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Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3)
Registration No. 333-197484
PROSPECTUS
CRESTWOOD MIDSTREAM PARTNERS LP
CRESTWOOD MIDSTREAM FINANCE CORP.
Offer to Exchange (the “Exchange Offer”)
$600,000,000 aggregate principal amount of their 6.125% Senior Notes due 2022 and the related guarantees (the “exchange notes”) which have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), for any and all of their outstanding unregistered 6.125% Senior Notes due 2022 and the related guarantees issued on November 8, 2013 (CUSIP and ISIN Nos.: 226373 AG3, US226373AG36; U1300R AE2, USU1300RAE28) (the “outstanding notes”).
We are conducting the exchange offer in order to provide you with an opportunity to exchange your unregistered outstanding notes for freely tradable notes that have been registered under the Securities Act.
The Exchange Offer
• | We will exchange all outstanding notes that are validly tendered and not validly withdrawn for an equal principal amount of exchange notes that are freely tradable. |
• | You may withdraw tenders of outstanding notes at any time prior to the expiration date of the exchange offer. |
• | The exchange offer expires at 12:00 midnight, New York City time, on August 25, 2014, unless extended. We do not currently intend to extend the expiration date. |
• | The exchange of outstanding notes for exchange notes in the exchange offer will not constitute taxable events to holders for United States federal income tax purposes. |
• | The terms of the exchange notes to be issued in the exchange offer are substantially identical to the terms of the outstanding notes, except that the exchange notes will be freely tradable. |
Results of the Exchange Offer
• | The exchange notes may be sold in the over-the-counter market, in negotiated transactions or through a combination of such methods. We do not plan to list the exchange notes on a national market. |
All untendered outstanding notes will continue to be subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth in the outstanding notes and in the indenture governing the outstanding notes. In general, the outstanding notes may not be offered or sold, unless registered under the Securities Act, except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. Other than in connection with the exchange offer, we do not currently anticipate that we will register the outstanding notes under the Securities Act.
See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 9 of this prospectus for a discussion of certain risks that you should consider before participating in the exchange offer.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of the exchange notes to be distributed in the exchange offer or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this prospectus is July 28, 2014.
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You should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. The prospectus may be used only for the purposes for which it has been published, and no person has been authorized to give any information not contained or incorporated by reference herein. If you receive any other information, you should not rely on it. We are not making an offer of these securities in any state where the offer is not permitted.
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Throughout this prospectus, unless otherwise indicated or the context otherwise requires, (i) “we,” “us,” “our” or the “Partnership” refers to Crestwood Midstream Partners LP (f/k/a Inergy Midstream, L.P.) and its subsidiaries, including the co-issuer of the notes offered hereby, Crestwood Midstream Finance Corp. (f/k/a NRGM Finance Corp.), (ii) “Inergy Midstream” refers to Inergy Midstream, L.P. and its consolidated subsidiaries prior to the Crestwood Merger (as defined below), (iii) “Legacy CMLP” refers to Crestwood Midstream Partners LP and its consolidated subsidiaries prior to the consummation of the Crestwood Merger (as defined below), (iv) “Issuers” refers to both Crestwood Midstream Partners LP (f/k/a Inergy Midstream, L.P.) and Crestwood Midstream Finance Corp. (f/k/a NRGM Finance Corp.) but not to their respective subsidiaries and (v) “Co-Issuer” refers only to Crestwood Midstream Finance Corp. On October 7, 2013, the business operations of Inergy Midstream and Legacy CMLP were combined when Legacy CMLP merged with and into Inergy Midstream (the “Crestwood Merger”). Immediately following the Crestwood Merger, Inergy Midstream changed its name to “Crestwood Midstream Partners LP.”
This prospectus incorporates important business and financial information about us that is not included or delivered with this prospectus. Such information is available without charge to holders of outstanding notes upon written or oral request made to Investor Relations, Crestwood Midstream Partners LP, 700 Louisiana Street, Suite 2550, Houston, Texas 77002 (telephone (832) 519-2200). To obtain timely delivery of any requested information, holders of outstanding notes must make any request no later than five business days prior to the expiration of the exchange offer.
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Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, other than statements of historical fact, are “forward-looking statements.” Forward-looking statements reflect our current expectations or forecasts of future events. Words such as “may,” “assume,” “forecast,” “predict,” “strategy,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “aim,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “project,” “budget,” “potential” or “continue” and similar expressions are used to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be affected by assumptions used or by known or unknown risks or uncertainties. Consequently, no forward-looking statements can be guaranteed.
Important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from the results contemplated by such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the following risks and uncertainties:
• | our ability to successfully implement our business plan for our assets and operations; |
• | governmental legislation and regulations; |
• | industry factors that influence the supply of and demand for crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids (“NGLs”); |
• | industry factors that influence the demand for services in the markets (particularly unconventional shale plays) in which we provide services; |
• | weather conditions; |
• | the availability of crude oil, natural gas and NGLs, and the price of those commodities, to consumers relative to the price of alternative and competing fuels; |
• | economic conditions; |
• | costs or difficulties related to the integration of our existing businesses and acquisitions; |
• | environmental claims; |
• | operating hazards and other risks incidental to the provision of midstream services, including gathering, compressing, treating, processing, fractionating, transporting and storing crude oil, NGLs and natural gas; |
• | interest rates; and |
• | the price and availability of debt and equity financing. |
These factors do not necessarily include all of the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any of our forward-looking statements. Other factors could also have material adverse effects on future results. Consequently, all of the forward-looking statements made in this document are qualified by these cautionary statements, and we cannot assure you that actual results or developments that we anticipate will be realized or, even if substantially realized, will have the expected consequences to, or effect on, us or our business or operations. Also note that we provided additional cautionary discussion of risks and uncertainties under “Risk Factors” in this prospectus and in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, which is incorporated herein by reference and, to the extent applicable, any subsequently filed reports.
Although the expectations in the forward-looking statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations, caution should be taken not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements because such statements speak only as of the date hereof. Except as required by federal and state securities laws, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. All forward-looking statements attributable to us or any person acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained, incorporated by reference or referred to in this prospectus. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events discussed in this prospectus may not occur.
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This summary highlights some of the information contained elsewhere or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and may not contain all of the information that may be important to you. You should read the entire prospectus and the other documents incorporated by reference herein carefully, including the matters discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” and the financial statements and other information included elsewhere or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, before making an investment decision. In addition, certain statements include forward-looking information that involves risks and uncertainties. See “Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”
Our Company
We are a growth-oriented Delaware limited partnership that manages, owns and operates crude oil, natural gas and NGL midstream assets and operations. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, we are a fully-integrated midstream solution provider that specializes in connecting shale-based energy supplies to key demand markets. We conduct gathering, processing, storage and transportation operations in the most prolific shale plays across the United States. For additional information about our business, operations and financial results, see the documents listed under “Incorporation of Certain Documents By Reference.”
Our principal executive offices are located at 700 Louisiana Street, Suite 2550, Houston, Texas 77002, and our telephone number at that address is (832) 519-2200.
Recent Developments
Beginning in the first quarter of 2014, we began reflecting operating and administrative expenses as operations and maintenance expenses and general and administrative expenses in our income statements. This change had no impact on our previously reported net income, earnings per unit or partners’ capital. The financial statements in our 2013 Annual Report on Form 10-K have not been recast to reflect this change. The following table summarizes the amounts previously reported in operating and administrative expenses for the periods presented (in millions):
2013 | 2012 | 2011 | ||||||||||
Operating and administrative expenses as previously reported | $ | 154.0 | $ | 72.7 | $ | 60.4 | ||||||
Operations and maintenance expenses | 73.3 | 43.1 | 36.3 | |||||||||
General and administrative expenses | 80.7 | 29.6 | 24.1 |
Risk Factors
You should carefully consider all the information contained in this prospectus, including information in documents incorporated by reference, prior to participating in the exchange offer. In particular, we urge you to carefully consider the factors set forth under “Risk Factors” beginning on page 9 of this prospectus and those risk factors incorporated by reference from our Annual Report on Form 10-K and, to the extent applicable, any subsequently filed reports.
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The Exchange Offer
On November 8, 2013, the Issuers completed a private offering of $600,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the outstanding notes.
Exchange Offer | We are offering to exchange outstanding notes for exchange notes. Outstanding notes may only be tendered in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess of $2,000. |
Expiration Date | The exchange offer will expire at 12:00 midnight, New York City time, on August 25, 2014, unless we decide to extend it. We currently do not intend to extend the expiration date. |
Resale | Based on an interpretation by the staff of the SEC set forth in no-action letters issued to third parties, we believe that the exchange notes issued pursuant to the exchange offer in exchange for the outstanding notes may be offered for resale, resold and otherwise transferred by you (unless you are our “affiliate” within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act) without compliance with the registration and prospectus delivery provisions of the Securities Act, provided that: |
• | you are acquiring the exchange notes in the ordinary course of your business; and |
• | you have not engaged in, do not intend to engage in, and have no arrangement or understanding with any person to participate in, a distribution of the exchange notes. |
If you are a broker-dealer and receive exchange notes for your own account in exchange for outstanding notes that you acquired as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities, you must acknowledge that you will deliver this prospectus in connection with any resale of the exchange notes. See “Plan of Distribution.” |
Any holder of outstanding notes who: |
• | is our affiliate; |
• | does not acquire exchange notes in the ordinary course of its business; or |
• | tenders its outstanding notes in the exchange offer with the intention to participate, or for the purpose of participating, in a distribution of exchange notes; |
cannot rely on the position of the staff of the SEC enunciated in theMorgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated no action letter (available June 5, 1991) and theExxon Capital Holdings Corporation no action letter (available May 13, 1988), as interpreted in theShearman & Sterling no action letter (available July 2, 1993), or similar no-action letters and, in the absence of an exemption therefrom, must comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any resale of the exchange notes. |
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Withdrawal | You may withdraw the tender of your outstanding notes at any time prior to the expiration of the exchange offer. We will return to you any of your outstanding notes that are not accepted for any reason for exchange, without expense to you, promptly after the expiration or termination of the exchange offer. |
Conditions to the Exchange Offer | The exchange offer is subject to customary conditions, which we may waive. See “The Exchange Offer — Conditions to the Exchange Offer.” |
Procedures for Tendering Outstanding Notes | If you wish to participate in the exchange offer, you must complete, sign and date the accompanying letter of transmittal, or a facsimile of such letter of transmittal, according to the instructions contained in this prospectus and the letter of transmittal. You must then mail or otherwise deliver the letter of transmittal, or a facsimile of such letter of transmittal, together with your outstanding notes and any other required documents, to the exchange agent at the address set forth on the cover page of the letter of transmittal. |
If you hold outstanding notes through The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) and wish to participate in the exchange offer, you must comply with the Automated Tender Offer Program procedures of DTC by which you will agree to be bound by the letter of transmittal. By signing, or agreeing to be bound by, the letter of transmittal, you will represent to us that, among other things: |
• | you are not our “affiliate” within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act; |
• | you do not have an arrangement or understanding with any person or entity to participate in the distribution of the exchange notes; |
• | you are acquiring the exchange notes in the ordinary course of your business; and |
• | if you are a broker-dealer that will receive exchange notes for your own account in exchange for outstanding notes that were acquired as a result of market-making activities, you will deliver a prospectus, as required by law, in connection with any resale of such exchange notes. |
Special Procedures for Beneficial Owners | If you are a beneficial owner of outstanding notes that are registered in the name of a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee, and you wish to tender those outstanding notes in the exchange offer, you should contact the registered holder promptly and instruct the registered holder to tender those outstanding notes on your behalf. If you wish to tender on your own behalf, you must, prior to completing and executing the letter of transmittal and delivering your outstanding notes, either make appropriate arrangements to |
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register ownership of the outstanding notes in your name or obtain a properly completed bond power from the registered holder. The transfer of registered ownership may take considerable time and may not be able to be completed prior to the expiration date. |
Guaranteed Delivery Procedures | If you wish to tender your outstanding notes and your outstanding notes are not immediately available, or you cannot deliver your outstanding notes, the letter of transmittal or any other required documents, or you cannot comply with the procedures under DTC’s Automated Tender Offer Program for transfer of book-entry interests prior to the expiration date, you must tender your outstanding notes according to the guaranteed delivery procedures set forth in this prospectus under “The Exchange Offer — Guaranteed Delivery Procedures.” |
Effect on Holders of Outstanding Notes | As a result of the making of, and upon acceptance for exchange of all validly tendered outstanding notes pursuant to the terms of, the exchange offer, we will have fulfilled a covenant under the registration rights agreement. Accordingly, there will be no increase in the interest rate on the outstanding notes under the circumstances described in the registration rights agreement. If you do not tender your outstanding notes in the exchange offer, you will continue to be entitled to all the rights and limitations applicable to the outstanding notes as set forth in the indenture governing the notes, except we will not have any further obligation to you to provide for the exchange and registration of untendered outstanding notes under the registration rights agreement. To the extent that outstanding notes are tendered and accepted in the exchange offer, the trading market for outstanding notes that are not so tendered and accepted could be adversely affected. |
Consequences of Failure to Exchange | All untendered outstanding notes will continue to be subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth in the outstanding notes and in the indenture governing the notes. In general, the outstanding notes may not be offered or sold, unless registered under the Securities Act, except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. Other than in connection with the exchange offer, we do not currently anticipate that we will register the outstanding notes under the Securities Act. |
Certain United States Federal Income Tax Consequences | The exchange of outstanding notes for exchange notes in the exchange offer will not constitute taxable events to holders for United States federal income tax purposes. See “Certain United States Federal Income Tax Consequences.” |
Use of Proceeds | We will not receive any cash proceeds from the issuance of the exchange notes in the exchange offer. See “Use of Proceeds.” |
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Exchange Agent | U.S. Bank National Association is the exchange agent for the exchange offer. The address and telephone number of the exchange agent are set forth in the section captioned “The Exchange Offer — Exchange Agent.” |
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Terms of the Exchange Notes
The summary below describes the principal terms of the exchange notes. Certain of the terms and conditions described below are subject to important limitations and exceptions. The “Description of Notes” section of this prospectus contains more detailed descriptions of the terms and conditions of the exchange notes. The exchange notes will have terms identical in all material respects to the outstanding notes, except that the exchange notes will be registered under the Securities Act and will not contain terms with respect to transfer restrictions, registration rights and additional interest for failure to observe certain obligations in the registration rights agreement. Unless otherwise indicated, references to the “notes” are to the outstanding notes and the exchange notes.
Issuers | Crestwood Midstream Partners LP and Crestwood Midstream Finance Corp. |
Securities Offered | $600,000,000 aggregate principal amount of exchange notes. |
Maturity Date | The exchange notes will mature on March 1, 2022. |
Interest Rate | Interest on the exchange notes will be payable in cash and will accrue at a rate of 6.125% per year. |
Interest Payment Dates | We will pay interest on the exchange notes on March 1 and September 1. Interest on the outstanding notes began to accrue from November 8, 2013. |
Guarantees | Subject to certain exceptions, substantially all of our existing and future domestic subsidiaries (other than the Co-Issuer) that guarantee any of our indebtedness for borrowed money will guarantee the exchange notes on a full, unconditional and senior unsecured basis. See Note 13 to our consolidated financial statements included in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2014, incorporated by reference herein, for condensed financial information about our non-guarantor subsidiaries. |
Ranking | The exchange notes and the guarantees will be general unsecured obligations of the Issuers and the guarantors and will bepari passu in right of payment with all of the Issuers’ and the guarantors’ existing and future unsecured senior liabilities, including the 7.75% Senior Notes due 2019 (the “7.75% Notes”) and the 6.00% Senior Notes due 2020 (the “6.00% Notes” and, together with the 7.75% Notes, the “existing notes”) and the outstanding notes. The exchange notes and the guarantees will be senior in right of payment to any of the Issuers’ and the guarantors’, respectively, future subordinated indebtedness, if any. The notes will be structurally subordinated in right of payment to all indebtedness of any of the Issuers’ non- guarantor subsidiaries. The notes and related guarantees will be effectively subordinated to the Issuers’ and the guarantors’, respectively, existing and future secured obligations, including all borrowings under our revolving credit facility, to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness. |
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Optional Redemption | We may redeem the exchange notes, in whole or in part, at any time on or after November 1, 2016, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof, plus a premium declining ratably to par and accrued and unpaid interest to the date of redemption, as set forth under “Description of Notes — Optional Redemption.” |
At any time prior to November 1, 2016, we may redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of the exchange notes with the net cash proceeds of one or more equity offerings at a redemption price equal to 106.125% of the principal amount of the notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the date of such redemption; provided that: |
• | at least 50% of the aggregate principal amount of the notes (including any additional notes issued after the issue date) remains outstanding immediately after the occurrence of such redemption (unless all of such notes are redeemed); and |
• | such redemption occurs within 180 days of the date of the closing of any such equity offering. |
We may redeem some or all of the exchange notes prior to November 1, 2016 at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof, plus a “make-whole” premium as set forth under “Description of Notes — Optional Redemption,” plus accrued and unpaid interest to the date of such redemption. |
Change of Control | Upon a “change of control” (as defined in the indenture governing the notes), if we do not otherwise redeem the exchange notes, each holder of exchange notes will be entitled to require us to repurchase all or a portion of its exchange notes at a purchase price equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the date of such repurchase. See “Description of Notes — Repurchase at the Option of Holders — Change of control.” Our ability to purchase the exchange notes upon a “change of control” will be limited by the terms of our debt agreements, including our revolving credit facility. We cannot assure you that we will have the financial resources to purchase the notes in such circumstances. |
Certain Covenants | The indenture governing the notes contains covenants that, among other things, limit our ability and the ability of our restricted subsidiaries to: |
• | incur additional indebtedness; |
• | pay dividends or repurchase or redeem equity interests; |
• | limit dividends or other payments by restricted subsidiaries that are not guarantors to us or our other subsidiaries; |
• | make certain investments; |
• | incur liens; |
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• | enter into certain types of transactions with our affiliates; and |
• | sell assets or consolidate or merge with or into other companies. |
However, many of these covenants will be suspended if and for as long as: |
• | both Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services and Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. assign the notes an investment grade rating; and |
• | no default under the indenture governing the notes has occurred and is continuing. |
These and other covenants contained in the indenture governing the notes are subject to important exceptions and qualifications, which are described under “Description of Notes.” |
No Prior Market | The exchange notes will be freely transferable but will be new securities for which there will not initially be a market. Accordingly, a market for the exchange notes may not develop or there may be limited liquidity in any such market that may develop. We do not intend to apply for a listing of the exchange notes on any securities exchange or any automated dealer quotation system. |
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Any investment in the exchange notes involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the following risk factors as well as the risk factors discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, which is incorporated herein by reference and, to the extent applicable, any subsequently filed reports, before taking part in the exchange offer. Additional risks or uncertainties presently known to us, or that we currently deem immaterial and risks and uncertainties that we are not presently aware of, may also impair our business operations. We cannot assure you that any of the events discussed in the risk factors below will not occur.
Risks Relating to the Exchange Offer
Your ability to transfer the exchange notes may be limited by the absence of an active trading market, and no active trading market may develop for the exchange notes.
We do not intend to apply for a listing of the exchange notes on a securities exchange or on any automated dealer quotation system. There is currently no established market for the exchange notes, and we cannot assure you as to the liquidity of markets that may develop for the exchange notes, your ability to sell the exchange notes or the price at which you would be able to sell the exchange notes. If such markets were to exist, the exchange notes could trade at prices that may be lower than their principal amount or purchase price depending on many factors, including prevailing interest rates, the market for similar notes, our financial and operating performance and other factors. An active market for the exchange notes may not develop or, if developed, may not continue. Historically, the market for non-investment grade debt has been subject to disruptions that have caused substantial volatility in the prices of securities similar to the exchange notes. The market, if any, for the exchange notes may experience similar disruptions and any such disruptions may adversely affect the prices at which you may sell your exchange notes.
Certain persons who participate in the Exchange Offer must deliver a prospectus in connection with resales of the exchange notes.
Based on interpretations of the staff of the SEC contained in theExxon Capital Holdings Corporationno action letter (available May 13, 1988), as interpreted in theShearman & Sterling no action letter (available July 2, 1993) and theMorgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated no action letter (available June 5, 1991), we believe that you may offer for resale, resell or otherwise transfer the exchange notes without compliance with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act. However, in some instances described in this prospectus under “Plan of Distribution,” certain holders of exchange notes will remain obligated to comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act to transfer the exchange notes. If such a holder transfers any exchange notes without delivering a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act or without an applicable exemption from registration under the Securities Act, such a holder may incur liability under the Securities Act. We do not and will not assume, or indemnify such a holder against this liability.
Risks Relating to the Notes
We may not be able to generate sufficient cash flow to meet our debt obligations, including our obligations and commitments under the notes, the existing notes and our revolving credit facility.
We expect our earnings and cash flow to vary significantly from year to year due to the cyclical nature of our industry. As a result, the amount of debt that we can manage in some periods may not be appropriate for us in other periods. In addition, our future cash flow may be insufficient to meet our debt obligations and commitments, including the notes, the existing notes and our revolving credit facility. Any insufficiency could negatively impact our business. A range of economic, competitive, business, and industry factors will affect our future financial performance, and, as a result, our ability to generate cash flow from operations and to repay our debt, including the notes. Many of these factors, such as oil and gas prices, economic and financial conditions in our industry and the global economy or competitive initiatives of our competitors, are beyond our control. In
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addition, the indentures governing the notes and the existing notes allow us to incur additional indebtedness. The incurrence of additional indebtedness could negatively affect our ability to pay principal and interest on our debt, including the notes.
Our level of indebtedness could adversely affect our ability to raise additional capital to fund our operations, limit our ability to react to changes in our business or our industry and place us at a competitive disadvantage.
As of March 31, 2014, we had $1,979.1 million of outstanding senior long-term indebtedness.
If we do not generate sufficient cash flow from operations to satisfy our debt obligations, we may have to undertake alternative financing plans, such as:
• | refinancing or restructuring our debt; |
• | reducing the cash we distribute to our general and limited partners; |
• | selling assets; |
• | reducing or delaying scheduled expansions and capital investments; or |
• | seeking to raise additional capital. |
We may not be able to enter into these alternative financing plans on commercially reasonable terms or at all. However, any alternative financing plans that we undertake, if necessary, may not allow us to meet our debt obligations. Our inability to generate sufficient cash flow to satisfy our debt obligations or to obtain alternative financing could materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and business prospects, as well as our ability to satisfy our obligations in respect of the notes and our revolving credit facility.
Our debt could have important consequences to you. For example, it could:
• | make it more difficult to satisfy our obligations with respect to the notes; |
• | increase our vulnerability to general adverse economic and industry conditions; |
• | limit our ability to fund future capital expenditures and working capital, to engage in future acquisitions or development activities, or to otherwise realize the value of our assets and opportunities fully because of the need to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flow from operations to payments of interest and principal on our debt or to comply with any restrictive terms of our debt; |
• | result in an event of default if we fail to satisfy our obligations with respect to the notes or our other indebtedness or fail to comply with the financial and other restrictive covenants contained in the indenture governing the notes or agreements governing other indebtedness, which event of default could result in all of our debt becoming immediately due and payable and could permit our lenders to foreclose on any of our assets securing such debt; |
• | require a substantial portion of cash flow from operations to be dedicated to the payment of principal and interest on our indebtedness, therefore reducing our ability to use our cash flow to fund our operations, capital expenditures and future business opportunities; |
• | increase our cost of borrowing; |
• | restrict us from making strategic acquisitions or causing us to make non-strategic divestitures; |
• | prevent us from raising the funds necessary to repurchase all notes tendered to us upon the occurrence of certain changes of control, which failure to repurchase would constitute a default under the indenture governing the notes; |
• | limit our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business or industry in which we operate, placing us at a competitive disadvantage compared to our competitors who are less highly leveraged and who therefore may be able to take advantage of opportunities that our leverage prevents us from exploring; |
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• | impair our ability to obtain additional financing in the future; and |
• | place us at a competitive disadvantage compared to our competitors that have less debt. |
In addition, if we fail to comply with the covenants or other terms of any agreements governing our debt, our lenders may have the right to accelerate the maturity of that debt and foreclose upon the collateral securing that debt. Realization of any of these factors could adversely affect our financial condition.
In the event of a default, we may have insufficient funds to make any payments due on the notes.
A default under the indenture governing the notes could lead to a default under existing and future agreements governing our indebtedness, including the credit agreement governing our revolving credit facility. If, due to a default, the repayment of related indebtedness were to be accelerated after any applicable notice or grace periods, we may not have sufficient funds to repay such indebtedness on the notes.
The notes and the guarantees thereof will be unsecured and effectively subordinated to the rights of our secured indebtedness and structurally subordinated to the indebtedness of any current and future non-guarantor subsidiaries.
The notes and the guarantees will be general unsecured senior obligations ranking effectively junior to all our existing and future secured debt and that of any subsidiary guarantor, including borrowings under our revolving credit facility, to the extent of the value of the collateral securing the debt. The notes will also be structurally subordinated to any indebtedness and other liabilities of any current and future non-guarantor subsidiaries. See Note 13 to our consolidated financial statements included in our Quarterly Report on Form10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2014, incorporated by reference herein, for condensed financial information about our non-guarantor subsidiaries.
If we are declared bankrupt, become insolvent or are liquidated or reorganized, our secured debt will be entitled to be paid in full from our assets or the assets of the guarantor, if any, securing that debt before any payment may be made with respect to the notes or the affected guarantees. Holders of the notes will participate ratably in our remaining assets with all holders of our unsecured indebtedness, including debt incurred after the notes are issued, that does not rank junior to the notes, including trade payables and all of our other general indebtedness, based upon the respective amounts owed to each holder or creditor. In any of the foregoing events, there may not be sufficient assets to pay amounts due on the notes. As a result, holders of the notes would likely receive less, ratably, than holders of secured indebtedness.
We may be able to incur substantially more debt. This could increase the risks associated with the notes.
We and our subsidiaries may be able to incur substantial additional indebtedness, which may be secured in the future. The terms of the indenture governing the notes, subject to certain limitations, do not prohibit us or our subsidiaries from doing so. If new debt is added to our current debt levels, the related risks that we face could intensify.
Any increase in our level of indebtedness will have several important effects on our future operations, including, without limitation:
• | we will have additional cash requirements in order to support the payment of interest on our outstanding indebtedness; |
• | increases in our outstanding indebtedness and leverage will increase our vulnerability to adverse changes in general economic and industry conditions, and could put us at a competitive disadvantage against other less leveraged competitors that have more cash flow to devote to their businesses; |
• | depending on the levels of our outstanding indebtedness, our ability to obtain additional financing for working capital, capital expenditures, general corporate and other purposes may be limited; and |
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• | our level of indebtedness may limit our flexibility in operating our business and prevent us from engaging in certain transactions that might otherwise be beneficial to us. |
Any of these factors could result in a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition, business prospects and ability to satisfy our obligations under the notes and our other indebtedness.
We may not be able to repurchase the notes upon a change of control.
Upon the occurrence of certain change of control events, the indenture governing the notes will require the Issuers to offer to repurchase all or any part of the notes then outstanding for cash at 101% of the principal amount. Such a change of control event may also constitute a default under the credit agreement governing the revolving credit facility. A default, if not waived, could result in acceleration of the debt outstanding under the credit agreement governing the revolving credit facility and in a default with respect to, and acceleration of, any other debt that we may have outstanding from time to time. The source of funds for any repurchase or repayment of the notes or other debt required as a result of any change of control will be our available cash or cash generated from our operations or other sources, including:
• | borrowing under our revolving credit facility or other sources; |
• | sales of assets; or |
• | sales of equity. |
Sufficient funds may not be available at the time of any change of control to repurchase the notes, in addition to payment or repurchase of any other indebtedness then due and payable. Moreover, using available cash to fund the potential consequences of a change of control may impair our ability to obtain additional financing in the future, which could negatively impact our ability to conduct our business operations.
We may enter into transactions that would not constitute a change of control that could affect our ability to satisfy our obligations under the notes.
Legal uncertainty regarding what constitutes a change of control and the provisions of the indenture governing the notes may allow us to enter into transactions, such as acquisitions, refinancing or recapitalizations, that would not constitute a change of control but may increase our outstanding indebtedness or otherwise affect our ability to satisfy our obligations under the notes. The definition of change of control for purposes of the notes includes a phrase relating to the transfer of “all or substantially all” of our assets taken as a whole. Although there is a limited body of case law interpreting the phrase “substantially all,” there is no precise established definition of the phrase under applicable law. Accordingly, your ability to require the Issuers to repurchase notes as a result of a transfer of less than all of our assets to another person may be uncertain.
Restrictions in our existing and future debt agreements could limit our growth and our ability to respond to changing conditions.
The indenture governing the notes and the credit agreement governing our revolving credit facility restrict our ability to, among other things:
• | incur additional debt or guarantee other indebtedness; |
• | make distributions on, redeem or repurchase our common units or make other restricted payments; |
• | make certain investments and acquisitions; |
• | incur or permit certain liens to exist; |
• | enter into certain types of transactions with affiliates; |
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• | merge, consolidate or amalgamate with another company; and |
• | transfer or otherwise dispose of assets. |
The credit agreement governing our revolving credit facility also requires the maintenance of certain financial covenants. These restrictions also limit our ability to obtain future financings to withstand a future downturn in our business or the economy in general, or to otherwise conduct necessary corporate activities. We may also be prevented from taking advantage of business opportunities that arise because of the limitations under the indenture governing the notes or the agreements and indentures governing any other indebtedness that we may have outstanding from time to time. In addition, complying with these covenants may also cause us to take actions that are not favorable to holders of the notes and may make it more difficult for us to successfully execute our business strategy and compete against companies that are not subject to such restrictions.
A breach of any covenant in the credit agreement governing our revolving credit facility, or the indenture governing the notes or the agreements and indentures governing any other indebtedness that we may have outstanding from time to time, would result in a default under that agreement or indenture after any applicable grace periods. A default, if not waived, could result in acceleration of the debt outstanding under the agreement and in a default with respect to, and an acceleration of, the debt outstanding under other debt agreements. The accelerated debt would become immediately due and payable. If that occurs, we may not be able to make all of the required payments or borrow sufficient funds to refinance such debt. Even if new financing were available at that time, it may not be on terms that are acceptable to us or terms as favorable as our current agreements. If our debt is in default for any reason, our business, results of operations and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected. See “Description of Notes — Events of Default and Remedies” below.
A subsidiary guarantee could be voided if it constitutes a fraudulent transfer under U.S. bankruptcy or similar state law, which would prevent the holders of the notes from relying on that subsidiary to satisfy claims.
Under U.S. bankruptcy law and comparable provisions of state fraudulent transfer laws, our subsidiary guarantees can be voided, or claims under the subsidiary guarantees may be subordinated to all other debts of that subsidiary guarantor if, among other things, the subsidiary guarantor, at the time it incurred the indebtedness evidenced by its guarantee or, in some states, when payments become due under the guarantee, received less than reasonably equivalent value or fair consideration for the incurrence of the guarantee and:
• | was insolvent or rendered insolvent by reason of such incurrence; |
• | was engaged in a business or transaction for which the guarantor’s remaining assets constituted unreasonably small capital; or |
• | intended to incur, or believed that it would incur, debts beyond its ability to pay those debts as they mature. |
Our subsidiary guarantees may also be voided, without regard to the above factors, if a court found that the subsidiary guarantor entered into the guarantee with the intent to hinder, delay or defraud its creditors.
A court would likely find that a subsidiary guarantor did not receive reasonably equivalent value or fair consideration for its guarantee if the subsidiary guarantor did not substantially benefit directly or indirectly from the issuance of the guarantees. If a court were to void a subsidiary guarantee, you would no longer have a claim against the subsidiary guarantor. Sufficient funds to repay the notes may not be available from other sources, including the remaining subsidiary guarantors, if any. In addition, the court might direct you to repay any amounts that you already received from the subsidiary guarantor.
The measures of insolvency for purposes of fraudulent transfer laws vary depending upon the governing law. Generally, a guarantor would be considered insolvent if:
• | the sum of its debts, including contingent liabilities, were greater than the fair saleable value of all its assets; |
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• | the present fair saleable value of its assets is less than the amount that would be required to pay its probable liability on its existing debts, including contingent liabilities, as they become absolute and mature; or |
• | it could not pay its debts as they become due. |
The indenture governing the notes contains a provision intended to limit each subsidiary guarantor’s liability to the maximum amount that it could incur without causing the incurrence of obligations under its subsidiary guarantee to be a fraudulent transfer. Such provision may not be effective to protect the subsidiary guarantees from being voided under fraudulent transfer law.
Our ability to repay our indebtedness, including the notes, is dependent on the cash flow generated by our operating subsidiaries.
Our operating subsidiaries own substantially all of our assets and conduct all of our operations. Accordingly, repayment of our indebtedness, including the notes, will be dependent on the generation of cash flow by our operating subsidiaries and their ability to make such cash available to us, directly or indirectly, by dividend, debt repayment or otherwise. All of our operating subsidiaries will guarantee our obligations under the notes. The operating subsidiaries may not be able to, or may not be permitted to, make distributions to enable us to make payments in respect of our indebtedness, including the notes. Each operating subsidiary is a distinct legal entity and, under certain circumstances, legal and contractual restrictions may limit our ability to obtain cash from the operating subsidiaries. While the indenture governing the notes limits the ability of the operating subsidiaries that are not guarantors to incur consensual encumbrances or restrictions on their ability to pay dividends or make other intercompany payments, those limitations are subject to waiver and certain qualifications and exceptions.
We face risks related to rating agency downgrades.
One or more rating agencies have rated the notes. If such rating agencies reduce the rating for the notes in the future, the market price of the notes would be adversely affected. In addition, if any of our other outstanding debt is rated and subsequently downgraded, raising capital will become more difficult, borrowing costs under our revolving credit facility and other future borrowings may increase and the market price of the notes may decrease.
Our reimbursement of the expenses of Crestwood Midstream GP LLC (our “general partner”) will reduce our cash available for debt service.
We will reimburse our general partner and its affiliates for all expenses they incur on our behalf. These expenses will include all costs incurred by our general partner and its affiliates in managing and operating us, including costs for rendering corporate staff and support services to us. The reimbursement of expenses of our general partner and its affiliates will reduce our cash available for debt service.
We do not have the same flexibility as other types of organizations to accumulate cash, which may limit cash available to service the notes or to repay them at maturity.
Unlike a corporation, our partnership agreement requires us to distribute, on a quarterly basis, all of our available cash to our unitholders of record and our general partner within 45 days after the end of each calendar quarter, except under certain circumstances. Our ability to make quarterly distributions is subject to certain restrictions, including restrictions under the credit agreement governing our revolving credit facility, the indenture governing the notes and Delaware law. Available cash is generally all of our cash receipts adjusted for cash distributions and net changes to reserves. Our general partner will determine the amount and timing of such distributions and has broad discretion to establish and make additions to our reserves or the reserves of our subsidiaries in amounts our general partner determines in its reasonable discretion to be necessary or appropriate to:
• | provide for the proper conduct of our business and the business of our subsidiaries (including reserves for future capital expenditures and for our anticipated future credit needs); |
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• | comply with applicable law, any of our debt instruments, including the indenture governing the notes and the credit agreement governing our revolving credit facility, or other agreements; or |
• | provide funds for distributions to partners for the succeeding four quarters. |
Although our payment obligations to our unitholders are subordinate to our payment obligations to you, the value of our units decreases in correlation with decreases in the amount we distribute per unit. Accordingly, if we experience a liquidity problem in the future, we may not be able to issue equity to recapitalize, which may limit cash available to service the notes or to repay them at maturity.
Many of the covenants contained in the indentures governing the existing notes and the notes will be suspended or terminated if the existing notes and the notes are rated investment grade by both Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services and Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.
Many of the covenants in the indenture governing the 6.00% Notes and the indenture governing the notes offered hereby will be terminated and many of the covenants in the indenture governing the 7.75% Notes will be suspended, for so long as the existing notes and the notes offered hereby are rated investment grade by both Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services and Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., provided at such time no default under the indentures governing the existing notes and the notes has occurred and is continuing. These covenants will restrict, among other things, our ability to pay dividends, to incur indebtedness and to enter into certain other transactions. There can be no assurance that the existing notes and the notes will ever be rated investment grade, or that if they are rated investment grade that they will maintain such ratings. In the case of the 6.00% Notes and the notes, these covenants will not be restored if such notes are subsequently rated below investment grade. However, suspension or termination of these covenants, as applicable, would allow us to engage in certain transactions that would not be permitted while these covenants were in force and any actions taken while the covenants governing the 7.75% Notes are suspended will not result in an event of default if these covenants subsequently become operative. See “Description of Notes — Certain Covenants.”
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Purpose and Effect of the Exchange Offer
We have entered into a registration rights agreement in which we agreed, under certain circumstances, to use our commercially reasonable efforts to file a registration statement relating to offers to exchange the outstanding notes for exchange notes and to use our commercially reasonable efforts to consummate the exchange offer no later than November 3, 2014 or, if required, to file a shelf registration statement under certain circumstances to cover resales of the outstanding notes. The exchange notes will have terms identical in all material respects to the outstanding notes, except that the exchange notes will be registered under the Securities Act and will not contain terms with respect to transfer restrictions, registration rights and additional interest for failure to observe certain obligations in the registration rights agreement.
If such obligations are not satisfied (a “Registration Default”), the annual interest rate on the outstanding notes will be increased by 0.25%. The annual interest rate on the outstanding notes will increase by an additional 0.25% for each subsequent 90-day period during which the Registration Default continues, up to a maximum additional interest rate of 1.00% per year over the applicable interest rate described above. If the Registration Default is corrected, the applicable interest rate on the outstanding notes will revert to the original level. A copy of the registration rights agreement has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.
If you wish to exchange your outstanding notes for exchange notes in the exchange offer, you will be required to make the following written representations:
• | you are not our affiliate or an affiliate of any guarantor within the meaning of Rule 405 of the Securities Act; |
• | you have no arrangement or understanding with any person to participate in a distribution (within the meaning of the Securities Act) of the exchange notes in violation of the provisions of the Securities Act; |
• | you are not engaged in, and do not intend to engage in, a distribution of the exchange notes; and |
• | you are acquiring the exchange notes in the ordinary course of your business. |
Each broker-dealer that receives exchange notes for its own account in exchange for outstanding notes, where the broker-dealer acquired the outstanding notes as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities, must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such exchange notes. Please see “Plan of Distribution.”
Resale of Exchange Notes
Based on interpretations by the SEC set forth in no-action letters issued to third parties, we believe that you may resell or otherwise transfer exchange notes issued in the exchange offer without complying with the registration and prospectus delivery provisions of the Securities Act if:
• | you are not our affiliate or an affiliate of any guarantor within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act; |
• | you do not have an arrangement or understanding with any person to participate in a distribution of the exchange notes; |
• | you are not engaged in, and do not intend to engage in, a distribution of the exchange notes; and |
• | you are acquiring the exchange notes in the ordinary course of your business. |
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If you are our affiliate or an affiliate of any guarantor, or are engaging in, or intend to engage in, or have any arrangement or understanding with any person to participate in, a distribution of the exchange notes, or are not acquiring the exchange notes in the ordinary course of your business:
• | you cannot rely on the position of the SEC contained in theExxon Capital Holdings Corporationno action letter (available May 13, 1988), as interpreted in theShearman & Sterling no action letter (available July 2, 1993) and theMorgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated no action letter (available June 5, 1991) or similar SEC no-action letters; and |
• | in the absence of an exception from the position stated immediately above, you must comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any resale of the exchange notes. |
This prospectus may be used for an offer to resell, resale or other transfer of exchange notes only as specifically set forth in this prospectus. With regard to broker-dealers, only broker-dealers that acquired the outstanding notes as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities may participate in the exchange offer. Each broker-dealer that receives exchange notes for its own account in exchange for outstanding notes, where such outstanding notes were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities, must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of the exchange notes. Please read “Plan of Distribution” for more details regarding the transfer of exchange notes.
Terms of the Exchange Offer
On the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this prospectus and in the accompanying letter of transmittal, the Company will accept for exchange in the exchange offer any outstanding notes that are validly tendered and not validly withdrawn prior to the expiration date. Outstanding notes may only be tendered in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess of $2,000. We will issue exchange notes in principal amount identical to outstanding notes surrendered in the exchange offer.
The form and terms of the exchange notes will be identical in all material respects to the form and terms of the outstanding notes except the exchange notes will be registered under the Securities Act, will not bear legends restricting their transfer and will not provide for any additional interest upon our failure to fulfill our obligations under the registration rights agreement to complete the exchange offer, or file, and cause to be effective, a shelf registration statement, if required thereby, within the specified time period. The exchange notes will evidence the same debt as the outstanding notes. The exchange notes will be issued under and entitled to the benefits of the indenture that authorized the issuance of the outstanding notes. For a description of the indenture governing the notes, see “Description of Notes.”
The exchange offer is not conditioned upon any minimum aggregate principal amount of outstanding notes being tendered for exchange.
As of the date of this prospectus, $600.0 million aggregate principal amount of the outstanding notes is outstanding. This prospectus and the letter of transmittal are being sent to all registered holders of outstanding notes. There will be no fixed record date for determining registered holders of outstanding notes entitled to participate in the exchange offer. We intend to conduct the exchange offer in accordance with the provisions of the registration rights agreement, the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the rules and regulations of the SEC. Outstanding notes that are not tendered for exchange in the exchange offer will remain outstanding and continue to accrue interest and will be entitled to the rights and benefits such holders have under the indenture governing the notes and the registration rights agreement except we will not have any further obligation to you to provide for the registration of the outstanding notes under the registration rights agreement.
We will be deemed to have accepted for exchange properly tendered outstanding notes when we have given written notice of the acceptance to the exchange agent. The exchange agent will act as agent for the tendering
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holders for the purposes of receiving the exchange notes from us and delivering exchange notes to holders. Subject to the terms of the registration rights agreement, we expressly reserve the right to amend or terminate the exchange offer and to refuse to accept the occurrence of any of the conditions specified below under “— Conditions to the Exchange Offer.”
If you tender your outstanding notes in the exchange offer, you will not be required to pay brokerage commissions or fees or, subject to the instructions in the letter of transmittal, transfer taxes with respect to the exchange of outstanding notes. We will pay all charges and expenses, other than certain applicable taxes described below, in connection with the exchange offer. It is important that you read “— Fees and Expenses” below for more details regarding fees and expenses incurred in the exchange offer.
Expiration Date, Extensions and Amendments
As used in this prospectus, the term “expiration date” means 12:00 midnight, New York City time, on August 25, 2014. However, if we, in our sole discretion, extend the period of time for which the exchange offer is open, the term “expiration date” will mean the latest time and date to which we shall have extended the expiration of the exchange offer. We expect to keep the exchange offer in effect for a period of 20 business days from the date this registration statement is declared effective by the SEC.
To extend the period of time during which the exchange offer is open, we will notify the exchange agent of any extension by written notice, followed by notification by press release or other public announcement to the registered holders of the outstanding notes no later than 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on the next business day after the previously scheduled expiration date.
We reserve the right, in our sole discretion:
• | to delay accepting for exchange any outstanding notes (only in the case that we amend or extend the exchange offer); |
• | to extend the exchange offer or to terminate the exchange offer if any of the conditions set forth below under “— Conditions to the Exchange Offer” have not been satisfied, by giving written notice of such delay, extension or termination to the exchange agent; and |
• | subject to the terms of the registration rights agreement, to amend the terms of the exchange offer in any manner. In the event of a material change in the exchange offer, including the waiver of a material condition, we will extend the offer period, if necessary, so that at least five business days remain in such offer period following notice of the material change. |
Any delay in acceptance, extension, termination or amendment will be followed as promptly as practicable by written notice to the registered holders of the outstanding notes. If we amend the exchange offer in a manner that we determine to constitute a material change, we will promptly disclose the amendment in a manner reasonably calculated to inform the holders of the outstanding notes of that amendment.
Conditions to the Exchange Offer
Despite any other term of the exchange offer, we will not be required to accept for exchange, or to issue exchange notes in exchange for, any outstanding notes and we may terminate or amend the exchange offer as provided in this prospectus prior to the expiration date if in our reasonable judgment:
• | the exchange offer or the making of any exchange by a holder violates any applicable law or interpretation of the SEC; or |
• | any action or proceeding has been instituted or threatened in writing in any court or by or before any governmental agency with respect to the exchange offer that, in our judgment, would reasonably be expected to impair our ability to proceed with the exchange offer. |
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In addition, we will not be obligated to accept for exchange the outstanding notes of any holder that has not made to us:
• | the representations described under “— Purpose and Effect of the Exchange Offer,” “— Procedures for Tendering Outstanding Notes” and “Plan of Distribution”; or |
• | any other representations as may be reasonably necessary under applicable SEC rules, regulations or interpretations to make available to us an appropriate form for registration of the exchange notes under the Securities Act. |
We expressly reserve the right at any time or at various times to extend the period of time during which the exchange offer is open. Consequently, we may delay acceptance of any outstanding notes by giving written notice of such extension to their holders. We will return any outstanding notes that we do not accept for exchange for any reason without expense to their tendering holder promptly after the expiration or termination of the exchange offer.
We expressly reserve the right to amend or terminate the exchange offer upon the occurrence of any of the conditions of the exchange offer specified above. We will give written notice of any extension, amendment, non-acceptance or termination to the holders of the outstanding notes as promptly as practicable. In the case of any extension, such notice will be issued no later than 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on the next business day after the previously scheduled expiration date.
These conditions are for our sole benefit, and we may assert them regardless of the circumstances that may give rise to them or waive them in whole or in part at any or at various times prior to the expiration date of the exchange offer in our sole discretion. If we waive a condition for one participant in the exchange offer, such condition will be deemed to have been waived for all participants in the exchange offer. If we fail at any time to exercise any of the foregoing rights, this failure will not constitute a waiver of such right. Each such right will be deemed an ongoing right that we may assert at any time or at various times prior to the expiration date.
In addition, we will not accept for exchange any outstanding notes tendered, and will not issue exchange notes in exchange for any such outstanding notes, if at such time any stop order is threatened or in effect with respect to the registration statement of which this prospectus constitutes a part or the qualification of the indenture governing the notes under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.
Procedures for Tendering Outstanding Notes
To tender your outstanding notes in the exchange offer, you must comply with either of the following:
• | complete, sign and date the letter of transmittal, or a facsimile of the letter of transmittal, have the signature(s) on the letter of transmittal guaranteed if required by the letter of transmittal and mail or deliver such letter of transmittal or facsimile thereof to the exchange agent at the address set forth below under “— Exchange Agent” prior to the expiration date; or |
• | comply with DTC’s Automated Tender Offer Program procedures described below. |
In addition, either:
• | the exchange agent must receive certificates for outstanding notes along with the letter of transmittal prior to the expiration date; |
• | the exchange agent must receive a timely confirmation of book-entry transfer of outstanding notes into the exchange agent’s account at DTC according to the procedures for book-entry transfer described below or a properly transmitted agent’s message prior to the expiration date; or |
• | you must comply with the guaranteed delivery procedures described below. |
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Your tender, if not withdrawn prior to the expiration date, constitutes an agreement between us and you upon the terms and subject to the conditions described in this prospectus and in the letter of transmittal.
The method of delivery of outstanding notes, letters of transmittal and all other required documents to the exchange agent is at your election and risk. We recommend that instead of delivery by mail, you use an overnight or hand delivery service, properly insured. In all cases, you should allow sufficient time to assure timely delivery to the exchange agent before the expiration date. You should not send letters of transmittal or certificates representing outstanding notes to us. You may request that your broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or nominee effect the above transactions for you.
If you are a beneficial owner whose outstanding notes are registered in the name of a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee and you wish to tender your outstanding notes, you should promptly contact the registered holder and instruct the registered holder to tender on your behalf. If you wish to tender the outstanding notes yourself, you must, prior to completing and executing the letter of transmittal and delivering your outstanding notes, either:
• | make appropriate arrangements to register ownership of the outstanding notes in your name; or |
• | obtain a properly completed bond power from the registered holder of outstanding notes. |
The transfer of registered ownership may take considerable time and may not be able to be completed prior to the expiration date.
Signatures on the letter of transmittal or a notice of withdrawal, as the case may be, must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered national securities exchange or of the Financial Industry Regulating Authority, a commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in the United States or another “eligible guarantor institution” within the meaning of Rule 17A(d)-15 under the Exchange Act unless the outstanding notes surrendered for exchange are tendered:
• | by a registered holder of the outstanding notes who has not completed the box entitled “Special Registration Instructions” or “Special Delivery Instructions” on the letter of transmittal; or |
• | for the account of an eligible guarantor institution. |
If the letter of transmittal is signed by a person other than the registered holder of any outstanding notes listed on the outstanding notes, such outstanding notes must be endorsed or accompanied by a properly completed bond power. The bond power must be signed by the registered holder as the registered holder’s name appears on the outstanding notes, and an eligible guarantor institution must guarantee the signature on the bond power.
If the letter of transmittal, any certificates representing outstanding notes or bond powers are signed by trustees, executors, administrators, guardians, attorneys-in-fact, officers of corporations or others acting in a fiduciary or representative capacity, those persons should also indicate when signing and, unless waived by us, they should also submit evidence satisfactory to us of their authority to so act.
The exchange agent and DTC have confirmed that any financial institution that is a participant in DTC’s system may use DTC’s Automated Tender Offer Program to tender outstanding notes. Participants in the program may, instead of physically completing and signing the letter of transmittal and delivering it to the exchange agent, electronically transmit their acceptance of the exchange by causing DTC to transfer the outstanding notes to the exchange agent in accordance with DTC’s Automated Tender Offer Program procedures for transfer. DTC will then send an agent’s message to the exchange agent. The term “agent’s message” means a message transmitted by DTC, received by the exchange agent and forming part of the book-entry confirmation, which states that:
• | DTC has received an express acknowledgment from a participant in its Automated Tender Offer Program that is tendering outstanding notes that are the subject of the book-entry confirmation; |
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• | the participant has received and agrees to be bound by the terms of the letter of transmittal, or in the case of an agent’s message relating to guaranteed delivery, that such participant has received and agrees to be bound by the notice of guaranteed delivery; and |
• | we may enforce that agreement against such participant. |
DTC is referred to herein as a “book-entry transfer facility.”
Acceptance of Exchange Notes
In all cases, we will issue exchange notes for outstanding notes promptly after the expiration date only after the exchange agent timely receives:
• | outstanding notes or a timely book-entry confirmation of such outstanding notes into the exchange agent’s account at the book-entry transfer facility; and |
• | a properly completed and duly executed letter of transmittal and all other required documents or a properly transmitted agent’s message. |
By tendering outstanding notes pursuant to the exchange offer, you will represent to us that, among other things:
• | you are not our affiliate or an affiliate of any guarantor within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act; |
• | you do not have an arrangement or understanding with any person or entity to participate in a distribution of the exchange notes; and |
• | you are acquiring the exchange notes in the ordinary course of your business. |
In addition, each broker-dealer that is to receive exchange notes for its own account in exchange for outstanding notes must represent that such outstanding notes were acquired by that broker-dealer as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities and must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus that meets the requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any resale of the exchange notes. See “Plan of Distribution.”
We will interpret the terms and conditions of the exchange offer, including the letter of transmittal and the instructions to the letter of transmittal, and will resolve all questions as to the validity, form, eligibility, including time of receipt and acceptance of outstanding notes tendered for exchange. Our determinations in this regard will be final and binding on all parties. We reserve the absolute right to reject any and all tenders of any particular outstanding notes not properly tendered or to not accept any particular outstanding notes if the acceptance might, in our or our counsel’s judgment, be unlawful. We also reserve the absolute right to waive any defects or irregularities as to any particular outstanding notes prior to the expiration date.
Unless waived, any defects or irregularities in connection with tenders of outstanding notes for exchange must be cured within such reasonable period of time as we determine. Neither we, the exchange agent nor any other person will be under any duty to give notification of any defect or irregularity with respect to any tender of outstanding notes for exchange, nor will any of them incur any liability for any failure to give notification. Any outstanding notes received by the exchange agent that are not properly tendered and as to which the irregularities have not been cured or waived will be returned by the exchange agent to the tendering holder, unless otherwise provided in the letter of transmittal, promptly after the expiration date.
Book-Entry Delivery Procedures
Promptly after the date of this prospectus, the exchange agent will establish an account with respect to the outstanding notes at DTC and, as the book-entry transfer facility, for purposes of the exchange offer. Any financial institution that is a participant in the book-entry transfer facility’s system may make book-entry
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delivery of the outstanding notes by causing the book-entry transfer facility to transfer those outstanding notes into the exchange agent’s account at the facility in accordance with the facility’s procedures for such transfer. To be timely, book-entry delivery of outstanding notes requires receipt of a confirmation of a book-entry transfer, a “book-entry confirmation,” prior to the expiration date. In addition, although delivery of outstanding notes may be effected through book-entry transfer into the exchange agent’s account at the book-entry transfer facility, the letter of transmittal or a manually signed facsimile thereof, together with any required signature guarantees and any other required documents, or an “agent’s message,” as defined below, in connection with a book-entry transfer, must, in any case, be delivered or transmitted to and received by the exchange agent at its address set forth on the cover page of the letter of transmittal prior to the expiration date to receive exchange notes for tendered outstanding notes, or the guaranteed delivery procedure described below must be complied with. Tender will not be deemed made until such documents are received by the exchange agent. Delivery of documents to the book-entry transfer facility does not constitute delivery to the exchange agent.
Holders of outstanding notes who are unable to deliver confirmation of the book-entry tender of their outstanding notes into the exchange agent’s account at the book-entry transfer facility or all other documents required by the letter of transmittal to the exchange agent on or prior to the expiration date must tender their outstanding notes according to the guaranteed delivery procedures described below.
Guaranteed Delivery Procedures
If you wish to tender your outstanding notes but your outstanding notes are not immediately available or you cannot deliver your outstanding notes, the letter of transmittal or any other required documents to the exchange agent or comply with the procedures under DTC’s Automatic Tender Offer Program in the case of outstanding notes, prior to the expiration date, you may still tender if:
• | the tender is made through an eligible guarantor institution; |
• | prior to the expiration date, the exchange agent receives from such eligible guarantor institution either a properly completed and duly executed notice of guaranteed delivery, by facsimile transmission, mail, or hand delivery or a properly transmitted agent’s message and notice of guaranteed delivery, that (1) sets forth your name and address, the certificate number(s) of such outstanding notes and the principal amount of outstanding notes tendered; (2) states that the tender is being made thereby; and (3) guarantees that, within three New York Stock Exchange trading days after the expiration date, the letter of transmittal, or facsimile thereof, together with the outstanding notes or a book-entry confirmation, and any other documents required by the letter of transmittal, will be deposited by the eligible guarantor institution with the exchange agent; and |
• | the exchange agent receives the properly completed and executed letter of transmittal or facsimile thereof, as well as certificate(s) representing all tendered outstanding notes in proper form for transfer or a book-entry confirmation of transfer of the outstanding notes into the exchange agent’s account at DTC and all other documents required by the letter of transmittal within three New York Stock Exchange trading days after the expiration date. |
Upon request, the exchange agent will send to you a notice of guaranteed delivery if you wish to tender your outstanding notes according to the guaranteed delivery procedures.
Withdrawal Rights
Except as otherwise provided in this prospectus, you may withdraw your tender of outstanding notes at any time prior to 12:00 midnight, New York City time, on the expiration date.
For a withdrawal to be effective:
• | the exchange agent must receive a written notice, which may be by telegram, telex, facsimile or letter, of withdrawal at its address set forth below under “— Exchange Agent”; or |
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• | you must comply with the appropriate procedures of DTC’s Automated Tender Offer Program system. |
Any notice of withdrawal must:
• | specify the name of the person who tendered the outstanding notes to be withdrawn; |
• | identify the outstanding notes to be withdrawn, including the certificate numbers and principal amount of the outstanding notes; and |
• | where certificates for outstanding notes have been transmitted, specify the name in which such outstanding notes were registered, if different from that of the withdrawing holder. |
If certificates for outstanding notes have been delivered or otherwise identified to the exchange agent, then, prior to the release of such certificates, you must also submit:
• | the serial numbers of the particular certificates to be withdrawn; and |
• | a signed notice of withdrawal with signatures guaranteed by an eligible institution unless you are an eligible guarantor institution. |
If outstanding notes have been tendered pursuant to the procedures for book-entry transfer described above, any notice of withdrawal must specify the name and number of the account at the book-entry transfer facility to be credited with the withdrawn outstanding notes and otherwise comply with the procedures of the facility. We will determine all questions as to the validity, form and eligibility, including time of receipt of notices of withdrawal, and our determination will be final and binding on all parties. Any outstanding notes so withdrawn will be deemed not to have been validly tendered for exchange for purposes of the exchange offer. Any outstanding notes that have been tendered for exchange but that are not exchanged for any reason will be returned to their holder, without cost to the holder, or, in the case of book-entry transfer, the outstanding notes will be credited to an account at the book-entry transfer facility, promptly after withdrawal, rejection of tender or termination of the exchange offer. Properly withdrawn outstanding notes may be retendered by following the procedures described under “— Procedures for Tendering Outstanding Notes” above at any time on or prior to the expiration date.
Exchange Agent
U.S. Bank National Association has been appointed as the exchange agent for the exchange offer. U.S. Bank National Association also acts as trustee under the indenture governing the notes. You should direct all executed letters of transmittal and all questions and requests for assistance, requests for additional copies of this prospectus or of the letter of transmittal and requests for notices of guaranteed delivery to the exchange agent addressed as follows:
By Registered or Certified Mail: | By Regular Mail or Overnight Courier: | By Hand Delivery: | ||
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION 60 Livingston Avenue EP-MN-WS3C St. Paul, MN 55107-1419 Attention: Specialized Finance | U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION 60 Livingston Avenue EP-MN-WS3C St. Paul, MN 55107-1419 Attention: Specialized Finance | U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION 60 Livingston Avenue EP-MN-WS3C St. Paul, MN 55107-1419 Attention: Specialized Finance | ||
By Facsimile Transmission (eligible institutions only): (651) 466-7372 | ||||
For Information or Confirmation by Telephone: 1 (800) 934-6802 |
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Fees and Expenses
The registration rights agreement provides that we will bear all expenses in connection with the performance of our obligations relating to the registration of the exchange notes and the conduct of the exchange offer. These expenses include registration and filing fees, accounting and legal fees and printing costs, among others. We will pay the exchange agent reasonable and customary fees for its services and reasonable out-of-pocket expenses. We will also reimburse brokerage houses and other custodians, nominees and fiduciaries for customary mailing and handling expenses incurred by them in forwarding this prospectus and related documents to their clients that are holders of outstanding notes and for handling or tendering for such clients.
We have not retained any dealer-manager in connection with the exchange offer and will not pay any fee or commission to any broker, dealer, nominee or other person, other than the exchange agent, for soliciting tenders of outstanding notes pursuant to the exchange offer.
Accounting Treatment
We will record the exchange notes in our accounting records at the same carrying value as the outstanding notes, which is the aggregate principal amount as reflected in our accounting records on the date of exchange. Accordingly, we will not recognize any gain or loss for accounting purposes upon the consummation of the exchange offer. We will record the expenses of the exchange offer as incurred.
Transfer Taxes
We will pay all transfer taxes, if any, applicable to the exchange of outstanding notes under the exchange offer. The tendering holder, however, will be required to pay any transfer taxes, whether imposed on the registered holder or any other person, if:
• | certificates representing outstanding notes for principal amounts not tendered or accepted for exchange are to be delivered to, or are to be issued in the name of, any person other than the registered holder of outstanding notes tendered; |
• | tendered outstanding notes are registered in the name of any person other than the person signing the letter of transmittal; or |
• | a transfer tax is imposed for any reason other than the exchange of outstanding notes under the exchange offer. |
If satisfactory evidence of payment of such taxes is not submitted with the letter of transmittal, the amount of such transfer taxes will be billed to that tendering holder.
Consequences of Failure to Exchange
If you do not exchange your outstanding notes for exchange notes under the exchange offer, your outstanding notes will remain subject to the restrictions on transfer of such outstanding notes:
• | as set forth in the legend printed on the outstanding notes as a consequence of the issuance of the outstanding notes pursuant to the exemptions from, or in transactions not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws; and |
• | as otherwise set forth in the offering memorandum distributed in connection with the private offering of the outstanding notes. |
In general, you may not offer or sell your outstanding notes unless they are registered under the Securities Act or if the offer or sale is exempt from registration under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. Except as required by the registration rights agreement, we do not intend to register resales of the outstanding notes under the Securities Act.
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Other
Participating in the exchange offer is voluntary, and you should carefully consider whether to accept. You are urged to consult your financial and tax advisors in making your own decision on what action to take.
We may in the future seek to acquire untendered outstanding notes in open market or privately negotiated transactions, through subsequent exchange offer or otherwise. We have no present plans to acquire any outstanding notes that are not tendered in the exchange offer or to file a registration statement to permit resales of any untendered outstanding notes.
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Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges
The following table sets forth our ratio of earnings to fixed charges for the periods presented:
Three Months Ended March 31, | Year Ended December 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||
2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges(1) | 1.1x | — | (2) | 2.0x | 2.5x | 3.5x | 4.8x |
(1) | For purposes of computing the ratio of earnings to fixed charges, “earnings” consists of pretax income from continuing operations before adjustment for non-controlling interest and income from equity investees plus fixed charges (excluding capitalized interest) and amortized capitalized interest. “Fixed charges” represents interest incurred (whether expensed or capitalized), amortization of debt costs and that portion of rental expense on operating leases deemed to be the equivalent of interest. |
(2) | Earnings for the year ended December 31, 2013 were inadequate to cover fixed charges by $22.6 million. |
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The exchange offer is intended to satisfy our obligations under the registration rights agreement. We will not receive any cash proceeds from the issuance of the exchange notes pursuant to the exchange offer. In consideration for issuing the exchange notes as contemplated in this prospectus, we will receive in exchange a like principal amount of outstanding notes, the terms of which are identical in all material respects to the exchange notes, except that the exchange notes will be registered under the Securities Act and will not contain terms with respect to transfer restrictions, registration rights and additional interest for failure to observe certain obligations in the registration rights agreement. The outstanding notes surrendered in exchange for the exchange notes will be retired and cancelled and cannot be reissued. Accordingly, the issuance of the exchange notes will not result in any change in our capitalization.
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You can find the definitions of certain terms used in this description under the subheading “— Certain Definitions.” In this description, the terms (i) “Company,” “we” and “our” refer only to Crestwood Midstream Partners LP (f/k/a Inergy Midstream, L.P.) and not to any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) the term “Co-Issuer” refers only to Crestwood Midstream Finance Corp. (f/k/a NRGM Finance Corp.) and (iii) the term “Issuers” refers to both the Company and the Co-Issuer.
General
The Issuers issued $600.0 million aggregate principal amount of 6.125% Senior Notes due 2022 (the “notes”) under an indenture, dated as of November 8, 2013 (the “indenture”), among the Issuers, the Guarantors and the U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “trustee”), subject to contingent registration rights.
The following description is a summary of the material provisions of the indenture. It does not restate that agreement in its entirety. We urge you to read the indenture because it, and not this description, will define your rights as holders of exchange notes. Copies of the indenture are available as set forth below under “Where You Can Find More Information.” Certain defined terms used in this description but not defined below under “— Certain Definitions” have the meanings assigned to them in the indenture.
The registered holder of a note will be treated as the owner of it for all purposes. Only registered holders will have rights under the indenture.
Brief Description of the Notes and the Note Guarantees
The Notes
The notes:
• | are general unsecured obligations of the Issuers; |
• | arepari passu in right of payment with all existing and future unsecured senior liabilities of the Issuers, including the Existing Notes; |
• | are senior in right of payment to any future subordinated Indebtedness of the Issuers; |
• | are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the Guarantors; and |
• | are structurally subordinated in right of payment to all Indebtedness of any of the Issuers’ non-guarantor Subsidiaries. |
However, the notes are effectively subordinated to all borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility, which is secured by substantially all of the assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, to the extent of the value of the assets securing the Revolving Credit Facility. See “Risk Factors — Risks Related to the Notes — The notes and the guarantees thereof will be unsecured and effectively subordinated to the rights of our secured indebtedness and structurally subordinated to the indebtedness of any current and future non-guarantor subsidiaries.”
The Note Guarantees
The notes are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by substantially all of the Company’s Domestic Subsidiaries existing on the Issue Date.
Each Note Guarantee:
• | is a general unsecured obligation of that Guarantor; |
• | ispari passu in right of payment with all existing and future unsecured senior liabilities of that Guarantor, including guarantees of the Existing Notes; and |
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• | is senior in right of payment to any future subordinated Indebtedness of that Guarantor. |
As of the Issue Date, all of the Company’s Subsidiaries were Restricted Subsidiaries, except for: (1) Crestwood Niobrara LLC, (2) Powder River Basin Industrial Complex, LLC and (3) Jackalope Gas Gathering Services, L.L.C. Under the circumstances described under “— Certain Covenants — Designation of restricted and unrestricted subsidiaries,” we are permitted to designate certain of our Subsidiaries as Unrestricted Subsidiaries. Our Unrestricted Subsidiaries are not subject to the restrictive covenants in the indenture. Our Unrestricted Subsidiaries do not guarantee the notes, and if we designate any Material Restricted Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary in accordance with the indenture, the Guarantee of such Subsidiary will be released.
Principal, Maturity and Interest
On November 8, 2013, the Issuers issued $600.0 million in aggregate principal amount of the notes eligible for exchange in this exchange offer. The Issuers may issue additional notes under the indenture from time to time. Any issuance of additional notes will be subject to all of the covenants in the indenture, including the covenant described under “— Certain Covenants — Incurrence of indebtedness and issuance of preferred equity.” The notes and any additional notes subsequently issued under the indenture will be treated as a single class for all purposes under the indenture, including, without limitation, waivers, amendments, redemptions and offers to purchase. The Issuers will issue exchange notes in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess of $2,000. The notes will mature on March 1, 2022.
Interest on the notes accrues at the rate of 6.125% per annum and is payable semi-annually in arrears on March 1 and September 1. The Issuers will make each interest payment to the holders of record on the immediately preceding February 15 and August 15.
Interest on the notes accrues from the most recent date to which interest has been paid. Interest is computed on the basis of a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day months.
Methods of Receiving Payments on the Notes
If a holder of notes has given wire transfer instructions to the Issuers, the Issuers will pay all principal, interest and premium and Additional Interest, if any, on that holder’s notes in accordance with those instructions. All other payments on the notes will be made at the office or agency of the paying agent and registrar within the City and State of New York unless the Issuers elect to make interest payments by check mailed to the noteholders at their address set forth in the register of holders.
Paying Agent and Registrar for the Notes
The trustee will initially act as paying agent and registrar. The Issuers may change the paying agent or registrar without prior notice to the holders of the notes, and the Issuers or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries may act as paying agent or registrar.
Transfer and Exchange
A holder may transfer or exchange notes in accordance with the provisions of the indenture. The registrar and the trustee may require a holder, among other things, to furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents in connection with a transfer of notes. Holders will be required to pay all taxes due on transfer. The Issuers are not required to transfer or exchange any note selected for redemption. Also, the Issuers are not required to transfer or exchange any note for a period of 15 days before a selection of notes to be redeemed.
Holding Company Structure; the Co-Issuer
The Company’s business activities are conducted through its Subsidiaries. The Company has no material operations of its own and only limited assets. Accordingly, the Company is dependent upon the distributions of
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the earnings of its Subsidiaries, whether in the form of dividends, advances or payments on account of intercompany obligations, to service its debt obligations. The Co-Issuer is a Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary of the Company that was created for the purpose of facilitating the issuance and sale of our Existing Notes. The Company believes that certain prospective purchasers of the notes may be restricted in their ability to purchase debt securities of partnerships, such as the Company, unless such debt securities are jointly issued by a corporation. The Co-Issuer does not and will not have any substantial operations or assets and does not and will not have any revenues or cash flows. As a result, prospective purchasers of the notes should not expect the Co-Issuer to participate in servicing the interest and principal obligations on the notes.
Note Guarantees
The Note Guarantees are joint and several obligations of the Guarantors. The obligations of each Guarantor under its Note Guarantee are full and unconditional but are limited as necessary to prevent that Note Guarantee from constituting a fraudulent conveyance under applicable law. See “Risk Factors — Risks Related to the Notes — A subsidiary guarantee could be voided if it constitutes a fraudulent transfer under U.S. bankruptcy or similar state law, which would prevent the holders of the notes from relying on that subsidiary to satisfy claims.”
A Guarantor may not sell or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its assets to, or consolidate with or merge with or into (whether or not such Guarantor is the surviving Person), another Person, other than the Company, the Co-Issuer or another Guarantor, unless:
(1) immediately after giving effect to that transaction, no Default or Event of Default exists; and
(2) either:
(a) such Guarantor is the surviving Person or the Person acquiring the property in any such sale or disposition or the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger assumes all the obligations of that Guarantor under the indenture, its Note Guarantee and the registration rights agreement pursuant to a supplemental indenture in form reasonably satisfactory to the trustee; or
(b) the Net Proceeds of such sale or other disposition are applied in accordance with the applicable provisions of the indenture.
The Note Guarantee of a Guarantor will be released:
(1) in connection with any sale, disposition or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of that Guarantor (including by way of merger, amalgamation or consolidation) to a Person that is not (either before or after giving effect to such transaction) the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, if the sale, disposition or transfer does not violate the “Asset Sale” provisions of the indenture;
(2) in connection with any sale, disposition or transfer of Capital Stock of that Guarantor after which such Guarantor is no longer a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, if the sale, disposition or transfer does not violate the “Asset Sale” provisions of the indenture;
(3) if the Company designates any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Guarantor to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary in accordance with the applicable provisions of the indenture;
(4) upon legal defeasance or satisfaction and discharge of the indenture as provided below under “— Legal Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance” and “— Satisfaction and Discharge;” and
(5) upon the release of such Guarantor’s guarantee of, and other Obligations with respect to, all other Indebtedness of the Company for borrowed money (other than intercompany debt).
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Optional Redemption
On any one or more occasions prior to November 1, 2016, the Issuers may redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of notes issued under the indenture (including any additional notes issued after the Issue Date) at a redemption price equal to 106.125% of the principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest and Additional Interest, if any, on the notes redeemed to, but not including, the redemption date (subject to the right of holders on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date), with the net cash proceeds of one or more Equity Offerings;providedthat:
(1) at least 50% of the aggregate principal amount of notes originally issued under the indenture (excluding notes held by the Issuers and the Company’s Subsidiaries) remains outstanding immediately after the occurrence of such redemption (unless all of such notes are redeemed); and
(2) the redemption occurs within 180 days of the date of the closing of such Equity Offering.
On any one or more occasions after November 1, 2016, the Issuers may redeem all or a part of the notes upon not less than 15 nor more than 60 days’ notice, at the redemption prices (expressed as percentages of principal amount) set forth below plus accrued and unpaid interest and Additional Interest, if any, on the notes redeemed, to, but not including, the applicable redemption date, if redeemed during the 12-month period beginning on November 1 of the years indicated below (subject to the rights of holders of notes on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date):
Year | Percentage | |||
2016 | 104.594 | % | ||
2017 | 103.063 | % | ||
2018 | 101.531 | % | ||
2019 and thereafter | 100.000 | % |
Unless the Issuers default in the payment of the redemption price, interest will cease to accrue on the notes or portions thereof called for redemption on the applicable redemption date.
On any one or more occasions prior to November 1, 2016, the Issuers may also redeem all or a part of the notes, upon not less than 15 nor more than 60 days’ prior notice, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the aggregate principal amount thereof plus the Applicable Premium as of, and accrued and unpaid interest and Additional Interest, if any, on the notes to be redeemed to, but not including, the redemption date (subject to the rights of holders on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date).
Except pursuant to the preceding paragraphs, the notes will not be redeemable at the Issuers’ option prior to November 1, 2016. The Issuers will not, however, be prohibited from acquiring the notes by means other than a redemption, whether pursuant to a tender offer, open market purchase or otherwise.
Any notice of any redemption may be given prior to the redemption thereof, and any such redemption or notice may, at the Issuers’ discretion, be subject to one or more conditions precedent, including, but not limited to, completion of an Equity Offering or other corporate transaction and any such redemption may be restricted by the Revolving Credit Facility.
Mandatory Redemption
The Issuers will not be required to make mandatory redemption or sinking fund payments with respect to the notes.
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Repurchase at the Option of Holders
Change of control
If a Change of Control occurs, each holder of notes will have the right to require the Company to repurchase all or any part (equal to $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess of $2,000) of that holder’s notes pursuant to a Change of Control Offer on the terms set forth in the indenture. In the Change of Control Offer, the Company will offer a Change of Control Payment in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of notes repurchased plus accrued and unpaid interest and Additional Interest, if any, on the notes repurchased to, but not including, the date of purchase (subject to the rights of holders of notes on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date). Within 30 days following any Change of Control, the Company will give notice to each holder describing the transaction or transactions that constitute the Change of Control and offering to repurchase notes on the Change of Control Payment Date specified in the notice, which date will be no earlier than 30 days and no later than 60 days from the date such notice is given, pursuant to the procedures required by the indenture and described in such notice;providedthat a Change of Control Offer may be made in advance of a Change of Control, and conditioned upon such Change of Control, if a definitive agreement is in place for the Change of Control at the time of making the Change of Control Offer. The Company will comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the notes as a result of a Change of Control. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the Change of Control provisions of the indenture, the Company will comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached their obligations under the Change of Control provisions of the indenture by virtue of such compliance.
On the Business Day immediately preceding the Change of Control Payment Date, the Company will, to the extent lawful, deposit with the paying agent an amount equal to the Change of Control Payment in respect of all notes or portions of notes accepted for payment.
On the Change of Control Payment Date, the Company will, to the extent lawful:
(1) accept for payment all notes or portions of notes (in a minimum principal amount of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess of $2,000) properly tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer and not properly withdrawn; and
(2) deliver or cause to be delivered to the trustee the notes properly accepted together with an Officer’s Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of notes or portions of notes being purchased by the Company.
The paying agent will promptly deliver to each holder of notes properly tendered the Change of Control Payment for such notes, and the trustee will promptly authenticate and deliver (or cause to be transferred by book entry) to each holder a new note equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of the notes surrendered, if any;providedthat each new note will be in a principal amount of $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess of $2,000.
The provisions described above that require the Company to make a Change of Control Offer following a Change of Control will be applicable whether or not any other provisions of the indenture are applicable. Except as described above with respect to a Change of Control, the indenture does not contain provisions that permit the holders of the notes to require that the Company repurchase or redeem the notes in the event of a takeover, recapitalization or similar transaction.
If holders of not less than 90% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding notes validly tender and do not withdraw such notes in a Change of Control Offer and the Issuers, or any other Person making a Change of Control Offer in lieu of the Company as described below, purchases all of the notes validly tendered and not withdrawn by such holders, the Company will have the right, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ prior
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notice, given not more than 30 days following such purchase pursuant to the Change of Control Offer described above, to redeem all notes that remain outstanding following such purchase at a redemption price in cash equal to the applicable Change of Control Payment plus, to the extent not included in the Change of Control Payment, accrued and unpaid interest and Additional Interest, if any, to the date of redemption (subject to the right of holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date).
The Company will not be required to make a Change of Control Offer upon a Change of Control if (1) a third party makes the Change of Control Offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements set forth in the indenture applicable to a Change of Control Offer made by the Company and purchases all notes properly tendered and not withdrawn under the Change of Control Offer, or (2) notice of redemption has been given pursuant to the indenture as described under “— Optional Redemption,” unless and until there is a default in payment of the applicable redemption price.
The definition of Change of Control includes a phrase relating to the direct or indirect sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of “all or substantially all” of the properties or assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole. Although there is a limited body of case law interpreting the phrase “substantially all,” there is no precise established definition of the phrase under applicable law. Accordingly, the ability of a holder of notes to require the Issuers to repurchase its notes as a result of a sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of less than all of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole to another Person or group may be uncertain.
The provisions under the indenture relating to the Company’s obligation to make an offer to repurchase the notes as a result of a Change of Control may be waived or modified or terminated with the written consent of the holders of a majority in principal amount of the notes then outstanding (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for the notes) prior to the occurrence of such Change of Control.
Asset sales
The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, consummate an Asset Sale unless:
(1) the Company (or the Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be) receives consideration at the time of the Asset Sale at least equal to the Fair Market Value (such Fair Market Value to be determined on the date of contractually agreeing to such Asset Sale) of the assets or Equity Interests issued or sold or otherwise disposed of; and
(2) at least 75% of the aggregate consideration received from such Asset Sale and all other Asset Sales since April 1, 2011, on a cumulative basis, by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary is in the form of cash, Cash Equivalents or Additional Assets, or any combination thereof. For purposes of this provision, each of the following will be deemed to be cash:
(a) any liabilities of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company (other than contingent liabilities and liabilities that are by their terms subordinated to the notes or any Note Guarantee) that are assumed by the transferee of any such assets and as a result of which the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary is released from further liability;
(b) any securities, notes or other obligations received by the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary from such transferee that are converted by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary into cash or Cash Equivalents within 180 days of the receipt thereof, to the extent of the cash or Cash Equivalents received in that conversion;
(c) any Designated Non-cash Consideration received by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in such Asset Sale;providedthat the aggregate Fair Market Value of such Designated Non-cash Consideration, taken together with the Fair Market Value at the time of receipt of all other Designated Non-cash Consideration received pursuant to this clause (c) less the amount of Net Proceeds previously realized
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in cash from prior Designated Non-cash Consideration is less than the greater of (x) 2% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets at the time of the receipt of such Designated Non-cash Consideration (with the Fair Market Value of each item of Designated Non-cash Consideration being measured at the time received and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value) and (y) $30.0 million; and
(d) any Capital Stock or assets of the kind referred to in clause (2), (4) or (5) of the next paragraph of this covenant.
Within 365 days after the receipt of any Net Proceeds from an Asset Sale, the Company (or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be) may:
(a) apply such Net Proceeds, at its option:
(1) to repay (w) Indebtedness and other Obligations under a Credit Facility secured by a Permitted Lien, (x) any Indebtedness that was secured by the assets sold in such Asset Sale, (y) other Indebtedness that ispari passu with the notes (provided, that in the case of this clause (y), the Issuers shall also equally and ratably reduce Indebtedness under the notes by making an Asset Sale Offer to all holders of notes at a price payable in cash equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest and Additional Interest, if any, to, but excluding, the date of purchase, prepayment or redemption, subject to rights of holders of notes on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant payment date), or (z) Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company that is not a Guarantor, in each case other than Indebtedness owed to the Company or an Affiliate of the Company; or
(2) to acquire all or substantially all of the assets of, or any Capital Stock of, another Permitted Business;provided, that in the case of any such acquisition of Capital Stock, such Person is or becomes a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company; or
(3) to make capital expenditures; or
(4) to acquire other long-term assets that are used or useful in a Permitted Business; or
(5) to invest in Additional Assets or make a Permitted Investment; or
(b) enter into a binding commitment to apply the Net Proceeds pursuant to clauses (a)(2), (3), (4) or (5) above;providedthat such binding commitment shall be treated as a permitted application of the Net Proceeds from the date of such commitment until the earlier of (x) the date on which such acquisition or expenditure is consummated, and (y) the 180th day following the expiration of the aforementioned 365-day period.
Pending the final application of any Net Proceeds, the Company may temporarily reduce revolving credit borrowings or otherwise invest the Net Proceeds in any manner that is not prohibited by the indenture.
Any Net Proceeds from Asset Sales that are not applied or invested as provided in the second paragraph of this covenant will constitute “Excess Proceeds.” If at any time the aggregate amount of Excess Proceeds exceeds $25.0 million, or on any earlier date if the Company so elects, the Company will make an Asset Sale Offer to all holders of notes and all holders of other Indebtedness that ispari passu with the notes (including the Existing Notes) containing provisions similar to those set forth in the indenture with respect to offers to purchase, prepay or redeem with the proceeds of sales of assets to purchase, prepay or redeem the maximum principal amount of notes and such otherpari passu Indebtedness (plus all accrued interest on the Indebtedness and the amount of all fees and expenses, including premiums, incurred in connection therewith) that may be purchased out of the Excess Proceeds. The offer price in any Asset Sale Offer will be equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest and Additional Interest, if any, to, but excluding, the date of purchase, prepayment or redemption, subject to the rights of holders of notes on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date, and will be payable in cash. If any Excess Proceeds remain after consummation of an Asset Sale Offer, the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company may use those
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Excess Proceeds for any purpose not otherwise prohibited by the indenture. If the aggregate principal amount of notes and such otherpari passu Indebtedness tendered into (or required to be purchased, prepaid or redeemed in connection with) such Asset Sale Offer exceeds the amount of Excess Proceeds, the trustee will select the notes and such otherpari passu Indebtedness to be purchased on apro ratabasis, based on the amounts tendered or required to be purchased, prepaid or redeemed. Upon completion of each Asset Sale Offer, the amount of Excess Proceeds will be reset at zero.
The Company will comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with each repurchase of notes pursuant to a Change of Control Offer or an Asset Sale Offer. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the Change of Control or Asset Sale provisions of the indenture, the Company will comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached its obligations under the Change of Control or Asset Sale provisions of the indenture by virtue of such compliance.
The agreements governing the Company’s other Indebtedness, including the Revolving Credit Facility and the Existing Notes, contain, and future agreements may contain, prohibitions of certain events, including events that would constitute a Change of Control or an Asset Sale. The exercise by the holders of notes of their right to require the Company to repurchase the notes upon a Change of Control or an Asset Sale could cause a default under these other agreements (and in the case of the Revolving Credit Facility, a Change of Control will cause a default thereunder), even if the Change of Control or Asset Sale itself does not, due to the financial effect of such repurchases on the Company. In the event a Change of Control or Asset Sale occurs at a time when the Company is prohibited from purchasing notes, the Company could seek the consent of their senior lenders to the purchase of notes or could attempt to refinance the borrowings that contain such prohibition. If the Company does not obtain a consent or repay those borrowings, the Company will remain prohibited from purchasing notes. In that case, the Company’s failure to purchase tendered notes would constitute an Event of Default under the indenture which could, in turn, constitute a default under the other indebtedness. Finally, the Company’s ability to pay cash to the holders of notes upon a repurchase may be limited by the Company’s then existing financial resources. See “Risk Factors — Risks Related to the Notes — We may not be able to repurchase the notes upon a change of control.”
Selection and Notice
If less than all of the notes are to be redeemed at any time, the trustee will select notes for redemption as follows:
(1) if the notes are listed on any national securities exchange, in compliance with the requirements of the principal national securities exchange on which the notes are listed; or
(2) if the notes are not listed on any national securities exchange, on apro rata basis (or, in the case of notes in global form, based on DTC’s method that most nearly approximatespro rata selection).
No notes of $2,000 or less can be redeemed in part. Notices of redemption will be given at least 15 but not more than 60 days before the redemption date to each holder of notes to be redeemed, except that redemption notices may be given more than 60 days prior to a redemption date if the notice is issued in connection with a defeasance of the notes or a satisfaction and discharge of the indenture.
Notice of any redemption of notes may, at the Company’s discretion, be subject to one or more conditions precedent, including, but not limited to, the completion of a related Equity Offering and, in the case of a redemption with the proceeds of an Equity Offering, may be given prior to the completion thereof.
If any note is to be redeemed in part only, the notice of redemption that relates to that note will state the portion of the principal amount of that note that is to be redeemed. A new note in principal amount equal to the
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unredeemed portion of the original note will be issued in the name of the holder of notes upon cancellation of the original note. Notes called for redemption become due on the date fixed for redemption unless redemption is conditioned upon the closing of a specified transaction. On and after the redemption date, interest ceases to accrue on notes or portions of notes called for redemption.
Certain Covenants
Covenant termination
If at any time (a) the rating assigned to the notes is an Investment Grade Rating, (b) no Default has occurred and is continuing under the indenture and (c) the Issuers have delivered to the trustee an Officer’s Certificate certifying to the foregoing provisions of this sentence, the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries will no longer be subject to the provisions of the indenture described above under the caption “— Repurchase at the Option of Holders — Asset sales” and the following provisions of the indenture described below:
• | “— Restricted payments;” |
• | “— Incurrence of indebtedness and issuance of preferred equity;” |
• | “— Dividend and other payment restrictions affecting subsidiaries;” |
• | “— Transactions with affiliates;” |
• | “— Designation of restricted and unrestricted subsidiaries;” |
• | clause (4) of the covenant described under “— Consolidation, amalgamation, merger or sale of assets;” and |
• | “— Business activities.” |
However, the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries will remain subject to the provisions of the indenture described above under the caption “— Repurchase at the Option of Holders — Change of control” and the following provisions of the indenture described below:
• | “— Liens;” |
• | “— Consolidation, amalgamation, merger or sale of assets” (other than the financial test set forth in clause (4) of such covenant); |
• | “— Additional note guarantees;” |
• | “— Restrictions on activities of the Co-Issuer;” and |
• | “— Reports.” |
There can be no assurance that the notes will ever achieve an Investment Grade Rating or that any such rating will be maintained.
Restricted payments
The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly:
(I) declare or pay any dividend or make any other payment or distribution on account of the Company’s or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries’ Equity Interests (including, without limitation, any payment in connection with any merger or consolidation involving the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries) or to the direct or indirect holders of the Company’s or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries’ Equity Interests in their capacity as such (other than dividends or distributions payable in Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company and other than dividends or distributions payable to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company);
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(II) purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire or retire for value (including, without limitation, in connection with any merger or consolidation involving the Company) any Equity Interests of the Company or any direct or indirect parent of the Company;
(III) make any payment on or with respect to, or purchase, redeem, defease or otherwise acquire or retire for value, any Indebtedness of the Issuers or any Guarantor that is contractually subordinated to the notes or to any Note Guarantee (excluding (x) any intercompany Indebtedness between or among the Company and any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or (y) the purchase, repurchase or other acquisition of Indebtedness that is contractually subordinated to the notes or to any Note Guarantee, as the case may be, purchased in anticipation of satisfying a sinking fund obligation, principal installment or final maturity, in each case due within one year of the date of purchase, repurchase or acquisition), except a payment of interest or principal at the Stated Maturity thereof; or
(IV) make any Restricted Investment;
(all such payments and other actions set forth in these clauses (I) through (IV) above being collectively referred to as “Restricted Payments”), unless, at the time of and after giving effect to such Restricted Payment, no Default (except a Reporting Failure) or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would occur as a consequence of such Restricted Payment and either:
(1) if the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for the Company’s most recently ended four full fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are available at the time of such Restricted Payment (the “Trailing Four Quarters”) is not less than 1.75 to 1.0, such Restricted Payment, together with the aggregate amount of all other Restricted Payments made by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries with respect to the quarter for which such Restricted Payment is made (excluding Restricted Payments permitted by clauses (2) through (17) of the next succeeding paragraph), is less than the sum, without duplication, of:
(a) Available Cash from Operating Surplus as of the end of the immediately preceding quarter for which internal financial statements are available at the time of such Restricted Payment; plus
(b) 100% of the aggregate net proceeds, including cash and the Fair Market Value of property other than cash, received by the Company since April 1, 2011 (x) as a contribution to its common equity capital or (y) from the issue or sale of Equity Interests of the Company or any direct or indirect parent company of the Company (other than Disqualified Stock, Designated Preferred Stock, Excluded Contributions or Cash Contributions) or from the issue or sale of convertible or exchangeable Disqualified Stock or convertible or exchangeable debt securities that have been converted into or exchanged for such Equity Interests (other than Equity Interests (or Disqualified Stock or debt securities) sold to a Subsidiary of the Company); plus
(c) to the extent that any Restricted Investment that was made after April 1, 2011 is sold for cash or otherwise liquidated or repaid for cash, 100% of the aggregate amount received in cash and the Fair Market Value of property other than cash received; plus
(d) the net reduction in Restricted Investments resulting from dividends, repayments of loans or advances, or other transfers of assets in each case to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries from any Person (including, without limitation, Unrestricted Subsidiaries) or from redesignations of Unrestricted Subsidiaries as Restricted Subsidiaries, or from mergers or consolidations with or into, or transfers of assets to, the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, 100% of the Fair Market Value of the Company’s Investment in such Subsidiary as of the date of such redesignation, combination or transfer, to the extent such amounts have not been included in Available Cash from Operating Surplus for any period commencing on or after April 1, 2011 (items (b), (c) and (d) being referred to as “Incremental Funds”); minus
(e) the aggregate amount of Incremental Funds previously expended pursuant to this clause (1) above and clause (2) below; or
(2) if the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for the Trailing Four Quarters is less than 1.75 to 1.0, such Restricted Payment, together with the aggregate amount of all other Restricted Payments made by the Company
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and its Restricted Subsidiaries with respect to the quarter for which such Restricted Payment is made (excluding Restricted Payments permitted by clauses (2) through (17) of the next succeeding paragraph), is less than the sum, without duplication, of:
(a) $300.0 million less the aggregate amount of all prior Restricted Payments made by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries pursuant to this clause (2)(a) since April 1, 2011; plus
(b) Incremental Funds to the extent not previously expended pursuant to this clause (2) or clause (1) above.
The preceding provisions will not prohibit:
(1) the payment of any dividend or distribution or the consummation of any redemption within 60 days after the date of declaration of the dividend or distribution or giving of the redemption notice, as the case may be, if, at the date of declaration or notice, the dividend, distribution or redemption payment would have complied with the provisions of the indenture;
(2) the making of any Restricted Payment in exchange for, or out of the net cash proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale (other than to a Subsidiary of the Company) of, Equity Interests of the Company or any direct or indirect parent company of the Company (other than Disqualified Stock) or from the substantially concurrent contribution of common equity capital to the Company;providedthat the amount of any such net cash proceeds that are utilized for any such Restricted Payment will be excluded from clause (1)(b) of the immediately preceding paragraph or any portion of Incremental Funds resulting from clause (1)(b) of the immediately preceding paragraph;
(3) the repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement for value of Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company that is contractually subordinated to the notes or to any Note Guarantee with the net cash proceeds from a substantially concurrent incurrence of Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness;
(4) the payment of any dividend (or, in the case of any partnership or limited liability company, any similar distribution) by a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company to the holders of its Equity Interests on apro ratabasis;
(5) the purchase, redemption or other acquisition or retirement (or dividends or distributions to any direct or indirect parent company of the Company to finance any such purchase, redemption or other acquisition or retirement) for value of any Equity Interests of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company or any direct or indirect parent company of the Company held by any current or former officer, director, consultant or employee of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or any direct or indirect parent company of the Company pursuant to any equity subscription agreement, shareholders’ or members’ agreement or equity option agreement or other employee benefit plan or to satisfy obligations under any Equity Interest appreciation rights or option plan or similar arrangement;provided,however, that the aggregate price paid for all such purchased, redeemed, acquired or retired Equity Interests may not exceed $25.0 million in any calendar year (with unused amounts in any calendar year being permitted to be carried over for the two succeeding calendar years);provided further, that the amount in any calendar year may be increased by an amount not to exceed:
(a) the cash proceeds (other than Excluded Contributions and Cash Contributions) received by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries from the sale of Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock and Designated Preferred Stock) of the Company or any direct or indirect parent company of the Company (to the extent contributed to the Company) to members of management, directors or consultants of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries or any direct or indirect parent company of the Company that occurs after April 1, 2011;providedthat the amount of such cash proceeds utilized for any such repurchase, retirement, other acquisition, or dividend or distribution will not increase the amount available for Restricted Payments under clause (1) of the immediately preceding paragraph or any portion of Incremental Funds resulting from clause (1) of the immediately preceding paragraph or clause (2) of this paragraph; plus
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(b) the cash proceeds of key man life insurance policies received by the Company or any direct or indirect parent company of the Company (to the extent contributed to the Company) and its Restricted Subsidiaries after April 1, 2011;
providedthat the Company may elect to apply all or any portion of the aggregate increase contemplated by clauses (a) and (b) above in any single calendar year; or
(6) the purchase, repurchase, redemption or other acquisition or retirement for value of Equity Interests deemed to occur upon the exercise of options, warrants, incentives, rights to acquire Equity Interests or other convertible securities if such Equity Interests represent a portion of the exercise or exchange price thereof, and any purchase, repurchase, redemption or other acquisition or retirement for value of Equity Interests made in lieu of withholding taxes in connection with any exercise or exchange of options, warrants, incentives or rights to acquire Equity Interests;
(7) the declaration and payment of regularly scheduled or accrued dividends or distributions (A) with respect to preferred units of the Company outstanding on the Issue Date or issued as an in-kind distribution pursuant to the Partnership Agreement and (B) to holders of any class or series of Disqualified Stock of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company issued on or after April 1, 2011 in accordance with the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test described under “— Incurrence of indebtedness and issuance of preferred equity;”
(8) Permitted Payments to Parent;
(9) the declaration and payment of dividends or distributions to holders of any class or series of Designated Preferred Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) issued after April 1, 2011 and the declaration and payment of dividends to any direct or indirect parent company of the Company, the proceeds of which will be used to fund the payment of dividends or distributions to holders of any class or series of Designated Preferred Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of any direct or indirect parent company of the Company issued after April 1, 2011;provided,however, that (A) the Company would, at the time of such issuance of Designated Preferred Stock and after giving pro forma effect to such issuance (and the payment of dividends or distributions thereunder) as if such Restricted Payment had been made at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter period, have been permitted to incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth in the first paragraph of the covenant described under “— Incurrence of indebtedness and issuance of preferred equity” and (B) the aggregate amount of dividends declared and paid pursuant to this clause (9) does not exceed the net cash proceeds actually received by the Company (including any such proceeds contributed to the Company by any direct or indirect parent company of the Company) from any such sale of Designated Preferred Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) issued after April 1, 2011;
(10) any payments made in connection with the consummation of this initial offering of the notes;
(11) Restricted Payments in an aggregate amount equal to the amount of Excluded Contributions previously received by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries;
(12) the satisfaction of change of control obligations and asset sale obligations once the Company has fulfilled its obligations under the indenture with respect to a Change of Control or an Asset Sale;
(13) the repayment of intercompany debt that was permitted to be incurred under the indenture;
(14) cash dividends or other distributions on the Company’s Capital Stock used to, or the making of loans to any direct or indirect parent of the Company to, fund the payment of fees and expenses owed by the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries to Affiliates, to the extent permitted by the covenant described under “— Transactions with affiliates” (other than clause (6) of the second paragraph of such covenant);
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(15) the payment of dividends or distributions on the Company’s common equity (or the payment of dividends or distributions to a direct or indirect parent company of the Company to fund the payment by such parent company of dividends or distributions on its common equity) of up to 6.0% per calendar year of the net proceeds received by the Company from any public Equity Offering or contributed to the Company by a direct or indirect parent company of the Company from any public Equity Offering;providedthat the amount of any such net cash proceeds that are utilized for any such Restricted Payment will be excluded from clause (1)(b) of the immediately preceding paragraph or any portion of Incremental Funds resulting from clause (1)(b) of the immediately preceding paragraph;
(16) the distribution, as a dividend or otherwise, of shares of Capital Stock of, or Indebtedness owed to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company by, Unrestricted Subsidiaries; and
(17) other Restricted Payments in an aggregate amount not to exceed $25.0 million since the Issue Date;
provided,however, that at the time of, and after giving effect to, any Restricted Payment permitted under clauses (9) or (15), no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would occur as a consequence thereof.
The amount of all Restricted Payments (other than cash) will be the Fair Market Value on the date of the Restricted Payment of the asset(s) or securities proposed to be transferred or issued by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, pursuant to the Restricted Payment. For purposes of determining compliance with this “Restricted Payments” covenant, in the event that a Restricted Payment meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of Restricted Payments described in clauses (1) through (17) above, or is permitted pursuant to the first paragraph of this covenant, the Company will be entitled to classify such Restricted Payment (or portion thereof) on the date made or later reclassify such Restricted Payment (or portion thereof) in any manner that complies with this covenant. For the avoidance of doubt, in no event will limited partner interests of the Company issued in kind as a distribution pursuant to the Partnership Agreement be considered to be a Restricted Payment.
Incurrence of indebtedness and issuance of preferred equity
The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create, incur, issue, assume, guarantee or otherwise become directly or indirectly liable, contingently or otherwise, with respect to (collectively, “incur”) any Indebtedness (including Acquired Debt), and the Company will not issue any Disqualified Stock and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to issue any shares of preferred equity;provided,however, that the Company may incur Indebtedness (including Acquired Debt) or issue Disqualified Stock, and the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary may incur Indebtedness (including Acquired Debt) or issue preferred equity, if on the date thereof the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for the Company’s most recently ended four full fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are available immediately preceding the date on which such additional Indebtedness is incurred or such Disqualified Stock or such preferred equity is issued, as the case may be, would have been at least 2.0 to 1.0, determined on a pro forma basis (including a pro forma application of the net proceeds therefrom), as if the additional Indebtedness had been incurred or the Disqualified Stock or the preferred equity had been issued, as the case may be, at the beginning of such four-quarter period.
The first paragraph of this covenant will not prohibit the incurrence of any of the following items of Indebtedness (collectively, “Permitted Debt”):
(1) the incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Indebtedness and letters of credit and bankers’ acceptances under Credit Facilities in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding under this clause (1) (with letters of credit being deemed to have a principal amount equal to the maximum potential liability of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries thereunder) not to exceed the greater of (a) $1,250.0 million and (b) the sum of (i) $350.0 million and (ii) 30.0% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets;
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(2) the incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Indebtedness to the extent outstanding on the Issue Date, including the Existing Notes;
(3) the incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (including any future Guarantor) of Indebtedness represented by the notes and the related Note Guarantees to be issued on the Issue Date and the exchange notes and the related exchange guarantees to be issued pursuant to the registration rights agreement;
(4) the incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Indebtedness represented by Capital Lease Obligations, mortgage financings, industrial revenue bonds, purchase money obligations or other Indebtedness or preferred equity, or synthetic lease obligations, in each case, incurred for the purpose of financing all or any part of the purchase price or cost of design, development, construction, installation or improvement of property (real or personal and including Capital Stock), plant or equipment used in the business of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (in each case, whether through the direct purchase of such assets or the Equity Interests of any Person owning such assets), in an aggregate principal amount, including all Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness incurred to renew, refund, refinance, replace, defease or discharge any Indebtedness incurred pursuant to this clause (4), not to exceed the greater of (x) $100.0 million and (y) 5.0% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets as of the date of such incurrence;
(5) the incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness in exchange for, or the net proceeds of which are used to renew, refund, refinance, replace, defease or discharge any Indebtedness (other than intercompany Indebtedness) that was permitted by the indenture to be incurred under the first paragraph of this covenant or clauses (2), (3), (4), (5), (12), (13), (15) or (16) of this paragraph;
(6) the incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of intercompany Indebtedness and cash management pooling obligations and arrangements between or among the Company and any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;provided,however, that:
(a) if the Company or any Guarantor is the obligor on such Indebtedness and the payee is not the Company or a Guarantor, such Indebtedness must be unsecured and expressly subordinated to the prior payment in full in cash of all Obligations then due with respect to the notes, in the case of the Issuers, or the Note Guarantee, in the case of a Guarantor; and
(b) (i) any subsequent issuance or transfer of Equity Interests that results in any such Indebtedness being held by a Person other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company and (ii) any sale or other transfer of any such Indebtedness to a Person that is not either the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, will be deemed, in each case, to constitute an incurrence of such Indebtedness by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, that was not permitted by this clause (6);
(7) the issuance by any of the Company’s Restricted Subsidiaries to the Company or to any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of shares of preferred equity;provided,however, that:
(a) any subsequent issuance or transfer of Equity Interests that results in any such preferred equity being held by a Person other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, and
(b) any sale or other transfer of any such preferred equity to a Person that is not either the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company,
will be deemed, in each case, to constitute an issuance of such preferred equity by such Restricted Subsidiary that was not permitted by this clause (7);
(8) the incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Hedging Obligations and Bank Product Obligations other than for speculative purposes;
(9) the guarantee by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Indebtedness and cash management pooling obligations and arrangements of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company;
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providedthat if the Indebtedness being guaranteed is subordinated to orpari passu with the notes, then the Guarantee shall be subordinated orpari passu, as applicable, to the same extent as the Indebtedness guaranteed;
(10) the incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Indebtedness in respect of workers’ compensation claims, payment obligations in connection with health or other types of social security benefits, unemployment or other insurance or self-insurance obligations, reclamation, statutory obligations, bankers’ acceptances, bid, performance, surety or similar bonds and letters of credit or completion or performance guarantees (including without limitation, performance guarantees pursuant to supply agreements or equipment leases), or other similar obligations in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice;
(11) the incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Indebtedness arising from the honoring by a bank or other financial institution of a check, draft or similar instrument inadvertently drawn against insufficient funds;
(12) the incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred equity of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company incurred or issued to finance an acquisition or of Persons that are acquired by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or merged into a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company in accordance with the terms of the indenture;provided,however, that for any such indebtedness outstanding under this clause (12) in excess of $40.0 million, including all Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness incurred to renew, refund, refinance, replace, defease or discharge any Indebtedness incurred pursuant to this clause (12), after giving effect to such acquisition and the incurrence of such Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock and preferred equity either:
(a) the Company would be permitted to incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth in the first sentence of this covenant; or
(b) the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio would not be less than immediately prior to such acquisition;
(13) the incurrence by Foreign Subsidiaries of the Company of Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding pursuant to this clause (13), including all Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness incurred to renew, refund, refinance, replace, defease or discharge any Indebtedness incurred pursuant to this clause (13), not to exceed 10.0% of the total assets of the Foreign Subsidiaries of the Company as shown on the most recent balance sheet of the Company;
(14) the incurrence of Indebtedness arising from agreements of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company providing for indemnification, adjustment of purchase price, earn outs, or similar obligations, in each case, incurred or assumed in connection with the disposition or acquisition of any business, assets or a Subsidiary in accordance with the terms of the indenture, other than guarantees of Indebtedness incurred or assumed by any Person acquiring all or any portion of such business, assets or Subsidiary for the purpose of financing such acquisition;
(15) Contribution Indebtedness; and
(16) the incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of additional Indebtedness or the issuance of Disqualified Stock or preferred equity in an aggregate principal amount (or accreted value, as applicable) or having an aggregate liquidation preference, including all Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness incurred to renew, refund, refinance, replace, defease or discharge any Indebtedness incurred pursuant to this clause (16), not to exceed the greater of (A) $100.0 million and (B) 5.0% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets as of the date of such incurrence (it being understood that any Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred equity incurred pursuant to this clause (16) shall cease to be deemed incurred or outstanding for purposes of this covenant from and after the date on which the Company could have incurred such Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock or preferred equity under the first paragraph of this covenant without reliance upon this clause (16)).
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The Issuers will not incur, and the Company will not permit any Guarantor to incur, any Indebtedness (including Permitted Debt) that is contractually subordinated in right of payment to any other Indebtedness of the Issuers or such Guarantor unless such Indebtedness is also contractually subordinated in right of payment to the notes and the applicable Note Guarantee on substantially identical terms;provided,however, that no Indebtedness will be deemed to be contractually subordinated in right of payment to any other Indebtedness solely by virtue of being unsecured or by virtue of being secured on a first or junior priority basis.
For purposes of determining compliance with this “Incurrence of indebtedness and issuance of preferred equity” covenant, in the event that an item of proposed Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred equity meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of Permitted Debt described in clauses (1) through (16) above, or is entitled to be incurred pursuant to the first paragraph of this covenant, the Company will be permitted to classify such item of Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred equity on the date of its incurrence and will only be required to include the amount and type of such Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred equity in one of the above clauses, although the Company may divide and classify an item of Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred equity in one or more of the types of Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred equity and may later reclassify all or a portion of such item of Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred equity, in any manner that complies with this covenant. Indebtedness under Credit Facilities outstanding on the date on which notes are first issued and authenticated under the indenture will initially be deemed to have been incurred on such date in reliance on the exception provided by clause (1) of the definition of Permitted Debt. The accrual of interest or dividends, the accretion or amortization of original issue discount, the payment of interest on any Indebtedness in the form of additional Indebtedness with the same terms, the reclassification of preferred equity as Indebtedness due to a change in accounting principles, the payment of dividends on Disqualified Stock or preferred equity in the form of additional shares of the same class of Disqualified Stock or preferred equity and unrealized losses or charges in respect of Hedging Obligations (including those resulting from the application of Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 815 (formerly Financial Accounting Standards Board Statement 133)) will not be deemed to be an incurrence of Indebtedness or an issuance of Disqualified Stock or preferred equity for purposes of this covenant. Notwithstanding any other provision of this covenant, the maximum amount of Indebtedness that the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company may incur pursuant to this covenant will not be deemed to be exceeded solely as a result of fluctuations in exchange rates or currency values.
For purposes of determining compliance with any U.S. dollar denominated restriction on the incurrence of Indebtedness where the Indebtedness incurred is denominated in a different currency, the amount of such Indebtedness will be the U.S. Dollar Equivalent determined on the date of the establishment of the facility or instrument under which such Indebtedness was incurred; provided, however, that if such Indebtedness denominated in a different currency is subject to a Currency Agreement with respect to U.S. dollars, covering all principal, premium, if any, and interest payable on such Indebtedness, the amount of such Indebtedness expressed in U.S. dollars will be as provided in such Currency Agreement. The principal amount of any refinancing Indebtedness incurred in the same currency as the Indebtedness being refinanced will be the U.S. Dollar Equivalent of the Indebtedness refinanced, except to the extent that (i) such U.S. Dollar Equivalent was determined based on a Currency Agreement, in which case the refinancing Indebtedness will be determined in accordance with the preceding sentence, and (ii) the principal amount of the refinancing Indebtedness exceeds the principal amount of the Indebtedness being refinanced, in which case the U.S. Dollar Equivalent of such excess, as appropriate, will be determined on the date such refinancing Indebtedness is incurred.
The amount of any Indebtedness outstanding as of any date will be:
(1) the accreted value of the Indebtedness, in the case of any Indebtedness issued with original issue discount;
(2) the principal amount of the Indebtedness, in the case of any other Indebtedness; and
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(3) in respect of Indebtedness of another Person secured by a Lien on the assets of the specified Person, the lesser of:
(a) the Fair Market Value of such assets at the date of determination; and
(b) the amount of the Indebtedness of the other Person.
Liens
The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create, incur, assume or otherwise suffer to exist any Lien (the “Initial Lien”) of any kind (other than Permitted Liens) upon any of their property or assets, now owned or hereafter acquired, securing Indebtedness of the Company or the Guarantors unless all payments due under the indenture and the notes are secured on at least an equal and ratable basis with the obligations so secured until such time as such obligations are no longer secured by a Lien.
Any Lien created for the benefit of the holders of the notes pursuant to the preceding paragraph shall provide by its terms that such Lien shall be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged upon the release and discharge of the Initial Lien and any other Liens that would have triggered any Obligations pursuant to this covenant.
Dividend and other payment restrictions affecting subsidiaries
The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that is not a Guarantor to, directly or indirectly, create or permit to exist or become effective any consensual encumbrance or restriction on the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor to:
(a) pay dividends or make any other distributions on its Capital Stock to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, or with respect to any other interest or participation in, or measured by, its profits, or pay any Indebtedness owed to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;
(b) make loans or advances to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries; or
(c) sell, lease or transfer any of its properties or assets to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries.
However, the preceding restrictions will not apply to encumbrances or restrictions existing under or by reason of:
(1) agreements governing Indebtedness outstanding on the Issue Date, the Existing Notes, the Revolving Credit Facility and other Credit Facilities in effect on the Issue Date and any amendments, restatements, modifications, renewals, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings of those agreements;providedthat the amendments, restatements, modifications, renewals, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings are not materially more restrictive, taken as a whole, with respect to such dividend and other payment restrictions than those contained in those agreements on the Issue Date;
(2) the indenture, the notes and the Note Guarantees (and any additional notes and related guarantees under the indenture);
(3) applicable law, rule, regulation, order, approval, license, permit or similar restriction;
(4) any instrument governing Indebtedness or Capital Stock of a Person acquired by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries as in effect at the time of such acquisition (except to the extent such Indebtedness or Capital Stock was incurred in connection with or in contemplation of such acquisition), which encumbrance or restriction is not applicable to any Person, or the properties or assets of any Person, other than the Person, or the property or assets of the Person, so acquired;providedthat, in the case of Indebtedness, such Indebtedness was permitted by the terms of the indenture to be incurred;
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(5) customary non-assignment provisions or subletting restrictions in contracts, leases and licenses entered into in the ordinary course of business;
(6) purchase money obligations for property (including Capital Stock) acquired in the ordinary course of business and Capital Lease Obligations that impose restrictions on the property purchased or leased of the nature described in clause (c) of the preceding paragraph;
(7) any agreement for the sale or other disposition of the Capital Stock or assets of a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company that restricts distributions by that Restricted Subsidiary pending closing of the sale or other disposition;
(8) Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness;providedthat the restrictions contained in the agreements governing such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness are not materially more restrictive, taken as a whole, than those contained in the agreements governing the Indebtedness being refinanced;
(9) Liens permitted to be incurred under the provisions of the covenant described under “— Liens” that limit the right of the debtor to dispose of the assets subject to such Liens;
(10) provisions limiting the disposition or distribution of assets or property or transfer of Capital Stock in joint venture agreements, asset sale agreements, sale-leaseback agreements, stock sale agreements, limited liability company organizational documents, and other similar agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business, consistent with past practice or with the approval of the Company’s Board of Directors, which limitation is applicable only to the assets, property or Capital Stock that are the subject of such agreements;
(11) restrictions on cash, Cash Equivalents, Marketable Securities or other deposits or net worth imposed by customers or lessors under contracts or leases entered into in the ordinary course of business;
(12) other Indebtedness of Restricted Subsidiaries that are non-Guarantors that is incurred subsequent to the Issue Date pursuant to the covenant described under “— Incurrence of indebtedness and issuance of preferred equity;”
(13) encumbrances on property that exist at the time the property was acquired by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company;
(14) contractual encumbrances or restrictions in effect on the Issue Date and any amendments, restatements, modifications, renewals, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings of those agreements;providedthat the amendments, restatements, modifications, renewals, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings are not materially more restrictive, taken as a whole, with respect to such dividend and other payment restrictions than those contained in those agreements on the Issue Date;
(15) any encumbrance or restriction with respect to an Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to or by reason of an agreement that the Unrestricted Subsidiary is a party to or entered into before the date on which such Unrestricted Subsidiary became a Restricted Subsidiary;providedthat such agreement was not entered into in anticipation of the Unrestricted Subsidiary becoming a Restricted Subsidiary and any such encumbrance or restriction does not extend to any assets or property of the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary other than the assets and property of such Unrestricted Subsidiary;
(16) any encumbrance or restriction contained in the terms of any Indebtedness or any agreement pursuant to which such Indebtedness was incurred if either (x) the encumbrance or restriction applies only in the event of a payment default or a default with respect to a financial covenant in such Indebtedness or agreement or (y) the Company determines that any such encumbrance or restriction will not materially affect the Company’s ability to make principal or interest payments on the notes, as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be conclusive;
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(17) any encumbrances or restrictions imposed by any amendments or refinancings of the contracts, instruments or obligations referred to above in clauses (1) through (16);providedthat such amendments or refinancings are not materially more restrictive, taken as a whole, than such encumbrances and restrictions prior to such amendment or refinancing; and
(18) provisions with respect to the receipt of a rebate on an operating lease until all obligations due to a lessor on other operating leases are satisfied or other customary restrictions in respect of assets or contract rights acquired by a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company in connection with a sale and leaseback transaction.
Consolidation, amalgamation, merger or sale of assets
The Company will not, directly or indirectly: (1) consolidate, amalgamate or merge with or into another Person (whether or not the Company is the surviving entity); or (2) sell, assign, transfer, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the Company’s properties or assets (determined on a consolidated basis for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries) in one or more related transactions to another Person, unless:
(1) either (a) the Company is the surviving entity; or (b) the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than the Company) or to which such sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition has been made is a corporation, partnership or limited liability company organized or existing under the laws of the United States, any state of the United States or the District of Columbia; and, if such entity is not a corporation, a co-obligor of the notes is a corporation organized or existing under any such laws;
(2) the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than the Company) or the Person to which such sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition has been made assumes all the obligations of the Company, as the case may be, under the notes, the indenture and the registration rights agreement pursuant to a supplemental indenture reasonably satisfactory to the trustee;
(3) immediately after such transaction, no Default or Event of Default exists; and
(4) the Company or the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than the Company), or to which such sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition has been made would, on the date of such transaction after giving pro forma effect thereto and any related financing transactions as if the same had occurred at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter period (a) be permitted to incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth in the first paragraph of the covenant described under “— Incurrence of indebtedness and issuance of preferred equity” or (b) have had a Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for the successor entity and its Restricted Subsidiaries not less than the actual Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries immediately prior to such transaction.
In addition, the Company will not, directly or indirectly, lease all or substantially all of the properties and assets of it and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole, in one or more related transactions, to any other Person.
This “Consolidation, amalgamation, merger or sale of assets” covenant will not apply to any consolidation, amalgamation, merger, or any sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance, lease or other disposition of assets between or among the Company and any of its Restricted Subsidiaries. Clauses (3) and (4) of the first paragraph of this “Consolidation, amalgamation, merger or sale of assets” covenant will not apply to any consolidation, amalgamation or merger of the Company (1) with or into one of its Restricted Subsidiaries for any purpose or (2) with or into an Affiliate of the Company solely for the purpose of reincorporating the Company under the laws of the United States, any state of the United States or the District of Columbia.
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Transactions with affiliates
The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, make any payment to, or sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of any of its properties or assets to, or purchase any property or assets from, or enter into or make or amend any transaction, contract, agreement, understanding, loan, advance or guarantee with, or for the benefit of, any Affiliate of the Company (each, an “Affiliate Transaction”), involving aggregate consideration in excess of $10.0 million, unless:
(1) the Affiliate Transaction is on terms that are not materially less favorable to the Company or the relevant Restricted Subsidiary than those that would have been obtained in a comparable transaction by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary with an unrelated Person; and
(2) the Company delivers to the trustee with respect to any Affiliate Transaction or series of related Affiliate Transactions involving aggregate consideration in excess of $35.0 million, a resolution adopted by the majority of the Board of Directors of the Company approving such Affiliate Transaction and set forth in an Officer’s Certificate certifying that such Affiliate Transaction complies with this covenant.
The following items will not be deemed to be Affiliate Transactions and, therefore, will not be subject to the provisions of the prior paragraph:
(1) any employment agreement, employee benefit plan, officer or director indemnification agreement or any similar arrangement entered into by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice and payments pursuant thereto;
(2) transactions (including a merger) between or among the Company and/or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;
(3) transactions with a Person (other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary of the Company) that is an Affiliate of the Company solely because the Company owns, directly or through a Restricted Subsidiary, an Equity Interest in, or controls, such Person;
(4) payment of reasonable fees to, and indemnity provided on behalf of, officers, directors, employees or consultants of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or any direct or indirect parent company of the Company;
(5) any issuance of Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company to Affiliates of the Company or to any director, officer, employee or consultant of the Company or any direct or indirect parent company of the Company, and the granting and performance of registration rights in connection therewith;
(6) Restricted Payments and Investments that do not violate the covenant described under “— Restricted payments;”
(7) loans or advances to employees or consultants in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice;
(8) any transaction in which the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, as the case may be, delivers to the trustee a letter from an accounting, appraisal or investment banking firm of national standing stating that such transaction is fair to the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary from a financial point of view or that such transaction meets the requirements of clause (1) of the preceding paragraph;
(9) the existence of, or the performance by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of its obligations under the terms of, any acquisition agreements or members’ or stockholders’ agreement or related documents to which it is a party as of the Issue Date and any amendment thereto or similar agreements which it
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may enter into thereafter;provided,however, that the existence of, or the performance by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of its obligations under, any future amendment to any such existing agreement or under any similar agreement entered into after the Issue Date shall only be permitted by this clause (9) to the extent that the terms of any such existing agreement, together with all amendments thereto, taken as a whole, or such new agreement are not otherwise more disadvantageous to the holders of the notes taken as a whole than the original agreement as in effect on the Issue Date;
(10) transactions with Unrestricted Subsidiaries, customers, clients, suppliers, joint venture partners or purchasers or sellers of goods or services, or lessors or lessees of property, in each case in the ordinary course of business and otherwise in compliance with the terms of the indenture which are, in the aggregate (taking into account all the costs and benefits associated with such transactions), materially no less favorable to the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries than those that would have been obtained in a comparable transaction by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary with an unrelated Person, in the reasonable determination of the Board of Directors of the Company or senior management of the Company, or are on terms at least as favorable as might reasonably have been obtained at such time from an unaffiliated party;
(11) (x) guarantees of performance by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries of Unrestricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business, except for guarantees of Indebtedness in respect of borrowed money, and (y) pledges of Equity Interests of Unrestricted Subsidiaries for the benefit of lenders of Unrestricted Subsidiaries;
(12) if such Affiliate Transaction is with a Person in its capacity as a holder of Indebtedness or Capital Stock of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company where such Person is treated no more favorably than the other holders of Indebtedness or Capital Stock of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company;
(13) transactions effected pursuant to agreements in effect on the Issue Date and any amendment, modification or replacement of such agreement (so long as such amendment or replacement is not, in the good faith judgment of the Board of Directors of the Company, materially more disadvantageous to the holders of the notes, taken as a whole); and
(14) payments of fees and expenses in connection with any financial advisory, financing or other investment banking activities, including without limitation, in connection with acquisitions or divestitures, which payments are approved by a majority of the Board of Directors of the Company.
Business activities
The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, engage in any business other than Permitted Businesses, except to such extent as would not be material to the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole.
Additional note guarantees
If the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries acquires or creates another Domestic Subsidiary of the Company, after the Issue Date, then that newly acquired or created Domestic Subsidiary, if such Domestic Subsidiary guarantees any Indebtedness of the Company for borrowed money (other than intercompany debt), will become a Guarantor and execute a supplemental indenture and deliver an opinion of counsel who is satisfactory to the trustee within 30 days of the date on which it was acquired or created.
Designation of restricted and unrestricted subsidiaries
The Board of Directors of the Company may designate any Restricted Subsidiary, other than the Co-Issuer, to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary if that designation would not cause a Default. If a Restricted Subsidiary is
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designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, the aggregate Fair Market Value of all outstanding Investments owned by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in the Subsidiary designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary will be deemed to be an Investment made as of the time of the designation and will reduce the amount available for Restricted Payments under the covenant described under “— Restricted payments” or under one or more clauses of the definition of Permitted Investments, as determined by the Company. That designation will only be permitted if the Investment would be permitted at that time and if the Restricted Subsidiary otherwise meets the definition of an Unrestricted Subsidiary. The Board of Directors of the Company may redesignate any Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary if that redesignation would not cause a Default.
Any designation of a Subsidiary of the Company as an Unrestricted Subsidiary will be evidenced to the trustee by filing with the trustee a certified copy of a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company giving effect to such designation and an Officer’s Certificate certifying that such designation complied with the preceding conditions and was permitted by the covenant described under “— Restricted payments.” If, at any time, any Unrestricted Subsidiary would fail to meet the preceding requirements as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, it will thereafter cease to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary for purposes of the indenture and any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary will be deemed to be incurred by a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company as of such date and, if such Indebtedness is not permitted to be incurred as of such date under the covenant described under “— Incurrence of indebtedness and issuance of preferred equity,” the Company will be in default of such covenant. The Board of Directors of the Company may at any time designate any Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company; provided that such designation will be deemed to be an incurrence of Indebtedness by a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company of any outstanding Indebtedness of such Unrestricted Subsidiary, and such designation will only be permitted if (1)(x) the Company could incur such Indebtedness pursuant to the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test described under “— Incurrence of indebtedness and issuance of preferred equity,” or (y) the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries would be greater than such ratio for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries immediately prior to such designation, in each case on a pro forma basis taking into account such designation; and (2) no Default or Event of Default would be in existence following such designation.
Restrictions on activities of the Co-Issuer
The Co-Issuer will not hold any material assets, become liable for any material obligations or engage in any significant business activities;providedthat the Co-Issuer may be a co-obligor with respect to Indebtedness if the Company is a primary obligor of such Indebtedness and the net proceeds of such Indebtedness are received by the Company or one or more of the Company’s Subsidiaries (other than the Co-Issuer).
Reports
The indenture provides that notwithstanding that the Company may not be subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or otherwise report on an annual and quarterly basis on forms provided for such annual and quarterly reporting pursuant to rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC, the Company will file with the SEC, and provide the trustee and holders with copies thereof, without cost to each holder:
(1) within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year (or such longer period as may be permitted by the SEC if the Company were then subject to such SEC reporting requirements as a non-accelerated filer), annual reports on Form 10-K (or any successor or comparable form) containing the information required to be contained therein (or required in such successor or comparable form) (but only to the extent similar information is included in the offering memorandum related to the initial issuance of the notes) including, without limitation, a management’s discussion and analysis of financial information and a report by the Company’s certified independent accountants;
(2) within 45 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year (or such longer period as may be permitted by the SEC if the Company were then subject to such SEC reporting requirements as
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a non-accelerated filer), quarterly reports on Form 10-Q containing the information required to be contained therein (or any successor or comparable form) (but only to the extent similar information is included in the offering memorandum related to the initial issuance of the notes) including, without limitation, a management’s discussion and analysis of financial information; and
(3) within the time period specified for filing current reports on Form 8-K by the SEC, such other current reports on Form 8-K (or any successor or comparable form) containing substantially all the information required to be contained therein (or any successor or comparable form).
In the event that any direct or indirect parent company of the Company becomes a Guarantor of the notes, the indenture permits the Company to satisfy its obligations under this covenant with respect to financial information relating to the Company by furnishing financial information relating to such parent company; provided that the same be accompanied by consolidated information that explains in reasonable detail the differences between the information relating to such parent, on the one hand, and the information relating to the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a standalone basis, on the other hand.
In addition, to the extent not satisfied by the foregoing, the Company agrees that, for so long as any notes are outstanding, it will furnish to holders and to securities analysts and prospective investors, upon their request, the information required to be delivered pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company will be deemed to have furnished each of the reports referred to above to the trustee and the holders if the Company or any direct or indirect parent of the Company has filed such reports with the SEC via the EDGAR (or any successor) filing system and such reports are publicly available.
Events of Default and Remedies
Each of the following is an “Event of Default”:
(1) default for 30 days in the payment when due of interest, or Additional Interest, if any, with respect to, the notes;
(2) default in the payment when due (at maturity, upon redemption or otherwise) of the principal of, or premium, if any, on, the notes;
(3) failure by the Company or any of the Company’s Restricted Subsidiaries for 60 days (or 180 days in the case of a Reporting Failure) after notice to the Company by the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the notes then outstanding voting as a single class to comply with any of the other agreements in the indenture;
(4) default under any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued or by which there may be secured or evidenced any Indebtedness for money borrowed by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company that is a Significant Subsidiary of the Company, or any group of the Company’s Restricted Subsidiaries that taken as a whole would constitute a Significant Subsidiary of the Company (or the payment of which is guaranteed by the Company or any of the Company’s Restricted Subsidiaries), whether such Indebtedness or Guarantee now exists, or is created after the Issue Date (but excluding Indebtedness owing to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company), if that default:
(a) is caused by a failure to pay principal on such Indebtedness prior to the expiration of the grace period provided in such Indebtedness following the Stated Maturity of such Indebtedness (a “Payment Default”); or
(b) results in the acceleration of such Indebtedness prior to its Stated Maturity, and, in each case, the principal amount of any such Indebtedness, together with the principal amount of any other such
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Indebtedness under which there has been a Payment Default or the maturity of which has been so accelerated, aggregates $50.0 million or more;
(5) failure by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company that is a Significant Subsidiary of the Company, or any group of the Company’s Restricted Subsidiaries that taken as a whole would constitute a Significant Subsidiary of the Company, to pay final and nonappealable judgments entered by a court or courts of competent jurisdiction aggregating in excess of $50.0 million (net of any amounts which are covered by insurance or bonded), which judgments are not paid, waived, satisfied, discharged or stayed for a period of 60 days;
(6) except as permitted by the indenture, any Note Guarantee of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company that is a Significant Subsidiary of the Company, or any group of the Company’s Restricted Subsidiaries that taken as a whole would constitute a Significant Subsidiary of the Company, is held in any judicial proceeding to be unenforceable or invalid or ceases for any reason to be in full force and effect (other than in accordance with the terms of such Note Guarantee and the indenture), or any Guarantor, or any Person acting on behalf of any such Guarantor, denies or disaffirms its obligations under its Note Guarantee and such Default continues for ten days; and
(7) certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency described in the indenture with respect to any Issuer or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company that is a Significant Subsidiary of the Company, or any group of the Company’s Restricted Subsidiaries that taken as a whole would constitute a Significant Subsidiary of the Company.
In the case of an Event of Default arising from certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency, with respect to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company that is a Significant Subsidiary or any group of Restricted Subsidiaries of the Company that, taken together, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary, all outstanding notes will become due and payable immediately without further action or notice. If any other Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding notes may declare all the notes to be due and payable immediately.
Subject to certain limitations, holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding notes may direct the trustee in its exercise of any trust or power. The trustee may withhold from holders of the notes notice of any continuing Default or Event of Default if it determines that withholding notice is in their interest, except a Default or Event of Default relating to the payment of principal, premium, if any, interest or Additional Interest, if any.
In the event of any Event of Default specified in clause (4) of the first paragraph above, such Event of Default and all consequences thereof (excluding, however, any resulting Payment Default on the notes) will be annulled, waived and rescinded, automatically and without any action by the trustee or the holders of the notes, if within 20 days after such Event of Default arose the Company delivers an Officer’s Certificate to the trustee stating that (x) the Indebtedness or guarantee that is the basis for such Event of Default has been discharged or (y) the holders thereof have rescinded or waived the acceleration, notice or action (as the case may be) giving rise to such Event of Default or (z) the default that is the basis for such Event of Default has been cured, it being understood that in no event shall an acceleration of the principal amount of the notes as described above be annulled, waived or rescinded upon the happening of any such events.
Subject to the provisions of the indenture relating to the duties of the trustee, in case an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers under the indenture at the request or direction of any holders of notes unless such holders have offered to the trustee indemnity or security satisfactory to the trustee against any loss, liability or expense. Except to enforce the right to receive payment of principal, premium, if any, interest or Additional Interest, if any, when due, no holder of a note may pursue any remedy with respect to the indenture or the notes unless:
(1) such holder has previously given the trustee notice that an Event of Default is continuing;
(2) holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding notes have requested the trustee to pursue the remedy;
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(3) such holders have offered the trustee security or indemnity satisfactory to the trustee against any loss, liability or expense;
(4) the trustee has not complied with such request within 60 days after the receipt of the request and the offer of security or indemnity; and
(5) holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding notes have not given the trustee a direction inconsistent with such request within such 60-day period.
The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding notes by written notice to the trustee may, on behalf of the holders of all of the notes, rescind an acceleration or waive any existing Default or Event of Default and its consequences under the indenture except a continuing Default or Event of Default in the payment of principal of, premium on, if any, interest or Additional Interest, if any, on, the notes.
The Company is required to deliver to the trustee annually, commencing with the fiscal year ending December 31, 2013, a statement regarding compliance with the indenture. Upon becoming aware of any Default or Event of Default that has not been cured, the Company is required to deliver to the trustee a statement specifying such Default or Event of Default.
No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees, Stockholders and Members
To the extent permitted by law no director, manager, officer, employee, incorporator, stockholder, partner or member of either of the Issuers, any parent entity of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, as such, will have any liability for any obligations of the Issuers, or the Guarantors under the notes, the indenture or the Note Guarantees or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each holder of notes by accepting a note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the notes. The waiver may not be effective to waive liabilities under the federal securities laws.
Legal Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance
The Issuers may at any time, at the option of the Company’s Board of Directors evidenced by a resolution set forth in an Officer’s Certificate, elect to have all of their obligations discharged with respect to the outstanding notes and all obligations of the Guarantors discharged with respect to their Note Guarantees (“Legal Defeasance”) except for:
(1) the rights of holders of outstanding notes to receive payments in respect of the principal of, premium on, if any, interest or Additional Interest, if any, on, such notes when such payments are due from the trust referred to below;
(2) the Issuers’ obligations with respect to the notes concerning issuing temporary notes, registration of notes, mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen notes and the maintenance of an office or agency for payment and money for security payments held in trust;
(3) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the trustee, and the Issuers’ and the Guarantors’ obligations in connection therewith; and
(4) the Legal Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance provisions of the indenture.
In addition, the Issuers may, at their option and at any time, elect to have the obligations of the Issuers and the Guarantors released with respect to certain covenants (including the obligation to make Change of Control
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Offers and Asset Sale Offers, their obligations under the covenants described in “— Certain Covenants,” and the cross-acceleration provision and judgment default provisions described under “— Events of Default and Remedies”) that are described in the indenture (“Covenant Defeasance”) and thereafter any omission to comply with those covenants will not constitute a Default or Event of Default with respect to the notes.
In the event Covenant Defeasance occurs, certain events (not including non-payment, bankruptcy and insolvency events) described under “— Events of Default and Remedies” will no longer constitute an Event of Default with respect to the notes.
In order to exercise either Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance:
(1) the Issuers must irrevocably deposit with the trustee, in trust, for the benefit of the holders of the notes, cash in U.S. dollars, non-callable government securities, or a combination of cash in U.S. dollars and non-callable government securities, in amounts as will be sufficient, in the opinion of a U.S. nationally recognized investment bank, appraisal firm or firm of independent public accountants, to pay the principal of, premium on, if any, interest and Additional Interest, if any, on, the outstanding notes on the stated date for payment thereof or on the applicable redemption date, as the case may be, and the Issuers must specify whether the notes are being defeased to such stated date for payment or to a particular redemption date;
(2) in the case of Legal Defeasance, the Issuers must deliver to the trustee an opinion of counsel who is reasonably acceptable to the trustee (subject to customary exceptions and exclusions) confirming that (a) the Issuers have received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling or (b) since the Issue Date, there has been a change in the applicable federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion of counsel will confirm that, the holders of the outstanding notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such Legal Defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Legal Defeasance had not occurred;
(3) in the case of Covenant Defeasance, the Issuers must deliver to the trustee an opinion of counsel who is reasonably acceptable to the trustee (subject to customary exceptions and exclusions) confirming that the holders of the outstanding notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such Covenant Defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Covenant Defeasance had not occurred;
(4) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing on the date of such deposit (other than a Default or Event of Default resulting from the borrowing of funds to be applied to such deposit and the granting of any Lien securing such borrowing);
(5) such Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any material agreement or instrument (other than the indenture) to which the Issuers or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Issuers or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries is bound;
(6) the Issuers must deliver to the trustee an Officer’s Certificate stating that the deposit was not made by the Issuers with the intent of preferring the holders of notes over the other creditors of the Issuers with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding any creditors of the Issuers or others; and
(7) the Issuers must deliver to the trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent relating to the Legal Defeasance or the Covenant Defeasance have been complied with.
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Amendment, Supplement and Waiver
Except as provided in the next two succeeding paragraphs, the indenture or the notes or the Note Guarantees may be amended or supplemented with the consent of the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the notes then outstanding (including, without limitation, additional notes, if any) voting as a single class (including, without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, notes), and any existing Default or Event of Default or compliance with any provision of the indenture or the notes or the Note Guarantees may be waived with the consent of the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding notes (including, without limitation, additional notes, if any) voting as a single class (including, without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, notes).
Without the consent of each holder of notes affected thereby, an amendment, supplement or waiver may not (with respect to any notes held by a non-consenting holder):
(1) reduce the principal amount of notes whose holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver;
(2) reduce the principal of or extend the fixed maturity of any note;
(3) reduce the rate of or extend the time for payment of interest, including default interest, or premium on any note;
(4) waive a Default or Event of Default in the payment of principal of, premium on, if any, interest or Additional Interest, if any, on, the notes (except a rescission of acceleration of the notes by the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding notes and a waiver of the Payment Default that resulted from such acceleration);
(5) make any note payable in money other than that stated in the notes;
(6) make any change in the provisions of the indenture relating to waivers of past Defaults or impair the rights of holders of notes to receive payments of principal of, premium on, if any, interest or Additional Interest, if any, on, the notes;
(7) waive a redemption payment with respect to any note (for the avoidance of doubt, a payment required by one of the covenants described under “— Repurchase at the Option of Holders” is not a redemption payment);
(8) release any Guarantor that is a Significant Subsidiary of the Company from any of its obligations under its Note Guarantee or the indenture, except in accordance with the terms of the indenture; or
(9) make any change in the preceding amendment and waiver provisions or the provision of this clause (9).
Notwithstanding the preceding, without the consent of any holder of notes, the Issuers, the Guarantors and the trustee may amend or supplement the indenture, the notes or the Note Guarantees:
(1) to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency;
(2) to provide for uncertificated notes in addition to or in place of certificated notes;
(3) to provide for the assumption of any Issuer’s or a Guarantor’s obligations to holders of notes and Note Guarantees in the case of a merger or consolidation or sale of all or substantially all of such Issuer’s or such Guarantor’s assets, as applicable;
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(4) to make any change that would provide any additional rights or benefits to the holders of notes or that does not adversely affect the legal rights under the indenture of any such holder;
(5) to comply with requirements of the SEC in order to effect or maintain the qualification of the indenture under the Trust Indenture Act;
(6) to conform the text of the indenture, the Note Guarantees or the notes to any provision of this “Description of Notes” to the extent that such provision in this “Description of Notes” was intended to be a verbatim recitation of a provision of the indenture, the Note Guarantees or the notes;
(7) to provide for the issuance of additional notes in accordance with the limitations set forth in the indenture as of the date of the indenture; or
(8) to allow any Guarantor to execute a supplemental indenture and/or a Note Guarantee with respect to the notes and to release any Guarantor from a Note Guarantee in accordance with the terms of the indenture.
The consent of the noteholders is not necessary under the indenture to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment. It is sufficient if such consent approves the substance of the proposed amendment.
Satisfaction and Discharge
The indenture will be discharged and will cease to be of further effect as to all notes issued thereunder, when:
(1) either:
(a) all notes that have been authenticated, except lost, stolen or destroyed notes that have been replaced or paid and notes for whose payment money has been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Issuers and thereafter repaid to the Issuers, have been delivered to the trustee for cancellation; or
(b) all notes that have not been delivered to the trustee for cancellation have become due and payable by reason of the giving of a notice of redemption or otherwise or will become due and payable within one year or may be called for redemption within one year and the Issuers or any Guarantor has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the trustee as trust funds in trust solely for the benefit of the holders, cash in U.S. dollars, non-callable government securities, or a combination of cash in U.S. dollars and non-callable government securities, in amounts as will be sufficient, without consideration of any reinvestment of interest, to pay and discharge the entire Indebtedness on the notes not delivered to the trustee for cancellation for principal of, premium on, if any, interest and Additional Interest, if any, on the notes to the date of maturity or redemption;
(2) the Issuers or any Guarantor has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable by it under the indenture; and
(3) the Issuers have delivered irrevocable instructions to the trustee under the indenture to apply the deposited money toward the payment of the notes at maturity or on the redemption date, as the case may be.
In addition, the Issuers must deliver an Officer’s Certificate to the trustee stating that all conditions precedent to satisfaction and discharge have been satisfied.
Concerning the Trustee
If the trustee becomes a creditor of the Issuers or any Guarantor, the indenture limits the right of the trustee to obtain payment of claims in certain cases, or to realize on certain property received in respect of any such
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claim as security or otherwise. The trustee will be permitted to engage in other transactions; however, if it acquires any conflicting interest, as defined in the indenture, it must (i) eliminate such conflict within 90 days, (ii) apply to the SEC for permission to continue as trustee (if the indenture has been qualified under the Trust Indenture Act) or (iii) resign.
The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding notes will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for exercising any remedy available to the trustee, subject to certain exceptions. The indenture provides that in case an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the trustee will be required, in the exercise of its power, to use the degree of care that a prudent person would use under the circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs. Subject to such provisions, the trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under the indenture at the request of any holder of notes, unless such holder has offered to the trustee security and indemnity satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense.
Additional Information
Anyone who receives this prospectus may obtain a copy of the indenture and the registration rights agreement without charge by writing to Crestwood Midstream Partners LP, 700 Louisiana Street, Suite 2550, Houston, Texas 77002, Attention: Chief Financial Officer.
Certain Definitions
Set forth below are certain defined terms used in the indenture. Reference is made to the indenture for a full disclosure of all defined terms used therein, as well as any other capitalized terms used herein for which no definition is provided.
“Acquired Debt” means, with respect to any specified Person:
(1) Indebtedness of any other Person existing at the time such other Person is merged with or into or became a Restricted Subsidiary of such specified Person, whether or not such Indebtedness is incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such other Person merging with or into, or becoming a Restricted Subsidiary of, such specified Person; and
(2) Indebtedness secured by a Lien encumbering any asset acquired by such specified Person.
“Additional Assets” means:
(1) any properties or assets to be used by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary in a Permitted Business; or
(2) Capital Stock constituting a minority interest in any Person that at such time is a Restricted Subsidiary;
provided,however, that, in the case of clause (2), such Restricted Subsidiary is primarily engaged in a Permitted Business.
“Additional Interest” means, at any time, all additional interest then owing pursuant to the registration rights agreement.
“Affiliate” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For purposes of this definition, “control,” as used with respect to any Person, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by agreement or otherwise. For purposes of this definition, the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with” have correlative meanings.
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“Applicable Premium” means, with respect to any note on any redemption date, the greater of:
(1) 1.0% of the principal amount of the note; and
(2) the excess of:
(a) the present value at such redemption date of (i) the redemption price of the note at November 1, 2016 (such redemption price being set forth in the table appearing under “— Optional Redemption”), plus (ii) all required interest payments due on the note through November 1, 2016 (excluding accrued but unpaid interest to the redemption date), computed using a discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate as of such redemption date plus 50 basis points; over
(b) the principal amount of the note.
“Asset Acquisition” means:
(1) an Investment by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company in any other Person pursuant to which such Person shall become a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, or shall be merged with or into or consolidated with the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company; or
(2) the acquisition by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company of the assets of any Person (other than a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company) which constitute all or substantially all of the assets of such Person or comprise any division or line of business of such Person or any other properties or assets of such Person other than in the ordinary course of business.
“Asset Sale” means:
(1) the sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of any assets or rights of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that the sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole will be governed by the provisions of the indenture described under “— Repurchase at the Option of Holders — Change of control” and/or the provisions described under “— Certain Covenants — Consolidation, amalgamation, merger or sale of assets” and not by the provisions described under “— Repurchase at the Option of Holders — Asset sales;” and
(2) the issuance or sale of Equity Interests in any of the Company’s Restricted Subsidiaries (other than preferred equity of Restricted Subsidiaries issued in compliance with the covenant described under “— Certain Covenants — Incurrence of indebtedness and issuance of preferred equity” and directors’ qualifying shares or shares required by applicable law to be held by a Person other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary).
Notwithstanding the preceding, none of the following items will be deemed to be an Asset Sale:
(1) any single transaction or series of related transactions that involves assets or Equity Interests of any Restricted Subsidiary having a Fair Market Value of less than $35.0 million;
(2) a transfer of assets between or among the Company and any Restricted Subsidiary;
(3) an issuance or sale of Equity Interests by a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company to the Company or to another Restricted Subsidiary of the Company;
(4) the sale or lease of inventory, products or services or the lease, assignment or sub-lease of any real or personal property;
(5) the sale or discounting of accounts receivable in the ordinary course of business;
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(6) any sale or other disposition of damaged, worn-out, obsolete or no longer useful assets or properties;
(7) any sale of assets received by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries upon the foreclosure on a Lien;
(8) the sale or other disposition of cash, Cash Equivalents or Marketable Securities;
(9) a Restricted Payment that does not violate the covenant described under “— Certain Covenants — Restricted payments” or is a Permitted Investment;
(10) any sale of Equity Interests in, or Indebtedness or other securities of, an Unrestricted Subsidiary;
(11) the granting of Liens not otherwise prohibited by the indenture;
(12) the surrender, or waiver of contract rights, leases, or settlement, release or surrender of contract, tort or other claims; and
(13) any exchange of assets related to a Permitted Business of comparable market value, as determined in good faith by the Company.
“Asset Sale Offer” has the meaning assigned to that term in the indenture governing the notes.
“Available Cash” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Partnership Agreement, as in effect on the Issue Date.
“Bank Product Obligations” means all obligations and liabilities of any kind, nature or character (whether direct or indirect, absolute or contingent, liquidated or unliquidated, voluntary or involuntary, due or to become due in existence on the Issue Date or thereafter incurred) of the Company or any Guarantor, whether on account of principal, interest, reimbursement obligations, fees, indemnities, costs, expenses or otherwise, which may arise under, out of, or in connection with any treasury, investment, depository, clearing house, wire transfer, commercial credit card, purchasing card, merchant card, cash management or automated clearing house transfers of funds services or any related services, including all renewals, extensions and modifications thereof and all costs, attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred by a holder of Bank Product Obligations in connection with the collection or enforcement thereof.
“Beneficial Owner” has the meaning assigned to such term in Rule 13d-3 and Rule 13d-5 under the Exchange Act, except that in calculating the beneficial ownership of any particular “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), such “person” will be deemed to have beneficial ownership of all securities that such “person” has the right to acquire by conversion or exercise of other securities, whether such right is currently exercisable or is exercisable only after the passage of time. The terms “Beneficially Owns” and “Beneficially Owned” have a corresponding meaning.
“Board of Directors” means:
(1) with respect to a corporation, the board of directors of the corporation or any committee thereof duly authorized to act on behalf of such board;
(2) with respect to a partnership, the Board of Directors or other governing body of the general partner of the partnership;
(3) with respect to a limited liability company, the Board of Directors or other governing body, and in the absence of same, the manager or board of managers or the managing member or members or any controlling committee thereof; and
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(4) with respect to any other Person, the board or committee of such Person serving a similar function.
“Business Day” means a day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close in New York State.
“Capital Lease Obligation” means, at the time any determination is to be made, the amount of the liability in respect of a lease that would at that time be required to be capitalized on a balance sheet (excluding the footnotes thereto) prepared in accordance with GAAP;providedthat any obligations of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries, or of a special purpose or other entity not consolidated with the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, either existing on the Issue Date or created prior to any recharacterization described below (or any refinancings thereof) (i) that were not included on the consolidated balance sheet of the Company as capital lease obligations and (ii) that are subsequently recharacterized as capital lease obligations or, in the case of such a special purpose or other entity becoming consolidated with the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, due to a change in accounting treatment or otherwise, shall for all purposes not be treated as Capital Lease Obligations or Indebtedness.
“Capital Stock” means:
(1) in the case of a corporation, corporate stock;
(2) in the case of an association or business entity that is not a corporation, any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) of corporate stock;
(3) in the case of a partnership or limited liability company, partnership interests (whether general or limited) or membership interests; and
(4) any other interest or participation that confers on a Person the right to receive a share of the profits and losses of, or distributions of assets of, the issuing Person, but excluding from all of the foregoing any debt securities convertible into Capital Stock, whether or not such debt securities include any right of participation with Capital Stock.
“Cash Contributions” means the aggregate amount of cash contributions made to the capital of the Company or any Guarantor described in the definition of “Contribution Indebtedness.”
“Cash Equivalents” means:
(1) U.S. dollars or other currencies held by the Company and any of its Restricted Subsidiaries from time to time in the ordinary course of business;
(2) securities issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the government of the United States or any agency or instrumentality of such government (providedthat the full faith and credit of such government is pledged in support of those securities) having maturities of not more than one year from the date of acquisition;
(3) certificates of deposit, time deposits and eurodollar time deposits with maturities of one year or less from the date of acquisition, bankers’ acceptances with maturities not exceeding one year and overnight bank deposits, in each case, with any lender party to the Revolving Credit Facility or any financial institution that is a member of the Federal Reserve System, in each case having combined capital and surplus and undivided profits of not less than $500.0 million, whose debt has a rating, at the time as of which any investment made therein is made of at least A-1 by S&P or at least P-1 by Moody’s or having capital and surplus in excess of $500.0 million and a Thomson Bank Watch Rating of “B” or better;
(4) repurchase obligations for underlying securities of the types described in clauses (2) and (3) above entered into with any financial institution meeting the qualifications specified in clause (3) above;
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(5) commercial paper having one of the two highest ratings obtainable from Moody’s or S&P and, in each case, maturing within one year after the date of acquisition;
(6) securities issued or fully guaranteed by any state or commonwealth of the United States, or by any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof having one of the two highest ratings obtainable from Moody’s or S&P, and, in each case, maturing within one year after the date of acquisition;
(7) money market funds at least 95% of the assets of which constitute Cash Equivalents of the kinds described in clauses (1) through (5) of this definition; and
(8) Indebtedness or preferred equity issued by Persons with a rating of “A” or higher from S&P or “A-2” from Moody’s with maturities of 24 months or less from the date of acquisition.
“Change of Control” means the occurrence of any of the following:
(1) the direct or indirect sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole to any “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act), other than the Permitted Holders or a Permitted Group, which occurrence is followed by a Rating Decline within 90 days of the consummation of such transaction; or
(2) the consummation of any transaction (including, without limitation, any merger or consolidation), the result of which is that any “person” (as defined above), other than the Permitted Holders or a Permitted Group, becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the Voting Stock of the Company measured by voting power rather than number of shares, which occurrence is followed by a Rating Decline within 90 days thereof.
Notwithstanding the preceding, a conversion of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries from a limited liability company, corporation, limited partnership or other form of entity to a limited liability company, corporation, limited partnership or other form of entity or an exchange of all of the outstanding Capital Stock in one form of entity for Capital Stock of another form of entity will not constitute a Change of Control, so long as following such conversion or exchange the “persons” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) who Beneficially Owned the Capital Stock of the Company immediately prior to such transactions continue to Beneficially Own in the aggregate more than 50% of the Voting Stock of such entity, or continue to Beneficially Own sufficient Equity Interests in such entity to elect a majority of its directors, managers, trustees or other persons serving in a similar capacity for such entity, and, in either case no other “person” (other than a Permitted Group) Beneficially Owns more than 50% of the Voting Stock of such entity.
“Change of Control Offer” has the meaning assigned to that term in the indenture.
“Change of Control Payment” has the meaning assigned to that term in the indenture.
“Change of Control Payment Date” has the meaning assigned to that term in the indenture.
“Commodity Agreements” means, in respect of any Person, any forward contract, commodity swap agreement, commodity option agreement or other similar agreement or arrangement and designed to protect such Person against fluctuation in commodity prices.
“Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA” means, with respect to any specified Person for any period, the Consolidated Net Income of such Person for such period plus, without duplication, to the extent the same was deducted in calculating Consolidated Net Income:
(1) the provision for taxes based on income, profits or capital, including without limitation provincial, state, franchise, local, foreign and similar taxes, of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period; plus
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(2) the Fixed Charges of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period; plus depreciation, accretion, depletion, amortization (including amortization of goodwill and other intangibles, deferred financing fees, debt issuance costs, commissions and expenses and any amortization included in pension, OPEB or other employee benefit expenses, but excluding amortization of prepaid cash expenses (other than financing costs) that were paid in a prior period) and other non-cash expenses (including without limitation write-downs and impairment of property, plant, equipment and intangibles and other long-lived assets (including pursuant to the application of ASC 350 and ASC 360 (formerly Financial Accounting Standards Board Statements Nos. 142 and 144, respectively), and the impact of purchase accounting, but excluding any such non-cash expense to the extent that it represents an accrual of or reserve for cash expenses in any future period or amortization of a prepaid cash expense that was paid in a prior period) of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period; plus
(3) the amount of any restructuring charges (which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall include retention, severance, integration, business optimization, systems establishment cost or excess pension, OPEB, curtailment or other excess charges); plus
(4) the minority interest expense consisting of subsidiary income attributable to minority equity interests of third parties in any non-wholly owned Subsidiary in such period or any prior period, except to the extent of dividends declared or paid on Equity Interests held by third parties; plus
(5) the amount of management, consulting, monitoring and advisory fees and related expenses paid or accrued during such period; plus
(6) accretion of asset retirement obligations in accordance with ASC 410 (formerly Financial Accounting Standards Board Statement No. 143), and any similar accounting in prior periods; plus
(7) to the extent not otherwise included, the proceeds of any business interruption insurance received during such period; plus
(8) to the extent actually reimbursed (and not otherwise included in arriving at Consolidated Net Income), expenses covered by indemnification provisions in any agreement in connection with any transaction involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
“Consolidated Net Income” means, with respect to any specified Person for any period, the aggregate of the net income of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, on a consolidated basis, determined in accordance with GAAP and before any deduction for preferred equity dividends or distributions;providedthat:
(1) any net after-tax extraordinary, unusual or nonrecurring gains or losses or income or expense or charge (including, without limitation, income, expenses and charges from litigation and arbitration settlements, severance, relocation, and other restructuring costs, any pre-operating expenses that are expensed and not capitalized, and fees, expenses or charges related to any offering of securities of such Person or other financing transaction, any Investment, acquisition, disposition or incurrence or repayment or early extinguishment of Indebtedness or other obligations permitted to be incurred hereunder (in each case, whether or not successful), including all fees, expenses and charges, and any financing charges, including penalty interest and bank charges, related to any Indebtedness or other obligations, in each case, shall be excluded;
(2) any net after-tax income or loss from disposed, abandoned, transferred, closed or discontinued operations and any net after-tax gain or loss on disposal of disposed, abandoned, transferred, closed or discontinued operations shall be excluded;
(3) any net after-tax gains or losses (less all fees and expenses or charges relating thereto) attributable to business dispositions or asset dispositions other than in the ordinary course of business (as determined in good faith by the Company) shall be excluded;
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(4) any net after-tax income or loss (less all fees and expenses or charges relating thereto) attributable to the early extinguishment of indebtedness and Hedging Obligations or other derivative instruments shall be excluded;
(5) (A) the net income for such period of any Person that is not a Subsidiary, or that is an Unrestricted Subsidiary, or that is accounted for by the equity method of accounting, shall be included only to the extent of the amount of dividends or distributions or other payments in respect of equity that are actually paid in cash (or to the extent converted into cash) by the referent Person to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary thereof in respect of such period and (B) the net income for such period shall include any dividend, distribution or other payments in respect of equity paid in cash by such Person to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary thereof in excess of the amount included in clause (A);
(6) any increase in depreciation, accretion, depletion or amortization or any one-time non-cash charges (such as purchased in-process research and development or capitalized manufacturing profit in inventory) resulting from purchase accounting in connection with any acquisition that is consummated prior to or after the Issue Date shall be excluded;
(7) accruals and reserves that are established within 12 months after an acquisition’s closing date and that are so required to be established as a result of such transaction in accordance with GAAP or as a result of a modification of accounting policies shall be excluded;
(8) any impairment charges resulting from the application of ASC 350 and ASC 360 (formerly Financial Accounting Standards Board Statements Nos. 142 and 144, respectively) and the amortization of intangibles pursuant to ASC 805 (formerly Financial Accounting Standards Board Statement No. 141) and all asset write-downs and asset write-offs shall be excluded;
(9) any long-term incentive plan accruals and any compensation expense realized from grants of stock or unit appreciation or similar rights, stock or unit options or other rights to officers, directors and employees of such Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries shall be excluded;
(10) (A) any unrealized non-cash gains or losses or charges in respect of Hedging Obligations (including those resulting from the application of ASC 815 (formerly Financial Accounting Standards Board Statement 133)), (B) any foreign exchange gains and losses and (C) any adjustments for financial instruments, derivatives or Hedging Obligations required by GAAP shall be excluded except for any realized exchange gains or losses on derivative instruments which are included as offsets to operating items as part of a designated hedging relationship;
(11) the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles will be excluded; and
(12) the amount by which any income or charge attributable to a post-employment benefit scheme differs from the current service costs attributable to the scheme will be excluded.
“Consolidated Net Tangible Assets” means, with respect to any Person at any date of determination, the aggregate amount of total assets included in such Person’s most recent quarterly or annual consolidated balance sheet prepared in accordance with GAAP less applicable reserves reflected in such balance sheet, after deducting the following amounts: (a) all current liabilities reflected in such balance sheet, and (b) all goodwill, trademarks, patents, unamortized debt discounts and expenses and other like intangibles reflected in such balance sheet.
“Contingent Obligations” means, with respect to any Person, any obligation of such Person guaranteeing any performance, leases, dividends, taxes or other obligations that do not constitute Indebtedness (“primary obligations”) of any other Person in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, including, without limitation, any obligation of such Person, whether or not contingent:
(1) to purchase any such primary obligation or any property constituting direct or indirect security thereof;
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(2) to maintain working capital or equity capital of the primary obligor or otherwise to maintain the net worth or solvency of the primary obligor; or
(3) to purchase property, securities or services primarily for the purpose of assuring the owner of any such primary obligation of the ability of the primary obligor to make payment of such obligation against loss in respect thereof.
“continuing” means, with respect to any Default or Event of Default, that such Default or Event of Default has not been cured or waived.
“Contribution Indebtedness” means Indebtedness of the Company or any Guarantor in an aggregate principal amount not greater than twice the aggregate amount of cash contributions (other than Excluded Contributions) made to the equity capital of the Company or such Guarantor after April 1, 2011;providedthat:
(1) if the aggregate principal amount of such Contribution Indebtedness is greater than one times such cash contributions to the equity capital of the Company or such Guarantor, as applicable, the amount in excess shall be Indebtedness (other than secured Indebtedness) with a Stated Maturity later than the Stated Maturity of the notes; and
(2) such Contribution Indebtedness (x) is incurred within 180 days after the making of such cash contributions and (y) is designated as Contribution Indebtedness pursuant to an Officer’s Certificate on the incurrence date thereof.
Any cash contribution to the equity capital of the Company or any Guarantor that forms the basis for an incurrence of Contribution Indebtedness will be disregarded for purposes of the “Restricted payments” covenant.
“Credit Facilities” means one or more debt facilities (including, without limitation, the Revolving Credit Facility), indentures or commercial paper facilities, in each case, with banks or other institutional lenders or investors providing for revolving credit loans, term loans, receivables financing (including through the sale of receivables to such lenders or to special purpose entities formed to borrow from such lenders against such receivables), letters of credit, debt securities or other indebtedness, in each case, as amended, restated, modified, renewed, refunded, replaced (whether upon or after termination or otherwise) or refinanced (including by means of sales of debt securities to institutional investors) in whole or in part from time to time, including any agreement or indenture extending the maturity thereof or otherwise restructuring all or any portion of the indebtedness thereunder or increasing the amount loaned or issued thereunder or altering the maturity thereof.
“Currency Agreement” means, in respect of a Person, any foreign exchange contract, currency swap agreement, futures contract, option contract or other similar agreement as to which such Person is a party or a beneficiary.
“Default” means any event that is, or with the passage of time or the giving of notice or both would be, an Event of Default.
“Designated Non-cash Consideration” means the Fair Market Value of non-cash consideration received by the Company or one of its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with an Asset Sale that is so designated as “Designated Non-cash Consideration” pursuant to an Officer’s Certificate, setting forth the basis of such valuation, less the amount of cash or Cash Equivalents received in connection with a subsequent sale of such Designated Non-cash Consideration.
“Designated Preferred Stock” means Capital Stock of the Company or any direct or indirect parent company of the Company (other than Disqualified Stock) that is issued for cash (other than to any of the Company’s Subsidiaries or an employee stock ownership plan or trust established by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries)
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and is so designated as Designated Preferred Stock, pursuant to an Officer’s Certificate, on the issuance date thereof, the cash proceeds of which are excluded from the calculation set forth in clause (1)(b) of the covenant described under “— Certain Covenants — Restricted payments.”
“Disqualified Stock” means any Capital Stock that, by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible, or for which it is exchangeable, in each case, at the option of the holder of the Capital Stock), or upon the happening of any event, matures or is mandatorily redeemable, pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, or redeemable at the option of the holder of the Capital Stock, in whole or in part, on or prior to the date that is 91 days after the date on which the notes mature. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, any Capital Stock will not constitute Disqualified Stock solely because the holders of the Capital Stock have the right to require the Company to repurchase such Capital Stock upon the occurrence of a change of control or an asset sale. The amount of Disqualified Stock deemed to be outstanding at any time for purposes of the indenture will be the maximum amount that the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries may become obligated to pay upon the maturity of, or pursuant to any mandatory redemption provisions of, such Disqualified Stock, exclusive of accrued dividends. For the avoidance of doubt, preferred units of the Company authorized on the Issue Date do not constitute Disqualified Stock.
“Domestic Subsidiary” of a Person means any Subsidiary of the referent Person that is not a Foreign Subsidiary.
“Equity Interests” means Capital Stock and all warrants, options or other rights to acquire Capital Stock (but excluding any debt security that is convertible into, or exchangeable for, Capital Stock).
“Equity Offering” means (i) an offer and sale of Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock and other than to a Subsidiary of the Company) of the Company or (ii) an offer and sale of Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock and other than to the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company) of a direct or indirect parent entity of the Company (to the extent the net proceeds therefrom are contributed to the equity capital of the Company) pursuant to (x) a registration statement that has been declared effective by the SEC pursuant to the Securities Act (other than a registration statement on Form S-8 or otherwise relating to equity securities issuable under any employee benefit plan of the Company or such direct or indirect parent company), or (y) a private issuance exempt from registration under the Securities Act.
“Excluded Contributions” means the net cash proceeds received by the Company after April 1, 2011 from:
(1) contributions to its common equity capital; and
(2) the sale (other than to a Subsidiary of the Company) of Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock and Designated Preferred Stock) of the Company,
in each case designated as “Excluded Contributions” pursuant to an Officer’s Certificate, the net cash proceeds of which are excluded from and have not been used towards the calculation set forth in clause (1)(b) of “— Certain Covenants — Restricted payments” or any portion of Incremental Funds calculated therefrom.
“Existing Notes” means the (i) $350.0 million aggregate principal amount of 7.75% Senior Notes due 2019 issued by Crestwood Midstream Partners LP and Crestwood Midstream Finance Corporation pursuant to an indenture dated as of April 1, 2011, and assumed by the Company on October 7, 2013 by merger and (ii) $500.0 million aggregate principal amount of 6.00% Senior Notes due 2020 issued by Crestwood Midstream Partners LP (f/k/a Inergy Midstream, L.P.) and Crestwood Midstream Finance Corp. (f/k/a NRGM Finance Corp.) pursuant to an indenture dated as of December 7, 2012.
“Fair Market Value” means the value that would be paid by a willing buyer to an unaffiliated willing seller in a transaction not involving distress or necessity of either party, determined in good faith by (i) the principal
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financial officer of the Company for transactions less than $35.0 million and (ii) the Board of Directors of the Company (unless otherwise provided in the indenture) for transactions valued at, or in excess of, $35.0 million.
“Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio” means with respect to any specified Person for any period, the ratio of the Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of such Person for such period to the Fixed Charges of such Person for such period. In the event that the specified Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries incurs, assumes, guarantees, repays, repurchases, redeems, defeases or otherwise discharges any Indebtedness (other than (i) ordinary working capital borrowings and (ii) in the case of revolving credit borrowings, in which case interest expense will be computed based upon the average daily balance of such Indebtedness during the applicable period) or issues, repurchases or redeems preferred equity subsequent to the commencement of the period for which the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio is being calculated and on or prior to the date on which the event for which the calculation of the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio is made (the “Calculation Date”), then the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio will be calculated giving pro forma effect to such incurrence, assumption, Guarantee, repayment, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other discharge of Indebtedness, or such issuance, repurchase or redemption of preferred equity, and the use of the proceeds therefrom, as if the same had occurred at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter reference period.
In addition, for purposes of calculating the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, Asset Acquisitions, dispositions, mergers, consolidations and discontinued operations (as determined in accordance with GAAP), and any related financing transactions, that the specified Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries has both determined to make and made after the Issue Date and during the four-quarter reference period or subsequent to such reference period and on or prior to or simultaneously with the Calculation Date shall be calculated on a pro forma basis assuming that all such Asset Acquisitions, dispositions, mergers, consolidations and discontinued operations (and the change of any associated Fixed Charges and the change in Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA resulting therefrom) had occurred on the first day of the four-quarter reference period, including any pro forma expense and cost reductions and other operating improvements that have occurred or are reasonably expected to occur, in the reasonable judgment of the chief financial officer of the Company (regardless of whether these cost savings or operating improvements could then be reflected in pro forma financial statements in accordance with Regulation S-X promulgated under the Securities Act or any other regulation or policy of the SEC related thereto). Any Person that is a Restricted Subsidiary on the Calculation Date will be deemed to have been a Restricted Subsidiary at all times during such four-quarter period, and if, since the beginning of the four-quarter reference period, any Person that subsequently became a Restricted Subsidiary or was merged with or into the Company or any of its other Restricted Subsidiaries since the beginning of such period shall have made any acquisition, Investment, disposition, merger, consolidation or discontinued operation, in each case with respect to an operating unit of a business, that would have required adjustment pursuant to this definition, then the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio shall be adjusted giving pro forma effect thereto for such period as if such Asset Acquisition, disposition, discontinued operation, merger or consolidation had occurred at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter reference period. Any Person that is not a Restricted Subsidiary on the Calculation Date will be deemed not to have been a Restricted Subsidiary at any time during such four-quarter period.
For purposes of this definition, whenever pro forma effect is to be given to any transaction, the pro forma calculations shall be made in good faith by a responsible financial or accounting officer of the Company. If any Indebtedness bears a floating rate of interest and is being given pro forma effect, the interest on such Indebtedness shall be calculated as if the rate in effect on the Calculation Date had been the applicable rate for the entire period (taking into account any Hedging Obligations applicable to such Indebtedness if such Hedging Obligation has a remaining term in excess of 12 months). Interest on a Capital Lease Obligation shall be deemed to accrue at an interest rate reasonably determined by a responsible financial or accounting officer of the Company to be the rate of interest implicit in such Capital Lease Obligation. For purposes of making the computation referred to above, interest on any Indebtedness under a revolving credit facility computed on a pro forma basis shall be computed based upon the average daily balance of such Indebtedness during the applicable period. Interest on Indebtedness that may optionally be determined at an interest rate based upon a factor of a prime or similar rate, a eurocurrency interbank offered rate, or other rate, shall be deemed to have been based
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upon the rate actually chosen, or, if none, then based upon such optional rate chosen as the Company may designate. Any such pro forma calculation may include adjustments appropriate, in the reasonable determination of the Company as set forth in an Officer’s Certificate, to reflect operating expense reductions reasonably expected to result from any acquisition or merger.
“Fixed Charges” means, with respect to any specified Person for any period, the sum, without duplication, of:
(1) the consolidated interest expense of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, whether paid or accrued, excluding amortization of deferred financing fees, debt issuance costs and commissions, fees and expenses and the expensing of any bridge, commitment or other financing fees, commissions, discounts, yield and other fees and charges (including any interest expense) related to any receivables facility but including original issue discount, non-cash interest payments, the interest component of any deferred payment obligations (classified as Indebtedness under the indenture), the interest component of all payments associated with Capital Lease Obligations and net of the effect of all payments made or received pursuant to Hedging Obligations in respect of interest rates; plus
(2) the consolidated interest expense of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries that was capitalized during such period; plus
(3) all cash dividend payments or other cash distributions on any series of preferred equity of such Person (providedthat in no event will any preferred units of the Company issued in kind as a distribution pursuant to the Partnership Agreement on or after the Issue Date be considered to be a Fixed Charge) and all other dividend payments or other distributions on the Disqualified Stock of such Person; less
(4) interest income; less
(5) non-cash interest expense attributable to movement in mark to market valuation of Hedging Obligations or other derivatives under GAAP; less
(6) accretion or accrual of discounted liabilities not constituting Indebtedness; less
(7) any expense resulting from the discounting of Indebtedness in connection with the application of purchase accounting in connection with any acquisition; and less
(8) Additional Interest.
“Foreign Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any Restricted Subsidiary of such Person that is not organized or existing under the laws of the United States, any state thereof, the District of Columbia, or any territory thereof and does not guarantee or otherwise provide direct credit support for any Indebtedness of the Company, and any Restricted Subsidiary of such Foreign Subsidiary.
“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other statements by such other entity as have been approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession, as in effect on April 1, 2011.
“Guarantee” means a guarantee, other than by endorsement of negotiable instruments for collection in the ordinary course of business, direct or indirect, in any manner, including, without limitation, by way of a pledge of assets or through letters of credit or reimbursement agreements in respect thereof, of all or any part of any Indebtedness (whether arising by virtue of partnership arrangements, or by agreements to keep-well, to purchase assets, goods, securities or services, to take or pay or to maintain financial statement conditions or otherwise).
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“Guarantors” means any Subsidiary of the Company (other than the Co-Issuer) that executes a Note Guarantee in accordance with the provisions of the indenture, and their respective successors and assigns, in each case, until the Note Guarantee of such Person has been released in accordance with the provisions of the indenture.
“Hedging Obligations” means, with respect to any specified Person, the obligations of such Person under Interest Rate Agreements, Currency Agreements or Commodity Agreements.
“Indebtedness” means, with respect to any specified Person, any indebtedness of such Person, whether or not contingent:
(1) in respect of borrowed money;
(2) evidenced by (A) bonds, notes, debentures or similar instruments or (B) letters of credit (or reimbursement agreements in respect thereof);providedthat the underlying obligation in respect of which the letter of credit was issued would, under one or more of paragraphs (1) above or (3) to (6) below, be treated as being Indebtedness;
(3) in respect of banker’s acceptances;
(4) representing Capital Lease Obligations;
(5) representing the balance deferred and unpaid of the purchase price of any property or services due more than six months after such property is acquired or such services are completed; or
(6) to the extent not otherwise included in this definition, Hedging Obligations of such Person (the amount of any such obligations to be equal at any time to the termination value of such agreement or arrangement giving rise to such obligation that would be payable by such Person at such time), if and to the extent any of the preceding items (other than letters of credit and Hedging Obligations) would appear as a liability upon a balance sheet of the specified Person prepared in accordance with GAAP. In addition, the term “Indebtedness” includes (i) all Indebtedness of others secured by a Lien on any asset of the specified Person (whether or not such Indebtedness is assumed by the specified Person);provided,however, that the amount of such Indebtedness shall be the lesser of (x) the Fair Market Value of such asset as such date of determination and (y) the amount of such Indebtedness of such other Person; and (ii) to the extent not otherwise included, the Guarantee by the specified Person of any Indebtedness of any other Person.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, “Indebtedness” shall not include (a) accrued expenses, royalties and trade payables; (b) Contingent Obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business; (c) asset retirement obligations and obligations in respect of reclamation and workers’ compensation (including pensions and retiree medical care) that are not overdue by more than 90 days; or (d) any obligations under Currency Agreements, Commodity Agreements and Interest Rate Agreements;providedthat such Agreements are entered into for bona fide hedging purposes of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors or senior management of the Company, whether or not accounted for as a hedge in accordance with GAAP) and, in the case of Currency Agreements or Commodity Agreements, such Currency Agreements or Commodity Agreements are related to business transactions of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries entered into in the ordinary course of business and, in the case of Interest Rate Agreements, such Interest Rate Agreements substantially correspond in terms of notional amount, duration and interest rates, as applicable, to Indebtedness of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries incurred without violation of the indenture.
“Interest Rate Agreement” means with respect to any Person any interest rate protection agreement, interest rate future agreement, interest rate option agreement, interest rate swap agreement, interest rate cap agreement, interest rate collar agreement, interest rate hedge agreement or other similar agreement or arrangement as to which such Person is party or a beneficiary.
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“Investment Grade Rating” means a Moody’s rating of Baa3 (or the equivalent) or higher and an S&P rating of BBB-(or the equivalent) or higher, or, if either such Rating Agency ceases to rate the notes for reasons outside of the Company’s control, the equivalent investment grade credit rating from any other Rating Agency.
“Investment Grade Securities” means:
(1) securities issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the U.S. government or any agency or instrumentality thereof (other than Cash Equivalents) and in each case with maturities not exceeding two years from the date of acquisition;
(2) investments in any fund that invests exclusively in investments of the type described in clause (1) which fund may also hold immaterial amounts of cash pending investment and/or distribution; and
(3) corresponding instruments in countries other than the United States customarily utilized for high quality investments and in each case with maturities not exceeding two years from the date of acquisition.
“Investments” means, with respect to any Person, all direct or indirect investments by such Person in other Persons (including Affiliates) in the forms of loans (including Guarantees or other obligations), advances or capital contributions (excluding accounts receivable, trade credit and advances to customers and commission, travel and similar advances to officers, employees and consultants made in the ordinary course of business), purchases or other acquisitions for consideration of Indebtedness, Equity Interests or other securities, together with all items that are or would be classified as investments on a balance sheet prepared in accordance with GAAP.
“Issue Date” means November 8, 2013.
“Lien” means, with respect to any asset, (a) any mortgage, deed of trust, lien (statutory or other), hypothecation, assignment, pledge, encumbrance, charge or security interest in or on such asset, (b) the interest of a vendor or a lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or title retention agreement (or any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing) relating to such asset and (c) in the case of securities (other than securities representing an interest in a joint venture that is not a Subsidiary or the Company), any purchase option, call or similar right of a third party with respect to such securities.
“Marketable Securities” means, with respect to any Asset Sale, any readily marketable equity securities that are (i) traded on the NYSE, the American Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq National Market; and (ii) issued by a corporation having a total equity market capitalization of not less than $250.0 million;providedthat the excess of (A) the aggregate amount of securities of any one such corporation held by the Company and any Restricted Subsidiary over (B) ten times the average daily trading volume of such securities during the 20 immediately preceding trading days shall be deemed not to be Marketable Securities, as determined on the date of the contract relating to such Asset Sale.
“Material Restricted Subsidiary” means any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company whose gross assets or Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA (in each case excluding intra-group items (except for power-by-the-hour maintenance, lease and similar or related transactions)) are equal to or exceed 5.0% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets or Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA of the Company and its Subsidiaries.
“Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and its successors and assigns.
“Net Proceeds” means the aggregate cash proceeds received by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of any Asset Sale (including, without limitation, any cash received upon the sale or other disposition of any Designated Non-cash Consideration received in any Asset Sale and any cash payments received by way of deferred payment of principal pursuant to a note or installment receivable or otherwise, but
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only as and when received, but excluding the assumption by the acquiring Person of Indebtedness relating to the disposed assets or other consideration received in any non-cash form), net of the direct costs relating to such Asset Sale and the sale of such Designated Non-cash Consideration, including, without limitation, legal, accounting and investment banking fees, and sales commissions, and any relocation expenses incurred as a result of the Asset Sale, taxes paid or payable as a result of the Asset Sale, in each case, after taking into account any available tax credits or deductions and any tax sharing arrangements, and amounts required to be applied to the repayment of Indebtedness secured by a Lien on the asset or assets that were the subject of such Asset Sale, all distributions and other payments required to be made to minority interest holders in Subsidiaries or joint ventures or to holders of royalty or similar interests as a result of such Asset Sale and any reserve for adjustment in respect of the sale price of such asset or assets established in accordance with GAAP, including without limitation, pension and post-employment benefit liabilities and liabilities related to environmental matters or against any indemnification obligations associated with such transaction.
“Non-Recourse Debt” means Indebtedness:
(1) as to which neither the Company nor any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (a) provides credit support of any kind (including any undertaking, agreement or instrument that would constitute Indebtedness) other than a pledge of the Equity Interests of any Unrestricted Subsidiaries, (b) is directly or indirectly liable (as a guarantor or otherwise) other than by virtue of a pledge of the Equity Interests of any Unrestricted Subsidiaries, or (c) constitutes the lender; and
(2) no default with respect to which (including any rights that the holders of the Indebtedness may have to take enforcement action against an Unrestricted Subsidiary) would permit, upon notice, lapse of time or both, any holder of any other Indebtedness (other than the notes offered hereby) of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to declare a default on such other Indebtedness or cause the payment of the Indebtedness to be accelerated or payable prior to its Stated Maturity.
“Note Guarantee” means the Guarantee by each Guarantor of the Issuers’ obligations under the indenture and the notes, executed pursuant to the provisions of the indenture.
“Obligations” means any principal (including reimbursement obligations with respect to letters of credit whether or not drawn), interest, premium (if any), fees, indemnifications, reimbursements, expenses and other liabilities payable under the documentation governing any Indebtedness.
“Officer” means, with respect to any Person, the chairman of the Board of Directors, the principal executive officer, the president, the principal operating officer, the principal financial officer, the treasurer, any assistant treasurer, the controller, the secretary or any vice-president of such Person (or, if such Person is a limited partnership, the general partner of such Person).
“Officer’s Certificate” means a certificate signed by any Officer of the Company, who must be the principal executive officer, the principal financial officer, the treasurer or the principal accounting officer of the Company, that meets the requirements set forth in the indenture.
“Operating Surplus” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Partnership Agreement, as in effect on the Issue Date.
“Partnership Agreement” means the First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Company dated as of December 21, 2011, as amended by Amendment No. 1 dated as of September 27, 2013, Amendment No. 2 dated as of October 7, 2013 and Amendment No. 3 dated as of June 17, 2014, and as such may be further amended, modified or supplemented from time to time.
“Permitted Business” means the businesses of the Company and its Subsidiaries engaged in on the Issue Date and any other activities that are similar, ancillary or reasonably related to, or a reasonable extension, expansion or development of, such businesses or ancillary thereto.
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“Permitted Business Investments” means Investments by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in any Unrestricted Subsidiary or in any joint venture;providedthat:
(1) the Company would, at the time of such Investment and after giving pro forma effect thereto as if such Investment had been made at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter period, have been permitted to incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth in the first paragraph of the covenant described under “— Certain Covenants — Incurrence of indebtedness and issuance of preferred equity” or (b) such Investment does not exceed the aggregate amount of Incremental Funds not previously expended pursuant to the covenant described under “— Certain Covenants — Restricted payments” at the time of such Investment;providedthat the amount of any such Investment will be excluded from clauses (1)(a) — (1)(d) of the covenant described under “— Certain Covenants — Restricted payments” or any portion of Incremental Funds resulting from such clauses (1)(b) — (1)(d) of the covenant described under “— Certain Covenants — Restricted payments”;
(2) if such Unrestricted Subsidiary or joint venture has outstanding Indebtedness at the time of such Investment, either (a) all such Indebtedness is Non-Recourse Debt or (b) any such Indebtedness that is recourse to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (which shall include, without limitation, all Indebtedness for which the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries may be directly or indirectly, contingently or otherwise, obligated to pay, whether pursuant to the terms of such Indebtedness, by law or pursuant to any guarantee, including, without limitation, any “claw-back,” “make-well” or “keep-well” arrangement) would, at the time of such Investment and after giving pro forma effect thereto as if such Investment had been made at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter period, have been permitted to be incurred by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries pursuant to the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth in the first paragraph of the covenant described under “— Certain Covenants — Incurrence of indebtedness and issuance of preferred equity;” and
(3) such Unrestricted Subsidiary’s or joint venture’s activities are not outside the scope of the Permitted Business.
“Permitted Group” means any group of investors that is deemed to be a “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) at any time prior to the Company’s initial public offering of limited partnership interests, by virtue of the Partnership Agreement, as the same may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time;providedthat no single Person (other than the Permitted Holders) Beneficially Owns (together with its Affiliates) more of the Voting Stock of the Company that is Beneficially Owned by such group of investors than is then collectively Beneficially Owned by the Permitted Holders in the aggregate.
“Permitted Holders” means First Reserve Management, LP and its Affiliates. Any person or group whose acquisition of beneficial ownership constitutes a Change of Control in respect of which a Change of Control Offer is made in accordance with the requirements of the indenture will thereafter, together with its Affiliates, constitute an additional Permitted Holder.
“Permitted Investments” means:
(1) any Investment in the Company or in a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company;
(2) any Investment in cash, Cash Equivalents or Investment Grade Securities;
(3) any Investment by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company in a Person, if as a result of such Investment:
(a) such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company; or
(b) such Person, in one transaction or a series of related transactions, is merged, consolidated or amalgamated with or into, or transfers or conveys substantially all of its assets to, or is liquidated into, the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company;
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and, in each case, any Investment held by any such Person;
(4) any Investment made as a result of the receipt of non-cash consideration from an Asset Sale that was made pursuant to and in compliance with the covenant described under “— Repurchase at the Option of Holders — Asset sales;”
(5) any acquisition of assets or Capital Stock solely in exchange for the issuance of Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company or a direct or indirect parent company of the Company;
(6) any Investments received (i) in compromise or resolution of (A) obligations of trade creditors or customers that were incurred in the ordinary course of business of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, including pursuant to any plan of reorganization or similar arrangement upon the bankruptcy or insolvency of any trade creditor or customer; or (B) litigation, arbitration or other disputes; or (ii) as a result of a foreclosure by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries with respect to any secured Investment or other transfer of title with respect to any secured Investment in default;
(7) Investments represented by Hedging Obligations;
(8) loans or advances to officers, directors and employees made in the ordinary course of business or consistent with the past practice of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company;
(9) repurchases of the notes;
(10) Permitted Business Investments;
(11) any Affiliate transaction to the extent it constitutes an Investment, that is permitted by and made in accordance with the provisions of the second paragraph of the covenant described under “— Certain Covenants — Transactions with Affiliates” (except for transactions described in clauses (3), (6), (7), (8), (9), (10), (12) and (13) of such paragraph);
(12) (A) Guarantees issued in accordance with the covenants described under “— Certain Covenants — Incurrence of indebtedness and issuance of preferred equity” and “— Certain Covenants — Additional note guarantees;” and (B) Guarantees of performance or other obligations (other than Indebtedness) arising in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice;
(13) any Investment existing on the Issue Date and any Investment that replaces, refinances or refunds an existing Investment;providedthat the new Investment is in an amount that does not exceed the amount replaced, refinanced or refunded, and is made in the same Person as the Investment replaced, refinanced or refunded;
(14) Investments consisting of purchases and acquisitions of parts, buildings, inventory, supplies, materials and equipment or purchases of contract rights or licenses or leases of intellectual property, in each case in the ordinary course of business; and
(15) additional Investments by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary having an aggregate Fair Market Value (measured on the date each such Investment was made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value), taken together with all other Investments made pursuant to this clause (15) that are at the time outstanding not to exceed the greater of (A) $100.0 million and (B) 5.0% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets;provided,however, that if any Investment pursuant to this clause (15) is made in a Person that is not a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company at the date of the making of such Investment and such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company after such date, such Investment shall thereafter be deemed to have been made pursuant to clause (1) above and shall cease to have been made pursuant to this clause (15) for so long as such Person continues to be a Restricted Subsidiary;
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provided,however, that with respect to any Investment, the Company may, in its sole discretion, allocate all or any portion of any Investment to one or more of the above clauses (1) through (15) so that the entire Investment would be a Permitted Investment.
“Permitted Liens” means:
(1) Liens with respect to the Revolving Credit Facility or any other Credit Facilities;
(2) Liens in favor of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;
(3) Liens on property of a Person existing at the time such Person is merged with or into or consolidated with the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company;providedthat such Liens were in existence prior to the contemplation of such merger or consolidation and do not extend to any assets other than those of the Person merged into or consolidated with the Company or the Restricted Subsidiary;
(4) Liens on property (including Capital Stock) existing at the time of acquisition of the property by the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company;providedthat such Liens were in existence prior to, such acquisition, and not incurred in contemplation of, such acquisition;
(5) Liens or deposits to secure the performance of statutory or regulatory obligations, or surety, appeal, indemnity or performance bonds, warranty and contractual requirements or other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business and Liens over cash deposits in connection with an acquisition, lease, disposition or investment;
(6) Liens securing reimbursement obligations with respect to commercial letters of credit which encumber documents and other assets relating to such letters of credit and products and proceeds thereof and any cash cover relating to a letter of credit or bank guarantee;
(7) Liens to secure Indebtedness (including Capital Lease Obligations) permitted to be incurred pursuant to clause (4) of the definition of Permitted Debt covering only the assets acquired with or financed by such Indebtedness;
(8) Liens securing Indebtedness permitted to be incurred pursuant to clause (16) of the definition of Permitted Debt;
(9) Liens existing on the Issue Date;
(10) Liens for taxes, assessments or governmental charges or claims that are not yet delinquent or that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings promptly instituted and diligently concluded;providedthat any reserve or other appropriate provision as is required in conformity with GAAP has been made therefor;
(11) Liens incurred or deposits made in the ordinary course of business to secure payment of workers’ compensation or to participate in any fund in connection with workmen’s compensation, unemployment insurance, old-age pensions or other social security programs;
(12) Liens imposed by law, such as carriers’, warehousemen’s, landlord’s, lessor’s, suppliers, banks, repairmen’s and mechanics’ Liens, and Liens of landlords securing obligations to pay lease payments that are not yet due and payable or in default, in each case, incurred in the ordinary course of business;
(13) leases or subleases granted to others that do not materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of business of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;
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(14) easements, rights of way, zoning and similar restrictions, reservations or encumbrances in respect of real property or title defects that were not incurred in connection with Indebtedness and that do not in the aggregate materially adversely affect the value of said properties (as such properties are used by the Company or its Subsidiaries) or materially impair their use in the operation of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries;
(15) Liens created for the benefit of (or to secure) the notes, the Note Guarantees, and any exchange notes or exchange guarantees;
(16) Liens to secure any Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness permitted to be incurred under the indenture;provided,however, that:
(a) the new Lien shall be limited to all or part of the same property and assets that secured or, under the written agreements pursuant to which the original Lien arose, could secure the original Lien (plus improvements and accessions to, such property or proceeds or distributions thereof); and
(b) the Indebtedness secured by the new Lien is not increased to any amount greater than the sum of (x) the outstanding principal amount, or, if greater, committed amount, of the Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness and (y) an amount necessary to pay any fees and expenses, including premiums, related to such renewal, refunding, refinancing, replacement, defeasance or discharge;
(17) Liens arising from precautionary Uniform Commercial Code financing statement filings regarding operating leases entered into by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;
(18) Liens arising out of judgments constituting an Event of Default so long as any appropriate legal proceedings that may have been duly initiated for the review of such judgment shall not have been finally terminated or the period within which such legal proceedings may be initiated shall not have expired;
(19) Liens to secure Indebtedness permitted to be incurred pursuant to clause (13) of the definition of Permitted Debt;
(20) licenses of intellectual property in the ordinary course of business;
(21) Liens on Capital Stock of an Unrestricted Subsidiary that secure Indebtedness or other obligations of such Unrestricted Subsidiary;
(22) leases and subleases of real property which do not materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries;
(23) Liens to secure a defeasance trust;
(24) Liens on equipment of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary granted in the ordinary course of business to clients of which such equipment is located;
(25) Liens securing insurance premium financing arrangements;providedthat such Lien is limited to the applicable insurance contracts;
(26) Liens securing the aggregate amount of Indebtedness (including Acquired Debt) incurred in connection with (or at any time following the consummation of) an Asset Acquisition made in accordance with the indenture equal to, at the time of incurrence, the net increase in inventory, accounts receivable and net property, reserves, plant and equipment attributable to such Asset Acquisition from the amounts reflected on the Company’s historical consolidated balance sheet as of the end of the full fiscal quarter ending on or prior to the date of such
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Asset Acquisition, calculated after giving effect on a pro forma basis to such Asset Acquisition (which amount may, but need not, be incurred in whole or in part under the Revolving Credit Facility) less the amount of Indebtedness incurred in connection with such Asset Acquisition secured by Liens pursuant to clauses (4) or (7) above;
(27) Liens arising under retention of title, hire purchase or conditional sale arrangements arising under provisions in a supplier’s standard conditions of supply in respect of goods or services supplied to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business and on arm’s length terms;
(28) Liens arising by way of set-off or pledge (in favor of the account holding bank) arising by operation of law or pursuant to standard banking terms or conditions;providedthat the relevant bank account has not been set up nor has the relevant credit balance arisen in order to implement a secured financing;
(29) Liens encumbering reasonable customary initial deposits and margin deposits and similar Liens attaching to commodity trading accounts or other brokerage accounts incurred in the ordinary course of business and not for speculative purposes;
(30) Liens securing Hedging Obligations;
(31) any (a) interest or title of a lessor or sublessor under any lease, (b) restriction or encumbrance that the interest or title of such lessor or sublessor may be subject to (including, without limitation, ground leases or other prior leases of the demised premises, mortgages, mechanics’ liens, tax liens, and easements); (c) subordination of the interest of the lessee or sublessee under such lease to any restrictions or encumbrance referred to in the preceding clause (b) or (d) Liens over rental deposits with a lessor pursuant to a property lease entered into in the ordinary course of business;
(32) Liens incurred under or in connection with lease and sale and leaseback transactions and novations and any refinancings thereof (and Liens securing obligations under lease transaction documents relating thereto), including, without limitation, Liens over the assets which are the subject of such lease, sale and leaseback, novations, refinancings, assets and contract rights related thereto (including, without limitation, the right to receive rental rebates or deferred sale payments), sub-lease rights, insurances relating thereto and rental deposits; and
(33) Liens securing Indebtedness or other obligations of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company with respect to obligations that do not exceed the greater of (A) $100.0 million and (B) 5.0% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets at any one time outstanding.
“Permitted Payments to Parent” means, without duplication as to amounts:
(1) payments to any parent companies of the Company in amounts equal to the amounts required for any direct payment of the Company to pay fees and expenses (including franchise or similar taxes) required to maintain its corporate existence, customary salary, bonus and other benefits payable to officers and employees of any direct parent of the Company and general corporate overhead expenses of any direct parent of the Company to the extent such fees and expenses are attributable to the ownership or operation of the Company and its Subsidiaries; and
(2) dividends or distributions paid to such parent companies, if applicable, in amounts equal to amounts required for such parent companies, if applicable, to pay interest and/or principal on Indebtedness the proceeds of which have been contributed to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries and that has been guaranteed by, or is otherwise considered Indebtedness of, the Company incurred in accordance with the covenant described under “— Certain Covenants — Incurrence of indebtedness and issuance of preferred equity.”
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“Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness” means any Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries issued in exchange for, or the net proceeds of which are used to renew, refund, refinance, replace, defease or discharge other Indebtedness of the Company or any of the Company’s Restricted Subsidiaries (other than intercompany Indebtedness);providedthat:
(1) the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness does not exceed the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of the Indebtedness renewed, refunded, refinanced, replaced, defeased or discharged (plus any premium required to be paid on the Indebtedness being so renewed, refunded, replaced, defeased or discharged, plus the amount of all fees, expenses and accrued interest incurred in connection therewith);
(2) such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness has a final maturity date equal to or later than the final maturity date of, and has a Weighted Average Life to Maturity equal to or greater than the remaining Weighted Average Life to Maturity of, the Indebtedness being renewed, refunded, refinanced, replaced, defeased or discharged;providedthat this clause (2) shall not apply to debt under Credit Facilities;
(3) if the Indebtedness being renewed, refunded, refinanced, replaced, defeased or discharged is subordinated in right of payment to the notes, such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness has a final maturity date later than the final maturity date of, and is subordinated in right of payment to, the notes on terms at least as favorable to the holders of notes as those contained in the documentation governing the Indebtedness being renewed, refunded, refinanced, replaced, defeased or discharged; and
(4) such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness shall not include Indebtedness of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary that refinances Indebtedness of an Unrestricted Subsidiary.
“Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, limited liability company or government or other entity.
“Rating Agency” means each of S&P and Moody’s, or if S&P or Moody’s or both shall not make a rating on the notes publicly available, a nationally recognized statistical rating organization or organizations, within the meaning of Rule 15c3-1(c)(2)(vi)(F) under the Exchange Act, selected by the Company as a replacement agency or agencies for S&P or Moody’s, or both, as the case may be.
“Rating Category” means:
(1) with respect to S&P, any of the following categories: AAA, AA, A BBB, BB, B, CCC, CC, C and D (or equivalent successor categories); and
(2) with respect to Moody’s, any of the following categories: Aaa, Aa, A, Baa, Ba, B, Caa, Ca, C and D (or equivalent successor categories).
“Rating Decline” means a decrease in the rating of the notes by either Moody’s or S&P by one or more gradations (including gradations within Rating Categories as well as between Rating Categories). In determining whether the rating of the notes has decreased by one or more gradations, gradations within Rating Categories, namely + or – for S&P, and 1, 2 and 3 for Moody’s, will be taken into account. For example, in the case of S&P, a rating decline either from BB+ to BB or BB- to B+ will constitute a decrease or one gradation.
“Reporting Failure” means the failure of the Company to comply with the provisions specified in “— Reports” (after giving effect to any grace period specified under Rule 12b-25 under the Exchange Act).
“Restricted Investment” means an Investment other than a Permitted Investment.
“Restricted Subsidiary” of a Person means any Subsidiary of the referent Person that is not an Unrestricted Subsidiary.
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“Revolving Credit Facility” means that certain credit agreement, dated as of October 7, 2013, by and among the Company, the Guarantors, the lenders party thereto in their capacities as lenders thereunder, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as administrative agent and collateral agent, and the other parties thereto, including any guarantees, collateral documents, instruments and agreements executed in connection therewith, and any amendments, supplements, modifications, extensions, renewals, restatements, replacements, refundings or refinancings thereof and any indentures or credit facilities or commercial paper facilities with banks or other institutional lenders or investors that replace, refund or refinance any part of the loans, notes, other credit facilities or commitments thereunder, including any such replacement, refunding or refinancing facility or indenture that increases the amount borrowable thereunder or alters the maturity thereof (providedthat such increase in borrowers is permitted under “— Certain Covenants — Incurrence of indebtedness and issuance of preferred equity” above).
“S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services and its successors and assigns.
“Significant Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that would be a “significant subsidiary” as defined in Article 1, Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X, promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Regulation is in effect on the Issue Date.
“Stated Maturity” means, with respect to any installment of principal on any series of Indebtedness, the date on which the payment of principal was scheduled to be paid in the documentation governing such Indebtedness as of the Issue Date, and will not include any Contingent Obligations to repay, redeem or repurchase any such principal prior to the date originally scheduled for the payment thereof.
“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any specified Person:
(3) any corporation, association or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares of Capital Stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency and after giving effect to any voting agreement or stockholders’ agreement that effectively transfers voting power) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees of the corporation, association or other business entity is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by that Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person (or a combination thereof); and
(4) any partnership or limited liability company of which (a) more than 50% of the capital accounts, distribution rights, total equity and voting interests or general and limited partnership interests, as applicable, are owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of such Person or a combination thereof, whether in the form of membership, general, special or limited partnership interest or otherwise, and (b) such Person or any Subsidiary of such Person is a controlling general partner or otherwise controls such entity.
“Treasury Rate” means, as of any redemption date, the yield to maturity as of such redemption date of United States Treasury securities with a constant maturity (as compiled and published in the most recent Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15 (519) that has become publicly available at least two Business Days prior to the redemption date (or, if such Statistical Release is no longer published, any publicly available source of similar market data)) most nearly equal to the period from the redemption date to November 1, 2016;provided,however, that if the period from the redemption date to November 1, 2016, is less than one year, the weekly average yield on actually traded United States Treasury securities adjusted to a constant maturity of one year will be used.
“Unrestricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Company that is designated by the Board of Directors of the Company as an Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company, and any Subsidiary of an Unrestricted Subsidiary, but only to the extent that, in each case, such Subsidiary:
(1) except to the extent permitted by subclause (2)(b) of the definition of Permitted Business Investments, has no Indebtedness other than Non-Recourse Debt (other than guarantees of performance of the Unrestricted Subsidiary made in the ordinary course of business, excluding guarantees of Indebtedness for borrowed money);
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(2) is a Person with respect to which neither the Company nor any of its Restricted Subsidiaries has any direct or indirect obligation (a) to subscribe for additional Equity Interests or (b) to maintain or preserve such Person’s financial condition or to cause such Person to achieve any specified levels of operating results; and
(3) has not guaranteed or otherwise directly or indirectly provided credit support for any Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries.
As of the Issue Date, (1) Crestwood Niobrara LLC, (2) Powder River Basin Industrial Complex, LLC and (3) Jackalope Gas Gathering Services, L.L.C. were Unrestricted Subsidiaries.
“U.S. Dollar Equivalent” means with respect to any monetary amount in a currency other than U.S. dollars, at any time for determination thereof, the amount of U.S. dollars obtained by converting such foreign currency involved in such computation into U.S. dollars at the spot rate for the purchase of U.S. dollars with the applicable foreign currency as published in The Wall Street Journal in the “Exchange Rates” column under the heading “Currency Trading” on the date two Business Days prior to such determination.
“Voting Stock” of any specified Person as of any date means the Capital Stock of such Person that is at the time entitled to vote in the election of the Board of Directors of such Person.
“Weighted Average Life to Maturity” means, when applied to any Indebtedness at any date, the number of years obtained by dividing:
(1) the sum of the products obtained by multiplying (a) the amount of each then remaining installment, sinking fund, serial maturity or other required payments of principal, including payment at final maturity, in respect of the Indebtedness, by (b) the number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth) that will elapse between such date and the making of such payment; by
(2) the then outstanding principal amount of such Indebtedness.
“Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary” of any specified Person means a Restricted Subsidiary of such Person all of the outstanding Capital Stock or other ownership interests of which (other than directors’ qualifying shares) will at the time be owned by such Person or by one or more Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiaries of such Person.
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Each broker-dealer that receives exchange notes for its own account pursuant to an exchange offer must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such exchange notes. This prospectus, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, may be used by a broker-dealer in connection with resales of exchange notes received in exchange for outstanding notes where such outstanding notes were acquired as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities. We have agreed that, for a period of 90 days after the consummation of the exchange offer, we will make this prospectus, as amended or supplemented, available to any broker-dealer for use in connection with any such resale, and will deliver as many additional copies of this prospectus and each amendment or supplement to this prospectus and any documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus as any broker-dealer may request in the letter of transmittal. In addition, all dealers effecting transactions in the exchange notes may be required to deliver a prospectus.
We will not receive any proceeds from any sale of exchange notes by broker-dealers. Exchange notes received by broker-dealers for their own account pursuant to an exchange offer may be sold from time to time in one or more transactions in the over-the-counter market, in negotiated transactions, through the writing of options on the exchange notes or a combination of such methods of resale, at market prices prevailing at the time of resale, at prices related to such prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices. Any such resale may be made directly to purchasers or through brokers or dealers who may receive compensation in the form of commissions or concessions from any such broker-dealer and/or the purchasers of any such exchange notes. Any broker-dealer that resells exchange notes that were received by it for its own account pursuant to an exchange offer and any broker or dealer that participates in a distribution of such exchange notes may be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act, and any profit of any such resale of exchange notes and any commission or concessions received by any such persons may be deemed to be underwriting compensation under the Securities Act.
We have agreed to pay all expenses incident to the exchange offer (including the expenses of one counsel for the holders of the outstanding notes) other than commissions or concessions of any broker-dealers and will indemnify you (including any broker-dealers) against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.
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Certain United States Federal Income Tax Consequences
The exchange of outstanding notes for exchange notes in the exchange offer will not constitute a taxable event to holders for United States federal income tax purposes. Consequently, no gain or loss will be recognized by a holder upon receipt of an exchange note, the holding period of the exchange note will include the holding period of the outstanding note exchanged therefor and the basis of the exchange note will be the same as the basis of the outstanding note immediately before the exchange.
In any event, persons considering the exchange of outstanding notes for exchange notes should consult their own tax advisors concerning the United States federal income tax consequences in light of their particular situations as well as any consequences arising under the laws of any other taxing jurisdiction.
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The validity and enforceability of the exchange notes and the related guarantees will be passed upon for us by Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, New York, New York and Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., Houston, Texas.
The consolidated financial statements of Crestwood Midstream Partners LP as of and for the year ended December 31, 2013 appearing in Crestwood Midstream Partners LP’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013 and the effectiveness of Crestwood Midstream Partners LP’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2013 (excluding the internal control over financial reporting of Arrow Midstream Holdings, LLC) have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their reports thereon, which as to the report on the effectiveness of Crestwood Midstream Partners LP’s internal control over financial reporting contains an explanatory paragraph describing the above referenced exclusion of Arrow Midstream Holdings, LLC from the scope of such firm’s audit of internal control over financial reporting, included therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements are incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such reports given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
The consolidated financial statements of Crestwood Midstream Partners LP (formerly known as Inergy Midstream, L.P.) appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-KT of Crestwood Midstream Partners LP for the three months ended December 31, 2012 (including the schedule appearing therein) have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report thereon, included therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements are incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
The consolidated financial statements of Crestwood Midstream Partners LP and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2012 and for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2012 incorporated in this prospectus by reference from the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Crestwood Midstream Partners LP for the year ended December 31, 2013, have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report (which report expresses an unqualified opinion and includes an explanatory paragraph relating to the acquisition of Crestwood Marcellus Midstream LLC which was accounted for at historical cost as a reorganization of entities under common control as described in Note 9, an explanatory paragraph for the retrospective adjustments for earnings per unit relating to the common units issued in connection with the Crestwood Merger as described in Note 1, an explanatory paragraph for retrospective adjustments for a change in segments as a result of the Crestwood Merger as described in Note 1, and an explanatory paragraph on the unaudited pro forma information for the acquisitions of Inergy Midstream, L.P. and Arrow Midstream Holdings LLC presented in Note 4), which is incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements have been so incorporated in reliance upon the report of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
The audited financial statements of Arrow Midstream Holdings, LLC as of December 31, 2012 and 2011 and for the years then ended, incorporated by reference in this prospectus and elsewhere in the registration statement have been so incorporated by reference in reliance upon the report of Grant Thornton LLP, independent certified public accountants, upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
Where You Can Find More Information
We are required to file annual, quarterly and current reports and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any documents filed by us or Crestwood at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the public reference room. Our filings with the SEC are also available to the public from commercial document retrieval services and at the SEC’s web site at http://www.sec.gov.
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You should rely only upon the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. You should not assume that the information in this document is accurate as of any date other than that on the front cover of this prospectus, or in the case of information incorporated by reference herein, as of the date of the incorporated document.
No dealer, salesperson or other person has been authorized to give any information or to make any representations in connection with the offer made hereby except as contained in this prospectus. You must not rely on unauthorized information or representations. This prospectus does not offer to sell or solicit an offer to buy any of these exchange notes in any jurisdiction where, or to any person whom, it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation. The information contained in this prospectus is current only as of the date on the cover page of this prospectus, or in the case of the information incorporated by reference herein, as of the date of the incorporated document. We do not imply that there has been no change in the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or in our affairs since such dates by delivering this prospectus.
This prospectus contains or incorporates by reference summaries of certain agreements that we have entered into or will enter into in connection with this offering, such as the indenture governing the notes and the registration rights agreement. The descriptions of these agreements contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus do not purport to be complete and are subject to, or qualified in their entirety by reference to, the definitive agreements. Copies of the definitive agreements will be made available without charge to you in response to a written request to us. Such information and agreements may be requested, at no cost, by contacting us at the following address:
Crestwood Midstream Partners LP
Attention: Investor Relations
700 Louisiana Street, Suite 2550
Houston, Texas 77002
(832) 519-2200
IN ORDER TO OBTAIN TIMELY DELIVERY, YOU MUST REQUEST THE INFORMATION NO LATER THAN AUGUST 18, 2014, WHICH IS FIVE BUSINESS DAYS BEFORE THE EXPIRATION OF THE EXCHANGE OFFER.
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Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference
In this prospectus, we “incorporate by reference” certain information filed by Crestwood Midstream Partners LP with the SEC, which means that important information is being disclosed to you by referring to those documents. Those documents that are filed after the initial filing of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part and prior to the date of effectiveness of such registration statement are considered part of this prospectus, and those documents that are filed after the date of this prospectus and prior to the consummation of the exchange offer pursuant to this prospectus will be considered a part of this prospectus from the date of the filing of such documents. Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated herein by reference, or contained in this prospectus, shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently dated or filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. The documents listed below and any future filings Crestwood Midstream Partners LP makes with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act are incorporated by reference in this prospectus:
The Partnership’s Filings
• | The Partnership’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013; |
• | The Partnership’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2014; and |
• | The Partnership’s Current Reports on Form 8-K or Form 8-K/A filed on October 17, 2013, January 2, 2014, January 9, 2014, June 19, 2014 and July 11, 2014. |
Inergy Midstream, L.P.’s Filings
• | Inergy Midstream, L.P.’s Transition Report on Form 10-K for the transition period ended December 31, 2012; and |
• | Inergy Midstream, L.P.’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2013, June 30, 2013 and September 30, 2013. |
We incorporate by reference any filings made with the SEC in accordance with Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act on or after the date of this registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, and until the Exchange Offer is completed or terminated. We are not, however, incorporating by reference any documents or portions thereof, whether specifically listed above or filed in the future, that are not deemed “filed” with the SEC, including any information furnished pursuant to Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K or certain exhibits furnished pursuant to Item 9.01 of Form 8-K.
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Crestwood Midstream Partners LP
Crestwood Midstream Finance Corp.
Offer to Exchange
$600,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 6.125% Senior Notes due 2022, which have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, for any and all of their outstanding unregistered 6.125% Senior Notes due 2022 issued on November 8, 2013 (CUSIP and ISIN Nos.: 226373 AG3, US226373AG36; U1300R AE2, USU1300RAE28).
Until the date that is 90 days from the date of this prospectus, all dealers that effects transactions in these securities, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to the dealers’ obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as underwriters with respect to their unsold allotments or subscriptions.