As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 13, 2015.
Registration Statement No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Form S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
KKR & CO. L.P.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware
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6282
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26-0426107
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9 West 57th Street, Suite 4200
New York, NY 10019
Telephone: (212) 750-8300
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of Registrants principal executive offices)
David J. Sorkin, Esq.
General Counsel
KKR & Co. L.P.
9 West 57th Street, Suite 4200
New York, NY 10019
Telephone: (212) 750-8300
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
Copy to:
Mark Hayek, Esq.
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP
One New York Plaza
New York, NY 10004
Telephone: (212) 859-8000
Facsimile: (212) 859-4000
Approximate date of commencement of the proposed sale of the securities to the public:
From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement.
If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. o
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box. x
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. o
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. o
If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. o
If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See definitions of large accelerated filer, accelerated filer and smaller reporting company in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
Large accelerated filer x |
Accelerated filer o |
Non-accelerated filer
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Smaller reporting
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CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
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Title of Each Class of
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Amount to be
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Proposed Maximum
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Proposed Maximum
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Amount of
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Common Units |
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2,634,674 |
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$18.15 |
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$47,819,334 |
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$4,816 |
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(1) This Registration Statement registers 2,634,674 common units, which constitute only a portion of the common units delivered in connection with the acquisition of a 24.9% equity interest in Marshall Wace LLP and its affiliates. The common units represent limited partner interests of KKR & Co. L.P. This Registration Statement also relates to such additional common units of KKR & Co. L.P. as may be issued with respect to such common units by way of a unit distribution, unit split or similar transaction.
(2) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act based upon the average of the high and low sales price per common unit of KKR & Co. L.P. as reported on the New York Stock Exchange on November 10, 2015.
The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. These securities may not be sold until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell nor does it seek an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED NOVEMBER 13, 2015.
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS
KKR & Co. L.P.
2,634,674 Common Units
Representing Limited Partner Interests
This prospectus relates to up to 2,634,674 of our common units that may be offered for sale from time to time by the persons described in this prospectus (and their transferees) under the section entitled Selling Securityholders on page 40 of this prospectus. The common units were issued by us to the Selling Securityholders pursuant to an agreement entered into in connection with our acquisition of a 24.9% equity interest in Marshall Wace LLP and its affiliates (Marshall Wace), which we refer to as the 2015 Marshall Wace Transaction, and represent only a portion of the common unit consideration issued in connection therewith.
This prospectus describes the general manner in which the common units may be offered and sold by the Selling Securityholders. If necessary, the specific manner in which common units may be offered and sold will be described in a supplement to this prospectus. We provide more information about how the Selling Securityholders may sell their common units in the section entitled Plan of Distribution on page 42 of this prospectus. The Selling Securityholders will bear all commissions and discounts, if any, attributable to the sale or disposition of the common units. We will bear all costs, expenses and fees in connection with the registration of the common units.
We are not offering any common units for sale under this prospectus, and we will not receive any proceeds from the sale of common units by the Selling Securityholders.
Our common units are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol KKR. The last reported sale price of our common units on November 11, 2015 was $18.02 per common unit.
In reviewing this prospectus, you should carefully consider the matters described under the caption Risk Factors beginning on page 2 of this prospectus and in the Risk Factors section of our periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this prospectus is , 2015.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Page |
KKR |
1 |
Risk factors |
2 |
Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements |
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Use of proceeds |
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Conflicts of interest and fiduciary responsibilities |
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Description of our common units |
11 |
Description of our limited partnership agreement |
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Common units eligible for future sale |
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Material U.S. Federal tax considerations |
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Selling securityholders |
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Plan of distribution |
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Legal matters |
44 |
Experts |
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Where you can find more information |
46 |
You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement or any applicable free writing prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with additional or different information. The Selling Securityholders are not making an offer to sell the common units in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. The information in this prospectus is accurate only as of the date of this prospectus, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or any sale of our common units.
We may provide a prospectus supplement containing specific information about the terms of a particular offering by the Selling Securityholders or their transferees. The prospectus supplement may add, update or change information in this prospectus. If information in a prospectus supplement is inconsistent with the information in this prospectus, you should rely on the information in that prospectus supplement. You should read both this prospectus and, if applicable, any prospectus supplement hereto. See Where You Can Find More Information on page 46 of this prospectus for more information.
This prospectus has been prepared using a number of conventions, which you should consider when reading the information contained herein. Unless the context suggests otherwise:
(i) references to KKR, we, us, our and our partnership refer to KKR & Co. L.P. and its consolidated subsidiaries. Prior to KKR & Co. L.P. becoming listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on July 15, 2010, KKR Group Holdings L.P. consolidated the financial results of the KKR Group Partnerships and their consolidated subsidiaries.
(ii) references to our Managing Partner are to KKR Management LLC, which acts as the general partner of KKR & Co. L.P.;
(iii) references to the KKR Group Partnerships are to KKR Management Holdings L.P., KKR Fund Holdings L.P. and KKR International Holdings L.P., collectively;
(iv) references to KKR Group Partnership Units are to the limited partnership units of the KKR Group Partnerships;
(v) references to our funds or our vehicles refer to the investment funds, vehicles and/or accounts advised, sponsored or managed by one or more subsidiaries of KKR, unless the context requires otherwise; and
(vi) references to Selling Securityholders refer to those of our unitholders described in Selling Securityholders beginning on page 40 of this prospectus.
Each KKR Group Partnership has an identical number of partner interests and, when held together, one Class A partner interest in each of the KKR Group Partnerships together represents one KKR Group Partnership Unit.
Unless otherwise indicated, references to equity interests in KKRs business, or to percentage interests in KKRs business, reflect the aggregate equity of the KKR Group Partnerships and are net of amounts that have been allocated to our principals in respect of the carried interest from KKRs business as part of our carry pool and certain minority interests. References to principals are to our senior employees and non-employee operating consultants who hold interests in KKRs business through KKR Holdings L.P., which we refer to as KKR Holdings.
KKR
We are a leading global investment firm that manages investments across multiple asset classes including private equity, energy, infrastructure, real estate, credit and hedge funds.
Our business offers a broad range of investment management services to our fund investors and provides capital markets services to our firm, our portfolio companies and third parties. We conduct our business with offices throughout the world, providing us with a pre-eminent global platform for sourcing transactions, raising capital and carrying out capital markets activities.
As a global investment firm, we earn management, monitoring, transaction and incentive fees for providing investment management, monitoring and other services to our funds, vehicles, collateralized loan obligations, managed accounts, specialty finance company and portfolio companies, and we generate transaction-specific income from capital markets transactions. We earn additional investment income from investing our own capital alongside that of our fund investors and from other balance sheet investments and from the carried interest we receive from our funds and certain of our other investment vehicles.
KKR & Co. L.P. is a Delaware limited partnership, and we conduct our business through our subsidiaries. Our common units are publicly traded on the NYSE under the symbol KKR.
Our principal executive offices are located at 9 West 57th Street, Suite 4200, New York, New York 10019, and our telephone number is +1 (212) 750-8300. Additional information about us and our subsidiaries is included in documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus. See Where You Can Find More Information on page 46 of this prospectus.
RISK FACTORS
The purchase and holding of our common units involves various risks. You should carefully consider each of the risks described in the section entitled Risk Factors in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014, filed with the SEC on February 27, 2015, as such factors may be updated from time to time in our periodic filings with the SEC, which are accessible on the SECs website at www.sec.gov, and all of the other information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus when acquiring or holding our common units.
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act) and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act), which reflect our current views with respect to, among other things, our operations and financial performance. You can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words such as outlook, believe, expect, potential, continue, may, should, seek, approximately, predict, intend, will, plan, estimate, anticipate, the negative version of these words, other comparable words or other statements that do not relate strictly to historical or factual matters. Forward looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause actual outcomes or results to differ materially from those indicated in these statements. We believe these factors include, but are not limited to, those described in the section entitled Risk Factors in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014, filed with the SEC on February 27, 2015, as such factors may be updated from time to time in our periodic filings with the SEC, which are accessible on the SECs website at www.sec.gov. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included in this prospectus and our periodic filings. We do not undertake any obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITIES
Conflicts of Interest
Conflicts of interest exist and may arise in the future as a result of the relationships between our Managing Partner and its affiliates, including each partys respective owners, on the one hand, and our partnership and our limited partners, on the other hand. Whenever a potential conflict arises between our Managing Partner or its affiliates, on the one hand, and us or any limited partner, on the other hand, our Managing Partner will resolve that conflict. Our limited partnership agreement contains provisions that reduce and eliminate our Managing Partners duties, including fiduciary duties, to our unitholders. Our limited partnership agreement also restricts the remedies available to unitholders for actions taken that without those limitations might constitute breaches of duty, including fiduciary duties.
Under our limited partnership agreement, our Managing Partner will not be in breach of its obligations under the limited partnership agreement or its duties to us or our unitholders if the resolution of the conflict is:
· approved by the conflicts committee, although our Managing Partner is not obligated to seek such approval;
· approved by the vote of a majority of the outstanding common units, excluding any common units owned by our Managing Partner or any of its affiliates, although our Managing Partner is not obligated to seek such approval;
· on terms which are, in the aggregate, no less favorable to us than those generally being provided to or available from unrelated third parties; or
· fair and reasonable to us, taking into account the totality of the relationships among the parties involved, including other transactions that may be particularly favorable or advantageous to us.
Our Managing Partner may, but is not required to, seek the approval of such resolution from the conflicts committee or our unitholders. If our Managing Partner does not seek approval from the conflicts committee or our unitholders and its board of directors determines that the resolution or course of action taken with respect to the conflict of interest satisfies either of the standards set forth in the third and fourth bullet points above, then it will be presumed that in making its decision the board of directors acted in good faith, and in any proceeding brought by or on behalf of any limited partner or us or any other person bound by our limited partnership agreement, 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 limited partnership agreement, our Managing Partner or the conflicts committee may consider any factors it determines in its sole discretion to consider when resolving a conflict. Our limited partnership agreement provides that our Managing Partner will be conclusively presumed to be acting in good faith if our Managing Partner subjectively believes that the determination made or not made is in the best interests of the partnership.
Covered Agreements
The conflicts committee is responsible for enforcing our rights under certain agreements against KKR Holdings and certain of its subsidiaries and designees, a general partner or limited partner of KKR Holdings, or a person who holds a partnership or equity interest in the foregoing entities. The conflicts committee is also authorized to take any action pursuant to any authority or rights granted to such committee under those agreements or with respect to any amendment, supplement, modification or waiver to those agreements that would purport to modify such authority or rights. In addition, the conflicts committee shall approve any amendment to any of those agreements that in the reasonable judgment of our Managing Partners board of directors creates or will result in a conflict of interest.
Potential Conflicts
Conflicts of interest could arise in the situations described below, among others.
Actions taken by our Managing Partner may affect the amount of cash flow from operations to our unitholders.
The amount of cash flow from operations that is available for distribution to our unitholders is affected by decisions of our Managing Partner regarding such matters as:
· the amount and timing of cash expenditures, including those relating to compensation;
· the amount and timing of investments and dispositions;
· levels of indebtedness;
· tax matters;
· levels of reserves; and
· issuances of additional partnership securities.
In addition, borrowings by our limited partnership and our affiliates from our Managing Partner and its affiliates do not constitute a breach of any duty owed by our Managing Partner to our unitholders. Our partnership agreement provides that we and our subsidiaries may borrow funds from our Managing Partner and its affiliates on terms that are fair and reasonable to us. Under our limited partnership agreement, those borrowings will be deemed to be fair and reasonable if: (i) they are approved in accordance with the terms of the limited partnership agreement; (ii) the terms are no less favorable to us than those generally being provided to or available from unrelated third parties; or (iii) the terms are fair and reasonable to us, taking into account the totality of the relationships between the parties involved, including other transactions that may be or have been particularly favorable or advantageous to us.
We will reimburse our Managing Partner and its affiliates for expenses.
We will reimburse our Managing Partner and its affiliates for costs incurred in managing and operating our partnership and our business. For example, we do not elect, appoint or employ any directors, officers or other employees. All of those persons are elected, appointed or employed by our Managing Partner on our behalf. Our limited partnership agreement provides that our Managing Partner will determine the expenses that are allocable to us.
Our Managing Partner has limited its liability regarding our obligations.
Our Managing Partner has limited its liability under contractual arrangements so that the other party has recourse only to our assets, and not against our Managing Partner, its assets or its owners. Our limited partnership agreement provides that any action taken by our Managing Partner to limit its liability or our liability is not a breach of our Managing Partners fiduciary duties, even if we could have obtained more favorable terms without the limitation on liability. The limitation on our Managing Partners liability does not constitute a waiver of compliance with U.S. federal securities laws that would be void under Section 14 of the Securities Act.
Our unitholders will have no right to enforce obligations of our Managing Partner and its affiliates under agreements with us.
Any agreements between us on the one hand, and our Managing Partner and its affiliates on the other, will not grant our unitholders, separate and apart from us, the right to enforce the obligations of our Managing Partner and its affiliates in our favor.
Contracts between us, on the one hand, and our Managing Partner and its affiliates, on the other, will not be the result of arms-length negotiations.
Our limited partnership agreement allows our Managing Partner to determine in its sole discretion any amounts to pay itself or its affiliates for any services rendered to us. Our Managing Partner may also enter into additional contractual arrangements with any of its affiliates on our behalf. Neither our limited partnership agreement nor any of the other agreements, contracts and arrangements between us on the one hand, and our Managing Partner and its affiliates on the other, are or will be the result of arms-length negotiations. Our Managing Partner will determine the terms of these transactions so long as such arrangements are fair and reasonable to us as determined under our partnership agreement. Our Managing Partner and its affiliates will have no obligation to permit us to use any facilities or assets of our Managing Partner and its affiliates, except as may be provided in contracts entered into specifically dealing with such use. There will not be any obligation of our Managing Partner and its affiliates to enter into any contracts of this kind.
Our common units are subject to our Managing Partners limited call right.
Our Managing Partner may exercise its right to call and purchase common units as provided in our limited partnership agreement or assign this right to one of its affiliates or to us. Our Managing Partner may use its own discretion, free of fiduciary duty restrictions, in determining whether to exercise this right. As a result, a unitholder may have his common units purchased from him at an undesirable time or price. See Description of Our Limited Partnership AgreementLimited Call Right.
We may choose not to retain separate counsel for ourselves or for the holders of common units.
Attorneys, independent accountants and others who will perform services for us are selected by our Managing Partner or the conflicts committee, and may perform services for our Managing Partner and its affiliates. We may retain separate counsel for ourselves or our unitholders in the event of a conflict of interest between our Managing Partner and its affiliates on the one hand, and us or our unitholders on the other, depending on the nature of the conflict, but are not required to do so.
Our Managing Partners affiliates may compete with us.
Our partnership agreement provides that our Managing Partner will be restricted from engaging in any business activities other than activities incidental to its ownership of interests in us. Except as provided in the non-competition, non-solicitation and confidentiality agreements to which our principals will be subject, affiliates of our Managing Partner, including its owners, are not prohibited from engaging in other businesses or activities, including those that might compete directly with us.
Certain of our subsidiaries have obligations to investors in our investment funds and may have obligations to other third parties that may conflict with your interests.
Our subsidiaries that serve as the investment advisors or general partners of our investment funds have fiduciary and contractual obligations to the investors in those funds and some of our subsidiaries, including those subsidiaries that are broker-dealers, may have contractual duties to other third parties. As a result, we expect to regularly take actions with respect to the allocation of investments among our investment funds (including funds that have different fee structures), the purchase or sale of investments in our investment funds, the structuring of investment transactions for those funds, the advice and services we provide or otherwise that comply with these fiduciary and contractual obligations. In addition, our principals have made personal investments in a variety of our investment funds, which may result in conflicts of interest among investors in our funds or our unitholders regarding investment decisions for these funds. Some of these actions might at the same time adversely affect our near-term results of operations or cash flow.
U.S. federal income tax considerations of our principals may conflict with your interests.
Because our principals will hold a portion of their KKR Group Partnership Units directly or through entities that are not subject to corporate income taxation and we hold our units in one of the KKR Group Partnerships through a subsidiary that is subject to taxation as a corporation in the United States, conflicts may arise between our principals and our partnership relating to the selection and structuring of investments or transactions. Our unitholders will be deemed to expressly acknowledge that our Managing Partner is under no obligation to consider the separate interests of such holders, including among other things the tax consequences to our unitholders, in deciding whether to cause us to take or decline to take any actions.
Fiduciary Duties
Our Managing Partner is accountable to us and our unitholders as a fiduciary. Fiduciary duties owed to our unitholders by our Managing Partner are prescribed by law and our limited partnership agreement. The Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act, or Delaware Limited Partnership Act, provides that Delaware limited partnerships may in their partnership agreements expand, restrict or eliminate the duties, including fiduciary duties, otherwise owed by a general partner to limited partners and the partnership.
Our partnership agreement contains various provisions modifying, restricting and eliminating the duties, including fiduciary duties, that might otherwise be owed by our Managing Partner. We have adopted these restrictions to allow our Managing 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. Without these modifications, our Managing Partners ability to make decisions involving conflicts of interest would be restricted. These modifications are detrimental to our unitholders because they restrict the remedies available to our unitholders for actions that without those limitations might constitute breaches of duty, including a fiduciary duty, as described below, and they permit our Managing 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 on the fiduciary duties owed by our Managing Partner to our unitholders:
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State Law Fiduciary Duty Standards |
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Fiduciary duties are generally considered to include an obligation to act in good faith and with due care and loyalty. In the absence of a provision in a partnership agreement providing otherwise, the duty of care 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. In the absence of a provision in a partnership agreement providing otherwise, the duty of loyalty would generally prohibit a general partner of a Delaware limited partnership from taking any action or engaging in any transaction that is not in the best interests of the partnership where a conflict of interest is present. |
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Partnership Agreement Modified Standards |
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Our limited partnership agreement contains provisions that waive duties of or consent to conduct by our Managing Partner and its affiliates that might otherwise raise issues about compliance with fiduciary duties or applicable law. For example, our limited partnership agreement provides that when our Managing Partner, in its capacity as our Managing Partner, is permitted to or required to make a decision in its sole discretion or discretion or that it deems necessary or appropriate or necessary or advisable then our Managing Partner will be entitled to consider only such interests and factors as it desires, including its own interests, and will have no duty or obligation (fiduciary or otherwise) to give any consideration to any factors affecting us or any limited partners, including our unitholders, and will not be subject to any different standards imposed by the limited partnership agreement, the Delaware Limited Partnership Act or under any other law, rule or regulation or in equity. In addition, when our Managing Partner is acting in its individual capacity, as opposed to in its capacity as our Managing Partner, it may act without any fiduciary obligation to us or the unitholders whatsoever. These standards reduce the obligations to which our Managing Partner would otherwise be held. |
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In addition to the other more specific provisions limiting the obligations of our Managing Partner, our limited partnership agreement further provides that our Managing Partner and its officers and directors will not be liable to us, our limited partners, including our unitholders, or assignees 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 Managing Partner or its officers and directors acted in bad faith or engaged in fraud or willful misconduct. |
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Special Provisions Regarding Affiliated Transactions |
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Our limited partnership agreement generally provides that affiliated transactions and resolutions of conflicts of interest not involving a vote of unitholders and that are not approved by the conflicts committee of the board of directors of our Managing Partner or by our unitholders must be: |
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· on terms no less favorable to us than those generally being provided to or available from unrelated third parties; or
· fair and reasonable to us, taking into account the totality of the relationships between the parties involved (including other transactions that may be particularly favorable or advantageous to us). |
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If our Managing Partner does not seek approval from the conflicts committee or our unitholders and the board of directors of our Managing Partner determines that the resolution or course of action taken with respect to the conflict of interest satisfies either of the standards set forth in the bullet points above, then it will be presumed that in making its decision, the board of directors acted in good faith, and in any proceeding brought by or on behalf of any limited partner, including our unitholders, or our partnership or any other person bound by our limited partnership agreement, the person bringing or prosecuting such proceeding will have the burden of overcoming such presumption. These standards reduce the obligations to which our Managing Partner would otherwise be held. |
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Rights and Remedies of Unitholders |
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The Delaware Limited Partnership 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. 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. Our limited partnership agreement provides that legal action may only be instituted in Delaware. |
By holding our common units, each unitholder will automatically agree to be bound by the provisions in our partnership agreement, including the provisions described above and as described in Description of Our Limited Partnership Agreement beginning on page 13 of this prospectus. This is in accordance with the policy of the Delaware Limited Partnership Act favoring the principle of freedom of contract and the enforceability of partnership agreements. The failure of a unitholder to sign our limited partnership agreement does not render our partnership agreement unenforceable against that person.
We have agreed to indemnify our Managing Partner and any of its affiliates and any member, partner, tax matters partner, officer, director, employee, agent, fiduciary or trustee of our partnership, our Managing Partner or any of our affiliates and certain other specified persons, to the fullest extent permitted by law, against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, joint or several, expenses (including legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines,
penalties, interest, settlements or other amounts incurred by our Managing Partner or these other persons. We have agreed to 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 or engaged in fraud or willful misconduct. We have also agreed to provide this indemnification for criminal proceedings. Thus, our Managing Partner could be indemnified for its negligent acts if it met 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. See Description of Our Limited Partnership AgreementIndemnification beginning on page 21 of this prospectus.
DESCRIPTION OF OUR COMMON UNITS
Common Units
Our common units represent limited partner interests in our partnership. Our unitholders are entitled to participate in our distributions and exercise the rights or privileges available to limited partners under our limited partnership agreement. We are dependent upon the KKR Group Partnerships to fund any distributions we may make to our unitholders. For a description of our historical distribution policy and the relative rights and preferences of holders of our common units in and to such distributions, see Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of OperationsLiquidityLiquidity NeedsDistributions, in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 filed with the SEC on February 27, 2015 and in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2015 filed with the SEC on May 7, 2015, for the quarter ended June 30, 2015 filed with the SEC on August 7, 2015 and for the quarter ended September 30, 2015 filed with the SEC on November 5, 2015 and incorporated by reference in this prospectus. Disclosure regarding a change to our distribution policy effective beginning with the distribution anticipated to be declared in early 2016 with respect to the quarter ending December 31, 2015 is contained under Description of our Limited Partnership AgreementDistributions in this prospectus and under Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of OperationsLiquidityLiquidity NeedsDistributions, in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2015 filed with the SEC on November 5, 2015 and incorporated by reference in this prospectus.
Unless our Managing Partner determines otherwise, we issue all our common units in uncertificated form.
Number of Common Units and Further Issuances
As of November 3, 2015, we had 464,720,514 common units outstanding, which number gives effect to all common units issued in the 2015 Marshall Wace Transaction. Our limited partnership agreement authorizes us to issue an unlimited number of additional partnership securities and options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to partnership securities for the consideration and on the terms and conditions established by our Managing Partner in its sole discretion without the approval of our unitholders. In accordance with the Delaware Limited Partnership Act and the provisions of our limited partnership agreement, we may also issue additional partner interests that have designations, preferences, rights, powers and duties that are different from, and may be senior to, those applicable to our common units.
Specifically, common units may become issuable from time to time, including (i) common units beneficially owned by KKR Holdings through its ownership of KKR Group Partnership Units, (ii) common units available for future issuance under the KKR & Co. L.P. 2010 Equity Incentive Plan (the Equity Incentive Plan) and (iii) common units available for future issuance in connection with acquisitions. See Common Units Eligible for Future Sale.
Where Our Common Units Are Traded
Our outstanding common units are listed on the NYSE under the symbol KKR.
Transfer of Common Units
By acceptance of the transfer of our common units in accordance with our limited partnership agreement, each transferee of our common units will be admitted as a unitholder with respect to the common units transferred when such transfer and admission is reflected in our books and records. Additionally, each transferee of our common units:
· will represent that the transferee has the capacity, power and authority to enter into our limited partnership agreement;
· will become bound by the terms of, and will be deemed to have agreed to be bound by, our limited partnership agreement; and
· will give the consents, approvals, acknowledgements and waivers set forth in our partnership agreement.
A transferee will become a substituted limited partner of our partnership for the transferred common units automatically upon the recording of the transfer on our books and records. Our Managing Partner may cause any transfers to be recorded on our books and records no less frequently than quarterly.
Common units are securities and are transferable according to the laws governing transfers 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, notwithstanding any notice to the contrary, 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. A beneficial holders rights are limited solely to those that it has against the record holder as a result of any agreement between the beneficial owner and the record holder.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC serves as registrar and transfer agent for our common units.
DESCRIPTION OF OUR LIMITED PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT
The following is a description of the material terms of our limited partnership agreement and is qualified in its entirety by reference to all of the provisions of our limited partnership agreement, which has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. Because this description is only a summary of the terms of our limited partnership agreement, it does not contain all of the information that you may find important. For additional information, you should read Description of Our Common Units and Material U.S. Federal Tax Considerations.
Our Managing Partner
Our Managing Partner manages all of our operations and activities. Our Managing Partner is authorized in general to perform all acts that it determines to be necessary or appropriate to carry out our purposes and to conduct our business. Our Managing Partner is wholly owned by our principals and controlled by our founders. Common unitholders have only limited voting rights relating to certain matters and, therefore, will have limited or no ability to influence managements decisions regarding our business.
Purpose
Under our limited partnership agreement we are permitted to engage, directly or indirectly, in any business activity that is approved by our Managing Partner and that lawfully may be conducted by a limited partnership organized under Delaware law.
Power of Attorney
Each limited partner, and each person who acquires a limited partner interest in accordance with the limited partnership agreement, grants to our Managing Partner and, if appointed, a liquidator, a power of attorney to, among other things, execute and file documents required for our qualification, continuance, dissolution or termination. The power of attorney also grants our Managing Partner the authority to amend, and to make consents and waivers under, the limited partnership agreement and certificate of limited partnership, in each case in accordance with the limited partnership agreement.
Capital Contributions
Our unitholders are not obligated to make additional capital contributions, except as described below under Limited Liability. Our Managing Partner is not obliged to make any capital contributions.
Limited Liability
Assuming that a limited partner does not participate in the control of our business within the meaning of the Delaware Limited Partnership Act and that he otherwise acts in conformity with the provisions of the limited partnership agreement, his liability under the Delaware Limited Partnership Act would 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. If it were determined however that the right, or exercise of the right, by the limited partners as a group:
· to approve some amendments to the limited partnership agreement; or
· to take other action under the limited partnership agreement, constituted participation in the control of our business for the purposes of the Delaware Limited Partnership Act, then our limited partners could be held personally liable for our obligations under the laws of Delaware to the same extent as our Managing Partner. This liability would extend to persons who transact business with us who reasonably believe that the limited partner is a general partner. Neither our limited partnership agreement nor the Delaware Limited Partnership Act specifically will provide for legal recourse against our Managing Partner if a limited partner were to lose limited liability through any fault of our Managing 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. The limitation on our Managing Partners liability does not constitute a waiver of compliance with U.S. federal securities laws that would be void under Section 14 of the Securities Act of 1933.
Under the Delaware Limited Partnership 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 partner 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 Limited Partnership Act provides that the fair value of property subject to liability for which recourse of creditors is limited will be included in the assets of the limited partnership only to the extent that the fair value of that property exceeds the non-recourse liability. The Delaware Limited Partnership 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 Limited Partnership Act would be liable to the limited partnership for the amount of the distribution for three years. Under the Delaware Limited Partnership Act, a substituted limited partner of a limited partnership is liable for the obligations of his assignor to make contributions to the partnership, except that such person is not obligated for liabilities unknown to him at the time he became a limited partner and that could not be ascertained from the limited partnership agreement.
Moreover, if it were determined that we were conducting business in any state without compliance with the applicable limited partnership statute, or that the right or exercise of the right by the limited partners as a group to approve some amendments to the limited partnership agreement or to take other action under the limited partnership agreement constituted participation in the control of our business for purposes of the statutes of any relevant jurisdiction, then the limited partners could be held personally liable for our obligations under the law of that jurisdiction to the same extent as our Managing Partner. We intend to operate in a manner that our Managing Partner considers reasonable and necessary or appropriate to preserve the limited liability of the limited partners.
Issuance of Additional Securities
The limited partnership agreement authorizes us to issue an unlimited number of additional partnership securities and options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to partnership securities for the consideration and on the terms and conditions established by our Managing Partner in its sole discretion without the approval of any limited partners.
In accordance with the Delaware Limited Partnership Act and the provisions of the limited partnership agreement, we could also issue additional partner interests that have designations, preferences, rights, powers and duties that are different from, and may be senior to, those applicable to common units.
Distributions
Distributions will be made to the partners pro rata according to the percentages of their respective partner interests. See Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of OperationsLiquidityLiquidity NeedsDistributions, in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 filed with the SEC on February 27, 2015 and in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2015 filed with the SEC on May 7, 2015, for the quarter ended June 30, 2015 filed with the SEC on August 7, 2015 and for the quarter ended September 30, 2015 filed with the SEC on November 5, 2015 and incorporated by reference in this prospectus for a discussion of our historical distribution policy and distributions.
On October 27, 2015, we announced a change to our distribution policy effective beginning with the distribution anticipated to be declared in early 2016 with respect to the quarter ending December 31, 2015. Under the new distribution policy, we intend to make equal quarterly distributions to holders of our common units in an amount of $0.16 per common unit per quarter. The declaration and payment of any distributions are subject to the discretion of the board of directors of our general partner and the terms of our limited partnership agreement. There can be no assurance that distributions will be made as intended or at all, that unitholders will receive sufficient distributions to satisfy payment of their tax liabilities as limited partners of KKR or that any particular distribution policy will be maintained.
Amendment of the Limited Partnership Agreement
General
Amendments to our limited partnership agreement may be proposed only by our Managing Partner. To adopt a proposed amendment, other than the amendments that do not require limited partner approval discussed below, our Managing Partner must seek approval of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting units (as defined below) in order to approve the amendment or call a meeting of the limited partners to consider and vote upon the proposed amendment. On any matter that may be submitted for a vote of unitholders, the holders of KKR Group Partnership Units hold special voting units in our partnership that provide them with a number of votes that is equal to the aggregate number of KKR Group Partnership Units that they then hold and entitle them to participate in the vote on the same basis as unitholders of our partnership. See Meetings; Voting. The KKR Group Partnership Units, other than the KKR Group Partnership Units held by us, are owned by KKR Holdings, which is owned by our principals and other persons and controlled by our founders.
Prohibited Amendments
No amendment may be made that would:
(1) enlarge the obligations of any limited partner without its consent, except that any amendment that would have a material adverse effect on the rights or preferences of any class of partner interests in relation to other classes of partner interests may be approved by the holders of at least a majority of the type or class of partner interests so affected; or
(2) enlarge the obligations of, restrict in any way any action by or rights of, or reduce in any way the amounts distributable, reimbursable or otherwise payable by us to our Managing Partner or any of its affiliates without the consent of our Managing Partner, which may be given or withheld in its sole discretion.
The provision of the limited partnership agreement preventing the amendments having the effects described in clauses (1) or (2) above can be amended upon the approval of the holders of at least 90% of the outstanding voting units.
No Limited Partner Approval
Our Managing Partner may generally make amendments to the limited partnership agreement or certificate of limited partnership without the approval of any limited partner to reflect:
(1) a change in the name of the partnership, the location of the partnerships principal place of business, the partnerships registered agent or its registered office;
(2) the admission, substitution, withdrawal or removal of partners in accordance with the limited partnership agreement;
(3) a change that our Managing Partner determines is necessary or appropriate for the partnership to qualify or to continue our qualification as a limited partnership or a partnership in which the limited partners have limited liability under the laws of any state or other jurisdiction or to ensure that the partnership will not be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxed as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes;
(4) an amendment that our Managing Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate to address certain changes in U.S. federal, state and local income tax regulations, legislation or interpretation;
(5) an amendment that is necessary, in the opinion of our counsel, to prevent the partnership or our Managing Partner or its directors, officers, employees, agents or trustees, from having a material risk of
being in any manner subjected to the provisions of the Investment Company Act, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, or plan asset regulations adopted under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, whether or not substantially similar to plan asset regulations currently applied or proposed by the U.S. Department of Labor;
(6) a change in our fiscal year or taxable year and related changes;
(7) an amendment that our Managing Partner determines in its sole discretion to be necessary or appropriate for the creation, authorization or issuance of any class or series of partnership securities or options, rights, warrants or appreciation rights relating to partnership securities;
(8) any amendment expressly permitted in the limited partnership agreement to be made by our Managing Partner acting alone;
(9) an amendment effected, necessitated or contemplated by an agreement of merger, consolidation or other business combination agreement that has been approved under the terms of the limited partnership agreement;
(10) an amendment effected, necessitated or contemplated by an amendment to the partnership agreement of a KKR Group Partnership that requires unitholders of the KKR Group Partnership to provide a statement, certification or other proof of evidence regarding whether such unitholder is subject to U.S. federal income taxation on the income generated by the KKR Group Partnership;
(11) any amendment that in the sole discretion of our Managing Partner is necessary or appropriate to reflect and account for the formation by the partnership of, or its investment in, any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other entity, as otherwise permitted by the partnership agreement;
(12) a merger, conversion or conveyance to another limited liability entity that is newly formed and has no assets, liabilities or operations at the time of the merger, conversion or conveyance other than those it receives by way of the merger, conversion or conveyance;
(13) any amendment that our Managing Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate to cure any ambiguity, omission, mistake, defect or inconsistency; or
(14) any other amendments substantially similar to any of the matters described in (1) through (13) above.
In addition, our Managing Partner could make amendments to the limited partnership agreement without the approval of any limited partner if those amendments, in the discretion of our Managing Partner:
(1) do not adversely affect our limited partners considered as a whole (or adversely affect any particular class of partner interests as compared to another class of partner interests) in any material respect;
(2) are necessary or appropriate to satisfy any requirements, conditions or guidelines contained in any opinion, directive, order, ruling or regulation of any federal, state, local or non-U.S. agency or judicial authority or contained in any federal, state, local or non-U.S. statute (including the Delaware Limited Partnership Act);
(3) are necessary or appropriate to facilitate the trading of limited partner interests or to comply with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any securities exchange on which the limited partner interests are or will be listed for trading;
(4) are necessary or appropriate for any action taken by our Managing Partner relating to splits or combinations of units under the provisions of the limited partnership agreement; or
(5) are required to effect the intent of the provisions of the limited partnership agreement or are otherwise contemplated by the limited partnership agreement.
Opinion of Counsel and Limited Partner Approval
Our Managing Partner will not be required to obtain an opinion of counsel that an amendment will not result in a loss of limited liability to the limited partners if one of the amendments described above under No Limited Partner Approval should occur. No other amendments to the limited partnership agreement (other than an amendment pursuant to a merger, sale or other disposition of assets effected in accordance with the provisions described under Merger, Sale or Other Disposition of Assets or an amendment described in the following paragraphs) will become effective without the approval of holders of at least 90% of the outstanding voting units, unless we obtain an opinion of counsel to the effect that the amendment will not affect the limited liability under the Delaware Limited Partnership Act of any of the limited partners.
In addition to the above restrictions, any amendment that would have a material adverse effect on the rights or preferences of any type or class of partner interests in relation to other classes of partner interests will also require the approval of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding partner interests of the class so affected.
In addition, any amendment that reduces the voting percentage required to take any action must be approved by the affirmative vote of limited partners whose aggregate outstanding voting units constitute not less than the voting requirement sought to be reduced.
Merger, Sale or Other Disposition of Assets
The limited partnership agreement provides that our Managing Partner may, with the approval of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding voting units, 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, or approve the sale, exchange or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of our subsidiaries. Our Managing Partner in its sole discretion may mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or grant a security interest in all or substantially all of our assets (including for the benefit of persons other than us or our subsidiaries) without the prior approval of the holders of our outstanding voting units. Our Managing Partner could also sell all or substantially all of our assets under any forced sale of any or all of our assets pursuant to the foreclosure or other realization upon those encumbrances without the prior approval of the holders of our outstanding voting units.
If conditions specified in the limited partnership agreement are satisfied, our Managing Partner may in its sole discretion convert or merge our partnership or any of its subsidiaries into, or convey some or all of its assets to, a newly formed entity if the sole purpose of that merger or conveyance is to effect a mere change in its legal form into another limited liability entity. The unitholders will not be entitled to dissenters rights of appraisal under the limited partnership agreement or the Delaware Limited Partnership Act in the event of a merger or consolidation, a sale of substantially all of our assets or any other similar transaction or event.
Election to be Treated as a Corporation
If our Managing Partner, in its sole discretion, determines that it is no longer in our interests to continue as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, our Managing Partner may elect to treat our partnership as an association or as a publicly traded partnership taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal (and applicable state) income tax purposes or may choose to effect such change by merger, conversion or otherwise.
Dissolution
The partnership will dissolve upon:
(1) the election of our Managing Partner to dissolve our partnership, if approved by the holders of a majority of the voting power of the partnerships outstanding voting units;
(2) there being no limited partners, unless our partnership is continued without dissolution in accordance with the Delaware Limited Partnership Act;
(3) the entry of a decree of judicial dissolution of our partnership pursuant to the Delaware Limited Partnership Act; or
(4) the withdrawal of our Managing Partner or any other event that results in its ceasing to be our Managing Partner other than by reason of a transfer of general partner interests or withdrawal of our Managing Partner following approval and admission of a successor, in each case in accordance with the limited partnership agreement.
Upon a dissolution under clause (4), the holders of a majority of the voting power of our outstanding voting units could also elect, within specific time limitations, to continue the partnerships business without dissolution on the same terms and conditions described in the limited partnership agreement by appointing as a successor Managing Partner an individual or entity approved by the holders of a majority of the voting power of the outstanding voting units, subject to the partnerships receipt of an opinion of counsel to the effect that (i) the action would not result in the loss of limited liability of any limited partner and (ii) neither we nor any of our subsidiaries (excluding those formed or existing as corporations) would be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise be taxable as an entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes upon the exercise of that right to continue.
Liquidation and Distribution of Proceeds
Upon our dissolution, our Managing Partner shall act, or select one or more persons to act, as liquidator. Unless we are continued as a limited partnership, the liquidator authorized to wind up our affairs will, acting with all of the powers of our Managing Partner that the liquidator deems necessary or appropriate in its judgment, liquidate our assets and apply the proceeds of the liquidation first, to discharge our liabilities as provided in the limited partnership agreement and by law, and thereafter, to the limited partners pro rata according to the percentages of their respective partner interests as of a record date selected by the liquidator. The liquidator may defer liquidation of our assets for a reasonable period of time or distribute assets to partners in kind if it determines that an immediate sale or distribution of all or some of our assets would be impractical or would cause undue loss to the partners.
Withdrawal of our Managing Partner
Except as described below, our Managing Partner will agree not to withdraw voluntarily as our Managing Partner prior to December 31, 2020 without obtaining the approval of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding voting units, excluding voting units held by our Managing Partner and its affiliates, and furnishing an opinion of counsel regarding tax and limited liability matters. On or after December 31, 2020, our Managing Partner may withdraw as Managing Partner without first obtaining approval of any common unitholder by giving 90 days advance notice, and that withdrawal will not constitute a violation of the limited partnership agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, our Managing Partner could withdraw at any time without unitholder approval upon 90 days advance notice to the limited partners if at least 50% of the outstanding common units are beneficially owned, owned of record or otherwise controlled by one person and its affiliates other than our Managing Partner and its affiliates.
Upon the withdrawal of our Managing Partner under any circumstances, the holders of a majority of the voting power of the partnerships outstanding voting units may elect a successor to that withdrawing Managing Partner. If a successor is not elected, or is elected but an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters cannot be obtained, the partnership will be dissolved, wound up and liquidated, unless within specific time limitations after that withdrawal, the holders of a majority of the voting power of the partnerships outstanding voting units agree in writing to continue our business and to appoint a successor Managing Partner. See Dissolution above.
Our Managing Partner may not be removed or expelled, with or without cause, by unitholders.
In the event of withdrawal of a Managing Partner, the departing Managing Partner will have the option to require the successor Managing Partner to purchase the general partner interest of the departing Managing Partner for a cash payment equal to its fair market value. This fair market value will be determined by agreement between the departing Managing Partner and the successor Managing Partner. If no agreement is reached within 30 days of our Managing Partners departure, an independent investment banking firm or other independent expert, which, in turn, may rely on other experts, selected by the departing Managing Partner and the successor Managing Partner will determine the fair market value. If the departing Managing Partner and the successor Managing Partner cannot agree upon an expert within 45 days of our Managing Partners departure, 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 Managing Partner or the successor Managing Partner, the departing Managing Partners general partner interest will automatically convert into common units pursuant to a valuation 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 Managing Partner for all amounts due the departing Managing Partner, including without limitation all employee-related liabilities, including severance liabilities, incurred for the termination of any employees employed by the departing Managing Partner or its affiliates for the partnerships benefit.
Transfer of General Partner Interests
Except for transfer by our Managing Partner of all, but not less than all, of its general partner interests in the partnership to an affiliate of our Managing Partner, or to another entity as part of the merger or consolidation of our Managing Partner with or into another entity or the transfer by our Managing Partner of all or substantially all of its assets to another entity, our Managing Partner may not transfer all or any part of its general partner interest in the partnership to another person prior to December 31, 2018 without the approval of the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of the partnerships outstanding voting units, excluding voting units held by our Managing Partner and its affiliates. On or after December 31, 2018, our Managing Partner may transfer all or any part of its general partner interest without first obtaining approval of any unitholder. As a condition of this transfer, the transferee must assume the rights and duties of our Managing Partner to whose interest that transferee has succeeded, agree to be bound by the provisions of the limited partnership agreement and furnish an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability matters. At any time, the members of our Managing Partner may sell or transfer all or part of their limited liability company interests in our Managing Partner without the approval of the unitholders.
Limited Call Right
If at any time:
(i) less than 10% of the then issued and outstanding limited partner interests of any class (other than special voting units), including our limited partnership units, are held by persons other than our Managing Partner and its affiliates; or
(ii) the partnership is subjected to registration under the provisions of the Investment Company Act, our Managing 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 remaining limited partner interests of the class held by unaffiliated persons as of a record date to be selected by our Managing Partner, on at least ten but not more than 60 days notice. The purchase price in the event of this purchase is the greater of:
(1) the current market price as of the date three days before the date the notice is mailed; and
(2) the highest cash price paid by our Managing Partner or any of its affiliates acting in concert with us for any limited partner interests of the class purchased within the 90 days preceding the date on which our Managing Partner first mails notice of its election to purchase those limited partner interests.
As a result of our Managing Partners 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 U.S. tax consequences to a unitholder of the exercise of this call right are the same as a sale by that unitholder of his limited partnership units in the market. See Material U.S. Federal Tax Considerations.
Sinking Fund; Preemptive Rights
We will not establish a sinking fund and will not grant any preemptive rights with respect to the partnerships limited partner interests.
Meetings; Voting
Except as described below regarding a person or group owning 20% or more of our limited partnership units then outstanding, record holders of limited partnership units or of the special voting units to be issued to holders of KKR Group Partnership Units on the record date will be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, meetings of our limited partners and to act upon matters as to which holders of limited partner interests have the right to vote or to act.
Except as described below regarding a person or group owning 20% or more of our limited partnership units then outstanding, each record holder of a common unit will be entitled to a number of votes equal to the number of limited partnership units held. In addition, we issued special voting units to each holder of KKR Group Partnership Units that provide them with a number of votes that is equal to the aggregate number of KKR Group Partnership Units that they hold and entitle them to participate in the vote on the same basis as unitholders. We refer to our common units and special voting units as voting units. If the ratio at which KKR Group Partnership Units are exchangeable for our common units changes from one-for-one, the number of votes to which the holders of the special voting units are entitled will be adjusted accordingly. Additional limited partner interests having special voting rights could also be issued. See Issuance of Additional Securities above.
In the case of common units held by our Managing Partner on behalf of non-citizen assignees, our Managing Partner will distribute the votes on those units in the same ratios as the votes of partners in respect of other limited partner interests are cast. Our Managing Partner does not anticipate that any meeting of unitholders will be called in the foreseeable future. Any action that is required or permitted to be taken by the limited partners may be taken either at a meeting of the limited partners or without a meeting, without a vote and without prior notice if consents in writing describing the action so taken are signed by limited partners owning not less than the minimum percentage of the voting power of the outstanding limited partner interests that would be necessary to authorize or take that action at a meeting. Meetings of the limited partners may be called by our Managing Partner or by limited partners owning at least 50% or more of the voting power of the outstanding limited partner interests 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 voting power of the outstanding limited partner interests of the class for which a meeting has been called, represented in person or by proxy, will constitute a quorum unless any action by the limited partners requires approval by holders of a greater percentage of such limited partner interests, in which case the quorum will be the greater percentage.
However, if at any time any person or group (other than our Managing Partner and its affiliates, or a direct or subsequently approved transferee of our Managing Partner or its affiliates) acquires, in the aggregate, beneficial ownership of 20% or more of any class of our units then outstanding, that person or group will lose voting rights on all of its units and the units 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. Our 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.
Status as Limited Partner
By transfer of our units in accordance with our limited partnership agreement, each transferee of units will be admitted as a limited partner with respect to the units transferred when such transfer and admission is reflected in the limited partnerships books and records. Except as described under Limited Liability above, in our limited partnership agreement or pursuant to Section 17-804 of the Delaware Limited Partnership Act (which relates to the liability of a limited partner who receives a distribution of assets upon the winding up of a limited partnership and who knew at the time of such distribution that it was in violation of this provision) the units will be fully paid and non-assessable.
Non-Citizen Assignees; Redemption
If the partnership is or becomes subject to U.S. federal, state, local, foreign or other laws or regulations that in the determination of our Managing Partner create a substantial risk of cancellation or forfeiture of any property in which the partnership has an interest because of the nationality, citizenship or other related status of any limited partner, we may redeem the common units held by that limited partner at their current market price. To avoid any cancellation or forfeiture, our Managing Partner may require each limited partner to furnish information about his nationality, citizenship or related status. If a limited partner fails to furnish information about his nationality, citizenship or other related status within 30 days after a request for the information or our Managing Partner determines, with the advice of counsel, after receipt of the information that the limited partner is not an eligible citizen, the limited partner may be treated as a non-citizen assignee. A non-citizen assignee does not have the right to direct the voting of his limited partnership units and may not receive distributions in kind upon our partnerships liquidation.
Indemnification
Under the limited partnership agreement, in most circumstances we would indemnify the following persons, to the fullest extent permitted by law, from and against all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, joint or several, expenses (including legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, penalties, interest, settlements or other amounts:
· our Managing Partner;
· any departing Managing Partner;
· any person who is or was an affiliate of a Managing Partner or any departing Managing Partner;
· any person who is or was a member, partner, tax matters partner, officer, director, employee, agent, fiduciary or trustee of partnership or its subsidiaries, our Managing Partner or any departing Managing Partner or any affiliate of partnership or its subsidiaries, our Managing Partner or any departing Managing Partner;
· any person who is or was serving at the request of a Managing Partner or any departing Managing Partner or any affiliate of a Managing Partner or any departing Managing Partner as an officer, director, employee, member, partner, agent, fiduciary or trustee of another person; or
· any person designated by our Managing Partner.
We have agreed to 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 or engaged in fraud or willful misconduct. We have also agreed to provide this indemnification for criminal proceedings. Any indemnification under these provisions will only be out of the partnerships assets. Unless it otherwise agrees, our Managing Partner will not be personally liable for, or have any obligation to contribute or loan funds or assets to the partnership to enable the partnership to effectuate indemnification. The indemnification of the persons described above shall be secondary to any indemnification such person is entitled from another person or the relevant KKR fund to the extent applicable. We may purchase insurance against liabilities asserted against and expenses incurred by persons for our
activities, regardless of whether the partnership would have the power to indemnify the person against liabilities under the limited partnership agreement.
Exclusive Delaware Jurisdiction
The limited partnership agreement provides that each of the limited partners and the Managing Partner and each person holding any beneficial interest in our partnership, to the fullest extent permitted by law, (i) irrevocably agrees that any claims, suits, actions or proceedings arising out of or relating in any way to the limited partnership agreement 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 in the State of Delaware with subject matter jurisdiction; (ii) irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts in connection with any such claim, suit, action or proceeding; (iii) irrevocably agrees not to, and waives any right to, assert in any such claim, suit, action or proceeding that (A) it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of such courts or any other court to which proceedings in such courts may be appealed, (B) such claim, suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum, or (C) the venue of such claim, suit, action or proceeding is improper; (iv) expressly waives any requirement for the posting of a bond by a party bringing such claim, suit, action or proceeding; (v) consents to process being served in any such claim, suit, action or proceeding by mailing, certified mail, return receipt requested, a copy thereof to such party at the address in effect for notices hereunder, and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof; provided, that nothing in clause (v) hereof shall affect or limit any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law; and (vi) irrevocably waives any and all right to trial by jury in any such claim, suit, action or proceeding.
Books and Reports
Our Managing Partner is required to keep appropriate books of the partnerships business at its principal offices or any other place designated by our Managing Partner. The books would be maintained for both tax and financial reporting purposes on an accrual basis. For tax and financial reporting purposes, our year ends on December 31.
As soon as reasonably practicable after the end of each fiscal year, we will furnish to each partner tax information (including a Schedule K-1), which describes on a U.S. dollar basis such partners share of our income, gain, loss and deduction for the preceding taxable year. It may require longer than 90 days after the end of the fiscal year to obtain the requisite information from all lower-tier entities so that Schedule K-1s may be prepared for our partnership. Consequently, holders of common units who are U.S. taxpayers should anticipate the need to file annually with the IRS (and certain states) a request for an extension past April 15 or the otherwise applicable due date of their income tax return for the taxable year. In addition, each partner will be required to report for all tax purposes consistently with the information provided by us.
Right to Inspect Our Books and Records
The limited partnership agreement provides that a limited partner can, for a purpose reasonably related to his interest as a limited partner, upon reasonable written demand and at his own expense, have furnished to him:
· promptly after becoming available, a copy of our U.S. federal, state and local income tax returns; and
· copies of the limited partnership agreement, the certificate of limited partnership of the partnership, related amendments and powers of attorney under which they have been executed.
Our Managing Partner may, and intends to, keep confidential from the limited partners trade secrets or other information the disclosure of which our Managing Partner believes is not in the partnerships best interests or which the partnership is required by law or by agreements with third parties to keep confidential.
COMMON UNITS ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE
General
We have prepared this prospectus to allow the Selling Securityholders to sell or otherwise dispose of, from time to time, up to an aggregate of 2,634,674 of our common units. These common units were issued by us to the Selling Securityholders in connection with the 2015 Marshall Wace Transaction, and represent only a portion of the common unit consideration issued in connection therewith.
We cannot predict the effect, if any, future sales of common units, or the availability for future sale of common units, will have on the market price of our common units prevailing from time to time. The sale of substantial amounts of our common units in the public market, or the perception that such sales could occur, could harm the prevailing market price of our common units.
As of November 3, 2015 we had 464,720,514 common units outstanding, which amount includes the 2,634,674 common units registered hereby and other units issued in connection with the 2015 Marshall Wace Transaction but excludes common units that may become issuable subsequent to such date from time to time, including (i) common units beneficially owned by KKR Holdings through its ownership of KKR Group Partnership Units, (ii) common units available for future issuance under the Equity Incentive Plan, (iii) common units available for future issuance in connection with our acquisition of Avoca Capital, described in our Registration Statement on Form S-3 filed with the SEC on February 28, 2014, as amended, and (iv) common units available for future issuance in connection with other acquisitions.
As of November 3, 2015, KKR Holdings owns 364,380,841 KKR Group Partnership Units that may be exchanged, on a quarterly basis, for our common units on a one-for-one basis, subject to customary conversion rate adjustments for splits, unit distributions and reclassifications, so that after giving effect to such exchange 829,101,355 common units would have been outstanding as of November 3, 2015. Except for interests held by our founders and certain interests held by other executives that were vested upon grant, interests in KKR Holdings that are held by our principals have been subject to time based vesting up to a five-year period from the date of grant or performance based vesting and, following such vesting, additional restrictions on exchange for a period of one or two years. Pursuant to a registration rights agreement with KKR Holdings, we have previously registered the issuance of our common units to permit holders of KKR Group Partnership Units who exchange their KKR Group Partnership Units to sell without restriction in the open market or otherwise any of our common units that they receive upon exchange.
Under our Equity Incentive Plan we may grant to our employees awards representing our common units. The issuance of common units pursuant to awards under the Equity Incentive Plan would dilute common unitholders and KKR Holdings pro rata in accordance with their respective percentage interests in the KKR Group Partnerships. The total number of our common units that may initially be issued under our Equity Incentive Plan is equivalent to 15% of the number of fully diluted common units outstanding as of the beginning of the year. The amount may be increased each year to the extent we issue additional equity. We have filed a registration statement on Form S-8 under the Securities Act to register common units issued or covered by our Equity Incentive Plan and intend to file one or more registration statements on Form S-8 under the Securities Act to register common units issued or covered by any other plans under which our employees and others providing services to us may receive common units. Any such Form S-8 registration statements will automatically become effective upon filing. Accordingly, common units registered under such registration statements will be available for sale in the open market. As of September 30, 2015, 29,011,755 common units are issuable pursuant to equity awards granted under the Equity Incentive Plan.
In connection with the acquisition of Avoca, we issued equity securities of a subsidiary of a KKR Group Partnership and of KKR & Co. L.P. both of which are exchangeable into common units of KKR & Co. L.P. on a one-for-one basis. As of September 30, 2015, 4,776,216 of these securities remain outstanding of which 1,695,972 remain subject to time based vesting (generally over a three-year period from February 19, 2014) and are not exchangeable into common units until vested, and in certain cases are subject to minimum retained ownership requirements and transfer restrictions.
Pursuant to an agreement entered into at the time of the 2015 Marshall Wace Transaction, subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain closing conditions (including regulatory approvals) and the exercise of a put option by Marshall Wace or a call option by KKR, at subsequent closings to occur in the years 2017, 2018 and 2019, KKR may at each such closing subscribe (or be required to subscribe) for an incremental 5% equity interest, for ultimate aggregate ownership of 39.9% of Marshall Wace. KKR has the right in its sole discretion, to pay a portion or all of such payments, in KKR & Co. L.P. common units rather than in cash. The issuance of common units to satisfy the subsequent closings, if any, would dilute common unitholders and KKR Holdings pro rata in accordance with their respective percentage interest in the KKR Group Partnerships.
Our limited partnership agreement authorizes us to issue an unlimited number of additional partnership securities and options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to partnership securities for the consideration and on the terms and conditions established by our Managing Partner in its sole discretion without the approval of any limited partners. See Description of Our Limited Partnership AgreementIssuance of Additional Securities.
Rule 144
In general, under Rule 144 as currently in effect an affiliate of ours, who has beneficially owned common units for at least six months, is entitled to sell in any three-month period a number of common units that does not exceed the greater of:
· 1% of the number of common units then outstanding, as shown by the most recent report or statement by us, which percentage will represent 4,647,205 common units based on the number of common units outstanding of 464,720,514 as of November 3, 2015; and
· the average weekly trading volume of our common units on the NYSE during the four calendar weeks preceding (a) the date on which notice of sale is filed on Form 144 with respect to such sale or (b) if no notice of sale is required, the date of the receipt of the order or the date of execution, as applicable.
Sales under Rule 144 are also subject to manner of sale provisions and notice requirements and to the availability of current public information about us.
In addition, a person who is not deemed to have been an affiliate of ours at any time during the three months preceding a sale and who has beneficially owned the common units proposed to be sold for at least six months would be entitled to sell an unlimited number of common units under Rule 144 provided current public information about us is available and, after one year, an unlimited number of common units without restriction.
MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL TAX CONSIDERATIONS
This summary discusses the material U.S. federal tax considerations related to the ownership and disposition of our common units as of the date hereof. This summary is based on provisions of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code (the Code), on the regulations promulgated thereunder and on published administrative rulings and judicial decisions, all of which are subject to change at any time, possibly with retroactive effect. This discussion is necessarily general and may not apply to all categories of common unitholders, some of which, such as banks, thrifts, insurance companies, persons liable for the alternative minimum tax, dealers, common unitholders who were deemed to own 10% or more of any foreign corporation owned by us (taking into account the common unitholders interest in such foreign corporation as a result of their ownership interest in us or otherwise), and other common unitholders that do not own their common units as capital assets, may be subject to special rules. Tax-exempt organizations and mutual funds are discussed separately below. The actual tax consequences of the ownership of our common units will vary depending on your circumstances.
For purposes of this discussion, a U.S. Holder is for U.S. federal income tax purposes: (i) an individual citizen or resident of the United States; (ii) a corporation (or other entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia; (iii) an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or (iv) a trust which either (A) is subject to the primary supervision of a court within the United States and one or more United States persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (B) has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person. A Non-U.S. Holder is a holder (other than a partnership) that is not a U.S. Holder.
If a partnership holds our common units, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership will depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. If you are a partner of a partnership that holds our common units, you should consult your tax advisors. This discussion does not constitute tax advice and is not intended to be a substitute for tax planning.
Common unitholders should consult their own tax advisors concerning the U.S. federal, state and local income tax and estate tax consequences in their particular situations of the ownership and disposition of common units, as well as any consequences under the laws of any other taxing jurisdiction. This discussion only addresses the material U.S. federal tax considerations of the ownership and disposition of common units and does not address the tax considerations under the laws of any tax jurisdiction other than the United States. Non-U.S. Holders, therefore, should consult their own tax advisors regarding the tax consequences to them of the ownership and disposition of common units under the laws of their own taxing jurisdiction.
Taxation of Our Partnership
Subject to the discussion set forth in the next paragraph, an entity that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes is not a taxable entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes and incurs no U.S. federal income tax liabilities. Each partner of a partnership is required to take into account its allocable share of items of income, gain, loss and deduction of the partnership in computing its U.S. federal income tax liability, regardless of the extent to which, or whether, it receives cash distributions from the partnership, and thus may incur income tax liabilities unrelated to (and in excess of) any distributions from the partnership. Distributions of cash by a partnership to a partner are not taxable unless the amount of cash distributed to a partner is in excess of the partners adjusted basis in its partnership interest.
An entity that would otherwise be classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes may nonetheless be taxable as a corporation if it is a publicly traded partnership, unless an exception applies. An entity that would otherwise be classified as a partnership is a publicly traded partnership if (i) interests in the partnership are traded on an established securities market or (ii) interests in the partnership are readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof. We are a publicly traded partnership.
However, an exception to taxation as a corporation, referred to as the Qualifying Income Exception, exists if at least 90% of the partnerships gross income for every taxable year consists of qualifying income and the partnership is not required to register under the Investment Company Act. Qualifying income includes certain
interest income, dividends, real property rents, gains from the sale or other disposition of real property, and any gain from the sale or disposition of a capital asset or other property held for the production of income that otherwise constitutes qualifying income.
Our Managing Partner has adopted a set of investment policies and procedures that govern the types of investments we can make (and income we can earn), including structuring certain investments through entities, such as our intermediate holding company, classified as corporations for U.S. federal income tax purposes (as discussed further below), to ensure that we will meet the Qualifying Income Exception in each taxable year. Except as otherwise noted, the remainder of this discussion assumes that we will be taxed as a partnership and not as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
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, or if we are required to register under the Investment Company Act, we will be treated as if we had transferred 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 distributed the stock to the common unitholders in liquidation of their interests in us. Based on current law, this deemed contribution and liquidation would be tax-free to common unitholders so long as we do not have liabilities in excess of the tax basis of our assets at that time. Thereafter, we would be treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
If we were treated as a corporation in any taxable year, either as a result of a failure to meet the Qualifying Income Exception or otherwise, our items of income, gain, loss and deduction would be reflected only on our tax return rather than being passed through to our common unitholders, and we would be subject to U.S. corporate income tax on our taxable income. Distributions made to our common unitholders would be treated as either taxable dividend income, which may be eligible for reduced rates of taxation, to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, or in the absence of earnings and profits, as a nontaxable return of capital, to the extent of the holders tax basis in the common units, or as taxable capital gain, after the holders basis is reduced to zero. In addition, in the case of Non-U.S. Holders, distributions treated as dividends would be subject to withholding tax. Accordingly, treatment as a corporation would materially reduce a holders after-tax return and thus could result in a reduction of the value of the common units.
If at the end of any taxable year we fail to meet the Qualifying Income Exception, we may still qualify as a partnership if we are entitled to relief under the Code for an inadvertent termination of partnership status. This relief will be available if: (i) the failure is cured within a reasonable time after discovery; (ii) the failure is determined by the IRS to be inadvertent; and (iii) we agree to make such adjustments (including adjustments with respect to our partners) or to pay such amounts as are required by the IRS. It is not possible to state whether we would be entitled to this relief in any or all circumstances. If this relief provision is inapplicable to a particular set of circumstances involving us, we will not qualify as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. Even if this relief provision applies and we retain our partnership status, we or our unitholders (during the failure period) will be required to pay such amounts as are determined by the IRS.
Taxation of our Intermediate Holding Company
The income derived by us from KKRs fund management services and certain other business activities likely will not be qualifying income for purposes of the Qualifying Income Exception. Therefore, in order to meet the Qualifying Income Exception, we hold our interests in the KKR Group Partnership that holds such fund management companies and other investments that may not generate qualifying income for purposes of the Qualifying Income Exception, indirectly through our intermediate holding company, KKR Management Holdings Corp., which is treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
As the holder of KKR Management Holdings Corp. common stock, we are not taxed directly on the earnings of KKR Management Holdings Corp. or the earnings of entities held through KKR Management Holdings Corp. Rather, as a partner of KKR Management Holdings L.P., KKR Management Holdings Corp. incurs U.S. federal income taxes on its proportionate share of any net taxable income of KKR Management Holdings L.P. KKR Management Holdings Corp.s liability for U.S. federal income taxes and applicable state, local and other taxes
could be increased if the IRS were to successfully reallocate income or deductions of the related entities conducting KKRs business.
Distributions of cash or other property that we receive from KKR Management Holdings Corp. will constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent paid from KKR Management Holdings Corp.s current or accumulated earnings and profits (as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles). If the amount of a distribution by KKR Management Holdings Corp. exceeds its current and accumulated earnings and profits, such excess will be treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of our tax basis in the KKR Management Holdings Corp. common stock, and thereafter will be treated as a capital gain.
If we form, for other purposes, a U.S. corporation or other entity treated as a U.S. corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, that corporation would be subject to U.S. federal income tax on its income.
Personal Holding Companies
KKR Management Holdings Corp. could be subject to additional U.S. federal income tax on a portion of its income if it is determined to be a personal holding company, or PHC, for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Subject to certain exceptions, a U.S. corporation will be classified as a PHC for U.S. federal income tax purposes in a given taxable year if (i) at any time during the last half of such taxable year, five or fewer individuals (without regard to their citizenship or residency and including as individuals for this purpose certain entities such as certain tax-exempt organizations and pension funds) own or are deemed to own (pursuant to certain constructive ownership rules) more than 50% of the stock of the corporation by value and (ii) at least 60% of the corporations adjusted ordinary gross income, as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes, for such taxable year consists of PHC income (which includes, among other things, dividends, interest, royalties, annuities and, under certain circumstances, rents).
Due to applicable attribution rules, it is likely that five or fewer individuals or tax-exempt organizations will be treated as owning actually or constructively more than 50% of the value of KKR Management Holdings Corp. common stock. Consequently, KKR Management Holdings Corp. could be or become a PHC, depending on whether it fails the PHC gross income test. If, as a factual matter, the income of KKR Management Holdings Corp. fails the PHC gross income test, it will be a PHC. Certain aspects of the gross income test cannot be predicted with certainty. Thus, no assurance can be given that KKR Management Holdings Corp. will not become a PHC following this offering or in the future.
If KKR Management Holdings Corp. is or were to become a PHC in a given taxable year, it would be subject to an additional 20% PHC tax on its undistributed PHC income, which generally includes the companys taxable income, subject to certain adjustments. If KKR Management Holdings Corp. were to become a PHC and had significant amounts of undistributed PHC income, the amount of PHC tax could be material. However, distributions of such income reduce the PHC income subject to tax.
Certain State, Local and Non-U.S. Tax Matters
We and our subsidiaries may be subject to state, local or non-U.S. taxation in various jurisdictions, including those in which we or they transact business, own property or reside. For example, we and our subsidiaries may be subject to New York City unincorporated business tax. We may be required to file tax returns in some or all of those jurisdictions. The state, local or non-U.S. tax treatment of us and our common unitholders may not conform to the U.S. federal income tax treatment discussed herein. We will pay non-U.S. taxes, and dispositions of foreign property or operations involving, or investments in, foreign property may give rise to non-U.S. income or other tax liability in amounts that could be substantial. Any non-U.S. taxes incurred by us may not pass through to common unitholders as a credit against their U.S. federal income tax liability.
Consequences to U.S. Holders of Common Units
The following is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences that will apply to you as a U.S. Holder of our common units.
For U.S. federal income tax purposes, your allocable share of our items of income, gain, loss, deduction or credit will be governed by the limited partnership agreement for our partnership if such allocations have substantial economic effect or are determined to be in accordance with your interest in our partnership. We believe that for U.S. federal income tax purposes, such allocations will have substantial economic effect or be in accordance with your interest in our partnership, and our Managing Partner intends to prepare tax returns based on such allocations. If the IRS successfully challenges the allocations made pursuant to the limited partnership agreement, the resulting allocations for U.S. federal income tax purposes might be less favorable than the allocations set forth in the limited partnership agreement.
The characterization of an item of our income, gain, loss, deduction or credit will be determined at our (rather than at your) level. Similarly, the characterization of an item of KKR Fund Holdings L.P.s income, gain, loss deduction or credit will be determined at the level of KKR Fund Holdings L.P. or the level of any subsidiary partnership in which KKR Fund Holdings L.P. owns an interest rather than at our level. Distributions we receive from KKR Management Holdings Corp. will be taxable as dividend income to the extent of KKR Management Holdings Corp.s current and accumulated earnings and profits and, to the extent allocable to individual holders of common units, they will be eligible for a reduced rate of tax of 20%, provided that certain holding period requirements are satisfied. Also, a U.S. Holder that is a corporation, subject to limitations, may be entitled to a dividends received deduction with respect to its shares of dividends paid to us by KKR Management Holdings Corp.
We may derive taxable income from an investment that is not matched by a corresponding distribution of cash. In addition, special provisions of the Code may be applicable to certain of our investments, and may affect the timing of our income, requiring us (and, consequently, you) to recognize taxable income before we (or you) receive cash, if any, attributable to such income. Accordingly, it is possible that your allocable share of our income for a particular taxable year could exceed any cash distribution you receive for the year, thus giving rise to an out-of-pocket tax liability for you.
Basis
You will have an initial tax basis in your common units equal to the amount paid for your common units. Your basis will be increased by your share of our income and by increases in your share of our liabilities, if any. Your basis will be decreased, but not below zero, by distributions from us, by your share of our losses and by any decrease in your share of our liabilities.
If you acquire common units in separate transactions you must combine the basis of those units and maintain a single adjusted tax basis for all those units. Upon a sale or other disposition of less than all of the common units, a portion of that tax basis must be allocated to the common units sold.
Limits on Deductions for Losses and Expenses
Your deduction of your share of our losses will be limited to your tax basis in your common units and, if you are an individual or a corporate holder that is subject to the at risk rules, to the amount for which you are considered to be at risk with respect to our activities, if that is less than your tax basis. In general, you will be at risk to the extent of your tax basis in your common units, reduced by (1) the portion of that basis attributable to your share of our liabilities for which you will not be personally liable and (2) any amount of money you borrow to acquire or hold your common units, if the lender of those borrowed funds owns an interest in us, is related to you or can look only to the common units for repayment. Your at risk amount will generally increase by your allocable share of our income and gain and decrease by cash distributions to you and your allocable share of losses and deductions. You must recapture losses deducted in previous years to the extent that distributions cause your at risk amount to be less than zero at the end of any taxable year. Losses disallowed or recaptured as a result of these limitations will carry forward and will be allowable to the extent that your tax basis or at risk amount, whichever is the limiting factor, subsequently increases.
We do not expect to generate income or losses from passive activities for purposes of Section 469 of the Code. Accordingly, income allocated to you by us may not be offset by your Section 469 passive losses and losses allocated to you may not be used to offset your Section 469 passive income. In addition, other provisions of the Code may limit or disallow any deduction for losses by you or deductions associated with certain assets of the
partnership in certain cases. You should consult with your tax advisors regarding the limitations on the deductibility of losses that you may be subject to under applicable sections of the Code.
Limitations on Deductibility of Organizational Expenses and Syndication Fees
Neither we nor any U.S. Holder may deduct organizational or syndication expenses. Syndication fees (which would include any sales or placement fees or commissions or underwriting discount payable to third parties) must be capitalized and cannot be amortized or otherwise deducted.
Limitations on Interest Deductions
Your share of our interest expense is likely to be treated as investment interest expense. If you are a non-corporate U.S. Holder, the deductibility of investment interest expense is limited to the amount of your net investment income. Your share of our dividend and interest income will be treated as investment income, although qualified dividend income subject to reduced rates of tax in the hands of an individual will only be treated as investment income if you elect to treat such dividend as ordinary income not subject to reduced rates of tax. In addition, state and local tax laws may disallow deductions for your share of our interest expense.
The computation of your investment interest expense will take into account interest on any margin account borrowing or other loan incurred to purchase a common 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, but does not include long-term capital gains attributable to the disposition of property held for investment. For this purpose, any long-term capital gain or qualifying dividend income that is taxable at long-term capital gain rates is excluded from net investment income, unless the U.S. Holder elects to pay tax on such gain or dividend income at ordinary income rates.
Deductibility of Partnership Investment Expenditures by Individual Partners and by Trusts and Estates
Subject to certain exceptions, all miscellaneous itemized deductions of an individual taxpayer, and certain of such deductions of an estate or trust, are deductible only to the extent that such deductions exceed 2% of the taxpayers adjusted gross income. Moreover, the otherwise allowable itemized deductions of individuals whose gross income exceeds an applicable threshold amount are subject to reduction by an amount equal to the lesser of (1) 3% of the excess of the individuals adjusted gross income over the threshold amount, or (2) 80% of the amount of the itemized deductions.
The operating expenses of KKR Fund Holdings L.P., including any management fees paid, may be treated as miscellaneous itemized deductions subject to the foregoing rule. Accordingly, if you are a non-corporate U.S. Holder, you should consult your tax advisors with respect to the application of these limitations.
Treatment of Distributions
Distributions of cash by us will not be taxable to you to the extent of your adjusted tax basis (described above) in your common units. Any cash distributions in excess of your adjusted tax basis will be considered to be gain from the sale or exchange of your common units (described below). Under current laws, such gain would be treated as capital gain and would be long-term capital gain if your holding period for your common units exceeds one year, subject to certain exceptions (described below). A reduction in your allocable share of our liabilities, and certain distributions of marketable securities by us, are treated similar to cash distributions for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Sale or Exchange of Common Units
You will recognize gain or loss on a sale of common units equal to the difference, if any, between the amount realized and your adjusted tax basis in the common units sold. Your amount realized will be measured by
the sum of the cash or the fair market value of other property received plus your share of our liabilities, if any, at the time of such sale or exchange.
Subject to the exceptions discussed in this paragraph, gain or loss recognized by you on the sale or exchange of a common unit will be taxable as capital gain or loss and will be long-term capital gain or loss if your holding period in your common units is greater than one year on the date of such sale or exchange. If we have not made a qualifying electing fund election, or QEF election, to treat our interest in a passive foreign investment company, or PFIC, as a qualified electing fund, or QEF, gain attributable to such an interest would be taxable as ordinary income and would be subject to an interest charge. In addition, certain gain attributable to our investment in a controlled foreign corporation, or CFC, may be ordinary income and certain gain attributable to unrealized receivables or inventory items would be characterized as ordinary income rather than capital gain. For example, if we hold debt acquired at a market discount, accrued market discount on such debt would be treated as unrealized receivables. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations.
Holders who acquire units at different times and intend to sell all or a portion of the units within a year of their most recent purchase are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the application of certain split holding period rules to them and the treatment of any gain or loss as long-term or short-term capital gain or loss.
Foreign Tax Credit Limitations
Subject to certain exceptions and limitations, you will be entitled to a foreign tax credit with respect to your allocable share of creditable foreign taxes paid on our income and gains (other than the income and gains of our intermediate holding company). Complex rules may, depending on your particular circumstances, limit the availability or use of foreign tax credits. Gains from the sale of our foreign investments may be treated as U.S. source gains. Consequently, you may not be able to use the foreign tax credit arising from any foreign taxes imposed on such gains unless such credit can be applied (subject to applicable limitations) against tax due on other income treated as derived from foreign sources. Certain losses that we incur may be treated as foreign source losses, which could reduce the amount of foreign tax credits otherwise available.
Section 754 Election
We have an election in place pursuant to Section 754 of the Code. The election is irrevocable without the consent of the IRS, and will generally require us to adjust the tax basis in our assets, or inside basis, attributable to a transferee of common units under Section 743(b) of the Code to reflect the purchase price of the common units paid by the transferee. In addition, KKR Management Holdings L.P. has made a Section 754 election. Therefore, similar adjustments will be made upon the transfer of interests in KKR Management Holdings L.P.
Even though we will have a Section 754 election in effect, because there is no Section 754 election in effect for KKR Fund Holdings L.P., and we will not make an election for it, it is unlikely that our Section 754 election will provide any substantial benefit or detriment to a transferee of our common units.
The calculations involved in the Section 754 election are complex. We will make them on the basis of assumptions as to the value of our assets and other matters.
Uniformity of Common Units, Transferor/Transferee Allocations
Because we cannot match transferors and transferees of our common units, we will adopt depreciation, amortization and other tax accounting positions that may not conform with all aspects of existing Treasury regulations. A successful IRS challenge to those positions could adversely affect the amount of tax benefits available to you. It also could affect the timing of these tax benefits or the amount of gain on the sale of our common units and could have a negative impact on the value of our common units or result in audits of and adjustments to our common unitholders tax returns.
In addition, generally our taxable income and losses will be determined and apportioned among common unitholders using conventions we regard as consistent with applicable law. As a result, if you transfer your common
units, you may be allocated income, gain, loss and deduction realized by us after the date of transfer. Similarly, a transferee may be allocated income, gain, loss and deduction realized by us prior to the date of the transferees acquisition of our common units.
Although Section 706 of the Code generally provides guidelines for allocations of items of partnership income and deductions between transferors and transferees of partner interests, it is not clear that our allocation method complies with its requirements. If our convention were not permitted, the IRS might contend that our taxable income or losses must be reallocated among the common unitholders. If such a contention were sustained, your respective tax liabilities would be adjusted to your possible detriment. Our Managing Partner is authorized to revise our method of allocation between transferors and transferees (as well as among common unitholders whose interests otherwise vary during a taxable period).
Foreign Currency Gain or Loss
Our functional currency will be the U.S. dollar, and our income or loss will be calculated in U.S. dollars. It is likely that we will recognize foreign currency gain or loss with respect to transactions involving non-U.S. dollar currencies. In general, foreign currency gain or loss is treated as ordinary income or loss. You should consult your tax advisor with respect to the tax treatment of foreign currency gain or loss.
Passive Foreign Investment Companies
We may own directly or indirectly interests in foreign entities that are treated as corporations for U.S. federal income tax purposes. You may be subject to special rules as a result of your indirect investments in such foreign corporations, including the rules applicable to an investment in a passive foreign investment company, or PFIC. KKR Management Holdings Corp. will be subject to similar rules as those described below with respect to any PFICs owned directly or indirectly by it.
A PFIC is defined as any foreign corporation with respect to which either (1) 75% or more of the gross income for a taxable year is passive income or (2) 50% or more of its assets in any taxable year (generally based on the quarterly average of the value of its assets) produce passive income. There are no minimum stock ownership requirements for shareholders in PFICs. Once a corporation qualifies as a PFIC it is, subject to certain exceptions, always treated as a PFIC, regardless of whether it satisfies either of the qualification tests in subsequent years. Any gain on disposition of stock of a PFIC, as well as income realized on certain excess distributions by the PFIC, is treated as though realized ratably over the shorter of your holding period in our common units or our holding period in the PFIC. Such gain or income is taxable as ordinary income and dividends paid by a PFIC to an individual will not be eligible for the reduced rates of taxation that are available for certain qualifying dividends. In addition, an interest charge would be imposed on you based on the tax deferred from prior years.
Although it may not always be possible, we expect to make a QEF election under the Code where possible with respect to each entity treated as a PFIC to treat such non-U.S. entity as a QEF in the first year we hold shares in such entity. A QEF election is effective for our taxable year for which the election is made and all subsequent taxable years and may not be revoked without the consent of the IRS. If we make a QEF election with respect to our interest in a PFIC, in lieu of the foregoing treatment, we would be required to include in income each year a portion of the ordinary earnings and net capital gains of the QEF called QEF Inclusions, even if not distributed to us. Thus, holders may be required to report taxable income as a result of QEF Inclusions without corresponding receipts of cash. However, a holder may elect to defer, until the occurrence of certain events, payment of the U.S. federal income tax attributable to QEF Inclusions for which no current distributions are received, but will be required to pay interest on the deferred tax computed by using the statutory rate of interest applicable to an extension of time for payment of tax. Our tax basis in the shares of such non-U.S. entities, and a holders basis in our common units, will be increased to reflect QEF Inclusions. No portion of the QEF Inclusion attributable to ordinary income will be eligible for reduced rates of taxation. Amounts included as QEF Inclusions with respect to direct and indirect investments generally will not be taxed again when actually distributed. You should consult your tax advisors as to the manner in which QEF Inclusions affect your allocable share of our income and your basis in your common units.
Alternatively, in the case of a PFIC that is a publicly traded foreign company, we may make an election to mark to market the stock of such foreign company on an annual basis. Pursuant to such an election, you would
include in each year as ordinary income the excess, if any, of the fair market value of such stock over its adjusted basis at the end of the taxable year. You may treat as ordinary loss any excess of the adjusted basis of the stock over its fair market value at the end of the year, but only to the extent of the net amount previously included in income as a result of the election in prior years.
We may make certain investments, including for instance investments in specialized investment funds or investments in funds of funds through non-U.S. corporate subsidiaries of the KKR Group Partnerships or through other non-U.S. corporations. Such entities may be PFICs for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In addition, certain of our investments could be in PFICs. Thus, we can make no assurance that some of our investments will not be treated as held through a PFIC or as interests in PFICs or that such PFICs will be eligible for the mark to market election, or that as to any such PFICs we will be able to make QEF elections.
If we do not make a QEF election with respect to a PFIC, Section 1291 of the Code will treat all gain on a disposition by us of shares of such entity, gain on the disposition of common units by a holder at a time when we own shares of such entity, as well as certain other defined excess distributions, as if the gain or excess distribution were ordinary income earned ratably over the shorter of the period during which the holder held its common units or the period during which we held our shares in such entity. For gain and excess distributions allocated to prior years, (i) the tax rate will be the highest in effect for that taxable year and (ii) the tax will be payable generally without regard to offsets from deductions, losses and expenses. Holders will also be subject to an interest charge for any deferred tax. No portion of this ordinary income will be eligible for the favorable tax rate applicable to qualified dividend income for individual U.S. persons.
Controlled Foreign Corporations
A non-U.S. entity will be treated as a controlled foreign corporation, or CFC, if it is treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes and if more than 50% of (i) the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the non-U.S. entity entitled to vote or (ii) the total value of the stock of the non-U.S. entity is owned by U.S. Shareholders on any day during the taxable year of such non-U.S. entity. For this purpose, a U.S. Shareholder with respect to a non-U.S. entity means a U.S. person (including a U.S. partnership like us) that owns 10% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the non-U.S. entity entitled to vote.
When making investment or other decisions, we will consider whether an investment will be a CFC and the consequences related thereto. If we are a U.S. Shareholder in a non-U.S. entity that is treated as a CFC, each common unitholder may be required to include in income its allocable share of the CFCs Subpart F income reported by us. Subpart F income generally includes dividends, interest, net gain from the sale or disposition of securities, non-actively managed rents and certain other generally passive types of income. The aggregate Subpart F income inclusions in any taxable year relating to a particular CFC are limited to such entitys current earnings and profits. These inclusions are treated as ordinary income (whether or not such inclusions are attributable to net capital gains). Thus, a common unitholder may be required to report as ordinary income its allocable share of the CFCs Subpart F income reported by us without corresponding receipts of cash and may not benefit from capital gain treatment with respect to the portion of our earnings (if any) attributable to net capital gains of the CFC.
The tax basis of our shares of such non-U.S. entity, and your tax basis in your common units, will be increased to reflect any required Subpart F income inclusions. Such income will be treated as income from sources within the United States, for certain foreign tax credit purposes, to the extent derived by the CFC from U.S. sources. Such income will not be eligible for the reduced rate of tax applicable to qualified dividend income for individual U.S. persons. See above under Limitations on Interest Deductions. Amounts included as such income with respect to direct and indirect investments generally will not be taxable again when actually distributed.
Regardless of whether any CFC has Subpart F income, any gain allocated to you from our disposition of stock in a CFC will be treated as dividend income to the extent of your allocable share of the current and/or accumulated earnings and profits of the CFC, which may be eligible for the reduced rates of taxation applicable to certain qualified dividends. In this regard, earnings would not include any amounts previously taxed pursuant to the CFC rules. However, net losses (if any) of a non-U.S. entity owned by us that is treated as a CFC will not pass through to you. Moreover, a portion of your gain from the sale or exchange of your common units may be treated as ordinary income. Any portion of any gain from the sale or exchange of a common unit that is attributable to a CFC
may be treated as an unrealized receivable taxable as ordinary income. See Sale or Exchange of Common Units.
If a non-U.S. entity held by us is classified as both a CFC and a PFIC during the time we are a U.S. Shareholder of such non-U.S. entity, you will be required to include amounts in income with respect to such non-U.S. entity pursuant to this subheading, and the consequences described under Passive Foreign Investment Companies above will not apply. If our ownership percentage in a non-U.S. entity changes such that we are not a U.S. Shareholder with respect to such non-U.S. entity, then you may be subject to the PFIC rules. The interaction of these rules is complex, and prospective holders are urged to consult their tax advisors in this regard.
Investment Structure
To manage our affairs so as to meet the Qualifying Income Exception for the publicly traded partnership rules (discussed above) and comply with certain requirements in our partnership agreement, we may need to structure certain investments through entities classified as corporations for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, because our common unitholders will be located in numerous taxing jurisdictions, no assurances can be given that any such investment structure will be beneficial to all our common unitholders to the same extent, and may even impose additional tax burdens on some of our common unitholders. As discussed above, if the entity were a non-U.S. corporation it may be considered a CFC or PFIC. If the entity were a U.S. corporation, it would be subject to U.S. federal income tax on its operating income, including any gain recognized on its disposal of its investments. In addition, if the investment involves U.S. real estate, gain recognized on disposition of the real estate would generally be subject to U.S. federal income tax, whether the corporation is a U.S. or a non-U.S. corporation.
Taxes in Other State, Local, and Non-U.S. Jurisdictions
In addition to U.S. federal income tax consequences, you may be subject to potential U.S. state and local taxes because of an investment in us in the U.S. state or locality in which you are a resident for tax purposes or in which we have investments or activities, including jurisdictions in which we hold certain real estate, oil, gas or similar natural resource-related investments. You may also be subject to tax return filing obligations and income, franchise or other taxes, including withholding taxes, in state, local or non-U.S. jurisdictions in which we invest, or in which entities in which we own interests conduct activities or derive income. Income or gains from investments held by us may be subject to withholding or other taxes in jurisdictions outside the United States, subject to the possibility of reduction under applicable income tax treaties. If you wish to claim the benefit of an applicable income tax treaty, you may be required to submit information to tax authorities in such jurisdictions. You should consult your own tax advisors regarding the U.S. state, local and non-U.S. tax consequences of an investment in us.
U.S. Federal Estate Taxes
Common units will be included in the gross estate of a U.S. citizen or resident for U.S. federal estate tax purposes. Therefore, a U.S. federal estate tax may be payable in connection with the death of a holder of common units. Prospective individual U.S. Holders should consult their own tax advisors concerning the potential U.S. federal estate tax consequences with respect to our common units.
Medicare Tax
U.S. Holders that are individuals, estates or trusts are subject to a Medicare tax of 3.8% on net investment income (or undistributed net investment income, in the case of estates and trusts) for each taxable year, with such tax applying to the lesser of such income or the excess of such persons adjusted gross income (with certain adjustments) over a specified amount. Net investment income includes net income from interest, dividends, annuities, royalties and rents and net gain attributable to the disposition of investment property. It is anticipated that net income and gain attributable to your ownership of common units will be included in your net investment income subject to this Medicare tax.
U.S. Taxation of Tax-Exempt U.S. Holders of Common Units
A holder of common units that is a tax-exempt organization for U.S. federal income tax purposes and therefore generally exempt from U.S. federal income taxation will nevertheless be subject to unrelated business taxable income, or UBTI, to the extent, if any, that its allocable share of our income consists of UBTI. A tax-exempt partner of a partnership that regularly engages in a trade or business which is unrelated to the exempt function of the tax-exempt partner must include in computing its UBTI its pro rata share (whether or not distributed) of such partnerships gross income and deductions derived from such unrelated trade or business. Moreover, a tax-exempt partner of a partnership will be treated as earning UBTI to the extent that such partnership derives income from debt-financed property, or if the partnership interest itself is debt financed. Debt-financed property means property held to produce income with respect to which there is acquisition indebtedness (that is, indebtedness incurred in acquiring or holding property).
As a result of incurring acquisition indebtedness and certain of our investments in natural resource assets, such as oil and gas properties, we will derive income that constitutes UBTI. Consequently, a holder of common units that is a tax-exempt organization (including an individual retirement account or 401(k) plan participant) will likely be subject to unrelated business income tax to the extent that its allocable share of our income consists of UBTI. In addition, a tax-exempt partner may be subject to unrelated business income tax on a sale of their common units. Tax exempt U.S. Holders of common units should consult their own tax advisors regarding all aspects of UBTI.
Investments by U.S. Mutual Funds
U.S. mutual funds that are treated as regulated investment companies, or RICs, for U.S. federal income tax purposes are required, among other things, to meet an annual 90% gross income and a quarterly 50% asset value test under Section 851(b) of the Code to maintain their favorable U.S. federal income tax status. The 90% gross income test requires that, for a corporation to qualify as a RIC, at least 90% of such corporations annual income must be qualifying income, which is generally limited to investment income of various types. The 50% asset value test requires that, for a corporation to qualify as a RIC, at the close of each quarter of the taxable year, at least 50% of the value of such corporations total assets must be represented by cash and cash items (including receivables), government securities, securities of other RICs, and other securities limited in respect of any one issuer to an amount not greater in value than 5% of the value of the total assets of the corporation and to not more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer.
The treatment of an investment by a RIC in common units for purposes of these tests will depend on whether we are treated as a qualifying publicly traded partnership. If our partnership is so treated, then the common units themselves are the relevant assets for purposes of the 50% asset value test and the net income from the common units is the relevant gross income for purposes of the 90% gross income test. RICs may not invest greater than 25% of their assets in one or more qualifying publicly traded partnerships. All income derived from a qualifying publicly traded partnership is considered qualifying income for purposes of the RIC 90% gross income test above. However, if we are not treated as a qualifying publicly traded partnership for purposes of the RIC rules, then the relevant assets for the RIC asset test will be the RICs allocable share of the underlying assets held by us and the relevant gross income for the RIC income test will be the RICs allocable share of the underlying gross income earned by us, including assets held in connection with and income derived with respect to our investments in natural resources assets, such as oil and gas properties, which may not be qualifying assets or income for the RIC qualifying asset and income tests above. Whether we will qualify as a qualifying publicly traded partnership depends on the exact nature of our future investments, but it is likely that we will not be treated as a qualifying publicly traded partnership. In addition, as discussed above under Consequences to U.S. Holders of Common Units, we may derive taxable income from an investment that is not matched by a corresponding cash distribution. Accordingly, a RIC investing in our common units may recognize income for U.S. federal income tax purposes without receiving cash with which to make distributions in amounts necessary to satisfy the distribution requirements under Sections 852 and 4982 of the Code for avoiding income and excise taxes. RICs should consult their own tax advisors about the U.S. tax consequences of an investment in common units.
Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders of Common Units
U.S. Income Tax Consequences
We expect that we will be engaged in a U.S. trade or business for U.S. federal income tax purposes, including by reason of our investments in U.S. real property, corporations that own significant amounts of U.S. real property, and oil and gas properties, in which case some portion of our income would be treated as effectively connected income with respect to Non-U.S. Holders, or ECI. If a Non-U.S. Holder were treated as being engaged in a U.S. trade or business in any year because of an investment in our common units in such year, such Non-U.S. Holder generally would be: (1) subject to withholding by us on such Non-U.S. Holders distributions of ECI; (2) required to file a U.S. federal income tax return for such year reporting its allocable share, if any, of income or loss effectively connected with such trade or business, including certain income from U.S. sources not related to KKR & Co. L.P.; and (3) required to pay U.S. federal income tax at regular U.S. federal income tax rates on any such income. Moreover, a corporate Non-U.S. Holder might be subject to a U.S. branch profits tax on its allocable share of its ECI. Any amount withheld would be creditable against such Non-U.S. Holders U.S. federal income tax liability, and such Non-U.S. Holder could claim a refund to the extent that the amount withheld exceeded such Non-U.S. Holders U.S. federal income tax liability for the taxable year. Finally, if we were treated as being engaged in a U.S. trade or business, a portion of any gain recognized by a holder who is a Non-U.S. Holder on the sale or exchange of its common units could be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as ECI, and hence such Non-U.S. Holder could be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the sale or exchange of its common units.
Distributions to you may also be subject to U.S. withholding tax to the extent such distribution is attributable to the sale of a U.S. real property interest. Also, you may be subject to U.S. withholding tax on allocations of our income that are fixed or determinable annual or periodic income under the Code, unless an exemption from or a reduced rate of such withholding applies and certain tax status information is provided. Although each Non-U.S. Holder is required to provide an IRS Form W-8, we may not be able to provide complete information related to the tax status of our common unitholders to the Group Partnerships or KKR Management Holdings Corp. for purposes of obtaining reduced rates of withholding on behalf of our common unitholders. If such information is not provided, to the extent we receive dividends from KKR Management Holdings Corp. or from a U.S. corporation through KKR Fund Holdings L.P. and its investment vehicles, your allocable share of distributions of such income will be subject to U.S. withholding tax. Therefore, if you would not be subject to U.S. tax based on your tax status or are eligible for a reduced rate of U.S. withholding, you may need to take additional steps to receive a credit or refund of any excess withholding tax paid on your account. This may include the filing of a non-resident U.S. income tax return with the IRS. Among other limitations, if you reside in a treaty jurisdiction which does not treat us as a pass-through entity, you may not be eligible to receive a refund or credit of excess U.S. withholding taxes paid on your account. You should consult your tax advisors regarding the treatment of U.S. withholding taxes.
Special rules may apply in the case of a Non-U.S. Holder that: (1) has an office or fixed place of business in the United States; (2) is present in the United States for 183 days or more in a taxable year; or (3) is a former citizen of the United States, a foreign insurance company that is treated as holding a partner interest in us in connection with their U.S. business, a PFIC or a corporation that accumulates earnings to avoid U.S. federal income tax. You should consult your tax advisors regarding the application of these special rules.
U.S. Federal Estate Tax Consequences
The U.S. federal estate tax treatment of our common units with regard to the estate of a non-citizen who is not a resident of the United States is not entirely clear. If our common units are includable in the U.S. gross estate of such person, then a U.S. federal estate tax might be payable in connection with the death of such person. Non-U.S. Holders who are non-citizens and not residents of the United States should consult their own tax advisors concerning the potential U.S. federal estate tax consequences of owning our common units.
Administrative Matters
Taxable Year
We currently use the calendar year as our taxable year for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Under certain circumstances which we currently believe are unlikely to apply, a taxable year other than the calendar year may be required for such purposes.
Tax Matters Partner
Our Managing Partner will act as our tax matters partner. As the tax matters partner, our Managing Partner will have the authority, subject to certain restrictions, to act on our behalf in connection with any administrative or judicial review of our items of income, gain, loss, deduction or credit.
Information Returns
We have agreed to furnish to you, as soon as reasonably practicable after the close of each calendar year, tax information (including Schedule K-1), which describes on a U.S. dollar basis your share of our income, gain, loss and deduction for our preceding taxable year. It may require longer than 90 days after the end of our fiscal year to obtain the requisite information from all lower-tier entities so that K-1s may be prepared for us. Consequently, common unitholders who are U.S. taxpayers should anticipate the need to file annually with the IRS (and certain states) a request for an extension past April 15 or the otherwise applicable due date of their income tax return for the taxable year. In addition, each partner will be required to report for all tax purposes consistently with the information provided by us for the taxable year.
In preparing this information, we will use various accounting and reporting conventions, some of which have been mentioned in the previous discussion, to determine your share of income, gain, loss and deduction. The IRS may successfully contend that certain of these reporting conventions are impermissible, which could result in an adjustment to your income or loss.
We may be audited by the IRS. Adjustments resulting from an IRS audit may require you to adjust a prior years tax liability and possibly may result in an audit of your own tax return. Any audit of your tax return could result in adjustments not related to our tax returns as well as those related to our tax returns.
Tax Shelter Regulations
If we were to engage in a reportable transaction, we (and possibly you and others) would be required to make a detailed disclosure of the transaction to the IRS in accordance with regulations governing tax shelters and other potentially tax-motivated transactions. A transaction may be a reportable transaction based upon any of several factors, including the fact that it is a type of tax avoidance transaction publicly identified by the IRS as a listed transaction or that it produces certain kinds of losses in excess of $2 million. An investment in us may be considered a reportable transaction if, for example, we recognize certain significant losses in the future. In certain circumstances, a common unitholder who disposes of common units in a transaction resulting in the recognition by such holder of significant losses in excess of certain threshold amounts may be obligated to disclose its participation in such transaction. Our participation in a reportable transaction also could increase the likelihood that our U.S. federal income tax information return (and possibly your tax return) would be audited by the IRS. Certain of these rules are currently unclear and it is possible that they may be applicable in situations other than significant loss transactions.
Moreover, if we were to participate in a reportable transaction with a significant purpose to avoid or evade tax, or in any listed transaction, you may be subject to: (i) significant accuracy-related penalties with a broad scope; (ii) for those persons otherwise entitled to deduct interest on federal tax deficiencies, nondeductibility of interest on any resulting tax liability; and (iii) in the case of a listed transaction, an extended statute of limitations.
Common unitholders should consult their tax advisors concerning any possible disclosure obligation under the regulations governing tax shelters with respect to the dispositions of their interests in us.
Constructive Termination
Subject to the electing large partnership rules described below, we will be considered to have been terminated for U.S. 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 12-month period.
Our termination would result in the close of our taxable year for all of our common unitholders. In the case of a holder reporting on a taxable year other than a fiscal year ending on our year-end, the closing of our taxable year may result in more than 12 months of our taxable income or loss being includable in the holders taxable income for the year of termination. We would be required to make new tax elections after a termination. A termination could also result in penalties if we were unable to determine that the termination had occurred. Moreover, a termination might either accelerate the application of, or subject us to, any tax legislation enacted before the termination.
Elective Procedures for Large Partnerships
The Code allows large partnerships to elect streamlined procedures for income tax reporting. This election would reduce the number of items that must be separately stated on the Schedules K-1 that are issued to the common unitholders, and such Schedules K-1 would have to be provided to common unitholders on or before the first March 15 following the close of each taxable year. In addition, this election would prevent us from suffering a technical termination (which would close our taxable year) if within a 12-month period there is a sale or exchange of 50% or more of our total interests. It is possible we might make such an election, if eligible. If we make such election, IRS audit adjustments will flow through to common unitholders for the years in which the adjustments take effect, rather than the year to which the adjustment relates. In addition, we, rather than the common unitholders individually, generally will be liable for any interest and penalties that result from an audit adjustment.
Withholding and Backup Withholding
For each calendar year, we will report to you and the IRS the amount of distributions we made to you and the amount of U.S. federal income tax (if any) that we withheld on those distributions. The proper application to us of rules for withholding under Section 1441 of the Code (applicable to certain dividends, interest and similar items) is unclear. Because the documentation we receive may not properly reflect the identities of partners at any particular time (in light of possible sales of common units), we may over-withhold or under-withhold with respect to a particular holder of common units. For example, we may impose withholding, remit that amount to the IRS and thus reduce the amount of a distribution paid to a Non-U.S. Holder. It may turn out, however, the corresponding amount of our income was not properly allocable to such holder, and the withholding should have been less than the actual withholding. Such holder would be entitled to a credit against the holders U.S. federal income tax liability for all withholding, including any such excess withholding, but if the withholding exceeded the holders U.S. federal income tax liability, the holder would have to apply for a refund to obtain the benefit of the excess withholding. Similarly, we may fail to withhold on a distribution, and it may turn out the corresponding income was properly allocable to a Non-U.S. Holder and withholding should have been imposed. In that event, we intend to pay the underwithheld amount to the IRS, and we may treat such under- withholding as an expense that will be borne by all partners on a pro rata basis (since we may be unable to allocate any such excess withholding tax cost to the relevant Non-U.S. Holder).
Under the backup withholding rules, you may be subject to backup withholding tax (at the applicable rate, currently 28%) with respect to distributions paid unless: (i) you are an exempt recipient and demonstrate this fact when required; or (ii) you provide a taxpayer identification number, certify as to no loss of exemption from backup withholding tax and otherwise comply with the applicable requirements of the backup withholding tax rules. If you are an exempt holder, you should indicate your exempt status on a properly completed IRS Form W-9. A Non-U.S. Holder may qualify as an exempt recipient by submitting a properly completed, applicable IRS Form W-8. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. The amount of any backup withholding from a payment to you will be allowed as a credit against your U.S. federal income tax liability and may entitle you to a refund.
If you do not timely provide us (or the clearing agent or other intermediary, as appropriate) with IRS Form W-8 or W-9, as applicable, or such form is not properly completed, you may become subject to U.S. backup withholding taxes in excess of what would have been imposed had we received certifications from all common unitholders. Such excess U.S. backup withholding taxes may be treated by us as an expense that will be borne by all common unitholders on a pro rata basis (since we may be unable to allocate any such excess withholding tax cost to the holders that failed to timely provide the proper U.S. tax certifications).
Additional Withholding Requirements
Under recently enacted legislation and administrative guidance, the relevant withholding agent may be required to withhold 30% of any interest, dividends and other fixed or determinable annual or periodical gains, profits and income from sources within the United States paid after June 30, 2014 or gross proceeds from the sale of any property of a type that can produce interest or dividends from sources within the United States occurring after December 31, 2016 (which date the IRS has announced it will extend to December 31, 2018) to (1) a foreign financial institution (which for this purpose includes foreign broker-dealers, clearing organizations, investment companies, hedge funds and certain other investment entities) unless such foreign financial institution enters into an agreement with the Treasury pursuant to which it agrees to verify, report and disclose its U.S. accountholders to the IRS and complies with certain other specified requirements or (2) a non-financial foreign entity that is a beneficial owner of the payment unless such entity (a) certifies that it does not have any substantial U.S. owners, (b) provides the name, address and taxpayer identification number of each of its substantial U.S. owners and meets certain other specified requirements or (c) otherwise qualifies for an exemption from this withholding. Non-U.S. and U.S. Holders are encouraged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the possible implications of this legislation on their investment in our common units.
Nominee Reporting
Persons who hold an interest in our partnership 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) whether the beneficial owner is: (i) a person that is not a U.S. person; (ii) a foreign government, an international organization or any wholly owned agency or instrumentality of either of the foregoing; or (iii) a tax-exempt entity;
(3) the amount and description of common 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 common units they acquire, hold or transfer for their own account. A penalty of $50 per failure, up to a maximum of $100,000 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 common units with the information furnished to us.
New Legislation or Administrative or Judicial Action
The rules dealing with U.S. federal income taxation are constantly under review by persons involved in the legislative process, the IRS and the Treasury, frequently resulting in revised interpretations of established concepts, statutory changes, revisions to regulations and other modifications and interpretations. No assurance can be given as to whether, or in what form, any proposals affecting us or our common unitholders will be enacted. The present U.S. federal income tax treatment of an investment in our common units may be modified by administrative, legislative or judicial interpretation at any time, and any such action may affect investments and commitments previously made. The maintenance of the structure and tax attributes of the KKR Group Partnerships, which comprise our businesses, requires significant monitoring and resources. Failure to maintain this structure could result in material adverse tax consequences. Changes to the U.S. federal income tax laws and interpretations thereof could make it more difficult or impossible to be treated as a partnership that is not taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, affect or cause us to change our investments and commitments, affect the tax considerations of an investment in us, change the character or treatment of portions of our income (including, for instance, the treatment of carried interest as ordinary income rather than capital gain) and adversely affect an investment in our common units. See risks described in the sections entitled Risk FactorsRisks Related to Our BusinessOur structure involves complex provisions of U.S. federal income tax laws for which no clear precedent or authority may be
available. These structures also are subject to potential legislative, judicial or administrative change and differing interpretations, possibly on a retroactive basis, and Risk FactorsRisks Related to Our BusinessThe U.S. Congress has considered legislation that would have (i) in some cases after a ten-year period, precluded us from qualifying as a partnership or required us to hold carried interest through taxable subsidiary corporations and (ii) taxed certain income and gains at increased rates. Additionally, on February 26, 2014, Representative Dave Camp, Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, released a discussion draft summarizing proposed legislation that would, among other things (1) generally treat publicly traded partnerships (other than those deriving 90% of their income from activities relating to mining and natural resources) as taxable corporations for tax years beginning after 2016 and (2) recharacterize a portion of capital gain from certain partnership interests held in connection with the performance of services as ordinary income for tax years beginning after 2014. If any similar legislation were to be enacted and apply to us, the after tax income and gain related to our business, as well as the market price of our units, could be reduced as described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014, filed with the SEC on February 27, 2015, and incorporated by reference in this prospectus. We and our common unitholders could be adversely affected by any such change in, or any new, tax law, regulation or interpretation. Our organizational documents and agreements permit the board of directors to modify the amended and restated operating agreement from time to time, without the consent of the common unitholders, in order to address certain changes in U.S. federal income tax regulations, legislation or interpretation. In some circumstances, such revisions could have a material adverse impact on some or all of our common unitholders.
THE FOREGOING DISCUSSION IS NOT INTENDED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR CAREFUL TAX PLANNING. THE TAX MATTERS RELATING TO KKR AND ITS COMMON UNITHOLDERS ARE COMPLEX AND ARE SUBJECT TO VARYING INTERPRETATIONS. MOREOVER, THE MEANING AND IMPACT OF TAX LAWS AND OF PROPOSED CHANGES WILL VARY WITH THE PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES OF EACH COMMON UNITHOLDER. COMMON UNITHOLDERS SHOULD CONSULT THEIR TAX ADVISORS WITH RESPECT TO THE FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND OTHER TAX CONSEQUENCES RELATING TO OWNING COMMON UNITS. THIS FOREGOING DISCUSSION ONLY ADDRESSES THE MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL TAX CONSIDERATIONS OF THE OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF COMMON UNITS AND DOES NOT ADDRESS THE TAX CONSEQUENCES UNDER THE LAWS OF ANY TAX JURISDICTION OTHER THAN THE UNITED STATES. NON-U.S. HOLDERS, THEREFORE, SHOULD CONSULT THEIR OWN TAX ADVISORS REGARDING THE TAX CONSIDERATIONS TO THEM OF THE U.S. OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF COMMON UNITS UNDER THE LAWS OF THEIR OWN TAXING JURISDICTION.
SELLING SECURITYHOLDERS
We have prepared this prospectus to allow the selling unitholders described below (the Selling Securityholders) to sell or otherwise dispose of, from time to time, up to an aggregate of 2,634,674 of our common units. These common units were issued by us to the Selling Securityholders on November 2, 2015 in connection with the 2015 Marshall Wace Transaction, and represent only a portion of the common unit consideration issued in connection therewith.
The table below presents information as of the date hereof regarding the addresses and beneficial ownership of common units of the Selling Securityholders.
We have prepared the following table based on information given to us by, or on behalf of, the Selling Securityholders on or before the date hereof. We have not independently verified this information. Information about the Selling Securityholders may change over time. Any additional information about the Selling Securityholders will be set forth in one or more prospectus supplements to the extent required prior to the time of any offer or sale of such Selling Securityholder under the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. The term Selling Securityholders includes the Selling Securityholders listed below and their pledgees, assignees, transferees, donees and successors-in-interest. We may amend or supplement this prospectus from time to time in the future to update or change this list of selling securityholders and common units which may be offered and sold to identify such pledgees, assignees, transferees, donees and successors-in-interest. The registration of these common units does not necessarily mean that the Selling Securityholders will sell all or any of the common units. In addition, the Selling Securityholders may have sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of, or may sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of, at any time and from time to time, common units in transactions exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act after the date on which they provided the information set forth on the table below.
Unless otherwise indicated below under Material Relationships with the Selling Securityholders, based on representations made to us by the Selling Securityholders, none of the Selling Securityholders has or within the past three years has had, any position, office or other material relationship with us or any of our affiliates. To our knowledge, except as may be disclosed in a prospectus supplement, none of the Selling Securityholders are broker-dealers or affiliates of broker-dealers, nor at the time of the acquisition did any Selling Securityholders have direct or indirect agreements or understandings with any person to distribute any common units. Certain of our affiliates, including KKR Capital Markets LLC, are broker-dealers.
None of the Selling Securityholders beneficially own 1% or more of our outstanding common units, based on 464,720,514 common units outstanding as of November 3, 2015. The address of each of the persons in this table is: c/o Marshall Wace LLP, 13th Floor, The Adelphi, 1/11 John Adam Street, London, WC2N 6HT.
Name of Selling Securityholder |
|
Common Units
|
|
Common Units
|
|
Common Units
|
|
|
|
All Selling Securityholders(1) |
|
2,634,674 |
|
2,634,674 |
|
0 |
|
|
|
(1) Consists of holders that in aggregate beneficially own less than 1% of our outstanding common units as of November 3, 2015.
Material Relationships with the Selling Securityholders
On November 2, 2015, we also entered into a Registration Rights Agreement (the Registration Rights Agreement) with the Selling Securityholders, pursuant to which we agreed to register for resale by such Selling Securityholders the KKR common units that were issued to them in connection with the 2015 Marshall Wace Transaction. The registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part, has been filed pursuant to the requirements of the Registration Rights Agreement. We are required to maintain the effectiveness of the registration statement until the earliest to occur of (i) the date that all registrable securities have been sold pursuant to such registration statement, (ii) the date upon which the registrable securities are able to be sold pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act without current public information, holding period or volume limitation or (iii) the date such registrable securities cease to be outstanding.
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
The Selling Securityholders, which as used in this prospectus includes their pledgees, assignees, transferees, donees and successors-in-interest, may, from time to time, sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of any or all of their common units on any stock exchange, market or trading facility on which our common units are listed or quoted at the time of sale, including the New York Stock Exchange, or in private transactions. These dispositions may be in one or more transactions at fixed prices, at prevailing market prices at the time of sale, at prices related to the prevailing market price, at varying prices determined at the time of sale, or at negotiated prices.
The Selling Securityholders may use any one or more of the following methods when disposing of common units:
· ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker- dealer solicits purchasers;
· block trades in which the broker-dealer will attempt to sell the common units as agent, but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction;
· purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by the broker- dealer for its account;
· an exchange distribution in accordance with the rules of the applicable exchange;
· privately negotiated transactions;
· short sales effected after the date the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part is declared effective by the SEC;
· through the writing or settlement of options or other hedging transactions, whether through an options exchange or otherwise;
· by agreement with broker-dealers to sell a specified number of such common units at a stipulated price per unit;
· any other method permitted by applicable law and not prohibited by any agreement such Selling Securityholder has with us; and
· a combination of any such methods of sale.
The Selling Securityholders also may sell common units under Rule 144 of the Securities Act if available, rather than under this prospectus.
The Selling Securityholders may, from time to time, pledge or grant a security interest in some or all of the common units owned by them and, if they default in the performance of their secured obligations, the pledgees or secured parties may offer and sell the common units, from time to time, under this prospectus, or under an amendment to this prospectus under Rule 424(b)(3) or other applicable provision of the Securities Act amending the list of Selling Securityholders to include the pledgee, transferee or other successor- in-interest as Selling Securityholder under this prospectus. The Selling Securityholders also may transfer the common units in other circumstances, in which case the transferees, pledgees or other successors in interest will be the selling beneficial owners for purposes of this prospectus. The common units registered hereby are subject to a three-year restriction on transfer, subject to certain customary exceptions (including to fund the payment of certain taxes).
In connection with the sale of our common units, the Selling Securityholders may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions, which may in turn engage in short sales of the common units in the course of hedging the positions they assume. The Selling Securityholders may also sell our common units short and deliver these securities to close out their short positions, or loan or pledge the common units to broker-dealers that in turn may sell these securities. The Selling Securityholders may also enter into option or other transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions or create one or more derivative securities which require the delivery to such broker-dealer or other financial institution of common units registered by this
prospectus, which common units such broker-dealer or other financial institution may resell pursuant to this prospectus (as supplemented or amended to reflect such transaction).
The aggregate proceeds to the Selling Securityholders from the sale of the common units offered by them will be the purchase price of the common units less discounts or commissions, if any. Each of the Selling Securityholders reserves the right to accept and, together with their agents from time to time, to reject, in whole or in part, any proposed purchase of common units to be made directly or through agents.
The Selling Securityholders and any underwriters, broker-dealers or agents that participate in the sale of the common units or interests therein may be underwriters within the meaning of Section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act. Any discounts, commissions, concessions or profit they earn on any resale of the common units may be underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act. Selling Securityholders who are underwriters within the meaning of Section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act will be subject to the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act.
To the extent required, the number of our common units to be sold, the names of the selling securityholders, the respective purchase prices and public offering prices, the names of any agent, dealer or underwriter and any applicable commissions or discounts with respect to a particular offer will be set forth in an accompanying prospectus supplement or, if appropriate, a post-effective amendment to the registration statement that includes this prospectus.
In order to comply with the securities laws of some states, if applicable, our common units may be sold in these jurisdictions only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers. In addition, in some states common units may not be sold unless they have been registered or qualified for sale or an exemption from registration or qualification requirements is available and is complied with.
We have advised the Selling Securityholders that the anti-manipulation rules of Regulation M under the Exchange Act may apply to sales of common units in the market and to the activities of the Selling Securityholders and their affiliates. The foregoing may affect the marketability of our common units. In addition, to the extent applicable we will make copies of this prospectus (as it may be supplemented or amended from time to time) available to the Selling Securityholders for the purpose of satisfying the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act. The Selling Securityholder may indemnify any broker-dealer that participates in transactions involving the sale of the common units against certain liabilities, including liabilities arising under the Securities Act.
The Registration Rights Agreement permits us to suspend sales of the common units under this registration statement from time to time in the event of certain corporate events affecting us for certain periods, referred to as blackout periods.
Pursuant to the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement, we will bear all expenses incident to our obligation to register the common units. We have also agreed to indemnify the Selling Securityholders against certain liabilities, including some liabilities under the Securities Act, in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement, or the Selling Securityholders will be entitled to contribution. We may be indemnified by the Selling Securityholders against civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement, and may be entitled to contribution.
EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements of KKR & Co. L.P. and subsidiaries incorporated in this prospectus by reference from the Annual Report on Form 10-K of KKR & Co. L.P. and subsidiaries, and the effectiveness of the internal control over financial reporting of KKR & Co. L.P. and subsidiaries have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report which is also incorporated herein by reference. 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.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act with respect to the common units to be sold pursuant to this prospectus. The registration statement, including the exhibits and schedules attached to the registration statement, contains additional relevant information about us and our common units. The rules and regulations of the SEC allow us to omit certain information from this prospectus.
We file annual, quarterly and special reports and other information with the SEC. The SECs rules allow us to incorporate by reference into this prospectus the information we file with the SEC, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is an important part of this prospectus, and information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede such information, as well as the information included in this prospectus. Some documents or information, such as that called for by Items 2.02 and 7.01 of Form 8-K, or the exhibits related thereto under Item 9.01 of Form 8-K, are deemed furnished and not filed in accordance with SEC rules. None of those documents and none of that information is incorporated by reference into this prospectus. This prospectus also contains summaries of certain provisions contained in some of the documents described herein, but reference is made to the actual documents for complete information. All of the summaries are qualified in their entirety by reference to the actual documents.
We incorporate by reference into this prospectus the following documents filed with the SEC:
· Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014, filed on February 27, 2015;
· Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2015, filed on May 7, 2015, for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2015, filed on August 7, 2015 and for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2015, filed on November 5, 2015;
· Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on March 18, 2015, September 9, 2015 (Item 3.02 only) and October 27, 2015 (Item 8.01 only);
· Registration Statement on Form 8-A12B filed on July 14, 2010; and
· All documents filed by KKR & Co. L.P. under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of the initial filing of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part and before the termination of the offering to which this prospectus relates.
We are subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act and are required to file reports and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any materials we file with the SEC at the SECs Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800- SEC-0330. The SEC maintains an Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC at http://www.sec.gov.
We will provide without charge to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom this prospectus is delivered, upon his or her written or oral request, a copy of any or all of the information that has been incorporated by reference into this prospectus but not delivered with this prospectus, excluding exhibits to those documents unless they are specifically incorporated by reference into those documents. You may request copies of those documents from KKR & Co. L.P., 9 West 57th Street, Suite 4200, New York, New York 10019, Attention: Investor Relations. You also may contact us at 1- 877-610-4910 or visit our website at http://www.kkr.com for copies of those documents. Information contained in, or accessible through, our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus.
PART II. INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
ITEM 14. OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION.
The following table sets forth the expenses payable by the Registrant in connection with the issuance and distribution of the common units being registered hereby. All amounts except the filing fee are estimated.
Filing FeeSecurities and Exchange Commission |
|
$ |
4,816 |
|
Fees and Expenses of Counsel |
|
45,000 |
|
|
Fees and Expenses of Accountants |
|
15,000 |
|
|
Miscellaneous Expenses |
|
20,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
|
$ |
84,816 |
|
ITEM 15. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.
Subject to any terms, conditions or restrictions set forth in the applicable partnership agreement, Section 17-108 of the Delaware Limited Partnership Act empowers a Delaware limited partnership to indemnify and hold harmless any partner or other persons from and against all claims and demands whatsoever. The section of the prospectus entitled Description of Our Limited Partnership AgreementIndemnification and the section of the prospectus entitled Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions, and Director IndependenceIndemnification of Directors, Officers and Others in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses that we will generally indemnify our Managing Partner and the officers, directors and affiliates of our Managing Partner, to the fullest extent permitted by law, against all losses, claims, damages or similar events and is incorporated by reference herein.
We currently maintain liability insurance for directors and officers of our Managing Partner. Such insurance would be available to directors and officers of our Managing Partner in accordance with its terms.
ITEM 16. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES.
Exhibit Index
|
3.1 |
|
Certificate of Limited Partnership of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the KKR & Co. L.P. Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-165414) filed on March 12, 2010). |
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|
|
|
|
3.2 |
|
Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the KKR & Co. L.P. Current Report on Form 8-K filed on July 20, 2010). |
|
|
|
|
|
3.3 |
|
Certificate of Formation of the Managing Partner of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.3 of the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-165414) filed on March 12, 2010). |
|
|
|
|
|
3.4 |
|
Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of the Managing Partner of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the KKR & Co. L.P. Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed on August 4, 2011). |
|
|
|
|
|
4.1 |
|
Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of November 2, 2015, by and among KKR & Co. L.P., MW Group (GP) LTD and the other persons listed on the signature pages thereto. |
|
|
|
|
|
5.1 |
|
Opinion of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP. |
|
8.1 |
|
Opinion of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP regarding certain tax matters. |
|
|
|
|
|
23.1 |
|
Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP. |
|
|
|
|
|
23.2 |
|
Consent of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP (included as part of Exhibit 5.1). |
|
|
|
|
|
23.3 |
|
Consent of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP (included as part of Exhibit 8.1). |
|
|
|
|
|
24.1 |
|
Power of Attorney (included on the signature page). |
ITEM 17. UNDERTAKINGS
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
(a) (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:
(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;
(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the Calculation of Registration Fee table in the effective registration statement.
(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;
provided, however, that Paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(iii) above do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78m or 78o(d)) that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.
(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
(4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:
(A) Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement;
(B) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the
Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date; and
(C) Each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use.
(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities:
The undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:
(i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;
(ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;
(iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and
(iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.
(b) That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrants annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in New York, New York, on November 13, 2015.
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KKR & Co. L.P. |
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By: |
KKR Management LLC, |
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its general partner |
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By: |
/s/ David J. Sorkin |
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Name: |
David J. Sorkin |
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Title: |
Secretary |
POWER OF ATTORNEY
Know all men by these presents, that each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Henry R. Kravis, George R. Roberts, William J. Janetschek, Todd A. Fisher and David J. Sorkin and each of them, any of whom may act without the joinder of the other, the individuals true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for the person and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign this Registration Statement and any or all amendments, including post-effective amendments to this Registration Statement, including a prospectus or an amended prospectus therein and any Registration Statement for the same offering that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, and all other documents in connection therewith to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact as agents or any of them, or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated below.
Signature |
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Title |
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Date |
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/s/ Henry R. Kravis |
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Co-Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer (principal executive officer) of KKR Management LLC |
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November 13, 2015 |
Henry R. Kravis |
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/s/ George R. Roberts |
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Co-Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer (principal executive officer) of KKR Management LLC |
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November 13, 2015 |
George R. Roberts |
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/s/ David C. Drummond |
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Director of KKR Management LLC |
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November 13, 2015 |
David C. Drummond |
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/s/ Joseph A. Grundfest |
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Director of KKR Management LLC |
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November 13, 2015 |
Joseph A. Grundfest |
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/s/ John B. Hess |
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Director of KKR Management LLC |
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November 13, 2015 |
John B. Hess |
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/s/ Patricia F. Russo |
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Director of KKR Management LLC |
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November 13, 2015 |
Patricia F. Russo |
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/s/ Thomas M. Schoewe |
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Director of KKR Management LLC |
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November 13, 2015 |
Thomas M. Schoewe |
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/s/ Robert W. Scully |
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Director of KKR Management LLC |
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November 13, 2015 |
Robert W. Scully |
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/s/ William J. Janetschek |
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Chief Financial Officer (principal financial and accounting |
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November 13, 2015 |
William J. Janetschek |
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officer) of KKR Management LLC |
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Exhibit 4.1
EXECUTION VERSION
|
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
OF
KKR & CO. L.P.
Dated as of November 2, 2015
|
Table of Contents
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Page |
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ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS AND OTHER MATTERS |
1 |
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Section 1.1. |
Definitions |
1 |
Section 1.2. |
Construction |
4 |
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ARTICLE II REGISTRATION RIGHTS |
4 |
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Section 2.1. |
Shelf Registration Statement |
4 |
Section 2.2. |
Registration Procedures |
5 |
Section 2.3. |
Indemnification by the Partnership |
7 |
Section 2.4. |
Indemnification by Registering Covered Persons |
8 |
Section 2.5. |
Conduct of Indemnification Proceedings |
8 |
Section 2.6. |
Contribution |
9 |
Section 2.7. |
Other Indemnification |
10 |
Section 2.8. |
Rule 144 Reporting |
10 |
Section 2.9. |
Acknowledgement Regarding the Partnership |
10 |
Section 2.10. |
Mergers, Recapitalizations, Exchanges or Other Transactions Affecting Registrable Securities |
10 |
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ARTICLE III MISCELLANEOUS |
11 |
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Section 3.1. |
Term of the Agreement; Termination of Certain Provisions |
11 |
Section 3.2. |
Amendments; Waiver |
11 |
Section 3.3. |
Governing Law |
11 |
Section 3.4. |
Submission to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial |
12 |
Section 3.5. |
Notices |
13 |
Section 3.6. |
Severability |
13 |
Section 3.7. |
Specific Performance |
13 |
Section 3.8. |
Assignment; Successors |
13 |
Section 3.9. |
No Third-Party Rights |
13 |
Section 3.10. |
Designation of Covered Persons Representative |
14 |
Section 3.11. |
No Inconsistent Agreements |
15 |
Section 3.12. |
Section Headings |
15 |
Section 3.13. |
Execution in Counterparts |
15 |
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
This REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this Agreement ), is made and entered into as of November 2, 2015, by and among KKR & Co. L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the Partnership ) and the Persons listed on the signature page hereto.
WHEREAS, KKR Fund Holdings L.P., a Cayman Islands limited partnership and the Persons listed on the signature page hereto are parties to (i) a sale and subscription agreement dated as of September 9, 2015 (as may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, the Sale and Subscription Agreement ) and (ii) a put and call option agreement dated as of September 9, 2015 (as may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, the Put and Call Option Agreement and, together with the Sale and Subscription Agreement, the Transaction Agreements );
WHEREAS, under the terms of the Sale and Subscription Agreement, the Covered Persons (as defined below) have received, and under the terms of the Put and Call Option Agreement, the Covered Persons may receive in the future, common units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership (the Common Units ); and
WHEREAS, the Partnership desires to provide the Covered Persons rights to registration with respect to any Registrable Securities (as defined below).
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and of the mutual agreements, covenants and provisions herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND OTHER MATTERS
Section 1.1. Definitions . Capitalized terms used in this Agreement without other definition shall, unless expressly stated otherwise, have the meanings specified in this Section 1.1:
Agreement has the meaning ascribed to such term in the Recitals and includes any amendments thereto.
Beneficial Owner has the meaning set forth in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act.
Board means the Board of Directors of the Managing Partner.
Common Units has the meaning ascribed to such term in the Recitals and includes any successor security thereto.
Completion has the meaning ascribed to such term in the Put and Call Option Agreement.
Completion Date has the meaning ascribed to such term in the Put and Call Option Agreement.
Covered Person means each of the parties hereto (other than the Partnership) and any General Partner Designee or Permitted Transferee that owns Registrable Securities, provided that any such General Partner Designee or Permitted Transferee agrees in writing to be bound by the terms of this Agreement in accordance with Section 3.1(c).
Covered Persons Representative has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.10(a).
Exchange Act means the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
General Partner means MW Group (GP) Ltd, an exempted company incorporated in the Cayman Islands and having its registered office at PO Box 309, Ugland House, Grand Cayman KY1-1104, Cayman Islands .
General Partner Designee means any person not already a party to this Agreement that is designated by the General Partner to be issued Registrable Securities pursuant to the Put and Call Option Agreement.
Governmental Authority means any national, local or foreign (including U.S. federal, state or local) or supranational (including European Union) governmental, judicial, administrative or regulatory (including self-regulatory) agency, commission, department, board, bureau, entity or authority of competent jurisdiction.
Immediate Family means, with respect to any natural person, (a) such persons current spouse, parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren and siblings (in each case whether adoptive or biological), (b) current spouses of such persons children, grandchildren and siblings (in each case whether adoptive or biological), or (c) estates, trusts, partnerships and other entities of which all of the interests are held directly or indirectly by the foregoing.
Indemnified Parties has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.6.
Law means any statute, law, ordinance, regulation, rule, code, executive order, injunction, judgment, decree or other order issued or promulgated by any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over the Partnership or any Covered Person, as the case may be.
Managing Partner means KKR Management LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and any successor or other person that is admitted to the Partnership as general partner of the Partnership, each in its capacity as a general partner of the Partnership (except as the context otherwise requires).
Partnership has the meaning ascribed to such term in the Recitals and includes its successors.
Permitted Transferee means, in the case of a Covered Person, a member of the Immediate Family of such Covered Person.
Put and Call Option Agreement has the meaning ascribed to such term in the Recitals.
Put/Call Registrable Securities means all Registrable Securities delivered or to be delivered pursuant to the Put and Call Option Agreement.
Put/Call Shelf Registration Statement has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.1(a).
Registering Covered Person means any Covered Person for which Registrable Securities are covered by the applicable Shelf Registration Statement.
Registrable Securities means Common Units delivered or to be delivered in the future to a Covered Person pursuant to the Transaction Agreements and any securities or units of the Partnership or any successor or assign of any such person (whether by merger, amalgamation, consolidation, sale of assets or otherwise) that may be issued in respect of, in exchange for, or in substitution of such Registrable Securities, by reason of any dividend, split, issuance, reverse split, combination, recapitalization, reclassification, merger, amalgamation, consolidation or otherwise. For purposes of this Agreement, Registrable Securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities when (i) a Registration Statement covering resales of such Registrable Securities has been declared effective under the Securities Act by the SEC and such Registrable Securities have been disposed of pursuant to such effective Registration Statement, (ii) such Registrable Securities of a Covered Person are eligible to be sold by such Covered Person pursuant to Rule 144 without any current public information, holding period or volume limitation or (iii) such Registrable Securities cease to be outstanding.
Registration Expenses means any and all expenses incident to the performance of or compliance by the Partnership with this Agreement, including all (i) SEC and securities exchange registration and filing fees, and all other fees and expenses payable in connection with the listing of securities on any securities exchange, (ii) fees and expenses of compliance with any securities or blue sky laws (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel in connection with blue sky qualifications of the securities registered), (iii) expenses in connection with the preparation, printing, mailing and delivery of any registration statements, prospectuses and other documents in connection therewith and any amendments or supplements thereto, (iv) reasonable fees and disbursements of legal counsel for the Partnership and for a single counsel for all of the holders of the Registrable Securities, and (vii) reasonable fees and expenses of any special experts retained by the Partnership in connection with such registration.
Rule 144 means Rule 144 promulgated by the SEC pursuant to the Securities Act, as such rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the SEC having substantially the same effect as such rule.
Sale and Subscription Agreement has the meaning ascribed to such term in the Recitals.
Sale/Subscription Registrable Securities means all Registrable Securities delivered or to be delivered pursuant to the Sale and Subscription Agreement.
Sale/Subscription Shelf Registration Statement has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.1(a).
SEC means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Securities Act means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
Shelf Registration Statement has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.1(a).
Target Completion Date has the meaning ascribed to such term in the Put and Call Option Agreement.
Trading Day means a day on which the Common Units are traded on the New York Stock Exchange.
Transaction Agreements has the meaning ascribed to such term in the Recitals.
Section 1.2. Construction . Unless the context requires otherwise: (a) any pronoun used in this Agreement shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine or neuter forms, and the singular form of nouns, pronouns and verbs shall include the plural and vice versa; (b) references to Articles and Sections refer to Articles and Sections of this Agreement; (c) the terms include, includes, including or words of like import shall be deemed to be followed by the words without limitation and the terms hereof, herein or hereunder refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement; and (d) the word person or Person means an individual or a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization, association (including any group, organization, co-tenancy, plan, board, council or committee), Governmental Authority or other entity (or series thereof). The table of contents and headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only, and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
ARTICLE II
REGISTRATION RIGHTS
Section 2.1. Shelf Registration Statement.
(a) The Partnership shall (i) in the case of the Sale/Subscription Registrable Securities, file with the SEC reasonably promptly following the date hereof (and in any event within 10 business days thereafter) a shelf registration statement covering the resale of such Registrable Securities for offerings to be made on a continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 of the Securities Act (the Sale/Subscription Shelf Registration Statement ) and (ii) in the case of the applicable Put/Call Registrable Securities that may be delivered on each Completion Date, file with the SEC at least 10 business days prior to the applicable Target Completion Date (to the extent such filing is permitted by the SEC and applicable Law, as confirmed to the Partnership by the SEC) or, to the extent not so permitted, as soon as reasonably practicable following such Completion Date (and in any event within 10 business days thereafter), one or more shelf
registration statements covering the resale of such Registrable Securities for offerings to be made on a continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 of the Securities Act (each, a Put/Call Shelf Registration Statement and, collectively with the Sale/Subscription Shelf Registration Statement, the Shelf Registration Statements) . Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Partnership shall be entitled to postpone the filing of a Shelf Registration Statement to the same extent that it is entitled to prohibit sales of Registrable Securities under an effective Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2.2(d) below.
(b) The Partnership shall use all commercially reasonable efforts to cause each Shelf Registration Statement to be declared effective under the Securities Act by the SEC as soon as reasonably practicable after the filing thereof pursuant to Section 2.1(a) (but not, in the case of any Put/Call Shelf Registration Statement, prior to the applicable Completion), and shall use all commercially reasonable efforts to keep such Shelf Registration Statement continually effective until all the Registrable Securities covered by such Shelf Registration Statement cease to constitute Registrable Securities. For the avoidance of doubt, the Partnerships obligation to any particular Covered Person to use all commercially reasonable efforts to keep such Shelf Registration Statement effective shall cease upon such time as the Common Units delivered or to be delivered to such Covered Person pursuant to the Transaction Agreements cease to constitute Registrable Securities. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Partnership shall be entitled to postpone causing any Shelf Registration Statement to be declared effective to the same extent that it is entitled to prohibit sales of Registrable Securities under an effective Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2.2(d) below.
(c) The Partnership shall be liable for and pay all Registration Expenses in connection with any Shelf Registration Statement, regardless of whether such registration is effected.
Section 2.2. Registration Procedures . At such time as the Partnership is obligated under this Article II to use all commercially reasonable efforts to effect and maintain a Shelf Registration Statement on behalf of Covered Persons, then:
(a) At least five Trading Days prior to the initial filing, and two Trading Days prior to each subsequent filing, with the SEC of any registration statement or prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, the Partnership shall furnish to each Registering Covered Person copies of such registration statement as proposed to be filed, including each amendment and supplement thereto, and thereafter the Partnership shall furnish to such Registering Covered Person such number of copies of such registration statement, each amendment and supplement thereto (in each case including all exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein), the prospectus included in such registration statement (including each preliminary prospectus and any summary prospectus) and such other documents as such Registering Covered Person may reasonably request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such Registering Covered Person. The Registering Covered Person shall have the right to request that the Partnership modify any information contained in such registration statement, amendment and supplement thereto pertaining to such Registering Covered Person and the Partnership shall use all commercially reasonable efforts to comply with each such request, provided, however, that the Partnership shall not have any obligation to so modify any information if the Partnership reasonably expects that so doing would cause the prospectus to
contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and shall notify such Registering Covered Person of its determination.
(b) After the filing of each Shelf Registration Statement, the Partnership shall (i) cause the related prospectus to be supplemented by any required prospectus supplement, and, as so supplemented, to be filed pursuant to and in accordance with the requirements of Rule 424 under the Securities Act, (ii) comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement during the applicable period in accordance with the intended methods of disposition by the Registering Covered Persons thereof set forth in such registration statement or supplement to such prospectus and (iii) promptly notify each Registering Covered Person holding Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement of any stop order issued or threatened by the SEC suspending the effectiveness of such registration statement or any state securities commission and take all commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the entry of such stop order or to obtain the withdrawal of such order if entered as soon as practicable thereafter.
(c) The Partnership shall use all commercially reasonable efforts to (i) register or qualify the Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement under such other securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions in the United States any Registering Covered Person holding such Registrable Securities reasonably (in light of the intended plan of distribution) requests and (ii) cause such Registrable Securities to be registered with or approved by such other governmental agencies or authorities as may be necessary by virtue of the business and operations of the Partnership and do any and all other acts and things that may be reasonably necessary or advisable to enable such Registering Covered Person to consummate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such person, provided that the Partnership shall not be required to (A) qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify but for this Section 2.2(c), (B) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction or (C) consent to general service of process in any such jurisdiction.
(d) The Partnership shall immediately notify each Registering Covered Person holding such Registrable Securities covered by such Shelf Registration Statement at any time when a prospectus relating thereto is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, of the occurrence of an event requiring the preparation of a supplement or amendment to such prospectus so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of such Registrable Securities, such prospectus will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and promptly prepare and make available to each such Registering Covered Person and file with the SEC any such supplement or amendment. Notwithstanding the foregoing and the provisions of Section 2.1(b), upon notice to each Covered Person whose Registrable Securities are covered by any Shelf Registration Statement, the Partnership shall be entitled to prohibit sales of Registrable Securities under such Shelf Registration Statement by each such Covered Person on up to three occasions during any period of six consecutive months for a reasonable time specified in the notice but not exceeding 120 days in the aggregate (which periods may not be extended or renewed), if (i) the Managing Partner shall determine in good faith that effecting such sales would materially and adversely affect an offering of securities of the Partnership the preparation of which had then been commenced or (ii) the Partnership is in possession of material non-public
information the disclosure of which during the period specified in such notice the Managing Partner believes in good faith would not be in the best interests of the Partnership. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Partnership shall not prohibit sales of Registrable Securities under such Shelf Registration Statement with respect to a Covered Person (x) due to the occurrence of a normal quarterly blackout period under the normal quarterly trading window policy applicable to employees of the Partnership and its subsidiaries; provided that for the avoidance of doubt, the Partnership shall be entitled to prohibit sales of Registrable Securities under such Shelf Registration Statement by such Persons during any such normal quarterly blackout period with respect thereto due to circumstances independent of those that give rise to the normal quarterly blackout period; provided further that no Covered Person has or shall have any employment relationship or other affiliation with the Partnership or its affiliates, or (y)(I) during the period of ten Trading Days immediately following the delivery of any Registrable Securities to any Covered Persons pursuant to the Transaction Agreements or (II) during the period of ten Trading Days immediately following the conclusion of any other prohibition of sales of Registrable Securities under such Shelf Registration Statement with respect to a Covered Person made pursuant to this Section 2.2(d).
(e) The Partnership shall use all commercially reasonable efforts to list all Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement on any securities exchange or quotation system on which any of the Common Units are then listed or traded.
(f) Each Registering Covered Person shall, as a condition to including any Registrable Securities in any registration statement filed in accordance with this Article II, promptly furnish in writing to the Partnership the information set forth in Appendix A (which may be amended from time to time as necessary or advisable in light of applicable Law) and such other information regarding itself and the distribution of the Registrable Securities as the Partnership may from time to time reasonably request and such other information as may be legally required or advisable in connection with such registration.
(g) Each Registering Covered Person agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Partnership of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 2.2(d), such Registering Covered Person shall forthwith discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to the registration statement covering such Registrable Securities until such Registering Covered Persons receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by Section 2.2(d), and, if so directed by the Partnership, such Registering Covered Person shall deliver to the Partnership all copies, other than any permanent file copies then in such Registering Covered Persons possession, of the most recent prospectus covering such Registrable Securities at the time of receipt of such notice.
Section 2.3. Indemnification by the Partnership . In the event of any registration of any Registrable Securities of the Partnership under the Securities Act pursuant to this Article II, the Partnership will, and it hereby does, indemnify and hold harmless, to the extent permitted by law, each Registering Covered Person, each affiliate of such Registering Covered Person and their respective directors and officers or general and limited partners or members and managing members (including any director, officer, affiliate, employee, agent and controlling person of any of the foregoing) and each other person, if any, who controls such seller within the meaning of the Securities Act (collectively, the Indemnified Parties ), from
and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of, or are based upon, (1) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any registration statement or amendment or supplement thereto under which such Registrable Securities were registered or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, or (2) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any prospectus in respect of the Registrable Securities, or amendment or supplement thereto, or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, that the Partnership shall not be liable to any Indemnified Party in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability (or suit, action or proceeding in respect thereof) or expense arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in such registration statement, prospectus, or amendment or supplement thereto, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Partnership by a Registering Covered Person specifically for use in the preparation thereof.
Section 2.4. Indemnification by Registering Covered Persons . Each Registering Covered Person hereby indemnifies and holds harmless the Partnership and all other prospective sellers of Registrable Securities, the directors of the Managing Partner, each officer of the Managing Partner or the Partnership who signed the Shelf Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Partnership and all other prospective sellers of Registrable Securities within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in Section 2.3 above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Partnership by such Registering Covered Person specifically for use in the preparation of such Shelf Registration Statement, the related prospectus, or any amendment or supplement to such Shelf Registration Statement or the related prospectus. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Partnership, any of the Registering Covered Persons or any of their respective affiliates, directors, officers or controlling persons and shall survive the transfer of such securities by such person. In no event shall any such indemnification liability of any Registering Covered Person be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the proceeds received by such Registering Covered Person upon the sale of the Registrable Securities giving rise to such indemnification obligation.
Section 2.5. Conduct of Indemnification Proceedings . Promptly after receipt by an Indemnified Party hereunder of written notice of the commencement of any action or proceeding with respect to which a claim for indemnification may be made pursuant to this Article II, such Indemnified Party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party, give written notice to the latter of the commencement of such action; provided, that the failure of the Indemnified Party to give notice as provided herein shall not relieve the indemnifying party of its obligations under this Article II, except to the extent that the indemnifying party is prejudiced by such failure to give notice.
In case any such action is brought against an Indemnified Party, unless in such Indemnified Partys reasonable judgment, based on advice of counsel, a conflict of interest between such Indemnified Party and indemnifying party may reasonably exist in respect of such claim, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in and to assume control of the defense thereof, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified to the extent that it may wish, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Party, and after notice from the indemnifying party to such Indemnified Party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such Indemnified Party for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the latter in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. It is understood and agreed that the indemnifying party shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one law firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Parties, and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred.
Any such separate firm (x) for any Covered Person, its affiliates, directors and officers and any control persons of such Indemnified Party shall be designated in writing by the Covered Persons Representative, (y) in all other cases shall be designated in writing by the Managing Partner. The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement or compromise of a claim, suit, investigation or proceeding, which is effected without its written consent (which shall not be unreasonably withheld), but if settled or compromised with such consent, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or compromise. No indemnifying party shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Party (which shall not be unreasonably withheld), effect any settlement or compromise of any pending or threatened claim, suit, investigation or proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Party is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Party, unless such settlement (A) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Party, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Party, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such claim, suit, investigation or proceeding, (B) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Party, and (C) does not impose on such Indemnified Party any liability or other obligation other than the payment of monetary sums that will be fully paid by or on behalf of the indemnifying party.
Section 2.6. Contribution . If the indemnification provided for in this Article II from the indemnifying party is unavailable to an Indemnified Party hereunder in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to herein, then the indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party as a result of such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the indemnifying party and Indemnified Parties in connection with the actions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of such indemnifying party and Indemnified Parties shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any action in question, including any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact, has been made by, or relates to information supplied by, such indemnifying party or Indemnified Parties, and the parties relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such action. The amount paid or payable by a party under this
Section 2.6 as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to above shall be deemed to include any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with any claim, suit, investigation or proceeding. In no event shall any such contribution liability of any Registering Covered Person be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the proceeds received by such Registering Covered Person upon the sale of the Registrable Securities giving rise to such contribution obligation.
The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 2.6 were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
Section 2.7. Other Indemnification . Indemnification similar to that specified herein (with appropriate modifications) shall be given by the Partnership and the Registering Covered Person participating in any required registration or other qualification of securities under any Law other than the Securities Act.
Section 2.8. Rule 144 Reporting . With a view to making available to the Covered Persons the benefits of certain rules and regulations of the SEC which may permit the sale of Common Units without registration, the Partnership agrees, as long as Registrable Securities are outstanding, to use all commercially reasonable efforts to: (a) make and keep available adequate public information, as those terms are understood and defined in Rule 144, and (b) furnish to any Covered Person, so long as such Covered Person owns any Registrable Securities, (1) upon request by any Covered Person, to the extent accurate, a written statement by the Partnership that it has complied with the reporting requirements of Rule 144 and (2) to the extent not then publicly available, a copy of the most recent annual or quarterly report of the Partnership and such other reports and documents so filed by the Partnership as any Covered Person shall reasonably request.
Section 2.9. Acknowledgement Regarding the Partnership . Other than those determinations reserved expressly to the Covered Persons Representative, all determinations necessary or advisable under this Article II shall be made by the Managing Partner, the determinations of which shall be final and binding.
Section 2.10. Mergers, Recapitalizations, Exchanges or Other Transactions Affecting Registrable Securities . The provisions of this Agreement shall apply to the full extent set forth herein with respect to the Registrable Securities, to any and all securities or units of the Partnership or any successor or assign of any such person (whether by merger, amalgamation, consolidation, sale of assets or otherwise) that may be issued in respect of, in exchange for, or in substitution of such Registrable Securities, by reason of any dividend, split, issuance, reverse split, combination, recapitalization, reclassification, merger, amalgamation, consolidation or otherwise.
ARTICLE III
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 3.1. Term of the Agreement; Termination of Certain Provisions .
(a) The term of this Agreement shall continue until such time as no Covered Person holds any Registrable Securities and no Covered Person may become entitled to receive Registrable Securities under the Transaction Agreements; provided however that with respect to securities that ceased to be Registrable Securities by virtue of clause (ii) of the definition thereof, if the condition in clause (ii) of the definition thereof ceases to be satisfied at any point during the three month period immediately following such cessation, any such securities that are still held by a Covered Person shall once again be considered Registrable Securities hereunder and the terms of this Agreement shall continue to apply with respect thereto. If any Registrable Securities are sold pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement, the provisions of Sections 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6 and 2.7 and this Article III shall survive any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 3.1(a).
(b) Unless this Agreement is theretofore terminated pursuant to Section 3.1(a) hereof, a Covered Person shall be bound by the provisions of this Agreement with respect to any Registrable Securities until such time as such Covered Person ceases to hold any Registrable Securities or ceases to become entitled to receive Registrable Securities under the Transaction Agreements. Thereafter, such Covered Person shall no longer be bound by the provisions of this Agreement other than Sections 2.4, 2.5, 2.6 and 2.7 and this Article III.
(c) Any General Partner Designee or Permitted Transferee that owns Registrable Securities shall be a Covered Person; provided that such General Partner Designee or Permitted Transferee (i) has furnished in writing to the Partnership the information set forth in Appendix A (which may be amended from time to time as necessary or advisable in light of applicable Law) and (ii) signs an agreement in a form acceptable to the Partnership acknowledging that such General Partner Designee or Permitted Transferee is bound by the terms and provisions of this Agreement and such agreement is received by the Partnership.
Section 3.2. Amendments; Waiver .
(a) This Agreement may not be amended or modified and no provision may be waived except, in the case of an amendment or modification, by an instrument or instruments in writing signed and delivered by or on behalf of, in the case of an amendment or modification, each of the parties hereto and, in the case of a waiver, the party against whom the waiver is to be effective; provided that no amendment or modification shall require the consent of a Covered Person who no longer owns any Registrable Securities and may no longer become entitled to receive Registrable Securities under the Transaction Agreements.
(b) Each Covered Person understands that from time to time certain Covered Persons will cease to be bound by the provisions of this Agreement pursuant to the terms hereof.
Section 3.3. Governing Law . THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
Section 3.4. Submission to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial .
(a) Any and all disputes which cannot be settled amicably, including any ancillary claims of any party arising out of, relating to or in connection with the validity, negotiation, execution, interpretation, performance or non-performance of this Agreement (including without limitation the validity, scope and enforceability of this arbitration provision) shall be finally settled by arbitration conducted by a single arbitrator in New York, New York in accordance with the then-existing Rules of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce. If the parties to the dispute fail to agree on the selection of an arbitrator within thirty (30) days of the receipt of the request for arbitration, the International Chamber of Commerce shall make the appointment. The arbitrator shall be a lawyer and shall conduct the proceedings in the English language. Performance under this Agreement shall continue if reasonably possible during any arbitration proceedings. Except as required by law or as may be reasonably required in connection with ancillary judicial proceedings to compel arbitration, to obtain temporary or preliminary judicial relief in aid of arbitration, or to confirm or challenge an arbitration award, the arbitration proceedings, including any hearings, shall be confidential, and the parties shall not disclose any awards, any materials created for the purpose of the arbitration, or any documents produced by another party in the proceedings not otherwise in the public domain.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a), the Managing Partner may bring, or may cause the Partnership to bring, on behalf of the Managing Partner or the Partnership, an action or special proceeding in any court of competent jurisdiction for the purpose of compelling a party to arbitrate, seeking temporary or preliminary relief in aid of an arbitration hereunder, or enforcing an arbitration award and, for the purposes of this paragraph (b), each Covered Person (i) expressly consents to the application of paragraph (c) of this Section 3.4 to any such action or proceeding, (ii) agrees that proof shall not be required that monetary damages for breach of the provisions of this Agreement would be difficult to calculate and that remedies at law would be inadequate, and (iii) irrevocably appoints the Managing Partner as such Covered Persons agent for service of process in connection with any such action or proceeding and agrees that service of process upon such agent, who shall promptly advise such Covered Person of any such service of process, shall be deemed in every respect effective service of process upon the Covered Person in any such action or proceeding.
(c) EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY SUBMITS TO THE JURISDICTION OF THE FEDERAL AND STATE COURTS LOCATED IN NEW YORK, NEW YORK FOR THE PURPOSE OF ANY JUDICIAL PROCEEDING BROUGHT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION 3.4, OR ANY JUDICIAL PROCEEDING ANCILLARY TO AN ARBITRATION OR CONTEMPLATED ARBITRATION ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO OR CONCERNING THIS AGREEMENT. Such ancillary judicial proceedings include any suit, action or proceeding to compel arbitration, to obtain temporary or preliminary judicial relief in aid of arbitration, or to confirm or challenge an arbitration award. The parties acknowledge that the fora designated by this paragraph (c) have a reasonable relation to this Agreement and to the parties relationship with one another. The parties hereby waive, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, any objection which they now or hereafter may have to personal jurisdiction or to the laying of venue of any such ancillary suit, action or proceeding referred to in this Section 3.4 brought in any court referenced herein and such parties agree not to plead or claim the same.
Section 3.5. Notices. All notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be given (and shall be deemed to have been duly given upon receipt by the intended recipient) by delivery in person, by courier service, by fax or by registered or certified mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested) to the respective parties at the following addresses (or at such other address for a party as shall be specified in a notice given in accordance with this Section 3.5):
If to a Covered Person, at the address of such Covered Person then in the records of the Partnership.
If to the Partnership, at
KKR & Co. L.P.
9 West 57th Street, Suite 4200
New York, NY 10019
Attention: General Counsel
Fax: 212-750-0003
Section 3.6. Severability . If any provision of this Agreement is finally held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, (a) the remaining terms and provisions hereof shall be unimpaired and (b) the invalid or unenforceable term or provision shall be deemed replaced by a term or provision that is valid and enforceable and that comes closest to expressing the intention of the invalid or unenforceable term or provision.
Section 3.7. Specific Performance . Each party hereto acknowledges that the remedies at law of the other parties for a breach or threatened breach of this Agreement would be inadequate and, in recognition of this fact, any party to this Agreement, without posting any bond, and in addition to all other remedies that may be available, shall be entitled to obtain equitable relief in the form of specific performance, a temporary restraining order, a temporary or permanent injunction or any other equitable remedy that may be then available.
Section 3.8. Assignment; Successors . This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the respective legatees, legal representatives, successors and assigns of the Covered Persons; provided, however, that a Covered Person may not assign this Agreement or any of his rights or obligations hereunder (other than to a Permitted Transferee of such Covered Person that agrees in writing to be bound by the terms of this Agreement pursuant to Section 3.1(c)), and any purported assignment in breach hereof by a Covered Person shall be null and void; and provided further that no assignment of this Agreement by the Partnership or to a successor of the Partnership (by operation of law or otherwise) shall be valid unless such assignment is made to a person which succeeds to all or substantially all of the business of the Partnership.
Section 3.9. No Third-Party Rights . Other than as expressly provided herein, nothing in this Agreement will be construed to give any person other than the parties to this Agreement any legal or equitable right, remedy, or claim under or with respect to this Agreement or any provision of this Agreement. This Agreement and all of its provisions and
conditions are for the sole and exclusive benefit of the parties to this Agreement and their successors and assigns.
Section 3.10. Designation of Covered Persons Representative .
(a) Each Covered Person hereby irrevocably appoints the individual named as the Sellers Representative pursuant to the Sale and Subscription Agreement as the sole agent of such Covered Persons (the Covered Persons Representative ) to act on behalf of such person regarding any matter relating to or arising under this Agreement or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including for the purposes of: (i) taking any action on behalf of any such Covered Person that may be necessary and desirable, as determined by the Covered Persons Representative in its sole discretion, in connection with the indemnification and contribution provisions contained in Article II, or the amendment, modification or waiver of this Agreement in accordance with Section 3.2; (ii) accepting notices on behalf of any such Covered Person in accordance with Section 3.5; (iii) executing and delivering, on behalf of any such Covered Person, any notices, documents or certificates to be executed by any such Covered Person in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and (iv) granting any consent or approval on behalf of any such Covered Person pursuant to this Agreement. As the representative of the foregoing Covered Persons regarding any matter relating to or arising under this Agreement or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Covered Persons Representative shall act as the agent for each such Covered Person and shall have authority to bind each such person in accordance with the terms hereof. The Covered Persons Representative will at all times be entitled to rely on any directions received from the applicable Covered Person; provided, however, that the Covered Persons Representative shall not be required to follow any such direction, and shall be under no obligation to take any action in his capacity as the Covered Persons Representative based upon any such direction. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Section 3.10(a) to the contrary, any Covered Person shall be permitted to take any action which the Covered Persons Representative shall fail to take hereunder. The relationship created herein is not to be construed as a joint venture or any form of partnership between or among the Covered Persons Representative or any Covered Person arising out of this Section 3.10(a) for any purpose of law, including federal or state income tax purposes. Neither the Covered Persons Representative nor any of its affiliates owes any fiduciary or other duty to any Covered Person arising out of this Section 3.10(a).
(b) The Partnership may rely exclusively, without independent verification or investigation, upon all decisions, communications or writings made, given or executed by the Covered Persons Representative in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. The Partnership is entitled to deal exclusively with the Covered Persons Representative on all matters relating to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Any action taken or not taken or decisions, communications or writings made, given or executed by the Covered Persons Representative, for or on behalf of any Covered Person, shall be deemed an action taken or not taken or decisions, communications or writings made, given or executed by such person. Any notice or communication delivered by the Partnership to the Covered Persons Representative shall be deemed to have been delivered to all of the Covered Persons. The Partnership shall be entitled to disregard any decisions, communications or writings made, given or executed by any Covered Person in connection with
this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement unless the same is made, given or executed by the applicable Covered Persons Representative.
(c) Each Covered Person hereby appoints the Covered Persons Representative as such persons true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full powers of substitution and resubstitution, in such persons name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement as fully to all intents and purposes as such person might or could do in person.
(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, the Partnership shall not be liable for any liabilities, losses, costs, damages, expenses or penalties to any person, including any Covered Person, for any action taken or not taken by the Covered Persons Representative or for any act or omission taken or not taken in reliance upon the actions taken or not taken or decisions, communications or writings made, given or executed by the Covered Persons Representative.
Section 3.11. No Inconsistent Agreements. Neither the Partnership nor any of its subsidiaries has entered, as of the date hereof, nor shall the Partnership or any of its subsidiaries, on or after the date hereof, enter into any agreement with respect to its securities, that would have the effect of impairing the rights granted to the Covered Persons in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof.
Section 3.12. Section Headings . The headings of sections in this Agreement are provided for convenience only and will not affect its construction or interpretation.
Section 3.13. Execution in Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed or caused to be duly executed this Agreement as of the dates indicated.
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KKR & CO. L.P. |
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By: KKR Management LLC, its |
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general partner |
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/s/ David Sorkin |
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Name: David Sorkin |
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Title: Authorized Signatory |
Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement
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MW GROUP (GP) LTD |
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By: |
/s/ Michael Sargent |
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Name: Michael Sargent |
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Title: Director |
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IAN WACE |
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/s/ Ian Wace |
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ANTHONY CLAKE |
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/s/ Anthony Clake |
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Signed by Michael Sargent as attorney for |
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DUNCAN FORD |
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/s/ Michael Sargent |
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ALPHA CELL LTD |
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By: |
/s/ Anthony Clake |
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Name: Anthony Clake |
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Title: Director |
Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement
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CIM PORTFOLIO MANAGERS PCC
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By: |
/s/ Ashraf Ramtoola |
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Name: Ashraf Ramtoola |
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Title: Director |
Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement
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PAUL MARSHALL |
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/s/ Paul Marshall |
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ERNESTO FRAGOMENI |
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/s/ Ernesto Fragomeni |
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MICHAEL SARGENT |
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/s/ Michael Sargent |
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FEHIM SEVER |
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/s/ Fehim Sever |
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DESMOND ANDERSON |
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/s/ Desmond Anderson |
Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement
Appendix A
KKR & CO. L.P.
Covered Person Questionnaire
The undersigned Covered Person understands that the Partnership has filed or intends to file with the SEC a registration statement for the registration of the Common Units (as such may be amended, the Registration Statement ), in accordance with Article II of the Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of November 2, 2015 (the Registration Rights Agreement ), among the Partnership and the Covered Persons referred to therein. A copy of the Agreement is available from the Partnership upon request at the address set forth below. All capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed thereto in the Registration Rights Agreement.
NOTICE
The undersigned Covered Person hereby gives notice to the Partnership of its intention to register Registrable Securities beneficially owned by it and listed below in Item 3 (unless otherwise specified under Item 3) pursuant to the Registration Statement. The undersigned, by signing and returning this Questionnaire, understands that it will be bound by the terms and conditions of this Questionnaire and the Registration Rights Agreement.
Pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, the undersigned Covered Person has agreed to indemnify and hold harmless the Partnership and all other prospective sellers of Registrable Securities, the directors of the Managing Partner, each officer of the Managing Partner who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Partnership and all other prospective sellers of Registrable Securities within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the extent set forth in Section 2.4 of the Registration Rights Agreement, with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with the information provided in this Questionnaire.
The undersigned Covered Person hereby provides the following information to the Partnership and represents and warrants that such information is accurate and complete:
QUESTIONNAIRE
1. Name.
(a) Full Legal Name of Covered Person:
(b) Full Legal Name of Covered Person (if not the same as (a) above) through which Registrable Securities Listed in Item 3 below are held:
(c) Full Legal name of DTC Participant (if applicable and if not the same as (b) above) through which Registrable Securities listed in Item 3 below are held:
(d) Full Legal Name of natural control person (which means a natural person who directly or indirectly alone or with others has power to vote or dispose of the Registrable Securities listed in Item 3 below):
2. Address for Notices to Covered Person:
Telephone:
Fax:
Email:
Contact Person:
3. Beneficial Ownership of Registrable Securities:
Number of Registrable Securities beneficially owned:
4. Broker-Dealer Status:
(a) Are you a broker-dealer?
Yes o No o
Note: If yes, the SECs staff has indicated that you should be identified as an underwriter in the Registration Statement.
(b) Are you an affiliate of a broker-dealer?
Yes o No o
If yes, please identify the broker-dealer with whom the Covered Person is affiliated and the nature of the affiliation:
(c) If you are an affiliate of a broker-dealer, do you certify that you bought the Registrable Securities in the ordinary course of business, and at the time of the purchase of the Registrable Securities to be resold, you had no agreements or understandings, directly or indirectly, with any person to distribute the Registrable Securities?
Yes o No o
Note: If no, the SECs staff has indicated that you should be identified as an underwriter in the Registration Statement.
(d) If you are (1) a broker-dealer or (2) an affiliate of a broker-dealer and answered no to Question 4(c), do you consent to being named as an underwriter in the Registration Statement?
Yes o No o
5. Beneficial Ownership of Other Securities of the Partnership Owned by the Covered Person.
Except as set forth below in this Item 5, the undersigned Covered Person is not the beneficial or registered owner of any securities of the Partnership other than the Registrable Securities listed above in Item 3.
Type and Amount of Other Securities beneficially owned by the Covered Person:
6. Relationships with the Partnership:
Except as set forth below, neither the undersigned Covered Person nor any of its affiliates, officers, directors or principal equity holders (owners of 5% or more of the equity securities of the undersigned) has held any position or office or has had any other material relationship with the Managing Partner or the Partnership (or its predecessors or affiliates) during the past three years.
State any exceptions here:
7. Intended Method of Disposition of Registrable Securities:
Intended Method or Methods of Disposition of Registrable Securities beneficially owned:
The undersigned agrees to promptly notify the Partnership of any inaccuracies or changes in the information provided herein that may occur subsequent to the date hereof and at any time while the Registration Statement remains in effect.
By signing below, the undersigned consents to the disclosure of the information contained herein in its answers to Items 1 through 7 and the inclusion of such information in the Registration Statement and the related prospectus. The undersigned understands that such information will be relied upon by the Partnership in connection with the preparation or amendment of the Registration Statement and the related prospectus.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned, by authority duly given, has caused this Questionnaire to be executed and delivered either in person or by its duly authorized agent.
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PLEASE SEND A COPY OF THE COMPLETED AND EXECUTED QUESTIONNAIRE BY FAX, AND RETURN THE ORIGINAL BY OVERNIGHT MAIL, TO:
KKR & Co. L.P.
9 West 57th Street, Suite 4200
New York, NY 10019
Attention: General Counsel
Facsimile: 212-750-0003
Exhibit 5.1
November 13, 2015
KKR & Co. L.P.
9 West 57 th Street
Suite 4200
New York, New York 10019
RE: KKR & Co. L.P. Registration Statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933 (as it may be amended from time to time, the Registration Statement)
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel for KKR & Co. L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the Partnership ), in connection with the Registration Statement registering the resale from time to time of up to 2,634,674 common units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership (the Common Units ) by the selling unitholders named therein (the Selling Unitholders ), as set forth in the prospectus contained in the Registration Statement (the Prospectus ) and as may be set forth in one or more supplements to the Prospectus (each, a Prospectus Supplement ).
With your permission, all assumptions and statements of reliance herein have been made without any independent investigation or verification on our part, and we express no opinion with respect to the subject matter or accuracy of such assumptions or items relied upon. In connection with this opinion, we have (i) investigated such questions of law, (ii) examined originals or certified, conformed, facsimile, electronic or reproduction copies, of such agreements, instruments, documents and records of the Partnership and its general partner, such certificates of public officials and such other documents and (iii) received such information from officers and representatives of the Partnership and its general partner and others as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for the purposes of this opinion. In all such examinations, we have assumed the legal capacity of all natural persons, the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of original and certified documents and the conformity to original or certified documents of all copies submitted to us as conformed, facsimile, electronic or reproduction copies. As to various questions of fact relevant to the opinion expressed herein, we have relied upon, and assume the accuracy of certificates and oral or written statements and other information of or from public officials and representatives of the Partnership and its general partner.
Based upon the foregoing and subject to the limitations, qualifications and assumptions set forth herein, we are of the opinion that the Common Units are validly issued and holders of the Common Units will have no obligation to make payments or contributions to the Partnership or its creditors solely by reason of their ownership of the Common Units.
We have assumed that the Partnerships limited partners will not participate in the control of the business of the Partnership, and we note that a limited partner is subject to an obligation to repay any funds wrongfully distributed to it.
The opinion expressed herein is limited to the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act as currently in effect, and no opinion is expressed with respect to any other laws or any effect that such other laws may have on the opinion expressed herein. The opinion expressed herein is limited to the matters stated herein, and no opinion is implied or may be inferred beyond the matters expressly stated herein. This letter is given only as of the date and time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and we undertake no responsibility to update or supplement this letter after such date and time.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the reference to this firm under the caption Legal Matters in the Prospectus and in any Prospectus Supplement. In giving this consent, we do not hereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
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Very truly yours, |
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/s/ Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP |
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FRIED, FRANK, HARRIS, SHRIVER & JACOBSON LLP |
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Exhibit 8.1
November 13, 2015
KKR & Co. L.P.
9 West 57th Street
Suite 4200
New York, NY 10019
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to KKR & Co. L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the Partnership), in connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the Registration Statement) filed by the Partnership with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Act), relating to the sale by certain selling securityholders from time to time of an aggregate of up to 2,634,674 common units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership (Common Units) as set forth in the Registration Statement, any amendment thereto, the prospectus contained therein (the Prospectus) and supplements to the Prospectus pursuant to Rule 415 under the Act. The Common Units have been issued by the Partnership to selling security holders in connection with the Partnerships acquisition of a 24.9% equity interest in Marshall Wace LLP and its affiliates.
We have examined (i) the Registration Statement, (ii) the Prospectus, (iii) the Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement of KKR & Co. L.P. dated as of July 14, 2010 (the Partnership Agreement), among KKR Management LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and the general partner of the Partnership, and the limited partners party thereto, (iv) the Second Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement of KKR Management Holdings L.P. dated as of October 1, 2009, among KKR Management Holdings Corp., a Delaware corporation, as general partner, and the limited partners party thereto, (v) the Second Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement of KKR Fund Holdings L.P. dated as of October 1, 2009, among KKR Group Holdings, L.P., an exempted limited partnership formed under the laws of the Cayman Islands, and KKR Fund Holdings GP Limited, an exempted limited company formed under the laws of the Cayman Islands, as general partners, and the limited partners party thereto, and (vi) the representation letter of KKR Management LLC dated November 13, 2015 delivered to us in connection with this opinion (the Representation Letter). We have also examined originals or duplicates or certified or conformed copies, of such records, agreements, documents and other instruments and such certificates or comparable documents of public officials and of officers and representatives of the Partnership, and have made such other and further investigations, as we have deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis for the opinion hereinafter set forth. As to matters of fact material to this opinion, we have relied upon certificates and comparable documents of public officials and of officers and representatives of the Partnership, including, without limitation, the Representation Letter.
In rendering the opinion set forth below, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of natural persons, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as duplicates or certified or conformed copies, and the authenticity of the originals of such latter documents. We have further assumed that any documents will be executed by the parties in the forms provided to and reviewed by us and that the representations made by KKR Management LLC in the Representation Letter are true, complete and correct and will remain true, complete and correct at all times.
Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the qualifications, assumptions and limitations stated herein and in the Prospectus, the discussion set forth in the Prospectus under the caption Material U.S. Federal Tax Considerations, insofar as it expresses conclusions as to the application of United States federal income tax law, is our opinion as to the material United States federal income tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of the Partnerships Common Units.
We do not express any opinion herein concerning any law other than the federal tax law of the United States.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as Exhibit 8.1 to the Registration Statement.
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Very truly yours, |
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/s/ Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP |
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FRIED, FRANK, HARRIS, SHRIVER & JACOBSON LLP |
Exhibit 23.1
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-3 of our report dated February 27, 2015, relating to the consolidated financial statements of KKR & Co. L.P. and subsidiaries (the Company), and the effectiveness of the Companys internal control over financial reporting, appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Company for the year ended December 31, 2014, and to the reference to us under the heading Experts in the Prospectus, which is part of this Registration Statement.
/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP
New York, NY
November 13, 2015