UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): July 9, 2009
Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)
British Columbia, Canada
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
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(Commission File Number)
1-14880
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(IRS Employer Identification No.)
N/A
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(Address of principal executive offices)
1055 West Hastings Street, Suite 2200
Vancouver, British Columbia V6E 2E9
and
2700 Colorado Avenue, Suite 200
Santa Monica, California 90404
Registrants telephone number, including area code:
(877) 848-3866
No Change
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the
filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
o
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
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Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
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Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
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Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement
On July 9, 2009, Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. (the Company) entered into a letter agreement
(the Agreement) with Mark H. Rachesky. M.D., that provides that, among other things, the Company
will name Dr. Rachesky to its slate of nominees for election to the Companys Board of Directors at
the Companys 2009 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (the Annual Meeting).
The Agreement also provides, subject to certain terms and conditions, that (i) Dr. Rachesky and his
affiliated entities (collectively, the MHR Group) that own, beneficially or of record, the
Companys common shares as of the record date for the Annual Meeting, will vote for the Companys
director nominees at the Annual Meeting, (ii) the Company will enter into a registration rights
agreement with the MHR Group and (iii) in the event the Company enters into an agreement with any
other person, or invites or receives a proposal, in either case which relates to the matters
addressed by the Agreement and that has terms or conditions that are more favorable to such person
or more restrictive to the Company than the terms or conditions set forth in the Agreement or the
registration rights agreement, then the Company will offer the MHR Group the opportunity to enter
into an agreement on the same terms and conditions or, as the case may be, make a competing
proposal which shall be considered by the Company in good faith before deciding whether to execute
any other agreement.
The foregoing description of the Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full
text of the Agreement, which is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.65 and incorporated herein by
reference.
Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
The information in Item 1.01 above is incorporated herein by reference.
The Company believes that Dr. Rachesky will qualify as independent under New York Stock Exchange
rules, applicable Securities and Exchange Commission rules and regulations, and the Companys
corporate governance guidelines.
If elected, Dr. Rachesky will replace Mark Amin, a current director, who will not stand for
re-election at the Annual Meeting after a nine-year tenure as a director. Mr. Amin will continue to
serve as a member of the Board of Directors until the date of the Annual Meeting.
On July 9, 2009, the Company issued a press release announcing the matters disclosed in Item 5.02
of this Current Report on Form 8-K. A copy of the press release is furnished herewith as Exhibit
99.1 and incorporated herein by reference.
Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits
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Exhibit No.
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Description
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10.65
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Letter Agreement between Mark H. Rachesky and Lions Gate
Entertainment Corp., dated July 9, 2009
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99.1
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Press Release of Lions Gate Entertainment Corp., dated July 9, 2009
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused
this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
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Date: July 10, 2009
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LIONS GATE ENTERTAINMENT CORP.
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/s/ James Keegan
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James Keegan
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Chief Financial Officer
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Exhibit 10.65
LIONS GATE ENTERTAINMENT CORP.
2700 Colorado Avenue, Suite 200
Santa Monica, California 90404
July 9, 2009
Dr. Mark H. Rachesky
40 West 57
th
Street, 24
th
Floor
New York, NY 10019
Dear Dr. Rachesky:
Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. (the
Company
or
we
) is pleased to extend
this invitation to you to join our slate of nominees for election to the Companys Board of
Directors (the
Board
) at the 2009 meeting of the Companys shareholders (the
Annual
Meeting
).
For good and valuable consideration the sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the
Company hereby agrees to include you in its slate of nominees for election to the Board at our
Annual Meeting, and we will recommend that the Companys shareholders vote in favor of your
election. We will support you for election in a manner no less rigorous or favorable than the
manner in which the Company supports all its other nominees. You hereby consent to serve as a
member of the Board if elected at the Annual Meeting.
You agree that you and your affiliated entities at any time and from time to time (including,
among any others, MHR INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS IIA LP, MHR INSTITUTIONAL ADVISORS II LLC, MHR
INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS III LP, MHR INSTITUTIONAL ADVISORS III LLC and MHR FUND MANAGEMENT LLC) (the
MHR Group
) that own, of record or beneficially, common shares of the Company (
Common
Shares
) as of the record date for the Annual Meeting, shall vote, or cause to be voted, such
shares for all of the directors nominated by the Company for election at the Annual Meeting.
The Company hereby agrees, provided that the MHR Group owns, of record or beneficially, at
least 23,165,278 Common Shares in the aggregate on the date hereof which, as calculated based on
the number of Common Shares disclosed as outstanding in the Companys Form 10-K for the fiscal year
ended March 31, 2009 (the
2009 Form 10-K
), represented approximately 19.8% of the
outstanding Common Shares, that it will enter into a registration rights agreement with the MHR
Group by no later than September 30, 2009, on terms similar to such agreements that the MHR Group
has entered into with other publicly traded companies (the
Registration Rights
Agreement
). In furtherance of the foregoing, and notwithstanding contrary terms of such
agreements that the MHR Group has previously entered into (the
MHR Group Agreements
), the
Registration Rights Agreement shall provide, among other things, that:
(a)
Demand Registration Rights
. The MHR Group shall be entitled to two (2) demand
registrations (whether or not underwritten, with the managing underwriter, if any, to be
chosen by the Company, which managing underwriter shall be of national standing and
reasonably acceptable to the MHR Group) in the aggregate; provided that the Company shall
only be required to effect one (1) demand registration by the MHR Group in any 12-month
period. The MHR Group shall have first priority to register and to sell all of the
securities that the MHR Group requested to be registered and/or sold pursuant to any of its
demand rights before the
Company or any holder of Common Shares that owns at that time at least 10% of the then
outstanding Common Shares and is party to a registration rights agreement with the Company
(a
10% Holder
) shall be entitled to participate in any such demand registration or
sales pursuant to such demand registration, provided that the Company or any such 10% Holder
may participate only if such participation would not, in the determination of the managing
underwriter, adversely affect the price or success of the MHR Groups demand registration.
Furthermore, from the date that the MHR Group delivers a notice to exercise a demand
registration until the conclusion of such offering (for a total period of up to 90 days),
the Company shall not register any of its securities for sale for its own account or for the
account of any other person other than as permitted in clause (b) below.
(b)
Piggyback Registration Rights
. If the Company at any time proposes to register
for sale or sells any Common Shares (or securities convertible into or exchangeable for
Common Shares), pursuant to a registration statement, including in each case pursuant to any
shelf registration statement (including pursuant to clause (c) below) and including by
effecting any underwritten public offering, for its own account or for the account of any
other person (collectively, an
Offering
) (other than pursuant to business
combination transactions, employee benefit plans and other customary exceptions to be
negotiated and set out in the Registration Rights Agreement, but similar to such terms in
the MHR Group Agreements), the MHR Group shall be entitled to participate in such Offering;
provided that such party who initiated such Offering shall have first priority to register
and sell all of such securities that such party requested to be sold. In the event that such
Offering is for the account of (i) the Company, then the MHR Group and any other person
entitled to piggyback registration rights with respect to such registration statement shall
be entitled to participate on a pro rata basis based on their relative percentage interests
in the Company, and (ii) any other person, then (x) the MHR Group and any other person
entitled to piggyback registration rights with respect to such registration statement shall
be entitled to participate on a pro rata basis based on their relative percentage interests
in the Company and (y) if the MHR Group and / or another person exercises piggyback
registration rights with respect to such registration statement, the Company shall be
entitled to participate on a pro rata basis up to the sum of the number of such securities
proposed to be included by (A) the MHR Group and (B) the other person(s), unless the
managing underwriter determines that inclusion of additional securities by the Company above
such sum of (A) and (B), will not adversely affect the price or success of such sale by the
initiating party, the MHR Group or any other participating person(s), provided that in all
such cases set out in the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii), such participation would not, in
the determination of the managing underwriter, adversely affect the price or success of such
sale by the initiating party.
(c)
Shelf Registration Rights
. The Company shall file within sixty (60) days
following any request of the MHR Group (a
Shelf Request
), and shall use its
reasonable efforts to have declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
Commission
) as soon as practicable, a shelf registration statement relating to the
offer and sale of all registrable securities then held by the MHR Group (or their respective
affiliates and successors) to the public, from time to time, on a delayed or continuous
basis, which registration statement may be a universal shelf registration statement that may
also relate to the offer and sale of other securities of the Company (a
Shelf
Registration Statement
); provided that if the Company files the Shelf Registration
Statement prior to the execution of the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company shall
include in such Shelf Registration Statement all the securities held by the MHR Group on the
date of such filing and if on the date of such execution the Shelf Registration Statement is
not effective, the Company shall use its reasonable efforts to have the Registration
Statement declared effective by the Commission as soon as practicable after such execution.
The MHR Group shall be entitled to exercise subsequent Shelf Requests only if at the time of
such
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subsequent Shelf Request, the MHR Group beneficially owns in the aggregate at least one (1)
million additional Common Shares not beneficially owned by the MHR Group as of the date of
the immediately prior Shelf Request. The Company shall be required to effect an
underwritten public offering (with the managing underwriter to be chosen by the Company,
which managing underwriter shall be of national standing and reasonably acceptable to the
MHR Group) pursuant to a shelf registration statement if the MHR Group requests to sell at
least 2.3 million Common Shares held by the MHR Group. If during the 30-day period prior to
the date that the MHR Group initiates an underwritten public offering under any Shelf
Registration Statement, the Company has already initiated, and is pursuing in good faith at
the time the MHR Group makes such initiation, an underwritten public offering for its own
account (
Company Offering
), then in such event, the MHR Group shall cease its
process for an underwritten public offering and the Company shall have first priority to
sell all of the securities that the Company contemplated in such Company Offering, and the
MHR Group and any 10% Holder shall thereafter be entitled to participate in the Company
Offering on a pro rata basis based on their relative percentage interests so long as such
participation would not, in the determination of the managing underwriter, adversely affect
the price or success of the Company Offering; provided that if the Company Offering is not
completed within 90 days from the date that the Company notifies the MHR Group of such
Company Offering, the MHR Group shall be permitted to initiate an underwritten offering
which shall no longer be pre-empted by the proposed Company Offering as provided in this
sentence. For the avoidance of doubt, if at the time the MHR Group initiates an
underwritten public offering there is no Company Offering and no 10% Holder has initiated an
underwritten public offering, then the MHR Group shall have first priority to sell all of
the securities that the MHR Group requested to be sold before the Company or any 10% Holder
shall be entitled to participate in any such underwritten public offering, and the Company
or such 10% Holder may participate only so long as such participation would not, in the
determination of the managing underwriter, adversely affect the price or success of the MHR
Groups initiated underwritten public offering.
(d)
Term
. The registration rights described above shall terminate on the first
anniversary of the date that the MHR Group both (x) beneficially owns in the aggregate less
than 11,703,209 Common Shares (subject to equitable adjustment for any stock splits, stock
dividends, combinations, reorganizations or similar events), which represents approximately
10% of the Common Shares outstanding as disclosed in the Companys 2009 Form 10-K, so long
as such number of Common Shares (as adjusted) beneficially owned represents less than 10% of
the Common Shares outstanding at that time and (y) ceases to have a designated
representative on the Board (such date, the
Termination Date
).
(e)
General
. The Registration Rights Agreement shall grant registration rights only
to the MHR Group (including, for the avoidance of doubt, affiliates who are assignees).
During any time that a member of the MHR Group possesses material non-public information
with respect to the Company, the MHR Group shall not effect any sales under any registration
statement of the Company. The Company shall not be required to use reasonable efforts to
cause a registration statement filed pursuant to a demand registration or Shelf Request to
be declared effective or keep current a shelf registration statement or permit sales to be
made thereunder, or file any prospectus supplement or amendment (other than as required by
the periodic report or proxy statement disclosure requirements of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, including Sections 13 or 15(d) thereof, including Forms 10-K, 8-K, 10-Q or 14A
thereunder) if the Company possesses material non-public information and determines in good
faith that it need not otherwise make such disclosure or filing; provided that at all times
the Company continues in good faith to make public disclosures so as to continue and comply
with its past practice with respect to the non-disclosure of material non-public
information. In furtherance of and pursuant to the last proviso
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of the preceding sentence and following public disclosure by the Company, at such time as
the Company no longer possesses material non-public information regarding the Company, the
MHR Group may effect sales under any registration statement, including through an
underwritten public offering. All calculations of beneficial ownership for purposes of the
Registration Rights Agreement shall be calculated in accordance with Rule 13(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
The Company further agrees to continue its current practice of providing all Restricted
Persons (as defined in the Companys General Policy of Insider Trading) the opportunity to trade
Company securities whenever possible, including using reasonable efforts to advise the MHR Group
promptly following receipt of a trading notice from the MHR Group (but in no event later than 48
hours), as to whether or not the MHR Group can proceed with its proposed transaction, provided that
such persons are not at the relevant time in possession of material non-public information with
respect to the Company, and such trading is subject to the U.S. securities laws and the Companys
General Policy regarding such trading, as applicable. The Company also agrees that the MHR Group
will not be subject to Event-Specific Blackout Periods (as defined in the Companys Insider
Trading Compliance Program) without giving the MHR Group advance notice that the MHR Group would be
subject to such blackout.
The Company further agrees, provided that the MHR Group owns, of record or beneficially, at
least 23,165,278 Common Shares in the aggregate on the date hereof which, as calculated based on
the number of Common Shares disclosed as outstanding in the Companys 2009 Form 10-K, represented
approximately 19.8% of the outstanding Common Shares, that if at any time from the date hereof
through the six-month anniversary of the date that the MHR Group beneficially owns in the aggregate
less than 8,192,246 Common Shares (subject to equitable adjustment for any stock splits, stock
dividends, combinations, reorganizations or similar events), which represents approximately 7% of
the Common Shares outstanding as disclosed in the Companys 2009 Form 10-K, so long as such number
of Common Shares (as adjusted) beneficially owned represents 7% or less of the Common Shares
outstanding at that time, (i) the Company has in effect any agreement, understanding or arrangement
with any other person, or enters into any agreement or comes to any understanding or arrangement,
or makes any amendments to any of the foregoing agreement, arrangement or understanding (the
Other Agreement
), unless the Company reasonably determines, in good faith, following
advice of legal counsel to such effect, that such Other Agreement is not enforceable against the
Company, or (ii) invites or receives any proposal from any person or entity (a
Proposal
),
in each of clauses (i) and (ii) relating to any of the matters addressed by this agreement,
including without limitation, the nomination, recommendation or election of or the voting for
directors, registration rights or restrictions on the trading in Company securities, but excluding
any such Other Agreement or Proposal that is significantly related to the material acquisition of
assets or securities of another company, the sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the
Company, or any other material business combination for the benefit of the Company and its
shareholders as a whole, where the Companys benefit from any such transaction significantly
relates to the Companys business and operations, and the Other Agreement or Proposal, as the case
may be, contains terms or conditions that are more favorable to such person, or more restrictive to
the Company, than those resulting from this agreement or the Registration Rights Agreement, then
the Company shall, in the case of clause (i) of this paragraph, offer the MHR Group to enter into
an agreement with the MHR Group on the same terms and conditions as the Other Agreement, which
agreement, once accepted by the MHR Group and executed, shall supersede any existing applicable
agreement between the Company and the MHR Group that relates to such matters and, in the case of
clause (ii) of this paragraph, provide notice to the MHR Group thereof at least three (3) business
days prior to executing an agreement with respect to such Proposal so that the MHR Group may make a
competing proposal for such matter, which competing proposal shall be considered by the Company in
good faith before deciding whether to execute any other agreement. In the case of clause (i) of
this paragraph, the Company shall enter into such agreement with the MHR Group promptly following
the acceptance thereof by the MHR Group. The Company agrees that so long as any
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member of the MHR Group is a member of the Board, such member shall receive all information
relating to any Other Agreement, but not to any Proposal, as and when received by the Board or any
committee of the Board, subject to the last sentence of the preceding paragraph regarding Event
Specific Blackout Periods. Subject to the preceding sentence, the Company agrees to notify the
MHR Group promptly following the time that any of the foregoing obligations of the Company is
triggered and to provide the MHR Group with a copy of the agreement the Company is prepared to
enter into with the MHR Group, or the proposal it invited or received, as applicable, and the
identity of the other person or entity and a copy of the relevant agreement with or proposal to or
from such other party.
Notices or offers given to the MHR Group pursuant to the above provisions, and discussions
relating thereto, shall be kept confidential by the MHR Group for so long as such information is
not publicly available; provided that the Company acknowledges and agrees that the MHR Group may be
subject to certain disclosure obligations with respect to the matters (i) contained in this
agreement, (ii) that will be contained in the Registration Rights Agreement or (iii) that relate to
the matters described in clauses in (i) and (ii), in any case pursuant to applicable law (including
with respect to fiduciary duties), regulation, rule, stock exchange requirement, self-regulatory
body, supervisory authority, other applicable judicial or governmental order, or legal process
(collectively,
Applicable Law
) and that the MHR Group may disclose, following receipt of
advice of counsel that such disclosure is required by Applicable Law, all such matters to the
extent required by such Applicable Law. In the event that the MHR Group is required to make any
such disclosure pursuant to Applicable Law, the MHR Group shall notify (except where such notice
would be legally prohibited) the Company of such requirement such that the Company receives notice
as soon as practicable, and in any event, to the extent practicable after the MHR Group uses good
faith effort to that end, no later than 24 hours prior to such disclosure so that the Company may
seek, if so determined on the advice of counsel, a protective order or other appropriate remedy.
For the avoidance of doubt, at no time shall the MHR Group be required pursuant to this paragraph
to give notice of disclosures that do not contain information required to be kept confidential.
No public announcement by the Company, by a press release or other publicly disseminated
disclosure, regarding or that refers to the MHR Group or Dr. Rachesky shall be issued by the
Company without the prior written consent of the MHR Group; provided, however, that the Company may
make such public disclosure if the Company (i) first receives the advice of counsel that any such
public disclosure is, and the extent to which it is, required by Applicable Law, (ii) makes any
such disclosure only to the extent so required by Applicable Law, (iii) promptly notifies the MHR
Group of such counsel advice and provides the written text of any such proposed disclosure (except
where such notice or disclosure would, in the advice of counsel, be legally prohibited) such that,
the MHR Group receives such notice and text as soon as practicable and in any event, to the extent
practicable after the Company uses good faith effort to that end, no later than 24 hours prior to
such disclosure, so that the MHR Group may seek a protective order or other appropriate remedy and
(iv) cooperates with the MHR Group and considers in good faith any comments that the MHR Group
might have with respect to any such proposed disclosure prior to dissemination thereof.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the restrictions in this paragraph shall terminate at such time as a
member of the MHR Group or any representative expressly authorized to act on its behalf (i) makes a
public statement that is intended to be, in the reasonable good faith determination of the Company,
disparaging or critical of the Board as a whole, the Company, senior management or their respective
policies which is not supported by or made in cooperation with either of the foregoing, or (ii)
commences a tender offer for the Common Shares or proxy contest with respect to the Board which
has not been approved by the Board.
Written notices to the Company, and to the MHR Group, shall be made to the respective
addresses set forth at the top of this letter agreement.
[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]
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Sincerely,
LIONS GATE ENTERTAINMENT CORP.
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By:
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/s/ Wayne Levin
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Name:
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Wayne Levin
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Title:
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EVP, Corporate Operations and General Counsel
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ACCEPTED AND AGREED
AS OF THE DATE FIRST SET FORTH ABOVE:
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By:
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/s/ Mark H. Rachesky, M.D.
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Mark H. Rachesky, M.D.
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