UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): November 29, 2017

 

 

SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY COMPANY

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   001-08246   71-0205415

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

10000 Energy Drive

Spring, Texas 77389

(Address of principal executive office) (Zip Code)

(832) 796-1000

(Registrants’ telephone number, including area code)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933(§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company  ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☐

 

 

 


Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

Supplemental Indentures

On November 29, 2017, the Company entered into (i) a first supplemental indenture (the “First Supplemental Indenture”) to the indenture dated as of March 5, 2012 (the “2022 Notes Indenture”), by and between the Company, as issuer, and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as trustee, relating to the Company’s 4.10% Senior Notes due 2022 (the “2022 Notes”) and (ii) a third supplemental indenture (the “Third Supplemental Indenture” and, together with the First Supplemental Indenture, the “Supplemental Indentures”) to the indenture dated as of January 23, 2015, as supplemented by the first supplemental indenture, dated as of January 23, 2015, and the second supplemental indenture, dated as of September 25, 2017 (as so supplemented, the “2025 Notes Indenture” and, together with the 2022 Notes Indenture, the “Indentures”), by and between the Company, as issuer, and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, relating to the Company’s 4.95% Senior Notes due 2025 (the “2025 Notes” and, together with the 2022 Notes, the “Notes”).

The Supplemental Indentures were entered into to effectuate certain amendments to the Indentures in connection with the consummation of the Company’s consent solicitations, as further described under Item 7.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K. The Supplemental Indentures, among other things, amend the limitations on liens covenant in each of the Indentures to be substantially similar to the limitation on liens covenant applicable to the Company’s Senior Notes due 2025, Senior Notes due 2026 and Senior Notes due 2027.

The foregoing description does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the First Supplemental Indenture and the Third Supplemental Indenture, copies of which are attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 4.1 and Exhibit 4.2, respectively, and are incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure

On November 29, 2017, the Company announced the final results and expiration of the previously announced solicitation of consents from holders of the Notes to amend the Indentures to, among other things, amend the limitations on liens covenant in the Indentures to be substantially similar to the limitation on liens covenant applicable to the Company’s Senior Notes due 2025, Senior Notes due 2026 and Senior Notes due 2027. The Company received the requisite number of consents to amend the Indentures and entered into the Supplemental Indentures. A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

The information in this Item 7.01, including Exhibit 99.1, is being furnished and shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of Section 18, and shall not be incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, except as set forth by specific reference in such filing.

 

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit
No.

  

Description

  4.1    First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of November 29, 2017, between Southwestern Energy Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as trustee
  4.2    Third Supplemental Indenture, dated as of November 29, 2017, between Southwestern Energy Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee
99.1    Press Release of Southwestern Energy Company, dated November 29, 2017 relating to the results of its consent solicitations


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

    SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY COMPANY
Dated: December 1, 2017     By:  

/s/ Jennifer E. Stewart

    Name:   Jennifer E. Stewart
    Title:  

Senior Vice President and

Chief Financial Officer – Interim

Exhibit 4.1

EXECUTION VERSION

FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

This First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of November 29, 2017 (this “ Supplemental Indenture ”), between Southwestern Energy Company, a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee (the “ Trustee ”) under the Indenture referred to below.

WITNESSETH

WHEREAS, the Company and the Trustee have heretofore executed and delivered an Indenture (the “ Indenture ”), dated as of March 5, 2012, providing for the issuance by the Company of the 4.10% Senior Notes due 2022 (the “ 2022 Notes ”);

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 9.2 of the Indenture, the Company and the Trustee are authorized to execute and deliver this Supplemental Indenture with the consent of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the series of Notes affected by such amendment;

WHEREAS, the Company has solicited consents from the holders of the 2022 Notes (the “ Consent Solicitation ”) pursuant to a Consent Solicitation Statement, dated November 21, 2017 (the “ Consent Solicitation Statement ”), to certain proposed amendments (the “ Proposed Amendments ”) to the Indenture with respect to the 2022 Notes as described in the Consent Solicitation Statement and set forth in Section 2 of this Supplemental Indenture, with the operation of such Proposed Amendments with respect to the 2022 Notes being subject to the satisfaction or waiver, where permissible, by the Company of the conditions to the Consent Solicitation Statement, and the payment of the consent payment payable pursuant to the Consent Solicitation Statement (the “ Consent Payment ”);

WHEREAS, the Company has received and caused to be delivered to the Trustee evidence of the consents from holders of a majority in outstanding principal amount of the 2022 Notes (excluding any 2022 Notes owned by the Company or by any person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with the Company);

WHEREAS, the Company is undertaking to execute and deliver this Supplemental Indenture to amend certain provisions and covenants in the Indenture with respect to the 2022 Notes in connection with the Consent Solicitation;

WHEREAS, all acts and requirements necessary to make this Supplemental Indenture a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company have been done;

WHEREAS, the Company has requested and hereby requests that the Trustee join with the Company in the execution of this Supplemental Indenture and Company has provided the Trustee with a Board Resolution authorizing the execution of and approving this Supplemental Indenture; and

WHEREAS, the terms hereof will become operative upon the payment by the Company of the Consent Payment in respect of the 2022 Notes.


NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the Company and the Trustee mutually covenant and agree for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders of the 2022 Notes as follows:

1.     Capitalized Terms . Capitalized terms used herein without definition shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

2.     Certain Amendments to the Indenture and the 2022 Notes . The following amendments to the Indenture shall apply with respect to the 2022 Notes.

(a) Section 3.7. Limitation on Liens of the Indenture shall be deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:

Section  3.7. Limitation on Liens . The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, incur, assume or guarantee any indebtedness for borrowed money secured by a lien on (a) Productive Property, (b) any Principal Transmission Facility or (c) any shares of stock of any Subsidiary (collectively, (a), (b) and (c), “ Principal Property ”), if the sum, without duplication, of:

(a)    the aggregate principal amount of all Secured Debt of the Company and its Subsidiaries (other than Secured Debt secured by a Permitted Lien); and

(b)    all Attributable Debt of the Company or its Subsidiaries in respect of Sale and Leaseback Transactions involving any Principal Property (other than Permitted Sale and Leaseback Transactions),

exceeds the greater of $2.0 billion or 25% of the Company’s ACNTA at the time of incurrence, unless the Company provides that the Notes will be secured equally and ratably with (or, at the Company’s option, prior to) such Secured Debt.

(b) Section 3.8. Restriction of Sale-Leaseback Transactions of the Indenture shall be deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:

Section  3.8. Restriction of Sale-Leaseback Transactions . Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall enter into, assume, guarantee or otherwise become liable with respect to any Sale and Leaseback Transaction involving any Principal Property, unless after giving effect thereto the sum of all Attributable Debt in respect of such Sale and Leaseback Transactions (other than Permitted Sale and Leaseback Transactions) does not exceed $250.0 million.

(c) The following Section 3.10. Future Subsidiary Guarantors covenant shall be added to the Indenture in its entirety:

Section  3.10. Future Subsidiary Guarantors . As of the date of this Supplemental Indenture, the Notes shall not be guaranteed by any of the Company’s existing Subsidiaries. If, after the date of this Supplemental Indenture, any of the Company’s Subsidiaries guarantees, becomes a borrower or guarantor under, or grants any Lien to secure any obligations pursuant to (i) the Senior Credit Facility or any future Credit Facility or (ii) any other indebtedness for

 

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money borrowed in excess of $500.0 million, then the Company shall cause such Subsidiary to become a Note Guarantor by executing a supplement to the Indenture and delivering such supplement to the Trustee promptly (but in any event, within ten Business Days of the date on which it guaranteed or incurred such obligations or granted such Lien, as the case may be) in accordance with Article X of the Indenture.

(d) The definition of Consolidated Assets in the Indenture shall be deleted in its entirety.

(e) The following definitions shall be added to the Indenture in the applicable alphabetical order:

ACNTA ” means (without duplication), as of the date of determination:

(a)    the sum of:

(i)    discounted future net revenue from proved crude oil and natural gas reserves of the Company and its Subsidiaries calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines before any state or federal income taxes, as estimated in a reserve report prepared as of the end of the Company’s most recently completed fiscal year, which reserve report is prepared or audited by independent petroleum engineers as to at least 80% of the value of the reserves covered thereby, provided, however, that in lieu of using commodities prices and costs determined under SEC guidelines in such reserve report and for all purposes of this definition, such discounted future net revenue shall be adjusted using NYMEX prices after giving further effect to commodity derivatives contracts in effect on the date of determination and estimates of costs in light of prevailing market conditions in effect as of the date of determination, in each case as determined in good faith by the Company, as increased by, as of the date of determination, the discounted future net revenue before any state or federal income taxes of:

(A)    estimated proved crude oil and natural gas reserves of the Company and its Subsidiaries attributable to acquisitions consummated since the date of such year-end reserve report, and

(B)    estimated proved crude oil and natural gas reserves of the Company and its Subsidiaries attributable to extensions, discoveries and other additions and upward determinations of estimates of proved crude oil and natural gas reserves (including previously estimated development costs incurred during the period and the accretion of discount since the prior year-end) due to exploration, development or exploitation, production or other activities which reserves were not reflected in such year-end reserve report (as adjusted for pricing and costs as set forth above),

 

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in the case of the determination made under each of clauses (A) and (B) above, calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines (except utilizing commodities prices and costs as set forth above) before any state or federal income taxes, and as decreased by, as of the date of determination, the discounted future net revenue before any state or federal income taxes attributable to:

(C)    estimated proved crude oil and natural gas reserves of the Company and its Subsidiaries reflected in such year-end reserve report (as adjusted for pricing and costs as set forth above) produced or disposed of since the date of such year-end reserve report, and

(D)    reductions in the estimated proved crude oil and natural gas reserves of the Company and its Subsidiaries reflected in such year-end reserve report (as adjusted for pricing and costs as set forth above) since the date of such year-end reserve report attributable to downward determinations of estimates of proved crude oil and natural gas reserves due to exploration, development or exploitation, production or other activities conducted or otherwise occurring since the date of such year-end reserve report, in each case calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines (except utilizing the commodities prices and costs as set forth above) before any state or federal income taxes;

provided, however , that, in the case of each of the determinations made pursuant to clauses (A) through (D) above, such increases and decreases shall be as estimated in good faith by the Company;

(ii)    the capitalized costs that are attributable to crude oil and natural gas properties of the Company and its Subsidiaries to which no proved crude oil and natural gas reserves are attributed, based on the Company’s books and records as of a date no earlier than the date of the Company’s latest annual or quarterly financial statements;

(iii)    the net working capital, excluding unrealized gains and losses related to unsettled derivatives, on a date no earlier than the date of the Company’s latest annual or quarterly financial statements; and

(iv)    the greater of (I) the net book value on a date no earlier than the date of the Company’s latest annual or quarterly financial statements and (II) the appraised value, as estimated by independent appraisers within the immediately preceding 12 months, of other tangible assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries (provided that the Company shall not be required to obtain such an appraisal of such assets if no such appraisal has been performed);

minus

(b)    to the extent not otherwise taken into account in the immediately preceding clause (a), the sum of:

(i)    minority interests;

 

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(ii)    any net gas or other balancing liabilities of the Company and its Subsidiaries reflected in the Company’s latest audited consolidated financial statements;

(iii)    the discounted future net revenue, calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines (except utilizing the commodities prices and costs set forth above) before any state or federal income taxes, attributable to reserves that are required to be delivered to third parties to fully satisfy the obligations of the Company and its Subsidiaries with respect to volumetric production payments on the schedules specified with respect thereto; and

(iv)    the discounted future net revenue, calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines before any state or federal income taxes, attributable to reserves subject to dollar denominated production payments that, based on the estimates of production included in determining the discounted future net revenue specified in the immediately preceding clause (a)(i) (except utilizing the commodities prices and costs set forth above), would be necessary to satisfy fully the obligations of the Company and its Subsidiaries with respect to dollar denominated production payments on the schedules specified with respect thereto.

For the avoidance of doubt, references in this definition to “oil and natural gas reserves” shall include any reserves attributable to natural gas liquids and other hydrocarbons.

net working capital ” means:

(a)    all current assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, minus

(b)    all current liabilities of the Company and its Subsidiaries, except current liabilities included in Indebtedness; in each case determined in accordance with GAAP.

NYMEX prices ” means, as of any date of determination, the forward month prices for the most comparable hydrocarbon commodity applicable to such future production month for a five year period (or such shorter period if forward month prices are not quoted for a reasonably comparable hydrocarbon commodity for the full five year period), with such prices held constant thereafter based on the last quoted forward month price of such period, as such prices are (i) quoted on the New York Mercantile Exchange (or its successor) as of a date within 30 days of the date of determination and (ii) adjusted for energy content, quality and basis differentials; provided that with respect to estimated future production for which prices are defined, within the meaning of SEC guidelines, by contractual arrangements excluding escalations based upon future conditions, then such contract prices shall be applied to future production subject to such arrangements.

volumetric production payments ” mean production payment obligations recorded as deferred revenue in accordance with GAAP, together with all undertakings and obligations in connection therewith.

 

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(f) All references to “Revolving Credit Facility” in the Indenture shall be replaced with “Senior Credit Facility,” which shall be defined as follows:

Senior Credit Facility ” means the Credit Agreement dated June 27, 2016 among Southwestern Energy Company, JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent and the lenders party thereto, as such agreement has been or may be amended, restated, refinanced, replaced or refunded from time to time.

(g) All references to Sections of the Indenture amended by this Supplemental Indenture shall be to such sections as amended by this Supplemental Indenture.

3.     Trust Indenture Act Controls . If any provision of this Supplemental Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with another provision of the Indenture or this Supplemental Indenture which is required to be included in the Indenture or this Supplemental Indenture by the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, as in effect on the date of the Indenture, except as provided in Section 8.3 thereof (in the case of the Indenture) or on the date of this Supplemental Indenture (in the case of this Supplemental Indenture) (the “ Trust Indenture Act ”), the provision required by the Trust Indenture Act shall control.

4.     No Recourse Against Others . An incorporator, director, officer, employee, stockholder or controlling person, as such, of the Company shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Company under the 2022 Notes, the Indenture or this Supplemental Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation. By accepting a Note, each Holder shall waive and release all such liability.

5.     Successors . All agreements of the Company in this Supplemental Indenture shall bind its successors.

6.     Severability . In case any provision in this Supplemental Indenture shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

7.     Governing Law .

(a)    THIS SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. THE PARTIES HERETO AND THE HOLDERS OF THE 2022 NOTES BY THEIR ACCEPTANCE THEREOF EACH HEREBY WAIVE ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, OR THE 2022 NOTES OR ANY TRANSACTION RELATED HERETO OR THERETO TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

 

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(b)    The Company hereby:

(i)    agrees that any suit, action or proceeding against it arising out of or relating to this Supplemental Indenture, the Indenture or the 2022 Notes, as the case may be, may be instituted in any federal or state court sitting in The City of New York;

(ii)    waives to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such suit, action or proceeding, and any claim that any suit, action or proceeding in such a court has been brought in an inconvenient forum;

(iii)    irrevocably submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of such courts in any suit, action or proceeding;

(iv)    agrees that final judgment in any such suit, action or proceeding brought in such a court shall be conclusive and binding may be enforced in the courts of the jurisdiction of which it is subject by a suit upon judgment; and

(v)    agrees that service of process by mail to the addresses specified herein shall constitute personal service of such process on it in any such suit, action or proceeding.

8.     Notices . Any notice or communication shall be in writing and delivered in person or mailed by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed as follows:

(a)    if to the Company: to the address for the Company specified in or pursuant to the Indenture; and

(b)    if to the Trustee: to the address for the Trustee specified in or pursuant to the Indenture.

The Company or the Trustee by notice to the other may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications.

9.     Counterparts . The parties may sign any number of copies of this Supplemental Indenture. One signed copy is enough to prove this Supplemental Indenture. This Supplemental Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which so executed shall be an original, but all of them together represent the same agreement. The exchange of copies of this Supplemental Indenture and of signature pages by facsimile or electronic ( i.e. , “pdf” or “tif”) transmission shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Supplemental Indenture as to the parties hereto and may be used in lieu of the original Indenture for all purposes. Signatures of the parties hereto transmitted by facsimile or electronic ( i.e. , “pdf” or “tif”) transmission shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes.

10.     Headings . The headings of the Sections of this Supplemental Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not intended to be considered a part hereof and shall not modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.

 

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11.     Trustee . The Trustee shall not be responsible and makes no representation as to the validity, sufficiency or adequacy of this Supplemental Indenture, and it shall not be responsible for the recitals or statements in this Supplemental Indenture or in any document issued in connection with the 2022 Notes, the Indenture or this Supplemental Indenture, all of which are made solely by the Company other than the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for their correctness.

12.     PATRIOT ACT . The parties hereto acknowledge that, in accordance with Section 326 of the USA Patriot Act, the Trustee (like all financial institutions) is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each Person or legal entity that opens an account. The parties hereto agree that they will provide the Trustee with such information as it may reasonably request in order for the Trustee to satisfy the requirements of the USA Patriot Act.

13.     EFFECTIVENESS . This Supplemental Indenture shall become effective upon the execution and delivery thereof by the Company and the Trustee; provided, however, that the amendments provided for in Section 2 hereof shall not become operative unless and until the Company pays the Consent Payment. The Company shall furnish the Trustee with a written notice that sets forth the date when such amendments shall have become operative. Unless and until the Trustee receives such written notice, the Trustee can presume that the amendments have not become operative.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed and attested, all as of the date first above written.

 

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Seal:     SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY COMPANY
Attest:     By:  

/s/ Jennifer E. Stewart

    Name:   Jennifer E. Stewart
    Title:   Senior Vice President and
      Chief Financial Officer – Interim

[ Signature Page to First Supplemental Indenture ]


THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.

as Trustee

By:  

/s/ Karen Yu

Name:   Karen Yu
Title:   Vice President

[ Signature Page to First Supplemental Indenture ]

Exhibit 4.2

EXECUTION VERSION

THIRD SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

This Third Supplemental Indenture, dated as of November 29, 2017 (this “ Supplemental Indenture ”), between Southwestern Energy Company, a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), and U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee (the “ Trustee ”) under the Indenture referred to below.

WITNESSETH

WHEREAS, the Company and the Trustee have heretofore executed and delivered an Indenture (the “ Base Indenture ”), dated as of January 23, 2015, as previously supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture (the “ First Supplement ”), dated January 23, 2015 and the Second Supplemental Indenture (the “Second Supplement”), dated September 25, 2017 (the Base Indenture as modified by the First Supplement and the Second Supplement, the “ Indenture ”), providing for the issuance by the Company of the following series of notes: (i) the 3.300% Senior Notes due 2018; (ii) the 4.050% Senior Notes due 2020 and (iii) the 4.950% Senior Notes due 2025 (the “ 2025 Notes ”) (collectively, the “ Notes ”);

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 10.02 of the Base Indenture, the Company and the Trustee are authorized to execute and deliver this Supplemental Indenture with the consent of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the series of Notes affected by such amendment;

WHEREAS, the Company has solicited consents from the holders of the 2025 Notes (the “ Consent Solicitation ”) pursuant to a Consent Solicitation Statement, dated November 21, 2017 (the “ Consent Solicitation Statement ”), to certain proposed amendments (the “ Proposed Amendments ”) to the Indenture with respect to the 2025 Notes as described in the Consent Solicitation Statement and set forth in Section 2 of this Supplemental Indenture, with the operation of such Proposed Amendments with respect to the 2025 Notes being subject to the satisfaction or waiver, where permissible, by the Company of the conditions to the Consent Solicitation Statement, and the payment of the consent payment payable pursuant to the Consent Solicitation Statement (the “ Consent Payment ”);

WHEREAS, the Company has received and caused to be delivered to the Trustee evidence of the consents from holders of a majority in outstanding principal amount of the 2025 Notes (excluding any 2025 Notes owned by the Company or by any person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with the Company);

WHEREAS, the Company is undertaking to execute and deliver this Supplemental Indenture to amend certain provisions and covenants in the Indenture with respect to the 2025 Notes in connection with the Consent Solicitation;

WHEREAS, all acts and requirements necessary to make this Supplemental Indenture a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company have been done; and

WHEREAS, the terms hereof will become operative upon the payment by the Company of the Consent Payment in respect of the 2025 Notes.


NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the Company and the Trustee mutually covenant and agree for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders of the 2025 Notes as follows:

1.     Capitalized Terms . Capitalized terms used herein without definition shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

2.     Certain Amendments to the Indenture and the 2025 Notes . The following amendments to the First Supplement shall apply only with respect to the 2025 Notes and not to the other series of Securities established by the First Supplement.

(a) Section 5.01. Limitation on Liens of the First Supplement shall be deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:

Section  5.01. Limitation on Liens . The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, incur, assume or guarantee any indebtedness for borrowed money secured by a lien on (a) Productive Property, (b) any Principal Transmission Facility or (c) any shares of stock of any Subsidiary (collectively, (a), (b) and (c), “ Principal Property ”), if the sum, without duplication, of:

(a)    the aggregate principal amount of all Secured Debt of the Company and its Subsidiaries (other than Secured Debt secured by a Permitted Lien); and

(b)    all Attributable Debt of the Company or its Subsidiaries in respect of Sale and Leaseback Transactions involving any Principal Property (other than Permitted Sale and Leaseback Transactions),

exceeds the greater of $2.0 billion or 25% of the Company’s ACNTA at the time of incurrence, unless the Company provides that the 2025 Notes will be secured equally and ratably with (or, at the Company’s option, prior to) such Secured Debt.

(b) Section 5.02. Restriction of Sale-Leaseback Transactions of the First Supplement shall be deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:

Section  5.02. Restriction of Sale-Leaseback Transactions . Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall enter into, assume, guarantee or otherwise become liable with respect to any Sale and Leaseback Transaction involving any Principal Property, unless after giving effect thereto the sum of all Attributable Debt in respect of such Sale and Leaseback Transactions (other than Permitted Sale and Leaseback Transactions) does not exceed $250.0 million.

(c) Section 5.03. Future Subsidiary Guarantors of the First Supplement shall be deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:

Section  5.03. Future Subsidiary Guarantors . As of the date of this Supplemental Indenture, the 2025 Notes shall not be guaranteed by any of the Company’s existing Subsidiaries. If, after the date of this Supplemental Indenture, any of the Company’s Subsidiaries

 

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guarantees, becomes a borrower or guarantor under, or grants any Lien to secure any obligations pursuant to (i) the Senior Credit Facility or any future Credit Facility or (ii) any other indebtedness for money borrowed in excess of $500.0 million, then the Company shall cause such Subsidiary to become a Security Guarantor by executing a supplement to the Indenture and delivering such supplement to the Trustee promptly (but in any event, within ten Business Days of the date on which it guaranteed or incurred such obligations or granted such Lien, as the case may be) in accordance with Article X of the Base Indenture.

(d) The definition of Consolidated Assets in the Indenture shall be deleted in its entirety.

(e) The following definitions shall be added to the First Supplement in the applicable alphabetical order:

ACNTA ” means (without duplication), as of the date of determination:

(a)    the sum of:

(i)    discounted future net revenue from proved crude oil and natural gas reserves of the Company and its Subsidiaries calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines before any state or federal income taxes, as estimated in a reserve report prepared as of the end of the Company’s most recently completed fiscal year, which reserve report is prepared or audited by independent petroleum engineers as to at least 80% of the value of the reserves covered thereby, provided, however, that in lieu of using commodities prices and costs determined under SEC guidelines in such reserve report and for all purposes of this definition, such discounted future net revenue shall be adjusted using NYMEX prices after giving further effect to commodity derivatives contracts in effect on the date of determination and estimates of costs in light of prevailing market conditions in effect as of the date of determination, in each case as determined in good faith by the Company, as increased by, as of the date of determination, the discounted future net revenue before any state or federal income taxes of:

(A)    estimated proved crude oil and natural gas reserves of the Company and its Subsidiaries attributable to acquisitions consummated since the date of such year-end reserve report, and

(B)    estimated proved crude oil and natural gas reserves of the Company and its Subsidiaries attributable to extensions, discoveries and other additions and upward determinations of estimates of proved crude oil and natural gas reserves (including previously estimated development costs incurred during the period and the accretion of discount since the prior year-end) due to exploration, development or exploitation, production or other activities which reserves were not reflected in such year-end reserve report (as adjusted for pricing and costs as set forth above),

in the case of the determination made under each of clauses (A) and (B) above, calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines (except utilizing commodities

 

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prices and costs as set forth above) before any state or federal income taxes, and as decreased by, as of the date of determination, the discounted future net revenue before any state or federal income taxes attributable to:

(C)    estimated proved crude oil and natural gas reserves of the Company and its Subsidiaries reflected in such year-end reserve report (as adjusted for pricing and costs as set forth above) produced or disposed of since the date of such year-end reserve report, and

(D)    reductions in the estimated proved crude oil and natural gas reserves of the Company and its Subsidiaries reflected in such year-end reserve report (as adjusted for pricing and costs as set forth above) since the date of such year-end reserve report attributable to downward determinations of estimates of proved crude oil and natural gas reserves due to exploration, development or exploitation, production or other activities conducted or otherwise occurring since the date of such year-end reserve report, in each case calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines (except utilizing the commodities prices and costs as set forth above) before any state or federal income taxes;

provided, however , that, in the case of each of the determinations made pursuant to clauses (A) through (D) above, such increases and decreases shall be as estimated in good faith by the Company;

(ii)    the capitalized costs that are attributable to crude oil and natural gas properties of the Company and its Subsidiaries to which no proved crude oil and natural gas reserves are attributed, based on the Company’s books and records as of a date no earlier than the date of the Company’s latest annual or quarterly financial statements;

(iii)    the net working capital, excluding unrealized gains and losses related to unsettled derivatives, on a date no earlier than the date of the Company’s latest annual or quarterly financial statements; and

(iv)    the greater of (I) the net book value on a date no earlier than the date of the Company’s latest annual or quarterly financial statements and (II) the appraised value, as estimated by independent appraisers within the immediately preceding 12 months, of other tangible assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries (provided that the Company shall not be required to obtain such an appraisal of such assets if no such appraisal has been performed);

minus

(b)    to the extent not otherwise taken into account in the immediately preceding clause (a), the sum of:

(i)    minority interests;

 

4


(ii)    any net gas or other balancing liabilities of the Company and its Subsidiaries reflected in the Company’s latest audited consolidated financial statements;

(iii)    the discounted future net revenue, calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines (except utilizing the commodities prices and costs set forth above) before any state or federal income taxes, attributable to reserves that are required to be delivered to third parties to fully satisfy the obligations of the Company and its Subsidiaries with respect to volumetric production payments on the schedules specified with respect thereto; and

(iv)    the discounted future net revenue, calculated in accordance with SEC guidelines before any state or federal income taxes, attributable to reserves subject to dollar denominated production payments that, based on the estimates of production included in determining the discounted future net revenue specified in the immediately preceding clause (a)(i) (except utilizing the commodities prices and costs set forth above), would be necessary to satisfy fully the obligations of the Company and its Subsidiaries with respect to dollar denominated production payments on the schedules specified with respect thereto.

For the avoidance of doubt, references in this definition to “oil and natural gas reserves” shall include any reserves attributable to natural gas liquids and other hydrocarbons.

net working capital ” means:

(a)    all current assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, minus

(b)    all current liabilities of the Company and its Subsidiaries, except current liabilities included in Indebtedness; in each case determined in accordance with GAAP.

NYMEX prices ” means, as of any date of determination, the forward month prices for the most comparable hydrocarbon commodity applicable to such future production month for a five year period (or such shorter period if forward month prices are not quoted for a reasonably comparable hydrocarbon commodity for the full five year period), with such prices held constant thereafter based on the last quoted forward month price of such period, as such prices are (i) quoted on the New York Mercantile Exchange (or its successor) as of a date within 30 days of the date of determination and (ii) adjusted for energy content, quality and basis differentials; provided that with respect to estimated future production for which prices are defined, within the meaning of SEC guidelines, by contractual arrangements excluding escalations based upon future conditions, then such contract prices shall be applied to future production subject to such arrangements.

volumetric production payments ” mean production payment obligations recorded as deferred revenue in accordance with GAAP, together with all undertakings and obligations in connection therewith.

 

5


(f) All references to Sections of the First Supplement amended by this Supplemental Indenture shall be to such sections as amended by this Supplemental Indenture.

3.     Trust Indenture Act Controls . If any provision of this Supplemental Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with another provision of the Indenture or this Supplemental Indenture which is required to be included in the Indenture or this Supplemental Indenture by the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, as in effect on the date of the Indenture, except as provided in Section 8.3 thereof (in the case of the Indenture) or on the date of this Supplemental Indenture (in the case of this Supplemental Indenture) (the “ Trust Indenture Act ”), the provision required by the Trust Indenture Act shall control.

4.     No Recourse Against Others . An incorporator, director, officer, employee, stockholder or controlling person, as such, of the Company shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Company under the 2025 Notes, the Indenture or this Supplemental Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation. By accepting a Note, each Holder shall waive and release all such liability.

5.     Successors . All agreements of the Company in this Supplemental Indenture shall bind its successors. All agreements of the Trustee in this Supplemental Indenture shall bind its successors.

6.     Severability . In case any provision in this Supplemental Indenture shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

7.     Governing Law .

(a)    THIS SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. THE PARTIES HERETO AND THE HOLDERS OF THE 2025 NOTES BY THEIR ACCEPTANCE THEREOF EACH HEREBY WAIVE ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, OR THE 2025 NOTES OR ANY TRANSACTION RELATED HERETO OR THERETO TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

(b)    The Company hereby:

(i)    agrees that any suit, action or proceeding against it arising out of or relating to this Supplemental Indenture, the Indenture or the 2025 Notes, as the case may be, may be instituted in any federal or state court sitting in The City of New York;

(ii)    waives to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such suit, action or proceeding, and any claim that any suit, action or proceeding in such a court has been brought in an inconvenient forum;

 

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(iii)    irrevocably submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of such courts in any suit, action or proceeding;

(iv)    agrees that final judgment in any such suit, action or proceeding brought in such a court shall be conclusive and binding may be enforced in the courts of the jurisdiction of which it is subject by a suit upon judgment; and

(v)    agrees that service of process by mail to the addresses specified herein shall constitute personal service of such process on it in any such suit, action or proceeding.

8.     Notices . Any notice or communication shall be in writing and delivered in person or mailed by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed as follows:

(a)    if to the Company: to the address for the Company specified in or pursuant to the Indenture; and

(b)    if to the Trustee: to the address for the Trustee specified in or pursuant to the Indenture.

The Company or the Trustee by notice to the other may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications.

9.     Counterparts . The parties may sign any number of copies of this Supplemental Indenture. One signed copy is enough to prove this Supplemental Indenture. This Supplemental Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which so executed shall be an original, but all of them together represent the same agreement.

10.     Headings . The headings of the Sections of this Supplemental Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not intended to be considered a part hereof and shall not modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.

11.     Trustee . The Trustee shall not be responsible and makes no representation as to the validity or adequacy of this Supplemental Indenture, and it shall not be responsible for any statement of the Company in this Supplemental Indenture or in any document issued in connection with the 2025 Notes, the Indenture or this Supplemental Indenture other than the Trustee’s certificate of authentication.

12.     PATRIOT ACT . The parties hereto acknowledge that, in accordance with Section 326 of the USA Patriot Act, the Trustee (like all financial institutions) is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each Person or legal entity that opens an account. The parties hereto agree that they will provide the Trustee with such information as it

may reasonably request in order for the Trustee to satisfy the requirements of the USA Patriot Act.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed and attested, all as of the date first above written.

 

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Seal:     SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY COMPANY
Attest:     By:  

/s/ Jennifer E. Stewart

    Name:   Jennifer E. Stewart
    Title:   Senior Vice President and
      Chief Financial Officer – Interim

[ Signature Page to Third Supplemental Indenture ]


U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

as Trustee

By:  

/s/ Paula Oswald

Name:   Paula Oswald
Title:   Vice President

[ Signature Page to Third Supplemental Indenture ]

Exhibit 99.1

 

LOGO

NEWS RELEASE

SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY ANNOUNCES RECEIPT OF REQUISITE CONSENTS IN ITS CONSENT SOLICITATIONS RELATED TO SENIOR NOTES

Houston, Texas – November 29, 2017...Southwestern Energy Company (NYSE: SWN) (the “Company”) today announced that, in connection with its previously announced consent solicitations (the “Consent Solicitations”) with respect to the Company’s 4.10% Senior Notes due 2022 (the “2022 Notes”) and 4.95% Senior Notes due 2025 (the “2025 Notes” and, together with the 2022 Notes, the “Notes”), the Company has received the consents (“Consents”) from holders of at least a majority of the outstanding principal amount of each of the 2022 Notes and 2025 Notes (the “Requisite Consents”), respectively, to, among other things, amend certain restrictive covenants (the “Proposed Amendments”) contained in the indentures governing the 2022 Notes and 2025 notes (each an “Indenture”), subject to the terms and conditions described in the Consent Solicitation Statement dated November 21, 2017 (the “Consent Solicitation Statement”). The Consent Solicitations expired at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on November 28, 2017 (the “Expiration Date”).

Accordingly, the Company expects to execute a supplemental indenture with the applicable trustee (each, a “Supplemental Indenture”) to the applicable Indenture, effecting the Proposed Amendments with respect to each series of Notes. Although a Supplemental Indenture will become effective immediately upon execution, the Proposed Amendments will become operative only upon the payment by the Company of the aggregate cash payment equal to $5.00 per $1,000 principal amount of Notes (the “Consent Payment”) to D.F. King & Co., Inc., as paying agent, on behalf of the holders who delivered valid and unrevoked Consents to the Proposed Amendments with respect to the applicable series of Notes on or prior to the Expiration Date. The Company expects to make the Consent Payment on or around November 30, 2017. The Company’s obligation to accept and pay holders the Consent Payment for valid and unrevoked Consents to the Proposed Amendments with respect to the applicable series of Notes is subject to the terms and conditions described in the Consent Solicitation Statement.

Citigroup Global Markets Inc. is the Lead Solicitation Agent, and Credit Agricole Securities (USA) Inc. and MUFG Securities Americas Inc. are the Solicitation Agents. D.F. King & Co., Inc. has been retained to serve as the Information, Tabulation and Paying Agent for the Consent Solicitations. Persons with questions regarding the Consent Solicitations should contact Citigroup Global Markets Inc. at (toll free) (800) 558-3745 or (New York) (212) 723-6106; Credit Agricole Securities (USA) Inc. at (toll free) (866) 807-6030 or (collect) (212) 261-7802; or MUFG Securities Americas Inc. at (toll free) (877) 744-4532 or (collect) (212) 405-7481. Requests for the Consent Solicitation Statement should be directed to D.F. King & Co., Inc. at (toll free) (866) 406-2283 or by email to swn@dfking.com .

Southwestern Energy Company is an independent energy company whose wholly owned subsidiaries are engaged in natural gas and oil exploration, development and production, natural gas gathering and marketing.


Contact:

Randall Barron

Vice President & Treasurer

(832) 796-4851

randall_barron@swn.com

John Crain

Finance Manager

(832) 796-6069

john_crain@swn.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements relate to future events, including the Consent Solicitations and anticipated results of operations, business strategies, and other aspects of our operations or operating results. In many cases you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “project,” “estimate,” “continue,” “potential,” “should,” “could,” “may,” “will,” “objective,” “guidance,” “outlook,” “effort,” “expect,” “believe,” “predict,” “budget,” “projection,” “goal,” “forecast,” “target” or similar words. Statements may be forward looking even in the absence of these particular words. Where, in any forward-looking statement, the company expresses an expectation or belief as to future results, such expectation or belief is expressed in good faith and believed to have a reasonable basis. However, there can be no assurance that such expectation or belief will result or be achieved. The actual results of operations can and will be affected by a variety of risks and other matters including, but not limited to, changes in commodity prices; changes in expected levels of natural gas and oil reserves or production; operating hazards, drilling risks, unsuccessful exploratory activities; limited access to capital or significantly higher cost of capital related to illiquidity or uncertainty in the domestic or international financial markets; international monetary conditions; unexpected cost increases; potential liability for remedial actions under existing or future environmental regulations; potential liability resulting from pending or future litigation; and general domestic and international economic and political conditions; as well as changes in tax, environmental and other laws applicable to our business. Other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements include other economic, business, competitive and/or regulatory factors affecting our business generally as set forth in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Unless legally required, Southwestern Energy Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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