As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 2, 2005.
Registration No. 333-102077
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20549
POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 2
ON
FORM S-3
TO
FORM S-1
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
NII Holdings, Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
Delaware | 91-1671412 | |
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
10700 Parkridge Boulevard, Suite 600 Reston, Virginia 20191
(703) 390-5100
(Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number,
Including Area Code, of Registrant’s Principal Executive Offices)
Robert J. Gilker, Esq. Vice President and General Counsel NII Holdings, Inc. 10700 Parkridge Boulevard, Suite 600 Reston, Virginia 20191 (703) 390-5100 (Name, Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent For Service) | Copies of Communications to: Robert E. Spicer, Jr., Esquire John M. Oakey, III, Esquire Williams Mullen A Professional Corporation 1021 East Cary Street Richmond, Virginia 23219 (804) 643-1991 |
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:
From time to time following the effectiveness of this Registration Statement.
If the only securities being registered on this form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. o
If any of the securities being registered on this form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box. þ
If this form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. o
If this form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. o
If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434, please check the following box. o
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
Proposed Maximum | Proposed Maximum | |||||||||||
Title of Each Class of | Amount to Be | Offering Price | Aggregate | Amount of | ||||||||
Securities to Be Registered | Registered | Per Unit | Offering Price | Registration Fee | ||||||||
Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share, of NII Holdings, Inc. | (1) | (1) | (1) | (1) | ||||||||
13% Senior Secured Discount Notes due 2009 of NII Holdings (Cayman), Ltd. | (2) | (2) | (2) | (2) | ||||||||
Guarantees | (2) | (2) | (2) | (2) | ||||||||
(1) | The initial Registration Statement on Form S-1, as filed on December 20, 2002, registered, for the benefit of certain security holders, 11,461,283 shares of Common Stock of NII Holdings, Inc. After giving effect to (i) sales of certain of such shares by their holders and (ii) a three-for-one stock split of common stock paid in the form of a stock dividend on March 22, 2004, as disclosed in a Current Report on Form 8-K dated March 12, 2004, 12,356,064 shares of common stock remain available for issuance under this Registration Statement as of the date of this Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 on Form S-3 to Form S-1. The registration fee for the shares of Common Stock was paid upon the filing of the initial Registration Statement on Form S-1 on December 20, 2002. |
(2) | The initial Registration Statement on Form S-1 registered, for the benefit of certain security holders, $98,219,990 in 13% Senior Secured Discount Notes due 2009 of NII Holdings (Cayman), Ltd. and the corresponding Guarantees of the Subsidiary Guarantor Registrant previously disclosed as part of this Registration Statement. The Notes have been repurchased or otherwise defeased and, as a result, the offering of the Notes and the Guarantees has terminated. Accordingly, the Notes and the Guarantees are being deregistered under this Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 on Form S-3 to Form S-1. See “Explanatory Note.” |
The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until this Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
This Registration Statement, as originally filed on December 20, 2002, related to the registration of 11,461,283 shares of common stock of NII Holdings, Inc. (the “Registrant”) and $98,219,990 aggregate principal amount of 13% Senior Secured Discount Notes due 2009 of NII Holdings (Cayman), Ltd., and the Guarantees corresponding to such notes from the Registrant and certain subsidiary registrants. Such shares of common stock and such notes were to be offered from time to time for the account of certain selling security holders of the Registrant and NII Holdings (Cayman), Ltd. On April 11, 2003, the Registrant filed Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 on Form S-3 to convert the Registration Statement on Form S-1, as originally filed, into a Registration Statement on Form S-3. On February 19, 2004, the Registrant filed Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 on Form S-3 to correct an omission in Part II, Item 17, “Undertakings.”
This Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 on Form S-3 to Form S-1 is being filed for the following purposes:
• | to effect the deregistration of (i) the $98,219,990 aggregate principal amount of 13% Senior Secured Discount Notes due 2009 of NII Holdings (Cayman), Ltd., which have been repurchased or otherwise defeased and, as a result, are no longer part of this offering, and (ii) the corresponding Guarantees; and | |
• | to modify the “Plan of Distribution” section, as required by the undertaking in Item 17(a)(1)(iii) below, to permit the selling security holder to enter into derivative or other hedging transactions with financial institutions and related transactions. | |
In preparing this Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 on Form S-3 to Form S-1, the Registrant has updated the prospectus contained herein to reflect the changes above and other appropriate updating revisions, including the removal of a selling security holder and adjustments to reflect a three-for-one stock split of the Registrant’s common stock paid in the form of a stock dividend on March 22, 2004.
The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting offers to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. |
Subject to completion, dated June 1, 2005
12,356,064 Shares of Common Stock
The selling security holder identified in this prospectus is offering up to 12,356,064 shares of the common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of NII Holdings, Inc. The shares of common stock are being offered on a continuous basis until at least November 12, 2007 or the earlier sale of the shares of common stock.
NII Holdings, Inc. emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings on November 12, 2002, and the selling security holder acquired its shares in connection with the consummation of NII Holdings, Inc.’s Revised Third Amended Joint Plan of Reorganization. NII Holdings, Inc. has agreed to register the shares issued to certain of such holders who have entered into a registration rights agreement with NII Holdings, Inc.
The selling security holder will receive all of the net proceeds from the sale of the shares. This security holder will pay all underwriting discounts and selling commissions, if any, applicable to the sale of their shares. NII Holdings, Inc. is not offering any shares of common stock for sale under this prospectus and will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of these securities by the selling security holder.
The selling security holder and participating brokers or dealers may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, in which event any profit on the sale of the shares by the selling security holder and any commissions or discounts received by those brokers or dealers may be deemed to be underwriting compensation under the Securities Act.
NII Holdings, Inc. common stock is currently listed on the NASDAQ National Market under the symbol “NIHD.” On May 31, 2005, the closing price of the common stock was $59.60 per share.
INVESTING IN THE COMMON STOCK INVOLVES A HIGH DEGREE OF RISK. SEE “RISK FACTORS” BEGINNING ON PAGE 4 FOR A DISCUSSION OF SOME IMPORTANT RISKS YOU SHOULD CONSIDER BEFORE BUYING ANY SHARES OF COMMON STOCK.
NEITHER THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR ANY OTHER REGULATORY BODY HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED OF THESE SECURITIES OR PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
Prospectus dated June , 2005.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page | ||||
CERTAIN DEFINITIONS | 1 | |||
FORWARD-LOOKING AND CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS | 1 | |||
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY | 2 | |||
RISK FACTORS | 4 | |||
USE OF PROCEEDS | 14 | |||
SELLING SECURITY HOLDER | 14 | |||
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION | 16 | |||
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK | 18 | |||
LEGAL MATTERS | 21 | |||
EXPERTS | 21 | |||
INCORPORATION OF INFORMATION THAT WE FILE WITH THE SEC | 21 | |||
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION | 22 |
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CERTAIN DEFINITIONS
Unless the context requires otherwise, “NII Holdings, Inc.,” “NII Holdings,” “we,” “our,” “us” and “the Company” refer to the combined businesses of NII Holdings, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries. NII Holdings, Inc., formerly known as Nextel International, Inc., was incorporated in Delaware in 2000.
FORWARD-LOOKING AND CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS
Certain statements made in this prospectus are not historical or current facts, but deal with potential future circumstances and developments. They can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “believes,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “may,” “will,” “would,” “could,” “should” or “anticipates” or other comparable words, or by discussions of strategy that involve risks and uncertainties. We caution you that these forward-looking statements are only predictions, which are subject to risks and uncertainties, including technical uncertainties, financial variations, changes in the regulatory environment, industry growth and trend predictions. We have attempted to identify, in context, some of the factors that we currently believe may cause actual future experience and results to differ from our current expectations regarding the relevant matter or subject area. The operation and results of our wireless communications business also may be subject to the effects of other risks and uncertainties in addition to the other qualifying factors identified in the “Risk Factors” section below, including, but not limited to:
• | our ability to meet the operating goals established by our business plan; | |
• | general economic conditions in Latin America and in the market segments that we are targeting for our digital mobile services; | |
• | the political and social conditions in the countries in which we operate, including political instability, which may affect the economies of our markets and the regulatory schemes in these countries; | |
• | substantive terms of any international financial aid package that may be made available to any country in which our operating companies conduct business; | |
• | the impact of foreign exchange volatility in our markets as compared to the U.S. dollar and related currency devaluations in countries in which our operating companies conduct business; | |
• | reasonable access to and the successful performance of the technology being deployed in our service areas, and improvements thereon, including technology deployed in connection with the introduction of digital two-way mobile data or Internet connectivity services in our markets; | |
• | the availability of adequate quantities of system infrastructure and subscriber equipment and components to meet our service deployment and marketing plans and customer demand; | |
• | the success of efforts to improve and satisfactorily address any issues relating to our digital mobile network performance; | |
• | future legislation or regulatory actions relating to our specialized mobile radio services, other wireless communication services or telecommunications generally; | |
• | the ability to achieve and maintain market penetration and average subscriber revenue levels sufficient to provide financial viability to our digital mobile network business; | |
• | the quality and price of similar or comparable wireless communications services offered or to be offered by our competitors, including providers of cellular services and personal communications services; | |
• | market acceptance of our new service offerings, including International Direct Connect; | |
• | our ability to access sufficient debt or equity capital to meet any future operating and financial needs; and | |
• | other risks and uncertainties described from time to time in our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. | |
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PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
This summary highlights information contained elsewhere in this prospectus. It does not contain all of the information that is important to you. We encourage you to read this prospectus in its entirety.
ABOUT NII HOLDINGS
We provide digital wireless communication services targeted at meeting the needs of business customers through operating companies located in selected Latin American markets. Our principal operations are in major business centers and related transportation corridors of Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and Peru. We also provide analog specialized mobile radio services in Mexico, Brazil and Peru, as well as in Chile. Our markets are generally characterized by high population densities and, we believe, a concentration of the country’s business users and economic activity. In addition, vehicle traffic congestion, low landline penetration and unreliability of the land-based telecommunications infrastructure encourage the use of mobile wireless communications services in these areas.
We use a transmission technology called integrated digital enhanced network, or iDEN®, developed by Motorola, Inc., to provide our digital mobile services on 800 MHz spectrum holdings in all of our digital markets. This technology allows us to use our spectrum more efficiently and offer multiple digital wireless services integrated on one digital handset device. We are designing our digital mobile networks to support multiple digital wireless services, including:
• | digital mobile telephone service, including advanced calling features such as speakerphone, conference calling, voice-mail, call forwarding and additional line service; | |
• | Nextel Direct Connect® service, which allows subscribers anywhere on our network in the same country to talk to each other instantly, on a “push-to-talk” basis, on a private one-to-one call or on a group call; | |
• | International Direct Connect® service, in partnership with Nextel Communications and Nextel Partners, which allows subscribers to communicate instantly across national borders with our subscribers in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and Peru and with Nextel Communications and Nextel Partners subscribers in the United States; | |
• | Internet services, mobile messaging services, e-mail and advanced Javatm enabled business applications, which are marketed as “Nextel Onlinesm” services; and | |
• | international roaming capabilities, which are marketed as “Nextel Worldwidesm”. | |
Our principal executive office is located at 10700 Parkridge Boulevard, Suite 600, Reston, Virginia 20191. Our telephone number at that location is (703) 390-5100.
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SUMMARY OF THE OFFERING
The selling security holder identified in this prospectus is offering up to 12,356,064 shares of the common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of NII Holdings, Inc. We are not issuing any shares under this prospectus.
NII Holdings is authorized to issue a total of 300,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share. As of May 31, 2005, there were 71,706,188 shares of NII Holdings’ common stock outstanding.
See additional discussion of our common stock under “Description of Capital Stock” appearing in this prospectus.
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RISK FACTORS
Investing in the common stock offered by the selling security holder involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the risks described below, as well as all the other information in this prospectus — including the consolidated financial statements and related notes — before investing in the common stock.
Risk Factors Relating to Our Company
We have a short history of profitable operations, which may make it difficult for you to evaluate our business and the risks of investing in our common stock.
Prior to giving effect to our reorganization and the application of fresh start accounting to our financial statements as of October 31, 2002, we had never been profitable. Because of this limited profitable history and the incomparability of our financial condition and results of operations prior to October 31, 2002 and after October 31, 2002, it may be difficult for you to evaluate our business.
If we are not able to compete effectively in the highly competitive wireless communications industry, our future growth and operating results will suffer.
Our success will depend on the ability of our operating companies to compete effectively with other telecommunications services providers, including wireline companies and other wireless telecommunications companies, in the markets in which they operate.
Some of our competitors are financially stronger than we are, which may limit our ability to compete based on price.
Because of their resources, and in some cases ownership by larger companies, some of our competitors may be able to offer services to customers at prices that are below the prices that our operating companies can offer for comparable services. If we cannot compete effectively based on the price of our service offerings, our revenues may be adversely affected. For example, many of our competitors are well-established companies that have:
• | substantially greater financial and marketing resources; | |
• | larger customer bases; | |
• | better name recognition; | |
• | bundled service offerings; | |
• | larger spectrum positions; and | |
• | larger coverage areas than those of our operating companies. |
Further, significant price competition could negatively impact our operating results and our ability to attract and retain customers. In addition, we anticipate that our operating companies will continue to face market pressure to reduce the prices charged for their products and services because of increased competition in our markets.
Our operating companies may face disadvantages when competing against formerly government-owned incumbent wireline operators or wireless operators affiliated with them.
In some markets, our operating companies may not be able to compete effectively against a formerly government-owned monopoly telecommunications operator which today enjoys a near monopoly on the provision of wireline telecommunications services and may have a wireless affiliate or may be controlled by shareholders who also control a wireless operator. Our operating companies may be at a competitive disadvantage in these markets because formerly government-owned incumbents or affiliated competitors may have:
• | close ties with national regulatory authorities; | |
• | control over connections to local telephone lines; or |
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• | the ability to subsidize competitive services with revenues generated from services they provide on a monopoly or near-monopoly basis. |
These companies may also continue to enjoy the legacy of their pre-privatization/pre-liberalization privileges. Our operating companies may encounter obstacles and setbacks if local governments adopt policies favoring these competitors or otherwise afford them preferential treatment. As a result, our operating companies may be at a competitive disadvantage to incumbent providers, particularly as our operating companies seek to offer new telecommunications services.
Our coverage is not as extensive as those of other wireless service providers in our markets, which may limit our ability to attract and retain customers.
Since our digital mobile networks do not offer nationwide coverage in the countries in which we operate and our technology limits our potential roaming partners, we may not be able to compete effectively with cellular and personal communications services providers in our markets. Many of the cellular and personal communications services providers in our markets have networks with substantially more extensive areas of service. Additionally, many of these providers have entered into roaming agreements with each other, which permit these providers to offer coverage to their subscribers in each other’s markets. The iDEN technology that we deploy is not compatible with other wireless technologies such as digital cellular or personal communications services technologies or with other iDEN networks not operating in the 800 MHz spectrum. As a result, with the exception of GSM 900 MHz systems, we cannot enter into roaming agreements with the operators of these other networks. Although the i2000 digital phone is compatible with both iDEN 800 MHz and GSM 900 MHz systems, our customers will not be able to roam on other iDEN 800 MHz or GSM 900 MHz systems where we do not have a roaming agreement. As a result, we will not be able to provide coverage to our subscribers outside of our currently operating digital markets until:
• | other operators deploy iDEN 800 MHz or GSM 900 MHz technology in markets outside of our coverage areas and we enter into roaming agreements with those operators; or | |
• | handsets that can be used on both iDEN 800 MHz and non-GSM 900 MHz wireless communications networks become available and we enter into roaming agreements with the operators of those networks. | |
If we do not keep pace with rapid technological changes, we may not be able to attract and retain customers.
The wireless telecommunications industry is experiencing significant technological change. Future technological advancements may enable other wireless technologies to equal or exceed our current level of service and render iDEN technology obsolete. If Motorola, the sole supplier of iDEN technology, is unable to upgrade or improve iDEN technology or develop other technology to meet future advances in competing technologies on a timely basis, or at an acceptable cost, we will be less able to compete effectively and could lose customers to our competitors. In addition, competition among the differing wireless technologies could:
• | segment the user markets, which could reduce demand for our technology; and | |
• | reduce the resources devoted by third-party suppliers, including Motorola, which supplies all of our current digital mobile technology, to developing or improving the technology or our systems. | |
If our wireless communications technology does not perform in a manner that meets customer expectations, we will be unable to attract and retain customers.
Customer acceptance of the services we offer is and will continue to be affected by technology-based differences and by the operational performance and reliability of system transmissions on our digital mobile networks. We may have difficulty attracting and retaining customers if we are unable to address and resolve satisfactorily performance or other transmission quality issues as they arise or if these issues:
• | limit our ability to expand our network coverage or capacity as currently planned; or | |
• | place us at a competitive disadvantage to other wireless service providers in our markets. | |
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Our equipment is more expensive than that of some competitors, which may affect our ability to establish and maintain a significant subscriber base.
We currently market multi-function digital handsets, and Motorola is the sole supplier of all our handsets. The higher cost of our equipment may make it more difficult for us to attract customers. In addition, the higher cost of our handsets requires us to absorb a comparatively larger part of the cost of offering handsets to new and existing customers. These higher costs of handsets place us at a competitive disadvantage and may reduce our growth and profitability.
We may lose a competitive advantage because our competitors are providing two-way radio dispatch and other services.
We differentiate ourselves by providing two-way radio dispatch “push-to-talk” services. Several of our competitors have introduced PoC (Push-To-Talk over Cellular) service, which is a walkie-talkie type of service similar to our Direct Connect service. In addition, we do not have short messaging system (SMS) interoperability agreements in all our markets. Consequently, our competitive advantage may be impaired.
Because we rely on one supplier to implement our digital mobile networks, any failure of that supplier to perform could adversely affect our operations.
Motorola is currently our sole source for most of the digital network equipment and all of the handsets used throughout our markets. In addition, iDEN technology is a proprietary technology of Motorola, meaning that there are no other suppliers of this technology, and it is the only widespread, commercially available digital technology that operates on non-contiguous spectrum. We have some non-contiguous spectrum in each of the markets we serve. If Motorola fails to deliver system infrastructure equipment and handsets or enhancements on a timely, cost-effective basis, we may not be able to adequately service our existing customers or add new customers. Nextel Communications is the largest customer of Motorola with respect to iDEN technology and provides significant support with respect to new product development. Nextel Communications and Sprint recently announced that they would merge and that the new combined company plans to migrate Nextel’s push-to-talk services to a next generation CDMA network platform. After announcing their merger plans, Nextel Communications also announced an agreement with Motorola for a three-year extension of its iDEN infrastructure supply agreement and handset purchase agreement, with certain modifications. Any decrease by Nextel Communications in its use of iDEN technology could significantly increase our costs for equipment and new developments and could impact Motorola’s decision to continue to support iDEN technology. In the event Motorola determines not to continue manufacturing, supporting or enhancing our iDEN based infrastructure and handsets, because Nextel Communications decreases its use of iDEN technology or otherwise, we may be materially adversely affected. We expect to continue to rely principally on Motorola for the manufacture of a substantial portion of the equipment necessary to construct, enhance and maintain our digital mobile networks and for the manufacture of handsets for the next several years.
We operate exclusively in foreign markets, and our assets, customers and cash flows are concentrated in Latin America, which presents risks to our operating and financing plans.
We face political and economic risks in our markets, which may limit our ability to implement our strategy and our financial flexibility and may disrupt our operations.
The countries in which we operate are considered to be emerging markets. Although political, economic and social conditions differ in each country in which we currently operate, political and economic developments in one country may affect our business as a whole, including our access to international capital markets. Negative developments or unstable conditions in the countries in which we operate or in other emerging market countries could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. In Peru, for example, there was significant terrorist activity in the 1980s and the early 1990s. During that time, anti-government groups escalated violence against the government, the private sector and Peruvian residents. Incidents of terrorist activity continue to occur. Similar outbreaks of terrorism or political violence have occurred in Mexico and other countries in which we operate. In addition, in 2001, after prolonged periods of
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recession followed by political instability, the Argentine government announced it would not service its public debt. In order to address the worsening economic and social crisis, the Argentine government abandoned its decade-old fixed Argentine peso-U.S. dollar exchange rate, allowing the currency to float to market levels.
We are unable to predict the impact that presidential or other contested local or national elections and the associated transfer of power from incumbent officials or political parties to elected victors, may have on the local economy or the growth and development of the local telecommunications industry. Changes in leadership or in the ruling party in the countries in which we operate may affect the economic programs developed under the prior administration, which in turn may adversely affect the economies in the countries in which we operate and our business operations and prospects in these countries.
Due to our significant operations in Argentina and Brazil, our business is particularly exposed to risks associated with adverse economic and political conditions in those countries.
In recent years, both Argentina and Brazil have been negatively affected by volatile economic and political conditions. These volatile conditions pose risks for our business. In particular, the volatility of the Argentine peso and the Brazilian real has affected our recent financial results. The depreciation of the currencies in Argentina and Brazil in 2002 had a material negative impact on our financial results.
Argentina. After a prolonged period of recession, followed by political instability, Argentina announced in December 2001 that it would impose tight restrictions on bank accounts, would not service its public sector debt and suspended foreign currency trading. In January 2002, the Argentine government abandoned its decade-old fixed Argentine peso-U.S. dollar exchange rate. The resulting depreciation of the Argentine peso against the U.S. dollar during the 2002 calendar year was 66%. A depreciation of the Argentine peso generally affects our consolidated financial statements by generating a foreign currency transaction loss on U.S. dollar-denominated debt. Until October 31, 2002, the liabilities of our Argentine operating company included U.S. dollar-denominated secured debt, for which we recognized foreign currency transaction losses of $137.5 million for the ten months ended October 31, 2002. A depreciation of the Argentine peso also affects our consolidated financial statements by reducing the translation rate of all Argentine peso-denominated balances. To the extent net income is generated by our Argentine operating company, the amount would be reduced by a depreciation of the Argentine peso.
Brazil. The Brazilian economy has been characterized by frequent and occasionally drastic intervention by the Brazilian government and by volatile economic cycles. The Brazilian government has often changed monetary, taxation, credit, tariff and other policies to influence the course of Brazil’s economy. In early 1999, the Brazilian government allowed the Brazilian real to float freely, resulting in a 32% devaluation against the U.S. dollar that year. In 2002, the Brazilian real depreciated against the U.S. dollar by 18%. For the combined period ended December 31, 2002, we recognized foreign currency transaction losses of $26.2 million, primarily related to U.S. dollar-denominated liabilities of our Brazilian operating company.
The volatility of the Brazilian real and the Brazilian capital markets is due, in part, to Brazilian economic performance and related government policies. We cannot assure you that the new government will not implement policy changes that could adversely affect our Brazilian operations. Changes in policy, including tariffs, exchange controls or other factors, could adversely affect our business and financial results, as could inflation, further currency devaluation and other developments, as well as the Brazilian government’s response to them.
In addition, economic and market conditions in other emerging markets can influence the perception of Brazil’s economic and political situation.
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Because wireless telecommunications services companies have a limited history in our markets, acceptance of our services is uncertain, and we may not be able to successfully implement our business plan.
Due, in part, to the limited history of wireless communications services in our existing and targeted markets, we face many uncertainties in our markets that may affect our ability to grow or implement our business plan. These uncertainties include:
• | the size of the markets for wireless communications services; | |
• | the penetration rates of these markets; | |
• | the ability of potential subscribers to pay subscription and other fees; | |
• | the extent and nature of the competitive environment in these markets; and | |
• | the immediate and long-term commercial viability of wireless communications services in these markets. |
As a result of these uncertainties, we may make significant investments in developing a network and promoting our digital mobile services in markets where we may not achieve significant market acceptance for our services. If this occurs we may be unable to recover our investment in these markets, which could harm our financial condition and results of operations.
We are subject to fluctuations in currency exchange rates and limitations on the expatriation or conversion of currencies, which may result in significant financial charges, increased costs of operations or decreased demand for our products and services.
Nearly all of our revenues are earned in non-U.S. currencies, although a significant portion of our capital and operating expenditures, including imported network equipment and handsets, and substantially all of our outstanding debt, is priced in U.S. dollars. Accordingly, fluctuations in exchange rates relative to the U.S. dollar could have a material adverse effect on our earnings or assets. For example, the 1999 and 2002 currency devaluations in Brazil resulted in significant charges against our earnings in 1999 and 2002 and negative adjustments to the carrying value of our assets in Brazil. The economic upheaval in Argentina in 2002 led to the unpegging of the Argentine peso to the U.S. dollar exchange rate and the subsequent significant devaluation of the Argentine peso.
Any depreciation of local currencies in the countries in which our operating companies conduct business may result in increased costs to us for imported equipment and may, at the same time, decrease demand for our products and services in the affected markets. If our operating companies distribute dividends in local currencies in the future, the amount of cash we receive will also be affected by fluctuations in exchange rates and currency devaluations. In addition, some of the countries in which we have operations do or may restrict the expatriation or conversion of currency.
Our operating companies are subject to fluctuating economic conditions in the local markets in which they operate, which could hurt their performance.
Our operations depend on the economies of the markets in which our operating companies conduct business. These markets are in countries with economies in various stages of development or structural reform, some of which are subject to rapid fluctuations in terms of consumer prices, employment levels, gross domestic product, interest rates and inflation rates. If these fluctuations have an effect on the ability of customers to pay for our products and services, our business may be adversely affected. As a result, our operating companies may experience lower demand for their products and services and a decline in the growth of their customer base and in revenues.
Some of our operating companies conduct business in countries where the rate of inflation is significantly higher than in the United States. Any significant increase in the rate of inflation in any of these countries may not be completely or partially offset by corresponding price increases implemented by our operating companies, even over the long term.
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We pay significant import duties on our network equipment and handsets, and any increases could impact our financial results.
Our operations are highly dependent upon the successful and cost-efficient importation of network equipment and handsets from North America and, to a lesser extent, from Europe and Asia. Any significant increase in import duties in the future could significantly increase our costs. To the extent we cannot pass these costs on to our customers, our financial results will be negatively impacted. In the countries in which our operating companies conduct business, network equipment and handsets are subject to significant import duties and other taxes that can be as high as 50% of the purchase price.
We are subject to foreign taxes in the countries in which we operate, which may reduce amounts we receive from our operating companies or may increase our tax costs.
Many of the foreign countries in which we operate have increasingly turned to new taxes, as well as aggressive interpretations of current taxes, as a method of increasing revenue. For instance, Brazil has a tax on financial transactions, and certain provinces in Argentina adopted higher tax rates on telecommunications services in 2001. In addition, in 2002 Mexico adopted a new tax on telecommunications services. The provisions of the new tax laws may prohibit us from passing these taxes on to our customers. These taxes may reduce the amount of earnings that we can generate from our services.
Distributions of earnings and other payments, including interest, received from our operating companies may be subject to withholding taxes imposed by some countries in which these entities operate. Any of these taxes will reduce the amount of after-tax cash we can receive from those operating companies.
In general, a U.S. corporation may claim a foreign tax credit against its federal income tax expense for foreign withholding taxes and, under certain circumstances, for its share of foreign income taxes paid directly by foreign corporate entities in which the company owns 10% or more of the voting stock. Our ability to claim foreign tax credits is, however, subject to numerous limitations, and we may incur incremental tax costs as a result of these limitations or because we do not have U.S. federal taxable income.
We may also be required to include in our income for U.S. federal income tax purposes our proportionate share of specified earnings of our foreign corporate subsidiaries that are classified as controlled foreign corporations, without regard to whether distributions have been actually received from these subsidiaries.
Nextel Brazil has received tax assessment notices from state and federal Brazilian tax authorities asserting deficiencies in tax payments related primarily to value added taxes, import duties and matters surrounding the definition and classification of equipment and services. Nextel Brazil has filed various petitions disputing these assessments. In some cases we have received favorable decisions, which are currently being appealed by the respective governmental authorities. In other cases our petitions have been denied and we are currently appealing those decisions.
We have entered into a number of agreements that are subject to enforcement in foreign countries, which may limit efficient dispute resolution.
A number of the agreements that we and our operating companies enter into with third parties are governed by the laws of, and are subject to dispute resolution in the courts of or through arbitration proceedings in, the countries or regions in which the operations are located. We cannot accurately predict whether these forums will provide effective and efficient means of resolving disputes that may arise. Even if we are able to obtain a satisfactory decision through arbitration or a court proceeding, we could have difficulty enforcing any award or judgment on a timely basis. Our ability to obtain or enforce relief in the United States is also uncertain.
Government regulations determine how we operate in various countries, which could limit our growth and strategy plans.
In each market in which we operate, one or more regulatory entities regulate the licensing, construction, acquisition, ownership and operation of our wireless communications systems. Adoption of new regulations, changes in the current telecommunications laws or regulations or changes in the manner in which they are
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interpreted or applied could adversely affect our operations. Because of the uncertainty as to the interpretation of regulations in some countries in which we operate, we may not always be able to provide the services we have planned in each market. In some markets, we are unable, or have limitations on our ability, to offer some services, such as interconnection to other telecommunications networks and participation in calling party pays programs, which may increase our costs. Further, the regulatory schemes in the countries in which we operate allow third parties, including our competitors, to challenge our actions. For instance, some of our competitors have challenged the validity of some of our licenses or the scope of services we provide under those licenses, in administrative or judicial proceedings, particularly in Chile. It is possible that, in the future, we may face additional regulatory prohibitions or limitations on our services. Inability to provide planned services could make it more difficult for us to compete in the affected markets. Further, some countries in which we conduct business impose foreign ownership limitations upon telecommunications companies. Finally, in some of our markets, local governments have adopted very stringent rules and regulations related to the placement and construction of wireless towers, which can significantly impede the planned expansion of our service coverage area, eliminate existing towers and impose new and onerous taxes and fees. These issues affect our ability to operate in each of our markets, and therefore impact our business strategies. For additional information, see the “Regulatory and Legal Overview” discussion for each operating company under “Business” of our 2004 annual report on Form 10-K, which is incorporated by reference into this prospectus.
If our licenses to provide mobile services are not renewed, or are modified or revoked, our business may be restricted.
Wireless communications licenses and spectrum allocations are subject to ongoing review and, in some cases, to modification or early termination for failure to comply with applicable regulations. If our operating companies fail to comply with the terms of their licenses and other regulatory requirements, including installation deadlines and minimum loading or service availability requirements, their licenses could be revoked. Further, compliance with these requirements is a condition for eligibility for license renewal. Most of our wireless communications licenses have fixed terms and are not renewed automatically. Because governmental authorities have discretion as to the grant or renewal of licenses, our licenses may not be renewed or, if renewed, renewal may not be on acceptable economic terms. For example, under existing regulations, our licenses in Brazil and Peru are renewable once, but no regulations presently exist regarding how or whether additional renewals will be granted.
Any modification or termination of our license or roaming agreements with Nextel Communications could increase our costs.
Nextel Communications has licensed to us the right to use “Nextel” and other of its trademarks on a royalty-free basis in Latin America. Nextel Communications may terminate the license on 60 days notice if we commit one of several specified defaults (namely, failure to maintain agreed quality controls, a change in control of NII Holdings, or certain other material defaults under the New Spectrum Use and Build-Out Agreement) and fail to cure the default within the 60 day period. If there is a change in control of one of our subsidiaries, upon 30 days notice, Nextel Communications may terminate the sublicense granted by us to the subsidiary with respect to the licensed marks. The loss of the use of the “Nextel” tradename could have a material adverse effect on our operations. We also depend upon our roaming agreements with Nextel Communications for access to its iDEN network in the United States.
If we fail to maintain an effective system of internal controls, we may not be able to accurately report our financial results or prevent fraud. As a result, current and potential stockholders could lose confidence in our financial reporting, which would harm our business and the trading price of our stock.
Effective internal controls are necessary for us to provide reliable financial reports and effectively prevent fraud. Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate. We have in the past discovered, and may in the future discover, areas of our internal controls that need improvement. As discussed in our 2004 annual report on Form 10-K and our quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2005, both of which are incorporated by
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reference into this prospectus, we identified two material weaknesses as a result of our assessment of internal controls over financial reporting. As a result of these errors, we restated certain of our previously issued financial statements in order to correct these errors in the periods in which they occurred. We are continuing to work to improve our internal controls. We cannot be certain that these measures will ensure that we implement and maintain adequate controls over our financial processes and reporting in the future. Any failure to implement required new or improved controls, or difficulties encountered in their implementation, could harm our operating results or cause us to fail to meet our reporting obligations. Inadequate internal controls could also cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information, which could have a negative effect on the trading price of our stock.
Our debt limits our flexibility and increases our risk of default.
Our debt could have important consequences to you, such as:
• | limiting our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business and the industries in which we compete and increasing our vulnerability to general adverse economic and industry conditions; and | |
• | limiting our ability to obtain additional financing that we may need to fund future working capital, capital expenditures, product development, acquisitions or other corporate requirements. | |
As of March 31, 2005, the book value of our long-term debt was $607.0 million, including $300.0 million of our 2.875% convertible notes due 2034, $180.0 million of our 3.5% convertible notes due 2033, $117.7 million in obligations associated with a sale and leaseback of communication towers and $9.3 million in capital lease obligations, and our stockholders’ equity was $461.0 million.
Our ability to meet our debt obligations and to reduce our indebtedness will depend on our future performance. Our performance, to a certain extent, is subject to general economic conditions and financial, business, political and other factors that are beyond our control. We cannot assure you that we will continue to generate cash flow from operations at or above current levels, that we will be able to meet our cash interest payments on all of our debt or that the related assets currently owned by us can be sustained in the future.
If our business plans change, including as a result of changes in technology, or if general economic, financial or political conditions in any of our markets or competitive practices in the mobile wireless telecommunications industry change materially from those currently prevailing or from those now anticipated, or if other presently unexpected circumstances arise that have a material effect on the cash flow or profitability of our mobile wireless business, the anticipated cash needs of our business could change significantly. Any of these events or circumstances could involve significant additional funding needs in excess of the identified currently available sources, and could require us to raise additional capital to meet those needs. However, our ability to raise additional capital, if necessary, is subject to a variety of additional factors that we cannot presently predict with certainty, including the commercial success of our operations, the volatility and demand of the capital and lending markets and the future market prices of our securities. We cannot assure you that we will be able to raise additional capital on satisfactory terms or at all.
If we are unable to generate cash flow from operations in the future to service our debt, we may try to refinance all or a portion of our debt. We cannot assure you that sufficient future borrowings will be available to pay or refinance our debt.
Our financing agreements have and may contain covenants that limit how we conduct our business, which may affect our ability to grow as planned.
As a result of restrictions that have been contained in certain of our agreements and may be contained in future financing agreements, we may be unable to raise additional financing, compete effectively or take advantage of new business opportunities. This may affect our ability to generate revenues and profits. Our
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future financing agreements have, and may in the future, contain covenants that limit how we conduct business by restricting our ability to:
• | incur or guarantee additional indebtedness; | |
• | pay dividends and make other distributions; | |
• | prepay subordinated indebtedness; | |
• | make investments and other restricted payments; | |
• | enter into sale and leaseback transactions; | |
• | create liens; | |
• | sell assets; and | |
• | engage in transactions with affiliates. | |
We have significant intangible assets that are not likely to generate adequate value to satisfy our obligations in the event of liquidation.
If we were liquidated, the value of our assets likely would not be sufficient to satisfy our obligations. We have a significant amount of intangible assets, such as licenses. The value of these licenses will depend significantly upon the success of our digital mobile network business and the growth of the specialized mobile radio and wireless communications industries in general. Moreover, the transfer of licenses in liquidation would be subject to governmental or regulatory approvals that may not be obtained or that may adversely impact the value of such licenses. Our net tangible book value was $390.2 million as of March 31, 2005.
Our significant stockholder is able to influence our business and affairs.
As of May 31, 2005, Nextel Communications beneficially owned about 17.2% of our outstanding common stock and was our single largest stockholder. Because of their stock ownership, Nextel Communications may be able to exert significant influence over our business and affairs. Nextel Communications is also a party to a standstill agreement with us and certain other parties which prohibits it from exercising voting control over more than 49.9% of our outstanding common stock.
Agreements with Motorola reduce our operational flexibility and may adversely affect our growth or operating results.
We have entered into agreements with Motorola that impose limitations and conditions on our ability to use other technologies that would displace our existing iDEN digital mobile networks. These agreements may delay or prevent us from employing new or different technologies that perform better or are available at a lower cost because of the additional economic costs and other impediments to change arising under the Motorola agreements. For example, our equipment purchase agreements with Motorola provide that we must provide Motorola with notice of our determination that Motorola’s technology is no longer suited to our needs at least six months before publicly announcing or entering into a contract to purchase equipment utilizing an alternate technology.
In addition, if Motorola manufactures, or elects to manufacture, the equipment utilizing the alternate technology that we elect to deploy, we must give Motorola the opportunity to supply 50% of our infrastructure requirements for the equipment utilizing the alternate technology for three years. This may limit our ability to negotiate with an alternate equipment supplier. Finally, if we do switch to an alternate technology and we do not maintain Motorola infrastructure equipment at the majority of our transmitter and receiver sites that are deployed at the time the switch is first publicly announced.
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We may not be able to finance a change of control offer.
Upon the occurrence of certain kinds of change of control events, we may be required to repurchase 100% of the principal amount of all of our outstanding $300.0 million aggregate principal amount 2.875% convertible notes due 2034 and all of our outstanding $180.0 million 3.5% convertible notes due 2033. However, it is possible that we will not have sufficient funds at the time of the change of control to make the required repurchase of our convertible notes.
Concerns about health risks associated with wireless equipment may reduce the demand for our services.
Portable communications devices have been alleged to pose health risks, including cancer, due to radio frequency emissions from these devices. The actual or perceived risk of mobile communications devices could adversely affect us through increased costs of doing business, additional governmental regulation that sets emissions standards or otherwise limits or prohibits our devices from being marketed and sold, a reduction in subscribers, reduced network usage per subscriber or reduced financing available to the mobile communications industry. Further research and studies are ongoing, and we cannot be sure that these studies will not demonstrate a link between radio frequency emissions and health concerns.
Historical financial information may not be comparable to results reported in the future.
As a result of the November 2002 consummation of our Revised Third Amended Joint Plan of Reorganization and the transactions contemplated thereby, we are operating our existing business under a new capital structure. In addition, we were subject to fresh-start accounting rules. Accordingly, our consolidated financial condition and results of operations from and after our reorganization are not comparable to our consolidated financial condition or results of operations reflected in our financial statements for periods prior to our reorganization, which are included in our 2004 annual report on Form 10-K and incorporated by reference into this prospectus.
Risk Factors Relating to the Common Stock
The market price of our common stock may be volatile, which could cause the value of your investment in us to decline.
Any of the following factors could affect the market price of our common stock:
• | general market, political and economic conditions; | |
• | changes in earnings estimates and recommendations by financial analysts; | |
• | our failure to meet financial analysts’ performance expectations; | |
• | legislative and regulatory developments; | |
• | conditions and trends in the telecommunications industry; and | |
• | conditions in the local markets or regions in which we operate. | |
In addition, many of the risks described elsewhere in this “Risk Factors” section could materially and adversely affect our stock price. The stock markets have experienced price and volume volatility that has affected many companies’ stock prices. Many companies have experienced wide stock price fluctuations that have often been unrelated to the operating performance of those companies. Fluctuations such as these may affect the market price of our common stock.
We have not paid dividends on our common stock.
We have never paid a cash dividend on our common stock and do not plan to pay dividends on our common stock for the foreseeable future. As a holding company, our ability to pay dividends depends on a number of factors, including the earnings of, and cash flow available from, our operating companies. Our operating companies are subject to legal and contractual restrictions on the payment of dividends to us. Some
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of our financing documents prohibit, and are expected to continue to prohibit, us from paying dividends. In addition, some of the collateral security mechanisms and related provisions associated with our financing agreements limit the amount of cash available to make dividends, loans and cash distributions to us from our operating companies and provide that, in the event we default under those financing agreements, any dividends must be paid to the collateral agent.
We anticipate that for the foreseeable future any cash flow generated from our operations will be used to develop and expand our business and operations and make contractual payments on our debt in accordance with our business plan. Any future determination as to the payment of dividends on our common stock will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend upon our operating results, financial condition and capital requirements, contractual restrictions, general business conditions and other factors as our board of directors deems relevant. We cannot assure you that we will pay dividends on our common stock at any time in the future.
Some provisions of our restated certificate of incorporation and Delaware law could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire us even if doing so would be in your interest.
Even if an offer to acquire our company included a premium on the common stock or presented long-term benefits or would otherwise be in your interest, a third party could find it difficult to make such an acquisition. Provisions of our restated certificate of incorporation and of Delaware law that could make it more difficult to acquire us include:
• | the ability of our board of directors to issue shares of preferred stock on terms that can be set by our board of directors in its sole discretion; and | |
• | provisions of Delaware law that impose restrictions on mergers and business combinations between us and a holder of 15% or more of our common stock, other than Nextel Communications or a subsidiary of Nextel Communications. | |
USE OF PROCEEDS
We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of the common stock by the selling security holder under this prospectus.
SELLING SECURITY HOLDER
General
The shares of common stock offered under this prospectus were issued on November 12, 2002 under our Revised Third Amended Joint Plan of Reorganization upon emergence from Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. In connection with that issuance, the selling security holder was granted registration rights covering the common stock under a registration rights agreement. This registration statement is intended to satisfy such registration rights.
Ownership
The following table provides information with respect to the common stock held by the selling security holder. The table is based on information provided by or on behalf of the selling security holder. Because the selling security holder may sell all or some part of the common stock which it holds under this prospectus, no estimate can be given as to the amount of common stock that will be held by the selling security holder upon termination of this offering. See “Plan of Distribution” below. The selling security holder may from time to
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time offer and sell any or all of the common stock under this prospectus. The term “selling security holder” includes its transferees, pledgees or donees or their successors.
Name and Address of | Amount and Nature of | Percent of | |||||||
Beneficial Owner | Beneficial Ownership | Class(1) | |||||||
Nextel Communications, Inc. | 12,356,064 | 17.2 | % | ||||||
2001 Edmund Halley Drive | |||||||||
Reston, Virginia 20191 |
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions
In connection with our emergence from Chapter 11 reorganization on November 12, 2002, Nextel Communications purchased, through a rights offering, $50.9 million new notes of NII Holdings (Cayman) and 17,089,563 shares of the common stock issued, together with 4,266,501 shares of common stock that NII Holdings issued to Nextel Communications in connection with the cancellation of our senior redeemable notes and in satisfaction of claims by Nextel Communications under our 1997 tax sharing agreement. As of May 31, 2005, Nextel Communications owned about 17.2% of our issued and outstanding shares of common stock. The following are descriptions of other significant transactions consummated with Nextel Communications on November 12, 2002 under our confirmed plan of reorganization.
New Spectrum Use and Build-Out Agreement |
On November 12, 2002, we and Nextel Communications entered into a new spectrum use and build-out agreement. Under this agreement, certain of our subsidiaries committed to complete the construction of our network in the Baja region of Mexico, in exchange for proceeds from Nextel Communications of $50.0 million, of which $25.0 million was received in each of 2002 and 2003. We recorded the $50.0 million as deferred revenues and expect to recognize the revenue ratably over 15.5 years, the remaining useful life of our licenses in Tijuana. As of December 31, 2004 and 2003, we had recorded $45.7 million and $49.2 million, respectively, of deferred revenues related to this agreement, of which $42.5 million and $46.0 million are classified as long-term, respectively. We commenced service on our network in the Baja region of Mexico in September 2003. As a result, during each of the years ended December 31, 2004 and 2003, we recognized $3.5 million and $0.8 million, respectively, in revenues related to this arrangement.
Tax Cooperation Agreement with Nextel Communications |
We had a tax sharing agreement with Nextel Communications, dated January 1, 1997, which was in effect through November 11, 2002. On November 12, 2002, we terminated the tax sharing agreement and entered into a tax cooperation agreement with Nextel Communications under which Nextel Communications and we agreed to retain, for 20 years following the effective date of our plan of reorganization, books, records, accounting data and other information related to the preparation and filing of consolidated tax returns filed for Nextel Communications’ consolidated group.
Amended and Restated Overhead Services Agreement with Nextel Communications |
We had an overhead services agreement with Nextel Communications in effect through November 11, 2002. On November 12, 2002, we entered into an amended and restated overhead services agreement, under which Nextel Communications will provide us, for agreed upon service fees, certain (i) information technology services, (ii) payroll and employee benefit services, (iii) procurement services, (iv) engineering and technical services, (v) marketing and sales services, and (vi) accounts payable services. Either Nextel Communications or we can terminate one or more of the other services at any time with 30 days advance notice. Effective January 1, 2003, we no longer use Nextel Communications’ payroll and employee benefit services, procurement services or accounts payable services.
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Third Amended and Restated Trademark License Agreement with Nextel Communications |
On November 12, 2002, we entered into a third amended and restated trademark license agreement with Nextel Communications, which superseded a previous trademark license agreement. Under the new agreement, Nextel Communications granted to us an exclusive, royalty-free license to use within Latin America, excluding Puerto Rico, certain trademarks, including but not limited to the mark “Nextel.” The license agreement continues indefinitely unless terminated by Nextel Communications upon 60 days notice if we commit any one of several specified defaults and fail to cure the default within a 60 day period. Under a side agreement, until the sooner of November 12, 2007 or the termination of the new agreement, Nextel Communications agreed to not offer iDEN service in Latin America, other than in Puerto Rico, and we agreed to not offer iDEN service in the United States.
Standstill Agreement |
As part of our Revised Third Amended Joint Plan of Reorganization, we, Nextel Communications and certain of our noteholders entered into a Standstill Agreement, pursuant to which Nextel Communications and its affiliates agreed not to purchase (or take any other action to acquire) any of our equity securities, or other securities convertible into our equity securities, that would result in Nextel Communications and its affiliates holding, in the aggregate, more than 49.9% of the equity ownership of us on a fully diluted basis, which we refer to as the “standstill percentage,” without prior approval of a majority of the non-Nextel Communications members of the Board of Directors. We agreed not to take any action that would cause Nextel Communications to hold more than 49.9% of our common equity on a fully diluted basis. If, however, we take action that causes Nextel Communications to hold more than 49.9% of our common equity, Nextel is required to vote all shares in excess of the standstill percentage in the same proportions as votes are cast for such class or series of our voting stock by stockholders other than Nextel Communications and its affiliates.
During the term of the Standstill Agreement, Nextel Communications and its controlled affiliates have agreed not to nominate to our Board of Directors, nor will they vote in favor of the election to the Board of Directors, any person that is an affiliate of Nextel Communications if the election of such person to the Board of Directors would result in more than two affiliates of Nextel Communications serving as directors. Nextel Communications has also agreed that if at any time during the term of the Standstill Agreement more than two of its affiliates are directors, it will use its reasonable efforts to cause such directors to resign to the extent necessary to reduce the number of directors on our Board of Directors that are affiliates of Nextel Communications to two.
Registration Rights Agreement |
In connection with our emergence from Chapter 11 reorganization in November 2002, we entered into a Registration Rights Agreement with Nextel Communications and certain of our other security holders. Under the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement, we agreed to register with the Securities and Exchange Commission, in the aggregate, 34,383,849 shares of our common stock and $294,659,970 principal amount of our 13% senior secured discount notes due 2009, of which Nextel Communications owned 21,356,064 shares of the common stock and $152,700,000 principal amount of the notes. In accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement and the related registration statement, Nextel Communications sold 9,000,000 shares of common stock in a fully underwritten registered offering in November 2003. During 2004, we purchased or defeased all of our 13% senior secured discount notes due 2009.
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
This prospectus covers the sale of the shares of common stock by the selling security holder. As used in this prospectus, “selling security holder” will also include donees and pledgees selling securities received from
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a named selling security holder after the date of this prospectus. The selling security holder may sell their shares of common stock under this prospectus:
• | through one or more broker-dealers acting as either principal or agent; | |
• | through underwriters; | |
• | directly to investors; or | |
• | through any combination of these methods. |
The selling security holder will fix a price or prices, and it may change the price, of the shares of common stock offered based upon:
• | market prices prevailing at the time of sale; | |
• | prices related to those market prices; or | |
• | negotiated prices. |
These sales may be effected in one or more of the following transactions (which may involve crosses and block transactions):
• | on any securities exchange or U.S. inter-dealer system of a registered national securities association on which the common stock may be listed or quoted at the time of sale; | |
• | in the over-the-counter market; | |
• | in private transactions; | |
• | through the writing of options, whether the options are listed on an option exchange or otherwise; or | |
• | through the settlement of short sales. |
The selling security holder may also enter into derivative or other hedging transactions with financial institutions. These financial institutions may in turn engage in sales of common stock to hedge their position, deliver this prospectus in connection with some or all of those sales and use the shares covered by this prospectus to close out any short position created in connection with those sales. The selling security holder may also sell shares of common stock short using this prospectus and deliver common stock covered by this prospectus to close out such short positions, or loan or pledge common stock to financial institutions that in turn may sell the shares of common stock using this prospectus. The selling security holder may pledge or grant a security interest in some or all of the common stock covered by this prospectus to support a derivative or hedging position or other obligation and, if it defaults in the performance of our obligations, the pledgees or secured parties may offer and sell the common stock from time to time pursuant to this prospectus.
Broker-dealers, underwriters or agents may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the selling security holder or the purchasers. These discounts, concessions or commissions may be more than those customary for the transaction involved. If any broker-dealer purchases the shares of common stock as principal, it may effect sales of the shares through other broker-dealers, and other broker-dealers may receive compensation from the purchasers for whom they act as agents.
To comply with the securities laws of some states, if applicable, the securities may be sold in these jurisdictions only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers. In addition, in some states the securities may not be sold unless they have been registered or qualified for sale or an exemption from registration or qualification requirements is available and is complied with.
The selling security holder, and any underwriters, broker-dealers or agents that participate in the sale of the securities may be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933. Any discounts, commissions, concessions or profits they earn on any sale of the shares may be underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act. A selling security holder who is deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act will be subject to the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act.
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Any securities covered by this prospectus which qualify for sale under Rule 144 of the Securities Act may be sold under Rule 144 rather than under this prospectus or pursuant to another available exemption.
To the extent required, the specific securities to be sold, the names of the selling security holders, the respective purchase prices and public offering prices, the names of any agent, dealer or underwriter, and any applicable commissions or discounts with respect to a particular offer will be set forth in an accompanying prospectus supplement or, if appropriate, a post-effective amendment to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.
We may suspend the use of this prospectus in certain circumstances because of pending corporate developments or a need to file a post-effective amendment. In any such event, we will use our reasonable efforts to ensure that the use of the prospectus is resumed as soon as practicable.
Under the registration rights agreement with the selling security holder, we have agreed to indemnify the selling security holder and each underwriter, if any, against certain liabilities, including under the Securities Act, or will contribute to payments the selling security holder or underwriters may be required to make in respect of those liabilities.
We have agreed to pay substantially all of the expenses in connection with the registration, offering and sale of the securities covered by this prospectus, other than commissions, fees or discounts of underwriters, brokers, dealers and agents.
We have agreed to keep the registration statement, of which this prospectus is a part, effective from the time this registration statement becomes effective until the earlier of November 12, 2007 or that time when all securities covered by this registration statement have been sold.
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
The following description is a summary of the material provisions of our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws. Copies of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws have been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and are incorporated into the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.
General
As of May 31, 2005, NII Holdings had 310,000,000 shares of capital stock authorized. This authorized capital stock consisted of:
• | 300,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, 71,706,188 of which were outstanding; and | |
• | 10,000,000 shares of undesignated preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share, which we refer to as our Undesignated Preferred Stock, none of which are currently outstanding. | |
Common Stock
Voting |
Subject to the rights of the holder of any preferred stock outstanding at the time, each share of our common stock entitles its holder to one vote on all matters submitted to a vote of our stockholders on which the holders of the common stock are entitled to vote. Holders of the common stock shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the corporation generally. The common stock does not have cumulative voting rights in connection with the election of directors.
Dividends |
Subject to the preferences of any preferred stock then outstanding, the holders of common stock are entitled to receive dividends and other distributions in cash, property or shares of stock of the corporation as
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may be declared thereon by the corporation’s board of directors from time to time out of assets or funds of the corporation legally available therefor.
Liquidation |
If we are liquidated (either partial or complete), dissolved or wound up, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, the holders of the common stock shall be entitled to share ratably in our net assets remaining after payment of all liquidation preferences, if any, applicable to any outstanding preferred stock. There are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the common stock.
Undesignated Preferred Stock
The board of directors is granted the authority to from time to time issue the Undesignated Preferred Stock as preferred stock of one or more series and in connection with the creation of any such series to fix by resolution the designation, voting powers, preferences, and relative, participating, optional, or other special rights of such series, and the qualifications, limitations, or restrictions thereof. The rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions or qualifications of different series of preferred stock may differ with respect to dividend rates, amounts payable on liquidation, voting rights, conversion rights, redemption provisions, sinking fund provisions and other matters. The issuance of preferred stock could decrease the amount of earnings and assets available for distribution to holders of common stock, adversely affect the rights and powers, including voting rights, of holders of common stock, and have the effect of delaying, deterring or preventing a change in control of us.
Preemptive Rights
No holder of any share of our capital stock has any preemptive right to subscribe to an additional issue of our capital stock or to any security convertible into such stock.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is EquiServe Trust Company, N.A.
Certain Provisions of Our Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws and Delaware Law
Our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws contain provisions that could make more difficult an acquisition of us by means of a tender offer, a proxy contest or otherwise. These provisions are expected to discourage specific types of coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids and to encourage persons seeking to acquire control to first negotiate with us. Although these provisions may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control, we believe that the benefits of increased protection through the potential ability to negotiate with the proponent of an unfriendly or unsolicited proposal to acquire or restructure the company outweigh the disadvantages of discouraging these proposals because, among other things, negotiation of such proposals could result in an improvement of their terms.
Board of Directors |
According to our Amended and Restated Bylaws, the board of directors must be composed of at least one and no more than twelve directors. Our board currently consists of nine directors. The number of directors may be changed from time to time by resolution of the board of directors. Directors need not be stockholders of the corporation. According to our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, we have a board of directors consisting of three classes, with the term of office of one class expiring each year. The three directors of the first class hold office until the next annual meeting or until a successor is duly elected and qualified, the three directors of the second class will hold office until the next succeeding annual meeting or until a successor is duly elected and qualified, and the three directors of the third class will hold office until the next thereafter succeeding annual meeting or until a successor is duly elected and qualified. Commencing with the next
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annual meeting, each class of directors whose term shall then or thereafter expire will be elected to hold office for a three-year term.
Stockholder Actions and Special Meetings |
In accordance with Delaware law, any action required or permitted to be taken at a stockholders’ meeting may be taken without a meeting or a vote if the action is consented to in writing by holders of outstanding stock having the votes necessary to authorize the action. Our Amended and Restated Bylaws provide that the chairman of the board and chief executive officer may call special meetings of the stockholders for any purpose at any time. Further, the Amended and Restated Bylaws provide that a special meeting shall be called by the secretary upon the written request of a majority of the board of directors or of stockholders holding a majority of the entire capital stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote. This request must state the purposes of the proposed meeting.
Anti-Takeover Statute |
Generally, section 203 of the Delaware general corporation law prohibits a publicly held Delaware company from engaging in a business combination with an interested stockholder for a period of three years after the time the stockholder became an interested stockholder. However, the interested stockholder may engage in a business combination if specified conditions are satisfied. Thus, it may make acquisition of control of our company more difficult. The prohibitions in section 203 do not apply if:
• | before the stockholder became an interested stockholder, the board of directors approved either the business combination or the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder; | |
• | upon consummation of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock outstanding at the time the transaction began; or | |
• | at or after the time the stockholder became an interested stockholder, the business combination is approved by the board of directors and authorized by the affirmative vote of at least 662/3% of the outstanding voting stock that is not owned by the interested stockholder. |
Under section 203 of the Delaware general corporation law, a business combination includes:
• | any merger or consolidation of the corporation with the interested stockholder; | |
• | any sale, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer or other disposition, except proportionately as a stockholder of such corporation, to or with the interested stockholder of assets of the corporation having an aggregate market value equal to 10% or more of either the aggregate market value of all the assets of the corporation or the aggregate market value of all its outstanding stock; | |
• | transactions resulting in the issuance or transfer by the corporation of stock of the corporation to the interested stockholder; | |
• | transactions involving the corporation, which have the effect of increasing the proportionate share of the corporation’s stock of any class or series that is owned by the interested stockholder; or | |
• | transactions in which the interested stockholder receives financial benefits provided by the corporation. |
Under section 203 of the Delaware general corporation law, an interested stockholder generally is
• | any person that owns 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation; | |
• | any person that is an affiliate or associate of the corporation and was the owner of 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation at any time within the three-year period immediately before the date on which it is sought to be determined whether or not that person is an interested stockholder; and | |
• | the affiliates or associates of either of the above categories of persons. |
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Under some circumstances, section 203 of the Delaware general corporation law makes it more difficult for an interested stockholder to effect various business combinations with us for a three-year period, although our stockholders may elect to exclude us from the restrictions imposed under this section.
LEGAL MATTERS
Williams Mullen, Richmond, Virginia, our counsel, will pass upon the validity of the shares of our common stock.
EXPERTS
On May 19, 2003, we dismissed Deloitte & Touche LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm and engaged PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm. In connection with its audits for the two most recent fiscal years and through May 19, 2003, there had been no disagreements with Deloitte & Touche LLP on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedure, which disagreements if not resolved to the satisfaction of Deloitte & Touche LLP would have caused them to make reference thereto in their report on the Company’s consolidated financial statements for such years. Our change in independent registered public accounting firm was reported on a Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on May 23, 2003.
The consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2002 (Successor Company consolidated balance sheet), and the related consolidated statements of operations, changes in stockholders’ (deficit) equity and cash flows for the two months ended December 31, 2002 (Successor Company consolidated operations) and the ten months ended October 31, 2002 (Predecessor Company consolidated operations), and the financial statement schedule, incorporated in this prospectus by reference from the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004, have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report dated March 7, 2003 (March 17, 2005 as to the effects of the restatement discussed in Note 20), which is incorporated herein by reference, (which report expresses an unqualified opinion and includes explanatory paragraphs referring to NII Holdings, Inc.’s reorganization under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code in 2002, the adoption of AICPA Statement of Position 90-7, “Financial Reporting for Entities in Reorganization Under the Bankruptcy Code,” in 2002 and the adoption of Emerging Issues Task Force Issue No. 00-21, “Accounting for Revenue Arrangements with Multiple Deliverables,” on November 1, 2002 and the restatement of the consolidated financial statements for the two months ended December 31, 2002 (Successor Company) and for the ten months ended October 31, 2002 (Predecessor Company)) and have been so incorporated in reliance upon the report of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
The consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2004 and 2003 and for the years then ended and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2004 (which is included in Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting) incorporated in this prospectus by reference to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004 have been so incorporated in reliance on the report (which contains an explanatory paragraph relating to the Company’s change in method of accounting for the financial results of its foreign operating companies from a one-month lag reporting basis to a current period basis, consistent with the Company’s fiscal reporting period) of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.
INCORPORATION OF INFORMATION THAT WE FILE WITH THE SEC
This prospectus incorporates by reference important business and financial information that we file with the SEC and that we are not including in or delivering with this prospectus. As the SEC allows, incorporated
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documents are considered part of this prospectus, and we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents.
We incorporate by reference the documents listed below, to the extent they have been filed with the SEC:
• | our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004; | |
• | the portions of our definitive Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders held on April 27, 2005 that have been incorporated by reference into our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004; | |
• | our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2005; | |
• | our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed March 7, 2005, March 21, 2005, March 22, 2005, April 1, 2005, May 17, 2005 and May 27, 2005; and | |
• | the description of our common stock as set forth on Form 8-K filed on July 14, 2004. | |
We also incorporate by reference all documents to the extent they have been filed with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (1) after the date of this prospectus and (2) until this offering has been completed. Information in this prospectus supersedes related information in the documents listed above, and information in subsequently filed documents supersedes related information in both this prospectus and the incorporated documents.
We will promptly provide, without charge to you, upon written or oral request, a copy of any or all of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus, other than exhibits to those documents, unless the exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference in those documents. Requests should be directed to:
Robert J. Gilker
Vice President and General Counsel
NII Holdings, Inc.
10700 Parkridge Boulevard, Suite 600
Reston, Virginia 20191
(703) 390-5100
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We are subject to the information requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and we file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You may read and copy any document that we file at the SEC’s public reference room facility located at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the public reference room. The SEC maintains an Internet site at http://www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers, including us, that file documents with the SEC electronically through the SEC’s electronic data gathering, analysis and retrieval system known as EDGAR.
Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol “NIHD.” Our reports, proxy statements and other information may also be reviewed at the offices of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., 1735 K Street, N.W., Washington D.C. 20006.
This prospectus is part of a registration statement filed by us with the SEC. Because the rules and regulations of the SEC allow us to omit certain portions of the registration statement from this prospectus, this prospectus does not contain all the information set forth in the registration statement. You may review the registration statement and the exhibits filed with the registration statement for further information regarding us and the shares of our common stock being sold by this prospectus. The registration statement and its exhibits may be inspected at the public reference facilities of the SEC at the addresses set forth above.
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PROSPECTUS
June , 2005
PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 14. | Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution |
Set forth below is an estimate of the approximate amount of fees and expenses payable or paid by NII Holdings in connection with the issuance and distribution of the shares of common stock pursuant to the prospectus contained in this Registration Statement.
Item | Amount | |||
Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee | $ | 22,269 | ||
Legal fees and expenses | 145,000 | |||
Accounting fees and expenses | 116,000 | |||
Transfer agent fees | — | |||
Miscellaneous | 1,731 | |||
Total | $ | 285,000 | ||
All amounts other than the Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee are estimates. These fees will be paid by the registrant.
Item 15. | Indemnification of Directors and Officers |
Article Seven of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of NII Holdings provides that, to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, referred to as the DGCL, as it now exists or may hereafter be amended, no director shall be personally liable to the corporation or any of its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of any fiduciary or other duty as a director provided that this provision shall not eliminate or limit the liability of a director (1) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders, (2) for acts or omissions not in good faith or that involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (3) under Section 174 of the DGCL, or (4) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.
Under Article Seven, any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is involved in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative and whether by or in the right of the corporation or otherwise (a “proceeding”), by reason of the fact that he or she, or a person of whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was a director or officer of the corporation or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee, partner (limited or general) or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan, shall be (and shall be deemed to have a contractual right to be) indemnified and held harmless by the corporation (and any successor to the corporation by merger or otherwise) to the fullest extent authorized by, and subject to the conditions and (except as provided herein) procedures set forth in the DGCL, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (but any such amendment shall not be deemed to limit or prohibit the rights of indemnification hereunder for past acts or omissions of any such person insofar as such amendment limits or prohibits the indemnification rights that said law permitted the corporation to provide prior to such amendment), against all expenses, liabilities and losses (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, ERISA taxes or penalties and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by such person in connection therewith;provided, however,that the corporation shall indemnify any such person seeking indemnification in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person only if such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the board of directors of the corporation. Persons who are not directors or officers of the corporation and are not serving at the request of the corporation may be similarly indemnified in respect of such service to the extent authorized at any time by the board of directors of the corporation. The indemnification conferred also includes the right to be paid by the corporation the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred in the defense of or other involvement in any proceeding in advance of its
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final disposition;provided, however,that payment of expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by a person in advance of the final disposition of a proceeding shall be made only upon delivery to the corporation of an undertaking by or on behalf of such person to repay all amounts so paid in advance if it shall ultimately be determined that such director or officer is not entitled to be indemnified under this section.
Section 7.1 of NII Holdings’ bylaws (the “Bylaws”) provides that each person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is involved in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative and whether by or in the right of the corporation or otherwise (a “proceeding”), by reason of the fact that he or she, or a person of whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was a director or officer of the corporation or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee, partner (limited or general) or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan, shall be (and shall be deemed to have a contractual right to be) indemnified and held harmless by the corporation (and any successor to the corporation by merger or otherwise) to the fullest extent authorized by, and subject to the conditions and (except as provided herein) procedures set forth in the DGCL, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (but any such amendment shall not be deemed to limit or prohibit the rights of indemnification hereunder for past acts or omissions of any such person insofar as such amendment limits or prohibits the indemnification rights that said law permitted the corporation to provide prior to such amendment), against all expenses, liabilities and losses (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, ERISA taxes or penalties and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by such person in connection therewith;provided, however,that the corporation shall indemnify any such person seeking indemnification in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person only if such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the board of directors of the corporation. Persons who are not directors or officers of the corporation and are not so serving at the request of the corporation may be similarly indemnified in respect of such service to the extent authorized at any time by the board of directors of the corporation. The indemnification conferred in Section 7.1 also includes the right to be paid by the corporation the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred in the defense of or other involvement in any such proceeding in advance of its final disposition;provided, however,that payment of expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by a person in advance of the final disposition of a proceeding shall be made only upon delivery to the corporation of an undertaking by or on behalf of such person to repay all amounts so paid in advance if it shall ultimately be determined that such person is not entitled to be so indemnified under Section 7.1.
Section 7.4 of the Bylaws provides that the corporation shall have power to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee, partner (limited or general) or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, trust or other enterprise, against any liability asserted against such person or incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of such person’s status as such, and related expenses, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under the provisions of the DGCL.
Section 102 of the DGCL allows a corporation to eliminate the personal liability of directors of a corporation to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for a breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except where the director breached his duty of loyalty, failed to act in good faith, engaged in intentional misconduct or knowingly violated a law, authorized the payment of a dividend or approved a stock repurchase in violation of the DGCL or obtained an improper personal benefit.
Section 145 of the DGCL provides, among other things, that a company may indemnify any 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 (other than an action by or in the right of the company) by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, agent or employee of the company or is or was serving at the company’s request as a director, officer, agent, or employee of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses, including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding. The power to indemnify applies (a) if such person is successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding,
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or (b) if such person acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in the best interest, or not opposed to the best interest, of the company, and with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. The power to indemnify applies to actions brought by or in the right of the company as well, but only to the extent of defense expenses (including attorneys’ fees but excluding amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred and not to any satisfaction of judgment or settlement of the claim itself, and with the further limitation that in such actions no indemnification shall be made in the event of any adjudication of negligence or misconduct in the performance of his or her duties to the company, unless the court believes that in the light of all the circumstances indemnification should apply.
Section 174 of the DGCL provides, among other things, that a director, who willfully or negligently approves of an unlawful payment of dividends or an unlawful stock purchase or redemption, may be held liable for such actions. A director who was either absent when the unlawful actions were approved or dissented at the time may avoid liability by causing his or her dissent to such actions to be entered in the books containing the minutes of the meetings of the board of directors at the time such action occurred or immediately after such absent director receives notice of the unlawful acts.
Item 16. | Exhibits |
The following exhibits are filed herewith:
Exhibit | ||||
No. | Document | |||
2 | .1 | Revised Third Amended Joint Plan of Reorganization under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code for NII Holdings and NII Holdings (Delaware), Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to NII Holdings’ Form 8-K, filed on November 12, 2002). | ||
4 | .1 | Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of NII Holdings (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to NII Holdings’ Form 10-Q, filed on May 7, 2004). | ||
4 | .2 | Amended and Restated Bylaws of NII Holdings (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to NII Holdings’ Form 10-K, filed on March 12, 2004). | ||
5 | .1 | Opinion of Bingham McCutchen LLP.* | ||
23 | .1 | Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.** | ||
23 | .2 | Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP.** | ||
23 | .3 | Consent of Bingham McCutchen LLP (included in the opinion filed as Exhibit 5.1). | ||
24 | .1 | Power of Attorney.* |
* | Previously filed. |
** | Filed herewith. |
Item 17. | Undertakings |
(a) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:
(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) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate | |
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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) of this section do not apply if the registration statement is on Form S-3, Form S-8 or Form F-3, and the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement. |
(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment 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. | |
(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering. | |
(b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the Registrant’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.
(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission 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 the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the 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 it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Fairfax County, Commonwealth of Virginia, on June 1, 2005.
NII Holdings, Inc. |
By: | /s/Robert J. Gilker |
Robert J. Gilker | |
Vice President and | |
General Counsel | |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature | Title | Date | ||||
* | Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors (Principal Executive Officer) | June 1, 2005 | ||||
/s/Byron R. Siliezar | Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer) | June 1, 2005 | ||||
/s/Daniel E. Freiman | Vice President and Controller (Principal Accounting Officer) | June 1, 2005 | ||||
Director | June , 2005 | |||||
* | Director | June 1, 2005 | ||||
* | Director | June 1, 2005 | ||||
Director | June , 2005 | |||||
* | Director | June 1, 2005 | ||||
* | Director | June 1, 2005 |
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Signature | Title | Date | ||||
* | Director | June 1, 2005 |
* | Byron R. Siliezar, by signing his name hereto, signs this document on behalf of each of the persons indicated by an asterisk above pursuant to powers of attorney duly executed by such persons and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as part of the Registration Statement. |
June 1, 2005
/s/Byron R. Siliezar | |
Byron R. Siliezar |
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EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit | ||||
No. | Document | |||
2 | .1 | Revised Third Amended Joint Plan of Reorganization under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code for NII Holdings and NII Holdings (Delaware), Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to NII Holdings’ Form 8-K, filed on November 12, 2002). | ||
4 | .1 | Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of NII Holdings (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to NII Holdings’ Form 10-Q, filed on May 7, 2004). | ||
4 | .2 | Amended and Restated Bylaws of NII Holdings (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to NII Holdings’ Form 10-K, filed on March 12, 2004). | ||
5 | .1 | Opinion of Bingham McCutchen LLP.* | ||
23 | .1 | Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.** | ||
23 | .2 | Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP.** | ||
23 | .3 | Consent of Bingham McCutchen LLP (included in the opinion filed as Exhibit 5.1). | ||
24 | .1 | Power of Attorney.* |
* | Previously filed. |
** | Filed herewith. |
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