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424B3 Filing
Sunoco (SUN) 424B3Prospectus supplement
Filed: 21 Oct 14, 12:00am
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3)
Registration No. 333-192335
This preliminary prospectus supplement relates to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, but the information in this preliminary prospectus supplement is not complete and may be changed. This preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are not an offer to sell these securities and are not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED OCTOBER 21, 2014
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
(To the Prospectus dated December 5, 2013)
8,000,000 Common Units
Representing Limited Partner Interests
SUSSER PETROLEUM PARTNERS LP
We are selling 8,000,000 common units representing limited partner interests of Susser Petroleum Partners LP ("common units"). Our common units are listed on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") under the symbol "SUSP." The last reported sales price of our common units on the NYSE on October 17, 2014 was $50.21 per common unit.
Investing in our common units involves risks. You should carefully consider each of the factors described under "Risk Factors" beginning on page S-15 of this prospectus supplement and beginning on page 3 of the accompanying prospectus and the other risk factors incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement.
| Per Common Unit | Total | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Public offering price | $ | $ | ||
Underwriting discount | $ | $ | ||
Proceeds, before expenses, to Susser Petroleum Partners LP | $ | $ |
The underwriters may also purchase up to an additional 1,200,000 common units on the same terms and conditions as set forth above within 30 days from the date of this prospectus supplement.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The underwriters expect to deliver the common units to purchasers on or about , 2014.
Joint Book-Running Managers
Morgan Stanley | BofA Merrill Lynch | Barclays | ||
Citigroup | Credit Suisse | Deutsche Bank Securities | ||
Goldman, Sachs & Co. | Jefferies | J.P. Morgan | ||
RBC Capital Markets | UBS Investment Bank | Wells Fargo Securities |
Prospectus Supplement dated , 2014.
Prospectus Supplement | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
| Page | |||
SUMMARY | S-1 | |||
RISK FACTORS | S-15 | |||
USE OF PROCEEDS | S-37 | |||
CAPITALIZATION | S-38 | |||
PRICE RANGE OF COMMON UNITS AND DISTRIBUTIONS | S-39 | |||
MACS AND ALOHA BUSINESSES | S-40 | |||
MATERIAL TAX CONSIDERATIONS | S-42 | |||
UNDERWRITING | S-44 | |||
VALIDITY OF OUR COMMON UNITS | S-51 | |||
EXPERTS | S-51 | |||
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE | S-51 | |||
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS | S-53 | |||
Prospectus Dated December 5, 2013 | ||||
| Page | |||
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS | 1 | |||
ABOUT SUSSER PETROLEUM PARTNERS LP | 1 | |||
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION | 1 | |||
INFORMATION WE INCORPORATE BY REFERENCE | 1 | |||
RISK FACTORS | 3 | |||
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND ASSOCIATED RISKS | 3 | |||
RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES | 4 | |||
USE OF PROCEEDS | 5 | |||
DESCRIPTION OF THE COMMON UNITS AND PREFERRED UNITS | 6 | |||
CASH DISTRIBUTION POLICY AND RESTRICTIONS ON DISTRIBUTIONS | 8 | |||
PROVISIONS OF OUR PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT RELATING TO CASH DISTRIBUTIONS | 10 | |||
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND FIDUCIARY DUTIES | 22 | |||
THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT | 30 | |||
DESCRIPTION OF PARTNERSHIP SECURITIES | 43 | |||
DESCRIPTION OF THE WARRANTS | 44 | |||
DESCRIPTION OF THE RIGHTS | 45 | |||
DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES | 46 | |||
INVESTMENT IN SUSSER PETROLEUM PARTNERS LP BY EMPLOYEE BENEFITS PLANS | 55 | |||
MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES | 56 | |||
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION | 68 | |||
LEGAL MATTERS | 70 | |||
EXPERTS | 70 |
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Important Notice About Information in this
Prospectus Supplement and the Accompanying Prospectus
This document is in two parts. The first part is this prospectus supplement, which describes the specific terms of this offering and also adds to and updates information contained in the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. The second part is the accompanying prospectus, which gives more general information about securities we may offer from time to time, some of which may not apply to this offering of common units.
If the information relating to this offering varies between the prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, you should rely on the information in this prospectus supplement.
You should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us. We have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized anyone to provide you with additional or different information. If anyone provides you with additional, different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. This prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus are not an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy our common units in any jurisdiction where such offer or sale would be unlawful. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of those documents or that any information we have incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date of the document incorporated by reference. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since such dates.
The information in this prospectus supplement is not complete. You should review carefully all of the detailed information appearing in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents we have incorporated by reference before making any investment decision.
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This summary highlights information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement. It does not contain all of the information that may be important to you. You should read carefully the entire prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference and the other documents to which we refer herein for a more complete understanding of this offering.
As used in this prospectus supplement, the "Partnership," "SUSP," "we," "our," "us" or similar terms refer to Susser Petroleum Partners LP, Susser Petroleum Company LLC, our predecessor for accounting purposes (our "Predecessor"), and our consolidated subsidiaries, as applicable and appropriate. References in this prospectus supplement to our "general partner" refer to Susser Petroleum Partners GP LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and the general partner of the Partnership. References to "ETP" refer to Energy Transfer Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership that owns and controls our general partner. References to "SUSS" refer to Susser Holdings Corporation, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of ETP. References to "MACS" refer to Mid-Atlantic Convenience Stores, LLC and its wholly owned subsidiaries. References to "Aloha" refer to Aloha Petroleum, Ltd. References to "Sunoco" refer to Sunoco, Inc. and its subsidiaries. All pro forma financial information included in this prospectus supplement give effect to the recent MACS Acquisition and the pending Aloha Acquisition, each as described under "—Recent Developments," and this offering.
We are a growth-oriented Delaware limited partnership formed by SUSS to engage in the primarily fee-based wholesale distribution of motor fuels to SUSS and third parties. We closed the initial public offering ("IPO") of our common units on September 25, 2012. As a result of the MACS Acquisition (as defined in "—Recent Developments" below), we, through our indirect wholly owned subsidiary, Susser Petroleum Property Company LLC, a Delaware limited liability company ("PropCo"), also engage in the retail sale of motor fuel and the operation of convenience stores and such operations will expand following the closing of our pending Aloha Acquisition (as defined in "—Recent Developments" below), which we expect will occur in the fourth quarter of 2014. Please read "MACS and Aloha Businesses."
As of June 30, 2014, SUSS operated 636 retail convenience stores, primarily in growing Texas markets under its proprietaryStripes® convenience store brand. Included in the retail portfolio are 47Sac-N-Pac™ convenience stores located in central Texas that SUSS acquired in January 2014.Stripes® is a leading independent chain of convenience stores in Texas based on store count and retail motor fuel volumes sold. Our business is integral to the success of SUSS's retail operations, and SUSS purchases all of its current, and has contracted to purchase all of its future, motor fuel from us. For the year ended December 31, 2013 and the six months ended June 30, 2014, we distributed 1.1 billion and 571.0 million gallons of motor fuel, respectively, to SUSS'sStripes® andSac-N-Pac™ branded convenience stores and consignment locations, and 517.8 million and 324.2 million gallons of motor fuel, respectively, to other third party customers. We believe we are one of the largest independent motor fuel distributors by gallons in Texas, and among the largest distributors of Valero and Chevron branded motor fuel in the United States. Pro forma for the Acquisitions (as defined in "—Recent Developments" below), for the year ended December 31, 2013 and the six months ended June 30, 2014, we distributed 2,261.9 million and 1,231.9 million gallons of motor fuel, respectively, in connection with our fuel distribution business.
We purchase motor fuel primarily from independent refiners and major oil companies and distribute it throughout Texas and in Louisiana, New Mexico and Oklahoma to (i) SUSS'sStripes® andSac-N-Pac™ branded convenience stores and other independently operated consignment locations where SUSS sells motor fuel to retail customers; (ii) more than 620 convenience stores and retail fuel outlets operated by independent operators, which we refer to as "dealers," pursuant to long-term distribution agreements; and (iii) approximately 1,900 other commercial customers, including unbranded convenience stores, other fuel distributors, school districts and municipalities and other industrial customers. Additionally, following the MACS Acquisition, we operate or supply to approximately 311 retail locations in Virginia, Maryland,
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Tennessee and Georgia, which includes 40TigerMarket™ locations acquired by MACS in May 2014. Following the closing of our pending Aloha Acquisition, which we expect will occur in the fourth quarter of 2014, we will also operate or supply fuel to approximately 98 additional retail locations in Hawaii. For the six months ended June 30, 2014, MACS sold 226.0 million gallons, and Aloha sold 86.7 million gallons, of motor fuel in connection with their respective retail businesses. Please read "MACS and Aloha Businesses."
In addition to distributing motor fuel, we also distribute other petroleum products such as propane and lube oil, and we receive rental income from real estate that we lease or sublease. As of October 17, 2014, we owned 237 convenience stores, including 54 newly built stores that we acquired from SUSS in sale leaseback transactions following our IPO and 129 stores acquired in the MACS Acquisition. As of October 17, 2014, we operated 62 of our 237 owned locations and leased the remaining 175 locations to third parties.
Our wholly owned subsidiary, Susser Petroleum Operating Company LLC, a Delaware limited liability company ("OpCo"), operates a significant majority of our business pursuant to contracts that our counsel has concluded generate qualifying income under Section 7704 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended ("qualifying income"). We do not pay U.S. federal income tax on the portion of our business conducted by OpCo. OpCo's wholly owned subsidiary, PropCo, conducts most of our business operations that our counsel has not concluded generate qualifying income. PropCo is classified as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes and pays U.S. federal income tax with respect to its income from such operations.
Our Relationship with Energy Transfer Partners, L.P.
ETP is one of the largest publicly traded master limited partnerships in the United States in terms of equity market capitalization (approximately $20.34 billion as of October 17, 2014). ETP, through its wholly owned operating subsidiaries, is engaged primarily in natural gas and natural gas liquids transportation, storage and fractionation services. ETP is also engaged in refined product and crude oil operations including transportation and retail marketing of gasoline and middle distillates through its subsidiaries. Sunoco, a wholly owned operating subsidiary of ETP, operates a retail business with a network of 439 company-operated retail fuel outlets and convenience stores, approximately 4,400 retail fuel outlets operated by independent operators pursuant to long-term distribution agreements, as well as a commercial fuel distribution business which supplies approximately 600 million gallons per year. Sunoco had motor fuel sales of 5,357.1 million and 2,625.8 million gallons for the year ended December 31, 2013 and the six months ended June 30, 2014, respectively. ETP acquired SUSS on August 29, 2014 (the "Merger"). Prior to the Merger, SUSS owned our general partner, all of the incentive distribution rights and a 50.2% limited partner interest in us. Shortly after the Merger, SUSS's interests in the general partner and the incentive distribution rights were distributed to ETP.
One of our principal strengths is our relationship with ETP. ETP owns (i) an indirect 100% equity interest in SUSS, (ii) 100% of our general partner, (iii) all of our incentive distribution rights and (iv) after giving effect to the completion of this offering, a 44.2% limited partner interest in us (assuming no exercise of the underwriters' option to purchase additional common units). Given ETP's significant ownership in us, we believe ETP will be motivated to promote and support the successful execution of our business strategies. In particular, we believe it will be in ETP's best interest to, and ETP has publically announced its intent to, contribute all of SUSS's and Sunoco's retail and wholesale fuel distribution assets to us over time and to facilitate organic growth opportunities and accretive acquisitions from third parties, although ETP is under no obligation to contribute any assets to us or accept any offer for its assets that we may choose to make. We believe the terms and conditions of all of our agreements with ETP and related affiliates are generally no less favorable to either party than those that could have been negotiated with unaffiliated parties with respect to similar services.
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Our primary business objective is to increase our quarterly cash distribution per unit over time. We intend to accomplish this objective by executing the following strategies:
We believe that we are well positioned to execute our business strategies successfully because of the following competitive strengths:
New Credit Facility
On September 25, 2014, we entered into a new credit agreement among the Partnership, as Borrower, the lenders from time to time party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent, Swingline Lender and an LC Issuer (the "Credit Agreement"). The Credit Agreement is a $1.25 billion revolving credit facility (the "New Credit Facility"), expiring September 25, 2019, which date may be extended in accordance with the terms of the Credit Agreement. The New Credit Facility can be increased from time to time upon our written request, subject to certain conditions, up to an additional $250 million. Proceeds from the New Credit Facility were used to payoff our existing revolving credit facility entered into on September 25, 2012 (the "2012 Credit Facility").
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MACS Acquisition
On September 25, 2014, we entered into a contribution agreement with ETC M-A Acquisition LLC, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of ETP ("ETC"), Mid-Atlantic Convenience Stores, LLC, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of ETP ("MACS"), and ETP to acquire from ETC a 100% membership interest in MACS for (i) $556 million in cash, subject to certain working capital adjustments, and (ii) 3,983,540 of our common units (the "MACS Acquisition"). MACS's business consists of (a) the wholesale distribution of motor fuel and (b) the retail sale of motor fuel and the operation of convenience stores in Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee and Georgia, which include theTigerMarket™ stores acquired by MACS in May 2014. We closed the MACS Acquisition on October 1, 2014 and financed the cash portion of the consideration with borrowings under our New Credit Facility. For additional information on MACS's business, please read "MACS and Aloha Businesses—MACS."
Southside Oil LLC, a Virginia limited liability company and a subsidiary of MACS, conducts a wholesale fuel distribution business and leases real property to third parties, and such businesses will be conducted through OpCo. MACS Retail LLC, a Virginia limited liability company and a subsidiary of MACS, conducts the retail fuel sales business and convenience store operations, and such businesses will be conducted through PropCo. PropCo will be subject to U.S. federal income taxation with respect to such operations.
Pending Aloha Acquisition
On September 25, 2014, we and PropCo, entered into a purchase and sale agreement (the "Aloha Purchase Agreement") with Henger BV Inc. ("Henger") to acquire (the "Aloha Acquisition," and together with the MACS Acquisition, the "Acquisitions") all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of Aloha Petroleum, Ltd. ("Aloha") for total consideration of $240 million in cash, subject to a post-closing earn-out, certain closing adjustments and before transaction costs and expenses. The Aloha Purchase Agreement contains an earn-out provision that would require PropCo to make additional purchase price payments to Henger equal to 50% of the amount by which certain fuel gross profits of Aloha exceed $68.4 million, subject to certain adjustments, each year through December 31, 2022. We plan to finance the pending Aloha Acquisition with borrowings under our New Credit Facility. We expect to close the pending Aloha Acquisition during the fourth quarter of 2014; however, there can be no assurance that the pending Aloha Acquisition will be completed in the anticipated time frame, or at all, or that the anticipated benefits of the pending Aloha Acquisition will be realized. The closing of this offering is not conditioned on the closing of the pending Aloha Acquisition. For additional information on Aloha's business, please read "MACS and Aloha Businesses—Aloha."
Pending Name Change of the Partnership
ETP, which acquired Sunoco in 2012, has decided to change our name to Sunoco LP. Our common units will continue to be traded on the NYSE after this name change but, once the name change is completed, our common units will be traded under the ticker symbol "SUN." The choice of the "SUN" ticker symbol and the change of our name to Sunoco LP reflect ETP's intention to take advantage of the well-established Sunoco brand name and ticker symbol. We expect such changes to occur in the fourth quarter of 2014.
Director and Officer Changes
In connection with the Merger, each of the members of board of directors of our general partner (the "Board"), other than Sam L. Susser, resigned from the Board. These directors were: David P. Engel; Rob L. Jones; Frank A. Risch; Armand S. Shapiro; Bryan F. Smith, Jr.; and Sam J. Susser. Effective August 29, 2014, the following individuals were appointed to the Board: Robert W. Owens; Marshall (Mackie) McCrea, III; Christopher Curia; Martin Salinas, Jr.; K. Rick Turner; Matthew S. Ramsey; and
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William P. Williams. In addition, on September 8, 2014, the size of the Board was increased to include nine directors and Richard D. Brannon was appointed to the Board as an independent director. Mr. Ramsey was appointed as a member and chairman of the Board's Audit Committee, and Mr. Turner and Mr. Williams were appointed as members of the Board's Audit Committee. Mr. Turner was appointed as a member and chairman of the Board's Compensation Committee, and Mr. Ramsey was appointed as member of the Board's Compensation Committee.
Effective August 29, 2014, in connection with Merger, the following management changes occurred: (i) Rocky B. Dewbre was appointed Executive Vice President—Channel Operations of the general partner, (ii) Gail S. Workman was appointed Senior Vice President—Sales and Operations of the general partner and (iii) Robert W. Owens was appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer of the general partner. In addition, E.V. Bonner, Jr., who served as an officer of the general partner prior to the closing of the Merger, left his position with the general partner. Mary E. Sullivan will continue to serve as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the general partner.
Preliminary Third Quarter Estimates
We are still in the process of finalizing our financial results for the three months ended September 30, 2014. However, we expect that our financial results for the third quarter of 2014 will be negatively impacted by (i) estimated non-cash charges of between $2 million and $2.5 million primarily relating to the implementation of last-in-first-out accounting method for fuel inventory on August 29, 2014 in connection with the Merger, and (ii) estimated non-recurring transaction costs relating to the Merger, the MACS Acquisition and the pending Aloha Acquisition of between $0.70 million and $0.75 million. The estimates above represent the most current information available to management and we currently expect that these charges will be within the ranges described above.
Our principal executive offices are located at 555 East Airtex Drive, Houston, Texas 77073. Our telephone number is (832) 234-3600. Our internet address ishttp://www.susserpetroleumpartners.com. We make available through our website our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish such material to, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). The SEC maintains an internet site athttp://www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC.
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Our Ownership and Organizational Structure
The following is a simplified diagram of our ownership structure after giving effect to this offering (assuming no exercise of the underwriters' option to purchase additional common units).
Public Common Units | 55.8 | % | ||
Interests of ETP: | ||||
Common Units | 12.0 | % | ||
Subordinated Units | 32.2 | % | ||
General Partner Interest | 0.0 | % | ||
| | | | |
100.0 | % | |||
| | | | |
| | | | |
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Common units offered to the public | 8,000,000 common units; 9,200,000 common units if the underwriters exercise in full their option to purchase additional common units. | |
Units outstanding after this offering | 23,037,339 common units, or 24,237,339 common units if the underwriters exercise in full their option to purchase additional common units from us, and 10,939,436 subordinated units. | |
Use of proceeds | We expect to receive net proceeds of approximately $388.9 million from this offering, or approximately $447.3 million if the underwriters exercise in full their option to purchase additional common units from us, in each case after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Our estimate is based on the last reported sale price of our common units on the NYSE on October 17, 2014 of $50.21 per common unit. We intend to use the net proceeds, including any net proceeds from the underwriters' exercise of their option to purchase additional common units, to repay indebtedness under our New Credit Facility and for general partnership purposes. | |
Affiliates of each of the underwriters (except for Jefferies LLC) are lenders under our New Credit Facility and may receive a portion of the proceeds from this offering through the repayment of indebtedness under our New Credit Facility. Please read "Underwriting—Other Relationships." | ||
Cash distributions | We distribute all of our cash on hand at the end of each quarter, after establishment of cash reserves by our general partner and payment of fees and expenses, including payments to our general partner and its affiliates. We refer to this cash as "available cash," and we define its meaning in our partnership agreement. | |
Our partnership agreement requires us to distribute all of our available cash each quarter in the following manner: | ||
• first, to the holders of common units, until each common unit has received the minimum quarterly distribution of $0.4375 plus any arrearages from prior quarters; | ||
• second, to the holders of subordinated units, until each subordinated unit has received the minimum quarterly distribution of $0.4375; and | ||
• third, to all unitholders, pro rata, until each unit has received a distribution of $0.503125. |
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If cash distributions to our unitholders exceed $0.503125 per unit in any quarter, the holders of our incentive distribution rights will receive increasing percentages, up to 50%, of the cash we distribute in excess of that amount. We refer to these distributions as "incentive distributions." Please read "Provisions of Our Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions" in the accompanying prospectus. | ||
On August 8, 2014, we announced a quarterly cash distribution for the quarter ended June 30, 2014 of $0.5197 per unit that was paid on August 29, 2014 to common and subordinated unitholders of record as of August 19, 2014. This represents an increase of 3.5 percent over the distribution for the quarter ended March 31, 2014 and a 14.8 percent increase over the distribution paid for the quarter ended June 30, 2013. | ||
Issuance of additional units | Our partnership agreement authorizes us to issue an unlimited number of additional units without the approval of our unitholders. | |
Limited voting rights | Our general partner manages and operates us. Unlike the holders of common stock in a corporation, our unitholders have only limited voting rights on matters affecting our business. Our unitholders have no right to elect our general partner or its directors on an annual or other continuing basis. Furthermore, our partnership agreement restricts our unitholders' voting rights by providing that any units held by a person or group that owns 20% or more of any class of units then outstanding, other than our general partner and its affiliates, their transferees and persons who acquired such units with the prior approval of the board of directors of our general partner, cannot be voted on any matter. Our general partner may not be removed except by a vote of the holders of at least 662/3% of the outstanding voting units, including any units owned by our general partner and its affiliates, voting together as a single class. Please read "The Partnership Agreement—Withdrawal or Removal of our General Partner" in the accompanying prospectus for more information. |
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Limited call right | If at any time our general partner and its affiliates own more than 80% of the outstanding common units, our general partner will have the right, but not the obligation, to purchase all of the remaining common units at a price equal to the greater of (1) the average of the daily closing price of the common units over the 20 trading days preceding the date three days before notice of exercise of the call right is first mailed and (2) the highest per-unit price paid by our general partner or any of its affiliates for common units during the 90-day period preceding the date such notice is first mailed. Please read "The Partnership Agreement—Limited Call Right" in the accompanying prospectus for more information. | |
Material federal income tax consequences | For a discussion of the material federal income tax consequences that may be relevant to prospective unitholders who are individual citizens or residents of the United States, please read "Material Tax Considerations" in this prospectus supplement and "Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences" in the accompanying prospectus. | |
Exchange listing | Our common units are listed on the NYSE under the symbol "SUSP." |
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Summary Consolidated Historical and Pro Forma Financial and Operating Data
The following table shows summary consolidated historical financial and operating data of our Predecessor for the periods presented through September 24, 2012, and summary consolidated historical financial and operating data of the Partnership for the periods and as of the dates indicated following September 24, 2012. The financial results for the year ended December 31, 2012 include the results of operations for the Predecessor through September 24, 2012, and the results of operations of the Partnership for the period beginning September 25, 2012, the date the Partnership commenced operations. We derived the information in the following table from, and that information should be read together with and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, our historical consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes incorporated herein by reference.
The summary pro forma financial data of the Partnership for the year ended December 31, 2013, and as of and for the six months ended June 30, 2014 are derived from our unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial statements included as an exhibit to our Form 8-K/A filed on October 21, 2014. The pro forma balances presented in our Form 8-K/A filed on October 21, 2014 have been prepared as if the transactions below had taken place on June 30, 2014, in the case of the unaudited pro forma condensed combined balance sheet, and as of January 1, 2013, in the case of the unaudited pro forma condensed combined statement of operations for the year ended December 31, 2013 and the six months ended June 30, 2014. We derived the information in the following table from, and that information should be read together with and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, our unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial statements and the notes related thereto incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement. These transactions include, and the pro forma financial data give effect to, the following:
The following table presents non-GAAP financial measures EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and distributable cash flow, which we use in our business as important supplemental measures of our operating performance. EBITDA represents net income before interest expense, income tax expense and depreciation and amortization expense. Adjusted EBITDA further adjusts EBITDA to reflect certain other non-recurring and non-cash items. Distributable cash flow represents Adjusted EBITDA less cash interest expense, cash tax expense, maintenance capital expenditures, and other non-cash adjustments. These measures are not calculated or presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States ("GAAP"). We explain these measures under "—Non-GAAP Financial Measures" below and reconcile each to its most directly comparable financial measures calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP.
The following table should be read together with "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations," included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
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December 31, 2013 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2014, which are incorporated herein by reference.
| Historical | Pro Forma | ||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fiscal Year Ended December 31, | Six Months Ended June 30, | Year Ended December 31, | Six Months Ended June 30, | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2013 | 2014 | 2013 | 2014(3) | |||||||||||||||
| (in thousands, except gross profit per gallon) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| | | | (unaudited) | (unaudited) | |||||||||||||||||
Statement of Income Data: | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Revenues: | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Motor fuel sales | $ | 3,861,533 | $ | 4,308,853 | $ | 4,476,908 | $ | 2,204,903 | $ | 2,580,780 | $ | 6,417,937 | $ | 3,568,396 | ||||||||
Merchandise | — | — | — | — | — | 142,293 | 82,306 | |||||||||||||||
Rental and other income | 13,447 | 12,559 | 15,671 | 6,411 | 11,832 | 62,025 | 35,210 | |||||||||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Total Revenues | 3,874,980 | 4,321,412 | 4,492,579 | 2,211,314 | 2,592,612 | 6,622,255 | 3,685,912 | |||||||||||||||
Gross profit: | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Motor fuel sales | 31,217 | 41,073 | 57,904 | 27,227 | 34,277 | 179,611 | 99,398 | |||||||||||||||
Merchandise | — | — | — | — | — | 37,876 | 22,330 | |||||||||||||||
Rental and other income | 11,806 | 10,429 | 13,060 | 5,285 | 10,046 | 56,983 | 32,307 | |||||||||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Total gross profit | $ | 43,023 | $ | 51,502 | $ | 70,964 | $ | 32,512 | $ | 44,323 | $ | 274,470 | $ | 154,035 | ||||||||
Operating expenses: | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Selling, general and administrative | 10,559 | 12,013 | 16,814 | 7,548 | 14,570 | 127,566 | 71,359 | |||||||||||||||
Loss (gain) on disposal of assets and impairment charges | 221 | 341 | 324 | 94 | (36 | ) | 1,835 | 223 | ||||||||||||||
Depreciation, amortization and accretion | 6,090 | 7,031 | 8,687 | 3,658 | 6,659 | 35,253 | 29,165 | |||||||||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Total operating expenses | 26,062 | 28,090 | 30,026 | 13,003 | 21,193 | 164,654 | 100,747 | |||||||||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Income from operations | 16,961 | 23,412 | 40,938 | 19,509 | 23,130 | 109,816 | 53,288 | |||||||||||||||
Other expense: | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Interest expense, net | (324 | ) | (809 | ) | (3,471 | ) | (1,449 | ) | (3,276 | ) | (37,058 | ) | (12,292 | ) | ||||||||
Other miscellaneous | — | — | — | — | — | (1,426 | ) | (498 | ) | |||||||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Income before income taxes | 16,637 | 22,603 | 37,467 | 18,060 | 19,854 | 71,332 | 40,498 | |||||||||||||||
Income tax (expense) benefit | (6,039 | ) | (5,033 | ) | (440 | ) | (153 | ) | (127 | ) | (5,553 | ) | (2,684 | ) | ||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net income | 10,598 | 17,570 | 37,027 | 17,907 | 19,727 | 65,779 | 37,814 | |||||||||||||||
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interests | — | — | — | — | — | (2,816 | ) | (1,619 | ) | |||||||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net income attributable to Susser Petroleum Partners LP | $ | 10,598 | $ | 17,570 | $ | 37,027 | $ | 17,907 | $ | 19,727 | $ | 62,963 | $ | 36,195 | ||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Other Financial Data: | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Adjusted EBITDA(1) | 23,979 | 31,695 | 51,885 | 24,067 | 31,237 | 147,414 | 83,662 | |||||||||||||||
Distributable Cash Flow(1) | 47,679 | 22,340 | 27,690 | 100,580 | 64,259 | |||||||||||||||||
Capital expenditures | 7,388 | 41,493 | 113,590 | 57,050 | 64,264 | |||||||||||||||||
Cash Flow Data: | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Net cash provided by (used in): | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Operating activities | 14,665 | 16,488 | 50,680 | 37,512 | 11,819 | |||||||||||||||||
Investing activities | (19,153 | ) | (190,949 | ) | 6,358 | (5,530 | ) | (41,673 | ) | |||||||||||||
Financing activities | (21 | ) | 180,973 | (55,640 | ) | (22,246 | ) | 28,473 | ||||||||||||||
Operating Data: | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Total motor fuel gallons sold | 1,312,410 | 1,449,946 | 1,571,034 | 755,923 | 895,182 | 2,261,927 | 1,231,933 | |||||||||||||||
Average motor fuel gross profit cents per gallon(2) | 2.4¢ | 2.8¢ | 3.7¢ | 3.6¢ | 3.8¢ | 8.6¢ | 8.3¢ |
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gallon includes only wholesale fuel margins as we did not have retail motor fuel sales prior to the MACS Acquisition and pending Aloha Acquisition.
| Historical | Pro Forma | |||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| As of December 31, | As of June 30, | As of June 30, | ||||||||||||||||
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2013 | 2014 | 2014 | |||||||||||||
| (in thousands) | ||||||||||||||||||
| | | | (unaudited) | (unaudited) | ||||||||||||||
Balance Sheet Data: | |||||||||||||||||||
Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 240 | $ | 6,752 | $ | 8,150 | $ | 16,488 | $ | 6,769 | $ | 52,475 | |||||||
Property and equipment, net | 39,049 | 68,173 | 180,127 | 123,251 | 239,590 | 810,051 | |||||||||||||
Total assets | 231,316 | 355,800 | 390,084 | 386,264 | 459,353 | 1,584,595 | |||||||||||||
Total liabilities | 115,503 | 277,468 | 310,391 | 308,364 | 380,124 | 1,084,736 | |||||||||||||
Total unitholder's equity | 115,813 | 78,332 | 79,693 | 77,900 | 79,229 | 507,013 |
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We define EBITDA as net income before net interest expense, income tax expense and depreciation and amortization expense. Adjusted EBITDA further adjusts EBITDA to reflect certain other non-recurring and non-cash items. We define distributable cash flow as Adjusted EBITDA less cash interest expense, cash tax expense, maintenance capital expenditures, and other non-cash adjustments. EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and distributable cash flow are not financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP.
We believe EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and distributable cash flow are useful to investors in evaluating our operating performance because:
EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and distributable cash flow are not recognized terms under GAAP and do not purport to be alternatives to net income (loss) as measures of operating performance or to cash flows from operating activities as a measure of liquidity. EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and distributable cash flow have limitations as analytical tools, and one should not consider them in isolation or as substitutes for analysis of our results as reported under GAAP. Some of these limitations include:
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The following table presents a reconciliation of net income to EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and distributable cash flow:
| Historical | Pro Forma | ||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fiscal Year Ended December 31, | Six Months Ended June 30, | Year Ended December 31, | Six Months Ended June 30, | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2013 | 2014 | 2013 | 2014 | |||||||||||||||
| (in thousands) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| | | | (unaudited) | (unaudited) | |||||||||||||||||
Net income | $ | 10,598 | $ | 17,570 | $ | 37,027 | $ | 17,907 | $ | 19,727 | $ | 65,779 | $ | 37,814 | ||||||||
Depreciation, amortization and accretion | 6,090 | 7,031 | 8,687 | 3,658 | 6,659 | 35,253 | 29,165 | |||||||||||||||
Interest expense, net | 324 | 809 | 3,471 | 1,449 | 3,276 | 37,058 | 12,292 | |||||||||||||||
Income tax expense (benefit) | 6,039 | 5,033 | 440 | 153 | 127 | 5,553 | 2,684 | |||||||||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
EBITDA | 23,051 | 30,443 | 49,625 | 23,167 | 29,789 | 143,643 | 81,955 | |||||||||||||||
Non-cash stock-based compensation | 707 | 911 | 1,936 | 806 | 1,484 | 1,936 | 1,484 | |||||||||||||||
Loss (gain) on disposal of assets and impairment charge | 221 | 341 | 324 | 94 | (36 | ) | 1,835 | 223 | ||||||||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Adjusted EBITDA | $ | 23,979 | $ | 31,695 | $ | 51,885 | $ | 24,067 | $ | 31,237 | $ | 147,414 | $ | 83,662 | ||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Cash interest expense | 3,090 | 1,258 | 3,050 | 35,750 | 11,628 | |||||||||||||||||
State franchise tax expense (cash) | 302 | 141 | 173 | 3,103 | 5,216 | |||||||||||||||||
Maintenance capital expenditures | 814 | 328 | 324 | 7,981 | 2,559 | |||||||||||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Distributable cash flow | $ | 47,679 | $ | 22,340 | $ | 27,690 | $ | 100,580 | $ | 64,259 | ||||||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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Our business is subject to uncertainties and risks. Before you invest in our common units you should carefully consider the risk factors below, as well as the risk factors beginning on page 3 of the accompanying base prospectus and those included in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, which are incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement, together with all of the other information included in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying base prospectus and the documents we incorporate by reference. If any of the risks discussed in the foregoing documents were to occur, our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows could be materially adversely affected and you could lose all or part of your investment. Please also read "Forward-Looking Statements."
Risks Related to Our Acquisition Strategy, the Acquisitions and Potential Future Acquisitions
If we are unable to make acquisitions on economically acceptable terms from ETP or third parties, our future growth and ability to increase distributions to unitholders will be limited.
A portion of our strategy to grow our business and increase distributions to unitholders is dependent on our ability to make acquisitions that result in an increase in cash flow. The acquisition component of our growth strategy is based, in large part, on our expectation of ongoing divestitures of retail and wholesale fuel distribution assets by industry participants, including ETP. ETP has no contractual obligations to contribute any assets to us or accept any offer for its assets that we may choose to make. If we are unable to make acquisitions from ETP or third parties for any reason, including if we are unable to identify attractive acquisition candidates or negotiate acceptable purchase contracts, we are unable to obtain financing for these acquisitions on economically acceptable terms, we are outbid by competitors or we or the seller are unable to obtain any necessary consents, our future growth and ability to increase distributions to unitholders will be limited. In addition, if we consummate any future acquisitions, our capitalization and results of operations may change significantly, and unitholders will not have the opportunity to evaluate the economic, financial and other relevant information that we will consider in determining the application of these funds and other resources.
Pursuant to an omnibus agreement between the Partnership and SUSS (the "Omnibus Agreement"), upon the closing of our IPO we were granted a three-year option to purchase up to 75 new or recently constructedStripes® convenience stores from SUSS and lease them back to SUSS on specified terms set forth in a lease agreement, including a specified lease rate, for an initial term of 15 years. However, such specified terms may not be economically favorable to us in the future, and we may not choose to continue to exercise this option.
In addition, we expect to grow through additional sale and leaseback transactions with SUSS beyond the option set forth in the Omnibus Agreement. However, SUSS is under no obligation to pursue acquisitions with us, enter into additional sale and leaseback arrangements with us or generally pursue projects that enhance the value of our business. Finally, we may complete acquisitions which at the time of completion we believe will be accretive, but which ultimately may not be accretive. If any of these events were to occur, our future growth would be limited.
Any acquisitions, including the Acquisitions and any future contributions to us of Sunoco or SUSS assets by ETP, are subject to substantial risks that could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations and reduce our ability to make distributions to unitholders.
Any acquisitions, including the Acquisitions and any future contributions to us of Sunoco or SUSS assets by ETP, involve potential risks, including, among other things:
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Even if this offering is completed, the pending Aloha Acquisition may not be consummated, which could have an adverse impact on our cash available for distribution.
The closing of this offering is not conditioned on the closing of the pending Aloha Acquisition. The pending Aloha Acquisition is subject to a number of closing conditions that, if not satisfied or waived, would result in the failure of the pending Aloha Acquisition to be consummated. These conditions include, but are not limited to, the accuracy of each party's representations and warranties contained in the Aloha Purchase Agreement, the performance by each party of its respective obligations under the Aloha Purchase Agreement, the absence of any court order or law restraining consummation of the pending Aloha Acquisition and the receipt of all necessary governmental and material third-party consents. Satisfaction of many of these closing conditions is beyond our control and, as a result, we cannot assure you that all of the closing conditions will be satisfied or that the pending Aloha Acquisition will be consummated. Our failure to complete the pending Aloha Acquisition or any delays in completing the pending Aloha Acquisition could have an adverse impact on our operations, prospects and cash available for distribution and could negatively impact the price of our common units. If you decide to purchase our common units, you should be willing to do so whether or not we complete the pending Aloha Acquisition.
Integration of the assets acquired in the Acquisitions, other future acquisitions, or future contributions by ETP with our existing business will be a complex, time-consuming and costly process, particularly given that the acquired assets will significantly increase our size and diversify the geographic areas in which we operate. A failure to successfully integrate the acquired assets with our existing business in a timely manner may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.
The difficulties of integrating Aloha and MACS, other future acquisitions, or future contributions by ETP with our business include, among other things:
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If any of these risks or unanticipated liabilities or costs were to materialize, then any desired benefits from the Acquisitions, other future acquisitions, or contributions by ETP may not be fully realized, if at all, and our future results of operations could be negatively impacted. In addition, the assets acquired in the Acquisitions, other future acquisitions, or contributions by ETP, may actually perform at levels below the forecasts we used to evaluate the acquired assets, due to factors that are beyond our control. If the acquired assets perform at levels below the forecasts we used to evaluate the Acquisitions, other future acquisitions, or contributions by ETP, then our future results of operations could be negatively impacted.
Also, our reviews of businesses or assets proposed to be acquired are inherently imperfect because it generally is not feasible to perform an in-depth review of businesses and assets involved in each acquisition given time constraints imposed by sellers. Even a detailed review of assets and businesses may not necessarily reveal existing or potential problems, nor will it permit a buyer to become sufficiently familiar with the assets or businesses to fully assess their deficiencies and potential. Inspections may not always be performed on every asset, and environmental problems, such as groundwater contamination, are not necessarily observable even when an inspection is undertaken.
Any acquisitions we complete, including the Acquisitions, are subject to substantial risks that could reduce our ability to make distributions to unitholders.
Even if we do make acquisitions that we believe will increase available cash per unit, these acquisitions may nevertheless result in a decrease in available cash per unit. Any acquisition involves potential risks, including, among other things:
The Acquisitions create direct or increased exposure to risks associated with our operation of retail convenience stores.
We have not historically operated retail convenience stores and the vast majority of our revenues and distributable cash have historically come from the distribution of motor fuels at contracted prices. Consequently, our exposure to the risks associated with operating retail convenience stores has historically been indirect, primarily through the possibility that those risks might lead to volume or margin declines resulting from our distribution of motor fuel to those retail outlets. Pro forma for the completion of the Acquisitions, 22.4% of our 2013 gross profit would have come from retail fuel sales and 13.6% would have
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come from retail merchandise sales. Consequently, the Acquisitions expose us directly and meaningfully to many new risks associated with the retail convenience industry, including retail fuel margin volatility, competition from other retailers, premises liability, food contamination and merchandise defects, health and safety concerns and merchandise supply and distribution risks. Please read "—Risks Related to our Business Following the Acquisitions" which includes a discussion of additional risks to our business based upon our entry into retail operations as a result of the Acquisitions.
Compliance with and liability under local, state and federal environmental regulations related to our pending Aloha Acquisition, including those that require investigation and remediation activities, may require significant expenditures or result in liabilities that could have a material adverse effect on our business.
As with our other businesses, the Aloha business is subject to various federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations, including those relating to the release or discharge of regulated materials into the air, water and soil, the generation, storage, handling, use, transportation and disposal of hazardous materials, the exposure of persons to regulated materials, and the health and safety of our employees. A violation of, liability under or compliance with these laws or regulations or any future environmental laws or regulations, could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations and cash available for distribution to our unitholders. With the acquisition of Aloha, we will be subject to a number of additional environmental, health and safety programs. In particular, there are a number of environmental and safety programs applicable to the terminals, including programs to respond to spills and emergencies.
Regulations under the Water Pollution Control Act of 1972 (the "Clean Water Act"), the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 ("OPA 90") and state laws impose regulatory burdens on terminal operations. Spill prevention control and countermeasure requirements of federal laws and state laws require containment to mitigate or prevent contamination of waters in the event of a refined product overflow, rupture, or leak from above-ground pipelines and storage tanks. The Clean Water Act requires us to maintain spill prevention control and countermeasure plans at our terminal facilities with above-ground storage tanks and pipelines. In addition, OPA 90 requires that most fuel transport and storage companies maintain and update various oil spill prevention and oil spill contingency plans. Facilities that are adjacent to water require the engagement of Federally Certified Oil Spill Response Organizations ("OSROs") to be available to respond to a spill on water from above ground storage tanks or pipelines. In addition, the transportation and storage of refined products over and adjacent to water involves risk and potentially subjects us to strict, joint, and potentially unlimited liability for removal costs and other consequences of an oil spill where the spill is into navigable waters, along shorelines or in the exclusive economic zone of the United States. In the event of an oil spill into navigable waters, substantial liabilities could be imposed upon us. The Clean Water Act also imposes restrictions and strict controls regarding the discharge of pollutants into navigable waters. The Clean Water Act can impose substantial potential liability for the violation of permits or permitting requirements. For example, we may incur costs of up to $7 million or more to install impervious liners within secondary containment facilities at a terminal in Hawaii after closing of the Aloha Acquisition to bring the terminal properties into compliance with the federal Claim Water Act, which costs, if realized, may have a material adverse effect on our business, liquidity and results of operations and cash available for distribution to our unitholders. In a related matter, Aloha is in negotiations with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") and the Department of Justice regarding alleged violations of the Clean Water Act related to a spill from one of the same terminals in 2011. It is possible that the final settlement could be greater than $100,000.
In addition, the terminal operations and associated facilities are subject to the Clean Air Act and comparable state and local statutes. Under these laws, permits may be required before construction can commence on a new source of potentially significant air emissions, and operating permits may be required for sources that are already constructed. If regulations become more stringent, additional emission control technologies may be required to be installed at our facilities. Any such future obligations could require us
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to incur significant additional capital or operating costs. For example, Aloha is in settlement discussions with EPA and the Department of Justice regarding alleged violations of the New Source Performance Standards under the Clean Air Act. It is likely that the final settlement will be greater than $100,000.
Finally, terminal operations are also subject to additional programs and regulations under the Occupational Safety and Health Act ("OSHA"). A violation of, liability under or compliance with these laws or regulations or any future safety laws or regulations, could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations and cash available for distribution to our unitholders.
We are relying upon the creditworthiness of Henger, which is indemnifying us for certain liabilities associated with the pending Aloha Acquisition. To the extent Henger is unable to satisfy its obligations to us, we may have no recourse under the Aloha Purchase Agreement and will bear the risk of certain liabilities associated with the pending Aloha Acquisition.
Under the Aloha Purchase Agreement, Henger has agreed to indemnify us and our affiliates out of an escrow account (the "Escrow Account") from any and all claims and losses actually suffered or incurred by us or our affiliates arising out of or relating to the breach of Henger's representations, warranties or covenants or agreements contained in the Aloha Purchase Agreement. Henger's indemnification obligations are generally limited by an aggregate ceiling equal to the Escrow Account, which is $12.0 million. However, this aggregate ceiling does not apply to certain indemnification obligations relating to the breach of Henger's fundamental representations, covenants or agreements contained in the Aloha Purchase Agreement, which are each subject to a ceiling equal to the total cash consideration pursuant to the Aloha Purchase Agreement. Henger has also agreed to indemnify us and our affiliates from certain environmental liabilities, including two specified environmental penalties amounting to $900,000 that Aloha received notice of from the EPA and United States Department of Justice (collectively, the "Environmental Liabilities"). Henger retains responsibility after the closing of the pending Aloha Acquisition for such Environmental Liabilities.
To the extent Henger is unable to satisfy its indemnification obligations to us that are not limited to the Escrow Account, we may have no recourse under the Aloha Purchase Agreement and will bear the risk of certain liabilities associated with the pending Aloha Acquisition that are not covered by the Escrow Account, which could materially adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.
Risks Related to Our Business Following the Acquisitions
We may not have sufficient cash from operations following the establishment of cash reserves and payment of costs and expenses, including cost reimbursements to our general partner, to enable us to pay the minimum quarterly distribution to our unitholders.
We may not have sufficient cash each quarter to pay the full amount of our minimum quarterly distribution of $0.4375 per unit, or $1.75 per unit per year, which will require us to have available cash of approximately $14.9 million per quarter, or $59.5 million per year, based on the number of common and subordinated units to be outstanding following this offering (assuming no exercise of the underwriters' option to purchase additional common units). The amount of cash we can distribute on our common and subordinated units principally depends upon the amount of cash we generate from our operations, which will fluctuate from quarter to quarter based on a number of factors, some of which are beyond our control, including, among other things:
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In addition, the actual amount of cash we will have available for distribution will depend on other factors including:
Historical prices for motor fuel have been volatile and significant changes in such prices in the future may adversely affect the profitability of our retail operations.
Crude oil and domestic petroleum markets are volatile. General economic and political conditions, acts of war or terrorism and instability in oil producing regions, particularly in the Middle East and South America, could significantly impact crude oil supplies and petroleum costs. Significant increases and volatility in petroleum costs could impact consumer demand for motor fuel and convenience merchandise. This volatility makes it extremely difficult to predict the impact future petroleum costs fluctuations will have on our operating results and financial condition. Our recent acquisition of MACS and our pending acquisition of Aloha increases our exposure to such volatility due to the inherently greater degree of volatility in retail, versus wholesale, motor fuel margins. A significant change in any of these factors could materially impact both wholesale and retail fuel margins, the volume of motor fuel we distribute or sell at retail, and overall customer traffic, each of which in turn could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations and cash available for distribution to our unitholders.
The convenience store industry is highly competitive and impacted by new entrants and our failure to effectively compete could result in lower sales and lower margins.
The geographic areas in which we operate are highly competitive and marked by ease of entry and constant change in the number and type of retailers offering products and services of the type we sell in our stores. We compete with other convenience store chains, independently owned convenience stores, motor fuel stations, supermarkets, drugstores, discount stores, dollar stores, club stores, mass merchants and local restaurants. Over the past 15 years, several non-traditional retailers, such as supermarkets, hypermarkets, club stores and mass merchants, have impacted the convenience store industry, particularly in the geographic areas in which we operate, by entering the motor fuel retail business. These non-traditional motor fuel retailers have captured a significant share of the motor fuels market, and we expect their market share will continue to grow. In some of our markets, our competitors have been in existence longer and have greater financial, marketing and other resources than we do. As a result, our competitors may be able to respond better to changes in the economy and new opportunities within the industry. To remain
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competitive, we must constantly analyze consumer preferences and competitors' offerings and prices to ensure that we offer a selection of convenience products and services at competitive prices to meet consumer demand. We must also maintain and upgrade our customer service levels, facilities and locations to remain competitive and attract customer traffic to our stores. We may not be able to compete successfully against current and future competitors, and competitive pressures faced by us could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations and cash available for distribution to our unitholders.
SUSS is our largest customer, and we are dependent on SUSS for a significant majority of our revenues. Therefore, we are subject to the business risks of SUSS. If SUSS changes its business strategy, is unable to satisfy its obligations under our various commercial agreements for any reason, or significantly reduces the volume of motor fuel it purchases under the SUSS Distribution Contract, our revenues will decline and our financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and ability to make distributions to our unitholders will be adversely affected.
For the year ended December 31, 2013, SUSS accounted for approximately 66.2% of our revenues, 44.5% of our gross profit and 67.0% of our motor fuel volumes sold. We are the exclusive distributor of motor fuel to SUSS's existingStripes® convenience stores and independently operated consignment locations pursuant to our long-term, fee based fuel distribution agreement with SUSS (the "SUSS Distribution Contract"). The SUSS Distribution Contract does not impose any minimum volume obligations on SUSS and SUSS will have a limited ability to removeStripes® convenience stores from the SUSS Distribution Contract. If SUSS changes its business strategy or significantly reduces the volume of motor fuel it purchases for itsStripes® convenience stores and independently operated consignment locations, our cash flows will be adversely impacted. Any event, whether in our areas of operation or otherwise, that materially and adversely affects SUSS's financial condition, results of operation or cash flows may adversely affect our ability to sustain or increase cash distributions to our unitholders. Accordingly, we are indirectly subject to the operational and business risks of SUSS, some which are related to the following:
Finally, we have no control over SUSS, our largest source of revenue and our primary customer. SUSS may elect to pursue a business strategy that does not favor us and our business. Our general partner and its affiliates, including SUSS and ETP, have conflicts of interest with us and limited fiduciary duties and they may favor their own interests to the detriment of us and our unitholders.
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The dangers inherent in the storage of motor fuel could cause disruptions and could expose us to potentially significant losses, costs or liabilities.
We store motor fuel in underground and above ground storage tanks. Our operations are subject to significant hazards and risks inherent in storing motor fuel. These hazards and risks include, but are not limited to, fires, explosions, spills, discharges and other releases, any of which could result in distribution difficulties and disruptions, environmental pollution, governmentally-imposed fines or clean-up obligations, personal injury or wrongful death claims and other damage to our properties and the properties of others. As a result, any such event not covered, or only partially covered, by our insurance could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations and cash available for distribution to our unitholders.
We may incur costs or liabilities as a result of litigation or adverse publicity resulting from concerns over food quality, product safety, health or other negative events or developments that could cause consumers to avoid our retail locations.
We may be the subject of complaints or litigation arising from food-related illness or product safety which could have a negative impact on our business. Additionally, negative publicity, regardless of whether the allegations are valid, concerning food quality, food safety or other health concerns, food service facilities, employee relations or other matters related to our operations may materially adversely affect demand for our food and other products and could result in a decrease in customer traffic to our retail stores.
It is critical to our reputation that we maintain a consistent level of high quality at our food service facilities and other franchise or fast food offerings. Health concerns, poor food quality or operating issues stemming from one store or a limited number of stores could materially and adversely affect the operating results of some or all of our stores and harm our company-owned brands, continuing favorable reputation, market value and name recognition.
The growth of our wholesale business depends in part on SUSS's ability to construct, open and profitably operate new Stripes® convenience stores. If SUSS does not construct additional Stripes® convenience stores, our growth strategy and ability to increase cash distributions to our unitholders may be adversely affected.
A significant part of our growth strategy is to increase our wholesale fuel distribution volumes and rental income relating to newly constructedStripes® convenience stores. SUSS may not be able to construct and open new convenience stores, and any new stores that SUSS opens may be unprofitable or fail to attract expected volumes of motor fuel sales. Several factors that could affect SUSS's ability to open and profitably operate new stores include:
Furthermore, SUSS is not obligated to construct additionalStripes® convenience stores nor enter into additional sale and leaseback transactions with respect to any newly constructed stores beyond the sale and leaseback option under the Omnibus Agreement. Additionally, under the SUSS Distribution Contract, SUSS will continue to have the right to convert a limited number of stores each year to third-party
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consignment contracts, and the third-party wholesalers party to such consignment contracts would not be obligated to purchase any motor fuel from us. If SUSS were to determine in the future that growth via the construction of additionalStripes® convenience stores or additional sale and leaseback transactions is not attractive or that it is more advantageous to contract for third-party consignment sales of motor fuel at existing or future locations as opposed to SUSS selling the motor fuel, it could adversely impact our ability to grow our motor fuel volumes and rental income and our ability to make distributions to our unitholders could be adversely affected.
A significant decrease in demand for motor fuel in the areas we serve would reduce our ability to make distributions to our unitholders.
A significant decrease in demand for motor fuel in the areas that we serve could significantly reduce our revenues and, therefore, reduce our ability to make or increase distributions to our unitholders. Our revenues are dependent on various trends, such as trends in commercial truck traffic, travel and tourism in our areas of operation, and these trends can change. Furthermore, seasonal fluctuations or regulatory action, including government imposed fuel efficiency standards, may affect demand for motor fuel. Because certain of our operating costs and expenses are fixed and do not vary with the volumes of motor fuel we distribute, our costs and expenses might not decrease ratably or at all should we experience a reduction in our volumes distributed. As a result, we may experience declines in our profit margin if our fuel distribution volumes decrease.
Certain of our contracts with suppliers currently have early payment and volume-related discounts which reduce the price we pay for motor fuel that we purchase from them. If we are unable to renew these contracts on similar terms, our gross profit will correspondingly decrease.
Certain of our contracts with suppliers currently have early payment and volume-related discounts based on the timing of our payment and the market price of the fuel and volumes that we purchase. During the year ended December 31, 2013 we received early payment and volume-related discounts on approximately 41% of all motor fuel volumes purchased. If we were to be unable to qualify for these discounts, or unable to renew these contracts on similar terms, our gross profit would decrease, which could, in turn, reduce our cash available for distribution to our unitholders.
We currently depend on limited principal suppliers for the majority of our motor fuel in each of our operating areas. A failure by a principal supplier to renew our supply agreement or an unexpected change in our supplier relationships could have a material adverse effect on our business.
We currently depend on limited principal suppliers for the majority of our motor fuel in each of our operating areas. If any of our principal suppliers elect not to renew their contracts with us, we may be unable to replace the volume of motor fuel we currently purchase from them on similar terms or at all. Furthermore, an unexpected change in our relationship with our principal fuel suppliers could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operation and cash available for distribution to our unitholders.
We are exposed to performance risk in our supply chain. If our suppliers are unable to sell to us sufficient amounts of motor fuel products, we may be unable to satisfy our customers' demand for motor fuel.
We rely upon our suppliers to timely provide the volumes and types of motor fuels for which they contract with us. We purchase motor fuels from a variety of suppliers under term contracts. Generally, our supply contracts do not guarantee that we will receive all of the volumes that we need to fulfill the demands of our distribution customers. In times of extreme market demand or supply disruption, we may be unable to acquire enough fuel to satisfy the fuel demand of our customers. Furthermore, the feedstock for a significant portion of our supply comes from other countries, which could be disrupted by political
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events. In the event that such feedstock becomes scarce, whether as a result of political events or otherwise, we may be unable to meet our customers' demand for motor fuel.
We currently depend on a limited number of principal suppliers in each of our operating areas for a substantial portion of our merchandise inventory and our products and ingredients for our food service facilities. A disruption in supply or a change in either relationship could have a material adverse effect on our business.
We currently depend on a limited number of principal suppliers in each of our operating areas for a substantial portion of our merchandise inventory and our products and ingredients for our food service facilities. If any of our principal suppliers elect not to renew their contracts with us, we may be unable to replace the volume of merchandise inventory and products and ingredients we currently purchase from them on similar terms or at all in those operating areas. Further, a disruption in supply or a significant change in our relationship with any of these suppliers could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
Increasing consumer preferences for alternative motor fuels, or improvements in fuel efficiency, could adversely impact our business.
Any technological advancements, regulatory changes or changes in consumer preferences causing a significant shift toward alternative motor fuels, or non-fuel dependent means of transportation, could reduce demand for the conventional petroleum based motor fuels we currently sell. Additionally, a shift toward electric, hydrogen, natural gas or other alternative or non fuel-powered vehicles could fundamentally change our customers' shopping habits or lead to new forms of fueling destinations or new competitive pressures. Finally, new technologies developed to improve fuel efficiency or governmental mandates to improve fuel efficiency may result in decreased demand for petroleum-based fuel. Any of these outcomes could potentially result in fewer visits to our convenience stores, a reduction in demand from our wholesale customers, decreases in both fuel and merchandise sales revenue or reduced profit margins, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations and cash available for distribution to our unitholders.
General economic, financial and political conditions may materially adversely affect our results of operations and financial conditions and cash available for distribution to our unitholders.
General economic, financial and political conditions may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition and cash available for distribution to our unitholders. Declines in consumer confidence and/or consumer spending, continuing high unemployment, significant inflationary or deflationary changes or disruptive regulatory or geopolitical events could contribute to increased volatility and diminished expectations for the economy and our markets, including the market for our goods and services, and lead to demand or cost pressures that could negatively and adversely impact our business. Examples of these types or conditions would include a general or prolonged decline or shocks to regional or broader macro-economies; regulatory changes that could impact the markets in which we operate, such as immigration or trade reform laws or regulations prohibiting or limiting hydraulic fracturing, which could reduce demand for our goods and services or lead to pricing, currency or other pressures; or deflationary economic pressures, which could hinder our ability to operate profitably in view of the challenges inherent in making corresponding deflationary adjustments to our cost structure, which includes significant levels of both fixed costs, such as rent and interest expense, that would require significant structural changes to reduce or eliminate as well as variable costs, such as labor expenses, which could reduce profitability if they do not fall as quickly or as much as the prices we are able to charge for our goods and services. The nature of these types of risks, which are often unpredictable, makes them difficult to plan for, or otherwise mitigate, and they are generally uninsurable, which compounds their potential impact on our business.
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Compliance with and liability under existing and future local, state and federal environmental regulation, including those that require investigation and remediation activities, may require significant expenditures or result in liabilities that could have a material adverse effect on our business.
Our business is subject to various federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations, including those relating to underground storage tanks, the release or discharge of regulated materials into the air, water and soil, the generation, storage, handling, use, transportation and disposal of hazardous materials, the exposure of persons to regulated materials, and the health and safety of our employees. A violation of, liability under or compliance with these laws or regulations or any future environmental laws or regulations, could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations and cash available for distribution to our unitholders.
Certain environmental laws, including the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act ("CERCLA"), impose strict, and under certain circumstances, joint and several, liability on the owner and operator as well as former owners and operators of properties for the costs of investigation, removal or remediation of contamination and also impose liability for any related damages to natural resources without regard to fault. In addition, under CERCLA and similar state laws, as persons who arrange for the transportation, treatment or disposal of hazardous substances, we also may be subject to similar liability at sites where such hazardous substances come to be located. We may also be subject to third-party claims alleging property damage and/or personal injury in connection with releases of or exposure to hazardous substances at, from or in the vicinity of our current or former properties or off-site waste disposal sites. The costs associated with the investigation and remediation of contamination, as well as any associated third party claims, could be substantial, and could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations and our ability to service our outstanding indebtedness. In addition, the presence of, or failure to, remediate identified or unidentified contamination at our properties could potentially materially adversely affect our ability to sell or rent such property or to borrow money using such property as collateral.
We are required to make financial expenditures to comply with regulations governing underground storage tanks adopted by federal, state and local regulatory agencies. Compliance with existing and future environmental laws regulating underground storage tank systems of the kind we use may require significant capital expenditures in the future. For example, on September 23, 2014, the EPA sent a revised rulemaking originally proposed in November 2011 to the federal Office of Management and Budget for final review that, once adopted by the EPA, would amend the existing federal underground storage tank rules in a manner that could require us to incur added costs to comply, which costs may be substantial. The EPA currently projects that the revised rulemaking will be adopted by the end of 2014. Expenditures under existing or future laws and regulations may include upgrades, modifications, and the replacement of underground storage tanks and related piping to comply with current and future regulatory requirements designed to ensure the detection, prevention, investigation and remediation of leaks and spills.
In addition, the Clean Air Act and similar state laws impose requirements on emissions to the air from motor fueling activities in certain areas of the country, including those that do not meet state or national ambient air quality standards. These laws may require the installation of vapor recovery systems to control emissions of volatile organic compounds to the air during the motor fueling process. While we believe we are in material compliance with all applicable regulatory requirements with respect to underground storage tank systems of the kind we use, the regulatory requirements may become more stringent or apply to an increased number of underground storage tanks in the future, which would require additional, potentially material, expenditures.
We are required to comply with federal and state financial responsibility requirements to demonstrate that we have the ability to pay for cleanups or to compensate third parties for damages incurred as a result of a release of regulated materials from our underground storage tank systems. We seek to comply with these requirements by maintaining insurance that we purchase from private insurers and in certain
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circumstances, rely on applicable state trust funds, which are funded by underground storage tank registration fees and taxes on wholesale purchase of motor fuels. The coverage afforded by each fund varies and is dependent upon the continued maintenance and solvency of each fund. More specifically, in Texas we met our financial responsibility requirements by state trust fund coverage for claims asserted prior to December 1998 (claims reported after that date are ineligible for reimbursement) and all claims covered by the fund were paid by August 31, 2012 when the fund expired. We meet such requirements for claims asserted after December 1998 through insurance that we have obtained from private insurers. In Oklahoma and New Mexico, we meet our financial responsibility requirements by state trust fund coverage for cleanup liability and meet the requirements for third-party liability through private insurance. In Tennessee and Georgia, our financial responsibility requirements are covered under the state trust fund up to the fund limits backed by private insurance for those sites where cleanup costs exceed the coverage of the fund and meet the requirements for third-party liability through private insurance. The sites in Virginia are covered under the state fund for site cleanup, backed by parental guarantees and private insurance at sites where the cleanup costs exceed fund limits and private insurance for third-party claims. Finally, in Maryland, we meet our financial responsibility requirements through private insurance for both cleanup costs and third-party claims.
We are currently responsible for investigating and remediating contamination at a number of our current and former properties. We are entitled to reimbursement for certain of these costs under various third-party contractual indemnities, and insurance policies, subject to eligibility requirements, deductibles, per incident, annual and aggregate caps. To the extent third parties (including insurers) do not pay for investigation and remediation as we anticipate, and/or insurance is not available, we will be obligated to make these additional payments, which could materially adversely affect our business, liquidity and results of operations and cash available for distribution to our unitholders.
We believe we are in material compliance with applicable environmental requirements; however, we cannot ensure that violations of these requirements will not occur in the future. Although we have a comprehensive environmental, health and safety program, we may not have identified all of the environmental liabilities at all of our current and former locations; material environmental conditions not known to us may exist; existing and future laws, ordinances or regulations may impose material environmental liability or compliance costs on us; or we may be required to make material environmental expenditures for remediation of contamination that has not been discovered at existing locations or locations that we may acquire.
Furthermore, new laws, new interpretations of existing laws, increased governmental enforcement of existing laws or other developments could require us to make additional capital expenditures or incur additional liabilities. The occurrence of any of these events could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations and cash available for distribution to our unitholders.
Pending or future consumer or other litigation could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.
Our retail operations are characterized by a high volume of customer traffic and by transactions involving a wide array of product selections. These operations carry a higher exposure to consumer litigation risk when compared to the operations of companies operating in many other industries. Consequently, we are frequently party to individual personal injury, bad fuel, products liability and other legal actions in the ordinary course of our business. While we believe these actions are generally routine in nature, incidental to the operation of our business and immaterial in scope, if our assessment of any action or actions should prove inaccurate our financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.
Additionally, we are occasionally exposed to industry-wide or class-action claims arising from the products we carry, the equipment or processes we use or employ or industry-specific business practices. In
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recent years several retailers have also experienced data breaches resulting in exposure of sensitive customer data, including payment card information. Any such breach of our systems, or any failure to secure our systems against such a breach, could expose us to customer litigation, as well as sanctions from the payment card industry. Retailers have also increasingly become targets of certain types of patent litigation by "non-practicing entities" who acquire intellectual property rights solely for purposes of instituting mass litigation.
While industry-specific or class action litigation of this type is less frequent in occurrence than individual consumer claims, the cost of defense and ultimate disposition may be material to our financial condition, results of operation and cash available for distribution to our unitholders.
Wholesale cost increases in tobacco products, including excise tax increases on cigarettes, could adversely impact our revenues and profitability.
Significant increases in wholesale cigarette costs and tax increases on cigarettes may have an adverse effect on unit demand for cigarettes. Cigarettes are subject to substantial and increasing excise taxes on both a state and federal level. We cannot predict whether this trend will continue into the future. Increased excise taxes may result in declines in overall sales volume as well as reduced gross profit percent, due to lower consumption levels and to a shift in consumer purchases from the premium to the non-premium or discount segments or to other lower-priced tobacco products or to the import of cigarettes from countries with lower, or no, excise taxes on such items.
Currently, major cigarette manufacturers offer rebates to retailers. We include these rebates as a component of our gross margin from sales of cigarettes. In the event these rebates are no longer offered, or decreased, our wholesale cigarette costs will increase accordingly. In general, we attempt to pass price increases on to our customers. However, due to competitive pressures in our markets, we may not be able to do so. These factors could materially impact our retail price of cigarettes, cigarette unit volume and revenues, merchandise gross profit and overall customer traffic, which could in turn have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and cash available for distribution to our unitholders.
Failure to comply with state laws regulating the sale of alcohol and cigarettes may result in the loss of necessary licenses and the imposition of fines and penalties on us, which could have a material adverse effect on our business and cash available for distribution to our unitholders.
State laws regulate the sale of alcohol and cigarettes. A violation or change of these laws could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations because state and local regulatory agencies have the power to approve, revoke, suspend or deny applications for, and renewals of, permits and licenses relating to the sale of these products or to seek other remedies. Such a loss or imposition could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and cash available for distribution to our unitholders.
Future legislation and campaigns to discourage smoking may have a material adverse effect on our revenues and gross profit.
Future legislation and national, state and local campaigns to discourage smoking could have a substantial impact on our business, as consumers adjust their behaviors in response to such legislation and campaigns. Reduced demand for cigarettes could have a material adverse effect on sales of, and margins for, the cigarettes we sell.
The wholesale motor fuel distribution industry is characterized by intense competition and fragmentation, and our failure to effectively compete could result in lower margins.
The market for distribution of wholesale motor fuel is highly competitive and fragmented, which results in narrow margins. We have numerous competitors, some of which may have significantly greater
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resources and name recognition than us. We rely on our ability to provide value-added, reliable services and to control our operating costs in order to maintain our margins and competitive position. If we were to fail to maintain the quality of our services, certain of our customers could choose alternative distribution sources and our margins could decrease. While major integrated oil companies have generally continued to divest retail sites and the corresponding wholesale distribution to such sites, such major oil companies could shift from this strategy and decide to distribute their own products in direct competition with us, or large customers could attempt to buy directly from the major oil companies. The occurrence of any of these events could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and cash available for distribution to our unitholders.
Severe weather could adversely affect our business by damaging our suppliers', our or our customers' facilities or communications networks.
A substantial portion of our wholesale distribution and retail networks is located in regions susceptible to severe storms, including hurricanes. A severe storm could damage locations, facilities or communications and transportation networks essential to the success of our wholesale distribution and retail businesses. If warmer temperatures, or other climate changes, lead to changes in extreme weather events, including increased frequency, duration or severity, these weather-related risks could become more pronounced. Any weather-related catastrophe or disruption could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations, potentially causing losses beyond the limits of the insurance we currently carry.
Negative events or developments associated with our branded suppliers could have an adverse impact on our revenues.
We believe that the success of our operations is dependent, in part, on the continuing favorable reputation, market value and name recognition associated with the motor fuel brands sold both atStripes® andSac-N-Pac™ convenience stores and to independent, branded dealers. Erosion of the value of those brands could have an adverse impact on the volumes of motor fuel we distribute, which in turn could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and ability to make distributions to our unitholders.
We are subject to federal, state and local laws and regulations that govern the product quality specifications of the refined petroleum products we purchase, store, transport and sell to our distribution customers.
Various federal, state and local government agencies have the authority to prescribe specific product quality specifications for certain commodities, including commodities that we distribute. Changes in product quality specifications, such as reduced sulfur content in refined petroleum products, or other more stringent requirements for fuels, could reduce our ability to procure product, require us to incur additional handling costs and/or require the expenditure of capital. If we are unable to procure product or recover these costs through increased sales, we may not be able to meet our financial obligations. Failure to comply with these regulations could result in substantial penalties.
We are not fully insured against all risks incident to our business.
We are not fully insured against all risks incident to our business. We may be unable to obtain or maintain insurance with the coverage that we desire at reasonable rates. As a result of market conditions, the premiums and deductibles for certain of our insurance policies have increased and could continue to do so. Certain insurance coverage could become unavailable or available only for reduced amounts of coverage. If we were to incur a significant liability for which we were not fully insured, it could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and ability to make distributions to our unitholders.
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Future litigation could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.
We are occasionally exposed to various litigation claims in the ordinary course of our business, including dealer litigation and industry-wide or class-action claims arising from the equipment or processes we use or employ or industry-specific business practices. If we were to become subject to any such claims in the future, our defense costs and any resulting awards or settlement amounts may not be fully covered by our insurance policies. An unfavorable outcome or settlement of any future lawsuits could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operation and cash available for distribution to our unitholders.
We rely on SUSS for transportation of a significant portion of our motor fuel, which in turn relies, in part, on third-party transportation providers. As a result, a change in SUSS's transportation providers, a significant change in SUSS's relationship with its transportation providers or nonperformance or a disruption of motor fuel transportation services by SUSS or by SUSS's transportation providers could have a material adverse effect on our business.
SUSS transports a significant portion of our motor fuel from terminals to itsStripes® convenience stores and consignment locations, and to our third-party dealers and other customers pursuant to a long-term, fee based transportation contract with us (the "SUSS Transportation Contract"). SUSS transports a portion of our motor fuel itself and has contracts with third-party transportation carriers for the remainder of our motor fuel. SUSS's third-party contracts with its transportation providers may be terminated by either party upon 30 days' notice. A change in transportation providers, a significant change in SUSS's relationship with its transportation providers or nonperformance or a disruption in service by SUSS or by SUSS's transportation providers could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and cash available for distribution.
If we cannot otherwise agree with SUSS on fuel supply terms for volumes we sell to SUSS in the future (other than for stores purchased by us pursuant to our sale and leaseback option), then we will be required to supply volumes at a price equal to our motor fuel cost plus the alternate fuel sales rate, which will be substantially less than the fixed profit margin of three cents per gallon we will receive for motor fuel sold pursuant to the SUSS Distribution Contract. Furthermore, if certain of our operating costs increase significantly, we may not realize our anticipated profit margin with regard to motor fuel distributed to SUSS at the alternate fuel sales rate.
Our Omnibus Agreement provides that if we cannot agree with SUSS on fuel supply terms for volumes we sell to SUSS in the future (other than for stores purchased by us pursuant to our sale and leaseback option), we will be required to distribute motor fuel to SUSS's newly built, acquired or added retail stores or consignment locations at a price equal to our motor fuel cost plus the alternate fuel sales rate, which will be substantially less than the fixed profit margin of three cents we receive for motor fuel sold pursuant to the SUSS Distribution Contract. The alternate fuel sales rate is a per gallon fee we will receive equal to our prior year per-gallon motor fuel distribution costs, excluding the cost of the motor fuel, plus 30% of such costs. Our motor fuel distribution costs include direct distribution expenses as well as general and administrative expenses, maintenance capital expenditures, franchise taxes and other miscellaneous costs. Under the Omnibus Agreement, the alternate fuel sales rate will reset annually, but the fixed fee included in the rate for a given year will be based on our motor fuel distribution costs for the immediately preceding year.
Accordingly, even though the alternate fuel sales rate will reset annually, we may not realize our anticipated profit margin on motor fuel distributed to SUSS at the alternate fuel sales rate. If our operating costs significantly increase in a given year as compared to immediately preceding year operating costs, the profit margin we receive for fuel distributed at the alternate fuel sales rate will be reduced, which will negatively impact our results of operations and cash available for distribution to our unitholders.
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We rely on our suppliers to provide trade credit terms to adequately fund our ongoing operations.
Our business is impacted by the availability of trade credit to fund fuel purchases. An actual or perceived downgrade in our liquidity or operations (including any credit rating downgrade by a rating agency) could cause our suppliers to seek credit support in the form of additional collateral, limit the extension of trade credit, or otherwise materially modify their payment terms. Any material changes in our payments terms, including early payment discounts, or availability of trade credit provided by our principal suppliers could impact our liquidity, results of operations and cash available for distribution to our unitholders.
Terrorist attacks and threatened or actual war may adversely affect our business.
Our business is affected by general economic conditions and fluctuations in consumer confidence and spending, which can decline as a result of numerous factors outside of our control. Terrorist attacks or threats, whether within the United States or abroad, rumors or threats of war, actual conflicts involving the United States or its allies, or military or trade disruptions impacting our suppliers or our customers may adversely impact our operations. Specifically, strategic targets such as energy related assets (which could include refineries that produce the motor fuel we purchase or ports in which crude oil is delivered) may be at greater risk of future terrorist attacks than other targets in the United States. These occurrences could have an adverse impact on energy prices, including prices for motor fuels, and an adverse impact on our operations. Any or a combination of these occurrences could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and cash available for distribution to our unitholders.
We rely on our information technology systems to manage numerous aspects of our business, and a disruption of these systems or an act of cyber-terrorism could adversely affect our business.
We depend on our information technology ("IT") systems to manage numerous aspects of our business transactions and provide analytical information to management. Our IT systems are an essential component of our business and growth strategies, and a serious disruption to our IT systems could significantly limit our ability to manage and operate our business efficiently. These systems are vulnerable to, among other things, damage and interruption from power loss or natural disasters, computer system and network failures, loss of telecommunications services, physical and electronic loss of data, cyber-security breaches or cyber-terrorism, and computer viruses. Any disruption could cause our business and competitive position to suffer and cause our operating results to be reduced.
Our future debt levels may impair our financial condition.
We had $775.0 million of debt outstanding as of October 17, 2014, of which $772.0 million was outstanding borrowings under our New Credit Facility and had the ability to incur up to $478 million of additional debt under our New Credit Facility (including letter of credit) and could seek to borrow up to an additional $250 million under our New Credit Facility, subject to certain conditions. The level of our future indebtedness could have important consequences to us, including:
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In addition, we may not be able to generate sufficient cash flow from our operations to repay our indebtedness when it becomes due and to meet our other cash needs. Our ability to service our debt will depend upon, among other things, our future financial and operating performance, which will be affected by prevailing economic conditions and financial, business, regulatory and other factors, some of which are beyond our control. In addition, our ability to service our debt will depend on market interest rates, since we anticipate that the interest rates applicable to our borrowings will fluctuate. If we are not able to pay our debts as they become due, we will be required to pursue one or more alternative strategies, such as selling assets, refinancing or restructuring our indebtedness or selling additional debt or equity securities. We may not be able to refinance our debt or sell additional debt or equity securities or our assets on favorable terms, if at all, and if we must sell our assets, it may negatively affect our ability to generate revenues.
Increases in interest rates could reduce the amount of cash we have available for distributions as well as the relative value of those distributions to yield-oriented investors, which could cause a decline in the market value of our common units.
Approximately $772.0 million of our outstanding indebtedness as of October 17, 2014, bears interest at variable interest rates. Should those rates rise, the amount of cash we would otherwise have available for distribution would ordinarily be expected to decline, which could impact our ability to maintain or grow our quarterly distributions. Additionally, an increase in interest rates in lower risk investment alternatives, such as United States treasury securities, could cause investors to demand a relatively higher distribution yield on our common units, which, unless we are able to raise our distribution, would imply a lower trading price of our common units. Consequently, rising interest rates could cause a significant decline in the market value of our common units.
Our New Credit Facility has substantial restrictions and financial covenants that may restrict our business and financing activities and our ability to pay distributions to our unitholders.
We are dependent upon the earnings and cash flow generated by our operations in order to meet our debt service obligations and to allow us to make cash distributions to our unitholders. The operating and financial restrictions and covenants in our New Credit Facility and any future financing agreements may restrict our ability to finance future operations or capital needs, to engage in or expand our business activities or to pay distributions to our unitholders. For example, our New Credit Facility restricts our ability to, among other things:
In addition, our Credit Agreement contains covenants requiring us to maintain certain financial ratios. See our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on October 1, 2014.
Our future ability to comply with these restrictions and covenants is uncertain and will be affected by the levels of cash flow from our operations and other events or circumstances beyond our control. If market or other economic conditions deteriorate, our ability to comply with these covenants may be impaired. If we violate any provisions of our New Credit Facility that are not cured or waived within the appropriate time periods provided in the New Credit Facility, a significant portion of our indebtedness may become immediately due and payable, our ability to make distributions to our unitholders will be inhibited
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and our lenders' commitment to make further loans to us may terminate. We might not have, or be able to obtain, sufficient funds to make these accelerated payments.
We depend on cash flow generated by our subsidiaries.
We are a holding company with no material assets other than the equity interests in our subsidiaries. We currently have seven subsidiaries that conduct all of our operations and own all of our assets. These subsidiaries are distinct legal entities and, under certain circumstances, legal and contractual restrictions may limit our ability to obtain cash from our subsidiaries and our subsidiaries may not be able to, or be permitted to, make distributions to us. In the event that we do not receive distributions from our current or future subsidiaries, we may be unable to meet our financial obligations or make distributions to our unitholders.
The impact of derivatives legislation by the United States Congress could have an adverse effect on our ability to use derivative instruments to reduce the effect of changes in commodity prices and interest rates and other risks associated with our business.
The United States Congress adopted comprehensive financial reform legislation that establishes federal oversight and regulation of the over-the-counter derivatives market and entities, such as us, that participate in that market. The legislation, known as the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the "Dodd-Frank Act") was signed into law on July 21, 2010 and requires the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (the "CFTC"), the SEC and other regulators to promulgate rules and regulations implementing the new legislation. The CFTC has issued final regulations to set position limits for certain futures and option contracts in the major energy markets and for swaps that are their economic equivalent. Certain bona fide hedging transactions or positions would be exempt from these position limits. The financial reform legislation may also require compliance with margin requirements and with certain clearing and trade-execution requirements in connection with certain derivative activities, although the application of those provisions is uncertain at this time. The financial reform legislation may also require the counterparties to our derivative instruments to spin off some of their derivatives activities to a separate entity, which may not be as creditworthy as the current counterparty.
The final rules will be phased in over time according to a specified schedule which is dependent on the finalization of certain other rules to be promulgated jointly by the CFTC and the SEC. The Dodd-Frank Act and any new regulations could significantly increase the cost of some derivative contracts (including through requirements to post collateral which could adversely affect our available liquidity), materially alter the terms of some derivative contracts, reduce the availability of some derivatives to protect against risks we encounter, reduce our ability to monetize or restructure our existing derivative contracts, and potentially increase our exposure to less creditworthy counterparties. Any of these consequences could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash available for distribution to our unitholders.
Tax Risks to Common Unitholders
In addition to reading the following risk factors, please read "Material Tax Considerations" in this prospectus supplement and "Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences" in the accompanying prospectus for a more complete discussion of the expected material federal income tax consequences of owning and disposing of common units.
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Our tax treatment depends on our status as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as well as our not being subject to a material amount of entity-level taxation by individual states. If the Internal Revenue Service were to treat us as a corporation for federal income tax purposes or we were to become subject to material additional amounts of entity-level taxation for state tax purposes, then our cash available for distribution to our unitholders would be substantially reduced.
The anticipated after-tax economic benefit of an investment in our common units depends largely on our being treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Despite the fact that we are organized as a limited partnership under Delaware law, it is possible in certain circumstances for a partnership such as ours to be treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Although we do not believe, based upon our current operations, that we will be so treated, a change in our business (or a change in current law) could cause us to be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes or otherwise subject us to taxation as an entity.
If we were treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes, we would pay federal income tax on our taxable income at the corporate tax rate, which is currently a maximum of 35%, and would likely pay state income tax at varying rates. Distributions to our unitholders would generally be taxed again as corporate distributions, and no income, gains, losses, deductions or credits would flow through to our unitholders. Because a tax would be imposed upon us as a corporation, our cash available for distribution to our unitholders would be substantially reduced. Therefore, treatment of us as a corporation would result in a material reduction in the anticipated cash flow and after-tax return to our unitholders, likely causing a substantial reduction in the value of our common units.
In addition, changes in current state law may subject us to additional entity-level taxation by individual states. Because of widespread state budget deficits and other reasons, several states are evaluating ways to subject partnerships to entity-level taxation through the imposition of state income, franchise and other forms of taxation. For example, we will be subject to the entity-level Texas franchise tax. Imposition of any such additional taxes on us or an increase in the existing tax rates would reduce the cash available for distribution to our unitholders.
Our partnership agreement provides that if a law is enacted or existing law is modified or interpreted in a manner that subjects us to taxation as a corporation or otherwise subjects us to entity-level taxation for federal, state or local income tax purposes, the minimum quarterly distribution amount and the target distribution amounts may be adjusted to reflect the impact of that law on us.
The tax treatment of publicly traded partnerships or an investment in our common units could be subject to potential legislative, judicial or administrative changes and differing interpretations, possibly on a retroactive basis.
The present federal income tax treatment of publicly traded partnerships, including us, or an investment in our common units may be modified by administrative, legislative or judicial interpretation at any time. For example, from time to time, members of the U.S. Congress propose and consider substantive changes to the existing federal income tax laws that affect publicly traded partnerships. Any modification to the U.S. federal income tax laws and interpretations thereof may or may not be retroactively applied and could make it more difficult or impossible to meet the exception for us to be treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. We are unable to predict whether any such legislation will ultimately be enacted. Any such changes could negatively impact the value of an investment in our common units.
We have a subsidiary that is treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes and is subject to corporate-level income tax.
Even though we (as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) are not subject to U.S. federal income tax, some of our operations are currently conducted, and our acquisition of MACS and our pending acquisition of Aloha will result in an increase in the proportion of our operations that are conducted through PropCo, our subsidiary that is organized as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax
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purposes. The taxable income, if any, of PropCo is subject to corporate-level U.S. federal income taxes, which may reduce the cash available for distribution to us and, in turn, to our unitholders. If the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") or other state or local jurisdictions were to successfully assert that PropCo or any of its wholly owned affiliates has more tax liability than we anticipate or legislation is enacted that increases the corporate tax rate, then cash available for distribution could be further reduced. The income tax return filing positions taken by PropCo requires significant judgment, use of estimates, and the interpretation and application of complex tax laws. Significant judgment is also required in assessing the amounts of deductible and taxable items. Despite our belief that the income tax return positions taken by PropCo (and its wholly owned affiliates) are fully supportable, certain positions may be successfully challenged by the IRS, state or local jurisdictions.
Our unitholders will be required to pay taxes on their share of our income even if they do not receive any cash distributions from us.
Because our unitholders will be treated as partners to whom we will allocate taxable income that could be different in amount than the cash we distribute, our unitholders will be required to pay federal income taxes and, in some cases, state and local income taxes on their share of our taxable income whether or not they receive cash distributions from us. Our unitholders may not receive cash distributions from us equal to their share of our taxable income or even equal to the actual tax liability that results from that income.
The sale or exchange of 50% or more of our capital and profits interests during any twelve-month period will result in the termination of our partnership for federal income tax purposes.
We will be considered to have technically terminated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes if there is a sale or exchange of 50% or more of the total interests in our capital and profits within a twelve-month period. For purposes of determining whether the 50% threshold has been met, multiple sales of the same interest will be counted only once. Our technical termination would, among other things, result in the closing of our taxable year for all unitholders, which could result in us filing two U.S. federal income tax returns (and unitholders receiving two Schedules K-1 if relief was not available, as described below) for one fiscal year and would result in a deferral of depreciation deductions allowable in computing a unitholder's share of our taxable income. In the case of a unitholder reporting on a taxable year other than a fiscal year ending December 31, the closing of our taxable year may also result in more than twelve months of our taxable income or loss being includable in his taxable income for the year of termination. Our technical termination currently would not affect our classification as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes but instead we would be treated as a new partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If we were treated as a new partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, we would be required to make new tax elections and could be subject to penalties if we were unable to determine that a technical termination occurred. Pursuant to an IRS relief procedure the IRS may allow, among other things, a constructively terminated partnership to provide a single Schedule K-1 for the calendar year in which a termination occurs.
Tax gain or loss on the disposition of our common units could be more or less than expected.
If a unitholder sells its common units, it will recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized and its tax basis in those common units. Because distributions in excess of a unitholder's allocable share of our net taxable income result in a decrease in its tax basis in its common units, the amount, if any, of such prior excess distributions with respect to the units it sells will, in effect, become taxable income to the unitholder if it sells such units at a price greater than its tax basis in those units, even if the price the unitholder receives is less than its original cost. Furthermore, a substantial portion of the amount realized, whether or not representing gain, may be taxed as ordinary income due to potential recapture of depreciation deductions and certain other items. In addition, because the amount
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realized includes a unitholder's share of our nonrecourse liabilities, if a unitholder sells its units, the unitholder may incur a tax liability in excess of the amount of cash it receives from the sale.
Tax-exempt entities and non-U.S. persons face unique tax issues from owning common units that may result in adverse tax consequences to them.
Investments in common units by tax-exempt entities, such as employee benefit plans and individual retirement accounts (or "IRAs"), and non-U.S. persons raise issues unique to them. For example, virtually all of our income allocated to organizations that are exempt from federal income tax, including IRAs and other retirement plans, will be unrelated business taxable income and will be taxable to them. Distributions to non-U.S. persons will be reduced by withholding taxes, and non-U.S. persons will be required to file U.S. federal tax returns and pay tax on their shares of our taxable income. Unitholders that are tax-exempt entities or non-U.S. persons should consult their tax advisors before investing in our common units.
If the IRS contests the federal income tax positions we take, the market for our common units may be adversely impacted and the cost of any IRS contest will reduce our cash available for distribution to our unitholders.
The IRS may adopt positions that differ from the positions we take. It may be necessary to resort to administrative or court proceedings to sustain some or all of the positions we take. A court may not agree with some or all of the positions we take. Any contest by the IRS may materially and adversely impact the market for our common units and the price at which they trade. Our costs of any contest by the IRS will be borne indirectly by our unitholders because the costs will reduce our cash available for distribution.
We will treat each purchaser of our common units as having the same tax benefits without regard to the actual common units purchased. The IRS may challenge this treatment, which could adversely affect the value of the common units.
Because we cannot match transferors and transferees of common units, we will adopt depreciation and amortization positions that may not conform to all aspects of existing Treasury Regulations. A successful IRS challenge to those positions could adversely affect the amount of tax benefits available to a unitholder. It also could affect the timing of these tax benefits or the amount of gain from a unitholder's sale of common units and could have a negative impact on the value of our common units or result in audit adjustments to a unitholder's tax returns.
We will prorate our items of income, gain, loss and deduction between transferors and transferees of our units each month based upon the ownership of our units on the first day of each month, instead of on the basis of the date a particular unit is transferred. The IRS may challenge this treatment, which could change the allocation of items of income, gain, loss and deduction among our unitholders.
We generally prorate our items of income, gain, loss and deduction between transferors and transferees of our common units each month based upon the ownership of our common units on the first day of each month, instead of on the basis of the date a particular common unit is transferred. Nonetheless, we allocate certain deductions for depreciation of capital additions based upon the date the underlying property is placed in service. The use of this proration method may not be permitted under existing Treasury Regulations, and although the U.S. Treasury Department issued proposed Treasury Regulations allowing a similar monthly simplifying convention, such regulations are not final and do not specifically authorize the use of the proration method we have adopted. Accordingly, our counsel is unable to opine as to the validity of this method. If the IRS were to successfully challenge our proration method, we may be required to change the allocation of items of income, gain, loss, and deduction among our unitholders.
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A unitholder whose common units are the subject of a securities loan (e.g., a loan to a "short seller" to cover a short sale of common units) may be considered as having disposed of those common units. If so, the unitholder would no longer be treated for tax purposes as a partner with respect to those common units during the period of the loan and may recognize gain or loss from the disposition.
Because there is no tax concept of loaning a partnership interest, a unitholder whose common units are the subject of a securities loan may be considered as having disposed of the loaned units. In that case, he may no longer be treated for tax purposes as a partner with respect to those common units during the period of the loan and the unitholder may recognize gain or loss from such disposition. Moreover, during the period of the loan, any of our income, gain, loss or deduction with respect to those common units may not be reportable by the unitholder and any cash distributions received by the unitholder as to those common units could be fully taxable as ordinary income. Unitholders desiring to assure their status as partners and avoid the risk of gain recognition from a loan of their common units should modify any applicable brokerage account agreements to prohibit their brokers from borrowing their common units.
Unitholders will likely be subject to state and local taxes and return filing requirements in states where they do not live as a result of investing in our common units.
In addition to federal income taxes, unitholders may be subject to other taxes, including state and local income taxes, unincorporated business taxes, and estate, inheritance or intangibles taxes that may be imposed by the various jurisdictions in which we conduct business or own property now or in the future or in which the unitholder is a resident. We currently own property or do business in a substantial number of states, most of which impose a personal income tax and many impose an income tax on corporations and other entities. We may also own property or do business in other states in the future. Although an analysis of those various taxes is not presented here, each prospective unitholder should consider their potential impact on his investment in us.
Although you may not be required to file a return and pay taxes in some jurisdictions because your income from that jurisdiction falls below the filing and payment requirement, you will be required to file income tax returns and to pay income taxes in many of the jurisdictions in which we do business or own property and may be subject to penalties for failure to comply with those requirements. Some of the jurisdictions may require us, or we may elect, to withhold a percentage of income from amounts to be distributed to a unitholder who is not a resident of the jurisdiction. Withholding, the amount of which may be greater or less than a particular unitholder's income tax liability to the jurisdiction, generally does not relieve a nonresident unitholder from the obligation to file an income tax return.
It is the responsibility of each unitholder to investigate the legal and tax consequences, under the laws of pertinent jurisdictions, of its investment in us. We strongly recommend that each prospective unitholder consult, and depend on, its own tax counsel or other advisor with regard to those matters. Further, it is the responsibility of each unitholder to file all state, local, and non-U.S., as well as U.S. federal tax returns that may be required of it. Andrews Kurth LLP has not rendered an opinion on the state, local, alternative minimum tax or non-U.S. tax consequences of an investment in us.
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We expect to receive net proceeds of approximately $388.9 million from this offering, or approximately $447.3 million if the underwriters exercise in full their option to purchase additional common units from us, in each case after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Our estimate is based on the last reported sale price of our common units on the NYSE on October 17, 2014 of $50.21 per common unit. We intend to use the net proceeds, including any net proceeds from the underwriters' exercise of their option to purchase additional common units, to repay indebtedness under our New Credit Facility and for general partnership purposes.
As of October 17, 2014, we had approximately $772.0 million of borrowings outstanding under our New Credit Facility. As of October 17, 2014, interest on borrowings under our New Credit Facility had a weighted average effective interest rate of approximately 2.69%. The New Credit Facility matures on September 25, 2019. Borrowings under our New Credit Facility were used to repay all outstanding indebtedness under our 2012 Credit Facility, to finance acquisitions, including the MACS Acquisition, and for general partnership purposes.
The underwriters may, from time to time, engage in transactions with and perform services for us and our affiliates in the ordinary course of their business. Affiliates of each of the underwriters (except for Jefferies LLC) are lenders under our New Credit Facility and may receive a portion of the proceeds from this offering through repayment of indebtedness under our New Credit Facility. Please read "Underwriting—Other Relationships."
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The following table shows our consolidated cash and cash equivalents and capitalization as of June 30, 2014:
You should read our financial statements and related notes that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus for additional information about our capital structure. The following table is based on the last reported sale price of our common units on the NYSE on October 17, 2014 of $50.21 per common unit and does not reflect any common units that may be sold to the underwriters upon the exercise of their option to purchase additional common units.
| As of June 30, 2014 | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Historical | As Adjusted, Pro Forma | As Further Adjusted, Pro Forma(1) | |||||||
| (In thousands) | |||||||||
Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 6,769 | $ | 52,430 | $ | 52,475 | ||||
| | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
Debt: | ||||||||||
New Credit Facility(2) | — | 399,360 | 639,360 | |||||||
2012 Credit Facility | 232,240 | — | — | |||||||
Long-term debt (including current maturities) | 4,061 | 192,984 | 192,984 | |||||||
Other noncurrent liabilities | 2,399 | 16,603 | 56,724 | |||||||
| | | | | | | | | | |
Total long-term debt | $ | 238,700 | $ | 608,947 | $ | 889,068 | ||||
| | | | | | | | | | |
Partners' equity: | ||||||||||
Held by public: | ||||||||||
Common unitholders | 210,038 | 626,638 | 626,638 | |||||||
Held by affiliates: | ||||||||||
Common unitholders | 1,556 | (3,271 | ) | (3,271 | ) | |||||
Subordinated unitholders | (132,365 | ) | (116,354 | ) | (116,354 | ) | ||||
| | | | | | | | | ��� | |
Total equity | $ | 79,229 | $ | 507,013 | $ | 507,013 | ||||
| | | | | | | | | | |
Total capitalization | $ | 317,929 | $ | 1,115,960 | $ | 1,396,081 | ||||
| | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
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PRICE RANGE OF COMMON UNITS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
Our common units are listed on the NYSE under the symbol "SUSP." The last reported sales price of the common units on October 17, 2014 was $50.21 per common unit. As of October 17, 2014, we had issued and outstanding 15,037,339 common units that were held by approximately four holders of record. The number of holders of record does not include owners whose common units are held in "street name." The following table presents the high and low sales prices for our common units for the periods indicated (as reported on the NYSE) and the amount of the cash distributions we paid on each of our outstanding units for the periods indicated:
| Price Ranges | | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash Distribution Per Common Unit(1) | |||||||||
| High | Low | ||||||||
2014 | ||||||||||
Fourth Quarter (through October 17, 2014) | $ | 55.99 | $ | 42.28 | (2) | |||||
Third Quarter | $ | 59.99 | $ | 46.49 | (2) | |||||
Second Quarter | $ | 47.93 | $ | 35.08 | $ | 0.520 | ||||
First Quarter | $ | 37.44 | $ | 32.00 | $ | 0.502 | ||||
2013 | ||||||||||
Fourth Quarter | $ | 36.66 | $ | 30.05 | $ | 0.485 | ||||
Third Quarter | $ | 32.84 | $ | 28.64 | $ | 0.469 | ||||
Second Quarter | $ | 32.78 | $ | 26.80 | $ | 0.453 | ||||
First Quarter | $ | 33.41 | $ | 25.42 | $ | 0.438 | ||||
2012 | ||||||||||
Fourth Quarter | $ | 26.34 | $ | 23.09 | $ | 0.438 | ||||
Third Quarter(3) | $ | 24.10 | $ | 22.52 | $ | 0.029 |
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MACS
MACS engages in the retail sale of motor fuel and the operation of convenience stores (a "Retail and Consignment Business") and the wholesale distribution of motor fuel (a "Wholesale Fuel Distribution Business") throughout Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee and Georgia.
For the year ended December 31, 2013 and the six-months ended June 30, 2014, MACS's gross profit was approximately $106.4 million and $64.6 million, respectively, of which 23.6% and 24.8%, respectively, was derived from merchandise sales and 51.3% and 54.2%, respectively, was derived from motor fuel sales.
Retail and Consignment Business
MACS operates its Retail and Consignment Business through a network of company-operated convenience stores (the "Company-Operated Sites") and other independently operated consignment locations (the "Consignment Sites"). MACS's Retail and Consignment Business consists of 111 Company-Operated Sites, 62 of which are owned in fee simple, and 18 Consignment Sites. At the Company-Operated Sites, MACS operates convenience stores under theTigerMarket™,Circle K™ and other brands and sells Exxon, Mobil, Sunoco and Shell branded motor fuel. At the Consignment Sites, MACS sells Exxon and Sunoco branded motor fuel through independent operators.
For the year ended December 31, 2013 and the six months ended June 30, 2014, MACS sold 124.7 million and 76.8 million gallons of motor fuel, respectively, for its Retail and Consignment Business.
Wholesale Fuel Distribution Business
MACS operates a Wholesale Fuel Distribution Business by supplying Company-Operated Sites, Consignment Sites and convenience stores and retail fuel outlets operated by independent operators (the "Dealer Sites"). MACS sells to 182 Dealer Sites and owns a fee interest in 67 of those sites. MACS, through its Wholesale Fuel Distribution Business, is one of the largest distributors of Exxon, Mobil and Sunoco branded fuels in the Mid-Atlantic region. MACS purchases Exxon, Mobil, Sunoco and Shell branded motor fuel to distribute to its wholesale distribution customers.
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013, ExxonMobil accounted for approximately 93% of MACS's motor fuel purchases. MACS has fuel supply agreements with ExxonMobil to purchase monthly quantities of branded ExxonMobil fuel at market prices. Under such agreements, MACS is required to pay liquidated damages to ExxonMobil if any of the MACS ExxonMobil sites are de-branded prior to 2025.
MACS has a motor fuel agreement with Sunoco to purchase quarterly quantities of Sunoco-branded motor fuel at market prices. Sunoco may also make available its branded motor oils, automotive lubricants and other products for resale by MACS to MACS's wholesale distribution customers.
MACS leases 111 of its 182 Dealer Sites to third-party dealers under operating leases, which generally have three-year terms, although in certain instances the initial terms may be up to 20 years and contain one or more renewal options. Future minimum lease payments expected to be received under these operating leases for 2014, calculated as of December 31, 2013, were $14.8 million.
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013 and the six months ended June 30, 2014, MACS sold 312.2 million and 137.8 million gallons of branded motor fuel to unaffiliated third parties, respectively.
Aloha
With a leading presence across the four main Hawaiian islands, Aloha operates (i) a Retail and Consignment Business, (ii) a Wholesale Fuel Distribution Business and (iii) fuel storage terminals. For the year ended December 31, 2013 and the six-months ended June 30, 2014, Aloha's gross profit was
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approximately $97.1 million and $45.1 million, respectively, of which 13.2% and 13.9%, respectively, was derived from merchandise sales, 69.1% and 66.7%, respectively, was derived from motor fuel sales, and 17.7% and 19.4%, respectively, was derived from operations at the fuel storage terminals and rental income.
Retail and Consignment Business
Aloha's Retail and Consignment Business consists of 44 Company-Operated Sites operating primarily under the Aloha Island Mart brand, of which it owns four in fee simple, and 16 Consignment Sites, at which its sells motor fuel through independent operators. Aloha sells Shell, Mahalo and Aloha branded motor fuel at these locations. For the year ended December 31, 2013 and the six months ended June 30, 2014, Aloha's Retail and Consignment Business sold 66.3 million and 29.7 million gallons of fuel, respectively.
Wholesale Fuel Distribution Business
Aloha sells and delivers fuel to 41 Dealer Sites, of which 6 are owned in fee simple, along with other third-party wholesale commercial customers. Of the 41 Dealer Sites, 30 are Shell franchises pursuant to a 20-year master franchise agreement, eight are Aloha-branded and three are unbranded locations. For the year ended December 31, 2013 and the six months ended June 30, 2014, Aloha's Wholesale Distribution Business sold 117.6 million and 57.0 million gallons of fuel to unaffiliated third parties, respectively.
Aloha conducts a Wholesale Distribution Business through a fleet of 27 tanker trucks and trailers, with an approximate capacity of 4,000 gallons each.
Aloha is party to fuel supply agreements with local Hawaiian petroleum suppliers to purchase regular unleaded gasoline, premium unleaded gasoline and ultra-low sulfur diesel. The costs of these products are based on predefined formulas based on selected national and international market indices. In addition, Aloha has fuel exchange agreements with its suppliers.
Fuel Storage Terminals
Aloha operates six fuel storage terminals located across four Hawaiian islands. Of the six fuel storage terminals, Aloha owns three in fee simple and leases three subject to ground leases. Each fuel storage terminal is capable of taking fuel deliveries via pipelines from a nearby port or harbor, and two of the terminals are connected to refineries from which they receive fuel for resale to wholesale customers and other industry participants.
The fuel storage terminals have a combined storage capacity of 918,000 barrels, or approximately 38.4 million gallons. During 2013, the average daily throughput for the six terminals was approximately 22,300 barrels, and the terminals operated at approximately 48% capacity. Aloha has terminalling agreements to provide certain services at its terminals in connection with the receipt, storage and delivery of regular and premium gasoline, on-road diesel fuel, ethanol and jet fuel. The integration of the fuel terminals as part of the pending Aloha Acquisition will require compliance with additional environmental regulations. Please read, "Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Acquisition Strategy, the Acquisitions and Potential Future Acquisitions—Compliance with and liability under local, state and federal environmental regulations related to our pending Aloha Acquisition, including those that require investigation and remediation activities, may require significant expenditures or result in liabilities that could have a material adverse effect on our business."
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The tax consequences to you of an investment in our common units will depend in part on your own tax circumstances. For a discussion of the principal federal income tax considerations associated with our operations and the purchase, ownership and disposition of our common units, please read "Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences" in the accompanying prospectus. Please also read "Risk Factors—Tax Risks to Common Unitholders" in this prospectus supplement for a discussion of the tax risks related to purchasing and owning our common units. You are urged to consult with your own tax advisor about the federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences peculiar to your circumstances.
Tax Opinion of Andrews Kurth LLP
Except for the statements set forth herein and subject to the representations, assumptions, qualifications and limitations stated herein and in the accompanying prospectus, Andrews Kurth LLP adopts and affirms as its opinion all statements as to the matter of law and legal conclusions contained in the section captioned "Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences" in the accompanying prospectus.
Legislative Developments
The present federal income tax treatment of publicly traded partnerships, including us, or an investment in our common units may be modified by administrative, legislative or judicial interpretation at any time. For example, from time to time, members of the U.S. Congress propose and consider substantive changes to the existing federal income tax laws that affect publicly traded partnerships. Any modification to the U.S. federal income tax laws and interpretations thereof may or may not be retroactively applied and could make it more difficult or impossible to meet the exception for us to be treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. We are unable to predict whether any such legislation will ultimately be enacted. Any such changes could negatively impact the value of an investment in our common units.
Tax Exempt Organizations and Other Investors
Ownership of common units by employee benefit plans, tax-exempt organizations, non-resident alien individuals, non-U.S. corporations and other non-U.S. persons raises issues unique to those investors. Please read "Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences—Tax-Exempt Organizations and Other Investors" in the accompanying prospectus.
State, Local, Non-U.S. and Other Tax Considerations
In addition to federal income taxes, unitholders may be subject to other taxes, including state and local income taxes, unincorporated business taxes, and estate, inheritance or intangibles taxes that may be imposed by the various jurisdictions in which we conduct business or own property now or in the future or in which the unitholder is a resident. We currently own property or do business in a substantial number of states, virtually all of which impose a personal income tax and many impose an income tax on corporations and other entities. We may also own property or do business in other states in the future. Although an analysis of those various taxes is not presented here, each prospective unitholder should consider their potential impact on his investment in us.
Although you may not be required to file a return and pay taxes in some jurisdictions because your income from that jurisdiction falls below the filing and payment requirement, you will be required to file income tax returns and to pay income taxes in many of the jurisdictions in which we do business or own property and may be subject to penalties for failure to comply with those requirements. Some of the jurisdictions may require us, or we may elect, to withhold a percentage of income from amounts to be distributed to a unitholder who is not a resident of the jurisdiction. Withholding, the amount of which may be greater or less than a particular unitholder's income tax liability to the jurisdiction, generally does not relieve a nonresident unitholder from the obligation to file an income tax return.
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It is the responsibility of each unitholder to investigate the legal and tax consequences, under the laws of pertinent jurisdictions, of its investment in us. We strongly recommend that each prospective unitholder consult, and depend on, its own tax counsel or other advisor with regard to those matters. Further, it is the responsibility of each unitholder to file all state, local, and non-U.S., as well as U.S. federal tax returns that may be required of it. Andrews Kurth LLP has not rendered an opinion on the state, local, alternative minimum tax or non-U.S. tax consequences of an investment in us.
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Under the terms and subject to the conditions in an underwriting agreement dated the date of this prospectus supplement, the underwriters named below, for whom Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC is acting as representative, have severally agreed to purchase, and we have agreed to sell to them, severally, the number of common units indicated below:
Underwriters | Number of Firm Units | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC | ||||||
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith | ||||||
Incorporated | ||||||
Barclays Capital Inc. | ||||||
Citigroup Global Markets Inc. | ||||||
Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC | ||||||
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. | ||||||
Goldman, Sachs & Co. | ||||||
Jefferies LLC | ||||||
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC | ||||||
RBC Capital Markets, LLC | ||||||
UBS Securities LLC | ||||||
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC | ||||||
| | | | | | |
Total | 8,000,000 | |||||
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
The underwriters and the representative are collectively referred to as the "underwriters" and the "representative," respectively. The underwriters are offering the common units subject to their acceptance of the common units from us and subject to prior sale. The underwriting agreement provides that the obligations of the several underwriters to pay for and accept delivery of the common unites offered by this prospectus are subject to the approval of certain legal matters by their counsel and to certain other conditions. Moreover, the underwriters must buy all of the common units if they buy any of them. However, the underwriters are not required to take or pay for the common units covered by the underwriters' option to purchase additional common units described below.
Our common units are offered subject to a number of conditions, including, but not limited to:
In connection with this offering, certain of the underwriters or securities dealers may distribute prospectuses electronically.
The underwriting agreement also provides that if an underwriter defaults, the purchase commitment of non-defaulting underwriters may be increased or the offering may be terminated.
Option to Purchase Additional Common Units
We have granted the underwriters an option to buy up to an aggregate of 1,200,000 additional common units. The underwriters have 30 days from the date of this prospectus supplement to exercise this option. If the underwriters exercise this option, they will each purchase additional common units approximately in proportion to the amounts specified in the table above.
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Commissions and Discounts
The underwriters initially propose to offer some of the common units to the public at the public offering price that appears on the cover page of this prospectus supplement. Any common units sold by the underwriters to securities dealers may be sold at a discount of up to $ per common unit from the public offering price. Sales of common units made outside of the United States may be made by affiliates of the underwriters.
If all the common units are not sold at the initial public offering price, the representative may change the offering price and the other selling terms. Upon execution of the underwriting agreement, the underwriters will be obligated to purchase the common units at the price and upon the terms stated therein, and, as a result, will thereafter bear any risk associated with changing the offering price to the public or other selling terms.
The following table shows the per common unit and total underwriting discounts and commissions we will pay to the underwriters assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters' option to purchase up to an additional 1,200,000 common units. This underwriting discount is the difference between the initial public offering price of the common units and the amount the underwriters pay to us to purchase the common units from us.
| No Exercise | Full Exercise | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Per common unit | $ | $ | |||||
Total | $ | $ |
We estimate that the total expense of this offering payable by us, not including the underwriting discounts and commissions, will be approximately $750,000.
No Sales of Similar Securities
We, the executive officers and directors of our general partner and ETP have entered into lock-up agreements with the underwriters. These restrictions will be in effect for a period of 40 days after the date of this prospectus supplement. Under these agreements, we and each of these parties may not, without the prior written approval of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any common units or any other securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common units, (2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the common units, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of common units or such other securities, in cash or otherwise, or (3) make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to the registration of any common units or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common units.
The restrictions described in the immediately preceding paragraph do not apply to:
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provided that in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to the second, third and fourth bullets above, each donee or distributee agrees to be bound by the terms of the lock-up letter and that no filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of common units, shall be required or shall be voluntarily made during the restricted period.
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, in its sole discretion, may release some or all of the securities from these lock-up agreements described above in whole or in part at any time.
Indemnification and Contribution
We have agreed to indemnify the several underwriters and their controlling persons against certain liabilities, including certain liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. If we are unable to provide this indemnification, we have agreed to contribute to payments the underwriters and its controlling persons may be required to make in respect of those liabilities.
NYSE Listing
Our common units are listed on the NYSE under the symbol "SUSP."
Price Stabilization, Short Positions
In order to facilitate the offering of the common units, the underwriters may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the common units. Specifically, the underwriters may sell more common units than they are obligated to purchase under the underwriting agreement, creating a short position. A short sale is covered if the short position is no greater than the number of common units available for purchase by the underwriters under their option to purchase additional common units from us. The underwriters can close out a covered short sale by exercising their option to purchase additional common units from us or purchasing common units in the open market. In determining the source of common units to close out a covered short sale, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the open market price of common units compared to the price available under their option to purchase additional common units from us. The underwriters may also sell common units in excess of their option to purchase additional common units from us, creating a naked short position. The underwriters must close out any naked short position by purchasing common units in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of the common units in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in this offering. As an additional means of facilitating this offering, the underwriters may bid for, and purchase, common units in the open market to stabilize the price of the common units. These activities may raise or maintain the market price of the common units above
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independent market levels or prevent or retard a decline in the market price of the common units. The underwriters are not required to engage in these activities and may end any of these activities at any time.
Electronic Distribution
A prospectus in electronic format may be made available on the Internet sites or through other online services maintained by one or more of the underwriters and/or selling group members participating in this offering, or by their affiliates. In those cases, prospective investors may view offering terms online and, depending upon the particular underwriter or selling group member, prospective investors may be allowed to place orders online. The underwriters may agree with us to allocate a specific number of common units for sale to online brokerage account holders. Any such allocation for online distributions will be made by the representative on the same basis as other allocations.
Other than the prospectus in electronic format, the information on any underwriter's website and any information contained in any other website maintained by an underwriter is not part of the prospectus or the registration statement of which this prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus forms a part, has not been approved and/or endorsed by us or any underwriter in its capacity as underwriter and should not be relied upon by investors.
Other Relationships
The underwriters and their respective affiliates are full service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which may include securities trading, commercial and investment banking, financial advisory, investment management, investment research, principal investment, hedging. financing and brokerage activities. Certain of the underwriters and their respective affiliates have, from time to time, performed, and may in the future perform, various financial advisory and investment banking services for us, for which they received or will receive customary fees and expenses. In addition, affiliates of each of the underwriters (except for Jefferies LLC) are lenders under our New Credit Facility and may receive a portion of the proceeds from this offering through the repayment of indebtedness under our New Credit Facility.
In addition, in the ordinary course of their various business activities, the underwriters and their respective affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers and may at any time hold long and short positions in such securities and instruments. Such investment and securities activities may involve our securities and instruments. The underwriters and their respective affiliates may also make investment recommendations or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or instruments and may at any time hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long or short positions in such securities and instruments.
Because the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority ("FINRA") views the units offered hereby as interests in a direct participation program, the offering is being made in compliance with FINRA Rule 2310. Investor suitability with respect to the units should be judged similarly to the suitability with respect to other securities that are listed for trading on a national securities exchange.
Notice to Investors
Notice to Prospective Investors in Australia
No placement document, prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure document has been lodged with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission ("ASIC"), in relation to the offering. This offering document does not constitute a prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure document under the Corporations Act 2001 (the "Corporations Act"), and does not purport to
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include the information required for a prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure document under the Corporations Act.
Any offer in Australia of the common units may only be made to persons (the "Exempt Investors"), who are:
The common units applied for by Exempt Investors in Australia must not be offered for sale in Australia in the period of 12 months after the date of allotment under the offering, except in circumstances where disclosure to investors under Chapters 6D and 7 of the Corporations Act would not be required pursuant to an exemption under both section 708 and Subdivision B of Division 2 of Part 7.9 of the Corporations Act or otherwise or where the offer is pursuant to a disclosure document which complies with Chapters 6D and 7 of the Corporations Act. Any person acquiring common units must observe such Australian on-sale restrictions.
This offering document contains general information only and does not take account of the investment objectives, financial situation or particular needs of any particular person. It does not contain any securities recommendations or financial product advice. Before making an investment decision, investors need to consider whether the information in this offering document is appropriate to their needs, objectives and circumstances, and, if necessary, seek expert advice on those matters.
Notice to Prospective Investors in the European Economic Area
In relation to each member state of the European Economic Area (each, a relevant member state), other than Germany, an offer of securities described in this offering document may not be made to the public in that relevant member state other than:
For purposes of this provision, the expression an "offer of securities to the public" in any relevant member state means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the securities to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for the securities, as the expression may be varied in that member state by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that member state, and the expression "Prospectus Directive" means Directive 2003/71/EC (and amendments thereto, including the 2010 PD Amending Directive, to the extent implemented in the Relevant Member State), and includes any relevant implementing measure in the Relevant Member State, and includes any relevant implementing measure in each relevant member state. The expression 2010 PD Amending Directive means Directive 2010/73/EU.
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We have not authorized and do not authorize the making of any offer of securities through any financial intermediary on their behalf, other than offers made by the underwriters with a view to the final placement of the securities as contemplated in this prospectus. Accordingly, no purchaser of the securities, other than the underwriters, is authorized to make any further offer of the securities on behalf of us or the underwriters.
Notice to Prospective Investors in Germany
This offering document has not been prepared in accordance with the requirements for a securities or sales prospectus under the German Securities Prospectus Act (Wertpapierprospektgesetz), the German Sales Prospectus Act (Verkaufsprospektgesetz), or the German Investment Act (Investmentgesetz). Neither the German Federal Financial Services Supervisory Authority (Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht—BaFin) nor any other German authority has been notified of the intention to distribute the common units in Germany. Consequently, the common units may not be distributed in Germany by way of public offering, public advertisement or in any similar manner and this prospectus and any other document relating to this offering, as well as information or statements contained therein, may not be supplied to the public in Germany or used in connection with any offer for subscription of the common units to the public in Germany or any other means of public marketing. The common units are being offered and sold in Germany only to qualified investors which are referred to in Section 3, paragraph 2 no. 1, in connection with Section 2, no. 6, of the German Securities Prospectus Act, Section 8f paragraph 2 no. 4 of the German Sales Prospectus Act, and in Section 2 paragraph 11 sentence 2 no. 1 of the German Investment Act. This prospectus is strictly for use of the person who has received it. It may not be forwarded to other persons or published in Germany.
This offering of our common units does not constitute an offer to buy or the solicitation or an offer to sell the common units in any circumstances in which such offer or solicitation is unlawful.
Notice to Prospective Investors in the Netherlands
The common units may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in the Netherlands, other than to qualified investors (gekwalificeerde beleggers) within the meaning of Article 1:1 of the Dutch Financial Supervision Act (Wet op het financieel toezicht).
Notice to Prospective Investors in Switzerland
This offering document is being communicated in Switzerland to a small number of selected investors only. Each copy of this prospectus is addressed to a specifically named recipient and may not be copied, reproduced, distributed or passed on to third parties. The common units are not being offered to the public in Switzerland, and neither this offering document, nor any other offering materials relating to the common units may be distributed in connection with any such public offering.
We have not been registered with the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA as a foreign collective investment scheme pursuant to Article 120 of the Collective Investment Schemes Act of June 23, 2006 ("CISA"). Accordingly, the common units may not be offered to the public in or from Switzerland, and neither this offering document, nor any other offering materials relating to the common units may be made available through a public offering in or from Switzerland. The common units may only be offered and this offering document may only be distributed in or from Switzerland by way of private placement exclusively to qualified investors (as this term is defined in the CISA and its implementing ordinance).
Notice to Prospective Investors in the United Kingdom
Our partnership may constitute a "collective investment scheme" as defined by section 235 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 ("FSMA") that is not a "recognised collective investment
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scheme" for the purposes of FSMA ("CIS") and that has not been authorised or otherwise approved. As an unregulated scheme, it cannot be marketed in the United Kingdom to the general public, except in accordance with FSMA. This offering document is only being distributed in the United Kingdom to, and is only directed at:
An invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of FSMA) in connection with the issue or sale of any common units which are the subject of the offering contemplated by this prospectus will only be communicated or caused to be communicated in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of FSMA does not apply to us.
Notice to Prospective Investors in Hong Kong
No advertisement, invitation or document relating to the common units has been or may be issued or has been or may be in the possession of any person for the purposes of issue, whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere, which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public of Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the securities laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to common units which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to "professional investors" as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance and any rules made under that Ordinance.
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The validity of the common units offered by us in this prospectus supplement will be passed upon for us by Andrews Kurth LLP, Houston, Texas. Certain legal matters in connection with the common units offered hereby will be passed upon for the underwriters by Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., Houston, Texas.
The consolidated financial statements of Susser Petroleum Partners LP appearing in Susser Petroleum Partners LP's Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2013 and the effectiveness of Susser Petroleum Partners LP's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2013 have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their reports thereon, 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 Mid-Atlantic Convenience Stores, LLC (successor) and subsidiaries and MACS Holdings, LLC (predecessor) and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2013 (successor) and for the period from October 3, 2013 to December 31, 2013 (successor) and the period from January 1, 2013 to October 2, 2013 (predecessor), incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement 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.
The audited consolidated historical financial statements of MACS Holdings, LLC and its subsidiaries as of December 31, 2012 and for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2012, included in Susser Petroleum Partners LP's Current Report on Form 8-K/A dated October 21, 2014 have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent accountants, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.
The financial statements of Aloha Petroleum, Ltd. as of December 31, 2013 and 2012 and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2013, included in Susser Petroleum Partners LP's Current Report on Form 8-K/A dated October 21, 2014, have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent auditors, as stated in their report, which is incorporated by reference herein. Such 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 SEC allows us to "incorporate by reference" the information we have filed with the SEC. This means that we can disclose important information to you without actually including the specific information in this prospectus supplement by referring you to other documents filed separately with the SEC. These other documents contain important information about us, our financial condition and results of operations. The information incorporated by reference is an important part of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. Information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and may replace information in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and information previously filed with the SEC.
We are incorporating by reference into this prospectus supplement the documents listed below and any subsequent filings we make with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (File No. 001-35653) (excluding information deemed to be furnished and not filed with the SEC) until all the common units are sold:
We incorporate by reference into this prospectus supplement the documents listed below:
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You may obtain any of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus from the SEC through the SEC's website atwww.sec.gov. You also may request a copy of any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus (including exhibits to those documents specifically incorporated by reference in this document), at no cost, by visiting our internet website athttp://www.susserpetroleumpartners.com/, or by writing or calling us at the address set forth below. Information on our website or on the SEC's website is not incorporated into this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or our other securities filings and is not a part of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus.
Susser Petroleum Partners LP
Attn: Investor Relations
555 East Airtex Drive
Houston, Texas 77073
(832) 234-3600
IR@SusserPetroleumPartners.com
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Some of the information included in this prospectus supplement and the documents we incorporate by reference contain "forward-looking" statements. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by use of phrases such as "believe," "plan," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "forecast" or other similar words or phrases. Descriptions of our objectives, goals, targets, plans, strategies, costs, anticipated capital expenditures, expected cost savings and benefits are also forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on our current plans and expectations and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and events to vary materially from the results and events anticipated or implied by such forward-looking statements, including:
All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing cautionary statements.
For a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties, please refer to "Item 1A. Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013, and in each subsequent quarterly report on Form 10-Q. Before you invest, you should be aware that the occurrence of any of the events described in "Risk Factors" beginning on page S-15 in this prospectus supplement and on page 3 of the accompanying prospectus and in the "Risk Factors" sections of the documents that are incorporated herein by reference could substantially harm our business, results of operations and financial conditions. The list of factors that could affect future performance and the accuracy of forward-looking statements is illustrative but by no means exhaustive. Accordingly, all forward-looking statements should be evaluated
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with the understanding of their inherent uncertainty. The forward-looking statements included in this report are based on, and include, our estimates as of the date hereof. We anticipate that subsequent events and market developments will cause our estimates to change. However, while we may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we specifically disclaim any obligation to do so, even if new information becomes available in the future.
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PROSPECTUS
Susser Petroleum Partners LP
Common Units Representing Limited Partner Interests
Preferred Units Representing Limited Partner Interests
Partnership Securities
Warrants
Rights
Debt Securities
We may, in one or more offerings and in one or more series, offer and sell, (i) common units representing limited partner interests in Susser Petroleum Partners LP ("common units"), (ii) preferred units representing limited partner interest in Susser Petroleum Partners LP ("preferred units"), (iii) partnership securities representing limited partner interests in Susser Petroleum Partners LP ("partnership securities"), (iv) warrants to purchase common units, preferred units or partnership securities, (v) rights to purchase common units, preferred units or partnership securities and (vi) debt securities, which may be senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities in amounts, at prices and on terms to be determined by market conditions and other factors at the time of our offerings.
We may offer and sell these securities to or through one or more underwriters, dealers, and agents, or directly to investors in amounts, at prices and on terms to be determined by market conditions and other factors at the time of the offer. This prospectus describes only the general terms of these securities and the general manner in which we will offer the securities. The specific terms of any securities that we offer will, if not included in this prospectus or information incorporated by reference herein, be included in a supplement to this prospectus. The prospectus supplement will describe the specific manner in which we will offer the securities, and also may add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. The names of any underwriters and the specific terms of a plan of distribution will be stated in a supplement to this prospectus.
You should read this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated by reference herein or therein carefully before you invest in any of our securities. You should also read the documents we have referred you to in the "Where You Can Find More Information" and "Information We Incorporate by Reference" sections of this prospectus for information about us, including our financial statements. This prospectus may not be used to consummate sales of our securities unless it is accompanied by a prospectus supplement.
Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Limited partnerships are inherently different from corporations. You should carefully consider each of the factors referred to under "Risk Factors" beginning on page 3 of this prospectus and contained in the applicable prospectus supplement and in the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein before you make an investment in our securities.
Our common units are listed on the New York Stock Exchange, or NYSE, under the symbol "SUSP."
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
THE DATE OF THIS PROSPECTUS IS DECEMBER 5, 2013.
| Page | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
About This Prospectus | 1 | |||
About Susser Petroleum Partners LP | 1 | |||
Where You Can Find More Information | 1 | |||
Information We Incorporate By Reference | 1 | |||
Risk Factors | 3 | |||
Forward-Looking Statements and Associated Risks | 3 | |||
Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges | 4 | |||
Use of Proceeds | 5 | |||
Description of the Common Units and Preferred Units | 6 | |||
Cash Distribution Policy and Restrictions On Distributions | 8 | |||
Provisions of Our Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions | 10 | |||
Conflicts of Interest and Fiduciary Duties | 22 | |||
The Partnership Agreement | 30 | |||
Description of Partnership Securities | 43 | |||
Description of the Warrants | 44 | |||
Description of the Rights | 45 | |||
Description of Debt Securities | 46 | |||
Investment in Susser Petroleum Partners LP by Employee Benefit Plans | 55 | |||
Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences | 56 | |||
Plan of Distribution | 68 | |||
Legal Matters | 70 | |||
Experts | 70 |
In making your investment decision, you should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents we have incorporated by reference in this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone else to give you different information. We are not offering these securities in any state where the offer is not permitted. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of those documents. We will disclose any material changes in our affairs in an amendment to this prospectus, a prospectus supplement or a future filing with the SEC incorporated by reference in this prospectus.
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This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form S-3 that we have filed with the SEC using a "shelf" registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may offer and sell, in one or more offerings, up to $500,000,000 of the securities described in this prospectus. Each time we offer securities with this prospectus, we will provide you with a prospectus supplement that will describe, among other things, the specific amounts, types and prices of the securities being offered and the terms of the offering. Any prospectus supplement may also add to, update or change information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. Any statement that we make in or incorporate by reference in this prospectus will be modified or superseded by any inconsistent statement made by us in a prospectus supplement. Therefore, you should read this prospectus (including any documents incorporated by reference) and any attached prospectus supplement before you invest in our securities.
Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, references in this prospectus to the "partnership," "SUSP," "we," "our," "us" or similar terms refer to Susser Petroleum Partners LP, our predecessors and our consolidated subsidiaries, as applicable and appropriate. References in this prospectus to our "general partner" refer to Susser Petroleum Partners GP LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and the general partner of the partnership. References to "SUSS" refer to Susser Holdings Corporation, the ultimate parent company of our general partner.
The information in this prospectus is accurate as of its date. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus is accurate as of any other date. You should read carefully this prospectus, any prospectus supplement, and the additional information described below under the heading "Where You Can Find More Information" and "Information We Incorporate by Reference."
ABOUT SUSSER PETROLEUM PARTNERS LP
We are a limited partnership engaged in the wholesale distribution of motor fuels to SUSS and third parties.
Our principal executive offices are located at 555 East Airtex Drive, Houston, Texas, 77073, and our phone number is (832) 234-3600. Our website is located at http://www.susserpetroleumpartners.com. We make our periodic reports and other information filed with or furnished to the SEC available, free of charge, through our website, as soon as reasonably practicable. Information on our website or any other website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus and does not constitute a part of this prospectus unless specifically so designated and filed with the SEC.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We have filed a registration statement with the SEC under the Securities Act that registers the offer and sale of the securities covered by this prospectus. The registration statement, including the attached exhibits, contains additional relevant information about us. The rules and regulations of the SEC allow us to omit some information included in the registration statement from this prospectus.
We file annual, quarterly and other reports and information with the SEC. You may read and copy any document we file with the SEC at the SEC's public reference room at 100 F Street, NE, Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-732-0330 for further information on their public reference room. Our SEC filings are also available at the SEC's web site at http://www.sec.gov which contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC. You can also obtain information about us at the offices of the New York Stock Exchange, 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005, or on our website at www.bwpmlp.com. Information on our website or any other website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus and does not constitute a part of this prospectus unless specifically so designated and filed with the SEC.
INFORMATION WE INCORPORATE BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to "incorporate by reference" the information we have filed with the SEC. This means that we can disclose important information to you without actually including the specific information in this prospectus by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is an important part of this prospectus. Information that we later provide to the SEC, and which is deemed to be "filed" with the SEC, will automatically update and may replace information in this prospectus and information previously deemed to be "filed" with the SEC.
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The documents listed below that we have previously filed with the SEC and any future filings made by Susser Petroleum Partners LP with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (excluding those furnished to the SEC on Form 8-K), including all such documents we may file with the SEC after the date of the initial registration and prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement, are incorporated by reference in this prospectus, until the termination of each offering under this prospectus.
You may request a copy of any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus (excluding any exhibits to those documents, unless the exhibit is specifically incorporated by reference in this document), at no cost, by visiting our website athttp://www.susserpetroleumpartners.com, or by writing or calling us at the following address:
Susser Petroleum Partners LP
Attn: Investor Relations
555 East Airtex Drive
Houston, Texas 77073
(832) 234-3600
IR@SusserPetroleumPartners.com
You should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement. We have not authorized anyone else to provide you with any information. We are not making an offer of these securities in any state where the offer is not permitted. You should not assume that the information incorporated by reference or provided in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement is accurate as of any date other than its respective date.
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An investment in the securities involves a significant degree of risk. Before you invest in the securities you should carefully consider those risk factors included in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as supplemented by our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other subsequent filings to the extent applicable, each of which is incorporated herein by reference, and those risk factors that may be included in any applicable prospectus supplement, together with all of the other information included in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents we incorporate by reference in evaluating an investment in the securities.
If any of the risks discussed in the foregoing documents were to occur, our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows could be materially adversely affected. In that case, we may be unable to pay distributions to our unitholders, or pay interest on, or the principal of, any debt securities. In that event, the trading price of our securities could decline and you could lose all or part of your investment.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND ASSOCIATED RISKS
Some of the information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or in any prospectus supplement delivered with this prospectus, as well as some statements in periodic press releases and some oral statements made by our officials and our subsidiaries during presentations about us, may contain forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by use of phrases such as "believe," "plan," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "forecast" or other similar words or phrases. Descriptions of our objectives, goals, targets, plans, strategies, costs, anticipated capital expenditures, expected cost savings and benefits are also forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on our current plans and expectations and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and events to vary materially from the results and events anticipated or implied by such forward-looking statements, including:
All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing cautionary statements.
When considering these forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements in this prospectus or incorporated by reference herein, including those described in the "Risk Factors" section of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and, to the extent applicable, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, other subsequent filings and any prospectus supplement. The risk factors and other factors noted in this prospectus, incorporated by reference herein or in any prospectus supplement delivered with this prospectus, as well as some statements in periodic press releases and some oral statements made by our officials and our subsidiaries during presentations about us, could cause our actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement.
Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this prospectus or, in the case of forward-looking statements contained in any document incorporated by reference, the date of such document, and we expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to update these statements to reflect any change in our expectations or beliefs or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any forward-looking statement is based.
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RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
The following table sets forth our and our predecessor's ratio of consolidated earnings to fixed charges for the periods presented:
| Nine Months Ended September 30, 2013(1) | Year Ended December 31, | |||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012(2) | 2011(3) | 2010(3) | 2009(3) | 2008(3) | ||||||||||||||
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges | 10.83 | 11.92 | 10.95 | 11.05 | 18.36 | 48.76 |
For purposes of calculating the ratio of consolidated earnings to fixed charges:
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Except as otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will use the net proceeds (after the payment of offering expenses and underwriting discounts and commissions) we receive from the sale of the securities covered by this prospectus for general partnership purposes, including repayment of debt, acquisitions, capital expenditures and additions to working capital.
Any specific allocation of the net proceeds we receive from any particular offering of securities using this prospectus will be determined at the time of the offering and will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to such offering.
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DESCRIPTION OF THE COMMON UNITS AND PREFERRED UNITS
General
The common units represent limited partner interests in us. The holders of units are entitled to participate in partnership distributions and exercise the rights or privileges available to limited partners under our partnership agreement. For a description of the relative rights and preferences of holders of common units and subordinated units in and to partnership distributions, please read this section and "Cash Distribution Policy and Restrictions on Distributions." For a description of other rights and privileges of limited partners under our partnership agreement, including voting rights, please read "The Partnership Agreement."
Our common units are listed on the New York Stock Exchange, or NYSE, under the symbol "SUSP."
Transfer Agent and Registrar
Duties
Computershare Trust Company, N.A. serves as the registrar and transfer agent for the common units. We pay all fees charged by the transfer agent for transfers of common units except the following, which must be paid by unitholders:
There is no charge to unitholders for disbursements of our cash distributions. We indemnify the transfer agent, its agents and each of their stockholders, directors, officers and employees against all claims and losses that may arise out of acts performed or omitted for its activities in that capacity, except for any liability due to any gross negligence or intentional misconduct of the indemnified person or entity.
Resignation or Removal
The transfer agent may resign, by notice to us, or be removed by us. The resignation or removal of the transfer agent will become effective upon our appointment of a successor transfer agent and registrar and its acceptance of the appointment. If no successor is appointed, our general partner may act as the transfer agent and registrar until a successor is appointed.
Transfer of Common Units
Upon the transfer of a common unit in accordance with our partnership agreement, the transferee of the common unit shall be admitted as a limited partner with respect to the common units transferred when such transfer and admission are reflected in our books and records. Each transferee:
Our general partner will cause any transfers to be recorded on our books and records no less frequently than quarterly.
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We may, at our discretion, treat the nominee holder of a common unit as the absolute owner. In that case, the beneficial holder's rights are limited solely to those that it has against the nominee holder as a result of any agreement between the beneficial owner and the nominee holder.
Common units are securities and any transfers are subject to the laws governing the transfer of securities. In addition to other rights acquired upon transfer, the transferor gives the transferee the right to become a substituted limited partner in our partnership for the transferred common units.
Until a common unit has been transferred on our books, we and the transfer agent may treat the record holder of the common unit as the absolute owner for all purposes, except as otherwise required by law or stock exchange regulations.
The Preferred Units
Our partnership agreement authorizes us to issue an unlimited number of additional limited partner interests and other equity securities for the consideration and with the designations, preferences, rights, powers and duties established by our general partner without the approval of any of our limited partners. In accordance with Delaware law and the provisions of our partnership agreement, we may issue additional partnership interests that have special voting rights to which our common units are not entitled. As of the date of this prospectus, we have no preferred units outstanding.
Should we offer preferred units under this prospectus, a prospectus supplement relating to the particular series of preferred units offered will include the specific terms of those preferred units, including, among other things, the following:
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CASH DISTRIBUTION POLICY AND RESTRICTIONS ON DISTRIBUTIONS
General
Rationale for Our Cash Distribution Policy
Our partnership agreement requires us to distribute all of our available cash quarterly. Our cash distribution policy reflects a fundamental judgment that our unitholders generally will be better served by our distributing rather than retaining our available cash. Our partnership agreement generally defines available cash as cash on hand at the end of a quarter after the payment of expenses, less the amount of cash reserves established by our general partner to provide for the conduct of our business, to comply with applicable law, any of our debt instruments or other agreements or to provide for future distributions to our unitholders for any one or more of the next four quarters. Our available cash also may include, if our general partner so determines, all or any portion of the cash on hand immediately prior to the date of distribution of available cash for the quarter resulting from working capital borrowings made subsequent to the end of such quarter. Because we are not subject to an entity-level federal income tax, we expect to have more cash to distribute to our unitholders than would be the case if we were subject to entity-level federal income tax.
Limitations on Cash Distributions and Our Ability to Change Our Cash Distribution Policy
There is no guarantee that we will distribute quarterly cash distributions to our unitholders. We do not have a legal obligation to pay our minimum quarterly distribution or any other distribution except as provided in our partnership agreement. Our cash distribution policy may be changed at any time and is subject to certain restrictions and uncertainties, including the following:
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PROVISIONS OF OUR PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT RELATING TO CASH DISTRIBUTIONS
Set forth below is a summary of the significant provisions of our partnership agreement that relate to cash distributions.
Distributions of Available Cash
General
Our partnership agreement requires that, within 60 days after the end of each quarter we distribute all of our available cash to unitholders of record on the applicable record date.
Definition of Available Cash
Available cash, for any quarter, generally consists of all cash and cash equivalents on hand at the end of that quarter:
The purpose and effect of the last bullet point above is to allow our general partner, if it so decides, to use cash received by us after the end of the quarter but on or before the date of distribution of available cash for that quarter, including cash on hand resulting from working capital borrowings made after the end of the quarter, to pay distributions to unitholders. Under our partnership agreement, working capital borrowings are borrowings that are made under a credit agreement, commercial paper facility or similar financing arrangement with the intent to repay such borrowings within twelve months from sources other than additional working capital borrowings, and that are used solely for working capital purposes or to pay distributions to partners.
Intent to Distribute the Minimum Quarterly Distribution
We intend to distribute to the holders of common and subordinated units at least the minimum quarterly distribution of $0.4375 per unit, or $1.75 on an annualized basis, to the extent we have sufficient cash from our operations after establishment of cash reserves and payment of fees and expenses, including payments to our general partner and its affiliates. However, there is no guarantee that we will pay the minimum quarterly distribution on our units in any quarter. Even if our cash distribution policy is not modified or revoked, the amount of distributions paid under our policy and the decision to make any distribution is determined by our general partner, taking into consideration the terms of our partnership agreement.
General Partner Interest and Incentive Distribution Rights
Our general partner owns a 0.0% non-economic general partner interest. SUSS holds our incentive distribution rights, which entitles it to receive increasing percentages, up to a maximum of 50.0%, of the cash we distribute from operating surplus (as defined below) in excess of $0.503125 per unit per quarter. The maximum distribution of 50.0% does not include any distributions that SUSS may receive on any limited partner units that it owns.
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Operating Surplus and Capital Surplus
General
All cash distributed to unitholders is characterized as being paid from either "operating surplus" or "capital surplus." Our partnership agreement requires that we distribute available cash from operating surplus differently than available cash from capital surplus. Operating surplus distributions will be made to our unitholders and, if we make quarterly distributions above the first target distribution level described below, to the holder of our incentive distribution rights. We do not anticipate that we will make any distributions from capital surplus. In such an event, however, any capital surplus distribution would be made pro rata to all unitholders, but the holder of the incentive distribution rights would generally not participate in any capital surplus distributions with respect to those rights.
Operating Surplus
We define operating surplus as:
As described above, operating surplus does not reflect actual cash on hand that is available for distribution to our unitholders and is not limited to cash generated by our operations. For example, it includes a basket of $25 million that enables us, if we choose, to distribute as operating surplus up to that amount of cash we receive from non-operating sources such as asset sales, issuances of securities and long-term borrowings that would otherwise be distributed as capital surplus. In addition, the effect of including certain cash distributions on equity interests in operating surplus, as described above, will be to increase operating surplus by the amount of any such cash distributions. As a result, we may also distribute as operating surplus up to that amount of cash that we receive from non-operating sources.
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The proceeds of working capital borrowings increase operating surplus and repayments of working capital borrowings are generally operating expenditures, as described below, and thus reduce operating surplus when made. However, if a working capital borrowing is not repaid during the twelve-month period following the borrowing, it will be deemed repaid at the end of such period, thus decreasing operating surplus at such time. When such working capital borrowing is in fact repaid, it will be excluded from operating expenditures because operating surplus will have been previously reduced by the deemed repayment.
We define operating expenditures as all of our cash expenditures, including, but not limited to, taxes, reimbursement of expenses to our general partner or its affiliates, payments made in the ordinary course of business under interest rate hedge agreements or commodity hedge agreements (provided that (1) payments made in connection with the initial purchase of an interest rate hedge contract or a commodity hedge contract will be amortized over the life of the applicable interest rate hedge contract or commodity hedge contract and (2) payments made in connection with the termination of any interest rate hedge contract or commodity hedge contract prior to its stipulated settlement or termination date will be included in operating expenditures in equal quarterly installments over the remaining scheduled life of such contract), compensation of officers, directors and employees of our general partner, repayment of working capital borrowings, debt service payments and maintenance capital expenditures (as discussed in further detail below), provided that operating expenditures do not include:
Interim Capital Transactions
We define cash from interim capital transactions to include proceeds from:
Capital Surplus
Capital surplus is defined as any distribution of available cash in excess of our operating surplus. Although the cash proceeds from interim capital transactions do not increase operating surplus, all distributions of available cash from whatever source are deemed to be from operating surplus until cumulative distributions of available cash exceed cumulative operating surplus. Thereafter, all distributions of available cash are deemed to be from capital surplus to the extent they continue to exceed cumulative operating surplus.
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Characterization of Cash Distributions
Our partnership agreement requires that we treat all available cash distributed by us as coming from operating surplus until the sum of all available cash distributed since the closing of our initial public offering equals the operating surplus from the closing of our initial public offering through the end of the quarter immediately preceding that distribution. Our partnership agreement requires that we treat any amount distributed in excess of operating surplus, regardless of its source, as capital surplus. As described above, operating surplus includes a basket of $25 million, and therefore does not reflect actual cash on hand that is available for distribution to our unitholders. Rather, this provision enables us, if we choose, to distribute as operating surplus up to that amount of cash we receive in the future from interim capital transactions that would otherwise be distributed as capital surplus. We do not anticipate that we will make any distributions from capital surplus.
Capital Expenditures
Maintenance capital expenditures reduce operating surplus, but expansion capital expenditures and investment capital expenditures do not. Under our partnership agreement, maintenance capital expenditures are capital expenditures made to maintain our long-term operating income or operating capacity, while expansion capital expenditures are capital expenditures that we expect will increase our operating income or operating capacity over the long term. Examples of maintenance capital expenditures are those made to maintain existing contract volumes or renew existing distribution contracts or maintain our real estate leased to third-party dealers in leaseable condition. Maintenance capital expenditures also include interest (and related fees) on debt incurred and distributions in respect of equity issued (including incremental distributions on incentive distribution rights), other than equity issued in this offering, to finance all or any portion of the construction or development of a replacement asset that are paid in respect of the period that begins when we enter into a binding obligation to commence construction or development of a replacement asset and ending on the earlier to occur of the date that such replacement asset commences commercial service and the date that it is abandoned or disposed of. Capital expenditures made solely for investment purposes are not considered maintenance capital expenditures.
Expansion capital expenditures are capital expenditures made to increase our operating capacity over the long term. Examples of expansion capital expenditures include the acquisition of new properties or equipment, to the extent such capital expenditures are expected to expand our long-term operating capacity. Expansion capital expenditures also include interest (and related fees) on debt incurred and distributions in respect of equity issued (including incremental distributions on incentive distribution rights) to finance all or any portion of the construction of a capital improvement paid in respect of the period that commences when we enter into a binding obligation to commence construction of a capital improvement and ending on the earlier to occur of date such capital improvement commences commercial service and the date that it is disposed of or abandoned. Capital expenditures made solely for investment purposes are not be considered expansion capital expenditures.
Investment capital expenditures are those capital expenditures that are neither maintenance capital expenditures nor expansion capital expenditures. Investment capital expenditures largely consist of capital expenditures made for investment purposes. Examples of investment capital expenditures include traditional capital expenditures for investment purposes, such as purchases of securities, as well as other capital expenditures that might be made in lieu of such traditional investment capital expenditures, such as the acquisition of a capital asset for investment purposes or the development of assets that are in excess of those needed for the maintenance of our existing operating capacity, but which are not expected to expand, for more than the short term, our operating capacity.
As described above, neither investment capital expenditures nor expansion capital expenditures are included in operating expenditures, and thus do not reduce operating surplus. Because expansion capital expenditures include interest payments (and related fees) on debt incurred to finance all or a portion of the construction, acquisition or development of a capital improvement during the period that begins when we enter into a binding obligation to commence construction, acquisition or development of a capital improvement and ending on the earlier to occur of the date such capital improvement commences commercial service and the date that it is abandoned or disposed of, such interest payments also do not reduce operating surplus. Losses on the disposition of an investment capital expenditure will reduce operating surplus when realized and cash receipts from an investment capital expenditure will be treated as a cash receipt for purposes of calculating operating surplus only to the extent the cash receipt is a return on principal.
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Capital expenditures that are made in part for maintenance capital purposes, investment capital purposes and/or expansion capital purposes are allocated as maintenance capital expenditures, investment capital expenditures or expansion capital expenditure by our general partner.
Subordinated Units
General
Our partnership agreement provides that, during the subordination period (which we define below), the common units will have the right to receive distributions of available cash from operating surplus each quarter in an amount equal to $0.4375 per common unit, which amount is defined in our partnership agreement as the minimum quarterly distribution, plus any arrearages in the payment of the minimum quarterly distribution on the common units from prior quarters, before any distributions of available cash from operating surplus may be made on the subordinated units. These units are deemed "subordinated" because for a period of time, referred to as the subordination period, the subordinated units will not be entitled to receive any distributions from operating surplus until the common units have received the minimum quarterly distribution plus any arrearages in the payment of the minimum quarterly distribution from prior quarters. Furthermore, no arrearages will be paid on the subordinated units. The practical effect of the subordinated units is to increase the likelihood that during the subordination period there will be sufficient available cash from operating surplus to pay the minimum quarterly distribution on the common units. SUSS owns, directly or indirectly, all of our subordinated units.
Subordination Period
The subordination period will expire on the first business day after a distribution to unitholders has been made in respect of any quarter, beginning with the quarter ending on or after September 30, 2015, if each of the following has occurred:
Early Termination of Subordination Period
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the subordination period will automatically terminate on the first business day after a distribution to unitholders has been made in respect of any quarter, if each of the following has occurred:
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In addition, if the unitholders remove our general partner other than for cause:
Effect of Expiration of the Subordination Period
When the subordination period ends, each outstanding subordinated unit will convert into one common unit and will then participate pro-rata with the other common units in distributions of available cash.
Adjusted Operating Surplus
Adjusted operating surplus is intended to reflect the cash generated from operations during a particular period and therefore excludes net changes in working capital borrowings and net changes in reserves of cash established in prior periods. Adjusted operating surplus consists of:
Distributions of Available Cash From Operating Surplus During the Subordination Period
Our partnership agreement requires that we make distributions of available cash from operating surplus for any quarter during the subordination period in the following manner:
The preceding discussion is based on the assumption that we do not issue additional classes of equity interests.
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Distributions of Available Cash From Operating Surplus After the Subordination Period
Our partnership agreement requires that we make distributions of available cash from operating surplus for any quarter after the subordination period in the following manner:
The preceding discussion is based on the assumption that we do not issue additional classes of equity interests.
General Partner Interest
Our general partner owns a 0.0% non-economic general partner interest in us, which does not entitle it to receive cash distributions. However, our general partner may in the future own common units or other equity interests in us, and will be entitled to receive distributions on such interests.
Incentive Distribution Rights
Incentive distribution rights represent the right to receive an increasing percentage (15.0%, 25.0% and 50.0%) of quarterly distributions of available cash from operating surplus after the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels have been achieved. SUSS currently holds all of our incentive distribution rights, but may transfer these rights, subject to the restrictions set forth in the partnership agreement.
The following discussion assumes that there are no arrearages on the common units and that SUSS continues to own the incentive distribution rights.
If for any quarter:
then, our partnership agreement requires that we distribute any additional available cash from operating surplus for that quarter among the unitholders and SUSS (in its capacity as the holder of our incentive distribution rights) in the following manner:
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Percentage Allocations of Available Cash From Operating Surplus
The following table illustrates the percentage allocations of available cash from operating surplus between our unitholders and SUSS (in its capacity as the holder of our incentive distribution rights) based on the specified target distribution levels. The amounts set forth under "Marginal Percentage Interest in Distributions" are the percentage interests of SUSS (in its capacity as the holder of our incentive distribution rights) and our unitholders in any available cash from operating surplus we distribute up to and including the corresponding amount in the column "Total Quarterly Distribution Per Common Unit and Subordinated Unit." The percentage interests shown for our unitholders and SUSS (in its capacity as the holder of our incentive distribution rights) for the minimum quarterly distribution are also applicable to quarterly distribution amounts that are less than the minimum quarterly distribution. The percentage interests set forth below for SUSS (in its capacity as the holder of our incentive distribution rights) assume that SUSS has not transferred its incentive distribution rights and that there are no arrearages on common units.
| | Marginal Percentage Interest in Distributions | |||||||
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| Total Quarterly Distribution Per Common Unit and Subordinated Unit | Unitholders | SUSS (in its Capacity as the Holder of Our Incentive Distribution Rights) | ||||||
Minimum Quarterly Distribution | $0.4375 | 100 | % | — | |||||
First Target Distribution | Above $0.4375 up to $0.503125 | 100 | % | — | |||||
Second Target Distribution | Above $0.503125 up to $0.546875 | 85 | % | 15 | % | ||||
Third Target Distribution | Above $0.546875 up to $0.656250 | 75 | % | 25 | % | ||||
Thereafter | Above $0.656250 | 50 | % | 50 | % |
SUSS' Right to Reset Incentive Distribution Levels
SUSS, as the current holder of our incentive distribution rights, has the right under our partnership agreement to elect to relinquish the right to receive incentive distribution payments based on the initial target distribution levels and to reset, at higher levels, the minimum quarterly distribution amount and target distribution levels upon which the incentive distribution payments to SUSS would be based. If SUSS transfers all or a portion of our incentive distribution rights in the future, then the holder or holders of a majority of our incentive distribution rights will be entitled to exercise this right. The following discussion assumes that SUSS holds all of the incentive distribution rights at the time that a reset election is made. The right to reset the minimum quarterly distribution amount and the target distribution levels upon which the incentive distributions are based may be exercised, without approval of our unitholders or the conflicts committee of the board of directors of our general partner, at any time when there are no subordinated units outstanding and we have made cash distributions to the holders of the incentive distribution rights at the highest level of incentive distribution for each of the four most recently completed fiscal quarters (and the amount of each such distribution did not exceed adjusted operating surplus for such quarter). The reset minimum quarterly distribution amount and target distribution levels will be higher than the minimum quarterly distribution amount and the target distribution levels prior to the reset such that there will be no incentive distributions paid under the reset target distribution levels until cash distributions per unit following this event increase as described below. We anticipate that SUSS would exercise this reset right in order to facilitate acquisitions or internal growth projects that would otherwise not be sufficiently accretive to cash distributions per common unit, taking into account the existing levels of incentive distribution payments being made to SUSS.
In connection with the resetting of the minimum quarterly distribution amount and the target distribution levels and the corresponding relinquishment by SUSS of incentive distribution payments based on the target distributions prior to the reset, SUSS will be entitled to receive a number of newly issued common units based on a predetermined formula described below that takes into account the "cash parity" value of the average of the cash distributions related to the incentive distribution rights received by SUSS for the two quarters prior to the reset event as compared to the average of the cash distributions per common unit during this period.
The number of common units that SUSS would be entitled to receive from us in connection with a resetting of the minimum quarterly distribution amount and the target distribution levels then in effect would be equal to the quotient determined by dividing (x) the average of the aggregate cash distributions received by SUSS in respect of its incentive distribution rights during the two consecutive fiscal quarters ended immediately prior to the date of such reset election by (y) the average of the cash distributed per common unit during each of those two quarters.
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Following a reset election, the minimum quarterly distribution amount will be reset to an amount equal to the average of the cash distributions per common unit for the two fiscal quarters immediately preceding the reset election (which amount we refer to as the "reset minimum quarterly distribution") and the target distribution levels will be reset to be correspondingly higher such that we would distribute all of our available cash from operating surplus for each quarter thereafter, after payment of the reset minimum quarterly distribution, as follows:
The following table illustrates the percentage allocation of available cash from operating surplus between the unitholders and SUSS (in its capacity as the holder of our incentive distribution rights) at various cash distribution levels (1) pursuant to the cash distribution provisions of our partnership agreement currently in effect as well as (2) following a hypothetical reset of the minimum quarterly distribution and target distribution levels based on the assumption that the average of the quarterly cash distributions per common unit during the two fiscal quarters immediately preceding the reset election was $0.70.
| | Marginal Percentage Interest in Distributions | | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quarterly Distribution Per Unit Prior to Reset | Unitholders | SUSS (in its Capacity as the Holder of Our Incentive Distribution Rights) | Quarterly Distribution Per Unit Following Hypothetical Rese | ||||||
Minimum Quarterly Distribution | $0.4375 | 100.0 | % | — | $0.70(1) | |||||
First Target Distribution | above $0.4375 up to $0.503125 | 100.0 | % | — | above $0.70(1) up to $0.805(2) | |||||
Second Target Distribution | above $0.503125 up to $0.546875 | 85.0 | % | 15.0 | % | above $0.805(2) up to $0.875(3) | ||||
Third Target Distribution | above $0.546875 up to $0.656250 | 75.0 | % | 25.0 | % | above $0.875(3) up to $1.05(4) | ||||
Thereafter | above $0.656250 | 50.0 | % | 50.0 | % | above $1.05(4) |
SUSS will be entitled to cause the minimum quarterly distribution amount and the target distribution levels to be reset on more than one occasion, provided that it may not make a reset election except at a time when it has received incentive distributions for the prior four consecutive fiscal quarters based on the highest level of incentive distributions that it is entitled to receive under our partnership agreement.
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Distributions From Capital Surplus
How Distributions From Capital Surplus Will Be Made
Our partnership agreement requires that we make distributions of available cash from capital surplus, if any, in the following manner:
The preceding paragraph assumes that we do not issue additional classes of equity interests.
Effect of a Distribution From Capital Surplus
Our partnership agreement treats a distribution of capital surplus as the repayment of the initial unit price from our initial public offering, which is a return of capital. Our initial public offering price less any distributions of capital surplus per unit is referred to as the "unrecovered initial unit price." Each time a distribution of capital surplus is made, the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels will be reduced in the same proportion that the distribution had to the fair market value of the common units immediately prior to the announcement of the distribution (or the average of the closing prices for the 20 consecutive trading days immediately prior to the ex-dividend date). Because distributions of capital surplus will reduce the minimum quarterly distribution and target distribution levels after any of these distributions are made, it may be easier for SUSS (in its capacity as the holder of our incentive distribution rights) to receive incentive distributions and for the subordinated units to convert into common units. However, any distribution of capital surplus before the unrecovered initial unit price is reduced to zero cannot be applied to the payment of the minimum quarterly distribution or any arrearages.
Once we distribute capital surplus on a unit issued in our initial public offering in an amount equal to the initial unit price, our partnership agreement specifies that the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels will be reduced to zero. Our partnership agreement specifies that we will then make all future distributions from operating surplus, with 50.0% being paid to our unitholders and 50.0% to SUSS (in its capacity as the holder of our incentive distribution rights), assuming that SUSS has not transferred the incentive distribution rights.
Adjustment to the Minimum Quarterly Distribution and Target Distribution Levels
In addition to adjusting the minimum quarterly distribution and target distribution levels to reflect a distribution of capital surplus, if we combine our common units into fewer common units or subdivide our common units into a greater number of common units, our partnership agreement specifies that the following items will be proportionately adjusted:
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For example, if a two-for-one split of the common units should occur, the minimum quarterly distribution, each target distribution level and the unrecovered initial unit price would be reduced to 50.0% of its initial level, and each subordinated unit would be convertible into two subordinated units. Our partnership agreement provides that we will not make any adjustment by reason of the issuance of additional units for cash or property.
In addition, if legislation is enacted or if existing law is modified or interpreted by a governmental taxing authority, so that we become taxable as a corporation or otherwise subject to taxation as an entity for federal, state or local income tax purposes, our partnership agreement specifies that the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels for each quarter may, in the sole discretion of the general partner, be reduced by multiplying each distribution level by a fraction, the numerator of which is available cash for that quarter (reduced by the amount of the estimated tax liability for such quarter) and the denominator of which is the sum of available cash for that quarter before any adjustment for estimated taxes. To the extent that the actual tax liability differs from the estimated tax liability for any quarter, the difference will be accounted for in subsequent quarters.
Distributions of Cash Upon Liquidation
General
If we dissolve in accordance with our partnership agreement, we will sell or otherwise dispose of our assets in a process called liquidation. We will first apply the proceeds of liquidation to the payment of our creditors. We will distribute any remaining proceeds to the unitholders and the holders of the incentive distribution rights, in accordance with their capital account balances, as adjusted to reflect any gain or loss upon the sale or other disposition of our assets in liquidation.
The allocations of gain and loss upon liquidation are intended, to the extent possible, to entitle the holders of common units to a preference over the holders of subordinated units upon our liquidation, to the extent required to permit common unitholders to receive their unrecovered initial unit price plus the minimum quarterly distribution for the quarter during which liquidation occurs plus any unpaid arrearages in payment of the minimum quarterly distribution on the common units. However, there may not be sufficient gain upon our liquidation to enable the common unitholders to fully recover all of these amounts, even though there may be cash available for distribution to the holders of subordinated units. Any further net gain recognized upon liquidation will be allocated in a manner that takes into account the incentive distribution rights.
Manner of Adjustments for Gain
The manner of the adjustment for gain is set forth in our partnership agreement. If our liquidation occurs before the end of the subordination period, we will generally allocate any gain to our partners in the following manner:
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If the liquidation occurs after the end of the subordination period, the distinction between common units and subordinated units will disappear, so that clause (3) of the first bullet point above and all of the second bullet point above will no longer be applicable.
We may make special allocations of gain among the partners in a manner to create economic uniformity among the common units into which the subordinated units convert and the common units held by public unitholders.
Manner of Adjustments for Losses
If our liquidation occurs before the end of the subordination period, we will generally allocate any loss to our unitholders in the following manner:
If the liquidation occurs after the end of the subordination period, the distinction between common units and subordinated units will disappear, so that all of the first bullet point above will no longer be applicable.
We may make special allocations of loss among the partners in a manner to create economic uniformity among the common units into which the subordinated units convert and the common units held by public unitholders.
Adjustments to Capital Accounts
We will make adjustments to capital accounts upon the issuance of additional units. In doing so, we generally will allocate any unrealized and, for tax purposes, unrecognized gain resulting from the adjustments to the unitholders and the holders of our incentive distribution rights in the same manner as we allocate gain upon liquidation. By contrast to the allocations of gain, and except as provided above, we generally will allocate any unrealized and unrecognized loss resulting from the adjustments to capital accounts upon the issuance of additional units to the unitholders based on their percentage ownership of us. In this manner, prior to the end of the subordination period, we generally will allocate any such loss equally with respect to our common and subordinated units. In the event we make negative adjustments to the capital accounts as a result of such loss, future positive adjustments resulting from the issuance of additional units will be allocated in a manner designed to reverse the prior negative adjustments, and special allocations will be made upon liquidation in a manner that results, to the extent possible, in our unitholders' capital account balances equaling the amounts they would have been if no earlier adjustments for loss had been made.
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CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND FIDUCIARY DUTIES
Conflicts of interest exist and may arise in the future as a result of the relationships between our general partner and its affiliates, including SUSS, on the one hand, and us and our public unitholders, on the other hand. Conflicts may arise as a result of the duties of our general partner to act for the benefit of its owners, which may conflict with our interests and the interests of our public unitholders. The directors and officers of our general partner, who are responsible for managing our business, have fiduciary duties to manage our general partner in a manner beneficial to its owners. At the same time, our general partner has a duty under our partnership agreement to manage us in good faith.
Whenever a conflict arises between our general partner, on the one hand, and us or any other public unitholder, on the other, our general partner will resolve that conflict. Our partnership agreement contains provisions that replace default fiduciary duties under applicable law with contractual corporate governance standards as set forth therein. Our partnership agreement also restricts the remedies available to unitholders for actions taken that, without such replacement, might constitute breaches of fiduciary duty.
Our general partner will not be in breach of its obligations under our partnership agreement or its duties to us or our unitholders if the resolution or course of action taken with respect to a conflict is:
Our general partner may, but is not required to, seek the approval of such resolution from the conflicts committee of its board of directors or from the common unitholders. Because our partnership agreement only requires that the conflicts committee have at least one member, during any time that the committee only has one member, that single member of the conflicts committee will be able to approve resolutions of conflicts of interest. It is possible that a single-member committee may not function as effectively as a multiple-member committee and, if we pursue a transaction with an affiliate while the conflicts committee has only one member, our limited partners will be deemed to have approved that transaction through the approval of that single-member committee, in the same manner as would have occurred had the committee consisted of more directors.
If our general partner does not seek approval from the conflicts committee or from a majority of the common units, as described above, and the board of directors of our general partner approves the resolution or course of action taken with respect to the conflict of interest, then it will be presumed that, in making its decision, the board of directors of our general partner acted in good faith, and in any proceeding brought by or on behalf of any limited partner or the partnership, the person bringing or prosecuting such proceeding will have the burden of overcoming such presumption. Unless the resolution of a conflict is specifically provided for in our partnership agreement, the board of directors of our general partner or the conflicts committee of the board of directors of our general partner may consider any factors they determine in good faith to consider when resolving a conflict. An independent third party is not required to evaluate the resolution. Under our partnership agreement, a determination, other action or failure to act by our general partner, the board of directors of our general partner or any committee thereof (including the conflicts committee) will be deemed to be "in good faith" unless our general partner, the board of directors of our general partner or any committee thereof (including the conflicts committee) believed such determination, other action or failure to act was adverse to the interests of the partnership. For the avoidance of doubt, any potential conflict of interest that exists or arises between our general partner or its affiliates, on the one hand, and the partnership or any other person who is bound by the partnership agreement on the other hand, may be resolved by the conflicts committee or a vote of the common unitholders as described above or as directed by the board of directors of our general partner, provided that the board of directors of the general partner makes, takes or declines to take any action to resolve the conflict in accordance with the standard of care set forth in the partnership agreement.
Conflicts of interest could arise in the situations described below, among others.
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Our general partner's affiliates may compete with us.
Our partnership agreement provides that our general partner will be restricted from engaging in any business activities other than acting as our general partner, acting as the general partner or managing member of its affiliates, those activities incidental to its ownership of interests in us and its affiliates, acquiring, owning or disposing of debt securities or equity interests in us or its affiliates and the provision of management, advisory and administrative services to its affiliates or to other persons. Certain members of our executive management team on whom we rely to manage important aspects of our business may, from time to time, face conflicts regarding the allocation of their time. In addition, except as provided in our partnership agreement and in the omnibus agreement, affiliates of our general partner, including SUSS, are not prohibited from engaging in other businesses or activities, including those that might be in direct competition with us. Further, after the expiration of the ten-year terms in the omnibus agreement, SUSS will no longer be obligated to provide us with a right to supply fuel at newly constructedStripes® stores or consignment locations or with a right to participate with SUSS in acquisition opportunities.
Affiliates of our general partner, including SUSS, are not required to share business opportunities with us.
Our partnership agreement provides that affiliates of our general partner, including SUSS, are permitted to engage in separate businesses which directly compete with us and are not required to share or communicate or offer any potential business opportunities to us even if the opportunity is one that we might reasonably have pursued. The partnership agreement provides that affiliates of our general partner, including SUSS, will not be liable to us or any unitholder for breach of any duty or obligation by reason of the fact that such person or entity pursued or acquired for itself any business opportunity.
Our general partner is allowed to take into account the interests of parties other than us (such as SUSS) in exercising certain rights under our partnership agreement.
Our partnership agreement contains provisions that reduce the default standards to which our general partner would otherwise be held by state fiduciary duty law. For example, our partnership agreement permits our general partner to make a number of decisions in its individual capacity, as opposed to in its capacity as our general partner. This entitles our general partner to consider only the interests and factors that it desires, and it has no duty or obligation to give any consideration to any interest of, or factors affecting, us, our affiliates or any limited partner. Examples include the exercise of its call right, its voting rights with respect to the units it owns, its registration rights and the determination of whether to consent to any merger or consolidation of the partnership or amendment of the partnership agreement.
Our general partner has limited its liability in the partnership agreement and replaced default fiduciary duties with contractual corporate governance standards set forth therein, thereby restricting the remedies available to our unitholders for actions that, without such replacement, might constitute breaches of fiduciary duty.
In addition to the provisions described above, our partnership agreement contains provisions that restrict the remedies available to our unitholders for actions that might otherwise constitute breaches of fiduciary duty. For example, our partnership agreement:
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By purchasing a common unit, a common unitholder will agree to become bound by the provisions in our partnership agreement, including the provisions discussed above. Please read "—Fiduciary Duties."
Except in limited circumstances, our general partner has the power and authority to conduct our business without unitholder approval.
Under our partnership agreement, our general partner has full power and authority to do all things, other than those items that require unitholder approval or with respect to which our general partner has sought conflicts committee approval, on such terms as it determines to be necessary or appropriate to conduct our business including, but not limited to, the following:
Our partnership agreement provides that our general partner must act in "good faith" when making decisions on our behalf, and our partnership agreement further provides that in order for a determination to be made in "good faith," our general partner must believe that the determination is in our best interests. Please read "The Partnership Agreement—Voting Rights" for information regarding matters that require unitholder approval.
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Our general partner determines the amount and timing of asset purchases and sales, capital expenditures, borrowings, issuances of additional partnership securities and the creation, reduction or increase of reserves, each of which can affect the amount of cash that is distributed to our unitholders.
The amount of cash that is available for distribution to our unitholders is affected by decisions of our general partner regarding such matters as:
Our general partner determines the amount and timing of any capital expenditures and whether a capital expenditure is classified as a maintenance capital expenditure, which reduces operating surplus, or an expansion capital expenditure, which does not reduce operating surplus. Please read "Provisions of Our Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions—Capital Expenditures" for a discussion on when a capital expenditure constitutes a maintenance capital expenditure or an expansion capital expenditure. This determination can affect the amount of cash that is distributed to our unitholders and to our general partner and the ability of the subordinated units to convert. Please read "Provisions of Our Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions—Subordinated Units."
In addition, our general partner may use an amount, initially equal to $25 million, which would not otherwise constitute available cash from operating surplus, in order to permit the payment of cash distributions on its units and SUSS' incentive distribution rights. All of these actions may affect the amount of cash distributed to our unitholders and our general partner and may facilitate the conversion of subordinated units into common units. Please read "Provisions of Our Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions."
In addition, borrowings by us and our affiliates do not constitute a breach of any duty owed by our general partner to our unitholders, including borrowings that have the purpose or effect of:
For example, in the event we have not generated sufficient cash from our operations to pay the minimum quarterly distribution on our common and subordinated units, our partnership agreement permits us to borrow funds, which would enable us to make this distribution on all of our outstanding units. Please read "Provisions of Our Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions—Subordinated Units."
Our partnership agreement provides that we and our subsidiaries may borrow funds from our general partner and its affiliates. Our general partner and its affiliates may borrow funds from us, or our operating company and its operating subsidiaries.
Our general partner and its affiliates are not required to own any of our common units. If our general partner's affiliates were to sell all or substantially all of their common units, this would heighten the risk that our general partner would act in ways that are more beneficial to itself than our common unitholders.
Affiliates of our general partner currently own a majority of our outstanding units, but there is no requirement that they continue to do so. SUSS and its affiliates are permitted to sell all of their common units, subject to certain limitations contained in our partnership agreement. If SUSS does not own any of our common units, this would heighten the risk that our general partner would act in ways that are more beneficial to SUSS than our common unitholders.
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Our general partner determines which of the costs it incurs on our behalf are reimbursable by us.
We will reimburse our general partner and its affiliates for the costs incurred in managing and operating us, including costs incurred in rendering corporate staff and support services to us pursuant to an omnibus agreement with SUSS. Neither our partnership agreement nor the omnibus agreement will limit the amount of expenses for which our general partner and its affiliates may be reimbursed. Our partnership agreement provides that our general partner will determine in good faith such other expenses that are allocable to us. The fully allocated basis charged by our general partner does not include a profit component.
Our partnership agreement does not restrict our general partner from causing us to pay it or its affiliates for any services rendered to us or from entering into additional contractual arrangements with any of these entities on our behalf.
Our partnership agreement allows our general partner to determine, in good faith, any amounts to pay itself or its affiliates for any services rendered to us. Our general partner may also enter into additional contractual arrangements with any of its affiliates on our behalf. Neither our partnership agreement nor any of the other agreements, contracts or arrangements between us, on the one hand, and our general partner and its affiliates, on the other hand, are the result of arm's-length negotiations. Similarly, agreements, contracts or arrangements between us and our general partner and its affiliates that are entered into in the future may not be negotiated on an arm's-length basis, although, in some circumstances, our general partner may determine that the conflicts committee of our general partner may make a determination on our behalf with respect to such arrangements.
Our general partner will determine, in good faith, the terms of any such transactions.
Our general partner and its affiliates will have no obligation to permit us to use any of its or its affiliates' facilities or assets, except as may be provided in contracts entered into specifically for such use. There is no obligation of our general partner or its affiliates to enter into any contracts of this kind.
Our general partner intends to limit its liability regarding our obligations.
Except in the case of our credit facilities, our general partner intends to limit its liability under contractual arrangements so that counterparties to such arrangements have recourse only against our assets, and not against our general partner or its assets. Our partnership agreement provides that any action taken by our general partner to limit its liability is not a breach of our general partner's fiduciary duties, even if we could have obtained more favorable terms without the limitation on liability.
Common units are subject to our general partner's call right.
If at any time our general partner and its affiliates own more than 80% of the common units, our general partner will have the right, which it may assign to any of its affiliates or to us, but not the obligation, to acquire all, but not less than all, of the common units held by public unitholders at a price not less than their then-current market price, as calculated pursuant to the terms of our partnership agreement. As a result, you may be required to sell your common units at an undesirable time or price and may not receive any return on your investment. You may also incur a tax liability upon a sale of your common units. Our general partner is not obligated to obtain a fairness opinion regarding the value of the common units to be repurchased by it upon exercise of the call right. There is no restriction in our partnership agreement that prevents our manager from issuing additional common units and exercising its call right. Our general partner may use its own discretion, free of fiduciary duty restrictions, in determining whether to exercise this right. See "The Partnership Agreement—Limited Call Right."
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Common unitholders will have no right to enforce obligations of our general partner and its affiliates under agreements with us.
Any agreements between us, on the one hand, and our general partner and its affiliates, on the other, will not grant to the unitholders, separate and apart from us, the right to enforce the obligations of our general partner and its affiliates in our favor.
Our general partner decides whether to retain separate counsel, accountants or others to perform services for us.
The attorneys, independent accountants and others who have performed services for us regarding this offering have been retained by our general partner. Attorneys, independent accountants and others who perform services for us are selected by our general partner or the conflicts committee and may perform services for our general partner and its affiliates. We may retain separate counsel for ourselves or the common unitholders in the event of a conflict of interest between our general partner and its affiliates, on the one hand, and us or the common unitholders, on the other, depending on the nature of the conflict. We do not intend to do so in most cases.
SUSS may elect to cause us to issue common units to it in connection with a resetting of the target distribution levels related to SUSS' incentive distribution rights without the approval of the conflicts committee of the board of directors of our general partner or our unitholders. This election may result in lower distributions to our common unitholders in certain situations.
SUSS has the right, at any time when there are no subordinated units outstanding and it has received incentive distributions at the highest level to which it is entitled (50.0%) for the prior four consecutive fiscal quarters, to reset the initial target distribution levels at higher levels based on our cash distribution at the time of the exercise of the reset election. Following a reset election by SUSS, the minimum quarterly distribution will be reset to an amount equal to the average cash distribution per common unit for the two fiscal quarters immediately preceding the reset election (such amount is referred to as the "reset minimum quarterly distribution"), and the target distribution levels will be reset to correspondingly higher levels based on percentage increases above the reset minimum quarterly distribution.
We anticipate that SUSS would exercise this reset right in order to facilitate acquisitions or internal growth projects that would not be sufficiently accretive to cash distributions per common unit without such conversion; however, it is possible that SUSS could exercise this reset election at a time when we are experiencing declines in our aggregate cash distributions or at a time when SUSS expects that we will experience declines in our aggregate cash distributions in the foreseeable future. In such situations, SUSS may be experiencing, or may expect to experience, declines in the cash distributions it receives related to its incentive distribution rights and may therefore desire to be issued our common units, which are entitled to specified priorities with respect to our distributions and which therefore may be more advantageous for SUSS to own in lieu of the right to receive incentive distribution payments based on target distribution levels that are less certain to be achieved in the then current business environment. As a result, a reset election may cause our common unitholders to experience dilution in the amount of cash distributions that they would have otherwise received had we not issued new common units to SUSS in connection with resetting the target distribution levels related to SUSS' incentive distribution rights. Please read "Provisions of Our Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions—Incentive Distribution Rights."
Fiduciary Duties
Our general partner is accountable to us and our unitholders as a fiduciary. Fiduciary duties owed to unitholders by our general partner are prescribed by law and our partnership agreement. The Delaware Act provides that Delaware limited partnerships may, in their partnership agreements, modify, restrict or expand the fiduciary duties otherwise owed by a general partner to limited partners and the partnership.
Our partnership agreement contains various provisions modifying and restricting the fiduciary duties that might otherwise be owed by our general partner. We have adopted these restrictions to allow our general partner or its affiliates to engage in transactions with us that would otherwise be prohibited by state-law fiduciary duty standards and to take into account the interests of other parties in addition to our interests when resolving conflicts of interest. We believe this is appropriate and necessary because our general partner's board of directors will have fiduciary duties to manage our general partner in a manner that is beneficial to its owners, as well as to our unitholders.
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Without these modifications, our general partner's ability to make decisions involving conflicts of interest would be restricted. The modifications to the fiduciary standards enable our general partner to take into consideration all parties involved in the proposed action. These modifications also enable our general partner to attract and retain experienced and capable directors. However, these modifications disadvantage our public common unitholders because they restrict the remedies available to unitholders for actions that, without those limitations, might constitute breaches of fiduciary duty, as described below, and permit our general partner to take into account the interests of third parties in addition to our interests when resolving conflicts of interest. The following is a summary of the material restrictions of:
State law fiduciary duty standards | Fiduciary duties are generally considered to include an obligation to act in good faith and with due care and loyalty. The duty of care, in the absence of a provision in a partnership agreement providing otherwise, would generally require a general partner to act for the partnership in the same manner as a prudent person would act on his own behalf. The duty of loyalty, in the absence of a provision in a partnership agreement providing otherwise, would generally require that any action taken or transaction engaged in be entirely fair to the partnership. | |
Partnership agreement modified standards | Our partnership agreement contains provisions that waive or consent to conduct by our general partner and its affiliates that might otherwise raise issues about compliance with fiduciary duties or applicable law. For example, our partnership agreement provides that when our general partner is acting in its capacity as our general partner, as opposed to in its individual capacity, it must act in "good faith" and will not be subject to any other standard under applicable law. In addition, when our general partner is acting in its individual capacity, as opposed to in its capacity as our general partner, it may act without any fiduciary obligation to us or the unitholders whatsoever. These standards reduce the obligations to which our general partner would otherwise be held. | |
If our general partner does not obtain approval from the conflicts committee or our common unitholders, excluding common units owned by our general partner or its affiliates, and the board of directors of our general partner approves the resolution or course of action taken with respect to the conflict of interest, then it will be presumed that, in making its decision, the board of directors, which may include board members affected by the conflict of interest, acted in good faith, and in any proceeding brought by or on behalf of any limited partner or the partnership, the person bringing or prosecuting such proceeding will have the burden of overcoming such presumption. These standards reduce the obligations to which our general partner would otherwise be held. |
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Rights and remedies of unitholders | The Delaware Act generally provides that a limited partner may institute legal action on behalf of the partnership to recover damages from a third party where a general partner has refused to institute the action or where an effort to cause a general partner to do so is not likely to succeed. These actions include actions against a general partner for breach of its fiduciary duties or of our partnership agreement. In addition, the statutory or case law of some jurisdictions may permit a limited partner to institute legal action on behalf of himself and all other similarly situated limited partners to recover damages from a general partner for violations of its fiduciary duties to the limited partners. | |
The Delaware Act provides that, unless otherwise provided in a partnership agreement, a partner or other person shall not be liable to a limited partnership or to another partner or to another person that is a party to or is otherwise bound by a partnership agreement for breach of fiduciary duty for the partner's or other person's good faith reliance on the provisions of the partnership agreement. Under our partnership agreement, to the extent that, at law or in equity an indemnitee has duties (including fiduciary duties) and liabilities relating thereto to us or to our partners, our general partner and any other indemnitee acting in connection with our business or affairs shall not be liable to us or to any partner for its good faith reliance on the provisions of our partnership agreement. | ||
Partnership agreement modified standard | In addition to the other more specific provisions limiting the obligations of our general partner, our partnership agreement further provides that our general partner and its officers and directors will not be liable for monetary damages to us or our limited partners for errors of judgment or for any acts or omissions unless there has been a final and non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that our general partner or its officers and directors acted in bad faith or, in the case of a criminal matter, acted with knowledge that such person's conduct was unlawful. |
By purchasing our common units, each common unitholder automatically agrees to be bound by the provisions in our partnership agreement, including the provisions discussed above. This is in accordance with the policy of the Delaware Act favoring the principle of freedom of contract and the enforceability of partnership agreements. The failure of a limited partner to sign a partnership agreement does not render the partnership agreement unenforceable against that person.
Under our partnership agreement, we must indemnify our general partner and its officers, directors, managers and certain other specified persons, to the fullest extent permitted by law, against liabilities, costs and expenses incurred by our general partner or these other persons. We must provide this indemnification unless there has been a final and non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that these persons acted in bad faith. We must also provide this indemnification for criminal proceedings unless our general partner or these other persons acted with knowledge that their conduct was unlawful. Thus, our general partner or these other persons could be indemnified for their negligent or grossly negligent acts if they meet the requirements set forth above. To the extent these provisions purport to include indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is contrary to public policy and, therefore, unenforceable. Please read "The Partnership Agreement—Indemnification."
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The following is a summary of the material provisions of our partnership agreement. We will provide prospective investors with a copy of our partnership agreement upon request at no charge.
We summarize the following provisions of our partnership agreement elsewhere in this prospectus:
Organization and Duration
Our partnership was organized in June 2012 and will have a perpetual existence unless terminated pursuant to the terms of our partnership agreement.
Purpose
Our purpose, as set forth in our partnership agreement, is limited to any business activity that is approved by our general partner and that lawfully may be conducted by a limited partnership organized under Delaware law.
Although our general partner has the ability to cause us and our subsidiaries to engage in activities other than the business of the wholesale distribution of motor fuels and other petroleum products and the owning and leasing of real estate used as sites for convenience stores, our general partner has no plans to do so and may decline to do so free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to us or our limited partners, including any duty to act in good faith or in the best interests of us or our limited partners. Our general partner is generally authorized to perform all acts it determines to be necessary or appropriate to carry out our purposes and to conduct our business.
Cash Distributions
Our partnership agreement specifies the manner in which we make cash distributions to holders of our common units and other partnership securities as well as to SUSS in respect of incentive distribution rights. For a description of these cash distribution provisions, please read "Provisions of Our Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions."
Capital Contributions
Unitholders are not obligated to make additional capital contributions, except as described below under "—Limited Liability."
Voting Rights
The following is a summary of the unitholder vote required for approval of the matters specified below. Matters that require the approval of a "unit majority" require:
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By virtue of the exclusion of the common units held by our general partner and its affiliates from the required vote, and their ownership of all of our subordinated units, during the subordination period our general partner and its affiliates do not have the ability to ensure the approval of, but do have the ability to ensure the defeat of, any matter that requires the approval of a unit majority.
In voting their common and subordinated units, SUSS and its affiliates have no fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to us or our limited partners, including any duty to act in good faith or in the best interests of us or our limited partners.
The incentive distribution rights may be entitled to vote in certain circumstances.
Issuance of additional units | No approval right. Please read "—Issuance of Additional Partnership Interests." | |
Amendment of the partnership agreement | Certain amendments may be made by our general partner without the approval of our unitholders. Other amendments generally require the approval of a unit majority. Please read "—Amendment of the Partnership Agreement." | |
Merger of our partnership or the sale of all or substantially all of our assets | Unit majority in certain circumstances. Please read "—Merger, Consolidation, Conversion, Sale or Other Disposition of Assets." | |
Dissolution of our partnership | Unit majority in certain circumstances. Please read "—Dissolution." | |
Continuation of our business upon dissolution | Unit majority. Please read "—Dissolution." | |
Withdrawal of our general partner | Under most circumstances, the approval of the holders of a majority of the common units, excluding common units held by our general partner and its affiliates, is required for the withdrawal of our general partner prior to September 30, 2022, in a manner that would cause a dissolution of our partnership. Please read "—Withdrawal or Removal of Our General Partner." | |
Removal of our general partner | Not less than 662/3% of the outstanding units, voting as a single class, including units held by our general partner and its affiliates. Please read "—Withdrawal or Removal of Our General Partner." | |
Transfer of our general partner interest | No approval right. Please read "—Transfer of General Partner Interest." | |
Transfer of incentive distribution rights | No approval right. Please read "—Transfer of Subordinated Units and Incentive Distribution Rights." | |
Transfer of ownership interests in our general partner | No approval right. Please read "—Transfer of Ownership Interests in the General Partner." |
If any person or group other than our general partner and its affiliates acquires beneficial ownership of 20% or more of any class of units then outstanding, that person or group loses voting rights on all of its units. This loss of voting rights does not apply to any person or group that acquires the units from our general partner or its affiliates and any transferees of that person or group approved by our general partner or to any person or group who acquires the units with the specific approval of our general partner.
Applicable Law; Forum, Venue and Jurisdiction
Our partnership agreement is governed by Delaware law. Our partnership agreement requires that any claims, suits, actions or proceedings:
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shall be exclusively brought in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if such court does not have subject matter jurisdiction thereof, any other court located in the State of Delaware with subject matter jurisdiction). By purchasing a common unit, a limited partner is irrevocably consenting to these limitations and provisions regarding claims, suits, actions or proceedings and submitting to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware in connection with any such claims, suits, actions or proceedings.
Limited Liability
Assuming that a limited partner does not participate in the control of our business within the meaning of the Delaware Act and that he otherwise acts in conformity with the provisions of the partnership agreement, his liability under the Delaware Act will be limited, subject to possible exceptions, to the amount of capital he is obligated to contribute to us for his common units plus his share of any undistributed profits and assets. However, if it were determined that the right, or exercise of the right, by the limited partners as a group:
constituted "participation in the control" of our business for the purposes of the Delaware Act, then the limited partners could be held personally liable for our obligations under the laws of Delaware, to the same extent as our general partner. This liability would extend to persons who transact business with us under the reasonable belief that the limited partner is a general partner. Neither our partnership agreement nor the Delaware Act specifically provides for legal recourse against our general partner if a limited partner were to lose limited liability through any fault of our general partner. While this does not mean that a limited partner could not seek legal recourse, we know of no precedent for this type of a claim in Delaware case law.
Under the Delaware Act, a limited partnership may not make a distribution to a partner if, after the distribution, all liabilities of the limited partnership, other than liabilities to partners on account of their partnership interests and liabilities for which the recourse of creditors is limited to specific property of the partnership, would exceed the fair value of the assets of the limited partnership. For the purpose of determining the fair value of the assets of a limited partnership, the Delaware Act provides that the fair value of property subject to liability for which recourse of creditors is limited shall be included in the assets of the limited partnership only to the extent that the fair value of that property exceeds the nonrecourse liability. The Delaware Act provides that a limited partner who receives a distribution and knew at the time of the distribution that the distribution was in violation of the Delaware Act shall be liable to the limited partnership for the amount of the distribution for three years. Under the Delaware Act, a substituted limited partner of a limited partnership is liable for the obligations of its assignor to make contributions to the partnership, except that such person is not obligated for liabilities unknown to it at the time it became a limited partner and that could not be ascertained from the partnership agreement.
Our subsidiaries currently conduct business in several states and we may have subsidiaries that conduct business in other states in the future. Maintenance of our limited liability as owner of our operating subsidiaries may require compliance with legal requirements in the jurisdictions in which the operating subsidiaries conduct business, including qualifying our subsidiaries to do business there.
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Limitations on the liability of members or limited partners for the obligations of a limited liability company or limited partnership have not been clearly established in many jurisdictions. If, by virtue of our ownership interest in our subsidiaries or otherwise, it were to be determined that we were conducting business in any jurisdiction without compliance with the applicable limited partnership or limited liability company statute, or that the right, or exercise of the right, by the limited partners as a group to remove or replace our general partner, to approve some amendments to our partnership agreement, or to take other action under our partnership agreement constituted "participation in the control" of our business for purposes of the statutes of any relevant jurisdiction, then our limited partners could be held personally liable for our obligations under the law of that jurisdiction to the same extent as our general partner under the circumstances. We will operate in a manner that our general partner considers reasonable and necessary or appropriate to preserve the limited liability of our limited partners.
Issuance of Additional Partnership Interests
Our partnership agreement authorizes us to issue an unlimited number of additional partnership interests for the consideration and on the terms and conditions determined by our general partner without the approval of our unitholders.
It is possible that we will fund acquisitions through the issuance of additional common units, subordinated units or other partnership interests. Holders of any additional common units we issue will be entitled to share equally with the then-existing common unitholders in our distributions of available cash. In addition, the issuance of additional common units or other partnership interests may dilute the value of the interests of the then-existing common unitholders in our net assets.
In accordance with Delaware law and the provisions of our partnership agreement, we may also issue additional partnership interests that, as determined by our general partner, may have special voting rights to which the common units are not entitled or be senior in right of distribution to the common units. In addition, our partnership agreement does not prohibit our subsidiaries from issuing equity interests which effectively rank senior to the common units.
Our general partner has the right, which it may from time to time assign in whole or in part to any of its affiliates, to purchase common units, subordinated units or other partnership interests whenever, and on the same terms that, we issue partnership interests to persons other than our general partner and its affiliates, to the extent necessary to maintain the percentage interest of the general partner and its affiliates, including such interest represented by common and subordinated units, that existed immediately prior to each issuance. The unitholders will not have preemptive rights under our partnership agreement to acquire additional common units or other partnership interests.
Amendment of the Partnership Agreement
General
Amendments to our partnership agreement may be proposed only by our general partner. However, our general partner has no duty or obligation to propose any amendment and may decline to do so free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to us or our limited partners, including any duty to act in good faith or in the best interests of us or our limited partners. In order to adopt a proposed amendment, other than the amendments discussed under "—No Unitholder Approval" below, our general partner is required to seek written approval of the holders of the number of units required to approve the amendment or to call a meeting of the limited partners to consider and vote upon the proposed amendment. Except as described below, an amendment must be approved by a unit majority.
Prohibited Amendments
No amendment may be made that would:
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The provisions of our partnership agreement preventing the amendments having the effects described in the clauses above can be amended upon the approval of the holders of at least 90.0% of the outstanding units, voting as a single class (including units owned by our general partner and its affiliates).
No Unitholder Approval
Our general partner may generally make amendments to our partnership agreement without the approval of any limited partner to reflect:
In addition, our general partner may make amendments to our partnership agreement, without the approval of any limited partner, if our general partner determines that those amendments:
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Opinion of Counsel and Unitholder Approval
Any amendment that would have a material adverse effect on the rights or preferences of any type or class of outstanding units in relation to other classes of units will require the approval of at least a majority of the type or class of units so affected. Any amendment that would reduce or increase the voting percentage required to take any action other than to remove the general partner or call a meeting of unitholders is required to be approved by the affirmative vote of limited partners whose aggregate outstanding units constitute not less than the voting requirement sought to be reduced or increased.
For amendments of the type not requiring unitholder approval, our general partner will not be required to obtain an opinion of counsel that an amendment will neither result in a loss of limited liability to the limited partners nor result in our being treated as a taxable entity for federal income tax purposes in connection with any of the amendments. No other amendments to our partnership agreement will become effective without the approval of holders of at least 90% of the outstanding units, voting as a single class, unless we first obtain an opinion of counsel to the effect that the amendment will not affect the limited liability under applicable law of any of our limited partners.
Merger, Consolidation, Conversion, Sale or Other Disposition of Assets
A merger or consolidation of us requires the prior consent of our general partner. However, our general partner has no duty or obligation to consent to any merger or consolidation and may decline to do so free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to us or our limited partners, including any duty to act in good faith or in the best interest of us or our limited partners. Our general partner may, however, consummate any merger without the prior approval of our unitholders if we are the surviving entity in the transaction, our general partner has received an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters, the transaction would not result in an amendment to the partnership agreement (other than an amendment that the general partner could adopt without the consent of other partners), each of our partnership interests will be an identical partnership interest following the transaction and the partnership interests to be issued do not exceed 20% of our outstanding partnership interests (other than incentive distribution rights) immediately prior to the transaction.
In addition, our partnership agreement generally prohibits our general partner, without the prior approval of the holders of a unit majority, from causing us to sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets in a single transaction or a series of related transactions, including by way of merger, consolidation or other combination. Our general partner may, however, mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or grant a security interest in all or substantially all of our assets without such approval. Our general partner may also sell all or substantially all of our assets under a foreclosure or other realization upon those encumbrances without such approval. If the conditions specified in our partnership agreement are satisfied, our general partner may also convert us or any of our subsidiaries into a new limited liability entity or merge us or any of our subsidiaries into, or convey all of our assets to, a newly formed limited liability entity that has no assets, liabilities or operations, if the sole purpose of that conversion, merger or conveyance is to effect a mere change in our legal form into another limited liability entity, our general partner has received an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters and the governing instruments of the new entity provide the limited partners and our general partner with substantially the same rights and obligations as those contained in our partnership agreement. Our unitholders are not entitled to dissenters' rights of appraisal under our partnership agreement or applicable Delaware law in the event of a conversion, merger or consolidation, a sale of substantially all of our assets or any other similar transaction or event.
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Dissolution
We will continue as a limited partnership until dissolved under our partnership agreement. We will dissolve upon:
Upon a dissolution under the last clause above, the holders of a unit majority may elect, within specific time limitations, to continue our business on the same terms and conditions described in our partnership agreement by appointing as a successor general partner an entity approved by the holders of a unit majority, subject to our receipt of an opinion of counsel to the effect that:
Liquidation and Distribution of Proceeds
Upon our dissolution, unless our business is continued, the liquidator authorized to wind up our affairs will, acting with all of the powers of our general partner that are necessary or appropriate, liquidate our assets and apply the proceeds of the liquidation as described in "Provisions of Our Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions—Distributions of Cash Upon Liquidation." The liquidator may defer liquidation or distribution of our assets for a reasonable period of time or distribute assets to partners in kind if it determines that a sale would be impractical or would cause undue loss to our partners.
Withdrawal or Removal of Our General Partner
Except as described below, our general partner has agreed not to withdraw voluntarily as our general partner on or prior to September 30, 2022 without obtaining the approval of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding common units, excluding common units held by our general partner and its affiliates, and furnishing an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters. After September 30, 2022, our general partner may withdraw as general partner without first obtaining approval of any unitholder by giving 90 days' advance notice, and that withdrawal will not constitute a violation of our partnership agreement. Notwithstanding the information above, our general partner may withdraw without unitholder approval upon 90 days' advance notice to the limited partners if at least 50% of the outstanding units are held or controlled by one person and its affiliates, other than our general partner and its affiliates. In addition, our partnership agreement permits our general partner, in some instances, to sell or otherwise transfer all of its 0.0% non-economic general partner interest in us without the approval of the unitholders. Please read "—Transfer of General Partner Interest."
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Upon withdrawal of our general partner under any circumstances, other than as a result of a transfer by our general partner of all or a part of its 0.0% non-economic general partner interest in us, the holders of a unit majority may elect a successor to that withdrawing general partner. If a successor is not elected, or is elected but an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters cannot be obtained, we will be dissolved, wound up and liquidated, unless within a specified period after that withdrawal, the holders of a unit majority agree in writing to continue our business and to appoint a successor general partner. Please read "—Dissolution."
Our general partner may not be removed unless that removal is approved by the vote of the holders of not less than 662/3% of the outstanding units, voting together as a single class, including units held by our general partner and its affiliates, and we receive an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters. Any removal of our general partner is also subject to the approval of a successor general partner by the vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding common units, voting as a separate class, and the outstanding subordinated units, voting as a separate class including, in each case, units held by our general partner and its affiliates. The ownership of more than 331/3% of the outstanding units by our general partner and its affiliates gives them the ability to prevent our general partner's removal.
Our partnership agreement also provides that if our general partner is removed as our general partner under circumstances where cause does not exist:
In the event of the removal of our general partner under circumstances where cause exists or withdrawal of our general partner where that withdrawal violates our partnership agreement, a successor general partner will have the option to purchase the general partner interest of the departing general partner and the incentive distribution rights of its affiliates for a cash payment equal to the fair market value of those interests. Under all other circumstances where our general partner withdraws or is removed by the limited partners, the departing general partner will have the option to require the successor general partner to purchase the general partner interest of the departing general partner and the incentive distribution rights of its affiliates for fair market value. In each case, this fair market value will be determined by agreement between the departing general partner and the successor general partner. If no agreement is reached within 30 days after the effective date of the departing general partner's withdrawal or removal, an independent investment banking firm or other independent expert selected by the departing general partner and the successor general partner will determine the fair market value. If the departing general partner and the successor general partner cannot agree upon an expert within 45 days after the withdrawal or removal, then an expert chosen by agreement of the experts selected by each of them will determine the fair market value.
If the option described above is not exercised by either the departing general partner or the successor general partner, the departing general partner's general partner interest and all of its affiliates' incentive distribution rights will automatically convert into common units with a value equal to the fair market value of those interests as determined by an investment banking firm or other independent expert selected in the manner described in the preceding paragraph.
In addition, we will be required to reimburse the departing general partner for all amounts due the departing general partner, including, without limitation, all employee-related liabilities, including severance liabilities, incurred as a result of the termination of any employees employed for our benefit by the departing general partner or its affiliates.
Transfer of General Partner Interest
Our general partner may at its option transfer all or any part of its general partner interest without approval from the unitholders, so long as:
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In the case of a transfer of the general partner interest, the transferee or successor will be subject to compliance with the terms of our partnership agreement and will be admitted as the general partner effective immediately prior to the transfer of the general partner interest.
Our general partner and its affiliates may, at any time, transfer common units, subordinated units or incentive distribution rights to one or more persons, without unitholder approval, except that they may not transfer subordinated units to us.
Transfer of Ownership Interests in the General Partner
At any time, the owner of our general partner may sell or transfer all or part of its ownership interests in our general partner to an affiliate or a third party without the approval of our unitholders.
Transfer of Subordinated Units and Incentive Distribution Rights
At any time, our general partner and its affiliates may sell or transfer all or a portion of their subordinated units or incentive distribution rights to an affiliate or third party without the approval of our unitholders.
By transfer of subordinated units or incentive distribution rights in accordance with our partnership agreement, each transferee of subordinated units or incentive distribution rights will be admitted as a limited partner with respect to the subordinated units or incentive distribution rights transferred when such transfer and admission is reflected in our books and records. Each transferee:
Our general partner will cause any transfers to be recorded on our books and records.
We may, at our discretion, treat the nominee holder of subordinated units or incentive distribution rights as the absolute owner. In that case, the beneficial holder's rights are limited solely to those that it has against the nominee holder as a result of any agreement between the beneficial owner and the nominee holder.
Subordinated units or incentive distribution rights are securities and any transfers are subject to the laws governing transfer of securities. In addition to other rights acquired upon transfer, the transferor gives the transferee the right to become a limited partner for the transferred subordinated units or incentive distribution rights.
Until a subordinated unit or incentive distribution right has been transferred on our books, we and the transfer agent may treat the record holder of the unit or right as the absolute owner for all purposes, except as otherwise required by law or stock exchange regulations.
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Change of Management Provisions
Our partnership agreement contains specific provisions that are intended to discourage a person or group from attempting to remove Susser Petroleum Partners GP LLC as our general partner or from otherwise changing our management. Please read "—Withdrawal or Removal of Our General Partner" for a discussion of certain consequences of the removal of our general partner. If any person or group, other than our general partner and its affiliates, acquires beneficial ownership of 20% or more of any class of partnership interests, that person or group loses voting rights on all of such person's or group's partnership interests. This loss of voting rights does not apply in certain circumstances. Please read "—Meetings; Voting."
Limited Call Right
If at any time our general partner and its affiliates own more than 80% of the then-issued and outstanding limited partner interests of any class, our general partner will have the right, which it may assign in whole or in part to any of its affiliates or to us, to acquire all, but not less than all, of the limited partner interests of such class held by unaffiliated persons, as of a record date to be selected by our general partner, on at least 10, but not more than 60 days' notice. The purchase price in the event of this purchase is the greater of:
As a result of our general partner's right to purchase outstanding limited partner interests, a holder of limited partner interests may have his limited partner interests purchased at an undesirable time or price. The tax consequences to a unitholder of the exercise of this call right are the same as a sale by that unitholder of his common units in the market. Please read "Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences—Disposition of Units."
Non-Taxpaying Holders; Redemption
To avoid any adverse effect on the maximum applicable rates chargeable to customers by us or any of our future subsidiaries, or in order to reverse an adverse determination that has occurred regarding such maximum rate, our partnership agreement provides our general partner the power to amend the agreement. If our general partner, with the advice of counsel, determines that our not being treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxable as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes, coupled with the tax status (or lack of proof thereof) of one or more of our limited partners, has, or is reasonably likely to have, a material adverse effect on the maximum applicable rates chargeable to customers by our subsidiaries, then our general partner may adopt such amendments to our partnership agreement as it determines necessary or advisable to:
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Non-Citizen Assignees; Redemption
If our general partner, with the advice of counsel, determines we are subject to U.S. federal, state or local laws or regulations that, in the reasonable determination of our general partner, create a substantial risk of cancellation or forfeiture of any property that we have an interest in because of the nationality, citizenship or other related status of any limited partner, then our general partner may adopt such amendments to our partnership agreement as it determines necessary or advisable to:
Meetings; Voting
Except as described below regarding certain persons or groups owning 20% or more of any class of partnership interests then outstanding, record holders of limited partner interests on the record date are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, meetings of our limited partners and to act upon matters for which approvals may be solicited.
Our general partner does not anticipate that any meeting of our unitholders will be called in the foreseeable future. Any action that is required or permitted to be taken by the unitholders may be taken either at a meeting of the unitholders or without a meeting if consents in writing describing the action so taken are signed by holders of the number of units necessary to authorize or take that action at a meeting. Meetings of the unitholders may be called by our general partner or by unitholders owning at least 20% of the outstanding units of the class for which a meeting is proposed. Unitholders may vote either in person or by proxy at meetings. The holders of a majority of the outstanding units of the class or classes for which a meeting has been called, represented in person or by proxy, will constitute a quorum, unless any action by the unitholders requires approval by holders of a greater percentage of the units, in which case the quorum will be the greater percentage.
Each record holder of a unit has a vote according to his percentage interest in us, although additional limited partner interests having special voting rights could be issued. Please read "—Issuance of Additional Interests." However, if at any time any person or group, other than our general partner and its affiliates, a direct transferee of our general partner or its affiliates or a purchaser specifically approved by our general partner, acquires, in the aggregate, beneficial ownership of 20% or more of any class of partnership interests then outstanding, that person or group will lose voting rights on all of its partnership interests and the partnership interests may not be voted on any matter and will not be considered to be outstanding when sending notices of a meeting of unitholders, calculating required votes, determining the presence of a quorum or for other similar purposes. Common units held in nominee or street name account will be voted by the broker or other nominee in accordance with the instruction of the beneficial owner unless the arrangement between the beneficial owner and his nominee provides otherwise. Except as our partnership agreement otherwise provides, subordinated units will vote together with common units, as a single class.
Any notice, demand, request, report or proxy material required or permitted to be given or made to record holders of common units under our partnership agreement will be delivered to the record holder by us or by the transfer agent.
Voting Rights of Incentive Distribution Rights
If a majority of the incentive distribution rights are held by the general partner and its affiliates, the holders of the incentive distribution rights will have no right to vote in respect of such rights on any matter, unless otherwise required by law, and the holders of the incentive distribution rights, in their capacity as such, shall be deemed to have approved any matter approved by our general partner.
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If less than a majority of the incentive distribution rights are held by the general partner and its affiliates, the incentive distribution rights will be entitled to vote on all matters submitted to a vote of unitholders, other than amendments and other matters that our general partner determines do not adversely affect the holders of the incentive distribution rights in any material respect. On any matter in which the holders of incentive distribution rights are entitled to vote, such holders will vote together with the subordinated units, prior to the end of the subordination period, or together with the common units, thereafter, in either case as a single class (except in the case of any amendment to the partnership agreement that would have a material adverse effect on the rights of any class and require the separate approval of the class affected under the provisions of the partnership agreement), and such incentive distribution rights shall be treated in all respects as subordinated units or common units, as applicable, when sending notices of a meeting of our limited partners to vote on any matter (unless otherwise required by law), calculating required votes, determining the presence of a quorum or for other similar purposes under our partnership agreement. The relative voting power of the holders of the incentive distribution rights and the subordinated units or common units, depending on which class the holders of incentive distribution rights are voting with, will be set in the same proportion that the cumulative cash distributions, if any, in respect of the incentive distribution rights for the four consecutive quarters prior to the record date for the vote bear to the cumulative cash distributions in respect of such class of units for such four quarters.
Status as Limited Partner
By transfer of common units in accordance with our partnership agreement, each transferee of common units shall be admitted as a limited partner with respect to the common units transferred when such transfer and admission are reflected in our books and records. Except as described under "—Limited Liability," the common units will be fully paid, and unitholders will not be required to make additional contributions.
Indemnification
Under our partnership agreement, in most circumstances, we will indemnify the following persons, to the fullest extent permitted by law, from and against all losses, claims, damages or similar liabilities:
Any indemnification under these provisions will only be out of our assets. Unless our general partner otherwise agrees, it will not be personally liable for, or have any obligation to contribute or lend funds or assets to us to enable us to effectuate, indemnification. We may purchase insurance against liabilities asserted against and expenses incurred by persons for our activities, regardless of whether we would have the power to indemnify the person against such liabilities under our partnership agreement.
Reimbursement of Expenses
Our partnership agreement requires us to reimburse our general partner for all direct and indirect expenses it incurs or payments it makes on our behalf and all other expenses allocable to us or otherwise incurred by our general partner in connection with operating our business. These expenses will include salary, bonus, incentive compensation and other amounts paid to persons who perform services for us or on our behalf and expenses allocated to our general partner by its affiliates. Our general partner is entitled to determine the expenses that are allocable to us. Neither the partnership agreement nor the omnibus agreement limit the amount of expenses for which our general partner and its affiliates may be reimbursed.
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Books and Reports
Our general partner is required to keep appropriate books of our business at our principal offices. These books will be maintained for both tax and financial reporting purposes on an accrual basis. For tax and fiscal reporting purposes, our fiscal year is the calendar year.
We furnish or make available to record holders of our units or other partnership interests within 105 days after the close of each fiscal year, an annual report containing audited financial statements and a report on those financial statements by our independent registered public accounting firm. Except for our fourth quarter, we also furnish or make available unaudited financial information within 50 days after the close of each quarter. We are deemed to have made any such report available if we file such report with the SEC on EDGAR or make the report available on a publicly available website which we maintain.
We furnish each record holder with information reasonably required for U.S. federal, state and local tax reporting purposes within 90 days after the close of each calendar year. This information is expected to be furnished in summary form so that some complex calculations normally required of partners can be avoided. Our ability to furnish this summary information to our unitholders depends on their cooperation in supplying us with specific information. Every unitholder will receive information to assist him in determining his U.S. federal and state tax liability and in filing his U.S. federal and state income tax returns, regardless of whether he supplies us with the necessary information.
Right to Inspect Our Books and Records
Our partnership agreement provides that a limited partner can, for a purpose reasonably related to his interest as a limited partner, upon reasonable written demand stating the purpose of such demand and at his own expense, have furnished to him:
Our general partner may, and intends to, keep confidential from the limited partners trade secrets or other information the disclosure of which our general partner believes is not in our best interests, could damage us or our business or that we are required by law or by agreements with third parties to keep confidential.
Registration Rights
Under our partnership agreement, we have agreed to register for resale under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws any common units, subordinated units or other limited partner interests proposed to be sold by our general partner or any of its affiliates, including SUSS or their assignees if an exemption from the registration requirements is not otherwise available. These registration rights continue for two years following any withdrawal or removal of our general partner. We are obligated to pay all expenses incidental to the registration, excluding underwriting discounts.
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DESCRIPTION OF PARTNERSHIP SECURITIES
Our partnership agreement authorizes us to issue an unlimited number of additional limited partner interests and other equity securities for the consideration and on the terms and conditions established by our general partner without the approval of any limited partners.
In accordance with Delaware law and the provisions of our partnership agreement, we also may issue additional partnership interests that, if approved by our general partner, have special voting rights to which the common units are not entitled.
The following is a description of the general terms and provisions of our partnership securities. The particular terms of any series of partnership securities will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement and the amendment to our partnership agreement, if necessary, relating to that series of partnership securities, which will be filed as an exhibit to or incorporated by reference in this prospectus at or before the time of issuance of any such series of partnership securities. If so indicated in a prospectus supplement, the terms of any such series may differ from the terms set forth below.
Our general partner is authorized to approve the issuance of one or more series of partnership securities without further authorization of the limited partners and to fix the number of securities, the designations, rights, privileges, restrictions and conditions of any such series.
The applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the number of securities, particular designation, relative rights and preferences and the limitations of any series of partnership securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered. The particular terms of any such series may include the following:
Partnership securities will be fully paid and non-assessable when issued upon full payment of the purchase price therefor. The prospectus supplement will contain, if applicable, a description of the material United States federal income tax consequences relating to the purchase and ownership of the series of partnership securities offered by the prospectus supplement. The transfer agent, registrar and distributions disbursement agent for the partnership securities will be designated in the applicable prospectus supplement.
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General Description of Warrants
We may issue warrants for the purchase of common units, preferred units, partnership securities or debt securities, as applicable. Warrants may be issued independently or together with other securities and may be attached to or separate from any offered securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants and will not have any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders or beneficial owners of warrants. A copy of the warrant agreement will be filed with the SEC in connection with any offering of warrants. The prospectus supplement relating to a particular issue of warrants will describe the terms of the warrants, including, among other things, the following:
Exercise of Warrants
Each warrant will entitle the holder of the warrant to purchase at the exercise price set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement the number or principal amount of securities being offered. Holders may exercise warrants at any time up to the close of business on the expiration date or on specified dates set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised warrants are void unless the expiration date is otherwise extended in accordance with the terms of the applicable warrants. Holders may exercise warrants as set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the warrants being offered. Until you exercise your warrants to purchase securities, you will not have any rights as a holder of such securities, as the case may be, by virtue of your ownership of warrants.
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We may issue rights to purchase common units, preferred units, partnership securities, warrants, or debt securities, as applicable. These rights may be issued independently or together with any other security offered hereby and may or may not be transferable by the person purchasing or receiving the rights in such offering. In connection with any offering of such rights, we may enter into a standby arrangement with one or more underwriters or other purchasers pursuant to which the underwriters or other purchasers may be required to purchase any securities remaining unsubscribed for after such offering.
We will enter into a rights agent agreement with a bank or trust company, as rights agent. The rights agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the certificates relating to the rights and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust with any holders of rights certificates or beneficial owners of rights. A copy of the rights certificates relating to each series of rights will be filed with the SEC. The prospectus supplement relating to a particular offering of rights will describe the terms of the rights, including, among other things, the following:
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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
We will issue debt securities under an indenture between Susser Petroleum Partners LP and a trustee that we will name in the related prospectus supplement. If we offer senior debt securities, we will issue them under a senior indenture. If we issue subordinated debt securities, we will issue them under a subordinated indenture. The term "Trustee" as used in this prospectus refers to the trustee under any of the above indentures. References in this prospectus to an "Indenture" refer to the particular indenture under which Susser Petroleum Partners LP issues a series of debt securities. The debt securities will be governed by the provisions of the related Indenture and those made part of the Indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.
This description is a summary of the material provisions of the debt securities and the Indentures. We urge you to read the forms of Indentures filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part because those Indentures, and not this description, govern your rights as a holder of debt securities.
General
Any series of debt securities:
The Indenture will not limit the total amount of debt securities that may be issued. Debt securities under the Indenture may be issued from time to time in separate series, up to the aggregate amount authorized for each such series.
We will prepare a prospectus supplement and either an indenture supplement or a resolution of the board of directors of the general partner of the issuer and accompanying officers' certificate relating to any series of debt securities that we offer, which will include specific terms relating to some or all of the following:
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This description of debt securities will be deemed modified, amended or supplemented by any description of any series of debt securities set forth in a prospectus supplement related to that series.
The prospectus supplement will also describe any material United States federal income tax consequences or other special considerations regarding the applicable series of debt securities, including those relating to:
Interest payments on debt securities in certificated form may be made by check mailed to the registered holders or, if so stated in the applicable prospectus supplement, at the option of a holder, by wire transfer to an account designated by the holder.
Unless otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, debt securities may be transferred or exchanged at the office of the Trustee at which its corporate trust business is principally administered in the United States, subject to the limitations provided in the Indenture, without the payment of any service charge, other than any applicable tax or other governmental charge.
Any funds paid to the Trustee or any paying agent for the payment of amounts due on any debt securities that remain unclaimed for two years will be returned to us, and the holders of the debt securities must look only to us for payment after that time.
Events of Default, Remedies and Notice
Events of Default
Unless otherwise specified in a supplement to the Indenture, each of the following events will be an "Event of Default" under the Indenture with respect to a series of debt securities:
Exercise of Remedies
If an Event of Default, other than an Event of Default described in the fifth bullet point above, occurs and is continuing, the Trustee or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series may declare the entire principal of, premium, if any, and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all the debt securities of that series to be due and payable immediately.
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A default under the fourth bullet point above will not constitute an Event of Default until the Trustee or the holders of 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series notifies us of the default and such default is not cured within 60 days after receipt of notice.
If an Event of Default described in the fifth bullet point above occurs, the principal of, premium, if any, and accrued and unpaid interest on all outstanding debt securities of all series will become immediately due and payable without any declaration of acceleration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any holders.
The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of a series may rescind any declaration of acceleration by the Trustee or the holders with respect to the debt securities of that series, but only if:
If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee will be under no obligation, except as otherwise provided in the Indenture, to exercise any of the rights or powers under the Indenture at the request or direction of any of the holders unless such holders have offered to the Trustee reasonable indemnity or security against any costs, liability or expense. No holder may pursue any remedy with respect to the Indenture or the debt securities of any series, except to enforce the right to receive payment of principal, premium or interest on its own debt securities when due, unless:
The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of a series have the right, subject to certain restrictions, to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or of exercising any right or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to that series of debt securities. The Trustee, however, may refuse to follow any direction that:
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Notice of Event of Default
Within 30 days after the occurrence of an Event of Default, we are required to give written notice to the Trustee and indicate the status of the default and what action we are taking or proposes to take to cure the default. In addition, we are required to deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, a compliance certificate indicating that we have complied with all covenants contained in the Indenture or whether any default or Event of Default has occurred during the previous year.
Within 90 days after the occurrence of any default known to it, the Trustee must mail to each holder a notice of the default. Except in the case of a default in the payment of principal, premium or interest with respect to any debt securities, the Trustee may withhold such notice, but only if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a committee of directors or responsible officers of the Trustee in good faith determines that withholding such notice is in the interests of the holders.
Amendments and Waivers
We may supplement or amend the Indenture without the consent of any holder of debt securities to, among other things:
In addition, we may amend the Indenture if the holders of a majority in principal amount of all debt securities of each series that would be affected then outstanding under the Indenture consent to it. We may not, however, without the consent of each holder of outstanding debt securities of each series that would be affected, amend the Indenture to:
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The consent of the holders 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. After an amendment under the Indenture requiring the consent of the holders becomes effective, we are required to mail to all holders a notice briefly describing the amendment. The failure to give, or any defect in, such notice, however, will not impair or affect the validity of the amendment.
The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each affected series, on behalf of all such holders, and subject to certain rights of the Trustee, may waive:
except that such majority of holders may not waive a default:
Satisfaction and Discharge
The Indenture will be discharged and will cease to be of further effect as to all outstanding debt securities of any series issued thereunder, when:
(a) either:
(1) all outstanding debt securities of that series that have been authenticated (except lost, stolen or destroyed debt securities that have been replaced or paid and debt securities for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust and thereafter repaid to the issuer) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or
(2) all outstanding debt securities of that series that have not been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation have become due and payable or will become due and payable at their stated maturity within one year or are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee and in any case we have irrevocably deposited with the Trustee as trust funds cash, certain U.S. government obligations or a combination thereof, in such amounts as will be sufficient, to pay the entire indebtedness of such debt securities not delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal, premium, if any, and accrued interest to the stated maturity or redemption date;
(b) we have paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable by us under the Indenture with respect to the debt securities of that series; and
(c) we have delivered to the Trustee an accountants' certificate as to the sufficiency of the trust funds, without reinvestment, to pay the entire indebtedness of such debt securities at maturity.
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Defeasance
At any time, we may terminate, with respect to debt securities of a particular series, all our obligations under such series of debt securities and the Indenture, which we call a "legal defeasance." If we decide to make a legal defeasance, however, we may not terminate our obligations specified in the Indenture, including those:
At any time we may also effect a "covenant defeasance," which means we have elected to terminate our obligations under covenants applicable to a series of debt securities and described in the prospectus supplement applicable to such series, other than as described in such prospectus supplement, and any Event of Default resulting from a failure to observe such covenants.
The legal defeasance option may be exercised notwithstanding a prior exercise of the covenant defeasance option. If the legal defeasance option is exercised, payment of the affected series of debt securities may not be accelerated because of an Event of Default with respect to that series. If the covenant defeasance option is exercised, payment of the affected series of debt securities may not be accelerated because of an Event of Default specified in the fourth bullet point under "—Events of Default, Remedies and Notice—Events of Default" above or an Event of Default that is added specifically for such series and described in a prospectus supplement.
In order to exercise either defeasance option, we must:
No Personal Liability
Our partners, directors, officers, employees, incorporators and members will not be liable for:
By accepting a debt security, each holder will be deemed to have waived and released all such liability. This waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issuance of the debt securities. This waiver may not be effective, however, to waive liabilities under the Federal securities laws and it is the view of the SEC that such a waiver is against public policy.
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No Protection in the Event of a Change of Control
Unless otherwise set forth in the prospectus supplement, the debt securities will not contain any provisions that protect the holders of the debt securities in the event of our change of control or in the event of a highly leveraged transaction, whether or not such transaction results in our change of control.
Provisions Relating only to the Senior Debt Securities
The senior debt securities will rank equally in right of payment with all of our other unsubordinated debt. The senior debt securities will be effectively subordinated, however, to all of our secured debt to the extent of the value of the collateral for that debt, and they will be structurally subordinated to all debt and other liabilities of our subsidiaries. We will disclose the amounts of our secured debt in the prospectus supplement.
Provisions Relating only to the Subordinated Debt Securities
Subordinated Debt Securities Subordinated to Senior Indebtedness
The subordinated debt securities will rank junior in right of payment to all of our Senior Indebtedness. "Senior Indebtedness" will be defined in a supplemental indenture or authorizing resolutions respecting any issuance of a series of subordinated debt securities, and the definition will be set forth in the prospectus supplement.
Payment Blockages
The subordinated indenture will provide that no payment of principal, interest and any premium on the subordinated debt securities may be made in the event:
No Limitation on Amount of Senior Debt
The subordinated indenture will not limit the amount of Senior Indebtedness that we may incur, unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement.
Book Entry, Delivery and Form
The debt securities of a particular series may be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more global certificates that will be deposited with the Trustee as custodian for The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York ("DTC"). This means that we will not issue certificates to each holder except in the limited circumstances described below. Instead, one or more global debt securities will be issued to DTC, who will keep a computerized record of its participants (for example, your broker) whose clients have purchased the debt securities. The participant will then keep a record of its clients who purchased the debt securities. Unless it is exchanged in whole or in part for a certificated debt security, a global debt security may not be transferred, except that DTC, its nominees and their successors may transfer a global debt security as a whole to one another.
Beneficial interests in global debt securities will be shown on, and transfers of global debt securities will be made only through, records maintained by DTC and its participants.
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DTC has provided us the following information: DTC is a limited-purpose trust company organized under the New York Banking Law, a "banking organization" within the meaning of the New York Banking Law, a member of the United States Federal Reserve System, a "clearing corporation" within the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code and a "clearing agency" registered under the provisions of Section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. DTC holds securities that its participants ("Direct Participants") deposit with DTC. DTC also records the settlement among Direct Participants of securities transactions, such as transfers and pledges, in deposited securities through computerized records for Direct Participants' accounts. This eliminates the need to exchange certificates. Direct Participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations.
DTC's book-entry system is also used by other organizations such as securities brokers and dealers, banks and trust companies that work through a Direct Participant. The rules that apply to DTC and its participants are on file with the SEC.
DTC is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation ("DTCC"). DTCC is the holding company for DTC, National Securities Clearing Corporation and Fixed Income Clearing Corporation, all of which are registered clearing agencies. DTCC is owned by the users of its regulated subsidiaries.
We will wire all payments on the global debt securities to DTC's nominee. We and the Trustee will treat DTC's nominee as the owner of the global debt securities for all purposes. Accordingly, we, the Trustee and any paying agent will have no direct responsibility or liability to pay amounts due on the global debt securities to owners of beneficial interests in the global debt securities.
It is DTC's current practice, upon receipt of any payment on the global debt securities, to credit Direct Participants' accounts on the payment date according to their respective holdings of beneficial interests in the global debt securities as shown on DTC's records. In addition, it is DTC's current practice to assign any consenting or voting rights to Direct Participants whose accounts are credited with debt securities on a record date, by using an omnibus proxy. Payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in the global debt securities, and voting by participants, will be governed by the customary practices between the participants and owners of beneficial interests, as is the case with debt securities held for the account of customers registered in "street name." However, payments will be the responsibility of the participants and not of DTC, the Trustee or us.
Debt securities represented by a global debt security will be exchangeable for certificated debt securities with the same terms in authorized denominations only if:
Governing Law
Each Indenture and all of the debt securities will be governed by the laws of the State of New York.
The Trustee
We will enter into each Indenture with a Trustee that is qualified to act under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and with any other trustee chosen by us and appointed in a supplemental indenture for a particular series of debt securities. We may maintain a banking relationship in the ordinary course of business with our Trustee and one or more of its affiliates.
Resignation or Removal of Trustee
If the Trustee has or acquires a conflicting interest within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act after a default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee must either eliminate its conflicting interest within 90 days, apply to the SEC for permission to continue as trustee or resign, to the extent and in the manner provided by, and subject to the provisions of, the Trust Indenture Act and the applicable indenture. Any resignation will require the appointment of a successor trustee under the applicable indenture in accordance with the terms and conditions of such indenture.
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The Trustee may resign or be removed by us with respect to one or more series of debt securities and a successor Trustee may be appointed to act with respect to any such series. The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of any series may remove the Trustee with respect to the debt securities of such series.
Limitations on Trustee if it is Our Creditor
Each indenture will contain certain limitations on the right of the Trustee, in the event that it becomes a creditor of us, to obtain payment of claims in certain cases, or to realize on certain property received in respect of any such claim as security or otherwise.
Annual Trustee Report to Holders of Debt Securities
The Trustee is required to submit an annual report to the holders of the debt securities regarding, among other things, the Trustee's eligibility to serve as such, the priority of the Trustee's claims regarding certain advances made by it, and any action taken by the Trustee materially affecting the debt securities.
Certificates and Opinions to be Furnished to Trustee
Each indenture will provide that, in addition to other certificates or opinions that may be specifically required by other provisions of the indenture, every application by us for action by the Trustee shall be accompanied by a certificate of certain of our officers and an opinion of counsel (who may be our counsel) stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent to such action have been complied with by us.
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INVESTMENT IN SUSSER PETROLEUM PARTNERS LP BY EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS
An investment in us by an employee benefit plan is subject to additional considerations because the investments of these plans are subject to the fiduciary responsibility and prohibited transaction provisions of ERISA and restrictions imposed by Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code. For these purposes the term "employee benefit plan" includes, but is not limited to, qualified pension, profit-sharing and stock bonus plans, Keogh plans, simplified employee pension plans and tax deferred annuities or IRAs established or maintained by an employer or employee organization. Among other things, consideration should be given to:
The person with investment discretion with respect to the assets of an employee benefit plan, often called a fiduciary, should determine whether an investment in us is authorized by the appropriate governing instrument and is a proper investment for the plan or IRA.
Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code prohibit employee benefit plans, and also IRAs that are not considered part of an employee benefit plan, from engaging in specified transactions involving "plan assets" with parties that are "parties in interest" under ERISA or "disqualified persons" under the Internal Revenue Code with respect to the plan.
In addition to considering whether the purchase of common units is a prohibited transaction, a fiduciary of an employee benefit plan should consider whether the plan will, by investing in us, be deemed to own an undivided interest in our assets, with the result that our operations would be subject to the regulatory restrictions of ERISA, including its prohibited transaction rules, as well as the prohibited transaction rules of the Internal Revenue Code.
The Department of Labor regulations provide guidance with respect to whether the assets of an entity in which employee benefit plans acquire equity interests would be deemed "plan assets" under some circumstances. Under these regulations, an entity's assets would not be considered to be "plan assets" if, among other things:
(1) the equity interests acquired by employee benefit plans are publicly offered securities—i.e., the equity interests are widely held by 100 or more investors independent of the issuer and each other, freely transferable and registered under some provisions of the federal securities laws;
(2) the entity is an "operating company"—i.e., it is primarily engaged in the production or sale of a product or service other than the investment of capital either directly or through a majority-owned subsidiary or subsidiaries; or
(3) there is no significant investment by benefit plan investors, which is defined to mean that less than 25% of the value of each class of equity interest is held by the employee benefit plans referred to above, and IRAs that are subject to ERISA or Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code.
Our assets should not be considered "plan assets" under these regulations because it is expected that the investment will satisfy the requirements in (a) and (b) above.
Plan fiduciaries contemplating a purchase of common units should consult with their own counsel regarding the consequences under ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code in light of the serious penalties imposed on persons who engage in prohibited transactions or other violations.
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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES
This section summarizes the material federal income tax consequences that may be relevant to prospective unitholders and is based upon current provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), existing and proposed Treasury regulations thereunder (the "Treasury Regulations"), and current administrative rulings and court decisions, all of which are subject to change. Changes in these authorities may cause the federal income tax consequences to a prospective unitholder to vary substantially from those described below, possibly on a retroactive basis. Unless the context otherwise requires, references in this section to "we" or "us" are references to Susser Petroleum Partners LP and its operating companies (other than its operating company that is treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes).
Legal conclusions contained in this section, unless otherwise noted, are the opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. and are based on the accuracy of representations made by us and by our general partner to them for this purpose. However, this section does not address all federal income tax matters that affect us or our unitholders and does not describe the application of the alternative minimum tax that may be applicable to certain unitholders. Furthermore, this section focuses on unitholders who are individual citizens or residents of the United States (for federal income tax purposes), who have the U.S. dollar as their functional currency, who use the calendar year as their taxable year, and who hold units as capital assets (generally, property that is held for investment). This section has limited applicability to corporations, partnerships (including entities treated as partnerships for federal income tax purposes), estates, trusts, non-resident aliens or other unitholders subject to specialized tax treatment, such as tax-exempt institutions, non-U.S. persons, individual retirement accounts ("IRAs"), employee benefit plans, real estate investment trusts or mutual funds. Accordingly, we encourage each unitholder to consult the unitholder's own tax advisor in analyzing the federal, state, local and non-U.S. tax consequences particular to that unitholder resulting from ownership or disposition of units and potential changes in applicable tax laws.
We are relying on opinions and advice of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. with respect to the matters described herein. An opinion of counsel represents only that counsel's best legal judgment and does not bind the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") or a court. Accordingly, the opinions and statements made herein may not be sustained by a court if contested by the IRS. Any such contest of the matters described herein may materially and adversely impact the market for our units and the prices at which our units trade. In addition, our costs of any contest with the IRS will be borne indirectly by our unitholders because the costs will reduce our cash available for distribution. Furthermore, the tax consequences of an investment in us may be significantly modified by future legislative or administrative changes or court decisions, which may be retroactively applied.
For the reasons described below, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has not rendered an opinion with respect to the following federal income tax issues: (1) the treatment of a unitholder whose units are the subject of a securities loan (e.g., a loan to a short seller to cover a short sale of units) (please read "—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Treatment of Securities Loans"); (2) whether our monthly convention for allocating taxable income and losses is permitted by existing Treasury Regulations (please read "—Disposition of Units—Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees"); and (3) whether our method for taking into account Section 743 adjustments is sustainable in certain cases (please read "—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Section 754 Election" and "—Uniformity of Units").
Taxation of the Partnership
Partnership Status
We expect to be treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes and, therefore, generally will not be liable for entity-level federal income taxes. Instead, as described below, each of our unitholders will take into account its respective share of our items of income, gain, loss and deduction in computing its federal income tax liability as if the unitholder had earned such income directly, even if we make no cash distributions to the unitholder.
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Section 7704 of the Code generally provides that publicly traded partnerships will be treated as corporations for federal income tax purposes. However, if 90% or more of a partnership's gross income for every taxable year it is publicly traded consists of "qualifying income," the partnership may continue to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes (the "Qualifying Income Exception"). Qualifying income includes (i) income and gains derived from the refining, transportation, storage, processing and marketing of crude oil, natural gas and products thereof (including motor fuels), (ii) rents from the leasing of real property, (iii) interest (other than from a financial business), (iv) dividends, (v) gains from the sale of real property and (vi) gains from the sale or other disposition of capital assets held for the production of income that otherwise constitutes qualifying income. We estimate that less than 5% of our current gross income is not qualifying income; however, this estimate could change from time to time.
Based upon the factual representations made by us and our general partner, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is of the opinion that we will be treated as a partnership and each of our operating companies, other than Susser Propco, will be disregarded as an entity separate from us for federal income tax purposes. The representations made by us and by our general partner upon which Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has relied in rendering its opinion include, without limitation:
(a) Neither we nor any of our operating companies, other than Susser Propco, has elected or will elect to be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes;
(b) For each taxable year since and including the year of our initial public offering, more than 90% of our gross income has been and will be income of a character that Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has opined is "qualifying income" within the meaning of Section 7704(d) of the Code; and
(c) Each hedging transaction that we treat as resulting in qualifying income has been and will be appropriately identified as a hedging transaction pursuant to applicable Treasury Regulations, and has been and will be associated with oil, natural gas, or products thereof that are held or to be held by us in activities that Vinson & Elkins, L.L.P. has opined or will opine result in qualifying income.
We believe that these representations are true and will be true in the future.
If we fail to meet the Qualifying Income Exception, other than a failure that is determined by the IRS to be inadvertent and that is cured within a reasonable time after discovery (in which case the IRS may also require us to make adjustments with respect to our unitholders or pay other amounts), we will be treated as transferring all of our assets, subject to liabilities, to a newly formed corporation, on the first day of the year in which we fail to meet the Qualifying Income Exception, in return for stock in that corporation and then as distributing that stock to our unitholders in liquidation. This deemed contribution and liquidation should not result in the recognition of taxable income by our unitholders or us so long as our liabilities do not exceed the tax basis of our assets. Thereafter, we would be treated as an association taxable as a corporation for federal income tax purposes.
The present federal income tax treatment of publicly traded partnerships, including us, or an investment in our common units may be modified by administrative or legislative action or judicial interpretation at any time. For example, from time to time, members of the U.S. Congress propose and consider substantive changes to the existing federal income tax laws that affect publicly traded partnerships. One such legislative proposal would have eliminated the Qualifying Income Exception upon which we rely for our treatment as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. We are unable to predict whether any such changes will ultimately be enacted. However, it is possible that a change in law could affect us and may be applied retroactively. Any such changes could negatively impact the value of an investment in our common units.
If for any reason we are taxable as a corporation in any taxable year, our items of income, gain, loss and deduction would be taken into account by us in determining the amount of our liability for federal income tax, rather than being passed through to our unitholders. Our taxation as a corporation would materially reduce the cash available for distribution to unitholders and thus would likely substantially reduce the value of our units. Any distribution made to a unitholder at a time we are treated as a corporation would be (i) a taxable dividend to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, then (ii) a nontaxable return of capital to the extent of the unitholder's tax basis in its units, and thereafter (iii) taxable capital gain.
The remainder of this discussion is based on the opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. that we will be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes.
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Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership
Limited Partner Status
Unitholders who are admitted as limited partners of the partnership, as well as unitholders whose units are held in street name or by a nominee and who have the right to direct the nominee in the exercise of all substantive rights attendant to the ownership of units, will be treated as partners of the partnership for federal income tax purposes. For a discussion related to the risks of losing partner status as a result of securities loans, please read "—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Treatment of Securities Loans." Unitholders who are not treated as partners in us as described above are urged to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the tax consequences applicable to them under their particular circumstances.
Flow-Through of Taxable Income
Subject to the discussion below under "—Entity-Level Collections of Unitholder Taxes" with respect to payments we may be required to make on behalf of our unitholders, and aside from any taxes paid by our subsidiary that is treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes, we will not pay any federal income tax. Rather, each unitholder will be required to report on its federal income tax return each year its share of our income, gains, losses and deductions for our taxable year or years ending with or within its taxable year. Consequently, we may allocate income to a unitholder even if that unitholder has not received a cash distribution.
Basis of Units
A unitholder's tax basis in its units initially will be the amount paid for those units increased by the unitholder's initial allocable share of our nonrecourse liabilities. That basis generally will be (i) increased by the unitholder's share of our income and any increases in such unitholder's share of our nonrecourse liabilities, and (ii) decreased, but not below zero, by the amount of all distributions to the unitholder, the unitholder's share of our losses, and any decreases in the unitholder's share of our nonrecourse liabilities and its share of our expenditures that are neither deductible nor required to be capitalized. The IRS has ruled that a partner who acquires interests in a partnership in separate transactions must combine those interests and maintain a single adjusted tax basis for all of those interests.
Treatment of Distributions
Distributions by us to a unitholder generally will not be taxable to the unitholder, unless such distributions exceed the unitholder's tax basis in its units, in which case the unitholder generally will recognize gain taxable in the manner described below under "—Disposition of Units."
Any reduction in a unitholder's share of our "nonrecourse liabilities" (liabilities for which no partner bears the economic risk of loss) will be treated as a distribution by us of cash to that unitholder. A decrease in a unitholder's percentage interest in us because of our issuance of additional units may decrease the unitholder's share of our nonrecourse liabilities. For purposes of the foregoing, a unitholder's share of our nonrecourse liabilities generally will be based upon that unitholder's share of the unrealized appreciation (or depreciation) in our assets, to the extent thereof, with any excess liabilities allocated based on the unitholder's share of our profits. Please read "—Disposition of Units."
A non-pro rata distribution of money or property (including a deemed distribution as a result of a reallocation of our liabilities described above) may cause a unitholder to recognize ordinary income, if the distribution reduces the unitholder's share of our "unrealized receivables," including depreciation recapture and substantially appreciated "inventory items," both as defined in Section 751 of the Code ("Section 751 Assets"). To the extent of such reduction, the unitholder would be deemed to receive its proportionate share of the Section 751 Assets and exchange such assets with us in return for a portion of the non-pro rata distribution. This deemed exchange generally will result in the unitholder's recognition of ordinary income in an amount equal to the excess of (1) the non-pro rata portion of that distribution over (2) the unitholder's tax basis (generally zero) in the Section 751 Assets deemed to be relinquished in the exchange.
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Limitations on Deductibility of Losses
A unitholder may not be entitled to deduct the full amount of loss we allocate to it because its share of our losses will be limited to the lesser of (i) the unitholder's tax basis in its units, and (ii) in the case of a unitholder that is an individual, estate, trust or certain types of closely-held corporations, the amount for which the unitholder is considered to be "at risk" with respect to our activities. In general, a unitholder will be at risk to the extent of its tax basis in its units, reduced by (1) any portion of that basis attributable to the unitholder's share of our liabilities, (2) any portion of that basis representing amounts otherwise protected against loss because of a guarantee, stop loss agreement or similar arrangement and (3) any amount of money the unitholder borrows to acquire or hold its units, if the lender of those borrowed funds owns an interest in us, is related to another unitholder or can look only to the units for repayment.
A unitholder subject to the at risk limitation must recapture losses deducted in previous years to the extent that distributions (including distributions deemed to result from a reduction in a unitholder's share of nonrecourse liabilities) cause the unitholder's at risk amount to be less than zero at the end of any taxable year. Losses disallowed to a unitholder or recaptured as a result of the basis or at risk limitations will carry forward and will be allowable as a deduction in a later year to the extent that the unitholder's tax basis or at risk amount, whichever is the limiting factor, is subsequently increased. Upon a taxable disposition of units, any gain recognized by a unitholder can be offset by losses that were previously suspended by the at risk limitation but not losses suspended by the basis limitation. Any loss previously suspended by the at risk limitation in excess of that gain can no longer be used, and will not be available to offset a unitholder's salary or active business income.
In addition to the basis and at risk limitations, a passive activity loss limitation generally limits the deductibility of losses incurred by individuals, estates, trusts, some closely-held corporations and personal service corporations from "passive activities" (generally, trade or business activities in which the taxpayer does not materially participate). The passive loss limitations are applied separately with respect to each publicly-traded partnership. Consequently, any passive losses we generate will be available to offset only passive income generated by us. Passive losses that exceed a unitholder's share of passive income we generate may be deducted in full when the unitholder disposes of all of its units in a fully taxable transaction with an unrelated party. The passive loss rules generally are applied after other applicable limitations on deductions, including the at risk and basis limitations.
Limitations on Interest Deductions
The deductibility of a non-corporate taxpayer's "investment interest expense" generally is limited to the amount of that taxpayer's "net investment income." Investment interest expense includes:
The computation of a unitholder's investment interest expense will take into account interest on any margin account borrowing or other loan incurred to purchase or carry a unit. Net investment income includes gross income from property held for investment and amounts treated as portfolio income under the passive loss rules, less deductible expenses other than interest directly connected with the production of investment income. Net investment income generally does not include qualified dividend income or gains attributable to the disposition of property held for investment. A unitholder's share of a publicly- traded partnership's portfolio income and, according to the IRS, net passive income will be treated as investment income for purposes of the investment interest expense limitation.
Entity-Level Collections of Unitholder Taxes
If we are required or elect under applicable law to pay any federal, state, local or non-U.S. tax on behalf of any current or former unitholder, we are authorized to treat the payment as a distribution of cash to the relevant unitholder. Where the tax is payable on behalf of all the unitholders or we cannot determine the specific unitholder on whose behalf the tax is payable, we are authorized to treat the payment as a distribution to all current unitholders. Payments by us as described above could give rise to an overpayment of tax on behalf of a unitholder, in which event the unitholder may be entitled to claim a refund of the overpayment amount. Unitholders are urged to consult their tax advisors to determine the consequences to them of any tax payment we make on their behalf.
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Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction
Our items of income, gain, loss and deduction generally will be allocated amongst our unitholders in accordance with their percentage interests in us. At any time that distributions are made to the common units in excess of distributions to the subordinated units, or we make incentive distributions, gross income will be allocated to the recipients to the extent of these distributions.
Specified items of our income, gain, loss and deduction will be allocated under Section 704(c) of the Code (or the principles of Section 704(c) of the Code) to account for any difference between the tax basis and fair market value of our assets at the time such assets are contributed to us and at the time of any subsequent offering of our units (a "Book-Tax Disparity"). As a result, the federal income tax burden associated with any Book-Tax Disparity immediately prior to an offering generally will be borne by our partners holding interests in us prior to such offering. In addition, items of recapture income will be specially allocated to the extent possible to the unitholder who was allocated the deduction giving rise to that recapture income in order to minimize the recognition of ordinary income by other unitholders.
An allocation of items of our income, gain, loss or deduction, other than an allocation required by the Code to eliminate a Book-Tax Disparity, will generally be given effect for federal income tax purposes in determining a partner's share of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction only if the allocation has "substantial economic effect." In any other case, a partner's share of an item will be determined on the basis of the partner's interest in us, which will be determined by taking into account all the facts and circumstances, including (i) the partner's relative contributions to us, (ii) the interests of all theof our partners in our profits and losses, (iii) the interests of all theof our partners in our cash flow, and (iv) the rights of all theof our partners to distributions of capital upon liquidation.
Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is of the opinion that, with the exception of the issues described in "—Section 754 Election" and "—Disposition of Units—Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees," allocations of income, gain, loss or deduction under our partnership agreement will be given effect for federal income tax purposes.
Treatment of Securities Loans
A unitholder whose units are loaned (for example, a loan to a "short seller" to cover a short sale of units) may be treated as having disposed of those units. If so, such unitholder would no longer be treated for tax purposes as a partner with respect to those units during the period of the loan and may recognize gain or loss from the disposition. As a result, during this period (i) any of our income, gain, loss or deduction allocated to those units would not be reportable by the lending unitholder, and (ii) any cash distributions received by the unitholder as to those units may be treated as ordinary taxable income.
Due to a lack of controlling authority, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has not rendered an opinion regarding the tax treatment of a unitholder that enters into a securities loan with respect to its units. Unitholders desiring to assure their status as partners and avoid the risk of income recognition from a loan of their units are urged to modify any applicable brokerage account agreements to prohibit their brokers from borrowing and lending their units. The IRS has announced that it is studying issues relating to the tax treatment of short sales of partnership interests. Please read "—Disposition of Units—Recognition of Gain or Loss."
Tax Rates
Under current law, the highest marginal federal income tax rates for individuals applicable to ordinary income and long-term capital gains (generally, gains from the sale or exchange of certain investment assets held for more than one year) are 39.6% and 20%, respectively. These rates are subject to change by new legislation at any time.
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In addition, a 3.8% net investment income tax ("NIIT") applies to certain net investment income earned by individuals, estates, and trusts. For these purposes, net investment income generally includes a unitholder's allocable share of our income and gain realized by a unitholder from a sale of units. In the case of an individual, the tax will be imposed on the lesser of (i) the unitholder's net investment income from all investments, or (ii) the amount by which the unitholder's modified adjusted gross income exceeds $250,000 (if the unitholder is married and filing jointly or a surviving spouse), $125,000 (if married filing separately) or $200,000 (if the unitholder is unmarried or in any other case). In the case of an estate or trust, the tax will be imposed on the lesser of (i) undistributed net investment income, or (ii) the excess adjusted gross income over the dollar amount at which the highest income tax bracket applicable to an estate or trust begins.
Section 754 Election
We have made the election permitted by Section 754 of the Code that permits us to adjust the tax bases in our assets as to specific purchasers of our units under Section 743(b) of the Code. That election is irrevocable without the consent of the IRS. The Section 743(b) adjustment separately applies to each purchaser of units based upon the values and bases of our assets at the time of the relevant purchase, and the adjustment will reflect the purchase price paid. The Section 743(b) adjustment does not apply to a person who purchases units directly from us.
Under our partnership agreement, we are authorized to take a position to preserve the uniformity of units even if that position is not consistent with applicable Treasury Regulations. A literal application of Treasury Regulations governing a 743(b) adjustment attributable to properties depreciable under Section 167 of the Code may give rise to differences in the taxation of unitholders purchasing units from us and unitholders purchasing from other unitholders. If we have any such properties, we intend to adopt methods employed by other publicly-traded partnerships to preserve the uniformity of units, even if inconsistent with existing Treasury Regulations, and Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has not opined on the validity of this approach. Please read "—Uniformity of Units."
The IRS may challenge the positions we adopt with respect to depreciating or amortizing the Section 743(b) adjustment we take to preserve the uniformity of units due to lack of controlling authority. Because a unitholder's tax basis for its units is reduced by its share of our items of deduction or loss, any position we take that understates deductions will overstate a unitholder's basis in its units, and may cause the unitholder to understate gain or overstate loss on any sale of such units. Please read "—Disposition of Units—Recognition of Gain or Loss." If a challenge to such treatment were sustained, the gain from the sale of units may be increased without the benefit of additional deductions.
The calculations involved in the Section 754 election are complex and are made on the basis of assumptions as to the value of our assets and other matters. The IRS could seek to reallocate some or all of any Section 743(b) adjustment we allocated to our assets subject to depreciation to goodwill or nondepreciable assets. Goodwill, as an intangible asset, is generally amortizable over a longer period of time or under a less accelerated method than our tangible assets. We cannot assure any unitholder that the determinations we make will not be successfully challenged by the IRS or that the resulting deductions will not be reduced or disallowed altogether. Should the IRS require a different tax basis adjustment to be made, and should, in our opinion, the expense of compliance exceed the benefit of the election, we may seek permission from the IRS to revoke our Section 754 election. If permission is granted, a subsequent purchaser of units may be allocated more income than it would have been allocated had the election not been revoked.
Tax Treatment of Operations
Accounting Method and Taxable Year
We use the year ending December 31 as our taxable year and the accrual method of accounting for federal income tax purposes. Each unitholder will be required to include in its tax return its share of our income, gain, loss and deduction for each taxable year ending within or with its taxable year. In addition, a unitholder who has a taxable year ending on a date other than December 31 and who disposes of all of its units following the close of our taxable year but before the close of its taxable year must include its share of our income, gain, loss and deduction in income for its taxable year, with the result that it will be required to include in income for its taxable year its share of more than twelve months of our income, gain, loss and deduction. Please read "—Disposition of Units—Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees."
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Tax Basis, Depreciation and Amortization
The tax basis of our assets will be used for purposes of computing depreciation and cost recovery deductions and, ultimately, gain or loss on the disposition of those assets. If we dispose of depreciable property by sale, foreclosure or otherwise, all or a portion of any gain, determined by reference to the amount of depreciation deductions previously taken, may be subject to the recapture rules and taxed as ordinary income rather than capital gain. Similarly, a unitholder who has taken cost recovery or depreciation deductions with respect to property we own will likely be required to recapture some or all of those deductions as ordinary income upon a sale of its interest in us. Please read "—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction."
The costs we incur in offering and selling our units (called "syndication expenses") must be capitalized and cannot be deducted currently, ratably or upon our termination. While there are uncertainties regarding the classification of costs as organization expenses, which may be amortized by us, and as syndication expenses, which may not be amortized by us, the underwriting discounts and commissions we incur will be treated as syndication expenses. Please read "Disposition of Units—Recognition of Gain or Loss."
Valuation and Tax Basis of Our Properties
The federal income tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of units will depend in part on our estimates of the relative fair market values and the initial tax bases of our assets. Although we may from time to time consult with professional appraisers regarding valuation matters, we will make many of the relative fair market value estimates ourselves. These estimates and determinations of tax basis are subject to challenge and will not be binding on the IRS or the courts. If the estimates of fair market value or basis are later found to be incorrect, the character and amount of items of income, gain, loss or deduction previously reported by unitholders could change, and unitholders could be required to adjust their tax liability for prior years and incur interest and penalties with respect to those adjustments.
Disposition of Units
Recognition of Gain or Loss
A unitholder will be required to recognize gain or loss on a sale of units equal to the difference between the unitholder's amount realized and tax basis in the units sold. A unitholder's amount realized generally will equal the sum of the cash and the fair market value of other property it receives plus its share of our nonrecourse liabilities with respect to the units sold. Because the amount realized includes a unitholder's share of our nonrecourse liabilities, the gain recognized on the sale of units could result in a tax liability in excess of any cash received from the sale.
Except as noted below, gain or loss recognized by a unitholder on the sale or exchange of a unit held for more than one year generally will be taxable as long-term capital gain or loss. However, gain or loss recognized on the disposition of units will be separately computed and taxed as ordinary income or loss under Section 751 of the Code to the extent attributable to Section 751 Assets, such as depreciation recapture and our "inventory items," regardless of whether such inventory item is substantially appreciated in value. Ordinary income attributable to Section 751 Assets may exceed net taxable gain realized on the sale of a unit and may be recognized even if there is a net taxable loss realized on the sale of a unit. Thus, a unitholder may recognize both ordinary income and capital gain or loss upon a sale of units. Net capital loss may offset capital gains and, in the case of individuals, up to $3,000 of ordinary income per year.
For purposes of calculating gain or loss on the sale of units, the unitholder's adjusted tax basis will be adjusted by its allocable share of our income or loss in respect of its units for the year of the sale. Furthermore, as described above, the IRS has ruled that a partner who acquires interests in a partnership in separate transactions must combine those interests and maintain a single adjusted tax basis for all of those interests. Upon a sale or other disposition of less than all of those interests, a portion of that tax basis must be allocated to the interests sold using an "equitable apportionment" method, which generally means that the tax basis allocated to the interest sold equals an amount that bears the same relation to the partner's tax basis in its entire interest in the partnership as the value of the interest sold bears to the value of the partner's entire interest in the partnership.
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Treasury Regulations under Section 1223 of the Code allow a selling unitholder who can identify units transferred with an ascertainable holding period to elect to use the actual holding period of the units transferred. Thus, according to the ruling discussed in the paragraph above, a unitholder will be unable to select high or low basis units to sell as would be the case with corporate stock, but, according to the Treasury Regulations, it may designate specific units sold for purposes of determining the holding period of the units transferred. A unitholder electing to use the actual holding period of units transferred must consistently use that identification method for all subsequent sales or exchanges of our units. A unitholder considering the purchase of additional units or a sale of units purchased in separate transactions is urged to consult its tax advisor as to the possible consequences of this ruling and application of the Treasury Regulations.
Specific provisions of the Code affect the taxation of some financial products and securities, including partnership interests, by treating a taxpayer as having sold an "appreciated" financial position, including a partnership interest with respect to which gain would be recognized if it were sold, assigned or terminated at its fair market value, in the event the taxpayer or a related person enters into:
Moreover, if a taxpayer has previously entered into a short sale, an offsetting notional principal contract or a futures or forward contract with respect to the partnership interest, the taxpayer will be treated as having sold that position if the taxpayer or a related person then acquires the partnership interest or substantially identical property. The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to issue Treasury Regulations that treat a taxpayer that enters into transactions or positions that have substantially the same effect as the preceding transactions as having constructively sold the financial position.
Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees
In general, our taxable income or loss will be determined annually, will be prorated on a monthly basis and will be subsequently apportioned among the unitholders in proportion to the number of units owned by each of them as of the opening of the applicable exchange on the first business day of the month (the "Allocation Date"). However, gain or loss realized on a sale or other disposition of our assets or, in the discretion of the general partner, any other extraordinary item of income, gain, loss or deduction will be allocated among the unitholders on the Allocation Date in the month in which such income, gain, loss or deduction is recognized. As a result, a unitholder transferring units may be allocated income, gain, loss and deduction realized after the date of transfer.
Although simplifying conventions are contemplated by the Code and most publicly traded partnerships use similar simplifying conventions, the use of this method may not be permitted under existing Treasury Regulations. Recently, however, the Department of the Treasury and the IRS issued proposed Treasury Regulations that provide a safe harbor pursuant to which a publicly traded partnership may use a similar monthly simplifying convention to allocate tax items among transferor and transferee unitholders, although such tax items must be prorated on a daily basis. Nonetheless, the proposed regulations do not specifically authorize the use of the proration method we have adopted Accordingly, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is unable to opine on the validity of this method of allocating income and deductions between transferee and transferor unitholders. If this method is not allowed under the final Treasury Regulations, or only applies to transfers of less than all of the unitholder's interest, our taxable income or losses could be reallocated among our unitholders. We are authorized to revise our method of allocation between transferee and transferor unitholders, as well as among unitholders whose interests vary during a taxable year, to conform to a method permitted under future Treasury Regulations.
A unitholder who disposes of units prior to the record date set for a cash distribution for that quarter will be allocated items of our income, gain, loss and deduction attributable to the month of disposition but will not be entitled to receive a cash distribution for that period.
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Notification Requirements
A unitholder who sells or purchases any of its units is generally required to notify us in writing of that transaction within 30 days after the transaction (or, if earlier, January 15 of the year following the transaction in the case of a seller). Upon receiving such notifications, we are required to notify the IRS of that transaction and to furnish specified information to the transferor and transferee. Failure to notify us of a transfer of units may, in some cases, lead to the imposition of penalties. However, these reporting requirements do not apply to a sale by an individual who is a citizen of the United States and who effects the sale through a broker who will satisfy such requirements.
Constructive Termination
We will be considered to have "constructively" terminated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes upon the sale or exchange of 50% or more of the total interests in our capital and profits within a twelve-month period. SUSS directly and indirectly owns more than 50% of the total interests in our capital and profits. Therefore, a transfer by SUSS of all or a portion of its direct or indirect interests in us could result in a termination of our partnership for federal income tax purposes. For purposes of measuring whether the 50% threshold is reached, multiple sales of the same unit are counted only once. A constructive termination results in the closing of our taxable year for all unitholders. In the case of a unitholder reporting on a taxable year other than the calendar year, the closing of our taxable year may result in more than twelve months of our taxable income or loss being includable in such unitholder's taxable income for the year of termination.
A constructive termination occurring on a date other than December 31 generally would require that we file two tax returns for one fiscal year thereby increasing our administration and tax preparation costs. However, pursuant to an IRS relief procedure, the IRS may allow a constructively terminated partnership to provide a single Schedule K-1 for the calendar year in which a termination occurs. Following a constructive termination, we would be required to make new tax elections, including a new election under Section 754 of the Code, and the termination would result in a deferral of our deductions for depreciation. A termination could also result in penalties if we were unable to determine that the termination had occurred. Moreover, a termination may either accelerate the application of, or subject us to, any tax legislation enacted before the termination that would not otherwise have been applied to us as a continuing as opposed to a terminating partnership.
Uniformity of Units
Because we cannot match transferors and transferees of units and for other reasons, we must maintain uniformity of the economic and tax characteristics of the units to a purchaser of these units. In the absence of uniformity, we may be unable to completely comply with a number of federal income tax requirements. Any non-uniformity could have a negative impact on the value of the units. Please read "—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Section 754 Election."
Our partnership agreement permits our general partner to take positions in filing our tax returns that preserve the uniformity of our units. These positions may include reducing the depreciation, amortization or loss deductions to which a unitholder would otherwise be entitled or reporting a slower amortization of Section 743(b) adjustments for some unitholders than that to which they would otherwise be entitled. Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is unable to opine as to the validity of such filing positions.
A unitholder's basis in units is reduced by its share of our deductions (whether or not such deductions were claimed on an individual income tax return) so that any position that we take that understates deductions will overstate the unitholder's basis in its units, and may cause the unitholder to understate gain or overstate loss on any sale of such units. Please read "—Disposition of Units—Recognition of Gain or Loss" above and "—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Section 754 Election" above. The IRS may challenge one or more of any positions we take to preserve the uniformity of units. If such a challenge were sustained, the uniformity of units might be affected, and, under some circumstances, the gain from the sale of units might be increased without the benefit of additional deductions.
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Tax-Exempt Organizations and Other Investors
Ownership of units by employee benefit plans and other tax-exempt organizations as well as by non-resident alien individuals, non-U.S. corporations and other non-U.S. persons (collectively, "Non-U.S. Unitholders") raises issues unique to those investors and, as described below, may have substantially adverse tax consequences to them. Prospective unitholders that are tax-exempt entities or Non-U.S. Unitholders should consult their tax advisors before investing in our units. Employee benefit plans and most other tax-exempt organizations, including IRAs and other retirement plans, are subject to federal income tax on unrelated business taxable income. Virtually all of our income will be unrelated business taxable income and will be taxable to a tax-exempt unitholder.
Non-U.S. unitholders are taxed by the United States on income effectively connected with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business ("effectively connected income") and on certain types of U.S.-source non-effectively connected income (such as dividends), unless exempted or further limited by an income tax treaty will be considered to be engaged in business in the United States because of their ownership of our units. Furthermore, is it probable that they will be deemed to conduct such activities through permanent establishments in the United States within the meaning of applicable tax treaties. Consequently, they will be required to file federal tax returns to report their share of our income, gain, loss or deduction and pay federal income tax on their share of our net income or gain in a manner similar to a taxable U.S. unitholder. Moreover, under rules applicable to publicly traded partnerships, distributions to non-U.S. unitholders are subject to withholding at the highest applicable effective tax rate. Each non-U.S. unitholder must obtain a taxpayer identification number from the IRS and submit that number to our transfer agent on a Form W-8BEN or applicable substitute form in order to obtain credit for these withholding taxes.
In addition, because a non-U.S. unitholder classified as a corporation will be treated as engaged in a United States trade or business, that corporation may be subject to the U.S. branch profits tax at a rate of 30%, in addition to regular federal income tax, on its share of our income and gain as adjusted for changes in the foreign corporation's "U.S. net equity" to the extent reflected in the corporation's effectively connected earnings and profits. That tax may be reduced or eliminated by an income tax treaty between the United States and the country in which the foreign corporate unitholder is a "qualified resident." In addition, this type of unitholder is subject to special information reporting requirements under Section 6038C of the Code.
A non-U.S. unitholder who sells or otherwise disposes of a unit will be subject to federal income tax on gain realized from the sale or disposition of that unit to the extent the gain is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the non-U.S. unitholder. Under a ruling published by the IRS interpreting the scope of "effectively connected income," gain recognized by a non-U.S. person from the sale of its interest in a partnership that is engaged in a trade or business in the United States will be considered to be effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business. Thus, part or all of a non-U.S. unitholder's gain from the sale or other disposition of its units may be treated as effectively connected with a unitholder's indirect U.S. trade or business constituted by its investment in us. Moreover, under the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act, a non-U.S. unitholder generally will be subject to federal income tax upon the sale or disposition of a unit if (i) it owned (directly or indirectly constructively applying certain attribution rules) more than 5% of our units at any time during the five-year period ending on the date of such disposition and (ii) 50% or more of the fair market value of our worldwide real property interests and our other assets used or held for use in a trade or business consisted of U.S. real property interests (which include U.S. real estate (including land, improvements, and certain associated personal property) and interests in certain entities holding U.S. real estate) at any time during the shorter of the period during which such unitholder held the units or the 5-year period ending on the date of disposition. More than 50% of our assets may consist of U.S. real property interests. Therefore, non-U.S. unitholders may be subject to federal income tax on gain from the sale or disposition of their units.
Administrative Matters
Information Returns and Audit Procedures
We intend to furnish to each unitholder, within 90 days after the close of each taxable year, specific tax information, including a Schedule K-1, which describes its share of our income, gain, loss and deduction for our preceding taxable year. In preparing this information, which will not be reviewed by counsel, we will take various accounting and reporting positions, some of which have been mentioned earlier, to determine each unitholder's share of income, gain, loss and deduction. We cannot assure our unitholders that those positions will yield a result that conforms to all of the requirements of the Code, Treasury Regulations or administrative interpretations of the IRS.
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The IRS may audit our federal income tax information returns. Neither we, nor Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., can assure prospective unitholders that the IRS will not successfully challenge the positions we adopt, and such a challenge could adversely affect the value of the units. Adjustments resulting from an IRS audit may require each unitholder to adjust a prior year's tax liability and may result in an audit of the unitholder's own return. Any audit of a unitholder's return could result in adjustments unrelated to our returns.
Publicly-traded partnerships generally are treated as entities separate from their owners for purposes of federal income tax audits, judicial review of administrative adjustments by the IRS and tax settlement proceedings. The tax treatment of partnership items of income, gain, loss and deduction are determined in a partnership proceeding rather than in separate proceedings of the partners. The Code requires that one partner be designated as the "Tax Matters Partner" for these purposes, and our partnership agreement designates SUSS, or such other partner as determined by the Board.
The Tax Matters Partner can extend the statute of limitations for assessment of tax deficiencies against unitholders for items in our returns. The Tax Matters Partner may bind a unitholder with less than a 1% profits interest in us to a settlement with the IRS unless that unitholder elects, by filing a statement with the IRS, not to give that authority to the Tax Matters Partner. The Tax Matters Partner may seek judicial review, by which all the unitholders are bound, of a final partnership administrative adjustment and, if the Tax Matters Partner fails to seek judicial review, judicial review may be sought by any unitholder having at least a 1% interest in profits or by any group of unitholders having in the aggregate at least a 5% interest in profits. However, only one action for judicial review may go forward, and each unitholder with an interest in the outcome may participate in that action.
A unitholder must file a statement with the IRS identifying the treatment of any item on its federal income tax return that is not consistent with the treatment of the item on our return. Intentional or negligent disregard of this consistency requirement may subject a unitholder to substantial penalties.
Nominee Reporting
Persons who hold an interest in us as a nominee for another person are required to furnish to us:
(1) the name, address and taxpayer identification number of the beneficial owner and the nominee;
(2) a statement regarding whether the beneficial owner is:
(a) a non-U.S. person;
(b) a non-U.S. government, an international organization or any wholly owned agency or instrumentality of either of the foregoing; or
(c) a tax-exempt entity;
(3) the amount and description of units held, acquired or transferred for the beneficial owner; and
(4) specific information including the dates of acquisitions and transfers, means of acquisitions and transfers, and acquisition cost for purchases, as well as the amount of net proceeds from sales.
Brokers and financial institutions are required to furnish additional information, including whether they are U.S. persons and specific information on units they acquire, hold or transfer for their own account. A penalty of $100 per failure, up to a maximum of $1.5 million per calendar year, is imposed by the Code for failure to report that information to us. The nominee is required to supply the beneficial owner of the units with the information furnished to us.
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Accuracy-Related Penalties
Certain penalties may be imposed as a result of an underpayment of tax that is attributable to one or more specified causes, including negligence or disregard of rules or regulations, substantial understatements of income tax and substantial valuation misstatements. No penalty will be imposed, however, for any portion of an underpayment if it is shown that there was a reasonable cause for the underpayment of that portion and that the taxpayer acted in good faith regarding the underpayment of that portion. We do not anticipate that any accuracy-related penalties will be assessed against us.
State, Local, Non-U.S. and Other Tax Considerations
In addition to federal income taxes, unitholders may be subject to other taxes, including state and local income taxes, unincorporated business taxes, and estate, inheritance or intangibles taxes that may be imposed by the various jurisdictions in which we conduct business or own property now or in the future or in which the unitholder is a resident. We currently conduct business or own assets in Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico and Oklahoma. Each of these states, other than Texas, currently imposes a personal income tax on individuals. Each of these states also imposes an income or other entity-level tax on corporations and other entities. In addition, we may also own property or do business in other states in the future that impose income or similar taxes on nonresident individuals. Although an analysis of those various taxes is not presented here, each prospective unitholder should consider their potential impact on its investment in us.
Although you may not be required to file a return and pay taxes in some jurisdictions because your income from that jurisdiction falls below the filing and payment requirement, you will be required to file income tax returns and to pay income taxes in many of these jurisdictions in which we do business or own property and may be subject to penalties for failure to comply with those requirements. Some of the jurisdictions may require us, or we may elect, to withhold a percentage of income from amounts to be distributed to a unitholder who is not a resident of the jurisdiction. Withholding, the amount of which may be greater or less than a particular unitholder's income tax liability to the jurisdiction, generally does not relieve a nonresident unitholder from the obligation to file an income tax return.
It is the responsibility of each unitholder to investigate the legal and tax consequences, under the laws of pertinent jurisdictions, of its investment in us. We strongly recommend that each prospective unitholder consult, and depend on, its own tax counsel or other advisor with regard to those matters. Further, it is the responsibility of each unitholder to file all state, local, and non-U.S., as well as U.S. federal tax returns that may be required of it. Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has not rendered an opinion on the state, local, alternative minimum tax or non-U.S. tax consequences of an investment in us.
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Under this prospectus, we intend to offer our securities to the public through one or more broker-dealers, agents, underwriters or directly to investors.
We will fix a price or prices of our securities at:
We may change the price of the securities offered from time to time.
We will pay or allow distributors' or sellers' commissions that will not exceed those customary in the types of transactions involved. Broker-dealers may act as agent or may purchase securities as principal and thereafter resell the securities from time to time:
Broker-dealers or underwriters may receive compensation in the form of underwriting discounts or commissions and may receive commissions from purchasers of the securities for whom they may act as agents. If any broker-dealer purchases the securities as principal, it may effect resales of the securities from time to time to or through other broker-dealers, and other broker-dealers may receive compensation in the form of concessions or commissions from the purchasers of securities for whom they may act as agents. We may also authorize underwriters acting as agents to sell the securities on a continuous at-the-market basis.
To the extent required, the names of the specific managing underwriter or underwriters, if any, as well as other important information, will be set forth in prospectus supplements. In that event, the discounts and commissions we will allow or pay to the underwriters, if any, and the discounts and commissions the underwriters may allow or pay to dealers or agents, if any, will be set forth in, or may be calculated from, the prospectus supplements. Any underwriters, brokers, dealers and agents who participate in any sale of the securities may also engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us or our affiliates in the ordinary course of their businesses. We may indemnify underwriters, brokers, dealers and agents against specific liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.
Offers to purchase securities may be solicited directly by us and the sale thereof may be made by us directly to institutional investors or others, who may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act with respect to any resale thereof. The terms of any such sales will be described in the prospectus supplement relating thereto.
We may offer our units into an existing trading market on the terms described in the prospectus supplement relating thereto. Underwriters and dealers who may participate in any at-the-market offerings will be described in the prospectus supplement relating thereto.
Because FINRA views our common units as interests in a direct participation program, any offering of common units under the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part will be made in compliance with Rule 2310 of the FINRA Rules.
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To the extent required, this prospectus may be amended or supplemented from time to time to describe a specific plan of distribution. The place and time of delivery for the securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered will be set forth in the accompanying prospectus supplement.
In connection with offerings under this shelf registration and in compliance with applicable law, underwriters, brokers or dealers may engage in transactions which stabilize or maintain the market price of the securities at levels above those which might otherwise prevail in the open market. Specifically, underwriters, brokers or dealers may over-allot in connection with offerings, creating a short position in the securities for their own accounts. For the purpose of covering a syndicate short position or stabilizing the price of the securities, the underwriters, brokers or dealers may place bids for the securities or effect purchases of the securities in the open market. Finally, the underwriters may impose a penalty whereby selling concessions allowed to syndicate members or other brokers or dealers for distribution the securities in offerings may be reclaimed by the syndicate if the syndicate repurchases previously distributed securities in transactions to cover short positions, in stabilization transactions or otherwise. These activities may stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market price of the securities, which may be higher than the price that might otherwise prevail in the open market, and, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.
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Certain legal matters in connection with the securities will be passed upon by Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., Houston, Texas, as our counsel. Any underwriters will be advised about other issues relating to any offering by their own legal counsel.
The consolidated financial statements of Susser Petroleum Partners LP appearing in Susser Petroleum Partners LP's Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2012 have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report thereon, 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.
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8,000,000 Common Units
Representing Limited Partner Interests
Susser Petroleum Partners LP
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
, 2014
Joint Book-Running Managers
Morgan Stanley
BofA Merrill Lynch
Barclays
Citigroup
Credit Suisse
Deutsche Bank Securities
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
Jefferies
J.P. Morgan
RBC Capital Markets
UBS Investment Bank
Wells Fargo Securities