and the price or prices at which, the date or dates on which or period or periods within which and the terms and conditions upon which, such Trust will or may purchase or redeem, in whole or in part, the trust preferred securities pursuant to its obligation or right to purchase or redeem;
(6) the terms and conditions, if any, upon which the trust preferred securities may be converted or exchanged, in addition to the circumstances described herein, into common stock or other securities or rights, or a combination of the foregoing, including the name of the issuer of the securities or rights, the initial conversion or exchange price or rate per trust preferred security, the date or dates on which or period or periods within which the conversion or exchange may be effected and whether such Trust will have the option to convert such trust preferred securities into cash;
(7) if applicable, any securities exchange upon which the trust preferred securities will be listed;
(8) the voting rights, if any, of the trust preferred securities in addition to those required by law, including the number of votes per trust preferred security and any requirement for the approval by the holders of trust preferred securities as a condition to specified action or amendments to the trust agreement;
(9) the terms and conditions, if any, upon which junior subordinated debentures held by such Trust may be distributed to holders of preferred securities;
(10) the obligation or right, if any, of FPIC or any other party to liquidate that Trust and any terms and conditions of such liquidation;
(11) if applicable, a description of any remarketing, auction or other similar arrangements;
(12) the title or designation and terms of any securities with which the preferred securities are issued as a unit;
(13) whether the trust preferred securities will or may be represented by one or more global certificates;
(14) whether the trust preferred securities are issuable in book-entry only form and, if so, the identity of the depositary and disclosure relating to the depositary arrangements; and
(15) any other rights, preferences, privileges, limitations or restrictions of the trust preferred securities consistent with the trust agreement or with applicable law, which may differ from those described herein.
Each Trust offering trust preferred securities will also describe certain material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to such trust preferred securities in the applicable prospectus supplement.
The trust preferred securities of each Trust will rank equally, and payments will be made on the trust preferred securities equally, with the trust common securities of such Trust except as described under “Subordination of Trust Common Securities.” Each Trust will use the proceeds from the sale of trust preferred securities and trust common securities to purchase an aggregate principal amount of junior subordinated debentures of FPIC equal to the aggregate liquidation amount of the trust preferred securities and trust common securities. The property trustee of each Trust will hold legal title to the junior subordinated debentures for the benefit of the holders of the related trust securities. In addition, FPIC will execute a guarantee for the benefit of the holders of the related trust preferred securities. The guarantees will not guarantee payment of distributions or amounts payable on
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redemption of the trust preferred securities or liquidation of the Trusts when they do not have funds or other property legally available for payment. See “Description of Guarantees.”
The revenue of each Trust available for distribution to holders of its trust preferred securities will be limited to payments under the related junior subordinated debentures of FPIC. If FPIC fails to make a required payment in respect of those junior subordinated debentures, the relevant Trust will not have sufficient funds to make the related payments, including distributions, in respect of its trust preferred securities.
Deferral of Distributions
So long as no junior subordinated debenture event of default has occurred and is continuing, we will have the right under the junior subordinated debenture indenture to defer the payment of interest on the junior subordinated debentures at any time or from time to time for up to the maximum extension period specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, provided that an extension period must end on an interest payment date and may not extend beyond the stated maturity of the junior subordinated debentures. If we elect to exercise our right to defer such payment of interest, the relevant Trust will defer distributions on the related trust preferred securities during any extension period. Distributions to which holders of the trust preferred securities are entitled during any extension period will continue to accumulate additional distributions specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, but the additional distributions may not exceed the interest rate accruing on the related junior subordinated debentures. We have no current intention to exercise our right to defer payments of interest on the junior subordinated debentures we may issue and, accordingly, to defer distributions on the related trust preferred securities.
Redemption
Upon the repayment at the stated maturity or redemption, in whole or in part, before the stated maturity of the junior subordinated debentures, the property trustee of the relevant Trust will apply the proceeds from the repayment or redemption to redeem an aggregate liquidation amount of the trust securities issued by such Trust equal to the aggregate principal amount of the junior subordinated debentures so repaid or redeemed, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ prior written notice, at a redemption price equal to the aggregate liquidation amount plus accumulated distributions to the redemption date. The relevant Trust will redeem its trust securities and pay the applicable redemption price on the redemption date only to the extent that it has funds legally available for the payment thereof. See “Subordination of Trust Common Securities.”
If FPIC redeems less than all of the junior subordinated debentures issued to a Trust before the stated maturity of the junior subordinated debentures, then such Trust will use the proceeds of the redemption to redeem the related trust securities proportionately between its trust preferred securities and trust common securities except as described under “Subordination of Trust Common Securities.” If such Trust redeems less than all of the trust preferred securities held in book-entry form, if any, it will redeem its trust preferred securities in accordance with the procedures of The Depository Trust Company, also known as DTC. See “Global Trust Preferred Securities.”
Redemption Procedures
Unless otherwise provided in the relevant trust agreement and described in the applicable prospectus supplement, if a Trust gives a notice of redemption in respect of its trust preferred securities, then, by 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the redemption date, to the extent funds are legally available:
| • | with respect to trust preferred securities held by DTC or its nominee, the property trustee will deposit, or cause the paying agent for the trust preferred securities to deposit, irrevocably with DTC, funds sufficient to pay the applicable redemption price, and |
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| • | with respect to trust preferred securities held in certificated form, the property trustee will irrevocably deposit with the paying agent, funds sufficient to pay the applicable redemption price and will give the paying agent irrevocable instructions and authority to pay the applicable |
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| redemption price to the holders upon surrender of their certificates evidencing the trust preferred securities. |
If the relevant Trust has given a notice of redemption and has deposited funds irrevocably as required, then, upon the date of such deposit, all rights of the holders of the trust preferred securities called for redemption will cease, except the right of the holders to receive the applicable redemption price, but without interest thereon, and the trust preferred securities will cease to be outstanding. In the event that any redemption date is not a business day, then the relevant Trust will pay the applicable redemption price payable on that date on the next succeeding day that is a business day, and without any interest or other payment in respect of any delay, with the same force and effect as if made on that date. In the event that a Trust or FPIC improperly withholds payment or refuses to pay and has not paid the applicable redemption price under the guarantee as described under “Description of Guarantees”:
| • | distributions on the related trust preferred securities will continue to accumulate from the redemption date originally established by such Trust to the date the applicable redemption price is actually paid; and |
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| • | the actual payment date will be the redemption date for purposes of calculating the applicable redemption price. |
Subject to applicable law, including, without limitation, U.S. federal securities law, FPIC or its subsidiaries may at any time and from time to time purchase outstanding trust preferred securities by tender, in the open market or by private agreement.
Liquidation of the Trusts and Distribution of Junior Subordinated Debentures
FPIC will have the right at any time to dissolve each Trust and cause the related junior subordinated debentures to be distributed to the holders of the trust securities of such Trust in liquidation of such Trust after satisfaction of liabilities to creditors of such Trust as required by applicable law. Unless otherwise stated in a Trust’s trust agreement and described in the applicable prospectus supplement, this right to dissolve will be subject to FPIC having received an opinion of counsel to the effect that the distribution will not be a taxable event to holders of the trust preferred securities of such Trust.
Each Trust will automatically dissolve upon the first to occur of:
(1) certain events of bankruptcy, dissolution or liquidation of FPIC;
(2) the distribution of the related junior subordinated debentures to the holders of the trust securities of such Trust, if FPIC, as sponsor, has given written direction to the property trustee to dissolve such Trust, which direction is optional and, except as described above, wholly within the discretion of FPIC, as sponsor;
(3) the conversion, exchange or redemption of all of the trust securities of such Trust;
(4) expiration of the term of such Trust; and
(5) the entry of an order for the dissolution of such Trust by a court of competent jurisdiction.
If a dissolution occurs as described in clause (1), (2), (4) or (5) above, the trustees of the dissolved Trust will liquidate such Trust as expeditiously as they determine to be possible by distributing, after satisfaction of liabilities to creditors of such Trust as provided by applicable law, to the holders of the trust securities the related junior subordinated debentures. If the property trustee determines that the distribution is not practicable, the holders of the trust securities will be entitled to receive out of the assets of such Trust legally available for distribution to holders, after satisfaction of liabilities to creditors of such Trust as provided by applicable law, a liquidation distribution, which is an amount equal to the aggregate of the liquidation amount per trust security specified in the applicable prospectus supplement plus accumulated distributions thereon to the date of payment. If the dissolved Trust can only pay the liquidation distribution in part because it has insufficient assets legally available to pay in full
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the aggregate liquidation distribution, then it will pay amounts on its trust securities proportionately, except that if a junior subordinated debenture event of default has occurred and is continuing, the trust preferred securities of such Trust will have a priority over its trust common securities in respect of liquidation distributions. See “Subordination of Trust Common Securities.”
After a date is fixed for any distribution of junior subordinated debentures to holders of the related trust securities:
(1) the trust securities will no longer be deemed to be outstanding;
(2) each registered global certificate, if any, representing the trust securities will be exchanged for a registered global certificate representing the junior subordinated debentures to be delivered upon distribution; and
(3) any trust securities in certificated form will be deemed to represent junior subordinated debentures having a principal amount equal to the liquidation amount of the trust securities, and bearing accrued interest in an amount equal to the accumulated distributions on the trust securities until certificates are presented to the administrative trustees or their agent for cancellation, whereupon FPIC will issue to the holder, and the junior subordinated debenture trustee will authenticate, junior subordinated debentures in certificated form.
There can be no assurance as to the market prices for the trust preferred securities or the junior subordinated debentures that may be distributed in exchange for the trust preferred securities if a dissolution and liquidation of a Trust were to occur. Accordingly, the trust preferred securities that an investor may purchase, or the junior subordinated debentures that the investor may receive on dissolution and liquidation of a Trust, may trade at a discount to the price that the investor paid to purchase the trust preferred securities.
Subordination of Trust Common Securities
Each Trust that issues trust securities will pay distributions on, and the applicable redemption price of, the trust securities equally among its trust preferred securities and its trust common securities based on their respective liquidation amounts. However, if on any distribution date, redemption date, conversion or exchange date, or upon liquidation, a junior subordinated debenture event of default or any other event of default under the trust agreement has occurred and is continuing, the relevant Trust will not pay any distribution on, or applicable redemption price of, or convert or exchange any of its trust common securities, and will not make any other payment on account of the redemption, liquidation, conversion, exchange or other acquisition of its trust common securities, unless payment in full in cash of all accumulated distributions on all of its outstanding trust preferred securities for all distribution periods terminating on or before the redemption, liquidation, conversion, exchange or other acquisition, or in the case of payment of the applicable redemption or repayment price, the full amount of the redemption price, has been made or provided for and, in the case of conversion or exchange, the trust preferred securities have been converted or exchanged in full and other amounts payable have been paid. The property trustee of such Trust will apply all available funds first to the payment in full in cash of all distributions on, or applicable redemption price of, the trust preferred securities then due and payable.
Upon the occurrence and continuance of an event of default under a Trust’s trust agreement, FPIC, as the holder of the trust common securities of such Trust, will be deemed to have waived any right to act with respect to that event of default until the effect of the event of default has been cured, waived or otherwise eliminated. Until any event of default has been so cured, waived or otherwise eliminated, the property trustee of such Trust will act solely on behalf of the holders of the trust preferred securities of such Trust and not on behalf of FPIC as the trust common securities holder, and only the holders of such trust preferred securities will have the right to direct the property trustee to act on their behalf.
Events of Default; Notice
The occurrence of a junior subordinated debenture event of default, as described under “Description of Junior Subordinated Debentures -- Junior Subordinated Debenture Events of Default,” or under any assets held by a Trust, will constitute an event of default under the trust agreement for each Trust, unless otherwise provided in the
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trust agreement for such Trust and described in the applicable prospectus supplement. Within the time period specified in each trust agreement, the property trustee will transmit notice of an event of default of which it has actual knowledge to the holders of the trust preferred securities of the relevant Trust, the administrative trustees of such Trust and FPIC, as sponsor, unless the event of default has been cured or waived.
For a discussion of the limited circumstances in which holders of trust preferred securities may bring a direct action against FPIC, see “Description of Junior Subordinated Debentures Enforcement of Certain Rights by Holders of Trust Preferred Securities.”
Removal of Trustees
Unless a junior subordinated debenture event of default has occurred and is continuing, FPIC, as the holder of trust common securities of each Trust, may remove the trustees at any time. If a junior subordinated debenture event of default has occurred and is continuing, only the holders of a majority in liquidation amount of the outstanding trust preferred securities of such Trust may remove the property trustee and the Delaware trustee at such time. In no event will the holders of the trust preferred securities have the right to vote to appoint, remove or replace the administrative trustees, which voting rights are vested exclusively in FPIC as the trust common securities holder. No resignation or removal of a trustee, and no appointment of a successor trustee, will be effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor trustee in accordance with the provisions of the trust agreement.
Merger or Consolidation of Trustees
Any person into which the property trustee, the Delaware trustee or any administrative trustee that is not a natural person may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any person resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which such trustee will be a party, or any person succeeding to all or substantially all the corporate trust business of that trustee, will be the successor of that trustee under the trust agreement, provided that person is otherwise qualified and eligible.
Mergers, Conversions, Consolidations, Amalgamations or Replacements of the Trusts
Each Trust may not merge with or into, convert into, consolidate, amalgamate, or be replaced by, or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any corporation or other person, except as described below or as otherwise described under “Liquidation of the Trusts and Distribution of Junior Subordinated Debentures.” Each Trust may, at the request of FPIC, as sponsor, with the consent of the administrative trustees but without the consent of the holders of its trust preferred securities, merge with or into, convert into, consolidate, amalgamate, or be replaced by or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to a trust organized as such under the laws of any state of the United States; provided, that:
(1) the successor entity either:
| • | expressly assumes all of the obligations of such Trust with respect to the trust securities of such Trust; or |
| | |
| • | substitutes for the trust securities of such Trust successor securities, which are securities having substantially the same terms as the trust securities of such Trust, so long as the successor securities rank the same as such trust securities rank in priority with respect to distributions and payments upon liquidation, redemption and otherwise; |
(2) FPIC expressly appoints a trustee of the successor entity possessing the same powers and duties as the property trustee with respect to the related junior subordinated debentures;
(3) the successor securities are listed, or any successor securities will be listed upon notification of issuance, on each national securities exchange or other organization on which the trust securities of such Trust are then listed, if any;
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(4) the merger, conversion, consolidation, amalgamation, replacement, conveyance, transfer or lease does not cause the rating of the trust preferred securities, including any successor securities, of such Trust or the related junior subordinated debentures to be downgraded or placed under surveillance or review by any nationally recognized statistical rating organization;
(5) the merger, conversion, consolidation, amalgamation, replacement, conveyance, transfer or lease does not adversely affect the rights, preferences and privileges of the holders of the trust securities, including any successor securities, of such Trust in any material respect, other than any dilution of the holders’ interests in the new entity;
(6) the successor entity has a purpose substantially identical to that of such Trust;
(7) prior to the merger, conversion, consolidation, amalgamation, replacement, conveyance, transfer or lease, FPIC has received an opinion from independent counsel to such Trust experienced in these matters to the effect that:
| • | the merger, conversion, consolidation, amalgamation, replacement, conveyance, transfer or lease does not adversely affect the rights, preferences and privileges of the holders of the trust securities, including any successor securities, of such Trust in any material respect, other than any dilution of the holders’ interests in the new entity; and |
| | |
| • | following the merger, conversion, consolidation, amalgamation, replacement, conveyance, transfer or lease, neither such Trust nor the successor entity will be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended; and |
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| • | FPIC or any permitted successor or assignee directly or indirectly owns all of the common securities of the successor entity and guarantees the obligations of the successor entity under the successor securities at least to the extent provided by the guarantee. |
Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Trust will, except with the consent of each holder of its trust securities, consolidate, amalgamate, merge with or into, or be replaced by or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to any other entity or permit any other entity to consolidate, amalgamate, merge with or into, or replace it if the consolidation, amalgamation, merger, replacement, conveyance, transfer or lease would cause such Trust or the successor entity not to be classified as a grantor trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Voting Rights; Amendment of Trust Agreement
Except as provided below and under “Mergers, Conversions, Consolidations, Amalgamations or Replacements of the Trusts” and “Description of Guarantees -- Amendments and Assignment” and as otherwise required by law and the trust agreement, the holders of trust preferred securities will have no voting rights.
FPIC, the property trustee and the administrative trustees may amend from time to time the trust agreement of each Trust, without the consent of the holders of the trust securities of such Trust:
(1) to cure any ambiguity, correct or supplement any provisions in the trust agreement that may be inconsistent with any other provision, or to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under the trust agreement, which will not be inconsistent with the other provisions of the trust agreement, provided that the modification will not adversely affect in any material respect the interests of the holders of the trust securities; or
(2) to modify, eliminate or add to any provisions of the trust agreement if necessary to ensure that such Trust will be classified for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a grantor trust at all times that any of its trust securities are outstanding or to ensure that such Trust will not be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act.
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Subject to the immediately preceding paragraph, the trustees and FPIC may amend from time to time the trust agreement of each Trust:
| • | with the consent of holders of a majority in liquidation amount of the outstanding trust securities of such Trust; and |
| | |
| • | upon receipt by the trustees, other than the administrative trustees, of an opinion of nationally recognized counsel experienced in these matters to the effect that the amendment or the exercise of any power granted to such trustees in accordance with the amendment will not affect such Trust’s status as a grantor trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes or such Trust’s exemption from status as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. |
However, without the consent of each holder of such trust securities, the trust agreement of a Trust may not be amended to:
| • | change the distribution rate, or manner of calculation of the distribution rate, amount, timing or currency or otherwise adversely affect the method of any required payment; |
| | |
| • | change the purpose of such Trust; |
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| • | authorize the issuance of any additional beneficial interests in such Trust; |
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| • | change the conversion, exchange or redemption provisions of such trust securities; |
| | |
| • | change the conditions precedent for FPIC to elect to dissolve such Trust and distribute the related junior subordinated debentures to the holders of such trust securities; |
| | |
| • | change the liquidation distribution or other provisions of such trust securities relating to the distribution of amounts payable upon the dissolution and liquidation of such Trust; |
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| • | affect the limited liability of any holder of the trust securities; or |
| | |
| • | restrict the right of a holder of such trust securities to institute suit for the enforcement of any required payment on or after the due date therefore or for the conversion or exchange of the trust securities in accordance with their terms. |
So long as the property trustee holds any junior subordinated debentures, the trustees will not:
| • | direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the junior subordinated debenture trustee, or execute any trust or power conferred on the property trustee, with respect to the junior subordinated debentures; |
| | |
| • | waive certain past defaults under the junior subordinated debenture indenture; |
| | |
| • | exercise any right to rescind or annul a declaration of acceleration of the maturity of the principal of the junior subordinated debentures; or |
| | |
| • | consent to any amendment, modification or termination of the junior subordinated debenture indenture or the junior subordinated debentures, where consent will be required, |
without, in each case, obtaining the prior approval of the holders of a majority in liquidation amount of all outstanding trust preferred securities of such Trust. However, where a consent under the junior subordinated debenture indenture would require the consent of each holder of junior subordinated debentures affected thereby, the property trustee will not consent without the prior approval of each holder of the related trust preferred securities.
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The trustees will not revoke any action previously authorized or approved by a vote of the holders of trust preferred securities except by subsequent vote of the holders. The property trustee will notify each holder of trust preferred securities of any notice of default with respect to the related junior subordinated debentures. In addition to obtaining approvals of holders of trust preferred securities referred to above, prior to taking any of the foregoing actions, the trustees other than the administrative trustees will obtain an opinion of nationally recognized counsel experienced in these matters to the effect that such Trust will not be classified as an association taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes on account of such action.
Any required approval of holders of trust preferred securities may be given at a meeting of the holders convened for this purpose or by written consent without prior notice. The property trustee will cause a notice of any meeting at which holders of trust preferred securities are entitled to vote, or of any matter upon which action by written consent of the holders is to be taken, to be given to each holder of record of trust preferred securities in the manner set forth in the trust agreement.
Notwithstanding that holders of trust preferred securities are entitled to vote or consent under any of the circumstances referred to above, any trust preferred securities that are owned by FPIC or any affiliate of FPIC will, for purposes of this vote or consent, be treated as if they were not outstanding.
Global Trust Preferred Securities
If specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, trust preferred securities may be represented by one or more global certificates deposited with, or on behalf of, DTC, or other depositary identified in the prospectus supplement, or a nominee of DTC or other depositary, in each case for credit to an account of a participant in DTC or other depositary. The identity of the depositary and the specific terms of the depositary arrangements with respect to the trust preferred securities to be represented by one or more global certificates to the extent not discussed under “Book-Entry Securities” will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. However, unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, DTC will be the depositary and the depositary arrangements described in this prospectus with respect to the debt securities will apply to those trust preferred securities as well, except all references to FPIC shall include the Trusts and all references to the indentures will refer to the applicable trust agreement. See “Description of Debt Securities -- Global Securities” and “Book-Entry Securities.”
Payment and Paying Agent
Payments in respect of any global certificate representing trust preferred securities will be made to Cede & Co. as nominee of DTC or other applicable depositary or its nominee, which will credit the relevant accounts at DTC or other depositary on the applicable payment dates, while payments in respect of trust preferred securities in certificated form will be made by check mailed to the address of the holder entitled thereto as the address will appear on the register. The paying agent of each Trust will initially be the property trustee of such Trust and any co-paying agent chosen by the property trustee of such Trust and acceptable to the administrative trustees of such Trust and FPIC. The paying agent will be permitted to resign as paying agent upon 30 days’ prior written notice to the property trustee of the relevant Trust, the administrative trustees of the relevant Trust and FPIC. In the event that the property trustee will no longer be the paying agent, the administrative trustees of the relevant Trust will appoint a successor, which will be a bank or trust company acceptable to the administrative trustees of the relevant Trust and FPIC, to act as paying agent.
Registrar and Transfer Agent
The property trustee of each Trust will act as registrar and transfer agent for the trust preferred securities of such Trust. Registration of transfers of trust preferred securities will be effected without charge by or on behalf of each Trust, but upon payment of any tax or other governmental charges that may be imposed in connection with any transfer or exchange. The Trusts will not be required to register or cause to be registered the transfer of their trust preferred securities after such securities have been converted, exchanged, redeemed or called for redemption.
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Information Concerning the Property Trustees
The property trustee of each Trust, other than during the occurrence and continuance of an event of default under the trust agreement, will undertake to perform only the duties that are specifically set forth in the trust agreement of such Trust and, during the continuance of that event of default, must exercise the same degree of care and skill as a prudent person would exercise or use in the conduct of his or her own affairs. Subject to the foregoing, the property trustee will not be under any obligation to exercise any of the powers vested in it by the trust agreement at the request of any holder of the related trust securities unless it is offered reasonable indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities that might be incurred thereby. If no event of default has occurred and is continuing and the property trustee is required to decide between alternative causes of action, construe ambiguous provisions in the trust agreement or is unsure of the application of any provision of the trust agreement, and the matter is not one on which holders of trust preferred securities or trust common securities are entitled under the trust agreement to vote, then the property trustee will take such action as is directed by FPIC and if not so directed, will take such action as it deems advisable and in the best interests of the holders of the related trust securities and will have no liability except for its own bad faith, negligence or willful misconduct.
Governing Law
The trust agreements of the Trusts and their trust preferred securities will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware.
Miscellaneous
The administrative trustees of each Trust are authorized and directed to conduct the affairs of and to operate each Trust in such a way that:
| • | such Trust will not be deemed to be an investment company required to be registered under the Investment Company Act; |
| | |
| • | such Trust will be classified as a grantor trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes; and |
| | |
| • | the related junior subordinated debentures will be treated as indebtedness of FPIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes. |
FPIC and the administrative trustees of each Trust are authorized to take any action, not inconsistent with applicable law, the certificate of trust or the trust agreement of such Trust, that the administrative trustees determine in their discretion to be necessary or desirable for those purposes, as long as that action does not materially adversely affect the interests of the holders of the related trust securities.
Holders of trust preferred securities will not have any preemptive or similar rights.
No Trust may borrow money, issue debt, execute mortgages or pledge any of its assets.
DESCRIPTION OF GUARANTEES
FPIC will execute and deliver a guarantee concurrently with the issuance by each Trust of its trust preferred securities for the benefit of the holders from time to time of the trust preferred securities of such Trust. Each guarantee will be held for benefit of the holders of the trust preferred securities of the relevant Trust by a guarantee trustee. FPIC will qualify each guarantee as an indenture under the Trust Indenture Act, and each guarantee will be subject to, and governed by, the Trust Indenture Act. This summary of certain terms and provisions of the guarantees does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, all of the provisions of the guarantees, including the definitions of terms, and those made a part of the guarantees by the Trust Indenture Act. The terms of each guarantee will be set forth in the guarantee and will include the terms made part of the guarantee by the Trust Indenture Act. The descriptions of the guarantees herein and in the applicable prospectus supplement do not contain all of the information that you may find useful or that may be important to you. You
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should refer to the form of guarantee, the trust agreement, the related junior subordinated debentures and the junior subordinated debenture indenture, each of which will be filed as an exhibit to the registration statement that includes this prospectus and will be available as described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information” above, because those documents, and not the summaries, define your rights as holders of trust preferred securities to which a guarantee applies.
General
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, FPIC will irrevocably agree to pay in full on a subordinated basis, to the extent set forth in each guaranty, the guarantee payments to the holders of the related trust preferred securities of the relevant Trust, as and when due, except to the extent paid by such Trust, regardless of any defense, right of set-off or counterclaim that such Trust may have or assert other than the defense of payment. The following payments constitute guarantee payments with respect to trust preferred securities and, to the extent not paid by or on behalf of the relevant Trust, will be subject to the guarantee:
(1) any accumulated and unpaid distributions required to be paid on the trust preferred securities, to the extent that such Trust has funds legally available therefore at such time;
(2) the applicable redemption or repayment price and all accrued and unpaid distributions to the date of redemption or repayment with respect to the trust preferred securities called for redemption, to the extent that such Trust has funds legally available therefore at such time; and
(3) upon a voluntary or involuntary dissolution, winding-up or liquidation of such Trust, other than in connection with the distribution of the related junior subordinated debentures to holders of the trust preferred securities or the redemption, repayment, conversion or exchange of the trust preferred securities, the lesser of:
| • | the amounts due upon the dissolution and liquidation of such Trust, to the extent that such Trust has funds legally available therefore at the time; and |
| | |
| • | the amount of assets of such Trust remaining available for distribution to holders of its trust preferred securities after satisfaction of liabilities to creditors of such Trust as required by applicable law. |
The guarantees will be guarantees on a subordinated basis (as described under “-- Ranking” below) of the relevant Trust’s obligations under its trust preferred securities but will apply only to the extent that the relevant Trust has funds sufficient to make the payments. If we do not make interest payments on the corresponding junior subordinated debentures held by a Trust, we expect that such Trust will not pay distributions on its trust preferred securities and will not have funds legally available for such payments.
FPIC’s obligation to make a guarantee payment may be satisfied by direct payment of the required amounts by FPIC to the holders of the trust preferred securities entitled to those payments or by causing the relevant Trust to pay those amounts to the holders.
If the trust preferred securities are exchangeable or convertible into other securities, we will also irrevocably agree to cause the applicable Trust to deliver to holders of those trust preferred securities those other securities in accordance with the applicable exchange or conversion provisions.
FPIC will, through the guarantee, the trust agreement, the related junior subordinated debentures and the junior subordinated debenture indenture, taken together, fully, irrevocably and unconditionally guarantee all of each Trust’s obligations under its trust preferred securities. No single document standing alone or operating in conjunction with fewer than all of the other documents constitutes the guarantee. It is only the combined operation of these documents that has the effect of providing a full, irrevocable and unconditional guarantee of each Trust’s obligations under its trust preferred securities.
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Ranking
Each guarantee will constitute an unsecured obligation of FPIC and will rank:
(1) subordinate and junior in right of payment to all other liabilities of FPIC, including the senior debt securities, the senior subordinated debt securities and the junior subordinated debentures, except those made equal or subordinate by their terms; and
(2) senior to all capital stock now or hereafter issued by FPIC and to any guarantee now or hereafter entered into by FPIC in respect of any of its capital stock. The trust agreement provides that each holder of trust preferred securities by acceptance of the trust preferred securities agrees to the subordination provisions and other terms of the related guarantee. The guarantee in respect of the preferred trust securities of each Trust will rank equally with all other guarantees issued or to be issued by FPIC with respect to the trust preferred trust securities of the other Trusts and the securities of other trusts similar to the Trusts.
The guarantees will not limit the amount of secured or unsecured debt, including senior indebtedness under the junior subordinated debenture indenture, that may be incurred by FPIC or any of its subsidiaries.
Guarantee of Payment
Each guarantee will constitute a guarantee of payment and not of collection. This means that the guaranteed party may institute a legal proceeding directly against FPIC to enforce its rights under the guarantee without first instituting a legal proceeding against any other person or entity. A guarantee will not be discharged except by payment of the related guarantee payments in full to the extent not paid by the relevant Trust or upon distribution of the related junior subordinated debentures to the holders of its trust preferred securities.
Certain Covenants of FPIC
In general, we will covenant in each guarantee that, so long as any trust preferred securities remain outstanding, if:
| • | any event has occurred that, to our actual knowledge, is an event of default under the indenture regarding the applicable series of junior subordinated debentures and we have not taken reasonable steps to cure that event of default; |
| | |
| • | we are in default regarding our payment of any obligations under the related guarantee; or |
| | |
| • | we have given notice of our election to exercise our right to begin or extend an extension period for deferral of interest payments on the junior subordinated debentures, as described under the caption “Description of Junior Subordinated Debentures -- Option to Extend Interest Payment Date” and we have not rescinded that notice and the extension period or any extension thereof has commenced and is continuing; |
then we will not:
| • | declare or pay any dividends or distributions on, or redeem, purchase, acquire or make a liquidation payment regarding, any of our capital stock; |
| | |
| • | make any payment of principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on, or repay, repurchase or redeem, any of our debt securities, including our other junior subordinated debentures, that rank equally with or junior in right of payment to the junior subordinated debentures; or |
| | |
| • | make any guarantee payments with respect to any guarantee by us of the debt securities of any of our subsidiaries if such guarantee ranks equally with or junior in right of payment to these junior subordinated debentures. |
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However, we may do the following at any time:
| (a) declare and pay dividends or make distributions payable in shares of our common stock or in options, warrants or rights to subscribe for or purchase shares of our common stock; |
| |
| (b) make payments under the guarantee; |
| |
| (c) declare and pay a dividend in connection with the implementation of a shareholders’ rights plan, or issue stock under any such plan in the future, or redeem or repurchase any rights issued pursuant to such a plan; |
| |
| (d) purchase or acquire common stock related to the issuance of common stock or rights, or in connection with the satisfaction of our obligations under, any of our benefit plans for our directors, officers or employees or under any of our dividend reinvestment plans; |
| |
| (e) carry out any reclassification of our capital stock or the exchange or conversion of one class or series of our capital stock for another class or series of our capital stock; and |
| |
| (f) purchase fractional interests in shares of our capital stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such capital stock or the security being converted or exchanged. |
Amendments and Assignment
Except with respect to any changes that do not materially adversely affect the rights of holders of the trust preferred securities of a Trust, in which case no approval will be required, the guarantee of such trust preferred securities may not be amended without the prior approval of the holders of a majority of the liquidation amount of the outstanding trust preferred securities of such Trust. The manner of obtaining any approval will be as set forth under “Description of Trust Preferred Securities -- Voting Rights; Amendment of a Trust Agreement.” All guarantees and agreements contained in a guarantee will bind the successors, assigns, receivers, trustees and representatives of FPIC and will inure to the benefit of the holders of the related trust preferred securities then outstanding.
Events of Default
An event of default under a guarantee will occur upon the failure of FPIC to perform any of its payment or other obligations under the guarantee, provided that, except with respect to a default in respect of any guarantee payment, FPIC has received notice of the default and has not cured the default within 90 days of receipt of a notice of default. The holders of a majority in liquidation amount of the related trust preferred securities will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the guarantee trustee in respect of the guarantee or to direct the exercise of any trust or power conferred upon the guarantee trustee under the guarantee.
If the guarantee trustee fails to enforce a guarantee, any holder of the related trust preferred securities may institute a legal proceeding directly against FPIC to enforce its rights under the guarantee without first instituting a legal proceeding against the relevant Trust, the guarantee trustee or any other person or entity.
Termination
A guarantee will terminate and be of no further force and effect upon full payment of the applicable redemption price of the related trust preferred securities, upon full payment of all amounts due upon the dissolution and liquidation of the relevant Trust or upon the conversion or exchange of all of the related trust preferred securities, whether upon distribution of junior subordinated debentures to the holders of such trust preferred securities or otherwise. A guarantee will continue to be effective or will be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any holder of the related trust preferred securities must restore payment of any sums paid under the trust preferred securities or the guarantee.
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Governing Law
The guarantees will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
Information Concerning the Guarantee Trustee
The guarantee trustee, other than during the occurrence and continuance of a default by FPIC in performance of a guarantee, will undertake to perform only the duties as are specifically set forth in the relevant guarantee and, during the continuance of that default, must exercise the same degree of care and skill as a prudent person would exercise or use in the conduct of his or her own affairs. Subject to the foregoing, the guarantee trustee will not be under any obligation to exercise any of the powers vested in it by a guarantee at the request of any holder of the related trust preferred securities unless it is offered reasonable indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities that might be incurred thereby.
Limited Purpose of the Trusts
The trust preferred securities issued by a Trust will represent preferred beneficial interests in such Trust. Each Trust exists for the sole purpose of issuing and selling its trust securities, using the proceeds from the sale of its trust securities to acquire the related junior subordinated debentures of FPIC and engaging in only those other activities necessary, advisable or incidental thereto.
Rights Upon Dissolution
Unless the junior subordinated debentures are distributed to holders of the related trust securities, upon any voluntary or involuntary dissolution and liquidation of a Trust, after satisfaction of the liabilities of creditors of such Trust as required by applicable law, the holders of the trust securities of such Trust will be entitled to receive, out of assets held by such Trust, the liquidation distribution in cash. See “Description of Trust Preferred Securities -- Liquidation of the Trusts and Distribution of Junior Subordinated Debentures.” Upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or bankruptcy of FPIC, the property trustee of a Trust that has issued preferred trust securities, as holder of the related junior subordinated debentures, would be a creditor of FPIC, subordinated in right of payment to all senior indebtedness under the junior subordinated debenture indenture, but entitled to receive payment in full of principal and premium, if any, and interest in respect of such junior subordinated debentures, before any stockholders of FPIC receive payments or distributions.
DESCRIPTION OF PURCHASE CONTRACTS
As may be specified in a prospectus supplement, we may issue purchase contracts obligating holders to purchase from FPIC, and obligating FPIC to sell to the holders, a number of shares of our common stock, preferred stock or depositary shares, debt securities or warrants, or trust preferred securities of one or more of the Trusts, at a future date or dates. The price per purchase contract security may be fixed at the time the purchase contracts are issued or may be determined by reference to a specific formula set forth in the purchase contracts. Under the purchase contracts, we may be required to make periodic payments to the holders or vice versa. These payments may be unsecured or prefunded on some basis to be specified in the applicable prospectus supplement.
The purchase contracts may require holders to secure their obligations under the contracts in a specified manner and, in specified circumstances, we may deliver newly issued prepaid purchase contracts, or prepaid securities, when we transfer to a holder any collateral securing the holder’s obligations under the original purchase contract.
The purchase contracts may be issued separately or as part of units consisting of a purchase contract and one or more other securities, which may include common stock, preferred stock, depositary shares, debt securities or warrants of FPIC, trust preferred securities of one or more of the Trusts, or government securities, and which may secure the holder’s obligations to purchase the purchase contract security under the purchase contract.
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The prospectus supplement relating to any purchase contracts we are offering will specify the material terms of the purchase contracts, whether they will be issued separately or as part of units, and any applicable pledge or depositary arrangements.
The descriptions of the purchase contracts and any applicable underlying security or pledge or depositary arrangements in this prospectus and in any prospectus supplement are summaries of certain material provisions of the applicable agreements. These descriptions do not restate those agreements in their entirety and do not contain all of the information that you may find useful or that may be important to you. You should refer to the provisions of the applicable agreements because they, and not the summaries, define your rights as holders of the purchase contracts. We will make copies of the relevant agreements available as described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information” above.
DESCRIPTION OF UNITS
As specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, we may issue units comprised of one or more of the other securities described in this prospectus in any combination. Each unit may also include debt obligations of third parties, such as U.S. Treasury securities. Each unit will be issued so that the holder of the unit is also the holder of each security included in the unit. Thus, the holder of a unit will have the rights and obligations of a holder of each included security. The prospectus supplement will describe:
| • | the designation and terms of the units and of the securities comprising the units, including whether and under what circumstances the securities comprising the units may be held or transferred separately; |
| | |
| • | a description of the terms of any unit agreement governing the units; |
| | |
| • | a description of the provisions for the payment, settlement, transfer or exchange of the units; and |
| | |
| • | whether the units will be issued in fully registered or global form. |
The descriptions of the units and any applicable underlying security or pledge or depositary arrangements in this prospectus and in any prospectus supplement are summaries of the material provisions of the applicable agreements. These descriptions do not restate those agreements in their entirety and do not contain all of the information that you may find useful or that may be important to you. You should refer to the provisions of the applicable agreements because they, and not the summaries, define your rights as holders of the units. We will make copies of the relevant agreements available as described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information” above.
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
FPIC and the Trusts may sell the offered securities:
| • | directly to purchasers; |
| | |
| • | through agents; |
| | |
| • | through dealers; |
| | |
| • | through underwriters; |
| | |
| • | directly to FPIC’s stockholders; or |
| | |
| • | through a combination of any of these methods of sale. |
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The prospectus supplement relating to a series of the offered securities will set forth its offering terms, including the name or names of any underwriters, dealers or agents, the purchase price of the offered securities and the proceeds to FPIC and/or the relevant Trust from the sale, any underwriting discounts, commissions and other items constituting underwriters’ compensation, any initial public offering price and any underwriting discounts, commissions and other items allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers or agents and any securities exchanges on which the offered securities may be listed.
FPIC and each Trust may use one or more underwriters in the sale of the offered securities, in which case the offered securities will be acquired by the underwriter or underwriters for their own account and may be resold from time to time in one or more transactions either:
| • | at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed; |
| | |
| • | at market prices prevailing at the time of sale; |
| | |
| • | at prices related to the prevailing market prices; or |
| | |
| • | at negotiated prices. |
FPIC and each Trust may directly solicit offers to purchase offered securities. Agents designated by FPIC and/or a Trust from time to time may also solicit offers to purchase offered securities. Any agent designated by FPIC and/or a Trust, who may be deemed to be an “underwriter” as that term is defined in the Securities Act, involved in the offer or sale of the offered securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered will be named, and any commissions payable by FPIC and/or a Trust to such agent will be set forth in the prospectus supplement.
If a dealer is utilized in the sale of the offered securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered, FPIC and/or the relevant Trust will sell the offered securities to the dealer, as principal. The dealer, who may be deemed to be an “underwriter” as that term is defined in the Securities Act, may then resell the offered securities to the public at varying prices to be determined by the dealer at the time of resale.
If an underwriter is, or underwriters are, used in the sale, FPIC and the relevant Trust (if any) will execute an underwriting agreement with the underwriters at the time of sale to the underwriters. The names of the underwriters will be set forth in the prospectus supplement, which will be used by the underwriter to make resales of the offered securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered to the public. In connection with the sale of offered securities, the underwriter may be deemed to have received compensation from FPIC and/or the relevant Trust in the form of underwriting discounts or commissions and may also receive commissions from purchasers of offered securities for whom they may act as agents. Underwriters may also sell offered securities to or through dealers, and the dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the underwriters and/or commissions from the purchasers for whom they may act as agents.
If so indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, FPIC and/or the relevant Trust will authorize underwriters, dealers or other persons to solicit offers by certain institutions to purchase offered securities from FPIC and/or the relevant Trust at the public offering price set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement pursuant to delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on a future date or dates. Institutions with which these contracts may be made include commercial and savings banks, insurance companies, pension funds, investment companies, educational and charitable institutions and others. The obligations of any purchasers under any delayed delivery contract will not be subject to any conditions except that:
| • | the purchase of the offered securities must not at the time of delivery be prohibited under the laws of the jurisdiction to which the purchaser is subject; and |
| | |
| • | if the offered securities are also being sold to underwriters, FPIC and/or the relevant Trust will have sold to the underwriters the offered securities not sold for delayed delivery. |
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The underwriters, dealers and other persons will not have any responsibility in respect of the validity or performance of such contracts. The prospectus supplement relating to the contracts will set forth the price to be paid for offered securities pursuant to the contracts, the commission payable for solicitation of the contracts and the date or dates in the future for delivery of offered securities pursuant to the contracts.
This prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, as amended or supplemented, may be used in connection with the early settlement of purchase contracts and in connection with the remarketing of securities by or through a remarketing firm acting as a principal or agent. Remarketing firms may be deemed to be underwriters in connection with their remarketing of offered securities.
Unless otherwise set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, the obligations of underwriters to purchase the offered securities will be subject to certain conditions precedent, and such underwriters will be obligated to purchase all such securities, if any are purchased. In connection with the offering of securities, we or the relevant Trust may grant to the underwriters an option to purchase additional securities to cover over-allotments at the initial public offering price, with an additional underwriting commission, as may be set forth in the accompanying prospectus supplement. If we or the relevant Trust grants any over-allotment option, the terms of such over-allotment option will be set forth in the prospectus supplement for such securities.
Underwriters, dealers, remarketing firms and agents may be entitled, under agreements that may be entered into with FPIC and/or the relevant Trust, to indemnification by FPIC and/or the relevant Trust against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribution with respect to payments which they may be required to make in respect thereof and may engage in transactions with, or perform services for, FPIC in the ordinary course of business.
Any underwriter may engage in over-allotment, stabilizing transactions, short-covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Regulation M under the Securities Exchange Act. Over-allotment involves sales in excess of the offering size, which create a short position. Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum. Short-covering transactions involve purchases of the securities in the open market after the distribution is completed to cover short positions. Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a dealer when the securities originally sold by the dealer are purchased in a covering transaction to cover short positions. Those activities may cause the price of the securities to be higher than it would otherwise be. If commenced, the underwriters may discontinue any of the activities at any time.
The anticipated date of delivery of offered securities will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to each offer.
Trading Markets and Listing of Securities
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, each class or series of securities will be a new issue with no established trading market, other than the common stock, which is traded on the Nasdaq National Market. We or any of the Trusts may elect to list any other class or series of securities on any exchange but are not obligated to do so. It is possible that one or more underwriters may make a market in a class or series of securities, but the underwriters will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. Neither we nor any of the Trusts can give any assurance as to the liquidity of the trading market for any of the securities.
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LEGAL MATTERS
The validity of the securities will be passed upon for us by Foley & Lardner LLP, Jacksonville, Florida. The validity of the securities issued by the Trusts and certain matters of Delaware law will be passed on for the Trusts by Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A., Delaware counsel to the Trusts. The validity of the securities under New York law will be passed upon for any underwriters or agents by Sidley Austin Brown & Wood LLP, New York, New York.
EXPERTS
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent auditors, have audited our consolidated financial statements and schedules at December 31, 2003 and 2002, and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2003, as set forth in their report dated March 9, 2004 or thereof. We have incorporated by reference the consolidated financial statements and schedules in this prospectus and in the registration statement, of which this prospectus is a part, in reliance on PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP’s report, given on their authority and as experts in accounting and auditing.
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PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution
The following table sets forth the expenses in connection with the offering described in this Registration Statement:
SEC registration fee | | $ | 12,670 | |
Printing and engraving costs | | | * | |
Legal fees and expenses | | | * | |
Blue sky fees and expenses | | | * | |
Accounting fees and expenses | | | * | |
Exchange listing fees | | | * | |
Trustee’s fees and expenses | | | * | |
Rating agency fees | | | * | |
Transfer agent and registrar fees and expenses | | | * | |
Miscellaneous expenses | | | * | |
| |
|
| |
| | | | |
| TOTAL | | $ | * | |
| |
|
| |
* To be supplied by amendment.
Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers
FPIC Insurance Group, Inc.’s officers and directors are and will be indemnified under Florida law, and the charter and by-laws of FPIC Insurance Group, Inc.
The Florida Business Corporation Act (the “Florida Act”), under which FPIC is organized, permits a Florida corporation to indemnify a present or former director or officer of the corporation (and certain other persons serving at the request of the corporation in related capacities) for liabilities, including legal expenses, arising by reason of service in such capacity if such person shall have acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and in any criminal proceeding if such person had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. However, in the case of actions brought by, or in the right of the corporation, no indemnification may be made with respect to any matter as to which such director or officer shall have been adjudged liable, except in certain limited circumstances.
Article X of FPIC’s Restated Articles of Incorporation provides that FPIC shall indemnify directors and executive officers to the fullest extent now or hereafter permitted by the Florida Act. In addition, FPIC has entered into indemnification agreements with its directors and executive officers in which it has agreed to indemnify such persons to the fullest extent now or hereafter permitted by the Florida Act.
The Trusts’ trust agreements provide that no trustee, affiliate of any trustee or any officers, directors, stockholders, members, partners, employees, representatives or agents of any trustee or any employee or agent of the Trust or its affiliates, each referred to as an “indemnified person,” shall be liable, responsible or accountable in damages or otherwise to the Trust, or any officers, directors, stockholders, partners, members, employees, representatives or agents of the Trust or its affiliates or to any holders of trust preferred securities of the Trust for any loss, damage or claim incurred by reason of any act or omission performed or omitted by the indemnified person in good faith on behalf of such Trust and in a manner the indemnified person reasonably believed to be within the scope of the authority conferred on it by the trust agreement or by law, except that the indemnified person shall be liable for any loss, damage or claim incurred by reason of that indemnified person’s gross negligence (or, in the case
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of the property trustee of the Trust, negligence), bad faith or willful misconduct with respect to such acts or omissions. The trust agreements also provide that FPIC shall indemnify each administrative trustee, their affiliates, any officers, directors, shareholders, members, partners, employees, representatives or agents of any administrative trustee or any affiliate of any administrative trustee, or any officer, employee or agent of the Trust or its affiliates, each referred to as a “company indemnified person,” who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the Trust), against expenses (including reasonable attorney’s fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred if such company indemnified person acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Trust, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. FPIC will also indemnify any company indemnified person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the Trust to procure a judgment in its favor against expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Trust, except that no such indemnification shall be made if such company indemnified person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the Trust unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery of Delaware or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which such Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.
The trust agreement further provides that expenses (including legal fees) incurred by a company indemnified person in defending any civil, criminal, administrative or investigative action, suit or proceeding shall, from time to time, be advanced by FPIC prior to the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt by FPIC of an undertaking by the company indemnified person to repay such amount if it shall be determined that the company indemnified person is not entitled to be indemnified pursuant to the trust agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no advance shall be made by FPIC if a determination is reasonably and promptly made, as provided in the trust agreement, that such person acted in bad faith or in a manner that such person did not believe to be in or opposed to the best interests of the Trust, or, with respect to any criminal proceeding, that such company indemnified person believed or had reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. In no event shall any advance be made if the administrative trustees, independent legal counsel or common security holder reasonably determine, as provided in the trust agreement, that such person deliberately breached such person’s duty to the Trust or its common or trust preferred security holders.
The trust agreements also provide that FPIC shall indemnify the property trustee, the Delaware trustee, any affiliate of the property trustee or the Delaware trustee, and any officers, directors, shareholders, members, partners, employees, representatives, custodians, nominees or agents of the property trustee or Delaware trustee, each a “fiduciary indemnified person,” for and hold each such fiduciary indemnified person harmless against any loss, liability or expense to the extent incurred without gross negligence (or in the case of the property trustee, negligence), bad faith or willful misconduct on its part, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the Trust, including costs and expenses (including reasonable legal fees and expenses) of defending itself against or investigating any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties under the trust agreement.
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Item 16. Exhibits
Exhibit No. | | Description |
| |
|
1.1 | | Each form of underwriting agreement will be filed as an exhibit to a current report of FPIC and incorporated in this registration statement by reference. |
| | |
3.1 | | Restated Articles of Incorporation of FPIC (incorporated by reference to FPIC’s Form 10-Q (Commission File No. 1-11983) filed on August 16, 1999). |
| | |
3.1.1 | | Each form of Amendment to Restated Articles of Incorporation designating Preferred Stock will be filed as an exhibit to a current report of FPIC and incorporated in this registration statement by reference. |
| | |
3.2 | | By-Laws of FPIC (incorporated by reference to FPIC’s Form 10-Q (Commission File No. 1-11983) filed on August 16, 1999). |
| | |
*3.3 | | Form of Trust Indenture. |
| | |
*3.4 | | Form of Warrant Agreement. |
| | |
4.1 | | Specimen of Common Stock Certificate (incorporated by reference to FPIC’s Form 8-A/A filed on July 30, 1996). |
| | |
*4.2 | | Form of Preferred Stock Certificate. |
| | |
*4.3 | | Form of Debt Security. |
| | |
*4.4 | | Form of Senior Indenture governing the senior debt securities and guarantees. |
| | |
*4.5 | | Form of Subordinated Indenture governing the subordinated debt securities. |
| | |
*4.6 | | Form of Junior Subordinated Indenture governing the junior subordinated indentures. |
| | |
*4.7 | | Each form of deposit agreement will be filed as an exhibit to a current report of FPIC and incorporated in this registration statement by reference. |
| | |
*4.8 | | Each form of preferred securities certificate of designation will be filed as an exhibit to a current report of FPIC and incorporated in this registration statement by reference. |
| | |
*4.9 | | Form of Trust Preferred Securities Guarantee Agreement for FPIC Capital Statutory Trust IV and FPIC Capital Statutory Trust V. |
| | |
*4.10 | | Certificate of Trust of FPIC Capital Statutory Trust IV. |
| | |
*4.11 | | Certificate of Trust of FPIC Capital Statutory Trust V. |
| | |
*4.12 | | Trust Agreement of FPIC Capital Statutory Trust IV. |
| | |
*4.13 | | Trust Agreement of FPIC Capital Statutory Trust V. |
| | |
*4.14 | | Form of Amended and Restated Trust Agreement for FPIC Capital Statutory Trust IV and FPIC Capital Statutory Trust V. |
| | |
4.15 | | Form of Purchase Contract Agreement will be filed as an exhibit to a current report of FPIC and incorporated in this registration statement by reference. |
| | |
4.16 | | Form of Pledge Agreement will be filed as an exhibit to a current report of FPIC and incorporated in this registration statement by reference. |
| | |
4.17 | | Form of Remarketing Agreement will be filed as an exhibit to a current report of FPIC and incorporated in this registration statement by reference. |
| | |
*5.1 | | Opinion of Foley & Lardner LLP. |
| | |
*5.2 | | Opinion of Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A. |
| | |
*5.3 | | Opinion of Sidley Austin Brown & Wood LLP |
| | |
12.1 | | Statement Regarding Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges. |
| | |
*23.1 | | Consent of Foley & Lardner LLP. |
| | |
23.2 | | Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. |
| | |
*23.3 | | Consent of Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A. |
| | |
*23.4 | | Consent of Sidley Austin Brown & Wood LLP |
| | |
24.1 | | Powers of Attorney. (See signature pages for this registration statement). |
| | |
*25.1 | | Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of Trustee under Trust Indenture |
|
| |
*To be filed by amendment. |
| | | |
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Item 17. Undertakings
| (a) | The undersigned registrants hereby undertake: |
| | | | |
| | (1) | To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement: |
| | | | |
| | | (i) | to include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933; |
| | | | |
| | | (ii) | to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and |
| | | | |
| | | (iii) | to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement. |
| | | | |
| | Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) above do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by FPIC with the Commission pursuant to section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement. |
| | | | |
| (b) | The undersigned registrants hereby undertake that: |
| | | | |
| | (1) | For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of FPIC’s annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof; and |
| | | | |
| | (2) | Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrants pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrants have been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by any registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of that registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted against any registrant by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, that registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by |
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it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
| (c) | The undersigned registrants hereby undertake that: |
| | | | |
| | (1) | For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrants pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective; and |
| | | | |
| | (2) | For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, each of the following registrants certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing a Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf, by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized in the City of Jacksonville, State of Florida, on this the 10th day of May, 2004.
| FPIC INSURANCE GROUP, INC. |
| |
| |
| By: | /s/ John R. Byers |
| |
|
| | John R. Byers President and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) |
| |
| |
| By: | /s/ Kim D. Thorpe |
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|
| | Kim D. Thorpe Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer) |
| |
| |
| FPIC CAPITAL STATUTORY TRUST IV |
| |
| |
| By: | FPIC Insurance Group, Inc., as sponsor |
| |
| |
| By: | /s/ John R. Byers |
| |
|
| | John R. Byers President and Chief Executive Officer |
| |
| |
| FPIC CAPITAL STATUTORY TRUST V |
| |
| |
| By: | FPIC Insurance Group, Inc., as sponsor |
| |
| By: | /s/ John R. Byers |
| |
|
| | John R. Byers President and Chief Executive Officer |
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KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears on the Signature Page to this Registration Statement constitutes and appoints John R. Byers, Kim D. Thorpe and Roberta Goes Cown, and each or any of them, his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, each with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement and to sign any and all registration statements relations to the same offering of securities as this Registration Statement that are to be filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same, with all exhibits hereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the SEC and any other regulatory authority, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or his or her substitute or substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.
Signature | | Title | | Date |
| |
| |
|
| | | | |
| | | | |
/s/ John R. Byers | | President, Chief Executive Officer and Director | | May 10, 2004 |
| | (Principal Executive Officer) | | |
John R. Byers | | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
/s/ Kim D. Thorpe | | Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer | | May 10, 2004 |
| | (Principal Financial Officer and | | |
Kim D. Thorpe | | Principal Accounting Officer) | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
/s/ Robert O. Baratta | | Chairman of the Board | | May 10, 2004 |
| | | | |
Robert O. Baratta, M.D. | | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
/s/ David M. Shapiro | | Vice Chairman of the Board | | May 10, 2004 |
| | | | |
David M. Shapiro, M.D. | | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
/s/ John K. Anderson | | Director | | May 10, 2004 |
| | | | |
John K. Anderson, Jr. | | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
/s/ Richard J. Bagby | | Director | | May 10, 2004 |
| | | | |
Richard J. Bagby, M.D. | | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | Director | | |
| | | | |
James W. Bridges, M.D. | | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
/s/ M.C. Harden | | Director | | May 10, 2004 |
| | | | |
M.C. Harden, III | | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
/s/ Kenneth M. Kirschner | | Director | | May 10, 2004 |
| | | | |
Kenneth M. Kirschner | | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
/s/ Terence P. McCoy | | Director | | May 10, 2004 |
| | | | |
Terence P. McCoy, M.D. | | | | |
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Signature | | Title | | Date |
| |
| |
|
| | | | |
/s/ John G. Rich | | Director | | May 10, 2004 |
| | | | |
John G. Rich, Esq. | | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
/s/ Joan D. Ruffier | | Director | | May 10, 2004 |
| | | | |
Joan D. Ruffier | | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
/s/ Guy T. Selander | | Director | | May 10, 2004 |
| | | | |
Guy T. Selander, M.D. | | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
/s/ James G. White | | Director | | May 10, 2004 |
| | | | |
James G. White, M.D. | | | | |
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EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit No. | | Description |
| |
|
1.1 | | Each form of underwriting agreement will be filed as an exhibit to a current report of FPIC and incorporated in this registration statement by reference. |
| | |
3.1 | | Restated Articles of Incorporation of FPIC (incorporated by reference to FPIC’s Form 10-Q (Commission File No. 1-11983) filed on August 16, 1999). |
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3.1.1 | | Each form of Amendment to Restated Articles of Incorporation designating Preferred Stock will be filed as an exhibit to a current report of FPIC and incorporated in this registration statement by reference. |
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3.2 | | By-Laws of FPIC (incorporated by reference to FPIC’s Form 10-Q (Commission File No. 1-11983) filed on August 16, 1999). |
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*3.3 | | Form of Trust Indenture. |
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*3.4 | | Form of Warrant Agreement. |
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4.1 | | Specimen of Common Stock Certificate (incorporated by reference to FPIC’s Form 8-A/A filed on July 30, 1996). |
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*4.2 | | Form of Preferred Stock Certificate. |
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*4.3 | | Form of Debt Security. |
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*4.4 | | Form of Senior Indenture governing the senior debt securities and guarantees. |
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*4.5 | | Form of Subordinated Indenture governing the subordinated debt securities. |
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*4.6 | | Form of Junior Subordinated Indenture governing the junior subordinated indentures. |
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*4.7 | | Each form of deposit agreement will be filed as an exhibit to a current report of FPIC and incorporated in this registration statement by reference. |
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*4.8 | | Each form of preferred securities certificate of designation will be filed as an exhibit to a current report of FPIC and incorporated in this registration statement by reference. |
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*4.9 | | Form of Trust Preferred Securities Guarantee Agreement for FPIC Capital Statutory Trust IV and FPIC Capital Statutory Trust V. |
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*4.10 | | Certificate of Trust of FPIC Capital Statutory Trust IV. |
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*4.11 | | Certificate of Trust of FPIC Capital Statutory Trust V. |
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*4.12 | | Trust Agreement of FPIC Capital Statutory Trust IV. |
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*4.13 | | Trust Agreement of FPIC Capital Statutory Trust V. |
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*4.14 | | Form of Amended and Restated Trust Agreement for FPIC Capital Statutory Trust IV and FPIC Capital Statutory Trust V. |
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4.15 | | Form of Purchase Contract Agreement will be filed as an exhibit to a current report of FPIC and incorporated in this registration statement by reference. |
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4.16 | | Form of Pledge Agreement will be filed as an exhibit to a current report of FPIC and incorporated in this registration statement by reference. |
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4.17 | | Form of Remarketing Agreement will be filed as an exhibit to a current report of FPIC and incorporated in this registration statement by reference. |
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*5.1 | | Opinion of Foley & Lardner LLP. |
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*5.2 | | Opinion of Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A. |
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*5.3 | | Opinion of Sidley Austin Brown & Wood LLP |
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12.1 | | Statement Regarding Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges. |
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*23.1 | | Consent of Foley & Lardner LLP. |
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23.2 | | Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. |
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*23.3 | | Consent of Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A. |
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*23.4 | | Consent of Sidley Austin Brown & Wood LLP |
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24.1 | | Powers of Attorney. (See signature pages for this registration statement). |
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*25.1 | | Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility of Trustee under Trust Indenture |
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*To be filed by amendment. |
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